I like fights!
Seriously though - you have a point, but I don't feel it's a valid excuse. Point to the 360's install base, the learning curve involved in getting familiar with the PS3's architecture, the 360 consumer base's rabid love for shooters, ease of use in porting an already PC-based engine to the 360...shit, from a strictly financial POV, cutting corners on the PS3 makes perfect sense. If that's the perspective that matters, so be it.
From a gamer's point of view - hell, developer's pride, cheesy at that may sound - wouldn't you want the best representation of your vision on any platform it's available on? As a developer, isn't it your responsibility to ensure that your game is presented in the best possible light? Absconding that because it's "difficult", or assigning blame to the platform when it's the budget that's really talking (......
allegedly) does your game a disservice, does a potential new fanbase a disservice, and does your reputation a disservice.
For example, we announced a PC version of our game a few weeks ago, but for various reasons it's been farmed out to an external company. If - for some inexplicable reason - the PC port doesn't turn out well, should we blame the external developers? Point fingers at the PC as a gaming platform? Or do we take responsibility for the game's appearance at because at the end of the day, goddamit, it's
OUR baby?
The buck has to stop somewhere. And when other studios like Epic, Infinity Ward, Propaganda, et al. somehow manage to get it done on a tougher platform, pissing and moaning about PS3 development publicly and shortchanging those very customers who would love to play your game seems incredibly disingenuous.