Nintendo explains Wii U functions at Unite Nordic 2013

Clayton Hughes, software developer at Nintendo of America gives developers a detailed explanation of Wii U‘s functions and tips on how to develop for it.

The presentation starts off with Nintendo‘s philosophy on bringing people closer to each other in the living room via the Wii U’s component. He also elaborates on the convenience of being able to play the games on the Wii U game pad, noting that you won’t have to fight over the television in order to enjoy the games.

Hughes then tells developers about the tools they can use in order to make games for the Wii U, such as SDK. Developers can also create apps for the Wii U, using web applications via HTML5 and Javascript. What they can also do is port their web based games (iOs, Android, etc.) to the Wii U; Hughes highlights Gunman Clive, a game ported from the iOS to the 3DS in order to demonstrate the ease at which developers can use their web based applications.

Shortly after explaining the positive aspects of their web applications, Hughes shows Nintendo Web Framework in action, and how to use it in order to create apps and even port games. Anyone can use Nintendo Web Framework for free so long as they’ve entered into a contract with Nintendo. Previous development barriers have also been taken down, as developers can now make whatever they so choose without having to ask Nintendo. They can also set their own prices and release dates independently.

Historically, Nintendo required developers to have an office in order for them to be able to make games for their systems; that restriction has also been lifted. The only requirement is that you keep the dev kits safe. These are big moves on Nintendo’s part, and quite a bit different from Nintendo’s previous traditions. We can expect to see some big changes with this transformation of Nintendo’s policies.