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Yves Guillemot: ZombiU Wasn't Profitable, not even close, no sequel planned

This is really bad. The future of the Wii U is looking really bleak ATM. Nintendo will be fine in the long run, and there will be some classic games on the system, but it seems like this time next year there will even worse 3rd party support than there was this year, which is kinda scary.
 

GulAtiCa

Member
do a better game next time ubisoft... same to ea... companies need to stop saying that are "suporting" wiiu. If all you are going to do is release rushed, cheap titles for launch...

What? It may have been flawed, but ZombiU was an excellent title.
 

tino

Banned
So the only good launch title and game on the system (outside MonHun) was a failure. Can't blame third parties for ignoring the thing when the userbase is ignoring great games because they don't feature a Nintendo logo on the box. Absolutely disgusting.


At this rate I doubt both PG titles will cross 1m combined. Poor Kamiya.

After the fallout of Wonderful 101 and Milkonetta 2, Platium Games will be forced to merge with another former Capcom staff's game studio and change the name again.
 
do a better game next time ubisoft... same to ea... companies need to stop saying that are "suporting" wiiu. If all you are going to do is release rushed, cheap titles for launch...

The title was somewhat divisive, sure. However, there was a fair amount of praise. Given that it was an exclusive release that garnered a cult audience of people that really thought it was a solid outing that -- at the very least -- presented a solid foundation for future titles, I don't think that you have thought out this criticism too much.

One doesn't need to agree that ZombiU was indeed a great title. You're free to think it could have been better, as I have mixed feelings on it myself. However, at some point, one does need to realize that the situation for Nintendo and the Wii U extends beyond third parties simply putting out bad titles when every single title sells poorly. Basically, your post reads as a poor deflection for legitimate criticism, as ZombiU represented the only third party exclusive that the platform had to offer, and did garner some praise even if that was interspersed with criticism.
 

ascii42

Member
This is bad news, but I don't know that it's all Nintendo's fault.

Ubisoft could have made things easier on themselves by not calling the game ZombiU. I realize why they named it that, and to the informed gamer it probably doesn't make a difference, but to your average Joe-Walmart it probably sounds like a crappy piece of shovelware.

Also, despite this game having a very focal fan base and good word of mouth among gamers, it didn't really review all that great.

Still, this is bad news.

Isn't your average Joe Walmart the sort of person who actually buys shovelware?
 

Verendus

Banned
Don't worry guys, when the Nintendo games start releasing, Krillin will be saved and then third party games will have an install base where they can have profitable releases. Just wait for Mario, Donkey Kong, Zelda and that robot from X. Then you'll see. You'll all see!

I've already purchased my chrysanthemum for PG...
 

Kerub

Banned
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Poor Wii U..off-TV gameplay is so nice. It's all such a shame.
 
Gross exaggeration? No. Most of the first wave of big U.S reviews were bad, Gamespot 4.5 out of 10, Game Informer 5.00, EGM 5.5, Gamesradar 3 out of 5, Machinima 6/10, IGN 6.3, Gametrailers 6.5, Edge mag 7/10. Most other reviews are in the 8s, with only a couple of 9/10s from Official Nintendo mag, Eurogamer and Joystiq. The game has a 77 sub-80/100 rating on meta which EA claims is essential for healthy sales. Gamespot, Game Informer, EGM, Gamesradar, IGN and Gametrailers are the big US sites that trashed it. You would not expect any game that reviewed like that to sell well in the U.S at least. It's nice when they do but you can't expect it to.

Did they trash every other launch game besides Mario? because.....

Edit: no 3rd party game is anywhere near 500k ww. Okay I think I'm just done talking about it ha
 

Van Owen

Banned
Yikes, if Ubisoft stops support, that leaves just WB. Wii U will essentially have ZERO third-party support.

I don't feel bad for Nintendo though. They're just utterly incompetent. Maybe they'll actually show up to the next console cycle.
 

KrawlMan

Member
whelp, good luck platinum games

I'm expecting W101 and Bayonetta 2 to do better than Zombi U. Zombi U has a terrible, generic name, relatively generic look at a glance, and was greeted with extremely polarized reviews. Not to mention it underwent what I'm sure was a painfully long, costly and experimental development cycle (changing from those rabbids to zombies, how to use controls, etc).

I don't think W101 or Bayo2 will sell millions, but W101 colors and style certainly fit the Nintendo landscape better. Bayonetta has the advantage of having fans on PS3 and 360 that have not yet purchased a Wii U. I could see it moving some consoles and possibly converting some Nintendo fans that never bothered with 1.
 

sense

Member
Given that Ubisoft has a total of one announced Vita game, that said game is a straight port of a Wii U title, and that Ubisoft Sofia is (seemingly) developing Aveline DLC for ACIV rather than a second Vita AC, this seems a tad presumptuous.

Not that I'm questioning that AC:L turned a profit, but the proof is in the pudding, and we have yet to see any proof that its ROI was high enough for them to justify more than token levels of investment in the platform.

i am pretty sure it can be implied that they have more titles than just rayman. they have publicly acknowledged that they are working on vita games which are unnannounced. yes they haven't announced it but then again we didn't get a great bit of detail about acl and cod declassified until gamescom in august last year.
 

Mononoke

Banned
I mean, how many people didn't buy it because of the games design/controls? Kind of strange, because it's a zombie game. One of the most popular genres around right now. If this isn't profitable, damn.

Maybe Nintendo has just moved to a point where the user base just wants Nintendo(y) games...

This post is probably awful.

I wonder how many launch titles of the XboxOne and Ps4 will be profitable...

Fair enough. New console = lowest the user base will ever be for that console. Kind of makes sense. Does anyone have figures on how past console titles did (profit wise). Kind of curious if this is just a given pattern with all new console launches (360, PS3, Xbox, PS2 etc.)
 

Dicer

Banned
No.

ZombiU may have had an erratic development cycle but it's a damn good game and should be praised that against all odds, they created something unique, scary and FUN.

The websites that gave it mediocre reviews didn't understand how the game is meant to be played. It's a very deliberate game and isn't like L4D or Dead Island, games that many people compared it to. The game is essentially the original Resident Evil in first person. It's brilliant and anyone who can't figure this out is missing out on one hell of a game.

Can't agree more, and WiiU isn't going to sell without software, it's in a shit catch 22 right now.

Nintendo dropped the ball by not having software ready in a more timely fashion, but comments like this and the way EA backstepped after releasing shit and blaming the console, well that didn't help either. Activision not releasing DLC for COD, not helping...Delays in games, not helping.
 
I wonder where Nintendo goes from here.

The GameCube was not a runaway success, but I have to imagine it fared better 8 months after release than the WiiU.
 

Pie and Beans

Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
This goes further to if Nintendo did bother making another home console, what third parties would bother showing up for the launch year really? Even Ubisoft, the only company Nintendo had a good relationship with, is now backing away (and post cross-gen titles, possibly entirely).

Would it even be healthy for Nintendo to put out another box that would further show their weakness in the marketplace and tarnish their brand further rather than consolidate on trying to keep that handheld dominance an 80-100 million unit business.
 
I feel sorry for all developers working on the Wii U outside of Nintendo EAD and Retro. All games will bomb hard. Hardly anyone wants a Wii U. And the ones who do are likely just die hard Nintendo fans wanting Marios and Zeldas.

Overall... I'd like to see the Wii U fail. Nintendo banking on hardware 5+ years old is something I refuse to support.
 

grumpy

Member
Shame :(
Despite its flaws, Zombi U (along with Amnesia) is the most intense survival horror game I've ever played.

BTW, the game is €29.99 on the eShop. GO GET IT NOW.
 

AOC83

Banned
After the fallout of Wonderful 101 and Milkonetta 2, Platium Games will be forced to merge with another former Capcom staff's game studio and change the name again.

I really hope Platinum has a good deal with Nintendo, otherwise they could be dead in the water after the inevitable Bayonetta and W 101 megabombas.
 

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
I wonder how many launch titles of the XboxOne and Ps4 will be profitable...

Well all the third party games are cross-gen with the exception of NBA Live 14 (which seems to be going out with the knowledge of unprofitability in hopes of upsetting NBA2K in the long run), so I would say third parties planned around financial success.
 

Kurtofan

Member
I feel sorry for all developers working on the Wii U outside of Nintendo EAD and Retro. All games will bomb hard. Hardly anyone wants a Wii U. And the ones who do are likely just die hard Nintendo fans wanting Marios and Zeldas.

Overall... I'd like to see the Wii U fail. Nintendo banking on hardware 5+ years old is something I refuse to support.

Hardware is new...
 

Ridley327

Member
I feel like a port of this could work if they implemented an inventory system akin to the one in The Last of Us.

That would solve the actual inventory menu in of itself, but the one thing that it really added (at least for me) was having instant access to your six on-hand inventory slots without it cluttering up the screen with a weapon wheel or anything like that. It does wonders for the immersion factor, and there really isn't a way to do that without reducing the number of slots to four (for d-pad use) and keeping the same level of non-clutter.
 

GetemMa

Member
I feel sorry for all developers working on the Wii U outside of Nintendo EAD and Retro. All games will bomb hard. Hardly anyone wants a Wii U. And the ones who do are likely just die hard Nintendo fans wanting Marios and Zeldas.

Overall... I'd like to see the Wii U fail. Nintendo banking on hardware 5+ years old is something I refuse to support.

oh yeah, totally man. Fuck that hardware man.

btw I'm a "core" gamer because its all about the GAMEZ.
 

Hiltz

Member
We always bring up issues of Nintendo not prioritizing third party support and how third parties don't often do much to promote their games on Nintendo home consoles. However, perhaps one of the biggest issues of all is how picky the Nintendo fan base is with embracing third party support, part of it is with the demographic, of course. Personally, while I do support most of the worthwhile Japanese titles on Nintendo home consoles, I often largely ignore supporting the ones from Western developers.
 

SmokyDave

Member
Wanting the system to fail is just silly..

Not really. These sort of things (continued success with outdated hardware and mediocre services) can influence the overall direction of the industry, so it kinda makes sense to root for stuff you don't like to fail. Plus, it's just good fun.

Hardware is new...
Yeah, sure. It ain't up to par with expectations though. It's cheap and underpowered.
 
No, choice of platform doomed the game.

Marketing isn't a panacea. I thought ZombiU looked awesome, not gonna buy a Wii U for it though. I'll buy it if they put it on a platform I own, though, which is everything but Wii U. Literally.

This is true, but uhhh....unless your game has "Mario," "Madden," or "Call of Duty" in the title, it needs marketing.
Kind of exaggerating, but not that much.
Especially if it's a new IP? On new hardware?
 

Tripolygon

Banned
What's novel about ZombiU is that your item management is on the gamepad while the game continues on screen. The tension it creates in the space between the second screen and the TV is what makes it so immersive; you're not just flicking your eyes over to another part of the television.

I think a lot of people would argue that when it comes to tension?

The Last of Us >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>ZombiU
 

Pejo

Member
Sad to hear this news. I bought the game and loved it. One of the best Survival zombie games i've played, opposed to action. I was stressed out and tense the whole time i was playing it. That said, I don't think the second screen was a huge advantage, at least to the point that a sequel wouldn't be possible on ps4/xbone if they got a little creative with the sonar aspect. Or ditch it altogether and make it even more stressful, haha.
 

cyberheater

PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 Xbone PS4 PS4
I wonder how many launch titles of the XboxOne and Ps4 will be profitable...

I was going to say that at least Xbox One and PS4 will sell in large numbers. But I'm not so sure about Xbox One at this point.
 

Coolwhip

Banned
We always bring up issues of Nintendo not prioritizing third party support and how third parties don't often do much to promote their games on Nintendo home consoles. However, perhaps one of the biggest issues of all is how picky the Nintendo fan base is with embracing third party support.

Meh, Nintendo shouldn't care about third parties. They should care about their console and their games selling and 3rd parties didn't play a role in that for Wii outside of maybe Ubisoft with their dance game crap. Wii U has other problems, the Gamepad and Nintendo's low output are big factors.
 

GulAtiCa

Member
Not really. These sort of things (continued success with outdated hardware and mediocre services) can influence the overall direction of the industry, so it kinda makes sense to root for stuff you don't like to fail. Plus, it's just good fun.

No, wanting something to fail is a fanboy thing. Not wanting something is quite different then getting giddy about hoping something fails.. Just like those that want the Vita to fail or the PS4/Xbox One to fail.
 

gamingeek

Member
If Zombiu really was the highest selling third party launch games then explain the other titles got great reviews from the big sites and still sold poorly?

Some have to learn to except that if it isn't Mario, its not moving.
For a start your post is barely coherent, secondly I wouldn't expect more expensive, late releasing ports, missing features and DLC to do fantastic business at retail, especially on a console with a 3.5 million userbase compared to 360/ps3s' 70 million each - and especially given how the same games were half the price on platforms we already own. Ubisoft had previously said that they were happy with U game sales relative to install base, Zombi U sales are 460'000 so far.
 

Shiggy

Member
We always bring up issues of Nintendo not prioritizing third party support and how third parties don't often do much to promote their games on Nintendo home consoles. However, perhaps one of the biggest issues of all is how picky the Nintendo fan base is with embracing third party support.

It's not easy when Nintendo's games are often simply better than 3rd party offerings. After Boom Blox: Smash Party, Red Steel 2, and de Blob, which were highly praised as great 3rd party titles on Wii, I simply gave up and focussed on Nintendo-published Wii titles. Of course, Skyward Sword and Pandora's Tower were some titles which I regret buying (and playing), yet I enjoyed The Last Story, SMG1, Wario Land, Another Code R, light trax, and Disaster more than any other games.

Great 3rd party games often don't come to Nintendo platforms or are just not on par because the hardware isn't good enough. The Wii would've greatly benefitted from something like Sleeping Dogs, which was one of the best games I played this year.
 
Shame :(
Despite its flaws, Zombi U (along with Amnesia) is the most intense survival horror game I've ever played.

BTW, the game is €29.99 on the eShop. GO GET IT NOW.

untill nintendo finally fixes their online structure to meet my digital demands, no thank you.
when they do, i`ll grab a wiiU just for the classic games.
 

Verendus

Banned
A more serious post.

I genuinely can't believe how moronic Nintendo is. They had seven years. Seven bloody years. Just what is wrong with them? Why try a gimmick? Why not just create a traditional console which is similar to the Xbox One in terms of power and architecture. With that kind of architecture, at least you'd ensure yourself support from third parties because you allign yourselves to their plans. That would have been a much smarter gamble than this. It's going to be relatively easy for third parties to port between those consoles, they could have easily included themselves in the picture.

Then at least you have something. You're not left out in the cold. Not only that, even with seven years, they've shown they were unprepared for HD development.

Now, it's Nintendo IP against everyone else. And I'm not sure if Nintendo has been keeping count, but the last couple times that happened, it resulted in bad news for them. Your IP aren't strong enough and a "Wii" console success is more luck than something you can strategically plan consistently. I know they want to stand out, but they managed to screw themselves over there too apparently by including the gamepad which is costing them in terms of price flexibility.

It's painful seeing this. They're buffoons after having so much opportunity and potential. It's like PS3, but even worse because no one really gives a crap.

B-b-but Nintendo fans!!

Yeah, let's see how far that gets you.
 

Grizzlyjin

Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
This goes further to if Nintendo did bother making another home console, what third parties would bother showing up for the launch year really? Even Ubisoft, the only company Nintendo had a good relationship with, is now backing away (and post cross-gen titles, possibly entirely).

Would it even be healthy for Nintendo to put out another box that would further show their weakness in the marketplace and tarnish their brand further rather than consolidate on trying to keep that handheld dominance an 80-100 million unit business.

We'll know soon enough. Sony and Microsoft are launching in a few months. If the Wii U turns into an inbetween system that publishers ignore because it doesn't sell, and developers ignore because it's weaker than the other boxes...yeah, it's not going to be pretty.

The Wii was such a smashing success, but how many "good" years did anyone get out of it? The Wii U came out in 2012, but support had dried up for the Wii way before that. It was barely getting any major third party games like two years prior to that. The PS3 and Xbox 360 are still chugging along, yet Nintendo had to move on from what they put out in 2006. It just doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. How long until they drop the Wii U and try to catch up to the PS4 and Xbox One?
 
For a start your post is barely coherent, secondly I wouldn't expect more expensive, late releasing ports, missing features and DLC to do fantastic business at retail, especially on a console with a 3.5 million userbase compared to 360/ps3s' 70 million each - and especially given how the same games were half the price on platforms we already own. Ubisoft had previously said that they were happy with U game sales relative to install base, Zombi U sales are 460'000 so far.

Where did you get that figure?
 
I think what is hurting the Wii U the most is the rising development costs of games. During the Gamecube, and dare i say Wii eras, selling 500k-1m would make a game profitable.
 

Mondriaan

Member
Not really. These sort of things (continued success with outdated hardware and mediocre services) can influence the overall direction of the industry, so it kinda makes sense to root for stuff you don't like to fail. Plus, it's just good fun.
If it takes failure for Nintendo to fix things that are broken, then it's better for them to fail sooner than fail later.

There's a better chance of catching up if they start running now.
 
Did they trash every other launch game besides Mario? because.....
Do you really expect Batman or AC3 which had been on sale for months/weeks on every other platform to sell excellent? Or maybe Mass Effect 3 with the trilogy at the same price?

The most viewed videogame pages gave this game awful reviews only because it wasn't the average shooter.
A game like this on any other console, with reviews as bad as this one had wouldn't have sold ANYTHING (look at the last 4 shooters EA has launched and tell me how they did, and they got higher reviews than ZombiU for sure).
 

SmokyDave

Member
No, wanting something to fail is a fanboy thing. Not wanting something is quite different then getting giddy about hoping something fails.. Just like those that want the Vita to fail or the PS4/Xbox One to fail.
Expressing any sort of like / dislike of any company seems to be a 'fanboy' thing. I'm not sure that word actually means anything.
 
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