MotionPlus totally ambushes third-party developers

by Chris Greenhough { Jul 22nd 2008 at 7:00PM }

We mucky commoners have known about the Wii MotionPlus add-on for just over a week now, but don't go thinking it's any different for third-party developers. At E3, Game Informer approached several third-parties about the peripheral, and were repeatedly told that the accessory was news to them -- as they understood it, Nintendo simply hadn't told anybody about the MotionPlus, prior to it being revealed last Monday.

In other words, we can safely not expect a flood of third-party releases supporting the peripheral. On top of that, the developers doubt they'll be able to implement Wii MotionPlus into upcoming projects, such was the secrecy that surrounded the project. Not clever, Nintendo.

Tags: accessory, motion-control, motionplus, secret, third-party, wii-motionplus, wii-remote, wiimote

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Max Headroom @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:16PM

Wow. The bad news just keeps coming.

Roto13 @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:20PM

Well that wasn't a very good idea.

G. Scott @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:33PM

Here's the thing...

The Wii motion plus will be mostly only for Nintendo games... this gen. Next generation, every controller from every game company will have improved motion-controls built-in. Until then, don't expect much from it. Wii Sports 2, and maybe a few smaller 1st party efforts.

I have a feeling all the rumors about Sony and Microsoft introducing motion-based controllers forced Nintendo to show their cards earlier than everyone expected.

Eternityx @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:25PM

I don't feel as bad now. Apparently they just don't inform anyone of anything like new games that are worth while.

That picture is hilarious btw...

Ianiscool @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:32PM

Awww man. No super duper force unleashed

Shaq-Fu @ Jul 23rd 2008 1:37AM

You can still buy Lightsaber Duels

Don't lose hope. *sniffles* Don't........lose *eyes watering*.....hope....................OHGODITSSOHOPELESS *cries*

Shogan @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:37PM

So after Wii Sports Resort comes out, I guess the next game we can expect would be Rayman Raving Rabbids 4 in November 2009? Yeah I'll pass on this add-on.

Mr Khan @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:44PM

Seems odd, but since this will be easier to integrate into projects, it won't take them as long to adapt to this

Doesn't bode well for support of the product, though. Even the Balance Board is getting some good stuff coming

Skippy @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:46PM

Maybe that's one reason the thing isn't even being released until SPRING 2009, that's a good 8 or 9 months away still. Depending on where development cycles are, that gives third parties time to implement it (if they want to) in time to have games out shortly after it's released.

rainking187 @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:57PM

That's the greatest picture I've ever seen. I seriously can't stop laughing right now.

Feba @ Jul 22nd 2008 10:02PM

This is what NDAs are for, Nintendo.

PunchyMcJunk @ Jul 23rd 2008 1:27AM

No kidding. I think developers would love to have this functionality available to them in a full SDK ahead of time... not just as an afterthought.

I'm guessing this'll be a big ol' pass for me, unless the new Zelda and some good 3rd party stuff requires it.

Saccia @ Jul 22nd 2008 11:16PM

No big surprise. Lack of really good 3rd party games is why my Wii sits idle while I play my other consoles. It seems Nintendo is having so much fun at their own party that they forgot to remember to include everyone else.

Shaq-Fu @ Jul 23rd 2008 1:05AM

In other news; Sega announces that they will be releasing the much anticipated Saturn tomorrow

xjl @ Jul 23rd 2008 2:03AM

I hate that picture! That poor little pug!

The FIRST THING that came to mind when I heard about MotionPlus was that the potential in the two upcoming Wii Star Wars games was immediately sucked dry. First it wasn't just The Force Unleashed, it was Clone Wars as well. Then we find out that Ninty's coming out with a peripheral to make your movements nearly flawlessly 1:1, but not until after BOTH Star Wars games are out.

So a bunch of promising third-party games like those two or this year's Tiger Woods don't look like they're worth buying anymore, with a more precise alternative right around the corner. Meanwhile, the third party devs know nothing of MotionPlus until last week, so they have no chance to implement it in their games, and suddenly their premise (i.e. "use the Wiimote as a lightsaber!") loses its appeal.

Maybe there's something we don't know yet, but all signs are pointing to another huge strategic blunder for Nintendo. And they continue to alienate the third parties--not what they needed to do right now. It's funny, too: I thought Nintendo's keynote put a heavy emphasis on third parties, but now that I think back on it, most the games they talked about (CoD5, Shaun White, Guitar Hero World Tour) will be available on other systems.

Maybe Nintendo needed to show this because of rumors of Microsoft and Sony implementing motion controls. But if so, why couldn't they have rushed out more first-party core titles as well as rushing out the MotionPlus? I just don't get it...

CJLopez @ Jul 23rd 2008 2:10AM

Well, lets just remember that the motion pluss will be available till spring 2009, when Wii Sport Resort comes out

Garst @ Jul 23rd 2008 6:55AM

Does the MotionPlus "only" work with specific games, or will it improve acuracy in all games? If it does, then third-party developers aren't going to need to "implement" this into their games, it will already be there. It's not like Nintendo was very clear about everything. I didn't know if you could still use the nunchuck until I saw Brian Tong playing a jet ski game on C|Net.