Wii U Launch: Prepare Yourself For Lengthy Firmware Update

Nintendo fanatics who picked up a Wii U console today should prepare themselves for a large and lengthy firmware update, according to the Examiner.

The update that awaits prospective gamers when they connect their Wii U to the internet is quite large. At a whopping five gigabytes, the update could take a while depending on the speed of your internet connection.

Kotaku reports the download could set you back around one to four hours. If you were expecting to immediately dive into what the new Nintendo system has to offer, then you may want to prepare yourself for mild irritation. Fixing something to eat or catching a movie might be advised while you’re waiting for this thing to run its course.

Ben Fritz, business reporter for the Los Angeles Times, experienced a particularly frustrating situation while attempting to update the firmware on his Wii U. Fritz reportedly unplugged the console’s power supply while the download was taking place. As a result, his brand new system is now the equivalent of a brick.

Although this occurrence isn’t widespread as of this writing, disconnecting the power to your Wii U while the update is taking place isn’t advised. As a general rule, turning off any electronic device while it’s updating is a big no-no.

The firmware update effectively unlocks the doors to many of the Wii U’s features, allowing gamers to access online content, transfer data from the Wii, and take a stroll through the Miiverse. In other words, the update is essential to completing your Wii U experience.

Of course, waiting for a huge update to complete isn’t what gamers had hoped to encounter when their fired up the machine. Given the number of titles available at launch, chances are gamers where expecting to get the party started right away.

Have you already picked up your very own Wii U? Are you frustrated by the large firmware that could take hours to complete?