Is Nintendo planning to start the re-unveiling of its next generation console from the start of the year?

After an almost-unbearable half-year of silence on the matter, Nintendo will be using 2012 to re-introduce the world to Wii U - its next generation console. That process may now start sooner than expected, with CNET reporting that the console will be making an appearance at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.

Readers should note, it was widely reported last year that Nintendo would make some sort of appearance with the 3DS at CES 2011, but in the end, that turned out to be nothing more than behind-closed-doors presentations. However, CNET's reporter seems quite confident that he'll be going hands-on with the system, so perhaps this will be a more public showing.

Nintendo unveiled the Wii U and its tablet-like controller at E3 in June, but with the 3DS taking up almost all of Nintendo's energy to make a success, there was a tacit understanding that the 2012 system would not be brought out again until the new year. It is possible that a CES showing will just be the beginning of a re-focussed unveiling leading up to E3 2012, where Nintendo will show off the "final format" of Wii U, as confirmed by CEO Satoru Iwata.

Or, of course, we might get no new information whatsoever. Regardless, CES runs between January 10th and 13th, so watch this space.

Update: Nintendo World Report are reporting that the CES showing of Wii U will not feature anything beyond what was already seen at E3 2011. A Nintendo statement confirmed that Wii U at CES 2012 will be for "members of the media who did not see the system at the 2011 E3 Expo". No new games, information or experiences will be shown at CES. The statement ended by confirming that the Wii U is on-track to launch "between the start of the 2012 E3 Expo in June, and the end of 2012."