Fils-Aime Describes Developer “Resource Shiftâ€￾ To Wii

[Natoma]

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=13185

Speaking in a new interview with the San Jose Mercury News, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has claimed a major shift in games industry support for the Wii, following its success at last year’s E3 and subsequently at retail.

Indicating that E3 2006 was a turning point for industry perception of the Wii, Fils-Aime suggested that many developers and publishers had decided only relatively late in the console’s pre-production to support it. “Every publisher has either made the decision and stated it publicly or made the decision and not stated it publicly, but the amount of resource shift has been tremendous,â€￾ he said.

“The natural follow-up question is, ‘What's driving it?’ What's driving it is, they see the install base, they see the mix of established players ... with the potential for new gamers, and they see a business opportunity. Coupled with the lower development costs, it really is a no-brainer,â€￾ added Fils-Aime.

And in light of that,

http://planetgrandtheftauto.gamespy.com/fullstory.php?id=108810

In an interview with an American television station, Reggie Fils-Aime, the president of Nintendo of America, said that Nintendo has done all it can to persuade Take-Two Interactive Software to bring the Grand Theft Auto franchise to Nintendo consoles, and it is now up to the third party publisher to decide whether Rockstar Games' immensely popular series will appear on Wii. We should know more later in 2007 regarding this issue.

I've been saying it for the past few months now. E3 is the key. Doubters and naysayers say they don't know what games the Wii has on the horizon, and that's why it'll eventually fail. I have no doubts we'll find out en masse then, particularly with the sales dominating the way they have.

Go Wii!

 

[one]

Are 3rd-party games sales good on Wii?

 

[Natoma]

Yes. There are many 3rd party games around the 250k+ sales mark in the US. In Japan and EU sales are tracking similarly. Considering there are over 5 million Wii's sold in only 4 months, 3rd parties look at the Wii as a platform that must be taken seriously. 3rd party sales are showing a nice roi, thank goodness.

 

[Blade]

I don't know how Nintendo expects Rockstar to bring GTA to the Wii. Notably GTA4.

A port of San Andreas? Of course Wii could handle it. It's also 3 years old.

 

[fearsomepirate]

I don't know how Nintendo expects Rockstar to bring GTA to the Wii. Notably GTA4.

If the PSP is selling well enough to merit an exclusive spinoff GTA game, certainly the potential is there on Wii. It could even have high-color textures for a change! Of course, Wii has a different dynamic going on with the 1st-party software making up the lion's share of game sales.

 

[Natoma]

If the PSP is selling well enough to merit an exclusive spinoff GTA game, certainly the potential is there on Wii. It could even have high-color textures for a change! Of course, Wii has a different dynamic going on with the 1st-party software making up the lion's share of game sales.

Unfortunately that's because the to-date rule has been that 3rd party games are shovelware. But there have been a growing list of exceptions, to the point where quality 3rd party titles are starting to become the rule. And its reflecting in the sales of said 3rd party titles.

But yea, they'll make a ground up GTA game with Wii sales going strong. It'd make financial sense.

 

[scooby_dooby]

The problem is Wii doesn't have anywhere near the processing power of the other two consoles. Even if they do port GTA4, it wil be a pale comparison.

We'll see how it sells if they actually release it. I don't have high hopes at all.

 

[Inane_Dork]

There are many 3rd party games around the 250k+ sales mark in the US.

To play devil's advocate, 250 K is nowhere near Nintendo's main retail Wii game in Zelda. And, IIRC, the #2 - #10 list of software was fairly similar between the Wii and PS3. I wonder if I'm remembering correctly.

 

[fearsomepirate]

The problem is Wii doesn't have anywhere near the processing power of the other two consoles. Even if they do port GTA4, it wil be a pale comparison.

Yeah, which is why I was talking about a GTA exclusive. Making a GTA spinoff like Liberty City Stories would probably not be much more work if any than porting GTA4. For example, they could continue the San Andreas storyline or do one based on GTA4.

 

[Capeta]

I'm confused, why does Nintendo think people who buy the Wii console are interested in a game like GTA? It seems most people who buy the Wii aren't hardcore gamers.

 

[crystalcube]

the target market is a factor. Will Wii become an equally good target console for games like GTA IV ?

 

[wco81]

A lot of the Wii's sales are to casual gamers right? The grandparents and the like?

How many of them are buying a lot of games?

Have they moved past Wii Sports or is that all they play?

 

[Corwin_B]

I'm confused, why does Nintendo think people who buy the Wii console are interested in a game like GTA? It seems most people who buy the Wii aren't hardcore gamers.

Nintendo's strategy seems to be that Wii could be the only console for casual gamers and Nintendo fanboys (obviously) as well as being cheap enough to be a "second console" for hardcore gamers. After all, if everyone buying a PS3 or a 360 buys a Wii too, Wii may end first on this generation by default.

An exclusive GTA could sell well on Wii, and they could use assets from the PS2 episodes, just cleaning up the engine a bit. Controls could be using the Wiimote+nunchuk when on foot (Wiimote aiming, nunchuk movement), and turning the Wiimote sideways when driving (letting the nunchuk on your knees). Using the Wiimote for special moves with baseball bats is bound to be an absolute hit with Yak Thompson.

Slightly OT, but I'm a Wii60 guy myself, and the Wii has a pretty interesting library already, both 1st and 3rd party. I'm getting 4 Wii games this month, all 3rd party (Sonic, SSX Blur, DBZ2, Heatseeker). If developers take the time to implement actually good Wiimote controls and decent graphics in their games, they will sell. Perhaps not as well as Nintendo exclusives, but just like on DS, there's room for success for 3rd party publishers that actually care about the platform.

 

[Capeta]

Slightly OT, but I'm a Wii60 guy myself, and the Wii has a pretty interesting library already, both 1st and 3rd party. I'm getting 4 Wii games this month, all 3rd party (Sonic, SSX Blur, DBZ2, Heatseeker). If developers take the time to implement actually good Wiimote controls and decent graphics in their games, they will sell. Perhaps not as well as Nintendo exclusives, but just like on DS, there's room for success for 3rd party publishers that actually care about the platform.

I plan on getting a Wii too after X360, but only because of exclusives like RE:UC, MP3, Zelda, etc etc, not because it will get a GTA game. I think they're better off making exclusive games for Wii than making inferior ports like a GTA game.

 

[Urian]

GTA San Andreas Stories is coming for Wii?

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

To play devil's advocate, 250 K is nowhere near Nintendo's main retail Wii game in Zelda. And, IIRC, the #2 - #10 list of software was fairly similar between the Wii and PS3. I wonder if I'm remembering correctly.

Well the time, money and effort spend on 3rd party titels isnt close to that spend on Zelda so that isnt suprising imo. 250k isnt bad considering that most 3rd party games are only poor ports.

 

[Natoma]

To play devil's advocate, 250 K is nowhere near Nintendo's main retail Wii game in Zelda. And, IIRC, the #2 - #10 list of software was fairly similar between the Wii and PS3. I wonder if I'm remembering correctly.

Well yea, but how many titles have the name recognition of Zelda, or the quality?

250k US sales for many 3rd party titles is a huge step up from the Gamecube IIRC, so that's an encouraging sign. I don't think that any console publisher will see success on Nintendo platforms like Nintendo does, simply because Nintendo makes some absolutely killer games. But with enough consoles sold, there should be room for 3rd party success.

See the DS for example.

[EDIT]
just noticed that corwin_b and tongue_of_colicab basically said the same thing.

 

[Natoma]

I'm confused, why does Nintendo think people who buy the Wii console are interested in a game like GTA? It seems most people who buy the Wii aren't hardcore gamers.

Nintendo is targeting "everyone" remember.

So they'll make general party games for the mass audience, games like MP3 and Zelda for the Nintendo fanbois and other 'hardcore' gamers, and allow publishers to release their own content to get everyone else.

For Nintendo, even sniffing the idea of allowing GTA on their consoles is a HUGE step forward. It truly does mark the culmination of their shift toward true mass market appeal since Yamauchi stepped down many moons ago. It would've been unthinkable during his tenure.

 

[Natoma]

A lot of the Wii's sales are to casual gamers right? The grandparents and the like?

How many of them are buying a lot of games?

Have they moved past Wii Sports or is that all they play?

Well the attach rate for the Wii is over 3 titles. I don't believe they include packin games (Wii sports) as part of attach rate, so that would mean that every gamer is purchasing 3 titles on average.

 

[Teasy]

I'm confused, why does Nintendo think people who buy the Wii console are interested in a game like GTA? It seems most people who buy the Wii aren't hardcore gamers.

The GTA series isn't only for hardcore gamers. Its not even primarily for hardcore gamers, its one of those games that can be enjoyed by hardcore and casual gamers alike, and that shows in its sales.

Also Wii is for everyone, not casuals or hardcore alone. The argument that a platform won't support a certain series due to the kind of people who own it is as always a silly one IMO. Its a chicken and egg situation. If publishers don't put games on a system to interest the kind of people who play those games then less people who play those games will own the system..

The problem is Wii doesn't have anywhere near the processing power of the other two consoles. Even if they do port GTA4, it wil be a pale comparison.

Looking at The Godfather its clear how a GTA game could be improved on Wii. Its graphics wouldn't compare, but the controls could possibly be better and much more enjoyable.