SEGA says they probably won’t create more mature games for Wii, talks sales, and more
January 2nd, 2010 Posted in DS, News, Wii, Written by ValayOn the latest edition of the 4 Guys 1UP podcast, Constantine Hantzopoulos, a studio director over at SEGA, had much to say about the state of mature Wii games. Hantzopoulos discussed a number of topics, including sales of MadWorld, House of the Dead: Overkill, and The Conduit. But most importantly, he talked about the possibility of creating mature games for the Wii in the future. According to Hantzopoulos, after seeing the performance of SEGA’s mature titles and Dead Space Extraction, SEGA is now less likely to produce similar content for the platform.
“I have to say that it was a space that was open and we took a gamble on it. It’s like, ‘Wow, there’s no mature games on the Wii. Is there an audience out there?’ We did some research, it said there was an audience out there. I won’t comment about Nintendo, they did champion The Conduit as a ‘this is a Nintendo game.’ And, you know, I think they did okay by us. At the end of the day, I just think that you’re seeing kids are skewing much younger towards next-gen. And that’s what I saw out of Conduit. Because not a bad game, visually it’s appealing, right? AI wasn’t that great. High Voltage’s first real effort as an indie developer, creating their own IP. And it was a good effort, right? And there’s always Conduit 2, right? …Anyone past 12 years old was playing 360 and PS3 shooters. And at that point, you can’t tell a 13 year-old, ‘But it’s on the Wii.’ Forget it, you know? That’s not what they see or hear. They’re not really interested in any techno-fetishist aspects of look how great it is on the Wii…And, you know, the effort that we put behind multiplayer on that game to basically get by friend codes and provide worldwide match-making and so on and so forth, I actually thought we dove too deep…
…Circling back to the whole mature Wii thing, again SEGA took a gamble, we put out some pretty decent content. I mean, House of the Dead: Overkill and MadWorld are great Wii games. They really are, especially House of the Dead: Overkill. That game is funny…Yes [it did better than MadWorld]. I mean they’re both doing okay and at the end of the day we’ll make our numbers, that’s good. Conduit’s done quite well for us. It’s been slow burn. That’s the other thing you find out about the Wii. It’s not necessarily first 3 weeks like most titles. And DS. It’s a longer burn, actually. So panicked at first, but it’s like okay.
But that begets the question, are we going to do more mature titles for the Wii? And it’s like, probably not. Look at Dead Space. We were stunned. That was my litmus test. Basically, it’s like, okay, you got EA, who can put all the marketing muscle behind this, an established franchise that scored quite well on 360 and PS3. They should be able to actually hit this out of the park, right? We get numbers, real numbers aside from NPD, and I’m like, ‘Woah.’”
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32 Responses to “SEGA says they probably won’t create more mature games for Wii, talks sales, and more”
By Mateus on Jan 2, 2010
Jesus… this guy gonna be KILLED by the internet people
There´s almost 138 exemples of stupidity in this small text.
Dead Space had marketing effort? House of the Dead Overkill is a good game? There is a mature audience and you´re just too dumb to tap it? Jeez, the list goes on and on…
This guy is toast
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By bob on Jan 2, 2010
i liked house of the dead for wii
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By Anders on Jan 2, 2010
The House of the Dead: Overkill has a average score of 80% according to Gamerankings. Should translate to “good game”, in my opinion.
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By ggf on Jan 2, 2010
Face it people who plays wii Sports etc. WON’T buy mature games. What for?
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By Ulisses on Jan 2, 2010
Using the Dead Space example to defend this point of view is just stupid. EA didn’t even touch this game’s marketing, and all the hardcore Wii game owners were skeptical about the game’s gameplay design (on-rails). Even with the good reviews, I’ve always been sure it wouldn’t sell.
Both MadWorld and The Conduit had their share of marketing and hype around them, and they both (in addition to Overkill) were profitable for SEGA. So just cup the crap and give us something that has what Wii gamers want: lengthy games, with a seriously epic singleplayer campaign and solid online and offline multiplayer modes.
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By Hiltz on Jan 2, 2010
HOTD: Overkill
A mediocr game that’s too short game with little replay value. Besides, RE Dark Side Chronicles is a much better game to buy. Overkill is the kind of game that is better if rented.
MadWorld
Good game but too short with little replay value. The tacked on multiplayer mode is worthless and so is the frusterating and cheap extra hard difficulty mode. The game’s quality is good but the repetitive gameplay and short length are the nail in the coffin for MadWorld. Yet another game that is better to rent than buy. (I bought it after the price drop)
Dead Space: Extraction
Good game but lacks replay value. Besides, an on-rails FPS is not what Dead Space fans wanted in the first place especially after the controversy over Capcom’s decision to turn their Resident Evil Wii title into an on-rails FPS. Fortunately, Capcom’s RE franchise has strong brand power and the game while inferior to Dead Space in several ways, has more replay value which is probably why it sold much better.
It also hurts that EA didn’t do much to promote the game.
The Conduit
Mediocre game that didn’t live up to the hype. However, it was very well marketed. Honestly, just because it is the best FPS game on the Wii doesn’t mean much when its of mediocre quality. Here’s hoping The Conduit 2 (if it ever gets made) and The Grinder turn out to be much better games.
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By Gavin on Jan 2, 2010
The Wii is that Nintendo console, right? The one with the tennis, you know?Right? Sega is the name of that blue hedgehog, right? Right? RIGHT!!!!????
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By joe on Jan 2, 2010
DeadSpace is a horrable example. It’s a railshooter with very poor marketing.
After dozens of games i’ve played in 2009, I think Madworld is one of the best games this year.
Too bad it didn’t sell what beyonetta will. Sega marketed them okay, but not nearly aswell as games on other systems. It was marketed well for a wii game.
Overkill destroyed it’s competiter in sales. So then why is a onrail DeadSpace the test? They should be releived Overkill sold something and didn’t see the same fate as DS.
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By Captain N on Jan 2, 2010
These guys must really not understand the Wii audience whatsoever. I really hope the read this. First thing, we don’t want and on rails shooters even if you put a big name franchise on it. RE,Dead Space,HOD, it doesn’t matter. We don’t want those kind of core games. We want a real Resident Evil and a real Dead Space. If your to lazy to make them, we are to lazy to buy your spinoffs. It that simple really. And as for The Conduit it was a new title and it looked great and has some marketing but it was very short, and Madworld was also in the same boat minus the marketing. You make good games that can be beat in 5 to 8 hrs and people won’t buy them. They will rent them, end of story. First make a hardcore game, second include all online options: Wii speak support, no friend codes or at least make it like Conduit and GH5,third make the game length long. And finally market the game. I should see commercial everyday all day for this game. That’s how you target me.
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By Kisama on Jan 3, 2010
I really hope that the upcoming games sell at least decently.. I have a feeling that they will be pirated pretty bad though.
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By Infinity's End on Jan 3, 2010
Captain N basically said it. Don’t shovel shit to us and expect us to buy into it. I don’t care how well something is marketed — If the game is good, and has new interesting gameplay, I’ll probably rent first, buy later. OR I’ll wait until it comes down in price. NO games on Wii (except first party Nintendo titles) are worth $50-$60. I saw MadWorld in the bargain bins at Wal-Mart for $10 the other day. Now that’s more like it.
Bottom line: You can’t possibly expect a 3rd party game that has a Mature Rating to sell well on the Wii.
Take a look at JUST THE BOX ART next time you go into a game store and tell me some 24-year old isn’t going to be a little bit uncomfortable or disappointed by standing in the Wii section.
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By deadman crying on Jan 3, 2010
I agree screw the Wii and give the more mature games to the PS3 and 360!Most wii games looks like crap,HD is the way to go and the Wii is dead at this point!
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By thomas on Jan 3, 2010
I kind of agree with the guy. Sure, there are pretty decent excuses why someone shouldn’t buy the hardcore games that are available right now… but do you really think if a game scores around 90% it’ll sell better?
It seems to me like the “hardcore fans” that apparently want games like this are just downloading them instead. That or there really isn’t a market.
You can’t blame Sega for the decision, the sales have been pretty pathetic if you look at how many Wii’s there are out there. I love my Wii but the simple fact is this is the logical choice as they would probably do a lot better on PS360 =/
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By CoffeewithGames on Jan 3, 2010
Could this guy please use some examples of games that do sell on the other consoles, and then show the budgets/development time of those games to these Wii games?
Until he does that, I don’t think he is comparing apples/apples, and he is just stating his opinion, with no facts to back it up.
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By LeXxX on Jan 3, 2010
NMH2 is the real test for wii, if that game flops then i wound’t be surprised if we don’t see anymore M rated games.
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By Paul W on Jan 3, 2010
‘House of the Dead: Overkill’ seems an appropriate title for the name of the game because it seems that the use of swear words in the game (the most in any game, I read) is overkill when it’s been put on the Wii.
I know that it’s meant to be like a ‘pulp fiction’ type wacky Tarantino zombie game
but there’d have been nothing wrong with just giving an enhanced version of what they’d done on the Dreamcast, without the language. We admire Sega for their fun arcade brilliance.
It seems like when people put mature titles on Nintendo consoles they take the opportunity to go completely over the top like cutting wrists in Killer 7 on the Gamecube. No need to go quite so graphic!
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By brianTAMPA on Jan 3, 2010
I can fully understand publishers wanting a game to appeal to the widest possible audience to ensure strong sales. When creating a mature Wii title you’ve got to take in to account the limited graphical fidelity and also anticipate the game will most likely be seen by parents. I believe the only way to get a mature title to sell is to have a unique art style appreciated by children and adults alike, and to keep the mature themes tasteful and witty. I also believe Nintendo has not gone about the FPS strategy effectively. We don’t want tech demos or 360 hand me downs, how about a clean/retro FPS along the lines of those mid 90′s Virtual Reality games. Throw in some great play mechanics and an interesting storyline and I’ll eat it up!
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By Edgar on Jan 3, 2010
He’s right there isn’t a market for Mature titles on the Wii. Anyone that plays Mature titles will most likely already own an XBox 360 or a PS3. Given that Mature titles rely heavily on production values and multi player, they will be far superior on either Microsoft’s or Sony’s console. I know for myself I won’t buy Mature titles for my Wii for those reasons. Furthermore I purchased the Wii for my kids, so what I really want are good kids games on the Wii.
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By joe on Jan 3, 2010
Madworld should probaly be ported to PS3/360. It is a fantastic game. Maybe people will actualy buy it.
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By jon on Jan 3, 2010
so Edgar only buys games based on production values? To each his own
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By cubedboywii101boy on Jan 3, 2010
malstrom talks of a retreat and going hardcore and retreating away from wii
its now happening EA.SEGA.ETC ALL SAYING THE SAME ANTI NINTENDO LIE THEN DONT SUPPORT WII IN MASS TO TRY AND KILL IT
AND ONLY KILL THEMSELFS =DISRUPTION
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By cubedboywii101boy2010 on Jan 3, 2010
THE INDUSTRY IS ONE FAT LIE
YOU CANNOT SELL ON WII WHAT ISNT IN EXISTENCE SEE THE CATCH 22 THE 3RD PARTYS ARE TRYING TO FOOL YOU WITH
WAKE UP TO A INDUSTRY BEING WIPED AWAY BY NINTENDOS BLUE OCEAN AND DISRUPTION BUSINESS PLAN
WAKE UP TO THOSE IN FEAR = THE INDUSTRY
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By joe v on Jan 3, 2010
Does Sega make games that sell? Both their Wii and HD games sell poorly. How did the Condemned series,Phantasy Star,Golden Axe: Beast Rider,Viking: Battle for Asgard,The Club,Universe at War: Earth Assault to only name a few sell? What’s their exuse? Their Wii titles are actualy their best, and they aren’t even made by Sega. Maybe it’s them. Are they going to stop making mature games on HD consoles too?
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By Dave on Jan 4, 2010
As far as I know there wasn’t much of a marketing campaign for Dead Space, which is a shame because it has been quite enjoyable.
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By john on Jan 4, 2010
how about these companies stop making so many on rail shooters and actually give the wii a game with a little more substance instead. then maybe they might breath a little life into these terribel third party sales. i mean come on who would rather play dead on rails like the wii or have the ability to play it like the xbox and ps3 do. i know the system dosent have the process power that those systems do but they certainly can do better then what they have done!
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By Pimp My Nintendo on Jan 9, 2010
Good game but lacks replay value. Besides, an on-rails FPS is not what Dead Space fans wanted in the first place especially after the controversy over Capcom’s decision to turn their Resident Evil Wii title into an on-rails FPS. Fortunately, Capcom’s RE franchise has strong brand power and the game while inferior to Dead Space in several ways, has more replay value which is probably why it sold much better.
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