[Updated after official announcement] Rumors that Nintendo will be releasing a smaller version of the
Wii have been confirmed, after an image and release date for the Wii Mini mistakenly appeared on Best Buy Canada's
website before any official announcement. Shortly after, Nintendo confirmed the console's existence as a Canada-exclusive device, with its size being not the only change to the popular game system.
The Wii Mini, set to be released on December 7th, will cost $100, and will be missing the ability to connect to the Internet, as well as backwards compatibility with GameCube titles.
An image inviting site visitors to pre-order showed a black console with a red trim, which according
to Eurogamer is said to stand upright and measures barely taller than the bundled Wiimote controller. The link on the page itself shows the December 7 date, though clicking the link initially took users to a general Wii menu, missing the new console.
While Nintendo readies a refreshed Wii for launch, the newly-released
Wii U console has seen a good opening week. It has been claimed the company shipped 400,000 units, just 200,000 short of its predecessor's launch sales. Since the release, the Wii U has seen the launch of various
streaming services on the platform, including Amazon Instant Video and Hulu Plus.