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Fils-Aime: Third Parties Don’t “Get it”
Nintendo of America president and COO Reggie Fils-Aime has explained that third party publishers are failing to deliver their best content for the Wii because they don’t fully understand the console itself.
Speaking to Forbes, Fils-Aime conceded that the Wii hosts a range of third-party titles which, with a few exceptions, largely do not exemplify quality software for the platform. The reason for this, he says, is that certain developers and publishers still don’t ‘get’ the Wii’s design philosophy.
"I will be able to say our licensees 'get it' when their very best content is on our platform," he says. "And with very few exceptions today, that's not the case."
Some observers note that a shortage of compelling third-party software has been a blight of a number of Nintendo TV consoles across the years, such as the GameCube and N64, with Nintendo’s own output traditionally showcasing what those consoles can offer to a consumer.
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The Wii is the tombstone of the current game development age. Its market dominance and Nintendo's traditional lack of 3rd party support and reliance on 1st party titles means that the overall bulk of game sales revenue will not reach 3rd party developers. The larger 3rd party dinosaurs will thrash about for a while and buy up small studios which do develop successful Wii games, so now is a great time to be a small competent developer!
PS - small competent developers - there is no real business future in social gaming (miserable CPMs) so stick with the consoles unless you find a stupid VC who thinks they know how to make the next crzycoolgamrsite. Then take their money for two years but don't settle for stock options.
I have to agree with Reggie. 3rd party developers don't get the Wii. They are used to producing games that one person plays, alone, for hours at a time. Excluding the Nintendofanboys, people buy the Wii to play fun, easy games for short burst with others.
That's why MarioKart is such a beast.
However people are not as stupid as 3rd parties would like to believe. Yeah you put a crap party game out you'll get a few buyers but not the 10m MarioKart sees. That takes producing a quality game with addictive gameplay and making it gender and age neutral.
Boom Blox gets it, has sold decently (very decently considering the price IMO) and is getting a sequel.
Shawn White Snowboarding gets it. I'm sure it'll sell well.
CoDWaW clearly doesn't. It's the wrong design philosphy for Wii. They put a real effort into it but it's a poorman's version of the HD/PC game. They should have made it more distinctive, with multiplayer splitscreen (and splitscreen online) more stylized, less 'realistic' (cause let's face it if you're going for realism you want HD) but just as good. Basically a version that's CoD but distinctive enough that people would want to get BOTH the HD and Wii versions.
De Blob also doesn't get it. Clearly doesn't in fact. Great game, very polished but cannot be played for short periods of time. You have to finish an entire level before you can save which takes way too long. Most Wii gamers don't want to dedicate 1-2 hours to a game (at one time). Multiplayer is fine but not the focus here.
Oddly Wii Music also fails to get it entirely. Miyamoto focused too much on making a real music game, one where you actually play with music not just following a beat. But most people are not very musically inclined. Some will LOVE the game but for many it's just a noise maker since they can't really play music. Guitar Hero is definately a Wii game. Anyone can play and enjoy it. So even Nintendo struggles with this new audience.
In a way the Wii has taken us back to the Atari 2600 days where anyone could pick up the controller and figure out the game in seconds and have a blast. Now I am not saying we need 8 bit games, but Wii needs games that have that Pac-Man appeal again. Just plain (addictive) fun for everyone with no commitment to the game required but where commitment is rewarded.
I don't think Nintendo discourages third parties from developing for Wii, but I don't think they encourage them either. So far it seems like they've just let third-parties do whatever they want. Want to developer for Wii? Great. Don't? Nintendo doesn't care, since they're making money hand over fist with their own titles.
Nintendo has and will always be very insulated from the rest of the industry. They will do what will make Nintendo the most money, period. If other companies can make money off of their platform then good for them, but Nintendo could care less. Reggie's attitude in this case exemplifies that; instead of saying, "Hmmm, we should help third-parties 'get it'", he instead insults them by saying that they just don't understand.
What's also lost in this is the simple fact that many developers probably don't want to make games for "older" (i.e. less powerful) hardware when they don't have to. If they want to work on less powerful hardware, they can make a game for Nintendo DS and probably get a much higher return on their investment (shorter development time, smaller development team, and the audience on the DS platform is much more open to niche and harcore games).
Nintendo could probably do a lot more for third-parties, but if a company put out a core-targeted Wii exclusive game and actually marketed it as such, it would sell like crazy.
Nintendo's the one who doesn't "Get It", they're suppose court 3rd parties, this isn't like the NES or SNES, 3rd parties have other options now and don't have to give them all their games by default
I think it's the exact same as it is with just about anything else in life: YOU GET OUT WHAT YOU PUT IN.
If a 3rd party developer slaps together a cheap piece of software with nothing innovative, then they get that right back in poor sales. If a 3rd party developer takes the time and money to make a quality title, that is interesting and fun, it usually sells quite well. Just look at Nintendo games. History of the franchises aside, games like Mario Galaxy, Metroid, Mario Kart, etc... sell millions and millions of copies. Does Nitnendo slap to gether and shovel them out there? No, they take the time to make good looking games that are fun to play. Why can't 3rd party software do the same? I very much doubt gamers care terribly much who's name is on the bottom corner of the box, they care about the game inside. Who makes it is probably a very small factor in deciding what to buy....at least, I know it is for me.
As for developing software for peripherals, there's no evidence that this ever changed or will change. Look at the number of games that came out for the Power Pad, or the Super Scope, or even R.O.B. There has never been strong support for Nintendo peripherals in past from anyone, Nintendo included.
double edged sword really. I guess devs have seen the discontent of most core gamers and see that traditional core games aren't selling as well as the wii plays/wii fits. So why would they invest lots of time and effort and most importantly money into a game that might just attract a niche following. Risky business. And after all, they're in business, they're not there to make bold statements and take risks that don't pay off.
That's true, it is risky. But, as the old saying goes, "you gotta spend money to make money." I guess it boils down to which developers are willing to take the chance and try making a great game for an unfamiliar demographic. That's the problem with business, nothing is a "sure thing."
Shmeh, who cares anyway? You buy a Nintendo console to play Nintendo games, which are as good as ever on the wii.
What can a third party developer really do? The Wii is being sold for its novelty and whenever some crazy new attachment to the console is released, Nintendo is making sure that THEIR software is associated with the new item. No matter if it's waggle controls, balance boards, true motion sensors and who knows what will be next, 3rd parties will not really profit from that. In a best case scenario, they become second purchases. Some EA title for the balance board, some Capcom game for true motion, etc.
The only exception to that rule are the Guitar games and titles such as Sing It - High School Musical 27. They are doing fine because they cater to that sense of novelty that seems to dominate buying decisions on the Wii. The rest of the publishers will always be reduced to being the second purchases and that's not a good way to make money, especially when they are used to creating system selling software on other platforms.
On top of that there is the issue of the Wii not being geared towards being a platform for gaming traditionalists. It's no surprise that 3rd party publisher who were rather conservative in their previous design decisions find it hard to adapt to new gaming demographics. Nintendo will also not be amused when teams at Rockstar or Midway get really creative with the hardware. The last thing they want to see is a motion control game geared towards the hardcore gamer. The Bitchslapping Simulation, The Axe Murderer Diaries, The Hooligan Party Game.
What are you talking about? Nintendo would not be amused? Are you kidding? Did you see Manhunt 2? Nintendo actually sought out a Wii version of it to help spur M rated games on the platform.
Isn't this comment from Reggie an invitation to get creative with the hardware? That is how I read it.
Do you really think it is bad for Nintendo to create software that uses new peripherals? It is their job to show off what they can do. I have a hard time believing that people who bought the Wii Balance Board will not be seeking other software that uses it. They will want to experience other things besides exercise. Snowboard and skate board games are only limited possibilities for such a device. There are so much more that can be done.
It's not about how much red pixels you splatter across the screen, or how much controversy you can attract. It's simply about the number of games that people think matter. There has yet to be a cross platform title which makes people buy the Wii version. Hardcore gamers play their controllers like fine tuned instruments the trade off between graphics and semi-precise waggle just won't appeal to them.
Nintendo is the company responsible for branding, establishing and building a consumer base for its platform. The current Wii consumer base is radically different from what 3rd party publishers are used to cater to. When the regular customers of products made by EA, Konami, UBI Soft, etc. go out and buy a piece of hardware, then the Wii isn't exactly on the top of their list. If hardcore gamers buy the Wii as a second console they might buy the exclusives, but nobody would really consider playing a 3rd party cross platform title on the Wii. The control scheme simply isn't that good.
Nintendo is making products for those who cling to Nintendo games without argument or second thought. It's no use trying to sell Street Fighter 4 on the Wii, all it will get is hateflame saying Smash Bros. was better anyway. Same goes for every single genre. The best shooter is Metroid, the best ActionRPG is Zelda, Nintendo fans can go on like this for hours and ultimately this is what will hurt 3rd party sales. As I said earlier, the only really successful 3rd party titles on the Wii are genres Nintendo does not really compete in. But give it 6 months and one iteration and Wii music will of course be better than Rockband, how dare you speak up infidel.
Sega is getting it, they license some Nintendo characters, throw in Sonic for good measure, brand it with the Olympics and sell like crazy. While that might be prove which business model a 3rd party has to run in order to have success on the Wii, it's hardly the next step in gaming.
"While that might be prove which business model a 3rd party has to run in order to have success on the Wii,"
You what business model has proven to be even better then that? NOT MAKING CRAPPY GAMES.
Well put.
I think what some people were getting at Zach is that Nintendo kinda keeps third parties in the dark about new peripherals until they are out and Nintendo already has a game designed specifically for it. So sure, people will be interested in a 3rd party game designed for that peripheral but it won't be until well after Nintendo's game is already out so it'll be a second purchase thus more unlikely to be made (when compared to a first purchase). Lucasarts was pretty pissed when they found out aboutt Wii motion-plus since they are creating a game that won't be able to take advantage of that peripheral because Nintendo told none of the 3rd parties in advance so Nintendo's game will own the spotlight. The 3rd parties are left squabbling over scraps from Longshank's err...Nintendo's table that they've forgotten their god given right to something better...a game of their own.
The Wii-Motion Plus/Lucasarts lightsaber fighting game is a perfect and recent, example of the Nintendo stat quo when it comes to 3rd Party publishers.
The fact is, MS and Sony act more like partners with their 3rd parties, where as 3rd party royalties are just a bonus that's not really vital to Nintendo. Sony and MS will pay for advertising for 3rd party games that showcase their consoles, when was the last time or has Nintendo ever promoted a 3rd Party published game besides showing it at a press conference or convention booth?
I mean Boom Blox is an awesome game, and there's nothing like it on the Wii, but it'll probably have its lifetime sales beaten out by a certified P.O.S. like Wii Music (which isn't selling as well as expected, but will still have more sales), just because it has Wii in the name. A game like Boom Blox is probably seen as a threat to 1st/2nd party sales rather than a positive to the console.
Typical Nintendo. Blame third parties for your atrocious tech support, weak SDK's, underpowered hardware and finnicky control system. Fortunately for Nintendo, they don't even need third parties to make money this generation. Bad for hardcore gamers, good for Nintendo.
Everything I have read has pointed to Nintendo's Dev support and SDK being quite good. Nintendo doesn't hold back any of the nifty tricks they discover from 3rd parties. All the 3rd parties have to do is ask.
I agree with Reggie. It is a problem with 3rd parties and not Nintendo. If a 3rd party looks at the Wii, they have two options, create cheap crap and make a quick profit, or make a quality product and make a lasting profit. Most 3rd parties choose the former.
Sorry but I fail to see how Nintendo's supposed weak support and SDKs have lead to some third parties producing excellent titles and others publishing complete rubbish.
Neither of those things forced Midway to produce a Crusin' title for the Wii or force people to port PS2 games to the Wii. Those decisions were made by companies wanting to cash in on the Wii without spending any real money.
Bit of an insult to criticize but not offer any solutions as to the way forward. What are Nintendo planning to do in order to resolve this issue? As the article points out, this situation is no different from the N64 days with the only exception being that, as Bleak Corner points out, the amount of software has increased but the quality hasn't.
Nintendo have always had a problem with 3rd party games. Nintendo are just so good at making games that most devs are probably scared away from certain genres as Nintendo will get the lions share of sales. And now the wii is just so shamelessly casual devs are probably concerned that their offerings might not get noticed if they don't conform and sell to the mass market.
Nintendo always had a problem with 3rd parties? That's news to me... And the NES, SNES, GB, GBA, and DS all say "HIIIII!"
3rd party support has only been a problem with N64 and Gamecube. It certainly isn't a problem with the Wii - the *quality* of most 3rd party offerings is the issue on Wii.
I hate posting so much but I gotta respond Ken.
I think you're partially right in the 3rd party problem existing mainly since the N64. Nintendo has always shafted their 3rd party console supporters. But 3rd parties really had no choice to get raped with high licensing fees because Nintendo's platforms back in the NES and SNES days were the leading console by a significant margin (the Sega Genesis really was smashed by the SNES, it wasn't close). Well, things changed with the N64 because 3rd parties had another more than viable console option (the PS1) so they didn't have to get raped by Nitendo any more.
I believe 3rd parties have always had a rough relationship with Nintendo, but once they didn't have to rely on Nintendo any more for revenue, they told Nintendo where they could stick their high licensing fees and moved on the the PS1. The N64 and GCN were both had terrible 3rd party support and instead of fixing that, Nintendo just figured out out a way to be really profitable without them, hence the reason why they don't really care about 3rd party, need them, or feel the need to work with them as if they were partners, and not competitors (also why they feel no need to share info in regards to peripherals in advance with 3rd parties).
Complete list of console sale history http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_selling_consoles
You can see by the list that the SNES was the last time Nintendo was in the lead (obviously except for now).
Hmmm... I think third parties get it all right. Right now, it looks like most third party developers are working for the Wii because it's the easiest way to make some "quick" money. They aren't interested in pushing technology or delivering innovative titles. Instead they look at the Wii's average consumer: casual gamers who pick a game off the shelves if the box looks cool, play it a few times and then toss it aside. Of course there are exceptions... as there are a bunch of good games for the console. However, if you walk into a store and look at what's on offer, it's hard not to think a lot of third party developers essentially make fast food games and as long as their target audience keeps eating them, they keep making them.
What a load of utter crap. If the wii could run games that where made for pc's and the other consoles this would not have been the case, but to make a big expencive game just for one console is a gamble. It becomes a even bigger gamble when it's a console many of the hardcore gamers stay away from. So i think this problem is made by Nintendo, as it was on the Gamecube