Thu, Apr 02, 2009 | 09:20 BST
Level 5 president says there isn’t a “clear winner” in console war
Level-5 president Akihiro Hino has told Nikkei Trendy that current adoption rates of PS3, Wii and Xbox 360 pose a problem for modern third-parties.
“There isn’t a clear winning system,” said the Professor Layton creator. “This is a problem for a company like mine.”
Level 5 believes that games created for only one system won’t sell as well – plus developers who focus on 360 and PS3 are more concerned over HD format than the consumer.
“This is why the Wii has sold better than the other two platforms,” he added. “It’s a truly difficult era.”
When you factor in handheld adoption rates, said the exec, DS blows all others out of the water.
“As a publisher, we can’t just not develop for consoles,” he added.
“We considered quite a bit and have now pretty much decided on the direction that should be taken. We were able to make many popular series like Professor Layton, Inazuma Eleven, and Ni no Kuni.
“We will use such series as weapons to evolve our console business.”
Thanks, GoNintendo and Andriasang.
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Posted in: Action, DS, Nintendo, Platformer, Puzzler
Tags: Akihiro Hino, Inazuma Eleven, level-5, ni no kuni, professor layton
8 comments
#1
Michael O'Connor
02/04/09, 7:59 am
The fact that the Wii is also an extremely different system from the other two makes bringing those titles out cross-platform a rather laboured affair. I can’t decide if that’s a good or bad thing.
If a company feels the need to focus on multi-format titles, they really need to start factoring in the Wii more. Quite a few developers are already doing this, thankfully. Atari, Electronic Arts, etc.
Also… Professor Layton. <3
#2
lelik
02/04/09, 8:06 am
level 5 seems cool. i just hope they don’t mean anything they’re saying because FUCK XBOX360.
#3
Blerk
02/04/09, 9:18 am
Prof Layton will figure out the clear winner. You just watch him!
#4
Hero of Canton
02/04/09, 9:28 am
I’d like to see Inazuma Eleven localised. Hugely polished footy-based RPG that’s really quite inventive (if you’ve not played Eyeshield 21 MaxDevilPower, that is).
#5
Blerk
02/04/09, 9:30 am
I’d love them to support the 360 as well as the PS3. But the probably won’t – I can imagine them cutting right back on hi-def stuff and just going bat-out-of-hell after the DS and Wii now.
#6
G1GAHURTZ
02/04/09, 9:35 am
I am the clear winner in teh konsoul Worz.
I PWN n00bs all the time through pure AWSOMENESS.
And if I lose, I get sad.
But when I get sad, I stop being sad and be awsome instead. True story.
#7
Mike
02/04/09, 9:37 am
Layton XBLA/PSN. Sorted.
#8
Tonka
02/04/09, 10:25 am
They all sound like Nintendo 4-5 years ago. This generation is like a merry go around.
HD is next gen
We are next gen
Wii are new gen
Hd is irrelevant
Gameplay is king
HD is expensive
500, 00 is break even
1 000 000 is break even
people buy more games
fewerpeople buy more expensive games
games are too expensive
they will work extra shifts for our console