I saw some general confusion on the internet about the game and its history. After reading about it on GoNintendo for years I knew what was actually going on (to an extent). I then decided to compile a master list so people could see what was really going on.
I addressed one of their statements as my closer but besides that I tried to keep my opinion out of it and let the reader come to their own conclusion. Skipped the forums debacle because that's a mess on its own, and frankly I spent enough time without digging for that. I just stuck with public/company statements that represented the company more than one specific person.
I posted it in other places but it's probably best served here since this subreddit is all about ethics in games and the rest were just social circles. I didn't write this as a disgruntled customer or Wii U owner (don't care about racing sims) but I was tired of seeing people spout false claims as reality when I knew better and I thought this could open their eyes.
*Not sure what tag to put this under so any suggestions would be appreciated.
Be prepared, this is a long one (though the article titles sum it up)
While the title is inspired by LoadingReadyRun's hilarious, fake mockumentary-style series, this story. unfortunately, is aggravating and quite real.
There's confusion on the net about Project Cars. Most see it as yet another game missing the Wii U but this story goes beyond just a port and into how the company handles itself. I'll leave the articles here for you to make up your own mind without much commentary because I've had enough writing and talking about it for our podcast within the last year. I also haven't included things such as company partnerships or trailers/gameplay/screenshots, etcetera. I did this to try and keep this article as concise as possible.
Contrary to popular belief, there's no Project Cars Kickstarter. Their source of crowd-funding is through their proprietary World of Mass Development Portal. What seperates it from Kickstarter is that developers and the community investing receive royalties. As far as an amount goes, 30% of all profits goes to those who invested (from their 2011 doc).
In 2012, their new document adds the community to the pie-chart with 70% community and 30% to developers. I'm assuming that's 70% of 30% (21% of profits) leaving 9% to developers, but it isn't explicitly outlined besides a graphic, though I severely doubt they meant 70% of all profits go to the community. It also isn't stated if each community investor gets the same amount (21% divided by the number of community investors) or if there's a stipulation based on how much they invested (you get 21% back on what you invested).
As far as I see it though, it's 21% of all profits divided up equally into the amount of community investors and 9% for developers, based on their position.
http://www.wmdportal.com/about/
(Page 4) 2011 Document: http://wmdportal.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/WMD_Announcement_Press_Release_1011.pdf
(Page 11) 2012 Document: http://www.wmdportal.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/WMD_Overview_160212.pdf
Here's the chronological timeline of the game's development:
2011
November
There's the intention of having it come to console too, with Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U versions currently slated - which suggests a boxed copy when the project nears completion in 2013, an idea that Slightly Mad isn't entirely averse to.
Coming from the author, no original quote for it.
" 'The great thing about having the community involved is all the feedback,' says Wallace, 'It's like having a focus group all of the time.' "
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-11-24-project-cars-preview
2012
January
Wii U/PS3/360/Windows Logos up on Project Cars Website
http://nintendoeverything.com/project-cars-is-coming-to-wii-u/
February
Their Overview Document, Showing Each Platform It Would Release On
Logos for: Wii U, Xbox 360, PS3 (Windows as well but that was released) can be seen on pages 5, 16, 19, and 36. They're at the bottom right-hand corner of each slide.
Page 28: Wii U Functionality
http://www.wmdportal.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/WMD_Overview_160212.pdf
April
Same Wii U Details from Document, Reposted on GoNintendo
http://gonintendo.com/stories/188870-project-cars-wii-u-specific-details
June
Info on Wii U Version coming at E3
http://nintendoeverything.com/project-cars-completely-confirmed-for-wii-u/
October
Project Cars & WMD Celebrate One Year Anniversary
-advertises that they can still become a member, and how much they've earned thus far
November
Project Cars Funding Goal Reached
http://www.virtualr.net/project-cars-funding-goal-reached
December
-temporarily stopped taking funding in December 2012 (for how long isn't stated and I couldn't find another article on it)
-meaning at some point funding resumed
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-07-25-slightly-mad-to-stop-accepting-funds-for-project-cars
2013
January
Delayed until November 2013
-the Facebook post has been deleted, but multiple websites reported on it
-you'll see that this release date isn't a collective lie (which I would find absurd) with the many other delays that will follow
http://gonintendo.com/stories/207510-project-cars-set-for-thanksgiving-release
March
Will be 30fps, 720p on Wii U
http://gonintendo.com/stories/210736-project-cars-will-be-720p-30fps-on-wii-u
Project Cars to innovate with Wii U
April
Console Versions in development at the same time as the PC Version
"But I can tell you that we´re making all the versions at the same time, so it´s not like we´re making the PC version and then we port it to consoles >afterwards."
Is Positive on Community Feedback
"We are working alongside the people who are eventually going to be playing our game and we have to be open and honest. It's worked out >fantastically because you get so much more input from the people who matter, as opposed to people who have their own agenda."
http://gonintendo.com/stories/213060-the-unique-development-process-for-project-cars
Project Cars and the Financial Services Authority on WMD Crowd-funding
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-04-18-driving-ambition-pcars-crowdfunding-and-the-fsa
Delayed Until Q2 2014 (April/May/June)
http://gonintendo.com/stories/213348-project-cars-due-out-q2-of-2014
June
Trying to be the Forza for Wii U
http://gonintendo.com/stories/216910-slightly-mad-wants-project-cars-to-be-the-forza-of-wii-u
Wii U Mentioned Alongside PC Version
"You see the passion people have for Forza and Gran Turismo, and if you're a publisher you wonder, 'Are we really gonna cut into that audience?' >But we believe we can, especially on Wii U and PC, where there's a space to fill."
Make it How you Want, Need for Speed or Full Racing Sim
-no clue if it is or isn't like that, but I added in case they didn't deliver on that feature
July
Stops Accepting Funding through WMD after FSA intervened
-they could have received more funding through another means, but none that I could find and I don't think that's the case so I treat this as the final stop to all funding
-author states, "There is no time limit on claiming a refund."
-will change how WMD works, "So as to avoid it being considered a collective investment scheme."
-agreeing to stop taking funding doesn't mean they admit to breaking any laws
-temporarily stopped taking funding in December 2012 (for how long isn't stated and I couldn't find another article on it)
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-07-25-slightly-mad-to-stop-accepting-funds-for-project-cars
October
Wii U Build Info
http://gonintendo.com/stories/226334-project-cars-latest-wii-u-build-info-more-footage
November
PS4/Xbox One Added, PS3/Xbox 360 Cancelled, pushed to Fall 2014
http://www.wmdportal.com/projectnews/project-cars-races-to-next-gen/
December
Wii U "More Than Capable" of handling Project Cars
http://gonintendo.com/stories/231819-wii-u-more-than-capable-of-handling-project-cars-core-experien
2014
January
Project Cars will Showcase Hidden Power of Wii U
Slightly Mad Studios Removes Comments Questioning Project Cars
(there's probably more evidence of this but you can find and dig through that on your own if you want a time sink)
April
Project Cars as a Service
"...it isn’t going to be a game where we just move on to the next one..."
"...we are going to make sure that it is treated as a platform, a service, than something that is just like a fire and forget title."
(quotes from the final paragraph)
-sequel announced 1 year and 2 months later
Poll Showing Wii U Version was the Most Sought after Version, even above PC
-coming from their own website, where their community investors are more likely to vote (and know about it) than the general gaming audience
http://www.projectcarsgame.com/home/which-platform-are-you-getting-project-cars-on
July
Wii U Version coming Months after PS4/Xbox One
"We're committed to delivering an exceptional and unique experience for racing fans on Wii U and for this we kindly ask our devoted and >passionate Nintendo fans for a little more time in order to ensure the game delivers on our vision of being the most authentic, beautiful, and >technically-advanced racing game on any platform."
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-07-11-wii-u-version-of-project-cars-out-in-2015
September
"So when we say the Wii U version is delayed in 2015 because we need a little more time, that's all it is. We just want to make sure it's of the same >standard of all the other games. To do that, we just need a little more time. I've seen the Wii U version, I've seen it quite regularly. It's got dynamic >time of day, weather - it looks phenomenal. And the actual console itself is quite good."
2015
May (2 weeks after the other versions launched)
Wii U Version facing Severe Issues
Backpedals on Wii U Version, says it was always "maybe" Wii U, despite evidence saying otherwise
Project CARS/Weapons of Mass Development opened funding initially as a Free to Play PC only Racing game.
In their October 2011 document there was no mention of free-to-play and WMD (their crowd-funding source) didn't launch yet according to that document. There wasn't even a mention of what platform(s) the game would release on. One month later Eurogamer reported it as free-to-play with interest in console ports but it wasn't a direct quote and there was no official statement I could find. The only free game they have is World of Speed and they explicitly said that it wasn't free-to-play.
This is when the bulk of the funding arrived. Funding was closed late 2013.
Four months after their original document, that essentially said nothing, their new 2012 document gave a full outline of what they wanted to accomplish with their project and what WMD is. No sign of WMD "launching soon" meaning it has launched by that time. Perhaps it launched in-between those four months, but I'd wager it didn't actually start until this 2012 document when they outlined it's details. And if you go off of that, it was never listed officially as free-to-play or PC only. There were console logos stamped on 4 seperate occasions and a graphic of how the Wii U version would play, meaning you were planning on developing it.
You stopped receiving funding in July 2013, but before that, in April 2013, you admitted that you were working on the console ports alongside the PC version. You stated,
"As soon as the Wii U was announced we were like `Oh my god, this looks amazing! We need to work on this´.".
The Wii U was announced June 2011, your full outline stating the actual platforms it would launch on (including Wii U) came in February 2012 and July 2013 you stopped receiving funding. 17 months is plenty of time for people to have donated strictly because of the Wii U version, especially when it was the hot new thing, at least in the media. Even if you assumed that November/December 2012 was the last time they got funding (even when he just said they got funding until late 2013) because they reached their goal then, that's still 9-10 months.
By vote of the members, it changed to a boxed product PC/Xbox 360/PS3 and 'maybe Wii U' game. It was always 'maybe' as we had no >knowledge of the system.
It was again changed, by vote of the members, to a PC/Xbox One/PS4 next gen game with still 'maybe Wii U' and Steam OS. The funding, as I said >above, was closed long before this.
If you put advertising on your website, it was prominent in your outline document, it was developed alongside the other versions, and had multiple statements hyping it up like how you would innovate with Wii U, it'll run at 720p, 30fps, and you're aiming to make it the Forza for Wii U, as if you were actually working on it, then no, there was no "maybe". You literally said the console versions were being developed en tandem with the PC, you can't backpedal your way out of that. Even if internally they felt it was "maybe" Wii U, they clearly didn't demonstrate that to everyone else, including the people funding the game.
Oh also, you bring up the polls quite a bit, implying that the Wii U results were low and the idea for a port was "maybe" because of a lack of interest. Or that you put "maybe Wii U" as a poll option to indicate to people it wasn't a for-sure thing. That is not the case. Sadly with polls they're not usually recorded and always changing so getting an accurate reading at different points in time is near impossible but...
...not today!
However I do have some proof. PlayerEssence and NintendoEnthusiast both reported on the Wii U being at 54% at the poll's launch, and then SteamOS over-taking it a few days later. Even then it was 33% SteamOS and 31% Wii U, with the least interested plaftorm being Xbox One at 5%. And then at some point the Wii U took back it's spot as the most popular platform as it currently stands on Project Cars' website.
Someone screen-capped when it was at 54% on April 2nd (in the spoiler tag, date stamp on bottom right of post), a day after the poll opened.
Here's what the poll looks like today.
Day-of poll results are subject to change as tens of votes in one day can become hundreds or thousands in weeks or months (no way to find the total amount of votes). But no, Slightly Mad Studios, it can't have always been "maybe" Wii U when the poll results (among your statements) have consistently had Wii U at the top. I do recall seeing it around 25% or so, roughly 2-3% more than the PC version (before SteamOS/PS4/Xbox One was introduced), but without proof of that you're free to treat that as conjecture.
We still haven't given up on Wii U 100% but if we can't make it work we will move to the next Nintendo machine.
This is just patronizing, as if to say, "Gee willikers! We weren't planning on it, but we'll do our very gosh darnedest to try and make it happen." All this statement really is is to make people unaware of this whole situation think they're good guys for giving another swing at it. When in reality their statements and marketing have been saying from the start that it was always planned for Wii U, and not just added at the last second.
Even if they did get their hands on the NX there'd be no point since they would have moved on to Project Cars 2. Not to mention we'd be repeating history, "Nintendo console announced, Project Cars game for it, hyped up like the next coming of realistic car racing, 3 or 4 delays, months of silence, cancelled."
As of posting this, they have yet to remove the Wii U logos from the game's website, and WMD Portal. It was only cancelled a few days ago so it's nothing to be concerned about, and Googling it will bring up that it's cancelled. But I though I'd mention it because I think it would be funny if someone reads this months down the line and it still hasn't been changed. However, Wii U is not mentioned via images or text on their studio page.
Issues with the Game not being Taken Seriously
June
Project Cars 2 Announced
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2015/06/22/project-cars-2-announced
July
"Too Much" for Wii U Version, Officially Cancelled for it
-says they might port it to the NX, which is at least a year or two away from launching
-wouldn't make sense to port it given they'll start development of Project Cars 2 soon
http://gonintendo.com/stories/238880-project-cars-slightly-mad-studios-claims-that-the-game-is-simp
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2015/07/21/project-cars-cancelled-on-wii-u
My guess? They only worked on the PC version (the only version ever shown despite them saying they were working on the Wii U version). THEN as of a few months ago they tried porting it to Wii U, realized it couldn't work, and had to backpedal hard because they kept saying it was "more than capable" as if it was in the works for years, but really only started development recently. Pure hypothesis on my part, but that's one possible angle I got from it given the sudden change of "it worked for years" to "it can't even run". I think there was a South Park episode where Cartman was hyping up a party only to promptly cancel it and say something like, "No no, we're serious you guys, we TOTALLY had a cool party ready but we had to cancel it."
If during those 8 silent months they switched engines and for some reason it couldn't run on Wii U, then they should have said something earlier. But after at least 3 delays and lying through their teeth, I'm not about to give them the benefit of the doubt.
But those are just my thoughts. Given all of the necessary information at your disposal, what do you make of this? If I made a mistake or missed something crucial (and you have proof) point it out in the comments. If you slogged through this, thanks!!
Updated from original article: Apparently there was Wii U footage, however all of the official links are dead and the unofficial ones, well, there's no concrete way of telling if it was early Wii U footage or just early PC footage. Like I said they talked big, stated the delays were just polish and then dumped on people on release day without updates, which they weren't shy on providing before.
Submitted by shmuga9 Xbox 720 Release Date 2015
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