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Soul No Longer Burns on Xbox, GC

Posted by Zonk on from the so-no-sophitia-for-me-then dept.

GamesIndustry.biz has the word that what was just speculation the other day is now fact. Soul Calibur III will be a PS2 exclusive title. From the article: "The new game, which is scheduled only for 2005, will add three new characters to the mix as well as a new character creation mode, allowing players to create their own fighters in the game."

10 of 52 comments (clear)

  1. Now.... by GreyWolf3000 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Three consoles are fiercely entangled!

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  2. Makes sense by clu76 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Especially since SC2 sold more on the cube. Wait a minute...

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    the cosmos in 20 words or less: thumbuki.com
    1. Re:Makes sense by RogueyWon · · Score: 2, Informative

      Clearly some console manufacturers are better at giving sweet lovin' to their third party devs than others. Nintendo seem to be consistently at the back of the pack in this regard. It's their own decision not to encourage third party developers (they occasionally talk the talk on this, but haven't really walked the walk since the days of the SNES)... although personally, I think it's a stupid one.

      Besides which, Soul Calibur 2 only broke the usual sales pattern because Nintendo decided to allow some GC-exclusive content (the only instance I'm aware of where this has happened). I suspect this was instrumental in persuading a lot of people who had more than one console to pick the Cube version. With the sheer size of the PS2 installed user-base, if Nintendo aren't willing to do this on a regular basis, they're always going to lose in the sales stakes.

    2. Re:Makes sense by Goosey · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I am confused as well. The game was a huge success on all 3 consoles - I am extemely surprised they are cutting out that kind of installed user base, regardless of what back-room dealings Sony has been whoring out.

      Another reply commented that it may be due to Microsoft and Nintendo being more forthcoming about their new systems, scaring off users from buying current-generation games.. But what sense does this make when you consider that Nintendo has officially announced that Revolution will be backwards compatible with GameCube?

      My only hope is that this is a 'for 6 months' type exclusitivity deal, otherwise Nintendo and Xbox fans are getting royally screwed over.

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  3. Kudos... by Khakionion · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...for one of the funniest Slashdot headlines I've read in a long time.

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  4. it is soul calibUr by 100lbHand · · Score: 3, Funny

    you could atleast spell it right, after all the discussion about it yesterday when this story was posted first.

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    "I'm not high, just stupid" --JY
  5. Whatever... by hollismb · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm sure this is that same 'exclusive' deal that Grand Theft Auto had with the Playstation (seeing as San Andreas will be out on the Xbox this year), as D0A2 had on the Dreamcast (which came out on the PS2), and as Splinter Cell had on the Xbox (which later came out on all systems).

  6. First MGS3, then god of war now this! by AzraelKans · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Crap.. Im being tempted by the evil forces to acquire a ps2!!!! argh!... must remove hand ... from Wallet!!! Oh crap! they have Tekken 5 too! no hand! put that Credit Card away no! NOOOO!!! Klatu- Varada- Nictu!

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  7. Royalties per Unit by LordZardoz · · Score: 2, Insightful

    For any game that comes out on any console, the platform owner takes a royalty cut. By taking a smaller royalty cut, Namco can potentially earn more money on the title then they could by going to all 3 platforms.

    I would assume that Sony negotiated this with the following points.

    1) A large number of people who bought the game on X-Box or Gamecube probably also owned a PS2, and bought that version based on either graphics or Link.

    2) If Soul Calibur 2 was PS2 exclusive, it would probably have sold nearly the same as a result.

    3) In exchange for PS2 Exclusivity, we will take a smaller cut of the final sale.

    Namco, being a smart developer that likes money, probably agreed, but likley left themselves some loop holes allowing them to port it to all the next gen platforms.

    END COMMUNICATION

  8. the numbers show by Bobtree · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Sony's PS2 comes in last place for buyers of multi-platform games who have multiple systems. The Gamecube and Xbox "ports" tend to have nicer graphics, quicker loading, and so on.

    Sony obviously benefits when a would-be portable title is released only on their system instead of two or all 3. There's also less lost development energy on a single-platform title in general (no porting and cross-platform worries), and it can make a big difference in the quality of PS2 titles (take Gran Turismo 4 or God of War for example).

    Even if they aren't permenantly exclusive, just having the initial release on the PS2 is a pretty good bet that the PS2 version will sell the best.