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It seems like every week a new developer steps forward to sing Wii U’s praises, only to effectively void its own statements in the very same breath by admitting it currently has no plans to support the platform. It’s certainly frustrating to see these big-name studios talk so highly of the console only to shy away from it, especially when the opportunity to cultivate an audience is greatest during the infant months of a new generation. But alas, such looks to be the fate written in Wii U’s stars.
Take the recent comments made by Epic’s president, Mike Capps. While he states the company is very interested in the platform, citing its improved horsepower (as evident by the fact many of the projects featured in Nintendo’s developer reel at E3 were running on Epic’s Unreal Engine) as the primary reason for its apparent change of heart, he remains (expectedly) noncommittal about any actual titles in development for it: “We haven’t made an official announcement about that platform. And while we loved the Wii, it just wasn’t a fit to make a game that would go across Xbox 360, PS3 and the Wii. It just wasn’t possible. So going forward, we’re working with those folks and we’re very interested in the Wii U.”
Still, that Epic even considers Wii U a possible home for its software shows there is at least some potential we’ll see more hardcore-oriented studios contribute to the platform. Valve in particular seems to be displaying an inclination for the system. While the famed developer has not offered any support for Nintendo consoles in the past, it appears that may all change with Wii U. Speaking at New York’s Games for Change Festival, Valve’s CEO apparently listed the console among the projects the company was currently undertaking. No further details have been divulged, but it is a promising (and exciting) piece of information nonetheless. Whether or not it will be a new project or a port of an existing title remains to be seen, but I am sure I am not alone in saying any support from Valve would be welcomed with open wallets arms.
Could we see a Portal game on Wii U?
Capcom has, perhaps deservingly, been caught in a maelstrom of fan scorn since it officially announced it was discontinuing development on Mega Man Legends 3. A demo version of the title was set to launch with the eShop back in June, but the company inexplicably delayed it, throwing the entire project’s future into question until that fateful day it was canceled. Despite this, it seems all hope is not yet lost. While I must stress the following is still merely a rumor, it is one that fans will no doubt want to read. According to David of the “100,000 Strong for Bringing Back Mega Man Legends 3” Facebook campaign (who himself received this information from a follower with ties to a nebulous “inside source” within Capcom), the company’s decision to pull the plug on the title was made when it saw the amount of members registered in the game’s North American DevRoom was less than 4,500. Capcom interpreted this paltry number as an indication of consumer disinterest, and thus the project was deemed inviable. However, the decision may very well be reversed if more fans join the DevRoom and sign the official petition located within it. Again, for the time being this development should be taken as just a rumor, but couple it with confirmation that a staff member at Capcom is looking over every single post made in the company’s official forums regarding the game, and there looks to be some truth to it. Fans are encouraged to follow the steps here to do all they can to resurrect the project.
And if that wasn’t enough to sate your appetite for industry happenings, here’s a small roundup of other noteworthy rumors and revelations from the past week:
Nebulous ties, huh? hum. Well, color me still suspicious! It’s Capcom, after all.