Publishers (as well as game developers) need to realize that the Wii population is very much diverse than the X360 or PS3 gamers. The so-called shovelware that focus on simple fun and easy to play sells very well on the Wii.

However, games, that are more hardcore and have a higher level of difficulty, can't be "crapped out" and expect to sell at all. The more hardcore won't buy it because it is crap, and the casual doesn't like that type of game to begin with.

Well we cant blame 3rd parties either, I mean even Ninty themselves was after on casual affair on E3, even it should be in core demographic.

But its still sad a publisher say this to the Conduit. BTW is Midway also in the conference? If it is i think theyre also likely to be a candidate but like I said we will never know

that's my guess

Which publishers have been relatively burned (seen lukewarm sales on a quality 3rd party title with a decent budget) by releasing an exclusive on the Wii.

That should narrow things down considerably.

I don't think publishers are being dismissive to the Wii for any reason other than their inability to capitalize on its success on the same level as Nintendo's own games have.

As for the developers, it is also disheartening when you go through the effort of releasing an exclusive specifically for the Wii audience, only to see that same audience would rather buy Carnival Games, Wii Fit and Wii Play.

I give High Voltage massive kudos for going out on a ledge like this and hope that whoever picks them up as their publisher doesn't screw up the release. Because if Conduit isn't a hit, it will be enforcing what a lot of developers have been saying about the Wii (the viability of quality 3rd party projects) and what a lot of publishers have been doing to still make a profit out of a Nintendo software dominated market for the Wii (release low budget, profitable casual market games).

And I don't want to hear from any Nintendo apologists dismissing potential lower than expected sales by saying it was "cheap game to develop anyway, so they still made a profit" if it's not a hit.

You can always fall back on the 1st party releases, but the platform still needs 3rd party hits to keep the platform varied.