Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has hailed the Nintendo Switch as "true innovation" and has teased a "surprise" game that the company currently has in development.
Speaking during Ubisoft's first-half 2016-17 earnings conference call, Guillemot highlighted the game-changing nature of Nintendo's forthcoming system:
The March quarter will also see the release of the Nintendo Switch. As we have already said, we think the platform is great. For the first time ever, players will be able to continue their home console experience on the go while travelling or commuting. That is a true innovation.
While some industry experts have openly doubted that a console with such a strong handheld focus can succeed in the era of smartphones and tablets, Guillemot pointed out that the Nintendo 3DS continues to sell briskly in the current climate:
...despite the huge competition from mobile gaming, Nintendo managed to sell more than 55 million 3DS since its launch. The Switch will benefit from this extreme demand for Nintendo games on a dedicated handheld platform. If its potential is reached, then Ubisoft, as the leading third-party publisher on Nintendo consoles over the past ten years, will benefit disproportionately from that.
Guillemot then teased a new title that is in development for the Switch, which could potentially be Beyond Good & Evil 2. This was was rumoured to be Nintendo-exclusive a while back, but Ubisoft tried to shut down such chatter.
With the design and the unique abilities of the Switch, Nintendo should revolutionise again the way we play. Ultra-accessible, this console will offer to all of us the liberty and pleasure to share our game experience and to play anywhere and at any time.
The Ubisoft teams who are creating games for the Switch are inspired by all these new possibilities, and I'm very happy that we can continue to make big things with Nintendo. In addition to Just Dance 2017, I'm thinking especially about a game that will surprise you a lot!
What do you make of these comments? Do you think this secret game is indeed Beyond Good & Evil 2, or could it be something different?
Thanks to SLIGEACH_EIRE for the tip!
[source nintendo-insider.com]
Comments 79
It's all good news. I hope the surprise game is something the majority of us want and not Just Dance 2018. That would be a surprise, but not a good one. I'm still convinced we're getting Beyond Good & Evil 2 as a Switch exclusive. January 13th might give us that answer. A new Prince of Persia game would be fantastic.
I'm happy that everyone seems excited for the Switch!
You know, maybe Ubisoft isn't that bad. They only stopped supporting the Wii U so much because of low sales, and I think they realized that they ruined Rayman Legends' sales by making it multiplatform. Based on current hype, assuming the rest of the pre-release news is what we expect, the Switch will sell tremendously well at launch, and Ubisoft will be right there supporting it.
@MetaRyan
Havent bought a ubisoft game in about 8 years, with the exception of zombi u.
A while ago they said they had a completed Wii U game they were holding back, waiting for hardware sales to increase... probably porting that over. I always assume the laziest option when it comes to 3rd party support on Nintendo consoles.
Hopefully they will lose interest soon and go away again soon.
Didn't he say this about the Wii U
I can honestly say I have never played a Ubisoft game on any Nintendo Platforms. They destroyed Rayman when they went off and created the stupid rabbit things. Loved the original Rayman on Playstation.
I like Ubisoft.
I like Just Dance.
I like Assassins Creed
I like Rayman
I like Watch_Dogs
I like ZombiU
I like Far Cry
I like Prince of Persia
I like Child of Light
I like Splinter Cell
I like Rocksmith
I like Beyond Good & Evil
I like Ubisoft
...and I like the sound of a surprise. BG&E2 is no longer a surprise as its been teased so much etc. so hopefully this surprise is a new one.
@daveh30 Should I be the one to break the awful news to you?
http://www.polygon.com/2015/2/11/8018585/ubisoft-wii-u-finished-unreleased-game-know-your-friends
Thankfully we were spared.
I will be glad, if their support goes beyond one contractual launch title.
@Bunkerneath Your loss, mate. They brought Rayman back to glory with Rayman Origins and Legends afterwards.
I don't know if this would be Beyond Good & Evil 2 based on the way he worded it. After all the rumours, BG&E2 would surprise approximately nobody. Not saying they aren't making it but sounds like he's referring to a real surprise to me.
New Rayman? Zombi U 2? New IP ?
@Bunkerneath Rayman Legends is the best Rayman ever made, and Origins is up there too.
@Samurai_Goroh Both Rayman Origins and Legend are brilliant games.
Yes, I do think this game is BG&E 2 and it may not be a surprise when revealed as an exclusive (probably just for some months).
Just make sure you support any multi platform releases at the same levels as the others. I.e. Release all DLC and ensure game has all the same modes.
Oh and don't jump ship at the first sign of a small wave passing by in the distance.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE Or were we?
Know Your Friends Switch, available at launch!
Yup, it'll be some lazy schlock, just like that.
@MetaRyan Many fans don't seem to realize that companies want money more than pleasing a handful of fans.
If....Ubisoft can localize some great Japanese games into USA version, maybe i will consider that. Just like during NDS and Wii era.
@dew12333 Strange attitude
Just earlier today I was wondering wether Switch would see another Ubisoft launch exclusive. Like Red Steel on Wii & Zombi U on Wii U. Very curious & quite exited to see what this "surprise" game will be!!!
@Vegaphil
That's me!!
Nintendo fan to the core, I wouldn't care if no one other than Nintendo made games for their systems. I know this is not 'the bigger picture' but from my own point of view that's fine.
@Bunkerneath I gotta say, Origins and Legends are both glorious on Wii and Wii U in my opinion.
The idea of a Ubisoft 'surprise' doesn't really feel me with much excitement but I'll wait and see what it is before judging. Hopefully they can show something that impressed me, that'd definitely be a bit of a surprise.
@dew12333 So what happens if Miyamoto et al leave Nintendo and go to work for other developers, or retire/expire? How far does your loyalty to the name 'Nintendo' go?
Beyond Good and Evil please! Then ill be a happy camper.
Zombi2! But I doubt it.
@dew12333 I'm a massive Nintendo fan too but I don't see how games from other companies being available affects you in any way.
We have a surprise announcement for the Switch...and it's competitors
Hopefully it's Rayman or Watch_Dogs 2.
Both ZombiU and Rayman Legends made excellent use of the WiiU capibilities. If they can pull of something of equall quality this will be a game to look forward too. I'm cautiously excited.
Just looking at that contorted thumb on the controller makes my hands ache.
Zombi U 2 Switch calling it now ., LOL
To be fair, continuing a home console game on the go is the idea dating back at least to Sony's Cross Save feature. And Nintendo themselves even did the opposite with Super Game Boy. But the innovation is in the details - no more need for ports, no more need for multiple consoles/add-ons to keep the experience relatively seamless.
I'm preemptively calling bovine fecal matter on any "surprise" exclusive Rayman game they have in store.
Yep, that wound is still open.
do it bayonetta style where the first game gets prettied up and bundled in.
@nhSnork I agree that the idea of Nintendo Switch is not by far as revolutionary as they want you to believe. For example, the idea of seamlessly continuing across multiple devices has become rather common with cloud services and mobile platforms. The real highlight is that the Switch can do it on the get-go. As in you getting home, placing the Switch in it's dock, grabbing or 'switching' the controller, and continue right away on the TV.
I doubt Ubi Soft games will have much success on the switch or any nintendo console. Nintendo gamers are more demanding when it comes to games and ubi soft fans play their games on the other consoles.but thays just my opinion
Say what you want about Ubisoft but at least they do support Nintendo consoles.
@Lord Yes he did and he will say it again, he is doing business, they agree to support each other. But we must understand despite being fans, that its business for them.. and a console that sold 10million units is not worth to invest making games for.. theres not much room for revenue there..its not about sticking to an oath or not supporting it to hurt it..
@gcunit good point. It's hard to say that any company from the '80s to now is the same as before, it stands to reason there shouldn't be an expectation of quality either. Nintendo included.
I got high hopes for the Switch. As March 17th approaches, this thing's lookin' more like a hit.
@gcunit My thoughts exactly. I like the games, bugs and all...
I do have a nagging feeling though that the "surprise" is indeed BG&E 2, and it being exclusive, even though almost the entire world already knows that this is actually well within the realm of possibilities already, so it'll be a lukewarm surprise.
But as long as it's not a surprise involving Rabbids, I'm still okay with it...
@Andrzej777
A lotta that will depend on how close in power the Switch is to Xbox One. If the graphical fidelity is fairly negligible between an Assassin's Creed game released for the Xbox One and Switch, the portable versatility of the Switch version could make it the preferred option.
@gcunit
I've been around a while and people have changed at Nintendo, but the philosophy seems to still live on. By the time it changes my arthritis will probably bring an end to my gaming days anyway.
@Vegaphil
I don't have a problem with other companies putting games on Nintendo systems, I just don't care if they don't. Although in the case of ubisoft (and EA) they lied and back tracked on the Wii U. I personally would not like to buy anything from them.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE Oh wow, that certainly looks crappy. Thankfully, we indeed dodged that bullet. Who ever knew we could have something to be grateful for in regards to Wii U selling so badly?
Just had a thought:
With portability you could play the game at home and then go out in the world (pokemon go style) to take the pictures like Jade did in the original.....
that would be a "new play style" that requires mobility and differentiates from the other companies without forcing it on any 3rd party people but could lend games like BG&E to be exclusives.
@Turbo857
Maybe, still I believe that most gamers stick to just one console. if they already own ms or sony they will continue their assassination crusade there. I think it wad a bad idea to just port games to the wii u back in the day. Companies like ubi complained about sales etc. I mean those games were not really an incentive to buy the wii u.
@speedracer216
I guess not everyone would be up for that
That's right Ubisoft, lay it on thick. I look forward to their "support". Make it great.
@Andrzej777
Agreed. Wii U ports of year old games already available for competing consoles was a bad strategy. Off-TV play for Arkham City is a convenience but it's not a compelling feature if you've owned the Xbox 360 version for a year.
But in Ubi's defense at least they came to the table with Rayman and ZombiU. Wii U was just not compelling or game changing enough to satisfy the hard core and too confusing for the casual crowd.
But the Switch though, that'll be game changing.
I think it will be a new rayman. They know rayman sells on Nintendo systems and rayman works so good on the go. Hope im right.
Yeah, yeah Guillemot, I've heard this all before with Wii U. Guess if Switch doesn't do well you'll pull out like last time. I'll believe it when I see it. Surprises? What, an AC or Watchdogs game. Bring it, don't sing it.
As long as it's not a port of previously released game, I'm guessing a new Rayman or Beyond Good and Evil 2.
I'm going to hold judgement until March. Ubi still has some franchisees I like and I'm hoping for a for honor port to Switch.
I honestly hope BG&E is not a Switch exclusive.
@BinaryFragger I do agree that a company has to do what is best for its bottom line, I think the wiiu situation was poorly handled on both sides. Nintendo didn't market the thing, however late ports, gimpped dlc, and the whole rayman issue didn't help either. I am hoping that this time both Nintendo and their third party partners get it right. The wiiu was truly undervalued but I really think Switch can change the way we game.
@Turbo857
I really hope so.
Zombi U was a good beginning. an exclusive title that was unique. Unfortunately.... we know what happened lateron.
Let's see what they bring. I think that surprise could definitely be BG&E2.
The surprise-game will be Rabbids vs Yoshi! Yuck!!!
The Switch is not an innovation. It's a Wii U with a severed umbilical chord.
@BinaryFragger Yes, fellow Vita owner here so I feel your pain/annoyance. I had so much buyer's remorse on that system for the first year and a half. Then two things happened. Games made just for the vita felt less like some half baked homunculus and then the PSTV made games playable on the tv with a controller. I am a reluctant handheld gamer. I play the games because they are unique and well made (as my library of 200 games will attest to) but I prefer the big screen (which is why i love the handheld VC on WiiU). Switch has the potential to be my perfect system. Handheld devs can make bigger games but still have them made in the same style. Console devs can still make their games how they want, but now I can take them to work and play on my lunch break.
For ports I would love For Honor, Steep, and Assassins Creed. For exclusives I would love BGE2, Zombi sequel, and Red Steel 3.
@YoshiTails
You're kiddin' right? When's the last time you've seen a dedicated portable game console that comes with detachable controllers and seamlessly transitions to a home console without the purchase of an additional hardware device?
With surprise day-1-Dlc.
I'd love Rayman Legends 2!!! That game was AWESOME!!!
@TomJ "I still have yet to see what makes the Switch tick outside of taking your home console experiences out of the house."
Understood. It took me awhile to discover what makes the switch special outside of its portability. But I came to realize that the prospect of the switch is bigger than me. The Switch isn't just about us gamers, it's about developers as well. It will effectively and automatically double the marketability of softwares by catering to two markets simultaneously. In other words, multiplats can have a greater market reach on a Nintendo platform for once, and without requiring any strenuous optimization. I get the feeling that publishers are going to value that ease of extra profitability, and that makes me excited.
And, fans can finally rejoice. We've needed something like the switch for a while. You like Monster Hunter on the go? You've got it. Been wishing for a competent sequel to play on your home console? You've got it. And all in one package. It's a good thing that Nintendo didn't listen to irrational critics and dropped out of any particular market, because they wouldn't have faced the challenges that led to the creation of the switch.
The Switch may not be the most powerful (although it will likely contain the most powerful handheld) console in history, when it launches, but it will be the most flexible gaming device in the history of dedicated gaming. Which I feel should have a wonderful impact on an era of rising development costs.
Dear Ubisoft,
ZombiU2 please!
Kthnxbai
The only thing I was upset about was the Rayman disaster .. that really had me pissed 😡 .. I remember playing that game in Gamestop as one of the games showing off the system and LOVED it.. I actually bought the system looking forward to playing that game ...
I haven't played that or any Ubisoft game since..
Some Rayman, some Prince of Persia, some Child of Light or some BG&E would be a lovely thing.
@YoshiTails "The Switch is not an innovation. It's a Wii U with a severed umbilical chord."
Sounds like someone's grumpy and looking for an upvote. Well, if it was another dual-screen concept with Wiiu backwards compatibility and tons of gadgets in the controller, then maybe you could argue that, just maybe. But, it's not, so...
And why are you fighting against third-party enthusiasm? If they want to be excited about the Switch, then let them be. I mean, that's what we want, anyway. Right?
@arrmixer "The only thing I was upset about was the Rayman disaster .. that really had me pissed. I remember playing that game in Gamestop as one of the games showing off the system and LOVED it.. I actually bought the system looking forward to playing that game."
Yeah, I assumed that Ubisoft had let a lot of gamers down when the company hacked up the Wiiu's Rayman exclusivity deal. I was thoroughly impressed with the demo myself. Although it was a 2-D game, one could argue that it did an excellent job of showing off what the Wii U is capable of, not just in terms of Graphics, but in terms of gameplay as well. And I still believe that keeping the course with that deal would have been beneficial for both Ubisoft and the Wiiu.
@CircuitWrangler3
Yes and yes my friend I completely agree unless microSOFT offer good 💰 I really don't see any other reason for the last minute exclusivity switch..
Well damn — at least he's not negative on it! Haha.
I love the positive reactions from 3rd party developers, but until they deliver the games, I'm not at ease about the support for the Switch.
Lets wait and see. I'm sure they were enthusiastic with WII U as well and still we didn't see much. Time will tell
@BinaryFragger
Well, I very much agree and don't have an issue with any company on that point there-- My point was simply, don't make promises about full support when full support means your willing to sink or swim with a company no matter what the outcome. It's not my fault he put all that super praise out there, when he ought to say "we'll fully support it 'if' it's successful". Just let actions do the talking, not empty words.
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