Former EA devs start Jet Black, new Nintendo-focused studio
by Ross Miller 
{ Apr 17th 2007 at 12:25PM }
Electronic Arts Canada veterans with resumes including five Need for Speed titles, five FIFA titles and three James Bond titles have formed their own studio to focus on Nintendo DS and Wii development. The development house, Jet Black Games, has partnered with Flashman Studios, who has helped in licensing deals with Warner Bros. and Disney/Pixar, but has also said that it intends to release original IP.Kaufman Bros. analyst Todd Mitchell recently questioned the financial benefit of third parties to support the Nintendo Wii, a topic which has come up repeatedly, especially given the competition from Nintendo's own first-party titles. Even with massive sales and lower development costs, is the Wii the best console on which a startup company should focus?
No titles have been announced; according to their website, Jet Black recently ported an as-of-yet-unnamed Acronym Games 3rd person shooter from PC to Xbox Live for release in mid 2007.
[Via MCV]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Fernando Rocker @ Apr 17th 2007 12:35PM
Finally, the publishers see the ponettial of the Wii... with good designers and taletned people, the Wii can bring some amazing games. But the publishers need to stop being lazy... just see what Capcom did with Resident Evil 4, it look better than many 360 games, and it was on the Gamecube... so the Wii has a lot power undeneath the hood, its just that de developers are becoming lazy. Just imagine a Resident Evil with twice quality of RE4, but with the Wii Pointer...
I think that Metroid Prime 3 is going to show what the Wii can do (Metroid Prime 1 and 2 also look far better than Halo 1 and 2 and even some 360 games)
moosey @ Apr 17th 2007 12:35PM
cant wait for need for speed: drive: black edition: extreme collectors edition (with a dvd featuring the making of the game)
Kye @ Apr 17th 2007 12:37PM
"Even with massive sales and lower development costs, is the Wii the best console on which a startup company should focus?"
We have a saying in my industry (and many other industries i guess) 'Go where the money is'
So yes, IMHO it is a good idea to make games for the Wii.
Ken @ Apr 17th 2007 12:48PM
@Jack of Trade
Why are you stealing Jack's name? Not cool.
Charron @ Apr 17th 2007 1:01PM
Well played, Fox. Well played.
Prof_Chaos @ Apr 17th 2007 1:02PM
"@Jack of Trade
Why are you stealing Jack's name? Not cool."
Especially when you don't type it properly.
It's absolutely a good idea to start a dev company strictly focused towards Nintendo platforms. The competition from Nintendo IP's is an overstated argument. How can you complain about dev's having to compete with a slew of 1st Party IP's and also complain about constant Nintendo game droughts. They'll have, what, about 4-5 AAA Nintendo titles out by December? That's not all that much. As a Wii owner I'd like to see some 3rd party Wii titles that compare in quality to the Nintendo ones. There's certainly room to release them.
Fhaze @ Apr 17th 2007 1:04PM
@Fernando Rocker
"But the publishers need to stop being lazy"
Because EA has never done a lazy port or made a game that has not harnessed the entire power of the console they are targeting.
"I think that Metroid Prime 3 is going to show what the Wii can do"
Exploiting the full power of the Wii this early in its release? This does not bode well for Nintendo.
"(Metroid Prime 1 and 2 also look far better than Halo 1 and 2 and even some 360 games)"
And the online multiplayer in Metriod Prime was non existent (Cooperative and DeathMatch). But if we are talking Graphics whoring of the last console I see your Metriod Prime and raise you a Ninja Gaiden.
JodyAnthony @ Apr 17th 2007 1:07PM
Fernando Rocker and Fhaze, I believe what you guys meant to write was "nyah nyah, my dad can beat up your dad!"
Darkness @ Apr 17th 2007 1:12PM
I also believe this is a good idea. If I started up a new studio, I'd go Nintendo specific. Lower cost to get started, don't need crazy graphics, and you can still be innovative. It also means, you don't have to sell a million copies to break even. I don't know why people always talk about competing with Nintendo franchises. In my collection I only own one Nintendo game that isn't Wii Sports and that's Zelda. Everything else is third part. At the moment, I have 9 Wii games.
My other friends are the same way. This means that there is room for third parties to compete, especially in the months where there aren't any Nintendo games and people are talking about droughts. As the Wii and DS market get larger, this gives companies more people to sell to. The only thing I would suggest to them is to think not just about the "casual" gamer, but also the "core" gamer as well. Each type needs games.
Todd @ Apr 17th 2007 1:13PM
@Jack of Trade
So... which twin are you, the good one or the evil one?
JodyAnthony @ Apr 17th 2007 1:17PM
"So... which twin are you, the good one or the evil one?"
Good. Bad. He's the guy with the gun.
aegies @ Apr 17th 2007 1:34PM
I think this thread demonstrates that if you want to get attention for your startup game developer, announce your Nintendo focus. Look at Sadness; it's from a no-name group whose publishing partner's primary experience in gaming lay in really sketchy bargain games for the PC, and even that publishing partner dropped them. Hell, Red Steel was horrible, and every indication was that it would be horrible, but it's one of the top-selling Wii titles. All you need to inspire excitement amongst a large amount of the Wii fanbase is to establish a premise with the slightest hint of originality, or say that "our game is only possible on the Wii". It's a really curious phenomenon. Of course, save for Red Steel, none of these games have secured publishers or have actually released, so we have yet to see how well this will work out long term.
http://eat-sleep-game.com/news
Julian Emmett Turner @ Apr 17th 2007 1:47PM
The article forgot to mention one of the most important/relevant games out of EA Canada (relevant to their relation to Nintendo). I speak of Beetle Adventure Racing AKA HSV Adventure Racing (in Australia IIRC).
It was a truely awesome game exclusive to the N64 (no way the PSX could do it anyway).
Jack of No Trades @ Apr 17th 2007 1:48PM
Wow I have twin now. People must like me on Joystiq. I love you guys too.
Jack of No Trades @ Apr 17th 2007 1:49PM
@ Jack of Trade
Lets face off in a debate a see who wins. My stupidity will overwelm you.
Jack of No Trades @ Apr 17th 2007 1:52PM
"(Metroid Prime 1 and 2 also look far better than Halo 1 and 2 and even some 360 games)"
hmmmmm....this is bait. I should turn around and swim away.
Prof_Chaos @ Apr 17th 2007 1:58PM
Well, I'm surprised to see myself typing this, but it's good to have the real Jack here. You're right, that was bait. And stupid too. I loved Metroid Prime, but better than 360 games (graphically) is an idiotic statement. MP3 will most likely be an amazing game. So will Halo 3. So is GoW. Games are exclusive people not gamers. I didn't want to shell out for another system yet so I rented a 360 for a couple of weeks and play a couple games I'd been waiting to try. I loved it, and I'm sure I'll pick one up eventually. Right now I have a Wii at home that I love. What's the problem.
Prof_Chaos @ Apr 17th 2007 1:59PM
Wow, I should start proofing my comments. My grammar sucked.
perfectchaos @ Apr 17th 2007 2:04PM
@ Fhaze: showing what the wii can do does not mean exploiting its full power. it just means showing that the wii can do far more than bad gamecube game level graphics.
thispaceforsale @ Apr 17th 2007 3:01PM
Road Rash wii
samfish @ Apr 17th 2007 2:14PM
"This means that there is room for third parties to compete, especially in the months where there aren't any Nintendo games and people are talking about droughts."
Ditto. While I certianly don't blame developers for not wanting to release a game within 2 weeks or so of a new Nintendo game, that still leaves them with, like, a total of probably 9 months out of a year to get a game out with no competition.
Anyway, I don't know if this is really good news. Partnering with WB and Disney just sorta screams "more crappy cartoon ports".
Darkness @ Apr 17th 2007 2:36PM
aegies, I can see what you're saying, and to some degree I agree. However, I enjoyed Red Steel. Beat the game twice, and still go back to play it from time to time.
The thing I've noticed is that lots of people want to see games with Wii controls. Which probably is why people see money in making games for the Wii. I know I rent games much more often now than I did in the past.
NintendoFanbot @ Apr 17th 2007 3:04PM
JODY ANTHONY:
"Fernando Rocker and Fhaze, I believe what you guys meant to write was "nyah nyah, my dad can beat up your dad!"
My President/CEO/COO can beat up your President/CEO/COO!
Of course the badass mofo I refer to is Reggie.
Mr Khan @ Apr 17th 2007 4:05PM
Some GameCube and Wii games look better than some 360 games, true, but not the games actually built ground-up for 360 (i would definitely say RE4 > PDZ, but not set against something like Gears or the forthcoming Forza 2)
And yes, it is good to see EA set a top-tier team on Wii titles, but then again it will depend on the games they release (although if they stick to thier formula of making good wii controls and actually make original titles to go with that, that shouldn't be a problem)
And Aegis, the phenomenon you explained is not exclusive to the Wii, it is exclusive to all new technology, Perfect Dark Zero was hotly anticipated because it was one of the 1st 7th gen games, and it wound up mediocre. Red Steel was one of the first Wiimote compatible titles, and it wound up mediocre, but it was anticipated.
aegies @ Apr 17th 2007 7:28PM
Perfect Dark Zero was anticipated because it was a title in development for close to 7 years, from the developer of Goldeneye and the original Perfect Dark. There was hype for it on the Gamecube, then slightly less hype on the original Xbox, and it was hyped as the major shooter release for the 360 launch. Comparing PDZ to Red Steel is deceptive and specious, as they were completely different situations. PDZ was a first party launch title, while Red Steel was hyped as a game made for the Wii because of its "unique possibilities". Major differences. The only similarities between the two are that they were both first person shooters, and they were both really bad (and I say this as someone who owns PDZ).
RogueJedi86 @ Apr 17th 2007 9:05PM
Anyone else wondering if Cowboy Bebop creator Shinichiro Watanabe isn't wondering about the name Jet Black Games? Jet Black is the name of one of the 4 main characters of that classic cross-genre anime that even non-anime fans like. That's the first thing I noticed about this article.
Cuja @ Apr 18th 2007 1:02AM
A 3rd person shooter in the Super Smash Brothers fashion would be really nice with multi game single player campaign or online multi player.
Todd @ Apr 18th 2007 9:41AM
"(Metroid Prime 1 and 2 also look far better than Halo 1 and 2 and even some 360 games)"
"hmmmmm....this is bait. I should turn around and swim away."
Y'know, I may have to agree to a point. The Halo games never seemed to impress me on a graphical level. The set designs, especially the level designs, seemed a little bland and the music/sound seemed less inventive. The one thing I did like about Halo were the vehicles.
Metroid Prime had inventive level designs, which were lush, and the sounds were on par. However, in contrast, Halo was mainly designed for co-op while Metroid Prime was a straight shooter so you can clearly see where the time and effort was placed by the development team.