How Does Exclusivity Affect Your Anticipation for a Game?

Push Square: "For as few exclusives as there are these days, the word still gets a lot of mileage on message boards. Lists have become a profound form of ammunition among system soldiers, with elite titles compared and contrasted in increasingly heated wars of attrition. But how important is exclusivity to you? And does the aging concept have an impact on the experiences that you’re looking forward to?"

[PopRocks359]

Usually not a lot. If a game looks good then it really does not matter what console it's on. There are exceptions though; I think Rayman Legends was a big one for many a Nintendo fan.

[IcyEyes]

Exclusive mean more effort from the developer ...

[PopRocks359]

The two are not mutually exclusive at all, there is no direct correlation between quality and exclusivity. There is quite a few fantastic multiplatform games as well. LA Noire, Brutal Legend, Darksiders and Mortal Kombat to name a few.

That's not to say exclusives are bad, but to suggest that multiplatform games are somehow hampered by being developed for more than a single console is silly. ZombiU is exclusive and while I do enjoy the game, the amount of bugs it had upon release suggest Ubisoft rushed it out or did not invest a great deal of effort into it.

[LOGICWINS]

????

Wouldn't it actually mean LESS effort since they are working on only one platform as opposed to two or three?

[IcyEyes]

I was pretty sure someone will not understand the meaning of my words ... my bad :)

I dont compare nothing to nothing.
There a LOT of AWESOME multiplat games.

The publisher of an exclusive game NEED (and require) to have an high quality game and that's why usually an exclusive game on console its an AAA.

[killcycle]

In most cases, Exclusive games generally have a higher demand and launch title like Res:FOM have to set an example and showcase the power of the console they're released on so have a much higher budget then normal.

The thing with this is that when they then decide to release a sequel they need to raise the bar even higher.

When a console is being developed for 1 console rather then multiple it normally does mean better quality, My opinion is just based on what I've seen from first party Ps3 games, 360 and even Dreamcast.

[Why o why]

Many exclusives are best in their class or genre and have won games of the year this gen.

Many exclusives utilise a platforms advantages and usually better circumvent its deficiencies.

The developers of exclusives need only focused on one set of parameters, be it disk size, ram and memory, motion control, standard hdd across the board etc.

They dont have to worry about contractual obligations like we've heard have been put on devs, to keep the games looking or performing equally.

Exclusives build a brand and distinguish a console.

Its these things, to varying degrees, that heightens my anticipation for exclusives.

[dcbronco]

Logic,

I would think it would be the opposite. Since you're working on one platform you cn optimize because you know the exact feature set of the machine and don't have to worry about differences in architecture. Plus I'm sure you would be getting more support from that console maker, if you want support in future projects you need to perform well. That could prove the difference between the ability to make a new project and not having the resources. Your rep is everything.

[BattleAxe]

It totally affects my decision as to which console I will buy. Sony has some of the best games that you can't get anywhere else, so my decision is making process is easy. For everything else there's Steam.

[PopRocks359]

Fair answer, but they asked how it affects your view of a game, not a console.

[NastyLeftHook0]

exclusive games are not gimped because of a weaker console. so yes my anticipation for games like the last of us are high.

[Irishguy95]

Yeah we were lucky Halo didn't go multiplat. It would have become a corridor shooter with interactive cutscenes and no vehicles.

[Bathyj]

Well in the time Halo was being developed before Microsoft swooped in on a company with financial problems, and bought them, and the game it was going to be multiplat. It was also going to be a 3rd person shooter and have features like terrain deformation from grenades.

But things change and we ended up with a great game that had a few brilliant wide open levels, but also a half dozen filled with copy paste level design and those corridors you seem to hate so much repeated over and over again.

The point is exclusives are tailored to the console its on, for good or bad. Think about that word tailored for a second. When you go to a tailor, he makes a suit to fit you, and no one else. Its the same with an exclusive game and they can used to show what a console can do, and why you want one over another.

And I didn't come in here to attack Halo. In fact, no one mentioned Halo til you and I still think its the best in the series and the reason I bought an xbox as soon as I saw it.

[Soldierone]

Depends.

If its timed exclusive, its the most stupid thing in the world. It kills all anticipation for me.

However if a game is being built from the ground up to only run on one console, it will probably be better quality.

[Jek_Porkins]

I think it depends on the game, I always have all the consoles so it isn't an issue, nothing is exclusive from me, but I have franchises that I prefer and get more excited about.

Overall though it isn't something I've really thought much about.

[IK IR Y IP T]

yea same here that's when u get the fan boys the poor lil guys who can only afford one system so they defend it with there life. But as a owner of all systems i like what each systems exclusives have to offer ..

[KingKelloggTheWH]

I tend to prefer Exclusive games on whatever platform they are on.

[TopDudeMan]

Not even remotely. I've played a lot of games and can say that exclusivity has no bearing on the quality of the game. It's all about the studio that's making it.

[rezzah]

Exclusive games tend to be more unique, and I like unique games. My interests is usually higher.

Still I don't give into hype as I once did, its annoying to be conscious of a game until the day it releases.

[USMC_POLICE]

If it comes out on a platform I have then I'll get it. If not I don't go buy the system.

[stage88]

I pretty much only buy exclusives. As I've got a PS3 the games really do shine since they aren't gimped for other consoles.

[YodaCracker]

You must buy very few games then...

Exclusivity does not affect my anticipation for a game at all. I like the franchises and genres I like regardless of what platform they are on. I love Forza Motorsport not because it is a 360 exclusive, but because it is a deep and fun racing game. Ni No Kuni being a PS3 exclusive does not increase my interest in it. I dislike JRPGs so I would not care about it no matter which platforms it was on.

The only good thing about console exclusivity is that it allows the developers to focus on getting the most power out of that one console, like Naughty Dog with Uncharted and 343 with Halo. Those games showcase the beautiful graphics these consoles are capable of, but graphics do not make a game, and that's one of the few things I think are compromised when developing a multiplatform game.

[itBourne]

How must he buy very few games? I just realized the majority of my games are exclusive as well. And u shld give ni no kuni a chance, its an amazing game ^^

[Bathyj]

I love Sonys 1st party games, but you really should broaden your horizons abit. Theres plenty of great multiplat games I wouldn't have wanted to miss out on.

[KrisButtar]

I own some exclusives for different systems, and tried others. There is only a couple that I would say are good but most of these exclusives don't fall into the genres that I like or give me a style of play I like. Which makes my opinion bias?

[CanadianTurtle]

I expect positive reviews from exclusive games. I mean, if you look at it this way, "exclusive games" are pretty much a company's statement on showing "why you should buy X console over Y console."
If the exclusive games of a console have received poor reviews, then it's going to make it that much harder for me to buy the console. Good exclusives matter.

[Bathyj]

Its not so much the fact the game can't be bought on any other platform that raises by anticipation, its the expectation of quality when a game comes from a certain list of developers that you know have the platform holders backing and full resources, as well as not having to worry about other hardware configerations, or constaining publisher demands.

[Sketchy_Galore]

If it's exclusive to a system I don't own that brings down my anticipation a little. Other than that not much.

[Why o why]

They differentiate

[WalterWJR]

If it was not for exclusives you may as well always have one console with different types pads. Multi plats can cause major issues, look at black ops 2 or bayonetta. Skyrim is another example.

[ShaunCameron]

And also Grand Theft Auto IV, Final Fantasy XIII, etcetera having to be stripped-down in content to accommodate lesser consoles. Equality at work.

[dafegamer]

It means to me a lot ;) Thats why i stick to the Companies with the best and most First Party output: Sony and Nintendo

[FrigidDARKNESS]

Not at all....you have third party games that looks plays better than exclusives.

[P_Bomb]

And most certainly vice versa:

Exclusive MLB13: The Show http://www.metacritic.com/g... 88%
Multiplat MLB: 2K13 http://www.metacritic.com/g... 48%

[WickedLester]

Well, it depends on the game but generally yes, as PS3 owner I anticipate exclusives more than multiplats because exclusives are coded closer to the metal and take better advantage of the hardware. However that's not to say I'm not enjoying the great multiplat games out there like Skyrim, Bioshock Infinite, Mass Effect series, Tomb Raider, The Walking Dead, etc

[ShaunCameron]

Quite a lot. It's not to say console-exclusivity automatically = greatness, but I prefer them for how much use they usually make of the hardware and the identity they tend to give the hardware with games not available anywhere else.

[southernbanana]

Exclusivity really does not matter as I own all consoles for each generation. What matters more is whether the game is entertaining and well designed.