Skip to main content

Team Ninja head fires back at Metro developers in defense of Wii U

Team Ninja head Yosuke Hayashi

In November of 2012 we reported a series of comments made by Huw Beynon during an interview with NowGamer that were decidedly negative toward Nintendo’s new Wii U console. For context, Beynon is employed as the full time studio representative for developer 4A Games, creators of the upcoming Metro: Last Light, and the interview was centered on whether or not 4A might eventually bring its survival horror, first-person shooter franchise to the Wii U. A simple “no” would have sufficed, but Beynon opted to take the more candid route.

“We had an early look at [Wii U], we thought we could probably do it, but in terms of impact we would make on the overall quality of the game — potentially to its detriment — we just figured it wasn’t worth pursuing at this time,” Beynon said, before being joined by 4A’s CTO Oles Shishkovtsov who stated simply that the “Wii U has a horrible, slow CPU.”

Recommended Videos

Those are harsh words, but who would better know the specific details of a gaming console better than those employed by a company dedicated to game development? How about another developer? Newly published excerpts from an upcoming Edge interview with Team Ninja head Yosuke Hayashi (pictured above) provide exactly that as Hayashi directly counters the claims made by 4A’s employees and instead states that the Wii U is definitely a “next generation” gaming machine.

“The Wii U is an infant that’s just been born,” Hayashi says. “It’s a little unfair to compare it to mature platforms that people have been working on for over five years. I’m sure people will find ways to bring out even more power as the platform matures.”

“To be completely blunt and honest, there’s no way that the Wii U processor is ‘horrible and slow’ compared to other platforms. I think that comment was just 4A trying to find a scapegoat for a simple business decision on their part.”

While Hayashi admits that the Wii U is likely lacking in raw horsepower compared to whatever new technology Microsoft and Sony inevitably unveil (not to mention modern gaming PCs), he claims that the system’s unique functionality more than makes up for this dearth of processing speed. “

“If you’re basing this simply on processor speed, then it’s not next generation,” Hayashi states. “If you’re basing this on Wii U being a new idea that challenges existing platforms, then it definitely is next generation. It is a console videogame platform that is now independent of the TV. Nobody has done that before.”

“It’s no mistake to say that we have entered a period where it’s difficult to provide an obvious difference to many players based on processor speed alone. Players want new innovation that includes the environment in which you play and services you use, rather than just raw processor spec,” Hayashi explains. “Nintendo is at the forefront of that innovation. I’m looking forward to seeing what the other platforms come up with in the future.”

Whether you side with Hayashi or the developers at 4A is largely a matter of perspective. This argument has been raging among Nintendo fans and detractors ever since the original Wii introduced motion-sensitive controllers in lieu of true high-definition graphics, and likely won’t die down any time soon. Objectively Nintendo consoles are technologically inferior to their competition, but for many developers (and fans) that simply doesn’t matter, as Nintendo’s machines offer a gaming experience you can’t find anywhere else. 

Earnest Cavalli
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Earnest Cavalli has been writing about games, tech and digital culture since 2005 for outlets including Wired, Joystiq…
How to revive dead companions in Baldur’s Gate 3
Withers offering services to the player in Baldur's Gate 3.

You're given a good bit of leeway during battles in Baldur's Gate 3 before you or a companion actually bites the dust for good. While in battle, if a teammate does take enough damage to drop, they aren't dead then and there. Instead, they will be downed with a chance to roll every turn to get back up. If they roll successfully three times, the battle ends, or you use another character to pick them up, they're good. If they fail that roll three times, however, they will be completely dead. That can be harsh when you've become attached to certain characters and want to further their stories, so you'll be looking for any way you can to bring them back. Thankfully you do have a few options for reviving companions in Baldur's Gate 3, but just like respeccing, they aren't so obvious.
Pay Withers to bring them back

Withers is a friendly undead you can find in a secret room in the Dank Crypt found inside the Overgrown Ruins. After finding and speaking to him in his sarcophagus, he will offer you various services, one of which is bringing back any dead companions. He won't do this out of the kindness of his heart (probably because it isn't beating) and will charge you a heavy fine of 200 gold to do so. Still, that's a small price to pay to bring back a beloved character. Once paid, that character will appear in your camp where they would normally be, so there's no need to go back to their corpse and find them.
Use a scroll of Revivfy or learn it

Read more
Every video game delay that has happened in 2023 so far
The player skates toward the moon in Skate Story.

Few things feel as inevitable in the video game industry as delays. Ever since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, game delays have only become more and more common as developers find previously set timelines unrealistic and adjust their release plans accordingly. More than halfway through 2023, we've already seen some notable AAA games like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Skull & Bones, and Pragmata delayed pretty heavily. Because video game release date delays are so common, it can be tough to keep track of every game that has had its launch date shifted in some way.
That's why, just as we did in 2021 and 2022, Digital Trends is rounding up every game delay that's announced throughout 2023. Here are the high-profile ones that have happened so far, listed chronologically by their new intended release dates.
The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR (March 16)

As Until Dawn: Rush of Blood is one of the best games for PlayStation VR, The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR, Supermassive Games' PlayStation VR2 successor, is a highly anticipated launch title for the upcoming VR headset. Unfortunately, it will no longer make PlayStation VR2's February 22 launch and will instead be released on March 16. On Twitter, a message from Supermassive Games says this delay will ensure that players "receive the most polished, terrifying experience possible" at release. The game was released on that date to mixed reviews.
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key (March 24)

Read more
Is Remnant 2 cross-platform?
Three characters shoot at a boss in Remnant 2.

Aside from the focus on firearms and integrating some randomly generated environments, the Remnant series sets itself apart from other souls-like games mainly with its focus on co-op. Both titles encourage you to team up with two friends to fight your way through the mutated monsters that await. After so many years of progress in terms of multiplatform games incorporating full cross-platform support, you might assume Remnant 2 will follow suit and let you make a group with anyone regardless of what platform they're on. However, the truth may be a bit more disappointing. Before you make plans with your squad, here's what you need to know about Remnant 2's cross-platform support.
Is Remnant 2 cross-platform?

Unfortunately, Remnant 2 does not have cross-platform play between PS5, Xbox Series X or PC -- and there's no word about it being added in the future.

Read more