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 on the 3DS has been less plentiful than on the DS family of systems.
It's kind of a sad thing to say, because for a long time n-Space has been known as a Nintendo-friendly developer. We certainly have loved all our time working with them. We think their hardware's great. We think more often than not they have the right mindset in the difficult game world we live in...There's just very low demand right now for their work through the publisher side.
O'Leary has said that he does expect Nintendo to "swing back", and despite the 3DS doing so well in the market, he reckons sales haven't been living up to publishers expectations.
The news was just talking about how Nintendo was beating everybody with hardware sales. The DS and 3DS sales curves have been slower than publishers would have liked. That may change, but I can tell you right now we're not working on anything.
The studio is currently completing Skylanders Swap Force on the 3DS, and clearly there's nothing lined up when that's finished; it launches on 13th October across North America and 19th October in Europe. n-Space was also the developer behind 3DS title Heroes of Ruin which released a little over a year ago.
[source gamesindustry.biz]
Comments 40
More people would have bought Heroes of Disappointment if they actually finished making the game. A loot game ending after 8 hours (and capping at level 30) is mind-boggling.
But... the 3DS has consistently outsold every other console on the market for the last 3 months. I don't know what more he wants? The 3DS is selling amazingly well. It's the Wii U that's having problems.
I agree that there is no interest in the Wii U, but the 3DS? every singlle high profile title on it has achieved decent sales.....
@nisshoku It's not him, though. It's the publishers. If they aren't offering n-Space work on 3DS or Wii U projects, there isn't really anything the developer can do about it.
Wait, so if n-Space isn't making the fourth Skylanders game for 3DS...does that mean Vicarious Visions will once again be taking on that role? If so, I hope it has the same fun factor that Adventure had.
In effect, it's the publishers that aren't giving them work. They're in a rock and a hard place: can't bash the publishers 'cause they're giving the job, they have to make it seem as if it's Nintendo's fault they're not working on their platforms, and here we are now hating. (I know I am.)
It is sad for them indeed.
@Grubdog
I completely agree. That game was simply awful.
just make a geist for WiiU, and advertise it very well.
Just because the 3DS is not selling to the same level as the DS does not mean that there is not demand for the system in the market. The industry has changed in the last 10 years, but the 3DS has proven month after month to be a system that continues to sell. I don't really understand the man's logic here... if he were just referring to the Wii U as having no demand that would be another matter, but not the 3DS.
erm don't take what im going to say wrong but. Didn't a ex EA implore just get a fearly high ranked job at N-Space? - I also agree with what others have sed about Hero's of Ruin... 1 repeatabil Quest... Realy.... on a game trying to be a MMO like game.. = no replay value.
@The-Chosen-one that would be a day 1 buy for me I loved that game on Game Cube.
no real loss here
from the way he talks you can tell he came from EA
If he's concerned with 3DS sales that much, he might want to type in "pokemon" on Google sometime.
A lot of us were very excited for Heroes if Ruin. Then it can out... Too short, too rushed, no promotion and very weak graphics hindered the game.
I think hes full of it if he thinks 3ds sales could be any higher. Maybe he should increase the quality of the games they do
@Volmun
yeah me too.
They have to do research first in what the consumer truly wants, and not what they think will be fun to do.
many people are screaming for Geist, but are they doing it? nope.. they bring rushed games on the 3ds, as is already said which are just to short, they have to bring what we truly like.
Heroes of Ruin was such an awesome game, but I grew bored of it after a while.
Another example of wanting to push phone quality shovel ware for a quick buck and having no idea how to create a fun new experience, it's these kind of companys that take the art out of video gaming it's no wonder so many of them fail .
Heroes of Ruin had so much potential and some really great features, like well-implemented voice chat and online play, but ended up being a fairly bland and short game. I want to feel good recommending that others try the game... but can't quite do it unless you are able to find it for a budget price.
Heroes of Ruin did a lot of things right but not enough quantity. If only it had sold better a sequel could have improved on it. Heroes of Ruin should have
Something is amiss here. I wonder if too much is being placed on mobile platforms. Especially by those who have connections with EA.
And if publishers don't like the pace of 3DS sales, they will be in for a shock in 12 months looking at PS4 and XB1 numbers.
If game costs X to make, but you're going to make X-Y, in business terms it's not worth making the game. Just because 3ds is the biggest growing console this year doesn't mean it has a big enough install base for some publishers to make games for it.
Sad for us gamers but the way of the world.
It's a shame "TRON Legacy Battlegrids" on the Wii is one of my top 10 favourite games ever. It would also be interesting to see "Geist" reboot on the Wii U or something along those lines... oh well.
I think what he means to say is that no publisher wants to support their projects anymore.
Who's nspace? Maybe that's there problem.
haha yeah im kinda with Dogpigfish here.... who is N-space and why do i not recognize the name, cant have put much that good out?
I can understand them not wanting to support the WiiU, but the 3DS... really?
People, anytime there is an "interview" or "source" from GameIndustry, there is never a way to verify. They have done this several times. This guy's supposed opinion makes very little sense. It's almost as if he is trolling. Why Nintendolife continues to quote Gamesindustry is beyond me
Nspace makes Skylanders for the 3ds another company built the Wii u version. Why would n space work on a Wii u game when they never have been hired by Activision to do that?
After Unkillable Gods of Ruin, I'll be holding back from n-Space for awhile. The characters were nice, and the abilities were well thought-out, but the difficult? My Lordi. My wife and I had a boss take 6 seconds. 6 SECONDS. We never even saw it! As it rose from the water it died. Another battle with 10-12 enemies lasted....5 seconds? 7? I'd put the game down and go cook dinner. I'd die somewhat quickly if I stood in the middle of a battle and didn't press buttons, but overall.... ehh. I don't know if they ignored QA completely, or outright refused to test multiplayer, but.... I just can't get into a game where I can beat any boss in less than 10 seconds, with my eyes closed. It might do them good to just work on Kinect games or some such crap for a few years.
We're sorry but Heroes of Ruin was a average at best game and just not must buy.... (Even though it's of the ARPG genre.. which I love) and I just don't see myself jumping on Skylanders.. though it is a good game the extra money for figures would kill my wallet.. (When you consider the other games I want) I am not angry with you about this... but I am royally ticked about that Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2.. that was a load of Pokedookie..
3DS should be doing better? Really? REALLY?
Anyone with a decent game is seeing profit from 3DS right now, the fact their last game sucked and so didn't meet their sales forecast is on them.
@jrob23
If you go all the way to the bottom of the page (below the comments) they list Gameindustry under "Friends".
So, basically, what Mr. O'Leary is saying is that big Western publishers are incompetent, confused fools more interested in copying other people's successes and making big-budget, interactive movies on "next-gen" systems than actually making creative, fun games for Nintendo's unique systems despite how well those systems are actually selling.
Huh. Who would have thought?
This is why independent developers are important.
@Tony_342
Bingo
is it weird that this announcement comes out one week after nspace hired an EA vp as their president? i hate conspiracy theories because i dont want to believe them but evidence is growing...
Saying there isn't much demand for 3DS is all I need to hear, clearly uninformed.
@dogpigfish
Your mom called, she asked me to take you to school!
n-Space is a developer responsible for fantastic titles such as the three COD releases on DS, and for Goldeneye DS, and for Battlefront: Elite Squadron DS. Their work is amazing.
@Orla Madden **Sigh** An EA executive in n-Space is already causing negative effects.
@Grubdog also no end-game and no boss respawn...
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