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[Jez Corden] Hotly anticipated 'Black Myth: Wukong' is delayed on Xbox for 'optimizations' — and now, Microsoft has responded

vivftp

Member
It makes sense for PlayStation because they've got very little exclusive content lined up this year, Microsoft on the other hand have a veritable feast on offer.

What in the world... :pie_confused:
This has been and will be a solid year for PlayStation published and console exclusive content:

SIE Published:
TLOU Part 2 Remastered
Helldivers 2
Rise of the Ronin
Stellar Blade
MLB24
Destiny 2 The Final Shape
Concord
Astro Bot
LEGO Horizon Adventure
Until Dawn PS5/PC
(plus additional PC ports like Ghost of Tsushima and God of War Ragnarok)

Console Exclusive:
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Foamstars
Granblue Fantasy Relink
Silent Hill 2 Remake
Pacific Drive
Baby Steps
Final Fantasy 16 Rising Tide DLC
Zenless Zone Zero


And there's still room for additional content to drop this year. There's the China Joy event next month so we could get release dates for Lost Soul Aside and Convallaria, which are both published by SIE. There's also the possibility of a Spider-Man 2 DLC that could land around the 1 year anniversary of the game. There's also Phantom Blade Zero which we don't have a specific release date for yet. I'm not sure if you're using some twisted logic definition to narrow down what you mean by "exclusive content" but 2024 has not been a year with very little content for PlayStation. Which is all the more remarkable when we consider how many of their heavy hitter studios and IP aren't showing up this year, but will be showing up next year and the year after.

2024's a very solid year for PlayStation and 2025/2026 are gonna eclipse it with the sheer quantity and quality of games they're sitting on. Fun times ahead.
 

Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius
Some of you guys give way too much credit to MS. It was most likely just a poorly worded statement, from a random MS community outreach employee, addressing a few on social media that were speculating that "Sony paid for first release". Unless I am mistaken, the article also fails to provide us with the actual question that this MS employee responded to. For all we know, the question could have brought up a potential "paid agreement" scenario. The idea that they were cleverly wording statements to feed console warrior discourse, just doesn't seem credible.
Much simpler than that… there is a clear executive culture that permeated marketing too where you cannot talk and promote or defend yourself without childishly taking shots at your competitors.
Greenberg and Phil quite literally break bread with these “influencers” (the TimXDog, ColtEastwood, Etc…), they set a direction and an example. This reply is consistent with the BS they regularly use, see Phil whining about HellDivers 2 not being on Xbox.
 
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Heisenberg007

Gold Journalism
Microsoft being Microsoft, and Jez being Jez.

If there was a timed exclusivity deal, Sony would be shouting it from the rooftop. Why pay for money and not even advertise it?

We have seen with Final Fantasy and other games how Sony choose to market their timed-exclusive deals. This isn't one of them. Also, Sony doesn't seem to have marketing rights, considering their trailer was also shown at Xbox showcases.

Coupled that with the fact that Game Science has literally said that the Xbox version is being delayed due to optimization problems but is coming in the future (which is something that you NEVER see if there is an exclusivity deal in place), any sane person can put two and two together.
 
Let me see if I get this straight.
  • Ryan McCaffrey puts out a since deleted tweet accusing Sony or "money-hatting" Black Myth: Wukong - starting a rumour that Sony made an exclusivity deal.
  • Jez then picks up the ball, carries it further in a full article where he reaches out to Microsoft asking if the delay was for optimization or because of an exclusive deal
  • Microsoft responds with a statement that addresses the rumours of a deal, but does so in a way that makes it sound like there is a deal
  • All this while Game Science has said it's planning on bringing the game to Xbox, but has delayed it to bring it up to their standards
  • Jez dedicates half the article to the possibility of a deal?
Every timed exclusivity deal that Sony has made the last 2 generations have had a time frame associated with it. Doesn't mean the Xbox/PC version would be out right at the end, but they at least said how long the deal was for. If there was indeed an exclusivity deal here, why would Game Science even bother mentioning an Xbox version they're optimizing?
Conclusion:

These guys piggyback off of eachother, turning speculation into confirmation and Jez is an idiot.
 
I really don't blame the devs in the least

I think MS was very intentional in their wording and let Jez turn team green on Playstation and the devs

The whole no comment on deals made by our partners with other platforms is BS and they knew exactly what they were doing
Oh yes. It's almost gaslighting: we'll just say this here so you could make that assumption. But we said nothing definite (as it's not true) and we'll let the green "journalists" do the rest for us.
 

Bernoulli

M2 slut
Sony is keeping dev tools exclusive and stole them from xbox
lj5D1of.jpeg
 

nikolino840

Member
if there was a deal I doubt they’d even be allowed to acknowledge the Xbox version so that seems unlikely
Stellar blade was announced for xbox until sony helped to fund the game...and also forever skies is a console debut exclusive bc sony helped the devs...and also Callisto protocol even if is just "mocap studio" but there was an "error" for raytracing missing on xbox and temporal exclusive dlc
 

Bernardougf

Gold Member
I think it's pretty obvious from the wording of the Microsoft response "We can't comment on the deals made by our partners with other platform holders"

It makes sense for PlayStation because they've got very little exclusive content lined up this year, Microsoft on the other hand have a veritable feast on offer.
I've been pretty vocal and critical of Sony's lineup this year .... but whatever hallucinogenic you keep using please do share, it looks like a total banger
 

Three

Member
Stellar blade was announced for xbox until sony helped to fund the game...and also forever skies is a console debut exclusive bc sony helped the devs...and also Callisto protocol even if is just "mocap studio" but there was an "error" for raytracing missing on xbox and temporal exclusive dlc
I think his point was that if there was an exclusivity deal the dev would not be allowed to mention other platforms to begin with. If it was a timed exclusive, timing is usually openly given. Stellar blade no longer talked about an xbox version, Callisto was never exclusive, timed or otherwise. The Callisto DLC was timed and timing given as 2 days. This, we have no marketing from Sony, wr have the developer openly mentioning that the xbox version has been delayed and given the reason as quality and optimisation issues. This isn't how timed exclusives operate usually.
 

nikolino840

Member
I think his point was that if there was an exclusivity deal the dev would not be allowed to mention other platforms to begin with. If it was a timed exclusive, timing is usually openly given. Stellar blade no longer talked about an xbox version, Callisto was never exclusive, timed or otherwise. The Callisto DLC was timed and timing given as 2 days. This, we have no marketing from Sony, wr have the developer openly mentioning that the xbox version has been delayed and given the reason as quality and optimisation issues. This isn't how timed exclusives operate usually.
Maybe bc I think even developers can lie...aren't gods and divinity-like ... in every thread about phil spencer people says that he is telling lies so why a dev can't say i lie?
 

nikolino840

Member
Some people call Phil Spencer a liar and so you'll call anyone a liar when it suits you? That's some pretty absurd logic there my man.
But you agree that a dev can say a lie for PR ? Or there's some magic forces in this world that gives immunity from telling lies?
 

Skifi28

Member
Maybe bc I think even developers can lie...aren't gods and divinity-like ... in every thread about phil spencer people says that he is telling lies so why a dev can't say i lie?
Phil/MS PR has been caught lying time and again and therefore people call them out. If you have evidence against these devs in particular lying, we'd also like to know and your agument would make more sense. Can they be lying? Sure, if we're entertaining possibilities you could also be a paid Microsoft shill and I could be the Queen of England. In the end, if you have a party known for lying and another you know nothing about, who are you going to believe?
 
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MarkMe2525

Member
Much simpler than that… there is a clear executive culture that permeated marketing too where you cannot talk and promote or defend yourself without childishly taking shots at your competitors.
Greenberg and Phil quite literally break bread with these “influencers” (the TimXDog, ColtEastwood, Etc…), they set a direction and an example. This reply is consistent with the BS they regularly use, see Phil whining about HellDivers 2 not being on Xbox.
Sure, that is possible. This reply could be "consistent" with other hypothetical scenarios as well, but without context, I don't believe someone can reliably determine which scenario is true. We don't even have access to the question that this answer was given in response to. Point being, if one cares about what is true, they would be careful not to jump to conclusions without sufficient reason.

Same with the reason for the delay. It could be fault of the SS, but it could also be an issue with the SDK, a major bug that requires a large rework, etc, etc. Until one has sufficient reason to believe so, one should withhold belief in any particular explanation.
 
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Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius
Sure, that is possible. This reply could be "consistent" with other hypothetical scenarios as well, but without context, I don't believe someone can reliably determine which scenario is true.
Considering years of past comms, public and private statements (including but not limited to the FTC trial), etc… I think that attributing it to lack of context is a bit like the famous Homer following Bart with a mace video where he was shouting “I’ll mace you good” and Homer defends it by saying “it is taken out of context!” ;).

9UYyhg7.gif


The quote coming from Jez from his MS sources does not do anything but try to paint their competitor in a bad light without providing any proof, it is ironic that this cannot be criticised without further proof 😂.
 
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JackMcGunns

Member
Samuel L Jackson Reaction GIF by Coming to America


Selective reading at its finest. I started this thread saying the same exact thing you did and I get push back on it for "misreading". But I don't see you accounting for MS defense in your summary or the folks saying this shows Sony paid for the timed exclusivity. You went straight to "everyone" carrying torches going after Microsoft. There is more to it than that.


It wasn't towards you my friend, you did the right thing asking who's lying, heck it could be MS trying to do damage control, but all I read are folks going after MS instead of doing what you did, aka question both, I was just poking fun when you pointed out other bad behavior, but both are bad and potentially wrong until the truth comes out.
 
??? The media attacking Sony for FF exclusives?? Rather, the first reactions and articles were always those of reasoning and praising the signing of these agreements 🙃

Are you from an alternate dimension? Did you read the articles the rest of us were reading? 😂

Every time MS announces an agreement of this type we all know that the complete terms will be known the next day because the massive pressure starts from the moment it is announced...

No this is 2016 PTSD; the press haven't been against Microsoft getting exclusives in years. Hell, the vast majority were cheering for them to buy Zenimax and ABK, and were salivating at MS making all those games Xbox (console) exclusives.

Whether it is because MS has historically been weaker against these campaigns and Sony is stronger (the famous blacklist) or whatever...anyone who sees equal treatment in that regard is lying to themselves.

What? If anything Sony are the meek ones; they just let all types of FUD fester on end to the point of being annoying. MS almost always put Phil, Sarah, Booty or paid shills like Jez, Tom Warren etc. out there to campaign for Xbox 24/7 and control every narrative they can.

??? With Stalker 2 the next question to the Studio was where the PS5 version was. Articles affirming the multiplatformity of the game to undermine the potential of the agreement and criticizing the decision..... until just days later the terms and even the exact duration of the exclusivity time were leaked....(3 months). You don't see that in every Sony third party exclusive game.

Because it was revealed as a timed exclusive. So of course they were gonna ask when the PS version would release.

We don't see that with Sony 3P exclusives because as we've seen with FF XVI and Rebirth, Square-Enix & Sony are more than happy to mention the timed exclusivity period right there in advertisement fine-print.

Ravenlok and Echo Gen?? That you point out games of this caliber says it all.You will have missed it because, indeed as always, the first reactions were those of "when on PS5?" and disregarding the suitability of the agreement even when MS funds part or all of the development 🙃

Okay if Ravenlok & Echo Generation are "no big deal" (even if there are players on other platforms not Steam who'd like to play them but can't because they're Xbox exclusives), then why are all these supposed Xbox fans getting mad over super-old games like Tomba and the Capcom Marvel collection skipping Xbox? Surely those aren't massive games at all like Perfect Dark, South of Midnight, Fable, DOOM etc. that were all revealed coming to Xbox at the Showcase as (timed) exclusives, right?

Is it perhaps because the size of the game doesn't really matter and shouldn't excuse it out of the conversation when discussing exclusivity of 3P games being done on both sides (all sides, really: Nintendo does it too)?

I see your point, but Echo Generation and Ravenlok are not even in the shadow of FF in terms of relevance and their profile. If you're going to start counting small games, it's gonna become a real long list.

Well a game is a game, is it not? It shouldn't matter if those titles don't have the profile of FF; there is still an audience for those games on PlayStation that can't play them on PlayStation because they are console exclusives on Xbox.

Also I think FF's profile is somewhat exaggerated; XVI and even Rebirth have sold at I'd assume the typical pace of prior console-exclusive FF games, yet the media has tried hard to paint them both as financial failures (and pin that on PS5 exclusivity). The FF games were never 15-20 million sellers the way a TLOU, COD or GOW have been, let alone 30+ million sellers like Mario games, GTA, etc.

Also, for the STALKER 2 deal, we already know its term from official documents. 99% of third parties don't usually reveal that kind of info.

TBF those documents were leaked, it's the only reason we know about its exclusivity status. Although IIRC Microsoft outright mentioned the 3-month exclusivity period shortly after reveal.
 

Three

Member
Maybe bc I think even developers can lie...aren't gods and divinity-like ... in every thread about phil spencer people says that he is telling lies so why a dev can't say i lie?
If the dev was lying MS could simply deny that there are quality/optimisation issues when asked specifically about them. They didn't deny those issues, they kind of confirmed it. They said they are working with the devs to bring it to xbox. They tried to throw in the "we can't comment on blah blah" and Jez is being coy by not sharing the exact question that he asked them but they didn't deny there are issues in dev that require a delay. They even told you what they're doing to remedy it.

If you want to get into unconfirmed conspiracies of lies and deception, what if MS told their 'partner' not to comment about the dev issues. The dev is not allowed to throw MS' platform under the bus and comment that it's possible development issues with Series S. The seed they planted with this "deal" reply can then fester too until people no longer care. Works just as well, no? Except it's all just speculation.

Question is why deny the confirmed reason from the dev stating that it's optimisation and quality they need extra time to work on? Why deny given facts and call them liars but instead give weight to unconfirmed speculation. As sneakerSO said you could pretty much deny anything like that by calling everybody liars who are telling you why.
 

Kataploom

Gold Member
Show me one example of Sony doing last minute exclusivity after the game has already been announced for other platforms and with a release date. This is just not how they do things.
I'm not saying that but that Sony making too many exclusivity deals with important releases, which made MS justify studios purchases in part, that was talked a lot when MS got Bethesda
 
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