Those sceptical of Wii U's ability to change gaming might want to heed the words of Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello, who recently gave the upcoming system a huge endorsement, complimenting its second screen setup, calling it cool, precise and powerful. He's quoted as saying:
It's a high definition platform and I love the controller. I just think it’s cool. You’re a gamer – so you’ve got the screen here [in your hands] and you’ve got the [TV] screen there and you’ve got full control. Personally, while there’s some great experiences on Move, and there’s some great experiences on Kinect, I’m not a motion control guy. It’s still too imprecise for me. I like shooting something and hitting it. I like turning a corner and feeling precision. So I still like my swizzle sticks and my shoulder buttons and my Xs and Os, etc. But there is something about having that second screen that transcends anything I’ve ever done before. I can draw a pass pattern for Madden, I can be playing an FPS up here while I’m calling in air strikes or whatever I want to do. I can give all the detailed control off the screen, I can see another part of a map... I always find it breaks the spell for me when I’m playing a game with a squad and I have to stop the action and move up for them. Now I can just move them down here [on the tablet]. I think there’s something really powerful about a second screen that I think really matters. I think we’re just beginning to realise what we can do with it and I think it’s obvious we can do a lot with it.
With that kind of excitement, we're sure to see some great stuff from EA. What do you hope the company brings to the table?
[source industrygamers.com]
Comments 48
It's fantastic Nintendo realizes 3rd party support is necessary and should be emphasized, but I think EA was pretty "impressed" with the Wii too and made a bunch of exercise games in response to that.
He's right. The Wii U brings an entirely new experience for gamers. Something we've never seen before. Now let's bring on the games
It is great to see third parties this excited for the new console. I have to say though, I have never heard anyone call an analog stick a "swizzle stick."
@Ecto-1: My thoughts exactly. And if here actually cared about precision he would know that the Wii Remote and Nuncuk or the Move are the only way to go for FPS.
@JesusSaves and @TheDarkness
Actually, whatever you prefer to use is "the only way to go for FPS," although I also personally prefer the Wiimote and Nunchuck.
And yet, the haters gonna hate.
I disagree with 5. the wii is more realistic by actually pointing at someone with the wii remote for precision.
Its like no one has ever heard of the DS...you know "Dual Screen" and all.
It will be a short love affair if their products don't sale well on Wii U
his feelings about motion control and having a controller with traditional buttons are the same as mine. I like the idea of this controller, I just hope they follow through with letting multiple people be using one instead of giving everyone else in the room a wii mote.
@Squiggle55 I agree as well. I think "precision" is the key word - the Wii Remote, Move and Kinect may be able to create more realistic, immersive or what-have-you experiences, but there's nothing more precise (so far) than the sweet, sweet press of a button.
I do like the idea of setting my tactics on PES without the other person seeing. Unfortunately, you can't use 2 for 2 player games, it's unfair on the person who doesn't have it. It's like the master controller, everyone will be fighting over it, like fighting over who is player 1, but times a million.
Honestly, I think if third party titles fail on the WiiU, it will be more due to poor marketing than the console itself. Games move consoles, marketing moves games. Third party support for the WiiU is so far looking pretty awesome, but if they don't shove a hornet's nest up their marketing teams' collective <expletive deleted> when the time comes, their games will fail and the console itself will loose a massive chunk of potential market share.
BA-BAM! Yeah man, that's awesome. Booyah Sony...booyah.
@16 heaps of Wii games were marketed heavily.
Oh wait, you probably mean 'advertising,' and on top of that you probably mean 'TV advertising,' provento be the least efficient and most expensive form of marketing currently available.
Everyone's an expert when it comes to selling stuff. It's almost as though postgraduate degrees in marketing are little more than 'common sense.'
I'm siding with Mr St33V on this. Nintendos on IPs are world known and renowned... hardly ANY type of marketing is required other than an announcement that a given Mario/Zelda/Metroid/Smash Brothers/Kirby/what-have-you is on it's way.
I've always felt Nintendo has been a little lax in marketing and promoting 3rd party games... to the point where the 3rd party's don't even try anymore, and can't be bothered with any kind of serious development. When their markets are far more lucrative and established with the competition, why even bother with a third (Nintendo) console when the percieved target demographic isn't being well served by the parent company?
Still, until I see some actual games and game play footage, I've little faith in the 3rd parties.
I'm also quite willing to eat my words and make retractions as necessary. In fact, I hope I'm proven seriously wrong and would quite happily eat crow.
@TLink9 Aiming with the Wiimote would feel more realistic if it wasn't featherlight. The Wiimote can be fun, but if you're looking for the best FPS performance you'll want a PC mouse.
@Gamesake: As long as it's a laser mouse. The old roller-ball mouses are pretty bad in the precision department.
I usually don't get all giggly when a big shot in the videogames biz says something, but seeing how a guy like this would have practically no high praise for something from Nintendo speaks volumes. In all fairness, all Nintendo has to do is make good on it's 3rd party promises. I dunno, give the 3rd parties incentives and stuff. I've always said if you build it they will come... make good on it Nintendo.
@SilverBaretta: What are you talking about? I LOVE having to clean the gunk off my roller-ball every couple of months!
It's funny how you all think that a Wii Remote is more precise for shooters, yet you cannot keep your hand still when holding it. A mouse is far more precise.
@Pingas
It really is all about personal preference. I think the Wiimote is great for shooters and personally have no problems pulling off precise shots when I need to.
@Pingas: Maybe it's not more precise for shooters, but it's more realistic. If you can't keep a Wiimote straight, you can't keep a gun straight, either, and I'd rather human error than mechanical one, because I know better what my own body is doing than what some electronic device in my hand is doing. But again, that's just me, and that's not really what this article was about.
On topic: I'm in full agreement with the man, and hope they come through on some of those ideas. Also... swizzle sticks is my new term. Deal with it.
@Wheels2050: Hey, good for you.
Swizzle sticks? I call them nubjules.
Well, I doubt EA will be making much that's memorable or that I would buy, but it's good to know they're impressed and Nintendo has noticed that it requires 3rd Party Support.
cant think of much at mo but a proper version of dead space the on rails wii one was good but a regular version for wiiu would be welcome
He lost me at 'swizzle sticks'
and then again at 'Madden'
He's making it sound gimmicky, with just added touch features on top of the same types of games. I want new IPs, more imaginative ways to make use of the controller features. I doubt the retail publishers will be up to that though, leave it to the indie devs on the download service.
You guys are funny with your "precision" arguments. Keyboard/Mouse, WiiMote, Move and even dual analog are WAY more accurate than an actual rifle, and much MUCH more comfortable to use
Does anyone else think he has a really untrustworthy face?
Most of these people in high up jobs look shifty to me, I suppose they are more likely to get up the ladder.
@34
Yes. I think it's the shadows under his eyes, and the way they're sunken into his face. Definitely a dodgy character.
I liked his 'drawing pass patterns for Madden' comment, that would be ideal for FIFA/PES - imagine the precision individual player control you get with sticks/buttons, plus the ability to precisely pick your passes...
That's definitely gonna change whether I get a WiiU or not. BTW, does anybody think he looks like the bad guy in the left behind series?
"John Riccitiello, who recently gave the upcoming system a huge endorsement, complementing its second screen setup, calling it cool, precise and powerful."
Yes, he does complement the second screen quite well, able to adjust it for you as needed, and his dark blazer contrasting with the white plastic for perfect balance.
[Plus, the original sentence isn't quite grammatical, either? Ah well.]
@not-just-yeti Thanks for your great screen name and for correcting my MS Word AutoCorrect's error. And to answer your question, yes, it is.
Isn't it always that the 3rd parties like Nintendo next console, but eventually they just stop supporting it. I hope that won't be the case with Wii U.
I can see genres once exclusive the pc like the rts and the mmo (hopefully) joining the console bandwagon with the wiiU controller. Using the touch screen to contol troops or having an MMO with engaging gameplay. The possibilities are endless.
@ZachKaplan — D'oh, now I can read it; I was trying to make the first couple of commas into a parenthetical, rather than just being in sequence. Ah yes, good ol' AutoCorrect, making our lives easy Thx for the news update!
I'm glad EA loves the Wii U cause it means I will definitely too And usually if a company like EA makes it great with the "core" games, who knows who else would come to the system (I'ld like to see Borderlands 2 on it....maybe?)
I disagree with TheDarkness and JesusSaves. Analog, Pointer/Motion and mouse&keyboard are the way to play FPSers.
Of the three, I personally would choose pointer with Mouse&keyboard following second. I'm over analogs for those games. And even with this new controller, I'm going to play shooters with Wii Remote and Nunchuk in hand.
"It's fantastic Nintendo realizes 3rd party support is necessary and should be emphasized, but I think EA was pretty "impressed" with the Wii too and made a bunch of exercise games in response to that"
Developers where also very excited about the DS and 3DS. But in the end they didn't support the DS as big (I am talking about great games) as, let's say, other companies devices. And the 3DS also has yet to prove itself, third-party wise.
The point is: Developers always shout: "whoa, that's a cool device from Nintendo", before they start running back to Sony and Microsoft!
However, all the talk from Nintendo about bringing in the third-party's sounds promising. Here's hoping they finally pull it of!
the ceo looks like hes trying to smile while having his scrotum shaved with a cut throat by some lowly programmer i shouldnt wonder
I don't know what it is about this guy's face...but....
That face does not leave me with a happy face...
He's not the only third party who loves it. TBH I'm more interested to see whot interesting, innovative, Nintendo-y things Nintedno themselves do with it. Third party interest and support is just a nice bonus
The controller is a great fit for American Football games that's for sure. And it's not hard to see it will be good for customization in the Need for Speed, The Sims and Spore.
The question will be where else a game benefits from it or where it would disrupt the flow of the gameplay. Aside from the examples given above i can only imagine multiplayer games benefitting from the controller right now.
Of course EA should keep that in mind. And bring their best franchises and ideas to the Wii U. The idea of reviving or taking hints from classics like Populous, Syndicate (Wars), Wing Commander, Command & Conquer, Dungeon Keeper and SimCity could also lead to some amazing games.
i just hope nintendo realizes that sports games are horrible and lets microsoft and sony get stuck with the million "Madden" "NBA 20--" and "MLB ----" games. seriously, none of those games are good and they are worthless after a week if someone buys one, hates it, and goes to get their money back. every game store that i sells retro games that i have been to are always clogged with sports games that suck. i just hope ea realizes this and tries to come up with some GOOD and ORIGINAL titles instead of making another crappy basketball game every month!
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...