While rumors continue to fly about the new consoles from Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo is quietly gearing up to beat both of them to the stores by a year. Time Magazine has seen a memo from a Japanese retailer that puts the release of the WiiU on November 18, 2012. But some developers who’ve had experience with Nintendo’s new hardware are expressing doubts about the console’s graphics quality and performance. One such developer (who requested anonymity) says that the WiiU’s graphics are “…not up to the same level as the PS3 or the 360. The graphics are just not as powerful.” Speculation is that an effort to keep the retail price of the unit down is causing Nintendo to stay just short of state-of-the-art, especially considering that the much-hyped LCD tablet controller shipping with the WiiU is not a cheap item. Expect official news about the WiiU launch at Nintendo’s E3 press conference this year.

Source: Gamesindustry International