Nintendo has announced that it will open up the Wii to independent video-game developers. This means any determined coders or game studios will be able to create and sell downloadable Wii games. The independent games will be available to Wii gamers starting in early 2008.
According to Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America:
Independent developers armed with small budgets and big ideas will be able to get their original games into the marketplace to see if we can find the next smash hit.
This is definitely an interesting development in the next generation console war. The Wii has already distinguished itself as the “fun” console, where gaming is more about the experience rather than drop-dead graphics. Therefore, inspired developers with small pockets will have an opportunity to get in the game by concentrating on game play rather than just visual beauty and amazing sound. The only caveat to this will be making the Independently developed marketplace easy to sift through and find good games.
