200°

Hitman Developer's Upcoming Fantasy RPG May Be an Xbox Exclusive

IO Interactive's upcoming online fantasy RPG may very well be an Xbox-exclusive, according to internal Microsoft documents.

RpgSama341d ago (Edited 341d ago )

There's literally a news article out right now that says:

"Xbox's Phil Spencer says he wouldn't use Sony's own exclusivity tactics against PlayStation"

Which he said under OATH at the FTC.

Talk about snake oil salesman.

darthv72341d ago (Edited 341d ago )

...find proof that Phil went to IO and paid them to keep the game off PS. Then you can use that article against him.

For all we know, IO came to MS first and offered it to them. You do know that sometimes devs/pubs go to the platform holder to solicit their wares... right? The main reason to solicit is to gain financial funding to complete the project. MS has done that plenty of times and NOT owned the IP so those games do come to other platforms. What Sony has done (also plenty of times) is straight up paid to keep games from releasing on other platforms as part of their agreement for funding said game.

Practically every 3rd party game that MS has money hatted has been made available for other platforms. You can't say the same about the ones Sony has done. Maybe like only 10-20% (Sony) compared to 80-90% (MS)

RpgSama341d ago (Edited 341d ago )

"For all we know, IO came to MS first and offered it to them. You do know that sometimes devs/pubs go to the platform holder to solicit their wares... right? "

They said the same thing happened to Square and FF XVI. Did not stop all of you guys complaining about it.

"This is not some third party multi-platform game, genius.

This is an Xbox new IP made by a third party developer (second party, if you will)"

Talk about moving goalposts.

So Pragmata and any other new IP from a third party that will be exclusive to PS is going to be ok then?, will be second party, if you will? LOL

Flawlessmic342d ago

So is this also disgusting money hatting? Or is it only Sony that can get branded with that.

I'm sure the usual suspects will ignore this and then keep carrying on about Sony money hatting lol.

Not that I have a problem with timed exclusives or any exclusive for that matter, the way I see it is the console owners looking after the consumers by giving them content that cant be played anywhere else.

4Sh0w341d ago (Edited 341d ago )

It's money hatting but "disgusting" I guess depends on your point of view and for the record I've never branded Sony as being evil for doing it, quite the contrary as there are far, far, far more comments branding Microsoft negatively for doing it, so I think you sort of got your wires crossed there. Anyway the back n forth about it between gamers is useless, both companies will continue doing it, its been part of the gaming business since the beginning.

Obscure_Observer341d ago

@4Sh0w

"It's money hatting"

It's NOT money hatting! Project Dragon, Contraband and Kojima´s new IP are ALL Xbox first party IPs made by third party developers in partnership with Xbox Game Studios Publishing!

4Sh0w341d ago

Obscure

OK, but to me anything outside of building the studio from the ground up is money hatting. I mean because the whole "good relationship" thing is kinda blurry. What constitutes a "relationship" or work with them in the past? Saw Kojima in a bar? Talk with a dev/pub in a elevator, pitched a game, he said yes? -I mean like I said if you didn't build the studio yourself AT SOME POINT you just offered a check so studio A or B would make you an exclusive.

Lightning77342d ago

Project Dragon. It's suppose to be 3rd person 4 player Co-Op RPG. I've heard about this rumor for a few years now.

Sounds interesting.

Elda341d ago

Good for them. Every platform has their 2nd & 3rd party exclusive.

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100°

Every PlayStation Studios game available now on Windows PC

Windows Central writes: "Many PlayStation Studios games that are ported to PC get dedicated PS5 DualSense support, which allows users to experience haptic feedback and adaptive trigger support without actually having to own a PS5.

According to Hermen Hulst, head of PlayStation Studios, it's still the company's intent to launch the bigger single-player games on PS5 first, before later bringing the games to PC. This might not be the case for multiplayer games however, which are considered okay to launch simultaneously on console and PC."

Read Full Story >>
windowscentral.com
ocelot072d ago

My guess is after god of war. Probably last of us 2 that's a almost 4 year old game now and by the time it's released on pc it will be more than 4 years old or close to 5.

Elda2d ago

Every old Playstation game that is now on PC.

shinoff21832d ago

Right. I definitely see what a headlined from a website named windows central was trying to do though. It's cute little wordplay to help out the green box

Flewid6382d ago

Are PlayStation games no longer good or worth playing once they are old?

Elda2d ago

I'm guessing my comment went over your head.

XiNatsuDragnel2d ago

Good at least they can sell hardware

340°

Trying to push players over from PC to console is a terrible idea, PlayStation

As PlayStation announces its new strategy to encourage PC users to choose PS5 it is a bitter-sweet moment for PC gamers.

Christopher3d ago

I mean, it's a business based on hardware market. Do we expect them to not even try? It's not like Nintendo doesn't do the same by not putting any games on PC and Microsoft until recently did the same. I don't care what they attempt, as long as they don't abuse the community or lie about their goals/requirements.

Will it work? Not likely. Should we care? No. Let them waste their time, it doesn't affect anything.

RaidenBlack3d ago

let them try ... at the end of the day, we get few extra PC games ... yay ... and also promotes game preservation via PC ... so double yay.

LordoftheCritics2d ago

If only Playstation games provided the ease of pc gaming features.

Primary being very few PS games support m/kb.

Christopher2d ago

If only PC games supported controllers more. Main reason I play primarily on console. So many games have shit support on PC. Playing Dark Envoy now, and it's quite frustrating since I have to switch to keyboard during cut scenes just to make sure advancing conversation doesn't also auto-select a decision. Let alone it's quite rough to select between characters and inventory screens are bad bad bad.

Anywho, similar complaints for both I find. But, I 100% agree that both PC and consoles should support both as best as possible.

crazyCoconuts2d ago

PS may push more kb support in the future to get more PC converts, we'll see.

Flewid6382d ago

As someone with a high end PC, I feel like the ease is on PS5. Too many PC games are a troubleshooting nightmare, which few people have the time for when all you want to do is pop in a game & play it.

Yui_Suzumiya1d 17h ago (Edited 1d 17h ago )

I just use an Xbox controller on my laptop for everything 😆 .. I haven't used a keyboard / mouse combo for PC gaming since 1996

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1d 17h ago
LordoftheCritics2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

I don't think you understand what I mean by the lack of m/kb support on PS.

Over a thousand titles have PS controller support on PC.

Not even 30 titles have m/kb support on PS5.

Once you are done with the single player title, you'll go back to playing your daily shooter/looter/mmo etc which the pc gamer has mastered with their mouse and keyboard.
Why would any pc gamer make the switch?

jznrpg1d 21h ago (Edited 1d 21h ago )

PC is secondary to PlayStation for them. Mouse and keyboard would affect development. Live service will have it but most single player games aren’t going to have it as PC is not the focus

Christopher10h ago

I didn't miss it. I explained why I, a former PC only gamer, now play primarily on consoles. I don't play MP games, and the games I tend to play are better supported with controllers on console. Let alone some games aren't even supported with controller at all on PC. On console you are guaranteed the best support since it's the primary input. The fact is, PC isn't the best choice for every gamer just like consoles aren't the best choice for every gamer.

If you wanted to only disparage consoles and ignore any benefit of console, cool. But that's not how it is. There is no perfect platform for everyone. It's why we have the hardware market that we have.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 10h ago
Fishy Fingers3d ago (Edited 3d ago )

I wish them the best of luck.

But PC players are often a patient bunch, many will even wait for Epic launcher exclusivity to end until a game comes to Steam.

If they didnt buy the console when its games were exclusive, why would they do it now theyre not?

MrNinosan2d ago

Way more do than you probably think.

ravens522d ago

All you need is that one game that'll make a few switch at a time. Like a game a PC player REALLY wants.

porkChop2d ago

It just doesn't work that way though. Plenty of the best games ever made were never available on PC. That didn't make PC gamers buy consoles to play them. This kind of strategy has never worked in the past and it won't work now. It's fine for PS to hold their games back and release on PC later, but to think that will boost console sales is wishful thinking. All this will accomplish is some double dipping, which is obviously good for business.

JackBNimble2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

People aren't going to switch from pc to ps5, why would anyone do that for a game?
Most sony exclusives aren't all that to begin with, and pc has the option to upgrade what they want when they want it. Having access to some ps5 games, gamepass and steam.

Thinking this would happen is naive

outsider16242d ago

I mean if there's 10 million pc gamers out there...getting atleast just 1 million from there is probably a good thing..right?

romulus232d ago

PC players are not a monolith, I don't know why people keep thinking they speak for the entirety of all PC gamers like they all know each other personally. You think out of the millions of PC gamers not one single person will be impatient?Well Sony is willing to bet there will be. Why would they do it now? People's feelings change and new PC gamers come along all the time that may also feel different about waiting, that's why.

Yui_Suzumiya1d 17h ago

Just like how I'm waiting for Alan Wake II to hit Steam 😆

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 1d 17h ago
-Foxtrot3d ago

PC gamers are just too patient and loyal to their gaming set ups, something they've spent a lot of money on to perfect. They have backlogs of games which many never get round to finishing or get round to at all and will always have other multiplatform releases to keep them going.

Over the many years Sony has published so many awesome titles such as The Last of Us, Uncharted, Heavenly Sword, Infamous, Killzone, LittleBigPlanet, Dreams, Puppeteer, Resistance, Heavy Rain, Gran Turismo, Motor Storm, God of War, Horizon, Ratchet and Clank, Spiderman, Ghost of Tsushima, Bloodborne

If none of those games BEFORE all these PC ports convinced a hardcore PC gamer to get a PS5 console then why on Earth would porting them them to PC now make any difference? All PC gamers now know 100% is that they just have to be patient, which they are good at anyway to get a PS5 game 2 years later.

I get GaaS games or multiplayer focused titles but if people really want to play these games they'd have gotten a PS console years ago.

Crows902d ago

Not sure they're aiming to convince the hardcore PC gamer.

Not sure why people are obsessing over his comment...it seems pretty simple to me.

He will do all he can to entice gamers to move to his ecosystem. As you say....exclusives existing hasn't moved many gamers over. But if they get to try them and love the games then they might change their mind about waiting 2 years.

We're in an echo chamber on this site...I've Personally seen people with Xbox and PC setups but no PlayStation. I've also seen people with small PC setups but no console. Not every pc gamer invests thousands and many may decide to put one in the living room.

They're not looking to convince all of players to buy a PlayStation...just a few...and really it is just a PR statement after all...they have to give a reason why single player won't release day 1....not to mention they also have to ensure current PlayStation gamers don't jump ship to PC. It goes both ways and they're ignoring the big L by putting any of their games off their platform.

anast2d ago

"Not sure they're aiming to convince the hardcore PC gamer."

Right here

Kakashi Hatake2d ago

PC gamers think tomorrow is promised. Sorry, don't have time for that.

Michiel19892d ago

it's not just about loyalty or sunk cost, pc is an open platform while consoles are closed platforms. If you for example want to mod, you will play on pc, no question about it. Also if you like indie games, steam is a fucking goldmine for that. I've been playing a lot of indie games over the last years and there just seems to be an endless amount of them on steam. Also not having games locked to a certain fps is a prettty big deal for me and I assume a lot of other pc players.

Walalon2d ago

And don't forget steam sales, you can get a ton of games on an awesome price.

badz1492d ago

@Walalon

Sony has been doing sales constantly on the PS Store nowadays.

jznrpg1d 20h ago (Edited 1d 20h ago )

@Walalon Steam sales are basically the same as PS sales. I was going to buy a Steam Deck and I heard about these Steam sales but the games I was interested in were not any cheaper. Indie games were cheap and older AAA were cheap but the same can be said for PS store sales. I didn’t end up getting the Steam Deck as there weren’t any games that I wanted to play that wasn’t already on PS and prices aren’t much different

romulus232d ago

And how do you know out of the millions of PC gamers that not one single person ever went ahead and bought a PlayStation console for one or more of those games? People keep speaking for the entirety of millions of PC gamers like they know them all personally. Here's one example for you, I'm currently typing on a recently purchased PC that cost me over twenty five hundred dollars and is more than capable of running any game including Sony exclusives that come to PC and yet I still bought a PS5 so apparently I'm not patient or loyal enough to my set up, hope it's not mad at me for not being loyal.

jznrpg1d 21h ago

Some of those people will consider getting a PS5 some wont. I was a PC gamer for a long time and I’m a console only gamer now. Everyone’s different.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 1d 20h ago
helicoptergirl3d ago

Who cares? Then just stay on PC and play the waiting game. No big deal. Sony wins in the end anyway.

Melankolis1d ago

Yup. If the strategy doesnt work, all they have to do is to change their mind, publish the games on PC, and they still win anyway.

Number1TailzFan3d ago

I mean if there's any single player Sony games that I actually want that aren't on PC then I would buy said console to play them on. But the ones that I like that aren't on PC are few and far between anyway so no loss for me.

If I game, it's usually multiplayer titles, otherwise I like playing around with some other software.

Amplitude2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

Astro Bot is the game that just did it for me. I'm gonna have to grab a PS5 again for that.

I did this for Ratchet Rift Apart too but ended up selling the PS5 after getting my plat. Rebought it on PC and other than GoW Ragnarok and Horizon FW (which eventually I could get anyway), I haven't had a reason to downgrade my graphics, controller features, ease of recording, and increase my game costs and monthly subscriptions throughout this entire generation.

I play on a TV with a controller but this has been the absolute worst console gen for both consoles. Never in my life thought I'd be a PC gamer but I've been spoiled by the cheap costs, cross-platform controllers and mostly the unbelievably useful Steam controller config.

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220°

Former Activision studio Toys for Bob partners with Xbox to publish its first game as an indie

Former Activision studio Toys for Bob partners with Xbox to publish its first game as an indie. This is something of a homecoming, as Microsoft owns Activision.

Read Full Story >>
engadget.com
Obscure_Observer3d ago

Very very early in development. Still, fantastic news!

Let´s GO!!!

Lightning773d ago

I guess.

How come they didnt either let them go or sell Tango and others to another publisher? Not saying Ubisoft, EA would be any better. (Capcome would of treated them right )

At least it wouldn't be MS of all ppl destroying them.

MS really should let go Tango go like they did TFB here.

darthv723d ago (Edited 3d ago )

one was under Bethesda (Tango) the other under Activision (TFB). Clearly each one handled the separations of their subordinates differently.

Obscure_Observer3d ago (Edited 3d ago )

"How come they didnt either let them go or sell Tango and others to another publisher? Not saying Ubisoft, EA would be any better. (Capcome would of treated them right )"

Perhaps because Zenimax and ABK handles such matters differently based on their own internal policies as "independent" publishers.

Whoever, chances are it´s simply because MS didn´t wanted Tango or Austin to be acquired by competitors and develop new bangers for them, giving MS a bad rep in a possible future. Which could also be the reason why they ensured an exclusive partnership with TFB and its new game, before anyone else.

Sad and disgusting. But it is what it is.

Lightning772d ago (Edited 2d ago )

"Whoever, chances are it´s simply because MS didn´t wanted Tango or Austin to be acquired by competitors and develop new bangers for them, giving MS a bad rep in a possible future."

MS has a bad rep now because those studios are no more. I rather them sell the studio continue to make multiplatform releases, while MS continues to focus on whatever they're doing. If they didn't want Tango around they should separated from them or sell them to, like they did TFB.

It's inexcusable, they have options on how to handle studios they don't want anymore with killing jobs. Not just MS but the rest of the industry also.

Sad and disgusting sure how many will get shut down next year or this year even?

I don't trust MS decisions and motivations at this point. You have to admit they make one dumb move after another.

Obscure_Observer2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

"MS has a bad rep now because those studios are no more. I rather them sell the studio continue to make multiplatform releases, while MS continues to focus on whatever they're doing. If they didn't want Tango around they should separated from them or sell them to, like they did TFB."

Imo, MS separated from TFB because they didn´t had a game associated with Xbox yet, unlike Tango.

"I don't trust MS decisions and motivations at this point. You have to admit they make one dumb move after another."

Fair enough. It was indeed an epic dumb move from them to close Tango.

Still, all to be forgotten, like always have. This is not the first time a big publisher shuts down a beloved and/or successful studio out of nowhere and certainly won´t be the last. Do you remember Lionhead? Do you remember Evolution Studios? Yeah... both were beloved studios and yet, those companies kill those studios in q blink of an eye and got away with it.

anast2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

The studio boss made some money from this transaction. Once the game releases, the studio will get chopped up.

-Foxtrot3d ago

Manages to buy their freedom especially after all the shit Microsoft has been doing with its studios lately

...

Goes right back to them as partners.

Okaaaaaay...

darthv723d ago

Id venture a guess that TFB working directly with MS was a better outcome than working through Activision to get to MS.

VersusDMC2d ago

From the article...

"Toys for Bob spun out as an indie back in February after Microsoft instituted sweeping layoffs that impacted 86 employees, which was more than half of the staff"

I doubt those 86 employees enjoyed the Microsoft experience over Activisions.

Inverno2d ago

MS shuts down studios because of lack of resources and then helps these guys by giving em resources. Also MS is what forced them to buy their freedom in the first place? What kind of logic 😂

Chevalier2d ago

The best thing is that the company that is worth $3 trillion and owns the company instead of Xbox lacks resources. How the hell does a company worth $3 trillion making a measly $70 billion purchase they 'can't' support. Lol

BlindMango2d ago

The reason they would need to "partner with Microsoft" is simply to make a game that's part of a franchise that Microsoft owns. Meaning they're probably going to make a new Spyro game - they're still an independent studio, but are making a game in a franchise that Microsoft owns. It's kind of like Remedy partnering with Rockstar to be able to make the Max Payne remakes.

shinoff21832d ago

It was probably the deal to get released from Ms

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 2d ago
Sciurus_vulgaris3d ago (Edited 3d ago )

Xbox’s gaming division seems to still function as 3 semi-autonomous sub-divisions, Xbox Studios, Bethesda and ABK. The three main sub-divisions can seemingly shut down or build studios and set up partnerships independently. This would explain why Bethesda can recently shutdown studios, while ABK spins off one studio, while building a new one. Plus, Toys for Bob could be spun off by ABK, only to immediately re-partner with Microsoft.

Chevalier2d ago

That's absolutely 💯 BS. Any sane 'autonomous' company would NOT put their games on Gamepass day 1 like COD will lose probably billions.

Also they're all under Xbox game studios so any autonomy is an illusion.

PhillyDonJawn2d ago

No, I'm sure MS can and does step in when they want something done specifically but I'm also sure they let them also work independently

shinoff21832d ago

I highly highly doubt this. Ms controls all. The guys aren't gonna be allowed to just shut something down like that without approval. No way

Elda2d ago

Either a kiddie game or something uninteresting.

Obscure_Observer2d ago

Don´t worry. You won´t be playing it anyway since their next game will possible be a next gen Xbox console game.

Elda2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

Don't worry about my comments.

PhillyDonJawn2d ago

Right probably something like astrobot

romulus232d ago

Nah he said "uninteresting", lots of people are interested in Astro Bot.

Elda2d ago

Never Astro Bot. Astro Bot looks better than any exclusive released on XB this entire generation & believe there hasn't been much.

Asplundh2d ago

Crash 4 was good, so I'm hopeful.

PhillyDonJawn2d ago

Hey you said that about SOT and looks like many ppl on PS is playing it. You also found bugsnax interesting ffs your opinion hold no weight lol.

Elda2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

Bugsnax is BS, tried it & quickly deleted it. It's a game that fits right on Gamepass. PS5 owners that are probably playing the boring SOT you could count on one hand. LMAO!!...don't try to come for me.

PhillyDonJawn2d ago

So you admit bugsnax interested you enough to try? 😂 someone gotta call you out on the foolishness.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 2d ago
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