Before E3 the rumour did the rounds that Wii U-exclusive ZombiU was heading to Xbox One and PS4, though the LA event passed by with no sign of the title.
It seems to be on track, nevertheless, as a result of an Australian Classification Rating for Zombi, which was established in the past week and is published and developed by Ubisoft. Zombi is actually the name of Ubisoft's very first published game - in 1986 - which provided the branding for the Wii U launch title. The listing is for the Xbox One version, and there doesn't seem to be a PS4 equivalent just yet.
We still think that ZombiU, despite its flaws and a few buggy moments, is one of the best examples of how the GamePad can improve a gaming experience. It can also be picked up rather cheaply nowadays, so is certainly worth a punt on Nintendo's system.
Whether it'll utilise Smartglass or be a relatively simple port to Xbox One is yet to be seen, but sadly we'll have to talk about ZombiU as a former Wii U exclusive from this point on.
[source purexbox.com]
Comments 96
Yay...?
I'm not going to sit here and be mad at this. They are more then welcome to bring this game to any system they see fit. It is a bit disappointing though.
@t3gamenews I highly doubt they care about updating a game that's now 3 years old on the Wii U. They've moved on from Nintendo other then party type games.
@BLPs No. This is not a game that would sell enough to cover costs on Xbox One or PS4.
Gameplay wise, the lack of GamePad will be felt, but Ubisoft couldn't care less about gameplay.
It's a good game, I actually to had to put it down after a week because it was too graphic. Hitting zombie granny over the head with a cricket bat till her skull cracks, getting killed from nowhere then having to find and kill the zombified version of yourself to get your stuff back.... Gross...
Haaa. I was wondering how they were going to deal with the Wii U's "U" in the title. Still am unhappy with Ubisoft for taking away yet another Wii U title's exclusivity.
So what!
Whatever happened to the rule Microsoft had that said that games had to be released on Xbox first?
As for Zombi U, it's been two and a half years, it's not going make anyone buy a Wii U now, plus it probably won't be as good a game without the gamepad. Let Xbox players have it- they still can't have Bayonetta 2.
@t3gamenews In this, the "HD Remaster" generation? XD
Love this game. Best zombie game out there!
If it was almost any other company that's not Ubisoft, then it would just be a successor to the first game. But because it's Ubisoft and they've done this before with Rayman Legends (bring a game from Last Generation and Wii U and porting it to the Next Generation of the other consoles,) then I have every right to suspect that it will be ZombiU, with slightly updated textures and controls and that would be it...
Good for them, it's a great game and the lackluster sales were undeserved.
Hmm i really want to see how it will look on other consoles now.
@Takerkaneanite6 And with the game pausing to access the inventory. Lame.
As were the Murfy stages on the Rayman Legends ports to PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
@Angelic_Lapras_King Or the 'HD, HD Remaster.' Since I can think of at least 3 games that were on a HD system, but then 'Remastered' for the PS4/Xbox One.
@Samurai_Goroh Instant inventory is one of the best features that the Gamepad can do. It makes games so much more emersive, than having to pause whenever you need a new item for something. It's definitely one of the better improvements that was added to Windwaker HD, compared to Windwaker Gamecube.
Still pisses me off the eyeball bug, that's why I never finished this €-!!/&/!/?&/&/! But also nice game.
I'll be curious to see how this works out. Both in sales and gameplay......
Does Ubisoft actually believe this is going to sell any better when it gets ported to the Xbox One and PS4? What will their excuse be when neither platform does well?
This will be lame without the gamepad. Haha. Lol. Lame.
@t3gamenews LOL an update for ZombiU? U crazy?
@MrGawain not sure that parity rule applied to physical releases, only digital. But the rise of Indies has made Microsoft drop/reduce that rule
@FragRed it'll sell because sites like IGN will say removing the gamepad improved it "by stripping the gimicks"
Boy did they not get the game, compared the gunplay to cod and not a survival horror a like resdient evil. They also had a are d idea that melee combat had to be fast
I hope it's a success for them, ZombiU is a great game and one of the few genuinely scary games I've ever played. It deserves to reach a bigger audience.
@Spoony_Tech There is honestly zero point in getting upset about this, as this is hardly the first time console exclusives have gone to other consoles, Nintendo or otherwise. It's probably for the best though, as Wii U is a rapidly sinking ship at this point.
@Sceptic but with out the gamepad features will it even be the same game? I mean just checking you inventory was nerve wracking if you heard a noise
I doubt Ubisoft are honestly expecting huge success for a straight port of this now old game. I expect that they are tarting it up with more modern visuals, with the plan being to use this as foundation to develop Zombi into an ongoing franchise, with a sequel coming later down the road (which, we likely won't see on the Wii U).
ZombiU is not Nintendo exclusive anymore?!
I think Ubisoft is just trying to get this great game into the hands of gamers. It is a great survival game and the use of the gamepad on Wii U is better than any other game that Nintendo has really offered. I think Ubisoft could have made some really amazing games for the Wii U, but for some reason the support is just not there (which is a shame).
I can't say that this is very angering. Ubisoft is known to do these types of plays.
IGN: 8/8 just enough water
This was probably my favorite launch title and I think more people should play it but I can't see the experience being as good without the game pad.
I dont know, without the creative gamepad use, this just seems like another absurdly generic zombie game. Well, I guess there's permadeath and that, but I doubt that's close to enough...
Sure, put it on X1 and/or PS4... i'll gladly play this game again. But please put some work into it, and don't simply port it over, Ubisoft! (Upres, 60fps and remove the countless bugs)
I suppose they can make it work with SmartGlass.
Ooooh I hope this hurts ubisoft bad!
I'm always sad to see such horrible violent games on a Nintendo system...I know they're popular but they are not suited to Nintendo gentle, funny and family oriented games. This one looks horrible. The graphic shots in nintendo mag at the review time scared me.
This was the game which made me realise that dual screen gaming isn't for me. Having to look between the tv and gamepad screen was a really strain on my eyes, & made me dizzy every time I played it. Great concept though.
@Toads-Friend - I do not agree that it is right to deny a platform and therefore it's users from certain types of games simply because they happen to be in conflict with Nintendo's family-friendly focus. Nintendo is in the business of providing both a platform and games to play on said platform. Are you saying that users who buy a Nintendo platform should only be interested in family-friendly experiences?
You would have exactly the same issue on other platforms. I believe the correct response is to instead seek reviews from magazines/websites that cater to a specific demographic and which perform the kind of filtering you expect.
Bet they regret that name now.
Glad that more gamers get a chance to play this. Hopefully it remains a great game without gamepad features.
@BonafideInfidel no no I didn't say or mean that. If people like it then great...but I (personal opinion) felt that game was out of place among the usual nice natured Nintendo games. I don't like violent graphic games at all...but I respect that others do. I'll stick to Captain Toad Treasure Tracker while you crack grannies skull with a cricket bat or whatever hehe
And with this, Ubisoft shall be known as Hookisoft.
(Please don't make me explain the joke.)
@Toads-Friend - I didn't expect you did mean that I for one certainly do enjoy Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, also. That is part of the reason why I personally bought a Nintendo platform - I like a good mix of games.
I don't know if NintendoLife provides a mechanism for filtering their content according to certain preferences but it would be nice feature for sure.
Without the gamepad this will just be a run of the mill survival horror game.
@LunaticPandora Yeah, that Splatoon game bombed, and was the final nail for the WiiU, lol
@BonafideInfidel yes that would be a good idea. The zombie review in the UK nintendo magazine was horrible tho. Scary pics hehe. Are you looking forward to any upcoming wiiu games?
I hope this game sells three quarters of a million copies so that they can explain to us why sales on Nintendo's platform were insufficient but not on the others
@Toads-Friend - yeah I'm eagerly looking forward to quite a few, from Yoshi's Woolly World to Fatal Frame, from Star Fox: Zero to Devil's Third. I like a wide range of games and there are some really nice (and exclusive) ones coming to Wii U this year
Meh... it's Ubisoft so obviously this was going to happen.
I wonder if it's tantalus porting? Based on the statements that group I've made it's the only game I can think of.which makes me wonder what well get in return
"Zombie U one didn't manage to sell as well as it's Wii U counter part, so Ubisoft decided not to make any more games"
@Royalblues I'm still trying to figure out what happened to the other 368 XBoxes
@t3gamenews I bet UBISOFT made zombiU2 and have re-branded it and ported it for these other consoles. Remember ubi had a game sat waiting already made and not released yet. So they scrap the U branding and just call it zombi - "insert subtitle here".
Doubt it will do well on the other systems. Zombii U benefitted from launch title profile and a point of difference from the usual family affairs on Nintendo. The zombie horror genre is well represented on the other systems and I suspect most PS/XBONE owners will find Zombii too plodding and frustrating to bother with - perhaps if they took out the good old fashioned (frightfully British) cricket bat and gave the protagonist (for example) a baseball bat or a crowbar it might come across...slightly edgier!?
@DaemonSword I thought Splatoon did really well. At least Nintendo considered it a success.
ZombiOne?
This game was pretty boring for me, the only reason I even got the game was because it was bundled with my wii u. Maybe it'll be better on Xbox one if they decide to polish and add more to the game.
Whether successful or not, I find it better when third parties try not to keep games platform-exclusive. It just relights all those stupid flamewars when highly-awaited games from 3rd party developers only grace one console. So I'm all in favor of this decision, although it's Ubisoft, and as such bound to be either a half-baked pirt, or a completely misguided sequel.
@RadicalYoseph I was being sarcastic
An expected but disappointing move from Ubisoft nonetheless.
It's a brilliant GamePad game. Will suck on other systems if true.
@BLPs Rayman Legends didn't sell best on Wii U though.
This game is weak, it seems like a waste to have it more than a downloadable title.
Why are people assuming this will be the exact same game we already experienced on the Wii U, and not another game developed from the ground up with a similar title pasted on its packaging/start menu? After all, our ZombiU was inspired by another Ubisoft game from the 1980s.
This game deserves to be played by more people, so it's a good thing if it gets ported. Also, if it's released next year, it'll coincide with the 30th anniversary of the original Zombi. I think I'll play some ZombiU tomorrow.
@DaemonSword Sorry I missed the sarcasm. I wasn't trying to be rude or anything.
My sides will be in orbit if they keep the name ZombiU.
That was and still is the best use of the gamepad. I felt a lot more immersed in the gameplay. The world just wasn't ready for dual screen console gaming and it really is a shame.
ZombiU is a cool game, I like it! The fanboy in me is sad the WiiU lost another exclusive. But, it will always be remembered as being first published on WiiU (nevermind that the original concept was a 360 game with aliens)
Tch. They can have it! That game didn't impress me.
@AshFoxX You win! Good day, sir!
This isn't surprising at all. We've known for awhile that Ubisoft wasn't happy with the final tally.
Meh... the game sucked just like Ubisoft B(
They should've called it ZombieX and ZombiP.
just when you think ubisoft cant get any more stupid.....(ubisoft stupidity is over 9000)
I doubt it will do too well on other consoles (I don't think it's a very good game), but it doesn't necessarily need to. It costs a heck of a lot more to build an original game from the ground up than a port. A port would probably be in the range of $2 million, an original game in a new IP would be $40 million or more. I'm sure a couple of hundred thousand copies on each console would break even on the port costs and then start making money, while a much higher number on Wii U would have lost them money.
Welp... enjoy your fairly boring and mediocre game that may or may not have it's main gimmick Xbone folks.
I'm sure this looks incredibly interesting with things like Dying Light existing on your console.
Perhaps when the game also doesn't sell on Xbox they will understand that, no offense, but the game didn't sell that well on Wii U, because well, it's... average.
Would it still b called ZombiU because of the U at the end Wii U, ZombiX
Missed opportunity by Nintendo.. They should've bought the rights from Ubisoft.
@AshFoxX Oh man, that gif made my day. Well played. x]
@abe_hikura: Yeah, you lose a little something without the gamepad, but I think it can be adressed. To be honest, it was only the map and inventory manager that I really liked, the scanner was an obvious implementation that surprisingly didn't work as well I would have expected as a gameplay vehicle.
Especially since the screen switched to a generic animation while you used the scanner, you could just as well have had the main screen show the scanning. At some point it even became tedious, because you had to get up off the couch to be able to look everywhere you wanted.
They could gladly have dumped gamepad support as far as I cared if you could have played the regular game with a Wiimote instead. As it was they made it such a core mechanic (at little added value) that they couldn't allow you to play with the Wiimote. They did imlpement it though, because you need a Wiimote in multiplayer.
Another little appreciated feature of ZimbiU is the asymmetric local multiplayer: One player spawns the zombies on the gamepad, the other guy tries to survive. Great fun.
It was a very average Zombie game and I won't be be buying this port (or sequel?). I did re-buy the game when it dropped to under $10, but I played it for a few hours and got bored again.
Once you have played Left 4 Dead 2, it's hard to play this - just like once you have played SUper Mario 3D World, it's hard to play other platformers.
I'm going to agree that with the current price, everyone should get this game! It's really great and the local multiplayer is some of the best the Wii U has to offer. King off the Zombies rule!
I'm interested to see the same reviewers, who slated it with the gamepad, suddenly proclaim this game is great despite missing most of what made it good in the first place.
Good, too good of a game for the sales it got on Wii U. I hope they use smart glass on Xbox and maybe the Vita on PS4. If not it will lose a lot of the awesome.
@Toads-Friend
There has been lots of great violent games on Nintendo systems over the years. In other words they have always belonged.
I don't mind this being ported to other consoles, but if a sequel comes and the Wii U is dropped, then this is bad news :/ Finished it and liked the game. The local multiplayer is cool
now that that's out of the way I wonder what game tantalus is working on for the wii u.
https://www.nintendolife.com/forums/wii-u/tantalus_is_porting_a_aaa_game_to_the_wii_u
@brucelebnd I hope we hear more about what game they are porting to the Wii U. I want it to be a Kingdom Hearts collection so bad! XD
It could be good for PS4 if it's made for usage with their Project Morpheous virtual reality headset...would make you feel like you're right in the action. I honestly don't know what kind of virtual reality X-box is working on, but with this, it could be a good game. Other than that, I kind of and kind of didn't like it on Wii U. It seemed to have the potential to be good, but seemed to be kind of dull in replay value, and I can see Ubisoft releasing it again to see if it will sell to a larger audience...maybe making way for a sequel, but I don't see it being a huge hit with many other zombie-horror games available, and many more coming to the systems.
@eaglebob345 I think the first 2 kingdom hearts titles are still Playstation exclusives...as they just released them on PS3. Other than that, a new Kingdom Hearts in the series, that would be just for Wii U, would be a better treat.
Calling their game Zombi now huh, hopefully they don't get sue by the movie people (George Romero in particular). I know their original game back in 1986 was not affected since it was irrelevant at the time but games nowadays look like film so hopefully UbiSoft had their lawyer ready when a lawsuit is impending.
When zombi U was released it had a lot of negative reviews and comments. Why do I get the feeling the game will be the same (minus wii u pad), but perhaps have higher resolution graphics and somehow this will make it 'one of the best games reviewers ever played this generation'... I've seen this story so many times.
@Royalblues By that logic the game would be called Zombi One on the Xbox One, even more confusing if one console gets game number one and the other number four...
@MadAdam81 Comparing those two games is like comparing a first person shooter like Call of Duty with a tactical shooter like Ghost Recon. Same sort of game to a point because they're both shooters, but tactical shooters aren't everyone's cup of tea, even if they do like the other kind of shooters.
So just because there's zombies in both games, that doesn't mean you can do a one on one comparison. There are so many differences between the two and that also affects gameplay.
Ha. Watch it sell even worse.
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