WiiWare - European Launch Details

Ok, so we're a few hours later than the rest due to a little hickup of the mailserver. You still love us, don't you? Even so, here's the launch details on the European release of the WiiWare platform.

The opportunity to create the next groundbreaking video game for Wii has well and truly arrived for developers as WiiWare hits Europe. Launching on 20th May 2008, developers, no matter how big or small, will be able to create exciting new downloadable game's to be sold through the Wii Shop Channel. Changing the way developers create Wii games and players access them, WiiWare will make it possible for smaller, creative titles to take centre stage. Developers will be able to see their big ideas step into reality, without risk or the need for a big budget.

With WiiWare games the possibilities are endless. Only limited by the imaginations of the developers, expect to see a raft of new, fresh and original games head to Wii from an entire range of genres. Utilising the Wii's unique control methods from the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to potentially the Wii Board and Wii Wheel, developers have the freedom to create the game of their dreams in an affordable way, with low entry barriers and flexible criteria in front of them. Such is the opportunity that, already developers who have never created or published games for Nintendo are working on a host of potential ideas.

Laurent Fischer, Managing Director of Marketing & PR of Nintendo of Europe comments, "We are excited by the positive response we have received from third party developers to the announcement of WiiWare. We hope that this opportunity and the inspiration to produce original and exciting games will allow developers of all sizes to bring new concepts, genres and game play experiences to Wii. Opening this creative door will also provide Wii users access to a huge choice of games that they can easily download and enjoy."

Easy to access and simple to use, WiiWare games will be available to download directly onto Wii from the Wii Shop Channel from 500 Wii Points. To date, a vast array of exciting and creative new projects are already in the pipeline, ensuring fresh concepts and content will frequently become available for all to enjoy. Players themselves will also become central to the creative process as their download choices and genre selection will become instrumental in helping developers determine future projects.

From 20th May onwards a whole host of brand new creative games from developers across Europe and the rest of the globe become available, including:

• Dr. Mario & Germ Buster from Nintendo
• Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King from Square Enix
• Lost Winds from Frontier
• Pirates: The Key of Dreams from Oxygen Interactive
• Pop from Nnooo (oh yes!)
• Star Soldier R from Hudson Soft
• Toki Tori from Two Tribes
• TV Show King from Gameloft

More information on each of the titles above can be found by clicking on the titles.

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Comments

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  Wii Ware by itself is a great idea. Allowing 3rd party developer and homebrew creators to develop low cost and fun time wasters. But most of these games are no better than standard Flash based games which people can play for free on NewGrounds.com.

  LeSomeGuy, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
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  LostWinds is supposed to be the best so far out of the early WiiWare outings. Don't think there is a flash game like that out there. Any everyone buy Toki Tori. That way we can get a sequel and all make up for not buying it on the GBC.

  ganepark32, 30-11--0001 at 00:00