Quantum3 engine to give Wii high-def graphics

Developer claims PS3- and 360-like gaming possible

22 April 2008 16:15 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

One thing the Wii does not offer, aside from a DVD drive, is sophisticated graphics, but games developer High Voltage Software plans to change that.

The company has announced a new proprietary graphics engine for the Wii called the "Quantum3" which it says will enable games to be developed that look like Xbox 360 and PS3 titles.

The games developed with the engine will include "dynamic bump mapping, light effects, glossing and other visual improvements".

"We think it's a real shame that publishers and developers aren't taking advantage of the technical possibilities of the Wii platform. Most Wii games don't even look as good as the later day PS2 titles and that's a real slap in the face to consumers", stated Kerry Ganofsky, company CEO, in a recent IGN interview.

"We believe that third-party developers need to step up to the plate and deliver. The Wii platform is capable of a lot more than what consumers have seen so far. We're hoping to raise a new bar."

There are five Wii titles currently in development using Quantum3 planned for release in the near future, the first of which is "The Conduit" a first-person shooter that is planned to be in stark contrast to the family-friendly, cartoon-like casual games the platform has done so well on to date.

Full tags

Gaming, Nintendo Wii, PS3, Xbox 360