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

Nintendo games will have unique features, but completely different? Not anymore.

By Patrick Klepek  |  May 12, 2011

Ubisoft helps confirm rumors Nintendo's developing a console with capable hardware.
Ubisoft helps confirm rumors Nintendo's developing a console with capable 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.

Filed under: Ubisoft Entertainment, Nintendo, Wii U
71 Comments
KaosAngelon May 12, 2011 at 1:36 p.m.
This is good news.
phrosnite is online on May 12, 2011 at 1:38 p.m.
E3 will be great, I can't wait!
Jolt92on May 12, 2011 at 1:39 p.m.

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...

Ziddon May 12, 2011 at 1:39 p.m.
$10 says the title they are working on is Just Dance HD
JohnPaulVannon May 12, 2011 at 1:39 p.m.
Project Cafe must be shit hardware if games designed for the 360 / PS3 can be ported to it without great effort. 
Example1013on May 12, 2011 at 1:39 p.m.
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.
Aetheldodon May 12, 2011 at 1:40 p.m.
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)
DonPixelon May 12, 2011 at 1:40 p.m.
@phrosnite said:
" E3 will be great, I can't wait! "
exactly
Jolt92on May 12, 2011 at 1:41 p.m.
@Aetheldod:
Hell yeah PC gaming.
Mr_Skeletonon May 12, 2011 at 1:41 p.m.

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

raiz265on May 12, 2011 at 1:42 p.m.
....until there's the next xbox and playstation. :|
endaroundon May 12, 2011 at 1:42 p.m.
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.
Nuklearon May 12, 2011 at 1:42 p.m.
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.
HBK619on May 12, 2011 at 1:43 p.m.
" 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.
l3illyl3obon May 12, 2011 at 1:44 p.m.
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.
swamplord666on May 12, 2011 at 1:45 p.m.
Thank god Nintendo's next gen console is easily ported to PS3 and 360! wait...
Claudeon May 12, 2011 at 1:47 p.m.
E3 is going to be so much fun. I always get hyped when a new console is going to be announced, especially by Nintendo.
Brenderouson May 12, 2011 at 1:49 p.m.
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.
Trillianon May 12, 2011 at 1:49 p.m.
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.
Kjellm87on May 12, 2011 at 1:52 p.m.
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.

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Ubisoft Entertainment (Formerly Ubi Soft and pronounced You-Be-Soft. The name stems from "Ubiquitous Software".) is a French Video game publisher and developer with its headquarters in Montreuil-Sous-Bois, France.

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