Frontier pleased with "exceptional" LostWinds success

On the day that Nintendo's WiiWare service launches across Europe, developer of LostWinds David Braben has told GamesIndustry.biz of the "exceptional" response the game has received only a week after it went live in the US.

First unveiled at GDC 2008, LostWinds has been a launch title on both sides of the Atlantic, and Braben is confident the title will do just as well across PAL regions as it has in North America.

"'Pleased' is an understatement," he said of the reaction from critics and fans.

"The reaction has been exceptional - from both reviewers, which is very pleasing, and also the user reviews are extremely high – we've also had very many people who have taken the time to email us directly with their entirely positive feedback, which is very appreciated," commented Braben, boss of Cambridge-based studio Frontier Developments.

"I don't see any reason why it won't similarly appeal to people in Europe, Australia and New Zealand."

Braben believes all current download services on home consoles have their strengths, and the difference in consumers using them is only marginal.

"We view them all similarly, other than the audience that you reach with each is subtly different," he said.

"LostWinds makes sense as a WiiWare title because the whole game design is specifically centered around the Wii Remote and gameplay that can flow from that, which obviously appeals to Wii owners.

"We hope we will do PSN and XBLA games one day, but when we do they will be games that we think have appeal for those particular consoles and their audiences," he added.