Does the Console Exclusivity of Rise of the Tomb Raider Really Matter Anymore?

Last year at Gamescom, Microsoft unleashed a bombshell of sorts: Rise of the Tomb Raider, the sequel to 2013’s reboot of the Tomb Raider series, will be an Xbox One exclusive. However, as many believed that it would be a “pure” console exclusive, the wording constantly hinted at the game inevitably coming to other platforms. After all, Lara Croft originally debuted on the PlayStation One, so it wasn’t surprising when the news dropped that Lara Croft’s new adventure would hit the PlayStation 4 holiday 2016.

[Sureshot]

Not really. Ps4 owners will be too busy with Uncharted until TR hits later on. Xbox owners don't really have anything similar to Uncharted to they'll be playing TR sooner.

[StrayaKNT]

How long would it possibly take to finish uncharted? 3-4 days?

Ofcorse it matters, otherwise you wouldn't be here commenting on something that doesn't matter.

[Sureshot]

If it takes you 3-4 days to finish and be done with a game like Uncharted there wouldn't be enough triple A releases to satiate your gaming needs. If Uncharted released on xbox I'll be playing that till my fingers bleed.

[Loktai]

Uncharted has online play. Not something tomb raider Is known for.

[StrayaKNT]

@loyal

Not something both games are known for really which is why they're both done in 3-4 days

[parentsbasement]

3 or 4 glorious days , turn off the phone , call in sick and DONT F'N BOTHER ME ! days...

[Griever]

What kind of logic is that? He cant comment if he doesnt care? Where do you guys come up with these kind of stupid rules? I dont care either and I am commenting too so obviously you are wrong with that logic. I am reading this article and commenting only because I want to see how this exclusivity deal impacts the game and the Tomb Raider franchise since its original home was on Playstation. The latest TR has become too much similar to Uncharted and Uncharted 4 is better in every way so PS4 gamers will not miss the game much.

Anyway, the game has only gotten bad press and negative publicity out of this exclusivity deal. I think SE has damaged the franchise significantly by betraying the trust of the PS4 gamers. There isnt a single TR that did not release on Playstation on release so naturally the fans felt betrayed by this sudden exclusivity deal for a platform with a lower installed base and lower TR sales history. The release window is not a smart choice either with so many big games releasing especially Fallout 4. It is like they want to kill the Tomb Raider brand.

[pivotplease]

Uncharted is the kind of game you play maybe three times through or more. TR is one and done. Hit it and quit it.

[Darkfist]

if uncharted takes you 3-4 days to finish, then tomb raider takes 1 day to finish, add the multiplayer which people still playing and only you fanboys going to ignore.

[PSIN4MANT]

Answering those pesky questions, he responded to the articles question.

No it doesn't matter, it'll come to the ps4 those who can't wait will get an xbox one.

But the year long exclusivity doesn't really hold any weight considering the cat was let out of the bag about it coming to other platforms.

[suckingeggs]

@straya

What the hell are you talking bout? Can you show me the survey you Did on uncharteds game length to come to such a flippant conclusion? And that's not even including the multiplayer aspect...

Tomb raider exclusivity is not much of an issue anymore because people now know for certain it is coming to ps4 (We had greenburg lying saying it wasn't) and the gap between uncharted in the spring and tomb raider in the holidays is perfect spacing... Who wants to play to similar games within three months of each other?

Xbox owners get bragging rights of playing it first... Ps4 owners get an extra AAA game in the holidays of 2016.

[freshslicepizza]

some people will finish uncharted 4 in a single day and the game doesn't ship until spring next year. and when uncharted 4 comes out xbox owners will have already played tomb raider and will be gearing up for quantum break.

microsoft is starting to learn by not having all of their big games in one quarter and next year looks impressive. the ps4 line-up also looks very impressive for 2016 but there is no denying the xbox one has a very dense line-up for the rest of 2015 starting with gears remaster this month.

@suckingeggs
"Who wants to play to similar games within three months of each other?"

ps4 owners obviously. sony is shipping the uncharted collect and then uncharted 4. so ask yourself who wants to play 5 uncharted games in a short span? ps4 owners do. and tomb raider is not the same as uncharted and why is it you can have multiple rpg's and fps games but not two games sort of alike in a 4 month window? you make no sense.

[SquidBuck]

It also has multiplayer.

[gatormatt80]

@StrayaKNT

I'm guessing by saying 3-4 days what you really meant was 72-96 gaming hours of Uncharted 4 greatness. Sounds like a dang good time to me.

[NeverHeavyMan]

I've seen some ridiculous posts in my time, but this might just be the worst! This is where you step away from the keyboard and evaluate what you post. "Uncharted isn't known for online-play". Takes a lot to get worse than that.

OT: In any case, it matters because we're keep seeing these stories and it gets people talking in a big way.

[suckingeggs]

@moldy bread

Wow didnt know you played uncharted 4 and knew many people will finish it in a day..fanboys really do have crystal balls

Uncharted collection is what in September/october?

Uncharted 4 is NOT in December so no Its not releasing 3 month's apart..
The 4th uncharted Is rumored to be coming in April/may that's a good 8 months..and that collection is for owners who never had a ps3.. And if there are those who do want to play it again I wouldnt blame them Its the highest rated franchise of last gen that Microsoft have no answer to which is why they Did a timed exclusive ..

..what are the multiple Rpgs you speak of? Please enlighten me didnt know the Xbox or PS4 was swamped with soo many Rpgs all released within couple months of each other... Please name them..

The only one not making sense is you but fanboys rarely do

[VforVideogames]

Tomb Raider did debuted on the original Playstation but it wasn't a console exclusive it was also release on the Sega Saturn on the same day. I wonder why they don't mention that?

[VforVideogames]

I remember playing this game on my Sega Saturn and hated the PS because I was more of a sega fan but in game magazine the word was that the Saturn was really hard to make games for... then ... enter Gran Turismo and that's when I got my first playstation the rest is history.

[Bigpappy]

Does the Console Exclusivity of Street Fighter V Really Matter Anymore?

[Genuine-User]

Yep. Far more than Tomb Raiders timed-exclusivity.

[Darkfist]

it does, unlike Tomb Raiders timed-exclusivity

[HammadTheBeast]

It kind of does considering it's one of, if not the, biggest fighting game out there. The fighting game scene alone will make it big. It's also on PC though so that's something.

[DigitalRaptor]

Yes it does. But nice try.

Street Fighter is basically the biggest fighting game out there, and counts as one of the most beloved gaming franchises in history, even today. Not only has it sold more on PlayStation in the past, but will be synonymous with the PS4 once it hits, regardless of the PC version also being available to buy and interact with from a player standpoint. It will be huge for PS4, and will be marketed on PS4. In a big, big way.

Not only this, but the game will only ever be on PS4 from a console standpoint. That's what happens when you're upfront about a game's exclusivity from the beginning. You don't have to dodge it like a horrifically burdened PR dude - just be honest to your audience and great things happen.
------

In answer to the article's question, I'll just quote UTH11's perfect comment below:

"No. It was supposed to go up against Uncharted this fall. Then that got delayed and too many other big games are seeing release for it to make that big of a splash." http://n4g.com/news/1774465...

So true, and somebody screwed up by agreeing to launch it on the same day as FALLOUT 4, a game with so much more visibility, brand strength and desirability. The better versions of Rise of the Tomb Raider will release next year. PC version in summer and PS4 version during the holiday - when the game will not suffer from being invisible against the biggest game releases. Thank Square Enix for making one of the worst timed-exclusive deals in recent memory.

[uth11]

No. It was supposed to go up against Uncharted this fall. Then that got delayed and too many other big games are seeing release for it to make that big of a splash.

[smashman98]

Lol tomb raider and fallout 4 come out the same day so the choice is easy I think my brother is still picking up tomb raider on launch day though

[bananaboats]

TR 1st then Fallout

[DrumBeat]

None of this crap matters if you own both consoles.

[Genuine-User]

I agree, it's better to own both in my opinion. But I can understand why some cant.

[TwoForce]

Well, i have both console. But i will buy Uncharted collection, Teraway Unfolded, Halo 5 and Star War. I will wait Rise of Tomb Raider for next year. So yeah, no biggie. When September come, i will buy MGS 5. There is bunch of games on PS4 and Xbox one you can play.

[Spotie]

It still matters. It's just that the reasons WHY it matters change.

If you own just one, then it determines what you can or can't play.

If you own both, the question becomes more political, though a few like to pretend such things don't matter.

[WildArmed]

Of course console exclusivity matters, it's the reason why we picked up what console we did.

Uncharted, gears, God of war, halo, kill zone, etc are all franchises that made us decide what console we want.

That's not to say that TIMED exclusives matter. Whether this be FF7 remake or TR, timed exclusives don't really sway most people's opinion when it comes to determining what console they wamt

[Eiyuuou]

FFVII is still up in the air regarding its platforms. I've heard a rumor saying that it'll come to PS4 and PC. I take it with a grain of salt tbh. But, I wouldn't be surprised if it is.

[pivotplease]

It says play it first on ps4 so my guess is a year timed. Maybe less knowing Square's multiplats tendencies.

[NeverHeavyMan]

FFVII is coming to PS4, first. Nothing up in the air about that. As for other platforms, the rumor is PC. Plenty of time till we hear anything on that, anyway.

[Eiyuuou]

After reading my comment again, I realised that I really phrased it poorly... --'

[gif]

Yeah PS4 first then maybe PC

[chrisx]

"Timed Exclusive"

[crazychris4124]

Only matters to people who dont know better. When they see the commercials and then at the end it says Only on Xbox One, they're gonna be like "This game looks great, guess I'll have to go out and buy a xbox." How many parents out there know that this game will be coming to PS4 and PC next year?? Im sure there are some but that number doesnt come close to the parents that have no clue but want to get their kids a new CHEAP gaming system. Everyone that follows gaming news knows to just wait it out. Im waiting for the PC version, might not pick it up until next summer.

[TKCMuzzer]

You may be right but I also think that parents will be easily swayed to anything that has COD on the cover, that will be everywhere leading to Christmas, that's just the way it is.
Plus, I think Microsoft have to put 'Only on Xbox One this year' or something similar when advertising Tombraider, otherwise it will be classed as false advertising.

[parentsbasement]

Not sure if it was possible but I think MS should have ponied up and made it totally exclusive so they would have their version of Uncharted...

[pivotplease]

I think it would have been if they had more market share.

[FITgamer]

Of course not, Lord Phil says market share isn't important when securing 3rd party content. /s

[jb227]

Here's a crazy notion, what if MS actually created their own first party Uncharted rival as opposed to just paying exorbitant amounts roughly equivalent to the full budget for 2-3 true exclusives? We already know what the TR series is & what it is capable of, but we will never know what a true first party MS Uncharted rival would be like because MS was too insecure and unwilling to spend the time and care it would take to make their own competing ip.

[gamertk421]

As long as people keep writing articles about it, I guess it does.

[lemoncake]

Microsoft has got an exclusive AAA game for almost every type of gamer this holiday, that's what matters and is what people will see.

[Genuine-User]

You sure?

JRPG
WRPG
Beat 'em up and hack and slash
Stealth game
Survival Horror
Adventure
Tower defense
Turn Based
Puzzle/Exploration
Sports
Music Game

Probably forgetting a few.

[suckingeggs]

@genuine user... You really left him with 'lemoncake' on his face with that reply ...

[lemoncake]

Cause people buy an Xbox to play AAA versions of Japanese, mobile or dead genres games, don't think so. So tomb raider isn't classed as an adventure game? Keep smoking your PS4 fumes, it will all be better next year... Maybe.

[Genuine-User]

@suckingeggs

That is not what I had in mind lol

@lemoncake

Are you an authority that dictates what is acceptible or worthy for Xbox gamers?

Tomb Raider is an action-adventure title, it's particularly different from a traditional adventure-game.

"Keep smoking your PS4 fumes, it will all be better next year... Maybe"

Trash-talking at its finest/lowest.

I own an Xbox One as well.

[lemoncake]

@genuine Guess I will see you in the next Xbox related article bringing it down, see yah.

[jznrpg]

Rpg. Jrpg. Tactical rpg. Story based games like Heavy Rain . Platformers fighters? Lots of genres out there -

[TwoForce]

Oh geez ! Can you give people a break ?

[DigitalRaptor]

So.... you were absolutely, unequivocally, 100% wrong about your very, very silly claim and now you're blowing smoke up somebody's ass for them proving that you were wrong? Then going ahead and making a snarky and inaccurate off-topic comment in regards to the PS4?

Holy crap man... just man up and admit that you were wrong. Way to go proving what was obvious about you before you even began commenting on this article.

And no - Tomb Raider is an action-adventure game which is fundamentally different from an adventure game like Myst or Grim Fandango.

[Ank666]

Earlier i was angry that RoTR is exclusive to XBone & Uncharted,the reason why CD chickened away from PS4 this fall was delayed(both bad for PS4 owners)

But when i saw RoTR gameplay i wasn't really "as" angry as I was before
it looked very very generic & nothing really special about it

not saying that i would't want it as soon as possible
but it's not really a game of Halo,Uncharted,Gears,GoW,TLOU magnitude

it can wait a year without me being bothered about it

coming to think of it....i didn't play Tomb Raider(2013) on day one either
I played it 6 months later to it's release for a 50% discount on PSN

http://psnprofiles.com/ank6...

It's just not that of a big deal

[jmc8888]

Sure it matters to Square-Enix because they won't be able to sell to well over 2/3rd of their customers for 6-12 months.

They are losing SO MUCH MONEY on this deal it's sad.

If they try to charge $60 for it when it goes on the PS4, it's not going to sell nearly as well as it could have, especially up against a discounted Uncharted game that they could of beat to market if it released on PS4 this year.

Imagine launching your product, but you can't collect 70 percent or more of the money from sales, because you can't sell to them. It's insane.

If they cut the price to say $40 for the PS4 launch, then they lose money that way. Lose-Lose for them.

That's why it matters. Square-Enix screwed themselves hard. Like 18 inch dildo with a 10 inch circumference without lube.

They took what was behind door #1 which was a small pile of cash, but behind door #3 was a new car, a trip around the world, and a much bigger pile of cash. Whoops.

I hope it doesn't impact the franchise, as in the sequel, it might. They could lose hundreds of thousands, if not millions of copies in sales.

[parentsbasement]

Your dildo reference seems to "accurate" to be a coincidence , you got that one or is it on your wish list?

[ninsigma]

Don't think anyone cares anymore, so if you stopped bringing it up, we would have less flame wars going on.

[TKCMuzzer]

You're right, I think the strange announcement from Square about a PS4 version before the Xbox One releases has pretty much taken the edge off the exclusivity deal.

[ninsigma]

Yup. Ps4 fans who really wanted it know it's coming to their console now. Unfortunately it's a year away but they don't NEED to buy an xbox for it if they never wanted one in the first and they'll be well tied over until its release with next years awesome releases.

[sovkhan]

It's timed exclusive...nothing more.

[AstroCyborg]

the biased media still downplaying the game thats how you know its going to be an amazing game

[ninsigma]

No one ever cared as much about this game until its exclusivity was announced. It was never considered a heavy hitter until xbox had timed rights to it. So while the announcement could be said to be good for the game because it now has more publicity than it ever would have before, that doesn't equate to an amazing game.

Having said that I'm very excited for it (always was) and I'm liking the new game play elements they've added :D

[AstroCyborg]

yeah in terms of media TR reboot was amazing it got goty awards & rotr will just carry on what the last game did but more

[DFresh]

It doesn't matter to me as long as I get to play it on PS4 I really don't care.
Also on a random thought I'm a little upset Uncharted: Nathan Drake Collection doesn't come with multiplayer/co op.
Either way I'm going to buy it but just it would of been that much more epic had Naughty Dog revamped Uncharted 2 MP/Co Op with next gen PS4 graphics/capabilities.
Hopefully Uncharted 4 beta will last me until Uncharted 4's release.
One can only hope.

[Lon3wolf]

Did it really matter in the first place, so much fuss on the net over basically nothing.

[GrimDragon]

A great console exclusive game or a couple of them will always sell consoles so to a degree yes it does matter. As for tomb raider I can't say at this time as I've not seen enough of this game to say it's a must have. But it's tomb raider it's been around for years so if I had to guess I'd say no it's not a must have system seller though it's likely to be a great game and some might buy xbone because of it but you won't see a huge sales spike over it especially on a timed exclusive which test your willingness to just wait it out.

[DarXyde]

Not really. No one will be starving for games. MGSV will be enough for me until spring, I'd say. Possibly longer.

[Paleblood]

Fallout 4 will eat Tomb Raider sales and momentum.

They should have moved TR release date. Going against one of the most hyped and waited games of the year that is also multiplatform is crazy. Not to mention that the stronger Tomb Raider user base is on PlayStation.

NDP and UK on December will be interesting to see.

[GoPanthers999]

I think this will be a great game, is it blockbuster console mover, not likely. PS4 has great options, possibly better options in the same genre.

[Tzuno]

I play only on PC, there are plenty of games to play right now, i will wait for this stupid console timed exclusivity to worn off and play it on PC, i am not gonna buy a console just for a few games.