Topic: Ubisoft rationalizes their current support for Wii

[GoldenPhoenix]

I still have alot of praise for EA and Capcom who are trying. Ubisoft is a special case because they ARE NOT even when games like Red Steel sold well. So Ian I think you are exaggerating again, even with Ubisofts crappy support the Wii has more exclusives and AAA titles from third parties than GC ever had.

[Ian Sane]

Capcom isn't trying.  If they were Resident Evil 5 and Street Fighter IV wouldn't be annouced for every console but the Wii.  True third party support means 90% of a company's games are released on your console and virtually nothing is released on everything but.  You also should rarely get multiplatform games released on a later date than everyone else unless an annoucement is made prior to release that kills the original version's thunder (ie: Resident Evil 4 on the PS2).

[GoldenPhoenix]

Capcom isn't trying.  If they were Resident Evil 5 and Street Fighter IV wouldn't be annouced for every console but the Wii.  True third party support means 90% of a company's games are released on your console and virtually nothing is released on everything but.  You also should rarely get multiplatform games released on a later date than everyone else unless an annoucement is made prior to release that kills the original version's thunder (ie: Resident Evil 4 on the PS2).

I think someone hasn't played Zack and Wiki, while it isn't their big franchise it is a GREAT game. RE: UC is a solid title as well. Also in regards to 360 and PS3 owners not buying crap games, that is not true as well, in fact companies brag about how their games always sell on the systems whether it is good or not. Personally one aspect I love about the Wii is that it lends itself to newer franchises that take advantage of the unique controls.

Also most of the Wii's top sellers are good to great games besides the few launch titles (As with every system people buy what is there). I know, everyone likes to bring up Carnival Games but that is more the exception than the rule and not only that it is a solid casual game, not great but solid.

[Kairon]

Technically, Street Fighter IV is still listed as "To be decided." I am holding out hope for a Wii version of the game.

[KDR_11k]

Ian, before you blame the casuals for buying this crap you should ask "are they really?". It doesn't seem to me like those crap games get many sales (though the poor sales they get probably still make up for the near-nil development budget), just like other shovelware.

Also requiring 90% before considering it support is too much IMO, the Wii is not the only console where games sell and the 360 and PS3 can be treated as one market, giving them almost as many users as the Wii (and maybe more if you rely on sequels to franchises noone but long-time gamers really know). While the dev cost differences widen the gap somewhat again I don't think ignoring a part of such an even-matched market is a wise decision and I don't think we should expect companies to drop everything they were doing and make only Wii games. Multiplatform games aren't really feasible because the Wii and 360/PS3 are too different to be able to make one game for all consoles, you pretty much need two versions of the game.

[BranDonk Kong]

Capcom has said on a couple occasions that SF4 might be on Wii.

[Luigi Dude]

If you look at the most successful Wii games, they are not amazing new AAA games, they are predominantly family orientated games/alternative games.

In other words "sh!t sells on the Wii".  It's been speculated that third parties don't put any real effort into Wii games because the casual fanbase that doesn't know better just buys any old crap.  Well here we have confirmation of a third party admitting that."

Do you even look at the Wii sales charts?  The truth of the matter is the exact opposite, sh!t DOESN'T sell on the Wii.  Which is why companies like Ubisoft are very stupid for using that argument since all their crappy games bombed, which is why Ubisoft only made 10% of their revenue off the system last year.

But the Wii userbase will buy crap and the X360/PS3 probably won't as much so we're where we are now.

You mean the same 360/PS3 userbase that made a game like 50 Cent Bulletproof a million seller last gen, and will probably make it's upcoming sequel a million seller as well?  Or the same 360/PS3 userbase the buys any game because it's a Shooter, regardless of quality as well?

[Ian Sane]

Also requiring 90% before considering it support is too much IMO

It is a little high but I'd say that's comparable to the kind of the support the PS2 received.  The Wii is the marker leader so shouldn't it get comparable support to previous market leaders?

Do you even look at the Wii sales charts?  The truth of the matter is the exact opposite, sh!t DOESN'T sell on the Wii.  Which is why companies like Ubisoft are very stupid for using that argument since all their crappy games bombed, which is why Ubisoft only made 10% of their revenue off the system last year.

I actualy haven't looked recently so if things have changed that's great and I take it back.  If Ubisoft is actually getting nailed then maybe there's hope.

You mean the same 360/PS3 userbase that made a game like 50 Cent Bulletproof a million seller last gen, and will probably make it's upcoming sequel a million seller as well?  Or the same 360/PS3 userbase the buys any game because it's a Shooter, regardless of quality as well?

Well I feel there's an unfair bias against shooters on this forum due to Nintendo not really getting any.  On the N64 Nintendo fans loved shooters and then retroactively declared the genre worthless once the Cube had virtually none while the Xbox had tons.  Similar to how RPGs were awesome on the SNES but sucked on the Playstation but are awesome again on the DS.

Anyway, there's no denying the 50 Cent game sucks but it did require some effort to make.  Poorly focused effort that mainly revolved around presentation but effort nonetheless.  On the Wii a third party can make a game with Dreamcast level graphics, a short amount of content, and simplistic gameplay, label it a non-game, and put it in stores when that sort of thing would NEVER fly on the other consoles.  They'll buy a crappy game but, dammit, it will be a crappy game that was expensive to make!  You also can't take a PS2 game, shoehorn some new control scheme into it, and release it on the PS3 or X360.  The PS3/X360 userbase will definitly buy crap but you have to polish the turd and on the Wii you don't.

[vherub]

Ubi has to be frustrated with the relatively poor sales of No More Heroes. It is  a solid game with mature themes, was well reviewed and did not have much competition.
The z series has to be a reaction where cheaply made games sell just as well, if not better when targeted to different people. The people this upsets didn't buy no more heroes in the first place, aren't going to buy these ne titles anyway and number few from a sales perspective.
Part of this is on the consumer for not buying great games.
But some of the blame is also on Nintendo for greenlighting games that graphically give the console a bad reputation and also play terribly.
In the same breath, Capcom has to be disappointed when a fantastic game like Okami doesn't sell well. Yet their reaction isn't to put down Wii players, even if they might be thinking the exact same thoughts in their head.

[Arbok]

Ubi has to be frustrated with the relatively poor sales of No More Heroes. It is  a solid game with mature themes, was well reviewed and did not have much competition.

Given that Ubisoft is only the distributor on the title outside of Japan, I truly doubt they are stressing much about its performance.

[BeautifulShy]

Ian as I am sure you are well aware as a programmer it takes effort to make a game but is the amount of effort that we are upset about. Lets take a look at launch Red Steel and RRR sold 1 million each and both were of average quality. 7.5 scores. Now since launch the quality has declined. No more Heroes was developed by Grasshopper, Not Ubisoft. And now they they are going to release stuff like Babyz party and Doggz. Just because you can make a bad game doesn't mean that you should.

[GoldenPhoenix]

Ian I think you are being very irrational about the shooter thing, if you recall the N64 virtually started the current 3D shooter on consoles. Since then the market has been flooded with FPS after FPS usually with WWII or some war theme, it gets old fast and even fans of Xbox 360/PS3 admit that. Also in regards to Ubisoft and NMH, they had virtually no advertising for it so they shouldn't expected much, especially for a game that is pretty niche by a niche designer.

[ATimson]

Capcom isn't trying.  If they were Resident Evil 5 and Street Fighter IV wouldn't be annouced for every console but the Wii.  True third party support means 90% of a company's games are released on your console and virtually nothing is released on everything but.

Then Nintendo shouldn't have released a console where games built for other modern systems have to be more or less redesigned from the ground up to work at all, much less well, on the Wii.

They took the cheap route when making the console--rightly so, if their sales records are any indication--but multiplatform games are paying the price for it.

[Kairon]

Capcom isn't trying.  If they were Resident Evil 5 and Street Fighter IV wouldn't be annouced for every console but the Wii.  True third party support means 90% of a company's games are released on your console and virtually nothing is released on everything but.

Then Nintendo shouldn't have released a console where games built for other modern systems have to be more or less redesigned from the ground up to work at all, much less well, on the Wii.

They took the cheap route when making the console--rightly so, if their sales records are any indication--but multiplatform games are paying the price for it.

Thankfully, actual Wii third party support is healthier than its been in a very long time. There's no question that Nintendo's taken a big risk and made a trade-off on some level. But we're still getting Sonic Unleashed, Star Wars Force Unleashed, Skate, Rock Band, Guitar Hero, Alone in the Dark, and other multiplatform games, (though not all, it's true) while enjoying growing and respectable third party support from companies like EA and THQ, among others like Eidos (Monster Lab) and Tecmo (Fatal Frame) or even Capcom (MH3 or even their Rachet-&-Clank hopeful Spyborgs).

Ubisoft is a high profile stumble, but it's just a high profile one.

[DAaaMan64]

No Resident Evil 5 is such a tear jerker too.

[KDR_11k]

On the Wii a third party can make a game with Dreamcast level graphics, a short amount of content, and simplistic gameplay, label it a non-game, and put it in stores when that sort of thing would NEVER fly on the other consoles.

I guess you haven't looked at the PS2 shelves closely...

[Ian Sane]

Kairon, you're putting Rock Band on the list proving healthy support?  I thought Rock Band was the perfectly example of what's wrong.  It's a high profile game the Wii should have but the Wii is getting it months after the other consoles with features hacked out so they can just do a quick 'n dirty port of the PS2 version.  And you're using to prove how GOOD the Wii third party support is?  Come on!

[Morari]

On the Wii a third party can make a game with Dreamcast level graphics, a short amount of content, and simplistic gameplay, label it a non-game, and put it in stores when that sort of thing would NEVER fly on the other consoles.

I guess you haven't looked at the PS2 shelves closely...

No, the PS2 could never handle Dreamcast level graphics.

[Djunknown]

Malstrom couldn't have been more correct with his "birdman" analysis - this right here is evidence in support of it.

It was a bit long, but one hell of a read. Its  It describes more or less what's happening right now with Ubisoft as a prime example. Dogz vs Nintendogs

I'm still waiting for E3, where hopefully they'll announce something more...interesting.

[animecyberrat]

I take back every good thing I said about Ubisoft, the fact that they came out and said all the same bullshit I was saying proves that they are stupid.

[Kairon]

Kairon, you're putting Rock Band on the list proving healthy support?  I thought Rock Band was the perfectly example of what's wrong.  It's a high profile game the Wii should have but the Wii is getting it months after the other consoles with features hacked out so they can just do a quick 'n dirty port of the PS2 version.  And you're using to prove how GOOD the Wii third party support is?  Come on!

Yes I am. We waited AGES for a DDR for the Gamecube, and when we got it it was mario themed and almost too niche to stand. In contrast, getting Rockband just 7 months late is a HUGE improvement.

What you ALWAYS neglect ianSane is that life is a process, and that whereas the entire industry and fanboi community was at a loss as to how Nintendo could reverse a negative trend, Nintendo has in fact done the impossible and started retaking certain indicators of third party support. The Wii will likely end this generation with the biggest game library of the three consoles, and the Nintendo Wii is actually leading in exclusive titles.

The Wii isn't the PS2. Maybe the sheer excellence of Nintendo's own first party titles will mean that no Nintendo console ever will be: Nintendo consoles are the only field where EA is not the number one publisher. But the Wii is improving Nintendo's record and retaking some important aspects of the market leader performance for Nintendo, and this includes third party involvement.

[Shift Key]

Wait for the games to come out, then buy them and give them a chance.  If you don't like them then, then you can complain about them.  But, the important thing is that you buy Ubisoft games.

I'm sorry, but this doesn't fly. Respect is a two-way street, and they've shown nothing but contempt for the Wii user base in recent days.

I'm not parting with my hard-earned cash because they feel hard-done by. This whole incident reeks of ivory tower syndrome.

[Mario]

Hey, Mario themed DDR is way better than generic DDR where you'll only like 2-3 songs.

[Ian Sane]

Yes I am. We waited AGES for a DDR for the Gamecube, and when we got it it was mario themed and almost too niche to stand. In contrast, getting Rockband just 7 months late is a HUGE improvement.

Good point though I like DDR Mario Mix.  I think if it came out a few years earlier when the Cube's future still had some optimism it would have been considered a pretty big deal.  It was a major crossover, after all.

I would say Guitar Hero is a better example though as Guitar Hero III was out on the Wii around the same time as the other versions and World Tour is scheduled to come out at the same time.  I will admit late half-assed Rock Band is better than no Rock Band at all but I won't be getting it.  I am however seriously considering getting Guitar Hero World Tour.

[EasyCure]

I take back every good thing I said about Ubisoft, the fact that they came out and said all the same bullshit I was saying proves that they are stupid.

now THATS POTY material

Yes I am. We waited AGES for a DDR for the Gamecube, and when we got it it was mario themed and almost too niche to stand. In contrast, getting Rockband just 7 months late is a HUGE improvement.

Good point though I like DDR Mario Mix.

Ian likes a game that has mario was shoe horned into/whored out to??

end of days.