ShockingAlberto
Member
EA wasn't willing to fund the entirety of Titanfall, Microsoft stepped in to bail out development in exchange for exclusivity.
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NPD Sales Results for March 2015 [Up1: Nintendo numbers, PS4 placing]
- Thread starter Nirolak
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EA wasn't willing to fund the entirety of Titanfall, Microsoft stepped in to bail out development in exchange for exclusivity.
If I recall correctly, Respawn didn't have the money to finish developing Titanfall so Microsoft swooped in to save the day. Completely different scenarios.
When was the last time such a successful franchise took a deal for exclusivity? Titanfall had development issues, Capcom and Square weren't very confident in SFV or Tomb Raider so they sought out deals, I can't think of any recent examples. Maybe Resident Evil 4 on Gamecube? Even that went to PS2 pretty quickly.
Nightengale
Member
Titanfall was already 13 months exclusive thanks to the development bailout that MS gave.
When a game is already exclusive for a whole year to begin with, extending that to lifetime is probably not that expensive.
When a game is already exclusive for a whole year to begin with, extending that to lifetime is probably not that expensive.
scoobs
Member
Yes, it is completely out of the question. The amount of money they'd have to pay would never be worth it.
Yeah, but was a new FPS from Call of Duty creators, the sales potential was big and still become full exclusive on consoles. I'm sure this was expensive.
I'm not saying is likely that Fallout 4 will be timed exclusive, I just don't see as out of question. If Microsoft thinks would be strategic important, they can pursue an agreement.
I don't think any Fallout come close to 20 million+ that Skyrim shipped.
But it's a big release.
Titanfall was a new IP at the secured before the gen started when sales were a a zero sum game. If Titanfall truly was on the rocks and MS "saved" them as some have been saying then I doubt that deal was as expensive for MS as many might believe. I'd imagine, if true, EA was looking to offset what they saw as a yoxic investment in whatever way they could. Personally I don't believe it for a second.
Even still that is a far cry from buying exclusivity to an established and successful IP with less hardware sales than competing platforms. The two figures wouldn't be comparable.
Combine all this with insiders who said MS was fishing for third party timed exclusivity and that SE was the only one to bite with Tomb Raider; it doesn't exactly oaint a pretty picture for MS's bargaining power right now.
But hey this is the same exact thing that happened last year. As E3 approached we started seeing "will MS buy it though?" come up when talking about pretty much every single otherwise unaffiliated third party games. Turned out they pulled of done construing and DLC deals. The same thing will likely happen this year. But to me such a deal seems more likely to happen the Mass Effect Next than whatever Bethesda is cooking up be it Fallout 4 or Skyrim remastered.
Nightengale
Member
Titanfall was in a unique situation where the game had to be bailed out by external funding in the first place.
If Kagari was right, MS tried to pursue Mass Effect 4 exclusivity and failed. If they failed with Mass Effect, I'm skeptical of Elder Scrolls/Fallout.
Well, if they failed with Mass Effect 4, I agree. Fallou 4 is bigger.
The Shogun
Banned
Fallout 4 really makes zero sense being timed exclusive on anything imo. Bethesda needs zero help from anyone. Skyrim sales alone could probably fund the next 4 Fallout games by themselves.
I mean listen Xbox is great, but they really aren't in the position to be pushing anyone really for anything. Just look at Tomb Raider. SE are likely losing millions in potential sales this holiday from that title being exclusive.
The only way I could see that happening is if MS forked out the cash long before this generation really started and have an air tight contract on it.
I mean listen Xbox is great, but they really aren't in the position to be pushing anyone really for anything. Just look at Tomb Raider. SE are likely losing millions in potential sales this holiday from that title being exclusive.
The only way I could see that happening is if MS forked out the cash long before this generation really started and have an air tight contract on it.
I had not heard this. Any chance you can link Kagari's post? If they couldn't snag Mass Effect then I'd say yea there's pretty much 0 chance of any other third party timed exclusives happening.
Nightengale
Member
I believe S-E was aware of this when signed with Microsoft. It was after generation start so they must be secured enought money.
The Shogun
Banned
It must have been a fortune if so. I mean last gen Tomb Raider sold better on the Playstation as is, let alone how it would look on current gen with the PS4 dominating the market.
Either SE really made a horrible call or MS dropped bucket loads of cash IMO
The thing that gets me about it is that people seem to be drooling at the idea of it happening. As if third party bought exclusivity was something that should be relished and celebrated instead of denigrated. It's a shitty thing to do especially for established multiplayer franchises like Tomb Raider. We should be shunning it not seemingly praying for it to happen.
Knowing SE they probably thought such a partnership would lead to better resonance with the western audience given the success of the Xbox Brand in the west. Never underestimate the baffling stupidity and shortsightedness of SE management.
Square-Enix has said that will look for "external partners" to help fund some games from now on.
Japanese developers didn't seem very comfortable with costs for make big productions these days.
People over the last few years have been cheer marketing deals. So nothing should surprise you anymore.
StrongBlackVine
Banned
Well did any Elder Scrolls come close to those numbers before Skyrim?
Nightengale
Member
I still remember Hindle practically salivating at the idea of Eidos SE like Deus Ex,etc games being exclusive to Xbox. And how he cheerled for Harrison for it because he's close to them lmao.
Welfare
Member
Might be chartz, but still, Skyrim was a MASSIVE success for ES.
Steverulez
Member
Personally, I think both MS and Sony will have a third-party exclusive each (at least one anyway, there won't be many, but perhaps one or the other will 2) to announce this year, I think that game is definitely on.
For my thoughts on it, if they're going to save a title in trouble/having difficulties (Titanfall, Dead Rising 3) then I'm all for that because it gives me a game I wouldn't necessarily get otherwise they're spending money and I'm actually getting a benefit, or perhaps it wouldn't be quite the same game.
I don't know the exact circumstances of something like Tomb Raider and Street Fighter V but I largely think neither me as a PS4 owner or Xbox One owner probably gained much from either of those investments from Sony or Microsoft, I doubt we will ever find out the reality anyway.
StrongBlackVine
Banned
I was worried they might pull some shit like that with Deus Ex Mankind Divided, but I think they have learned their lesson already.
So nowhere near Skyrim numbers. I still don't understand why it became so popular.
Steverulez
Member
Well, I doubt MS or Sony were that interested in exclusivity for it, as much as I liked Human Revolution. If someone was willing to buy it I suspect Square would have cash cheque quite happily.
immortal-joe
Member
Microsoft's priority will be the "not on Playstation" deals. Bethesda have signed temp exclusivity for DLC in the last 2 Fallout and Elder Scrolls games, so that's virtually guaranteed for Fallout 4. The only question is if they can take it farther into making the full game timed exclusive. They can always make the deal nicer for Bethesda by including PC as well, but not the Playstation. That would be Plan B.
Nightengale
Member
Dragons.
Most third party exclusives barely move the needle. Unless you can land COD, GTA, BF or FIFA. You really aren't doing much.
Steverulez
Member
Maybe Doom or Prey 2?!
Well, I was more responding to the idea of people championing third-party exclusives, rather than whether they'd sell consoles of which the latter probably depends on a game to game basis, if it were big enough. Although I don't think either MS or Sony have probably secured a 3rd party exclusive in the last generation to do that except maybe Titanfall, and even then, its impact is probably somewhat debatable.
Nightengale
Member
Please. We all know it's going to be Agent.
Primethius
Banned
Dragons + much more simplistic/streamlined compared to past iterations. And fantastic mods on PC. Though I doubt the latter has much to do with anything.
StrongBlackVine
Banned
I can't see how Deus Ex would be less attractive than games like Sunset Overdrive, Dead Rising 3 or Ryse.
Sony doesn't really do timed exclusives so yeah I doubt they would be interested at all.
I felt like the SFV deal was bullshit and I've said as much in numerous occasions. I've also made my thoughts on the Tomb Raider exclusivity clusterfuck well known. Third party exclusivity deals in general are a fucking cancer on this industry. They basically subsidize the unsustainable development budgets of AAA games.
While occasions where development assistance are additive by nature and are the exception those are few and far between these days. More often than not we instead see timed exclusive content, DLC, expansions etc etc attached to a single platform basically engendering bitter partisanship and tainting the fun some consumers would have otherwise been able to have with the game. These partnerships are basically a corporate game of keep away wherein they see who will pay the most money to keep content away from consumers.
The idea that people would cheer that on and salivate over the thought of it happening is beyond depressing. Sometimes I look at the market leading titles like BF:H and the bullshit corporate deals and I hate what games have turned into. Top selling titles are largely unimaginative yearly retreads with minimal suffering content or design and receiving "exclusive" retailer DLC or platform
DLC or Timed DLC whereas genuinely compelling and unique games sold as a full package sell fractions of their numbers. It's nauseating.
Steverulez
Member
Well MS don't seem interested in RPGs these days, perhaps it is due at a time when MS have enough games coming out?
Microsoft published all 3 of those games, two of which are independently made and needed a publisher from somewhere to fund the project, new franchises exclusively on the platform they hoped to grow and could reap benefits of sequels exclusively on their platform (Ryse 2 we're not getting, SO2 we don't know about).
DR3 was in development hell and MS wanted an Xbox One launch title, its always been associated with Xbox anyway after 1 was exclusive and 2 had that exclusive downloadable prequel thing, it was also probably very easy to get given Capcom and difficulties.
Tomb Raider was intended to compete with Uncharted, perhaps it was their attempt at appealing more to the European market (I'm not suggesting they will be successful with that) and perhaps there were things going on behind that scenes that brought the opportunity up. I don't think Deus Ex quite possess the same draw for Microsofts money as the 3 you mentioned do or indeed Tomb Raider.
Recovering_Jedi
Banned
It will be interesting to see how things shape up as the year progresses.
With MS's big exclusive Halo 5 coming, PS4 needs something to keep momentum on its side.
Should be interesting to see how things go at E3. The big question is: will Sony drop the price? They probably should, but they likely won't.
With MS's big exclusive Halo 5 coming, PS4 needs something to keep momentum on its side.
Should be interesting to see how things go at E3. The big question is: will Sony drop the price? They probably should, but they likely won't.
StrongBlackVine
Banned
They will. The only question in my mind is how much. I've been saying $299 for a while.
Steverulez
Member
$349 but they won't do it at E3.
PS4 is still selling exceptionally well at $399, they will need to drop the price sooner or later but I find it difficult to think that Andrew House/Shawn Layden could really justify dropping $100 and missing out an absolute ton of profit they would get at that extra $50. If they do better bundles and deals this holiday than they did last year, the extra $50 won't make much difference anyway.
If MS want to continue pricing the Xbox One as they have and make new moves all the time Sony should probably just let them get on with it, MS are flailing around like Magikarp doing splash attack and if it actually ends up working at some point and MS close the gap/go level with them in US and get some momentum, Sony will still have plenty of choices for drops later on.
I don't really think it makes sense for Sony to go chasing what MS are doing, given their dominance already.
Primethius
Banned
I think $299 is likely, at least perhaps as a temporary promotion. A price drop will occur this year, it needs to to keep the momentum going. A $349 price drop wouldn't be enough to win the holidays and you might as well try to win the entire year.
Microsoft will blow everyone's minds when they secure timed exclusivity for Uncharted 4.
Because it's a fantastic game
on PC.
They're only "winning" if the Xbox division is making a profit, and I really don't see them doing that at $299. But who knows? Maybe the parts really are that cheap.
Recovering_Jedi
Banned
That is how I surmise the situation, as well.
Gamescom or TGS seems more likely for a price drop. They'll wait till later in the year.
Primethius
Banned
To be fair, Spencer says a lot of things on Twitter.
Welfare
Member
Yeah, with KI.
It's one thing to say something to get the fans going. It's another to actually sit down with companies and work out an exclusivity deal while your competitor is outselling you 2 to 1.
Sangetsu-II
Member
One would assume so, especially since by now PS4 has sold like what? 22 million and we don't even know if Microsoft has moved from 10.5 million mark.
Steverulez
Member
Ps4 doesn't exactly need a revision really, not yet anyway