• While you were sleeping, Nintendo announced a whole bunch of stuff. At the forefront: the Nintendo 3DS is becoming the Nintendo 2DS. Yes, 2DS. Aimed at the lowest economic entry level market, that being on-the-fence would-be gamers and parents not keen to drop hundreds of dollars on an electronic doodad, the 2DS culls the 3DS of its stereoscopic 3D feature, swaps stereo audio for mono, reduces battery life, and packs it all in an…interesting tablet-like structure. No clamshell for you. Nintendo has chosen cheap manufacturing in order to reduce the sale price, hoping to grab those who want a system, but aren’t interested in fancy features and a big financial investment. The Nintendo 2DS will retail for AU$149.99 and NZ$175.95, and will be available for purchase on 12 October 2013.

• In addition to the 2DS, Nintendo has announced their Q3/Q4 release schedule for the big 3DS and Wii U games due before the year’s end. The entire list of dates can be found here, and of note is Super Mario 3D World and Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze swapping their months, the former now launching November and the latter December. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD is due 5 October, meanwhile A Link Between Worlds will be available November. Wind Waker HD is getting a fancy limited edition, with an even fancier Ganondorf statue, but we’re yet to receive word of a local release.
• And finally, the Wii U will receive a price cut…but not in Australia. Dropping about US$50 over in the states, Nintendo hopes the price cut coupled with big Nintendo branded IPs at the end of the year will help move units. Alas, Australia is not so fortunate.
• In not exclusively Wii U news, Rayman Legends is out today, and Ubisoft has provided a launch trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-taq6XGoSQ

• PAX Prime is on this weekend, over in the United States, and according to VG247 Microsoft will be there with a whole host of Xbox One games. Unless you’re keen to book a flight, that probably won’t be of much interest to you. However, Microsoft has also stated there will be a “surprise”. Or surprises. I don’t know, but it could be good!
• Journalist Jim Reilly has tweeted some great news for Saints Row fans. Word from Deep Silver indicates the latest game, controversial Saint’s Row IV, has sold through one million units in the first week of sales. If this doesn’t guaranty Saints Row V, nothing will.
• These days gaming fans don’t stop at fan fiction and fan art. No, they’re making movies. A team of dedicated Fallout: New Vegas fans have whipped together a fan film they’re calling Fallout: Lanius, and you should watch it.