Why are developers so desperate to make games for PS3 and 360 look identical?

I have read dozens of developer interviews where they want the consumers to know that the PS3 and 360 versions are graphically identical. If one system can make the game look better, then why not let the system do it? Lets look at "Game A".  Lets say the PS3 can have twice as many obstacles than the 360 version. Why cut back on the PS3 version to make it identical to the 360 one?  The same is true if the 360 looks better. Are they afraid that they will lose sales if one version looks better? Are they afraid of making Sony or MS mad at them?  Don't cripple it just to make it the same.  If one system has an edge, then let it shine. I believe in the future, as developers get used to programming the PS3, this issue will become more important. Just let the games shine as brightly as they possibly can, don't cripple them please!
Just my thoughts.

[JoelR]

Financial incentive to make them the same.
If one purely outshines the other they currently lose about a 1/4 of their predicted sales that a multiplatform would carry (another 1/2 are people with both platforms and the last 1/4 would not have bought it anyway)

[Slayer OP]

Duh..

[AIZEN THE STRONGEST]

but it has to do with microsoft paying multiplaform developers behind the scenes, like the incident when microsoft paid rockstar 50mil for DLC and no one knew, so you have much validity in this post.

[socomnick]

Yea its always a conspiracy lol. take off your tinfoil hat m8.

[CRIMS0N_W0LF]

how the hell does a famous xbot like socom have 6 bubbles?

[raddbj03]

the only reason these games are being made is to make money. any other reason is b.s. so more and more games are going multiplatform - more systems and users = more money.

but if one systems game is really lacking compared to the other, it will just be a mess and look bad for the developer. look at orange box for ps3 - should have been a top selling game along with cod4 but was plagued with issues and therefore sold like crap.

in today's console war, exclusives are the best judge of what a system can do. it's stupid to compare multi plat games on ps3 and 360 - none of them will ever push the limit with either console just because they have to be playable on both.

[NO_PUDding]

Mistake:

Some games, namely first party, are made as games, with intent.

Not actually to make money, but to bolster the platofrm,a nd make it seem more desirable, and let me tell you, that those games had better be based on them beign special or good.

So Any 3rd party game is about Money, but any 1st party is genuinely about bettering the platform.

[chad4401]

"as developers get used to programming the PS3, this issue will become more important." why cant people just make an article without trying to make a flame war

[yanikins111]

Its a good point that you make, and just because some idiots take any mention of console competition as flamebait doesnt mean things like this shouldnt be discussed. It really comes down to devs making a decision. Do they lead on the ps3 and port to 360 (seems to have better results) or do they pick a console and just make exclusives. Once the ps3 exclusives look significantly better than the 360, multiplats are simply not going to sell in numbers that make them worth creating. They will either abandon the ps3 multiplats or lead on ps3, make the game optimised, then port it back to the 360 and deliver the best experience that each console is capable of. Just my thoughts anyway.

[Rockxy]

Whey bring this up now you idiot! Xbox GC where more powerful then PS2, but PS2 was the King so to save time and money make it for PS2 then hand it down to less popular consoles.

[livespawn]

i think most devs want to make their products equal on both systems to satisfy customers.

think about it, if game "a" came out on ps3 and 360 but had AA better textures etc.. wouldn't you (lets say a 360 owner) feel cheated? or feel that the dev dosen't care about your system? with multi-plat titles i think that there is no reason for games to look better on one system or another, thats for the exclusives to do the "wowing" .thats just my opinion on Multi-plat titles.

I think that today devs have done a good job with keeping multi-plats equal (with exception to orange box) and serves them better in the long run (more $ coming in ).

im assuming your a ps3 owner baggio1000000, so just keep in mind the "great" job ea did with orange box ps3 and ask your self if u still want devs to not make multi-plats equal. i probably talk BS cuz im sick and have a blaring head ache...so..leave me alone im going to bed :/

[baggio1000000]

Thanks for all of your opinions and thanks for reading my first blog.