No New Nintendo Hardware E3 2014

When the Internet found itself alight with rumors that Nintendo would reveal a new console at this year's E3, there was a collective feeling of surprise, confusion and excitement. On one hand, it's hard to deny the excitement that commonly encompasses the reveal of new hardware but with the Wii U still in its growing stages, the move would have brought about a great amount of ire from early adopters.

While rumors such as this would normally find themselves quickly dismissed, Nintendo's disappointing sales forecast for this year could have helped in greasing the gears of the rumor mill. What better way to start anew than to jump back into the game with a console to give the Xbox One and PS4 a run for their money? Less than a week after the rumor's inception though, Nintendo has finally spoken out confirming that they will not be showing off new hardware in Los Angeles this year.

According to CVG, Nintendo confirmed to them yesterday that "a reveal is not under consideration." Considering the fact that Nintendo will be continuing last year's trend of eschewing their traditional press conference for a digital alternative, a significant hardware reveal would have made little sense. Something of that scale would be best presented in person.

This is not to say that Nintendo will completely ignore hardware at this year's trade show though. With a Mario Kart 8 Wii U bundle on the way, it's entirely possible that E3 could see the unveiling of a bundle featuring brand heavyweight Super Smash Bros. Amidst sales woes and the game's winter release, this could be the perfect counterpart to Mario Kart 8 to generate a massive amount of buzz for the console.

If hardware will not be the focus of Nintendo's E3 presence, then it's also possible they are planning to come out swinging as they meet Microsoft's plan to have a game-centric press conference face-to-digital-face. With the big three consoles still very much in their infancy, the games will be the defining factor for the remainder of the generation and this year's event could present gamers with a good idea of who has the early edge.

While it may not have the reputation of power that the Xbox One and PS4 have, it's hard to deny the fact that the Wii U is still an impressive piece of tech. They may have passed on Skylanders exclusivity, but with the prospect of a new Legend of Zelda title coming to light at E3, it's hard not to get giddy with excitement over what the future holds for the Big N.

What do you think will be Nintendo's big reveal at E3 2014? How long of a lifespan do you think the Wii U will have?

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Source: CVG