Wii U is a ways off from its (likely late) 2012 release, and the exact components powering the hardware don't appear to be final just yet. That said, if you're wondering about the actual look of the console box or the Wii U tablet controller, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime recently commented that these form factors are all but complete.
"In terms of the form factor of the console, it is quite near final. Similarly the form factor of the controller is quite near final," Fils-Aime told VentureBeat.
Furthermore, while sales of the original Wii have been weak this year and Nintendo's development teams have clearly turned their attention to the new Wii U, Reggie doesn't agree with the notion that consumers will now simply wait for the Wii U and skip over the original Wii if they hadn't purchased one yet.
"We don’t think that’s going to be an issue and here is why. Let me focus in on the U.S. About 36 million units later, the consumer who is buying a Wii for the first time now is very different from from one buying the first 1 million Wii units. The consumer today loves the $149 price point," he said, referring to the recent price cut, which he's previously said will attract a new audience.
"There is a wide range of software. For the consumer today, having a library that includes Wii Sports Resort and Wii New Super Mario Bros., Wii Donkey Kong Trooper Challenge — it’s a different consumer. And so I continue to believe that the Wii will have a strong summer, fall, holiday season and we are going to continue to drive the Wii part of our business. It will be strong even after the Wii U launches. They are just different consumers and we saw that just as an example when we launched the 3DS and continued to sell other units too."
