Why Developers Choose PSN Over XBLA

NowGamer speaks to Joe Danger developer Hello Games to discover why more indie and established developers are publishing their games on PSN over XBLA

[HorsePowerr]

"Sony seems to be doing everything it can to support creative studios by giving them the room to express themselves and fulfil their vision."

The main reason I own a PS3.

[bustamove]

....Is it me or am I seeing the use of multiple accounts around here yet again? How did thus guy receive nine disagrees in the space of two minutes? If you're going to disagree, then have the BALLS to prove him wrong.

Anyway, I agree. This makes me proud to own a PS3 either way. PSN has some good games and I'm pretty sure more are coming out this year.

[plenty a tool]

i'm sorry, but i think nowgamer is another site run by fanboys. and just look at some of their columns lol.

if the competition is stiff on live, then the game devs need to step up their game and make something worth buying.

i've not bought one xbla or psn title in 2 years. i have no interest in these sort of games anymore

[Mmmkay]

these sort of games ? you just proved yourself silly...

[0mega4]

one site with a sony bias.

but at least its not vgchartz who post there xbox biased numbers

[RageAgainstTheMShine]

Fat Princess,
Death Spank,
Joe Danger,
and
Scott Pilgrim
my awesome PSN games!!!

Oh wait there will be more!

Kung Fu Live!
Beat Sketchers!

[big_silky]

I don't see the creators of Limbo, Toy Soldiers or indie games like Shoot 1Up or Breath of Death complaining.

[Newtype]

Because they are paid hush money.

[Perjoss]

you been watching too many movies

[Snakefist30]

Ya M$ Paid Them Alot Of Money So Tat They Cannot Complain.

[Sez]

Seem more like this dev wants top priority over other indie games and maybe more upset because of compitition on XBL. That he's more worried that his game will get lost in the shuffle. Maybe if his game stood out it wouldn't be a problem. Other indie dev aren't having the same problem and it seems more like he's the only one complaining. Step up your game. Problem solved

[Biggest]

There are many indie developers that aren't relevant enough to complain. As it was explained earlier, any and everyone can get their "game" onto Xbox Live. Unless people are buying dozens of new indie games per week it is very likely that all of your time and effort will go to waste. It's easy to say "Step up your game" when you're the consumer. As a side note. . . Why don't you say that for the many horrible products and prices shoved at you (Xbox online gaming for instance)?. . . Not everyone has the resources right out of the gate to fully create their vision. Luck isn't on everyone's side.

[darx]

Sony paid this guy to say that

[LarryMiller]

I don't understand how he's complaining
he is just sayin that indie have more success on PSN.
I don't like buying stuff on XBL because you have to be logged in to play the games which is a rip off because if I decide to cut my internet off or if my connection is fucked I can't play the games I paid for.
My biggest concern about payin for XBL games is will we still be able to play those game in 10 years from now. will we still be able get online with the 360 because you cant get online with the original xbox anymore so will that happen to 360.
PSN doesn't do that, if I buy games I can them play whenever
You can also have the stuff you buy on PSN on about 5 ps3's so me friend can share games.
I don't invest money in XBL cause I don't like microsofts policy and I don't want to get screwed.

[Kiriel]

They don't, actually. This guy might think so, but it's bull that most developers prefer it.

[Scotland-The-Brave]

Proof? Can you justify your answer?

[-PINNER-]

All I have to say is that it's too bad that Hello Games weren't able to put Joe Danger on XBL, because it's an incredibly awesome game and it would've sold a ton on the 360. It's the best PSN game I've bought. Congratulations to Sony for seeing that.

[earbus]

Arcade on 360 is getting great lately with ps3 finally psn cards have arrived in oz so i can get some warhawk dlc yeah and arcade titles still after 3 years i have not made a psn purchase.

[olos]

i dont see what all the hype for xbox is i pay 11 $ a month for nothing really
their games r more expensive i find too
not to mention all the pubescent idiots who plague live

i like how sony encourages creative and artistic devs
pixel junk and flower, last guy, etc
i guess xbox does too
but ive heard they have been rejecting cool games as of late
i own all those games and love them

xbox has game room but its totally under utilized
and indie games are plagued with crap games

i wish live would get som xbox classic like dragoon orta and some others
now that would be sweet

i think sonys store layout is better as well

i seriously do not care for the constant halo dev diaries either

[kingdavid]

What "cool games" have they been rejecting?

[HarryMonogenis]

"i dont see what all the hype for xbox is i pay 11 $ a month for nothing really"

I'm pretty sure it's not $11 a month, heck, here in the UK it's only £3 a month and during special deals it's £1 a month.

[creepjack]

$50 a year does not equal $11 a month. Must be that new Sony math.

[OSU_Gamer]

The worst part is the fact that he gets 18 agrees.

[dexterganpot]

LOL i work in game so i know the price of xbox Live, its £14.99 for 3 months and £39.99 for 12 months
dunno where u coming out with £3 a month lol

[outlawlife]

not to mention lately there have been monthly discounts to get a year for 40, and even 30 from some place

if you are paying 11 a month you are getting hosed somewhere

[Fishy Fingers]

I'd of thought most would release their games on whatever plaform expresses an interest in publishing it.

[Xx Ziyad xX]

bucz no one Choose PSN over XBL ?

[4cough]

Err They dont.

[fastrez]

Read the article mate, it explains why the developers who DO choose PSN over XBLA do so. It's not trying to say that one is better than the other. Shocking when people don't read beyond the headline.

[MicroSony4Life]

Who ever wrote this could have easly made the headline "Joe Danger developer explains why they choose PSN over XBLA" but of course that means that no one on N4G would click on the article.

[drsnobby]

this article is ill informed.xbla is where indie devs show there talent using XNA.if your game is good it will sell,if not then try try again.the dev of joe danger sounds like a sore looser,but remember there are so many games on XBLA its so many to choose from. this article is misinformed

[Sharingan_no_Kakashi]

1.) The article is about why some game devs feel safer choosing psn over xbla and it has an actual indie dev giving his opinion so its not misinformed.

2.) The Joe danger dev broke even on day 1 of its release so he's actually a winner not a loser.

3.) There being "so many games on xbla" is why 47% of them sell less than 25,000 copies. That and the fact that most of it's shovelware.

[Sez]

The only reason why these so called indie dev's feels safe with going with PSN. Is because these no compitition on psn. So yes there games will sell not because it's good. But because there's nothing out for people looking to buy a something new from indie games dev's.

If your game is good people will by it. XBL allows people to play a trail version of the game before you buy it. If this game was as good as creater wants people to believe than it would speak for itself. The problem he has is having putting this game on XBL. Is that there are plenty of better games that will interest people more then this game will.

And most indie games on both systems are shovelware Not just on XBL. The difference with both service is that xbl let's you try it out before you waste your money on the game. This way you know what your getting.

[unrealgamer58]

lol I love n4g

[AusWarrior]

It's the author's fault for making such a stupid title that has caused this fuss. Hello Games says nothing in the interview about which online service is better or anything, he just says Sony support their creativity and give them freedom for their games.

If the title had have been 'Indie developers flocking to the PS3', guys like Soda wouldn't have said stupid stuff that has nothing to do with the article. Or maybe they would have still :(

[Pootangpie]

aside from scott pilgram is that why there are far more games on XBLA then PSN

many developers have admitted the tools are better for XBLA then PSN I don't recall ever in the history of gaming or anything enterainment wise having too many games being a bad thing

[Tito08]

Most developers aren't great developers, so I like the minolity, and since that Hello Game developer was a former Criterion dev, then I know he's very talented!!!!

[kraze07]

Should be "Why Hello Games choose PSN over XBLA". Their numbers don't really seem to matter much seeing as how there are more indie games on XBLA than on PSN. The more games you have, the more likely you are to find some bad games.

[bustamove]

Really? Then how is it that the title is also in the article? How come we don't see games like the Last Guy on the 360? There's plenty of games the 360 doesn't have that the PS3 has.

[Bzone24]

Yea, the title makes it seem as if every developer chooses psn over Xbox Live Arcade. I expect to get on my Xbox and find an empty page when looking for XBLA games since developers choose psn.

[Wizziokid]

thats why i own a ps3 and 360, i get the best of both.

[creepjack]

Whats next, an article about why more people chose the PS3 in the month of July over the 360 in America(of the people who chose to buy a PS3)? LOL

Stupid fail articles.

[AliTheBrit19]

Really?

Last time I checked XBLA Still gets a lot more games than PSN

Plus XBLA has Indie games, something which lets more and more people create games to sell, PSN has nothing on that.

[bilbobob]

sh*t, seriously dont make out like its full of top notch great indie games as most of them are pure boll*cks. Choice does not always mean quality. After all been xbox owners you should know this already!

[creepjack]

And EVERY Arcade game, indie or not, should have a demo available. Sony dropped the ball on that one, big time.

[Dark_Energy]

Let's be very honest here, both networks have their positives and negatives.

It's up to the person who purchases the content which service they prefer.

[MajestieBeast]

Just ask Jonathan Blow and how M$ ripped him off with Braid.

[M4ndat0ry_1nstall]

They mad they don't own the Joe Danger IP anymore?

Also Sony are paying Indie developers to make their games PSN exclusive titles.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009...

Money hungry devs FTW.

@MajestieBeast above, orly?

"Following the article being posted, Blow responded in the comments section, and wanted to make it clear that he's not negative towards Microsoft. He notes that although there were some negative interactions during development, they also bent a lot of rules to help him out. For example, Microsoft allowed Braid to launch the player directly into the game instead of a menu system."

http://www.1up.com/news/jon...

[Sez]

Wow if that's true. Sony just got caught out in a lie. They say they don't pay for exclusives. This also sheds some light on why this guy wants his game on psn rather than on both networks. Because he's getting paid to do so. I guess he's really complaining because MS didn't want to pay him for something that may not have sold on XBL.

Good find have a bubble +

@darx

after reading the link that mandatory 1nstall just provided. i wouldn't put it past them

[CimmerianDrake]

Sony pays for publishing if the dev makes it exclusive to PSN. If they don't, Sony doesn't prevent them from making it exclusive. It isn't the same as buying exclusivity.

[washingmachine]

wtf,wot devs? live has better games then the psn imo. psn seems to have to many puzzle type games even on psp psn.

[Lightel0s]

this article its a complete joke, xbla it´s great and the best stuff in the whole xbox live, they are releases almost every week, great games that fairly suspases everything the poor psn have on it, and the summer of arcade it´s a shining example.

[il-mouzer]

"We’re referring to the openness of the console and its online service that has finally attracted Valve to the PS3 and made LittleBigPlanet possible."

???

apart from that, the real grounds for indie development is PC gamign it has been so for years - just go to steam the number of ORIGINAL indie games is far greater than that of XBLA and PSN

[CimmerianDrake]

There is a PC section up there for you. It's where PC elitists talk about PC elitist stuff. This here is an article concerning consoles. I think you got lost. I have a map for you if you want.

[il-mouzer]

actually I own a PS3 too :P

[BabyTownFrolics]

on xbla every game has a demo, so if your indie game sucks people will find out and not buy it

on psn hardly any games have demos so if your game sucks people wont find out until after they have paid

so if you were an indie dev which model would you prefer?

[baodeus]

exactly and it is a problem with indie games on PSN. It is good for developers but not good for consumers. It is great that PSN is open, but what is the point if the games aren't getting promoted or some sort of exposure to the masses (by providing som sort of demo or info). I don't see pictures, info, demo etc....for PSN indie types of games so there is little to no incentive for me to purchase them.

As a consumers, would you go out a purchase a game where you know nothing about it?

[baodeus]

so the one who disagree care to tell me where i can get demo or info on indie games for PSN?

[phatak]

oh btw. there is something called reviews

[Hades1337]

That's one developer's opinion. We see plenty of excellent XBLA games, like Braid, Limbo, Shadow Complex, Splosion Man, Castle Crashers etc. Some of those are exclusives as well.

[divideby0]

when I can play a game like LBP with my gold account, I will be impressed.
nothing new here, we have read articles like this for the past 2 years
not that Live dont have good indie games, just PSN and PS3 with its more open hardware software is really where its at.
I still play UT and the mods and easy of downloads own anything on Live which I have paid for since day one of Live

[Skynetone]

i hope they give us something new next time, and not joe danger 2

[Eiffel]

I just can't get into PSN, it's pretty dry for my tastes. I had Xbox Live before and I could easily talk to my friends, mostly because they all had a mic. With PSN, half the time I purposely have to join and exit games until I can get someone with some form of communication, most of which I'm playing in Bad Company 2, which requires a length of strategy, and the likeness that I'm playing with bots doesn't aid that.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'd love for Sony to include a headset with their console.

[loobtube]

Sony creates,MS COPIES and there os has more glitches than MW2