If you were still hoping to see the eventual release of Retro City Rampage on the Wii U eShop in the near future, it’s probably best you erase any thought of it from your mind now.
In a post on the game's official website, Vblank Entertainment's Brian Provinciano has spoken out once again about the requests for a Wii U version of Retro City Rampage and how it simply won’t be happening.
According to the one-man studio, a port of the title from the Wii to Wii U is more than just a push of a button – with the Wii U having a completely different architecture to its predecessor. Other problems include what would essentially be mostly the same game having to re-enter classification and marketing phases – with all of these stages requiring time, effort and money.
It wouldn't be trivial and would take months from start to finish...it would be 95% identical to the WiiWare version. Because the Wii U is backwards compatible, it does not make sense to pour months of time (and the costs) into doing it for a system that can already play the game. Again, months of work -> a 5% different product.
Further supporting the decision is the fact the original Nintendo version of the game failed to make a profit due to the WiiWare threshold requirement – with the game incurring over 20k in costs that were never recouped – and fans’ requests for the game on WiiWare significantly outnumbering the actual sales.
This is a bleak sales outlook compared to the 3DS version which sold 400k in paid copies [Correction: 400k sales is for all platforms, with the 3DS version cited as a strong contributor]. It also reinforces for creator Provinciano why the game does not warrant a release on Nintendo’s current generation home console.
Whilst a Wii U version is seemingly off the cards, Provinciano did note in his latest post that the WiiWare version of the game had just been updated to the DX version last month, and that this iteration really didn’t have many setbacks, despite not featuring high-definition visuals and direct Wii U GamePad support.
You can already purchase and play the WiiWare version in Wii mode, so if you've been holding out, please pick that up instead.
While off-TV play on Wii U with WiiWare games requires a separate controller, it still already works. While the Wii isn't HD, the game itself is 240p anyway...it doesn't really matter if it's on Wii in 480p or Wii U in 1080p — the pixels are simply enlarged either way.
And to really put the matter to rest, Provinciano tweeted he would consider releasing Wii U games with the development kit he acquired back in 2012, just not Retro City Rampage.
Read Brian Provinciano's lengthy post on the official Retro City Rampage website, and let us know what you think about the game not coming to Wii U.
[source retrocityrampage.com]
Comments 54
TLDR version:
"It won't sell well on the Wii U, it's not worth the port."
I really hope this will generate more sales for the WiiWare version, so it might actually surpass the threshold for him to receive some money for all the work he has put down.
The DX version on WiiWare is great and while the games from Wii mode could be more accessible on the Wii U, it's still easy to boot up!
His point is fair, hard to argue really! I'd love it on the e shop but if it dont make money then there's no point, business wise. I still haven't picked it up despite buying worse games since I wanted it because the Wii shop is such a ball ache and I've got 700 points and can't find the right points card without getting unwanted leftovers!
Just wish the wii shop was integrated into the eshop
Which is still a stupid reason if you ask me.
A WiiU version would not only profit from a second screen map, it would also be far more conveniant to play, since you dont need to hook up additional controllers everytime you want to play it.
Then again, the game didnt quite hook me as much as i wanted, so its not a huge loss in my book really.
Why did he troubled to make the 3DS version then? And as seen from the sales of 3DS, the game on Wii U would certainly recover all the effort and even maybe the costs of doing the Wii version!
And this comment above is another fact. It would be so much different!
Personally I don't think it is really about the sales, despite what's he saying. My guess is he really has no desire to re-do the same game for the third time over and wants to move to something new. Besides - the point of WiiWare version being available is still valid.
Really, let's stop with the constant re-releasing of same game on different platforms...
People are not buying Wiiware anymore. He's turning down money, plain and simple.
I think it's worth the effort, but quite honestly I think Nintendo would be doing right by developers of WiiWare titles to put those games in the eShop to give them the visibility they should have had on the Wii. Add a method of having shortcuts to WiiWare titles in the Wii U desktop and everyone's happy.
Nintendo doesn't promote the Wii Shop and they don't sell Internet-connected Wiis any more so I don't see why it exists. Get back any bad faith by offering updated terms to companies (is they still exist) that had wares there and merge the two. I can understand not doing the VC stuff, but this would be a nice thing to do for all those outfits that backed WiiWare when it was risky.
I think it would be worth the work. The E Shop has new terms for developers putting games on the service. There is no sales threshold as far as I'm aware.
@Samurai_Goroh he's saving money
It's disappointing that there won't be any Wii U version, but his reasons are understandable
If I pick this up, I would rather go with the 3DS version over the Wiiware one, and I prefer playing games on a big screen.
His reasoning could be correct, but what i do know is that i'd buy a wii u version but i wont buy the wii ware one. In the end i'll probably buy the 3ds one
Competely understand his viewpoint. Why go to the trouble and expense to recode or update a game that didn't sell well enough on Wii that had a much larger install base. Indie games are better promoted on the eShop than on the Wii Shop Channel, but that is still a big risk for a developer. As much as I would love this on Wii U, his reasons are valid.
I was going to buy the Wii version, but I heard that the other versions had some filter or some other graphics options, so I decided to wait a bit. I would prefer to play it on Wii U(like almost any game really) but might go for a pc version if/as the Wii U version doesn't happen. The 3DS version doesn't sound that great for me, as the view diatance is so short and it doesn't use the 3D.
Release a game on the failed wii ware service, years after everyone moved on....What a bright idea! This is just excuses at this point, and they keep on comin! Lol
I have RCR on WiiWare and on PS3 and I play neither version ever.
VBlank is attempting to make profit off of the Wiiware version while he still can. Come Jan2015 or some date near there, it is impossible for him to get the money he should have earned.
I think after then when he has lost his profit altogether, then he will port it to Wii U.
My silent hopes have been dashed. My WiiU have trouble going in wii mode most of the time so I hardly use it and I would find using the GamePad useful and fun. Awell can't always get what you want. A fair decision.
I have the 3DS version which to me is really the best way to play it so no big deal.
The wii ware failure kind of is his own fault really, he released it so late in the consoles lifespan, he'd have been better off waiting and shifting over to wii u where he undoubtedly would have turned a profit much like with the 3ds version, but i'm sure it's been a learning experience
well not everyone uses wiiware anymore... i don't even know where to get the points cards from. I'm not putting my credit card up there so that is a lost sale for them. I may get the 3ds version but I'm focusing on wiiu games right now.
They're really taking this "retro" thing to heart with having to play on old hardware.
My not buying it in WiiWare is similar to my reason for not buying Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as King. Having to play on the gamepad while holding a second controller is not easy nor comfortable, and I rarely play with the TV anymore.
My secondary reason for the Final Fantasy games is that I already freakin purchased them and have been locked out of my purchases by Nintendo's caveman philosophy on digital rights management.
The game just came to late. I wasn't even aware that it was out until I read about de DX update. It's nice of him to update the Wii version and this statement put to rest the do I buy it on Wii or do I wait for the Wii u update uncertainty.
I had some club Nintendo stars that expire at the end of the month so I exchanged those for Nintendo points and got the game. I can't imagine playing this on a 3DS. Some of the sprites are tiny!
I bought RCR on WiiWare on release. I might buy it on my other Wii & also on Wii-mode on my Wii U. Or I might just buy it on 3DS. Supposedly the sales threshold has to be reached 2 years after the game's release or else he gets no money for his work. So that's February 2015. Which is too bad for him if it doesn't make it but I won't feel that sorry for him as he has definitely recouped the costs of making the game on all platforms altogether.
@BensonUii More like "It's not worth the time and money to make a Wii U version."
ehh, I have it for both Wiiware and 3ds, I wouldn't be getting it again anyways.
its a shame it didn't do better, but fact is it was too late to the party on wii. yea, and I have it on ps3 too.
I think he could make a profit on the Wii U eshop simply based on how the layout works. I was actually holding off in hopes this would port over, but I completely understand. I love that the Wii is built into the WiiU, but the pain in the donkey-ery I have to go through to play it makes me not. I'l probably just grab this on 3DS now.
The guy is right. Gosh
Pretty much just he's lost faith in the Nintendo fan base. Which is why he took the time to port the game to the PS4 rather than WiiU.
I bought it for WiiWare, beat it, downloaded the DX update (AWESOME of him to do), played some of the update. Yup, I love this game. I don't mind too much that it's not coming to WiiU because the graphics wouldn't really be much different in 720p and I probably wouldn't launch it too much since I thoroughly beat it on Wii. If anything, I'd like Nintendo to upgrade the Wii Mode to launch in to specific Wii Channels or the Wii Disc, rather than just booting the Wii menu.
It'd be a waste to develop for a platform that already has access to the most recent version of the game, so I'm with this guy.
The 3DS version sold 400,000 copies? Wow, I knew it did well but I didn't know it was that high.
@LegatoSkyheart 400,000 copies for 3DS seems reasonable.
the wii u has a smaller crowd, that probably the reason. Still kinda seems stupid as Retro is fun on the Wii
@Varoennauraa That's part of the DX update that's now been released for the WiiWare version. Go ahead and get it.
His arguments are absolutely correct. The game is already available on the Wii U, and the game would hardly benefit from an Wii U port in the first place, so wasting all that time and effort just to make a small extra profit on the game is almost completely redundant. The Wii U eShop may not have a sales threshhold so that he might make some extra money off it, but it's still not worth all that extra work for it
Also, some of your guys's arguments for avoiding the Wii Shop on Wii U are just silly. You guys are passing up on loads of great WiiWare and VC titles (which may or may not ever see an updated Wii U release) just for minor issues like inconvenient loading, awkward control setup for off-TV play, wasting a few bucks that'll be ultimately leftover from buying Wii Points once you've bought everything you want, or some paranoid fear that Nintendo will steal your credit card info. Yes, Nintendo screwed up in numerous ways with the implementation of the Wii Shop Channel, but that doesn't mean you can't fight your way through a few headaches if it means access to such a huge and wonderful back catalogue of goodies.
@Morph
The main problem is actually that with Wii Ware devs don't get any money until their games reach a certain threshold. I forgot if it was based in sales or the amount made, but either way he finished it for the sake of finishing it knowing he wouldn't get any money back.
I think that may be part of it. The game won't really gain much to make porting it worth the effort or financially, and he already lost enough on the Wii Ware version as it it.
I don't see why people are saying that there is going to be a Wii U version even though the guy himself said there isn't going to be. And it is completely understandable. It is like, writing the same book two times. And as an amateur video game developer myself who makes homebrew on my free time, I can guarantee you, porting the same game for a different platform is a pain in the ass to do, specially if you work alone. It is not easy as Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V each platform has it's code and you have to write a new code to replicate the old code so that it works on the new platform and sometimes it is easy to mess with the code and make the game unplayable and having you to restart the whole process, in short, it is not fun to port games. I don't mind this, I have the original on my PC and WiIWare, it is an amazing game, even if it isn't on the eShop, you should buy it. It is sad to see that this guy didn't got a single coin from the WiiWare version. Those hackers and their Wad Managers are just ugh.
Has anyone ever stopped to think that what he said is truth and not some PR move? He is a one man team. It took him five years to make RCR and that's not counting all the ports he made to various platforms. His time is better spent working on something new.
Sheesh, I hate people giving indies preferencial treatment compared to major publishers, but some of you really need think realistically.
Makes sense to me. I guess I will just end up picking it up for 3DS instead! Looks like a pretty cool game!
@Dpishere
It's a work-of-art IMO. It's just as fun as Chinatown Wars, has indie cameos, good writing (if you dig 80s references anyway), and a variety of game styles that rarely feel out of place.
It's still hard to believe this was mostly done by one guy. He's the next Pixel as far as I'm concerned.
I agree with BVlank. The pixels don´t need hi def. they are just pixels bigger or smaller.
That´s the reason we never will get Megaman 9 and 10 to Wii U eshop. Take note and download them in Wiiware please.
@brandonbwii Good to hear that it truly is a great game though I figured it would be after I tried the trial in XBLA. I will admit I was waiting for a sale but seeing as that is unlikely to happen soon I will just pick it up when I am bored and in the mood for some retro inspired goodness!
@Zombie_Barioth or he could have abandoned the wiiware game, ported it to the wii u and made money from it straight away, rather than having to hit some arbitrary figure like $20,000 or whatever it is with wii ware before you make any profit. As far as business decisions go that would have been the best i'd imagine. It's commendable that he wanted to finish it for wii ware as that's what he promised in the first place, but it was a bad business decision. If he'd have been a day 1 eshop download he would have made a killing.
@MadJay1664
Exactly! Nintendo is just doing the same thing over again. This is the reason I won't buy the game. I Want the game on my wii u. Not through the wii's operating system.
Nintendo should have all the Wii eshop games on Wii U eshop and Wii channels on the Wii U front screen instead of having to go to Wii mode to play them, even though selecting them would temporarily take you to Wii mode to play them.
Has it been mentioned how many more Wiiware copies they would need to sell before they would make money?
If only there was some sort of "shortcut" feature on tbe Wii U menu. Then it wouldn't feel as necessary for convenience's sakes. Same for the missing Virtual Console titles, etc.
I got the WiiWare version on Wii U plus the DX update that is also on Wii U.
I don't mind getting into Wii mode for a good game because there are hundreds of great Wii, WiiWare and Wii VC games only available in Wii mode anyway.
I have this on PS3 (got it for a buck during a flash sale months ago). Fun game if you don't have it already.
Just bought Swords&Soldiers yesterday for Wii U, so much more better exposure on the Wii U eshop instead of the old Wii Shop Channel.
Would do the same for RCR DX if it would appear on Wii U eShop, I think Brian Provinciano should contact Curve Studios. I think they could work out a good deal to get RCR on Wii U instead of just having to play on Wii mode.
This is one of the best indie games out there and it deserves all the exposure it can get. That is why I still hope it will come to Wii U eShop someday. Brian can concentrate on his next project and some quality company like Curve could handle the porting duties.
This was the first and only Wiiware game I've purchased since transferring all of my Wii content over to Wii-U. The DX update was a nice gesture even though the game hasn't earned him squat.
Also what's this January/February cutoof date all about? Is Wiiware about to be discontinued?
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