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'ZombiU' reborn for PS4, Xbox One and PC as 'Zombi'
Ubisoft's undead-infested, survival-horror game ZombiU was exclusive to Wii U when it launched in 2012, and back then we called it a "wonderfully frightening experience" thick with tension, death and a brilliantly unforgiving atmosphere. Now, the game is dropping the "U" and heading to PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC as Zombi on August 18th, complete with a few upgrades and changes. Since Zombi can't take advantage of the Wii U's second screen -- which displayed the mini-map, radar and gear -- these aspects have been moved to the main screen. "We maintain a minimal HUD as much as possible," Zombi producer Hélène Henry says. "It disappears when not required, giving the game a very lonely feeling."
Ubisoft discounts 3DS, Wii U eShop games by up to 50 percent
Ubisoft has launched a catalog-spanning sale on its Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eShop content, dropping the prices of featured games like ZombiU and Ghost Recon Shadow Wars by up to 50 percent. Starting this week, eShop customers can pick up the digital version of Ubisoft Montpellier's early Wii U standout ZombiU for $29.99. The Wii U version of Rayman Legends is currently priced at $27.99, while Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is on sale for $41.99. Over on the 3DS side of the eShop, Rayman Origins, Rayman 3D, Rabbids: Travel in Time, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Shadow Wars, and Splinter Cell 3D are available for $14.99 each. Ubisoft's sale continues through March 31. [Image: Ubisoft]
Ubisoft rules out ZombiU sequel, citing unprofitable performance
Ubisoft will not pursue a sequel to the Wii U launch title ZombiU, company CEO Yves Guillemot revealed in a recent Q&A with GamesIndustry. Guillemot cites ZombiU's failure to turn a profit as the primary reason for abandoning the sequel, despite developer Ubisoft Montpelier's recent experiments with a prototype version. Guillemot notes that ZombiU's poor performance and Wii U console sales in general were driving factors in the company's decision to delay Rayman Legends for a multiplatform release later this year. "We must find a way to ensure the creativity of those games could have a big enough audience," Guillemot said. "We hope [the Wii U] will take off. At the moment, we've said 'let's do through Christmas and see where we are from there.'"
ZombiU sequel being prototyped by Ubisoft
Ubisoft is toying with the idea of developing a sequel to the surprising Wii U launch title, ZombiU. When asked about a possible sequel on Twitter, Ubisoft creative director Jean-Philippe Caro stated that "the team is working hard on a prototype." He added, however, that "it's too soon to tell you more." As IGN notes, the fact that Ubisoft is working on a prototype doesn't necessarily confirm a sequel. Still, it's nice to know that the publisher is at least considering the possibility. Ubisoft hasn't shared ZombiU sales data, so it's hard to gauge the game's success. At the very least, Nintendo thought the game was good enough to include it in a special Wii U console bundle. We also know that Ubisoft had logged 300,000 deaths in the game as of mid-January. Of course, given how frequent death is in ZombiU – we died seven times while reviewing it – that number isn't as helpful as it may sound.
Wii U Premium bundle with ZombiU down to £200 at participating HMV locations
British retailer HMV is the latest outlet across the pond to drop the Wii U's price, lowering the console's Premium SKU and ZombiU bundle down to just £199.99 at participating locations. On its own, the Premium SKU typically retails for £299.99, and that's without ZombiU thrown in for good measure.HMV did not clarify to Joystiq whether this price reduction is temporary or permanent, so if you're British and in the market for the Wii U that's worth owning, now may be the right time.
Ubisoft games 30% off on Wii U eShop
U can save on ZombiU, along with the rest of Ubisoft's Wii U lineup this week. From today through February 26, downloads of full games from the publisher are 30% off.That puts ZombiU and Assassin's Creed 3 at $41.99 each, and Just Dance 4, Rabbids Land, Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013, and ESPN Sports Connection at $34.99 each. It's a good time to load up on Ubigames, as long as you remember to factor in the cost of an extra hard drive.This isn't the only sale happening on eShop: pick up F-Zero for 30 cents tomorrow.
Nintendo announces new ZombiU Deluxe Set Wii U bundle for $390
Bundles are inevitable with new consoles and the Wii U is naturally no exception. Nintendo has today officially announced its first such package for the console -- a $389.99 set that will get you the standard Wii U Deluxe console, along with the ZombiU game, a black Wii U Pro Controller and a collectible booklet featuring artwork from the game and developer commentary. One slight difference from the launch bundles: Nintendo Land now comes as a downloadable game instead of a packed-in disc. You can look for this one to hit stores in the US and Canada on February 17th.
Wii U ZombiU bundle coming to North America Feb. 17
The ZombiU Wii U hardware bundle spotted on Future Shop has been officially announced, and will be released in the US and Canada on February 17. The Wii U ZombiU Deluxe Set comes with a black 32GB Wii U, a copy of ZombiU, a special ZombiU art book featuring "never-before-seen developer commentary," a Pro Controller, and a download of Nintendo Land. That's a pretty weird combination of games, in terms of tone.The bundle retails for $389.99 – that's $40 more than the Deluxe Wii U, but $70 cheaper than the Deluxe Wii U, a Pro Controller, and a copy of ZombiU would cost if purchased separately.
Wii U ZombiU limited edition bundle invades Future Shop for $400
Future Shop lists a limited edition Wii U 32GB ZombiU bundle, going for $400 with a copy of ZombiU and Wii U Pro Controller included. The bundle has an estimated release date of February 17 and is available for pre-order now, while supplies last. FutureShop says there are only 95 of these bad boys, so if you want one act fast. Pretend a zombie is chasing you or something.Though Future Shop is a division of Best Buy, there's no word if the ZombiU Wii U bundles will make their way to the US or other territories.
ZombiU co-op shelved early on, over 300,000 survivor deaths logged
We lauded the tense moment to moment survival of ZombiU play in our review, but some have criticized the game's lack of online co-op. Developer Ubisoft Montpellier says the idea was considered but scrapped fairly early into development.Producer Guillaume Brunier said "we thought we could not deliver it on time," citing the crunch to make Wii U launch in an interview with Nintendo World Report. "How to bring a cooperative experience and still keep fear and tension is a question we would love to address though."Other topics include potential DLC or even the notion that ZombiU has more games to come – Brunier didn't reveal much but did say that the Ubisoft Montpellier servers have the death logs of 300,000 survivors to draw from. "Who knows what we could do with them," he teased. Our suggestion? Stop scrapbooking our deaths, you monsters.
NintendoWare Weekly: ZombiU demo, Hello Kitty
A demo on the Wii U eShop today will allow you to get your first taste of our #10 game of 2012, ZombiU. Perhaps that's not the best phrasing for a zombie game, but nonetheless. An NBA 2K13 demo will also be available.Meanwhile on 3DS, there's fishing, hunting, DinoPet...ting, and Hello Kitty Picnic with Sanrio Friends, a minigame collection with unlockable "supercute outfits for Hello Kitty."
ZombiU, other Wii U games cheap at Best Buy and Amazon
Best Buy and Amazon are engaging in a bitter price war over some third-party Wii U games, leaving you free to loot the battlefield for okay this metaphor is getting gruesome really quickly.The point is that some games are cheap. Specifically, Joystiq's #10 game of 2012, ZombiU, is $45 at both retailers, as is Assassin's Creed 3 (Amazon/Best Buy). Other games of note include Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition at $50, Just Dance 4 at $35, and Funky Barn, the game with the best Miiverse community on the Wii U, for $30. Check Dealzon for the full list.
Joystiq Top 10 of 2012: ZombiU
ZombiU had a lot stacked against it before it arrived. It's a launch game for a new Nintendo platform, from a company which famously over-promised and under-delivered with another launch game, Red Steel, for the Wii in 2006. It doesn't help that the Ubisoft Montpellier game is called ZombiU, a name that screams "bland, poorly-executed shovelware." But the survival-focused action of ZombiU does a lot to set itself apart from the horde of Wii U launch games: it features the most interesting use of the console's tablet-like controller, can be punishingly difficult, and returns the survival-horror genre to its roots of surviving on scraps and fearing for your life around every corner.The premise of ZombiU is a simple, if not overused, one. An outbreak has turned the city – London this time – into a feeding ground for the undead. As you scour the city for the last remnants of weapons and supplies, you start uncovering the mystery surrounding the outbreak.The real majesty of ZombiU is found within its moment-to-moment progression. There's an internal struggle that continues to boil forward throughout the game, leaving you to question when you should dig in to that valuable inventory. It may seem like a good idea to burn ammo on a small group of brain-munching monsters in one room, but what if the next area poses a greater threat? Could you survive with your trusty, slow-swinging cricket bat for now? Is it worth moving forward an inch now, only to be set back miles later? It's the fear of the unknown, and your potential death, that makes those moments so intense.%Gallery-162496%
ZombiU tie-in webcomic comes to a colorful but grisly end
Z-14, a webcomic based on Ubisoft's ZombiU, is now online in its entirety. The official tie-in was being posted in daily episodes, and came to a full-color end on November 30 to coincide with the game's European launch.The comic dances around various plots developing in an undead-crammed London, even hopping to 16th century France in spells. While the subject matter is unsurprisingly grim, we rather enjoyed seeing a GamePad - sorry, a 'Prepper Pad' - being stuck into someone's utility belt. We'd like to see that taken to its natural cosplay conclusion, please.
Ubisoft Uplay app now on Wii U
Been playing Ubisoft Wii U games without accruing the publisher's invented Uplay currency like some kind of chump? Now's the time to feel better about yourself, because the Uplay app is now available for download through the Nintendo eShop.If you've signed into Uplay with your info through any Ubisoft game on Wii U, the app will automatically detect your information. Through the Uplay app you can view your achievements, spend your Uplay bux on content for various Ubisoft games and perhaps ponder why you put so much stock in imaginary economies.
ZombiU live-action trailer prepares for survival
The London-based ZombiU will finally launch in its home country (and the rest of Europe) this Friday, and Ubisoft has released a new live-action trailer to promote it. Let's just say we hope your survival skills are better than this guy's.
ZombiU developer video decomposes multiplayer mode
We provided a brief run-down of ZombiU's multiplayer mode in our review of the game – we were pretty enamored with it, as you can read here – but Ubisoft wants to be sure you really get it. The dev team describes how mulitplayer works in ZombiU with the above video, breaking down the local matches and how the game integrates the Wii Pad.There are also a few tips at the end, so give it a watch. But only if, you know, you value your life in the zombie apocalypse.
Metareview: ZombiU
The review scores for Ubisoft's Wii U launch title ZombiU are splattered all over the place. Our review was positive, saying the game "isn't for everyone, but those who stick with it, through its unforgiving and occasionally frustrating difficulty, there's an exhilarating experience to be had." Eurogamer (90/100): "ZombiU isn't the obligatory FPS launch title, but an original twist on the genre that has no console equivalent. It's not quite a revolution, lacking the scope and variety of mechanics to compete with high watermarks like Half-Life 2. But that should take nothing away from Ubisoft's achievement, and the success or otherwise of ZombiU could be defining for Wii U." Edge (70/100): "The terrors of the horde that has descended on London come with caveats, then. ZombiU, however, is a title that will infuse impulse buyers, early adopters and Nintendo diehards with relief and appreciation for the novel gameplay that Wii U can and will continue to provide." IGN (63/100): "ZombiU has so many great ideas from looting with the Wii U GamePad to permadeath to its spooky setting, but none of them grow into a great game. Controls are clunky, melee combat is annoying, and the game doesn't look good." Game Informer (50/100): "Gamers eager for a new experience tailored to the Wii U likely have their eyes on ZombiU. It shows off nearly every feature of Nintendo's new hardware, but the sum of these parts is a horrifying Frankenstein's Monster. Good zombie games are a dime a dozen these days, and I can't recommend ZombiU above them despite being the only undead shooter on the Wii U." GameSpot (45/100): "ZombiU is a game trapped in the wrong genre. The run-and-gun multiplayer modes emphasize the game's competent shooting mechanics and ability to create interesting enemy encounters. However, these two aspects are discouraged in the single-player campaign for the sake of survival."
No plans for ZombiU DLC, but it's always good to be prepared
Ubisoft Montpellier doesn't plan to add any downloadable content to ZombiU because the team was able to accomplish all of its goals with the game itself, multiplayer director Bogdan Bridinel says. Nintendo Life quotes Bridinel from an interview with Official Nintendo Magazine, where he describes ZombiU's development and editing process."A few things that we tried during production ended up on the cutting room floor, but this was because they didn't work out as well as we had hoped, not because the schedule forced us to," Bridinel says.If ZombiU turns out to be extremely successful, Bridinel does think DLC "could become a possibility." So really, if ZombiU never gets any DLC it's all your fault. Just keep that in mind, zombie killers.
ZombiU review: Anarchy in the U.K.
Keep track of all of Joystiq's Wii U launch coverage on our Wii U hub page! I have twelve pistol bullets left, one crossbow bolt, a Molotov cocktail and about half a dozen zombies between me and freedom. I've spent the last half hour on an undead killing spree, emptying most of my guns and exhausting my medical supplies. I've become a fairly confident zombie slayer over the last few days, but rarely have I come across this many at once, especially in close quarters. They're just milling about on the other side of an open door. I know that because I can spot their pings on my radar.There's no telling what kind of zombies are over there though. Run of the mill civilians? The Molotov would make quick work of them. But what if there are undead cops, decked out in bullet-proof, fire-resistant riot gear? I shuffle through my backpack, glancing away from the television and toward the Wii U's gamepad in order to do so – they haven't spotted me, so I feel relatively safe rooting through my supplies.After some soul searching, I decide my aim – and certainly my nerves – just aren't good enough. I'm betting on the Molotov. I take a deep breath, listening to it hiss through my teeth, and step through the door. This is moment to moment survival. This is ZombiU.%Gallery-162496%
