Lorne Lanning trashes Switch and makes controversial remark on Iwata.

Source: Nintendo Life

From the link:

Now, Oddworld Inhabitants founder Lorne Lanning has waded into this debate. Speaking on a episode of Kinda Funny that was recorded in April but has only recently been made available to non-subscribers, Lanning really gives the Switch - and Nintendo in general - a bit of a verbal beating:

I don't have faith. I have no faith. It's due to experience. I see a similar level of success than they had with previous generations. Wii U, Wii.

When it was pointed out that the Wii was pretty successful, Lanning countered by stating that very few third party publishers actually made any money off the console:

How successful was it for third parties? By the end of the life of the Wii, who else was making money aside from Nintendo? How many titles sold for the Wii that weren't Nintendo first-party? They started basically evaporating third party support. We get to Wii U - same, no third party support.

Lanning then goes on to criticise Nintendo's stance when it comes to promoting indie titles, stating that Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty got very little promotion when it launched on the Wii U eShop. He claimed that unless you release "day and date" with other versions of a multiformat game, Nintendo refuses to promote your title in any way.

Lanning then cast aspersions over the technical power of Switch, citing its weaker internals and low RAM as reasons that third parties will avoid porting to the console. When it was pointed out that Switch is a different proposition to rival consoles like the Xbox One and PS4 because it's portable, Lanning dismissed it as "irrelevant", because it means developers won't ship titles "day and date" and if they do, they will have to spend more money to "squeeze" their games onto the Switch:

You would think, OK, the Switch, it's mobile, this is interesting, how well are other developers going to bring titles over - not very well because you're going to have to spend more time, energy and effort to get it on that console - an underpowered console that's going to have fewer units in the market.

He also claimed that Nintendo stuck with cartridges on Switch to control manufacturing and combat piracy. "It's all about Nintendo first," he said. The Oddworld creator also stated that he felt Nintendo had to change and that the company's lack of progression was an annoyance for the late Satoru Iwata:

The thinking has to change. The biggest problem I see at Nintendo is the thinking. Personally, I think it killed Iwata; that he couldn't move the organisation into a really successful arena.

He then points out that Nintendo's recent foray into smartphone gaming is a "wake up call" to the company, citing Super Mario Run's performance as evidence than Nintendo's console-centric games don't translate as well as expected to other formats - Pokémon GO, he argues, is different as it's already a large multimedia and merchandise brand which is a little more separate from Nintendo itself.

Lanning admits that he's actually quite sad about the situation Nintendo is in right now:

It's a tragedy because Nintendo brought this business back... we're all playing today because of Nintendo's valiantness - then they controlled quality, they had controls which were really part of its longevity and made the game business a valid space again. Now those controls... they really need to get 21st century about it and they're not.

Could it be that such a negative outlook is influenced by how New 'n Tasty sold on Wii U? Not so, he claims:

It's not like we lost money, but we could have done way better.

Though he has since apologized on Twitter.

...

Okay, if you have criticisms on Nintendo. Fine (not like third parties haven't been spouting it since even their "golden years" of NES/SNES)! But that Iwata comment, even he has apologized is just... no. I've no words for that.

The Iwata comment crossed the line. As for everything else, I understand this thread will get a lot of hate thrown at Lorne. But I honestly agree with it. Nintendo is a really shitty corporation that seems to get a free pass for a lot of the shady practices that they are consistently doing. Nintendo is stuck in the past.

This guy is spot on. Nintendo admits that the biggest problem with the Wii u was the tablet controller, then decided it's smart to realease a console exclusively as a tablet. It's going to fail, just like the Wii u did. After year one, sales will evaporate.

Developer Wars?

I think it's pretty clear we all knew it was highly unlikely the Nintendo Switch would get the same support, the only hope was that Nintendo went with a new custom SoC that upped the GPU core count and went with a newer CPU (which would have been bottle necked by the GPU) and they didn't. And at that, it was still a slim hope that the system would have been capable of handling any of the more robust next gen titles. There are still some games that could likely be ported but do developers want to try and market significantly downgraded games for the same price as better versions?

The only option is to make games for the Switch specifically which means only low budget titles and Indies... Personally I'm totally fine with it. I had a great time with my Wii U and it's not like I don't own other platforms. As long as the Switch has 10 games I enjoy, I won't feel bad, that's about as many games as I get out of any system. What Nintendo needs to do first is to up their 1st party quality to a point it can sell consoles like crazy and convince 3rd parties to put their games on the Switch. that way, they'll know how big of a selling point Nintendo Switch is and the portability as it's bonus.

Note: One thing I like to mention about New N Tasty. The Wii U version of New N Tasty came out several months behind schedule and was meant to release along side a HD release of Strangers Wrath not to mention the game cost more than every other version. Maybe Lorne Lanning should criticize himself before anyone else!

He sounds frustrated and bitter, and that Iwata comment was so over the line, I don't even know how to respond to that.

It's funny because this Bastard was praising Nintendo (Specifically Iwata, the very man who created the climate at Nintendo he now rails against.) just one generation ago.

This was back in July 2013 Lorne Lanning admires Nintendo's President greatly

You can respect someone and still have problems with some of the things they do. People aren't one-dimensional cardboard cutouts. They have good traits and bad traits.

Jesus Christ, phrasing is a thing.

I'm not even sure what he's complaining about? Does he hate Nintendo succeeding or failing? Nintendo controls their ecosystem like how Apple controls theirs. Same for Sony and Microsoft. I guess he doesn't know that Nintendo actually agreed to do Cross-play w/Xbox One and PC for Rocket League and Minecraft which is developer friendly as it is.

A lot of companies do a ton of shitty and shady practices. Microsoft and Sony are no different.

Who?

@FireEmblem_Man: I know. I hate corporations. But Nintendo gets a free pass for what they do. I'd even argue MS is really the only company on these forums that does not get any kind of free pass. Could you imagine if the topic was the exact same, except switch Nintendo with MS? MS would have been burned at the stake. It would already have like 50 replies too.

Spot on.

What free pass? Because, as I said, Nintendo has been getting shit for this since NES/SNES and paid the price N64-onward.

@nintendoboy16: The piss poor state of their online infrastructure for one, and then the audacity to charge for it. Their lack of 3rd party support. Treating Indies like shit with the no advertising of their game as Lorne explained. Shutting down fan projects of their licensed games. Their terrible support of their NES mini. Refusing to make more powerful hardware. Charging 60 dollars for remasters, and taking a long time to lower their 1st party game prices. Etc.

not the first time a developer sounded like a sony/xbox/PC fanboy (3rd party fanboy)

but he is a 3rd party himself so of course his views are going to be slanted in that direction.

especially how nintendo acts like 3rd party is more of a garnish than a meal. makes this guy feel hate towards the company.

He's only said what a lot of people are thinking..... Nintendo could be so much more then they are but due to their stupid ways they're trailing behind.

I remember when he said they needed to drop ps2 and move his crap to Xbox cause more power.

Oddworld sucks **** that guy

Nintendo makes great games Oddworld aren't even good

Why is he even opening his mouth about nintendo make a good game first than talk about nintendo

He's right though, I doubt western third party games will have much appeal to gamers owning a Switch, there's less reasons for western devs to concern themselves, but I expect more support from Japanese third parties, who themselves have different metrics for success.

Good lord, and they say I'm the crazy one in this forum. Nintendo has not gotten a pass for ANY of that. People still lash out on their online. People still lash out on bad third party support and bad developer relations. People lashed out at them shutting down fan games like SM2R (which came to an understanding when Nintendo and MercurySteam revealed THEIR Metroid II remake, which would've meant a freaking murder on their sales). People lashed out on the short life of the NES Mini. People STILL lash out on Nintendo not making powerful hardware (or, to translate: make another PS4/XBONE clone, which the market shows NO room for). People lash out on their pricing, remasters and all (even though they aren't the only ones who price their remasters/older games too highly, looking at you Skyrim, LEGO City, and Deus Ex: Human Revolution and I hardly see too much flak at Bethesda and WB for it on their games compared to freaking Nintendo).

Seriously, there are quite a few companies that are closer to getting passes than Nintendo (Sony being one of them) for whenever stupid crap is done.

@nintendoboy16: I'm not saying Sony doesn't get free passes too. (Not participating in cross play with MS/Nintendo, and the terrible cows defending them is nauseating) but no. Nintendo has a their fair share of fans, including you apparently, that would defend them no matter what. Like you trying to say Nintendo making more powerful hardware is like being an X1/PS4 clone. What sense does that make? Since there's already more powerful or similarly powerful hardware we should just make weaker hardware and shut down any chance for 3rd parties to take them seriously? Give me a break. I will NEVER understand that argument, same principle goes to the X1 and PS4 being PC clones, like wtf? Anyway I do see Nintendo being criticised for their ignorant backward decisions, but with that I see more people turning a blind eye and being ok with it, even defending them.

Where are you even looking? Because everywhere I've looked, I've seen more people give Nintendo flak than praise them for it. Hell, the sales they get hardly tell them "they get a pass". Besides, you contradicted your own argument by saying "Anyway I do see Nintendo being criticised for their ignorant backward decisions," so "Nintendo gets a pass" my ass.

@nintendoboy16: And then conveniently you left out the next part that I said "I see more people looking past it, or defending them." It's obvious that even though there are people who gives these companies flak or criticism, there's another group (fanboys) that look pass them and get mad at those who call them out.

I remember when this was relevant "news" months ago when that video actually came out. no idea what the **** its doing in july. He's also not wrong.

Because that part I already addressed when I asked "Where are you looking?" but besides the fact that the former part contradicts the argument that they get a pass. Getting a pass would imply everyone does it, when they clearly don't. It's an argument that needs to be burned to the ground.

@nintendoboy16: You're kidding me right? Getting a pass has to mean everyone has to give them a pass? EVERYONE? That's BS man.

Even the Iwata part is hardly offensive. Nintendoplebs, I swear.

Yeah, because Sony and Microsoft hyped his shit up so well. Fuckin fanboys. No wonder Nintendo has a hard time with these entitled pricks. They expect you to bend over backwards.

In my humble opinion, Switch can be more successful that PS4 but only if they release TONS of first-party titles. Which is very hard to do, especially with the quality control Nintendo lives by.

That part has death involved. What was going on might have effected his health in a bad way.

He's not wrong but he sure does come off like a salty bitch here. Although i will say im glad nintendo isnt just another pc clone, receiving the exact same games from third parties. I just wish they would get some support from the west in the form of unique games

you think nothing of it and move on with living?

I like this guy. It's rare theses days that someone has the balls to come out and say what they think.

Everyone screams for the truth, then cry when someone gives it to them because it's not what they want to hear...go figure 0_o

Agreed this is just one persons opinion, but what he says doesn't seem too far off the mark...imo ;)

3rd parties want their product to hit the largest consumer possible. What he's really saying is that he wants console parity so that less money has to be spent to reach the largest audience possible. It's rather simple. Two boxes sell, say 50 million each--that's 100 million potential buyers. The third console may sell 30 million, but requires a bit of cash to reach the market. It's being stingy. He's saying he wants a maximum potential return on his development investment.

I don't really know what this guy is whining about, if Nintendo is shit for third party devs, then don't release anything nobody else is outside of cheap shovelware.

I don't think even diehard Nintendo fans are expecting stuff the quality of Bloodborne from third party devs let alone any third party exclusives, even if it did exist they wouldn't buy it.

@tjandmia: with Pokemon I very highly doubt that

He's 100% right about everything IMO- but that Iwata comment wasn't in great taste.

There are other companies that said bad things about the Switch. Almost everything that Lanning said was right.

https://youtu.be/ZACIdcGE158

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWZWCEmbnLk

Most people will just play Pokemon Go. Only die hard Nintendo fans will get the Switch.

Anyone arguing Nintendo isn't doing a lot more this time around to bring in 3rd party support, indies and cross-play is having their heads stuck in their ass.

The Switch is not the Wii U. We're four months in and this is already 100% clear.

The Iwata comment I think was bad translation. He's not a native English speaker? He probably (hopefully) meant it figuratively.

"very few third party publishers actually made any money off the console" Well... Very few third party publishers were competent... The third party games were constantly made fun of during the Wii era. They were notoriously bad games. If they wanted good sales maybe they should have gone to game developer school and learned what makes a good game instead of trying to **** the customer.

"He claimed that unless you release "day and date" with other versions of a multiformat game, Nintendo refuses to promote your title in any way." Oh dear you have to promote your own game? Well that's disastrous isn't it? You mean like the hundreds of games that release on Steam every month? You mean half the job of a publisher? At least Nintendo didn't have a parity clause.

Lol.... people acting like they know more than an experienced developer who has actually released games on a Nintendo system.

Talk about old. This is from a Kinda Funny video months back. And yes, it was made available to non-subscribers back then too.

He's right.

Lol if anyone thinks Switch will outsell any PS console.

"He also claimed that Nintendo stuck with cartridges on Switch to control manufacturing and combat piracy."

What did he want Nintendo to use? A heavy power consuming optical drive... on a handheld?