It’s been an argument that has been put through the paces ever since the GameCube: third party titles cannot compete with Nintendo offerings. Sure there have been some companies such as EA, Capcom, and Activision that have seen some success, but most other companies have been left out in the cold.

Reggie Fils-Aime has an answer for why that might be. While speaking with Forbes, he stated that he believes third party developers “still don’t quite understand the Wii audience,” also adding, “I will be able to say our licensees ‘get it’ when their very best content is on our platform.”

Part of the problem he sees is that companies are just trying to tack motion controls onto a property, without taking the time to fully develop the game. If you look at many of the multi-platform titles for Wii, and how they usually end up being PS2 ports with motion controls, it’s hard to argue against his claims. The future isn’t all that bleak, as developers like High Voltage look to show the world that the Wii isn’t just a shovel ware, waggle fest. But the message from Fils-Aime is clear, if third parties want to see some measure of success, put more time and care in developing your titles.

VideoGamer.com: A lot of people seem to feel that while the Wii has been very successful, the system hasn’t really seen enough decent third party games. Do you think there are too many “waggle-a-thons”?

Jordan Itkowitz: Yeah, there’s a lot of that and there’s a lot of party stuff too. Some of it is really good and some of it is not so good, but it’s one of the things for which we’ve got to give credit to THQ. They said, “We want to do more original IP, and we already have a lot of licenses to fill out our portfolio.” The last title I worked on was Cars for Pixar, which is about as different from Deadly Creatures as you can get. But THQ were already making De Blob, and then when we brought this to them they bit as well, because they wanted original content in general, and then it felt like a good opportunity to do something on the Wii. And it was really different, we knew we would stand out. You know, I hope that a game like this… it’s received a really positive response from the press, and the fans on messageboards seem to be excited by it, so hopefully it’ll do the right numbers and get the right scores so they want to make more of them. Because the flipside is, and we all know this… you have an original game, it looks good, it plays well and people seem excited about it - but if it doesn’t perform, you’re going to see a lot more party games.

_________________________

I have a feeling that Deadly Creatures is going to be another fantastic third party game from THQ. Perhaps not as good as de Blob, but still an excellent title. To read the full Deadly Creatures-focused interview, click here

In a recent shocking announcement, Reggie Fils-Aime admitted that while the Wii itself should finally be available this holiday season (now that everyone has already paid god knows how much to get one on Ebay), the Wii Fit would likely be difficult to find. You don't say!

Fils-Aime also commented third party developers "don't fully understand" the potential of the Wii, which I guess is supposed to explain the reason why I don't have that many third party titles for the system that I love to play. Still, kind of condescending, isn't it? Somehow I doubt that understanding the Wii's "potential" has to much to do with it. I'm sure it'd be hard for Reg to grasp that some developers just aren't interested in waggle.

By the way, I've got a Wii Fit in my hall closet collecting dust, if anyone is in desperate need of one.

[Via GamesIndustry.Biz]

Nintendo of America's beefburger boss Reggie Fils-Aime has claimed that third parties don't "get" the Wii, and that is why there is a lot of rubbish on the console.

"I will be able to say our licensees 'get it' when their very best content is on our platform," explained the savory executive after admitting that third party support is not known for its quality. "And with very few exceptions today, that's not the case."

I find myself disagreeing with the gravy-blooded boss on this count. I think third parties "get" the Wii completely. They "get" that you can put shovelware crap on the platform, fill it with useless waggle, and sell a bunch of copies to retards and the terminally ignorant. I'd say they "get it" completely.

If anyone's failing at the Wii, it's Sega and Capcom. Putting good third party games on a system? They're doing it wrong!

Well, that is until you hit someone on accident. That's real violence right there.

A study by  by Dr. Patrick Markey at Villanova University shows that those Wii Remote motions assigned to violent attacks, such as the ones in Manhunt 2, won't make you any more violent than traditional games.

Markey pulled together 118 participants to play both Manhunt 2 and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008 on the Wii. He gauged their level of psychoticism before and after playing these games, permitting them to use both standard and waggle-style controls. 

The study says that waggle attacks did not bring about the expected aggression or hostility, and that swinging a Wii Remote and pushing buttons brought about the same results.

The study text says it best:

...the negative effects of violent video games were not magnified when individuals utilized a motion capture controller. Specifically, participants who utilized motion capture controls to play the violent video game Manhunt 2 did not experience more hostility or more aggressive cognitions than individuals who utilized a traditional controller

According to Game|Life, though, the study did show that those with higher levels of psychoticism "were much more affected by violent video games than other participants." Yikes. You hear that psychos? Steer clear of violent wand waggle games.

[Thanks, Prof. Pew]

Gallery: Manhunt2

Phew!: Waggle doesn't produce murderers originally appeared on Nintendo Wii Fanboy on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A new study suggests that games that feature motion-controlled violent actions, like the Wii version of Manhunt 2 (above), don't affect players any differently than traditional violent games. Phew!

The study was conducted by Dr. Patrick Markey at Villanova University, and examined participants with varying levels of psychoticism, gauging their "hostility and aggressive thoughts" while playing Manhunt 2 or Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008.

The 118 participants (68 female and 50 male college students) completed a measure of psychoticism before and immediately after playing one of the two games, with either motion controls or standard controls. 

Published in Computers in Human Behavior, the study concludes that the use of motion controls did not exacerbate any of the perceived negative effects (aggression, hostility, etc.) that could result from playing violent video games. Swinging a Wiimote or mashing a button generated the same results.

The Wii's motion controls are a popular target for opponents of violent media, and Manhunt 2 ruffled quite a few feathers, particularly with claims that young children would be rehearsing violent moves, and converting them into real physical violence. This study weakens those conjectures, offering evidence that tossing in a bit of waggle isn't the recipe for creating a homicidal maniac.

Having elevated levels of psychoticism on the other hand, affected how players performed during the study. It notes that participants who showed higher levels of psychoticism during testing "were much more affected by violent video games than other participants."

Could it be that people who are predisposed to violence are susceptible to violent media, while the rest of us aren't likely to emulate our cherished murder simulators? Only time and research will prove that claim one way or the other, but science sure sounds a lot better than that "gut feeling" most pundits usually have.

Image: Rockstar

New Study: Wii Motion Controls Do Not Increase Negative Effects of Manhunt 2 [GamePolitics]

Article here

EA Signs the Legendary David Lynch for Three Game Deal
Auteur behind Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive to elevate the plane of interactive entertainment

Electronic Arts today announced that cinematic legend David Lynch will bring his unique talents to the development of three original games. Lynch will lead development of the games with a team at Pandemic Studios in Los Angeles, the same studio recently released open-world title Mercenaries 2: World of Flames and the forthcoming The Lord of the Rings: Conquest. Lynch's acclaimed works include Oscar-nominated classics such as Mulholland Dr., Blue Velvet, and The Elephant Man. He is presently devoting his time to an array of multimedia projects.

Under the agreement with Asymmetrical Productions, EA will co-own the intellectual properties and the game franchises will be co-developed, published and distributed worldwide by EA. The relationship between Lynch and EA includes efforts to extend the game franchises into theatrical motion pictures. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“The sheer promise of technology has struck me as a bellwether of innovation; for that reason, I am excited to be entering a new medium and proving it capable of handling a scathing, soaring complexity,” said Lynch. “By taking the more arduous road of creating computer games without the use of computers, I believe that we will set an inspirational precedent for interactive narratives.”

The collaboration will also give Lynch unprecedented control over the marketing and publicity of the games, offering an imaginative experience prior to the release of the game certain to intrigue Lynch fans and gamers. Starting today, fans will find a clues embedded within Lynch’s daily weather forecast at his website davidlynch.com.

Frank Gibeau, President of EA Games Label said, “For decades, David Lynch has amassed an incomparable library of masterpiece after masterpiece, and it is nothing short of an honor to help him create his next masterpieces. These are certain to be projects that will show the general public that the medium is as legitimate artistically as film or literature.”

The deal was brokered on behalf of Mr. Lynch and Asymmetrical Productions by Creative Artists Agency.

Microsoft Brings Romance to the Halo Universe with Halo Dating

Groundbreaking franchise once again shatters boundaries with innovation

In an age when the state of gaming seems awash with the monotonous drudgery of soulless, polarizing product targeted at the most specific of audiences, an innovative title will stand apart. “Halo® Dating,” the ambitious next great chapter in the acclaimed “Halo” franchise, is certain to shatter entertainment sales records when it releases later this year.

Created by legendary developer Bungie Studios with the assistance of acclaimed author Nicholas Sparks and exclusive to the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, “Halo Dating” will set a new standard for interactive storytelling and social gaming by engaging consumers worldwide in an epic, galactic tale of romance.

Sparks, best known for sweeping novels such as “The Notebook” and “Message and the Bottle” that have created big-screen romantic blockbusters, handled the writing of the project and guided the team in development. His contributions ensure an experience that will thrill diehard fans and newcomers alike.

“There is absolutely no greater platform in the video-gaming universe than that of the ‘Halo’ series,” said Sparks. “Dealing with very human, universal matter, I’m confident this game has an involving experience that will encompass everyone and bring gamers and non-gamers together.”

Although “Halo Dating” largely eschews the shooting that has marked the series, the game features relentless action and adventure that will bring the audience to see those two terms in a new light.

In the campaign mode, gamers can expect to spend twenty-five hours on an ultimate journey in the shoes of Colonel James Ackerson, as he attempts to sustain his relationship through intense intergalactic conflict and shocking revelations.

But “Halo Dating” truly comes alive when multiple players join in, the game features an entirely different cooperative mode called “Couples Play” that places one player as Ackerson and one as his girlfriend through an unique way of play, and will truly bring couples closer together with an emphasis on positive cooperation rather than nihilistic destruction.

On the Xbox LIVE® service, gamers will find a continuation of that emphasis of positive cooperation with modes like “Lovematch”—an subversion of the famed “deathmatch” mode—where the aim is not to blast each other but resolve differences and contribute in a positive manner.

“With a truly compelling experience that transcends demographics, “Halo Dating” is the must-play title of the fall,” said Don Mattrick, senior vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “Anyone interested in the future of entertainment knows that the Xbox 360 is the place to be.”

Eidos Enlists My Chemical Romance for Shellshock 2 Soundtrack
Unprecedented collaboration elevates war-torn fear to new levels.

Eidos Interactive, creator of some of the world’s leading videogame properties, today announced an unprecedented collaboration with the multi-platinum art-rock group My Chemical Romance to create the soundtrack for the upcoming psychological first person shooter Shellshock 2: Blood Trails.

From “Let’s Live for Today” to “My Girl,” the acclaimed New Jersey quartet has reinvented more than twenty hits that truly illuminate the game’s harrowing setting of Cambodia ravaged by the Vietnam War. My Chemical Romance’s contributions mark the largest body of music recorded by a blue-chip act exclusively for a game.

“Ever since that first crack at Contra when I was ten, I have been a lifelong gamer, and finding an opportunity like this that indulges my own fantasies while promoting our artistic integrity is truly once in a lifetime,” said My Chemical Romance lead singer Gerald Way.

Additionally, audiophiles will be to geek out with a copy of the game’s soundtrack on vinyl when they purchase the PlayStation®3 edition of Shellshock 2: Blood Trails.

“My Chemical Romance are relentless auditory innovators, and it was only natural that we decided to partner with them to create the most visceral and menacing depiction of war to grace the medium,” said Lee Singleton, General Manager of Eidos Game Studios.

Shellshock 2: Blood Trails will be released in February 2009 on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Games for Windows®.

Ubisoft Announces Tom Clancy’s Imagine: Party Babyz: Clandestine Frolics
Preeminent infantile celebration simulation returns.

Today Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, announced that it will publish Tom Clancy’s Imagine: Party Babyz: Clandestine Frolics exclusively on the Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo. Developed by Ubisoft Montreal and Red Storm Entertainment, Tom Clancy’s Imagine: Party Babyz: Clandestine Frolics marks a return of the preeminent infantile celebration simulation.

This time around, the franchise sees the addition of the Tom Clancy brand and an epic story penned by the PEN/Faulkner Award-winner Richard Ford.

“I am happily hesitant to lend my name to anything anyone approaches me to be involved with, but when I saw the unabashedly unflinching undertaking planned ahead, I knew this was a palpable presentation of a narrative,” said Ford. “To see a group of people committed to the conception of something beyond the basic, banal stereotype-laden shoot-em-up in some exotic locale is simply inspirational.”

“We’re absolutely thrilled to have the venerable talents of Richard Ford and Red Storm on board for this evolution of the Party Babyz franchise,” said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Ubisoft. “With these new epic additions, gamers everywhere are going to find themselves endlessly immersed in the powerful, enchanting world of Tom Clancy’s Imagine: Party Babyz: Clandestine Frolics.”

Game features include:

• Acclaimed voice cast. The game features the vocal talents of acclaimed actors such as Michael Salinger, Gary Oldman, Brenda Strong, Jean Reno, Kris Kristofferson, Ron Perlman, Roma Maffia. Patrick Stewart, Terence Stamp, Tom Waits, Mickey Rourke, Christopher Walken, and Juliette Binoche.


• Innovative soundtrack. Composed by Tom Waits, the game’s innovative soundtrack of dozens of ditties and doodles dynamically changes based on the context of the game’s action, making for a more immersive mode of play.


• Command and move your party. Using the Wii Speak™ and Wii Balance Board™, players can experience the ultimate multitasking challenge where they must wiggle and waggle their bodies while efficiently using their voice to chart the course of their partying.


• Sensational storyline. Written by heralded author Richard Ford, the game features an unforgettable Homeric probing of contemporaneous society filled to the brink with moral ambiguity that will encourage players discussing their experience after playing the game.


• Evolved realism. Ubisoft enlisted renowned infantile celebration expert Dr. Frederica Ancalade to consult on the development of the game, ensuring the most realistic interactive experience of the kind.

Tom Clancy’s Imagine: Party Babyz: Clandestine Frolics has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

[Alex Litel can be reached at alexlitel@gmail.com and occasionally found at alexlitel.blogspot.com. The press releases above may not actually exist - yet.]

Nintendo slapped with another waggle suit originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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