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[GregLombardi]

I felt the sigh was necessary because....if this is really where this industry has gone (and I've been playing games for 25 years), I hope the parties involved crash and burn. The following poster has been identified by many long duration GAF members as having revealed and demonstrated correct info on rumors multiple times in the past, but obviously we have to take it with a grain of salt until Microsoft and/or said developer parties provide official commentary (if ever):

I mentioned the other day that I was hearing rumors of Microsoft throwing around a considerable amount of money to have publishers only show games on the Xbox One during E3. Most people dismissed my admittedly flakey news as 'that's what always happens.'


I've talked to more people since then though and this isn't the usual jostling for publishers on stage that happens at E3. Microsoft is throwing BIG money around to reverse course on idea that they aren't a games console. The rumors are that PS4 versions of multiplats, by those who do take the money, won't be shown AT ALL. Not on stage and not on the show floor.


I don't feel bad for Sony because business is business. I'm sure they will find a way to have a decent show... or they will have to recover afterwards. That's not really my concern.


Now, there's no need to take my word on this if you don't want to. But do keep an eye on E3 next week. With them buying up everything in sight and now potentially cutting an open roundtable out(to assumedly talk one on one with friendly press) and word that finding multiplat games on the ps4 on the show floor will be much harder than anticipated.... just keep an eye on it. Maybe my sources are wrong. But I feel confident enough in this info to share it.


I'm not saying to jump to conclusions. I'm just saying it may be something to keep an eye on.

I really, really hope some brave journalists press developers / Microsoft on this issue if it becomes apparent that something of this nature really is going down.

 

[Isaccard]

Shocking.

 

[Demon Lizardman]

Wow, that's bad for Sony, really hope this doesn't happen.

 

[abadguy]

Yawn....

 

[Loudninja]

Isn't that a complete waste?

 

[Guevara]

Can't wait to see which pubs take that deal.

 

[Boke1879]

I'm not going to believe this at all. Seems like such a huge waste or resources. CBOAT should confirm.

 

[StuBurns]

So the rumor is just that they're not showing the PS4 builds at the show? Not that they're pretending there isn't PS4 versions?

Who could possibly give a shit about that? It's not worth moneyhatting at all.

 

[QaaQer]

Fun e3 drinking game: spot the ms moneyhats.

 

[trmas]

That is a typical MS tactic, one that is prevalent throughout the company, and has gotten them in trouble with the US Government before. Still, hard to believe they are stupid enough to think this would work once the machines are released.

 

[KINGofCRA5H]

They would.

 

[Cheesecakebobby]

Well that's one way to stop journalists stating how much better the games look running on your competitor's hardware 5 months before release

 

[Poetic.Injustice]

Thread title led me to believe that Microsoft were paying developers to gimp the PS4 versions.

 

[Various Artists]

That Billion dollars has to be spent somewhere!

 

[sikkinixx]

MS buying support? Never.

 

[Betty]

Do they have so little faith in their first party/exclusive line-up?

 

[Arksy]

What's the point?

 

[W1SSY]

So MS pays to show the PS4 version isn't shown. Seems like a big waste of money to me.

 

[QaaQer]

So the rumor is just that they're not showing the PS4 builds at the show? Not that they're pretending there isn't PS4 versions?

Who could possibly give a shit about that? It's not worth moneyhatting at all.

It's about pretending PS4 versions don't exist. marketing it is.

 

[Odrion]

So we won't see the PS4 version of Battlefield 4 then.

 

[Rising_Hei]

This is actually bad for publishers if true and they accept, because Sony has its own 1st party games

 

[ElTorro]

As I wrote in another thread:

Well, they won't pay the whole industry. I guess this rumor is about developers like EA with whom MS has entered a "strategic alliance" whatever that means. Basically, it is not much different from having this or that developer on your stage during your presentation, but not on your competitors stage.

 

[Booshka]

Shift Eight, Sigh, Shift Eight.

Seeing "sigh" in the title is lol.

Moneyhatting is nothing new, but we'll see how aggressive MS is with it this go around.

 

[GoofsterStud]

What's the point?

PR / Marketing

Dude Bro sees more games at Microsoft booth.

Journalists under major time crunches don't' realize game ___ is also available on PS4.

Microsoft can say they are further in development otherwise ______ wouldn't be shown "exclusively" in there booth. PR

Microsoft cancels post E3 event so it's not around for questioning when journalist start to get wind of what's going on.

Games aren't all shown on PS3 to wow audiences and give best first hand impressions for developers.

Games don't look significantly worse on X1 when compared side by side. (If developer tools are behind like rumors suggest, things could look worse than we imagine when compared side by side)

Pick one.

 

[strikeselect]

Xbox go home.

 

[Sweet Aunt Nancys Panties]

Isn't that a complete waste?

Yes it is. But it's also very telling that they're not confident in what they have. If it's true.

I think buying exclusives is great. Good for business. But buying exclusivity of an announcement of a multiplat just screams, "We're really bad with money and have no confidence in our product."

 

[SolidSnakex]

Wow, that's bad for Sony, really hope this doesn't happen.

I don't really think it's a big deal. They aren't snatching them up as exclusives. They're still going to be available for the PS4, but they just won't be demoed on it at E3.

 

[Solid SOAP]

Ultimately, where would this get them? Their show will look great, but they can't actually lie and say that these multi-platform games are only on their console, so in the grand scheme of things this plan can't really get them far once commercials start saying "Call of Duty, for Xbone and PS4".

 

[Drakeon]

So the rumor is just that they're not showing the PS4 builds at the show? Not that they're pretending there isn't PS4 versions?

Who could possibly give a shit about that? It's not worth moneyhatting at all.

Yeah, I'd only care if the games were no longer coming to ps4.

 

[Zoramon089]

Why is it that console news is now just about who can throw the most money at ads and hype and other nonsense?

 

[metareferential]

Is this something new?

And wasn't Sony doing something similar (like some games being marketed on PS3 alone)?

 

[LiK]

unconfirmed rumor?

 

[Kyoufu]

Sounds like FUD to me.

 

[Korezo]

I expect none of the jpn publishers to take microsofts bribe. So capcom, square, konomi, and namco will show ps4 stuff.

 

[ActStriker]

So the rumor is just that they're not showing the PS4 builds at the show? Not that they're pretending there isn't PS4 versions?

Who could possibly give a shit about that? It's not worth moneyhatting at all.

Probably trying to avoid as many direct visual comparisons as possible and try to dominate mindshare.

But still pretty stupid.

 

[Ra1den]

MS buying support? Never.

.

 

[Cow Mengde]

That's what happens when you have no exclusives on your system.

 

[The Wheel of Fortune]

Buuut, they're still coming to PS4, right?
Then I couldn't care less about this.

 

[Dead Prince]

they canceled their roundtable. cant ask.

 

[jtb]

good for microsoft?

 

[emb]

Paying just for them to not "show" the PS4 versions? Sounds like it has 0 effect on us. If the PS4 version actually gets cancelled though, then I'd be sad.

 

[PhatSaqs]

Is this something new?

And wasn't Sony doing something similar (like some games being marketed on PS3 alone)?

This. I bet no one recalls the outrage of Sony & Ubisofts Assasins Creed "Marketing Exclusive Deal" at E3 06? Lmao.
It meant shit then and will mean shit now.

 

[Arksy]

PR

E3 is a press event. It's not like the public are going to be there and remember that everything only works on Xbone.....Or something bizarre like that.

 

[A Sentient Keyboard]

Oh, I was afraid for a second Microsoft was actually buying the franchises, rather than just having the exclusivity to show them.

By the way, I would think third parties would have to pay first parties to get a spot on their E3 shows, not the other way around.

 

[chrominance]

Maybe I'm underestimating the impact E3 will have on mindshare, but unless Microsoft's plan is to pay companies to not market the PS4 versions of their games at all, including the period up to and beyond the release, I don't think this is going to matter very much. It's not like the PS4 versions cease to exist just because you paid someone off to not talk about them; the press is going to find out and players are going to find out. It frankly would make more sense to me to pay companies to kill the PS4 versions altogether.

If it's just an E3-only phenomenon, I think it'll backfire.

 

[Nowhere Man]

Microsoft being Microsoft.

 

[Various Artists]

What's the point?

So all the news that comes out of the biggest game show in the world isn't :Next gen is here! it looks good but PS4 preforms noticeably better"

 

[Evolution_1ne]

MS buying support? Never.

but this isn't buying support, this is paying to make it seem that your competitor isn't getting support, these games are still coming out for PS4, they just don't want anyone to know, that is worse

 

[Camwi]

No offense or anything, but what do you mean by "where the industry has gone?" Do you know what Nintendo did during the NES days?

 

[dreamghost]

So no PS4 builds of EA games? No real loss Sony.