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Ubisoft: ZombiU unprofitable, no plans for sequel

CEO Yves Guillemot says zombie game for Wii U did not pay off; EA COO Peter Moore believes Nintendo's latest console has been a "disappointment."

861 Comments

Wii U launch title ZombiU was not profitable and there are no plans, or desire, for a sequel. That's according to Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot, who told GamesIndustry International that "betting big" on the Wii U did not pay off for the company.

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Guillemot also said it was ZombiU's underwhelming performance that led the publisher to decide to release Rayman Legends as a multiplatform game instead of a Wii U-exclusive.

In May, Ubisoft Montpellier creative director Jean-Philippe Caro said the studio was at work on a ZombiU 2 prototype, though firm details were not disclosed.

GameSpot has reached out to Ubisoft for additional comment or clarification on Guillemot's remarks and the status of the ZombiU franchise moving forward.

Electronic Arts chief operating officer Peter Moore is also quoted in the GamesIndustry International report, saying the Wii U has been a "disappointment" thus far. No new titles are in development for the system, he confirmed.

"We were there with four games for them [at launch]," he says. "It's been a disappointment when you look at sell-through and, as a company, we have to be very judicious where we deploy our resources."

By comparison, EA supported the original Wii with 78 titles through the system's lifespan. Moore also pointed out that a lack of interest in online functionality among Wii U users is a reason EA is staying away from the platform.

"The lack of online engagement that we see on Wii U [is troubling]," Moore said. "It's so integral to what we do. They're so small it's hardly worth running the servers. It seems like a box that's out of sync with the future of EA - which is one that gives a real social feel to our games. The Wii U feels like an offline experience right now."

The Wii U has officially sold 3.45 million units worldwide. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said last month that "We are to blame" for poor Wii U sales, noting marketing efforts have not done enough to explain why the system is compelling.

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suprsolider

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Edited By suprsolider

Gee, could of told you from the beginning it would fail.

Nintendo has been releasing joke systems for 3 straight gens now (Gamecube,Wii,Wii U).

Nintendo's arrogance is to blame for the Wii U's current state.

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JayQproductions

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@suprsolider Gamecube was actually decent and the last "good" Nintendo console. It gave us great games like Resident Evil 4, REmake, Eternal Darkness, and Metroid Prime. But it also gave us some of the worst first party Nintendo games like Mario Sunshine which still wasn't bad but was a strange concept.

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Aentikraist

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Edited By Aentikraist

@JayQproductions @suprsolider it actually was one of the best Nintendo consoles recently not because i owned it hahaha but yeah most of the games were reaaaally fun Smash bros melee between my friends was like a fun law!! as well as all the RE titles that came out amazing!! it was one of the most enjoyable consoles really!!

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Slade968

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@JayQproductions @suprsolider Mario Sunshine was a blast. I had that, Smash and the other games you mentioned. Loved gamecube.

It's true though, I would never buy a Wii U for online play. I have considered getting it but only because I missed out on the Wii and that is a lot of zelda, Metroid and Mario that I would like to play.

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19James89

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@Slade968 @JayQproductions @suprsolider If you're contemplating buying a Wii U, I would say go for it. The backwards compatiability with the Wii has to be a major plus point.

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Alucard_Prime

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I don't own a WiiU but I love Nintendo and its saddening seeing them constantly bashed like this in articles. Ok so the game didn't sell well, you don't need to run Nintendo into the ground, I'm sure they are also disappointed in the lack of sales.

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xolivierx

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can somebody name something positive about the WiiU?

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dummpymonkey123

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@xolivierx 1. Its next gen

2. console quality of screen play

3. revolutionary game-pad

4. online play is free

5. robust update to online Mii verse

6. all the classic are downloadable in eshop

7.accessories are backwards compatible

8.free face time chatting

9.hd graphics

10. stream Netflix and Hulu to the TV or game-pad controller

11. scratch resistant disc

12. your mom

Would you like me to continue?

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xolivierx

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A) WiiU being next gen = LOL
B ) Gamepad being revolutionary = ReLOL
C) Online play on the WiiU = Trololol
5) MiiVerse = LOL SHART
6) all the classics = $$$
7) accessories for Wii and WiiU = ReReLOL
8) facetime chatting = LOLLOLLOL
9)Hd graphics on cartoonish games for kids = LOL

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dummpymonkey123

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@xolivierx you sir are a dumbass have you even picked up the wii u have you seen ac3 on it or watch dogs???

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acelogan1989

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Edited By acelogan1989

@dummpymonkey123 @xolivierx you can get that with PS4/X1 except the free online play

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Scarab83

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@dummpymonkey123 @acelogan1989 @xolivierx No one wants that functionality. It's a pointless gimmick.

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dummpymonkey123

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@acelogan1989 @dummpymonkey123 @xolivierx but will it work as a second screen for the same game like not seeing something on the Tv and using your vita to find it ?

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acelogan1989

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@dummpymonkey123 @acelogan1989 @xolivierx you can use your ps vita as your controler

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dummpymonkey123

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@acelogan1989 @dummpymonkey123 @xolivierx the ps4 has a game pad or off TV play or free face time or backwards accessories compatibility????

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Scarab83

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@xolivierx It probably doesn't cause cancer.

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javalino

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Edited By javalino

This is for you guys to learn not to develop to WiiU!!!!

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Zero_Nitrous

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Well there's one thing Wii U has going for it. A lack of EA support. +1

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Blackfang

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@Zero_Nitrous Well said. :-)

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Blackfang

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Surprise surprise. EA wants to track their market online and engage them in marketing via their "social" games. That is not Nintendo's style...hence EA withrdawing support in favor of multi platform.


I find it amusing that they are using their own sub-par game as their excuse. :-P


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stage4saiyan

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I have a Wii U, and I had ZombiU...nothing really wrong with either of them. It's called "releasing a new IP at launch". How often are those popular? Halo is the most recent example, and that was 2 gens ago. Being a big name developer doesn't guarantee sales, just ask Square how The Bouncer worked out

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flyersfan87

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Edited By flyersfan87

Uh...Resistance? And that game was launched with a system that cost $600/700. Its has sold 4 million in lifetime sales. ZombiU is at 500k and more people aren't buying because unlike Resistance and Halo as you named...it's not a system seller.

This isn't so much about the Wii U...it's the game itself. Horrible scores by some of the biggest review sites on the net doesn't help either.

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xolivierx

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@flyersfan87 yet Resistance is a shitty shooter. I'd play ZombiU anytime over that Resistance crap

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19James89

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@flyersfan87 Had Ubisoft released Rayman Legends on the Wii U, the game would have sold into the millions.

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stage4saiyan

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Edited By stage4saiyan

Resistance sales picked up well into the PS3's lifetime. Motorstorm sold better initially. Also, ZombiU is around 77% on Gamerankings. Saying it got bad reviews is just stupid.

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flyersfan87

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Edited By flyersfan87

...Okay?

I name 5 high traffic game review sites (the two largest btw)...you name 3. Yet you somehow disprove my point that it's poor sales were influenced by bad reviews most people saw.

And IIRC, Resistance was a bundled title just like Motorstorm....so I don't think most of its sales came well after '06-'07.

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stage4saiyan

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Meanwhile Giant Bomb, Destructoid, and Eurogamer gave it high scores.

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flyersfan87

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Edited By flyersfan87

You didn't understand my comment obviously. I said it got horrible reviews by the biggest review sites (ie most people got their info on it from them). GameSpot, IGN, Machinima, Game Informer, and GameTrailers all gave it 6s or lower.

And please point me to what suggests that most of Resistance's brand new sales (the only ones recorded by firms) came well into the PS3's lifetime.

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decoy1978

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The game got ass reviews of course its not going to sell! Its not Nintendo's fault, if this were to run on a high powered PC with flashy lights and effects it would still get the same score.

You want a game that will sell, make it better.

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Tyaj

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Well lets see, ZombieU got a score of 4.5 from GameSpot, a poor rating. Should they also blame GameSpot for giving their game such s low score? And then should they also blame people for not buying ZombieU since it got such a poor score? The game sucks, it's your fault!

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JayQproductions

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Easy fix. Change the name and release it on the platforms that aren't paperweights and it'll be profitable.

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BigJon1448

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@JayQproductions I wish they would do that just so you could see that it'll only sell marginally better.

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Infinity_Gauntl

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Edited By Infinity_Gauntl

I Love Zombies....Just not English Ones.

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gargungulunk

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I'm tired of zombies.

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JazzFromHell

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Edited By JazzFromHell

@gargungulunk hey, great avatar (:

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FULGOREY2K

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Just let the XB1 arrive and Nintendo will have again a lot of publishers on their platform again

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JayQproductions

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@FULGOREY2K Once the XB1 and PS4 are released the Wii U will be in even more trouble.

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JasPlun

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Nintendo should have learned from the 3DS Launch you must have a decent launch library of games or sales will be slow as hell since the same thing happened to it! Time for a new CEO at Nintendo and my vote goes to Myamoto:P


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EpicVGKing

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What's a Wii U? Some sort of Nintendo Wii add-on? *snickers*

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19James89

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Edited By 19James89

@EpicVGKing With jokes like that you should quit your day job and become a stand up comedian.

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Saketume

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"a lack of interest in online functionality among Wii U users is a reason EA is staying away from the platform"

Funny that.

EAs interest in forcing online is a reason I'm staying away from their products.

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dr_jashugan

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Hope Platinum takes notes of this and start thinking about porting BAYONETTA 2 to other platforms. 8-\

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acelogan1989

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@dr_jashugan the first bayonetta sold 1.38 millions and that game released on x360 and ps3 which is sold 150 millions combined , imagine bayonetta 2 released on wii U that sold only 3.45 millions.

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dummpymonkey123

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@acelogan1989 @dr_jashugan who knows they've got their work cut out for them I hope they do well although not a bayonetta fan

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Vegamyster

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@dr_jashugan Here is what Kamiya from platinum said:

"We are a developer. Nintendo are the ones kind enough to fund and publish our W101 and Bayo 2 projects.

“So if Nintendo says “We are publishing Bayo 2 on PS3/360.” Then it will happen. So please go ask them, not us.

“It’s supposed to mean what it says. If you want a PS3 version ask Nintendo. You might also want to ask for PS3 Zelda"
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Poinciana

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@dr_jashugan They can't because the game is being published/financed by Nintendo.

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19James89

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@dr_jashugan If it sells in the millions and makes them a handsome profit then there is no reason for them to abandon ship.

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doraemonllh1989

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@19James89 @dr_jashugan which wont,and the funny thing is,it doesnt matter they sell poorly or great,they still get way more profit than just selling on 1 console,a weak one too

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