Tag: Development - Page 6
News Image & Form Discuss How SteamWorld Dig Became Such A Success
Word of mouth built up a head of steam
Nintendo 3DS eShop title SteamWorld Dig has certainly been a success for Swedish developer Image & Form. Released in early August, it shot right to the top in the European and Australian eShop, while it has been riding high in the North American store as well. Its success is even more impressive when you...
News Michel Ancel Outlines Creative Philosophy and Acknowledges That Rayman Legends "Is a Risk"
"At Ubisoft the boss wants us to take risks, experience new visuals, music"
Both Rayman Origins and the new Rayman Legends are games that somewhat stand-out, in the wider gaming industry and as parts of Ubisoft's library. Games packed with colour and slapdash platforming fun are, to generalise a little, typically reserved for Nintendo titles and...
Talking Point The Wii U's Limited Hard Drive Space and Future Install Headaches
It's not just about installing eShop games
Splinter Cell Blacklist, on every platform but Wii U, has install options either mandatory or optional. According to analysis from Digital Foundry there are possible trade-offs on Nintendo's system as a result, with longer loading times and some weaker textures that are improved with an optional install on...
News Splinter Cell Blacklist Wii U Version's Performance Put Under the Spotlight
Digital Foundry compares it to the 360, PS3 and PC versions
Splinter Cell Blacklist is Ubisoft's latest Sam Fisher-led title, seeking to provide a solid blend of the action-focused Conviction with the stealth gameplay so popular in its predecessors. It's also one of a good number of Ubisoft multi-platform titles that's also on the Wii U, and the...
News Ubisoft: Nintendo Has "Some Of The Best IP In The World", But Needs To Work On Communication
"There are so many great franchises that are still making people dream"
Ubisoft executive director Alain Corre has confirmed that his company continues to have faith in Nintendo, despite the rather poor sales of the Wii U. Speaking to IGN, Corre pointed out that Nintendo's incredible pool of franchises should be enough to pull the console through...
News Team Ninja Still Keen To Continue Wii U Support, But Not With Ports
"I think there are games that would be good for Wii U"
Team Ninja head Yosuke Hayashi has stated that his company is still interested in developing for the Wii U, but it wants to focus on original content — and not ports like Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge. Speaking To Joystiq, Hayashi said: Of course, I think there are games that would be good...
News Ubisoft: ZombiU Development Was a Learning Experience in Second Screen Gameplay
Have "learned some interesting [things about] gameplay thanks to the Wii U"
When the Wii U launched it was inevitable that the day one library would make sketchy use of the system's GamePad. Nintendo Land was a showcase, but other releases such as Assassin's Creed III did little beyond offer menus, maps and a horse whistle. One of Ubisoft's other...
News Kokuga Publisher Believes The Shoot-em-‘up Genre Faces a "Very Difficult Crossroads" in Japan
"You are not able to make a living on just making shooters"
Kokuga's arrival on the 3DS eShop this Summer was certainly welcomed by shoot-em-‘up fans, especially as Hiroshi Iuchi's name was on the project. As was made clear to us in our interview with G.rev CEO Hiroyuki Maruyama, however, the market for these titles is smaller than it perhaps was...
News n-Space Not Currently Working On New Projects For Nintendo Consoles
"There's just very low demand right now"
In a recent interview with GamesIndustry, CEO of developing company n-Space, Dan O'Leary, announced that the company has no titles in development for Nintendo consoles for the first time in "probably 10 years". The company has earned a reputation as a specialist in the handheld market in particular, but work...
News Crytek Announces New CRYENGINE and Doesn't Exclude Wii U, Champagne Corks are Popped
Press release mention of Wii U is a small but welcome inclusion
Prior to the Wii U launch, there was much back and forth and contradiction over the system's capabilities from a graphical standpoint, and no two developers seemed to have the same stance. For its part Crytek, the company behind the widely-used CryEngine 3, stated that its engine ran...
News Wii U Unity Development Tools Explained Further at Gamescom
Quick and easy development is possible
Earlier this week Nintendo delivered a presentation on the Web Framework service, outlining how it can enable developers to easily port HTML5 and Javascript games. That was the first of two sessions, and there's now been an equivalent to outline the benefits and ease of using the Unity engine on Wii U...
News Chasing Aurora Began as a Prototype Based on Secrets of Raetikon, was Developed in Five Months
"We rushed Chasing Aurora for release"
Chasing Aurora was a launch day release on the Wii U eShop, but failed to reach the heights of games such as Trine 2: Director's Cut and Nano Assault Neo. The studio's Martin Pichlmair told us after launch last year that it was having
News Wii U Web Framework Tools Outlined in Detail at Game Developers Conference
As easy as 1, 2, 3
Currently underway in Cologne, Germany, GDC (Game Developers Conference) Europe 2013 is bringing together hundreds of companies and studios for various presentations, demonstrations and networking opportunities. As we've reported before, Nintendo is in attendance and also hosting two developer sessions to promote the Nintendo Web...
News Translated EarthBound 64 Interview Gives Insight Into Struggles of Development and Cancellation
Satoru Iwata, Shigesato Itoi and Shigeru Miyamoto pull no punches
Despite the loyal following generated by the first two games in the series, EarthBound 64 — or MOTHER 3 as it actually was — never saw the light of day. It didn't in that form, in any case, as MOTHER 3 eventually arrived on the Game Boy Advance in 2006, but only in Japan; the...
News Game Freak Devs Explain the Origins of Soliti Horse
Just horsing around
When Game Freak teased a new game that featured a franchise popular worldwide, it's safe to say that no-one really thought "that looks like a horse silhouette, so it'll be a horse racing and Solitaire mashup". Yet that's what it is and, perhaps oddly, Soliti Horse looks like a lot of fun. Already released in Japan, its odds for...
News Gory Detail Officially Given 3DS Developer Status
Rusty Pup has already been confirmed for the platform
A couple of months ago we exclusively revealed former Rare staffer Chris Seavor's studio Gory Detail will be bringing The Unlikely Legend of Rusty Pup to the Wii U and 3DS and it seems the handheld version is well and truly set in stone now as the company has announced it is an officially...
News Small Developers Coming to the Wii U eShop Outline Positives and Negatives
Wii U "has a veritable toybox of controller options to play with"
With last week's reveal of a series of new titles coming to the Wii U eShop later this year and into 2014, we've seen the first wave of what could become a steady stream of new developers and projects for the platform; in a lot of cases these are multiplatform titles, with some coming...
News Former EA VP Named New President of n-Space
Takes place at head of longtime developer
Dan Tudge, a former vice-president and executive producer at Electronic Arts, has ranked up in title to become President of Orlando, Fla.-based independent developer n-Space. According to GamesIndustry International, the former president of n-Space, co-founder Dan O’Leary, is now the company’s CEO...
News Masahiro Sakurai Outlines the Challenges of Smash Bros. Development
"It's important to remember that you can't take anything for granted."
It can be all too easy for critics and consumers, not just in video games but any entertainment medium, to casually disregard creative works without enough thought or consideration. Maybe it has one mechanic that isn't exactly as before, maybe Sonic's eyes have changed colour, or...
News Platinum: Nintendo's Focus On Perfection Can Be "Unnerving", But They Give "Great Advice"
Director Yusuke Hashimoto and producer Atsushi Inaba talk Bayonetta 2
Bayonetta 2 is currently in development at Platinum Games and is shaping up to be one of the Wii U's most important titles. Gamasutra has been speaking to director Yusuke Hashimoto and producer Atsushi Inaba about the game's path to release, its finely-balanced combat mechanics...
News Spin The Bottle Studio KnapNok Is Working With NightSky Creator Nifflas On Wii U Title
"You will definitely like this one"
KnapNok's Spin the Bottle hits the Wii U eShop this week, and the company's Creative Director Lau Krosgaard has been speaking to Nintendo World Report about upcoming projects. Krosgaard has revealed that KnapNok is working with NightSky creator Nifflas — real name Nicklas Nygren — on a new Wii U eShop...
News Nintendo Most Likely To Produce Gaming-Centric Tablet, Says Game Designer Jesse Schell
"Who knows what Nintendo has up its sleeve, right?"
Game designer, author and CEO of Schell Games Jesse Schell has been speaking to Games Industry International about the future of the games market, and has delivered a few home truths about where he feels we're headed. Schell — who graduated with a Masters of Science in Computer Networking and...
News John Carmack: Doom 3 BFG Edition Would Be Great On Wii U, But There's Not Enough Interest
Would love to develop for 3DS and Wii U, but it's "unlikely"
QuakeCon is currently taking place in Dallas, and id Software Technical Director John Carmack has already given a quote-laden presentation at the event. Carmack covered a wide range of topics, including government snooping via games machines and the next-gen console race. He also touched...
News Nintendo Has Been Fantastic To Work With, Says Oddworld Developer
Nintendo's Dan Adelman asked specifically for Stranger’s Wrath on Wii U
Just Add Water CEO and Oddworld Inhabitants development director Stewart Gilray has been siging Nintendo's praises in a recent interview, and states that the company is "fantastic" to work with. Speaking to Nintendo Everything, Gilray also revealed that NoA indie supremo Dan...
News Satoru Iwata Emphasizes Nintendo's Desire to Produce Products That "Resonate" With Consumers
Doesn't think "the concept and potential of the Wii U have been rejected"
With its recent Q1 results and sales revelations, much commentary has inevitably swirled around Nintendo's approach with its hardware and software, which is delivering happy times with the 3DS; there's the obvious goal to reproduce that success on Wii U, too. It's always a...
News Dan Adelman: Nintendo's Got "A Whole Bunch More" Coming to the Wii U eShop this Holiday
Also confirms that smartphone and PC purchases are on the way
Dan Adelman's job title of Business Development Manager may not reveal much in itself, but as explained to us late last year, he's the man responsible for working with and encouraging small developers to bring their games to Nintendo's eShop platforms. It's an approach that seems to have...
News Pikmin 3 Almost Had Four Heroes And Could Have Appeared On Handhelds
Miyamoto gives up fresh development details
Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto has been speaking to Japanese site 4Gamer about the development of Pikmin 3, and has revealed that the game started life as a DS and 3DS prototype before moving over to the Wii U: The truth is we were doing prototype tests of Pikmin for the DS and 3DS but it turned into unit...
Video Nintendo Demonstrates Wii U Dev Tools in This Unite Nordic 2013 Presentation
See the Nintendo Web Framework and Unity in Action
We've written much here on Nintendo Life about Nintendo's sustained efforts to attract small developers to the Wii U, through relaxed requirements, greater accessibility and support, and most vitally development tools designed to assist studios with limited time and budgets. In that respect we've...
News Oddworld Founder Would Work With Satoru Iwata "In A Second"
Lorne Lanning admires Nintendo's President greatly
Oddworld Inhabitants has a couple of games heading to the Wii U eShop. During E3 the developer - which has turned its attentions to more indie games in recent times - announced it would be releasing Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee New 'n' Tasty, a Playstation classic, and Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD,...
News Indie Developers Outline Nintendo's Approach Compared to Sony and Microsoft
"Nintendo is just doing the right thing without making a big fuss about it"
There's been a great deal of praise in recent times, from small developers, around Nintendo's efforts to support them in bringing content to the eShop platforms, particularly on Wii U. On the console battleground of the next few years, especially as hardware manufacturers...
News Wii U And 3DS Developers Share Their Thoughts On Region Locking
"Region Locking is a self-damaging form of DRM"
Region locking has been something of a hot topic recently, with both Sony and Microsoft confirming that their next consoles would be region-free, allowing buyers to play games from anywhere in the world. That means that Nintendo is the only one of the "big three" which continues to utilise region locks...
News Nintendo Not Accepting Independent Wii U Developers Based in Japan "At This Time"
GDC form rules studios out
Update: Nintendo has issued the following statement to Eurogamer, which unfortunately says relatively little. Ultimately, it's the decision of each regional body of Nintendo to decide on licensing policies, so this is a decision squarely on the shoulders of the Japanese licensing department. The policy in question is...
News Details of Nintendo's GDC Europe Sessions Are Confirmed
It's all about Unity, HTML and Javascript on Wii U
Just recently we reported that Nintendo is not only attending GDC (Game Developers Conference) Europe for the first time in Cologne, but that it's hosting two special sessions, though details weren't confirmed on what those sessions would cover. Both have now been confirmed, and are targeted at...
News Codemasters: F1 2013 Would Need To Be "A Very Different Game" To Run On Wii U
Don't hold your breath for a Nintendo version, then
F1 2013 — the latest entry in the popular motor racing series from UK publisher Codemasters — is being revealed today. Given that F1 Race Stars has recently been ported to the Wii U, it's understandable that many Nintendo petrol heads are hopeful that this sequel will get the same treatment...
News Toki Tori Creator Tells of Missed Angry Birds Opportunity
"In retrospect, it has been my worst decision ever."
Videogames, like all other media, can be a fickle business. Highly anticipated titles can flop while relatively unknown works suddenly surge into extreme popularity. And on either side of these rises and falls, you’ll likely find people with regrets one way or the other. Martijn Reuvers,...
News Nintendo: Wii U Fire Emblem Would Need To Sell 700K To Justify The Effort
Playing the numbers game
Fire Emblem: Awakening has sold extremely well on 3DS, but there will be many people who dearly want to see the franchise come to the Wii U. According to Nintendo's (not Intelligent Systems, as we previously stated) Hitoshi Yamagami, such a version would need to shift 700,000 copies to cover the cost of development. Given...
News NES-Inspired Action Platformer Odallus Could Be Hacking Its Way To Wii U
Yup, it's another Wii U-related stretch goal
Indie studio JoyMasher has revealed that its NES-style action title Odallus: The Dark Call might be Wii U-bound — assuming it reaches its crowd-funding stretch goal of $55,000. Inspired by the likes of Ghosts 'n Goblins, Castlevania and Demon's Crest, the game is an action platformer
News Miyamoto: HD Development "Took More Time Than Originally Anticipated"
Pikmin 3 was delayed for extra polishing
Shigeru Miyamoto has said working on Pikmin 3 has been a blast for him, but the upgrade to HD for it and other titles may have been more work than Nintendo originally anticipated. According to Gamasutra, Miyamoto explained to shareholders at their most recent meeting that higher-rate v
News WaterMelon Hiring Pixel Artists For New SNES and Mega Drive / Genesis Titles
What's old is new
WaterMelon is a name likely to be well-known among retro gamers that want that elusive thing; a retro game that's brand new. If that sounds peculiar, it perhaps shouldn't, as this is a company that seeks out and hires specialists in the field. Wii U owners will see the studio in action, eventually, with the crowdfunded HD remake of...
News SteamWorld Dig Dev: Wii U Is "Very Powerful", But Nintendo Is Struggling To Explain Its Appeal
Studio has ideas in the works for the console
Brjann Sigurgeirsson — CEO of Image & Form — has been talking to Nintendo Difference about his company's forthcoming 3DS title SteamWorld Dig, and was predictably asked about the chances of it coming to the Wii U eShop. He replied: We are still considering SteamWorld Dig for Wii U, but I also...
News Monolith Soft's Working Environment and Development Culture Emerge
No crunching here
It's always fascinating to have an insight into development studios. Rather than being fun-lands in the style of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, they're ultimately rows of desks and, in many respects, look like any other office. Of course what's happening is a lot different, as the biggest studios have dozens — occasionally...
News Miyamoto: Mario Will Likely Return To Single-Player
May look to explore the Galaxy further
When Mario fans heard that a 3D Mario platformer for Wii U would be shown at E3, expectations were undoubtedly high and varied. Many had their own ideas about what Mario's 3D foray into high-definition would look and play like, but it would have been difficult to predict a successor to Super Mario 3D Land. Fan...
News Miyamoto: Fresh Experiences Make A New Game, Not New Characters
Nintendo focusing on new experiences rather than characters
One thing Nintendo is certainly not short of is franchises and over the years the likes of Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Metroid, Kid Icarus and the plucky Pikmin have all emerged. However, a complaint that is sometimes leveled at Nintendo is its continued use of the same...
News Iwata: Nintendo Not Considering Lay-offs To Strengthen Finances
Believes it would hurt long-term results
The recent economy has seen a trend of doing more with less - increasing individual productivity while trimming one's overall workforce. Nintendo CEO and President Satoru Iwata, however, is not expressing interest in going down this path as a business, believing its short-term gains would have negative...
News Angry Birds Creator Cites Nintendo and Miyamoto As His Biggest Influences
Jaakko Iisalo clearly has good taste
Angry Birds has become something of a phenomenon in the world of video gaming, and has attained the kind of fame that is usually reserved for the likes of Sonic and Mario. Rovio creative director Jaakko Iisalo — the man responsible for the concept and look of the Angry Birds games — has revealed to EDGE his...
News The North American SNES Almost Shipped With Super FX Built-In
Idea was scrapped to keep costs down, says Jez San
The polygon-pushing power of the Super FX chip might seem humble in modern terms, but back in the early '90s it was a seriously potent piece of kit and allowed the SNES to produce games like Star Fox, Stunt Race FX and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. The chip — which was conceived by British...
News Every Wii U eShop Developer Gets A Free Unity Licence And Can Self-Publish
According to Retro City Rampage developer
Back in the bad old days of WiiWare, developers constantly complained about how hard it was to turn a profit on Nintendo's download service, largely because you had to reach a certain quota of sales before you saw any cash. This — combined with Nintendo's apparent indifference to indie developers — made...
News Thatgamecompany Twitter Q & A Gives Hope For Future Wii U Release
"We're looking at touch controls, as they're pretty much universal now"
Thatgamecompany is one of the most highly regarded developers in the industry right now. Over a six year exclusivity deal with Sony it produced the widely praised FlOw and Flower download games, before Journey captured numerous Game of the Year awards and the public's...
News Wii U Turned Ubisoft On To Second-Screen Gaming, But Isn't The Focus Moving Forward
Publisher now committed to "new gen" Microsoft and Sony platforms
These days we're seeing more and more console games shipping alongside companion mobile or tablet applications which aim to broaden the experience. If Ubisoft has its way, that trend is not only set to continue, but will develop to the point where "second-screen" gaming is...
News EA: Frostbite 3 On Wii U "Not Impossible"
Publisher wants to dish out "omnidirectional" support
Electronic Arts has had a strange relationship with Nintendo ever since the launch of the Wii U. There are currently four games from the publisher residing on the system but it seems the support - at least in the short-term - has all but dried up. The company is naturally offering support for...