Ubisoft Won't Have to 'Completely Redo' Games for Nintendo's New Hardware

Ubisoft has been a reliable partner for Nintendo, especially so before Wii became a worldwide phenomenon. Red Steel wasn't great, but its existence was Ubisoft showing early belief in the platform. That has continued on 3DS and, expectedly, Ubisoft will be an early supporter of Nintendo's next console, to be unveiled at E3.

A key difference this time, however, may be what kinds of games Ubisoft brings to the platform.

During Ubisoft's fiscal earnings call today, CEO Yves Guillemot was asked about his plans for supporting the Wii's successor. Specifically, whether the development costs would make an impact, usually by requiring a separate product.

"First, the platform Nintendo is coming with is really a fantastic platform," said Guillemot. "We think it will be extremely successful and what we see is that we will be able to leverage a lot of the work that we do for Xbox 360 and PS3 when we will create games for the platform. We will not have to redo completely the games we create. We'll be able to use all the capacities the console is giving, but also use all the work that we do for the other platforms."

Could we finally see an Assassin's Creed on a Nintendo console? Bet your money on it.

Until now, our expectations about the hardware specifications for Nintendo's upcoming hardware have been shaped strictly by rumors. Guillemot represents an on-the-record account of a machine capable of competing, if not necessarily exceeding, the power inside Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3's boxes. Nintendo's machine will certainly have its own unique hooks, but publishers having the ability to publish games already coming to Xbox 360 and PS3 anyway should prove a significant boon to Nintendo. And gamers.

This is good news.

E3 will be great, I can't wait!

I'm not sure how I am going to react to the console if it isn't better than the PS3 when it's revealed.

But I'm sure that when I see that Mario in HD I'm gonna be happy anyway so yeah, we'll see. But man Nintendo...

$10 says the title they are working on is Just Dance HD

Project Cafe must be shit hardware if games designed for the 360 / PS3 can be ported to it without great effort. 

Wow, so Nintendo will finally step into the modern era? Maybe I'll send them the GT 330M that's in my laptop so they can see what high definition graphics look like.

Im still skeptical about the power of the new Ninty platform , but whatever happens with it this will define if I ever buy another console ever again (not just Ninty's , I also considering never getting a Xbox nor a Pasystation 4)

" E3 will be great, I can't wait! "

It's good to know they remake the games from 5 years ago at half the price and still sell them for 60$.

....until there's the next xbox and playstation. :|

The big questions is how limiting will this platform be when designing software for the next Sony and MS release.  Obviously a lot of that will depend on how well it sells but while it made sense to port to a 120m PS2 base for years Nintendo won't get the kind of customer base in 1- 2 years time.

That's a great plan. For a year. Then Microsoft and/or Sony will release a console significantly different from Nintendo's, and the bullshit begins anew. </cynical>

Still psyched at the prospect of 1080p first party games for this thing.

" Could we finally see an Assassin's Creed on a Nintendo console? "

There are already Assassin's Creed Games on Nintendo Consoles, Patrick. Nintendo DS, several AC games in fact.

AC:R on Cafe would be awesome.

Thing is, how long will this be the case?  Will Cafe be able to keep up with Xbox 3 and PS4?  Or will they have to start redoing games from scratch for Nintendo's console yet again in 2-3 years.

Thank god Nintendo's next gen console is easily ported to PS3 and 360! wait...

E3 is going to be so much fun. I always get hyped when a new console is going to be announced, especially by Nintendo.

Hopefully this console is much more powerful than 360 and ps3. Otherwise this console will only be good for about a year or so until Microsoft and Sony release their next systems which will knock Nintendo down to third place (hardware-wise) again.

I'm still a little iffy(?) about the whole thing mostly when he said "able to leverage a lot of the work" is that good or bad? Guess we'll have to wait. Maybe it's the geek in me wanting to see the spec and really pulling for not necessarily a power house console but something that can do more then the Wii is capable off.

Actually Nintendo is in a good situation.
I see very little future promise in the power race that was up to Gamecube.
If you think sequels and games that sells are frequent now,
 just wait until they get even more expensive to make.

Well anyway, Nintendo releasing new stuff is a big deal.

" Actually Nintendo is in a good situation.I see very little future promise in the power race that was up to Gamecube.If you think sequels and games that sells are frequent now, just wait until they get even more expensive to make.Well anyway, Nintendo releasing new stuff is a big deal. "

So the Wii's successor is going to be like the Wii, but with graphics closer to the PS3? So it's gonna be the PS3?

From the screenshot I've seen of the SDK with the briefing on the left it says games can easily be ported from the PC and 360 to the new console. The architecture must be very similar to the both and as as long as the controller turns out to be a dual analogue where the right stick is comfortable to use then that'll be good.

Then Sony and Microsoft reveal their new consoles a year or two later, with specs superior to the new Nintendo console, and Nintendo is right back where they were with the Wii.  C'est la vie.

Everyone seems to be forgetting that the console has new features.  Even if the hardware isn't great, it's still going to secure a niche similar to the motion control niche the Wii had and dominate that market.

BAH, just bring on the new console already!

" So the Wii's successor is going to be like the Wii, but with graphics closer to the PS3? So it's gonna be the PS3? "

They strive to come up with something that is on par with what we've had for years. Well done!

" AC:R on Cafe would be awesome.Thing is, how long will this be the case?  Will Cafe be able to keep up with Xbox 3 and PS4?  Or will they have to start redoing games from scratch for Nintendo's console yet again in 2-3 years. "

" a niche system like the Wii "

" @Video_Game_King said:

" So the Wii's successor is going to be like the Wii, but with graphics closer to the PS3? So it's gonna be the PS3? "

I totally agree - If the majority of what Project Cafe does is essentially make ports of PS3 and Xbox 360 games, what's the motivator in buying one? I really feel like Nintendo is putting itself between a rock and a hard place. There's going to have to be some strong new (and remarkably different) features to motivate gamers from the other consoles - at the same time, if the system is too different, it because a niche system like the Wii - and I don't think Nintendo will have the same success appealing to casual gamers a second time around. What to do, what to do... "

It'll be interesting to see what ubisoft does for the system. Since the best selling thing on the Nintendo system are Nintendo made games. The biggest sellers for the next nintendo platform will be Super Mario Galaxy HD, Metroid HD, Mario Party HD, Mario Kart HD & Zelda HD.

Stupid insular gamers love being wrong about Nintendo, part 50.

" Then Sony and Microsoft reveal their new consoles a year or two later, with specs superior to the new Nintendo console, and Nintendo is right back where they were with the Wii.  C'est la vie. "

" @ryanwho: No. Back trying to find a niche that works for them. With the Wii, it was the casual audience. Talk of the beefier specs for this new console makes folks think that Nintendo is trying to get back into hardcore gamers' graces--and maybe they are. But if Sony and Microsoft bring out consoles that trump the new Nintendo console's power--and they will--then they still can't stand toe-to-toe in the graphical arena. They'll have to rely on something else. "

When someone says that "leveraging work" is a highlight of a platform, it can only mean more fun and innovation for everyone.

" @ryanwho: I think you're missing the point. I'm not talking about what gamers want. I'm trying to figure out what Nintendo thinks we want. Talks of the new console's specs are confusing that issue. "

I'm ready for Nintendo to win me over from the two slimeball companies that are MS and Sony. It's been too long Ninty...

Multiplatform games at 1080p, it's going to change how console gamers sees their games. It's going to make your upscaled stuff blurry looking, something pc gamers already knew a long time ago. Imagine every multiplatform game that comes out on the new wii 2 at that rez and stuff, i'm only saying.

Well no fuck. 

I will be disappointed if it just designed to be capable of running ports of Xbox 360 and PS3 games.  I want a next-generation console with significantly upgraded hardware specs, not a third current generation console.

If it isn't substantially more powerful than the PS3/360, I don't really see the need to purchase it.

Well it's great to hear that this new console is AT LEAST on par with the 360 and PS3. I wouldn't be surprised if it's even more powerful than those two. I really hope so. 

 I'm beyond confused what the Wii2 is actually going to be, I really can not wait until E3 to learn specifics. Although in the end, I don't see myself buying it until some Mario game is released.

so basically, nintendo consoles are going to be one generation graphically behind the other two... I want a Wii 2 that not only meets the same graphics as my 5 year old xbox, but looks substantially better

Specification wise it's going to follow suit with what Nintendo's design philosophy has always been.