A report in the Japanese newspaper Nikkei suggests that the Wii U may become Nintendo's shortest-lived home console ever when the Japanese game company ceases production of the troubled Wii U console this year.
A follow-up report by Japanese website IT Media included a response by Nintendo, but the company could only confirm that Wii U production will continue through at least until the end of 2016.
Wii U sales have been struggling against Sony's PS4 and Microsoft's Xbox One globally, and with roughly 12.6 million Wii U consoles sold so far (compared to 36 million for the PS4, which was actually released a year later than the Wii U). By comparison, Nintendo's previous console, the Wii, was a huge success and the fifth most successful console ever, with more than 100 million units sold since its debut in 2006 and its discontinuation in 2013.
Nintendo is set to release its new home console, the Nintendo NX, in 2017.