RE5 producer: Mature games will sell on Wii , but need an 'X-Factor' (hint: it's 'Resident Evil')
by Randy Nelson 
{ Jul 9th 2009 at 8:00PM } 
One of the roadblocks mature games face on Wii is perception, Kawta said. "People get this perception that on Nintendo Wii all there is are cutesy games. However, when you actually try to develop a game on Wii it costs you money, it's time consuming and it's not the easiest console to deal with." So, real games (i.e. ones that aren't cute) are hard to -- wait, did he just say "cutesy" games aren't games? Well, he has been around blood and gore an awful lot lately, but still.
"There are good [mature] games that didn't sell, obviously," Kawata admitted. "You need an X-Factor." We presume he's talking about the likes of Platinum Games' excellent MadWorld, which we have to admit probably would have sold better with the "X-Factor" that's served Capcom so well on Wii: the words "Resident Evil" in the title.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 9th 2009 8:05PM
"However, when you actually try to develop a game on Wii it costs you money, it's time consuming and it's not the easiest console to deal with."
Isn't that the exact opposite of what everyone says about working on the Wii? Or did he mean to say the ps3?
Rob @ Jul 9th 2009 8:07PM
No, people say it's easy to make a crap game on the Wii. To make a good game actually does take time and money, like any console.
ArchiGamer @ Jul 9th 2009 8:09PM
It also takes effort.
Rob @ Jul 9th 2009 8:10PM
Yeah, that too.
tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 9th 2009 8:15PM
But everytime we see a game flop on the Wii sales wise, the fanboys always say "it sitll probably made a profit". Can't take that much money to develop on the wii.
ArchiGamer @ Jul 9th 2009 8:19PM
Compared to the PS3, I do believe the Wii is easier to make a game for as its more easier to develop for, but its still amounts to actually trying to develop a good game.
The Baron @ Jul 9th 2009 8:38PM
Fanboys know as much about fiscal and business statistics as they do about fair and balanced opinion.
tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 9th 2009 8:41PM
Thank you Baron that's the answer I was waiting to see from someone, although I was hoping it would have been from one of the Nintendo fanboys who I always see saying the profit thing so I could have pointed out the irony, but it's still a point.
ArchiGamer @ Jul 9th 2009 8:54PM
I think the only fanboys that can say they aren't irrational freaks are the PC fans, considering how much superior they are to the other systems.
Manly Mcbeefington (Mr. ESC) @ Jul 9th 2009 8:57PM
Well technically it is cheaper than developing for the X360 or PS3 if you are a small studio but still developing a good game for the Wii must cost as much as developing a game for the PS2 and games like Shadow of the colossus and God of war weren't cheap to develop.
Mr Khan @ Jul 9th 2009 9:10PM
Compared across quality spectrums, it's roughly 1/4 the cost to work on Wii. AAA Wii game = 1/4 a AAA PS360 game, A-grade Wii game = 1/4 cost of A-grade PS360 game, and on down.
Foetoid @ Jul 9th 2009 9:18PM
Meh. I don't care about profit and blah blah blah. Mad World is a great game, i'm still having fun with it occasionally since launch, and i hope they make a longer sequel.
tuunicopapi @ Jul 10th 2009 3:26PM
@ ArchiGamer
"It also takes effort."
if i could give you a cookie (and no my intention wasn't to piss you off or make you feel bad) i'd make sure its a high quality and extremely tasty cookie! my brother you speak the truth! wanna make a good game on the Wii that won't flop sales wise and quality wise? PUT SOME DAMN EFFORT INTO IT!! i swear DEVS must develop Wii games on their couch or in their bed's because they NEVER TRY HARD ENOUGH. ohhhh but have them develop for the PS360 and what will we see? tons of effort and GREAT idea's (some of which are often executed incorrectly) flying left and right because "duuuuuuhh well the Wii is a casual/kids system only and the PS360 are where the CORE games belong". i hate DEVS who claim to have tried hard and in the back of their minds they are saying to themselves "pffffttttt i ain't try hard at all!". anyways thank you ArchiGamer for speaking the truth brother! +1 point is what your getting from me.
RIP Air McNair PSN: johnnynumber5 @ Jul 10th 2009 3:08AM
Khan
Citation? Sounds like you are pulling numbers out of thin air. Third party developers have a much better chance of profit on a big budget PS360 game than on the wii. I'm not even sure where this whole notion that it's much cheaper to develop for the Wii comes from. The developers have to put extra effort into developing accurate gestural controls.
3rd party games sell much better on the PS360. It makes more business sense to develop big budget for platforms where the user base won't ignore them. So, the reason you would see higher development cost is because there is a greater chance of reward. You still have games where the developers just cash in without enough effort and the sales figures show those games flop. For the most part PS360 gamers don't blow money on the junk games that get slurped up on the Wii. A high quality game is going to be expensive on any of the platforms. It's not like it cost anymore money to model characters for the PS360 ... The games have to be good quality or they won't sell.
We have seen multiple developers (people who actually make games) say the Wii isn't any easier or cheaper to develop for than the PS360. It's just easier to push games out the door that may not have the best quality.
Do you think monster hunter on the PS360 would cost 75% more than the Wii version just because of the platform? The answer is no. Big budget high profile titles are equally expensive regardless of platform.
TL;DR: The only reason there would be higher development costs is because there is a higher expectation of quality and there is more funds put into the game. High risk = high reward. Take a high risk project on Wii and it can kill you just as quick as on the PS360.
bm @ Jul 10th 2009 4:46AM
"I think the only fanboys that can say they aren't irrational freaks are the PC fans, considering how much superior they are to the other systems."
Hahahahaha
tuunicopapi @ Jul 12th 2009 2:16AM
@ RIP Air McNair PSN: johnnynumber5
"I'm not even sure where this whole notion that it's much cheaper to develop for the Wii comes from."
ok smarty pants you tell me which is cheaper. DVD's? or BluRay Disc's?
Rob @ Jul 9th 2009 8:05PM
I propose Resident Evil: Mario. I know Mario is already big but the idea appeals to me.
snarfoogle @ Jul 9th 2009 10:57PM
Mario & Leon at the Zombie Olympics. I'd buy it.
ArchiGamer @ Jul 9th 2009 8:11PM
I think he may be too into his franchise...
Rob @ Jul 9th 2009 8:12PM
What makes you say that?
ArchiGamer @ Jul 9th 2009 8:16PM
My funny bone.
whylekat @ Jul 9th 2009 8:12PM
all I get out of this is Wii = Shovelware
Rob @ Jul 9th 2009 8:14PM
Yeah, but so were the majority of PS2 games, and everyone loves that thing.
tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 9th 2009 8:17PM
I always get a kick out of that comeback. The Wii doesn't have anywhere near the amount of great games the PS2 had, so can we please stop comparing the shovelware on wii to ps2? That's the reason why no one cared about it on ps2, because there seemed to be a constant flow of great games.
Rob @ Jul 9th 2009 8:22PM
I'm so glad you decided to continue your "project" with us. Also for every one good game there is probably at least five bad ones on the PS2. That combined with it's massive amount of games and much longer lifespan mean the average is close to the same.
tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 9th 2009 8:24PM
This has nothing to do with my act, and everything to do with the simple fact that the wii has nowhere near the amount of great games that the ps2 had.
If it doesn't have as many as 360/ps3, and they don't have as many as ps2 either..than it's impossible for the wii to have as many as ps2.
ArchiGamer @ Jul 9th 2009 8:26PM
Isn't the Wii only been out like 3 years, along with PS3?
Rob @ Jul 9th 2009 8:27PM
You know, I don't fucking care any more. I am sick of self important douches like you who derive pleasure out of making others feel bad about their consoles. You are a sad individual who had to invent a lame story about some "project" you were doing to hide your trolling. I refuse to spend time arguing with you over something so small in the long term of life. So goodbye to you sir, enjoy your so called fun.
tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 9th 2009 8:28PM
Yes and that just further proves my point. I'm not saying it won't ever match ps2 game wise (although, it's not exactly going out on a limb by saying it won't), just that it doesn't right now.
PSN: Erdie (Now equipped with Wii!) @ Jul 9th 2009 8:29PM
As an obvious owner of both systems, I couldn't possibly agree more with tmac on that one. Shovelware isn't the problem, it's the sparsity of great games.
tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 9th 2009 8:31PM
Don't call someone who proved you wrong a douche, that just makes you look worse.
Rob @ Jul 9th 2009 8:38PM
Yes, but it doesn't make me wrong to call you a douche.
Reader @ Jul 9th 2009 8:46PM
Why is it that every time someone claims they are done arguing they still post another comment on the subject?
ArchiGamer @ Jul 9th 2009 8:47PM
Actually, Tmac, while looking at Amazon as a example, the Wii has more "good" games based on buyer reviews of a grade 4 and above than the PS3.
The Wii has about 252, and the PS3 has 169.
Of course the 360 has 322 but it has been out longer so the amount doesn't surprise me, or anyone.
With total amounts for each being 904 and 623 for the Wii and PS3 respectively. Now before you say it, it can be noted the that the ratio of good games to overall games is different on all consoles, drastically on the Wii. But the same can be said on the PS3, as its ratio is third, while the 360 is second. To illustrate:
Wii: 252 to 904
X360: 322 to 905
PS3: 169 to 623
In order of quality games:
X360: 322 to 905
Wii: 252 to 904
PS3: 169 to 623
And for the hell of it the ratio of PS2 games are:
PS2: 1,012 to 2484
So by your logic of what systems has better games like the PS2 is the 360, with Wii second, and the PS3 last.
Rob @ Jul 9th 2009 8:47PM
I just like calling him a douche.
tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 9th 2009 8:53PM
Buyer reviews? Cmon now...are we gonna list metacritic user reviews next? User reviews are pointless, and no one should ever take them seriously. It's one thing to take regular reviews seriously, as they can stake some credibility to their name, but listening to some random person on the internet probably isn't the best idea.
Rob @ Jul 9th 2009 8:57PM
Why? You expect people to listen to you, that's why you post stuff here.
mr nimblewick @ Jul 9th 2009 8:59PM
User reviews are useful in that not every Wii game is aimed at the core audience which makes up most of the review sites. Reviews by actual buyers, averaged, can give a better idea of the quality of those types of games.
I'm hesitant to trust them, but since he's just using it to compare consoles, and not say for sure "this is how many good games there are," it can somewhat helpful.
whylekat @ Jul 9th 2009 9:00PM
I'm trying to take no part in this, but I gotta agree with tmac.. There's a reason certain people get paid to review games.. And if you didn't already realize, they are few & far between as they say.
ArchiGamer @ Jul 9th 2009 9:01PM
That is true, but I use Amazon review as an example because unlike Metacritic, its more akin to the mainstream, where reviews can be more broad than other sites where the bases can be even more bias. I also use Amazon as a measure of games than say Gamestop, is for that exact reason I stated before.
Manly Mcbeefington (Mr. ESC) @ Jul 9th 2009 9:07PM
Actually as someone who sells and buys in amazon those reviews are pretty much pointless.
All good recommendations are made by the developers or manufactures of the product because usually all costumers say whatever you are selling is crap and it should be free.Hell see the reviews for Norton.
You can offer eternal life for 100$ and everyone will vote it down and say it is “gay” for the most absurd reasons. Some of them are so stupid I think that's what Velsar writes in his free time
You will rarely see a balanced and fair opinion on Amazon.
Metacritic scores are more valid in my opinion; the only reviews you should never take in count are Eurogamer, Play and small lesser known sites.
Back on topic the Wii has a fair share of good games but like PSP these are little known to the public [Raise your hand if you have Little King’s Story on your collection]but I agree the Wii doesn’t have the amount of great games the PS2 had but neither does the X360 or Ps3.Then again my wii is collecting dust so take this as you damn please.
ArchiGamer @ Jul 9th 2009 9:09PM
I really don't pay any attention to reviews from site like IGN, G4, GameTrailers, and the like cause lets face it each have some sort of bias to one console than the other. I rather buy or rent a game so to make my own opinion.
Mr Khan @ Jul 9th 2009 9:11PM
certain people get paid to review games because they're incurable asshats?
But we already knew that...
tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 9th 2009 9:15PM
Of course every site has their own bias, but our job is to sift through it. Take a look at the overall metacritic score and look at the reviews to see what seems to be a consensus on the pros and cons of a game.
If I said on here that a certain game was great, and some people looked at that and said "Wow I'm gonna buy this now"..I'd reach through the screen if I could and slap them upside their head. Don't listen to me or any other random commenter, or at the very least take what they say in comparison to the "pro" reviewers.
ArchiGamer @ Jul 9th 2009 9:20PM
And that is where I agree with you, all this is an opinion, take of it as you please.
carg0 @ Jul 9th 2009 8:13PM
yea, you eggplants keep telling yourselves that...
Rob @ Jul 9th 2009 8:14PM
That's... an interesting insult.
mr nimblewick @ Jul 9th 2009 9:31PM
Is that a reference to Ice Climber?
Fun fact: In Ireland they call the humble eggplant an "aubergine."
MystileArmor @ Jul 9th 2009 9:37PM
We Dutch people call it "aubergine" as well, I bet the French do too, since it's origins are French I'd assume.
..und zee germans will cover zee eggplant inz chokolat und zen we will eat zee eggplant!! Yaaah!
ponceturtle @ Jul 9th 2009 8:34PM
(sarcasm) Oh wait i forgot that capcom have released many original resident evil games on wii. God please i don't want another port of a old game at least it would have been cool of resident evil 1 was released with new content or using the RES 4 engine. The reason the wii is failing in the hardcore buzz is that company doesn't have the balls to do them. that why i alwasys gonna respect high voltage for the conduit and sega for madworld oh and dont forget the guy who gave us no more heroes.