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Ubisoft explains their vision of the Switch, why they picked the games they chose

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
Source: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...ndo-can-create-a-bridge-between-mobile-and-tv

They promised they have more titles coming later. There's a lot more at the link, but GamesIndustry asked a few questions I think people here had.

General viewpoint (this is edited, the responses are longer and you should check the link):

GI.biz: What were your thoughts after the reveal of the Switch?

It will be interesting to see how the gamers, and not only the Nintendo fans but the whole market, will respond to it. Nintendo has proved it can surprise everybody. Even though we knew some aspects of the console, we were surprised by the high quality games coming. Plus, there are some very interesting features for it.

What I was very happy to hear about was the fact that Nintendo has followed its strategy of enlarging the gaming audience, with a console that could be appealing to a very broad audience of gamers. Yes, Nintendo fans first, but also in the longer term a more casual audience. The portfolio of games they showed reflected that.

GI.biz: The hardware and software seemed expensive. Do you still see the target market as kids and families?

Xavier Poix: It will still be for kids. The console itself is very modern and it can really answer the need of wanting some high quality gaming experience on your couch at home, with long-sessions, as well as being able to take it with you into another room, or on the bus. This should definitely appeal to a younger audience. I think there will be room for everyone.

On why the haven't announced new titles (as opposed to ports) yet:

GI.biz: Although you've announced three Switch games, with Wii and Wii U you developed completely original properties especially for those machines. Why not this time?

Xavier Poix: First of all, I think these are games that are a good fit the platform, even though we haven't made an announcement of a brand new title. When you think about Just Dance for instance, that game was brought to the Wii first and uses the whole motion gaming aspect. But Just Dance is about playing with anyone and anytime, it is about accessibility, and what is interesting is that Switch brings that anywhere aspect to the table. So the ability that the gamse had on Wii and Wii U in terms of bringing people together into a room, well now that room can be anywhere. The room you want to play Just Dance in can be a kitchen or a garden, it can be anywhere.

The Switch has been made for Just Dance. Just Dance has sold more than 65m units, it has had more than 100m players that have used it. In the Switch box today, you have two Joy-Con controllers, so right from the first day you can play two player Just Dance - with each person holding a Joy-Con. Of course you can play in front of the TV, and also play on the smaller screen, which means you can now have a Just Dance party almost anywhere. It's the perfect match for that game.

So we are bringing titles that we think fit with what Switch is all about. Of course, in the future we have other things that we will be very happy to share with you at a later date.

On why they didn't choose Watch Dogs 2 or The Division:

GI.biz: In terms of your open world titles, you're developing Steep for Switch. Why choose that over Watch Dogs 2 or The Division? Is it because of the violent nature of those other games?

Xavier Poix: Sorry to come back to the same point, but Steep has the same philosophy of Switch already in its DNA. Steep is about the freedom of discovering the alps, it is about doing multi-sport, it is about both long gameplay sessions and short sessions, and it is about sharing the experience with friends via sending them challenges or images - which the Steep does with its share feature.

Switch also brings the mobility aspect, and Steep is missing that. Imagine that you can keep having the Steep experience when you go to another room? For me, Steep was a no-brainer for Switch. In terms of audience, Steep is a good example of attracting a large audience, including older gamers who perhaps used to play SSX or other games like that, and you're right, it should attract a new, younger audience.

On the Switch vs. mobile (This is edited again, read more at the link):

GI.biz: A lot of that original Wii audience has moved onto other platforms and devices - particularly mobile. What makes you think Switch can win them back?

I am confident Nintendo can create a bridge between the worlds of mobile and TV. Between the desire to play on the TV, but also the need to play somewhere else because you can't be in front of your TV all the time.
 

LordKano

Member
Switch also brings the mobility aspect, and Steep is missing that. Imagine that you can keep having the Steep experience when you go to another room?

He didn't say "everywhere" like he did for Just Dance, so the game is likely still online-only.
 
"We got burned in the past by supporting Nintendo consoles more than we should have. We're playing it safe this time, maybe we'll have more to show in the future if the console does well."

FTFY
 

Guymelef

Member
Switch also brings the mobility aspect, and Steep is missing that. Imagine that you can keep having the Steep experience when you go to another room?


Nobody wanted Steep in the same room, why would want it on another room?
 

opricnik

Banned
It seems like Ubisoft got burned out from their Wii U supports and walk with caution this time.

4 year old Rayman Port, Steep at 60$and just Cause are makes you think
 

yuraya

Member
They should have done the Assassin's Creed Chronicles games. Those would work pretty good with the Switch for portable mode.
 

NOLA_Gaffer

Banned
I hope Watch_Dogs 2 makes it way to the Switch eventually. I'm about 75% through playing the first game on my Wii U and it's pretty good; everything I'm hearing about the sequel sounds like it's improved.
 

Thraktor

Member
Of course, in the future we have other things that we will be very happy to share with you at a later date.

Good to hear there's more in the works. He also sidesteps the question regarding exclusive games, so I suppose that leaves open the possibility of the Rabbids RPG and BG&E 2.

Steep isn't necessarily a terrible game for Switch, it just isn't particularly exciting. I'll probably actually end up buying it on sale if it's a decent port, but I feel like South Park and Ghost Recon would have been better options for launch titles (assuming a port of the latter is doable). I suppose Rayman was probably able to be ported extremely quickly, and is a decent match for Switch's audience, but probably should be a budget title if they want people to double-dip for the sake of portability.
 
Ubi didn't really come out with good support here anyway...though at least Steep might get a few new eyes on it since it'll be a launch title, and snowboarding games aren't common right now.

Hopefully the Switch sells well, and you can see some new/better titles in the future, and day-and-date port releases with feature-parity from their PS4/XB1/PC cousins on engines that aren't ill-suited for the Switch when they do (like mobile or PS3/360 engines).
 

Malakai

Member
I hope that they bring over "The Crew"; would love to have that game on a portable. To bad about it's always online connection would be hindrance on the Nintendo Switch.

Have you guys seen some of the games that Ubisoft have released on launch on Nintendo systems? There scatter shot approach with very questionable quality software during launch I'm glad is gone.
 
I thought their strategy was this...

mud_throwing-300x199.jpg
 
I'm glad they chose to port Steep, even though it wasn't a commercial success it'll bring the game to a new audience. I passed on it in favour of picking up DiRT Rally when it came out - both games were on sale - so I'll definitely try it on Switch if the port is good. Would love an arcade-style sports game to play on the go.
 

True Fire

Member
I'm so tired of this dog and pony show. Ubisoft does it every Nintendo launch and it always amounts to nothing.

The Switch is giving me a horrible case of déjà vu, am I the only one seeing this?
 

Ridley327

Member
I hope that they bring over "The Crew"; would love to have that game on a portable. To bad about it's always online connection would be hindrance on the Nintendo Switch.

Have you guys seen some of the games that Ubisoft have released on launch on Nintendo systems? There scatter shot approach with very questionable quality software during launch I'm glad is gone.

Steep is also always online, so I don't think that's a tremendously big obstacle for The Crew.
 

Gamezone

Gold Member
Steep isn`t just a terrible game, but the game won`t work unless you can connect online if you bring the console outside.
 

Toxi

Banned
I'm so tired of this dog and pony show. Ubisoft does it every Nintendo launch and it always amounts to nothing.

The Switch is giving me a horrible case of déjà vu, am I the only one seeing this?
ZombiU wasn't nothing.

A decision I'm sure Ubisoft is regretting, hence their caution here.
 

Aostia

El Capitan Todd
South Park would have been a better choice.

RabbidsxYohis and BG&E2 would have been better choices

Also because are way more in line with the initial potential target of the Switch (Nintendo fan, 30+YO), looking at the price, the marketing push (Zelda-based) and everything.
 

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
I'm so tired of this dog and pony show. Ubisoft does it every Nintendo launch and it always amounts to nothing.

The Switch is giving me a horrible case of déjà vu, am I the only one seeing this?

ZombiU wasn't nothing.

A decision I'm sure Ubisoft is regretting, hence their caution here.

There's an extent to which the Western AAA publisher support is more tepid.

For the Wii U, EA lead with FIFA, Madden, Mass Effect 3, and Need For Speed: Most Wanted. For Switch, they have FIFA.

The interview reflects that the three Ubisoft games are ports thus far, even though I think Mario Rabbids is most likely a thing. The Wii U had titles like Assassin's Creed 3 and Watch Dogs by comparison.

Take-Two is equivalent thus far, with the Wii U getting NBA 2K13, and the Switch getting NBA 2K18.

On the other hand, they do have a game from Bethesda, which they didn't have before.
 

ANDS

King of Gaslighting
They chose one game that never stopped releasing on the Wii/Wii U, and another that desperately needs more exposure. Seems simple enough.
 

maxcriden

Member
GI.biz: A lot of that original Wii audience has moved onto other platforms and devices - particularly mobile. What makes you think Switch can win them back?

Xavier Poix: Today, we have two ways of playing - and a lot of people are doing both. There is the high-end, high value, experience that you have at home in front of your TV - in multiplayer or not. But when the TV isn't there anymore, if someone else is using it for example, then you are left alone with your mobile phone. So there is a need for Switch, and we probably don't realise it right now, which is what makes this so interesting. There is a promise of keeping the player in the world that he or she loves. Switch can really change the way people are interacting with their games and the worlds we are creating.

GI.biz: Another publisher described Switch to me as a 'lifestyle gaming device'. It fits around people's busy lives.

Xavier Poix: That is the anywhere aspect. We have never really had that aspect in the past. Before, if you are not in the living room, the anywhere option was only really mobile. Now you have another choice.

I really hope there is a thirst out there for a device like this that Poix believes. I mean, I think there could be, but I am very curious if there actually will be. The idea that this is one of those kinds of products consumers want but don't know they want it is an optimistic one and I hope that optimism is met with confirmation of this theory.. I think if Nintendo can make the product appealing in this way, and the marketing is on point, it may have a shot. His statements kind of beg the question to me, "what about the 3DS?" but perhaps people that view such a device as too small in today's world of tablets would be more inclined to play Switch. I am really intrigued to see how this plays out.

Of course there are more features that you'd need to play to understand it properly, but I am really confident that the messaging itself - which was key to the success of Wii - is there for the Switch.

He is so right that the messaging is crucial for these products. The name was part of the hindrance for that in Wii U, and the messaging itself led to such confusion - is this an add-on for the Wii? what is it exactly? - that it makes me confident about the outcome of the Switch if the original preview video is an indication of marketing and messaging about the system to come.
 

Genio88

Member
Another useless PR interview, i hoped they could have given us some info about Switch potential by saying if Watch Dogs 2 or a main Assassin's Creed could run on Switch, but i guess we still have to wait to figure that out
 

Reckheim

Member
I'm so tired of this dog and pony show. Ubisoft does it every Nintendo launch and it always amounts to nothing.

The Switch is giving me a horrible case of déjà vu, am I the only one seeing this?

Everyone that isn't a Nintendo fan is seeing it.

Same thing with the sports games, if no one buys the PS3 fifa and NBA ports, there wont be any more of them in the future.

A lot of these 3rd party developers have to show face at the beginning in case the Switch becomes a success.
 

phanphare

Banned
honestly I'm open to Steep if some of that stuff feels really good. he mentioned the SSX games in the interview so if the snowboarding can emulate that type of gameplay it could be cool.
 

XandBosch

Member
Is there a chance South Park could still come to Switch and they just haven't announced it because there's nothing to announce (as in a date)?
 

Enduin

No bald cap? Lies!
I couldn't care less about Watch Dogs 2 or the Division but I very much would love to see South Park on the Switch. It's the kind of game I would love to just play in handheld mode in bed or on the couch at home far more than on my computer or TV.
 

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
Is there a chance South Park could still come to Switch and they just haven't announced it because there's nothing to announce (as in a date)?

I imagine the main hold-up is that South Park runs on Snowdrop, the engine from The Division, which may use way more resources than you would expect for that type of game.
 
The iPhone comparisons really need to stop. They've become the gaming equivalent of Godwin's Law whenever something's over-priced, and at this stage it's just dumb.
 

rockx4

Member
If online was removed from Steep, would that make it a better game? I haven't paid attention to it at all so I have no idea what the negatives are. Review scores make it look like an okay game.
 
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