UPDATE: Notch tweeted about this rumor and has said he is not aware of any plans to release a Wii U version, despite a Wii U version making a lot of sense.

People are asking about our original source and what to make of it now. All I can say is that the source is an executive for Gamestop, living in LA. This insider sits at meetings with large publishers, attends all industry events, and has many connections within the industry. The track record has been spot-on until now so we had no reason to believe this time would be any different. And I\’m still not so sure the rumor doesn\’t have some truth behind it. So, how to approach the original rumor? Either:

1) Notch isn\’t in the discussions about console versions, as in his earlier tweet about a lack of Wii U version he said he \”assumes due to lack of manpower\”. If he is just assuming, that means he’s not directly involved in the discussions about which console version are being developed. So if 4J Studios received received dev kits and are in discussions with Nintendo, Notch wouldn\’t get notified until something concrete gets ironed out

2) Notch knows about the possibilities of a Wii U version but he has no interest in making any announcements when thing are still this early. In this case we should find out more about Minecraft Wii U at E3.

3) We\’ve got to stop using this insider source, despite the source having been correct in the past. It becomes too irresponsible to run rumors that have chances of not panning out.

Original Post:

[If you haven\’t yet read our rumor accountability report 2011-2014 please do so before reading this post.]

By the end of 2014, Minecraft will have spread its worldwide epidemic and infected gamers with addiction symptoms on nearly every platform. Minecraft will be found on PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Raspberry Pi, Xbox 360, and soon on PS3, PS4, Vita, and Xbox One.

Did you notice a glaring omission from that list? There aren\’t any Nintendo systems to be found. However, we have now got word from a retailer source that this serious misdeed will soon be rectified. Minecraft will be coming to Wii U. Nintendo has made an effort to pursue such a release and their efforts have paid off. According to our source, the developer is currently in possession of Wii U dev kits. Although the game is simultaneously in development for Xbox One and PS4, the developer is said to be focusing on the GamePad for the Wii U version. The projected release for all three systems is summer 2014.

This isn\’t the first time the notion of Minecraft on Wii U has been tossed around. Besides for being a logical conclusion reached by practically every person who has ever held a Wii U GamePad, Mojang and Nintendo have both previously commented on the idea.

When Jens Bergensten was asked about the possibilities after Microsoft’s exclusivity deal runs out, , Mojang’s lead designer of Minecraft Pocket Edition claimed:

Jens: “Microsoft has an exclusivity deal for consoles. When it runs out we’ll consider Minecraft for PlayStation, but Wii U is very unlikely.”

At a later date, Nintendo’s business development manager, Dan Adelman and Damon Baker, Nintendo’s Senior Manager of Marketing for Licensing, commented to Gamespot:

Dan: \”What can we say on that front? [laughs].\”

Damon: \”We\’re big fans. We have a continuing relationship with Mojang, and respect all the work that they\’re doing, but no announcements at this time. [Nintendo] keeps track of what everybody’s doing. [Nintendo is going to PAX Prime to discuss with developers] whether they\’re making games for other platforms or not. We\’ve got our own favorites that we\’ve had conversations with. So I think it’s always a work in progress.\”

And most curious of all is a tweet from Notch himself:

As of October 2013, Minecraft had reached 33 million sales across all platforms. That number will only grow with the Xbox One, PS4, Vita, and Wii U version.

How do you think Minecraft will perform on Wii U? Will it be received well? And what new ideas could the GamePad potentially be used for?