That last one been cleared up at this point since it's getting a release on the Switch, including a physical copy at retail. Not sure what NoA's reasons would be for not approving it sooner, but perhaps they saw how quickly Blaster Master Zero was coming out and thought that there were enough similarities to pump the brakes for just a little bit on AV until that game had its time to shine.
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Anonymous Indie Devs speak out on the growing pains of Switch eShop Curation
- Thread starter maxcriden
- Start date
That last one been cleared up at this point since it's getting a release on the Switch, including a physical copy at retail. Not sure what NoA's reasons would be for not approving it sooner, but perhaps they saw how quickly Blaster Master Zero was coming out and thought that there were enough similarities to pump the brakes for just a little bit on AV until that game had its time to shine.
Team Filler
Member
Just baseless speculation, but it would be such a Nintendo thing for this to be the result of them taking to heart the criticism of Wii U launch ports (Arkham, Mass Effect, Darksiders, etc) and course correcting far too much. I mean, think about how much they apparently listened to club Nintendo surveys.
DeuceGamer
Member
For every step or two forward, they seem to take one back. I mean, I love the amount of indies they attracted and how there is a big indie game each week, but I can't say I see the harm in allowing quality titles like Axiom Verge, Cosmic Star Heroine, etc... on the eShop, and we know that both of those Developers (and others) have been vocal about wanting to release a Switch version.
Nintendo, get this fixed so all quality indies that want to make games on your system are easily able to.
Nintendo, get this fixed so all quality indies that want to make games on your system are easily able to.
I think it easy... If Nintendo thinks the game would still sell well on the eShop, ports are okay especially if they at least add something new. They are probably against some devs just dumping their whole catalogue of b-tier 3DS/WiiU software on Switch.
Current Indie lineup and future outlook is rather positive.
Current Indie lineup and future outlook is rather positive.
Maintenance
Member
Maybe they used the same drug I think Phil Spencer used when he argued about parity, because he wanted Xbox players to feel First Class .
IronicSonic
Member
Why seems so hard for Nintendo give as many dev kits to devs team as posible? It's a security measure? It's part of their business model to sell dev kits? They dont have that many dev kits? They are just slow to evaluate dev teams?
Please answer this thinking like Nintendo.
Please answer this thinking like Nintendo.
Twenty7KVN
Member
One dev seems to think they are under staffed, which could be the reason some devs feel like they are left in the cold.
Zhenghua Yang (Z) of Serenity Forge
Actually, about that
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=231722980&postcount=174
It happened once Robert Zeboyd contacted Damon Baker himself on Twitter through DM, the same day he made it accessible for everyone to pitch to him game using the platform.
Par for the course.
Sure, I don't know if this was the best approach, I'm sure there's a lot for them to work on.
As said before, this is a launch thing, so I'm assuming they're just trying to keep some control on the line-up during launch period (while dealing with dev kit distribution shortages maybe?). Whether this is a good idea or not I don't know, but the Switch is two months old and in the end, we will end up getting games like Axiom Verge, so I'm not very worried or pessimistic about this.
Edit: oh the axiom verge thing was fake? Bummer.
Sounds like those games were intended to be straight ports, which Nintendo won't allow unless there is something new they added or that they arrive on the Switch first. If so that explains why Hollow Knight has no PS4 version. =/
For a system that is struggling to get games released, this is a very peculiar stance. If you want to limit bad ports, then sure, just say no to those. Doesn't have to be all or none.
I agree, it can't be WayForward. I'm pretty sure they'll be porting Shantae 1/2 Genie Hero to Switch.
It might be Jools Watsham (Mutant Mudds, Xeodrifter), he was complaining on Twitter a lot for not being able to get a Switch dev kit. I think the reason might be that he separated from his former company so maybe he had to restart his relationship with Nintendo from scratch.
Edit: I'm wrong. He resolved his issues and announced 2 games for Switch already:
http://www.nintendolife.com/news/20...nd_mutant_mudds_are_coming_to_nintendo_switch
I wonder who the mystery developer might be then.
UnemployedVillain
Member
Doesn't seem like it's struggling to get indie titles though
Uhhh, are you talking about that thread here recently? No it's not. The Dev recently on Twitter said that news is completely false and Nintendo still denying them.
It's kind of what Nintendo does. They did it back on the Wii U with games like Mass Effect and Batman where they have some extra frivolous hoo-ha knickknack stuff added for seemingly no reason.
JonnyDBrit
Member
Seems to be something strange going on with Nintendo and indie devs at the moment. Some have sung their praises for how easy Nintendo have made it all, others have expressed frustrations just trying to get their foot in the door.
Could be a symptom of a highly selective system showing heavy favouritism, or it might be a case of the system itself kinda changing regularly so different people are getting different responses.
Could be a symptom of a highly selective system showing heavy favouritism, or it might be a case of the system itself kinda changing regularly so different people are getting different responses.
GuitarAtomik
Member
If I'm reading it right it sounded like the issue for at least one of them was that they were talking to an "Exclusives guy" at Nintendo without realizing it and that guy instead of redirecting them to the right people, would just go silent. They basically had to hook up with a publisher to get those contacts (or even possibly realize that those contacts existed?).
James Scott
Banned
There have been a lot of eShop games released since launch and quite a few slated for release in the upcoming months. Don't think getting indies is much of an issue for now.
Twenty7KVN
Member
I thought Nintendo wasn't straight out denying them but are just slow to approve them.
Actually, both Mutant Mudds and Treasurenauts were in the Nindies Showcase final slide, and Jools confirmed them via Twitter, so I don't know for that (I know he had difficulties in getting dev kits at first, though).
That seems to be the most logical explanation. I wouldn't be surprised if they were short on dev kits either...I was expecting a lot more indie games available at launch. That would explain why it's taking indie devs a little bit longer to port their released games to the Switch (Hollow Knight, Stardew Valley etc).
But there is a difference between the policy/strategy you're both referring to, and barely answering to former partners, not allowing them to work on the system, while they've supported the Wii U/3DS in the past. Right now it hurts their own corporate image.
At the very least try to communicate and explain their schedule and policies (not just now but in 2016...).
And if they really want that much a good curated eShop, maybe they should start to actually have something that looks like a functionnal webstore, not like a sample twitter bootstrap template.
I hope you gents are right. I'm fully ready to have the Switch by my indie box. Would be great.
I though the same but Treasurenauts and Mutant Mudds are confirmed.
Edit: I have to read the full post first.
So each indie game port that's been on Switch thus far has had extra content piled on top of it for release:
- BOI: launched first on Switch with Afterbirth+
- Shovel Knight launched first on Switch with a new campaign
- Stardew Valley is launching first on Switch with MP
- Cave Story is launching in June with MP, bonus stages
Is Nintendo making this a requirement for a little while going forward? I can sorta see where they're coming from - enticing people to double dip for new content on Switch, but if they're turning away 1:1 ports entirely, that's pretty lame.
- BOI: launched first on Switch with Afterbirth+
- Shovel Knight launched first on Switch with a new campaign
- Stardew Valley is launching first on Switch with MP
- Cave Story is launching in June with MP, bonus stages
Is Nintendo making this a requirement for a little while going forward? I can sorta see where they're coming from - enticing people to double dip for new content on Switch, but if they're turning away 1:1 ports entirely, that's pretty lame.
Charles Brandon
Member
Classic Nintendo, The second they think they're onto a winner, they start looking to fuck third parties over.
Huh, I guess I misread the news then. In any event, I'm not sure Adelman calling his former co-workers douches is pragmatic at this juncture.
DeuceGamer
Member
Glad to hear it. Definitely something I would consider picking up on the Switch. That said, I think it still makes the point that it shouldn't be that difficult for an indie that A.) wants to release on the eShop and B.) has a quality title that has some positive early reception.
We can all live without some of the garbage that was on the eShop, but it seems like there should be a happy medium between where the Wii U was and where the Switch is.
Wowfunhappy
Member
Y'know, as long as Nintendo is doing a good job with curation—and they seem to be—I think I prefer that approach, annoying as it may be for the developers on the outside.
We've all had these discussions with regard to Steam, and while I think Valve's approach has merits, I personally prefer going in the opposite direction. Every game should have a right to exist—but I don't necessarily want to see it all in the store.
We've all had these discussions with regard to Steam, and while I think Valve's approach has merits, I personally prefer going in the opposite direction. Every game should have a right to exist—but I don't necessarily want to see it all in the store.
UnemployedVillain
Member
You do realize the people in charge of dev outreach and relationships have nothing to do with the eShop's technical aspects and UI, right?
But as one of the devs speculated, maybe the bigger issue, moreso than the policy, is simply the group is understaffed
There are people above them that can make decisions and unify things. They are the same people that can allocate more staff. The things you are saying don't excuse anything.
If not and everything is super silo'd, thats BAD.
James Scott
Banned
While bigger publishers are still a big question mark, there have been a couple eShop titles every week since launch. I don't think they would be denying devs if the situation was still dire. Though it is still early in the system's life so I imagine Nintendo would ease up soon enough once stock issues level out
Yeah, you are right. I edited my post.
I can't think of any developer that released several well received games on previous Nintendo systems that hasn't released or announced a game for Switch already.
UnemployedVillain
Member
This isn't really how tech companies operate...sales people seldom interact with engineering unless it's a large client (aka not an indie). Obviously there are people above both who manage everything, but it's not like they're all sitting in the same room. My point is they aren't silo'd, but the eShop team probably has its own roadmap of improvements and changes regardless of what the sales people are doing, unless some big client comes along and causes them to reorder priorities or make a drastic requested change
Twenty7KVN
Member
Yea still a bit of incompetence on Nintendo part though, they should've been more prepared for this. But this problem is a easy fix so i'm not worried.
DarkConfidant
Member
This reminds me of 80's Nintendo publishing issues
EDIT: The Axiom Verge guy got snubbed for the launch.
EDIT: The Axiom Verge guy got snubbed for the launch.
They're already confirmed coming I believe.Does this mean we won't be getting devolver games anytime soon?
UnemployedVillain
Member
What a strange post that 5 devs out of nearly 100 signals a turnaround. These issue probably existed before and probably only affected a subset of indies
Yup, just like the fact that Life of the Black Tiger for the PS4 inextricably getting promoted by Sony means other great games won't be released for the system. Really? We're at the point of clinging to a single title that represents more an exception than the rule as being indicative of something?
Does this mean we won't be getting devolver games anytime soon?
Don't they already have a couple of titles lined up for Switch? I think it's different for them since they're an outright publisher, rather than a developer.
James Scott
Banned
Probably NCL vs NOA
Charles Brandon
Member
WayForward was my guess by the way. I don't see that them having teased something means that they haven't been frustrated, that interview may be a few weeks old by now.
I can't think of another western dev who could claim that their games were some of the best rated on Nintendo systems (although I can't be arsed to think about it too much)
I can't think of another western dev who could claim that their games were some of the best rated on Nintendo systems (although I can't be arsed to think about it too much)
Twenty7KVN
Member
Enter the Gungeon is already confirmed.Does this mean we won't be getting devolver games anytime soon?
I tried that method. I got a email back with an example pitch pdf to help format/direct my pitch. Sent in my pitch pdf and never even got a response back. 6 weeks later..
Going to try again to NOA directly this time. They at least email me back usually.
frankie_baby
Member
I'm glad that got released, gives me hope I'll be able to develop for switch