Wii U European release date and pricing announced

Nintendo has announced a launch date and pricing details for the first ‘next-gen’ console, the Wii U.

The Wii U will retail at £199and launches on November 30, just in time for the all-important holiday season.

This morning’s Nintendo Direct event showcased Japanese launch details, with the basic console coming in at ¥26,250 (£209.56) with a premium version for ¥31,500 (£251.47). The Pro Wii U GamePad alone retails at ¥13,440 (£107.30) suggesting a heavy emphasis on the Gamepad as a selling point.

The ‘basic’ bundle, a white console, has 8GB of on board memory with the black premium clocking 32GB, both of which seem surprisingly scarce, especially given that the 7 year-old Xbox 360 Elite came with a 250GB capacity. Both editions come with a GamePad.

Also announced this morning was the Nintendo Network Premium scheme, only with the Premium Wii U console, offers points for purchased games and a 10% discount on digital downloads.