14 DAY TRIAL // Q Entertainment, as developer, and Atari, as publisher, are sending word that they plan to develop and release a music simulation title for the Nintendo Wii, called QJ, although the name is temporary and subject to change as development goes on. The lead designer on the project is Tetsuya Mizuguchi, who has created successes like Rez and Lumines.
It seems that the game will only be available on the Nintendo home gaming console and is set to come out sometime in 2009, if all goes well. It appears that following the launch of Wii Music, the music title for the same console created in house by Nintendo, under the leadership of Shigeru Miyamoto, other developers have realized the potential that the unique control methods of the appealing platform has to more casual gamers.
There are no details available related to QJ, but one might speculate that it will not take the route of simulating individual instruments, like Wii Music has done. The Nintendo made game was initially unveiled at E3 this year, prompting a critical reaction from some fans who expected a new Zelda or Mario release, and was launched a few weeks ago to a rather cool critical reception. The sales were not on par with other Nintendo made Wii games such as Wii Fit or Mario Kart Wii.
Atari also said that it would release a compilation featuring the biggest hits that Tetsuya Mizuguchi had created for the Xbox Live Arcade service from Microsoft. The new product will feature Rez HD, Lumines Live and Every Extend Extra Extreme together with all the downloadable content that has been released for them and is bound to also be launched sometime in the first half of 2009. The official name of the product will be Q3, which is apparently pronounced like “cube”.