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[PaulExcellent]

I actually thought that the Origin network claim had some truth to it.

Maybe this is just something extra.

 

[flatearthpandas]

...when confronted with a choice of a brand new title playing to the systems strengths (ZombiU), a reliable party game from a publisher with a history of such a thing (Nintendoland) or an optimised for your platform multiformat (Sonic, CoD, AC3) you don't pick up the overpriced ports of year+ old games (ME3, Batman) or the gimped versiosn of multiplatforms (FIFA, Madden).

It's not exactly 'painting a narrative' to use your brain and say "If I was buying a WiiU at launch what games would I buy?".

Because your answer wouldn't be "The shit ones that are poor value for money"

This bears much repeating.
It's irksome seeing people toss out the same tired insults at Wii U and Nintendo owners, and this is the perfect response that never occurred to me.

If the people claiming the Wii U userbase are not the right market for "core" games suddenly found themselves with a Wii U and a $100 Wii U gift card tomorrow... what games would they buy? Probably not Batman, becuase they already own that. Probably not Mass Effect, because they already own it. Probably not Madden, because they already own a fully featured version.

It's so obvious and simple.

 

[shinra-bansho]

Even without an option to implement DRM on the PS4 EA will not forgo the revenue of PS4 SKUs. Nor are they going to ditch the PS3 and 360 which will continue to be DRM-free.

Nor with Take-Two and Bethesda.

I'm not getting into this debate because I think there are several justifiable reasons for EA to skip the Wii U but out of curiosity which late ports "sold gangbusters" on PS3? I remember late ports but I don't remember any doing very well.

I wouldn't necessarily describe the sales as "gangbusters" per se.

On the PS3 at launch:

• Madden NFL 07 was late and sold 265K in three months.
• Call of Duty 3 was late and sold 165K by end of Jan in three months.
• Need for Speed: Carbon was late and sold 145K in three months.
• Fight Night Round 3 was nearly a year late and sold 120K in two months.
• All of the above occurred on an installed base of around 930K, which is similar to the installed base of the Wii U at the end of January 2013 (~940K).
• All of the above is with the context of a first party game selling with about a 50% attach rate, which doesn't quite match but is similar to the 70% attach rate of NSMB U.

And the PS3's software sales weren't really considered that great even. EDIT: Note, these are in reference to US sales.

To date, I believe the best selling third party published game on the Wii U is Zombi U and it's attach rate is around the 10% mark last time Harker mentioned it; putting it in the realm of 115K or so.

 

[Jeb]

If that was true, then I guess Nintendo's dreaded inability to adapt to future tech isn't so bad after all.
Actually, by the looks of where the industry is heading,they maybe our only hope.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

I think it is more because the Wii U isn't selling too well and third party games are not selling either. EA are not the only ones who dropped or toned down support. Used games aside, most companies would sort of panic about their investments if no one seems to be interested on the platform or competitors software I would imagine them. Also, why would developers and gamers flock to Wii U when most of their engines will not run on Wii U and their games would have to be stripped down visually?

 

[Sendou]

The Wii U sin't selling and third party games are not selling. Used games aside, most companies would sort of panic about their investments if no one is buying them. Also, why would developers flock to Wii U when most of their engines will not run on Wii U and their games would have to be stripped down visually?

Last EA game released on Wii U was Most Wanted U so what's your point? It's not that Wii U doesn't run these engines (like Frostbite) it's that the publishers don't see the return to put the effort to ports.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

Last EA game released on Wii U was Most Wanted U so what's your point? It's not that Wii U doesn't run these engines (like Frostbite) it's that the publishers don't see the return to put the effort to ports.

That's true, but I am mostly talking about the future games. I keep hearing from people that developers and consumers will probably flock to Wii U if PS4 and X360 are not worthwhile to them which honestly, doesn't make logical sense to me. Obviously, developers would have to scrap these expensive, custom made engines created for the new hardware and create an entirely new engine for Wii U. Yeah, I think it has more to do with publishers not seeing it as a worthy investment for their ports and exclusives, but also add in the fact that they couldn't run their engines on the console either meaning porting over would be an insurmountable task.

 

[Taker666]

I wouldn't be surprised if this was part of the reason..

...the whole "unprecedented partnership" ..and then dumping of it a year later (before launch) does make it seem likely.

Of course they have hardly supported 3DS either and that's selling pretty damn well.

Only 1 game in the last 18 months (but nobody really noticed).

 

[Cody_D165]

This actually kind of makes sense...

 

[Kickz]

I swear if the PS4 locks out used games its over for me, PSx-to PS2-and finally the lackluster PS3. I need to sell my games when I beat them, I don't want to buy a $75 game and beat it in a weekend and be stuck with it..

 

[DXB-KNIGHT]

This makes more sense than the forcing Origin story.

 

[May16]

or because Wii U is not selling well

That's what I'm thinking too. They're barely supporting the Vita, probably for the same reason.

 

[hooijdonk17]

No, from a technical point of view I can easily see where EA is coming from. It's as though Nintendo learned nothing from Wii's mistakes or didn't care.

 

[JoeM86]

or because Wii U is not selling well

May have been the case if they didn't cut support prior to launch

 

[Sendou]

To really answer the topic: if no-DRM and used games were what publishers really wanted the Wii U support wouldn't be like this.

 

[Herb Alpert]

That's what I'm thinking too. They're barely supporting the Vita, probably for the same reason.

What is fishy is the fact that they stopped supporting WiiU even BEFORE it released and sold like shit.
And not talking about the Mass Effect sabotage, the very late ports and the gimped versions.

IMO, it's a combination of several factors, including probably Nintendo's stance on online control as well as DRM and used games that lead EA to think that Nintendo was not moving in the direction that they were asking for.
Therefore it is clear that Nintendo wasn't part of the picture anymore and their loss would not hurt EA. They have grown super powerful, they now dictate how the manufacturer must act. If you don't comply, you're ostracized.

The bad sales are a good justification and PARTLY a result for the non support from them. What baffles me is the way they seem to let their employees bash the WiiU.

 

[KKRT00]

Make no sense at all. Crappy hardware, no userbase, bad experience with Wii and no sales of games like NFS or Black Ops 2 since launch are the reason.
Also EA wants to move to next-gen as soon as possible, the only reason why 360 and PS3 get ports of announced games is because of 140m userbase and they've already heavily invested in engine optimizations on them, hell they've built engines around them.

 

[Sendou]

And not talking about the Mass Effect sabotage, the very late ports and the gimped versions.

Not to mention triology released at the same time on the other platforms. It was really weird how they expected to get any kind of support with a move like that. Frozenbyte did well with porting Trine 2 over and guess what? Wii U is their most important platform now.

 

[JK3107]

I bet that's part of it, but also, the Wii U is selling poorly, and I don't think spending the resources on making games for it is worth it in EA's eyes.

 

[AlphaDump]

the inherent small install base of wiiu multiplied by the sales expectation most likely doesn't make enough return on the investment.

they probably just see it as too much effort for very little return.

 

[Pineconn]

Make no sense at all. Crappy hardware, no userbase, bad experience with Wii and no sales of games like NFS or Black Ops 2 since launch are the reason.

I can confirm that the Wii U has a userbase greater than zero, as I own one. I can also confirm that Black Ops 2 for Wii U experienced sales greater than zero, since I bought it.

 

[wildfire]

I'm still leaning towards being backstabbed by Nintendo after helping develop the wiiu's online infrastructure rumor because EA's non-commitment is too personal for franchises they whore out yearly.

That said, this is the most credible alternative theory but we won't know for sure until details about used games on both PS4 and Xbox are fully disclosed.

If that's the case, Nintendo should be shouting it from the rooftops. And should've been for weeks now.

This is the reason I'm still very very sceptical about this. EA ditching Nintendo makes Nintendo look really bad. If they did it because of the used game stuff, why doesn't Nintendo clear that up? That would win them a lot of points.

If this is true, Nintendo can't do anything until atleast PS4's drm is better understood.

 

[May16]

What is fishy is the fact that they stopped supporting WiiU even BEFORE it released and sold like shit.
And not talking about the Mass Effect sabotage, the very late ports and the gimped versions

True, I hadn't realized that.

I guess we'll (probably?) see how it all turns out. Either way, what a bag of dicks those guys are.

 

[iceatcs]

Just go PC then.

Most in UK stores don't take PC used games.

 

[Cheech]

I swear if the PS4 locks out used games its over for me, PSx-to PS2-and finally the lackluster PS3. I need to sell my games when I beat them, I don't want to buy a $75 game and beat it in a weekend and be stuck with it..

Then don't buy $75 games. Wait until they drop in price.

Enough people do that, publishers will have to rethink their pricing.

 

[Sapphire Dreams]

I am certain that used games is an issue with lack of games. I just hope that Sony won't following on Microsoft footsteps, but that probably won't happen.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

Just go PC then.

What if he likes Japanese games though? That's one of my main issues with PC.

 

[fluffydelusions]

What if he likes Japanese games though? That's one of my main issues with PC.

Yeah, at least that is kinda starting to change. LoS2 and DS2 are coming to PC day 1 for instance. Still not sure why SE never release the latest FF games on PC but they will give us FFARR and older PS1 titles

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

Yeah, at least that is kinda starting to change. LoS2 and DS2 are coming to PC day 1 for instance. Still not sure why SE never release the latest FF games on PC but they will give us FFARR and older PS1 titles

Yeah, that's true. I forgot about those. I also like fighters and I am not sure if there is even a fighting community on PC. Oh well, that's beter than nothing I must admit.

 

[MDX]

Just an idea. If the PS4 also requires a fee for used games, this could be why EA ditched Nintendo. Nintendo not playing ball with it. Emphasis on the word if.

Of course it is.
To say otherwise is foolish.

People are delusion to blame EA pulling out because of WiiU sales.
What, you dont think EA thinks it has software that can move consoles??
Thats how they throw their weight around!
EA is not going to fully support a console that is not supporting its agenda!

They most likely convinced MS and possibly Sony that without their support
they would not be successful in the US market.
And MS needs the US market, because in Japan they are DOA, and Europe is
dominated by Sony.

So, MS made a deal with a DEVIL. And now they got screwed.
Sony, might of made the same deal, and now seeing MS go through a PR
nightmare, is probably trying to find a way to get out of it. But, I dont think they can.

 

[coinoperatedboy]

Sounds plausible...

 

[Teppic]

It has crossed my mind.

Let's see what happens with PS4. (I'm not that hopeful at this point)