June 14th, 2012

Nintendo doesn’t want other companies to copy their games, so they’re keeping quiet

70 Comments

A lot of people complained that Nintendo only showed the launch window titles for the Wii U at E3 2012. This was what should have been expected, but even so, Satoru Iwata has shared that:

…because we are now in the era when similar proposals can be made by the others just one year after we introduced a brand-new hardware system proposal, please understand that we really can’t say much about what else we are planning.

In other words, “people are copying us, and we don’t like that”. And, just to clarify:

…what we’ve shown at the E3 show are both the launch titles that will be released with Wii U hardware this holiday season and the launch window titles that will be released early next year or not long after the hardware launch.

So everything we’ve seen so far is stuff we’ll be playing in the not-too-distant future.

  • Alex

    Reggie should have been holding the purple pikmin.

    • Kirby 64

      lol ikr!

    • http://wiiublog.com Jared

      Bro i was thinkin that when i saw the pic lol great minds think alike.!!!

    • http://MacroManJr.blogspot.com/ Brian L.

      Agreed.

  • Mondy

    Why the hell is there no information on MARIO KART

    • Peskiest

      Perhaps because they’re taking their time and doing it right this time (not that MK7 was bad, but it could have been better).

    • Jairo

      Plus we JUST got MK7 less than a year ago.

    • miiworld2

      Uhh… because Mario Kart 7 has been out since 6 months ago? Why the rush?!

  • Peskiest

    Can’t say that I blame them; they do get copied alot, but I thought there was plenty at E3, so of there’s a whole lot more, then I’m even more content. I’m eager to see what else they have up their sleeve, but I can wait. Keep up the good work, Ninty

  • Zhaf

    i would say nice move.. though nintendo still needs some way to convey what are they planning to the buyers, because without knowing whats in it for us.. it’ll be hard for us to let go the money..

    I placed high hope for nintendo this time.. i’ve never played nintendo games/consoles before, always been on PC, ps3, and psp… played game boy before but only pokemon and metroid.. I hope they’ll succeed this time

    • Jono

      You never played Nintendo before? Well, with the Wii U having the VC and backwards compatibility, there’s no better place to start.

  • Nintendo Knight

    “when all else fails copy nintendo” NOT ANY MORE MOTHERF**KERS

    • Kirby 64

      lol

    • MadCrain

      Hhahahhahahah

    • Jairo

      ^this

    • upadwatcher

      Now THAT is a win, NK!!!!!!

    • zeta

      lol its probably not only when all else fails because they copy anyway.

    • http://MacroManJr.blogspot.com/ Brian L.

      Hahahahahaha!

  • http://www.fanfiction.net/~gamemaniac GameManiac

    Interesting strategy in their part. Makes me realize what they were doing with their E3 presentations.

    (Also, the three of them clearly have weed on their minds, if you catch my drift.)

  • millsy

    *cough*SONY*cough*.

    • http://www.youtube.com/TheTEChguy27 TheTEChguy27

      *cough*SMASHBROS*cough cough*ALL-STARS*hack wheeze*

    • zeta

      *cough*MARIOKART*cough cough*LBPKarting*choke…flatline*

    • http://nintendoworlds.com TurboPikachu

      *cough*MARIOKART*cough cough*MODNATIONRACERS*gurgle*

    • Pootisman

      *cough*Wii*cough**sputter**HACK*PLAYSTATIONMOVE*cough**HNNNNNNNNNNNNG**ded*

    • RedX

      lol

  • rom

    Exactly what I was thinking Nintendo.

  • Joe Shmo

    I don’t like to call out other companies for copying, but it’s clear that Microsoft and Sony shamelessly ripped off Nintendo’s second screen idea.

    • Captain Falcon

      Sony? :S

    • Joe

      Sony didn’t shamelessly copy it because the wii u and vita were announced at the same e3, days from each other. They were also in development at the same time, so it may have been shameless, but I don’t think so. Now Microsoft, that is clearly a different story. Smart Glass is clearly a knockoff of the Game Pad

    • Grapefruit Assassin

      @Joe

      The PS3 and vita connectivity between Playstation All Stars games is like what Nintendo prematurely announced before as to what they were going to do with the new Smash Bros game. I consider that copying considering the game is a clone of smash bros. Still looks like a good game though.

    • Elctric

      Speaking of the connectivity of the psvita, If any sony fanboy says that wii u and 3ds is copying the vita with ps3 as using it as a second controller remember Four swords adventure on the gamecube or even pokemon stadium on the N64 (you could use your gameboy)

    • Tony

      its also like the wii and Ds/lite when playing pokemon battle revolution and u are able to us your ds system.

  • Captain Falcon

    Remember Nintendo’s unusual vitality sensor?

    This is Ubisoft at E3 2010… /:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5cctZMOQwY

    • Alex

      It’s like Nintendo leaked the vitality sensor to see who would copy them, and since Ubisoft took the bait, they’re now making tons of games for the Wii U.

  • 009soulmaster

    it would be nice for them to explain this after their E3 conference. no 8 days after. but obviously theyre talking at Sony.

  • Wade Havick

    I think nintendo realized that sony was copying their idea with the super smash brothers series by making PlayStation all stars.

    • http://www.csfgpapercraft.com Seb

      It might just be based off it, you never know.
      The only thing I’m happy about is that they might have Croc in it…

    • Pete41608

      @Seb
      Playstation All Stars Battle Royale id a BLATANT RIPOFF of Smash, clearly. just a bit enhanced

    • Pootisman

      And, theres no telling how to kill someone in the game VIA healthbar. . .

  • http://www.csfgpapercraft.com Seb

    Nintendo is using the same tactic I use when talking to people :3 Don’t giveout too much info or others just want to replicate it.

  • http://wiiublog.com Jared

    cough Plastaion All stars cough

  • Tom

    Hmm, maybe it would’ve been better if they had decided this before announcing the new Super Smash Bros. before it had even started development. Smart move.

  • Paul

    i have a vita an no way will it be any good to use as a controller the analogues r too close to screen so always catching it and i have small thumbs and only has two sholder buttons and to have vita an ps3 would be around £500 and i also have a rip off of pikmin on vita called army corpes of hell u have 3 types of goblin and 100 of them and throw them at enermys. watch youtube video for a laugh at another copied attempt lovin my 3ds more than vita tho hurry up wii u

    • zeta

      would be much easier and cheaper to just buy the vita with some games than to waste money, especially since it will have lag because it doesn’t have the same tech as the Wii U gamepad

  • R2BDSi

    Sony: FUUUUUUUUUUUU

    • austen

      lol

    • Omarsonic9

      ROFL

    • Bobby

      LMAOOO

  • MovieQuest

    C’mon Iwata , no need to be a *Smartglass* and *Move* around the subject go out and be the *All-Star(s)* with ideas before the competition can copy if need be have a *Battle Royale* xD

    • IkeFE

      I see… what you… did there.

    • Bobby

      cheesy but gold

  • Kirby 64

    well sony already made a cheap rip-off game of Smash Bros.if i remember,its called Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale.

    • Jairo

      Even though it pretty much IS a rip-off… you can’t say you don’t wanna try it out :P

    • miiworld2

      ^ Agree. I’m a huge Smash junkie, but I’m tempted to play Battle Royale. :)

    • zeta

      of course, that’s the brilliance of it, they just copy what was really successful knowing that even if its almost the same people will still want to try it.

    • http://MacroManJr.blogspot.com/ Brian L.

      miiworld2,if you’re already a SSB fan, then what can possibly interest you about that game? If you own Super Smash Bros. Brawl, then you already own a much better game than PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.

      Their “Super Sony Bros.” clone is not only shamelessly 95% SSBB (and I mean 95%), but they failed to include one of the best features of the Super Smash Bros. series–the accumulative damage meter.

      Not to mention that this game’s cast doesn’t even fit this kind of game. I mean, bloodthirsty Kratos versus a gluttonous Fat Princess or Parappa the Rapper? It’s just kinda a weird mix to me. It just doesn’t have the same charm or nostalgia factor as, say, Link vs. Bowser–two longtime characters that many of us grew up with.

      But most of all, what’s the point in playing this kind of game if you can’t enjoy gloating over beating everyone with 398% damage?

      No damage, no recover items, no Pokéball, no hookshot from Link, no catchy “Falconnn puuuuuucnh!”–no deal!

      And frankly, as a game developer myself, I find it tasteless to just shameless copy another game directly, showing no sense of sportsmanship and then act like you’re cool for it.

      Gone are the days of rivalries you could actually enjoy because both rivals produced tempting original content. Man, I miss the Nintendo vs. Sega rivalry.

      So, I’ll be looking to the next real Super Smash Bros. game on Wii U.

      [writer pants in exhaustion]

    • Crazyman11

      @Brian L. You sir, are rewarded two internets

  • miiworld2

    Well, that makes sense. Considering that Microsoft stole their spotlight at E3 with their sweet SmartGlass… but that makes me wonder about those other features on the WiiU Gamepad that they’re still keeping secret.

  • Omarsonic9

    True, specially from Sony

  • Zack

    Personally I wasn’t disappointed in the games shown off at E3, cuz I knew they were all games to be released during the Wii U’s launch window. I don’t know why so many people were disappointed.. it’s like they’re just expecting too much from E3. But that’s another story. I think the games shown off were great, especially since they are launch window titles. Just look at the launch titles for the 3DS.. they sucked. But the Wii U will have at least two good first-party games. Pikmin 3 and New Super Mario Bros. U.

  • upadwatcher

    So far, Nintendo is playing its cards right by not revealing any info on the hardware of the U to the press. I don’t mind that… especially rival companies mimicking Nintendo’s games and systems.

  • Trulaw

    That’s a fair point.

  • AquaFire

    Watch how their is going to be someone complaining about how nintendo coped the design of the 360 controller on here…

  • Randomite

    I think people need to understand that companies copy companies, even Nintendo.

    Even without knowing the Specs of the machine I can name at least ten things on the Wii U system that has been copied from other systems.

    • What?

      to be fair any of those ten things can’t be basic stuff to make a console……

      and everyone is talking about ideas/games which Nintendo usaully does get copied alot

    • Randomite

      OK off the top of my head, the concept of online gaming on a console which is very big…I believe SEGA introduced the idea first with the Dreamcast (I will not include the PC as that is not a console).

      Higher Definition visuals, again another thing introduced by the Dreamcast with the VGA adapter. Sure it was only in 480p but the VGA supported around 90% of the Dreamcast catalogue,

      Motion Controls, now before people start saying PowerGlove I am talking from a working perspective and the PowerGlove did not work. Anyways Samba Di Amigo had motion controls on the Dreamcast and they did actually work, but even before then there was VR machines which incorporated motion controls.

      Thats just three from looking at my poor under rated Dreamcast but I can think of more.

      Anyways it has been happening since the dawn of consoles and in the spirit of competition I welcome it. People need to remember that companies fair better when there is competition on the same level (even if it means some ideas will be copied and incorporated into the competition).

  • http://MacroManJr.blogspot.com/ Brian L.

    This news has released a lot of confusion from my mind.

    I thought I was going crazy when I was watching their E3 conference. I was like, Wait a minute…this isn’t my Nintendo! …Disappointed!!”

    But I should’ve known they were holding out on annoucements, just for the fact that they do have a product that is being and will be shamelessly copied by the competition.

    I was already winding down, but my post-E3 stress is now completely annihilated. All I needed was something like this, from the big boss himself saying, “Hey, folks–we didn’t give you everything on purpose!”

    Ahh… My complete faith in their judgment is now restored. The fool I am to doubt the Triforce pictured above. My anatomical structure is now fully prepared for the future of Wii U.

  • http://blaaa josh with the truth

    smart move Nintendo that’s the exact thing sony would do so good job

  • Bewoulf2000

    What don’t you see on any gaming device that was first on the hes and snes

  • REnegade

    why would it matter
    Microsoft= SHOOTERS SHOOTERS SHOOTERS
    Sony= SHOOTERS ADVENTURE ADVENTURE