Nintendo was the first to release their next gen console, the Wii U. The device launched back in November 2012 and so far sales have been relatively lackluster. Currently there are two versions of the console. There is the basic version which has 8GB of storage and is priced at $300, and the deluxe version, which sports 32GB of storage and came with Nintendo Land, comes in at $350. However, now reports are circulating that the basic version of the console will be recalled.

In a report from Kotaku, GameStop is supposedly going to recall all basic versions of the Wii U on June 18. No reason was given for why Nintendo may be recalling the basic console. A product malfunction isn’t likely, so if this rumor is true I believe it would likely be Nintendo phasing out the basic version. Considering that the rumored recall date is a week after E3, Nintendo may be announcing a discontinuation of 8GB console in favor of just having the deluxe model, given that it is the best value and has sold better.

Microsoft (News - Alert) did a similar thing with the Xbox 360. Originally there was a Pro version of the console which was eventually phased out until the Xbox 360 Elite became the default console. There is no point in producing multiple versions of a console, especially when one model proves to be heavily favored by consumers.

Naturally, Nintendo has said they do not comment on rumors or “business practices with retailers,” so we likely won’t know until E3 next week.

Also don’t be surprised if, in addition to phasing out the basic model, Nintendo also announces a price cut for the deluxe version. Both the Xbox One and PS4 will be in full force at E3 and the Wii U needs to stay competitive. Nintendo won’t have a formal press conference like Sony or Microsoft, but they will be showing off plenty of first party games like Pikmin 3 which, in addition to a few other big name franchises like Mario and Legend of Zelda and a console price cut, could still give Nintendo a solid presence at the show.