When Nintendo debuted the Wii U at this past E3, the industry conensus was that we should expect to see a release of the console in early 2012. But new information coming from a Nintendo investor meeting has the device making its retail debut in summer 2012, at the earliest.
Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata explained to investors, that the company has learned from mistakes made with the 3DS, and will do all it can to make the Wii U's launch successful. He also mentioned that final hardware would make an E3 2012 appearance.
E3 2012 doesn't take place until early June, so no Wii U until then or beyond. At that point, it would make more sense financially to hold the launch of the Wii U for another few months and release it around mid-November, in time for Black Friday.
It's not official, but we're calling it now: Wii U launching November 15th, 2012.