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Earlier today there was the disappointing news that Yooka-Laylee is no longer coming to Wii U. When the game was first revealed Playtonic Games emphasized the importance of Nintendo hardware to the game, with a number of backers opting for the Wii U iteration in the Kickstarter campaign.

The announcement earlier today confirmed technical challenges as the issue, while also stating that the studio is exploring options to bring the game to Nintendo Switch. Naturally some have wondered whether the Wii U's commercial problems were also a factor in the decision; the studio's Gavin Price has made it clear to Games Industry.biz that this is not the case.

No, that had nothing to do with the decision. As we have shared, it's simply down to unforeseen technical difficulties. Its a testament to the team that we have continued to fully explore every possible option throughout making Yooka-Laylee.

Our backers are why we are here today and that's our first priority. We can assure you this was a hard decision for everyone. Our team has so much combined Nintendo heritage and were huge Nintendo fans as individuals. That's why we're working hard to make things right for our backers and with Nintendo and Playtonic's fanbase over the coming weeks and months.

We're working hard to provide Wii U fans with multiple options to let them decide how they'd like to move forwards. The Playtonic team members who backed were mostly Wii U backers too, so we know it's not the news everyone wanted to hear but we'll do our absolute best to make it the right decision and ensure Nintendo fans get the great experience they deserve.

He's also emphasized that the company will work hard to give backers various options, such as switching formats or waiting for a prospective Switch option; those seeking a refund are invited to contact Playtonic games in this FAQ.

It's a pity that this game is missing Wii U, but perhaps not surprising. The open-ended PC demo offered to backers was rather demanding on hardware, so it's not unreasonable that the Wii U's capabilities would have been a problem.

Are many of you tempted to move over to Switch for Yooka-Laylee?

[source gamesindustry.biz]