When it comes to selling games on a console, the biggest thing many publishers look at is the attach rate. It’s one of the reasons Ubisoft is no longer bringing mature games to the Wii U, while still bringing titles like Just Dance. They discovered that their audience actually purchased games like Just Dance, while Assassin’s Creed 3 and Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag were near flops on the system.
Shovel Knight developer Yacht Club Games seems to corroborate that statement, stating that despite the small install base of the Wii U, if your game fits into what the audience of the Wii U are interested in, it has a very high attach rate compared to other systems and ecosystems available on the market, especially mobile.
“Figure out what makes sense for your game. Maybe you think the Wii U install base is small, but in actuality, it has a very high game attach rate, so it might surpass the sales you’d see on another system. Getting the game running on the 3DS might be quite a challenge, but compared to the iOS market, it may be a lot easier to make your game stand out from the competition. It could be possible your game fits more with what a Nintendo fan would buy. Development for any system is expensive and difficult, so do the research to make sure the platform you choose really makes sense for your game!”
This is solid game advice for any developer, but it will also lead to gamers tailoring their content for what they believe those who own Wii Us will buy, similar to what Ubisoft is doing.
