Oct 19 2007
Wii isn’t hardcore enough for Silent Hill either…
Akira Yamaoka, sound designer for the Silent Hill series, takes sides in the debate over the Wii’s internal horsepower. In a recent interview with Wired, the question of a multi-platform release of Silent Hill 5 was raised. Currently the game is planed for release on Xbox360 and the PS3, or as Yamaoka puts it…
AY: We’re making Silent Hill 5 for next-gen consoles. Are there any other platforms besides that? [laughter]
WN: There’s the Wii.
AY: Ah, the Wii. Wiiiiiiiiii… Silent Hill Wii. Can we do it? Will players like it?
WN: Yeah! There’s a lot of potential there, using the remote as a flashlight, or a knife…
AY: Yeah, there’s potential.
WN: But no plans.
AY: No plans. The Wii user isn’t a hardcore user.
While few would argue against the Wii being the most “family friendly” console available, the idea that the “hardcore” user and the “casual” user are separate creatures is a false dichotomy. Some of the most “hardcore” gamers are Tetris junkies, one of the most ubiquitous and “casual” games ever made. It is a real shame that developers think that gamers can’t enjoy more than one class of video game.
Hit the link below to read the full interview.
5 Responses to “Wii isn’t hardcore enough for Silent Hill either…”
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Seriously, these developers need to open their minds more. I totally agree, some of the most hardcore gamers I know turn to putty when they play games like Animal Crossing and Wii Sports. I also know casual gamers that started to enjoy playing Metroid Prime. There is not just black and white, but also shades of grey as well.
What a dick.
Ultimately, I don’t think it really matters what any developer thinks. If Wii’s install base continue to grow then most developers will have no other choice but to put their “hardcore” games on the system, especially in Japan.
It is still disheartening to hear the close-mind-ness expressed by many developers, though.
It takes time. Remember about a year before the Wii came out? Pretty much nobody wanted to develop for it. I can’t remember who actually supported it. But the list quickly grew as Nintendo showed the system to all of the individual developers. Maybe these guys have never had the chance to play it?
Sadly, some people still have the mindset that “hardcore gamers” only play “hardcore systems” that have “hardcore graphics.”
And not much else to offer other than those graphics.