120°

Why Core Third-Party Games Always Fail On Wii

NowGamer: Third-party publishers can't seem to get a fair slice of that 70m user pie. games™ finds out why...

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NYC_Gamer5038d ago

because people brought wii to play all the great 1st party titles

darkcharizard5038d ago

Monster Hunter Tri has sold 1.5million and continues to sell well. That's a core 3rd party title.

Mario & Sonic at the olympic games - 7.5 million.
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga - 3.5 million
Guitar Hero III: legends of rock - 4.4 million.
Just Dance - 3.5 million
Sonic and the Secret Rings - 2.25 million
RE4 Wii Edition - 1.8 million
Star Wars: Force Unleashed - 1.5 million
Sonic Unleashed - 1.5 million

Soo many others 3rd party titles have sold 1.5 million and above. And these games are far from failures. The word "always" is a HUGE stretch and this article shouldn't be taken seriously.

El_Colombiano5037d ago

Oh crap I forgot about Monster Hunter Tri, thanks for reminding me! I wonder how well that will run on Dolphin.

ExplosionSauce5037d ago

COD:Modern Warfare Reflex did well too.

NecrumSlavery5037d ago

It isn't core 3rd party games. It's M rated titles. And that was do to Nintendo marketing the Wii to the casual(kids and moms). It's why games like MadWorld do bad on Wii like GTA CW did poor on DS. Great games caught up in an older era of Wii marketing. But with a slew of adult 3DS games coming, Nintendo looks like they are going to fight for the Adult crowd and convince them, the Wii/DS aren't kiddy toys.

Anon19745037d ago

When you look at all 3 companies, they all see to have equal percentages of games that break the 1 million mark overall, at that sits just over 10%. The difference with the Wii is that there are over 70 million Wii owners out there. Twice as many console owners as the PS3 and almost twice as much as the 360. Based on that alone, there should be no way that the Wii doesn't have more million sellers.

We also see this problem illustrated when we see game company revenues. Take a look at EA sometime. PS3 and 360 revenue generated dwarf what the Wii brings in and they release just as many Wii titles as they do the others.

There's obviously a problem here for developers. Throwing up a list of "but look how much these 10 games sold" doesn't change that fact.

Mahr5037d ago (Edited 5037d ago )

"The difference with the Wii is that there are over 70 million Wii owners out there. Twice as many console owners as the PS3 and almost twice as much as the 360."

This would be relevant if it said somewhere in every developer's contract it said 'you get paid based on the percentage of the install base you hit'. I can assure you, it does not.

"We also see this problem illustrated when we see game company revenues."

Revenue is not profit. I suspect you do not wish to talk about profit -- which is the metric of commercial success that is actually, you know, important to developers in this day and age -- because it does not support your argument.

"PS3 and 360 revenue generated dwarf what the Wii brings in and they release just as many Wii titles as they do the others."

They should dwarf the revenue, given that the production costs of those games dwarf those of their Wii counterparts. If we believe Ibis, the average PS3 or 360 games cost $15-$30 million per title versus $5-$7 million for Wii games.

http://www.gamasutra.com/vi...

"There's obviously a problem here for developers."

No offense, but trying to say something is 'obvious' is usually more effective as a rhetorical devince when you have a vague idea of what you are talking about.

jjesso19935037d ago (Edited 5037d ago )

El_Colombiano runs fine on dolphin !

darkcharizard5037d ago (Edited 5037d ago )

@darkride - I dont think I can take you seriously, given that you have only 1 bubble.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 5037d ago
multipayer5037d ago

It's because all the core 3rd party games are being developed for current gen hardware. The market which includes everything but wii... They can't afford to risk all their marbles on 1 outdated platform, So wii gets leftovers that are extremely dumbed down versions that nobody really wanted and/or would pale in comparison to their projects on other hardware.

Nike5038d ago

"Why Now Gamer is an authority on anything: Nobody Knows"

...would be closer to the real heading of this article.

jimmins5038d ago (Edited 5038d ago )

Collectively, the staff have over 150 years of industry experience? Maybe that's it.

But then, you didn't read the article, did you? And you certainly didn't see all of the top developers and publishers who contributed to it. Instead, you just posted your ignorant trolling.

Round of applause.

SOAD5037d ago

Nobody cares how much experience people have collectively. Collectively, me and my two friends have been alive 56 years, but we're still dumbass teenagers.

Titanz5038d ago

Piracy is a "major" factor in disappointing Wii third party sales, couple of my friend bought a Wii just so they could hookup their external hard drive to it and play downloaded games.

Xbox 360 is not in the same boat as the Wii because you actually have more to loose if you mod a 360(Xbox live ban).

Wii is probably the easiest system to mod, which is a sad thing if your a legit Wii owner(lack of third party support do to piracy).

turok5036d ago (Edited 5036d ago )

i dont pirate wii games but do use cheat codes >:D and play videos. I can watch my naruto and get infinite money on monster hunter tri and red steel 2 xD. and super cheat on fire emblem xD infinite Elixirs for ALL.

Seekerofthewind5037d ago

I can give a simple answer to NowGamer's hyperbole-instilled article title.

Third-party developed Wii games sucked initially, leading consumers to have a negative view of third-party developers. At the same time, Nintendo was consistently making solid games, thus instilling consumers with confidence in Nintendo software. There were third-party gems, but for every 1 decent/acceptable third-party game, there were 10 bad ones. Consumer confidence is the best way to obtain consistent sales, and third-parties didn't show any amount of effort until a precedent of trash had already been established.

In other words: The good third-party games were too little, too late.

jimmins5037d ago

Is what it says in the article. But you only read the title... soooooooooo.

Seekerofthewind5037d ago

I read the article. All six pages. I wasn't disagreeing with them, I was stating what I always say when people ask me why third-party Wii titles 'always fail', even though, again, that is a hyperbole-instilled statement.

kasasensei5037d ago

I heard that piracy is very easy on wii, maybe this is one of the reason why so many third-party games fail.
And the ds is suffering from the same problem.

Show all comments (27)
80°

Nintendo's Massacre Of The 3DS And Wii U Is Finally Complete, Regrettably

Hanzala from eXputer: "The cruel hammer of Nintendo has fallen. Farewell, 3DS and Wii U, you surely brightened my life and many others; you won't be forgotten."

280°

Xbox's Preservation Step Sets A Much-Needed Example, Especially For Nintendo

Hanzla from eXputer inquires: "If Xbox can care about preserving its games and legacy, what exactly is wrong with Nintendo, trying to kill game preservation single-handedly?"

purple1019d ago

Ahh yes the good old game preservation of saving all your games to a removable hhd on the Xbox 360, taking it round your mates house, setting up multiple tvs to
Be met with “save data corrupted, please re download”

Or how about removing 360 games
From the store
, download them now or else, and, better hope to god that save data doesn’t corrupt, or it’s lost for ever

Nice one ☝️

Zeref9d ago

It's better than what Nintendo and Playstation is doing. It might not be perfect but at least they are TRYING. Unlike the others.

DarXyde9d ago

Trying? Take off the blinders for a moment, mate.

1. A failure to preserve games is just that: a failure to preserve games. Don't try to sugarcoat it: NO ONE is doing it properly. Better than awful is nothing to write home about.

2. At the time of this comment, isn't it the case that you need an internet connection to play Xbox games even if you buy physical discs that are hardly in circulation anymore? I don't have a Series X and I can't verify, but I think that is correct. I'm fairly certain you can at least play PS5 games at version 1.0 (not much of a win really when many games require day one patches). I think Microsoft's all digital, licensing approach is by far more aggressive than anyone else's. They really try to push you to game pass where you lose your entire library by umm.... Skipping a month of payments.

I don't think anyone is doing it right whatsoever. Don't get me started on Nintendo, who goes after anyone looking to preserve their games better than they ever would with extreme litigation.

Don't be a simp for any of these companies. Get it together.

PhillyDonJawn9d ago (Edited 9d ago )

@DarX never speak on Xbox again. You lost all credibility with your internet connection comment. Smh you have 0 clue and misinformed yet speaking on something you don't no squat about.

Einhander19728d ago

What has Sony done exactly? You guys keep deflecting to Sony but I am not actually seeing any results, and ai am certain nothing that you can come up with even comes close to what Microsoft has done and what they have tried and failed to do, like tie all your disks to your account on xbone.

Microsoft removed their whole indie section when they moved to the xbone because they were going to only allow games on the service that came from a publisher, id@xbox started after xbone launched and it only exists because Sony embraced indie and Microsoft was forced to cancel their plans and reverse course.

And every single game that was part of games for windows live including disk games (I have gta 4 on disk that won't work) so hundreds of games that use that DRM no longer work unless the company themselves patched it out which of course very few did.

MrBaskerville8d ago

Not trying. Tried. they killed of the backcomp program years ago. They set something up again, but sounds like it's more of an attempt to save the current library on whatever they are planning next. With luck they save everything and more, but let's see. I could see them killing off parts of the OG xbox and 360 libraries. Can't imagine that they would allow us to play Forza 5-7 in the future.

With that said, I do like what they've done and really wish they could have done more.

shinoff21838d ago

Zeref

So killing off physical media is trying what exactly. Ms don't really give a fk if you think they do your kidding yourself.

Profchaos8d ago

They are not trying this team is established for forward compatability the team is. It interested in preserving Xbox or 360 games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 8d ago
isarai9d ago

Is that why Hellblade 2 is digital only?

Zeref9d ago

Just because it's digital only doesn't mean you can't preserve it. Just put it on an external and you have the exact same functionality of what a disc does.

MrNinosan9d ago

Guess you're trolling, but if you actually think that's how it works, I'd recommend buying some braincells.

mkis0078d ago (Edited 8d ago )

Volitile vs nonvolitile data. A disc will not corrupt either. A drive can be corrupted.

Einhander19729d ago

This is just a scammy PR move to distract from the fact they are going digital only and trying to push streaming and subscriptions only.

No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft.

Without discs there is no preservation, preservation can't be done by the rights holders it can only be done by the consumers, anything else is a lie.

9d ago Replies(3)
Einhander19729d ago

Anyone remember xblig which Microsoft removed their whole 360 indie section removing hundreds of games from people?

9d ago
9d ago
Zeref9d ago

Do you know you can put your games on an external and preserve them that way? There are no benefits to discs. ZERO. Idk why some of you are still obsessed with them.

DarXyde9d ago

Because games like Persona 5 exist. It's STILL V1.00. On Playstation, that's a win because 1.00 is installed on the disc—no need to download anything.

If a game does not require any updates, it's all on the disc.

Extremely low bar in the modern era, of course. It's not much of a win by any stretch.

But for now, physical media does have a purpose, at least on Playstation.

Einhander19728d ago

That is factually not how game licensing works, try plugging your hard drive into someone else xbox, It's not going to work, and it won't work if the licensing servers ever go down.

Einhander19728d ago

Anyone remember games for windows live.

I have around a dozen games, some on Steam itself that will not work because Microsoft shut off the licensing servers.

BehindTheRows8d ago (Edited 8d ago )

I do. I STILL have games (Gears of War being the big one) I cannot access because Games for Windows LIVE is total garbage and no one has held Microsoft accountable.

Zeref8d ago (Edited 8d ago )

You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership.

Chevalier8d ago

"You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership."

Damn how many times do people got to explain your idiocy to you? You can take a copy of Persona 5 like someone used as an example and play that game on ANY console WITHOUT logging in which means I can lend the game to a friend without internet and they can play my game. Can you lend your hard drive to anyone without logging in for them to play? NOPE. That is a huge difference and if you think otherwise then sorry you're an idiot.

Tacoboto8d ago

"No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft."

Ubisoft is literally erasing games people bought from their libraries... My PS1-3 discs are useless on modern hardware. Nintendo's re-published and resold almost their entire Wii U library, and the eShop is completely dead with no BC mechanism in the Switch software. Microsoft publishes everything they make today day one on Steam and Xbox/Windows. Sony only brings to PC the titles they think you might want some years later and Nintendo won't even design a functional long-lasting joystick.

You're absolutely trolling and not serious if you think Microsoft today is the worst offender.

shinoff21838d ago

Yay steam

Not everyone fks with computers though. The disc is still the best way as a console player. Period.

Tacoboto8d ago

How do Sony and Nintendo feel about these discs from 2001-2013?

Don't be stupid, you know Xbox is the best at this today.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 8d ago
Hofstaderman9d ago

Nobody wants this. Sales or the lack of it in the case of XBOX is very telling. I wonder how the adorably all digital series X will fare. Adorably dismal perhaps?

crazyCoconuts8d ago

Only time will tell, but for from someone like me suspecting that Xbox is trying to gracefully exit the console market, that "forward compatibility" team is trying to get Xbox games playing on Windows PCs. I mean, it's nice that they're not planning on exiting with a "enjoy your games while the hardware still works" message, so that's nice. They still have a brand to protect via Microsoft so probably feel obligated to have a better exit strategy.

Xeofate8d ago (Edited 8d ago )

That is not their plan, their plan is to transfer users accounts to the cloud.

Phil Spencer himself said as much a few months back, plans could have changed but I think people are reading way too much into one statement where Phil said he would allow Epic on xbox because he wants to be able to sell xbox games directly on other platforms. Aka, instead of selling Sea of Thives through PSN he wants to have an xbox store to sell his games on PlayStation without giving PlayStation any money.

Again, it's extremely unlikely that Phil plans to put PC on xbox and licensing would prevent them from just giving out other publishers games purchased on xbox copies of thier games on PC, Microsoft does not own their games.

crazyCoconuts8d ago

The thing that doesn't align with the cloud strategy is the giving up on exclusives. You'd still need strong exclusives for cloud streaming - it's still a "platform" , just with a lower upfront hardware investment. I feel like they've learned what PS learned with PSNow long ago. We're not ready to stream games and it's only gonna lose them money to try at this point

FinalFantasyFanatic8d ago

I would love that, I'd buy up some of the Xbox games if they could run on PC, like the Rare Replay, Lost Odyssey and Dead or Alive Ultimate, probably a pipe dream though.

Show all comments (43)
90°

Nintendo's War Against Player-Made Content Will Hurt The Company In The End

Danish from eXputer: "Nintendo has historically gone against player-made content and emulation of its games. This has done much to harm the company's image."

XiNatsuDragnel15d ago

I agree nintendo hire some these folks to help in your games it'll help imo.

banger8815d ago

They need to stop announcing these mods and fan remakes until they're finished. Finish it, upload it, and then if Nintendo dmca's it tough shit. Once it's online, people can share it around, even if the original download gets taken down.

Jingsing15d ago

True, but most modders need constant admiration during the process to motivate them.

PRIMORDUS14d ago

Yup, once it's a torrent nothing can be done Nintendo is helpless at that point. But it would be wise if they just had a site on the dark web, it's also easy to use with Tor and no one will bother you.

mastershredder14d ago

This is all coming from the mouth of short-sighted fandom and grifting madness.
No.... it wont. There is a clear defined reason why they don't. This is nothing new. Make your own shi7 from your own original ideas especially if you are trying to capitalize of it it. Duh.

Yeah, hire people that have zero respect or understanding for an established process. Wow. Yep. Totally makes sense.

shinoff218314d ago

Those guys that made that sonic game got a gig from sega or something along those lines and that game was dope as hell. One of the best sonics as of late.