The Nintendo Switch is a huge commercial success, especially in the wake of the Wii U’s disappointing sales. However, not everyone is inspired by Nintendo’s new hardware. Oddworld creator Lorne Lanning took a swipe at the console, asserting that, as a third-party developer, he has “no faith” in the “underpowered” Switch. Furthermore, he made an outlandish statement regarding the death of former Nintendo President Satoru Iwata.
“No Third-Party Support”
In an interview recorded in April (but only released to non-subscribers this week), Lanning told Kinda Funny:
“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.”
Lanning called Nintendo out for its failure to support third-party games. He explained:
“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.”
“Nintendo Killed Iwata”
Later on, Lanning makes the most bizarre, tasteless, and unsubstantiated claim. He conjectures that the Japanese company’s third-party policy somehow “killed” former President 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.”
Maybe Lanning meant “killed” metaphorically – that Nintendo’s organisation disappointed Iwata – so his statement could just be tone-deaf rather than plain offensive. But, if he is being serious, that’s one Hell of a scoop! Do you think Nintendo killed Iwata? Let us know in the comments.
Of course he meant it figuratively, you simpleton. Are you kidding me?
Was I kidding? Yes, I was. Well spotted. Nothing gets past you.