Why Releasing on Everything Except PS4 Is the Right Move for Aftercharge

Twinfinite writes: It might seem odd to skip the most popular current-gen console, but it's not without good reason.

[Hardiman]

Yeah silly logic! I'd want my game to be on as many as possible especially with one with a 70+ million install base.

[moegooner88]

He just retweeted an article “connecting” Rocket League and his game. Does he even know how Rocket League became a hit in the first place 😂.

[uptownsoul]

Well, we will have to see if his decision pays off. I do however think this game will get a lot of exposure simply for not being on a particular platform...But that doesn't always result in success.

We'll see if this game can reach Rocket League levels

[fiveby9]

The only reason MS wants cross-play as it reduces the barrier that people stick with a platform as that is where their friends play. Sony is holding all the cards here and MS is in a disadvantageous position. You can bet that if MS had double the player base as Sony they would not be advocating for cross-play with Sony. MS suddenly went from pariah after their X1 reveal to the champion of the gamer? A leopard doesn't change its spots. MS cannot be trusted with the reigns. This game will be dead in no time without PS4 support.

[ApocalypseShadow]

It's basically the relationship they have with Microsoft. And Microsoft's push to create cross play on consoles and try and make Sony look like the bad guy for not doing it. Like minecraft that also benefits Microsoft or any game that helps Microsoft's lower player counts.

One of the games announced for Xbox going to gdc.
https://crunch-tech.com/mic...
Oh look. Aftercharge.

http://chainsawesomegames.c...

**Since the very first day we announced Aftercharge, we stated that it was going to release on PC and consoles but we stayed vague on the console side. Today, we’re happy to announce that we’re renewing our vows with Microsoft and Aftercharge will be launching simultaneously on PC and Xbox One in Spring of 2018.**

Renewing their vows huh? Wonder why?

http://opnoobs.com/opinions...

**That was pretty much the starting point of how the studio got their support from Microsoft, because Knight Squad launched as a Games with Gold game. It was given away for free for the first month, which comes with a big, fat check.**

**Regarding countries, well, we know that Xbox is very strong in the U.S. in general, and we have them as a big partner in terms of marketing help.**

So...they renewed their vows with Microsoft, received a BIG FAT CHECK for their game on games with gold and will get big help with marketing for Aftercharge....I wonder if the game will run on Azure servers? Wonder who that benefits?

And gamers wonder why Sony isn't interested in helping their competitor. Follow the money trail.

[MattE]

Pointless releasing these type of games on PS4 first..

The PS4 community just didn't support Lawbreakers although it was a pretty decent shooter..

Best SP experiences on PS and MP are on XB .. simples

[Sunny_D]

@MattE

If that was the case Matt, then Xbox wouldn’t have lost their COD marketing partnership that they once had....😂

[ocelot07]

@MattE Neither did the PC community. You know that platform that has always support those type of games. I know Lawbreaks is a decent shooter. The issue is the market is flooded with those type of games now. Plus you have Overwatch which is simply a better games. If they released it on Xbox first then it would of died quicker in my opinion.

[rainslacker]

If it was just cross play with pc hen there's no reason to forgo Sony, as you can make it happen without much trouble.

But it sounds like they have a working relationship with ms, so I can understand how their past experience can lead to them wanting to.continue supporting them.

Assuming ms isn't writing them a check again though, it seems limiting oneself to.a smaller market isn't prudent. Indie devs don't often get the fan base following for their past efforts to really drive sales of a new game, so the previous gwg offering may not help them much.

But I wish them luck. I'd have to say that assuming it's not a paid deal.by ms, then at least he's pretty honest and upfront about it, which is nice. Maybe not really taking in the bigger picture, but that's what's nice about being indie, you can do what you want

[Aceman18]

This is the first I'm ever hearing of this game, does this website and people who seems to agree with this article think Sony is sitting in their home offices worrying about this game when they are releasing big games this year?

Sony is looking to potentially match or exceed their 2017 year sales for the system this year with these games and this one little game means nothing to them right now.

When they wanted to do crossplay last gen with M$ they said no to that idea, and now that it's on the other foot Sony said no this time. I say this is more than fair in my book so ppl keep on whining about why won't Sony crave and do crossplay with M$ when they should be whining to M$ on why they don't have fresh new IPs to play on their console of choice.

[rainslacker]

Truth is, success isn't dependent on the initial platform it releases in. Even with a bigger install base a game can flop, like with lawbreakers. On a smaller base it can still do well. Like Ori.

When it comes to this game, he doesn't have a big name behind him like with lawbreakers, and not much marketing like with Ori. Discovery is the biggest issue facing indie games, regardless of platform, and its the same regardless of what platform you go to. Even gutted markets can have discovery if one knows how to use the systems in place on the market itself.

[crazyCoconuts]

Hard to not think the reason is more obvious... The great "relationship" with Microsoft is an agreement. Rocket League and Fortnite don't have a problem segmenting cross-play with consoles. They both embraced the PS4 market early and look at them now...

[ShottyatLaw]

And the Nintendo part? Is their good relationship with Nintendo an "agreement" orchestrated by MS, too?

Sounds like it'll eventually come to PS4, but they wanted to hedge their bets with cross play to start. Focus on one online system, get all players into the same pool, and build from there. Indies are seeing good success on Switch, they have experience with Xbox, and those two consoles are OK with cross console play.

If successful, I'd expect a PS4 version. It might be cross play with PC, too. But a small game needs to start somewhere, and their rationale makes sense: Launch on 3 out 4 systems, simplify the online system, and build off the success.

[crazyCoconuts]

I suspect both MS and Sony don't view Nintendo as a direct competitor, so aren't going out of their way to lock them out. As much as the Switch wants to be a console, I think the use case for it is primarily a portable, and MS doesn't compete in that arena.

[Christopher]

***And the Nintendo part? Is their good relationship with Nintendo an "agreement" orchestrated by MS, too?***

Given his only reason is their partnership with Microsoft, it actually might be as Microsoft might have a deal to timed exclusivity with just PS4. Microsoft only cares about Sony losing games because as long as everyone else grows, Sony shrinks. Nintendo might grow into second place, but that means Sony's first place position will shrink just as much if not more.

It's a good business plan. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. And even Sony has said that their primary concern right now is Nintendo.

This is a mature business maneuver from Microsoft if true and much better than their past timed exclusivities that affected other platforms (RotTR).

[stupidusername]

It could also be simple but effective PR trick. It’s a controversial move so it’ll get media attention, fanboys who doesn’t own PS4 will buy it because PS4 players can’t have it, and when it eventually releases on PS4 it will be well known and even more people would buy it.

My suggestion might be total BS, but I do work in PR and I wouldn’t be surprised if this decision is part of that thought process.

[DigitalRaptor]

Can't tell if this is an immediately wise decision.

There are more players on PS4 than Switch and XB1 combined, Rocket League made its name and became popular on PS4, and other big games have had no issue implementing cross-play with PS4 and other platforms successfully. So basically, it's only not on PS4 because of the relationship they have with Microsoft.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

"other big games have had no issue implementing cross-play with PS4 and other platforms"

Rocket League is a big game, now, and it still begs to differ; the developers of RL even went straight to Sony and all but BEGGED them to implement cross-play with other consoles.
Not only did Sony not do it, the Sony fanbase acted like they were TOO GOOD for cross play, as if it would have somehow been a bad thing to play in matches against players on other consoles.

That's just one example of many others where Sony's said no to cross-console play; the only reason they have no issues doing it with PC is because PC is above them in the first place. It doesn't act as direct competition to consoles, so mentioning PC cross-play is a moot point.

So no, it's not because of the relationship they have with Microsoft.
It's because Sony isn't keen on crossplay with other consoles, for most games. [I'd also argue that PC is where Rocket League earned its fame and PS4 only expanded upon it.]

if the game grows then maybe they'll make a PS4 version just to tap into that market, but I wouldn't expect cross-play with anything other than maybe the PC version, if anything at all.

[DigitalRaptor]

I said that other big games have had no issue with implementing cross-play with PS4 and other platforms.

I didn't say other consoles, but platforms. So because you misread my comment, you extrapolated on something that I didn't even say.

The excuse they give for the game not being on PS4 is not a particularly good one, when they can make it work across multiple different platforms separately, as many games already have done.

The reason this is not on PS4 is exactly because of the relationship these guys have with Microsoft. Other than exactly that, there's nothing stopping this team from achieving cross-play with PC in the traditional way that's been done for going on a decade now, and Sony policy is not stopping that from happening. At this point, these devs are being about as exclusive as people are complaining that Sony is with cross-play, which is extremely weird when PS4 has sold to over 75 million players, and they're excluding over 75 million players.

In regards to Rocket League earning its fame on PC, I find that to be false. Not only did the game release on PS4 on the same day as PC, but it was free to PlayStation Plus members on launch day too which massively increased its visibility and it was very much a staple of the early PS4 lineup of indie games.

[FunAndGun]

Rocket League blew up from being a free game on Plus.

[Z501]

"the Sony fanbase acted like they were TOO GOOD"
"That's just one example"

An example YOU made up. IF you didn't make up "fanbase ACTED TOO GOOD"

SOURCE/PROOF ... i'll wait

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

You said platforms.
With an "s".
That means plural.
And consoles ARE a type of platform for games like RL and Aftercharge.
So unless there's another platform outside of PC that actually matters in this cross-"platform" discussion, consoles count here, and thus it's your fault for miss-speaking, and what I have said wasn't me extrapolating. I was going off of what you insinuated with your own use of plural.

Heck, even if you hadn't insinuated it, you'd still be ignoring other consoles for the sake of your argument's agenda here, which doesn't make a convincing case at all.

"there's nothing stopping this team from achieving cross-play with PC in the traditional way that's been done for going on a decade now, and Sony policy is not stopping that from happening."
You mean like it's not stopping the RL devs from enabling cross-play with Sony and the other two consoles?/s

Face facts already: Sony doesn't want to do cross play whenever possible with rival consoles.
They could, but they don't want to.
Microsoft doesn't control Sony's decision there; only Sony does. If Sony wanted to work with others, it wouldn't take much to make that happen.
But they aren't even willing to work with NINTENDO on this, and Nintendo doesn't even have the same subscription-platform-issues that anti-cross-players keep bringing up in defense of Sony, against Microsoft, on the RL debacle.

And I can almost guarantee you that if Sony's fanbase were given the reigns on the decision, this game wouldn't have crossplay with anything other than PC even if it did show up on PS4.
Just like Rocket League, which found its fame mostly due to PC, where indies have almost always been most popular. [and let's not forget that a large portion of those 70M+ PS4 owners also own PC's for many games, Rocket League included, not to mention games like this.]

[Kokyu]

You keep bring up Nintendo like it helps your argument when it doesnt. The fact they stand to actually have a much higher player base when PC and Ps4 cross play but choose to only go Nintendo, MS and PC which still would give them the player base of PS4 and PC proves they are just in the pockets of MS. This is a very cunning marketing play by MS to try and pressure Sony into cross play with MS. The reason Sony wont cross play with MS is orginially MS required everyone that does cross pay to have a MS live account. This would artifically pump up MSlive numbers making it seem their online service is far surprior and has more players when it doesnt. The reality is this MS has to have cross play because their hardware sales numbers are too low. They are banking to turn xbone into a steam like service and for that they need numbers, thats the only reason they are pushing cross play so hard.

[DigitalRaptor]

Well you are arguing semantics, as if you claim to know that is what I meant. Developers do cross-play with PS4/PC, and they have also done cross-play between PC multiple other Sony platforms. So yeah... even if you want to argue semantics, the plural of the word platform IS platforms and I would be right on both counts.

The rest of your comment is treading over my point. This dev doesn't really have any other excuse for excluding 75+ million players other than they have a good working relationship with Microsoft (as they were quoted for saying). The place you're trying to drive this, is irrelevant to the point I made.

Your claim about a large portion of PS4 owners owning a PC to game on is completely unsubstantiated.
And yeah... please stop lying about Rocket League finding its fame on PC. More unsubstantiated rubbish.

[ApocalypseShadow]

Ridiculous reason. 75+ million potential customers and that's the system you don't release on? Lol! That's their loss of a sale. But entirely their decision to make.

Common sense though says all they have to do is implement PS4/PC cross play and block match play with the other systems.

If the intention is to punish Sony for not cross playing with Xbox and MS, then don't expect Sony to ever allow them to make games on their system in the future. A small indie developer is not going to sway Sony to do it.

It would take a united front of Activision, ubisoft, Rockstar, square and EA to push Sony to do cross play with their competitors. Until then, one less game to even consider buying next to the dozens of other PS4 games I am buying.

Cross play is cool idea. But this isn't a one console utopia. These aren't cellphones where everyone can call each other from any provider but they offer exclusive content. They're console competitors. Companies create exclusive hardware hoping you buy their exclusive software and services.

Unlike MS's play anywhere that hurts the idea of buying a console for exclusives. MS has windows os to fall back on. Playing from anywhere means you don't have to buy any other competing hardware or join that particular ecosystem. What's the point of exclusive hardware then? A console manufacturer is trying to make money. I understand not liking a walled garden. I get that. But there's nothing wrong with one either.

[The_Eternal_one]

Well that's ok I hope their friendship ($$$$) works out well for them when the Xbox gamers don't support this game. Hopefully they do but if they didn't it wouldn't surprise. Then a year later come to PS4 when nobody will care. Good luck!

[darx]

I don't understand the PS rage. PS only owners only play exclusives. Why so angry?

[OB1Biker]

https://media.giphy.com/med...

[ILostMyMind]

You don't understand anything.

[Vasto]

Never heard of this one before but games like this belong on Xbox Live.

[TheOttomatic91]

I don’t even............what?

[boing1]

Well... Good luck then.

[gammaray13]

the game looks like crap so who cares

[ILostMyMind]

Good luck to them. I hope the MS check is too big, because if I were Sony, I would not allow this game on PS4 later.

[Kokyu]

Why releasing on everything but Ps4 is the wrong idea for a competive FPS in an over saturated market. There fixed the title.

[subtenko]

I wont be picking this up because of the current armada of PS4 exclusives. Even tho I have a PC I'll say sony has been getting me to buy a few extra games I wouldnt from the PS store. The dev is missing out....Whoever was in charge of that move is a bafoon o.o

[InTheZoneAC]

Oh well, one more publisher for me to never recognize and forget if I did get a glimpse

[Kosic]

Seems like their trying to make a stand against cross play restrictions of Sony. Not a great choice if you're planning to cash in.

Good on them, but I could see this being less of a hit without that platform fan base.

[SixFragz]

Another silly article, with a silly rationale, if there is even one.

Silly. Just silly.

[Realms]

Never even heard of this game until now I say go for it but cutting out the biggest install base on consoles doesn't seem like the wises decision. Any who it's not like PS4 gamers are hurting for games so all is well best of luck to them but I seriously doubt this game will be as successful as Rocket League whom appartely they think is the same strategy they are following by being exclusive on consoles with MS.

[BlaqMagiq1]

That would be the dumbest move anyone could make