Dear Reader:

You are viewing a story from GN Version 4.0. Time may not have been kind to formatting, integrity of links, images, information, etc.

Unity explains why they chose Wii U, discusses potential for 3DS support

by rawmeatcowboy
23 September 2012
GN Version 4.0
A portion of a Nintendo Life interview with Unity's Tracy Erickson...

Nintendo Life: In simple terms, what does the Unity deal mean for Nintendo fans?

Tracy Erickson: Great games. Unity support for Wii U means a new generation of developers has the opportunity to create games on Nintendo's forthcoming consoles. For the first time, independent developers have a clear path to console and we're eager to see Nintendo embrace this new relationship with indies. On the other end, some of the industry's most recognisable developers and publishers - Obsidian Entertainment, Ubisoft, SEGA, even Nintendo themselves - are adopting Unity because it's easy to use. This makes it possible to develop high quality games in shorter time; more games from a greater variety of developers meeting the Nintendo Seal of Quality can only be a good thing.

NL: Only Wii U has been mentioned specifically so far in relation to the deal, but could the scaleable nature of the Unity engine mean increased support for existing systems, like the Wii and 3DS?

TE: Actually, Unity already supports Wii. Obviously, there aren't a ton of Unity games on Wii - that's a separate discussion as to why - and that's what prompted this unique partnership with Nintendo for Wii U. We knew that having a closer relationship with Nintendo was critical to Unity being a success on their console; Nintendo understood that embracing the Unity community is fundamental to the console's long term vitality.

Regarding Nintendo 3DS, that's kinda like asking about Pikmin 4 when Pikmin 3 hasn't even come out yet! The relationship between Nintendo and Unity has reached an exciting new level and we're focused on Wii U. Timing is important here since the console launches in this year, too. While there are no current plans to support Nintendo 3DS, we're always looking at what platforms make sense for us to support, where developer demand is, and the opportunities available for our developer community.

Full interview here