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Wii

No Tiger Woods on Wii This Year

by Neal Ronaghan - January 10, 2012, 8:05 am EST
Total comments: 22 Source: (Press Release)

The motion-enhanced golf series is just coming to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 this year.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 is only coming to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on March 30, skipping Nintendo platforms, according to a representative from EA Sports.

The decision was made so the new version could take advantage of new online and social features on the other two platforms. Additionally, EA cited that Kinect and the PlayStation Move are both "significant strides in motion gaming" and that their fans will enjoy the refined realistic golf swing that the two control methods offer.

Despite solid reviews dating back to Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10's introduction of Wii MotionPlus, EA's golf series is skipping Nintendo systems for the first time since 2001.

The full quote from the company is below:

"There is no Wii version planned for Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 or Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13: The Masters Collector’s Edition. We decided to focus on the HD platforms and take advantage of the robust online communities of Xbox and Sony PS3 given the new online and social features in this year’s game. There have been significant strides in motion gaming through the release of Kinect and PlayStation Move and we believe fans will enjoy the true-to-life golf swing created by these peripherals."

Talkback

I'll be blunt here: This is total bullshit.

CericJanuary 10, 2012

I thought that series sold really well on the Wii.  Though I have no idea when it will come out.  I could see them skipping the Wii if they are making it for the WiiU.

Also think that Nintendo and EA had a tiff about something because they are specifically pointing out the online features.

PetariJJanuary 10, 2012

Isn't EA helping with Nintendo's online system on Wii U? I forget if I've heard that right.

ejamerJanuary 10, 2012

Not really that surprising, is it?


Tiger Woods has long been one of the high points for Wii motion controls. But how can EA justify the development expense when the Wii is viewed by many as a dead system and competing platforms also now offer motion controls? Even NoA seems hesitant to announce or release many games via retail, WiiWare, or Virtual Console. If I worked at EA and had to decide which platforms receive development support in 2012, Wii would be very low on the list (even though I love the system).


Here's hoping EA has a few teams busy with Wii U development, ready to offer some strong games for that platform during the release window.

SorenJanuary 10, 2012

Total bullcrap. Tiger Woods with Wii Motion Plus is as good as any golf game could ever get. EA could easily implement online functions to the Wii version if it ever bothered to give it more than 1% attention it got.

bustin98January 10, 2012

No doubt a Wii U version is in the works. Frankly, one Tiger Woods game is enough for me, and that was 2010.

EyothrieJanuary 10, 2012

I wonder if Valve beat out EA to have Steam on the Wii U...

TrueNerdJanuary 10, 2012

I wonder how many Motion Plusses are out in the world compared to Moves and Kinects.

motangJanuary 10, 2012

There probably be Tiger Woods game for the Wii U!

leahsdadJanuary 10, 2012

Quote from: TrueNerd

I wonder how many Motion Plusses are out in the world compared to Moves and Kinects.

According to Wikipedia, as of April 2011, 27.68 million copies of Wii Sports Resort have been sold worldwide.  So at least that.

Chozo GhostJanuary 10, 2012

In principle this is bullshit, but the fact is we all know how these EA sports games go. Each year they come out with yet another reiteration but very little changes aside from roster updates and minor things here and there. That said, this isn't some huge loss. If you have the 2K11 or 2K10 or 2K09 version or whatever its all pretty much the same crap.

Chocobo_RiderJanuary 10, 2012

Yea, golf games aren't really suited to the Wii.  I guess that's why they have always sold so poorly.

/sarcasm

I'll never understand why third parties are just not interested in money if it means being friends with Nintendo.

broodwarsJanuary 10, 2012

This is a shame.  I have something of a sentimental connection with last year's Tiger Woods Wii game, and I thought it was a very good game just a few features or tweaks short of being a great one.  I guess last year's version (as good as it was) just didn't sell all that well.  Pity.  Well, hopefully the development team will be moved on to work on the inevitable Wii U version.  Those are some good folks that don't deserve to be laid off for a year.

Chozo GhostJanuary 10, 2012

Does anyone want to speculate on how a golf game could be pulled off on the Wii U's tablet controller? Or would it have to use the Wiimote?

broodwarsJanuary 10, 2012

Quote from: Chozo

Does anyone want to speculate on how a golf game could be pulled off on the Wii U's tablet controller? Or would it have to use the Wiimote?

My guess is that EA would have two different control methods: one for the Wii U tablet alone that would play more or less like it has on the PS3 and 360 ("3 click swing" or analog stick swing), and one for the Wii U & Wii Remote+ combined that would play similarly to how Nintendo demonstrated in its E3 Wii U concept trailer as well as the previous Tiger Woods Wii releases.

That would allow them to port over a lot of the gameplay code they did for the 360/PS3/Next-gen HD consoles to the Wii U version while also having some Wii U-exclusive gameplay content.

SorenJanuary 10, 2012

Quote from: Chozo

In principle this is bullshit, but the fact is we all know how these EA sports games go. Each year they come out with yet another reiteration but very little changes aside from roster updates and minor things here and there. That said, this isn't some huge loss. If you have the 2K11 or 2K10 or 2K09 version or whatever its all pretty much the same crap.

EA at least tried to add some Wii-specific mini games, plus the entire "All-Play" mechanism they implemente on all their games. But that was back when they cared. The Tiger Woods mini games were entertaining, disc golf was fun, etc. I actually prefer Madden on the Wii because of the point and pass controls. I just wished the games weren't so gimped on the simulation aspects.


The biggest culprit isn't EA. 2k had the nerve to release NBA 2k12 on the Wii with no online or updates, no rookies and roster updates from the end of the previous season. It is essentially the final roster update from 2k11, repackaed and sold as a new game.

SeacorJanuary 10, 2012

Quote from: Chozo

Does anyone want to speculate on how a golf game could be pulled off on the Wii U's tablet controller? Or would it have to use the Wiimote?

Nintendo has already demonstrated how a golf game would control on the Wii U (E3 2011).

broodwarsJanuary 10, 2012

Quote from: Soren

The biggest culprit isn't EA. 2k had the nerve to release NBA 2k12 on the Wii with no online or updates, no rookies and roster updates from the end of the previous season. It is essentially the final roster update from 2k11, repackaed and sold as a new game.

In all fairness to 2K, though, they got screwed over by the NBA and the player's association waiting until late November (the season usually starts at the end of October) to iron out this year's season.  I don't know why they haven't updated the rosters yet (except maybe it's too late and they're already working on next year's game?), but they had to use that roster for this year's game or they wouldn't have had a roster at all because they didn't have the rights to use the rookies from the last draft.

rlse9January 11, 2012

This really sucks, I bought Tiger Woods 11 when it came out and have played a ton of the game and really enjoyed it.  I skipped Tiger Woods 12 since I'm still playing through the career mode on Tiger Woods 11 but I was planning to pick up Tiger Woods 13.  That means I'm down to hoping that by some miracle the 2K baseball game this year is good and that Mario Party 9 is more than a waggle-fest.  This could be a sad year for the Wii, good thing I still have a backlog of games to play through and a few older games I haven't gotten around to buying yet.

xcwarriorJanuary 11, 2012

I think it's safe to say that this is retaliation for NIntendo telling EA they are going with Steam on Wii U. Someone's bitter, but if it means we get Steam on Wii, then I'm cool with it.

I have Tiger 10, you only need one iteration per console.

ejamerJanuary 11, 2012

Wow. Overreaction much?


Wii is virtually dead. Anyone looking at the upcoming release schedule can clearly see that. Despite moving a good number of consoles over Christmas due to price drops, the Wii has become an even less friendly environment for third-party releases than it ever has been. Why do so many people want to turn a business decision by EA (and one that makes sense) into some kind of personal sleight?


With Xenoblade and The Last Story you could make arguments that Nintendo should be supporting their own platform until Wii U comes out, or that they should be trying to maintain and build on what core audience they have left before releasing a new console, or that they simply couldn't/should've released the games earlier.


None of those arguments apply to EA with the release of Tiger Woods 12. They couldn't release it last year and have no obligation to invest in or support a console that was all but abandoned last year. Instead of being upset that the Wii lifespan is essentially done, why not be glad that EA provided Wii owners with the definitive versions of Tiger Woods PGA Tour for years, right until Wii U was scheduled to come out.

Chozo GhostJanuary 11, 2012

Quote from: ejamer

Wii is virtually dead.

I agree, but tell that to the 500,000 people who bought one on Black Friday. For a dead system, the Wii sure is selling strongly... at least in terms of hardware.

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