Wii U Pre-Orders Rumored To Start On September 13th

News has surfaced that Nintendo's next-generation game console, the Wii U, will be heading onto the pre-order conveyor belt starting this September. More specifically, the rumors hint at a September 13th pre-order start date, which means that the Wii U is most certainly closer to release than we may have thought.

According to GameIndustry.biz Nintendo sent out press invites for an upcoming media event for hands-on demos and previews. However, the story goes a bit deeper as the press event seems to tie into additional news regarding pricing and pre-order information, as reported by GoNintendo. Reportedly, several retailers, including Best Buy, are sending out notices to let people know that pre-orders for the Wii U will begin soon. The notice states that...

As noted many times before, both release date and pricing information has not been specifically revealed for the Nintendo Wii U. The home console is set for release this fall and not having a release date or price seems kind of scary no matter which side of the line you're standing on, whether it be as a consumer or industry worker.

The console itself has a special little gimmick where the gamepad works like an iPad. You get special visual information on the gamepad and it's being utilized in a number of unique ways for all the games coming out for the system. The Wii U will also be the first console to make use of the Nintendo Online Network, a free service that will enable gamers to play, connect and socialize with friends and family, in a family-friendly online environment.

Some reports have indicated that the Wii U may have been delayed up to December, but given that Nintendo is tight-lipped on all things Wii U, our best bet is to wait until September 13th to see if those pre-orders really do become available.