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Microsoft's Sleazy Tactics in the Video Game Industry?

Posted by Cliff on from the if-it-work-for-the-PC-market... dept.

Dyrandia asks: "I'm currently working on a Legal and Ethics course for my software engineering degree and have decided to write about microsoft's tactics of buying up video games and companies in order to keep games limited to their own platforms (pc and xbox). I am currently using the following games as examples: Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee; Halo (Microsoft bought the developers, however rumour has it that Halo will actually make it to PC next year); and Shenmue 2 (they even bought the rights to it so that it couldn't be released for the Dreamcast in the US, even though it was released in Japan and Europe). Does anyone know of URLs for sites that would have more information and possibly other games Microsoft has used similar tactics on?"

6 of 57 comments (clear)

  1. Why take this as 'bad tactics'? by OnyxRaven · · Score: 3, Flamebait

    It is possible that there is a reason these companies were bought by microsoft. In the case of Bungie, it was to help fund the last phase of development for Halo, and to push the development of their next two games (Project Phoenix and something like Halo 2). Microsoft offered more people to work on the projects, more resources to produce a quality game and all within less time (It was crucial to the Xbox launch that Halo be shipped with it. It is the killer game for the Xbox still).

    Halo will be coming out for the PC and Mac, but it may not be for a while... personel are still focused on the next game release, and not porting the game to PC/Mac.

    Bungie will keep its name, as one of the many subsidiary companies of a larger company throughout the gaming industry.

    Its all about project funding.

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    1. Re:Why take this as 'bad tactics'? by Keith+Russell · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Halo will be coming out for the PC and Mac, but it may not be for a while... personel are still focused on the next game release, and not porting the game to PC/Mac.

      I think Microsoft has another priority. Halo is XBox's Killer Game right now. As long as Halo continues to drive XBox console sales, they have no incentive to release it on other platforms, even if the ports are already done. Why buy a $299 console to play a game that's available for PC?

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  2. Is this really sleazy, though? by realgone · · Score: 3, Interesting
    I mean, pretty much every console out there lives and dies by their "exclusive" content.

    • PS2: everything Squaresoft
    • Nintendo: Mario, Zelda
    • X-Box: Halo
    It's not so much a Microsoft thing as it is an industry thing. I've fallen into their trap myself. I bought a PlayStation primarily to run Final Fantasy. I bought a N64 primarily to run Zelda. (X-Box? I'll wait for Halo on the PC, thanks. No mouse, no WASD, no service.)

    As fun as it is to punch MSFT in the nose every once in a while, don't blame 'em for this one... =)

  3. a better topic by AdamBa · · Score: 5, Insightful
    You could instead look at why people's view of Microsoft is so warped that a standard tactic like this pushes people's "legal and ethics" hot buttons.

    - adam

  4. Don't Forget SubLogic! by zulux · · Score: 3, Interesting

    SubLogic made Flight Simulator for Microsoft to brand - it also made Flight Simulator for other computers, even the TRS-80 CoCo has a version. After Microsoft bought SubLogic outright - the only playform they produce for belongs to Microsoft.

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    Moneyed corporations, non-working 'poor' and criminal prisoners are turning productive citizens into tax-slaves.

  5. Re:This isn't sleazy. by Kris_J · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Just because everyone does it doesn't mean it's not illegal or unethical.