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Killiana1a on 01 August 2010
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Mummelmann said:
Mr Khan said:

The problem with console development is that developers are locked into a "port everything" mentality there. If Nintendo's in the porting loop, they'll succeed, if not, i would bet against it

 

Though Nintendo might set the porting standard depending on when they launch, so it depends.


This is 100% correct, I don't think 3rd parties quite knew how to respond to the Wii since the gap in performance was a historically big one, porting is difficult and simply making a PS360/PC game gets not only simpler due to the amount of tweaking required to "fit" the Wii but it also makes sense in a business perspective since the PS360/PC install base and overall software market is very big indeed. The fact that most serious 3rd party efforts (Zack & Wiki, The Conduit, FF: Crystal Chronicles, No More Heroes) sold very poorly didn't exactly help instill good faith in the developers either. This generation has presented a difficult market since its effectively two markets with no obvious bridge across the chasm.

I wonder if it was because 3rd party developers did not know how to fit their game to the Wii and were scared of how to create a game around the Wii mote? Is it because the overwhelming majority of game developers and 3rd party developers are based in the West and would have a hard time communicating with a Japanese publisher? Is it Nintendo's history of the past two generations?

So many unanswered questions, but I have an opinion. If the Wii keeps on pace and outsells the 360 by 30-40 million consoles by the next generation, then would it not make sense for 3rd party game developers to try an negotiate exclusive publishing contracts with Nintendo as it is the console with the largest audience? At the rate Nintendo puts out games, I sense many game developers would prefer to create Nintendo exclusives without having to worry about a Bobby Kotick wanting them to release a game before it is finished and wanting them to release a game where the single player campaign is spliced into 3 separate products priced at $30-50 (Glaring at you StarCraft 2!!! 12 years and I get a third of the single player campaign!).

I find the argument that ports sells better good at face value, but there are many factors to take into account. What are the expenses in making a game for the 360, PC and PS3? Is a port just coding it onto another disc? How expensive and time consuming does making multiplayer for a port game cost to run it smoothly on all 3 systems? Licensing fees for Live and PS network ontop of creating and maintaining servers for the PC version?

These questions get at how expensive it is to port a game on to 3 systems? Is the extra few million copies worth the extra expenses?