Email: Ubisoft… why?

The following quote was posted on Gonintendo
(http://gonintendo.com/viewstory.php?id=163595)

“You will see more high definition games this year and next, thanks to
the fact that we’ve done well with casual games like Just Dance. To make
Just Dance, it’s just 1/10th the cost of Assassin’s Creed.”

– Ubisoft’s Yves Guillemot

So Just Dance was embraced by the market, had a low budget, and was used as the backbone for a sequel along with the Experience games. Instead of
working on a new games that use the core mechanics to make more new
games they will instead make more HD games. I’m not demanding a more
full body or involved version of Assassin’s Creed but it is
disappointing. It’s arguable that Donkey Kong is the true original
branch of modern platforming with Mario Bros. and many others being
spawned from its success by mimicking but changing its’ core. From
Donkey Kong to Mario Bros. to a growing flee of platformers and
expansion/creating of new genre’s (Super Mario Bros., Kid Icarus,
Metroid, Ice Climber, Donkey Kong Jr.).

When you see a successful game you hope for similar type of evolutions
and changes. This happens in fps’s all the time. Despite the market
beign flooded, you will be hard pressed to not be able to find a fps
that appeals to you. (TimeSplitters is my poison…) Hasn’t their Prince
of Persia series led them to Assassin’s Creed? While they’re not
directly saying that they won’t develop more Wii games, they haven’t
pledged anymore support.

Mr. Guillemot’s statement just sounds like he’s using chore games like
Just Dance to fuel the development of the High Definition games that the
company wants to pursuit. That doesn’t seem right at all. Just Dance got
us the Experience series but there is a lot more to explore. With Prince
of Persia and Assassin’s Creed the company only limited their mythology.
Just Dance is only being copy and pasted with different music on top.
That’s not to say that they’re not enjoyable but that there’s very
little investment. All they’re doing is raping their brand and applying
skins.

The dance games will eventually dry up and Ubisoft will be up a creek without a paddle.

To be honest, Nintendo is doing the same exact thing Ubisoft is. They are using the success of Wii Sports, Wii Fit, and 2d Mario to make games like more 3D Mario, Puzzelda, and Maternal Instincts Metroid. The Wii U depends entirely on the Wii Sports, Wii Fit, and 2d Mario crowd returning. They won’t, and this will topple the system.

Imagine after the success of Super Mario Brothers, Nintendo put all the money and energy into Wrecking Crew and treated the Super Mario Brothers customers for granted.

What we are seeing with the Wii Sports crowd is that they cannot be fooled. They refused to buy Wii Music. They refused to buy shovelware. This places the Wii Sports crowd as far more savvy gamers than our ‘hardcore’ brethren who are easily manipulated and controlled.

Like Guitar Hero, the Just Dance money train won’t last.