|
Are 'great' game exclusives dead? According to a recent report from Reuters, that may very well be the case -- even as the game industry ramps up for what might be its most successful Christmas, ever. The article from Reuters focuses squarely on the impending release of long-time Sony fan favorite "Metal Gear Solid 4", one of the most anticipated titles for Sony's PlayStation 3. So, what does this have to do with the end of 'great' game exclusives?
In a sense, Metal Gear Solid 4 (MGS4) is the last of one very unique type of game: the third-party exclusive. These are titles that are developed for one specific console; another fine example is the Halo franchise from Bungie for the Xbox/Xbox 360 (though it usually makes its way to PC eventually). In the past, the lifespan and overall success of consoles were defined by these third-party deals. The PlayStation took off because it could secure the Metal Gear franchise, with the PlayStation 2 also locking up Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series. These gaming pacts between software developers and hardware producers have squashed efforts, too, such as Nintendo's N64 and Sega's Dreamcast, which were short on exclusives. So, why are these deals no longer being made? As the demand for games increases, so does the bar. Game makers are now required to employ major motion picture-like budgets in order to reach the level of quality demanded by gamers. That means developers must open their product up to as many players as possible, and not just the audience of one console in particular. It's part of the reason former exclusives like Grand Theft Auto and Assassin's Creed have made their way from solely Sony to Microsoft, as well. (Source: filefront.com) But, could Metal Gear Solid 4 turn the tide? According to the obnoxiously lovable Adam Sessler, host of G4 Tech TV's "X-Play", the answer ain't pretty for Sony. "No, 'Metal Gear Solid 4' isn't the killer app," said Sessler. "People who already own a PS3 will likely get it. But it doesn't have that kind of broad-based appeal." (Source: yahoo.com) The real question is: does this necessarily mean the end of great games? Expanding the user base will make all gamers happy, sure...for now. But, in a few years when the consoles no longer need to compete with one another based on their available software, will this lead to a lowering of that bar? Could the quality of games actually decrease with time? Maybe Reuters is on to something.
-- Related newsletter articles:
2007/08/10 Sony Recalls Continue to Mount (sony)
2007/09/03 Security Firms Unearth Another Sony Rootkit (sony)
2007/11/08 PS2 Gets Nip-Tuck Treatment (sony)
2007/08/21 Don't Be 'Shocked' By This Halo Competitor (game)
2007/09/26 Critics Loving Conclusion to Halo Trilogy (game)
2007/10/01 Microsoft, Halo 3 Smash Sales Records (game)
2007/10/30 Game Bandits Make Off with $300,000 Haul (games)
2007/09/04 Sony to Disconnect Connect (sony)
2007/11/22 Sony Saves Developers Dough (sony)
2007/07/30 Sony PS3 Sales Skyrocket (game)
2007/08/07 Sony No longer PG-13? (sony)
2007/12/04 Game Exec Calls for Cheaper Consoles (game)
2007/10/12 The Drunk Driving Video Game (game)
2007/11/23 Pundits Ponder Another Holiday Console War (playstation)
2007/11/27 He's the Future of Video Gaming...and Your Father (game)
-- Recent articles (from all channels): 2008/05/12 Today in History: for Monday, May 12, 2008
2008/05/12 [ShellX 20080512]: 'Remote Manager', and 'Cyber Bandwidth ...
2008/05/12 Video Gaming Trade Group Struggling
2008/05/12 T-Mobile Finally Joins 3G Phone Race
2008/05/12 Apple Slammed by Environment Watchdog
2008/05/09 [ShellX 20080509]: 'Advanced Run', and 'Diver Windows Manager'
2008/05/09 Texas Refuses Facebook Friend Request
2008/05/09 Photo-Enforcement Technology Replaces Officers On Patrol
2008/05/09 Cuban Government Says 'Ok Computer'
2008/05/09 Excel Can E-Mail Your Weekly Reports For You!
2008/05/08 [ShellX 20080508]: 'Shell Enhancer', and 'Lansweeper'
2008/05/08 Xobni: MS Outlook Social Networking Technology for your Inbox
2008/05/08 Music Companies Jump on GTA IV Bandwagon
2008/05/08 Fascinating: Memristor to replace Binary
2008/05/08 Adobe Hopes To Make Flash Master Of The (Mobile) Universe
2008/05/08 Spiffy Envelopes and Labels in MS Word
2008/05/07 [ShellX 20080507]: 'Winbin2iso', and 'Loop Typer'
2008/05/07 Yahoo Adds Security Warnings To Search Results
2008/05/07 Apple to Lose Money on iTunes Movie Releases
2008/05/07 Amazon.com takes New York Tax to Court
2008/05/07 Need Glasses for the Slide Sorter View in MS PowerPoint?
2008/05/07 After Winning The DVD Format War, Blu-Ray Sales Tank
2008/05/06 [ShellX 20080506]: 'Visual Basic 6.0 Portable', and 'Double-...
2008/05/06 Yahoo Outsources to Jajah
2008/05/06 New HP Circuit Could Change Technology Forever
2008/05/06 Movie Downloads To Match DVD Release Dates
2008/05/06 Microsoft Ends Yahoo Bid
2008/05/05 [ShellX 20080505]: 'Ie7 Pro', and 'Desktop Ok'
2008/05/05 The WB Network Hops Online
2008/05/05 Microsoft Slashes Price of Xbox 360 Overseas
2008/05/05 Google CEO Wants YouTube to Take More of Your Money
|
