Not so profitable after all?

According to Gamasutra publisher and Independent Game Festival chairman Simon Carless, Nintendo has a threshold in place that determines whether or not an independent developer is paid for their game release.

Carless goes on to say that this number is in the neighborhood of mid-quadruple digits for America and low-quadruple digits for other regions around the world. If a game fails to sell this required number of units, the developer doesn't see a single penny of their investment back. Ouch!

The explanation given for this threshold is that Nintendo feels this sales requirement will keep developers from introducing a host of shovelware onto the WiiWare service. Of course we can see what a rousing success that's been so far judging from many of the WiiWare release review scores since the service's inception.

While this threshold might seem a bit harsh, some developers have already chimed in regarding their approval of this policy. Of course we're sure there are those opposed to it, but maybe they feel it better to keep that opinion to themselves, since many of them would like to continue to develop WiiWare titles in the future.

We'd like to hear what you all think of this policy that Nintendo has instituted with their WiiWare program.

[source wii.ign.com]