Nintendo reveals updated Wii U 3rd party release schedule including Splinter Cell Blacklist

Wii U owners have been somewhat vocal that the Wii U has somewhat paltry 3rd party support, and Nintendo this morning released a statement to try to calm those fears a bit.

The biggest thing in the updated release schedule has to be Ubisoft’s Splinter Cell Blacklist, which is set for a August 20th release. Disney’s Planes is also on the way… along with previously revealed titles.

Read on for the full announcement with more dates.

Nintendo’s third-party partners are bringing an impressive array of great games to the Wii U home console, including new games and exclusive information from Disney and Ubisoft.

“Disney, Ubisoft and our other third-party partners have a great lineup of exclusive games and unique experiences for fans of all ages,” said Steve Singer, Nintendo of America’s vice president of Licensing. “Their creativity spans every audience and genre, creating new ways to play that can only be experienced on Nintendo platforms.”

Disney Interactive is bringing Disney’s Planes, a flying adventure video game inspired by the upcoming Disney animated comedy adventure film, exclusively to Nintendo platforms. The game will be available for the Wii U and Wii consoles as well as the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS hand-held systems on Aug. 6, just a few days prior to the film’s Aug. 9 opening in theaters nationwide. The game will expand beyond the storyline of the Disney’s Planes film, offering players the opportunity to enjoy the thrill of flight as one of the popular characters from the film.

Disney is also bringing Disney Infinity to Wii U, Wii and Nintendo 3DS on Aug. 18. Disney Infinity is Disney’s new gaming platform that combines Disney’s most popular franchises with interactive figures that come to life in the game. Players can place real-world toy versions of their favorite Disney characters onto a device called the Infinity Base and transport them into the virtual game worlds of Monsters University, The Incredibles, Cars and Pirates of the Caribbean, as well as into a giant Toy Box.

“Wii U offers our developers unique tools to showcase our fun franchises,” said Javier Ferriera, Senior Vice President, Publishing at Disney Interactive. “No matter which Nintendo system you own, every member of the family will have fun playing.”

Ubisoft confirms that Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist is coming to Wii U on Aug. 20 in North America, Aug. 22 for EMEA territories and Aug. 23 in the UK. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist on Wii U will deliver a unique gaming experience that puts players in the role of special operative and 4th Echelon leader Sam Fisher. Showcasing enhanced game-play features using the Wii U GamePad controller, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist allows players to operate innovative gadgets, take out enemies and move through the environment, and intuitively switch between weapons, among other features. The GamePad touch screen, along with motion-based inputs, are sure to immerse fans and gamers alike in this thrilling modern-day adventure.

Additionally, Ubisoft brings Rayman Legends online for the first time with a new demo, including the full online challenge mode. The online challenge mode is made up of four levels, including “Murfy’s Dungeon,” exclusive to Wii U. New challenges are added daily and weekly, and each comes with its own individual leaderboards. The demo will be available in late April.

“Wii U gives both games a second-screen experience that fans will enjoy,” said Tony Key, senior vice president of Sales and Marketing, Ubisoft. “The genres are different, yet both games share fun game play and replayability.”

A partial sampling of other key third-party games available this spring and summer includes:

• Injustice: Gods Among Us from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment launches April 16 with off-TV game-play functionality and an optional “Quick Moves List” lookup on the GamePad while the game plays on the television.
• Batman and Robin return in LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes this spring for Wii U from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, with off-TV functionality and enhanced interactive map viewable on the GamePad.
• Resident Evil: Revelations from Capcom returns on May 21, redefined for Wii U with exclusive Miiverse features, including the ability to post a dying message on the Game Over screen for other players around the world to see, and the “Creatures Voice” function allowing players to personalize the thoughts of enemies in Raid Mode and taunt their friends.
• Fast & Furious: Showdown from Activision launches May 21 with adrenaline-packed racing action for Fast & Furiousfans.
• Sniper Elite V2 from 505 Games launches this May with new controls and a level of interactivity only possible with the Wii U GamePad touch screen.
• Coming soon to Wii U, DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION ? DIRECTOR’S CUT from Square Enix is packed with new features exclusive to the Wii U, including Miiverse integration and multiple game-play improvements leveraging the Wii U GamePad.

Games that will be available exclusively as digital downloads in the Nintendo eShop for Wii U include:

• DuckTales Remastered from Capcom: Releasing this summer, DuckTales Remastered is a hand-crafted, beautiful HD reimagining of one of the most iconic Disney 8-bit titles that follows the adventures of Scrooge McDuck as he explores differently themed worlds to collect their treasures and become the world’s richest duck.
• Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara from Capcom brings HD re-workings of two of Capcom’s classic arcade hits ? Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom and Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara ? together in one definitive digital package in June, complete with a wealth of enhancements and game-play options.
• Mutant Mudds Deluxe from Renegade Kid launches in Q2 with off-TV functionality and 20 new ghostly levels that are exclusive to Wii U.
• Spin the Bottle from Knapnock Games: Spin the Bottle is a party game where players look at each other rather than the TV, launching in early summer.
• Scram Kitty and his Buddy on Rails marks Dakko Dakko’s Nintendo eShop debut. A frenetic action platform game with unique controls and a striking visual style, Scram Kitty and his Buddy on Rails will be released for Wii U later in 2013.

Remember that Wii U features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu.