Rockstar: GTA for Wii 'didn't feel natural'

by Randy Nelson { Sep 22nd 2008 at 8:40PM }

Saying just a wee bit more on the topic than Take-Two CEO Ben Feder was previously willing to, Rockstar boss Dan Houser tells Nintendo Power that Wii "didn't feel natural" for the franchise ... but DS did.

Houser explains that, "It really was that the DS felt like it had a lot of interesting challenges that would be totally different from what we'd done in the past," adding, "The stylus and the chance to use minigames in that way was really interesting and exciting to us, and we thought we could integrate seamlessly between those two modes."

With Houser commenting that, "We haven't really done any concrete, major thinking about the Wii, one way or another," it would seem that a waggle-fied Liberty City experience is still a ways off at best.

[Nintendo Power, via Nintendo Everything]

Tags: grand-theft-auto, gta, rockstar, take-two

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Shane86 @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:44PM

One-handed waggling in the strip club, you know you want it.

ExMcloud @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:50PM

Why would you want one handed waggl.......Oh never mind...

The Artist formally known as Jesus @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:51PM

Are you legally allowed to do that in a strip club?

In A World (XBL) @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:54PM

"Are you legally allowed to do that in a strip club?"

Only if you're drunk.

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:55PM

Call me innocent-minded, but when I first read "one-handed waggle", I was thinking about waving the dollar bill as stripper tip. XD

gir @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:46PM

No! But if it was a rhythm game, then yes!

Sheppy (of the Fidlious Clan of Wong) @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:35PM

Am I rubbing off on you? Nah, couldn't be...

vidGuy @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:43PM

I totally read that as "Am I rubbing one off on you?" which is made all the more funny by the above comments.

gir @ Sep 23rd 2008 2:09AM

You people make me sick with your comments.

syrik zero @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:49PM

I think no GTA4 for the Wii is probably for the best

Cesaria (Gamertag: Cesaria360) @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:58PM

I'm down and I'm not a big GTA fan. Let's see what you can do, Rockstar.

Mr Khan @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:05PM

Seems to be a different tone entirely from what the executive said, who seemed to imply that that option was on the table

brian @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:11PM

everyone knows the wii doesn't have any real games.

For real though, how would that play out? The wii isn't really good for anything besides platformers and gimmicks (wiifit, wiiplay) sure, it can be fun, but i don't see too much serious gaming for nintendo anymore.

Mr Khan @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:15PM

Wii FPS > Other FPS, if done properly (which was rare, but more are beginning to arrive to validate this), aside from all the other excellent motion-based stuff that's coming

GTA would be a perfect fit, i think. Tilt steering, IR gunplay, waggle hooker smacking, the possibilities are endless.

Sheppy (of the Fidlious Clan of Wong) @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:34PM

And yet the primary sell point FOR and FPS is graphics. Isn't it ironic? Don'cha think?

Markez (A tribute to those who fought and failed during the Epic Flamewar of L.A. Noir) @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:37PM

I gotta agree with Khan here, those are some good sounding possibilities. However I think it'd only work if it were built ground-up for the Wii only.

I have to disagree that the only things that're good on the system are platformers & gimmick games. Godfather on the Wii was surprisingly good.

Cesaria (Gamertag: Cesaria360) @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:46PM

I was not aware. Thank you for your incite.

SoulBlade @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:51PM

I'm pretty sure Halo didn't sell because of graphics. A lot o other FPS games beat it graphically I'd say.

But the other things that sell FPS games are certainly lacking on the Wii as well - namely solid online, server side stats, and voice (and I don't know how good Wii speak will be, but it will probably be meh)

Cesaria (Gamertag: Cesaria360) @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:56PM

I'm inclined to agree with SoulBlade here. As awesome FPS controls are on the Wii, I'd trade them for the better online set up of the 360. Now only if we could have a combination of both, we could very well have the best shooter ever. COD4 with Wii controls? Yes, please!

AoE @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:24PM

@Mr Khan,

Please cite some examples of Wii FPS being done properly? I'd actually like to check them out; the only ones I ever tried were the ones that came around launch, which I think we all kinda knew would be terrible since Devs were struggling with a new control scheme anyway.

brian @ Sep 23rd 2008 2:16AM

I expected to get voted down on that one.

but seriously, im not saying that they are no good games for the wii, it's just fact that the good game to shit game ratio on the wii is much worse than any other console.

i mean seriously? iron chef games? Not only that, but i don't care what you say, just because a game doesn't have to have good graphics too be good, doesn't mean that most games need to look like shit.

if anything, the only games really worth mentioning are made by nintendo themselves, such as the mario games.

IMO, the gaming experience on the wii is no better than that on expensive phones. Lots of shit with a few good gems.

gLitterbug @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:19PM

"The stylus and the chance to use minigames in that way was really interesting and exciting to us.."

Because we all know the Wii is not a platform for minigames.

SMcD @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:28PM

Minigames in GTA is the biggest bastardization of a series on a Nintendo platform since EA Sports All-Play. This game just lost a lot of my respect.

Fernando Rocker @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:01PM

SMcD

GTA series is also famous for the mini-games. Even GTA IV include some mini-games.

finnith @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:20PM

Don't you guys remember all those random van challenges in GTA3? I think those count as minigames.

gLitterbug @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:39PM

I like how my comment got upvoted and then downvoted again since you can take it either way, depening on your own viewpoint.

FSK405K @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:43PM

Am I the only person who feels nauseous every time someone uses the term "minigames"? It doesn't matter which franchise people are talking about, I will not play it.

ehisforadam @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:05PM

GTA has minigames, but they aren't central to the core game play. They're either side quests for those who want 100% completion or novelty time wasters. I'm guessing their point is more the central game play will be based on minigames.

JRM @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:24PM

Lip service.

They made a game for the DS in order to tap the huge DS gaming market, especially now since the PSP is falling way behind. If the Wii had the gaming fanbase of the 360, they'd make a game for the Wii as good as anything published by Nintendo.

It's all about the money, nothing more. All this thing about "waggle" is just an excuse of developers not to invest in better programming for the Wii.

j.howlett @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:28PM

i'm liking gta4 better now that i can read the phone but as good as it is it doesn't feel like a natural 3D gta. in some ways it's better, in some ways it feels like an average to really good gta clone. afte playing bully on Wii, i'm confident that they can make a good gta game. just get a better handle on the aiming and mapping of buttons.

Gun Barrier @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:29PM

But the DS feels more natural? Everybody needs to get used to the wii first i guess. Maybe they even look at wiimotionplus.

Lone Starr @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:30PM

Rockstar's just trying to figure out the best way to do coke off a stripper's tits with the Wiimote. To them I say, "Godspeed, good sirs."

Cesaria (Gamertag: Cesaria360) @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:50PM

That was awesome. Just thought you should know.

HB96st @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:36PM

What Rock* really saying is: "GTA Won't sell on the Wii" without hurting everyones feelings.

BigD145 @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:12PM

Nah. The DS was a challenge to work with and apparently the Wii wouldn't have been. I guess precise aiming and dodging with a flick of the wrist would have made the game too easy.

AoE @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:28PM

@BigD145,

You think your aiming with the Wiimote would be more precise than lock-on? Somehow I doubt it... Among the reasons you'd find for GTA4 not making it to the Wii, somehow I doubt you'll ever find a single soul at Rockstar that will tell you it was because the Wii's controls are just too accurate and good.

Spectreman @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:38PM

* GTA4 looks bad even in 360/PS3, in Wii would look worst than PS2.

NOT ME @ Sep 30th 2008 1:43PM

T thought i was on the only who thought that. All the brown and dark colors look washed out. and the jaggies and pop-up was way out of hand. the cars looked like S**T boxes. After playing saints row again this game had them in a lot of areas. the cars actually look decent(handled a lot better too)

Jabba @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:00PM

The only game thats good on the Wii that you could compare it to or
for it to even emulate or live up to is the Godfather. And you know
if Rockstar wanted to they could to that.

TFoK (Naked Peach Defense Force) @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:17PM

I don't think a GTA game for Wii would feel natural either. Primarily because the devs would load it up with a bunch of unnecessary, 'Wii Exclusive' shit (keep in mind this is coming from a fan of the Wii), but also because, while I feel the controls would work well with the shooting aspect, the game wouldn't impress in graphics or sound (unless Wii is your only console), and the controls for everything else might end up lame. I dunno.

You know what does tick me off a bit, though? Joystiq. Yeah, lots of bad Wii news lately. I don't think Joystiq is posting what gamers would care about, rather, what would get them more traffic through comment flame wars. Hmm, We Cheer soundtrack or confirmation of 16 player VC in The Conduit... which would gamers care about more? Any news about Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, the localization test, the release date, the engine it's using? Nah, why post that when you can get all that xta revenue by posting Wii Music's release date, sitting back, and watching the trolls and fervent defenders roll right in?

I'd be posting over at Kotaku had they not banned me (for stupid shit, no less). I fear that time isn't too far off over here.

TFoK (Naked Peach Defense Force) @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:19PM

BTW, when I said 'lots of bad Wii news', I didn't mean that that was all Joystiq was posting (though that is the truth right thurr), but that I do believe that the vast majority of Wii news to have come about in the months following E3 has just been awful. I'd just like to see a bit more of the tidbits of good info out there that has been released.

Mr Khan @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:47AM

They certainly neglected Monster Hunter 3 news, or to report on the upcoming Nintendo Media Summit

HB96st @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:38PM

Rock*:

Wii Wont!

But seriously, We can't blame Joystiq, but we can damn sure blame nintendo and some of the fans to a certain extent. I mean on another post you got dudes liking a cheerleader game!

A Cheerleader game?? Are ya'll serious??

That new psp can't come out soon enough!

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:48PM

Or you can blame third party developers making another shitty game. Since, you know that would make sense.

Geist @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:52AM

Clearly it's Nintendo's fault that third-party developers are making shitty games. Blame them.

TwEE @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:19PM

I loved shooting people with the wiimote in the godfather.. was a hell of a lot better (shooting) then any gta game.

OmegaVader @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:22PM

I own a Wii and love it but I don't find anyhting unusual about this claim by Rockstar. It would be awkward to have GTA, at least a traditional GTA, on the Wii.

Go for new IPs instead, I say.

Blazur @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:51AM

GTA doesn't seem natural for the Wii because it's a fun game.

Geist @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:54AM

I honestly don't know why everyone thinks they *have* to have waggle or somesuch is any game they release on the Wii. Throw in some aim with the Wiimote and everything will be fine. You'd think by the fourth 3D GTA game the developers would be able to make aiming a gun not a righteous pain in the ass but, well, you'd be wrong.