WiiWare developers do not get paid by Nintendo unless their games sell over a specific number according to reports. WiiWare developers do not get paid by Nintendo unless their games sell over a specific number according to Gamasutra publisher and Independent Games Festival chairman Simon Carless. Carless said the threshold was in the thousands and unless a game passed the required number, the developers would not receive any return on their investment.

He believed the threshold was in place to ensure developers only submitted quality games which had a good chance of meeting the required number of downloads (ie no shovelware). Carless also believes Nintendo may be changing the minimum threshold policy in the future.

Source: IGN