Xbox fans were crying on Twitter yesterday about PS paying for exclusivity. Now look. At the end of the day, they should not be surprised, With the current marketshare Xbox has, it no surprise they would skip. It just not worth the resources for a small studio to port their games over.
I'm not sure everyone here is reading the article: "specifically, we’ve been unable to get split-screen co-op to work to the same standard on both Xbox Series X and S, which is a requirement for us to ship."
All the fanboys that were trying to say "Xbox Series S has a modern architecture, even though it's 2TF weaker than the Xbox One X, so no, it isn't holding back games this generation." just had their argument blown to bits.
"specifically, we’ve been unable to get split-screen co-op to work to the same standard on both Xbox Series X and S, which is a requirement for us to ship."
This is what I've been saying (to many, many disagree votes) since these consoles were revealed... Your game must run on the weakest system if it is multiplatform, and if any feature of that game cannot be done on the weakest system, it must be cut from all the systems (especially in the case where it affects the game's playability). They couldn't get split screen working, but instead of gimping their game for all systems by removing split screen, they kept it exclusive to the one that could. Of course, Series X could do it too, but MS forces devs to reelase all Series X games on Series S too, so, Series X had to go as well.
Yep I've pointed out many times small to medium studios don't have the resources to release on all platforms or its not worth the potentially low sales or losing money. PS5 in 2 years has almost 300 games that didn't release on Series X too so its not like Sony went and offered these studios anything so much as they need to be on successful platforms that buy games. Top 2 consoles that have the highest attach rate is Playstation and Nintendo.
For those people that think otherwise just consider this most consoles average 7-8 game purchases per console averaged out over a generation. PS4 confirmed the record console game sales of 1.5 billion software/games sold to 117 million PS4s. That's almost 12 games sold per console. That's why you release on Playstation over Xbox. For those who want to refute that also know the Xbox One only sold about 6.5 games per console in comparison. Gamepass has already cause 3 consecutive years of dropped 3rd party game sales too confirmed by Microsoft/Xbox reports too. Hence why so many games announced come only to Playstation/Switch Consoles.
No matter how you spin it, no matter how many times you want to repeat numbers that have no point considering that major games still release on Xbox, especially big triple A titles, Sony is still paying for triple A games to be timed and or straight up exclusive on Playstation. Final Fantasy, FF 7 Remake, Silent Hill are proof that Sony continues to pay for exclusive triple A titles.
Who said Sony doesn't pay for exclusivity? People are pointing out that it isn't always the case, so your fellow gamers need to stop complaining on Twitter assuming that's always the case.
You see, Gangsta 🤣, in your haste to feign victory, you overlooked the fact that these companies are not AAA studios. They neither have the manpower nor the money to waste on an unsure gamble. AAA companies have the money to bleed and the manpower to throw at the task. Sony, like many other companies, including MS & Nintendo, do pay for exclusivity TEMPORARILY and your point? Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime, Apple, Gamepass, etc. all have timed content. With your logic, every company is the devil for adhering to the rules of the game. Gangsta...🤣
"People are pointing out that it isn't always the case, ..."
Agreed, except this isn't the case here is it? Before the story update, everyone was ready to except that this studio just passed on Xbox for 'reasons', reasons they made up themselves and not from actual facts.
This site likes to throw every excuse as to why a company would choose Sony over Xbox with the exact exampls from some of the comments in this very article. Every excuse in the book is made, "they have a great relationship with Sony", "higher attachment rate", "better sales", etc etc, the list of excuses goes on and on except the obvious excuse of Sony paying for exclusivety. But as you can see if there's even a mention of Sony buying a third party game then it's an automatic defense reply of "MS does it too!!"
@Surgical Mix
Not even sure what your comment means. What companies aren't triple A studios? Larian? Because they are definitely making a triple A game with Baldurs Gate...do you even know what we're discussing here?
"Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime, Apple, Gamepass, etc. all have timed content."
Yes, I know that, I never said they didn't. And I never said they shouldn't. In fact I said multiple times that companies should have exclusive content, timed or otherwise.
What I don't do is call companies evil or say they're ruining the industry when they do.
"Before the story update, everyone was ready to except that this studio just passed on Xbox for 'reasons', reasons they made up themselves and not from actual facts."
Just as some thought Sony paid to keep it off Xbox before the story submission?
"But as you can see if there's even a mention of Sony buying a third party game then it's an automatic defense reply of "MS does it too!!""
Yeah, but people are acting like Sony is doing something dirty and underhanded though which is why that is the response.
@gangsta “ Sony is still paying for triple A games to be timed and or straight up exclusive on Playstation”
You know this how are you by chance working for Sony accountant firm and have copies of the checks and contracts 🤔. I think not you like me are just ASSuming as much and it’s your opinion based on your ASSumptions not on facts unless you can provide FACTUALLY legal information.
But when small studios develop exclusively for Xbox, they ‘paid them off’ right? Honestly, there’s a predictably ready made answer for any anti-Xbox narrative on this site.
What are you on about? They can't get the split screen co-op working on the xbox series XS, so you'll have to wait or play on PS5 or PC. There's no conspiracy or hate campaign here, so quit making up arguments.
If the "ready made answer" for that is the logical reasoning that no one would develop for the smallest and least profitable platform, with more resources required to develop for multiple SKU's of different performance, and more complicated dev tools. Funny that providing common sense and logical reasoning triggers someones defense. And, that people think mentioning these arguments exist orior to someone saying them somehow makes those arguments less sound.
And Sony fanboys crying like little bitches they can’t compete if Microsoft buys Activision/Blizzard to increase their market share. Can’t thump your chest over market share then get in a pissy rage if Xbox looks at significantly increase their market share percentage for better competition.
Ms already had more then sony why can't they compete. Piss poor management, maybe. Ms is Ms own worse enemy. They've been in consoles long enough and havent caught up or anything. Let's not talk about paying for 3rd party sh cause ms does this to. Some reason it just goes under the radar or just flat out ignored.
From the reports maybe Ms would be in a better position if yall would just buy some damn games. Look I know it isn't all Xbox players , but it's clearly a huge majority.
How are Xbox fans still falling for this ploy? Xbox already has MORE studios than Sony and Nintendo. They went on a shopping spree at the end of last gen, then bought Bethesda at the beginning of this gen. 23 studios. They STILL AREN'T GOOD AT MAKING THE DAMN GAMES AND GETTING THEM OUT IN A TIMELY MANNER. Jesus Christ. You really believe MS' narrative that they need "MORE" to "compete?" Geez, they are working you over good lol I wish people would get back to using logic and facts in these things. Activision Blizzard King has the biggest third party games in the world. COD, Overwatch, Crash, Spyro, Diablo, StarCraft, World of Warcraft, Candy Crush. They already own the biggest shooters in the history of video games. Halo, Gears, Doom, Wolfenstein. They have Elder Scrolls, Skyrim and Starfield. They now own 2/3rds of the best Western Rpg makers in video games. Right now, they actually have THE MOST TALENT out of the Big 3. They don't need ABK to compete at all. ALL OF THEM BUY THIRD PARTY EXCLUSIVES.
Microsoft buying up Publishers won't teach them management skills, if anything it'll overwhelm them more. Learn to properly manage what they have first before piling on more. Not to mention buying up a franchise that has been multiplatform for decades is not helping competition, it's just being a dick.
It's not about market share. Larian have clarified that they're having issues with split screen co-op. Seems like a weird thing to stall development but apparently that's the problem.
It appears to be a real issue on xbseries if I remember correctly halo split screen got canned as well🤷🏿, and we all thought that it was 343 ineptitude alone 😢 unlike this guys they couldn’t come out and say it straight up and put their masters on the spot
@Outside_ofthe_Box It's not that simple a lot of developers hate the Series S because it's under powered and Microsoft requires games to launch on both consoles if they want to be on Xbox so they can't choose to just release on the Series X. The Series X has a GPU that is about 3x more powerful than the Series S and it has a slightly faster clocked CPU. The RAM for the Series X is 10GB @ 560 GB/s and 6GB @ 336 GB/s vs 8 GB @ 224 GB/s and 2 GB @ 56 GB/s in the Series S.
They said the issue was Split Screen Co op. When you have another person playing with you everything will be taxed more so it would make sense the Series S would struggle. You probably already reduced assets for the less RAM on the Series S so you can't reduce it too much more and if you lower the resolution for the GPU then the CPU gets hit harder. They will likely have to go in and also put up artificial walls to limit where the player can go to reduce what needs to be rendered that way but if the levels weren't designed with that in mind it could take a long time to figure out because if the area is too small it could mess up some fights. You can't redesign the entire game around it either because all the other versions are already done and working.
Spicy take re: market share BUT I do agree with people jumping to conclusions with the paid exclusivity. Truth is here, straight from the horse’s mouth.
Studio is located in area where Microsoft has spent all week telling regulators how terrible they’re doing with marketshare and how they need to buy out the biggest publisher and make them part of their team to be able to compete. And somehow Jez and company act surprised when devs decide to spend resources elsewhere
IF and WHEN they ready. It’s crazy, I have said it several times. Microsoft pays billions for companies. Where in the realm of logic do people think Sony is paying off developers for exclusivity and Microsoft couldn’t outbid. Are there exclusivity deals that exist? Sure. “We here at Sony see a lot of potential in heavenly sword. We will pay half/all of the advertising cost, offer a team of specialist to come and support development on our dime to help have the game running on our system as best as possible.” That’s when the Devs take the deal or shop around to others that may have interest. “Well, we here at Microsoft don’t see enough value in your title to invest in it. If you have any other projects, let us know.” Happens vice versa as well. Always has. There’s also special relationships such as Sony and Square, or maybe the Devs see more value in publishing for one platform at a time. Or maybe they feel their games would sell better in a certain systems ecosystem or demographic. No deal needed. I really cannot see the logic of people that see this all otherwise. Not to start anything but it’s like flat earthers. All of the easily accessible scientific proof that you can do YOURSELF to prove that earth is round or spherical, but still choose to ignore it and illogically argue against it.
That's why I never understood the whole "underhanded" "dirty tactic" "bullying" comments people make when it comes to the timed exclusive stuff. There are a multitude of rational reasons why game might be exclusive to a platform.
Exactamundo. It could be the other side of the gamespass sword. Xbox gamers are waiting on games to come to gamespass. Literally are not buying games anymore.(Microsoft said it, so it can’t be refuted) I’ve had my series X from day one and I’ve bought zero games. Not going to go into all that, but it is known sales give a lot more income than a gamespass download. That’s why Indies and new series with no heat behind them could do great on there. Baldur gate WILL sell. Plenty at that.That all being said, It’s not logical for them to put it on gamespass and nobody is buying games on Xbox so where exactly do they see the return on the investment for making the game on Xbox? When it hits gamespass a year later? On PlayStation people are buying whole VR headsets lol. They are spending. I mean, I’m not saying this is the reason for sure, but that little thing of logic I keep mentioning… this isn’t a stretch.
Again, Gangsta 🤣, Sony affords their own devs to said companies to assure a proper showing on their platform. Isn't that making it cheaper on the dev AND making sure they have the best chances to put out the best product? Who wouldn't be opened to that deal? "We just want to say thank you to Sony for helping us with Deathloop." This was after the acquisition mind you. Showing that the value of their relationship didn't diminish because of MS buying them. That is a great show of character and appreciation for what Sony did for them. What I have yet to hear is any company thanking MS for their contributions beyond money. Gangsta
Exactly just look when Sony said yes to Genshin Impact whereas Xbox had the chance to make it Xbox exclusive turned it down and guess who is regretting that now?
Literally billions in revenue and Sony makes a huge profit for being open to different type of games.
"The company is reportedly building a team specifically to scout out Chinese games and developers with high potential in an attempt to emulate the same move made by Sony in 2017 with its China Hero Project, an initiative to help Chinese developers publish games on PlayStation.
While Microsoft has been doing so already in a smaller capacity for years, Genshin Impact reportedly added "a sense of urgency" according to Reuters' sources. It was one of 2020's biggest games, with its action RPG gameplay and anime-inspired open world setting drawing in millions of fans."
Xbox/Microsoft scrambling to make a team now when Sony started their heroes project in China in 2017!! That's FIVE full years AFTER Playstation started scouting games in China. That's how far behind Xbox/Microsoft is behind the curve.
Plus turning down a Marvel exclusive game?! Insanity.
Both examples where XBOX had HUGE opportunities that they didn't have any foresight to sign deals for and were offered the rights FIRST too! So Xbox fans always blaming Playstation when Xbox failed them is absolutely 💯 hilarious.
It mismanagement and poor decisions at its finest. I read this article about the actor Burt Reynolds turning down the role of Han Solo because he never thought a movie with interplanetary travel would sell. Nobody would want to see it. They offered him crazy lifetime royalties. When he saw Star Wars opening night line…. Look it up. Point is, Sony has somehow gathered a bunch of creatives & risk takers, supported them, and reaped the benefits. PlayStation had ALWAYS supported… well… everything. Every genre, every idea. The Eye Toy, intelligent cube, bushido blade, ridge racer, street fighter. Any and everything. Hell, I remember when Microsoft didn’t want 2D games on 360 and was turning games like guilty gear down back then. Fighting games also got zero visibility. Once they got BACKLASH they started putting them on Xbox Arcade. We are in the middle of a years long fighting game explosion that Microsoft has no intention of being a part of. Gamers FORCE Microsoft into getting games. Still to today, PlayStation is the system for fighting games. Microsoft has long since supported fighters now, but their time of denying them clearly hasn’t been forgotten by the devs.
"I really cannot see the logic of people that see this all otherwise."
I can, especially when Sony has been actively making third party deals to keep triple A games off Xbox. So it's not illogical to assume that Sony may have done the same for this game whether its a timed exclusive or them having a marketing deal in place that prevents this team from discussing a Xbox version.
You may have had a point otherwise if this was a japanese centric game, catered to a japanese audience, which do sell a lot better on playstation, but this isnt the case as this studio has released both Divinity Sins for Xbox. Has zero to do with anything else you said considering that western RPG's have been sellers on XBox. Enough so that they don't skip Xbox releases.
Also, how much sense does it make to develop a game for every conceivable gaming platform, including MAC(???), but leave out Xbox?
I like scientific proof also and all signs points to this game still releasing on Xbox...
Again with you tirade. PS5 had almost 300 games over 2 years that are available on PS5 and NOT Xbox. It's highly improbable that Playstation paid them all. Xbox just isn't as good an option plain and simple. For studios with limited funds for development going for the PS5 and Switch makes a lot of sense.
Glad this game ends up on Xbox most likely, but, small studios just can't do every platform due to developers cost.
As for your comment about 3rd party exclusives talk about idiotic and hypocrisy.
Yeah I am. I said small to medium sized teams might not have resources to do more platforms. Almost 300 games that are on PS5 are NOT available on Xbox Series S/X during the first 2 years on the market would suggest I'm right.
Also Larian is NOT a small or medium they are a large studio. Average studio sizes for AAA games is 100-200 people. Larian is 250 so they are a large studio.
Tirade? (You just literally left three separate comments just now)
You're the only one here yelling and screaming about attachment and sales, all over a game that is still coming to Xbox. How hilarious is that?
You seriously look desperate trying to convince anyone who will listen about something that has zero to do with this game or the actual proven fact that Sony pays for games to keep out of the hands of gamers.
If the Xbox had such low sales and no audience as you imply then why would Sony need to still pay developers to keep a game exclusive and off Xbox?
Lol, so now you're defining what a small or medium size dev is to justify just how wrong you are. Too funny.
Also triple A games is not determined by the size of the studio but the budget of the game that studio is making. Any studio can make a triple A game in accordance to their own budget. You would know this if you actually had any experience in game development and not wiki Google searches.
Take a break angry guy, go touch grass, these video games got you running a bit too hot lately.
@Shinoff
"Could always buy a ps5, I got to buy an Xbox to play fallout and starfield."
Won't have to, this is coming to Xbox. So I'll get to play this, Starfield and Fallout.
"Can you also get off the sh about Sony paying for 3rd party exclusives."
Why? It's what they're doing isn't it?
"SO DOES MICROSOFT WTF PEOPLE"
For the last time, when did I ever say they didn't? WTF indeed
Speaking of desperation says the guy who comes into every conversation with Gamepass and idiotic arguments? And is wrong all the time?! You scream a lot, but, can't rebut anything.
You remember the ooh Tencent is evil and they have a million studios? Yeah they have 6.
Considering you have literally NO rebuttal except to scream like a baby. Already said Xbox doesn't get as many gamers as they don't support games is FACT. Lowest games sales between Playstation, Nintendo and Xbox.
It's NOT coincidence that Playstation has such a disparity too. Just consider that PS4 over the generation only had about 300 more game releases than Xbox One overall. Then consider that the first 2 years PS5 already has almost 200 games NOT available on Xbox Series X.
At the end of the day you and people like you need to learn that there DOES exist times when a studio or publisher might release a game exclusively on PS for reasons other than Sony paying for it. For some reason you think it's baffling or straight up a lie that a studio might choose to release a game exclusively or timed on PS of their own accord without out payment when there are perfectly rational reasons why they may do so.
I’m not saying it isn’t coming to Xbox, I’m just saying I see every reason that it wouldn’t, logically, I see the reasons that it would, logically. The whole “paying to keep things off Xbox” argument is pretty silly. Can Sony offer incentives, like I mentioned everyone does, sure. A money giveaway as the incentive? Sony would lose everytime, logically. Again, MAC users buy games. Hell, they starving as they are dip fed supporting titles. When something big does launch, it’s definitely supported. PC, obvious reasons. Now try to refute the reasons I gave you AND Microsoft gave you. Game sales are DOWN on Xbox. Way down. Before Microsoft stated that, developers knew it. This game ISNT something that needs or will benefit from gamespass. Did other games sell? Sure. That was BEFORE gamespass and when buying games was normal. You’re talking about the PAST. In most cases the FAR past. Even Bethesda RPGs sold better on PlayStation. I need you to look at today.
U don't need to look to far. Just look at halo infinite the flagship of flagship tittles. If that game sold shit house, what makes U think a developer would be confident their game will have a positive return on investment. Games cosy more, take longer to make, and expense increase. Hell even Xbox admits gamepass is effecting their games.
WTF are you smoking? 3rd party exclusives has been XBOX strategy up till now. That's why they have no 1st party games. I guess it must be hard for MS to get exclusive deals when playstation sells like 3 or 4 times better for multiplat games.
Maybe not specifically you so I tried to generalize you people. I see alot of Xbox people saying about Sony buying 3rd party exclusives and making it seem like this evil villainous thing. That was more my point on that.
Also some of this back and forth was going on before they came out and said that the Xbox s was holding the Xbox version out. Some might not realize that.
This whole current narrative of PlayStation "keeping games off Xbox" is hilarious, as if exclusives don't date back to the 16-bit era. It's even more hilarious that the poor little trillion dollar corporation who just dropped 70 billion to buy the largest publisher in the industry has all their little drones playing this woe is me nonsense FOR them. How terrible does a brand have to run their business to have endless amounts of money, but get mollywhopped time and time again by a company miniscule by comparison, for "keeping games off Xbox"? It's time to start being real.
I’m tired of all the whining “😭 Sony keep games from Xbox by buying 3rd party exclusives and Microsoft can’t compete “ To all the Xbox PR members I’ll just tell you as you told PlayStation members back on the 360/PS3 era Microsoft can pay for them (exclusives) as well they have the money, ether Microsoft have money to buy3rd party publishers, developers and time exclusives or they’re s pathetically incompetent that they can’t compete
Wasn't smart of MS to use the "Sony outsells us 4-1 in Europe" argument. It sends a message to developers that releasing games on Xbox should be less important unless MS pays you.
Developers would be aware of their own metrics though. Even if, say, T2 only knew about T2's sales and no one else's, they have knowledge of their own performance. It only really provided an insight for devs who do not have experience developing for both platforms, really.
That aside, one of two things will happen:
1. Microsoft is very likely going to relax some standards for the Series X|S parity. They must know by now that this dichotomous strategy is not feasible when the gap in power and architectural differences are what they are.
2. Series S users are probably going to have to stream the Series X version. If they're coming up against constraints like this now, I don't see how they get to the end of the generation without serious compromises.
The problem is the weak series s. That's why the game isn't there. Sony doesn't need to pay for exclusivity launch because of the cross gen console of Microsoft.... Good work Microsoft
And they're probably pointing this out publicly to get MS to give them an exception or help resolve. I'd guess this will be announced for Xbox soon enough
So you are saying Xbox is going to put on the game box Series X only sorry you Series S users ? That will push more people to PS5 because you won’t have to pick the right box to play ALL games this gen. They can’t say sorry Series S users some games won’t work that’s why it’s mandated and that is why some games won’t come to Xbox at all.
We all knew this would be a problem. How many games have been held back or lost features because devs couldn't get them to work on the Xbox S I wonder?
Xbox fans were crying on Twitter yesterday about PS paying for exclusivity. Now look. At the end of the day, they should not be surprised, With the current marketshare Xbox has, it no surprise they would skip. It just not worth the resources for a small studio to port their games over.
Studio is located in area where Microsoft has spent all week telling regulators how terrible they’re doing with marketshare and how they need to buy out the biggest publisher and make them part of their team to be able to compete. And somehow Jez and company act surprised when devs decide to spend resources elsewhere
umm..and?
IF and WHEN they ready. It’s crazy, I have said it several times. Microsoft pays billions for companies. Where in the realm of logic do people think Sony is paying off developers for exclusivity and Microsoft couldn’t outbid. Are there exclusivity deals that exist? Sure. “We here at Sony see a lot of potential in heavenly sword. We will pay half/all of the advertising cost, offer a team of specialist to come and support development on our dime to help have the game running on our system as best as possible.” That’s when the Devs take the deal or shop around to others that may have interest. “Well, we here at Microsoft don’t see enough value in your title to invest in it. If you have any other projects, let us know.” Happens vice versa as well. Always has. There’s also special relationships such as Sony and Square, or maybe the Devs see more value in publishing for one platform at a time. Or maybe they feel their games would sell better in a certain systems ecosystem or demographic. No deal needed. I really cannot see the logic of people that see this all otherwise. Not to start anything but it’s like flat earthers. All of the easily accessible scientific proof that you can do YOURSELF to prove that earth is round or spherical, but still choose to ignore it and illogically argue against it.
This is an offline game right? Can play it without an internet connection? I may check it out on PS5