Topic: Zelda's Wii U-Turn to NX

If nx has very similar architecture as ps4 and slightly better tech, it shouldn't take to long to port multiplatform games. Quite frankly, multiplatform ports and first-party are the games coming in a launch window.
Also people have shorter attention span nowadays, it wouldn't be surprising if it is revealed and released the same year.

But it might as well come out in 2017.

@Therad:
My current thinking is that we'll get both home console and portable before the end of 2018. I also think that given how late the devs have got dev kits we can probably rule out 2016 for a home console. Or we don't rule it out and live with the idea that the NX launch will be even thinner than PS4/XBOne/WiiU. So 2016-18 for a portable but probably closer to 2016 with the home console being either 2017 or 2018. And I'll say it is probably 2017 for both just to keep the arm-chair analysts sane.

@LetsGoRetro:
You said I contradicted myself but I didn't, the word you were looking for was "evidence" not "contradict". My point about there not being many leaks isn't an argument to say that the dev kits aren't out. I'm saying that the dev kits haven't been out for long and aren't widely distributed yet. The fact that there haven't been any leaks yet is just further evidence to support the idea that the dev kits haven't been out for long. And if they've only just gone out it makes 2016 unlikely. And no, 18 months for a simple port doesn't magically put piles of ports in the window for a 2016 launch.

Also my point about the press mostly being obsessed with home consoles is not an opinion. And no, it's not because this is the West and the press follow hardware sales. If it was everyone would be obsessing about the 3DS. If you push the boundaries of a portable you get something you could've played on your TV ten years ago. If you push the boundaries of a home console you get something brand new. The press cover the home consoles more because it's where all of the news is, that's not an opinion

If I could just bring the topic back to Zelda for a second I would like to hear from people who are convinced the upcoming game is coming out for the NX as well how they think it will pan out. Bearing in mind we still haven't had an official reveal of the game (its subtitle, gimmick, basic story etc) do people think that when Nintendo disclose those things at E3 or in a Direct they will also drop the info that it is an NX game as well? I find it hard to imagine that scenario happening, I wasn't around so to speak for Twilight Princess but I am 99.9% sure that we learned a lot about the game before we learned that it was at launch both a GameCube and Wii game. It's a lot of info to drop at once and could potentially sour the reveal if we learn that the version they've promised us won't be the definitive version.

If that won't happen then when will it happen? Will it release on Wii U first then get a definitive edition on NX weeks or months later? Will we know before the Wii U release that it isn't a Wii U exclusive game? Even these scenarios seem unlikely as either one will negatively affect people's opinion on Nintendo and could hurt the title in the long run.

It's just that I see this being thrown around constantly and yet I haven't seen anyone demonstrate an example reveal of the game being on NX where I can safely say "yes I could see Nintendo doing that". At the very least, we now no longer have to deal with the truly brain-dead idiots who said that it will never be released on Wii U.

@LetsGoRetro: You keeping talking about 13 months left for devs to develop games for its launch. 13 months from now is late December 2016. 12 months is more likely, but even late November would be pretty late. And there's the fact that games have to be finished, tested, printed and distributed. You're looking at 10 months at most if Nintendo decides to launch their next home console next year.

@Octane: To be fair "13 months" from when the Dev kits went out is November 2016. Assuming the rumour about the dev kits going out last month was accurate. But even that's kinda insane when you take into account logistics and the bureaucracies of large companies for a game of the scale we're talking about. Especially if we want to see something polished by launch and playable at E3 next year.

@skywake:

I was fair. 13 months from now is late December. And yeah, even if he would have said 12 months, that's still heavily underestimating all the other things that happen before and after the actual development of a game.

@TheLastLugia: The more in depth look at Twilight Princess happened at E3 2005 (before then there was just a trailer at E3 2004 which didn't give much info though slightly more than Zelda U's E3 2014 reveal). The Wii was announced as the Nintendo Revolution that same press conference but there was only a slight hint at Twilight Princess being on it ("Next generation versions of Mario and Zelda are already underway."). That quote could have been interpreted at Twilight Princess being GC exclusive and a different Zelda being released for Wii a few years later like Majora's Mask -> Wind Waker though. We know much less about Zelda U now then was known about Twilight Princess this time in 2005.

Twilight Princess was shown to this degree at E3 2004: https://youtu.be/VE2Dc1sx71U
This was E3 2005: https://youtu.be/YHu7hvxjdww
And E3 2006 just before the Wii's launch: https://youtu.be/WNNTx9uYh1s

So yeah, we knew quite a bit more about Twilight Princess

@Octane: I must've missed that and you're right I was being a bit picking. It's still ridiculous, one month either way doesn't change that

@Grumblevolcano: exactly, that's the crux of my argument I suppose you could call it. I just can't imagine Nintendo leading people on for 2 years about a game only to sour the whole reveal by announcing the NX version at the same time as we as Wii U owners (or some of us I guess) are supposed to stay excited despite that information. Imagine if you will Reggie on stage at E3 ('cause I can't imagine they'd reveal NX in a Direct at E3) how will he present it?

Reggie: "And now for the one you've all been waiting 2 years for since its official debut at E3 2014 and even further back to 2012 when some of you bought your Wii U's at launch in expectancy of its exclusive Zelda game, here it is- The Legend of Zelda Hyrule's Hero! (best I could think up on the spot lol). Oh yeah and it's also coming out on NX, but still get excited!"

A reveal like that would make Federation Force's reveal look like a walk in the park. They can't shoot themselves in the foot in consecutive E3's surely not. As I said I can't picture a situation where they won't lose a lot of credibility by doing this, which is why if I was a betting man, I would only imagine a Zelda U release on NX as a definitive/remaster version at least several months after it comes out on Wii U, and even then there are situations and possibilities that could scupper that from happening. Which is why I am still of the opinion that a Zelda U on NX situation is far, far from a certainty that some geniuses have decided that it is.

Just my two cents on the situation, have to say that I enjoy this speculation, as long as it stays positive

I don't know why you would even care if it went to the NX as well as the Wii U. You act like it existing on another platform would make the Wii U version evaporate out of existence or something. Nintendo doesn't have to worry about Wii U owners' feelings, considering all they've done since its launch. The fact that you'd be getting it at all should be good enough. Because any other company with a console doing this horribly would have dropped it eons ago. Like the Vita. Plus, you all know you'd get the game on Wii U or NX and wouldn't stay mad, anyway. The people that own Wii U's are huge Nintendo fans that will end up buying the next thing whether or not Nintendo "upsets" them or not.

This. This is what I've been trying to say. If Nintendo releases a home console next year, it might note bode well for them IMO. We've seen their software output for the Wii U (excellent games, one too many droughts), and it's not like third party relationships are built up again the the blink of an eye. Those people who are expecting a home console next year shouldn't be surprised if there are game droughts and lack of third party (and, thus, low sales); yet they will be surprised, and the complaining that will ensue after that... shudders
I expect a new Nintendo home console to launch in 2017, really. Plenty of time to make quality software, and plenty of time to heal third party relationships. Win-win for everyone.

@Operative: you're replying on a thread that has over 200 replies in a short amount of time saying that this is a non-issue and that no one cares? I think that is a pretty ignorant thing to say in the circumstances. And I think it's pretty obvious that this is different to all the other stuff Nintendo has done on Wii U, they can make garbage Animal Crossing amiibo spin-offs I'm not interested but as a huge Zelda and subsequently Nintendo fan I do care about the next Zelda game and what platform(s) it's available on. It wouldn't make the Wii U version evaporate out of existence of course not, but it would make it obselete especially if the NX version is the best version of it, and that would be another (arguably the biggest) slap in the face to Wii U owners that the biggest Wii U game is immediately obselete.

I'm just not sure why you're trying to say this is a non-issue? Look at the numerous forums not only on this site but virtually every other gaming site out there. If there's Zelda U footage shown at the game awards you can bet your bottom dollar that every other comment will have NX in the title somewhere. This is a huge issue for Nintendo, its fans and especially Wii U owners, and until Nintendo clear it all up the speculation will continue in earnest

EDIT: nevermind, I won't reply. Sounded harsher than I intended and I don't wanna be negative anymore

The point is the dev kits were certainly out in time to allow companies enough time to port their games to it. What's the problem?

How do you know how long they have been working to re-build with third parties, though? I don't understand your position on that. It can't come out in 2016 because it won't have been enough time to heal relationships with third parties, you say, but this infers you know when they DID start trying to heal these relationships, which you don't. Maybe they've been working at it since Gamecube? How on earth do you know that 2016 isn't enough time and 2017 is??

@skywake: Well, the more I review all of the "information" (we say that loosely, of course) we have, the more I'm actually thinking the NX is going to end the DS line and be their next handheld system. It would be a good first step of sorts in creating this new "platform" that they keep harping on about to transition to a new home console in two years' time.

And I know this is just a drop in the proverbial bucket, but I read an article stating that the Wii U was the highest-selling item on Target's website for Black Friday today, and that overall Target had a killer day, even compared to what they were expecting. So that's great news, and a small example of what I think we're going to be seeing: I think Wii U sales are going to rise over the next year, and as we pass the New Year and every day brings us a day closer to Zelda, attention on the Wii U will steadily build. If this game turns out to be anywhere CLOSE to Ocarina's impact and quality, I don't think the Wii U is done quite yet.

(And yes, this is a TOTAL reversal of what I used to think.)

The problem is that:
1. You said I contradicted myself when I didn't (the lack of leaks supports the idea that the dev kits only just went out)
2. Despite what you think 12 months isn't enough time for quality ports let alone any original third party content

@LetsGoRetro: Actually, I never meant to infer that Nintendo was healing relationships with third parties. If a NX home console has anpy chance of succeeding it needs third party games, but we all know how good Nintendo's third party relationships are (very bad, FYI). And in order for third parties to get onboard a console that is supposedly releasing next year, Nintendo has to do something about it's third party relationship. I seriously doubt Nintendo can take care of that on top producing games for the new system IN A YEAR.
Of course, we don't know what the NX is, anyway. Do you get me?

I just wanted to say...

Nevermind. I'll just go now

1. Contradict may not have been the best word. The point I was trying to make was that since the dev kits presumably haven't been out a very long time, the lack of leaks is not evidence.
2. Except it's not 12 months. We still have 13 months to go. And it's been atleast a month since we heard dev kits went out, meaning it's been atleast that long. Maybe it's been 2 months? (Still not a ton of time if you intend to use this against bullet point 1 ). So that's approximately 14-15 months. Which is probably a fair amount of time for a good amount of games. And guess what? They don't all need to be there on day one of launch to create hype. I'm not sure what constitutes "launch window" but I'm sure it's atleast a few months and that gives a grand total of 17 to 18 months for these ports. I've said this so many times that I have to believe you are purposely ignoring how easy it is to see the math works here.