Release dates on consoles are, in many respects, secrets closely guarded at a level overmatched only by the release of Apple products. We won't be tackling the iPhone 5, or the iPad Mini here, though these days they're no less gaming devices than any other. Today we'll be checking out the Wii U, and the reports that suggest that Black Friday is the big day for Wii U.

The reports are varied, but many seem to point to a Black Friday--or at least the week of Black Friday--launch for Nintendo's latest entry into the console wars. While that, at this point, certainly hasn't been substantiated by any official word out of Big N, it makes no less sense for the lack of official reporting.

Some reports even suggest--though these reports seem to be coming out of a Gamestop employee in New Jersey--that pre-orders for the popular devices may start as early as next week, which certainly isn't outside the realm of possibility, especially given that Black Friday is about three months out from next week.

If Nintendo is the only new console out for holiday shopping--the Black Friday corridor encompasses Christmas and Kwanzaa alike, with Hanukkah showing up about two weeks after Black Friday lands--then Nintendo stands a very good chance at securing some serious sales.  Down economy or no, as long as there are people working there will be a Christmas shopping season. Curtailed, maybe. Limited, likely. Present? Almost certainly.

A new game system, at a time when no one else is putting one out, just might be what Nintendo needs to reverse its sagging fortunes of late. From the look of it, the Wii U may have Christmas mostly to itself.