Why are 3rd party developers shunning the Wii?
09-09-07, 11:58 AM
#1
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Why are 3rd party developers shunning the Wii?
It's been out what, a year, and it's still next to impossible to find. The remote turned out to be revolutionary. It got grandma to play. To me, it's a success. Why are 3rd party developers shunning the Wii?
09-09-07, 12:01 PM
#2
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,032
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Because it's a Nintendo system? 
Seriously though, Nintendo always takes risks with their systems (N64 - Cartridge / controller ... Cube - Controller). This time, once again, they took a risk, they are forcing developers t think out of the box with the wiiMote. It's either that or developers port games that really are not suited for the system.
I doubt anyone really buys a Nintendo system for outstanding third party support. Nintendo systems sell on first and second party titles.
Seriously though, Nintendo always takes risks with their systems (N64 - Cartridge / controller ... Cube - Controller). This time, once again, they took a risk, they are forcing developers t think out of the box with the wiiMote. It's either that or developers port games that really are not suited for the system.
I doubt anyone really buys a Nintendo system for outstanding third party support. Nintendo systems sell on first and second party titles.
09-09-07, 12:07 PM
#3
Moderator
They weren't counting on it to be successful. But don't worry, every day I see announcements for new third party games. Soon, the Wii will have a similar library of cheap crap that the PS2 got last generation. 
09-09-07, 01:40 PM
#4
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,861
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
They definitely aren't shunning the Wii, they are just late to the party. The developers are scrambling now to get content on the Wii. They want to make money, and to do that they will go to the system with the biggest installed base, right now it's the Wii.
09-09-07, 01:50 PM
#5
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
They aren't. There are plenty of third-party games for the Wii. It is what it is, though and adapting prime PS3/360 games like R6 Vegas or Assassin's Creed to the Wii doesn't really make a lot of sense. With the huge instal base, there should be plenty of buyers, but I think you're far more likely to see crappy third party kiddy licensed games or ports of PS2 games rather than Grade A next gen games on the console. The question is how much effort and expense do studios and developers want to put in developing orginal games for the Wii exclusively?
09-09-07, 02:03 PM
#6
Banned
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,584
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Wii already has more third party support than either the N64 or Cube ever did. I think most developers were leery at first because the Wiimote had a very real possibility of being a gimmick and well, Nintendo hasn't been a shining success since the SNES days.
09-09-07, 02:24 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 411
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nintendo already was having 3rd party issue with the GC. The Wii is pulling in a lot nongamers, but will this group purchase a lot of games? I don't think so. Core Wii gamers will stick to first party games.
09-09-07, 06:55 PM
#10
DVD Talk Legend
This thing keeps selling 400,000 units a month it will have no problem finding developers. Of this gen the PS3 seems to be the one having the hardest time either getting 3rd parties to make games or getting them to do a decent job of porting the game to the PS3. Skate is yet another port that has a bad frame rate on the PS3. Very frustrating to be a PS3 owner. Not so much with the Wii.
