In a surprising, though ultimately insignificant development, Nintendo pushed out a new firmware update for the Wii U. The console's last update was over a year ago, having been succeeded by the more successful Nintendo Switch.

In Nintendo's own words, here is what version 5.5.3 provides to those who still play on their Wii U:

Improvements to system stability and usability:

  • Further improvements to overall system stability and other minor adjustments have been made to enhance the user experience

And that's it. Anyone familiar with Nintendo's history of firmware updates will recognize the language, with Nintendo fans often joking about the constant need to improve "stability." The only reason why such a minor update is worth talking about is the apparent abandonment of the platform by Nintendo, and the complete randomness of this update.

Nintendo hasn't released a first-party title for the Wii U since The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild, and popular Wii U games like Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze have since been ported to the Switch and delisted from the Wii U eShop. The only mainstay of the console, the quirky and strange Miiverse social network, was shuttered late last year.

So while the Wii U has been gone for quite sometime in the eyes of consumers and developers alike, it is apparently not forgotten. Perhaps this is a wake up call to dust off that old console, and enjoy some needed stability.