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WiiU

Crytek Hints at Unannounced CryEngine 3 Wii U Game by 'Respected Developer'

by Carmine Red - June 20, 2012, 1:03 pm EDT
Total comments: 22 Source: CVG, http://www.computerandvideogames.com/354624/crytek...

Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli also says he doesn't understand concerns that Wii U is weaker than current consoles.

A "respected developer" is working on an unnanounced Wii U game using CryEngine 3, according to Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli. 

"I've seen the game running and it looks really great," Yerli told Computer and Video Games in an interview, adding that the company's CryEngine 3 game engine "actually runs beautifully" on Nintendo's upcoming console.

"I do not understand the public's concerns that the Wii U is weaker than PS3 and 360," Yerli continued. Crytek made its name developing graphically impressive games and game engines, and Yerli explained that "from my perspective the Wii U is minimum as powerful as Xbox 360."

However, Crytek itself is not directly developing a Wii U title. "My opinion of the Wii U is very high," Yerli explained, "It's just that we didn't have a business case unfortunately that justifies us making a game for it."

In the same interview Yerli explained that his company was "one of the first studios in the world to get access to all of the next-generation consoles." He declined to go into specifics, but said people's expectations might match what was planned. "I'm not going to judge it because it'll get me in trouble, but next-gen is actually not a clear picture right now."

Talkback

EnnerJune 20, 2012

Some good words said here. Well, I guess it depends on how the Durango and Orbis shakes out.


I'm eager to see how CryEngine 3 looks like on the Wii U. I hope we'll see this game soon.

Chozo GhostJune 20, 2012

Quote:

"I do not understand the public's concerns that the Wii U is weaker than PS3 and 360," Yerli continued.

Its not so much that people are concerned the Wii U is weaker than the PS360, as they are concerned the Wii U is only about on par with the PS360 or only marginally better. Its supposed to be an 8th generation console, so being on par with 6 year old 7th gen systems isn't good enough. Just like how the Wii being on par with the original Xbox wasn't good enough.

Quote:

Yerli explained that "from my perspective the Wii U is minimum as powerful as Xbox 360."

And comments like this sure aren't very reassuring.

Isn't the 360 weaker than the PS3? So if you take this comment at face value it could mean the Wii U is only as powerful as the 360, but could still actually be less powerful than the PS3. But even being as powerful as the PS3 would be unacceptable, because those are last gen systems. The Wii U not only needs to be above that, it needs to be WAY above that, and comments like this are only fueling the anxiety. Its like trying to douse a fire with gasoline.

famicomplicatedJames Charlton, Associate Editor (Japan)June 20, 2012

The 360 is the most popular HD console so it makes for a nice, clear comparison.

Anyone know if CryEngine 3 games are running on PS360 yet?

Either way, this is good news and will put to rest lots of the negative BS surrounding the Wii U's power.

CaterkillerMatthew Osborne, Contributing WriterJune 20, 2012

He does say at a minimum, not maximum. The U is more powerful than both the PS360 for sure. With the Wii U's first gen games looking exactly like the current releases of the PS360 games and in a few cases better, I have no worries about the future of the Wii U's visuals.


Can someone explain the CryEngine 3? I thought it was already out and being used for PS360 games. Is it an engine for next gen consoles?

Chozo GhostJune 20, 2012

Quote from: Caterkiller

He does say at a minimum, not maximum.

I know that. But what I would have rather heard him say was that "at a minimum the Wii U is 2 times as powerful as the 360", or something like that. Why isn't he or anyone else saying that? All it would take is one reputable source to come out and say something like this and all those rumors would die off. But no one is saying that, and that's why these rumors persist. No one is decisively denying them. The way his comment was worded sorta seems to skirt around the issue.

StogiJune 20, 2012

But who really gives a shit about graphics, you or the head of a company who's specialty is graphics?

Ian SaneJune 20, 2012

I am 100% certain that the Wii U will be the most powerful videogame system of all time when it is released.  But that alone is not what it needs to be.  It needs to be the PS2 of its gen where it's the weakest but that's entirely due to coming out earlier and is still close enough to get in on multiplatform development.  It needs to be a generation above the Xbox 360, not just moderately superior.

alegoicoeJune 20, 2012

sounds like an EA game to me

YmeegodJune 20, 2012

"Anyone know if CryEngine 3 games are running on PS360 yet?"

Yes, Crysis 2 :0.  This isn't Crytek's next generation engine, just the current one. 

Some think the unannounce game is Homefront 2 from the WII U  but on their own website it lists Turtle Rock Studios making something (TBA) so maybe it's that game.

Not many recall Turtle Rock Studios but they were the ones that developed Left 4 Dead. 

Chozo GhostJune 20, 2012

Quote from: Ymeegod

Some think the unannounce game is Homefront 2

It can't be Homefront 2, because that is owned by THQ and the article specifically states:

Quote:

"respected developer"

Which would rule out THQ, as they are not respected.

house3136June 21, 2012

A lot of these statements about relative power are becoming confusing; especially comments like “minimum as powerful as 360”. This mainly stems from E3, where Nintendo didn’t show anything “next-gen”. It’s no longer a matter of Wii U’s HD capability, but whether it will be on par graphically with Sony and Microsoft’s next consoles. Essentially: will it get multiplatform games that are noticeably different?

Miyamoto even admitted Wii U most likely won’t be as powerful as its competitors. I don’t think anyone was really anticipating that anyway. When he says it’s about a balance of power and cost, this means two things. First, Nintendo has an image and a track record of offering a good value to its customers. Nintendo could put out a $400+ console, but then they alienate a large base that some of their games cater to. Not Kids necessarily, but it becomes a too expensive for “a Nintendo”. By comparison, $299 looks much more attractive. Secondly, Nintendo doesn’t want to take a loss on its console like Microsoft and Sony are willing to do. People joke about $599 USD, but in reality that was still $200 under the component cost. How many games would they have to sell, especially 1st-party, to make up the difference? The gamble it too risky, because if it doesn’t pay off, Nintendo either goes bankrupt, or won’t be able to finance new consoles or games. They would rather err on a sure bet that they can control. They are a business after all, and they have to make a profit for the shareholders. What Sony and Microsoft are doing could be compared to someone who goes out and purchases a lot of nice, new flashy things on a credit card that they can’t afford. And if everything eventually goes to hell, they still have the chance their “parents” could bail them out if it gets too dire. In Nintendo’s case they prefer to pay in cash; yeah, it might not be as flashy, but there is significantly less risk attached.

CalibanJune 21, 2012

Quote from: Ymeegod

"Anyone know if CryEngine 3 games are running on PS360 yet?"

Yes, Crysis 2 :0.

Sure, but it's not running to its best though. Be aware that the PC version had to be patched to run the graphics properly as it should, as in to the best of it's capability.

ThePermJune 21, 2012

has being the most powerful system ever been a good idea? Im betting games will start rolling out for Wii U around march 2013, by christmas 2013 you'll have games that look better than xbox 360 and ps3 games

ThanerosJune 21, 2012

Are next gen graphics a good thing? From what I've read development cost is getting very expensive. When xbox720/ps4 come around not all developers will have the finacial means to take full advantage of those systems power for a while. Only the behemoth companies(Ubi, EA, Activ) will be able to go all out on those systems. Long story short current gen console graphics are still going to be around for a while till development goes down. Nintendo better take advantage of this time a snag all the 3rd support that can't throw money around like crazy.

The capability of achieving that level of graphics is a good thing. The expectation that every game should utilize all of those capabilities, however, I think could end up being a problem for the industry. I think Nintendo gets that, so I don't expect them to be hurt by that trend. As for third parties, I think we may see a split between the larger companies, who will go for the AAA experience with the best available hardware, and the midrange companies, who I think could stick with the current gen or move to focus more on the digital platforms, and either way I think that's good for Nintendo.

Ian SaneJune 21, 2012

If Microsoft released the Wii U as an Xbox 360 successor would that fly or would it be considered too minor or an upgrade?  If it would be too minor then the Wii U is too weak.  I can't imagine MS having a really chincy upgrade, mostly because I can't imagine their userbase would be willing to pay for it.

"Well game design is too expensive."  "Who cares about graphics?"  Those are excuses.  They're the exact sort of lame excuses that drove third parties away.  If Nintendo wants to scale back the scope of their games, they're free to do so.  But as a console maker they have to provide a big sandbox for all developers, not just themselves, to play in.  If those developers then choose to hang themselves with bad business decisions, that is their choice and responsibility.  It isn't Nintendo's job to save third parties from themselves.

Chozo GhostJune 21, 2012

Quote from: Ian

If Microsoft released the Wii U as an Xbox 360 successor would that fly or would it be considered too minor or an upgrade?

This is an excellent point. As a Wii successor I have no doubt the Wii U will be more than powerful enough to justify itself, but the problem is the Wii was a generation behind, so this means in order for Nintendo to catch up to the competition they can't content themselves on a Wii successor. They actually have to leapfrog over an entire generation in order to get the Wii U up to where it needs to be.

Nintendo has done something like that before when they went from the 16bit SNES to the 64bit N64 and leaped over the 32bit generation entirely. So its been done and they could do it again if they really want to. Maybe they did do that this time with the Wii U but since we don't know what the specs are all we can do is speculate until someone leaks them.

AdrockJune 21, 2012

If you think Nintendo leapfrogged an entire generation with N64, you're insane in the membrane.

Chozo GhostJune 21, 2012

Quote from: Adrock

If you think Nintendo leapfrogged an entire generation with N64, you're insane in the membrane.

Do The Math

Ian SaneJune 21, 2012

By the time the N64 came out how many bits you had didn't really mean anything.  The N64 was clearly comparable to the Playstation and Saturn.

The only time I can think of someone outright leapfrogging a generation is Atari.  The Atari 7800 was (sort of) an NES/SMS equivalent and their next console was the Jaguar which was "64 bit".  Atari never had a console that matched up with the 16 bit consoles.

Atari didn't leapfrog a generation as much as they sat one out. And considering how both the ones you mentioned were colossal failures, that was probably a good call.

Ian SaneJune 21, 2012

Quote from: NWR_insanolord

Atari didn't leapfrog a generation as much as they sat one out. And considering how both the ones you mentioned were colossal failures, that was probably a good call.

Yeah, if there is any videogame company Nintendo (or anyone) should not take cues from, it's post-crash Atari. :)

With Nintendo, in terms of technology, it's kind of like they did the Cube generation twice and now have to "skip" the PS360 generation and go directly to the next one.  Though that really isn't too different than what the Jaguar did.  But the big difference is that the Jaguar was shit.  I think we can expect a better product from Nintendo.  Plus the Jaguar's goal seemed to be to compete with the Genesis and SNES by having superior hardware (3DO did the same thing).  I doubt they were thinking about matching it up against Sega's and Nintendo's next consoles.  Nintendo's plan shouldn't be to compete with the PS3 or X360 with the Wii U, but go against the next generation.  Atari's goal was bragging rights but Nintendo's goal should be longterm sustainability.

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