The Wii is a seventh-generation video game console that was released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. It competes well with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3. The Wii succeeded the Nintendo GameCube and the early models are also fully backward compatible with all GameCube games and most accessories although, in late 2011, a new configured model was released by Nintendo-the Wii Family Edition which lacks Nintendo GameCube compatibility. The Wii's successor Wii U was released on November 18, 2012.