Next generation console development is seriously hurting the Wii U.

[S.T.A.G.E.]

HappySqurriel said:

S.T.A.G.E. said:

True, however, a large percentage of developers depend on Epics engine and will use Unreal Engine 4 for next gen titles. If the Wii U gets those titles they will be dumbed down. The Wii U ports have been quite ok at best. When next gen comes they will need to work around the rules of the top western devs.

Maybe, but one of the biggest buzz-words in game engine development is "scalable" ...

While it may not be important for a Mass Effect type of game, more and more publishers want to be able to produce a single game that can be played on everything from a cell-phone to a high end console without (too much) additional work. I could be wrong but I suspect one of the main drivers behind this is that publishers want to keep releasing games on current generation consoles while releasing them on next generation systems without needing to have two seperate teams.

For the first few years I expect this to really help the Wii U, while in the following years it will depend on sales.

You're right that third parties want to increase the scale and flow of the games. Ubisoft, Epic, Crytek, and many others will be enjoying this if Sony and Microsoft give them what they want. I am also glad to hear that Sony is allowing their western branch to make the next playstation. Without going after the casuals the Wii's crowd is cut in half. Sony and Microsoft while sharing Sony's former marketshare will be serving a wider audience. It could end up 70-70 again next gen.