Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night Coming To Switch, Wii U Version Deader Than Drac Himself

inb4 a certain someone says a certain something.

Don't worry, I'm sure the Wii U has a zillion other Kickstarter funded games still on-track for release.....

I'm totally fine with this. Some sort of Castlevania on Switch feels like NES days all over again! Oh the joy!!

Ouch, not cool. I know the WiiU is dead however, weren't they in the middle of building the game for WiiU? Why not finish now so there is no bad blood and port later? What about the people that haven't upgraded yet? Normally I would say you buy what the games are on and that is that but this is my issue with kickstarter. Don't take money and make an empty promise only to expect someone to make an additional investment when you were the one that promised otherwise. I understand games moving mid development but traditionally they don't require backing from the consumer base. Not cool, not cool. At least they are offering refunds.

Makes sense. If I was a developer I'd find it pointless releasing on the Wii U. The Switch is the way forward.

inb4 people are surprised about this for whatever reason.

Wasn't right before launch, they gave us the info we needed right away, and if you are hapy with a Switch version its just done automatically.

Suck it Playtonic

Soon as they said it was delayed till 2018, I knew the Wii U version was canned even if they wouldn't say. As long as the Switch gets a physical release, I'm alright with this move. The game looks pretty awesome and I've been desperately waiting a proper exploration based Castlevania since 2008's Order of Ecclesia.

Wii U is dead and has been dead for a long time. This makes total sense.

Since the game want in production yet I doubt it will be a port. If anything it's probably easier to make for the Switch given the architecture of the switch

@Tendogamerxxx
It has more owners with access to the eShop than the Switch will have for at least another six months though.

I had backed the Wii U version but I was considering transferring to the Vita as I like playing Metroidvania style games on portable, despite wanting to play in HD. This change has helped realised my dream.

Although may still back it on Vita too for collectors sake and for smaller portable capability.

About this, disappointing for those holding out for Wii U but honestly not surprised. If it had been for an old but popular console like the PS2 was then it would have been worth it as there would be plenty of potential sales due to large market share. With the low number of Wii U's sold, the fact that quite a number of people are not actively supporting it by buying games (instead buying for other platforms) and that the Switch offers something unique with its portability.

I figured this was coming after the announced delay. A shame, but understandable.

@Angelic_Lapras_King sure, sureeeeeee......

I thought they'd admitted to giving up on the Wii U version months ago?!?

Why release a game for a dead console,doesn't make sense.

I'm not surprised and can't say I honestly don't prefer this as a backer with a Switch. But this does suck for those yet to leave their WiiU.

I wonder what is going on with Little Devil Inside? That was another big indie Kickstarter penned for a WiiU release.

It's sad to see the Wii U go out like this, but it's understandable. The Wii U has no future. It's last hurrah was Zelda and now it's time to put it out to pasture. The one good thing to come out of this however is that the Switch should end up with no lack of software in the coming months and that should help keep pushing the hardware in all the ways that the Wii U didn't get for it's launch.

. ...aahh my heart *pulls out stake..also like Drac, the Wii U version will never see the light of day...

@Ryu_Niiyama The game is coming out in 2018 the Wii U I think might have a handful of titles coming out. At this point it is easier to cut development for the Wii U and relocate those funds to the far easier to develop for Switch.

It is unfortunate, but it just makes business sense and by 2018 it will make fanbase sense as well.

@NickOfTime90 I'm here. Now, what will I say? It's sad but was to be expected. At least they were more honest than Playtonic. There's that at least.

There is no reason or excuse to abandon the platform, and Switch owners (like myself) need not get to proud as it likely speaks ill of the project as well. Clearly if they had the Wii U in mind from a development standpoint, that version should be intact and released for what is still a decent install base. Betting the farm on the Switch is dumb no matter what, as a move that alienates potential consumers across both platforms.

@Equinox I understand that. It's not ideal but they are being offered a refund or a better version of the game for their money. People should know the risks with Kickstarter by now. I agree with you that the PS Vita release doesn't make sense though.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE If I payed close attention all this time, your comment would contain:

-something about your undying love for wiiU
-something negative about switch
-something about the developer screwing
wiiU owners

Right?

@Wexter As I stated in my comment my issue is with taking backer's money in exchange for a promised version. When produced traditionally I have no issue with dev changes/delays (except outright cancellations...RIP Scalebound) as this is just a concept, however once you have my money I feel a certain sense of expectation. I have this viewpoint on other things as well. I understand that the dev is giving investors recourse options but after placing one's faith in monetary form into something it feels like a raw deal. I would be hesitant to buy from that dev in the future. After all, there are so many games that release in a given year, all competing for consumer funds.

This may not be the real reason, but the article says that the makers of the game did not receive enough support from the makers of the hardware (i.e. Nintendo). This decision might not have been just Igarashi's.

I switched from a PS4 physical copy to a Switch physical copy.

I can understand the reasoning.

But it also reinforces my stance that kickstarters really aren't worth the grief. There is no guarantee you'll get a product for your cash, or that it'll be of an acceptable quality.

Looking at this game, I'm not convinced it won't just end up another Mighty No. 2... sorry, I mean 9.

@NickOfTime90 And yet, in this instance, @SLIGEACH_EIRE said none of those things.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE I'm not too happy with Playtonic either. I really want to know what their new plan is before the other versions release.

not surprised.

@flapjackashley2 you're right! You got me😁

@Equinox Despite a smaller install base, the Vita is known for having a very dedicated fan base that actively supports almost every release. On top of that unlike the Wii U, it technically has no replacement console so it's users continue to support it.

@BLP_Software platonic did the samething.I backed it for Wii u mine was changed to switch lol

@NickOfTime90 platonic game is coming to switch lol

@NickOfTime90 I told the same idiot the same I switch this and playtonic game from Wii u to switch

@Slim1999 yeah I know but there is no release date and no confirmation for a physical release as far as I know. I just really want a switch version in stead of an xbox version but if its digital only i'll go with xbox.

@Equinox they took peoples money and offered a refund lol did you read any of the post lol.THEY OFFER YOU A REFUND!!! How is that taking peoples money and not gaining trust when most kickstarters don't give back your money lol

@Slim1999 who are you calling an idiot?

How did games ever get made before Kickstarter?!!

Slightly off topic, but with this game being like Castlevania and SotN celebrating its 20th birthday the other day. I purchased Rondo of Blood from the Wii VC this morning. What an awesome game! And available on Wii U too 😀

The only surprise here is how long it took them to announce it, IMO. I'm happy it's coming to Switch, and a little sad for everyone that wanted it on Wii U.

I'll be getting this if it lives up to the DS Castlevanias and reviews well.

This is understandable, especially considering its 2018 release date. What I am considering now is whether I should put some money towards this in the slackerbacker thingy and get a physical copy for Switch that way.

@Ryu_Niiyama I understand, but that is the risk of kickstarter that a game or version may never arrive. I much rather them pinpoint focus on delivering a great experience and not compromise their vision even if that means I need to change my order to the PS4 or Switch.

It just makes a whole lot of business sense to drop Wii U support at this point and focus on giving the Switch version the amount of TLC it deserves than splinter that focus to deliver a version that works on Wii U even though it requires working with an engine that was never officially supported for it. UE4 I feel was a big decision for this because it is natively supported on the Switch and Epic has said that they worked very closely with Nintendo engineers to make porting with that engine as simple as it can get. Compare that to the Wii U and UE4 where Epic response was a chuckle. I mean the amount of documentation and experimentation to even get the game to work on Wii U is impressive, but will probably be left in the dust or be holding back the launch of the other versions or be delivered later, it just makes sense to cut it and work on the Switch which by late next year will probably dwarf the Wii U audience.

At least that is how I see it.

To the surprise of no one. There was no chance of this coming to Wii U in 2018, it's already yesterday's news. Glad the Switch is confirmed now tho.

The Wii U version was cancelled? I'm in utter shock.........said no one ever.

To their credit, they aren't waiting until the last minute and passing it off as "technical issues."

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Another +1 for Wii U. Wait...nevermind.

Can't be upset; literally saw this coming.

This was inevitable, after Yooka-Laylee's cancellation I was certain this would be the case.

+1 for Nintendo Switch <3

I remember being devastated when Hyper Light Drifter for wii u was axed. That's just the nature of Kickstarter though. I hope they bring Drifter to the Switch now.

@Ryu_Niiyama it wasn't even gunna come out this year anyway if i recall and by then almost no one would really buy it compared to what could have anyways.

I love my Wii U, I'm never getting rid of it, but I'm glad I got a Switch. I rather have this game on the Switch anyway. If only I could transfer half the Wii U games I own to tge Switch, including my giant Virtual Console collection. We all know that will never happen though.

"We are very sorry that it has come to this after all your support"

no you're not, no need to lie

I don't understand why anyone would ever back anything on KickStarter. It seems like more and more that we keep hearing about these developers backing out of promises and cancelling projects. Why would anyone give them money when you're not even guaranteed to get anything in return. I'll just wait until the game comes out and decide then whether or not to give them my hard earned money...I'm happy this is coming to Switch though.

Have it on Xbox one. Fine game and fine addition to the Switch library.

Will I buy this day 1 for Wii U/or switch? Yes. Will I ever give money to kickstarter? No, for reasons just like this

Another developer screwing over backers. They were paid to make a Wii U version. They should be sticking to that.

No surprise here. Happened with Yooka-Laylee, now Bloodstained. I guess it's good that I selected PC version for both for the simple reason that one day the Wii U will die, will be expensive to repair, and I won't be able to easily replace it since it is no longer produced. One day my PC will die, but I can easily replace it, reinstall Steam and redownload those and my GOG games, and continue playing the games I purchased.

@invictus4000 Some would say it is for avoiding this game.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE It's weird how people make fun of you and criticize your opinions, yet seem to hang on your every word. Even though I rarely agree with your opinions, you keep doing you. Being able to intelligently convey something on an open forum without resorting to name calling and harrassing makes you better than most people here.

I'd expected this will happen, not surprising since Yooka-Laylee did the same thing.

@RedMageLanakyn Thank you. I always feel that yes we may all have different opinions but at the very least we should be civil to one another. In fairness the vast majority are, with the odd exception.

Old news. He announced this forever ago.

@joey302 It doesn't come out until 2018 so the fact you "have" a Xbox copy is absolute false.

Loving the assumption that everyone who backed the Wii U version has or plans to have a Switch.

Ryu_Niiyama said it best: it would have been better for them to have finished the Wii U version (which their outsourced team, Armature, presumably has been working on this entire time), then to port and modify the Switch version from another console's version. The Wii U version likely would have had slightly different gameplay and features, with its dual-screens and weaker engine, anyway...so, using existing assets from the Wii U version for the Switch version's development (as they stated they would do) seems strange, pointless, and costly.

Now, instead, Iga's team (like so many Wii U Kickstarter project developers before them) has unnecessarily drawn ire from a significant portion of his backers for, truly, accepting their money on false pretenses. The refund offer is appreciated. The lack of integrity isn't.

I sincerely wish the best for Iga, Inafune, Playtonic, and other developers of ambitious, high-profile indie games that never fulfilled their promises, and I very much hope that they learn from these infidelitous mistakes in their future endeavors.

Kickstarter: never again.

@OptometristLime A highly underrated perspective.

@LiberatedAnimal you're absolutely right!! I got confused with Slain- Back from Hell!! Also a pretty good game but my bad lol

Pretends to be surprised Oh, no... How could they...?

Disappointing, but I consider their reasoning to be pretty logical. I won't hold it against them. And besides, I already have a Switch on the way.

As long as the game continues to have Galleon Minerva as a music track, I'm on board.

never heard of it

"Please understand!"

I'll happily get it for Switch.

@Masurao I was about to say much the same thing. I'm heartened to see sombody beat me to it.

Kickstarter is not a store, and you have to go into it fully expecting to never see a return on your money.

You're not giving them money to preorder a product, you're giving them money because you want to live in a world where their dreams exist, and dreams are never a sure thing. I know I still want to live in a world where Koji Igarashi is still making metroidvanias (just like I still want to live in a world where the ol' Rare veterans are still making collectathons), and it's nothing short of awesome that Kickstarter exists to transmute our money into even a chance at that reality.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE

I'm going to try being nicer to you.

@Masurao "Reach this stretch goal [by giving us more of your money than we need to make our game], and we will release the game on Wii U"

What idea is being invested by this? Are backers not entitled to what they purchased, what was promised to them through their purchase? If they asked for a Wii U version (and many did), they did not just back the greater project. They also purchased what the Kickstarter team promised them that they could choose as a reward for their backing: the Wii U version.

It is true that developers shouldn't spread themselves too thin, but promising things that they cannot deliver (by being overwhelmed and/or making mistakes) as a reason why people should fund their projects is not an excuse for invalidating contractual agreements with your funders. This is what happened. Why is this beyond criticism?

Not surprised, so many developers are unreliable and can't keep their promise. Bloodstained has looked really weak for a longtime and the release date keeps getting pushed back years so it might be this one comes out on PC, Xbox Two, PS5 and Switch in the end.

I learned my mistakes from the Mighty No. 9 failure and did not back Bloodstained or Yooka-Laylee back in the day. Too unreliable devs and turns out my instincts were correct on both cases.

What I'm confused about is why they're deciding to axe the Wii U version instead of the Vita version. I mean, I love my Vita, but barely anyone else does. Not that I'm complaining about the Switch version, but damn, IGA, you might've goofed hard on this one.

@SwitchVogel looking at how Bloodstained is slowly creeping forward as a project, they will be dropping Vita as well quite soon. And it's quite optimistic for them to say it comes out in 2018, it's looking more like a 2019 and with that they might drop the Xbox One version also since that console is not doing so hot right now.

The reason @SLIGEACH_EIRE has come to garner such a negative reputation is because all too often, they open a door filled with balloons and throw in a hydrogen bomb. Or a porcupine.

We are all guilty of the odd comment which may be lacking in perspective, but there is something to be said for offering opinions from a constructive mindset.

And nobody was surprised...

What is this "Wii U" you speak of?

This is good. It focuses development because they don't need to make it under a different engine, plus the Switch needs games. I back originally wanting it on Wii U, but I am more than happy that I can play it on Switch.

@Pod This game is going to release far later than another 6 months though.

@Ryu_Niiyama It makes me think they never bothered to start wiiu production at all. they would of known of the switch long ago and probably were building it to that platform all along, hoping most people would simply shift their pledge assuming the wiiu fans had then bought a switch. i still love my wiiu and this would of bene a great late addition to the library.

Kickstarter makes it easier than ever for fools and their money to be parted.

It's nonetheless fairly reprehensible to specifically add something as a "stretch goal", have that goal met, and then tell people that no, that won't be happening after all, but your options include buying another $300 console.

Plot Twist: Development switches to PS4 only thanks to massive cash injection by Sony. But even those of you without a PlayStation are cool with it because you guys only "invested in an idea" and "it makes business sense".

Glad I got a new laptop!

They're offering refunds or platform switches. I think all this talk of being swindled and whatnot needs to stop due to this.

If you want to talk bad about kickstarted games, go look up Unsung Story for some perspective.

@Kolzig : spot on! My concerns about Bloodstained No9 ever being releases are heightened even further by this statement. Development has been creaking along for years, and yet they have the audacity to BLAME NINTENDO for lack of support?!? Amateur hour.

@joey302 No worries. Just wanted clarification on that. If you were playing a build, I wanted in. Lol

@LiberatedAnimal yea no such luck! But I look forward to Bloodstained on Switch...hopefully a retail version to choose from. But If you do have a PS4 or Xbox give Slain a try. Pretty cool game in the castlevania type genre.

People should just expect this to happen. Basically all in flight projects for the Wii U will get moved to switch. It doesn't really make any business sense to launch a game on a failed platform after its successor has already launched. Wii U never had a huge install base to begin with, and surely it is dwindling.

@Ryu_Niiyama I understand your point but i'm pretty sure the decision to make the switch has been taken a long while ago. They just waited to announce it. They probably never really developped the WiiU since they knew a new platform was coming. WiiU was not compatible with Unreal Engine 4 after all and it was a complicated version for this reason. Now things are much more simple for them. Off course, it is sad since they had promise it but i think it make sense overall.

@xj220_afiles Which would be even worse because that means the dev knowingly had people investing in a vaporware product.

@Gauchorino Thank you.

Wii U will be dead by 2018. No point throwing money in a furnace.

@Dunan Being refunded for a bait-and-switch means there is no reason to criticise them for deceiving their backers through bait-and-switch tactics? Mental gymnastics like this is what needs to stop.

@Gauchorino If it involves mental gymnastics then it's been clearly misunderstood. People who wanted the Wii U version will choose a different platform or get a refund. Other people wouldn't have pushed for the stretch goal of the Wii U if it didn't interest them.

Being offered a refund is nothing to scoff at and even then, they don't need to do that if they can justify that the money was spent.

There's no need to blow it up beyond what it is and trying to convince everyone else that the sky is falling and dramatizing it.

Remember that Kickstarter is an investment into an idea, not a pre-order shop. During the process of it, things can change, for better or for worse, and that's something that needs to be understood.

@Dunan The project creators, themselves, treat it as a "pre-order shop" when they promise to reward their backers with an item they commit (in writing and often also on video) to make of a backer's (limited) choice. If it were simply a matter of investing in an idea, there would be no need to offer rewards.

But say it does only involve investing in an idea. When you make a monetary investment, the terms by which you invested should be clear and binding. If they change, the party of sale is at fault for unscrupulously infringing the terms previously agreed to. A poor investment and unfaithful.

Kickstarter rewards and stretch goals are terms agreed to by the contract...of sale. If the project creator does not fully deliver on his promises to his funders (including giving them the reward promised to them in exchange for their funding, before they funded the project), then he is at fault for invalidating the terms he established with his funders before they funded his project. Offering a refund for his blunder is not an excuse for breaking a contract, as you've seemed to imply, much less immunity to criticism of his blunder.

See Kid_Sickarus' above comment for a concise and cleverly-worded illustration of this.

This is why I remain against Kickstarter in general. I'd love physical copies of kickstarter games, but I will not ever be able to accept investing in a kickstarter.

As the investor you assume the risk of a publisher, without any capital gains on that investment. Meanwhile the company you invest in DOES make capital gains on your investment before "refunding" your original value minus inflation.

I like this project, and I'm glad it's coming to Switch, and it's not entirely Iga's fault that he used Kickstarter as it works, the project got delayed to a time period after one of the target platform's obsolescence, but it's a failing of Kickstarter as a concept for game dev, and an extra little finger of shame to Iga for using Kickstarter merely as a proof of concept for a real publisher. So the WiiU investors are kind of used twice. They never invested in the game, just proved to the publisher that demand for the game existed, and then got their platform removed anyway.

I can't say it's not the right decision here, it is, but it sucks in the way Kickstarter is used for games at all.

If anything this speaks for the value of real publishers. Much as we might complain, Capcom, Konami, etc are professionals about setting reasonable target deadlines and keeping on target, and keeping the funding and risk pools internal. (Except when Kojima is involved...)

You know, I think this is ultimately for the best. That said... There will now be no version of Bloodstained with a second screen map. That is the real tragedy here, considering the last three Igavania games were on DS.