Project H.A.M.M.E.R. for Wii, initially shown at E3 2006 alongside the console's unveiling, has since been left in the tool shed to collect dust. After the title was rumored to be axed, and was conspicuously missing from their E3 presentation, we asked Nintendo's Beth Llewellyn to clarify.

What's the status of Project H.A.M.M.E.R. or Disaster: Day of Crisis?

Disaster is still in development. Project H.A.M.M.E.R. we've sort of shifted resources off that title. But Disaster is still in development. Again, you have to remember, E3 is one small little blip in time and we tried to focus on a few key titles. Rest assured, there is a lot more going on behind the scenes at Nintendo. You know the company, and we always have stuff going on ...

Are you talking about the reasons why H.A.M.M.E.R. has been cancelled?

No.

Now, Ms. Llewellyn did not use the word "cancelled" but, coupled with the existing rumor, the vague shifting of resources, and a lack of protest when we specifically referred to the project as being "cancelled," the nebulous status of the project can only be interpreted as such.

[Update: Reader WiNG just reminded us of the H.A.M.M.E.R. acronym's true meaning – Hiatus: Ambiguously Muttered Message Extinguishes Reassurances.]

Sources close to NST allege that the studio's first-party Wii game Project H.A.M.M.E.R. has been canceled, IGN reports. The team has apparently moved on to one or more "expanded audience" projects -- more minigames? The ill-fated action romp was previewed during E3 2006 (in playable form), and then dipped below the radar, stamped with a "TBA" date on Nintendo's press site. IGN speculates that a supposed initiative to redesign several "traditional" titles to cater to casual players forced Nintendo to rethink Project H.A.M.M.E.R. Perhaps the Ninty think tank deemed the hack-n-smack unfit for mainstream tastes.

Nintendo has yet to issue an official statement or change the "TBA" status of Project H.A.M.M.E.R. on its site. Despite the corny plot -- hammer-wielding cyborg saves U.S. from "killer robots" -- Project H.A.M.M.E.R. was (is?) expected to provide a relatively unique gameplay experience (like, um, some actual violence) for Wii owners.