5 replies to this topic

[Prime]

(this is kind of old now because I've been too lazy to post it but whatever)

With the purchase of Minecraft developers Mojang, many speculated that Minecraft may shift exclusively to Microsoft-backed platforms, such as Windows, Windows Phone, and Xbox. However, according to Mojang COO Vu Boi, the exact opposite may be the case. Mojang/Microsoft hope to continue Minecraft's trend on releasing on as many platforms as possible. When asked if this could include Nintendo platforms, Boi responded that there's no reason that couldn't happen and that so far it just simply hasn't happened.

While Mojang is still a very small studio and 4J Studios, the team behind all current console ports, is extremely busy working on their various releases, the extra money Microsoft is pouring into the property could mean we are actually more likely than ever to see a Nintendo release. And with a Minecraft knock-off already selling well on Wii U, and a new (potentially AMD64-based) console from Nintendo around the corner, it may soon be the perfect time for it to happen.

http://www.mcvuk.com...necraft/0152384

[Kezay]

We'll see how that works out.  The explanation last time was that Mojang didn't have the available resources to spare for development of Minecraft on Nintendo platforms.  That they have may possible head to other platforms including Nintendo based ones doesn't really notch the needle forward much more than where it was already at since it was apparently never a question of whether they would support those platforms but if they could.  Meanwhile, other block building startups have started to appear on Nintendo platforms filling in a hole and serving a niche that the flagship title of this genre hasn't.  While I'm sure an actual Minecraft game would do much better it's money laying out on the table that other indie developers have started to tap into.  For 3DS, Cube Creator 3D has been a consistent top seller and for Wii U Cube Life Island Survival has consistently been in the Top 5 since it released.  On top of that while it's apparently a different kind of experience Terraria is headed to 3DS/Wii U later this year I believe.

[Prime]

Well, I addressed most of that. I know Mojang is a small studio still, but with the massive financial backing from Microsoft they have a lot more resources at hand to get the job done, even if not internally (after all, outside of Pocket Edition all Minecraft ports are externally developed). Since they've explicitly stated they want to continue to bring it out on new platforms, obviously they have some sort of plan for handling said growth.

And while yes, there are many Minecraft "inspired" games, none of them offer nearly as robust of a package, with anywhere near the potential for growth as Minecraft has. So what's shown up so far is little more than an opportunistic stop-gap, which we've seen on every platform pre-Minecraft anyway (Xbox 360 had numerous Minecraft clones prior to its official launch for example). None of them are going to fully satiate most people, so there's definitely a market still there for the real deal, and in fact if anything the massive (relative) popularity of these much smaller clones is more of incentive for them to launch than anything.

And yes, Terraria is a very different game.

[Prime]

Looks like they weren't kidding. The first official Minecraft release for Wii U has been confirmed: Minecraft: Story Mode.

Yup. Minecraft: Story Mode is coming before Minecraft.

And it's the first and only confirmed Telltale-developed game for Wii U.

[Billy "Buford" Morgil]

While I haven't played the game myself (yet), I was not aware that there even was a story mode in it. I thought it was just one of those "create a character and do some random shit" type games. So what is the story? Defeat the lord of Block-O land?

[Prime]

Story Mode is actually a separate game developed by Telltale Games (Minecraft proper is developed by Mojang and typically ported by 4J Studios), the people behind Walking Dead and Wolf Among Us. It hasn't been released yet and so far there's only one trailer. It seems to be a comedy, and has several notable actors including Patton Oswalt.