Yooka-Laylee's Wii U Cancellation is Only Due to Technical Challenges, Not the System's Woes

I really think it was both hardware limitations and sales potential. I'm heartbroken nevertheless.

Are you sure it wasn't more than just technical difficulties?

You know...

RIP Wii U (2012 - 2016)

Am I tempted? No. This basically kills crowdfunding for Nintendo fans which kills our plans of making a game.

Woo.

Even if all that is true, I'm sure the fact that the Wii U is all but a dead console made the decision a bit easier. I do hope it comes to the switch sooner rather than later though.

So an indie game is more technically demanding that the latest zelda!!!!

I was beginning to suspect this, and I think it's the right move, sad as it is. Onward to the PC version... Although Yooka Laylee will likely get a Sandwitch port within the first couple of years after it releases, so wait for that if you absolutely want it on a Nintendo console.

#TeamPlaytonic

they did the right thing.
the Wii U is commercially dead.
it makes no financial sense to squeeze the game onto a dead system, since the sales probably wouldn't even cover the conversion costs.

@BLP_Software Even though Yooka Laylee will likely eventually show up on the Sandwitch? It would be the only system that can handily play YL on the go, and the game never would have existed at all if it wasn't crowdfunded. That's nothing to sneeze over.

Triple edit: Playtonic has not confirmed NS support yet, but I bet they will in January. http://www.playtonicgames.com/faq/

Whether or not the Wii U's sales WERE a factor in the decision, this proves how key it is for the Switch to have the similar/same architecture to current consoles.

Hard for everyone... mostly for Wii U owners, I can tell that much!

@JH64 What guarantee is there that Breath of the Wild will absolutely not be canceled for Wii U? We've still barely been shown anything about it. I wouldn't be surprised if it gets dropped to fully support the Sandwitch version.

Refund everyone who wants a refund or rot in manky compost, Playtonic.

Technical limitations? What, did it have too many screens?

They haven't even tried to explain what the limitations might be. Nothing more to say. Go away now.

@LegendOfPokemon It won't have an x86 architecture, but it will likely be a part of NVIDIA's GameWorks program. Basically, this means any game that can be made on PC using that program can be made on or ported over to the Sandwitch. So it's probably going to see the most concurrent third party support for a Nintendo home console (sort of) since the GameCube.

Hard decision?

"Right guys, decision time. Shall we polish off the Wii U version to fulfill the promise that we made, or shall we shove our reputations, and that of Kickstarter, off a cliff so we can try and get some more money? I know. Tough decision, amirite?"

Switch needs a lot of 3D platformer such as Mario Sunshine. Some kids nowadays like to explore very Big world.

just accept the fact that wii u is dead and the game will be much more successful on switch and move on!!! wii u hardware sucks we all know it plus portability is really good stop being butthurt whiny idiots plz

@PlywoodStick im objecting more on that this will leave nintendo users burned regarding crowdfunding, which means my planned Switch exclusive is seemingly not going to be funded thanks to that attitude caused by other developers being a letdown.

Just to point out... technical difficulties doesn't mean that it wasn't possible for them to release a Wii U version... only that it would have been difficult to do, and they obviously weren't willing to make the effort... with the reason for that likely being the fact that the console is at the end of its lifespan... they're just putting PR spin on it to avoid admitting the truth.

Another reason for me to purchase a PS4 I guess.

This wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for the fact the Switch probably won't see a release for months after the other platforms get the game which would likely see it getting a lot less in sales.

Nintendo Switch for me. I can wait.

@gcunit That comment was really salty for being written by a mod.

@JH64 Zelda has a WAY bigger development team than Yooka-Laylee.

@PlywoodStick Everything they've shown us since E3 has been Wii U footage and they've shown us hours of exploration (vs. Yooka-Layle, which they never showed us Wii U gameplay). I'm pretty sure Breath of the Wild for Wii U is completed

My biggest problem w/ this is the WAY they announced it. Back in June they were still talking abut the Wii U version as if everything was fine.

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/06/playtonic_handling_wii_u_version_of_yooka-laylee_team17_porting_to_ps4_and_xbox_one

Robinson: We naturally have so many backers who opted for Wii U. Because of the size of the team, we couldn't take on all the consoles. You can imagine from a developer stand-point, that porting from PC to PS4 and Xbox One is slightly more straightforward than porting to Wii U.
I also think it feels right playing it on a Nintendo system to some people.
But the other versions will be fantastic as well.
Stevenson: We wanted to make sure that Wii U gets the right attention. There is a lot of nostalgia around Banjo, Banjo heralds from Rare's Nintendo's days, and we are all massive Nintendo fans as well.

Now, the morning they announce the release date for the other versions, NOW is the time they decide to tell us the Wii U version is canceled? Not yesterday, last week or last month, but as a footnote to a release date announcement? That's all Wii U backers get, to be treated as little more than a footnote to the happy news they've waited almost 2 years for but now can't take part in? NOW THEY TELL US!?!?

Don't invite people to the biggest party of the year 2 years in advance and tell them when they get to the door they can't come in.

@gcunit The simplest explanation from a technical standpoint is that Yooka Laylee is made using Unity, and the Wii U doesn't exactly have a good track record for fully fledged Unity support. This result was probably just a matter of time- they made a solid effort of it, but it just couldn't work out. Meanwhile, the Sandwitch will be able to handle the latest versions of Unity just fine, so the opportunity for a port there is wide open.

Refer to this page for more information: http://www.playtonicgames.com/faq/

Playtonic is letting people switch to another version if they still want it, or receive a refund in full.

Doesn't matter how much they reiterate it, there's always someone who prefers to believe in conspiracy theories.

@rjejr16 as a software developer I can tell you that sometimes you hit unforeseen technical issues along the path of a project that you could not see before, issues which can definitely make you question whether there's a point in continuing the current path. The way they've announced it reminded me a lot of personal past experiences, sometimes you really want to get something done despite the issues, but it's only in the end where you HAVE to accept there's no point going forward with it, the effort may be best used in something else.

@hieveryone

You must be one of those idiots i heard so much about.
And you should try these , .

@gcunit If all it needed was to be polished then they would have at least shown us of gameplay of it, right? The trailers have only shown PC/PS4/X1 footage (even the couple uploaded by Nintendo UK)

If the Wii U is this dead, then FFS just put some effort into the VC.

Let the gamecube adapter work for wiiware games that use it. Like Bomberman Blast.

@gcunit the NDF is strong with you.

It seems like if the switch version is ever made it will be after the other versions. This really is a big hit for Nintendo.

Explain the technical difficulties please

@rjejr The real problem here is backers not reading the fine print and reconsidering whether they should back Yooka Laylee based on a potential (but unlikely) Wii U version. It was stated in the original Kickstarter campaign that YL would indeed be made using the Unity engine. It takes only a little bit of research to figure out that the Wii U is not very good with handling Unity. So backing with the expectation of eventually getting a Wii U port was purely a gamble. Playtonic tried and failed to force Unity to play nice with the Wii U for YL, and it just didn't work out.

I do agree that it would have been better from a moral standpoint if Playtonic had made it abundantly clear that there was no absolute guarantee that the Wii U version would pan out, because of the potential for technical issues. Ultimately, though, it's up to the backers to use their heads and carefully consider how they go about backing projects, and make sure they have all available information before giving any money. Once they do so, and the project is this far along, there's no going back.

http://www.playtonicgames.com/faq/

That said, Playtonic is offering refunds and platform switches now. So they aren't scumbags.

Well, thanks a lot Play tonic. I WANTED to buy your game but never mind.

@nab1 18 months ago they said they needed $1 mil for a Wii U version alongside Xbox One and PS4. They got $2 mil. So they couldn't do for twice as much money as they said they needed what they were going to do.

And they only figured this out now, after the game was supposed to be out 2 months ago in October?

I'm sorry, but I am so sick of hearing this from everyone and everyone acting like it is ok. Wii U was already out for 2 years before they started this project. 2 years before they told everyone if people gave them $1 mil then they would get a Wii U version. And for the past 18 months they've said nothing about the Wii U version being scrapped, only that they were the lead team on Wii U and Team 17 were doing PS4 and X1 versions. So basically, they came up w/ the idea, took everyone's money, gave the money to Team 17 and they made the game for PS4 and X1 and Playtonic didn't do anything except play middle man. And they spring the cancellation on everyone as a footnote. Wonderful.

I'm sorry, but I'm raising kids, and I don't want to raise them accepting this global mindset of "better to ask forgiveness than permission" world. Everybody just says whatever they want these days, then when it turns out to all be lies - see Brexit - people just say "oops, sorry, not sorry" when it's over. I'm trying to teach my kids to think before they speak, take responsibility for their actions, not just do whatever they feel like doing then just half-heartedly apologize later. Fake news, trolling, lieing as an acceptable method to get whatever you want, it's all just falling apart.

You just canty trust developers these days!!

I don't believe a word they're saying unless they outline in detail what specific issues were encountered. And even more importantly: Why didn't they see this coming during the planning phase? If they didn't see it coming that's just extremely bad planning, if they did they were lying to the backers.

In my opinion this is a purely financial move!

@rjejr The Wii U version never was a Stretch Goal. A simultaneous release of all console and PC versions was. The Wii U version was supposed to come no matter what. Well, in the end they couldn't make it work, which can happen. No reason to call them liars, that is all speculation on your part. In the end we will probably get a Switch version on Day 1, so every fanbase will be covered.

@rjejr Im with you on this one.

This couldve been handled better and it was better than Project Cars. Theyve knocked themselves and cast doubt, opened mistrust with a core audience they marketed to, and firmly locked said audience against crowdfunding. Its an acheivement for a day. Might top Inafune.

And for anyone saying Unity doesnt play with Wii u...its not a fan of many things.

Yet another deceptive Kickstarter campaign.

@ThomasBW84 Please add this page link from Playtonic to the article:

http://www.playtonicgames.com/faq/

Maybe also run another article focusing on this FAQ. People are letting their emotions get way out of hand without all available information.

Liars! Its cancelled because the Wii u is dead! The game is rumored to get a release in April, the Switch will be released in March. It really doesn't make sense to do it on Wii u anymore, everyone could have seen this coming from a gigantic mile away. Hopefully it gets on Switch, and hopefully still during 2017!

In fact, this evil act from Playtonic (I expected better from you guys!) almost let me skip the game when it arrives on Switch. But then I might miss out on a good game, so I just wait and see.

@PlywoodStick No, I'm sorry, I can't take that blame the victim approach anymore. I'm just sick of it. Yes, I know the world likes to blame "suckers" for being sucked dry, but I just can't.

I just wrote along reply to this above, you can't miss it, look for the long string of green stretch goals. Yes, Kickstarter is a gamble, and people losing their money, well that's what happens when you gamble, which is one of the reasons I don't. And I didn't back this, b/c stuff likes this seems to happen too often, but I've pretty much wish I had backed it since then b/c I was really looking forward to the game. Now, they aren't getting my money. I'll rent it or get it out of the library or buy it used or get it w/ PS+ on PS4. But this is all too much. they did that big interview in June, if they were having problems that was the time to tell people, not now, not out of the blue.

If they've been "trying to make it work" where were all the updates abut that? Playtonic has a twitter feed. They've been taking this gam eon the road and showing off playable demos. HAve you once heard them say - "Well it' snot looking to good fo rthe Wii U version?" Even once? Playtonic isn't Nintneod, they are very active in social media, they've had plenty of opportunities to keep people informed before now about Wii U issues. But not a word. Until now. I'm sorry but that's not acceptable to me.

I'm not surprised and I'm not gonna play the dramatic, histrionics game. I love my Wii U. But I'm ready to move on to the Switch.

@rjejr There are no victims in this case. Playtonic is offering platform switches and refunds. And yes, they absolutely should have been more up front, but everyone has a certain amount of responsibility for their actions. It can't all be laid upon a single party. We've known since the campaign started that YL would be made in Unity, and it's been well known for years that the Wii U doesn't work well with Unity. People really do need to gather more information before supporting something, rather than getting overly excited and pouncing on the opportunity.

Hugely disappointed that it's taken them this long to find "unforeseen" technical limitations. Struggling to believe they weren't aware of these limitations at any point in the last 2 years.

First Bloodstained, now this. So Kickstarter has given us what for Wii U? Mighty No.9? Glad I've never backed anything on there now, seems like a waste of time for Nintendo purists who don't double-dip on home consoles (of which I can't be the only one).

@scamander "The Wii U version never was a Stretch Goal. A simultaneous release of all console and PC versions was. The Wii U version was supposed to come no matter what."

If you are going to correct me can you at least do a little research first. There is a big graphic of their goals on their kickstarter page, which I copy and pasted into post #41.

Yes, the Wii U WAS a stretch goal, at the $1 mil mark, alongside the other console versions on PS4 and Xbox One. PC version was the first goal, so technically not a stretch goal as it was "the" goal. Console versions were supposed to follow after that unless the $1mil stretch goal was released.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/playtonic/yooka-laylee-a-3d-platformer-rare-vival

Hard for me to take anything else you say seriously after you got so much wrong in your first couple of sentences.

Sure.

If Zelda's still coming to the Wii U, then I don't see what "issues" could be big enough to cancel the most-wanted version of Yooka-Laylee.

Is there anyway to get a refund from them?

First Project Cars and now Yooka?

It's ironic how WiiU owners were the first to back and bring mass attention to this project and after all the promises, sweet talk and money spent on this game, WiiU owners aren't even getting it because the creators weren't so sure the system could handle it.

I'm glad I never spent a dime on this. I don't see how anyone could ever trust crowd funded games after this.

@Mega_Yarn_Poochy http://www.playtonicgames.com/faq/

I'm sure if those unforseen difficulties were on PS4 they'd find a way! TBH it's fair enough because Wii U is effectively dead now Switch has been revealed. And lest we forget, backing something on KS is not the same as a preorder.

so, after so much time working on the wii u development that was (in their own words) the core version they figured out it has technical issues just after a new system is revealed... yeah sure...nice story!
my version: they predicted that a switch version of the game would be more profitable, and appealing, and changed the objective!

@ThomasBW84 Thank you, that should help to temper the situation.

@Tasuki I put $15 towards this game with the promise of getting a Wii U version of Yooka-Laylee. That promise was broken and I have every right to be angry.

In other words... "please don't cancel your preorders!"

@rjejr You are reading the strech goals incorrectly. It's 1 million for basically all 3 consoles available at the time, which included the Wii U. You make it sound as if there's some money specifically just for the Wii U. And between the 1 million and 2 million goals there are 3 other stretch goals (the main one of each being the orchestral music). It's incorrect to interpret it as if there was twice the money just for that 1 million stretch goal.

I truly mean no disrespect to you, as teaching a valuable lessons to my kids is also one of my personal goals (a stretch goal if you will ), but I rather fall on the "naive" side and suffer some disappointment from time to time, than to live life and teach them that everyone is out to get you, to lie to you, always, everyone, which is what most comments here seem to point at, and that is simply not true.

@PlywoodStick "It can't all be laid upon a single party."

No, it takes two to tango, I get that. But there is a wide margin between saying everyone is responsible for their own actions and Playtonic just dumping the Wii U version last second.

"There are no victims in this case. Playtonic is offering platform switches and refunds."

What about people who wanted to play this on Wii U, backed it for Wii U, and won't be getting a Switch at launch either b/c they can't afford it or b/c Nintendo simply doesn't make enough - see NES Classic Mini. Sure people can get a PS4 or X1, but the game was supposed to be releasing on Wii U, and now it isn't. So there may not be more than a handful of victims, but anybody who backed this on Wii U who doesn't have another system to play it on for awhile is a victim. (And I'd say any kids, even if they didn't back it, but were really looking forward to playing it on Wii U, like my kids, are victims as well.) I don't count PC as a replacement. Personally I have an old PC hooked up to a 19" 1440x900 monitor. I have a 52" 1080p. Not the same.

Wii U owners were going to be annoyed anyway, but I think they would have been less annoyed back in June when Playtonic was delaying the game from October to 2017 than on the day when the game gets a release date. June was the time for this announcement, not mid-December. I doubt Unity or Wii U architecture changed all that much between June and December.

And I don't think that FAQ really helps much, too obtuse. Some of that is on Ntineod though. If Nintneod would have already announced what we needed to know about Switch, which launches in 90 days but doesn't have a game line-up yet. Not to get too conspiracy theory, but it's possible Playtonic was waiting to announce the Wii U cancellation until after they had a Switch announcement ready, but Ninteod wouldn't let them. But their hand was kind of forced in order to get the release date out there for the others. In which case I'd say this was partly Nintneod's fault for not letting Playtonic announce the Switch version. We'll see how that lays out early next year I suppose.

Really, I'd be more than glad to blame Nintneod for this mess, means I can get the game on PS4 and be done w/ it, my kids and I really want it, but as things stands, no money to Playtonic from us. But if soon after Jan 13 Playtonic says - "Switch version confirmed, releasing soon, sorry we wanted to tell you before but Nintnedo wouldn't let us" well then I can move on.

@rjejr
I agree. They should have been upfront all along about difficulties they were have with the Wii-U version, not springing it at the last possible moment. Especially suspiciously close to the Switch arrival. Hopefully they are offering refunds to those who backed Wii-U version and those people take it. The only thing that will ever so slightly appease me is if the Switch version is released at the same time as the others.

@G-Boy Which is a good thing.

There is no need for gcunit or anybody else to hold their frustrations back on this matter. When a company asks you for your hard earned money and gives you nothing but false promises and wastes your time in return, then they can expect some huge flak for it.

But the Wii U version and the PC version were the main versions being developed internally. And I paid over $100 for it.

@Mega_Yarn_Poochy Crowd funding is not a promise of a preorder. It's basically a "donation investment", in the hopes that you will get something out of it. There are certain guidelines which should not be violated, but that didn't happen here. I think a lot of people misunderstand what crowd funding is...

Its surprising that this same scenario of "technical difficulties" is always for the Wii U, even though at this point in time the Wii U hardware and capabilities are well known. It rings of switching development to the Switch due to better business prospects.

Still, I respect that they are doing refunds for those that lost interest. I don't think Project Cars did.

I won't get either this or Bloodstained on day one if they come to Switch. I'll wait until I can get them discounted, either by Nintendo's discount or my local store. This scummy practice has to stop - its becoming too frequent. At least, it's enough to put me off kickstarter for the time being.

Damn....I can't help but feel a little betrayed. I know so many people wanted this on Wii U, it's almost like they should've developed with that in mind. It's a little selfish to think that, but on the other hand, a promise is a promise.

It's going to be a tough pill to swallow when the Yooka-Laylee socks finally come in. The excitement definitely is going to be a bit dampered.

@nab1 "You are reading the strech goals incorrectly. It's 1 million for basically all 3 consoles available at the time, which included the Wii U. "

I've read that page several times now, and I don't see where I'm wrong. I never said $1 mil was ONLY for the Wii U. They said there would be a Wii U version at $1 mil and they got $2 mil. I never said how much of that money was to be allocated to each version of the game. Yes, some of that $1mil obviously went to the other console versions - which were being made by Team 17, not by Playtonic who were making the WiiU and PC version - but I never said it wasn't. I don't see where I was wrong.

Here's the article from back in June when Playtonic said they were working on the Wii U version and porting out the 2 other console versions. I just think it's funny, bad funny, that a broken game is succesfully being ported.

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/06/playtonic_handling_wii_u_version_of_yooka-laylee_team17_porting_to_ps4_and_xbox_one

@rjejr

It's not a case of how much money they have. They were searching for a solution to their issues right up until the announcement. Which is also why the game was delayed in the first place.

They couldn't have possibly known what they would need to make the Wii U version happen when they started the campaign, but they made an estimate, and lo and behold, the game does exist now. And they have been working on it on the Wii U for a long time.

But evidnetly SOME things en the Wii U build are just of so poor functionality that they can't allow themselves to release it.

Releasing a broken game would be a much more offensive move than what they're doing here.

@Hikingguy @rdrunner1178 Be careful, looks like we're on the wrong side of history w/ this one, don't want to attract attention to yourselves. Thanks for the support though, it's been a lousy day.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

They're lying through their teeth. The alleged Switch version will face the exact same quote unquote "technical problems". They, like Project Cars, just don't want the embarrassment of being on a Nintendo platform. Just wait and see.

I'm sure they would have realised these problems long before now.

@rjejr You've basically summed it up perfectly.

@rjejr I think you may be on to something there. For all we know, this situation could be symptomatic of the larger consequences of Nintendo's utter secrecy surrounding the NS. That wouldn't be a conspiracy, just a really complicated situation. (A lot of people these days are apt to dismiss complicated situations as conspiracy theories to convince themselves to not use their brains and do some research.)

But yeah, we'll find out the truth come January. Then we can settle the degree to which Playtonic screwed up: naïvely, or maliciously.

@Pod "Releasing a broken game would be a much more offensive move than what they're doing here."

Agreed. But it was THEIR game. They were the ones making the Wii U version. The Wii U version was their responsibility. But that game isn't coming out, Team17 is making the game on Xbox One and PS4.

But again, did Playtonic really just figure out this morning the Wii U version was canceled? You don't see anything wrong w/ the version of the game they were working on, they crowdfunded on kickstarter, cancellation being a footnote to the release date announcement for Team17's versions on PS4 and X1?

If the Switch solves all their problems overnight and still allows them to release on Nintendo, why continue to ask them for their sweat blood and tears in completeing an impossible Wii U version? That's unreasonable.

@Hikingguy

But luckily, things are not always what they seem.

@PlywoodStick you posted this link I also posted in the first news of the cancellation, today. But in the meantime... They changed it! This morning in the same page it was written that you could choose another system, but paying the difference (15 £). Now it's better because they made you change for free. Still, the problem remains: in my case, i only have an 8 years old macbook pro that can't handle modern games and a WiiU. The thing that makes me upset is that i MUST buy a new system to play this game, even if when i backed this game I only made it for the WiiU version.

They didn't know the limitations of the Wii U prior to making a release on it as a goal?

This is why I'm very pessimistic regarding anything Kickstarter related.

I can't say I'm surprised. When the Switch was announced I had a small feeling that any future game targeting the Wii U at that moment would probably halt all efforts and jump onto the next system.

I haven't used Unity myself, but I have played plenty of games that run it. Most of them were plagued with performance issues (Recore comes to mind) and I could definitely see the Wii U choking on a biscuit or two running the engine.

Still rather disappointing, but on the bright side the folks at Playtonic are offering platform switches and refunds, so no one gets hurt (well, aside from Wii U only owners).

I think it's about time I put the Wii U right besides my PS3. In the harrowing depths that is my closet

@PlywoodStick If I'm right then it's the truth, if I'm wrong then it's a conspiracy theory. And I won't say "malicious", I'm sure they tried, they're the ones w/ egg on their faces, but this timing is just inconsiderate. Not that anybody considers anything anymore. Do and move on. Heck, we're still waiting for a Zelda U release date 2 years later, can't get much more inconsiderate than that.

And this news does make me worry that other people will now worry about Zelda U being canceled. If Zelda U was canceled then Wii U is good and truly dead. Which might be why Playtonic canceled the Wii U versio, b/c it's getting unplugged from TV's everywhere if Zelda U is no more. But I'm stupidly holding out hope for Zelda U in May/June. March ain't happening.

@RainbowGazelle Thanks, I really needed your funky dancing avatar today.

And I only wish I could have "summed it up" instead of writing War and Peace going off on about a 100 different tangents. I need a nap.

@hypermuffin It still pales in comparison to Nintendo consistently showing off updates about Ocarina of Time... Starting from 3 and a half years before it was released, and a year and a half before the N64 was released. By modern standards, we've been shown almost nothing of BotW, and the most recent live showcase was only with the NS. It's past time to be displaying live showcases, yet those have not really materialized beyond E3 2016 for the Wii U version. A lot can happen in a year's time.

Edit: clarification of time period

@Hikingguy @rjejr
Sure there's something wrong with the late announcement. But I can totally understand them not wanting to make a big deal out of it.
The game was funded on the backs of Nintendo fans and hopeful Wii U owners, myself included, and they don't want to make enemies with anyone.

While I expected this from Playtonic least of all, and I would have expected them to hand they game over to someone who COULD finish it, there is a limit to how many delays they can ask their audience to swallow, and handing the Wii U build over to another dev WOULD require a lot of time for those guys to just get into it.

@Hikingguy
You wrote that it is how it seems. Things are not always how they seem. It would be very unlucky for us all if they all were. I'm not saying you're wrong, but I'm expecting that you're oversimplifying the situation.

If you're truly upset, they're likely to offer you a refund, but I realize that this won't fend off the disappointment, and that the money probably won't come back with interest.

I'll wait for the new Nintendo since my ps4 won't get much use after the switch comes out.

@Mega_Yarn_Poochy

The 'issue' could be that the game was being optimized during development to run better on the more powerful PC/Xbox/PS4 which left the stone age Wii-U in the dust?

Not that hard to figure out.

@rjejr I share your sentiments as well. This is another reason why I won't back anything on crowdfunding sites, I came close to backing this one though. Glad I didn't. Take care, hope your day gets better.

@LegendOfPokemon well if you read or watch videos it will be just as good as xbone and ps4.but not as updated as xbone s and ps4 pro.dark souls 1,2 and 3 will be on switch.this has nothing to do with the video.but they ran dark souls 3 on it and they loved it so much we might get all 3.before people troll.there is a thing called Google.dark souls 3 Nintendo switch.google it

Heres the thing, most of their dev team are huge N fans and backed the wii u version too. They were planning some cool gamepad stuff and i'm sure they'll work extra hard to make a switch version happen and be the definitive version. They said in Jan. they'll update backers on how to switch their pledge to other systems. Worse comes to worse, I can just own it on two consoles.
Nintendo fans will totally eat this game up more as compared to other fanbases. It'd be huge if they make this a launch game for Switch which will come out a month or so after the apr. 11th release. I think it'll make a GREAT portable game!

Yes it Sucks. But people that feel burned can get a full refund. The end. Don't gotta support them if they're not doing what you want. That's kind of the point of kickstarter.

@Hikingguy Crowd funding is not a traditional form of investment. The rules for venture capital investment do not apply here. It's closer to making a donation, with some strings attached.

I'm sorry to hear that about your son.

It's a real shame that Nintendo dropped the ball so hard with the Wii U , so many developers have had problems trying to get their games work on it... but the ones that get on there are SO good fans like us seem to attack the developers instead of facing the truth. The Wii U was a great idea, but was ultimately limited by using an older CPU.

Playtonic had no real choice. Nintendo dropped meaningful support for the system during development of this game and then discontinued it. It's a no win situation but Playtonic can't be blamed. What little sales they could get wouldn't recoup the costs of development. It's a tough decision but people shouldn't be angry at Playtonic. They tried. It's not their fault Nintendo made little effort to support the system.

@Hikingguy
Sorry to hear of your loss. I just wanted the game all for myself, and now I will have to either wait longer and play it on Switch, or play it on PC.

Most of the Kickstarters I have backed delivered as well, and not getting a game on my exact platform of choice isn't the worst that could happen either.

Cheers.

@gcunit Grow up will you

@Issi I don't think that's the case, Nintendo went with an IBM PowerPC processor for the Wii U, that mean it couldn't run a good chunk of the game engines developers used & some of the ones it could were limited. Developers had little choice except to gut their games or not bring them to the Wii U... and with Nintendo only bringing 2 games to launch & another 2 in the first 6 months what could they do?

@Ricube Interesting, I missed that. Good work on catching that! That's too bad about your tech situation... Seems like the only thing you can do right now is get a refund. :-/

@Hikingguy I'm very sorry for your loss. I, too, lost someone to cancer. Life makes unexpected turns, but we need to live for those who can't.

I hope the best for you and I hope you continue to enjoy playing video games.

@rjejr Maybe YOU should do a little research, before acting like an absolute arse:

"If funded, Yooka-Laylee will be released for Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Wii U. However, the exact release timing and scope of each version will be determined by the success of this Kickstarter campaign and specifically, our stretch goals."

This is taken directly from the kickstarter page and took 2 seconds to find. Isn't the browser search function a wonderful invention?

Poor little Wii U.

Lived such a short life.

@rjejr As a backer, I can confirm that Yooka-Laylee was confirmed for a Wii U release for just meeting the base goal. The $1 million stretch goal was for getting all versions out on the first day.

'Technical Difficulties' & 'A Hard Decision' seem to go hand-in-hand with the Wii U.

@Issi The NS mobile device is much smaller than the GamePad.

Also, in case you haven't noticed, the Wii U still hasn't gotten any major price drops. It's actually the same price or cheaper to buy a PS4 or XB1 now. So that has nothing to do with the NS. That said, it will probably be in the the US$300 range for a base SKU, and greater for a SKU with more memory/data capacity. So basically, around the same price as the Wii U was at launch, and still close to what it costs now anyways.

@Issi Oh I'm not trying AT ALL to downplay this at all, Wii U owners & Nintendo fans have been through a really bad time & this only adds more disappointment onto that. It's just there are people out there that are quick to blame the developers & don't see a stupid choice by Nintendo has caused all of this down the line.

If it's true that it was down to technical limitations killing off the Wii U version, then Nintendo need a good long think at why this is happening for multiple different games, and learn lessons for the Switch.

Unfortunately I cannot blame them. If i remenber correctly they have postponed the release in 2018 so the most logical technical problem is that thay cannot release the game on wiiu in 2017; releasing the game on wiiu in 2018 is just like a suicide, it would be a total failure, almost no one would buy the game. It's a shame for them not releasing it on wiiu but it's the right decision, maybe thay can sell the game at a low price on switch to compensate.

@PlywoodStick at e3 they had it playing on the Wii U, you may have missed the treehouse

Nooo... Come on man.

Then they have to bring something special with the Switch version.

@Issi I think Nintendo have learned their lesson this time around, they're using a modern, cutting edge chip & development tools making coding for the Switch very similar to PS4/XB1 coding. The real problem is have they hurt their console player-base SO badly none of them will come back?

That's probably the real reason they have gone for the hybrid, they know they messed up and need their handheld player-base to make sure it succeeds. Nintendo can't really afford to mess up again. Switch succeeds or Nintendo could become another Sega.

BTW, as for game costs, there is no reason Switch games should cost more than any other console game. Let's hope retailers know that too.

@Hikingguy Playtonic definitely should have been much more upfront about the Wii U version's chances of success. It was at least negligent to not point out the possible (and quite frankly, likely) technical difficulties from the beginning, and almost maliciously careless at worst. But we'll see in January.

I know how it feels to watch my grandparents on both of their deathbeds, right up to their final gasping moments, as they suffered in unbelievable pain despite having been injected with painkillers and rendered unconscious. I was unable to do much of anything to ease that process. I have no children, but losing one's own younger kin before oneself is a type of pain that I hope to never experience. May you find the determination to cope... And hopefully someday, humanity will learn how to treat and reverse the deadliest of cancers.

@Hikingguy May your daughter grow big and strong.

I'll tell you, I can't beat my nephews at Soul Caliber, much less any fighting game! I do reign supreme in Civilization, but it's only a matter of time before they catch up! Children grow quick, much faster than I could ever imagine. It was only 11 years ago that I was holding them in my hands, waiting for the Wii to hit shelves.

These are old school Rareware staff that worked on Banjo Kazooie, Killer Instinct, DKC/DK64, Perfect Dark, Kameo, Grabbed by the Ghoulies. I trust them when they say it was a technical issue because of their pedigree and their history with Nintendo. I was looking forward to the game and I'm sure someone over there has the strings to get a Switch dev kit because well, I mean, they did kind of work for them at one point.

I still look forward to the game and wish them the best.

@Issi Definitely agree with you on the monetary side of it. This is leaving a lot of people with no choice but to accept a refund. I do think that backers should have carefully done their research on Unity support for the Wii U and questioned Playtonic on it, after learning from the campaign text that Yooka Laylee would be developed in Unity. However, Playtonic should have also been more upfront about potential issues there, right from the beginning.

@Setery10 Yeah, I edited the comment to clarify that; you're right, it was shown off by the Treehouse at E3. Yet, there's been curiously scant information since then...

@Makyurax It's coming in 4 months.

Just get your refund if you feel stabbed in the back. This has happened on the Wii U so many times already, are you actually surprised? It doesn't make sense from a technical or business standpoint to follow through with this. They didn't know Nintendo would be pulling the plug on the Wii U well before a consoles normal life cycle.

You have many other options to play this game. Or if you are so salty that it is Wii U or nothing, because of the principle of the matter, then get your refund and move on. If you had a new company, you wouldn't make unwise business decisions either!

@PlywoodStick My guess is it was a recent development after E3 or just before E3. Playtonic hits me as a bunch of blokes that would not lie to their fans or have the history of malicious fibbing for a quick buck. They are not like another company who had a large following but with a more shady past, like a certain herb dealer in a trench coat.

@biscuitsandtea "I could definitely see the Wii U choking on a biscuit or two running the engine."

We need a GIF of this.

@Makyurax You're thinking of Bloodstained. Yooka-Laylee is releasing on April 11 on the other platforms.

Pretty glad that the wii u version got canned. I do feel like they should have done like Igarashi and told people early that this version would get canceled. It does feel bad to give money to a dev with the hopes of receiving the game on a system, only to have that dev not release the game at all. I feel like Nintendo is to blame as well because of the lackluster sales of the wii u as well as the difficulty of making games on the system. There's a reason why most wii u games are made by nintendo and that's because they're the only ones who know how to program for it. Nintendo seriously needs to start making systems that other developers can ACTUALLY use. 3rd parties make or break systems so it's incredibly frustrating to see Nintendo fail to accommodate other developers.

@Yoshi @ scamander 😰 mea culpa. My fault sorry. So they have no reason at all to cancel wiiu version.

Just last night I was thinking to myself how I would rather have this game on my brand new Switch than my Wii U so this is the best possible news in my opinion. If it would of came out for Wii U and not Switch, I honestly wouldn't have bought/played it because my Switch will be getting all the attention by the time April comes around. Who wants to play a last gen console when you just bought a brand new one? Now granted I didn't invest in the Kickstarter so I don't have any sour grapes there, but as other have stated even Nintendo has ignored/abandoned the Wii U in its last month's of life so I see the devs' rationale in this.

I also understand that some people won't have the cash or don't want the Switch at launch and that's why the devs have offered Wii U backers that are in that situation other versions(PS4, PC XBOX). Now if we have to wait another six months for the Switch version then I'll start getting pissed, but I have a hunch Nintendo went to them and convinced them that porting it to Switch would be easy and the best case scenario for both parties. Nintendo gets to showcase an awesome Indie game in their January presentation and Playtonic gets to be on the Switch near launch.

@gcunit Money? Implying it wouldn't have made it to Switch to harvest its owners' wallets sometime later anyway? It sure must be an easier decision to direct the Kickstarter funds into something that's looking doomed to be inferior to other ports.

Reputation with fans may be cheap, but since Playtonic value it, they might at least save more of it by preventing a release rich with bugs and/or omitted features - something they certainly didn't promise Wii U owners and something the gamers would most certainly demand their "lazy heads" on a plate for.

This was imminent, I knew Yooka-Laylee would move to Nintendo Switch. I'm even more hyped for it now!

So these devs didn't think of this when they announced a Wiiu version? Do they honestly believe people are this dumb? Christ and out of all things they finally thought to themselves "Huh this system can't run our game let me just cancel it now. After all the time we had this year." Unbelievable

@PlywoodStick "Fetch" is never happening. Let it go

The way the FAQ is worded on Playtonic's website, it kinda sounds like they already have the Switch version in the pipeline, but are waiting until after the Switch presentation in January to formally reveal it. Hopefully it'll be out there with the other versions in April.

@gcunit omg a business making a decision based on getting more money from it? Awful! Amirite??

@Mega_Yarn_Poochy Yeah but those $15 probably went to buying them lunch

All you guys complaining about the lack of a Wii-U release are probably gonna buy a switch anyway, and if you backed it, it's likely that you'll be able to change your pledge to receive a new switch version so ultimately...it's a good thing.

I don't see how this is surprising to anyone. When you're gonna fund something, read up on it and really know what you're getting into. WiiU isn't that strong and the engine they planned on using wasn't the best for WiiU. What's sad and kinda subversive is how I mainly see everyone here fanboying about the NX and are most likely gonna get one, the project could and most likely will be released on NX, you're still getting it then so why throw a fit? Nintendo themselves have given up on the WiiU and you guys really expect a company not that big to try and push for success on a console that is dead?

Saying it doesn't make it so

Although I am not affected by this, it illustrates why I hate the crowd funded model for making games. I am a big fan of the PS Vita and there have been several crowd funded games that sucked in Vita owners and then cancelled the Vita version shortly before launch. It is hard to not believe that they just didn't want to waste time on the Vita version with a small predicted sales volume.

quite frankly, i think what they said is BS, but at the same time it makes perfect sense if they were to support the wii u spending money making physical copies, they would probably make a loss there. And since the game is coming out in April and the Switch is coming out in march it makes perfect sense to port it to that system in time with the other console releases. Lets hope that is the case.

Yeah sure, I could also go ahead an publicly say that pigs can fly, but that doesn't mean pigs can actually fly.
The sole reason for the cancellation is money/profit. Don't let them fool you into believing anything else. If there were technical problems, they could've just scaled down the graphics. And they could've done so years ago...

And mentioning that the Playtonic members have a Wii U themselves doesn't make it any more believable. For all I know, they can play the final version on their Wii U dev-kits so it doesn't have to affect them at all.

@Issi

Unfortunately, that's exactly where Nintendo is headed. They are going to become a mobile game developer sooner than we think or want to admit.

The Switch will have many of the same issues as the Wii U. The dedicated handheld market all but dead (recent sales of 3DS confirm this) and it won't have to power to keep up with the home console offerings of Sony and Microsoft. "Casuals" have been gone for a very long time. Sad but true.

@A01 "The more I think about it, the more I want to play every console game on the go."

This. I really, really hope that there is a mountain of interest in the Switch and its capabilities. I'd love to see Sony shift toward developing hybrid consoles as well.

Being able to take a game with you anywhere is an incredibly compelling proposition.

@G-Boy thought the same thing.

@Mega_Yarn_Poochy you would if you were robbed of them. As long as the refunds are a thing (and they officially are), you only have the right to feel disappointed.

It's sad news for Wii U indeed, but all I'm reading in this comment section is people acting like - pardon my language - FANS.

@Issi

Actually, Fire Emblem is one of the few Nintendo franchises I think will work on mobile. Imagine playing Smash on mobile.

(I think I just threw up a bit in my mouth)

@Ralizah Sony has tried it with Vita in a way, and some results retain vitality (no pun intended) to this day. Nintendo's take just has a lot - and apparently, QUITE a lot - less in the way of such "seamless gaming", independent on ports, cross saves or online streaming. And if Switch becomes a success, I bet Sony will be taking notes again, just like they have done more than once already.

Well looks like the Writer & Comms Director of the game says otherwise....

You know what they say, a picture paints a thousand words. The "technical challenges/difficulties" reason is just pure PR that anyone who didn't pledge for the Wii U version/who did pledge for a Wii U version but they're buying a Switch day one would gladly accept.
TL:DR It's damage control and the cancellation was a secret they've kept under the rug for months most likely.

@nhSnork Indeed. Sony has done a lot of stuff that has leaned in this direction. Cross-saves, cross-buy, Remote Play, even the original marketing of the Vita, which promised "console quality gaming on the go." It's a great idea, but Sony made some really terrible decisions with the Vita that doomed the system.

For better or for worse, I think the market's reaction to the Switch will be a true public referendum on the question of whether people really want "console games on the go" or not.

@gatorboi352 NDF has gone right over my head, help me out...

@LetsGoRetro @Tasuki My first sentence was 'Refund.... or...'

@G-Boy One builds up pretty large salt reserves cleaning up around here, got to find ways to offload somewhere

@scamander Every fan base will not be covered. I only have a Wii U, I'm not planning on buying a PC or another console anytime soon. So I have no way of playing this game now.

@Issi mobile gaming may thrive on casual genres but it won't be able to compete with many certain niches until phones grow buttons again (and apparently, that wasn't received too well design-wise when Nokia tried it) or until the industry grows some EQUALLY cheap controllers with steady iOS/Android support. Of course, one can also bank on growing up a generation of kids capable of playing on a touchscreen just as smoothly, but in my opinion, tactile interaction is just TOO different. The more control elements a game requires and the more fast-paced switching between them is supposed to be, the more challenging it can be to play on a modern "the screen ends with phone edges" model, regardless of graphical feats and frame rate. I've already ranted elsewhere about how some parts of Disney Infinity felt borderline unplayable in my experience, even accounting for my own likely clumsiness.

Nintendo's own forays into mobile gaming so far only go to prove the point - turn-based Fire Emblem, relatively laidback Animal Crossing (if I'm not mistaken about the announcement of it), a one-finger control Super Mario Run... Now imagine doing some finer jumping tasks in a Super Mario 64 kind of platformer on a touchscreen.

Home consoles and traditional handhelds will live on until that's solved or until associated genres die out themselves. Until then, their own touchscreens spell the availability of mobile game ports as well (heck, we see quite a few Android titles even on PS4!), which makes their libraries more encompassing in comparison and their higher price as dedicated gaming platforms consequently justified. They may have to share the market with mobile phones now but I don't see them dying anytime soon.

Come to think of it, smartphones have yet to kill even MP3 players despite seemingly covering a lot more bases in that sphere.

@Issi gigantic Gamepad clone? From the trailer and Jimmy Fallon show reveal, the WHOLE thing doesn't look all that bigger than a Vita.

@Tasuki @PlywoodStick I gave Playtonic money for a product- a digital code for the game Yooka-Laylee on Wii U. Now I won't gwt that.

Let's say you bought a vacuum cleaner from Amazon, a specialized one that can do things very few other vaccum cleaners can. Now let's say that they send you a version that only works in New Zealand and the version you ordered, the one that works in the US, has been discontinued without telling you.

You'd be angry, wouldn't you? Yeah, could return it and get a full refund, but that doesn't really soften the blow. That's how I feel.

@Lewieboy124 Wow. Just wow.

Wouldn't be bothered if they just outright said... Not going waste our time and money finishing this game for Wii U.

Looks like all the whiny, malcontent customers from my days working fast food have come to roost in this thread.

Hahahaha. I hope Nintendo cancels Zelda botw for Wii U. They might as well. It's so dead it's not even funny anymore. Wait I just laughed so I guess it still sorta funny... but in a sad way.

@Galactus_33 I actually hope Nintendo cancels BoTW Wii U, most Wii U owners are gonna get the Switch version instead especially after seeing how bad the framerates are, the majority of the people who is gonna buy the Wii U version is probably doing it just for collection purposes

@Mega_Yarn_Poochy Well, Kickstarter isn't a storefront, so no, I wouldn't have the absolute expectation of receiving a product in return for the money I pledged. I've been careful about which projects I have pledged towards, and sure enough, most every project that I have pledged for that succeeded has followed through. However, I don't absolutely expect something in return. I expect them to do their best with their project, keep me updated on how it's going, and maybe get something out of it. Maybe.

@gcunit Or wait for the Switch version. Clearly, the Wii U backers did not waste their money so stop acting so salty!

@Lewieboy124 That is interesting to learn, but it still doesn't tell us the whole story. "Sadly, that is the truth" in that highlighted response doesn't clarify whether or not the technical issues they encountered being a primary reason for ending Wii U support was true. It only confirms that the decision was made at least due in part to a projection of poor sales. So there may be a bit of misinterpretation there, due to (ironically) how poorly worded and simple the response was.

@PlywoodStick Okay then. You and me must have different standards.

Playtonic promised this on their Kickstarter page.

"If our initial Kickstarter funding goal is reached, backers can be assured that the Playtonic team will deliver a complete and satisfying game package. However, given the opportunity and additional resources required, we have a list of ‘dream’ additional extras – and release structures - that we’d love to deliver in order to make Yooka-Laylee an even better game.

If funded, Yooka-Laylee will be released for Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Wii U. However, the exact release timing and scope of each version will be determined by the success of this Kickstarter campaign and specifically, our stretch goals."

Not being able to play the game on the Wii U, to me, is not a "satisfying game package". Thus, Playtonic broke their own promise and I have every right to be angry at them.

@gcunit

I don't buy it.

@Mega_Yarn_Poochy Not different standards per se, just different understandings of what Kickstarter (and crowd funding in general) actually is.

I'm sorry to say but I commented negatively previously and could see this coming a mile off. I played this at an event and they could run this on a n64 but then the gameplay was from about that era anyway. Crowd funded as well, poor

@dew12333 No, they were offering an N64 cart with a Yooka Laylee sticker and a 64GB flash drive with the game built in, not an actual copy of the game that legitimately runs on the N64. I think you misinterpreted the "N64 cart version" they were offering... Again, reading the fine print saves the day.

Hehehehe. The consumerist are strong in these comments.

@Hikingguy If I put money into a project knowing that it had some inherent risk in the form of no absolute guarantees and it turns out that my particular request wasn't able to be delivered, then the company gave me a full refund as well as other options, I don't think I'd be losing too much sleep over the potential interest I might have gotten off of my small amount of money had I invested it elsewhere. The damage is extremely limited when you consider the inherent risk in the system.

@SharkAttackU

Nintendo will never go mobile only. They're a very conservative company and they like to control things. Always have and always will. I believe they'll pour their mobile profits into console development/games which means bigger budgets and better games for consoles. I see mobile more as a casual/marketing strategy than a complete shift by Nintendo and this has been echoed by Nintendo themselves. Theme parks, mobile endeavors, and being more lax with licenses in other mediums points to Nintendo expanding their marketing strategy which will only help drive their console business. Only people from Push Square that have nothing else better to do like to push the "Nintendo is doomed" and "Nintendo is going third party if Switch doesn't sell by the billions" narrative because they want to see Mario on their PS4 and will kick and scream because they know it will never happen legally. Switch is already getting a ton of public attention so it's future looks bright, but even if it did bomb Nintendo has the cash and the brand to stay around in the console space for a long time so long as consoles are still profitable. They don't have to sell 70 million consoles to be profitable either. Also, do we already forget that Wii was the most popular console of all time and the DS/3DS line has sold hundreds of millions of units as well? Nintendo is not Sega and Nintendo will be just fine.

@PlywoodStick No, you are wrong.

I'm surprised they did this as the whole goal for kickstarter was to make this game happen. How backers actually accept this is sad. They must feel really stupid now. I guess prople will stay dumb as always.

@PaperMario64 I backed Yooka Laylee for the PC; according to the information on the Kickstarter pages, Playtonic didn't actually begin working on the Wii U version until some point after E3. So it wasn't actually the base of the project like many people believe. The base was the x86 version for PC/PS4/XB1. This is because the game is being developed in Unity, which the Wii U has major problems with.

Back in June, Grant Kirkhope and Steve Mayles did an interview with GameXplain, and even then, they had not yet even internally had any serious discussions on GamePad and Miiverse functionality. That's right- not even two of the top employees had anything to talk about on the matter, circa E3 2016, even though the project was originally estimated to have an October 2016 release.

So yeah, the Wii U version had a slim chance of success from the beginning, and by earlier this year, it became evident that it would almost certainly encounter trouble. Playtonic should have been more forthcoming about this likelihood since the beginning, though. They couldn't really highlight problems regarding the game earlier, because... Well... It hardly even existed for the Wii U. It would have just been a down port.

I had my information straight before backing, and went for the PC version because I knew this was a possibility as soon as I read in the campaign that YL would be developed in Unity. There's a lot of information going on right now on the Kickstarter comment section, with quite a bit of disappointment, so it's not a zombiefest like you think it is.

Pshh that's annoying. I think we should get something as a bonus for this really. There are people out there that will have to buy a new console or get a refund which must suck. Depending on cost I'll probably get a physical copy for my ps4, or possibly a switch version if it's announced. The toybox was great fun so I'm not cancelling over this, but at the same time it needed to be addressed much better than this. Particularly as the core fans are probably mostly nintendo gamers.

They'd better not try charge us Wii U backers extra for a Switch port instead. It's bad enough that the Wii U version is cancelled, don't rub salt in the wounds by asking for more money for what is most likely going to come much later than the other versions. I said earlier that I don't buy this excse of "unforeseen technical issues". BS. How come they waited all this time to announce that it's cancelled on Wii U while simultaneously announcing the release date for the other platforms? And proportionally Wii U owners backed this more than anyone else. It likely wouldn't exist or be as big without our support. You don't stab in the back the people who made your project a reality. This was my first time backing a Kickstarter project. I'd heard all the problems before but thought this would be different. It'll be a cold day in hell before I back another project.

People saying that it's good that it's cancelled on Wii U as it wouldn't sell as well as on Switch? Hello! We'd paid for it in advance. Plus, the Wii U has a bigger user base than Switch will have for the first year. I'm sure too that some Switch owners will also likely be peeved at what Playtonic Games have done and not buy it. Especially if it's late and we've to pay more.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Agreed. I had the luck to have the first two (and only two) games I have ever backed by this game and Mighty No. 9.

Its safe to say I'm probably not going to be a backer again for a long time.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE It's a horrible state of affairs and I was banking on Yooka-Laylee being one of my last Wii U titles; I'd prefer to play this game on a Nintendo system. I can't deny that there's something odd about holding back the bad news until the same day as a release date for the other systems.

Would you be placated if your pledge to the Switch was seemless, didn't cost anything extra and internally Playtonic worked with Nintendo to get the game released no later than, say, May 2017?

@Issi The Switch should have the same battery-life as the 3DS, I agree the size is a little more of an issue but then people have carried their 3DS' and tablets with them for years now. Also, anyone telling you the Switch will be really under-powered compared to the PS4/XB1 is still ignoring reality.

It would be sad to see Nintendo turn into a SEGA as Nintendo has driven a lot of advances in it's rivals over the years, analogue sticks, the d-pad, motion controls, 3D platforming, inventing Playstation & causing it's birth by p**sing off Sony...

@Zadaris That would definitely help. Then that brings me onto another matter. Buying the Switch. I said I wouldn't buy it at launch after how badly they handled Wii U but I've not missed a Nintendo home console launch from the SNES on. But I know I probably will likely buy it. It depends on the cost and what happens on January 13th.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Can't blame you for thinking of giving it a miss on launch day; once bitten twice shy eh.

If Nintendo manages to pull off something fantastic with its presentation like revealing some sublime specs and a massive sizzle reel of both launch and near-future games that people actually want it could just work out.

Fingers crossed!

@SLIGEACH_EIRE After everything else I've posted today, all I can say is: read the fine print before getting all excited and diving into something. I've backed 37 successfully funded projects, and all of them have either panned out well or are still ongoing, including Yooka Laylee. None of them so far have ultimately turned out to be a truly failed project that couldn't deliver in the end. (And no, YL doesn't count as failing, I backed it for PC knowing that the game would be developed in Unity, which the Wii U can't handle very well)

Edit: Went through history of each backed project, no absolute failures yet

@Tasuki Yeah, I gave them my money to make a "gem" and they didn't, so I'm disappointed.

@Zadaris Unfortunately it could have great specs but some people would still talk the Switch down. It's becoming clear that many people don't recognise what a huge difference the processor makes in a console/PC and just look at things like the RAM.

Take the Wii U, it had more RAM than the PS3/360 but used a chip architecture (Power PC) which was almost a decade older than it's rivals & developers struggled to even port 360 games too it. RAM is not a miracle worker. Now we look to Switch that has around the same RAM & a newer chip than the XB1/PS4 & many people are saying it'll be a small Wii U. You can't win.

Just to clarify, the Switch won't be quite as powerful as the PS4 due to power restraints, however it'll likely be so close you couldn't see the difference outside of being the game's dev.

@DanteSolablood True. At the end of the day there are many components under the hood and they all have to gel well together to get the best out of the machine

I think the main concern now is to make developing games for it as hassle free as possible, both for Nintendo themselves and potential third-party devs. In the future, if a spec boost is well and truly needed to bridge the gap between the Pro or Scorpio, Nvidia could simply develop a replacement dock option that comes with extra processing power for a reasonable fee. Translating that buff to its handheld state is the only thing I can't fathom.

@Zadaris Indeed, an i3 PC with 8GB of RAM will not have the same capabilities as an i7 with 4GB of RAM, you need to take everything into consideration.

You are correct, I was thinking about the Switch & a potential additional CPU in the dock explains why they would use USB-C in the dock but not have a USB-C out. It'd allow an addition processor or GPU to communicate with the main unit also as well as a physical connection... and makes use of the patent filed a while back.

While I am saddened and disappointed by the cancellation of the Wii U port, I can only hope the Switch port can be the best it can be.

@capitalism
May I share my story ? Yeah, I also experienced with some people who really want Mario on Sony or Microsoft. They keep telling Nintendo will never able to compete with Sony. Very sad and pathetic to hear but I still pray for Nintendo for their success. I really want Nintendo finally able to fight back against those 2 Nefarious game company.

@gcunit I respect your opinion.

Good to see that many people here are standing up against Playtonic's lies! Over at the Playtonic forum they are just butt kissing PT!!

Think a certain company has gotten too big for their boots.

Hmph, so the £15 I pledged for the wii U over the £10 it was for steam will get me what exactly now?

I understand why they did this. And it happened before (see the expansion pack for DK64!)

But don't act all "wiiu is dead, move to switch"
like that isn't a big deal. I'm a student living on my own, I can afford 1 game every half year (at discount.)

Moving consoles is hell for me. It was crap to give up my gamecube, it sucked buying a wiiu and it's gonna take me at least 1,5 year to scrap together 200 bucks for something "fun"

So this really sucks, it's not fun and I've just lost the game I was looking forward the most during this entire console cycle.

@garfreek As someone who doesn't have much money myself... PC is much more accommodating than consoles. Waiting for sales, along with freeware, ensures that even with a larger initial investment in a modern PC, it's much cheaper than consoles in the long run. Then again, I've been able to scrounge up various PC parts that others didn't want anymore and put together systems on my own, without paying anything... So that's made a difference. Even here, the PC version of Yooka Laylee was cheaper than the console versions.

@PaperMario64
Not accepting it would be dumb, as we can't change it. As backers we are forced to accept this development, or live in eternal agony.

I don't feel stupid either, as I know that when I willingly donate money to a creative project, I cannot be guaranteed what I will get in return.
That is the foundation of any Kickstarter project, so I only really listen with half an ear to people who overlook this detail, and subsequently decide to feel betrayed on some sort of personal level when anything like this happens.

I listen with maybe an eighth of an ear when people who didn't even back a certain project try to tell me how I ought to fee about something.

@jimi "to cancel Zelda U right now"

My concern is Nintendo will do what Playtonic tried to do but couldn't. I think Playtonic must have known for awhile Wii U wasn't working, but they didn't want to tell anybody that until they could announce the Switch version to ease the pain a bit. So they waited and waited, but Nitneod wouldn't let them announce the Switch version yet. I know some devs have announced games, but just a few, not nearly enough games for launch and the months after. And NONE, NOT A ONE, of those games have a release date. I think that's the sticking point. Playtonic wasn't allowed to say Yooka-Laylee on Switch Apil 11 but Nintedo isn't allowing devs to give release dates. So Playtonic waited, but they had to announce the Wii U cancellation when the others got dated.

I do know that reads kind of nuts, but it makes sense in my head.

So anyway, I don't think Nintnedo would cancel Zelda U until they could announce a date for Zelda Switch, figuring that would cut down on the pain a bit if people knew exactly what day they could get it on Switch. Also, the longer they wait to cancel it, the longer it looks like they tried to get it to work, even if they've already stopped. The new trailer was nice, but anybody can program something to look good in game in a cut scene, but the trick is getting 30fps while playing, which it didn't seem to be doing at The Gmae Awards. Not as bad as peel made it out to be, but not perfect either.

I still think it will come out, but well have a Hyrule Warriors 3DS scenario where the New 3DS runs, the old 3DS more like hobbles along.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2J98CvVau4

I'm expecting a lot of pop-in and fog in the distance on Wii U. Playable, but side by side comparisons will be ugly. If it doesn't gt canceled. Hard to shake that feeling.

@PlywoodStick
You seemed to miss read my comment. I was referring to the fact that from playing this at an event i saw nothing to see that this could've run on a n64. I didn't know about that cart thing but I know bs when I hear it, and everything I read about this smelt of it. Tbh I don't like to be right as people got scammed by that bs.

@John_Enigma More like Wii U RIP (Nov 2012 to June 2016)

@PlywoodStick As I remember there was a set of money goals where there was promise for digital for a certain amount, physical for another etc. I think that was very misleading when it looks like the chances was really slim to begin with. Too bad, the game looked really good on steam, like a classic N64 game...

@PlywoodStick
Friends keep telling me too!
I love steam, and I'm so glad I'm finally getting the chance to play some playstation games this way (final fantasy 7-10, here I come!)
I'll never stop buying Nintendo consoles, but It's a good alternative untill I can actually spend a little more ^_^

Yes! That will teach you Nintendo with your weak Switch console. I'm sure there's more reason than just technical buhhahahiahaha sorry bout it. Told you all it will flatline before it's been released. Just my honest opinion

@Hikingguy So sorry for your loss...

@Phin68 Hardware wise. I'm not surprised to be honest. I was getting it for my Xbox One so I'm not even remotely affected by this. Besides I doubt Breath Of The Wild is going to be all that it's cracked out to be. Nintendo has been making some bad choices recently so I'm not going to hold my breath.

@JH64 I am not a game dev, but my friend who is an indie game developer has told me coding with Unity for Wii U is a nightmare.