Nintendo of America’s President Reggie Fils-Aime feels that the Wii U has an edge over Xbox One and PlayStation 4: exclusives.
In an interview with re/code, Fils-Aime was asked about third-party support for the Wii U compared to that of it competitors. When asked if he thought it was a problem that the Wii U was getting passed over for larger multiplatform games like Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Fils-Aime expressed a desire to have more titles.
“Third parties are bringing multi-platform content to our platform — Watch Dogs from Ubisoft, as an example. I would love to have Call of Duty on our platform. I would love to have any of the big blockbuster, multi-platform titles.”
But Fils-Aime also pointed out that third-party games are part of the reason why both Microsoft and Sony have difficulty differentiating their systems.
“But interestingly, when you look at either one, either by themselves doesn’t have a lot of exclusive content. They have a lot of shared content. Look at it from the standpoint of, what don’t they have? They don’t have our games. They don’t have Mario and Zelda. I’d much rather be where Nintendo is, with a differentiated platform, differentiated set-up experiences that we can provide uniquely to the consumer.”
It’s been nearly three years since a Call of Duty game has appeared on a Nintendo console. Since its launch, third-party support for the Wii U has dwindled. After its release of Watch Dogs for the Wii U, Ubisoft announced that it would be the developer’s last mature title for the system.
My Opinion:
Nintendo has always relied on its exclusive content to carry its systems, but in this case, I don’t think that puts them in a very enviable position. Microsoft and Sony both have a slew of fresh exclusives both in their libraries and on the way. Casting stones like this only draws attention to the fact that Nintendo has been doing very little to produce new intellectual property besides recycling “Mario and Zelda.” Certainly, Nintendo’s hardware sets itself apart from the pack, but at what point does that make a system too difficult for third-party developers to work with?
Asking for third-party support, then pointing it out as a detractor from your competitors doesn’t seem like the most sound tactic either. I’m glad to see Reggie flexing some muscle, but this response feels very contradictory.
Jordan Loeffler is an Associate Writer for MONG who drives a 2006 Pontiac Vibe with Minnesota license plates even though he lives in Portland, OR. She’s seafoam green, and she drives like a wave. You can follow him on IGN.