Aside from "by the end of 2012," Nintendo remains quiet about a release date for Wii U. While the console is expected to be released around November - Wii U titles from a GameStop database apparently will release from November 2012 - European customers could see a delay.

Sources speaking to CVG claim that the Wii U GamePad is the reason for the delays. Its manufacturing process is described as "complex". Consumers may compare the GamePad to the iPad and wonder why, considering that GamePad uses a smaller screen (6.2 inches versus 9.7). Otherwise, the two devices have feature parity: motion sensing, a front-facing camera, Near Field Communication integration, and an integrated power supply.

NIntendo is also determined to release the console before Thanksgiving in the U.S., in time for "Black Friday" sales, which mark the beginning of the holiday season.

"In July, an executive at a major publishing firm working closely with Nintendo told CVG that a European release had at one stage looked likely to slip into 2013, though the platform holder has since assured that the 2012 deadline will be met," CVG reported.

Despite the threat of a delay, GAME UK is allowing users to place a £20 deposit on the console. The retailer's French chain is not taking pre-orders, but lists the release date as November 15, while Amazon Canada is listing Ubisoft titles for release as early as October 20. The dates are probably placeholders; Wii U marketing materials arrived in stores recently, sans a release date.

Nintendo announced price and release date for Wii in September the year it launched, so Wii U details may be revealed on a similar timeframe. After E3 2012, some suggested that Nintendo held back a price and release date to gauge the press' reactions, rather than running the risk of pricing highly as it did with the Nintendo 3DS. The company is now nearly making a profit with the 3DS, thanks to the original model's price cut and the launch of the Nintendo 3DS XL.