Epic VP Mark Rein will be shocked if the Wii U isn't a hit for Nintendo when it launches later this year.
Sepaking to Eurogamer at GDC in San Francisco last week, Rein argued that parents are ready to upgrade their kid's Wii to Nintendo's new system.
"I like the Wii U. I think E3 will be a big eye-opener for people," he predicted.
"I played Batman: Arkham City on the Wii U and they are doing some really cool stuff with the controller.
"Do you remember the Zelda demo they had on it? Would you not buy a Wii U just to play that? Of course you would. That's what Nintendo is all about. Their hardware is the software delivery service for their great content. That Zelda demo was gorgeous and we can do even more than that with Unreal Engine 3. I think it will do great."
Rein added that Nintendo's brand recognition and beloved IP should see it fly off shelves, though he suggested that it might have been quicker off the mark with getting the machine to stores.
"It's a great brand that a lot of parents really trust and they're probably ready to buy their kids an HD Wii that does that much more than just being an HD Wii.
"I'd love it if they'd done it last year, but I'm excited for them to do it this year. I'd be shocked if it doesn't do well.
"Did you play that Battle Mii game? Two players would play with a Wii Remote and Nunchuk and one would play with the Wii U controller?
"I would buy a Wii U to play that game in a heartbeat. And I hope people make those kind of games with our technology. I think we've yet to really see what the Wii U can do and I think at E3 this year they're going to shock us."
Earlier this year Nintendo president Satoru Iwata suggested that, more than ever, the company will be looking to partner with third parties when developing high-spec core games that fall outside of its traditional comfort zone.
Might Epic step up to the plate with a new IP for the system, a la Gears of War on the Xbox 360?
"If I had 10 development teams I'd make a game for every single platform and make that the special game for that platform," replied Rein.
"If you're the special game on that platform you do really, really well. Gears was one of the special ones on Xbox 360. Infinity Blade is a special game on the iPhone and iPad. Shadow Complex was a special game on Xbox Live Arcade.
"But we don't have 10 development teams so it's just a matter of picking and choosing what we do and doing the best thing we can for the idea that we have."
Epic currently has two titles in development: Infinity Blade: Dungeons for iOS and Fortnite for as-yet unconfirmed platforms.
