We’ve known for months now that the WiiU console can support two of its rather innovative GamePads being used on one system at the same time and we’ve also known that absolutely none of the launch titles for the console will actually support or have functions for two GamePads at once. It is thanks to this that Nintendo of America have decided not to sell GamePads separately at launch, preferring to wait until after the console’s launch window has closed before sending them out.
Reggie Fils-Aime let the news slip yesterday afternoon in a Q&A session with investors.
Through the launch window, there are no games that leverage a second controller. And so, during the launch window here in NOA [Nintendo Of America] territories, we will not be selling at retail a second GamePad. But certainly, when the games come out, we’ll be making that accessory available.
Considering the fact that Nintendo originally announced that the WiiU would only support one GamePad and then had to switch gears after fans complained, this is understandable from a game perspective. None of them would have been able to put a Two-GamePad mode in there seeing as that wasn’t revealed until E3 of this year.
But, from a consumer perspective, this is a slight problem. People who purchase the WiiU console would probably like a second GamePad immediately for future-proofing; be that future “playing with other people” or “as a spare from when some idiot accidentally breaks the first one”. For that second option, in the meantime, North American WiiU owners should contact Nintendo support if/when a GamePad does get damaged or becomes, for some reason, “undesirable”.
Japanese consumers can, however, get their hands on an extra GamePad around launch for the “Not-At-All-Ridiculous-Price” of ¥13,440 (which transfers to $173, if you’re wondering). The WiiU launches in North America on November 18th and Japan on December 8th.
Sources: The Escapist, Joystiq, Engadget