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[PdotMichael]

Some of the excuses are pretty weak.

Shitty ports didn't sell, the good ports didn't sell and even the exclusive third party games didn't sell.
Nintendo console owners just don't buy non-Nintendo titles.

 

[Aquamarine]

Full list of Ubisoft support for the Wii U:

1) Assassin's Creed III - 2012
2) ESPN Sports Connection - 2012
3) Just Dance 4 - 2012
4) Marvel Avengers: Battle For Earth - 2012
5) Rabbids Land - 2012
6) ZombiU - 2012

7) Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag - 2013
8) Just Dance 2014 - 2013
9) Just Dance Kids 2014 - 2013
10) Rayman Legends - 2013
11) The Smurfs 2 - 2013
12) Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist - 2013
13) Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013 - 2013

14) Cloudberry Kingdom - 2014
15) Child of Light - 2014
16) Just Dance 2015 - 2014
17) Watch_Dogs - 2014

That's 17 releases on the system...more than enough support.

 

[@MUWANdo]

That has a heavy camera component. Something not possible at all on Wii U. They would have to radically change the game.

I know nothing about this Rabbids game but I do know there's a camera in the gamepad.

 

[protomouse]

That's a shame, but a sound business decision. The bulk of the typical "teenage male audience", that likes violence and other "mature" themes, is probably on Xbox, PC and PlayStation. I wouldn't be surprised if that's where the "bread and butter" of gaming is.

I'm glad to see they aren't pulling out completely. I would love to see more games like Child of Light from them.

Just out of curiosity, what Ubisoft franchises do not fit into this category of "other" games? To me, they've more or less become the "Assassin's Creed & Far Cry Company" over the past generation.

 

[Maitiú]

For Wii U owners, the silver lining to this awful consumer demand is that the small shit-load of AAA games that are available are also cheapest on this system than anywhere else and for an experience you can't find anywhere else. I bought the refurbished Wii U two months ago, and went on a buying spree 6 weeks ago, including AC IV and Splinter Cell through ToysRus and Amazon for $32 combined. Only this short time later, they go for $28 combined. Deus Ex is new for $13 dollars right now, and it's use of the gamepad makes for a more fun and visceral experience than you can find anywhere else. Speaking of which, I have some stealthing to do.

 

[danmaku]

To be fair, EA barely promoted Most Wanted U and undershipped it. Grainger Games in the UK got 20 copies for the entire company. Plus, it was a very late port. You cannot make late ports and expect them to sell gangbusters.

True, but my point still stands. All this "shoddy ports" talk reminds me of the complaints from PC gamers that seems to have impossibly high standards and won't buy bad ports. Then a wild Dark Souls appears, it's a terrible port with some absurd design decisions but suddenly all those high standards go out of the window because everyone wants to play DS, the game is great so who the fuck cares about the port problems. If there was some interest for AC games on the WiiU, people would've bought them, with or without the DLCs, but there isn't. All AC fans are on other consoles and won't move unless they can play ALL their other favorite franchises on their new Nintendo console.

 

[Bumhat]

While reading through this thread I realised I own ZombiU, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Rayman Legends, AC III, and AC IV, so I definitely did my part! Oh well. Regardless of the quality of their ports - both good and bad - I can understand Ubisoft's decision. I know it's had a pretty mixed response on GAF, but i'm still glad they're going through with Watch Dogs and will pick it up eventually.

Shame about ZombiU 2 though

 

[Neff]

It could sell a million copies (it won't) and it wouldn't change anyone's mind.

Between the massive exposure the game has gotten over the platform-hopping controversy, and the fact that it obviously looks very, very good and comes with the first game free, I could see it quite feasibly selling a million actually.

I do agree though that it won't give any third parties a realistic incentive to try aiming for the same on Wii U.

 

[thefro]

Some of the excuses are pretty weak.

Shitty ports didn't sell, the good ports didn't sell and even the exclusive third party games didn't sell.
Nintendo console owners just don't buy non-Nintendo titles.

Shovel Knight's selling extremely well, so that's not true.

 

[catmario]

Now Ubisoft says WD is their last M-rated Wii U title...? huh? This is really bad for nintendo. As Ubisoft did a best job as they could (only DLC support was terrible), now they have no choice. I don't know about activision, but I have a bad feeling about that too.

Absolutely Wii U's current third party situation is really bad. Now It won't be easy to recover from this damage, at least at this nintendo gen.

It seems that Nintendo's next gen will more harder than ever. This trend will affects nintendo's next gen plan, and if this trends continues, nintendo would get even worse third party support on next gen than wii u. I hope nintendo escape from this problem.

 

[raschi]

AC on Wii U has sold pretty well when taking total userbase into account. But Ubisoft haven't exactly tried very hard to make people buy the Wii U versions instead of the others. I fact it seems they have tried to do the opposite. I blame Ubisoft alone on this. Sorry. Can't build a userbase with poor efforts.

 

[Lucifon]

I guarantee ZombiU is no longer a failure, initially yes, but the prices it's available at now and the unanimous praise for it - the percentage of WiiU owners which own that game must be pretty damn high.

I also don't believe WiiU owners like 'just dance' over Assassin's Creed, I don't think the console is owned by that many casuals (as seen by the poor sales). I think it's more the hardcore who're buying it for the Nintendo games and exclusives - so no, they don't buy Assassin's Creed because they can get a better version on their other console(s).

 

[zhao3gold_2]

R.I.P Zombie U 2...

 

[metalslimer]

I guarantee ZombiU is no longer a failure, initially yes, but the prices it's available at now and the unanimous praise for it - the percentage of WiiU owners which own that game must be pretty damn high.

I also don't believe WiiU owners like 'just dance' over Assassin's Creed, I don't think the console is owned by that many casuals (as seen by the poor sales). I think it's more the hardcore who're buying it for the Nintendo games and exclusives - so no, they don't buy Assassin's Creed because they can get a better version on their other console(s).

This doesn't help the publisher even if sales are dramatically higher, at bomba prices it hurts Ubisoft.

 

[spekkeh]

Ubi isn't even making their typical shovelware games for both Nintendo systems anymore.

Nintendo is dead to them

You're talking about Assassins Creed right?

 

[OrbitalBeard]

R.I.P Zombie U 2...

LOL the dream for that game died a loooong time before this news.

 

[Green Yoshi]

That's right, WiiU owners don't buy shitty ports.

 

[Lucifon]

This doesn't help the publisher even if sales are dramatically higher, at bomba prices it hurts Ubisoft.

Maybe not but I'd say the interest in a sequel would be pretty high as far as WiiU titles are concerned. The game has built quite the fanbase.

 

[EventHorizon]

This is why it is incorrect to group Nintendo consoles with the rest of the industry in determining the industry's health. Nintendo pursued a Blue Ocean strategy and it worked. This is the end result of that strategy. Their consoles aren't viewed the same as the others in the minds of most of the gamers.

 

[Mass_Pincup]

That's right, WiiU owners don't buy shitty ports.

ZombiU was a shitty port ?

 

[Vagabundo]

Maybe not but I'd say the interest in a sequel would be pretty high as far as WiiU titles are concerned. The game has built quite the fanbase.

A cheap way to check for interest would be to make some DLC and see how it sells. I'd say it would sell pretty well.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

Full list of Ubisoft support for the Wii U:

1) Assassin's Creed III - 2012
2) ESPN Sports Connection - 2012
3) Just Dance 4 - 2012
4) Marvel Avengers: Battle For Earth - 2012
5) Rabbids Land - 2012
6) ZombiU - 2012

7) Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag - 2013
8) Just Dance 2014 - 2013
9) Just Dance Kids 2014 - 2013
10) Rayman Legends - 2013
11) The Smurfs 2 - 2013
12) Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist - 2013
13) Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013 - 2013

14) Cloudberry Kingdom - 2014
15) Child of Light - 2014
16) Just Dance 2015 - 2014
17) Watch_Dogs - 2014

That's 17 releases on the system...more than enough support.

I think it is decent nothing more to ask of them except to stop trolling WiiU

stoping support all together is a better idea to be honest because I'm not buying Just Dance or Smurfs 3

 

[Sify64]

Maybe not but I'd say the interest in a sequel would be pretty high as far as WiiU titles are concerned. The game has built quite the fanbase.

I feel the same way. Wonder if a mock Kickstarter may be able to convince Ubisoft otherwise, since they can confidently measure how many copies of the game would potentially sell on Wii U.

 

[El Sabroso]

The thing is, third parties keep treating the consumer as if they're idiots.

You cannot create a shoddy port, remove features etc. and expect the consumer to lap it up. It's essentially the same situation as Mass Effect 3 with EA. They released it, sure, but they also destroyed any desire for people to get it by producing a better version on other platforms and focusing on that (Mass Effect Trilogy).

Again, not saying that suddenly AC would have sold millions on Wii U, but things like that do not help.

Yep things like that hurt a lot, I wanted to support WB and NRS with Injustice for Wii U, and that game does not have complete DLC and updates weren't there, only one of the updates was there late in June 2013 and that was it. Not to mention it was the only version without WB account support to get the costumes from iOS app

That's why 3rd parties suck at Nintendo platforms, some of them they make a port with less features and expect to win more money or the same as Sony or MS platforms and use it as an excuse to underperform. Of course is not an absolute but for the most part it is the case and also hurts the full featured and supported ports.

 

[Green Yoshi]

ZombiU was a shitty port ?

Guillemot is talking about Assassin's Creed.

 

[Interceptor]

Some of the excuses are pretty weak.

Shitty ports didn't sell, the good ports didn't sell and even the exclusive third party games didn't sell.
Nintendo console owners just don't buy non-Nintendo titles.

This theory is as old as it is wrong. It has been proven so multiple times.

True, but my point still stands. All this "shoddy ports" talk reminds me of the complaints from PC gamers that seems to have impossibly high standards and won't buy bad ports. Then a wild Dark Souls appears, it's a terrible port with some absurd design decisions but suddenly all those high standards go out of the window because everyone wants to play DS, the game is great so who the fuck cares about the port problems. If there was some interest for AC games on the WiiU, people would've bought them, with or without the DLCs, but there isn't. All AC fans are on other consoles and won't move unless they can play ALL their other favorite franchises on their new Nintendo console.

DS sells on PC because there is an easy fix that makes it the best version by far. Don't spread nonsense.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot: ‘Nintendo Customers Don’t Buy Assassin’s Creed’





After the high-profile failure of ZombiU, and the lack of support for AC IV on the platform (it's the only version of the game I can find for less than $20 at retail consistently.), this doesn't shock me. But at the same time, it's a very blunt way of looking at the problem. Yes, Multiplat M-rated games aren't selling on the WiiU. Does that mean the audience doesn't want mature titles, or that they're just playing those games elsewhere?

For Ubisoft there is no practical difference.

I must say that I said as much back in fall of 2012 - Nintendo fans complained for years about "test games" and bad ports, while AC3, Batman, Call of Duty, Tekken Tag 2, NBA 2k were the real deal - there would be very harsh consequences to the poor preorders and sales of the biggest third party franchise games. Everyone takes the real sales of those franchises and projected down for their games. Crysis, Metro, and Battlefield were the first victims, and everything else dried up after last year's Splinter Cell/AC4/CoD triple bombs.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

Has anyone noticed that Ubisoft just moved the bar?

Before it was wait until the WiiU sales reach some unknown number

now it is WiiU owners do not buy our crappy delayed ports with no DLC content supported

No M-Rated games coming after our crappy delayed port of Watch Dogs coming soon maybe

 

[Quadraphonic]

A cheap way to check for interest would be to make some DLC and see how it sells. I'd say it would sell pretty well.

Yeah... DLC sales on Nintendo platforms always work out:
http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/01/31/batman-arkham-origins-dlc-cancelled-for-wii-u

 

[Stiflers Mom]

For someone who has a SNES back in 1994, where almost every goddamn 3rd party game for was the best version available, it's crazy to see what has become of Nintendo consoles..

If somebody told me back in the day, I would have laughed him/her out of the building.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

For Ubisoft there is no practical difference.

I must say that I said as much back in fall of 2012 - Nintendo fans complained for years about "test games" and bad ports, while AC3, Batman, Call of Duty, Tekken Tag 2, NBA 2k were the real deal - there would be very harsh consequences to the poor preorders and sales of the biggest third party franchise games. Everyone takes the real sales of those franchises and projected down for their games. Crysis, Metro, and Battlefield were the first victims, and everything else dried up after last year's Splinter Cell/AC4/CoD triple bombs.

those were not the real deal because I owned all of those on my WiiU so I know I did my part and tried shit I did not even like NBA2k is not even my thing but I had it

Pre-Order is where it was at and I was eShop only

So my sales did not count for shit and WiiU versions of mostly all of these games above had no Pre-Order bonuses or even offers so yeah not real deal because they already knew where to target that is were those deals went

for some of those the WiiU box did not even show up in early ads for months we had to find COD was coming to WiiU from silly online shops in Spain and shit so come on son give us some credit we were already screwed before it begun

 

[Bundy]

Yup, they tried.
Can't blame them :/

 

[tofupants]

Well it's no surprise.

Gotta say though AC came late to the WiiU when it was 20 bucks in Australia on other consoles.

Bit like dumping Mass Effect 3 and wondering why it didn't sell.

And by the time Watch Dogs gets to the WiiU it will also be a 20 buck PS3 game...

BUT they tried.

 

[EDarkness]

I'm gonna write more later, but I bought Assassin's Creed 4 and the lack of support, DLC, and such really sucked. I vowed not to buy another one. Why they would ship a game with less support at full price and expect people to jump on it is crazy. If all of their games had the same advertising and support as every other version, it would have sold better. Where I purchased my copy of AC4, they didn't even know there was a Wii U version. How the hell can the rest of the world know if the shops themselves don't know? Same with Call of Duty. At leas Ubisoft told everyone up front they weren't getting support. Smart people bought another version. Not sure how that's the consumer's fault.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

Yeah... DLC sales on Nintendo platforms always work out:
http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/01/31/batman-arkham-origins-dlc-cancelled-for-wii-u

this is one reason not to buy AAA title on WiiU they never get DLC from these games we have to kiss up to them for even bothering to release on WiiU that is why most of the early replies here are You Tried Ubisoft short ass memory to most of those saying it

I was buying that shit AC3 had DLC on WiiU and I got every last one of that overpriced shit on mission crap

 

[Conan-san]

I treat Ubisoft's Wii U acumin like I do their PC acumin.

 

[Burai]

That's right, WiiU owners don't buy shitty ports.

Or good ports.

Or superior ports

Or natively developed games built around the platform in genres that succeed on it.

Or first party games that aren't Mario Kart or Mario Bros.

 

[danmaku]

DS sells on PC because there is an easy fix that makes it the best version by far. Don't spread nonsense.

lol yeah, keep telling yourself that. DS was ported after a petition showed there were a lot of people that wanted the game on PC. Let's start another one on Miiverse and see how many WiiU owners want a (good) port of AC Unity.

 

[Sify64]

Yeah... DLC sales on Nintendo platforms always work out:
http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/01/31/batman-arkham-origins-dlc-cancelled-for-wii-u

NSLU would be a more apt comparison, if we are talking about DLC that is actually packed with content.

 

[Poimandres]

Well it's no surprise.

Gotta say though AC came late to the WiiU when it was 20 bucks in Australia on other consoles.

Bit like dumping Mass Effect 3 and wondering why it didn't sell.

And by the time Watch Dogs gets to the WiiU it will also be a 20 buck PS3 game...

BUT they tried.

Pretty sure AC 4 wasn't late. Someone correct me if I'm wrong!

 

[jimi_dini]

ZombiU was a shitty port ?

No, but it was actual (awesome) hardcore survival horror. That would sell shit on other platforms as well. It's way too hardcore and way too survival horror to sell actually well.

Well ZombiU is one of the games, that are just made for the Wii U gamepad. Using some lame 30 fps or less replacement wouldn't work as well, if even at all. People would have to buy a Vita separately anyway, which means Ubisoft wouldn't try that. It would be absolutely idiotic. And taking away the 2nd screen? The game would play way worse.

Anyway guess why Resident Evil - the mother of all survival horrors - changed to actiony casual game.

 

[KingJolly]

Does that mean ZombiU 2 for PS4 and Xbox?

 

[GhostTrick]

They tried... with delayed release of inferior ports.

I'm sorry but I can't let them trying to claim they tried when they basically just released those games out of nowhere.

And the same will happens with Watch Dogs. See it getting a stealth release on eShop.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

Yup, they tried.
Can't blame them :/

Qualify that statement by saying you owned a WiiU and you supported them on WiiU
you have experience with the quality of those ports.

if you can't say that, what are you really saying by they tried, can't blame them?

Most WiiU owners will tell you ZombiU is one hell of a gem that needs to sell much more than it did.



As soon as my PS4 gets here I won't have to care about this move so if you don't own a WiiU and never seen the shitty ports WiiU gets you can't claim they tried when people decide to buy on PS4 or XBone instead

we have to stop allowing one side to get shit on because someday the platform we own will get the same shitty deals so nah man they did not try they got by because they knew were the sales mattered to them.

Ubisoft tried at first they stopped after ZombiU when they delayed Rayman Legends you cannot give them a pass after that.

 

[Shion]

That's right, WiiU owners don't buy shitty ports.

Wii U owners don't buy anything unless is has Mario on it.

This is how much Nintendo has narrowed their audience over the years.

 

[EDarkness]

Pretty sure AC 4 wasn't late. Someone correct me if I'm wrong!

It wasn't late. However, they told everyone up front there would be no DLC. No special editions, either. People simply put their money on another version that was getting support. Not sure why they're surprised by the outcome.

 

[ReaperXL7]

That unprecedented partnership.

To be fair Ubisoft was one of the primary publishers still releasing games for the Wii u, they did not sell and now we are seeing the result.

Can't expect them to keep making games for an audience that is indifferent to the content or will buy said content on other platforms anyway

 

[bigboss370]

Sad Zombi U 2 will never happen. Was a great launch game that sadly received negative reviews which likely turned a lot of people off from the game. Releasing Watch Dogs at this point is meaningless. No one even remembers that game released on other platforms, nevermind that it is still coming to Wii U.

wut

its sold over 8 milion copies...and still in the upper top 10 of latest NPD charts...

 

[Crimsonclaw111]

No, but it was actual (awesome) hardcore survival horror. That would sell shit on other platforms as well. It's way too hardcore and way too survival horror to sell actually well.

Well ZombiU is one of the games, that are just made for the Wii U gamepad. Using some lame 30 fps or less replacement wouldn't work as well, if even at all.

Anyway guess why Resident Evil - the mother of all survival horrors - changed to actiony casual game.

Don't know, but speaking of Resident Evil, the REmake port isn't coming to U either. And REmake is as hardcore as it's gonna get.

The truth is, the general userbase simply will not buy non family friendly titles on Nintendo systems. I'm sure ZombiU would've sold a lot better on PS360.

 

[JoeM86]

Pretty sure AC 4 wasn't late. Someone correct me if I'm wrong!

Actually, it was three weeks late in Europe