Supposed EA Source Harshly Explains Why The Publisher Stopped Supporting Nintendo

iGR: "A supposed source from within EA has reportedly gone on record with some very strong feedback on why Electronic Arts stopped supporting the Wii U platform. In a very lengthy piece over at CVG, an anonymous source at EA stated,"

[CYCLEGAMER]

While these are harsh words, it is the truth. Nintendo has dug themselves into this hole while remaining stagnate, while the rest of the gaming world grew up. They had a golden opportunity to take over the gaming world by catering to both age groups.

[LAWSON72]

Gaming world grew up...
I did not know trying to copy cod and its success was growing up. Oh and milking the consumer base with DLC, franchises releasing every year with minimal improvements or changes, and everything having to cater to the casuals so they can have a larger fanbase while meanwhile losing their old one was growing up. If that is the case I wish the industry would be reborn because it was raised terribly, lol

[CYCLEGAMER]

@LAWSON72
Calm down....relax and read my comment again slowly, especially the last sentence.

I will also add that Nintendo did not have to do any of the things that you mentioned, as a matter of fact what the did was solely concentrate on children and casuals, which alienated their hardcore fanbase.

They could have remain relevant to all gamers by staying on par in terms of specs and keeping up with new/fresh (while keeping the old ones) hardcore IP's. Nintendo has the $ to do that, but instead they decide to consistently produce an underpowered console with very few games that appeal to the hardcore audience/their original fanbase.

[ThatOneGuyThere]

Nintendo was HOPING that it was already Apple-like. Where they could just release another white box slightly improved yet vastly inferior to other hardware and people would blindly get it because they got the last one. I dont blame them for thinking this way. After all, the only reason the Wii sold like it did was because it impressed easily impressionable people(people who dont usually play games) in the right way. The WiiU is a rude awakening for Nintendo. I don't think they will make this mistake again.

[plaZeHD]

Grew up doesn't mean what you just said.
Think logically.

[DARK WITNESS]

I don't know if it's fair to say the gameing world grew up. A generation of gamers has grown up yes, but there is also a younger generation of kids that would still love the nintendo games just as much as we did.

That is what nintendo focus on when making games and that is what they are good at. To really make their system appeal to everyone though they still need those games that appeal to that older generation and I think this is where they are thinking they would rely on 3rd parties.

Problem is 3rd parties are not putting in the effort with those games. They just want to throw half arsed ports on the system. And they few that do make the effort to create a great mature game, well it don't sell well enough. It's a hard place to be at I guess.

[XiSasukeUchiha]

Wow EA harshest words i ever heard

[Metallox]

I ever read.

[ThatOneGuyThere]

he heard it while reading thanks to his inner voice.

[MNGamer-N]

I ever seen

[AKissFromDaddy]

This is a brillant article to read.

"Nintendo must modernize

If any company can inspire Nintendo to reinvent the business, it's Sony. The story of PlayStation across the past five years has been one of a company that has soul-searched for answers on why it lost half its market share, and the drastic changes it made thereafter.

Sony has demonstrated a willingness to go as far as it takes. It has torn itself from its roots in order to adapt with the times."

Great point from the article.

"Nintendo's European and North America offices, which should be hubs for local development support, are little more than sales outposts for skilled marketers like Reggie Fils-Aime. They need to be much more than this."

Another great point.

"One publishing executive, working on perhaps the biggest franchise in games today, recently told CVG that he felt Nintendo "just doesn't care about US developers". He claimed that not only is there a language barrier when studios submit development queries up the chain, but that his studio had to wait days for Nintendo to reply.

Geography and language are not the only obstacles here. Nintendo is willfully ignorant of the plight of third-party studios and indie developers. Ever since the days of cartridges, the corporation has prioritized its own software sales over the livelihood of its development partners."

That's never good. I own a Wii, not a WiiU and I only own Super Smash Bros Brawl & Metroid Prime 3.

However, in my personal opinion, the WiiU needs Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare, Hotline Miami 2, 140, DOTA 2, Dive Kick, Orcs Must Die 2, Portal 2, The Stanley Parable, Team Fortress 2, Torchlight, XCOM Enemy Unknown + Within, Stealth Bastard Deluxe, The Walking Dead Season 1 + 2, Sanctum 2, Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes, Diablo 3, Final Fastasy XV, Dark Souls 2, Thief, Dying Light, South Park The Stick of Truth, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, Destiny, Borderland 2, Octodad: Dadliest Catch, Loadout, Child of Light, etc.

All these games are not on the WiiU. Nintendo needs partners. Without them, they're dead. The only games I want to play on the WiiU are Bayonetta 2 & Super Smash Bros U. I personally won't pay more than $150 for a console for only two games though. The last Zelda I personally loved was Twilght Princess, on Gamecube with the controller, because it had a dark theme.

Finally, Satoru, CEO of Nintendo, has to produce a better online experience. I'm not trying to be mean but the Wii and WiiU are kids systems and it's not appealing.

This is a very long article and there are too many points I agree with. I recommend picking the points you agree with and creating a dialogue. You're free to choose.

[LAWSON72]

Why does it need all these games? Are you going to be exclusive to the platform so you could play inferior multiplats. I have said before and I will say it again multiplats will not save the Wii U.

[spicelicka]

Well you're right about multiplats not saving Wii-U. But it does need multiplats to stay relevant to a lot of gamers. Inferiority is better than not having the games at all. I wouldn't buy a Wii-U for just mario and zelda, and if I did then I'd want to play all the multiplats that xbox and playstation share.

The only problem is nintendo's stupid strategy of staying a generation behind hardware-wise. It barely interested me for a few months, as soon as I saw Xbox one and ps4, it was totally irrelevant to me. And in a couple of year interest level will be below zero.

That's not to say the games are bad or that Wii-U exclusives fans made the wrong decisions. That X game looks amazing, but that's exactly the problem. That game would've been relevant to me if it came out 2 years ago. Now it feels totally undermined by next-gen games so I have no need to care.

[AKissFromDaddy]

@LAWSON72

If any of these ports played better with WiiU's touchscreen, I'd buy the WiiU version.

XCOM Enemy Unknown + Within, Sanctum 2, Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes, Diablo 3, Dark Souls 2, Thief, Dying Light, South Park The Stick of Truth, and Destiny seem like better experiences with the touchscreen in my personal opinion.

Additionally, if Nintendo allowed Valve developed games to update with Steamworks, that's an additionally reason for me, personally, to buy the WiiU. No other console does this and I like Team Fortress 2 & Left 4 Dead 2 mods.

Lastly, indie games are incredibly fun and marketable to all age groups. The last indie game I played and loved was 140. It's incredible and I believe WiiU owners would benefit by playing this simple, artistic game. That's my forecast.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Child of light is due for the eshop,iirc.

[stuna1]

The points you picked were good points, but notice the disagree/agree ratio!! Here is why! The fanbase/supporters of Nintendo and Nintendo themselves are very like-minded in their assessment of the situation. Being stubbornly set in ones ways is never beneficial from a business standpoint! The business needs to be able to evolve and adapt to changing circumstances. These are qualities Nintendo are sorely lacking at the moment, but the sad reality is my comment will be met with blind, harsh, and undeserved resistance, even though it's the truth.

People including myself have been saying the eventuality of Nintendo current state was going to happen! Not out of hate, at least on my part, but out of genuine concern. Yet supporters have adamantly disagreed no such thing was capable or occurring, even now there are those at this very moment refusing to "See the Forest for the Trees"!

Slashed Sales projections, Posted Profit Loses, Abysmal 3rd party software developers support and lithargic worldwide console sells, etc. Yet without a shadow of a doubt someone will attempt to argue these facts! Apologist or what have you will state, more time is needed or, look at what situation the competitor is in with their hardware oblivious to the fact that pointing out someone elses situation doesn't change your situation! If anything it keeps people focused on your dilemma, openning up the door for scrutiny and comparison.

Being stagnant in the gaming business is a death sentence, and "No man is a Island unto himself!"! Support is the quentessential vehicle to success, and no amounts of denial will change that.

[AKissFromDaddy]

Agreed.

As I read comments below me, I became disheartened as the commentators blame EA with hostility, while playing ignorant to Nintendo's unsatisfactory flaws.

PostMesmeric writes,"That's the problem with EA's attitude. They sound like a teen who sneaks into a terrible R-rated movie just because the movie had blood and guts in it, trying hard to be "grown-up", but not realizing that being "grown-up" doesn't automatically mean "good."

I 100% disagree. EA is publishing Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare. That game looks incredible. EA has published multiple Need For Speed titles on the Wii, a series rated E for Everyone. EA published Dead Space Extraction on the Wii. EA co-published the Harry Potter games on the Wii. EA published sports games from 2012-2008 on the Wii.

EA published Mass Effect 3, FIFA 13, and Need for Speed Most Wanted U on the WiiU. These are good games. EA tries to make money, however, Satoru, CEO of Nintendo, prioritizes Nintendo's own software sales over the livelihood of its development partners.

Nintendo hasn't fought for third parties. Even Bayonetta 2 ended up on WiiU, exclusively, because every other publishers opposed publishing Platinum Games's Bayonetta 2.

Next, wonderfulmonkeyman writes,"Take a look at ea's attempts to support the Wii and Wii U. The majority of their games were crap. Its not Nintendo's fault that ea could not develop new titles for their systems that would cater to an older audience; that's all on ea."

That's subjective, yet on Nintendo's part, they've never even attempted getting the good EA console published games like Portal 2, Left 4 Dead 2, The Orange Box, Battlefield 4, Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare, Dead Space Trilogy or FIFA 14. Even Titan Fall, before it's exclusivity, wasn't fought for by Nintendo.

Nintendo doesn't even fight for Capcom games like Street Fighter IV: Ultimate Edition on WiiU.

My point is to start blaming Nintendo, exclusively, because they have to change and support third party publisher/developers on their platform, not the other way around.

"Being stagnant in the gaming business is a death sentence.", nothing is truer.

[SpiralTear]

"Being stagnant in the gaming business is a death sentence..."

Did you really say that in favor of EA, a company who loves releasing the same version of a game every year with little to no changes between versions?

[stuna1]

@PostMesmeric

That goes for anyone who stagnates! Sure many use EA developed games as a sort of measuring stick, but even they can't continuously make a game without changing something about its core machanics regardless of how small they are or if they're even noticeable.

[SpiralTear]

While I agree Nintendo needs to change, this guy's words tend to say more about EA than Nintendo.

[thehitman]

Not really... EA has an audience they target and Nintendo does not do anything for them its simple as that. Its Nintendo fault for not being able to target an older audience and not being able to grow up with their fan base. Its one thing to want to hold your dear franchises like Mario, Zelda and Pokemon to your heart and keep them always but its another thing to completely bring in a lack of interest from games like CoD, BF4,Halo etc. or just action games other than zeld and metro like UC,GoW, TLOU, AC type of titles. They dont even get the occasional FF type of games I dont see any future in Nintendo besides their handheld market they seem to have locked up.

[SpiralTear]

Like I said, I'm not justifying Nintendo's current condition, because something needs to be done over there. I'm saying that this is a terrible attitude from EA.

If this is legit, EA admitted that the younger demographic is not worth anything to them. They're desperately trying to act adult, while other publishers are making games for all ages. Good games for all ages. Good-SELLING games for all ages. Seriously, look at Skylanders. That's Activision's franchise and it's selling big.

That's the problem with EA's attitude. They sound like a teen who sneaks into a terrible R-rated movie just because the movie had blood and guts in it, trying hard to be "grown-up", but not realizing that being "grown-up" doesn't automatically mean "good."

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Take a look at ea's attempts to support the Wii and Wii U.
The majority of their games were crap.
Its not Nintendo's fault that ea could not develop new titles for their systems that would cater to an older audience; that's all on ea.

[thehitman]

Well my arguement is that EA can produce w/e they want just like Nintendo can produce whatever they want. Nintendo says fuck the adults and EA says fuck the kids. Guess who is going to win that battle everytime? EA. That is Nintendo problem to deal with regardless of who being what or doing what. EA isnt the only publisher that has that mentality whether they will openly admit it or not is another story. Ubi, Acti and many other publishers probably feel the same way. EA has their faults and problems but I blame this one 95% Nintendo 5% EA.

[OrangePowerz]

It might have helped if ME3 on the WiiU wouldn't have been higher in price than the PS3 or 360 launch version over double the price of the trilogy bundle that launched around the same time.

Nintendo should change things, but I wouldn't take tips from EA if my life would depend on it.

Funny that they drag Activision into this who appears to still make WiiU games going by the releases last year without using the crap microtransaction system EA has to include in all of their games. We can all debat all day over them milking franchises, but they are still the lesser evil compared to EA who nickel and dimes the user for everything nowadays. Just look at the last Fifa version for Vita that was ONLY a roster update and didn't include any other updates and charge full price.

[JohnnyTower]

ME3 was more expensive as was Rayman legends and deus ex. Nintendo was late releasing those games as well which doesn't help.

[HonestDragon]

I remember that Mass Effect 3 was pricey on the WiiU when it released. That sucked majorly. Also, people getting into it on just WiiU would have no clue about the other two games which is a huge drawback.

"Nintendo should change things, but I wouldn't take tips from EA if my life would depend on it."

You, sir, get a bubble for making a funny. XD

"We can all debat all day over them milking franchises, but they are still the lesser evil compared to EA who nickel and dimes the user for everything nowadays."

I agree. While Activision certainly isn't on my favorite list of video game companies, EA certainly is the worst of the two. If I had to rewrite a blog I had about Activision, Capcom, and Electronic Arts, I would site which one I think is the worst. Frankly, EA would win out of the three given their current transgressions from last year and 2012.

[AKR]

Once again; EA talking utter crap.

It's not that the system became a "kids IP platform"; that's pretty bogus, considering that most of it's library is far from the casual-stuff we saw on Wii.

I like it how we forgot to mention that while they did bring a solid of of ME3 to the system; they released it months behind the other versions (that was unavoidable - but) - they charged full price for it; while simultaneously releasing the Trilogy Edition on EVERY OTHER PLATFORM but Wii U.

Is it any mystery why it tanked?

Greedy pigs...

[djplonker]

I would blame the fact that most of the ports to the wii u are terrible and most if not all (batman, me3) played better on the ps3/360 and the games that do play well are the first party one which ARE family games like mario and pikmin!

for the same price of a basic wiiu at christmas you could get a brand new 500gb ps3 with gta v and tlou it's a no brainer really...

[fonger08]

EA's distain for Nintendo goes all the back to gamecube days. But I really believe that it's Nintendo's network, or lack there of, that really unhinged their relationship. There's so many restrictions and difficulties for 3rd parties like EA to set everything up ie; easy match making, micro-transactions, possible DRM, more micro-tranactions, and the store setup.

[just-joe]

Can always count on you to say something that's right on point.

[c4toast]

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[fonger08]

Its not that simple though, while Nintendo needs to change their image, it can't just go all-mature/teen games. That would be like disney/pixar all of sudden making rated R movies. The 8-13yr market is still very valuable to them. But again, they have to open themselves up mabye make a M game or two to show diversity. Not mention just completely revamp their online network(s).
Now EA giving business advice when it comes to quality is all little un-nerving especially with such wonderful releases like Battlefield 4 and NBA Live...

[RPG_Lover]

EA can suck it. They havent made a decent game in years.

That image is what saves this industry

[JuleyJules]

Very true! Perhaps if they put out proper games not crappy ports of Fifa and Madden Wii U owners would have bought more. ME3 should have been released as the trilogy which came out right after Wii U launched on every other system. They release crap then wonder why it doesn't sell. Tiger Woods would have been great on Wii U and those games sold very well on Wii. The version of Need For Speed Most Wanted that came out was fantastic and developers kept praising the system. However, if it didn't sell well by then it's also no one's fault but EA because they had dissed Nintento so much by then and pissed off Wii U owners who were hoping for comparable ports of games to PS3/360.

[Spenok]

You know I was looking for a reason to throw your words back in your face, did a little bit of research, and couldn't find anything >_>

They may have put out some games within the last couple of years I have enjoyed, but nothing with wide spread mass appeal AND mass critical reception. Some games did well here and there, but they always had some sort of stigma about them that brought the title down in some way.

It's actually kind of sad. I know of, and fully disagree with their business strategies and practices. But I can't stop supporting developers I know and love just because their parent company happens to be EA. I would highly prefer someone else release those games, but I don't exactly have a say. So I bite the bullet and buy the games from devs I care about.

Though these words about Nintendo are very harsh, and unnecessary. They are fairly true, and have been for a while. Nintendo have been known as the family friendly console manufacturer since before Gamecube. I love Nintendo, and my 3DS/WiiU. But I haven't had anything to play on said WiiU in months. I would very much like to see some new and exciting stuff, other than just from Nintendo be released.

That being said, I can't wait for the new Zelda lol.

[KevinCubes]

Imagine bf3 & bf4 on WiiU with full and inventive game pad support.

[Angeljuice]

With massively downgraded graphics and running at sub 25fps.

[maniacmayhem]

The big wigs at Nintendo need to read this and get mad! get angry! Time to wake up and put on samurai suits and go to work.

There whole focus should be trying to make EA eat those words.

I picture a meeting like this, but instead of Ben Afflick it's Iwata.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[Amigaengine]

Please understand

[LOL_WUT]

I apalogize ;)

[Kevlar009]

As long as EA and the like have stable and profitable markets in PlayStation and Xbox, Nintendo consoles will be viewed as second class citizens. Look at the Wii for a moment. EA and so many other Publishers rode the casual train, they saw the record breaking console numbers and tried to cash in with poor and mediocore games to make an easy profit, to the point only Nintendo was making high quality "core" games for their system.

While one could say the environment of the Wii (being low powered) discouraged innovative or ambitous development, the fact Nintendo was able to make memorable games again and again while still looking good tells me many 3rd parties were lazy and just didn't care.

The biggest difference between Nintendo consoles and their competition is Nintendo has to do everything for themselves, they can't rely on anyone but themselves. From the moment a Sony or MS console is known its a given 3rd parties will jump aboard with new IP's and great titles. But when it comes with Nintendo they release mostly ports and re-hashes with the hope they will cash in. I'd put Nintendo published titles against Sony and MS any day of the week, but since Sony and MS get the 3rd party dollars they automtically gain the edge.

They have no reason to try because they make profit off of two consoles, and when they do release a mediocore effort on Nintendo consoles they end with nothing. Nintendo is a casualty of both their own short-sightedness and 3rd parties unwillingness to challenge the status quo. The WiiU embraces gameplay innovation where EA embraces power, which is a shame .

[fonger08]

I think you're definitely on to something. I think it boils down to, not necessarily being lazy, but competing. Nintendo has not done a very good job establishing release windows for their 1st party games to 3rd parties. 3rd parties don't want their games new or milked to compete against a Mario Kart or a Zelda release. Even the CODs or Battlefields of the world have a hard time competing against the Mario Worlds. Especially new IPs, I can't even remember the last time a 3rd party established a new IP on Nintendo system and sold well. Nintendo is pretty much their own worst in enemy in this regard and they'll need to change their business model to be more accommodating to 3rd parties.

[Concertoine]

Edit: double post

[djplonker]

I just noticed the ps3 has more games coming out this year than the wii u!

(forgot to add this to my previous post above)

[djplonker]

Facts = disagrees?

[IG-88]

this is the internet! facts are the enemy!

don't know if what you said is true or not(would like a source if you have one to back up what you said) but i cannot wait for Dark Souls 2 which is coming out for the PS3 and not the WiiU so it is at lest 1 to 0

[The 10th Rider]

Well, it's not entirely true depending on how you look at it. PS3 may have more games CONFIRMED for 2014. That doesn't mean more will come out.

I didn't disagree, because I personally believe you are likely right. Especially due to third-party support from companies like EA. But it's not exactly a cold, hard fact.

[KonsoruMasuta]

"It became a kids IP platform and we don’t really make games for kids. "

Move along! This is fake. Considering EA has multiple franchises aimed at kids that they themselves have developed or published, I doubt someone from EA would say that. The wording is also off and doesn't sound like something a representative from a large video game company would say.

The article also says they think of "Nintendo" as dead, not the the WiiU but Nintendo as a whole. That's pretty stange considering they have no problem supporting the 3DS. They even made a Madden game for it at launch.

[truechainz]

You may not think you make games for kids, but if you took away all the kids that play your games, you would be missing all that money. But sure, stay on your high horse and get voted as the worst company again. Nintendo could definitely use some change, but EA is the last company that should be chiming in on it.

[KonsoruMasuta]

EA does have games for kids. That's why I call BS on this "source". If this is real, his position in the company is under a rock.

http://www.ea.com/kids/ever...

[Fishy Fingers]

When a franchise as big as COD fails to sell 0.25 million copies your going to reconsider putting a less establish, potentially new IP on the platform. Whatever the reasons, game development is an expensive business, unless your likely to make a return, the cheques ain't getting signed.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

When the franchise is poorly supported on the platform in the first place, the have no right to whine about low sales.
Nintendo gamers have been stung by one to many inferior Ports.
At this point, the only chance people like ea have at selling their games well on the wii u is to make new ones, but since they aren't willing to try, they need to quit whining.

[Fishy Fingers]

Who's whining? It's rumour from a nameless source. EA don't comment on it let along whine about it. It's Nintendos problem at the end of the day. Prove the platform viable, there's no shortage of options and the other major 3 have similar set ups with similar core demographics. If I was making a game, WiiU wouldn't be top of my list either.

[Soldierone]

WiiU has had "better" ports before the next gen consoles came. People were even stating how it looked substantially better on WiiU and people still didn't buy them.

WiiU had a short time period between last gen and this gen to pick up a few units and put themselves in a solid stance, they failed, and now third parties don't care because PS4 and One are dominating the market.

Why would they gamble on a new IP? It will be half arsed and sell worse than Haze on the PS3.

[DC777]

COD has huge online communities already established plus as you can see by sales, the last gen consoles still dominate sales. Why would most people go buy a new console to play COD when they can keep their money and play on the console they have already?

This will continue to be a problem for ALL the new consoles as long as these multi-ports to last gen are going on. Just look at the numbers currently for COD sales for PS3, X360.

Had Black Ops 2 been a Wii U exclusive last year (since it was the best console version) it would've been a totally different story. Obviously because of the established user base on the old systems that would never have happened. But was it in the best interest of Nintendo? Of course not.

But you won't hear Microsoft or Sony complaining about COD on their last gen outselling COD on their current gen because that money can pay towards the cost of their latest consoles or be all profit. Nintendo does not have this option. Last gen will kill this gen in software sales as long as this multiporting continues.

Global Top Sellers 11th January 2014
1 3DS Kirby: Triple Deluxe 218,359
2 X360 Call of Duty: Ghosts 104,361
3 PS3 Grand Theft Auto V 102,776
4 3DS Pokemon X/Y 100,934
5 PS3 Call of Duty: Ghosts 97,120

[king_george]

As much as i hate the philosophies over at EA i have to admit that i see where they are coming from. It makes zero sense for a company to invest in a product that really isnt doing so well. Atleast not while there are other, more promising, products to support.

Nintendo needs to be aggressive especially when it comes to advertising

[IG-88]

Hate EA all you wont but the Big N has had a history of having poor 3rd party support. If it was just the WiiU then you could say that they 3rd parties need to get their act together but this problem has been with Nintendo for the last 4 console so they need to fix something if they wont them to make games for their console.

[shuuwai]

People who buy Nintendo's console don't buy EA games.
It was a business move, this is the same reason lots Japanese games are not coming to the west. I'm sure if EA made a sports game with mario, Nintendo's fan will buy the game.*cough*sega*cough*

[MadMen]

the wiiu is a waste of everyones time thats why. No need to even research why.

[Gooch_suplex_Hold]

Even the Vita is getting some kind of EA support.

[XenoUltra]

EA being idiots again. Nothing new :/

[CAB1802]

Jesus Christ, Why are you people asking for EA's support, your trying to put a company that has been voted as the worst company in America TWICE and they screw up everything.

[SynestheticRoar]

EA just spit in every little mario fanboys face.

[shuuwai]

Nay, EA is mad and upset with a period. A anger little girl with a period.

[LOL_WUT]

EA is breaking a lot of these faithfuls hearts. Don't hold back EA hopefully Nintendo gets their act together. ;)

[Soldierone]

Funny they say this, yet turn the page to Facebook and see what EA is pushing out. Turn the page to a few years ago when that casual "kids" market was thriving for Wii and look where EA focused.

Like anyone with a brain knew, that market was casual and it would dwindle, while the hardcore market will stay strong. EA "apologized" for it and came back to the hardcore market.

Its nothing to do with the market, its EA and Activision. They go where the money is and couldn't care less about the fanbase supporting them. If that "kid" market comes back strong, us hardcore gamers will once again get screwed for several years by EA with crap titles. Remember how terrible franchises like NFS were getting because EA didn't care?

They can fight with us and push Nintendo to release an actual next gen console, but they can't pretend like they never jumped on that ship.....

[DC777]

Ah more bridge burning from EA who rushes out unfinished products then abandons them like swtor. Well only a fool would think that if you make the same ports for 3 consoles (one new with 0 users and 2 old with a combined 170 million+ users) that you will sell more or even a fair amount of games on the new console barely anyone had. Not after a long while. Now had you offered those games as exclusives to the Wii U instead of to the tens of millions who already own consoles to play them on you might have something to actually complain about. That's all now go back to being a shitty company. Good day.

[andrewer]

Heh stop acting cool EA, you are dead to me.

[-Gespenst-]

Ah the ruthlessness of capitalism.

EA really care about the medium don't they? No wait, they care about money and NOTHING else.

Though to be honest, I can see most game corporations doing this if they got to the position EA is at. This is what money does.

[Activemessiah]

But all their sports games are for kids too right? 3 and up I believe.

[jaymacx]

Letting your kids play nba live 14 would be considered child abuse LOL!

[Activemessiah]

LOL +1

[Activemessiah]

So no word on being told NO to including Origin to the Wii U online then...

[Sheikh Yerbouti]

This is doubtful to me. Nintendo 1st party is family friendly, but I wouldn't call it childish. Nor would I expect EA to not consider a younger market, let alone a company that sold the most consoles. Seems too simple a comment not to come from a fanboy.

I think Nintendo has just made itself a non-factor, but not being on part with Sony or Xbox.

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

EA is free to do whatever it wants-

BUT
-I just haven't appreciated their currently shown
Two-facedness:

>Don't hug-up on Nintendo at E3 and promise support if you hate their platform.

>Don't bad mouth WiiU saying that multiple Next Gen engines won't run on it- when they do.

>Don't say that you have no plans on creating tools in your Next Gen. game Engines for WiiU.

>Don't bad mouth Nintendo in public and then when caught; walk it back.

BECAUSE

When you make it seem like you are dependable, people generally don't bother to make a back-up plan.
I mean why should they when there is going to be an "Unprecedented" Partnership (see E3 2010).

If Nintendo would have known they might have been able to enact a better plan by now.
-But they waited AaaaLL the way to 2014 to make their true feeling known.

Edit. All though most of the things I wrote stand, I apologize to EA because this was only a rumor and I did not see that until later. I read the article but not thoroughly. On a 2nd pass, I saw the whole truth- so my bad EA (even though EA still has done plenty of Bad to WiiU).

[unjust75]

What I don't understand is how in the hell Nintendo plans on keeping fans with only 3 to 4 major titles and different versions. I wouldn't buy a xbox 1 or PS4 if all they had was there exclusives to play especially if they only had 4.

[curtis92]

Nostalgia. Literally doesn't matter what Nintendo does or doesn't do, people have soft spots for the big N because of happy childhood memories.

Some people have trouble separating nostalgia from present day.

[unjust75]

Yeah I get that. What I'm talking about is Mario games numerous games all based off the same characters. I was a huge Sega fan, but I'm not buying fifty million different Sonic games.

[curtis92]

EA didn't support the Dreamcast either.

[snake_charmer]

lol effort to port mass effect, if they really had an effort they would have ported the entire trilogy

[tanookisuit]

^^ Agreed.

They [also] didn't do a good job with the PS3 version either (except ME3). ME1 was still glitchy as hell; it had incorrect subtitles/dialogue-audio issues, missing Bring Down the Sky DLC and major texture pop-ins.

ME2 faired better, but there is still a ton of dialogue, subtitle and audio issues.

[NintendoYouth]

If Nintendo made powerful consoles with great online people would flock back.

Nintendo games were great when I was 11. But now I want something more (Skyrim, Mass Effect, Fallout, Last of Us).
Nintendo refuses to grow up

[stanr]

A lot of publishers are pushing aside family games in favor of more mature content because that is were the money is. This is sad because in doing so they have denied a generation the chance to be raised with characters like Mario, Sonic, Kirby, and more.

A lot of us did not start gaming with 'Call of Duty,' it was games like 'Super Mario Bros.'introduced us to the culture and were a cornerstone of our childhood.

[NintendoYouth]

No ones denying kids anything.
Children do not want to play Nintendo anymore.

when we were kids Nintendo was all we had til PS1.
Now PS and Xbox are "nintendo" for kids.

[MorbidPorpoise]

Dudebro games never have sold well on Nintendo consoles anyway.

[ELpork]

Ohh, if only Nintendo could do something... Like... Reach out to EA, and perhaps SAY something instead of just assuming they want to make games on that platform.

[aLiEnViSiToR]

ha-ha-ha very funny >_> you greedy ******** !

[zugdar]

ME3 was a good effort???? Nobody was going to buy a year old game when the whole trilogy could have been purchased for cheaper in a few months after on other platforms.

They never tried.

[pop-voxuli]

As Angry Joe would say, its because "Fuck you, give me MONEY!!!!"

[WitWolfy]

I bought the Wii U for its innovation and gimmicky control ideas they kept on promising us before console release.

Not the year old ported games I already owned on my last gen consoles. Face it Ninty launched a console too early that didnt have ANY games hoping devs would jump on the ninty "dev friendly bandwagon" but didnt!!! Even a year after release its library is crap!! I think even the VR boy did better in its short life span than this paperweight did so far!

That was Nintendo's downfall, promising all these unique and creative in game features. Just for us early adopters to buy the console to get 1 unique game and just a few old ports everybody already owned....

[S2Killinit]

EA the Microsoft of publishers. instead of dissing other companies, fix your own

[FinalomegaS]

Can i just point out something that most on here are not aware.

The whole Mass Effect 3 "SPECIAL EDITION" on wiiu.

this was EAs toss an existing IP out there and see how it does. But Killed the IP before it was even release with a full price and announcing the full trilogy on the other system for cheap.

That's not worst of it.

ME3:SE is not even being patched or updated. So they really just sent it out to die. No Eshop downloads from EA, no MP DLC, no support for origin issues on the NN.

I remember all those interviews with EA on ME3SE, the gamepad this and that...but i don't think we ever thought it was odd for such a large scale company to only talk about ONE game from all their IPs.

We can't put the blame on EA really, Capcom, Konami and the whole lot have been taking the easy way out. I mean there are so many 3rd party games that can be just re-released on the system for nintendo fans that missed them from having the wii only. Even if 3rd parties did a directors cut release of their best AAA games, that would sell. Think EA did wrong with the ME3SE then release ME:trilogy (price was a factor between both titles also).
See we had RE5 and 6 release, but capcom goes and re-release a 3DS game upgraded...Idk but somewhere out there there is a bunch of BS floating around.

But then again it's all about the money.

[blastcorp64]

Battlefield is my 10 year old nephews favorite game.

[smokeyjoekenobi]

The EA issue aside, I agree with the point the article makes. Nintendo do need a major foundations shake-up. Sony have been adaptable to changing times because their business model is primarily about acquisitions (I can't remember the last truly in-house Sony-developed game I played). Nintendo need to look out into the wider world and at their competition to have any hope of recapturing their audience.

[linkenski]

Wow. I'm surprised they are not aware Mass Effect 3 Wii U didn't sell poorly because it was on a "console for Kids IPs" but because Mass Effect 3 on Wii U was released on a console that barely had any install base, almost every Mass Effect fan and newcomers already played the game a year prior or half a year prior and Wii U was not better than the Xbox 360 or PC versions at all... and aside from that many avoided the game when they realised it had an awful ending, which can be seen on the sales numbers for PS360 I believe as they start off much quicker than ME2 but ended up with sales that were similar to it in totals because the negative fan-reception made people boycot it and so on so forth.

I don't know if EA expected people to react to this in the same way many reacted to Sony bashing MS, that by bashing the console everyone likes to make fun of people will get more respect or whatever that agenda is about.

If EA's strategy hadn't been so poor with what they released on the Wii U they'd be able to make it a more attractive console for sure. I don't know what they're talking about that they don't want "kid franchises"... isn't Pokemon what EVERYONE played in school? Why don't EA try to pursue something like that instead of playing it safe with guns blazing and violence. It's not the only thing that sells.

[Flames76]

EA stopped because Nintendo consles dont sell 3rd party games.Its a waste of time and money for a developer to fool with the Wii U.Its dead has no games its a piece of garbage.I said from the get go that another gimmick wouldnt work again.Nintendo needs to leave he console hardware market and go software.It would be better for the market and healthier.So nintendo do the right thing and get out now your consoles are a joke

[lawgone]

EA shouldn't criticize anyone. They're a mess. The promise a lot and then release horribly buggy games. It's kind of their MO now. If I see EA is involved with a game I generally know it will be at least 6 months before they work out the bugs, if ever.

[Warj]

Can anyone explain to me how the Mass Effect 3 port was a "solid effort"? It contained none of the extended content the other systems received and was completely overshadowed by the release of the Mass Effect Trilogy compilation a month later (which did not get a WiiU port).

Nintendo has enough problems/mistakes (big ones) as it is. Let's not shovel other companies' screw ups on top of them.