Battlefield 4 skipping Wii U to avoid spreading too thin

Mention of the Wii U was conspicuously absent from yesterday's official announcement of Battlefield 4, even though it would seem to have enough muscle to carry the Frostbite 3 engine. Developer DICE is skipping Nintendo's new console, creative director Lars Gustavsson has said, so it can focus on making a solid game with what it knows rather than stretching too far and risking failure.

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Mention of the Wii U was conspicuously absent from yesterday's official announcement of Battlefield 4, even though it would seem to have enough muscle to carry the Frostbite 3 engine. Developer DICE is skipping Nintendo's new console, creative director Lars Gustavsson has said, so it can focus on making a solid game with what it knows rather than stretching too far and risking failure.

"I think overall for me as creative director, number one is to deliver a really great game and experience," Gustavsson told VideoGamer. "Sometimes, at least for us, it's focus on what you do well and what you know well, and ensure that you deliver something good than trying a bit too much, stretching yourself too thin and risking it."

BF4 should be the first Frostbite 3 game released, so that may bring enough technical hurdles in itself without starting on extra platforms. The Wii U hasn't received any Frostbite games so far. Given that EA is using the engine on several games across multiple genres, it seems likely it will some day, but not yet.

"I'd rather play it safe, deliver something really good and then look at the future and what could possibly be done than trying a bit too hard and [failing]," he said.

Battlefield 4 is coming to PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 later this year. It won't be too surprising if EA later announces it'll hit PlayStation 4 and the next Xbox too, though. To watch the 17-minute gameplay video, click here.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    March 27, 2013 9:00 AM

    Alice O'Connor posted a new article, Battlefield 4 skipping Wii U to avoid spreading too thin.

    Mention of the Wii U was conspicuously absent from yesterday's official announcement of Battlefield 4, even though it would seem to have enough muscle to carry the Frostbite 3 engine. Developer DICE is skipping Nintendo's new console, creative director Lars Gustavsson has said, so it can focus on making a solid game with what it knows rather than stretching too far and risking failure.

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      March 27, 2013 9:03 AM

      [deleted]

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        March 27, 2013 9:05 AM

        It's alright, we'll get an updated port about 2 months before BF5 comes out.

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      March 27, 2013 9:12 AM

      This isn't good news for Wii U. First party games such as Mario, Zelda, etc. can only carry the system so far. It NEEDS third party support. And many of the top titles coming out this year into next year are not coming out on the Wii U.

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      March 27, 2013 9:15 AM

      Damn Big N, you need to get those 3rd party relations improved

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      March 27, 2013 9:17 AM

      how many people actually have a Wii U as their only gaming platform? how many people with multiple platforms to choose from would actually pick the Wii U over any of the others for something like this?

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        March 27, 2013 9:18 AM

        I mainly play on Nintendo platforms and PC but am no stranger to Sony's stuff either.

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          March 27, 2013 10:09 AM

          Same, although Nintendo platforms are usually my odds-on favorites. I COULD do without my PS3 and stick to PC and Nintendo platforms.

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        March 27, 2013 10:26 AM

        Maybe not for BF4, but if I only had one console to play for the next 5 years, it would be a toss up between the Wii U and PC. You know the Mario and Zeldas are going to be off the chain, and it will get a decent selection of indie games.

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        March 27, 2013 10:30 AM

        PC and WiiU for me this gen.

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        March 27, 2013 11:28 AM

        ^^ This

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        March 27, 2013 2:19 PM

        Any game with an inventory. ZombiU (and now Monster Hunter) spoiled me with the gamepad use. Navigating menus seems like a tedious thing now.

        Off-screen games is really nice as well.

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        March 27, 2013 9:25 AM

        If the four featured games that weren't out yet had been launched already this probably wouldn't be an issue :/

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      March 27, 2013 11:03 AM

      I hope they still keep it a PC game at heart.

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      March 27, 2013 11:51 AM

      It doesn't spell doom, what the developer said holds water besides the fact that Wii U doesn't have a huge fan base yet. Rather than go and try to understand new tech and implement the gamepad in some weird way, they'd rather wait it out.

      This may work on Nintendo's favor IF the cards are played right AND too much time hasn't passed upon BF4 release.

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