( CNN ) -- Nintendo announced a November release date for its next-generation Wii U on Thursday while looking to shore up two key constituencies -- those still puzzling over the console 's `` second screen '' controller and hardcore gamers who still view the Wii as geared toward families and kids . The Wii U will launch in the United States on November 18 . Two configurations will be available : a basic set for $ 299 and a $ 349 `` deluxe '' edition that will have additional memory , a stand and charger for the GamePad and the `` NintendoLand '' game . At a New York press conference , the company also introduced Nintendo TVii , a free TV and movie service that utilizes the Wii U 's handheld controller , with its built-in screen , as a remote control and tablet-of-sorts for additional content . Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime acknowledged that , while players who have gotten their hands on the new console have enjoyed it , others remain confused . `` We 've come here today not just to make news , but to give you a better sense for how Wii U will change the way you play games , how it will connect your gaming friends and how it will change the way you watch television , '' he said . `` The agent of that change is the Wii U GamePad -- a second screen that does not exist anywhere else . '' The U 's major advance on the company 's top-selling Wii console is the GamePad , which has a 6.2-inch touchscreen that interacts in various ways with games that are designed for it . Players can play together , with one person using a TV screen and the other using the game pad , or a single player can get additional content on the GamePad that enhances the game on the big screen . E3 : With new titles , Nintendo works to explain Wii U . While it 's not certain how many new titles will be available at launch time , at least 50 games will be available for the Wii U by March , Fils-Aime said . And while Thursday 's events showcased new titles in venerable Nintendo franchises like `` Mario Bros. , '' there was heavy focus on games favored by more hardcore and adult players . Those titles included `` Call of Duty : Black Ops 2 , '' `` Mass Effect III , '' `` Assassin 's Creed III '' and `` 007 Legends . '' `` The Wonderful 101 '' and `` Bayonetta 2 , '' both from Platinum Games , will be exclusive to the Wii U . The company has trumpeted enhanced video and memory capabilities on the new system as a way to provide an experience that 's at least on par with the rival Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony Playstation consoles , which are preferred by many diehard gamers . Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg , who attended the event , called the Wii U `` the most capable Nintendo platform ever , especially for the kind of games we make . '' He touted planned titles like `` Skylanders Giants , '' `` Wipeout 3 '' and `` Transformers Prime , '' as well as the `` 007 '' and `` Call of Duty '' games . `` We 've never been able to achieve this level of realism before on a Nintendo platform , '' he said . Nintendo TVii brings together a way to stream , watch and record shows and movies from sites like Netflix , Amazon , Hulu , and YouTube . Via the GamePad , it lets users get additional information about shows and share thoughts via sites like Facebook and Twitter . Richard George , an executive editor at gaming site IGN who covers Nintendo , said Thursday 's presentation may have been the moment the company finally hammered home the value of the new system . `` Nintendo 's presentation and vision is far more comprehensive and compelling than what they showed at the past two E3s , '' he said , referring to a summer video game conference . He said the price may be slightly more than many had predicted but that the free inclusion of Nintendo TVii , which he called a key selling point , offsets that . The presentation made strides with the hardcore gaming crowd , but that key holes remain , he said , notably titles like `` Bioshock : Infinite , '' `` Tomb Raider '' and `` Grand Theft Auto V. '' Questions still remain about which , if any , of those titles will be coming after the launch period . But while reaching out to new audiences may be a focus , Nintendo has sold 630 million gaming consoles since 1983 and George says that 's a big deal . `` Loyal Nintendo fans will snatch this up like crazy , '' he said .
Nintendo announces launch date , price for Wii U console . Wii U launches November 18 ; $ 299 for basic package and $ 349 for deluxe . Console features handheld gamepad with 6.2-inch touchscreen . Controller is wireless ( Bluetooth ) but can be used wired if you want to play on the go or at home.