No GTA V on Wii U is a mistake

Gimme Gimme Games argues that Rockstar had an opportunity to make games like Grand Theft Auto successful on Nintendo home consoles with a port of GTA V to the Wii U and that they are blowing their chance to get the Nintendo audience on board with their most popular IP.

[BringingTheThunder]

no mention of chinatown wars on ds in this article is a mistake

[mrbojingles]

"The Wii U customer base in May 2013 will be far different and more open to mature games like GTA than the Wii, DS or Cube’s ever were and that’s because it will be young."

and

"They didn’t have to worry about the poor software sales and apathetic user base of the struggling GameCube, they didn’t have to struggle to convince the casual base who bought Wii Fit and Brain Age to purchase their games for the Wii and DS. "

I think that's referring to Chinatown, in that Rockstar wouldn't have a hard time selling GTA to a casual user base like when Chinatown released on DS since the Wii U's user base isn't decided yet.

[BringingTheThunder]

the first line makes it seem like you totally forgot about chinatown wars

[cee773]

GTA stimulates console sales period this is the upper hand ps360 has over Wii U it will sell millions of ps360's if its as controversial as its predorcessors and that's a given imo.

[Abash]

It's about as big of a mistake as McDonalds not having more options for vegetarians. Meaning that Rockstar is still going to make massive amounts of money still without GTAV on Wii U

It's a big mistake for Nintendo as it makes the Wii U look less appealing without one of the biggest releases of 2013 not being on their new console especially when they are trying to say "Look we get all the third party series too"

[mrbojingles]

Can't be a mistake for Nintendo, since they don't, y'know make GTA? They have no choice in the matter. They simply work with what they're given.

And the opinion piece at the link discusses the 'massive amounts of money' that the game will make without the Wii U. Since they will make hundreds of million dollars profit on the game without a Wii U version, a port to Wii U isn't much of a risk and the worst that would happen is they get a few million more GTA fans.

[Abash]

@mrbojingles

Money talks, they could pay Rockstar enough money to get a Wii U version of GTAV and make it worth their while to develop on Wii U.

[ronin4life]

@Abash.
Nintendo has said they don't buy exclusives. If a game is on their console, it is either a choice of the third party or a collaboration.

[PopRocks359]

@Abash

If Rockstar itself does not feel a Wii U port is worth it, they probably won't do it. Not every publisher can be bought out that way, you know. Rockstar is one of the most successful in the business if I'm not mistaken.

[LX-General-Kaos]

Rockstar and Nintendo will both be ok and come out alive from this. There is nothing to worry about.

[nrvalleytime]

Agreed. And maybe for the first time ever. :-)

[Jinkies]

Let them port it later, I don't want it to be delayed just so the Wii U audience can play it. It's GTA...if people really want to play it they'll buy a PS3 or 360.

[MasterCratosKong66]

or will already have one

[Neonridr]

I agree with the author, it doesn't make any sense not to port their game over. Ubisoft has said it costs them about 1 million dollars to port over a game from the 360 or PS3. Even if it was to cost 15-20 million and the game sold 2 million copies on Wii U. That's 100 million in lost revenue (120 million - 20 million for production). What company is that dumb not to do the simple math and make that happen?

The average gamer is now 35 years old. The gamers that have been around since the beginning aren't so easy to dismiss Nintendo, usually it's the younger, "hipper" crowd that thinks Nintendo is for kids. Us older gamers who grew up on systems as early as the NES or prior understand there is value to be had with a Nintendo console.

Rockstar definitely dropped the ball, it'll be interesting to see if they change their minds once they see how well the Wii U sells.

[Technical World]

Beyond the fact that aren't they revealing more news soon where they could in fact announce, "Hey, it's coming to Wii U too!" since they've done nothing but release some pictures and a trailer so far, if I was making GTA V I would think to myself, if people want to buy GTA V wouldn't they already have owned a PS3 or Xbox 360 to play GTA IV? I mean while it would be good for Nintendo and I really hope it is released for the Wii U because Nintendo has to be my favorite out of the big three it isn't going to really help them that much although it would help Nintendo.

[Schawk]

GTA will be on the wiiU , the gamepad was made for games like this and i think Rockstar know this they are not dumb.
I look forward to playing GTA on the wiiU.

[topgeareasy]

the have lego GTA

so who cares

[Deku-Johnny]

Ha Lego City Undercover looks great, the children's GTA.

[jmc8888]

It is a big mistake sort of, but most likely unavoidable. At least early on.

GTA V has been in the works since before the Wii U dev kits were available.

Meaning, GTA V is a game that was ALREADY in development for the PC and other systems.

Now they could maybe do it later on, we'll see. Some games have longer product cycles to develop. Is there anyone out there that doesn't believe that the GTA series is generally speaking one of the longest continued cycles in gaming? It's not a game they pump out every year. It's not a Half Life 2, seven years in the making. It's a game that they work on for 2-3 years for every version.

Thus seeing how the game comes out just 5-6 months after the Wii U launches, you can see, the dev kits were made available half way through the cycle.

It's possible they could have made one, but once they announce they are making a port for it, they would have to deliver the quality product everyone is expecting. Which can be tricky, especially given that they haven't worked on a Wii U yet.

So in a sense I don't blame them. Wait for a GTA VI, and start from scratch with that knowledge. Possibly dip their toe in with another lesser title from the ground up before hands so that when they make GTA VI, they can hit the ground running knowing how to code for it.

So maybe there will be no GTA V on the Wii U, and maybe there will be after they finished all the other versions. But either way, to expect them to have it come out with the others, was a bit foolish.

True they are leaving sales on the table, but again, Rockstar is a game dev that has always said if they can't make it right, they won't make it. Whether they've achieved that every time is a matter of debate, but it is a peek behind the curtain of why they didn't try to rush or even announce GTA V for the Wii U. Because it simply might not be possible to do it this late at the level Rockstar would want it to be.

Again that doesn't mean they won't try, but their hands are full with the actual game, and won't be until after the game is launched that affords them the time to consider it. Perhaps they're already have a small team looking at it, but overall not many, if any resources are attached to it.

Besides the ps3/360, it'll be on the PC, so plenty of people will have access to it. But they will lose potential sales if it's not on the Wii U, because some people that will have the Wii U, won't have any other system....well besides the original Wii of course. That's a pretty good sized crowd.

So I wouldn't make too much of it. GTA V simply started production too early to get the Wii U on board, and will not risk quality to rush a Wii U port into action.

Maybe later, I'd say definitely with GTA VI, but GTA V, maybe not, and if so, definitely far later. I don't really see it as a problem, it's just common sense, and an unfortunate reality.

[Qrphe]

We'll see GTAV on the Wii U. Probably not anytime close to the actual release date but probably around or after the PC release date.

[quantae06]

GTA V is just a fun immature sandbox game. But it's a system seller & people will buy it for any console that they own. I think Rockstar would have to be idiots to not want to put GTA V on the Wii U also. I think it will sell very well on the Wii U & I hope Rockstar changes their minds.

[stuntman_mike]

i think they will back track and bring it out on wii u. i can understand them not bringing it out straight away as they probably didnt get dev kits in time but maybe a little while after it launches on PS3,x360 ect.

[horndog]

Correct me if I'm wrong but did the wii ever have a gta tittle?? To me it looks like the wii did very well without a gta tittle on its system. Why will it be different with the wii-u??

[quantae06]

It's all about improving not about being complacent. The Wii U should definitely have GTA V.

[Ck1x]

Well I think poeple are jumping the gun here! Remember how many were saying these exact same words before Black Ops 2 was officially announced for WiiU? Nintendo could be just holding this card close to their chest and or waiting to announce that they are publishing the game themselves or something... Nintendo knows that this game is an extremely important asset to have on their new machine, so its kind of hard not to imagine that they would go all out to acheieve this.

[CaptainN]

Rockstar has never really ever supposrted Nintendo systems in general.......every once ina blue they throw em a bone and its usually nothing to get excited about. When the Gamecube was out they could have easily brought GTA to it but intentionally shunned Nintendo gamers claiming the audience wasn't there. Funny, because they have to gave said audience a chance to buy the game before making such a rash judgement.

Then the Wii came out, they give it a port of Bully from the gen before that no one wanted, and again why not bring the previous GTA's....but no. Then they say we will give Wii owners Manhunt 2.....even though Nintendo gamers never played part 1. Then right before release the game is deemed too violent so they have to censor it, oh and btw its coming to PSP at the same time. Its released and what happens the PSP version can be hacked to show all the censored content, yet the Wii version couldn't.

Then we come to the DS which gets a top down GTA "China Town Wars" with very little marketing behind it. Also let's not forget the PSP is getting the Stories series which are almost like the console games. They say sales are lower than expectations and announce they are porting it to PSP....which in the end sells less that the DS version.

Now they have a golden opportunity to at least give Nintendo fans a frikin chance to play a real GTA since its been 2 generations of ignoring them? This also includes never giving them any Max Payne games or the Red Dead series. So the Wii-U is here and yet again Rockstar is nowhere to be seen or heard from. This shows me they don't care about the Nintendo fanbase, so therefore I don't care about them. Fu*k Rockstar and their games....if they don't want me as a consumer, then I don't want their products. It goes both ways. And yes I was one of the few that did buy China town wars and Manhunt 2......but, I don't matter because I prefer to game on Nintendo.... right Rockstar???

[Ck1x]

I hear your frustration about this matter and understand completely where you are coming from on this one. But even from someone that has never played a GTA game at all, I still know the value that a game like this would mean for Nintendo in their push for the core audience. Especially while they are launching a new console at that! Rockstar knows how much their franchise is worth and probably wants to make little to no investment at all if it is ever to see the light of day on a Nintendo console. But just as we have already seen with many other recent announcements from Nintendo, concerning them stepping in and publishing 3rd party games. It would be a major kudos to them and a major F*ck You to Rockst*r... But all in all, Nintendo needs this game on their system no matter what.

[josephayal]

Is coming late 2013

[Deku-Johnny]

It is a shame, a game like GTA:V would be a definite system seller and a great addition to an already fantastic launch window line-up. I'm sure it'd sell enough systems for it to be worth while for R*. I don't think it's a definite no as of yet, maybe they'll just wait till the end of the launch window and see how the Wii U does. I hope it does eventually come to the system, if the game has the annoying phone thing from IV then the gamepad would be great as the interface for it.

[ShaunCameron]

Nintendo gamers were never really given a fair chance to enjoy the previous main GTA games, IV aside for obvious reasons. Just like they were never really given a fair chance to enjoy a lot of the major and semi-major IP's of this generation aside from spin-offs.

I say it would be a mistake since V is being made for the PS360 as opposed to Sony/Microsoft's next consoles and the WiiU's specs are very much in line with the PS360. But then again a lot of Nintendo gamers have already got the memo a long time ago that if they wanna enjoy such IP's (the main entries, not the spin-offs), it's either get an XBox/PlayStation or do without. And some of them heeded it, because many developers and publishers, especially the Western ones, don't like Nintendo.

[quantae06]

When I had a Gamecube me & everybody I knew who had a Gamecube complained that GTA wasn't on the GC. So, Nintendo gamers have been starving for a GTA game on a home console for years. I got a PS2 years later and just finally got to play Vice City in like 2008, which pisses me off. I have a PS3 & 360 now, but GTA needs to come to a Nintendo console already & it pisses me off that Rockstar keeps denying their fanbase on Nintendo consoles. Big N console owners have been complaining for years for it.