Dyack: Will Wii Hold Public's Attention In Long-Term?

Author: by Staff

Elsewhere in a detailed new interview published today on Gamasutra, Silicon Knights' Denis Dyack has been discussing Nintendo's Wii, praising its job in expanding the market, but querying whether the console will "...hold on to those people until the end of the generation". When asked for his thoughts on Nintendo's console, currently leading the worldwide game hardware race in terms of sales, Dyack commented: "If you look at the Wii -- which is really doing super well, and people are picking it up -- the question is not the adaptability of people moving towards that. It's not in question. It's very popular. It's very cool, and very hip. The real question is, 'What's going to happen after two to three years from now?' when people look at the technology. People do learn." Dyack continued of the Wii's customer base: "They're going to adapt, and they're going to want something beyond Wii Sports. There's going to be some party games, but after awhile, as their sophistication grows, the real question with the Wii is, 'Will that platform be able to compete against the more sophisticated technologies, like the PS3 and the 360?'" The game exec concluded, quizzically: "Out of the gate, I think the Wii is doing a great job of introducing people. The real question with the Wii is whether it will hold on to those people until the end of the generation." The full interview with Silicon Knights' Dyack is now available on Gamasutra, and includes detailed discussion about the big themes of game development, interactive story, and the executive's attitude to development crunch, among other subjects.