Update: Yooka-Laylee Will Launch Next April, Wii U Version Cancelled

Steven Bogos

The Taco Man
Jan 17, 2013
9,354
0
0
Update: Yooka-Laylee Will Launch Next April, Wii U Version Cancelled

//cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/library/deriv/950/950560.png
Yooka-Laylee will launch in April 11, 2017, according to an ad on the Microsoft store.

Update: A representative for Playtonic Games has confirmed to The Escapist that the April 11 release date is indeed correct. It will be released for the Xbox One, PS4 and PC simultanously. Additionally, the representative has confirmed that the Wii U version of the game has been cancelled, as the team is looking to shift development to the Nintendo Switch.

Any backers who pledged for the Wii U version will be able to move their pledge to any of the three versions launching on April 11 or upgrade to the Nintendo Switch version when further details are announced in 2017.

Original Story: The folks over at Eurogamer have spotted this ad for Playtonic's Yooka-Laylee [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/yooka-laylee-toybox-pre-order/bw799fwn0zb7?tduid=(06f4dbb0aa1ed263ee98b3f94d8369c2)(256380)(2459594)(TnL5HPStwNw-eSoM_PoKU4bkt3yg4ZrYnQ)()] over on the Microsoft store, suggesting the game's official retail release date is April 11, 2017. You can pre-order the game right now for $39.99.

Playtonic hasn't officially announced the release date but with the page live on the official Microsoft store we can expect to hear it in the near future.

Yooka-Laylee was originally expected to launch in October 2016 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/167617-Yooka-Laylee-Delayed-to-Q1-2017#&gid=gallery_6268&pid=1], but was pushed back to Q1 2017 earlier in the year. "While we felt confident we could ship the game in October as originally projected in our Kickstarter, the Playtonic team has decided that it would prefer to add a few extra months' polish to the game schedule," said Playtonic at the time, adding that the delay will allow the team to deliver "a better game."

While April is technically pushing into Q2, at least we now have a solid date for the game.

Source: Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-12-12-it-looks-like-yooka-laylee-will-launch-in-april]

Permalink
 

Charli

New member
Nov 23, 2008
3,445
0
0
Plus there were too many competing titles out in that month, so I agree with them, push til april.
 

pearcinator

New member
Apr 8, 2009
1,212
0
0
Also, they are cancelling the WiiU version (due to "technical difficulties" - my arse) and making a Switch version...hopefully launching the same day as the others but maybe not :/

http://www.playtonicgames.com/yooka-laylee-reptile-rolls-towards-release/
 

Xorph

New member
Aug 24, 2010
295
0
0
Dayum, I didn't realize just how much cash I'm saving by backing it on kickstarter. $15 netted a copy there, I had assumed it was gonna be launching at $25ish. If anything I'm glad though, if they think it's worth $40, with what we've seen so far I'm pretty confident it'll live up to the value.
 

Samtemdo8_v1legacy

New member
Aug 2, 2015
7,915
0
0
I am not trying to be a negative nancy here, because I love these 3D platformer games like Spyro the Dragon, Banjo Kazooie, Super Mario ,etc but what is not making me feel for this game......is the main charcaters I play as.

I don't why they just don't appeal to me. A lizard gecko and a bat. I just don't see it.
 

Arnoxthe1

Elite Member
Dec 25, 2010
3,391
2
43
Samtemdo8 said:
I am not trying to be a negative nancy here, because I love these 3D platformer games like Spyro the Dragon, Banjo Kazooie, Super Mario ,etc but what is not making me feel for this game......is the main charcaters I play as.

I don't why they just don't appeal to me. A lizard gecko and a bat. I just don't see it.
Took the words right out of my mouth. Plus, the level design... It looks schizophrenic and samey. Hopefully, they're only showing us, like, the first one or two levels.
 

Shoggoth2588

New member
Aug 31, 2009
10,250
0
0
I'm not going to be surprised if other pending Wii U indies shift their focus to the Switch...Stardew Valley did it, Darksiders: Warmaster (I know, not an indie) will likely do it...Once that Five Nights at Freddies console collection is announced (about 3 days after launch) it'll probably come to the Switch instead of the Wii U. As long as I can get this on a console that I own though, that's really all I care about...not that I have any of those consoles...yet...
 

Neurotic Void Melody

Bound to escape
Legacy
Jul 15, 2013
4,953
6
13
Looks nice. Will be a pleasant substitute for the void that Rare left in favour of pushing mind-control slugs from Microsoft up its' nose.
 

pearcinator

New member
Apr 8, 2009
1,212
0
0
MC1980 said:
pearcinator said:
(due to "technical difficulties" - my arse)
Is this meant to be expert opinion, or just salt? The technical difficulties part is obvious when you consider, that A, the WiiU is slightly stronger than a PS3 on a good day, and B, Unity games, especially larger ones, run like complete shit on the WiiU. It was naive to think that it would even happen. Same with Bloodstained on WiiU. (They even promised to port UE4 for that one. What a lark.)

Of course, it's a dumb decision to release a game on a dead platform, and instead of that focusing on a potentially better venue is a sound idea, I'm not denying that. I'm sure it was a partial motivator. But don't think that the WiiU version of the game wouldn't have been anything but an awful port at best, and an infeasible waste of money better spent elsewhere at worst.
I'm saying it was just a cop-out excuse. They should have just said that they are upgrading to the Switch version because the WiiU will be last-gen by the time the Switch releases. I'm 100% sure the WiiU could have run Yooka-Laylee no problem. Saying that it's because of technical issues is just a lie.
 

shrekfan246

Not actually a Japanese pop star
May 26, 2011
6,374
0
0
On the one hand, yet another shut-down for the Wii U. Much like the Vita, I love it, but I can't help being sad about it.

On the other, I was always planning on getting the thing on PC anyway, because pump that Banjo-Kazooie directly into my veins Playtonic you saucy bastards. I got to play the Toybox thanks to a friend of mine and even that just made me weep tears of joy.
 

busterkeatonrules

- in Glorious Black & White!
Legacy
Jun 22, 2009
1,280
0
41
Country
Norway
Xsjadoblayde said:
Looks nice. Will be a pleasant substitute for the void that Rare left in favour of pushing mind-control slugs from Microsoft up its' nose.
They must have sneezed them out or something. Yay! As a backer, I'm confident this game will be worth the wait.

[small]Seriously, thanks for that mental image. It made my day.[/small]