Scribblenauts Unlimited pops up on European Wii U eShop despite delay [update: and it's gone]
Update 1: Soon after this story was posted, Scribblenauts Unlimited was taken off the eShop. We've not yet heard from Nintendo, but it looks like the eShop launch was a gaffe.
Update 2: Nintendo sent us the following statement:
"Scribblenauts Unlimited for Wii U which was recently delayed for Europe was made available today to download on the Nintendo eShop for a short period of time. This title has now been removed from the Nintendo eShop. We are very sorry for any confusion this may have caused and we hope to make further announcements on the European launch of these games very soon."
Here's a curious one: Scribblenauts Unlimited is now available on Europe's Wii U eShop, despite Nintendo officially delaying the game's arrival in the continent earlier this week. As spotted on NeoGAF and verified by us, the game is listed on the console's online shop for purchase and download, priced £49.99/€59.99.
There are a few things odd about this. For one, the same can't be said for the 3DS version, which isn't on the handheld's eShop. Secondly, Nintendo's statement from earlier in the week made it clear that changes needed to be made within the game before it could be launched in Europe. Thirdly, if the Wii U eShop launch is intended - and given that Unlimited doesn't appear on the portal's main page and has to be searched for to be found, it may well not be - why is the game available online but not in physical form?
All in all, this underlines what's been a bewildering approach to bringing Unlimited to Nintendo systems in Europe. The 3DS and Wii U games launched in other regions around the Wii U's launch, and were expected to in Europe until, at the last minute, they were given a 2013 window. Then, just three days ahead of their listed releases today, publisher Nintendo announced a delay, leaving Europeans waiting for the games once more.
We've reached out to Nintendo for comment.
