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Why Need for Speed: Rivals is skipping Wii U

Creative director Craig Sullivan cites weak sales of Need for Speed: Most Wanted on Wii U as reason to skip over Nintendo's latest home console.

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Need for Speed: Rivals is not coming to Wii U. According to Ghost Games creative director Craig Sullivan, that's in part due to weak sales of the Wii U version of Need for Speed: Most Wanted, which was a launch title for the platform in November 2012.

"It didn't really sell that many, in terms of the Wii U market. I would love for it to have, because we put so much effort into that, trust me," Sullivan told The Sixth Axis. "I'd love for it to be way bigger than it was, and the same for the [PlayStation Vita]."

"[Rivals] is going onto new hardware, and you have to work out where you focus your efforts," he added. "The 200 people working on this game are only capable of making so much, and doing so many different versions of the game, so we had to go with where we think the biggest audience will be for the game, and that's where we are."

Ghost Games studio owner Electronic Arts shipped four games for Wii U: Mass Effect 3, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, FIFA 13, and Madden NFL 13. In May, EA confirmed it had no new games in development for the system. By comparison, EA shipped 74 games for the original Wii.

Need for Speed: Rivals launches in November for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PC.

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sugrim

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Who needs any other racer when u have Mario Kart!

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ScreamDream

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<< LINK REMOVED >> That's the problem, most people buy Nintendo's exclusive IP's and not third party.

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19James89

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<< LINK REMOVED >>But Wii U gamers have been buying third party games. Tally up all the first games sold and all the third party games sold and the Wii U will have sold more third party titles across the board.

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19James89

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<< LINK REMOVED >> It's not a problem though for the end consumer like myself is it? It's a problem for third party developers because Nintendo always make games of the highest quality and a lot more third party developers should take a leaf out of Nintendo's book when it comes to creating finely tuned and polished finished products.

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ScreamDream

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<< LINK REMOVED >> That's still the problem, people just buying Nintendo's titles.

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19James89

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@ScreamDreamThe Wii U doesn't need EA. EA never supported the Wii U at launch and pulled out soon after. If the Wii U's fortunes are going to change, it will be Nintendo first party titles which will change the fortunes of the console for the better.

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ScreamDream

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Just read the comments here. Nintendo fans are saying things like we already have Mario Cart, we don't need EA. Which way is it?

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YearoftheSnake5

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<< LINK REMOVED >>

Project CARS is apparently still coming to Wii U. There are some updates regarding it floating around out there. The game looks damn incredible.

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YearoftheSnake5

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<< LINK REMOVED >>

<< LINK REMOVED >>

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bunchanumbers

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Never got a mario kart game I didn't like. Even Double Dash was a lot of fun with friends.

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19James89

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Double Dash was my favourite, the theme tune to Rainbow Road and the circuit itself was a joy to play through.

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eternaldragoonx

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Because Nintendo has always made hardware to suit there needs as software devs alienating 3rd party. Wii U is just an awful, awful system. I'm ashamed I have one in my household but its for my kids and they like it but as 6 yr olds thay like just about anything colorful.

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bunchanumbers

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The last NFS game I played was Carbon. It was alright. Sadly I've been saying that about every sequel to NFS since the 3DO game. If all I miss is another mediocre racing game then I won't complain.

Sega should bring back the Daytona games for Wii U. Include a simulation mode and you got a Wii U winner.

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Acryion

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<< LINK REMOVED >> So, Underground, Most Wanted 2005, Shift 1&2, Hot Pursuit were just ok?

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bunchanumbers

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> yes.

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kagento

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Personally, I think that the series has leaped in quality with Cryterion.

Oh, and I played the shit out of Most Wanted 2005 :))

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YearoftheSnake5

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >>

Gotta disagree. Most Wanted 2005 was awwwwsome.

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YourChagrin

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Seems like these are the most common WiiU articles. "Bullshit Reason Why X Game By Y Developer Isn't Coming Out On WiiU."

Nintendo should start bundling the WiiU with other consoles, like a WiiU PS4 bundle.

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YearoftheSnake5

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<< LINK REMOVED >>

EA doesn't seem to 'get' how to release games on Wii U. They release late ports or ports that lack features from their peers and wonder why they don't sell all that great. NFSMW originally released in November, they released NFSMW:U in March, without putting the DLC available on other versions on the eShop(though some was included on the disc). Considering its genre and late release, the 200,000 or so copies it sold is actually not too shabby. I'd wager most people who own a Wii U have another console and probably got NFSMW for it around the time of its original release. Had it been released at the Wii U launch, things would likely be different.

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bigfranky75

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> i agree 100%... and lets not forget that NFSMW was released many MANY months after it was released on the other consoles.... so anyone with a Wii U that would've been in the market for this game most likely already had it on either PS3 or XB360...

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19James89

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<< LINK REMOVED >> This can also be implied to SP BL and Rayman Legends in which Ubisoft are said to be furious with the poor sales across the board, but especially on the Wii U and with them taking away DLC from AC IV, I can see AC IV not selling particularly well on the Wii U.

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19James89

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<< LINK REMOVED >> There was nothing special about SP BL on the Wii U. They omitted local multiplayer co-op and the Multiplayer was riddled with connectivity problems and the game as a result flopped and flopped badly.

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YearoftheSnake5

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >>

I don't know what they were thinking with Rayman. They had zero competition in February, but decided to delay it til around the time GTAV and other heavy-hitters launch. Ubisoft dropped the ball on that one and have nobody to blame but themselves. Are there any commercials out there illustrating the Wii U versions of Rayman or SP:BL? The average joe is going to be ignorant of the exclusive features, unless he visits the right web sites.

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Kjranu

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Going only on new hardware? I guess Wii U is already outdated after a year on the market. ;P

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demonkingx5

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Um the PS4 & Xboxone are already outdated out of the box so what was your point.

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corrus

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Maybe but are much better than Wii Poo

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corrus

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >>

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Mayleene

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Yet to be seen!

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19James89

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<< LINK REMOVED >>Yes because the PS3 and Xbox 360 are new pieces of hardware, you philistine.

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zequex

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We Wii U owners should start a petition campaign to get it made and call the campaign Need Speed For Wiiu!

Or NSFW for short.

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Saladudo

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<< LINK REMOVED >> I'd apply for a refund instead...

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RonGardinski

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Today I got a ring on the doorbell, I opened it up and the mailman was there with my << LINK REMOVED >>, I couldn't believe how easy it was.

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Megavideogamer

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I did buy Need for speed most wanted U for the Wii U. I was a decent game. Easily one of the best looking on Wii U. EA has given up on Nintendo. Fair enough. But I do think EA is still pissed that their couldn't use Origin on Wii U.

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Saladudo

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Soon, every gaming site will be skiping posting news about WiiU...

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bunchanumbers

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Need for Speed on 3DO was the best game ever. Been downhill ever since. I'd rather play Mario Kart.

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delete-EasyComeEasyGo

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This is nothing new, EA is not interested porting any games on Wii U but this game is not needed for Wii U anyways and there are other games to be play besides this. Activision on the other hand will port most of there gamess so thats say a lot about them.

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pozium

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<< LINK REMOVED >> They've released a number of games onto the WiiU. Games takes time, effort, MONEY, and experience to port into a console. It doesn't matter how many copies are sold, what matters is how many are sold on each platform - of which the company determines if that was a success on that platform. If the WiiU sales are low, they'll be hesistant to waste that resource releasing it on the platform

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fadersdream

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> I'm so confused.

I get one side saying it costs nothing to convert games and the 3.5 million users will buy over 20 million copies,

and then I get another side saying that cost benefit analysis suggests it would not be profitable.

I just don't know who to believe.

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YearoftheSnake5

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NFSMW:U didn't release for Wii U in November. It came out in March.

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delete-EasyComeEasyGo

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Well it wouldn't be an Nintendo news without Corrus and he is nothing new.

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Gamerno66666

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<< LINK REMOVED >> not seeing much of HonorOfGod.

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delete-EasyComeEasyGo

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HonorOfGod is not really a troll herself but she loves the 3DS as well as I do but she does support Nintendo.

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delete-EasyComeEasyGo

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Fair point. hear have a drink on me!

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19James89

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<< LINK REMOVED >> I can have a Halo avatar, but that doesn't mean I like Halo or Microsoft does it?

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corrus

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Because she knows what SB are Nintendo that's why she hate them you have to be very greedy to make your user to buy one game over and over again if something happen with your console no body doing that when you buy some game from PSN that game is on your account even if you delete it from the HDD you can download it again the same is and in Xbox live i don't know about Steam and Origin but maybe and there is same the games you buy are in your account

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delete-EasyComeEasyGo

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Her Zelda Avatar gives it away. If you hate Nintendo wh were an Nintendo Avatar?

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RicanV

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RicanV  Moderator

<< LINK REMOVED >> Nice use of cretin.

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19James89

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She supports Nintendo? I've never once heard this cretin post anything positive about Nintendo. I'd be flabbergasted if she/he owned a 3DS in all honesty.

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