TechQuila offered their views on why platform exclusives are unhealthy and looked at the example of Spiderman.
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Opinion - Platform Exclusives are Unhealthy
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Hak'n'Slash
Watchdog
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Well, I don't like platform exclusives either, but I don't think the article supported the premise that they are unhealthy.
However, I've long thought that general gaming sites should not discuss, nor give coverage to, such games. If they want to be platform exclusive, let the gaming sites devoted exclusively to that platform cover them. Seems reasonable to me.
However, I've long thought that general gaming sites should not discuss, nor give coverage to, such games. If they want to be platform exclusive, let the gaming sites devoted exclusively to that platform cover them. Seems reasonable to me.
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Copper Coin
Outspoken D&D critic
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One argument for exclusives is that it allows games with larger budgets to be made that wouldn't of existed otherwise. Sony funds blockbuster games because they sell consoles.
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fatknacker50
Sentinel
Platform exclusives... Has been around since the dawn of the games industry, will continue to be around for years to come. Written by a millennial, nuff said.
But wouldn't the bigger market of non-exclusive games also mean a bigger budget?
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Copper Coin
Outspoken D&D critic
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No. Sony understands that if they have enough good exclusives the market will come to them, which is far more lucrative. Not only do they sell consoles, but they don't have to pay money to Valve, and third party developers give them money as a bonus.
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S
sakichop
Guest
Actually I believe cross platform games are a much bigger problem than exclusives.
Cross platform are usually made for the least common denominator and gameplay is compromised for 1 control scheme or another.
I would much prefer an exclusive specifically optimized for the hardware it will run on and the input device that will be used to play it.
Theoretically that would result in less buggy games as well.
It could also result in more game diversity. Think back to baldurs gate on PC and then the action baldurs gate titles that released on console.i enjoyed both for different reasons. In the current ecosystem we would have only seen 1 release for all platforms and sad to say but it would have probably been the console action title.
Lastly, many more gamers would be buying PC’s and console systems. While that might be worse for gamers pocket books increased revenues would be beneficial to gaming as a whole.
Probably not a popular viewpoint but I think they’res a lot more positives for exclusives over cross platform games.
Cross platform are usually made for the least common denominator and gameplay is compromised for 1 control scheme or another.
I would much prefer an exclusive specifically optimized for the hardware it will run on and the input device that will be used to play it.
Theoretically that would result in less buggy games as well.
It could also result in more game diversity. Think back to baldurs gate on PC and then the action baldurs gate titles that released on console.i enjoyed both for different reasons. In the current ecosystem we would have only seen 1 release for all platforms and sad to say but it would have probably been the console action title.
Lastly, many more gamers would be buying PC’s and console systems. While that might be worse for gamers pocket books increased revenues would be beneficial to gaming as a whole.
Probably not a popular viewpoint but I think they’res a lot more positives for exclusives over cross platform games.
I think any platform exclusive is financially short-sighted, whether PC, XBox, or PS. Sure, it would be an investment to have staff devoted to each platform under one corporate umbrella, but the long-term payback would be substantial.
There are quite a few games I'd be willing to buy, but they're not available on PC. My problem with consoles is twofold. One, I can't use a controller because of physical problems and two, financial. I don't have $300-$400 to spend on a unit, plus the cost of the game.
I think companies who put out exclusives are cutting off their financial nose to spite their face. JMO.
There are quite a few games I'd be willing to buy, but they're not available on PC. My problem with consoles is twofold. One, I can't use a controller because of physical problems and two, financial. I don't have $300-$400 to spend on a unit, plus the cost of the game.
I think companies who put out exclusives are cutting off their financial nose to spite their face. JMO.
Copper Coin
Outspoken D&D critic
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The evidence doesn't support your conclusion. The PS4 sold 70 million units and everyone of its exclusives is a best seller. Do you truly believe Sony would be more profitable if they abandoned consoles and published games on steam?
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Yes they most definitely are.
Though as long as consoles are supported by certain Large Corporations they will continue to exist. Don't fall for the BS as porting is much easier then it was years ago.
Another example is time exclusives. They usually give a simple excuse of how they only focused on the console version so you PC peasants have to wait another year.
Heck even small indie developers are porting their games to various platforms. I'm amazed at the amount of switch ports lately of PC games. You didn't see this years ago.
Though as long as consoles are supported by certain Large Corporations they will continue to exist. Don't fall for the BS as porting is much easier then it was years ago.
Another example is time exclusives. They usually give a simple excuse of how they only focused on the console version so you PC peasants have to wait another year.
Heck even small indie developers are porting their games to various platforms. I'm amazed at the amount of switch ports lately of PC games. You didn't see this years ago.
Carnifex
SasqWatch
From a business perspective, it literally makes no sense. Very few games in the past forced me to go out and buy a system to enjoy them, and nowadays it wouldn't happen at all. It just makes zero sense.
There is some logic to your position, because most people I know play games on one system, whether pc or console, and if they play on a console the available games determine which console they buy. I certainly think Sony exclusives might convince someone to invest in a Sony over an Xbox. That of course is a win for Sony since they are selling the hardware and are the storefront for the game. Whether that offsets lost revenues for game sales on another platform is something we will never know, but Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo must think so, or else they wouldn't organize such exclusives.
Also on ports of all kinds: Many games are not ported, and those that are usually have sold very well on their original platform, so that the developers believe their games can sell well on another platform (where customers may have heard of them) and thus are confident that will make up for the costs of porting the game.
Absolutely freaking true, but want others still don't grasp is those console games are built on a PC first. They usually have a development kit, but most work is done on a PC.
Even most modern game engines allow you to easily port a game with the press of a single button. Though I exaggerate as some work is still needed after pushing that.
True again as consoles and PC's are basically the same nowadays. The only difference is usually the architecture, and how they use the built-in memory on the motherboard.
Still remember how it was with the PS3 and its cell processors. I recall how developers hated that CPU. As it took more work to get the non-exclusive games to work.
Drakan 2
And what's the psychology behind those decisions made at the top ?
Greed, I strongly guess.
But not only that.
Viewing people as mere tools to gather money - and that is a kind of view only narcists and psychopaths can have.
I liked it back when console games were highly exclusive. Made each console unique. Today the PlayStations and xboxes are competent gaming systems, but for the most part it doesn’t really matter which you get. Nintendo still seems special with their game offerings, despite slow releases and lack of new IPs.
Well at the end of the day most corporate decisions are made with the intent of profitability. Very few are done with a moral compass. Ignoring that aspect the decision is to lock people into a platform for additional $$$ in the future.