Wanted's Wanat considers Wii development a 'narrow market'

[wraggster]

Wanted: Weapons of Fate executive producer, Pete Wanat, says Sega -- whom he has no current working connection to -- would need to sell "2-3 million units" to make a sizable profit on MadWorld. Wanat doesn't pull his punches during an interview with web show Invisible Walls, criticizing the Nintendo Wii's development process where spending more than "$350,000 to $500,000" on a game runs the risk of making little to no profit.

"[Nintendo was] getting their ass handed to them [last generation], trying to compete with hardcore gamers. So they said, 'We're not going to bother, we're going to find our niche audience.'" says Wanat. "[Nintendo] has succeeded overwhelmingly so. But do not expect the rest of the industry to get down on its knees and 'blow' Nintendo to make games for that system when you can no longer use it and the same porting mechanism [when creating multiplatform SKUs on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC]."

Now Nintendo fans, before you feverishly type a retort, Wanat wants to make it clear that the Wii is home to some "unbelievable experiences" (specifically calling Nintendo's first-party titles, "Awesome"). However, as a third-party developer, "cracking the code" and finding success on the platform doesn't allow a game to be ported to other systems without completely changing the game's unique features, like gesture-based controls. "You're really getting narrowed to that one, narrow market. And what sells there? Nintendo games." It seems Sega is already feeling that sting.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/23/wa...-to-sell-2-3m/

[grossaffe]

"you can no longer use it and the same porting mechanism [when creating multiplatform SKUs on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC]."

I don't want $#@!ty ports coming to the Wii. If they were serious about making Wii games, the word "port" should not be used in the same sentence.

[Grey Acumen]

LOL. Nintendo's niche audience is as large as the two other consoles put together. Not even counting the DS.

If they've found a niche, what the heck have Sony and Microsoft found, a hairline fracture?