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Yooka-Laylee launches April 11th, considering Switch version instead of Wii U

KingBroly

Banned
Nintendo REALLY wants to kill off the Wii U it seems. It feels like they're pushing everything to Switch and encouraging 3rd parties to do the same.
 

Scrawnton

Member
I bet the Wii U version was canceled months ago (or never even worked on) and they were just building the game with the intention of it being on Switch the whole time.
 
Nintendo REALLY wants to kill off the Wii U it seems. It feels like they're pushing everything to Switch and encouraging 3rd parties to do the same.
Which is good. I enjoyed the WiiU, but I don't expect them to sink any more money into it. It's dead weight and actually toxic to their brand. The cleaner the cut, the better. I'm actually surprised they even bother bringing BotW to it. Bit I guess it increases the potential audience at launch.
 

LewieP

Member
Which is good. I enjoyed the WiiU, but I don't expect them to sink any more money into it. It's dead weight and actually toxic to their brand. The cleaner the cut, the better. I'm actually surprised they even bother bringing BotW to it. Bit I guess it increases the potential audience at launch.

They sold a lot of people a Wii U with the promise that a Zelda game was coming out for it. It would be pretty poor form to not deliver on that promise.

It makes sense for all unannounced Wii U projects to shift over to Switch, which is I suspect the explanation for the software drought on Wii U, but announced Nintendo projects is a different matter.
 

cheesekao

Member
I don't get it. If more people wanted the WiiU version than the others, wouldn't that mean that it would've sold better on the WiiU than on the other platforms? Such a thing has happened before IIRC.
 

RoadHazard

Gold Member
If I was a backer for the Wii U version (could you back specifically for that?) I guess I'd be a bit upset, but doing Switch instead is obviously the correct decision. The Wii U is dead, and probably too weak to handle their vision for this game.
 

RoadHazard

Gold Member
While the technical reasons for it not coming to the Wii U makes sense, I am slightly confused about how the financial reason does. There are already 13 million owners of the Wii U they could sell this game to whereas the Switch will be starting from a base of 0. Wouldn't they be making more money off the Wii U than the Switch?

There are 80+ million PS3 owners, but you don't see them making a PS3 version. Because that console is dead, just like the Wii U is (or will be once this game is released anyway).

I don't think so, there's are like what 90 million Xbox 360s? Xbox One would still out perform any 360 software released at this point. Installbase doesn't really matter of it isn't active.

It's a matter of active owners. Many of those Wii U owners have moved to new platforms or just dont care about Wii U anymore. On the other hand fresh Switch owners will be looking for new games to play.

All of this, yeah.
 

LewieP

Member
If I was a backer for the Wii U version (could you back specifically for that?) I guess I'd be a bit upset, but doing Switch instead is obviously the correct decision. The Wii U is dead, and probably too weak to handle their vision for this game.

You are a backer for "A code to download the full, final version of Yooka-Laylee on the console of your choice!", and Wii U is listed as one of the consoles.
 
Man fuck all these developers canceling their Wii U Software. I'm basically forced to drop $300 to play the game now.

Surely you plan on buying another console at some point.

Consoles eventually end and it's time for the Wii U to end. I loved my Wii U but I'm ready for the Switch.
 

PtM

Banned
nWsDluN.jpg
 

axisofweevils

Holy crap! Today's real megaton is that more than two people can have the same first name.
Glad I didn't back this. This kind of thing is all too common.
 

Markitron

Is currently staging a hunger strike outside Gearbox HQ while trying to hate them to death
I said this would happen in a Yooka-Laylee thread last year and was shouted down by Nintendo fans, apparently that was impossible because that was the version that they were doing in-house. Wasn't exactly an out there prediction but still.

Any way can't wait for it, out a lot sooner than I was expecting, clearly had a smooth development cycle. I'd actually get it for the Switch, but there's no way I'm waiting any longer for it.
 

deleted

Member
Well, the fact that they are offering the Switch version already as a version doesn't leave much room for these considerations :p

The Switch version is coming and it wouldn't surprise me at all to see it in January at the Nintendo event already. It's a great game to show off Indie support.
 

Venom.

Member
I'm really glad I backed this (hope it works out better than Godus...) The price I pledged on Kickstarter is over half the full retail price so that's good but I do like those blu-ray boxes.
 
This game makes me so excited. A polished and charming platformer with great music.

It's like Doom 2016. Bringing back classic gameplay into the modern landscape. So stoked.

Also, I want the Switch version cuz I want a Yooka Laylee Cartridge lol
 

plufim

Member
My problem with kickstarters changing platforms like this is that they have already collected money specifically for that version. Talk of sales being too low to justify it is kinda lame when they already have sales. This isn't like a preorder where the cash is several steps removed from the developer, this very specifically went directly to the developer for a specific purpose.

At the very least, refunds should be a given and stated as such. Encouraging switching and then implying refunds will be a longer process by just giving an email to "discuss it" isn't on.
 

Lynd7

Member
I'm fine with a switch version, although I think it's bull that it won't be day one as well. A real kick in the teeth to the people who they were aiming their initial marketing at.

Also, because there are physical console copies coming now, how will my pledge change work?

I originally backed for the PC deluxe which came with t-shirt, box/manual and cd soundtrack. I would have also received a Wii U D/L code to play there.

If I change to the Switch physical will I not receive the cd and other extras?
 

jett

D-Member
That's some shit.

Seems unfair considering it's the Nintendo fans that were the main target, especially after promising they were handling the Wii U version themselves, and only now you're realizing you can't do it, four months before launch? lol. And who knows when the Switch port will be coming out.

I actually wonder what's the platform breakdown on their kickstarter pledges.
 
Playtonic's excuse stands on shaky ground, even if I 100% support their decision to ditch the WiI U version.

The Wii U version was billed as the lead format alongside PC, with Playtonic handling that version while giving the more straightforward XBO and PS4 versions to publisher Team17.

So to encounter technical issues that make it impossible to release the game on the only format Playtonic is targeting internally suggests a Wii U version was never really the focus, and the game was always targeting formats that were powerful enough to run a Unity Engine game as visually ambitious as Yooka Laylee.

We've never seen Wii U footage to date, for instance, it's always been gameplay of the other versions

"Unforeseen technical issues" look get out of here with the PR bollocks and just be straight with your backers. It's not financially viable now. Done, with respect and people will bitch anyway but honestly your fan base is older and respect you and get over it after a few rage tweets. Throw Wii U backers some free DLC and that's it.
 

etking

Banned
The Wii-U has been the lead platform since Banjo-Kazooie was a Nintendo franchise and a very large number of backers will be Wii-U owners. But the Wii-U is completely hacked and all games can easily be pirated without any modification, so from a business standpoint this is a right decision.

But the technical difficulties argument is a straight lie in my opinion.
 

pfr

Member
Too bad for me, I guess I'll think about switching to Switch or go PC, reluctantly. Not too surprising, though. Wii U version wouldn't have made much sense at this point, but they could have confirmed this earlier.
 

-shadow-

Member
I backed the game through PayPal for PC GOG GOG because I had little hope for the WiiU release actually happening. I hope I'll be able to upgrade regardless for a physical Switch version in this case. Though I'd still be happy with GOG of course.

Also why do people not have any confidence in the reasoning? Yeah it's terrible they're announcing it mere months before launch. But Unity has never run well with Nintendo platforms. Seeing how large the levels in the end have become I fully believe that they've run into serious problems. The engine just isn't suited for the WiiU and I have no doubt they had the best of intentions when deciding for WiiU development themselves but ran into a brick wall and just can't fix the problem. Wouldn't be the first time either.
 

Sponge

Banned
The possibility of a Switch version has me incredibly hyped.

EDIT - Oh it's confirmed. Kind of shocked the Wii U version is canned completely. I figured they would release on both. I'm cool with it since I sold my Wii U this week.
 

marmoka

Banned
As a Wii U owner, and considering how the console did during these 4 years, I find it pretty normal, and understandable, to cancel such version, and move it to Switch.

The console has great games, and I love mine, but let's face it, the console is dead, it was dead long time ago. It's time for everyone to move forward.

Now I don't know if I should get the PS4 version, or the Switch version, haha.
 
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