WiiWare developer shares rejection letter

by JC Fletcher { Jun 5th 2008 at 8:00PM }

Since they announced WiiWare, Nintendo has presented the service as the most "open" of the console game download stores. At the WiiWare GDC keynote, Nintendo's Takashi Aoyama ended his presentation with an email address and an invitation for developers big and small to get in contact with NOA and get started. However, Xiotex Studios' experience paints a different picture, one of restricted access to WiiWare development and space, and a lack of willingness to allow new developers on the console.

According to the company's blog, they applied for WiiWare developer status and were rejected. They've posted the rejection letter, which states that the company "looks for relevant game development experience" in addition to staffing and business criteria. The Xiotex blogger, Byron, points out not only that he had basically been courted by Nintendo at a WiiWare event earlier this year, but that he had specific experience developing GameCube and Wii titles.

There's probably more to this, since tiny new companies like Nnooo have successfully released games on WiiWare. Maybe he doesn't have the facilities required for secure storage of a dev kit? At the very least, this development makes WiiWare seem a bit more geared to established developers than previously thought.

[Via GoNintendo]

Tags: development, xiotex-studios

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jhongerkong @ Jun 5th 2008 8:32PM

911: "Sir, whats the emergency?"

Xiotex Studios: "Nintendo rejected us!"

911: "QUICK, SEND THE WAAAHHHMBULANCE!!!"

nytestalker @ Jun 5th 2008 10:15PM

I agree, the only reason someone would whine about this on the internet is if their intention was to shine a bad light on nintendo. i suspect that this person secretly gets paid by sony or microsoft (though lets not rule out the Vii people either)

[.sm0ke.] @ Jun 5th 2008 8:48PM

It's good to see Nintendo rejected something, given all the shovelware on the Wii.

Mr Khan @ Jun 5th 2008 9:11PM

Well, its not that they rejected a game, they rejected a dev, which is bad

However, i can't see the logic behind this. You've seen the results yourselves, people are coming from out of the woodwork to work on projects for this, why would this one get rejected?

Neko @ Jun 5th 2008 9:24PM

It sounds to me like Nintendo thinks that the company won't be stable, or that they won't be trustworthy.

Haohmaru @ Jun 5th 2008 9:24PM

I'd say chances are pretty good that it's because whatever game Xiotex (who?) proposed sucks.

phenylketonurics @ Jun 5th 2008 9:50PM

See, I've been afraid of buying into WiiWare releases because of the whole "even YOU can make a game for us!" vibe. Side-scrolling, flash games belong on the web, not the nintendo (hah, maybe that's already been contradicted!)

I'm certainly no fan of indie developers and hearing that Nintendo has some kind of restriction on organisation is really reassuring. Hmmm~

Doc Boje @ Jun 17th 2008 3:18PM

"Side-scrolling, flash games belong on the web, not the nintendo"

Well, considering you can access these games via the Wii console and play them on your television, I'd say that line has already been severely blurred if not completely erased.

Many great games and game ideas were produced by the minds of indie developers (Doom, anybody?). I think it's great that indie developers can now release games for download on the Wii. It's good for the developers because they will get more exposure and be able to judge how well their game is received based on the number of downloads. An added bonus is the $5-$15 earned per download, which will help fledgling developers produce more games.

phenylketonurics @ Jun 18th 2008 5:08PM

Doc Boje, I see what you mean (which I why I said in my statement that it's most likely a contradiction--thanks Wii web browser~). Bit of a stretch but sure.

Doom's an awesome exception I guess. I'm personally no fan of the game, but it did get really huge. Which is cool! I'm just hoping we don't get flooded. More developers getting more exposure sounds like too many cooks in the kitchen, though.

Experience is most important in this kind of thing and getting feedback from people who KNOW what they're doing as opposed to the easily entertained masses (I'm part of it! Haha) plays a big part of it. At least that's what I, a distant mass of the distance, think. ^^v

SImpression @ Jun 5th 2008 10:02PM

Above poster doesn't like indie devs?
I don't know, i was hoping that indie devs would be like indie movies - a hell of a lot more unique, enjoyable and fulfilling then the crap that Hollywood shovels through.
I think i need to see more of indie games before i can make an opinion on whether they would be like indie movies in my mind.

James @ Jun 6th 2008 11:48AM

Yeah it makes sense really that he would be rejected if he is just one person with a brand new "studio" with nothing on his page. I mean Xgen studios had atleast a bunch of flash games out there and a staff I would assume. Sucks that dude got rejected but he shouldn't blow it up like that, I am sure he isn't the only one to get rejected.

Ridgecity @ Jun 5th 2008 10:28PM

I wonder how big his company really is, since I read a team of ten guys got accepted... one person?

AzaMcWazza @ Jun 5th 2008 11:37PM

You're not stupid enough to really think WiiWare development is open are you? Nintendo are just as closed as usual. They really need to just make kits available to people who can pony up the dosh. Then you'd see some amazingly creative stuff come to it.

Nigeria @ Jun 6th 2008 6:30AM

I'd like to see some information on the game he was developing.

He got a rejection letter which read like a simple copy-paste job, so, it seems Nintendo only want a certain type of of independent developer. That is rather disappointing.

Bones3D @ Jun 6th 2008 9:21AM

I don't get the logic of reject a developer versus rejecting a game. It'd be interesting to know what criteria this rejection was based upon, or if there is some sort of blacklist of developers out there like stores that post photos of people not to accept checks from.

This is especially relevant now that Unity ( http://www.unity3d.com/ ) recently announced a version of their game development IDE for the Wii. Unity has hundreds of developers using their software ranging from industry professionals to independents... all of which are now looking at the Wii version for expand their games out to a larger market.

jenkinl1302 @ Jun 6th 2008 11:04AM

Anyone else think Crayon Physics Deluxe would be a spectacular addition to WiiWare?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=QsTqspnvAaI

wyrlss @ Jun 6th 2008 8:43PM

He was rejected because he hasn't got facilities. He can't secure the kit. When he gets an office and at least six months have passed, he'll reapply and be accepted. The end.

Adam @ Jun 6th 2008 3:59PM

I run a studio of developers and we are making games for browsers and download coded in flash (or torque, depends on the game) Our team is called Pretend-co Entertainment. We are working to develop for Wiiware so, we did our homework on how one is able to do so. We found that you need to be an established studio with a few games under your belt. Not only that but your studio needs to have some recognition in this video game community. With that you also need 25K for the kit and i believe an office address.

Sucks that this guy was rejected, but he should have known had he done his own research, and not depended on the words from a speech desinged to get people interested. He contributed to a few games on the Wii and the GCN but has not himself released any titles under his studio name that belong to him, and thats what Nintendo wants to see before they hand out the Wii Kit.

Think for a moment, what would happen if they haned the kit out to people who just wanted to buy the thing. Im guessing that it would be used to give information to homebrew users for their own gain. Nothing really against homebrew, but im sure Nintendo wants to keep this the way it was when the NES was out, Only people who worked the proper way to be able to release games on a home console should be able to use these kits. No shorcuts, cause if you have a really great idea for a game and you are really good you would take the time to work for that status, otherwise you look very shaddy and unreliable.

I say good for Nintendo, Make it a challenge to get in. I dont want to see WiiWare flooded with clones of flash games that are very fun on a PC for a few moments at a time, as well as for FREE, but if im throwing down some dough for a game I want it think and with more options. Something worth tossing an hour into ya know? In all respect im sure some of his games where nice but if Nintendo said "Sorry its not you its me" than I wouldnt look into them. Sides, he has no products on his page other than the blogs about how he cant get the license.

Wouldnt you tell yourself "Man, I didnt get in. I really want to make games on the Wii. Im going to see what I need to do to get this license and work hard for it!" instead of whining about how Nintendo wount accept him based on what he states and an empty page.