WeFly (lost build of cancelled Wii open-world flight simulation game; 2007-2008): Difference between revisions
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|title=<center>Title</center> | |title=<center>Title</center> | ||
|image=WeFly title screen.webp | |image=WeFly title screen.webp | ||
|imagecaption=The title screen as it appears from | |imagecaption=The title screen as it appears from an unreleased gameplay trailer. | ||
|status=<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span> | |status=<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span> | ||
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'''WeFly''' was a cancelled open-world flight simulation game created by Factor 5 for the Wii. The game was Factor 5's take for a Pilotwings game on the Wii,<ref>[https:// | '''WeFly''' was a cancelled open-world flight simulation game created by Factor 5 for the Wii. The game was Factor 5's take for a Pilotwings game on the Wii,<ref>[https://resetera.com/threads/factor-5s-wefly-cancelled-wii-game-exclusive-gameplay-trailer.9401/ ResetEra thread on ''WeFly''] Retrieved 25 July 2024 </ref> being more lighthearted than what they first planned for the GameCube.<ref name=Nintendo>[https://nintendoeverything.com/new-details-about-the-cancelled-pilotwings-game-for-wii-including-head-tracking-glasses-peripheral/ Nintendo Everything article on the cancelled ''WeFly'' game] Retrieved 25 July 2024 </ref> The game was developed from 2007-2008 before being cancelled after the company shut down due to lawsuits, financial problems, and workers not being paid. | ||
==Development== | ==Development== | ||
After Factor 5's collaboration with Sony ended, they jumped into Wii development in 2007. Nintendo, who had a unique relationship with them and remained friendly was pleased for them to jump back on board. Factor 5 began putting together many pitches of Nintendo properties like Kid Icarus as potential Wii exclusive, one of these was ''WeFly'', a revised spin on their planned Pilotwings game for the GameCube. Instead of it being dark, it was more lighthearted for the Wii's audience, mostly reminiscent of the [[Wii Sports (lost prototypes for Wii sports simulation game; 2005-2006) |Wii Sports airplane demo]] that was shown in E3 2006. Factor 5 was also in talks with Nintendo for a licensed glasses accessory that would be able to track head movement, inspired by | After Factor 5's collaboration with Sony ended, they jumped into Wii development in 2007. Nintendo, who had a unique relationship with them and remained friendly was pleased for them to jump back on board. Factor 5 began putting together many pitches of Nintendo properties like Kid Icarus as potential Wii exclusive, one of these was ''WeFly'', a revised spin on their planned Pilotwings game for the GameCube. Instead of it being dark, it was more lighthearted for the Wii's audience, mostly reminiscent of the [[Wii Sports (lost prototypes for Wii sports simulation game; 2005-2006) |Wii Sports airplane demo]] that was shown in E3 2006. Factor 5 was also in talks with Nintendo for a licensed glasses accessory that would be able to track head movement, inspired by an experiment by computer scientist, Johnny Chumlee.<ref name=Nintendo/><ref name=Dev/> The pitch was turned down in mid-2008, it's mostly theorized that it was turned down because of the island fly minigame in Wii Sports Resort, being mostly inspired by Pilotwings. | ||
Regardless of this, Factor 5 still developed the game, wanting it to become | Regardless of this, Factor 5 still developed the game, wanting it to become an original IP. The game went under several names, first being called by its codename, Sky, before being called Wii Flight, and then WiiFly. However, the game went into legal issues as the title would infringe the "Wii" trademark, being altered to '''WeFly'''. Despite Nintendo not signing on the pitch, they were still involved as they allowed Factor 5 to incorporate Miis, worked with them on using data from the Wii Forecast Channel, and were apparently still on board to produce the head tracking glasses.<ref name=Dev/> | ||
==Gameplay== | ==Gameplay== | ||
The game was planned to be a realistic open-world title where the player can fly around famous cities across the globe. Each city has various unique | The game was planned to be a realistic open-world title where the player can fly around famous cities across the globe. Each city has various unique objectives you can do, some being the traditional Pilotwings missions. Other missions, however, were new ideas Factor 5 made, one where you can shoot at fireworks in the sky to create a fireworks display. Additionally, ''WeFly'' added a photo mode where you can pause and rotate the camera to take pictures of your flights and tap into the weather channel for the time and weather of each city.<ref name=Dev>[https://gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/a-look-at-i-wefly-i-the-wii-i-pilotwings-i-game-that-never-came-to-be Game Developers article on the cancelled ''WeFly'' game] Retrieved 25 July 2024 </ref> The lineup was playable vehicles varied featuring the traditional airplanes and jetpacks to hot-air balloon and a magic carpet. The game was also planned to let players go onto the moon and explore sights as a human colony with space aircraft like a lunar spacecraft and a UFO. | ||
==Cancellation== | ==Cancellation== | ||
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==Availability== | ==Availability== | ||
No footage was | No footage was ever shown as the game was never announced until 2017 when Julian Eggebrecht, the founder of Factor 5, showed an unreleased gameplay trailer to Unseen64 and DidYouKnowGaming. As of today, no build has been dumped online. | ||
==Gallery== | ==Gallery== | ||
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<gallery mode="packed" heights="200"> | <gallery mode="packed" heights="200"> | ||
WeFly menu.png|thumb|WeFly menu where you can pick the Mii you want | WeFly menu.png|thumb|WeFly menu where you can pick the Mii you want | ||
WeFly earth and moon locations.png|thumb|The locations you can pick on | WeFly earth and moon locations.png|thumb|The locations you can pick on Earth with the playable moon | ||
WeFly fireworks mission.png|thumb|The fireworks mission | WeFly fireworks mission.png|thumb|The fireworks mission | ||
WeFly photo mode.png|thumb|A screenshot of the photo mode for WeFly | WeFly photo mode.png|thumb|A screenshot of the photo mode for WeFly | ||
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WeFly moon and playable ufo.png|thumb|A screenshot of the moon location, with a playable UFO | WeFly moon and playable ufo.png|thumb|A screenshot of the moon location, with a playable UFO | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
===Trailer=== | ===Trailer=== | ||
{{Video|perrow =1 | {{Video|perrow =1 | ||
|service1 =youtube | |service1 =youtube | ||
|id1 | |id1 =zMN978qQbp8 | ||
|description1 =The unreleased gameplay trailer | |description1 =The unreleased gameplay trailer | ||
}} | }} | ||
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{{Video|perrow =2 | {{Video|perrow =2 | ||
|service1 =youtube | |service1 =youtube | ||
|id1 | |id1 =WFVM5NVqQpM | ||
|description1 =DidYouKnowGaming's video on the subject | |description1 =DidYouKnowGaming's video on the subject | ||
|service2 =youtube | |service2 =youtube | ||
|id2 | |id2 =C6iJHztUvAk | ||
|description2 =RealBubble's video on the subject (starts at 0:26-3:12) | |description2 =RealBubble's video on the subject (starts at 0:26-3:12) | ||
}} | }} | ||
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*[[Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures (lost build of cancelled Sega Genesis port of Super Nintendo game based on action-adventure films; 1995)]] | *[[Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures (lost build of cancelled Sega Genesis port of Super Nintendo game based on action-adventure films; 1995)]] | ||
*[[Star Wars Rogue Leaders: Rogue Squadron Wii (lost build of unreleased Wii compilation of arcade-style action games; 2009)]] | *[[Star Wars Rogue Leaders: Rogue Squadron Wii (lost build of unreleased Wii compilation of arcade-style action games; 2009)]] | ||
===Other Wii Media=== | ===Other Wii Media=== | ||
*[[Action Replay for Nintendo Wii (lost disc-based version of Wii cheating device; 2008)]] | *[[Action Replay for Nintendo Wii (lost disc-based version of Wii cheating device; 2008)]] | ||
Latest revision as of 15:06, 31 July 2024
The title screen as it appears from an unreleased gameplay trailer.
Status: Lost
WeFly was a cancelled open-world flight simulation game created by Factor 5 for the Wii. The game was Factor 5's take for a Pilotwings game on the Wii,[1] being more lighthearted than what they first planned for the GameCube.[2] The game was developed from 2007-2008 before being cancelled after the company shut down due to lawsuits, financial problems, and workers not being paid.
Development
After Factor 5's collaboration with Sony ended, they jumped into Wii development in 2007. Nintendo, who had a unique relationship with them and remained friendly was pleased for them to jump back on board. Factor 5 began putting together many pitches of Nintendo properties like Kid Icarus as potential Wii exclusive, one of these was WeFly, a revised spin on their planned Pilotwings game for the GameCube. Instead of it being dark, it was more lighthearted for the Wii's audience, mostly reminiscent of the Wii Sports airplane demo that was shown in E3 2006. Factor 5 was also in talks with Nintendo for a licensed glasses accessory that would be able to track head movement, inspired by an experiment by computer scientist, Johnny Chumlee.[2][3] The pitch was turned down in mid-2008, it's mostly theorized that it was turned down because of the island fly minigame in Wii Sports Resort, being mostly inspired by Pilotwings.
Regardless of this, Factor 5 still developed the game, wanting it to become an original IP. The game went under several names, first being called by its codename, Sky, before being called Wii Flight, and then WiiFly. However, the game went into legal issues as the title would infringe the "Wii" trademark, being altered to WeFly. Despite Nintendo not signing on the pitch, they were still involved as they allowed Factor 5 to incorporate Miis, worked with them on using data from the Wii Forecast Channel, and were apparently still on board to produce the head tracking glasses.[3]
Gameplay
The game was planned to be a realistic open-world title where the player can fly around famous cities across the globe. Each city has various unique objectives you can do, some being the traditional Pilotwings missions. Other missions, however, were new ideas Factor 5 made, one where you can shoot at fireworks in the sky to create a fireworks display. Additionally, WeFly added a photo mode where you can pause and rotate the camera to take pictures of your flights and tap into the weather channel for the time and weather of each city.[3] The lineup was playable vehicles varied featuring the traditional airplanes and jetpacks to hot-air balloon and a magic carpet. The game was also planned to let players go onto the moon and explore sights as a human colony with space aircraft like a lunar spacecraft and a UFO.
Cancellation
Toward the end of 2008, Factor 5 was forced to close down after Brash Entertainment and Green Screen Interactive (their publishers for their projects, including WeFly) had to close down after financial issues, leading Factor 5 into financial crisis and not paying their employees for two months.[4] Some of Factor 5's projects would briefly resume with another company, but WeFly was not among them.
Availability
No footage was ever shown as the game was never announced until 2017 when Julian Eggebrecht, the founder of Factor 5, showed an unreleased gameplay trailer to Unseen64 and DidYouKnowGaming. As of today, no build has been dumped online.
Gallery
Photos
WeFly menu where you can pick the Mii you want
The locations you can pick on Earth with the playable moon
The fireworks mission
A screenshot of the photo mode for WeFly
A screenshot of the playable hot-air balloon
A screenshot of the playable magic carpet
A screenshot of the moon location, with a playable UFO
Trailer
Videos
See Also
Other Factor 5 Media
- Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures (lost build of cancelled Sega Genesis port of Super Nintendo game based on action-adventure films; 1995)
- Star Wars Rogue Leaders: Rogue Squadron Wii (lost build of unreleased Wii compilation of arcade-style action games; 2009)
Other Wii Media
- Action Replay for Nintendo Wii (lost disc-based version of Wii cheating device; 2008)
- Burnout Freestyle (lost build of cancelled Nintendo Wii/DS racing game; 2010)
- Catch of the Day (lost build of cancelled Nintendo Wii/DS fishing game; 2008)
- Chiquititas: The Magical Journey (lost build of unreleased Wii game; 2008-2009)
- Connie Talbot: Over the Rainbow (found build of cancelled Wii karaoke tie-in game; 2009)
- Dead Space 2 (lost build of cancelled Wii port of sci-fi survival horror game sequel; 2011)
- Fire Emblem Wii (lost tech demo; late 2000s)
- Kirby's Return to Dream Land (lost builds of cancelled predecessors to Wii action-platformer; 2005-2011)
- Mii (lost early concept builds of customized avatar by Nintendo; 1980s-2000s)
- Red Steel 2 (lost early version build of Nintendo Wii first-person shooter sequel; 2007)
- Super Mario Galaxy (lost early builds of Wii 3D platformer; 2006-2007)
- Super Mario Spikers (lost build of cancelled Wii volleyball-wrestling sports game; 2007)
- The $1,000,000 Pyramid (lost early build of Wii game based on American game show; 2011)
- WiiConnect24 (partially found video game demos; 2006-2013)
- Wii Obstacle Course (lost Wii tech demo; 2006)
- Wii Sports (lost prototypes for Wii sports simulation game; 2005-2006)
- Wii Startup Disc (found Wii software disc; 2006)
Reference
- ↑ ResetEra thread on WeFly Retrieved 25 July 2024
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Nintendo Everything article on the cancelled WeFly game Retrieved 25 July 2024
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Game Developers article on the cancelled WeFly game Retrieved 25 July 2024
- ↑ Archive of an article about Factor 5's closure