Skyrim - X360 Timed Exclusive For Two DLCs

Dhruin

Dhruin

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Well this is the final nail in the coffin of the 'Does Bethesda view the PC platform as a second class citizen' debate.

But DLC for the XBox360 in the first 30 days, at least for me, is no big deal. In the first 30 days and beyond, I will still be 'just getting started' with the vanilla game. Plenty of time for DLC later.
 
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I wouldn't be surprised if this is Microsoft that is doing this. They probably tell Bethesda (and other companies) that if they don't give them exclusivity then they won't let them on the Xbox 360. Since a majority of the DLC sales will come from the Xbox 360 they have no choice. This kind of Xbox 360 exclusivity has been happening for a long time and is pretty common.
 
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guenthar said:
I wouldn't be surprised if this is Microsoft that is doing this. They probably tell Bethesda (and other companies) that if they don't give them exclusivity then they won't let them on the Xbox 360. Since a majority of the DLC sales will come from the Xbox 360 they have no choice. This kind of Xbox 360 exclusivity has been happening for a long time and is pretty common.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure. I actually suspect that Bethesda is a willing participant in this. The idea that Microsoft would say give us exclusive DLC or no Xbox360 platform for Skyrim seems unlikely give that Skyrim will be one of the biggest AAA titles for the Christmas season.
 
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I think Bethesda is a willing participant. X360 is their lead-platform, even when other publishers were conning journalists at the E3 by acting if they were playing on X360 but secretly using a desktop + X360 controller (Saint's Row The Third), or focussing on the PC build publicly and keeping hush-hush about console versions (Battlefield 3). It's clear other publishers feel they can't wow crowds anymore with the current console graphics and after (5) years of ignoring the PC platform now use it's graphics to captivate an audience, Bethesda stuck to using the X360 as demo-platform as it has done in the last 5 years (and didn't even release screenshots larger than the consoles 720p resolution).

At least we know what the lower bound of decent graphics will be and hope they can scale up quite a ways. I don't mind the second fiddle the PC plays, as long as they don't mess up the menu or the controls like they did with Oblivion (on the other hand there were equally bad parts in Morrowinds GUI, so being lead-platform apparently doesn't automatically mean it gets the best GUI it can).

X360 has clear advantages over PC and PS3 from the publisher's perspective.
1. PCs are pirating machines the moment you plug them to the internet, the bar for pirating on X360 is higher because one needs to modify the X360.
2. X360 is probably still the biggest player in Bethesda's homemarket. PS3 might have overtaken X360 worldwide but I believe NA is still for X360. The PC isn't even a player.
3. It's easier to demo moving an X360 debug than walking around with a desktop.

All above reasons have nothing to with DLC but simply with X360 as main/leading platform for Bethesda.

30 days between an X360 DLC release and release on the other platforms isn't that long of a timed exclusive and I don't find it's that big of a deal. One could wonder if it still adds anything to marketing tactics. Maybe for multi-platform owners to choose the X360 version or as a 'reward' for having bought an X360 all those years ago. But will it influence people to buy an X360 this late in the consoles life?
 
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According to VG chartz the xbox360 still leads the ps3 world wide. This has more to do with microsoft offering a butt load of cash for it. They realize the game is a big player and want people to play it on their system, even if it means someone buying it for it. Nothing dramatic here.
 
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guenthar said:
I wouldn't be surprised if this is Microsoft that is doing this. They probably tell Bethesda (and other companies) that if they don't give them exclusivity then they won't let them on the Xbox 360. Since a majority of the DLC sales will come from the Xbox 360 they have no choice. This kind of Xbox 360 exclusivity has been happening for a long time and is pretty common.
Click to expand...

of course not...like always Bethesda is doing this because Microsoft pays them to do this....it has always been like that and it will always be like that. After all this is how Microsoft can continue to sell there outdated xbox 360. And they don't plan a new console before 2015 (i don't believe them) but if that is the case they need exclusives like this.

I myself think that this is the last generation of games (generation being 2/3 years of development that will come out on xbox360. So for the next elder scrolls i think we'll see a new xbox platform. The ps3 i don't know, maybe a few years more. So i think we'll see a new xbox in 2013.
 
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JuliusMagnus said:
I think Bethesda is a willing participant. X360 is their lead-platform, even when other publishers were conning journalists at the E3 by acting if they were playing on X360 but secretly using a desktop + X360 controller (Saint's Row The Third), or focussing on the PC build publicly and keeping hush-hush about console versions (Battlefield 3). It's clear other publishers feel they can't wow crowds anymore with the current console graphics and after (5) years of ignoring the PC platform now use it's graphics to captivate an audience, Bethesda stuck to using the X360 as demo-platform as it has done in the last 5 years (and didn't even release screenshots larger than the consoles 720p resolution).

At least we know what the lower bound of decent graphics will be and hope they can scale up quite a ways. I don't mind the second fiddle the PC plays, as long as they don't mess up the menu or the controls like they did with Oblivion (on the other hand there were equally bad parts in Morrowinds GUI, so being lead-platform apparently doesn't automatically mean it gets the best GUI it can).

X360 has clear advantages over PC and PS3 from the publisher's perspective.
1. PCs are pirating machines the moment you plug them to the internet, the bar for pirating on X360 is higher because one needs to modify the X360.
2. X360 is probably still the biggest player in Bethesda's homemarket. PS3 might have overtaken X360 worldwide but I believe NA is still for X360. The PC isn't even a player.
3. It's easier to demo moving an X360 debug than walking around with a desktop.

All above reasons have nothing to with DLC but simply with X360 as main/leading platform for Bethesda.

30 days between an X360 DLC release and release on the other platforms isn't that long of a timed exclusive and I don't find it's that big of a deal. One could wonder if it still adds anything to marketing tactics. Maybe for multi-platform owners to choose the X360 version or as a 'reward' for having bought an X360 all those years ago. But will it influence people to buy an X360 this late in the consoles life?
Click to expand...

Microsoft is the 800lbs gorilla. It pays to be in bed with Microsoft, so when you see an exclusive like this, you can bet that Microsoft is behind it.

It's all about market positioning and brand image. That 30 day head start is a BIG deal, maybe not to you, but it certainly will give Microsoft the edge.
 
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Since mods and stuff are inter-operable between PC and 360 for Oblivion/FO3/FONV now, with a little cleverness I don't imagine these will stay console exclusive long. I'm imagining PC-working rips of the 360 DLC files in the warez scene within a week of their appearance on the console. And I'm approving of said imaginings. Timed exclusives and all the console-themed bullshit are exactly why warez isn't immoral.
 
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darkling said:
Since mods and stuff are inter-operable between PC and 360 for Oblivion/FO3/FONV now, with a little cleverness I don't imagine these will stay console exclusive long. I'm imagining PC-working rips of the 360 DLC files in the warez scene within a week of their appearance on the console. And I'm approving of said imaginings. Timed exclusives and all the console-themed bullshit are exactly why warez isn't immoral.
Click to expand...

Hahahah thats some rightous reasoning.....
 
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Oh what a surprise they do this with every game they develop. I'm sure the money from Microsoft helps with there reasoning.;)
 
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I care much more about them NOT using Games for Windows Live than delaying DLCs a bit. :p
 
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JuliusMagnus said:
30 days between an X360 DLC release and release on the other platforms isn't that long of a timed exclusive and I don't find it's that big of a deal. One could wonder if it still adds anything to marketing tactics. Maybe for multi-platform owners to choose the X360 version or as a 'reward' for having bought an X360 all those years ago. But will it influence people to buy an X360 this late in the consoles life?
Click to expand...

That was a good post. Nice job there.

I suppose what bothers me the most, as a PC player, is the principal of the thing. but in the end, it's no big deal to me. There will be plenty to do in the base game. 30 days in no big deal.
 
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Jhari said:
I suppose what bothers me the most, as a PC player, is the principal of the thing. but in the end, it's no big deal to me. There will be plenty to do in the base game. 30 days in no big deal.
Click to expand...

Honestly though... when it comes to DLC and mods... the PC will be the clear winner. Two exclusive 30 days DLCs for the Xbox is giving the bone to the masses. The PC players will still eat the filet mignon.
 
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TheMadGamer said:
Honestly though… when it comes to DLC and mods… the PC will be the clear winner. Two exclusive 30 days DLCs for the Xbox is giving the bone to the masses. The PC players will still eat the filet mignon.
Click to expand...

That's what I'm thinking... The consoles can have all the DLC indefintely for all I care; the modding community will come up with much better (and far larger) add-on content for a much better price ;), and that will function as "PC exclusive" DLC.
 
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darkling said:
Since mods and stuff are inter-operable between PC and 360 for Oblivion/FO3/FONV now, with a little cleverness I don't imagine these will stay console exclusive long. I'm imagining PC-working rips of the 360 DLC files in the warez scene within a week of their appearance on the console. And I'm approving of said imaginings. Timed exclusives and all the console-themed bullshit are exactly why warez isn't immoral.
Click to expand...

Yep Todd did mention ealier that mod files were the same across all systems.
 
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thomasv said:
of course not…like always Bethesda is doing this because Microsoft pays them to do this….it has always been like that and it will always be like that. After all this is how Microsoft can continue to sell there outdated xbox 360.
Click to expand...

I thought this was common knowledge by now. Microsoft hasn't made a secret that they pay for exclusives. Been a major point in the console 'wars' for a long time. I think if there is anything surprising it's that they are allowing them to release the exclusive content only 30 days later to PC. Despite half-hearted efforts like GFWL, etc. Microsoft is pretty clearly is trying to drive gaming away from the PC platform.

I've never really understood why anyone would WANT to play games on a gimpy sub-business class PC with minimal effects, slow CPU and TV resolutions (the Xbox). I mean even on my 1080p TV I have an inexpensive PC that will make the consoles look like crap at full resolution. And since virtually any video card these days will plug into a modern TV… yeah don't get it.
 
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Ford Taurus said:
I've never really understood why anyone would WANT to play games on a gimpy sub-business class PC with minimal effects, slow CPU and TV resolutions (the Xbox). I mean even on my 1080p TV I have an inexpensive PC that will make the consoles look like crap at full resolution. And since virtually any video card these days will plug into a modern TV… yeah don't get it.
Click to expand...
Very simple:

Console:
Plug in power cord and cable to television.
Insert game disc.
Slouch in couch and Enjoy.
(repeat process 5 years later)

PC:
Choose right PC.
Pay through your nose to have someone else put all the parts together or spend hours doing it yourself.
Choose and install OS.
Spend hours on installing all the extra software that make your new PC actually work (drivers, apps, whatnot).
Install game and fine-tune settings to match the specs of your PC.
Realize you need a patch to play the game with your particular hardware config.
Install patch when it arrives.
Enjoy.
(repeat process 18 months later and realize that once again the "relatively cheap" PC ended up costing way more than a console).
 
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fatBastard() said:
Very simple:

Console:
Plug in power cord and cable to television.
Insert game disc.
Slouch in couch and Enjoy.
(repeat process 5 years later)

PC:
Choose right PC.
Pay through your nose to have someone else put all the parts together or spend hours doing it yourself.
Choose and install OS.
Spend hours on installing all the extra software that make your new PC actually work (drivers, apps, whatnot).
Install game and fine-tune settings to match the specs of your PC.
Realize you need a patch to play the game with your particular hardware config.
Install patch when it arrives.
Enjoy.
(repeat process 18 months later and realize that once again the "relatively cheap" PC ended up costing way more than a console).
Click to expand...

Yeah, sure… Spending 3 hours building my system and 1 hour installing and tuning up my OS once every two years is really annoying. And to play using my self-build PC is so pathetic…
 
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fastica said:
Yeah, sure… Spending 3 hours building my system and 1 hour installing and tuning up my OS once every two years is really annoying. And to play using my self-build PC is so pathetic…
Click to expand...
3 hours building your system? Perhaps.

1 hour installing drivers, browsers, document readers, packaging programs, transfer bookmarks, setup mail, configure and tweak your desktop and your everyday applications? … Riiiiiight and I'm sure you ran a marathon in 15 minutes yesterday too, right? :rolleyes:

I have been building and upgrading PC for almost 20 years and I've never been able to do a complete OS reinstall in less than 8 hours total.
 
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