The Nintendo gaming console released in 2012 was the Wii U.
Nintendo unveiled the Wii U at E3 in June 2011 as the successor to the hugely successful Wii. Its most distinctive feature was the Wii U GamePad, a controller with a built-in touchscreen that could show extra game information or, in some titles, let players continue without using the television. The console was also Nintendo's first home system to support high-definition graphics.
The Wii U launched on November 18, 2012, in North America, followed by November 30 releases in Europe and Australia and a December 8 launch in Japan. It supported many Wii games and accessories, which helped connect it to its predecessor. Despite its innovative controller, the Wii U was often confused with an upgraded Wii, partly because of its name and marketing.
The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 were rival eighth-generation consoles released in 2013, while the Nintendo Switch arrived in 2017. Nintendo ended Wii U production in 2017, and the Switch became its next major home-console successor.