Nintendo has struck a comprehensive deal with Unity Technologies to license its popular Unity game engine for both internal and external use on Wii U.

The deal sounds like no ordinary partnership between platform-holder and engine provider - Engadget confirms that not only does it allow Nintendo and its affiliated third party partners utilise the Unity engine on Wii U; Unity's current crop of around 1.2 million registered indie developers will also be fully licensed for Wii U development.

Eurogamer reports that such a deal between a platform holder and engine provider would seem to be "unprecedented", with Unity CEO David Helgason describing it as "an industry first".

With Unity having such a dominance among independent developers in both the PC and mobile space, it can only mean major potential for Wii U.

The Wii U "deployment option" will kick in for Unity developers some time in 2013.

Popular games that have been built on the Unity engine include cult darling Slender, and the well-received Endless Space.