The Conduit channeled into retail on June 23
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Apr 16th 2009 at 2:25PM } 
High Voltage Software's Eric Nofsinger assured us that the game's development hadn't slipped at all, but that pushing the "Nintendo networking beyond its usual transfer of data and taking full use of the WiiSpeak" is "good for the game and gamer," even if it lengthens the time taken for testing and approval.
Gallery: The Conduit
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
tmacairjordan87 @ Apr 16th 2009 2:34PM
Pretty sure that's the same day as the awesome looking Batman game right? Way to put yet another roadblock in your way.
Cody @ Apr 16th 2009 2:45PM
ROFL nice with the sarcasm today airjordan!
Oh, you were actually being serious?
......
ROFL
tmacairjordan87 @ Apr 16th 2009 2:49PM
What was so ridiculous about that? You honestly think this game will outsell batman which is multiplatform AND looking really good? I know they're on different platforms, but it becomes a threat when some gamers may only have money for 1 of these games and if you stack these two together on TV then the Conduit is going to have a hard time going against an icon like Batman, nevermind that we're looking at a possibly good batman game for the first time maybe ever.
Markez @ Apr 16th 2009 2:55PM
Jeeeze tmac you can't catch a break lately, most popular cat on the 'stiq lately. I mean you really can't compare those two games, of course a sharp multiplat Batman is going to outsell the Conduit.
But if you ask Nintendo & High Voltage, this game will be the the little engine that con-duit.
samfish @ Apr 16th 2009 2:57PM
Don't you mean "YOU CONDUIIIIT!"..?
Something tells me I'm not the first person to make that joke.
tmacairjordan87 @ Apr 16th 2009 3:01PM
@markez
I know, granted given my past I make it hard on myself when I'm actually being legitimate like now.
I know these games aren't comparable, what I meant was for people who have multiple systems but may only have money for 1 game. Let's say a kid who has a wii and either ps3 or 360 sees an ad for The Conduit and Batman, which is he more likely to buy? Given the popularity of Batman in our culture, it's almost guaranteed that money would go towards Batman.
All this depends on factors like advertising of course, but I think that and possibly prototype could really hurt the conduit.
Markez @ Apr 16th 2009 3:01PM
There's a wiimote possibility.
Insight @ Apr 16th 2009 3:02PM
Female SAM. I used to argue with Tmac ALL THE DAMNED TIME; I remember some epic altercations. You know what, though? I would actually say what I think and listen to his opinion as well.
Your bullshit is akin to elementary school teasing - calling someone names because it's the cool thing to do at the moment. Your entire post history is nothing but idiotic insults against someone you've never taken a single second to actually dispute.
Stop being a child/stalker/whatever you are.
Mr Khan @ Apr 16th 2009 3:13PM
Attracting the stalkers like fruit flies. Kinda like Fernando in his glory days
Closest i ever came was back in October, when everyone seemed to hate me for some reason...
SoulBlade @ Apr 16th 2009 3:18PM
I'm actually with you on this one... it's definitely additional competition for the Conduit that it didn't need.
samfish @ Apr 16th 2009 3:22PM
I don't really think Batman is going to do much to The Conduit's sales.
On the one hand, the Conduit seems like the type of game where a lot of folks already know if they're gonna buy it.
Batman is the kind of game that really doesn't even need advertising. It'll just sell because Batman is on the box.
As for the Prototype...I highly doubt that game is any sort of threat to The Conduit. It's very under the radar at this point. I guess that could change when the game launches with a proper marketing campaign, but I can't imagine it will.
mr nimblewick @ Apr 16th 2009 3:44PM
I'm not going to buy either game. Take that!
Spartan @ Apr 16th 2009 4:05PM
At least you guys were noticed.
I bet you guys never even realised that it's me, Kye.
Yes, the ex-leader of the NDF, the ring bearer, the key-giver, one-time (kinda) mentor to the Great Fernando R. himself.
Insight @ Apr 16th 2009 4:22PM
Shit, mang, it's me, the Fatass, your once faithful servant turned preacher of the ways of the dark side.
Insight @ Apr 16th 2009 4:24PM
Why is Kye getting downvoted? He wasn't saying that he's Cody or Female SAM, he was just saying that he never gets noticed.
The lack of reading comprehension around here is unbelievable.
Markez @ Apr 16th 2009 4:28PM
FoK - I'd imagine it's just the 'lookit me, lookit me!' tone of his post, although he's still at 2 from where I'm sitting.
Anti-Villian @ Apr 16th 2009 7:55PM
I'm not sure if you have noticed Sega's marketing approach to this but if you have bought either MadWorld or HOTD you will have noticed advertising inside the actual box, this tells us that Sega expects people who buy one of there core games will also buy there others, even if The Conduit is blown out of the water by batmn it won't effect Sega's game plan and I also don't think Sega are concerned about initial sales as this tactic is something that will have to brew before it is successful.
Sega are looking at a long term outcome like what happens to any well known franchise, people probably wont buy a sequel to too many party games but people who buy madworld will probably buy HOTD who will probably buy The Conduit and will probably buy the next game etc. thats what Sega want anyway.
Foetoid @ Apr 16th 2009 7:59PM
While it's highly unlikely this game will outsell a multiplatform Batman game, who cares? The game itself looks excellent, the controls are going to be spot on and play far better than the barbaric dual-analog controls HD console gamers have to put up with, and as long as they get the online running well, we could see another million seller on the Wii. I'll buy the game on launch, just as i did with Mad World, and even if sales of the game aren't going to be very good (like Mad World), i'll still thoroughly enjoy the game and pray for a sequal (like Mad World).
Spartan @ Apr 16th 2009 8:46PM
*squints at Insight*
It's really you!
*long emotional reunion-type hug*
Iroquois @ Apr 17th 2009 10:23PM
Eeenie meenie miny Batman Arkhum Asylum
Sorry Conduit. Not to say that you don't look great and like something refreshing for the Wii, it's just that the main character looks like the return of some video game character from somewhere in the SNES/Genesis era.
Rob @ Apr 16th 2009 2:36PM
Who wants to bet that no one buys it because it's on the Wii, thus reinforcing the idea that games like it can't do well on the Wii. I mean they release more mature games and then no one buys them, jeez.
tmacairjordan87 @ Apr 16th 2009 2:44PM
I don't think it will sell well, easiest reason is because the other so called good 3rd party hardcore games didn't.
But I think they've got too much on their plate and they got too much going against them. They have to battle against the recent previews and gamer talk that it's too generic and lacks a lot of polish (not good for a game that only has 2 months left...not even that if you count the time needed for shipping and manufacturing). They're going against other june games like prototype and batman. Then they're also going against the stigma that real games don't sell on the wii.
Cody @ Apr 16th 2009 2:47PM
God just stop typing tmac please. I swear you must live in this fantasy bubble world of yours in your own mind.
Insight @ Apr 16th 2009 2:47PM
Well, they can't. Wii gamers are pretty vocal but there aren't as many of us 'core' playing Wii's as people think there are. Otherwise, don't you think games like MadWorld would have done better? Games with similar or even less advertising (Valkyria Chronicles comes to mind, as well as plenty of other games) still end up doing better on systems with half the userbase that the Wii boasts.
tmacairjordan87 @ Apr 16th 2009 2:51PM
No cody you stop typing. All you type is either immature bullshit or things that have nothing to do with anything. Instead of saying that, how about you come up with some counter arguments if you think what I'm saying is so wrong. What I'm saying is, actually think for once.
Insight @ Apr 16th 2009 2:55PM
Cut the ad hominem bullshit, Cody. If you can't dispute his ideas, don't talk.
Cody @ Apr 16th 2009 3:08PM
lol counter argue tmac,
ok here goes:
"I don't think it will sell well, easiest reason is because the other so called good 3rd party hardcore games didn't."
-Face-palming material there. I'm not even addressing it... onto the rest of the post.
"But I think they've got too much on their plate and they got too much going against them. They have to battle against the recent previews and gamer talk that it's too generic and lacks a lot of polish (not good for a game that only has 2 months left...not even that if you count the time needed for shipping and manufacturing). "
-Who has too much on their plate? High-Voltage? How? In what way? I don't recall reading or hearing about them being overloaded at all with this project. Too much against them? How are the recent "previews" of it being generic going to hurt it or any game on any platform that is good fun gaming in its own right? Anyone that has gotten their hands one this game has given in nothing but praise. Oh, by previewes you must have meant your fellow buddies' opinions on the Joystiq comment sections. Lack of polish? Did you see the videos from the recent SEGA event the other day out in San Fran? No Wii game has looked better.
tmacairjordan87 @ Apr 16th 2009 3:14PM
"Face-palming material there. I'm not even addressing it... onto the rest of the post"
That's because you can't. No more heroes, zack and wiki, madworld all tanked sales wise.
http://kotaku.com/5213564/the-conduit-preview-calling-do+overs
Yes...I am clearly buddies with the kotaku editors. It seems like they put so much effort and time into making the controls good, that the rest of the game suffers from a "lack of polish" (quoted from the damn preview, I'm not making this up). Seeing as it's very rare for a hyped game to get a bad preview from anywhere, the fact that this one did is not a good sign.
Mr Khan @ Apr 16th 2009 3:16PM
This could go either way, but between million-sellers like World at War and Red Steel, there seems to be some sort of serious market for 3rd-party FPSes on Wii. Shouldn't do that badly.
SoulBlade @ Apr 16th 2009 3:23PM
i don't think it'll sell to the point where it breaks into the NPD in any month - Wii games don't usually sell en masse unless it's a first party Nintendo title. However, in the long term, it could be a million seller. it'll be one of those games that gets picked up when the queue size is decreasing... there's only so many games you can play at once, and I'm glad I live in an era where there's a lot of choice
Cody @ Apr 16th 2009 3:25PM
Your last post didnt help you tmac,
What do ANY of those games have to do with The Conduit? Other than the notion they are all for TEH HARDCOORZ!!1!1 Nothing.
Kotaku. That's your example behind the negative previews. My god, stop the presses.
Markez @ Apr 16th 2009 3:28PM
First the razor for gamers, and now the beer for gamers, HARDCOORZ!!!
tmacairjordan87 @ Apr 16th 2009 3:30PM
"What do ANY of those games have to do with The Conduit?"
Like I said above, it's basic logic. Most people don't have a ton of money nowadays, so the more good games that come out in a month the lesser chance the weaker of them can sell well.
Assume all the big games in June will get advertising. The Conduit, which many of us gamers think that it looks kinda generic, will have to go up against Batman and a guy who can elbow-drop a damn tank. I don't know what the rules are to advertising gore, but if Prototype is advertised carefully and it shows off some of the ridiculous things you can do, people are going to give their money to those two games before the Conduit.
Let's face it, no matter how good or bad The Conduit is, it's a hard sell to people who don't follow games religiously like us. You're going to see a guy shooting aliens with not so great graphics, and that's going to be hard to convince people to get over the other two.
samfish @ Apr 16th 2009 3:36PM
"That's because you can't. No more heroes, zack and wiki, madworld all tanked sales wise."
Oh sheesh. Not this again.
No More Heroes is getting a sequel. Games that tank don't get sequels.
Zack & Wiki was sent out to die and STILL exceeded Capcom's expectations
MadWorld we'll know tonight, but all indicators are that it did reasonably well (IE- what SEGA said, not VG Chartz laughably off-the-mark numbers)
finaldarklord @ Apr 16th 2009 4:37PM
Crist, Tmac.
If you're serious about being "legit" now, then you need to get a new name and quit with the fanboy bullshit.
This game has a fair shot of doing gangbusters on the Wii. Umbrella Chronicles and RE4 both went above and beyond all expectations, and those are just the first ones that spring to mind.
If these games are so unprofitable, then why are we getting another No More Heroes, Umbrella Chronicles, Zack and Wiki?
THINK before you speak, you silly fuck.
Insight @ Apr 16th 2009 4:31PM
Samfish, while these games did 'exceed expectations', what makes you think that a developer is going to believe that an epic game will yeild epic returns on a system with over 40 million owners and third party titles that end up having only sold a few ten, maybe a hundred thousand units over the course of a year? The attach ratio is outta whack, and that's not encouraging, not one bit.
samfish @ Apr 16th 2009 4:48PM
Developers don't give a shit how many people buy their game. Oh, I'm sure they do to an extent, ike a point of pride thing, but otherwise, they don't care. It's mostly just the fanboys who care about sales.
If you make a game and it not only sells and makes money, but also exceeds expectations — CONGRATULATIONS! You just got yourself a fuckin' year-end bonus!
I guarantee you that it just burns them up when they read about some insipid fanboy yammering away about how the game is a flop because it failed to sell a million copies or something when the reality is that the game did damn good for itself.
Insight @ Apr 16th 2009 4:57PM
Good point.
tmacairjordan87 @ Apr 16th 2009 6:01PM
"If these games are so unprofitable, then why are we getting another No More Heroes, Umbrella Chronicles, Zack and Wiki?"
Same reason why we got Shadow of the Colossus after Ico sold like ass, some people just like to do their own thing even when they don't make that much money off it.
mark @ Apr 16th 2009 2:40PM
Let's hope this plays half as good as it looks!
Insight @ Apr 16th 2009 2:59PM
It doesn't look that good, though. That's the thing. There are some very impressive assets and features to the game, but at the same time, the gameplay looks kind of meh, the environments aren't impressive at all... at this point, it just looks like 'that FPS on Wii'. Which isn't a bad thing; I like the Wii's controls when it comes to FPS games. I'm not expecting something on the level of similarly hyped FPS entries on other consoles, though, and for more reasons than simply visuals.
Markez @ Apr 16th 2009 3:15PM
To each his own I suppose, but I think the graphics look really good. It essentially looks like 'just another FPS' to me, which is my problem being that it's not a favorite genre of mine.
My favorite FPS I've played in recent memory is still The Darkness, which I absolutely loved and thought totally ruled. Critically, however it was panned quite a bit.
mark @ Apr 16th 2009 3:38PM
@ Insight
Comparing this to FPSs on other consoles or even the PC is pointless as Wii has always been in a market of its own.
Considering the Wii hardware those graphics are hyper awesome, not in terms of graphical advancement but in the sense of aesthetics. Anyone who thinks those graphics don't look good must check his eyesight!
Yes it is "that FPS on the Wii"... which means it hardly has any real competitors apart from Metroid. Which brings us to my point...
If this delivers on gameplay, I'm getting it! Not because it will kill Crysis, Unreal Tournament 3, Killzone or Halo, but because it will be a good game in its own right!
Cody @ Apr 16th 2009 4:00PM
"If this delivers on gameplay, I'm getting it! Not because it will kill Crysis, Unreal Tournament 3, Killzone or Halo, but because it will be a good game in its own right!"
That exactly my point too. I already know if it controls as good as Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 then gameplay wise, it'll actually be better than those games listed, with the exception of the PC versions, whose control set up (keyboard & mouse) is the only superior set up to wiimote & nuncuck. Except the PC version of Halo, which just felt weird.
Insight @ Apr 16th 2009 4:27PM
"Wii has always been in a market of its own."
That's bullshit, and I wish people would drop that idea.
While the Wii is designed to appeal to a wide audience (one of which was largely untapped), it was advertised as an EVERYONE console. Even then, many gamers bought it based on the idea that they'd be getting games like the ones they've seen on Nintendo consoles passed.
The fact is that while I constantly see people comparing The Conduit's controls to every other damned FPS on the market, the moment someone turns around and compares another aspect, such as visuals, folks'll jump up and say 'OH WELL YOU CAN'T DO THAT!'. That does not make sense, not in the slightest.
mark @ Apr 17th 2009 2:59AM
@ Insight
Honestly, I can't see your point-
You seem so motivated to compare this game to others while nobody reading this cares about comparisons (they wouldn't care about Wii otherwise). We're just saying that if this game is fun - it is worth getting and that's the whole point of any game.
Sure, nobody's saying that if you like FPSes you will be happy with a Wii because of this, my point is that Wii will have another fun game. Period.
And Yes the Wii is in a market of its own if you know anything about marketing, you yourself admitted that it has appealed to a new type of people. It is OBVIOUSLY clean that Nintendo is not aiming at the hardware-power freaks, but that is what console wars was mainly about in previous generations.
How Nintendo advertises it's Wii confirms the point, because it is aiming at the innovation seeker not the hardware power seeker (the other consoles target that). The difference is pretty obvious, I've been playing and following this industry since the early 1980s and if a machine is in a market of its own I am pretty sure I can tell.
Do you think Wii is meant to compete in the market of other consoles? Do you really think it is in the same market as PS3 & Xbox360? Oh, come on! These 2 machines are for guys like you who insist on comparing which one is best (the power freaks).
Wii on the other hand is for those guys that are willing to say, to hell with powerful graphics and latest mainstream/hardcore titles, I want to try some innovative concept at a low price.
See? The markets are as different as night and day!
Personally I like games in any shape and form, and can tell you, that the reason I will get The Conduit on Wii, will be a totally different reason from why I got Crysis on the PC, or Bioshock on X360, or Resistance on PS3.
It's just a different reason altogether and comparison is pointless! Sure Ut3 on PC is a great experience, but why miss others?
Markez @ Apr 16th 2009 2:38PM
"Isn't this game great man!? High Voltage and Nintendo said it makes full use of WiiSpeak too, we can talk while we play online together now"
"What? Do what online? Hey, I love this game!"
"EH? WHAT? I SAID I THINK IT'S A GREAT GAME!"
"OH RIGHT, YEAH I THINK IT'S A GREAT GAME, TOO! HEY, DON'T YOU THINK IT'S COOL THAT WIISPEAK LET'S US TALK WHILE WE PLAY ONLINE TOGETHER NOW!?"
"..."
snowleopard233 @ Apr 16th 2009 2:39PM
Wow, these graphics look terribad.
Mike @ Apr 16th 2009 3:33PM
Agreed!!
Protodude @ Apr 16th 2009 5:29PM
"Hurr hurr! Look at me pa I can troll!"