Blue Fang: Wii software quality is in "downward spiral"
Consumers more likely to buy proven brands if stung by low quality products
The low tie-in ratio of Wii software to hardware can be attributed to the amount of low quality games being put out on the platform, Blue Fang chief operating officer Scott Triola has told GamesIndustry.biz.
"There's a circular argument going around in the industry. There's a low tie ratio on the Wii platform therefore it's not worth investment, therefore we'll just put out a bunch of low quality title," he explained.
"From a consumer's standpoint, a lot of families have bought those low quality titles and once you spend 40 hard-earned dollars on a game that just isn't very good, you're less likely to buy another product. Or, you're more likely to buy from a proven brand like Nintendo that takes quality seriously.
"I think we've entered a bit of a downward spiral here in this industry that we need to get out of."
Speaking about the Zoo Tycoon studio's new game World of Zoo, published on DS and Wii by THQ, Triola said he hoped the title would "cut through the noise" as a result of positive word of mouth and consumer feedback.
The game is a "triple A, original IP product that was designed ground-up for the Wii," he said. The studio has better technology than a lot of those with rival animal products, added Alex Chouls, Blue Fang's creative director, as well as a "great development team" consisting of animators from Disney and technology staff from MIT.
And it's also a game parents can feel safe buying their children, said Chouls.
The studio has won numerous parent and family focused awards for its Zoo Tycoon series, and a National Geographic partnership that was formed for World of Zoo was important for the developer.
"There are a lot of games out there that frankly upset parents," said Chouls. "They look at the state of our industry and a lot of it is a lot of death mongering and violence and destruction. We really focused on creative, fun, constructive play that the parents can feel really good about buying and kids enjoy playing."
You can read the full interview with Alex Chouls and Scott Triola, where they also discuss why the family market isn't being taken seriously, the performance of the studio's first iPhone title and working with publisher THQ, here.