Famed Texan videogame developer, Retro Studios, is apparently hard at work creating middleware for Nintendo’s next-generation system if rumours are to be believed.
Shortly before E3, the masterminds behind the stellar Metroid Prime series were rumoured to have their own Wii U game in development, but an online publication reckons they have reason to believe otherwise. In a report published on their website yesterday, Gengame.net claims to have been informed – by the ever-reliable “connected source” – that Retro have been tasked with creating game engines for Wii U titles, both internal and external.
The studio has proven that it’s no slouch when it comes to pushing hardware, generally getting the best out of Nintendo consoles for the past decade. Their pedigree and expertise in the field would seem to suggest a graphically intensive engine, most likely in 3D, and, apparently, the results have been so impressive that Epic Games are reconsidering bringing Unreal Engine 4 to the Wii U after seeing Retro’s work in motion.
As with online networking and infrastructure, CEO Satoru Iwata has, in the past, admitted that Nintendo would seek outside help for providing resource intensive graphics:
Nintendo’s developers will continue to work on a number of different titles, and I think that we will have to rely on outside companies for graphics and other elements that require massive resources. I’m satisfied when the cooperation between Nintendo and other companies becomes something meaningful for both parties.
When we need massive power and have a lack of internal resources, we collaborate with outside resources and pour necessary resources to where they are needed. When it is necessary, we do not hesitate to role out our resources.
- Satoru Iwata
What games would you like to see use Retro’s technical wizardry? Monolith Soft’s new IP? That long-rumoured yet wildly unlikely Platinum Games-developed Star Fox? Or, like us, would you just prefer Metroid Prime 4?
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