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Why Game Exclusivity Deals Are Feeding the Hate

Posted by Soulskill on from the cut-it-out-jerks dept.

Parz writes "The recent announcement that the upcoming Ghostbusters game will be a timed PlayStation exclusive in the PAL territories — revealed a mere month before release — has set a nasty precedent which could have long-term repercussions for the industry. This Gameplayer article explores how this generation of gaming has spiraled into a tit-for-tat war on third-party exclusivity deals instigated by Sony and Microsoft, and the effect it is having on the psychology of the consumers. The Ghostbusters developers aren't pleased by Sony's deal, and the Guardian questions whether the game will be big enough to really affect console sales."

16 of 205 comments (clear)

  1. Stupid article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So when Sony does it, its bad; but when Microsoft does it, its ok?

    Seems like the author is just pissed that he has to wait for the game.

    Now you know how PS3 owners felt about Bioshock, Fallout 3 DLC, etc.

    1. Re:Stupid article by im_thatoneguy · · Score: 4, Informative

      It was an Xbox360 exclusive for a year. I think that's what he's referring to. Not the DLC.

      Waiting a year but getting a couple of extra levels? I would take the earlier launch date.

    2. Re:Stupid article by LordVader717 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      This is very different. Bioshock for example was originally developed as a 360 game, which was later ported to the PS3, by a different developer. This is a situation where the games are finished, one month before release, and Sony decides they want to screw european gamers.
      And it's the regional nature too. If Sony had managed to secure a worldwide deal, I might have more understanding. But selectively screwing european gamers is just very poor.

      I never heard anyone praising cash-buyout exclusivity, apart from Sony fans defending screwy deals like this one.

    3. Re:Stupid article by Narpak · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Now you know how PS3 owners felt about Bioshock, Fallout 3 DLC, etc.

      Or in regards to Fallout 3; those of us who bought the game via Steam and then wanted to buy the DLC as it arrived.

      For those that don't know Microsoft has retained exclusive distribution rights for Fallout DLC; which means that there are no DLC for PS3 what so ever (from what I have read and heard) and if want to buy the DLC for the PC version you have to do it through Games For Windows Live. Something that means (if you bought it the game through Steam) that you have to install the GFWL client stuff and mess around with that.

      My personal experience was that first the "Live" button inside the Fallout menus would send me to the xBox Marketplace and not give me ANY information on how to go to the PC Marketplace; eventually I start the client through Windows and get the correct list of software; I search through and find the Fallout DLC; but when I press the "buy Microsoft Points" button (yeah you can't pay with money directly for reasons that appear to be entirely motivated by the desire to suck more out of their customers) it sends me to my Hotmail inbox in another browser window (happend over and over). So you know what? I decide that the DLC is TOO much trouble. I wanted to play through Fallout 3 again with the DLC, but it just turns out of be more aggravation than it is worth; and because I now have a faulty GFWL program installed my Fallout 3 version now refuses to Save games until the GFWL servers start working properly and authenticates my KEY (and remember this is my legal version running through Steam that GFWL decided to "lock").

      In short, hurray for greed motivated distribution that directly hinders or counter a potential customers desire to enjoy a product.

      --
      The Long Now Foundation
  2. The whole deal is fanboy fodder by nschubach · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't.

    I can't count the number of people complaining about lost exclusives and lack of obtaining them... now that they are stepping up, the stories come out on how it's bad...

    So you have a choice. Piss of fanboys by not getting exclusives or piss off fanboys for getting them and obtaining sales.

    I'm not a fan of exclusiveness in itself. It limits consumer choice. Choice in the best hardware to run their favorite games in this case. I personally think there's only one company right now that can win that war, and it's not Sony.

    --
    Every time I start to have faith in humanity, I ruin it by driving to work between 7 and 8 am.
  3. Microsoft Invented It by ewhac · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Didn't Microsoft pull a morally-equivalent stunt when they bought Bungie/Halo all those years ago?

    Schwab

    --
    Editor, A1-AAA AmeriCaptions
    1. Re:Microsoft Invented It by Tom9729 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Halo was going to be a Mac game until Microsoft bought Bungie. Then it was an Xbox exclusive for awhile and was later released on both PC and Mac.

    2. Re:Microsoft Invented It by fyrewulff · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Halo also wasn't anywhere near being done the last time they showed it as a PC game in 2000, that demo was entirely scripted. Once the studio was bought by MS, the game actually got a deadline.

      --
      "We need to get over this notion, that, for Apple to win... Microsoft must lose." - Steve Jobs, 1997
  4. Incredible, you don't say... by greentshirt · · Score: 5, Informative

    How is this news? Consoles were built on exclusive content, all gamers know that. You can't play Sonic on SNES, you can't play Mario on Sega Genesis, etc.

    1. Re:Incredible, you don't say... by jonwil · · Score: 4, Informative

      The films and the overall "Ghostbusters" IP are in fact owned by Sony and Columbia Tristar. (a division of Sony)

  5. Re:While Sony & MS battle... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I played Ghostbuster on the Commodore 64 when it first came out. No way in heck will that ever be AAA title. :P

  6. Expectations by Translation+Error · · Score: 5, Insightful

    While most people generally find exclusives a bit annoying but acceptable, this particular case is different. This isn't Nintendo announcing the next Mario game--only on the Wii. This is a game that was already announced as being multiplatform and even had a release date, but suddenly it's become a timed exclusive for one system. The versions for the other systems will all be ready, but Sony's holding them back. Worse yet, this news is coming with almost no advance warning.

    A big, shiny prize was dangled in front of people and it's been snatched away at the last second. Of course people are going to be angry.

    --
    When someone says, "Any fool can see ..." they're usually exactly right.
  7. This will probably never change by bhunachchicken · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It could well be argued that the PS1 was the run-away success that it was because of exclusive Final Fantasy and Metal Gear Solid franchises. For the PS2, it was much the same, except that it had then gained Grand Theft Auto (yes, I know it came to the PC and 360 later, but by then it really was a one horse race).

    There were times when I looked at the games on the 360 and Wii, that weren't coming to the PS3, and wondered if I would be better off buying one of them instead of waiting for the PS3 to come down in price. It wasn't long though before Oblivion, Lost Planet, and Bioshock did actually come to the PS3, with the addition of features that trumped the original release.

    Rather ironically, I felt that only one of them was actually worth the wait, in the end...

    --
    THE HONOUR OF THE KNIGHTS - CC Licensed Sci-Fi Novel
    1. Re:This will probably never change by walshy007 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It could well be argued that the PS1 was the run-away success that it was because of exclusive Final Fantasy and Metal Gear Solid franchises. For the PS2, it was much the same, except that it had then gained Grand Theft Auto (yes, I know it came to the PC and 360 later, but by then it really was a one horse race).

      PS1 succeeded because of rampant piracy, then network effects. every man and his dog mod chipped his ps1, and bought a few legit games and downloaded a lot. Also legitimate game prices, ps1 games were a lot cheaper being on cds than their cartridge equivalent.

  8. Re:While Sony & MS battle... by julesh · · Score: 4, Funny

    I played Ghostbuster on the Commodore 64 when it first came out. No way in heck will that ever be AAA title. :P

    Also suspect there's no way in hell this new version will be as good.

  9. Same with Hulu by Lord+Lode · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Who outside U.S. cannot Hate Hulu for saying "this movie can't be played in your region".