Rumor: Are Epic Games Getting Into Bed With Sony Japan?

Shaun of OneLastContinue writes:

According to the Internet, and might I add that the Internet never wrong, Sony Computer Entertainment plans on making an announcment at E3 that will be huge. Off the scale you might say. In other news, little over two weeks from now, April 15, Epic Games will hold a press conference to announce the formation of Epic Games Japan. My first thoughts on that news included the two words "why" and "bother."

Then the answer became apparent.

[n4gn4gn4gn4g]

their game engine with Japanese developers?

[blitz0623]

I honestly don't think it's that big of a deal if either the Mass Effect or Gears franchise is coming to the PS3. I'd rather here a surprising exclusive from Sony.

[masterofpwnage]

sony you kinky bastards you ha

[TheBand1t]

You're obnoxious and a multiaccount open zoner. Go away.

[Aphe]

Yeah I can't wait either Devil. But then I've played them already, so I don't have to wait.

[menoyou]

Gears of War 3 PS3 exclusive, you heard it here first!

[sikbeta]

Lame speculations, but that doesn't mean that Epic can't work with Sony, since the Company is Free to do whatever with the Proprietary Games and Engines

[Ninji]

Now it's making a bit more sense...

E3
Unreal Engine 3
Gears of War 3
Playstation 3

[HeroComplex]

I'm sure they're trying to do something with Sony in the near future instead of continuing to ignore them. The reason...Crytek Engine 3!!!

They fear the competition, and with good reason. They're scrambling to make everyone happy now.

[Varodor]

it will be payback for ff13

[OmegaSlayer]

As much as I would love Gears on my PS3, and as much as I'm a fanboy, I'm sure Gears 3 won't ever ever ever be released on PS3, since Gears trilogy is too tight to have only the last episode on the system.

What would be smart on Sony's side instead, would be the release of the prequelof Gears of war, with the first Locust invasion.

That would move a lot of Gears' fan into the PS3 experience, and would be quite a boost in sales

[RememberThe357]

But I suppose it's possible.

[jannytime]

work on your analogies dawg. epic is just expanding, like any good company would do.

[GR8 1]

Droids are so desperate for xbox360 game and who can blame them after all their games are all crap not even worth playing.

Lick my feet and grovel and i just may put a good word for u droids to EPIC for Gears of War......that is if u only lick my feet lol.

[eagles1990]

What in the blue hell is wrong with you? You sick freak....

[Def Warrant]

Why the troll fest mate? seems you've been scarred by some Sony supporter. Either that or you're incredibly pathetic.

[young juice]

don't be mad cause microsoft owns none of the company's that make all of their good games.

don't be mad cause microsoft doesn't own any of their critically acclaimed games other than halo.

[xbotpleasefixme]

haha you rule. Keep giving them hell buddy

[TheBand1t]

Uh huh.

[hazbaz]

Good one.

[Sillyace92]

isn't that a picture of Casey from the show Chuck?

[Ace_Pheonix]

But those straws look like they're grasped pretty firmly. Like, you're not grasping at them at all, they're right there, securely grasped in hand. So then... according to your image, you believe this 'rumor' is a logical conclusion based on the facts? And isn't reaching at all?

[TheBand1t]

I could not find a picture properly grasping at straws, but you get the idea. Epic has a good relationship with MS, and I don't really see them changing horses in the middle of the race, much like I doubt Insomniac in vice versa.

[Def Warrant]

Epic has been very vocal lately. And the odd thing is, they have been speaking quite openly mainly about Sony and Heavy Rain. I really think they are planning something associated with Sony. Don't ask how i know? i'm just going by recent activities.

[Aphe]

How do you know?

[trancefreak]

A hunch??? Cmon man its killing me to know your an epic insider in disguise :)

[Pillage05]

I don't see Gears franchise ever making it over to Sony consoles, but a new IP isn't out of the question when they finish up the trilogy.

[N4PS3G]

Is this guy serious?

I've asked my self...is it possible to gather far fetched assumptions and crate a rumor out of thin air? I said to my self ... well you can never say never because look how Hiphopgamer survives every week!

But at least hiphop fella tries to hide it by calling his *BS* inside sources..but this guy just proved me wrong!

Because he just created a damn rumor out of thin air! Amazing!

He said..well Epic is going to Japan..that means Sony is in Japan..so that means...they MUST be doing something together...that means they're in bed....oh and Gears of War is coming to PS3!!

Now i know what grasping at straws really means

[EvilBlackCat]

just like money

[young juice]

n4ps3 you hypocrite, ive seen you pull plenty of bullsh*t out of your a**.

you and that ******* blog of yours

[gta2800]

You know what, I never cared for any 360 exclusive, which is why I don't own 360. But I would love to see one of your beloved exclusives come over to the PS3 just to see you, and the rest of your annoying 360 crew get owned for weeks haha.

[sikbeta]

lol, remember when this dude "submited" an article Only Quoting the "bad or Negative" parts of the Original Story, I can't find it but that was lame...

[SKUD]

The internet is ALWAYS right.

[cmrbe]

ND is so much better.

[Def Warrant]

Shhh...the truth will start a flame war.

[rwest78]

Why else would Cliffy B be calling out Naughty Dog and UC2. There's no way that he would be able to back up that smack talk with a 360 game.

[MrMacabre]

Thats an interesting point, also goes for their statement that they would be attempting to 'maintain visual leadership' or some such line.

[clintos59]

Will rather see sony do it with fashion & blow us away at e3 or tgs.

[jerander]

wow I can come up with a better argument then this guy.

"My money is on Gears 3. We already know the next iteration is being tested on the PS3, Mark Rein has already said they have no exclusivity contract with M$. The nail in the coffin is we know Epic likes to be on the cutting edge of technology and we all know there was not that much of a difference between Gears 1 and 2. Gears 3 on the PS3 will finally give them that next leap graphically that they need.
PS they have always made their money off the Engine not their games. Their games give them coffee money.

Which they can no longer do if they are not on the cutting edge of technology. Who wants an engine for an outdated system? "

[divideby0]

Sony has so many potentially great games coming out....I really dont care about EPIC...it would be nice, but I can only afford and have the time to play so many games.....
and besides...I need some games to play on my 360

[boysenberry]

Gears Of War 3 on the PS3 would be HUGE! I hope it's true :)

[MrMacabre]

Ahhh!

Sorry your avatar startled me.

[n4gn4gn4gn4g]

Quote:

Pledging its intention to extend its support for the Japanese game development community, Epic Games will next month hold an Unreal Engine-oriented meeting at its recently-established Tokyo office.

According to a Famitsu report, the event will commemorate the studio's opening and will highlight Epic's plans for Unreal in Japan, including bolstered Japanese-language support.

Epic Games founder and technical director Tim Sweeney will deliver opening remarks at the event, and Epic design director Clifford Bleszinski will be present in prerecorded video form. Grasshopper Manufacture CEO Goichi Suda (Killer7, No More Heroes), whose upcoming multiplatform game is based on Unreal Engine 3, will present a speech.

Epic Games Japan was announced last year during the Tokyo Game Show as primarily a sales and support office to deal with Japanese Unreal Engine licensees. At the time, Epic president Michael Capps said the division may expand to fill other roles in the future.

Relatively few Japanese studios have based their games on Unreal technology so far. Square Enix licensed Unreal Engine 3 for its RPG The Last Remnant, but notoriously faced difficulties working with the external technology -- an experience which may have reinforced Epic's decision to increase its local support.

[KILLERAPP]

We are really building E3 to be a huge thing and when it finally comes no huge announcement we will be really disappointed and people ask why they set there expectations way to high…

[RayRay36]

Just like the 08 E3 if Im not mistaken. When FF13 was announced for the 360. As a PS3 fan, I expected something huge. But E3 came and went without the epic new I hoped for. This year though? If GTA V isnt announced as a PS3 exlusive, Im gunna be really p***** off. We've waited waaaaaaay too long for the REAL next gen GTA. Screw Gears of War. More gloomy, plasticy, Unreal Engine 3 bs. Just give me a 50 GB GTA, & Im happy.

[The real killer]

No, Epic is already in bed with Microsoft.
They can't have both in one bed :)

Epic is a Microsoft supporter and not Sony, so this rumor is so weak in my opinion.

[Bathyj]

You sound like you're trying to convince yourself as well as us.

Why did Epic come out and say so publicly that they can go anywhere they want, and take Gears with them?

Just because a dev makes a couple games for a publisher, doesnt mean they married to them. Hasn't this gen taught you at least that?

[MrMacabre]

"they can't have both in one bed"

Kratos would disagree ;P

[The real killer]

I telling only my opinion, right?
I'm not trying convince people, but Epic has very good relationship with Microsoft, so this rumor isn't strong rather than weak.

In see no reason why Epic should make exclusive for Sony?
You maybe should compare with Insomniac, they have also very good relation ship with Sony and those rumors that they make multiplatform, so i think that will happen with Epic Rumor :)

Well, we will see then.

[Bathyj]

It better not be Gearswars.

[spunnups]

It would be totally out of character for Epic to side with Sony at all. The have been pro MS since the beginning. UT3 is the only game from Epic the PS3 has seen.

[n4gn4gn4gn4g]

Fat Princess...

Unreal Engine used in 20+ PS3 games to date.

[spunnups]

Fat Princess? What?

Epic games have made 4 games this generation and only UT3 has graced the PS3 (Gears 1/2, Shadow Complex)

[n4gn4gn4gn4g]

Titan Studios is also known as EPIC Games China.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

Quote: Titan Studios is an American video game developer founded in June 2008 by the core team previously working as DarkStar Industries. It includes former members with experience at Epic Games, Ubisoft, Blizzard Entertainment and Lionhead Studios. It is a subsidiary of Epic Games China.

Also: http://titanstudios.com/

[frankymv]

Prolly the their best E3 ever

[Cajun Chicken]

Nobodies buying Epic, at least first part console makers anyway.

It's probably to get that Gears style MMO done. I really don't see how this actually benefits PS3 in any single way.

Nor do I want Gears tainting my system. The Killzone 2 advert technical demo was a good enough engine demo showcase for me on PS3, don't need a 2 or 4 year old one with chainsaws attached to it too.

EDIT:

I realise the above was typed so badly. What I mean to say, is that I don't want another purely technical engine or another engine, or should I say middleware on my systems. At a full price other than the technical free marvelment of the Killzone 2 advert demo or anything to do with Marcus and his cronies amused with chainsaws, on a gun which are largely impractical in the series anyway. The series is nothing more than a barely playable technical demo for intended middleware for the start of the generation and a majority of developers have done far superior things with UE since anyway, look at Bioshock for example.

Epic don't even have to TRY. They just release the game with the new technology nobody else has in the licensed versions of UE yet, because they don't intend to sell it until THEIR game is the only UE 'graphical masterpiece' with that level of 'power' and for a slight while it blinds everyone until an engine comes out that's made by one developer for ONE machine, or a multiplatform game that looks the same on all formats.

Just keep NEW Epic away from the PS3, OLD Epic, yes, hell yes. Just don't do that 'Lets shove a bit of Gears storyline and 'tude in UTIII for no apparent reason and ruin the series legacy' rubbish.

[Satan The Gamer]

Dark days are coming to the Xbots.

[KeiserSosay4788]

I don't see gears going to ps3, but maybe another game. Besides, hasn't epic been working with windows and ms since forever?

[doa766]

seems unlikely, or course it would be nice that 360’s only interesting original franchise comes to PS3 but I don’t think is going to happen

first of all PS3 doesn’t need Gears when it has Uncharted, Sony would need to put some serious money to make this happen and Sony knows better than that, they don’t give 50 million to Rockstar for a timed exclusive DLC, they use those 50 million to buy an studio or to finance a new AAA IP like Heavy Rain or Infamous

on the other hand Cliff Bielinsky did say that Gears is all about the spectacular presentation so he was waiting for a new gen for the next one, now that PS3 proved itself to be much more powerful than 360 maybe he changed his mind and decided that games this gen can still impress but just not on 360

unless it was Epic’s unilateral choice with no money from Sony I thin this is not true

[doa766]

first of all PS3 doesn’t need Gears when it has Uncharted, Sony would need to put some serious money to make this happen and Sony knows better than that, they don’t give 50 million to Rockstar for a timed exclusive DLC, they use those 50 million to buy an studio or to finance a new AAA IP like Heavy Rain or Infamous

on the other hand Cliff Bielinsky did say that Gears is all about the spectacular presentation so he was waiting for a new gen for the next one, now that PS3 proved itself to be much more powerful than 360 maybe he changed his mind and decided that games this gen can still impress but just not on 360

[DeltaZ3R05]

yeah Gears of war 3 on ps3 for sure. after what guerrilla games, naughty dog and Sony Santa monica delivered, if you're a developer you got to be crazy not to develope for the ps3, and its
gears of war 3 if there going to end it, it has to be in style.....sony style.

[REDHULKSMASH]

I love Sony and gears but don't hold your breath guys. First off this article is this guys opinion. Second of all they're in japan working on the gears movie, I saw Cliffy b, Alec Baldwin, Ving Rhames, and others heading to Tokyo to film it on spiketv. I guessTokyo is the closest looking thing to jacinto. Also they've been trying to get an office in Japan for sometime now much like the one they got in Korea. I'm not trying to crap on yur birthday cake guys but that's what's happening. Take my word for it..trust me. Gears will never be on ps3. The reason gears 2 never came to pc is because Microsoft won't let US, because the most of ms competition(sony&nintendo) own pcs and would be able to play our game without buying the 360. Microsoft ain't playing around but what they don't realize is that our franchise has a very split fanbase love it or hate it. I think our vp should take it multiplatform for additional revenue because it ain't a halo but would do well with the fanboys on all platforms.

Sorry guys we are just taking unreal engine to japan plain and simple. We apologize for punisher and dark sector but remember we made the engine not the game. We are currently working to get the unreal engine 4 on the future final fantasy installments and similar series. Don't worry Sony we got some nice multi plats coming your way , I am a Sony fanboy when I'm not at work. Peace

[REDHULKSMASH]

You probably guessed I worked for epic and so did my cousin until Mark Rein fired him for

final copy of gears one did not compile correctly causing the black oil to look like a yellow urine like color. Unfortunately the video had already been put on 3.2 million discs already so we just changed the script from oil to immulsion, sera California became a planet called sera, and boogymen to locust. So because of my cousins simple but fixable programming error the marines from sera California fighting demonic boogymen from earth's hell they became cogs fighting mutated aliens from a planet called sera near immulsion wells. Hi mark! How do yah like me now?

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

Microsoft owns the rights to the Gears of War name. So...don't even THINK about it, guys.

I'd like to see Gears on the PS3 just as much as you, but it's not happening. :( Sorry...

A new IP from Epic would be awesome though!

[ironmonkey]

gears of war 1 and 2 on one blu ray disk. can only be done with blu ray

[darksied]

As nice as it would be to see Mass Effect come to the ps3, I would like this better: Gears on the ps3. Before Gears 3, epic releases a $60 pack for Gears 1 and Gears 2 on the ps3, then the 3rd installment in April '11, or whenever it's coming out. That would be awesome.

[XDF]

You Sony supporters have so many great games to play, why do you want a Microsoft platform game on the PS3.

I don't hear X360 fans wishing and hoping GOW3 or Killzone 2 on their system.

Like Aerosmith sang: Dream On, Dreeeaammm Onnnnnn.

[RayRay36]

lol. Well see, it's IMPOSSIBLE for Killzone 2 and GOW 3 to come to the 360. 1st party developer buddy, something you havent seen much of.

[XDF]

I am staring at my copy of KZ2 and GOW3 in my stack of 24 PS3 games.

I am also seeing Gears 1 and 2 lining up nicely with my 70 plus X360 games.

I guess PS360 owners like myself don't have this problem. :D

[Psycho_Mantis]

Hey i got an idea, lets make it a three-some!

*Unzips pants*

XD

[Palodios]

Epic made a deal with Microsoft so the first three gears games would be exclusive to the xbox 360. This article mentions it, and even Michael Pachter was talking about it a few days ago.

Epic owns a studio in Korea and in China, so it very likely is just a way to make UE better utilized in Japan. As Pachter said, Epic probably regrets making the multiplat contract, so why make another with Sony? The only real substance to this is how few games Epic has released lately, but that's not a huge deal.