Tag: Industry - Page 30
News Platinum Love The 3DS, But Are Too Busy To Work On It Right Now
A case of "what if"
Platinum Games executive director Atsushi Inaba has expressed his admiration for Nintendo's 3DS console in a recent interview with The Verge, but has also added that the company has too many ongoing projects to fund development for a 3DS game at present. He said: We are very interested in the Nintendo 3DS as a platform. I view...
News Toys R Us Taking Wii U Pre-Orders Again
Wii U Basic Bundle and two games available for $419
While stores left, right and centre are running out of pre-orders for the Wii U, it's since turned out that Toys R Us is now accepting them again. There's a caveat, of course - they're fresh out of Wii U Premium Models, and are bundling the Basic 8 GB model with copies of Scribblenauts: Unlimited...
News Reggie Fils-Aime: "The Nintendo Power Brand is Very Strong"
Struggles of the print industry to blame for closure
For loyal readers of Nintendo Power, or perhaps just those that have fond memories of reading it in their youth, the December issue will be the last print copy to enjoy. Perhaps unlike any other website or magazine closures in recent years this is undeniably one that can be directly traced to...
News GameStop Closes Wii U Pre-Orders in the U.S.
Waiting lists opened
While pre-orders are still very much available, at the time of writing, around Europe and elsewhere, it seems that demand for Wii U in the U.S. is hitting some impressive heights. We previously reported that Wii U pre-orders were selling out in the U.S., in terms of online purchases, but it's now being reported by softpedia.com...
Interview Unity - Licensing Deal Means A New Era For Indies On Nintendo Systems
We speak exclusively to Unity's Tracy Erickson about the new agreement with Nintendo
Nintendo recently signed a worldwide license agreement with Unity Technologies to bring its multi-platform engine and development tools to the Wii U. To get a better idea of what benefits this deal will bring, we spoke exclusively to Unity's Tracy Erickson, who is...
News Rodea the Sky Soldier Still Has No Release Plans
Former Sonic man is keen to work on Wii U
Do you remember Rodea the Sky Soldier from Yuji Naka's PROPE studio, the man who many credit with creating Sonic the Hedgehog? It's supposed to be released on Wii and 3DS, with the handheld version being handled by another developer, Kadokawa Games, the same organisation in charge of publishing the Wii...
News Firebrand Games: "Nintendo Needs to Charm the Mass Market" With Wii U
"People still need Nintendo"
Now that the Wii U hype train is getting closer to its final destination, there'll be much analysis and opinion on what Nintendo needs to do to make it a success. There'll be plenty of talk about its technical capabilities as well, of course, but for developers and Nintendo itself it's really all about how many Wii U...
News Wii U Pre-Orders Selling Out in the U.S.
If you haven't ordered one, cross those fingers
Last week we produced a Wii U pre-order guide, as a starting point for those interested in securing the new system before launch. Unfortunately, if you've been hesitating for too long it looks like you may miss out, with online orders at least. The story that GameStop was sold out of Deluxe bundles...
News Eurogamer Expo 2012 To Host Exclusive Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Dev Session
Treyarch designer due to talk about forthcoming FPS epic
Just in case you weren't excited enough about the impending release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 on the Wii U, UK site Eurogamer has confirmed that Treyarch game design director David Vonderhaar will be holding a developer session at this year's Eurogamer Expo. The session will take place at...
News Ex-Rare Staffer: Exodus Wouldn't Have Happened Under Nintendo
Former employee admits that Microsoft sale has changed the company
In September 2002, Microsoft purchased UK developer Rare for $375 million, effectively ending the firm's long-running association with Nintendo - a relationship which resulted in some of the best games ever created. Fast forward a decade, and Rare is a very different beast. Many key...
News Reggie: $299 Is Strong Value, And Is Going To Be For a Long Time
Nintendo of America's president talks Wii U pricing and the impact of the 3DS cut
Unless you're living under a rock, you'll know that yesterday Nintendo confirmed the global pricing for its new Wii U console. In North America, the Basic set will retail for $299.99 and the Deluxe for $349.99. Speaking to GI.biz, Reggie Fils-Aime outlined his...
News Rodney Greenblat: Nintendo Works on Creativity and Originality in Games "24/7"
"Playstation and XBox have little incentive to do that"
Rodney Greenblat is a name likely to be familiar to Sony gaming enthusiasts, as he was the designer and artistic creator for PaRappa the Rapper on PS1, as well as the sequel on PS2. Even those who've staunchly stuck with Nintendo all of these years have probably encountered these rhythm games...
News Resident Evil Director Wants To Make a Monster Hunter Flick
Run to the hills
Despite the sheer volume of duds and the critical mauling they invariably receive, Hollywood still seems obsessed with tapping into video game culture and creating movies based on well-known gaming franchises. The failures of Super Mario Bros., Street Fighter, Dead or Alive and Alone in the Dark have done nothing is dampen the...
Talking Point The Importance of the Wii U Press Event
Battle for the limelight
This Thursday’s Wii U press event is a big deal for Nintendo. Well, let’s assume it is, as a loose teaser for future reveals may cause too much fan anguish to control: we’re talking mass hysteria and riots on the streets. Joking aside, we’re 99% confident that Nintendo’s going to hit us with at least two big pieces...
News Staff Reshuffle At Nintendo Of Europe
Digby out, Mathers in
Nintendo of Europe has announced two big staff changes, with Nintendo UK's Lewis Digby leaving to join French mobile game company Gameloft and ex-journalist Martin Mathers hopping on as Online Editor. Digby joined Nintendo as a PR manager four and a half years ago. He had this to say about the move: I’ve had the most...
Talking Point Wii U and the Next Generation of Consoles
Getting there first
Wii U is getting ever closer, with a press conference scheduled for this week that’s expected to include details such as the system's price and a launch date. It’s possible to argue that Nintendo has been playing it too slowly in terms of building hype for Wii U, but that’s the company’s style in recent years when...
Interview Endgame Studios and the Long Road to Fractured Soul
An eight year journey ends on eShop
Recently, Australian developer Endgame Studios announced that it was self publishing Fractured Soul on the 3DS eShop, a title that has been eight years in the making. The action takes place over two screens at the same time with platforming, run and gun and shmup sections featuring throughout; it'll be released on...
News August NPD Results Are Good Reading for Nintendo
Mario and 3DS XL boost figures
As part of a monthly routine that is so vitally important for developers, publishers and the big three console manufactures, U.S. market research firm NPD has released its latest software sales figures for the region, covering 29th July to 25th August. While the news for the industry as a whole is grim reading, a...
News 20 Extra Mutant Mudds Levels on The Way to eShop For Free
Oh, and Renegade Kid is now an approved Wii U developer
Mutant Mudds, a stylish retro platformer from Renegade Kid, is one of the top titles on the 3DS eShop. It's got plenty of content for those with the skills and patience, but some of you may know that the PC version has an extra 20 'Grannie' levels, which are particularly challenging stages that...
News Bethesda Yet to Decide on Support for Wii U
Clearly not in a hurry
Bethesda Game Studios is a big deal in the video game industry; the company is behind major titles such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which it developed, and it handled publication of Fallout: New Vegas. Both are epic, open-world titles with enough content to devour dozens of hours, yet if your gaming has been restricted to...
News Rhythm Thief Joins Layton in Jump to iOS
Sneaky dancer
Yesterday we brought you the news that a new Professor Layton title is heading to iOS and Android, so it only seems appropriate that we report on another DS/3DS title that's making the leap to smartphones and tablets. An iOS release of Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure, or Rhythm Kaitou R as it's known in Japan, is listed on...
News New Professor Layton Title Confirmed for iOS and Android
Taking investigations beyond Nintendo
The Professor Layton series has become rather popular on Nintendo DS and 3DS, with the first of the latest handheld's entries arriving outside of Japan in late October. It's much-loved in Japan, especially, with manga, novels and a movie — Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva — all being released, the...
News Capcom: The Next Gen Doesn't Start With Wii U
"Time is required before the next generation console cycle begins in earnest"
Capcom has released its annual report, in which it outlines the current state of its business and its predictions and aims for the future. The company has stated that it wishes to move away from the current development model - which involves big budget games with long...
News Future Publishing Shutters Nintendo Gamer Magazine
UK closure follows cancellation of Nintendo Power in North America
Future Publishing has confirmed that long-running independent magazine Nintendo Gamer is to close. The UK-based magazine, which had a circulation of just under 8,000 readers, can trace its history back to the SNES era, when it launched as Super Play - a publication which we hold...
Talking Point The Rules for Violence in Video Games
Are there rules?
Just yesterday we reported that Outdoors Unleashed: Africa 3D arrives in the North American eShop this week, an arcade shooter where the targets are assorted wildlife from the plains of the African continent. We also wrote the following: While your opinions on the merits of game hunting in Africa undoubtedly vary, we're slightly...
News Randy Pitchford Isn't All That Into Motion Controls
...despite his studio doing the Wii version of Samba de Amigo
Gearbox head guy Randy Pitchford has spoken to Gamasutra about the future of the gaming hardware industry, and has revealed that he's not all that bothered about motion control 'gimmicks': Different people make different stabs. Some of these stabs folks make become standards. Most of...
News Meet The Man Who Brought Nintendo To America
Howard Phillips' amazing journey from warehouse to boardroom
Although it's hard to imagine it now, Nintendo wasn't always a dead cert in North America. Back in the early '80s, before the company had launched the super-successful NES system in the States, it was just one of many Japanese coin-op manufacturers attempting to muscle in on the flagging...
Talking Point Challenges for the Future of Nintendo Gaming
Evolving with the industry
Recently we attended the Turing technology festival in Edinburgh, and in particular an event called Gaming@Turing. You know why we attended that one, of course. The focus of the event was to look at the future of gaming from a number of different perspectives, put forward by five experienced speakers from within the...
News New Super Mario Bros. 2 Still Grabbing Coins in UK Chart
Top single-format title
Last week there was news of a decent start in the UK for New Super Mario Bros. 2, which came into the all-format charts in second place behind the multi-platform Square Enix title Sleeping Dogs. This week has Mario's latest drop one place to third, behind Sleeping Dogs at number one and new entry Darksiders II. There was a...
News Nintendo In The Game For Golden Joystick Awards
Your votes can help
It's awards season, once again, with nominations for the 30th Golden Joystick Awards now confirmed and Nintendo games or exclusives featuring in a number of categories. These awards are decided entirely by the public, so if you feel that the big N deserves a chance to win you can have your say. Below are the nominations for...
News Sumo Digital: Wii U "Looks As Good" as HD Platforms
Shares thoughts on GPU and memory
Sumo Digital is the developer of upcoming multi-platform racer Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, a title set to hit later this year on both Wii U and 3DS. Just one week ago comments from a representative of publisher SEGA, related to this title, described the graphical capabilities of Wii U as on par or...
News Satoru Iwata: Miiverse is About More Than Competitive Multiplayer
It's a "social graph" for gamers
Since Miiverse was revealed during Nintendo's pre-E3 video presentation, it's become evident that it takes the Mii concept from Wii and expands it to something more than a humorous avatar that's playable in some games. Wii did allow some fun ways of sharing Mii characters and giving them more personality, and 3DS has...
News Nintendo Power Magazine Will End With December Issue
Nintendo issues confirmation
Yesterday we brought you the news that Nintendo Power magazine was set to be shut down, and today Nintendo has confirmed the reports. The short statement clarifies that the magazine will continue until a final issue currently planned for December. We can confirm that the December issue of Nintendo Power magazine will...
News Satoru Iwata: Demand for Rich Experiences on Handhelds "Not Going to Go Away"
Smartphones provide "different" competition
For Satoru Iwata, there are plenty of priorities and challenges to face. Nintendo is currently preparing to brings its next home console to the market, while also generating and sustaining momentum for 3DS. Both are important, but it's perhaps 3DS, and dedicated handheld gaming as a whole, that has been...
News Nintendo Power Magazine Looks Set to Shut Down
Could be the end of an era
Update: The tweet quoted below, from Nintendo Power senior editor Chris Hoffman, has since been deleted, as have a number of others sharing a similar message. As always and as promised in the original article below, we will report any official updates from Nintendo and Future Publishing. Original Article In a surprising...
Reaction Nintendo's Steady Start in Retail Downloads
It’s only half of the picture
Earlier today we reported that Satoru Iwata had given loose figures for retail downloads in Japan, which started alongside the launch of 3DS XL on 28th July. Speaking to Wall Street Journal, Iwata-san stated that New Super Mario Bros. 2 retail downloads account for 5% of sales in Nintendo’s homeland, but provided...
News Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles Helped to Save NES
In the UK they were heroes, not ninjas
It's a popular perception that NES swept all before it when it was released, dominating sales and 8-bit popular culture in the late 1980s. While that's probably true in North America and Japan, Nintendo's debut home console actually had a slow and rather unsuccessful start in the UK, with distribution via...
News The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia Tops Amazon Book Charts
Now that's epic
Last week we were rather delighted to share the news that The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia is on the way to the West, with all 272 pages of its Zelda goodness making its way out of Japan early next year. We know enthusiasts will be interested in this, but the question is whether there'll be enough demand to make it worth the...
News SEGA Declares Wii U Graphical Capabilities to be "On Par" or Better Than PS3
Steady on now
Update: Following an update to the source article, we have amended the headline to absolutely clarify that sections of this article are referring to Wii U's graphical capabilities, specifically, based on comments made by SEGA Marketing Executive Ben Finch at Gamescom. Original Article The capabilities of Wii U, from the perspective...
News Meet Founder of WayForward at Free Event on 18th August
Voldi Way returns for 4th Annual Gathering of Video Game Legends
We reported on this excellent event last year, and wouldn't you believe the 4th Annual Gathering of Video Game Legends at Westwood College in Anaheim, CA is almost upon us — which makes this a ripe time to bring it to your attention once again. The event will take place on Saturday,...
News LostWinds Developer Expands In North America
Frontier opens Canadian studio thanks to tax breaks
Frontier Developments — the team behind the WiiWare smash LostWinds and its sequel LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias — has opened its first studio outside of the UK, taking advantage of tax breaks to set up shop in Canada. The new office will be based in Nova Scotia, and will house around 20...
News Tekken Boss Thinks Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft Should Get Cosy
Tri-Force?
It's nice to want things. For example, I'm sure many people reading this would love to have a Wii U console sitting under their TV set right now. Or perhaps a brand-new Ferrari on the driveway. Heck, why not wish for your own personal tropical island paradise while you're at it? Go crazy. It's tempting to surmise that Tekken producer...
Talking Point 3DS eShop Deserves Big Franchises
Boosting digital downloads
For many Nintendo gamers, we suspect, the release of New Super Mario Bros. 2 looms large as the highlight of the next gaming month. Even if the game doesn’t innovate the plumber’s series in any major way, the purchasing options do just that. For 3DS owners it’ll no longer be a case of simply picking up a boxed game...
News Wii Music Returns to UK All-Format Top 40
Yes, really
After last week's excitement with 3DS XL arriving, and seeing some inevitable bumps in software sales, it's time to survey the scene and see whether the new handheld has brought a sustained boost to Nintendo's UK sales. The answer? Just about. In terms of Nintendo exclusive titles, there are an encouraging five within the top 20 this...
News Mobile Publisher Believes Nintendo Ecosystem May 'Fall Apart'
Here we go again
One of the continuing debates that surrounds 3DS at the moment is whether it can truly succeed against the onslaught of mobile gaming, with cheap and free-to-play titles available. Various mobile developers have questioned Nintendo's handheld prospects in recent months as a result, and the latest to hop on board is Neil Young, CEO...
News Nintendo Wins Judgement in Wii Patent Lawsuit
Talking 'bout a revolution
Nintendo has confirmed that it's seen off yet another patent lawsuit in the U.S., with this one perhaps being the most significant victory so far. A company called Copper Innovations Group, LLC had claimed that both Wii and its controllers had infringed one of its patents, but a U.S. District Court judge dismissed the case...
Reaction Age Ratings and Video Games
PEGI takes over and makes under-age selling illegal
It may come as a surprise to those who assumed it was the case, but until 30th July there was no unified, legally binding age rating system for video games in the UK. Unlike so many other products available to buy, the guidelines and ratings in place did not automatically lead to prosecution for...
News JAY Z Named As Executive Producer of NBA 2K13
Oh, he's gonna run this game
If you want to gain some street credibility for your new game, maybe the way to go is to hire a multi-million selling hip-hop star as executive producer: yep, that might do it. It's been confirmed that executive producer of upcoming Wii and Wii U title NBA 2K13 will be rap royalty JAY Z, who's had almost as many hits as...
News Capcom Hopes to Expand Fighting Game Audience
Training the next generation
The fighting genre has always been one of the harshest tests of gaming prowess; bruising tests of hand-to-eye co-ordination and memory as you try to remember all those combos and special moves. Just as that's appealing to the initiated, however, the necessary dedication can be a barrier to entry for newcomers. Capcom is...
News 3DS XL Enjoys a Steady Start in UK
Outsells 3DS 'by a factor of just over 2:1'
3DS XL arrived on Saturday in Europe and Japan, with some retailers in the UK having permission to hand out pre-orders the day before. As we reported yesterday, the latest UK charts showed a bump in some software sales, even if the new titles launched alongside the system failed to break into the top 40...
