Spore Developer Chris Hecker Apologizes For Calling the Wii a "Piece of Shit"

Remember Maxis developer Chris Hecker calling the Wii a "piece of shit"? He has an apology for you.

"I don't know who has read the internet, yesterday. In a [unintelligible] panel I said a bunch of things. I was trying to be thought provoking and entertaining and fun and a lot of the stuff went too far over the top-on the entertaining and fun side, so that it was no longer thought provoking, just inflammatory. And in the process I hurt a bunch of people I care about. And so, I want to apologize now.

When I'm on stage, I'm me. I'm talking talk from me. From me. I'm not representing EA or Maxis.

I want to make two things perfectly clear.

I do not think the Wii is a piece of shit. Nintendo needs to be applauded for trying to interface on the controller front, the user interface front, on making games accessible, on making a console that you don't need to mortgage your house to afford.

Secondly, it's totally obvious-and I'm sorry that I implied otherwise-that everyone at Nintendo is passionate at making great games. Some of the games give me hope that we will be seen as an art form on par with movies and books"

[Chagy]

so that dont mean anything the Wii is still crap 2 me

[Marty8370]

And I'm another thats passing on the underpowered Wii. I much perfer the PS3 which I will be getting on the 23rd March.

[ChickeyCantor]

look 1!

[mellowspaz]

Unlikely to be a fad, the price point makes nintendo's system a second go-to system. Considering that many gamers are purchasing a wii in addition to a 360/ps3, it's not going to end up like the gamecube. An opinion is an opinion, but the fact is Nintendo wii's are still extremely difficult to purchase 5 months after its release, can't say the same for ps3.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

The GDC used to be a "developer" only type event where the developers all came and shared info, OPINIONS, and techniques...

Clearly given the media coverage this GDC has gotten...those days of free speech by roundtables for devs is gone. I get why EA had him do the retraction...they had to. With so much attention drawn to that statement and EA's name being tagged with it...well its not surprising at all.

What it is though is disappointing that this conference like E3 used to be is becoming more of a media circus. It will increasingly be used a showcase event instead of what it should be. Oh well....such is life I guess.

[CaliGamer]

He should have been more thoughtful before he spoke, while I might agree with what he said, as an employee of EA, a company who does business with all 3 console companies it doesn't look good for him to make statements such as this. Common sense will tell any adult that sometimes you have to bite your tongue for the greater good, or in this case your job and your pride. He's lucky he didn't get fired.

[MaximusPrime]

"I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse."

[BoneMagnus]

You can get away with bashing MS and Sony, but Nintendo...you can criticize, but certainly don't bash.

[PS360WII]

Well said jkbonafide. They are like the Arnold Palmer of Video Games or if you just started watching golf Phil Mickelson... okay none of you guys watch golf ><

It's just bosses doing damage control. EA who likes that Nintendo is turning into a cash cow would not want to ruin it's rep with them so they have to make nice by making poor old Chris make an apology. I like how he did it too. "I really didn't mean it I was just going for entertainment value..." good stuff

[BIadestarX]

This guy forgot the most important rule of the game industry. Developers can't give their true personal opinion of systems that they may be developing for. We hear all the time about how Companies and their PR threat and punish websites/blogs from publishing information that regarless of being true or not they don't want the public to know. If developers say something about one of these companies I guarantee you their games will not pass certification and will probably never see the light. This is why when you hear possitive things said by a developers it's usually bull $h!t (not always), they are just kissing @$$. But when you hear 3rd party developers saying things like this. You may want to look closely since they have a lot to lose and yet are willing to say it.

[ChickeyCantor]

if you make a statement(or in this case, an opinion), STICK with it.
this is just sad, bleh!
it was wrong to call it a piece of shît but damn atleast dont crawl back !

[StrboyM]

This guy is full of it. obviously someone chewed him out and he had to retract his statements. ..so does this mean the wii is an artistic and very powerful console with teh ability to do do advanced AI and physics?

cause he apologized..lmao..

[TheExodus]

Is a toaster a piece of sh*t because you can't cook a turkey in it? Is a hair dryer a piece of sh*t because it would take you the better part of a weekend to dry a pair of jeans with it? Is a minivan a piece of sh*t because you can't outrun a Ferrari in it?

[mellowspaz]

dbl post

[specialguest]

He's not sorry for having his own personal views about Nintendo Wii. He only appologized because he got caught. What the hell is this "I change my mind, Nintendo is great" attitude now?!?

[kingboy]

Too late we already know your current state of mind

[sumfood4u]

Chris Hecker GOT THE SMACK DOWN FROM EA'S FORCE! HE SHOULD BE GREATFUL EA DOESN'T SMASH BROTHER MELEE HIS A$$! "HERE WE GO!"

[r1000]

Man I beat Zelda a month ago.... AND HAVE NOT TURNED ON THE WII SINCE...

[DonSqueak]

What you have turned on though is your caps lock. Please turn it off again.