The Nintendo Wii U was unveiled back during E3 and we talked about the console a bit then. So far, we know about the tech aspects of the console but still have no idea when it will land or how much it will cost. Apparently, in early discussions about the Wii U, the console was considered as a portable only that worked with a base console. That would mean the controller with the screen was the console.
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has now said that in early talks, the portable console was discussed. Apparently, that was ultimately ruled out because they wanted better graphics and didn’t think a battery powered device could provide that. I can see that, and Nintendo already has a popular portable with the DS and now the 3DS.
It also turns out that planning for the Wii U actually started back in 2007 when the Wii was brand new. Another cool factoid was also offered that we may all wish was true – depending on the price of the Wii U LCD controller. Nintendo actually considered making the LCD separate from the controller as a standalone screen, without built-in controls.