Among the blockbuster teases and graphic engine demonstrations that featured prominently in the Sony unveiling of PlayStation 4, game developer Jonathan Blow emerged to confirm that his studio's next title would arrive on the system. Although it can be touted as an exclusive, it's now confirmed that it's a timed exclusive, something that we as Nintendo gamers know well.
Primarily developed for PC until switching to PS4, this looks like an eclectic first-person exploration title, with various puzzles that appear to be focused on circuit patterns. Speaking to Joystiq after the Sony event, Jonathan Blow explained that the title would arrive on PS4 first (probably Holiday 2013), but that as a small studio it would look into other platforms, including Wii U, once the timed agreement with Sony has expired.
Basically, you'll see The Witness on PS4 before you'll see it on the next Microsoft console or on the Wii U, presuming we eventually do ports to those consoles. Ideally we want the game to be in as many places as we can get it, but since we are a small developer and it's a complicated game, we can only do so much at once.
That's far from a guarantee, of course, but at least this is another indie developer that, at the very least, is aware of and mentioning the Wii U as a future platform. With the indie/small developer focus that's continually evolving on the Wii U eShop in its early days, perhaps there are solid odds of this eventually making the jump to Nintendo's system.
You can check out the PS4 trailer below. Let us know what you think of it in the comments below.
[source joystiq.com]
Comments 26
cant wait for ps4
Already losing exclusives...
@Araknie
This was never meant to be exclusive.
I'm interested in this game, if it comes to Wii U of course (I'm not sold on a PS4, yet). It really reminds me of MYST, like its a modern reimagining sorta thing. I enjoyed MYST greatly so I hope to enjoy this too, someday.
@19Robb92 I didn't know, the conference was really badly done in the presentation form, not day month or year of launch for any game aside from Knack and when it was for other platforms like Diablo III being PS3 and PS4 they said it.
So they make you think that any other game when they don't say anything it's gonna be exclusive.
It looks pretty boring..
It looks good graphically. It kinda makes me think this is how Zelda Wind Waker HD will look like. But the gameplay looks quite boring indeed. But you can't please everybody. People will like this game, people will hate this game, you know?
I almost cried tears of appreciation when I watched the trailer. So beautifully simple. ;___;
I actually had an inkling that this may come to the Wii U. I haven't seen reason enough to tick the PS4 on to my wishlist (though I'm certainly interested), so I'm glad they have it in consideration. Open-world puzzlers are one of my favourite (and sadly, less explored) genres.
I really like the concept ot The Witness, I hope that next year it will come to Wii U (I like the music in the trailer). Fingers crossed!
Looks like the Land of Ooo from Adventure Time.
I like my PS3 but I have to say I really didn't see anything great about PS4 To me there don't seem to be no big jump in the graphic's of any of the titles that got shown and so far all the good looking titles are multiplatform - I'm happy with my Wii U, I dont see a big difference in graphics this time around with this gen of consoles.
well well well, the only game to interest me during the PS4 show might be available on Wii U. The reasons to buy a PS4 are dropping rapidly.
Jon Blow, make it so. I agree only game at PS4 announcement that I have any interest in at all. Also would love to see Braid on the WiiU with updated hub on the gamepad.
reminds me of Myst
Jonathan Blow knows how to make a puzzle game (Braid was exquisite), and this is looking great. Day 1 buy.
EDIT: Helping a common misconception out of the world; the line drawing is how you communicate with the world, not the actual puzzles.
I really didn't understand the concept of the game when I saw it. It looked beautyful, but for me it just seemed like some very simple puzzles you had to walk around to find.
This game looks gorgeous. I can't wait.
In the rest of the interview he also said WHY it was coming out on PS4 first, because Sony showed the most interest in it's development. Sony have not paid him a penny for it. It could have been on the Wii U first if Nintendo had been a bit more on the ball.
Blow said he signed the dotted line with Sony as a natural progression of the interest the company showed in the game, not because they paid him.
"People have been speculating that I got a money hat for this agreement with Sony, or that we needed to do this in order to fund development of The Witness. Actually, no money was involved at all," he said.
After deciding the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii U weren't powerful enough for The Witness, it came down to the PlayStation 4 and the next Xbox. That's when Sony stepped in.
"There were people at Sony who really liked the game and were keeping in touch with us about it, and so we naturally started going to their PS4 developer events, got a dev kit, and started playing with it.
"I don't have good communication with anyone at Microsoft right now, and haven't been disclosed on their next console, but all our technical people like the PS4 specs a lot more than the leaked Durango specs, and we like the positioning of the PS4 (it's about games) a lot more than what we perceive Microsoft's positioning is going to be.
@Peach64 Though that's almost certainly true, my initial reaction is still "lol, translation: I'll make this up to keep up my indie cred and not be called a sellout or whatever"
I like the song
Yawn
Could be fun!
Nice , vivid colors and these are the kinda games i want to get more involved in , something different indeed.
@TOMBOY25
nah im not convinced ''yet'' to buy a ps4.
i will go all out this time with my WiiU, i curious what microsoft will do with their new console. i hope they can blow me away lol.
and i want nintendo to go all out with good quality games. a new mario galaxy, a full epic zelda, metroid with online play, i want the game Ghost recon online already. cant wait for smashbros Universe , a new starfox, the new anounced game watchdogs.
Definitely looking forward to this, and definitely getting this on Wii U.
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