GDC 2007: "The Wii is a Piece of Sh*t!"

During a session at GDC this morning titled 'Burning Mad - Game Publishers Rant,' time was taken about half way through to allow developers a chance to spew their own rants. One speaker, Chris Hecker, currently working on Spore at Maxis, took the opportunity to call out Nintendo for not taken games seriously.

"The Wii is a piece of shit!" Hecker began his talk, which was called "Fear of a Wii Planet." He blasted a few bars of Public Enemy to set the tone. Hecker said the Wii is nothing more than two GameCubes stuck together with duct tape, and that the console isn't powerful enough to provide the next-gen experience he has been waiting for.

Although he stated the system is "severely underpowered," Hecker noted that he wasn't simply referring to the Wii's graphical capabilities. He wants to spend a console's CPU making games more intelligent, and he has found the Wii doesn't have the power to process things like complicated AI.

[GaMr-]

$250 for a "Next-Gen" Console. You pay for what you get.

[BubblesDAVERAGE]

Its also overpriced....way over priced..they shouldnt even consider it next gen

[InMyOpinion]

If he said it in front of an audience:

"Welcome to GDC! First of all I would like to thank you all for tuning in to listen to my speech. Just for the record: The Wii is a piece of sh!t! Two Gamecubes stuck together with duct tape. Thank you for listening and don't forget to purchase Spore. Bye!"

[bilal]

He did say it infront of an Audiance, and i totally agree with him....and wii selling over 360 and ps3 really shows how stupid many people are..

[eclipsegryph]

Why does the success of the Wii show public stupidity? How is enjoying ANYTHING a sign of public stupidiy? I don't enjoy fishing, but I'm not going to call my fishermen friends stupid for their hobby.

This guy getting so upset over Nintendo doesn't really make much sense. Nintendo is pushing gaming in a different direction than what Sony and Microsoft are doing. It's a seprate direction, but it's still gaming. The end is still the same - provide entertainment for people. Which segways into the other confusing statement that he is upset that Nintendo markets their games as simply "fun". Aren't you supposed to have fun playing your video games? His remarks about video games as an artform are very subjective, seeing as how art is in the eye of the beholder.

This... is just a very confused man.

[Violater]

Not a fan of the Wii but that was pretty harsh, you cant deny the success of this console, and you shouldn't overlook that It has a specific demographic on lock down . Its a "Fun" console, so if your going to make games for it you better use your imagination and make Fun games.
If you so want to make serious games take on the other 3 systems.
But I'm sure the Wii needs no one to come to its defense, the sales speak for itself and while the other 2 boxes sits on shelves u cant find a Wii anywhere.
I'm sure Nintendo has something to knock our socks off tomorrow.

[BubblesDAVERAGE]

thats why there arent any wiis on shelves they arent shipping a million a month...when the pal ps3 launch happens there will be shortages again....

[cuco33]

AAAANNNND on continues the wiibashing trolls...
violater said it best, it's a fun console. fun for everyone. not just the hardcore gamers or developers who preach pixel counts, movie formats, and how many buttons u have to press in sequence to fire 14 rockets at the head. compare 360 and ps3. wii is gaming but it's on a different realm aimed towards a different demographic. stuff i like isn't what you'll like. on that note the wii gets played just as my 360, wii for my sister and girlfriend while 360 for me. i jump into the wii from time to time but they never jump towards the 360. tells u something

[ALItheWISE]

I purchased a WII and have been a nintendo fan since the beginning so are you saying im stupid. Your a complete fool for saying that. People are buying it because its fun. Only system to lauch with a game that got a 10 across the board. So people that enjoy mario zelda metroid and all the other nintendo classics are stupid. Get a life kid!!!!!!!!!

[bilal]

Thats not the pont......The consoles and the technology should move forward, look at 360 or ps3 (atleast the intention is to take the games to the next level).....atari was fun, so was playstation i think they should be released again with a new casing and a 250$ price tag....it would be so fun to play those games....

did u read the article..it cant even handle AI..save for graphics. people in general that buy consoles (in many cases parents..) dont know sh*t about what is better. many people only buy a single console and paying 250$ for a wii instead of paying more for 360 or ps3 is just plain stupid.....its like saving a little money of a car and end up buying a bicycle (its for fun..which is priceless)...

[eclipsegryph]

First, you neglected to answer my previous question about the so-called stupidity of the Wii success.

Second, I do not think that you are a moron, but I believe you to be a little bit blinded by all of this, perhaps through fanboyism, and you are distorting the facts. The AI and graphics and pure computing power possibilities of the Wii are greater than all of the last gen systems, which, you might recall, managed to pump out some rather beautiful and powerful games. To make such comments means that you are belittling the power and pure fun of all of the games of the last generation. You didn't have fun with Eternal Darkness? You weren't amazed by the complexity and size of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas? You weren't wowed by the beautiful graphics of Halo 2, Shadow of the Colossus, or Final Fantasy XII?

What you are saying is insulting not to Nintendo, but to everyone who made fun, beautiful, and amazing games in years past.

Nintendo has made a decision. That decision is that the power and graphics in games has reached a plateau, where such features are "good enough". So instead of focusing on those things, they focused on a quality of games that they did not consider to be "good enough", the gameplay. That decision was deliberate and intentional, not some arbitrary decision made on the back of a napkin at a bar late one night. It is different, and it is compelling. People generally dislike change. It's new, it's untested, it's wild, it's not dependable. In truth, it's a gamble.

Now, for people remarking about developers being pissed at the Wii in general, I think, from what I have seen, that such dislike is very limited. All over the Internet and gaming magazines are praises for the Wii from developers who enjoy its simplicity and ease of use, and the real fact that there is still power left to be harnesed. I don't claim to know what crawled up this guy's butt, however I'm rather certain that he is in a small minority.

Oh, and as a sidenote, I rather enjoyed your remark about the car and the bike. I happen to be a part of a group who rides our bikes the 8 miles to and from work each day, and I live close enough to town so that I bike or walk to where I need to go. My car only sees use when I'm picking someone up or going out with the wife. And yes, I consider biking to be more fun than driving a car. :p

[sajj316]

Considering the short term success of the Wii, for a developer of his magnitude to say that, that takes testicular fortitude (quote from Mick Foley).

Goes to show you that a gimmick can sell but gimmicks never last. No arguing its clever control system. No point in user a clever control system if the intelligence in the game isn't there. Now, before I get flamed by Wii lovers ... please quote me on this. Unless the Wii delivers more than just clever controls and a 'new' gaming experience, it has a 3 year lifespan. It will get run over by the 360 and PS3.

250 is 50+ too much ... considering everyone and their mother thought the system was going to be less than 200 before the official price was confirmed by Reggie.

[Rasputin2011]

Mr.Chris Hecker makes NO sense at all to me like i'm not a WII fan but it is selling like crazy so how can one state that it is a P.O.S.??

[Bad_Karma]

Asked for a Wii , i thought about it , feared for my Bravia`s 50" screen ,eventually said yes , moved my old 32" screen to their room , went to buy a Wii weeks ago and am still looking . Would be easier to find $hit from a rocking horse .

[bombzombie]

the hater-ade. Ninty is well on its way to winning the console battle by being more innovative and less technologically superior. By starting out the price at $250, Ninty has all but wrapped up the casual gamer. They are very near that magical pricepoint where folks will make an impulse buy. With games like, Tiger Woods coming out, don't underestimate the little guy. They have racked up roughly half X-box's sales in less than half the time and doubled Sony's in the sametime. Ninty is forcing dev's to shift focus and create some dumbed-down games for the masses. Let's face it....most hard-core gamers will never be impressed by the Wii, but the casual masses will be thrilled by the Wii's innovation and intuitiveness. My girlfriend learned Wii Golf in five minutes....but if I give her a X360 or PS3 controller....she looks at me like I left a loaded gun on the coffee table with the safety off. She, nor my mom or dad will never be a serious gamer. The fact that Ninty has tapped that market successfully necessarily means some not so-cutting edge work for devs, but a lot of touchy feely how I make this a fun game kinda stuff. Sorry dev's, everybody has something in their job that they don't just absolutely love doing. Suck it up. The Wii isn't a glam next-gen....it's just a mass popular culture machine.

[PS360PCROCKS]

Haha wow that's a great quote he will never live down, espescially if the Wii continues to sell and be popular. I don't own a wii but their pretty cool and you can't deny their first party games are everyones favorites, it's what we all played before their ever was a Xbox or a playstation. Their AI might not be amazing, or the graphics fantastic but you know what neither were the Nintendo, N64, os PS1 and those were all fantastic machines that I owned all of and I'll tell you what I had just as much fun back than as I am right now. Some people are just too negative, it's a game, games are supposed to be fun, and Nintendo has found a way to make them fun again. Count me in because I will be buying a Wii for Mario, because you know what? I WANT to go pack to the primitive days and play a game that brings a smile to my face because it reminds me of being a kid.

[OTSC]

...and a major one...

...but the majority of the art of a game is the gameplay itself not just the stunning scenery, terrifying enemies and cool explosions: though many people now seem to think otherwise.

If Nintendo want to have only 'fun' games on their system, then I'd say they have the right idea. And having played on a Wii several times, owning a 360 and having played on a PS3 for a good few hours as well, I think they're doing a pretty good job of it too.

I mean, honestly, do you really want un-fun games?

[emptiness]

To whoever reads this, please give to Chris Hecker or post on every blog you can find. Thank you.

First off, Chris Hecker is a complete f*ckwad. Note the completeness. Why? He has a typical narrowminded view on gaming as well as vicious arrogance toward anyone who disagrees with him, i.e. Nintendo. Additionally, he has no contact information on his homepage. He comes out swinging and then goes and hides in his little hole. He's pathetic. It would be nice that this message would reach him but it probably won't. He'll always be a wanna be if he continues with his over-the-top sony-resembling arrogance.

Second, for working with someone like Will Wright, one would think Chris Hecker would be a bit more humble but he's not. For someone who thinks that it's important to take seriously the artist aspect of gaming, Chris Hecker is a douchebag for ranting about Nintendo. Nintendo has provided more artist expression in video games than any. The 1st party games such as Super Mario, Metroid, and Zelda were and are ground breaking in the area of artistic expression. I guess he never played those games.

Complaining about the lack of processor power in the Wii, Chris Hecker yells like an overgrown pre-schooler at Nintendo about how he can't incorporate the AI that he wants. Oh, boohoo, Chris Hecker. Maybe he should stomp his feet and pout some more. Perhaps then Nintendo will listen.

Nintendo is better than he is and he's jealous because he keeps grasping at fame but never acheives it. So I guess that explains why he went on a vocal binge to badmouth one of the most respected video game corporations in the world. Maybe he thinks that's how one makes career progress. Thank you Chris Hecker for showing us how immature you are.

[Rasputin2011]

Honestly I.M.H.O. you just summarized this entire post into what it is..there is no need for future comments because you hit the proverbial nail on the head.

[Covenant]

--Because it's fun. People aren't interested in the Wii for realistic graphics or smart AI. They want an interactive experience that they can share with family and friends of all ages. What the heck is wrong with that?

For the record, many of my 360/PS3-owning friends also have a Wii, primarily for the communal experience--playing with their parents, siblings, girlfriends, etc.

I do agree, however, that it's a little overpriced. $199 is probably a fairer price.

[power of Green]

Wii's a fad, I agree it's a POS, good for kids though, only so many drunken get togethers you can go to with Wii as a playstation(Just Playstation not the console) before it become retarded, old news.

[Loopy]

You people need to realize this is a conference for developpers.
From a developpers standpoint, the Wii IS a piece of sh1t when the console has clearly been labeled Next-Gen by everyone and Nintendo itself. Underpar graphical and audio capabilites, lack of cpu power for computing good AI. He isn't talking about the fun factor nor the phenomenal success the console had, which has NOTHING to do with developping games.
For a developper, it's like making a game for the 16-bit console era (Super Famicom or MegaDrive), which isn't far from the truth when you see graphics like the game F-zero on Wii.

[PS360WII]

Spore is coming out on DS so it's not really him bashing Nintendo it's him bashing his ability to think outside the box. Yes we all know the specs of the Wii. Yes we know it's not as powerful as 360 or PS3. We do know however that many people want it and many people have it. It's not meant to have the 1080 or 720 graphics it's meant to have games that expand genres and create new ones. The same ideas he's spouting about yet not realizing it. You can make ground breaking games for the Wii just not visually. Closed minded people need to wake up.

[HaKeRsCanRotINHEL]

LOL. So true yet people still buy it, brainwashed morons!

[ChickeyCantor]

why am i brainwashed?
becozz i got my self a wii? why should i care about the SPECS?
the freaking games are more important, i dont see the nintendo franchise coming to the PS3 nor 360.

you are brainwashed not understanding that evry console has its own franchise that will be exclusive.
now Go F Ur Self.

im getting all console simply for the exclusive, you my man are a moron....damn sad fVck!

[HaKeRsCanRotINHEL]

someone needs a time-out! ;~)

[ChickeyCantor]

what ever this man claims.......i don't understand it.....i don't speak/understand "narrow minded"

[TheExodus]

More Wii-envy how fun! Chris seems a little upset. Sounds like his Christmas bonus is tied to Spore sales & he's having some trouble porting it to the Wii.

And why all the contempt for the Wii? Nintendo packed as much into it as they could for $250. They're not loosing $200 for every console sold. Nintendo's happy. Consumers are happy. Everyone's happy. Everyone except the 1.5 million people praying that PS3 sales take off somewhere on Earth so that someone will actually develop games for their $600 picture viewer. It's funny & it's sad, but don't be kicking Wii owners in the butt for buying a Wii when you ought to be kicking yourselves in the butt for buying a PS3.

How about a bit of math, because math is fun & it will make the PS3 owner's feel better about their purchase (heh heh). If I have $1200 to spend on a computer to get me through 2016. I could:

a. Buy a $1200 computer today
b. Buy a $400 computer today, another in 2010 & another in 2013

Which option will give me the best value/performance for my money? Today the Wii is $250 & doesn't do HD, but my TV doesn't do HD either. 3 years from now my TV might do HD & Nintendo will be able to give me a Wii HD for another $250. In the end total cost of ownership for PS3 & Wii will be about the same, but the Wii will give me more bang for my buck in the long run. See how much fun math can be when you're not trying to balance your checkbook after a PS3 purchase. Hip Hip Hoo Wii!

[Chagy]

my opinion. that sh!t is garbage fu(k a Wii stupid a$$ controller wait thewhole concepts stupid Fu(kin Nintendo their best console was the SNES lol ill Play SNES anyday if they gave me a choice to pick a Wii or an SNES ill go With the SNES.

[eclipsegryph]

Your Troll-Fu is weak, young one. *reports*

[TheSadTruth]

he's right.. everyone is buying wiis b/c the ps3 currently offers crap and there is no reason to get a 360 until halo 3 comes out so this is nothing more than a "fad"

2 years from now, the wii won't be selling anything b/c there simply won't be any "next gen games," just recycled remakes that aren't as good as the original games on the n64 or snes

[Keyser]

PS3Rocks, I don't want you to think I'm picking on you but dam man!! How do you know what Nintendo is going to put out 2 years from now? Did you work at Nintendo too? Could you tell me what Sony and MS are putting out ni two years also? I want to get my money in somd cd's so I can save up for the games two years from now.

Someone said in a post a little while back that Nintendo could just have been gathering steam with the Wii. Maybe they wanted to see where next-gen video and audio were going and how PS3 and MS were going to fair. They've made a ton of money on the Wii and they could dump that into the development of a high-end Wii with all the bells and whistle you've been having wet dreams about.

They could slap that nunchuck on their high-end system and really kick some butt. They could keep this relatively inexpensive system selling like hot cakes to gear up for Round 4-7 of the console battles. They will make good money off this box for 6years and be primed for a Royal Rumble next go round. Just a thought...

[Ewok432]

lol @ all the feelings. stop tryin to justify why you dont like the wii. its like all you gotta keep on dissing it or else your gonna go buy one(oh wait you wont be able to find one anyway cause its so popular hahahha) seriously no one is gonna change their own views becuase of a stupid opinion so just enjoy your own console and shaddup.

[tomfoolery]

is a piece of ship!....sorry!
It is a novelty that will lose momentum eventually.
It should never or never have been considered next-gen.
However,one could say it's innovative last-gen tech.
Sorry Nintendo.I already owned the lamecube, and I don't need a new one which requires me to move more than my fingers!

[Ewok432]

does your other system feel better now?

[tomfoolery]

Didn't know consoles could feel.
At any rate,it's just my opinion.
I've been wrong before.
But if disliking the Wii is wrong..........
I don't wanna be right!

[joegibes]

I don't see what's so wrong with the Wii... I realize that it's the least powerful of the 3, and nearly every game looks worse, but it's still fun. And cheap.

I don't really regret buying a wii, for a few reasons:

1. For a while at least it's kind of rare to have one -- They're always sold out.
2. Twilight Princess
3. Awesome versions of awesome games with motion control (metroid, ssx, zelda, mario)
4. Awesome Nintendo franchises on the Wii (metroid, zelda, mario, SSBB)
5. Decent graphics -- currently, a little better than gamecube, but it'll get much better
6. Size -- it's tiny!
7. The controller

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not a fanboy -- The main reasons I bought a Wii over a 360 or PS3 were cost and my lack of broadband connectivity.
(I can't get highspeed at my house; I've probably tried at least 50 ISPs to no avail)
Also, when I got my Wii, I didn't have an HDTV, but since christmas there's been a 32-incher hanging above the fireplace.

I'm thinking about buying a 360 too, as soon as I can get $400 (plus tax) together. It's got lots and lots of amazing games, and 1080i output is awesome.

So guys -- lay off the Wii, it's not that bad!

And if you still doubt it, play it! (but not any crappy games -- avoid happy feet and gt pro and farcry etc.)

[Legionaire2005]

So what if wii don't have the power to make complicated A.I. It's equivalent to the last generation system, which had some games with great A.I. like Halo, Ninja Gaiden, Metal Gear solid, Metroid Prime, and shail I say more? This guy is basically saying that the last generation suck!!! Well the wii makes the best of the last generation by being two times better with interesting possibilities. Nintendo thought of something new and innovative with that wonderful controller, not more of the same with the PS3 and 360 which have games that look like they could be on the PS2 or Xbox. Just wait for Wii Online with Mario Smash Brothers Brawl!!!!! Everybody is going to play that online.

[tomfoolery]

but some games like Gears or Motostorm could have never
been done on the last gens!
And Mario Smash Bros. is suited for a younger audience....
as is the Wii itself.

[anthonsh]

This is just like the movie industry. Sony is MGM or something, making nothing but blockbusters. The Wii is fast becoming everything else. Oh, and the Wii isnt for a younger audience. Manhunt 2. Wider audience. Thank you.

--> BTW, what is with all the anger? There is a HUGE difference between "I dont mind having lower graphical capeabilities, I think that graphics arent as important anymore" and "F YOU NINTENDO! GOD STOP MAKING MY FAV CONSOLE LOOK BAD"

I dont mind people saying they dont like the nintendo because they prefer a console with the capeability to produce better graphics. But outright calling it a piece of sh*t? Thats just dumb. "Next Gen" isnt defined by the ability to do what YOU want it to do, its defined by the new technology that is in place in ALL THREE consoles. Nintendo didnt push the graphical envelope as much as some would like, but there is definately new technology inside that box. The Wii is a beautifully engineered piece of electronics.

[TheExodus]

They're just striking out at a successful product launch because Sony couldn't move the PS3 through retail if they bundled it with a pair of hookers. Maybe three, but definitely not a pair.

[commadore65]

Is probably stating his real opinion, but you would have hoped that a dev working on a game like spore would be open minded, and realise that potential of a new interface allows creativity beyond just thinking in graphical and sound terms (actions of player).

If he has a problem with nintendo's attitude to 'serious art', then maybe he should challenge it by trying to spearhead and make some 'serious art' for the wii.

Weather he is one of the creative ones is unknown to me though, he probably just spends too much time on N4G discussing CPU's, GPU's and system Arcitecture.

[emptiness]

To whoever reads this, please give to Chris Hecker or post on every blog you can find. Thank you.

First off, Chris Hecker is a complete f*ckwad. Note the completeness. Why? He has a typical narrowminded view on gaming as well as vicious arrogance toward anyone who disagrees with him, i.e. Nintendo. Additionally, he has no contact information on his homepage. He comes out swinging and then goes and hides in his little hole. He's pathetic. It would be nice that this message would reach him but it probably won't. He'll always be a wanna be if he continues with his over-the-top sony-resembling arrogance.

Second, for working with someone like Will Wright, one would think Chris Hecker would be a bit more humble but he's not. For someone who thinks that it's important to take seriously the artist aspect of gaming, Chris Hecker is a douchebag for ranting about Nintendo. Nintendo has provided more artist expression in video games than any. The 1st party games such as Super Mario, Metroid, and Zelda were and are ground breaking in the area of artistic expression. I guess he never played those games.

Complaining about the lack of processor power in the Wii, Chris Hecker yells like an overgrown pre-schooler at Nintendo about how he can't incorporate the AI that he wants. Oh, boohoo, Chris Hecker. Maybe he should stomp his feet and pout some more. Perhaps then Nintendo will listen.

Nintendo is better than he is and he's jealous because he keeps grasping at fame but never acheives it. So I guess that explains why he went on a vocal binge to badmouth one of the most respected video game corporations in the world. Maybe he thinks that's how one makes career progress. Thank you Chris Hecker for showing us how immature you are.

[ChickeyCantor]

again please XD

[kewlkat007]

is a developer being bashed when he is giving his honest opinion? why don't you state what you like or not like about the Wii and move on...

If you not a programmer or developer then you probally could not understand his gripes.

well I don't have a wii, well a wii-wii but not a wii..lol The only game I wanna play is Zelda. I'm not yet sold on the upcoming games and such. As a next-gen system, sorry Nintendo, I'm not sold. (xbox360 for now) I'm gonna take my CUBE out the garage, and load up the new Zelda.

Nintendo will continue to do fine with the DS, Kids games, but not so well, as a next-gen gaming platform. JUST NOT ENOUGH POWER..just ask Developers.

[ChickeyCantor]

"well I don't have a wii, well a wii-wii but not a wii..lol"

lame...........

[TheExodus]

Wii isn't so much a piece of sh*t today as it was 2 days ago:
http://arstechnica.com/jour...

Looks like he might have forgotten for a brief moment who was signing his checks & EA/Maxis probably weren't too keen on seeing their license fees to Nintendo double or triple, but what suprises me is the 180 he's done since 2005. Does anyone actually believe in what they say or are they just saying whatever might grab them the biggest headline?