High Voltage compares The Conduit to GTA

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 16 December, 2010

"Nobody knows anything about GTA 1, 2."

The developer behind Wii-exclusive first-person shooter series The Conduit has compared its difficult beginnings to the journey taken by gargantuan sandbox series Grand Theft Auto.

Responding to the issue of disappointing review scores for the 2009 shooter (Oli turned up a 5/10 in Eurogamer's The Conduit review), High Voltage Software pointed towards the first two Grand Theft Auto games and their lack of success.

"I'm not going to make a comparison to Grand Theft Auto... but okay, I'm going to make a slight comparison to Grand Theft Auto," senior producer Kevin Sheller said in a new The Conduit 2 interview published today.

"The first two GTA games, nobody knows anything about them, right? Grand Theft Auto 1? Nobody even said that word. They never said two either. It wasn't until Grand Theft Auto 3 that people really got excited about what they were doing.

"We look at the first Conduit as our learning experience, our foundation work – and we'll see where we go from there."

The Conduit 1 fell flat both commercially and critically despite High Voltage's promise of a Wii game that would look like and offer the same features as a shooter on PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360.

While High Voltage admitted reviews were "fair", the developer was satisfied with the game's performance, and revealed its deal with publisher SEGA was, from the beginning, for two games.

"We were pleased with the first announcement of the sales," producer Keith Hladik said. "I don't recall exactly, but it was about 100,000 for the first few weeks. Coming from where we were at – we're an independent studio and this is our first IP – we had pretty decent sales and the reviews were fair.

"I don't recall anyone being down. We already knew we were going to make a sequel, so the fallout from that was we were determined to make the sequel way better than the first one."

In October The Conduit 2 was delayed to February 2011 to incorporate new content and fan feedback from its E3 2010 showing.

High Voltage has promised local split-screen multiplayer, revamped online play, MotionPlus functionality and Classic Controller support.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (40) Latest comment 1 year ago

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  • ryandsimmons #1 1 year ago

    Um... GTA 1 and 2 were very successful.

    Largely due to a campaign waged by the papers to try to ban them.
    Edited by ryandsimmons at 16/12/10 @ 11:36

  • MisterFalseName #2 1 year ago

    I loved GTA 1. Grrrr.

  • ChthonicEcho #3 1 year ago

    Firstly, the GTA franchise had established a new genre. Secondly, GTA 1 came out in 1997, whereas its sequel arrived in 1999 - that's over a decade ago.

    The Conduit not only was lacklustre, it came out a year ago.

  • Freek #4 1 year ago

    Not noticed by the mainstream maybe, but core gamers knew what GTA was and that it was good. Same can't be said about The Conduit.

  • richarddavies #5 1 year ago

    When Gta1 came out everyone went mental for it. Everyone I knew played it. I HATE this guy he makes me SICK. BAN THIS FILTH

  • stegabba #6 1 year ago

    i loved gta 1 n 2 was pretty good, this guy knows sweet fuck all

  • Eraysor #7 1 year ago

    I used to play GTA 1 and 2 a lot before 3 arrived...

  • Golgo #8 1 year ago

    The only flaw in that otherwise impeccable logic is that GTA 1 and 2 were great and successful and innovative. Anyhoo, A few years hence and Conduit will be a globe-devouring franchise...
    Edited by Golgo at 16/12/10 @ 11:57

  • Golgo #9 1 year ago

    ps.: yep, that trailer is shit.

  • benfresh76 #10 1 year ago

    GTA was an original, well executed concept, even in it's first iteration. The Conduit is a generic, flawed and uncompetitive FPS in a saturated market where most genre fans look at the host platform as a bit of a joke. I remember High Voltage confidently spouting this kind of hyperbole in the run up to the Conduit's release...There must be some good coke flying around that studio.

  • Mkwone #11 1 year ago

    Oh please, anyone who was into gaming in the 90's know and remembers GTA fondly.

  • darkmorgado #12 1 year ago

    Erm... but GTA was actually very, very good. And a lot of people remember it. It was a christmas present for a lot of kids the year it came out.

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #13 1 year ago

    Maybe GTA 1 & 2 didn't do well overseas? Because, as EVERYONE ELSE has said, they were very successful critically and, I believe, commercially over here.

    GTA 1 was one of those late-90s PC games to really stoke tabloid ire, alongside Carmageddon.

  • sonicyoda #14 1 year ago

    I remember the first 2 GTAs in detail. I remember taping the menu theme from 1 onto a cassette because it was the most bad-ass rap song I'd heard up to that point. I remember running down hare-krishnas because you supposedly got bonus points. I remember rampaging through the streets with a bazooka and setting buildings on fire (to think the first game has more enviromental damage than 4!). I remember nicking a superbike and jumping the bridge for the hell of it.

    The Conduit? I remember it being fucking difficult and acted by a bunch of mannequins.

    Simpler times; good times.

  • Ryze #15 1 year ago

    BOLLOCKS.

  • PixelPirate #16 1 year ago

    played GTA 1 tons when it came out, it was great. And yes it sold a bucketload thanks to the newspapers trying to ban it.

    GTA 2 was a bit more "meh" and it felt like they were treading water with the London edition, both perfectly serviceable but not offering a whole lot new.

    The problem is he is comparing a game that was on an old console which looked and played very different to its jump to 3D on version 3. It effectively was a brand new game, it just used the existing IP and ideas built on that, so unless he is planning on offering the Conduit 3 on a new console and a different FPS experience, then his comparison is pretty flawed.

  • kitsuneyo #17 1 year ago

    I came here to say what everyone else has said about GTA. Great game that was full of new ideas.

    High Voltage has only bad games to its name, from what I've read.

  • reelbigkris #18 1 year ago

    not every artist's obscure and seemingly random produce can be classified as art in the same way as the obscure paintings by Salvador Dali or Picasso....

    I am afraid not every games failure can be salvaged by comparing it to the slow burnign success of another title... Even more so if that title was actually a genre defining and recieved a great deal of publicity whether good or negative. Sorry, but your game did not sell because there are far better thigns to purchase

    The best thing you could have said is "We understand some criticsm that the first game had and are working to produce a better game"... Not blame the consumers for not purchasing it! :p

  • Sunyavadin #19 1 year ago

    GTA2 was MASSIVE back in the day. And GTA was big enough to guarantee they made GTA2.
    The Daily Fail and company's BAN THIS SICK FILTH campaign was headline news around the country for weeks.

    I'd say that kills the comparison right there.

  • geeza2020 #20 1 year ago

    Its already been said. GTA 1 & 2 were huge, and this numpty has no idea what he blathering about.

  • asphaltcowboy #21 1 year ago

    GTA1 was amazing. And EVERYONE was talking about it. Or did I just fall into an alternate dimension?
    Edited by asphaltcowboy at 16/12/10 @ 12:42

  • 32768Colours #22 1 year ago

    By his (flawed) logic, The Conduit 3 would end up being the turning point in the series' success.

    Unlucky for him then, that SEGA have only signed them up for 2 Conduit games!

  • Kill_Crazy #23 1 year ago

    GTA 1, 2 and London were all great in their time. All my mates played them at the time, where do they get these people from?

  • imamazed #24 1 year ago

    Stop being pedantic everyone. Yes, he's probably exaggerating the limited scope of GTA1 and 2 but a valid point is there. GTA 1 and 2 were popular within smaller circles, but GTA3 hit the big time. That's all he's saying really.
    Edited by imamazed at 16/12/10 @ 13:14

  • Whizzo #25 1 year ago

    Some developers really do talk a load of bollocks.

  • darleysam #26 1 year ago

    GOURANGA!

    I'm sorry, what?

  • Kaminari #27 1 year ago

    Kevin Sheller apparently hasn't been in the videogame business for very long.

  • kinky_mong #28 1 year ago

    @imamazed: The Conduit isn't even popular in small circles!

  • Bleemo #29 1 year ago

    "GTA 1 and 2 were popular within smaller circles"

    GTA 1 sold 1 million copies and GTA 2 sold in excess of 2 million copies at a time when there were less gamers. The conduit has sold several hundred thousand copies on a system with over 70 million users. he was talking deluded shite as he did around the time of the initial release. Someone obviously told him the old adage about appearing confident at all times, which when you have little to no talent comes across as smug.

  • Codger81 #30 1 year ago

    I beg to differ, the original GTA is still one of the best games ever. Cartoony graphics coupled with a sick and dirty sense of humour - classic.

  • darkmorgado #31 1 year ago

    I would actually pay real money if they chucked GTA1+2 onto PSN or XBLA.

    Do it rockstar. Do it NOW

  • hello_fi #32 1 year ago

    I wouldn't pay money, but I'd love to see darkmorgado stop posting on here.

  • Harmonica #33 1 year ago

    Haha, Grand Theft Auto was probably the most notable computer game to non-computery folks since Super Mario. GTA2 was and is eminently memorable to anyone with half a knowledge or passion for these kind of things.

    Developer makes crap game, talks crap about games. The two might just be connected.

  • Sid-Nice #34 1 year ago

    There was many a PSone chipped which could have a bearing on the relatively low sales of GTA 1 and 2. Yet chipped consoles didn't prevent Grand Turismo and Final Fantasy selling 10 million on the same format. The guy was using GTA 1 and 2 as an example on how a game series can evolve in popularity.

    Obviously GTA 3 was the second most ground breaking game in the history of gaming (Mario 64) just pips it IMO. As for Conduit 2 it will have to be going some to match GTA 3’s 15 million sales.
    Edited by Sid-Nice at 16/12/10 @ 18:12

  • Pasco #35 1 year ago

    I thought GTA1 was the cover story of an Edge issue and got a 9.

  • Lord_BeeJee #36 1 year ago

    I want some of what this guy is smoking!

  • SL33PY #37 1 year ago

    that guy is full of s*** GTA 1+2 were very well known and loved in their days. Not to mention revolutionary. The way he compares his piece of mediocre rubble tht few dare to call a good game is shameless and inaccurate

    To the pits of oblivion with him and his spawn

  • zeldasdad #38 1 year ago

    They say they're not hyping this game as much as the overhyped first one and then they go and compare it o GTA 3 ha ha
    Edited by zeldasdad at 16/12/10 @ 22:03

  • imamazed #39 1 year ago

    "GTA 1 sold 1 million copies and GTA 2 sold in excess of 2 million copies at a time when there were less gamers."

    Yeh, that's fair, like I said, he probably exagerrated how little GTA 1 and 2 were bought/played. It's more the scale isn't it. The Conduit sold a few hundred thou it seems, so he's saying this one could sell just over a mill. It's not a literal example, god help you if you thought it was...

  • Mobley #40 1 year ago

    Looks like he's talking about the mass market. "Grand Theft Auto III launched in 2001 and sold over 12 million units." That's when GTA became a household name. Now maybe Conduit will never be a household name, but that's a different topic.