Starcraft Ghost Off The Cube

Gamespot has the news that Blizzard's upcoming action/stealth title Starcraft: Ghost is officially no longer in production for the Gamecube. From the article: "Speaking to GameSpot, a Blizzard staffer confirmed that the game is now only being released for the Xbox and PlayStation 2, meaning the previously announced GameCube edition has been canceled ... Unfortunately the GameCube has no online service and since so much work is going in to the online portion, it would be additional work to release only part of the intended game."

Comments

This is an understandable move.

[Rowan_u]

When Ghost was in early development the focus was on the single player experience. Now, with the information and playable versions released at Blizcon, it seems that the game is shaping up to have a considerable multiplayer portion. In light of this new focus, it makes sense to drop costly support for the Gamecube version.

If you look at the PS2 version of the game, I'm sure this already requires extensive extra work to the multiplayer portion as well. Its going to be a big difference between putting a game up on Xbox live, and creating a complete multiplayer service like you have to do with PS2 online games.

I wonder if the Ps2 version will contain features like matchmaking, buddy lists, and playlists. With Blizzards previous excellent multiplayer track record on battlenet, it seems unlikely they would expect anything less from developers taken under there wing. Could such extensive online support be the killer-app for the PS2 Ethernet adapter?

Re:This is an understandable move.

[KDR_11k]

Still, they make it sound like the game is worthless without the online mode so if I was planning to buy it that would be a definite reason not to as I don't use my PS2 for online.

Re:This is an understandable move.

[SetupWeasel]

It would make sense if the Gamecube didn't have a broadband adaptor. Oddly enough, it does. So Blizzard is lying. Not that I care at this point, but to make this decision 3 years after the game was announced is a bit slimy.

Good luck selling any copies on the previous-gen Xbox, wankers.

Re:This is an understandable move.

[rogabean]

That was my first thought as well. The Gamecube has a broadband adapter (i've sadly never gotten to use mine... but I have it.)

If they are cancelling the Gamecube version just because they have no central online service then would not the Playstation 2 version be cancelled as they have no central online service. XBox has the Live service so that qualifies as a central online service... but as far as I know Playstation 2 does not. Didn't we just have an article yesterday about how Sony isn't going to have one for the Playstation 3 as well? They are going to be running their own servers AFAIK...

so the whole argument of why they are dropping Gamecube support sounds like crap to me. Now if they had just said "Most Gamecube owners do not have the broadband adapter. We don't want to make our customers purchase this hardware just to play our game." I might see the argument as a little more valid... Hell I might accept "We just don't feel like doing it."

Re:This is an understandable move.

[RogueyWon]

And how many games make use of it? How many consumers are likely to own one? How does the market penetration compare to X-Box Live and the PS2's online services?

While it's technically wrong to say that the Cube has no online services, in any serious business decision, you cannot include the Cube's network adaptor as a factor. It's sold far too few and it's not going to start selling them now, so late in the cycle.

Blizzard's decision makes perfect sense and I doubt most people outside of slashdot games will even notice.

Re:This is an understandable move.

[valintin]

There is far more consoles that do not have online than there are that do. It makes perfect sense to sell more games to more users to make more money. If the game was any good they would come out with a robust single player to sell to the majority of console users. This shows their lack of confidence in the game over all and in the single player mode.

The single player mode is not good enough to sell the game to enough Gamecube owners to make it profitable for that platform. That says much about the game for any console owner.

Re:This is an understandable move.

[Fred Or Alive]

Yes the GameCube has a broadband adaptor. But Nintendo show absolutley no interest in it at all. There are two whole online games availible in Europe (PSOI&II, PSOIII), and another two games that support LAN play (Mario Kart and Kirby Air Ride). Compared to Sony, who have managed to get a fair selection of online games, and intergrated it into newer consoles. The PS2 doesn't have a unified online service, but Sony support online game development for it (they've actually developed some online games themselves for one thing).

So you'd be trying to sell an online (action) game on a platform who's manufacturer couldn't give a fuck about online, and whoes current online portfolio consists of a couple of RPGs.

Plus, the GameCube is practically dead, at least in the UK, and AFAIK it's in 3rd place in North America as well. Considering the game is probably aimed at the "western" markets, it makes sense to concentrate on the #1 and #2 systems in the markets, not the #3, especially one that doesn't have any kind of online user base (barring PSO players), and is loosing steam (and shelf space). They probably just decided it would'nt be worth putting any more money in on the GameCube version as they wouldn't get enough sales to justify it.

Re:This is an understandable move.

[Clock Nova]

Unless this game is entirely multiplayer-dependant, with no single-player component, this decision makes no sense. Cube owners are just as able to buy the broadband adapter as PS2 owners, and are just as able to connect to Battle.net through it. If the content is good enough, I guarantee Cube owners will buy the adapter. And without it, there should still be a rich, single-player experience to be had. Personally, I was really looking forward to playing this game by myself, and had no intention of playing online. This whole thing stinks of... something. Not sure what. But the logic presented by Blizzard doesn't seem to follow.

Hey, I've got an idea: why not go ahead and release it for the Cube as is, with on-line content present, but dependent on the adapter. Then, when the Rev is available, gamers can play Ghost with online content, and even use the Cube controller to do it. Aren't they doing something similar with XBox and the 360?

OH NOES!

[Inoshiro]

Considering when it was announced years ago, you have to wonder a bit. Does this matter? It's like saying that Duke Nukem Forever won't come out on the GameCube -- it's sure as shit not coming out on anything else, either!

After 3 years, it's not going to live up to expectations anyways. The edge of gameplay is further out, and whatever monetary hit they took developing a game in 2002 and 2003 is 100% wasted money. Some of the code and art may transfer, but the gameplay and graphics standard have been raised in the meantime. Anything over 18 months is wasted money in game development.

PS2 has no online service either

[MayonakaHa]

So why are they dropping it just for the GameCube? By their logic they should be dropping the PS2 version also since all it has is an internet adapter. X-Box is the only console with an online service.

Wake up people!

[fujiman]

I think we've all seen enough press releases to read between the lines on this one. Either: (1) Someone figured out it wouldn't sell that well on GC, or (2) Blizzard had some falling-out with Nintendo about something.

Either way, I guarantee it has nothing to do with online multiplayer. *Every* console game is sold on the strength of the single-player experience. Only PC games (BF2, CS) can be sold as primariliy multiplayer. Sure, Halo grew into a MP juggernaut, but everyone played the SP first.

Why PS2 and not GC? well... look at the numbers and the fanbase.

What really ticks me off is that these companies try to spin *everything* and think we believe all their crap. Note to PR departments (especially Blizzard's): WE DON'T BELIEVE YOU.

So, let's see here...

[Txiasaeia]

...Ghost was announced in 2001 as being developed by Nihilistic Software. Then it changed hands from Nihilistic to Swingin' Ape Studios. Nihilistic had completed 85% of the engine and 40% of level design, but Ape scrapped most of this (according to an interview earlier this year) in favour of a new engine(?) and entirely different story. Now they've changed it to a PS2 and XBox-title only, and four years after production began, they're shifting the focus from single-player to multi-player. I'm taking bets that the game is going to merge productions with Duke Nukem Forever, and the resulting unholy union will only be playable on the Infinium Labs Phantom.

Re:Harsh but true

[snuf23]

"iirc, it isn't being made by Blizzard anyways"

Well, actually now it is, sort of. Originally it was being developed by Nihilistic Software:

"During the summer of 2002, the entire Nihilistic Software development team, the original developer of the game, quit en masse after an internal power struggle with Blizzard Entertainment. At the time, Slashdot and Penny Arcade reported that the team had already completed more than 85% of the game engine and 40% of all level design." Wikipedia Starcraft Ghost

So now Blizzard has purchased Swinging Ape studios and integrated them into Blizzard as their console division. This is the team that is working on SC Ghost and now they are a part of Blizzard. So you can expect a greater degree of Blizzard influence on the game, it's been brought into the fold.