Nintendo and EA's 'unprecedented partnership' is looking frosty

- EA spokesperson Jeff Brown to Kotaku. Electronic Arts' "unprecedented partnership" with Nintendo was already seeming a little lukewarm when it was revealed EA's Madden franchise would be skipping the Wii U in 2013. Now Kotaku reports that EA may be putting some distance between itself and the struggling console. EA's contributions to the Wii U to date have consisted of ports of titles from other platforms, including Mass Effect 3, Need for Speed Most Wanted and FIFA. According to Kotaku, these ported games -- timed to shore up the Wii U's launch window -- constitute the fulfillment of its 2011 partnership with Nintendo announced at E3. At that time, then-CEO of EA John Riccitiello had joined Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata on stage of the Nintendo press conference and told E3 attendees of EA's commitment to the Wii U.

That was then. And while it is unclear whether EA will return to the Wii U at a later point, for now, it appears the honeymoon is over.