E3 2011: Activision supporting Wii U

LOS ANGELES--When Nintendo unveiled the long list of third-party publishers backing the Wii U this morning, one name was conspicuously absent. The world's biggest independent publisher, Activision, was nowhere to be seen during a montage of third-party games for the console or afterward during the media briefing.

However, that's not to say that Activision is ignoring the first console of the next generation.

"We will be supporting the Wii U," Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg told GameSpot earlier today. "You bet against Nintendo at your peril."

The executive declined to say how many Wii U projects are currently in development at Activision or when the company plans to unveil them. However, other third-party publishers were not so recalcitrant. Tecmo Koei, Namco Bandai, Warner Bros., and Ubisoft have now all pledged their support with entries in the Ninja Gaiden, Tekken, Batman, and Assassin's Creed series. THQ went one step further, saying Darksiders II will be a launch title for the console next year.

John Riccitiello, CEO of Activision archrival Electronic Arts, also made an appearance at Nintendo's media event to pledge his support for the Wii U. Though he did not confirm any titles in development, he did dare the audience to "imagine" a game like Call of Duty competitor Battlefield 3 on the console, as well as EA Sports titles.

For more info on Nintendo's latest console, the Wii U, be sure to check out our Nintendo Wii U: Everything You Need to Know feature or watch Nintendo's E3 2011 press conference to see the full reveal.