Looks like Sony’s PlayStation Portable isn’t the only one going through the feature chopping block.

Nintendo has announced that it will discontinue the current Wii model in favor of a smaller, cheaper SKU. The new Wii, which will launch just in time for the holiday season, will come bundled with Wii Sports and Wii Party packed-in and lacks backwards compatibility with GameCube games and peripherals.

One interesting change with the new Wii model is that Nintendo says that it’s designed to sit horizontally instead of vertically. I’m guessing that the new wii simply doesn’t have a vertical stand and that it will be available separately. On that note, Nintendo probably wants to make the upcoming Wii U much more attractive in terms of features compared to the existing Wii SKU. Hopefully, they’ll price the new Wii aggressively in the wake of the recent PlayStation 3 price drop. 🙂

The New Wii model is set to arrive in the EU just in time for Christmas. No word on when it will arrive elsewhere in the world or the final price for the bundle.

source Eurogamer, Nintendo