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Nintendo: Wii U will support dual gamepads

Nintendo announced at its E3 keynote today that its Wii U console will support two Gamepads, and not one as previously announced.

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The Wii U will support two Gamepads.
The Wii U will support two Gamepads. James Martin/CNET

Nintendo's Wii U will support two Gamepads, the company announced today.

When the Wii U was first announced last year, Nintendo vaguely indicated that its console could support only one Gamepad. However, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime said today at his company's E3 keynote that it'll actually support two Gamepads.

The Wii U Gamepad, which Nintendo showed off earlier this week, will ship with a 6.2-inch touchscreen and a stylus for additional input options. In addition, the Gamepad boasts an infrared transceiver, gyroscope, and accelerometer. A rumble feature, now a near-necessity in any game controller, will also be included.

Nintendo sidestepped any opportunity to divulge pricing or availability on the Wii U Gamepad at today's event.

This story has been updated throughout the morning.

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