The Wii U console was officially unveiled at E3 2011 in June 2011 , where it was first detailed that the console 's controller would feature a tablet-like touchscreen . Nintendo announced that a major focus of the console would be the ability to display the image seen on the television on the touchscreen , to continue playing the game if the television was needed for other uses , or the player needed to move away from the television . Official terms were given at E3 2012 ; the controller was named the Wii U GamePad and the concept of playing games strictly on its screen being labeled Off-TV Play
E3 2012
E3 2012
Off-TV Play