So you're saying that were it not for Sony buying in, that this map would not be released at some point to both platforms at the same time, maybe even on day one?
I'm saying this is standard business practice today. Unless we hear from the people involved in the negotiating table from Bungie we technically will never know.
But for sure it's standard business practice, that paying for timed exclusive content helps against the development cost.
If Sony paid for its development, why does the Xbox get it at all?
Bungie has been adamant about everyone getting the same experiance. Kind-of-funny when you think about it because PS4 does get some experienced first. But I guess overall everyone will eventually get the same experiance. Obviously Bungie didn't want an exclusive only game, otherwise it would have happened.
And in Bungies case, they were probbly so well funded, what ever Sony paid them for exclusive timing, probbly goes to the general development cost or profit of the game. (smaller houses needing funding might go to the specific extra assets created) it in many ways comes down the negotiating table. Negotiations are very unique, dynamic, fluid, give and take, this is where they ended up on, this was the agreement they settled on. Regardless, the additional investment helps the ROI of any business.
And speaking to the issue of Bungie being so adamant about a similar player experiance across all platforms, I'm surprised more Sony fans have not spoken about the probability of X1 holding back the PS4 in the publicized build of 30fps on each console.
As Bungie stated the extra power from the removal of Kinect allows them to get up to 30fps on X1. Hinting that they were below the 30fps threashold before.
The final build will tell us if they did stick to 30fps on the PS4 build. But I think it safe to assume if X1 is just reaching 30fps, then PS4 should at least get that or more. Perhaps they are just playing it safe with that statement to have no X1 fan backlash? Time will tell.
You see something that wouldn't have existed without Sony, and I see something that (in this instance) Sony paid for in order to keep Xbox gamers from playing. We've seen the same thing on the MS side, paying to delay COD DLC to Sony platforms.
No gamer ends up as the winner, or with a better product. Not that I've seen anyway.
In this particular case (as each game and each negotiation is a case by case basis) I would not say it would not have ever existed. We don't know for sure unless we were at the negotiating table, or Bungie talks about its business practices.
Could even come down to a bean counter saying "we have enough for this development, but not that development" although Bungie seems far from being ran by bean counters. (It's one of the things so respectable about them is the creative vision seems to drive them most)
The only reason I mention bean counters is to illustrate that companies are different. Showcasing in some instances the exclusive timed content does in-fact allow for other asset development that might not have existed otherwise. (Although for Bungie I'm confident it's not a funding or ROI issue)
From what they have said(Bungie) wanted to entice Playstation audience since they had not been involved with them.
From known history that does sound like PR spin to me, the story behind this development house is facenating, I really hope some writes a book on it one day!
Regurdless, it's still good for gamers IMHO, because all these companies Bungie, MS, Sony etc. they are trying to outdo one another.
Keep showing off I say, keep trying to outdo one another, a company, and an industry that is pushing ill take any day. Versus an industry just trying to please everyone, and treat everyone the same.
Sometimes treating everything the same is boring and the differentiators, the variety is the spice of life IMHO.