In a post on Heart Forth, Alicia's Kickstarter, developer Alonso Martin revealed that his metroidvania RPG is canceling the WiiU port in lieu of a Switch version. The reason provided was that the WiiU eshop is effectively dead, and thus distribution is simply a bad business decision for the platform. Anyone who previously ordered a console key will be able to swap out their existing WiiU code for a Switch one at a later date. Additionally, the developers will be opening up a chance for backers to grab a Switch code for 5 USD, even if they'd never previously purchased an add-on before.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQUcjcQpshc
The more unfortunate news is that Heart Forth, Alicia will miss its planned 2019 release window. This is not the first time it has been delayed, either. The last major delay came in 2017, and Martin says in the most recent post on Kickstarter that the reasons behind the delay haven't changed. In essence, there are three main factors into the delay:
- The scope of the project means that much work remains to be done in adding side content and backer-supported missions
- The development tools have issues that cannot be overcome
- Extended crunch would compromise the health of the development team
Set in an ancient world wracked by calamity, young wizard Alicia finds herself on the run from an evil spirit that has cast her into a world she never knew existed. The story is told as a mix of in-game footage and live-action cutscenes. Heart Forth, Alicia promises a complex, magic-infused world with centuries of history and mythology to explore. Though we won't get our chance to play it in in a full release later this year, fans of pixelated Metroidvania action can check out Heart Forth, Alicia when it comes to the Switch sometime in the future.
