Already at E3 2012 Nintendos major megaton was a montage of a bunch of PS360-games being confirmed for Wii U (they even used footage from the PS360-versions. Some games never even began development for Wii U, such as Metro and Dirt, they were just showned to clarify the vision).
The "thought-out" sellingpoint for Wii U was obviously Nintendo games in HD + all that Nintendo-only-gamers had missed out on due to the original Wii being a lesser platform in terms of hardware. Publishers went all in putting resources into bringing franchises like Mass Effect, Tekken, Darksiders, Assassins Creed, Call of Duty, Batman, Need for Speed and so on for the Wii U launchwindow - however they didnt sell. They didnt even make profit.
Not even the exclusive ZombiU was able to make profit - and that was still the best selling title from a third-party publisher. That says a lot. Third party had their first taste on how their core-games would fair on the Nintendo market. On Wii the best-selling games were Nintendo + party/fitness games. 1+1=2.
Perhaps they might had tried the Wii U waters for a second time if Nintendo themselves would have been able to bring out interesting, NEW and EXCLUSIVE content to create intrerest in the console. Early on. To create sales. They didnt. So sales instead became, basically, non-existent. Major publishers pulled out. Developers found the platform uninteresting. Ubisoft backed down from developing more exclusive titles for the platform. Both Activision and Ubisoft decided to at least "give it a year" - to see if Nintendo could save it with their Q4 titles.
Already a couple of months after release the platform felt dead. The only life came from Kickstarter-indie-campaigns for eShop titles - to be released in the future - if financed. Not every project became financed though, with promising titles as Buddy & Me, Dizzy and spiritual Eternal Darkness sequel Shadow of the Eternals not getting enough interest from Wii U gamers.
"Its just a window. We are in-between two generations. At E3 we will see a lot of new content being announced"
At E3 Ubisoft announced Just Dance 2014 for Wii U. Square Enix confirmed Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Directors Cut as multiplatform. Lorne Lanning confirmed plans to bring a couple of Oddworld-games to eShop. That was that. Nintendo themselves announced their plans to save the console and the third-party support. A sequel to Super Mario 3D Land was announced instead of a real Super Mario-series sequel and the Retro Studios megaton became Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.
Promising titles Mario Kart 8, X, Bayonetta 2 and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U was as promised - there - but wont actually be HERE, in 2013, but later in 2014 and forward. In a year with ONE third-party title confirmed, that is if Slightly Mad still find it interesting to release Project CARS on the platform. Without a publisher it might also only become a eShop-release.
Activision was one of few publishers publishing plenty of more content going forward. Ultimately also they had to comment the situation though, confirming bad Black Ops II sales - going forward with easy-picky Skylanders, Angry Birds and other shovelware-kids and license-based games. No Destiny or Deadpool for Wii U. Call of Duty: Ghosts however were later confirmed after much dismay (problably after some Nintendo meetings, that is)
The Wii U market didnt want to buy the multiplatform-game that was released basically at the same time as the other versions.
The Wii U market didnt want to buy the multiplatform-game that had been greatly improved.
1+1 = Third-party produces lesser content for the console and in the same time has to take in mind that the game most likely wont sell that much. And those who actually do buy the game will problably be to few to make it worth the cost to produce and maintain a online community.
The situation has developed into this - so this is currently the conditions we have to live with. The only one that really can make a difference here is Nintendo. The fault is entirely theirs. They have to bring forward Wii U better. They have to bring forward content for Wii U better.
What we can do? Buy third-party content. That doesnt mean that one should buy mediocere games like Sniper Elite V2 or The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct "just because of it" - but at least show that we are here. That we are interested. Warner Bros isnt wronging us by not include online in Batman: Arkham Origins. They are actually taking a chance with even developing it for us.
You cant expect a company to put huge resources on something that wont work out. You have to keep in mind that its Wii U we are talking about. The worst selling main-Nintendo console to date. I will buy Arkham Origins on Wii U. I will buy Watch Dogs on Wii U. I will buy Blacklist on Wii U. Because I am interested in those games with or without some content. These KIND OF games. Because I want to show the publishers that - and that I want more - not only Nintendo titles and the occasional Activision shovelware-party game.
Edited by LaserSWE, 18 August 2013 - 05:03 AM.
