Timesplitters 4 announced!

[darkjak]

what expectations..?

 

They aren't exactly very hyped games..

 

The first game wasn't very hyped, that's true. The second was quite hyped, at least among Nintendo gamers and fans of the first game. TS2 was hoped to be, and became one of the best first person shooters for the GC.

TS3 was hyped because gamers on all 3 formats had experienced TS2, and of course magazines were writing about the deep multiplayermode and the improved singleplayer campaign and level editor.

 

Although I hope TS4 will come out for the Wii, I'm more hoping for a more Goldeneye/Perfec Dark-ish game, like let's say Black.

[darkjak]

Hmmm...

Free Radical are up for grabs. Me thinks it's time for Nintendo to do something useful with that extra cash!

[Zechs Merquise]

Hmmm...

Free Radical are up for grabs. Me thinks it's time for Nintendo to do something useful with that extra cash!

 

Yeah, that would be good - an exclusive FPS, oh yeah they did one of those for the PS3, it was Haze and it was terrible!

 

I really enjoyed both TS2 and TSFP however I get the feeling with both of those games that they only appealed to a real niche market. I loved them, but I know plenty of other gamers that have never heard of them.

 

I would have said that EA would have snapped them up, but I can't see that as EA had a very bad year (losing $500 million) and they're making large cut backs in less profitable studios.

[Tellyn]

Hmmm...

Free Radical are up for grabs. Me thinks it's time for Nintendo to do something useful with that extra cash!

 

Nintendo currently have no stake or ownership over European developers I believe, and they seem reluctant to expand their portfolio of developers beyond Monolith so I doubt it. Microsoft will probably step in, again.

[darkjak]

Nintendo currently have no stake or ownership over European developers I believe, and they seem reluctant to expand their portfolio of developers beyond Monolith so I doubt it. Microsoft will probably step in, again.

 

Nintendo were very willing to buy Dice back in the days when Battlefield 1942 was in development. I know this because I know the guy whom was responsible for contactiong Nintendo, MS and EA. And Nintendo DID have partial ownership in Rare.

 

Allthough it may not be likely for Nintendo to buy them, I'd love it to happen.

[Ash]

Why don't we see how much money us forum go'ers have and see if we can buy them. haha, i got about £15, i'm sure we could lead the company into a good future.

[Emasher]

Why don't we see how much money us forum go'ers have and see if we can buy them. haha, i got about £15, i'm sure we could lead the company into a good future.

 

You mean like all the major Nintendo forum's members put up some money to buy them and everyone votes on what kind of game they make and such?

[Blue_Ninja0]

That would be a brilliant idea. I would contribute.

 

But seriously, Nintendo should buy these guys and fund the new Time Splitters game. It shouldn't be a problem for them.

I really liked the GC TS games.

[Konfucius]

Apparently the most important staff already left the company and secured the rights to some things. As far as I understood it from (mainly Kotaku) they secured some of the rights to their franchises and started a new company with the key staff of Free Radical.

 

Actually I don't want to see Free Radical going second-party or first party even. They released some great games for several systems and have a very unique sense of humour. If they are bought, someone else will tell them what exactly to do, which I think goes for Nintendo, MS or any other company.

[Rummy]

As I wrote on the front page's news about it;

 

I woulda said EA will buy them too, but I kind of doubt also due to the fact they were stuggling for a publisher, why wouldn't EA pick it up after the brilliance of TS3? Unless they were kind of hoping for this...

 

I'd love it if Nintendo DID buy them up, but if they did you know they'd become second party(though maybe they can re-achieve their old school Rare days) and...well, they COULD do a massive fan service and publish TS4 Wii Exclusive like, but are they really going to make any money off the Wii's current market with TS4? Not without some tweaking, which is what pisses me off about Nintendo so much these days.

 

Really, the only way for them to stay profitable would be to stay third party, though whoever purchases them in theory should seek to re-employ the old staff, cos they're what would have made the company so great. Nintendo and MS are the ones with all the money however, but I see them being gobbled into another third party rather.

[Edjamakated]

You don't think TS4 will sell gangbusters on the Wii? Cuz I beg to differ.

 

They could even pull a Capcom and release a 1-3 collection tailored for the Wii to get everyone acclimated and hyped for TS4. I'd buy it. You'd buy it too.

[Rummy]

So that's two of us, but what about the rest of the world? The market for the game is smaller on Wii than the other consoles, I reckon. I mean, I've already seen a large number of the forumers on here sell their Wiis as it is! It's just not offered much to make the whole system worthwhile(though for me, for brawl, it has). Plus, if I *could* get TS4, I'd probably actually buy it on my 360 instead of the Wii anyway, the Wii can be somewhat retarded sometimes, full of potential but just holding itself back.

[D_prOdigy]

So that's two of us, but what about the rest of the world? The market for the game is smaller on Wii than the other consoles, I

reckon.

 

That reckoning baffles. The Wii market is fast approaching 50 million; almost double its nearest competitor.

 

I mean, I've already seen a large number of the forumers on here sell their Wiis as it is!

 

Yet you've somehow missed the large influx of new buyers and members join over the last few months.

 

It's just not offered much to make the whole system worthwhile(though for me, for brawl, it has). Plus, if I *could* get TS4, I'd probably actually buy it on my 360 instead of the Wii anyway, the Wii can be somewhat retarded sometimes, full of potential but just holding itself back.

 

The question is, would you really refuse to buy it if was a Wii exclusive, on the grounds that it's not on 360? Of course not. With a series like TS, people would buy the game for the game, not the system it's on. Couple the fact that Wii has by far the biggest market share with the fact that Free Radical would have to be VERY wary of covering their development costs, then all of a sudden it would not only seem biblically stupid to ignore the platform, but completely plausible to support only that one console.

[Marcamillian]

I would tend to agree with Rummy. The relative sizes of install base would suggest that the Wii is the desirable platform.... however it is debatable if the Wii's demographic would allow a FPS to become the run away hit that it could be if on other platfroms.

 

Using the assumption that FPS players are generally moe involved in games and more likely to buy titles (I know this aint a water tight assumption but it APPEARS to be the case in general), the attach rates for the Wii vs. other consoles would suggest that a FPS might not do as well on the Wii.

 

Ontop of this TS4 doesn't strike me as a system seller like Brawl or MGS4 as, while it is a nice change of pace... there are a great deal comparable experiences on the consoles where FPS's are already established. I don't think that the statement that most FPS addicts own a high def console and not a Wii is controvercial, I can't see TS4 having enough going for it to justify the purchase of a Wii.

 

While I personally like the Wiimote for FPS's many would rather stick to the familiar and play it on a pad (as my attempts to introduce traditional PES players to ProWiivo have shown me).

[spirited away]

That reckoning baffles. The Wii market is fast approaching 50 million; almost double its nearest competitor.

 

.

 

It seems though that the Timesplitters franchise targets somewhat of niche market (relatively), that would only appeal to followers of the series and FPS fans alike - and I think it's safe to say this demographic is more than likely to own either a 360 or a PS3. But then everyone owns a Wii so in my opinion there's a similar sized market to latch on to in both cases. So it makes sense in that regard to develop the game on the Wii, to cut down development costs, to ensure maximum monetary gain. This is financially the best course of action and the more alluring propsect i'm sure to a struggling company.

 

Purely from a personal point of view however, I'd rather see it go multiplatform, or 360 exclusive (succeeding an aquisition from MS or a Third-Party Publisher). To me the benefits of a robust online ifrastructutre and the superior graphics, physics, A.I e.tc, are more enticing than the prospect of Wiimote support.

 

Perhaps if a Third-Party aquires Free Radical, the first game could be Wii-exclusive to get them back on steady ground so to speak, and thereafter it be a multiplatform title.

[mcj metroid]

it's just that there really is no garuntee that an fps will sell better on wii.. no proof at all.. There is red steel but that was a launch game and when hardcore gamers were more behind the wii and yes that does matter. I think something like medal of honour sold well...

 

conduit will show us I would think?

[D_prOdigy]

it's just that there really is no garuntee that an fps will sell better on wii.. no proof at all.. There is red steel but that was a launch game and when hardcore gamers were more behind the wii and yes that does matter. I think something like medal of honour sold well...

 

conduit will show us I would think?

 

There's also no proof otherwise. Simply put, the only original AAA FPS on Wii that was marketed seriously was Red Steel. And that sold about 2 million copies despite the swolen "ITZ SHIT" bandwagon.

 

But yes, I do think you're right in saying The Conduit will be significant.

[Emasher]

It all depends on how SEGA markets it I think. If its marketed poorly, we're still not going to know. Most of the FPS games on the Wii have had very little marketing or were crap games.

[mcj metroid]

There's also no proof otherwise. Simply put, the only original AAA FPS on Wii that was marketed seriously was Red Steel. And that sold about 2 million copies despite the swolen "ITZ SHIT" bandwagon.

 

But yes, I do think you're right in saying The Conduit will be significant.

 

its still a launch title. That's a major factor.. and some magazines gave it high marks..

it's not fair to go on this.. I'd also go with metroid but you know that's not your typical shooter in the first place.

 

It all depends on how SEGA markets it I think. If its marketed poorly, we're still not going to know. Most of the FPS games on the Wii have had very little marketing or were crap games.

 

this is true.. I'm not sure about sega.. I never saw them as the type to show tv adverts etc.. I think you see the odd sonic add but that's it..

 

and let's not forget the fact that sega are stupid

 

I hope the conduit is a blockbuster success but I can only see it selling about as well if not less than metroid..

Internet hype is never good enough.

[Rummy]

That reckoning baffles. The Wii market is fast approaching 50 million; almost double its nearest competitor.

 

 

 

Yet you've somehow missed the large influx of new buyers and members join over the last few months.

 

 

 

The question is, would you really refuse to buy it if was a Wii exclusive, on the grounds that it's not on 360? Of course not. With a series like TS, people would buy the game for the game, not the system it's on. Couple the fact that Wii has by far the biggest market share with the fact that Free Radical would have to be VERY wary of covering their development costs, then all of a sudden it would not only seem biblically stupid to ignore the platform, but completely plausible to support only that one console.

 

Oh yeah, I know the Wii has the biggest userbase, but I don't think it's the sort of userbase that is going to be going for TS4 as a game. If it WAS Wii exclusive, then yes of course I'd buy it on my Wii, cos I rather want to play the game. If I had the CHOICE however, then I'd get it on 360. It's all well and good if the Wii has double the market than it's nearest competitor, but if only 10% of it would actually buy TS4 compared to 30% of the competitor's, then it's going to be a more successful game on the alternative console. Of course, these are just made up numbers, but it's to try and help illustrate what I'm getting at. It may not be double, but I'm 90% sure the market for TS4 on 360 is bigger than on Wii. This is also assuming a mutual exclusivity, and not choice for people who may own both systems(and I'd say there's a reason for anyone who owns both a Wii and 360).

 

Purely from a personal point of view however, I'd rather see it go multiplatform, or 360 exclusive (succeeding an aquisition from MS or a Third-Party Publisher). To me the benefits of a robust online ifrastructutre and the superior graphics, physics, A.I e.tc, are more enticing than the prospect of Wiimote support.

 

I feel the same, the tradeoff for wiimote controls/support just isn't really worth it for me.

[Shino]

Warning: Non evident facts replaced for personal bullshit.

[Zechs Merquise]

I can't see how people still play using dual analog. Don;t get me wrong, I used to swear by it. But since I played using the Wii remote it just seems so slow and the lack of precision is horrid.

 

I went on TS2 the other day and couldn't stand it.

[Rummy]

Warning: Non evident facts replaced for personal bullshit.

 

If that was aimed at me and my post, I should hope I made it quite clear in the said post that it was all hypothetical to try and help put my point over. In fact, I did make it quite clear, so I definitely hope it wasn't aimed at my post. I've not looked at any numbers of sales and all of that etc

[jammy2211]

Timesplitters 4 would sell on Wii, as it's one of the third party franchise that resonates with the core Nintendo fans. The best selling non-minigamez from third parties are from franchises which the Nintendo core grew to love over previous generations (Resident Evil, Tales of Symphonia, Sonic, Star Wars).

 

Saying that, it's audience is nowhere near as big as those games with the core Nintendo fan, and I'd be skeptical for it getting many sales outside of the 'core'. It'd no doubt sell more if it was PS360, and make more profits, it's just whether Free Radical are in any fit state to take the financial plunge on developing it in the first place.

 

The Conduit seems to be getting alot of hype from the Nintendo fans like the franchises listed above do, so it should do okay sales wise provided the press reception is warm. However I do think it'll prove that targeting that nishe isn't something they can attempt to do on the scale of a Nintendo game or a PS360 effort, which might not be a bad thing.

[Zechs Merquise]

It'd no doubt sell more if it was PS360, and make more profits, it's just whether Free Radical are in any fit state to take the financial plunge on developing it in the first place.

 

Selling more and making more profit are different things. Games can sell in much smaller quantities on Wii and make larger profits as the profit margin is a lot better due to reduced development costs.