I guess someone has to step in when Spurge isn't around and post some Nintendo news!!
Ubisoft: Wii U is the most Innovative System on Earth
Or any other planet, for that matter
Ubisoft's Jean-Phillipe Caro has lavished praise on Nintendo's new Wii U console, giving it the lion's share of the credit when it comes to explaining ZombiU's positive pre-release reception.
Speaking to ONM, Caro said:
I think we are making something fresh with the most innovative console. The Wii U is the most innovate system for the moment on Earth. We didn't have to make a big innovation on our side - it was all here on the system so that was easier for us.
It's always nice to hear developers talking in such glowing terms about new hardware. Do these positive comments make you even more excited for the release of Wii U? Let us know in the comments section.
http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/09/ubisoft_wii_u_is_the_most_innovative_system_on_earth
Unsure about Wii U's Online Capabilities? Don' worry, so are some Developers
Tekken Tag 2 producer admits he doesn't fully understand the online side of Wii U
Nintendo has devulged quite a bit of information on its forthcoming Wii U console lately, but the company is still holding some cards close to its chest. The true extent of its online functionality is one of the things that remains a little fuzzy.
Don't feel upset, though - it's not just gamers that are being left in the dark here, but also developers. Tekken Tag Tournament 2 boss Katsuhiro Harada has admitted that he's equally clueless at this stage.
He was asked in a recent interview how the Wii U's online service compares to that of its rivals, and said:
Not quite sure at this point. I don't fully understand it. We’re still working with Nintendo to find out about their network.
Given the rapidly approaching launch of the system, that's a little worrying to say the least. Hopefully Nintendo will have everything sorted out by the time November comes around...and hopefully the company will also let Harada know what's going on, too.
Gears of War Creator Loves Nintendo, will be watching Wii U closely
Feels Nintendo have "lost a little of their core" but are dealing with it
The man behind the muscle-bound Gears of War series has stated that he'll be keeping a close eye on the Wii U.
Cliff Bleszinski - Design Director at Epic Games - was responding to open questions on Reddit and had this to say about Nintendo's new console:
Being raised on All Things Nintendo I will always I love all things Nintendo. I'll be watching the Wii U closely. I think Nintendo may have initially lost a little of their core with the Wii for a bit, honestly, and they seem to have realized this. I believe they also recognize that we live in a "multi-screen" culture hence the controller design. I played ZombiU at PAX and it was promising (even though the controls could use a little loving!) so we'll have to wait and see.
It's not the first time Cliff has expressed his love for Nintendo and it certainly won't be the last. It's also not the first time he's made public his positive opinion on the Wii U.
But will he finally put his money where his mouth is and make a game for a Nintendo platform this generation?
Firebrand Games: "Nintendo needs to Charm the Mass Market" with the Wii U
"People still need Nintendo"
Now that the Wii U hype train is getting closer to its final destination, there'll be much analysis and opinion on what Nintendo needs to do to make it a success. There'll be plenty of talk about its technical capabilities as well, of course, but for developers and Nintendo itself it's really all about how many Wii U units sell, and whether it can prove to be a worthy successor to the hugely successful Wii.
Although early sales don't give the full picture — early 3DS sell-outs were followed by struggling sales until there was a price-drop — it seems as if Wii U is off to a decent start, with pre-orders selling out in the U.S. There's little doubt that early enthusiasm from Nintendo fans will only work for so long, however, and Scottish developer Firebrand Games, working on an un-named multi-platform title that'll arrive on Wii U, has weighed in on the marketing challenges facing Nintendo. Here's what the developer's creative director Peter Shea told guardian.co.uk.
I think there are two main challenges. The first is getting the message across that this is more than "just" a Wii with better graphics and HD output. I think there is a danger here of the message getting confused, especially to the casual market. Nintendo needs to charm the mass market in the same way it charmed people so successfully with the Wii. You could almost argue that the unprecedented success of the Wii makes it almost impossible for Nintendo to compete with its successor. I do believe that with the right titles, the right price and Nintendo's excellent marketing they can do this but I expect it to be the focus of next year – Christmas 2013 – rather than at launch or in the coming months.
The second big challenge is selling the machine to gamers who already own one or more HD consoles, and handheld devices and smartphones capable of gaming. I don't entirely subscribe to the view that Apple and Android are Nintendo's biggest rivals from here as I think the different devices will always offer different experiences and there is still high demand for both those experiences at differing price points, be it £40 or 69p, even in a recession. The traditional markets we have grown up with are definitely in a state of flux but to me that doesn't mean there isn't scope for at least one more generation of traditional gaming device under the telly.
While the games market is evolving and posing new challenges, Shea believes, like others no doubt, that Nintendo's first-party strengths will be vital for the new system's success.
Nintendo is still among the best game developers in the world, and you can only play Nintendo games on Nintendo consoles – as much as the market changes these facts remain. People still need Nintendo, its popularity has not waned despite the growth of new devices, platforms and franchises – it's bigger than ever.
It's this fact alone that makes me optimistic for the Wii U despite the difficult times and the ever changing market. The majority of the game development community wrote off the DS before launch and almost everyone wrote off the Wii on first look too – both went on to be extraordinarily successful. The lesson is clear: never underestimate Nintendo!
So, what do you think? Is it a big challenge for Nintendo to convince consumers that this is more than Wii HD, and will the Nintendo brand be enough to convince millions of gamers to take the plunge? Let us know in the comments below.
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