New Elder Scrolls in 2010 a possibility, but won't come to Wii
by David Hinkle 
{ Oct 29th 2008 at 2:30PM }
With Fallout 3 releasing this week, all eyes have been on Bethesda. They commented that a new Elder Scrolls game could be on schedule to release in 2010, for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, but not on the Wii. "At the moment we're not that interested in the Wii," said Paul Oughton, publishing executive for Bethesda. Despite Nintendo's huge base, Bethesda doesn't see success much longer for those working with the Wii and DS."We've seen games selling in the past 18 months that we never thought we'd see," Oughton said, further adding that he "wouldn't have thought that pet games and cooking games would have a viable market five years ago." But, we're getting to a breaking point, he claims. "Nintendo bought new products in with vast amounts of marketing money to launch these into the minds of the consumer and made a market for them. Every other publisher then very quickly developed DS and Wii products and we're getting to saturation now."
Sure, that's all well and good, and we appreciate you offering your opinions, but this doesn't do anything to explain why a new Elder Scrolls game isn't headed to Wii. If Bethesda could make the game for PSP (they never finished, but they had to think the tech was up to spec to even begin undertaking such a project), why not for Wii? Do you not think there's a market for your games on the console, Bethesda?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mr Khan @ Oct 29th 2008 2:37PM
Bethesda's obviously a PC-first developer if there ever was one, and like its comrades in that field (Valve, iD, and Epic) they all see the Wii as a big step backwards
They want to work with high-tech, and that's where their audience is. But their concerns with the state of 3rd party development is bogus, as the situation is only getting better for almost everyone involved: publishers, devs, and consumers alike
Nigeria @ Oct 29th 2008 2:59PM
I don't think it'd be a very pretty game if it was on the Wii, anyways. I imagine it'd look a little like Morrowind on the Xbox, and that wasn't a looker back in 2002/3.
Judging by those comments, Bethesda seem really out of touch. Or maybe I'm contracting causualitis.
Rocketboy @ Oct 29th 2008 3:09PM
That's ok, they've just saved me the trouble of buying their software.
Daryl @ Oct 29th 2008 3:12PM
Last time they claimed technological limitations was their excuse. And it's probably a good one, but they can re-invent the game engine and get around that.
Now we know the real excuse is that they don't wan to.
guttertalk @ Oct 29th 2008 3:45PM
I've wondered why no epic RPG has been announced for the Wii. These games tend to demand a lot of memory and CPU cycles to manage all the NPCs and to track all the different variables. Yet, if the Wii is comparable to the original Xbox, why couldn't it? (I've never played Animal Crossing, but doesn't it have a lot of data to calculate as it maintains that world?)
So, it seems that Bethesda is focused on the graphics--the big textures, the high-polygon count, the depth of field, lighting, etc. Yet, we don't have to have those things to make a game world seem alive.
And part of it sounds like he thinks the Wii lives on the other side of the railroad tracks.
Tim Parsons @ Oct 29th 2008 4:08PM
Elder Scrolls on the Wii?,. god would that ever look like dog SH!t!
Tim Parsons @ Oct 29th 2008 4:16PM
These lazy bastards cant even make DLC from the PC and 360 version to PS3 much less put in the effort to drop down graphics to Wii levels
Does anyone who owns another system ever even bother with the Wii versions? I mean multiplatform games always look better on anything other then the Wii
Sisyphus @ Oct 29th 2008 4:20PM
Of course multiplatform games looks better on PC, 360 and PS3. They're more powerful. You may as well say the Wii makes better use of the IR pointer if you're going to state the obvious.
Tim Parsons @ Oct 29th 2008 4:46PM
@ Sisyphus true enough so with that does anyone pick the Wii versions with Lesser graphics and Controls over the much better looking other versions? I wouldnt. So far only games ive gotten are the Link crossbow game, Super Mario Galaxy and Zack and Wiki, ive rented a few here and there but in the 6mths ive had it it's collected quite alot of dust.
Anthony @ Oct 29th 2008 5:10PM
Tim,
I have a Wii and PC, but would never consider getting Resident Evil 4 for the PC after playing it on the Wii - it is just incredible for the immersion the Wii adds.
Admittingly not many other games came close - Alone in the Dark promised from the trailer but was crapola !
I really like the look of deBlob and tempted to buy that next...and suspect the Wii version will own the PC version too!
CJLopez @ Oct 29th 2008 6:26PM
Multiplatforms games I do choose for Wii
1.- Star Wars Force Unleashed
2.- Alone in the Dark
3.- Quantum of Solace
4.- Resident Evil 4
5.- Guitar Hero World Tour
6.- GhostBurster: The VideoGame (Shame atari is cancelling the Wii Version)
CJLopez @ Oct 29th 2008 6:29PM
Oh, sorry to state. Consoles I own:
1.- Wii (obviously)
2.- PS3 (40Gb model, changed hdd to 250Gb)
3.- PS2 (Slim version)
4.- PC (Good to run Crysis at high specs)
Sisyphus @ Oct 30th 2008 11:16AM
I vastly prefer the Wii controls to the last-gen PS360 controls. And if its a game that craves amazing graphics, it'll be superior on PC anyways.
Daryl @ Oct 29th 2008 7:20PM
Morrowind would do well on the wii.
And you can take the morrowind engine, add a little combat, and create a new version of oblivion from the ground up.
Atlantis1982 @ Oct 29th 2008 7:28PM
Doesn't bother me, I never cared for the Elder Scrolls nor it's Fallout series, but it is their lost in any case for those that are rabid for either series or anything they might make in the future.
Feba @ Oct 30th 2008 2:02AM
If they don't want me to spend money on their games, it's their problem.
I think RE4Wii has pretty thoroughly disproved the idea that games aimed at gamers can't do well on Wii -- especially considering it was on THREE platforms BEFORE Wii, and still sold incredibly well.
Elder Scrolls would probably do great on the Wii; we simply don't have any epic, open world, well produced games. You can pick two out of three and get them on Wii, but not all of the above, which they could do.
The idea that the market base that would love Elder Scrolls on Wii is too busy buying IMAGINE PETZ and Cooking Mama is hilarious. It's either a complete cop-out, or the worst decision ever to not go into a market.
I think Elder Scrolls could be very interesting on Wii, and I'd love to see them push the hardware. But if they'd rather just go with a platform where good graphics come easily, that's their choice.
Don @ Oct 30th 2008 2:24AM
"If Bethesda could make the game for PSP (they never finished, but they had to think the tech was up to spec to even begin undertaking such a project)"
That's cheap, and takes advantage of Wii fanboys not knowing about the PSP situation. You admitted that they never came out with it, but don't pretend that they were seriously close to, when there's no evidence of that. And don't try to use that non-evidence as basis for an argument.
It insults those of us who are both PSP *and* Wii fanboys.
Michael @ Oct 30th 2008 9:06AM
I have a Wii and I love it for the games that are Wii exclusive, but I think it's pretty obvious why Bethesda doesn't want to make games for it. Contrary to their statements about saturation, I don't think it has anything to do with that. It has to do with the fact that you buy Bethesda games because they are GORGEOUS - why dumb it down for the Wii? If you can even see the graphic difference in LEGO games between the Wii and the PS3, why would you ever bother buying a game that was specifically made to have amazing graphics on a console infamously known to not support them?
Feba @ Oct 30th 2008 2:23PM
Anyone who thinks that Wii cannot do amazing graphics has clearly never seen Shadow of the Colossus running on a system that's basically ten years old.
bug frawg @ Oct 30th 2008 4:18PM
Or the latest screens of the conduit. all seeing eye ftw?
CJLopez @ Oct 30th 2008 5:30PM
Or monster hunter 3 (tri)
Michael @ Oct 30th 2008 5:46PM
Okay. I will admit that The Conduit and Monster Hunter 3 do have pretty clean graphics. I don't know what this Shadow of the Colossus business is, though - the game is only 3 years old.
The point of my comment was not to whine about how much the Wii graphics suck. The Wii is not a PS3. I knew that when I bought it. I was just going off of the game developers for PS3 and XBox that say they don't take the Wii seriously. I would bet Bethesda doesn't, either. They can make games to run on a cell processor or they can make games to run on the Wii. Personally, I'd choose the higher-quality PS3, Xbox and PC formats if one of the selling points of my game was great graphics. Not "great for the Wii" graphics, but across the board great.
Daryl @ Oct 30th 2008 11:54AM
See I disagree. Oblivion was very good looking but ultimately I bought it for the gameplay. In fact I'd argue that Morrowind was slightly better than Oblivion.
Apothekari @ Oct 30th 2008 11:55AM
I gotta say...Even though I check this site every single day,I haven't played my Wii in at least 6 months.
I work at a Rental store {movies/games} and get free! rentals and still my Wii sits there.
Nintendo has tremendously dissapointed me so far.
I loved everything they put out but it's like after SSBB and Kart they forgot to make any games!
Goddamn Nintendo they don't call us gamers because we play 1 game a year!
Sisyphus @ Oct 30th 2008 3:54PM
If you haven't played a Wii game despite free rentals, you're just not a Wii gamer. There are plenty of games to play that are better than Kart and SSBB, even though they may be from companies other than Nintendo *gasp*.
CJLopez @ Oct 30th 2008 5:35PM
Oh, come on!!!!!
DeBlob
Quantum of Solace (Unless, you have a PC to run it perfectly)
Alone in the dark (The game is pretty good actually, and the motion on the control are pretty well done)
Disaster Day of Crisis (waiting for the localization, still can import the pal version)
Ok, Wii releases are quite slow this year, but Q1 2009 promises that everyone will dust off the Wii.
The Conduit
Dead Rising Chop Till you drop (if what capcom says, it will be awesome, just near the 360 version)
OneechanBara Bikini Zombie Slayer (played the japanese version and man, I never cease to slash on zombies, and zombies pieces)
MadWorld
And this is only the beggining of the year!!!!