Rumor: NiGHTS was once a 360/PS3 game
by JC Fletcher 
{ Jan 6th 2009 at 10:00AM }
Okay, this is all pretty tenuous, but super interesting: apparently, a Sega of Europe employee kept a blog last year in which he revealed some stuff about NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams that he shouldn't have, well before the game's release. The posts have since been removed, but the Wayback Machine allows us to have a look back!According to the blog post, Journey of Dreams was originally developed as an Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 title, and was hastily shunted to the Wii when the platform's success became obvious -- despite protests from director Takashi Iizuka. The 360 version was at least far enough along to be playable! The quick change in plans meant that NiGHTS' development time was effectively shortened. If you didn't like the game, you have something on which to blame the problems!
Also interesting, if this blog post is really as vintage as it looks (we don't discount some kind of Internet trickery): the blogger dropped a pretty big hint about a future Sega game, saying that Sonic Team should be freed from Sonic games, "... before they release another Sonic game with a transforming Evil 'Night' Sonic who looks like a werewolf and can stretch his arms out Dhalsim-style. It will happen, mark my words."
Gallery: NiGHTS
[Via tssznews, via NeoGAF]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
samfish @ Jan 6th 2009 10:16AM
Makes sense, since after NiGHTS was released there were rumblings on a PS360 version going around.
Still, the platform wasn't the problem. If you read, it mentions something about the 360 build being playable at TGS06 or something and the Sega directors thinking it was terrible. So while I'm sure that the Wii version's shortened development time had something to do with the final game's quality, don't anyone delude themselves into thinking that a PS360 version would have turned out any better.
This does also explain why the hell the game had no actual motion controls, despite the canceled Dreamcast sequel having had plans to include a motion sensing device with the game.
Anthony Cockell @ Jan 6th 2009 12:05PM
why dont they just make another sonic game the same way megaman 9 was made. that success was enormous
bknight @ Jan 6th 2009 9:39PM
megaman is Capcom who understand gamers
Sega all they care about is $ nights should have been scraped.
I cannot think of a good Sega game since the Dreamcast.
Level 5 @ Jan 6th 2009 12:15PM
I honestly feel Sega should put the Sonic series to rest for a good while. The GBA and NDS Sonic games were wonderful, and then the console versions have been AWFUL since Sonic Adventure save for maybe Sonic Heroes. I feel like the series just couldn't quite make the jump to 3D. Shame too, because all the 2D ones have been home runs IMO.
Turbo @ Jan 6th 2009 7:02PM
Sonic Adventure 2:Battle is still one of my top tens favorites today. While the 2D games where good, the 3D games have still been amazing. Then came Sonic next-gen and Sonic Unleashed, ushering in that the makers were listening to all the nine year olds trying to turn the game into a Dragon Ball Z fan-fic. Damn shame too, because now the 3D Sonics have a reputation that they don't deserve ('cept for sonic Next gen and Sonic unleashed). Sonic the hedgehog once sttod out, but it has now became another Crash Bandicoot.
Mr Khan @ Jan 6th 2009 12:57PM
Lucky us, i suppose. I certainly would have been a little heartbroken if i never had a chance of playing a NiGHTS game outside of incredibly buggy Saturn emulators
Nigeria @ Jan 6th 2009 2:17PM
Sega Japan have always been too overbearing, hence why most of the original Sonic Team talent have wandered off to do other things. So I'm not surprised at that hedgehog whoring stuff; really shortsighted, it's like they still haven't learnt the lessons from hardware whoring from the 90s.
That Nights information isn't really too surprising, I suppose.
bknight @ Jan 6th 2009 5:37PM
Honestly there is more to moving the platform than sales.
If that was the case every game that sega makes would be on the WII.
Is it the case that the org game what not up to standard and instead of redeveloping it on a 360/pS3 they moved the game to the WII?
If what i said is true? Sega it must of been really bad as a company that can release Sonic Unleashed has no standards.
TX2 @ Jan 6th 2009 6:34PM
Is it safe to assume that the reason Sega never addresses the critiques they recieve is because they'd rather look like they don't understand sonic's gameplay than be revealed for intentionally bleeding the franchise and it's workforce to the point of under-performance?