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[Axass]

Guys you know what else was supposed to be exclusive? Rayman Legends to Wii-U. It was announced as such. But when the system sales turned up to be no good, plans changed.

You know what else was supposed to be exclusive? FFXIII to PS3. It was announced as such. But when the system sales turned up to be no good, plans changed.

You can figure out the rest. There's a year and a half to wait. I doubt it'll really be exclusive in the end unless the X1 gets a huge boost in sales.

Even if it turns out to really be an exclusive it'll be a really short-lived one. Almost every 3rd party game on X1 is multiplatform one way or another, even those we thought weren't going to set sail from Microsoft's shores (Dead Rising 3); even freakin' Ryse is getting a PC port less than a year after release, moreover Titanfall is on PC and you can rest assured the sequel will be on PS4 as well.

Don't worry.

 

[LittleJohnny]

No other version to compare it to at the time.

Didn't stop Uncharted series from looking amazing on PS3.

 

[Chobel]

Why do people say they wouldn't buy it on xbone because it will be the inferior version if it's timed exclusive, but then tons of people gladly went out and bought inferior PS2 versions back in the day when the better version was available on Xbox. Why is it ok to do so when it suits you but not when it doesn't?

Not the same people. I know, shocking!

Also, if Square Enix shopped around and Microsoft picked it up, what is the problem then? Was Microsoft supposed to say no?

HAHAHAHA!!! Yeah, that's exactly how it happened.

 

[natureboy46]

Bit of bummer this. Really enjoyed the last game and was looking forward to the new one. Not enough to buy a new console to play it. If it eventually comes to ps4 I might play it but I imagine I'll be playing some other new hotness by then. Too bad.

 

[sleepykyo]

I thought SE was supposed to be done relying on Microsoft to lead SE into the western world.

 

[JLeack]

The vitriol here is petty embarrassing. Sony have a rich history of hoarding exclusives (PES,FF,Tekken,RidgeRacer) and I don't doubt it will happen again once the war chest accumulates so some people need to clamber down off of their high horses.

I think maybe people are shocked cause a genuine megaton hasn't happened in a while. Either way, PS4 owners will have Uncharted4 to play during that particular holiday, so that's something.

MS are looking for an edge and I can see them trying to Hoover-up more exclusives. It's going to upset the "2:1" crowd but that's what competition looks like.

This popcorn is particularly delicious today.

 

[Coulomb_Barrier]

Could someone explain to me why tomb raider being a (timed) exclusive is somehow such a big deal? I mean I know third party games normally aren't console exclusive anymore. But the amount of rage and butthurt on display in here seems quite ridiculous to me. Feels like people just feel entitled to have the game on their console of choice due to the game being third party rather than first party?

Because it's the biggest third-party title, that was previously multiplat, to be bought out as a timed exclusive for one console.

I thought something as big as TR was out of the reaches of such a practice but it seems nothing is safe aside from perhaps COD, FIFA or GTA.

 

[Stratosphere]

This really pist me off when I heard the news. I enjoyed the reboot on PS4, and was looking forward to getting my hands on the sequel. This doesn't make me want to buy an XBONE if that's what MS was going for here. I'll just patiently wait out the exclusivity.

 

[RMI]

Sucks for Tomb Raider fans who own PS4 only I guess. I thought the first game was alright, and was looking forward to playing this one, but most likely it will be much much later at a deep discount (like it was last time around). I'm okay with this.

 

[Amir0x]

In what world is 700k total units difference (coupled with a higher attach rate for software, 3.2 vs 2.7) getting 'trounced'?

I can tell there's a lot of emotions being tossed around in this thread, but let's at least try to keep reality in mind

There's no emotions from my end. Obviously early on the actual unit difference is going to appear much smaller than what the trajectory is telling us. The gap is only incidental (due to us not even having a full year of sales yet) to the actual month-to-month sales trajectory, which shows that even in Microsoft's price drop month, their Titanfall month - their months where they put the biggest emphasis - PS4 still beat them handily. And that there's no indication Microsoft is actually going to close that gap, so it's just going to keep growing. If your only issue is the strength of the adverbs I use, I'll be fine

There is simply no chance for Microsoft to catch up to PS4 worldwide. If there is some chance for them to close the gap in the USA (and they'd need some minor miracle to both change and reverse the fortunes right now - it'd mean consistently outselling PS4 by a decent amount and for PS4 to dip down a fair amount for many months), it wouldn't change the overall point that at the worldwide level it is now essentially impossible to surpass PS4.

 

[Toki767]

Guys you know what else was supposed to be exclusive? Rayman Legends to Wii-U. It was announced as such. But when the system sales turned up to be no good, plans changed.

You know what else was supposed to be exclusive? FFXIII to PS3. It was announced as such. But when the system sales turned up to be no good, plans changed.

You can figure out the rest. There's a year and a half to wait. I doubt it'll really be exclusive in the end unless the X1 gets a huge boost in sales.

Even if it turns out to really be an exclusive it'll be a really short-lived one. Almost every 3rd party game on X1 is multiplatform one way or another, even those we thought weren't going to set sail from Microsoft's shores (Dead Rising 3); even freakin' Ryse is getting a PC port less than a year after release, moreover Titanfall is on PC and you can rest assured the sequel will be on PS4 as well.

Don't worry.

You know what game wasn't announced as an exclusive? Rise of the Tomb Raider.

 

[xxracerxx]

The vitriol here is petty embarrassing. Sony have a rich history of hoarding exclusives (PES,FF,Tekken,RidgeRacer) and I don't doubt it will happen again once the war chest accumulates so some people need to clamber down off of their high horses.

I am just curious, but did Sony pay for those games to be on their platform only?

 

[Skilletor]

Sucks for Tomb Raider fans who own PS4 only I guess. I thought the first game was alright, and was looking forward to playing this one, but most likely it will be much much later at a deep discount (like it was last time around). I'm okay with this.

You mean it sucks for fans who don't own an XB1.

 

[BTM]

Good thing I have an Xbox One then

 

[unempLLOYD]

The thirst

Spoiler

for sales

is real

Spoiler

for microsoft.

I thought Tomb Raider was supposed to be about the Rise of the Tomb Raider.

idgi.

The Death of Tomb Raider.

 

[Atomicfireman]

Hey, nobody had any problem with a franchise original that I love being destroyed down to its very essence. They should have given it a new name, and everything would have been fine. Instead, they called it Tomb Raider. They threw that shit in our face and showed they had zero regard for fans of the series. Why should I have any regard for them?

In any event, I just wanted to share how happy I was at this news. You don't have to care for my reasons, but I'm glad to have shared them. Huge ass grin on my face.

Fair enough. For what its worth, I understand why you were/are upset. I just think the I'm-not-happy-so-no-one-can-be idea is immature.

 

[OneEyeTwoHead]

SE most likely going overbudget once again like their previous titles and need an extra kick.

 

[Rurunaki]

I'll wait for Geoff's documentary on how MS saved TR from cancellation

 

[Psycho_Mantis]

lol. so true

Please understand

 

[RMI]

You mean it sucks for fans who don't own an XB1.

right, sorry.

 

[evolution]

It's an interesting decision from Microsoft. It's probable they only had Halo and maybe Forza for next fall. I'm actually not sure what their 2015 looks like before fall.

 

[markedbravado]

Because it's the biggest third-party title, that was previously multiplat, to be bought out as a timed exclusive for one console.

I thought something as big as TR was out of the reaches of such a practice but it seems nothing is safe aside from perhaps COD, FIFA or GTA.

GTA IV story mode DLC was bought by MS las gen. Never forget! I'm still salty after all these years. This sort of practice does not benefit the consumer.

 

[Neff]

Preventing established games from coming to other platforms after the game was already announced for every system (aka the game was already going to be funded) is a shitty thing to do. The only consumer benefiting from this are fanboys. The whatever amount of millions they used to keep a big multiplat IP from appearing on other systems could have been used for another game.

While I agree to a point, especially with a potentially already existing game being scrapped to make someone else's look better, I think there's also something to be said for exclusives as well. If you look back to the Nintendo/Sega/Sony days, the best games were the ones specifically designed and optimised for exclusive hardware (which in many ways is still true). In fact, most games back then were exclusives, and competition to upstage competitors with unique software was stronger. Whipping out your checkbook to secure the goodies and cockblock the other guy is part and parcel of this strategy, and when it works, it works both for the buyer and the seller.

It's the palpable entitlement and double standard butthurt going on here which I find is undeserved. Games developers are not obliged to jump through bureaucratic fair trade hoops for life essentials. They sell entertainment. They can do whatever the hell they want. If that means being a jerk by shutting down 'your' console so they can continue to be competitive and survive and put out great products, then all the better. Go for it, I say.

I am just curious, but did Sony pay for those games to be on their platform only?

FFVII was published and translated by Sony, IIRC, and possibly other FF titles too. Ridge Racer and Tekken and several other Namco titles went to Playstation early as a result of Sony co-developing an arcade board for Namco (which was partly based upon PSX hardware), which enabled very accurate conversions for Tekken, Tekken 2 and Soul Edge. 'Paid' might not be right, but co-developed is accurate.

 

[Alf-Life]

Sad for those people who bought TR on ps3 or the definitive edition on ps4...

...however... given the shiftiness of how carefully their wording is, I imagine it's merely timed. Why say 'holiday' otherwise? So lame and ridiculous to carry on like that.

 

[Sydle]

Burn victims? Console warriors?

How about people who don't own an Xbox One but have been buying Tomb Raider on PC or PS for the past 18 years? It has a lot of casual fans as well, people who dont wish to own every console.

Or maybe people who wanted a version without compromises. Granted its too early to judge but looking at alot of the games released so far on XBO....

They're still going to get it eventually on their platform of choice, and they'll likely get a better version of it with improved graphics and DLC content thanks to the extra development time.

In the end MS will end up with the inferior version. Who really cares that they got it first besides the console warriors?

 

[MattPeters]

Pretty disappointed tbh. Really enjoyed the latest Tomb Raider on PC, hopefully it's just a time exclusive.

 

[PanicFreak]

Xbone has an established track record of delivering technically and objectively inferior ports, so it's not really the same situation. With Xbone (fake) exclusives, even if you own the console, you're going to have to wait for the PS4 or PC version unless you want to play the game in 720p/900p, Black Crush, 24fps mode.

So l337

 

[Steel]

I always got the impression that Tomb Raider hasn't been more than modestly popular in years. Surprised this thread is over a hundred pages over it being timed exclusive. Oh well.

On the topic: Not really in love with timed exclusivity, but in this case, I couldn't care less. Never been a fan of Tomb Raider myself, at any point in time. Square probably got money-hatted, and they could really use the money.

 

[Amir0x]

Fair enough. For what its worth, I understand why you were/are upset. I just think the I'm-not-happy-so-no-one-can-be idea is immature.

It probably is immature. But we're talking about games here, so I allow myself some levity in such discussions.

That said, my only issue has been and always will be that they decided to co-opt an original series with no peers in the industry even to this day (basically no other games play like OG Tomb Raider), and that they had no problem shitting all over the faces of the entire fan community to do that. I cannot tell you the amount of people who came and said they were glad old Tomb Raider was dead so that this new abomination could flourish. They replaced it with the least original game of that respective year, and one with comically poor design decisions.

Yes, it makes me angry. I was a big fan of Tomb Raider, and they destroyed it. Obviously, as of now I see the only hope of anything like OG Tomb Raider returning means destroying this shell of a product. If there was another way, I wouldn't wish it. But right now this Tomb Raider is filling in a slot that could have been used by a TR game that was actually good and showed respect to the old TR series.

Anyway, that's my last word on this score in this topic. I'm just happy

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

Square Enix has gone off the deep end.

 

[Mr Moose]

Well, if it is timed, I won't be buying this crap when it comes to PS4.
Crystal Dynamics and Square-Enix can suck it, won't be buying their games any more.

Spoiler

I'm still getting Final Fantasy XV...

 

[massivekettle]

There's no emotions from my end. Obviously early on the actual unit difference is going to appear much smaller than what the trajectory is telling us. The gap is only incidental (due to us not even having a full year of sales yet) to the actual month-to-month sales trajectory, which shows that even in Microsoft's price drop month, their Titanfall month - their months where they put the biggest emphasis - PS4 still beat them handily. And that there's no indication Microsoft is actually going to close that gap, so it's just going to keep growing. If your only issue is the strength of the adverbs I use, I'll be fine

There is simply no chance for Microsoft to catch up to PS4 worldwide. If there is some chance for them to close the gap in the USA (and they'd need some minor miracle to both change and reverse the fortunes right now - it'd mean consistently outselling PS4 by a decent amount and for PS4 to dip down a fair amount for many months), it wouldn't change the overall point that at the worldwide level it is now essentially impossible to surpass PS4.

The generation has just started. You could have done the same analysis for 360-PS3 (especially in the USA) at the beginning/middle of the previous generation, and that would have been proven wrong by the end of it.

Issue is you can't really say that there "is no chance" without a shadow of a doubt, as that's statistically wrong. You will argue it's semantics, but truth is that anything can happen.

 

[kpaadet]

lol. so true

"Xbox, kill the Tomb Raider franchise!"

 

[Bam Bam Baklava]

Honestly, if they feel it is in their interests to make a game for a system that will have the lower install base by god knows how much in fall 2015 then best of luck to them.

I will be able to play it regardless but it just seems like a nonsensical move unless a ridiculous sum of money was involved.

The generation has just started. You could have done the same for 360-PS3 (especially in the USA) at the beginning/middle of the previous generation.

Issue is you can't really say that there "is no chance" without a shadow of a doubt, as that's statistically wrong. You will argue it's semantics, but truth is that anything can happen.

Okay man, maybe aliens will invade earth and market their own console and they all lose. "Anything can happen"

 

[timetokill]

Wow, I knew Sony fans would be upset but I wasn't expecting this level of reaction for a game that was often deemed a sub-par Uncharted or whatever.

It'll probably be timed, but if not, it's just another exclusive title. Every platform has 'em. I don't know, I just can't get upset about it anymore.

This seems like a good move to get the game a lot more exposure that comes with being a console exclusive, and still pick up sales when it hits other platforms later.

 

[Amir0x]

The generation has just started. You could have done the same for 360-PS3 (especially in the USA) at the beginning/middle of the previous generation.

Issue is you can't really say that there "is no chance" without a shadow of a doubt, as that's statistically wrong. You will argue it's semantics, but truth is that anything can happen.

Like I said, there was only one reason PS3 caught up. Xbox One does not have those reasons, and they can never have them. The only way it could is if Europe changed its behavior, and gave Microsoft an in. As we can already extrapolate from the horrendous performance of XBO in most European countries, it's simply not going to happen.

You're asking me to allow room for an actual miracle to happen. I don't believe in miracles. Yes, there is a nonzero statistical probability that it could happen. There is also a nonzero statistical probability a pink flying elephant will appear in my room.

I don't really have anything else to add on this score. Just sit and watch the gen unfold

 

[Chie Satonaka]

The vitriol here is petty embarrassing. Sony have a rich history of hoarding exclusives (PES,FF,Tekken,RidgeRacer) and I don't doubt it will happen again once the war chest accumulates so some people need to clamber down off of their high horses.

I think maybe people are shocked cause a genuine megaton hasn't happened in a while. Either way, PS4 owners will have Uncharted4 to play during that particular holiday, so that's something.

MS are looking for an edge and I can see them trying to Hoover-up more exclusives. It's going to upset the "2:1" crowd but that's what competition looks like.

I didn't read the entire thread, but given the multitude of pages, I'm guessing people are pretty upset. But it's exactly as you say. Exclusives happen. It sucks for everyone who didn't plan on buying an Xbox One and wanted to play TR, but the games industry is a business, and companies can make decisions they feel that are in the best interests of their business.

I'm sure there's gonna end up being a Rise of the Tomb Raider Definitive Edition that's multiplat, so in the end, people will likely just have to wait longer if it turns out that this really is an Xbox exclusive.

 

[anthonyOA]

I am just curious, but did Sony pay for those games to be on their platform only?

Who knows? But they were exclusive and Nintendo and Sega console owners watched on. In fact, I remember saving money specifically to get a PS2 for GTA3.

If you want to play you either wait or pay. It's been like that since forever.

 

[Xenon]

Seems there is some mixed messages, but it seems clear it's timed.

I am hoping it's permanent though. I think it'd kill the franchise's growth in its tracks and hopefully permanently put away the new shitty formulation of Tomb Raider once and for all. I am crossing the fuck out of my fingers right now. They literally could not have picked a more perfect game in my mind to snatch - a sequel to the horrific original bastardization of the franchise, one I loathed with all my heart for destroying a series that was still a true original in the industry and remained so since few if any games play like it even today. This 'me-too', check-list by design series couldn't be worse, and so since they decided to destroy a franchise I love, I want nothing more than to sit back and watch it deconstruct

Let be honest the TR series has had tons of issues. I loved the first couple of games but after that every one was a mixed bag. Even Tomb Raider Legend had the shitty motorcycle sequences and some lame levels. Most of the later games had tolerable combat mechanics. The IP was all but dead when they went back to the drawing board. Sure they added more scripted events but they balanced them well and I never felt like I was passively involved as apposed to some other games. TR2013 was a great start and had some good puzzles. It sounds like they are ramping that aspect up for the sequel. The combat was excellent. Plus TR2013 was more of a Lara origin story then a proper Tomb Raider. I have high hopes for RotTR.

 

[Psycho_Mantis]

Wow, I knew Sony fans would be upset but I wasn't expecting this level of reaction for a game that was often deemed a sub-par Uncharted or whatever.

It'll probably be timed, but if not, it's just another exclusive title. Every platform has 'em. I don't know, I just can't get upset about it anymore.

This seems like a good move to get the game a lot more exposure that comes with being a console exclusive, and still pick up sales when it hits other platforms later.

You do understand that TR sold 6 million. Sure I consider it a poor mans Uncharted but its pretty obvious it has a big following.

 

[Sheroking]

Wait, it's permanently exclusive?

Guess I have to pick up an Xbox One sooner than I thought, then.

 

[neojubei]

This really pist me off when I heard the news. I enjoyed the reboot on PS4, and was looking forward to getting my hands on the sequel. This doesn't make me want to buy an XBONE if that's what MS was going for here. I'll just patiently wait out the exclusivity.

There is always Uncharted 4 to buy.

 

[Hoho for breakfast]

Where I grew up, that's called a business decision/capitalism. Again, had the roles been reversed, I am sure this thread would have not made it past single-digit number of pages.

Sure it's a business decision. I'd just add a more descriptive "stupid" in front of it.

And I'm sure this thread would be much smaller if it were coming to PS4 instead because only about half as many people would have been mad about it.

 

[icespide]

Wait, it's permanently exclusive?

Guess I have to pick up an Xbox One sooner than I thought, then.

don't be so sure about that

 

[Trickster]

Because it's the biggest third-party title, that was previously multiplat, to be bought out as a timed exclusive for one console.

I thought something as big as TR was out of the reaches of such a practice but it seems nothing is safe aside from perhaps COD, FIFA or GTA.

I just don't see how it's a big deal just because it's a third party game. It wasn't that long ago that third party games being exclusive was pretty common, and in all likelyhood, this game is only a timed exclusive, making it even less of a big issue.

I honestly think the outrage has more to do with the console that it's exclusive on, rather than the fact that it's exclusive. Had it been Sony that had pulled this move, I'm willing to bet the tone of this thread would be very different. Just go look at the tone of the initial Bloodborne thread if you think I'm wrong.

 

[Palette Swap]

As someone who thought the first the first game was a mediocre jack of all trades, derivative to the point of cynicism, I kind of appreciate this opportunity to kill off the franchise.

 

[vpance]

Money talks. And unfortunately, Japanese publishers really need it these days.

Yep, Japanese pubs are easy targets. Cannot wait for FFXV to make the next headlines

 

[Jimez]

It's a stupid decision by Square Enix to make this exclusive to Microsoft for "Holiday 2015". As long as it's not permanently exclusive, i may pick it up.

 

[Alf-Life]

Games developers are not obliged to jump through bureaucratic fair trade hoops for life essentials. They sell entertainment. They can do whatever the hell they want. If that means being a jerk by shutting down 'your' console so they can continue to be competitive and survive and put out great products, then all the better. Go for it, I say.

I'd imagine it's the publishers though, not the devs. As people have said, this gen, all consoles are very similar architecturally, so as a Dev, I'd want as many people to experience my game as possible.

Saying 'being a jerk is ok' I find problematic, sure it's all business but the older I get the less I subscribe to the 'strongest survive' theory for business and the more I'd like to see ethics come into play; I'll refer you to the Capitalism youtube link I posted a couple of pages back from Louis CK where he talks about Betamax vs VHS, Tesla vs Edison, (ironically) Microsoft vs Apple: "one guy makes a beautiful thing, and the second guy makes a shitty product but pays people off, bribes people, until consumers have no choice but to buy the inferior product."

 

[Amir0x]

Let be honest the TR series has had tons of issues. I loved the first couple of games but after that every one was a mixed bag. Even Tomb Raider Legend had the shitty motorcycle sequences and some lame levels. Most of the later games had tolerable combat mechanics. The IP was all but dead when they went back to the drawing board. Sure they added more scripted events but they balanced them well and I never felt like I was passively involved as apposed to some other games. TR2013 was a great start and had some good puzzles. It sounds like they are ramping that aspect up for the sequel. The combat was excellent. Plus TR2013 was more of a Lara origin story then a proper Tomb Raider. I have high hopes for RotTR.

They had issues. They do not have anything LIKE the issues the new Tomb Raider has. Read my review if you're curious. New Tomb Raider destroyed literally every element that ever made the series good and original and replaced it with copy-paste checklist game design, cinematic nonsense and hordes of shitty shooter combat which any fan of the OG series will tell you was never the goddamn point. We used to make it a point to mock the combat sequences because they were not only shitty, but they took away from what people actually wanted to play in the series - exploration, hard platforming and puzzles, and trap/obstacle navigation.

I mean you say the puzzles in TR2013 were 'good', but they were actually an abominable slap in the face to any fan of the original series. Not even a single one of the handful of puzzles in TR2013 can even touch the type of puzzles that used to be in the series, sprawling multiroom epics that required skill, speed and lateral thinking the likes of which makes TR2013 look like the designed-by-committee game it is. They replaced a game that was famous for the amount of times players would miss a hard jump and fall to their death with platforming that might as well play itself for how forgiving it was. Just crap all around.