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Kena: Bridge of Spirits Xbox Release Possible, Only Timed Exclusive on PlayStation

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman

In an interview with SegmentNext, Ember Lab confirmed that Kena: Bridge of Spirits is currently a timed PlayStation exclusive, which means that it can't be ported to another console until after a certain time period. When asked if an Xbox port might be planned in the future, Ember Lab neither confirmed nor denied the possibility.

The developers announced they were focusing on the game's PlayStation launch and on responding to the requests from the fan community, such as a Kena: Bridge of Spirits physical release and the incorporation of new languages. Ember Labs also stated to Segment Next that "We are currently focused in our launches for PlayStation and Epic Games store, which are timed exclusives. We will look into other platform releases after launch and a rest."
 

Banjo64

cumsessed
Yeah. Thanks for posting but this hasn’t ever been a secret. Shame the way these deals work as the devs never just say ‘yes we will launch on other platforms after 12 months’ or whatever (we only know about Deathloop/Ghostwire being 12 months due to the buyout).
 

EDMIX

Writes a lot, says very little
I could see Sony buying Ember Lab.

imho its a 50-50. I mean, if they buy them....it makes sense.

If they don't buy them.....it makes sense lol

Just as much reason to buy them, might be just as much reason not to.

A. Its a short game from what I've been told.
B. Might not move massive numbers to justify the purchase

on the other hand.

A. The IP can grow, even the first Jak and Daxter was a short game compared to its sequels.
B. More money can be put behind the IP (....basically more of A) lol

So who knows.
 

Mr Hyde

Member
It's coming. It's just a matter of time. Forspoken will also launch on Xbox later down the road (time exclusivity was two years. So 2024).
 

kingpotato

Ask me about my Stream Deck
Timed exclusivity is such garbage.
Why though? It's a way for developers and publishers to secure extra funding. It allows developers to focus on fewer platforms in the short term so they can deliver a higher quality product initially. And eventually more platforms also will get the title giving the publisher a good reason to give the game additional support after the initial launch. People who don't have the initial launch platform get time to see the reception and support before it comes to their desired gaming device.

I get that some people get bummed they can't play "day 1" if it's on a platform they don't have, but this is a good thing for most gamers overall. 100% exclusives are a bigger bummer for most gamers unless you want to invest in redundant hardware just to play any game.
 

EDMIX

Writes a lot, says very little
i believe this is false

they announced it as built for the ground up for PS5, which suggests to me it’s 100% exclusive.

But they'll say anything in favor of the publisher with such deals, it means don't take anything they say seriously when those deals happen.

I've heard shit like "its not being made for console (fill in blank)" or "its ONLY being made for (fill in blank) etc.

We've seen that with so many titles its not even funny. Once its timed, don't believe anything they state regarding being built from the ground up for this or that, could be true btw, doesn't mean it can't be ported else where or they didn't already have another version being made for XB or Switch etc.
 
i believe this is false

they announced it as built for the ground up for PS5, which suggests to me it’s 100% exclusive.
No, he's right. It was stated to be a two-year exclusive. That doesn't mean it's definitely coming to Xbox after that, but they could at that point.

With a two-year exclusivity they very well could have only considered the PS5 during implementation. But two years is plenty of time to make a game designed just for PS5 run on Series S|X.
 
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But they'll say anything in favor of the publisher with such deals, it means don't take anything they say seriously when those deals happen.

I've heard shit like "its not being made for console (fill in blank)" or "its ONLY being made for (fill in blank) etc.

We've seen that with so many titles its not even funny. Once its timed, don't believe anything they state regarding being built from the ground up for this or that, could be true btw, doesn't mean it can't be ported else where or they didn't already have another version being made for XB or Switch etc.

That's true, but it seems a little more emphatic that it could be 100% exclusive. Didn't they also lock up FF16 100% exclusively, though it was originally rumored as being timed?

No, he's right. It was stated to be a two-year exclusive. That doesn't mean it's definitely coming to Xbox after that, but they could at that point.

Where was it stated? Did a contract leak or something?
 
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Kilau

Member
Why though? It's a way for developers and publishers to secure extra funding. It allows developers to focus on fewer platforms in the short term so they can deliver a higher quality product initially. And eventually more platforms also will get the title giving the publisher a good reason to give the game additional support after the initial launch. People who don't have the initial launch platform get time to see the reception and support before it comes to their desired gaming device.

I get that some people get bummed they can't play "day 1" if it's on a platform they don't have, but this is a good thing for most gamers overall. 100% exclusives are a bigger bummer for most gamers unless you want to invest in redundant hardware just to play any game.
Well that’s the line they try to sell us. Publishers make extra money so a console holder can have an exclusive for a period of time. That’s not a win for the end users.
 

EDMIX

Writes a lot, says very little
That's true, but it seems a little more emphatic that it could be 100% exclusive. Didn't they also lock up FF16 100% exclusively, though it was originally rumored as being timed?

I see nothing that points to anything being 100% simply based on that comment. We've heard comments like that many times before with timed games. At one point, Bioshock was rumored to be in development for PS3 and Ken Levine himself stated NO OTHER VERSION WAS BEING MADE, thus...they will lie, they will say anything to maintain that its never coming here or there etc.....until it does. So the comment about being built for PS5 doesn't mean it can't be built for XB or Switch or anything like that and I just don't see it as some smoking gun as it being 100% only on 1 platform, as its already on PC in the first place.

Unless Sony buys that whole team, its going where that team wants it to go after this deal is done. Only that stopping that isn't deal, its Sony buying the team. That literally is the only thing I see that would change anything as ask yourself....how much money can I ask you not to buy your car, but to STOP you from selling it? Would it not clearly be the worth of the car itself? So what could Sony even offer them to NOT make more money in the future? Would that amount clearly not be what they would have made from it going to Switch or XB? Would that amount also make more sense to actually just be put towards out right buying the studio itself? So I see more value for Sony buying the team, then paying to NEVER have 1 game go to XB or Nintendo, as I don't know what that number is for a team like this, but clearly its going to be substantial if your asking them to never make that game appear anywhere else.


As for the FF thing, I highly doubt that too. I just don't buy any "100% lock up" unless Sony is publishing or bought the team and company etc. Keep in mind, I don't disagree that FF16 indeed might not actually come to XB, but that has more to do with MS, Japan and the brand in general. Square has tried with XB, I mean they really put a lot on the platform and last gen they did the best they could do. KH coming to XB, the collection coming, older FF titles coming etc, after a whole ass gen of that, if they don't see a return, its clear its just not worth the money to keep doing this if you are getting such a low return.



^That might be enough for Square to consider a timed deal with Sony to get extra money and then just not waste the energy to port.

Think about it from Square's prospective. "We are not selling as well on XB, lets limit our platforms for the next FF and Kin-....someone is at the door"

Sony -" Please don't put FF on XB, we have $50 million to make a timed deal"

Square "WOOOW bro, we funa put it on XB if you don't increase that number" lol

For all we know, Square likely was planning to scale back on that plaform anyway, a deal with Sony only sweetens that deal even more. So not saying Sony doesn't have some deal with FF16, simply that if it indeed never comes to XB, that might have more to do with how those games did last gen, then a check from Sony.
 

Great Hair

Banned
Why not just say "I could see Sony working with Ember Lab on future collaborative efforts."?

Why the hell has everything turned into a game of acquisitions now? Tiring mentality.

Your never ending 180º spins are reaching new heights. Are you purposefully on a hunt? Chasing any negative, anti-Microsoft post? valid or not? You know well how this all started.

Your ambiguity skills are second to none. You must be working for Microsoft. Why is it suddenly tiring? Months ago, you were ok with it .... now you can not fathom this pain of having to read about this - anymore.

QBiyYfu.jpg


Since the thread got closed, i was not able to post my answer to your reply.
Crystal Dynamics works for Squarenix, the ones who pay them. Now you´re telling everyone, because of former good-relationships with their ex team mates ... Squarenix who has no any monetary gain in this project, is going to hand them over to microsoft "... sure take them, but bring them back at 5pm! They need to keep on working on our 3, 4 projects!"

Makes sense i guess ...

imagine Phil Spencer telling them:

"Listen everyone, for 30 days every artist employed by Microsoft will get a sketchbook, concept art for a new IP! You all are going to create assets for said IP!

After that we will redirect our power on other projects.

Over 3,000 people working on the same IP for 30 days or just 10 days creating assets, would accelerate development of any game. But most of them prolly work for themselves, once done and ready they ring up Booty or Phil before printing a goldmaster.

They all seem to be working independently of each other.
 
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Ol'Scratch

Member
Why not just say "I could see Sony working with Ember Lab on future collaborative efforts."?

Why the hell has everything turned into a game of acquisitions now? Tiring mentality.
Because it is the nature of the business now. This is why I have multiple consoles. The price of making games is getting higher and higher and small studios have a harder and harder time keeping up. There is a mentality of "its terrible for gamers" but the truth is it is usually best for the devs who can afford to pay their rent.
"Gamers" want to wrap their arms around one console and ride it into the sunset that is their choice. At the end of the day it is business.
 

EDMIX

Writes a lot, says very little
Why not just say "I could see Sony working with Ember Lab on future collaborative efforts."?

Why the hell has everything turned into a game of acquisitions now? Tiring mentality.

Why?

What they are saying is...they can see Sony continue to acquire teams, not that they want this or that. Keep in mind, maybe they do, regardless Sony acquiring teams, Sony saying they will continue to acquire teams, same with MS is what leads into "i can see Sony BUYING" this or that.

Cause they are the ones even telling us this.


So I see where you are coming from, but lets not try to force this being a "mentality" simply from someone giving a educated guess. They are simply suggesting what Sony is already confirming themselves about what they are seeking.
 
Why though? It's a way for developers and publishers to secure extra funding. It allows developers to focus on fewer platforms in the short term so they can deliver a higher quality product initially. And eventually more platforms also will get the title giving the publisher a good reason to give the game additional support after the initial launch. People who don't have the initial launch platform get time to see the reception and support before it comes to their desired gaming device.

I get that some people get bummed they can't play "day 1" if it's on a platform they don't have, but this is a good thing for most gamers overall. 100% exclusives are a bigger bummer for most gamers unless you want to invest in redundant hardware just to play any game.
I think I disagree. For me at least, it's majorly off putting - case in point, Disco Elysium. I have a good gaming PC and a PS5, but I want to play it on Xbox (my preferred platform, achievements etc). They've fucked around with it so much now that I'll never buy it - I'll play it on Gamepass or Games with Gold or if it's given away free on something like Epic Games Store, but if they have so little interest in me as a customer I have little interest in giving them any of my money. Timed exclusives are complete bullshit. I think full exclusives are much better and less disrespectful to my value as a customer, but I don't support bought exclusives either.

Either buy the company or leave them alone.

Although actually I'm not sure Disco Elysium is a great example as I think it may have been a developer decision rather than Sony paying for it in that case, but philosophically the point stands. I'll never buy Deathloop either, but that's possibly an even worse example :messenger_tears_of_joy:
 
Your never ending 180º spins are reaching new heights. Are you purposefully on a hunt? Chasing any negative, anti-Microsoft post? valid or not? You know well how this all started.

Your ambiguity skills are second to none. You must be working for Microsoft. Why is it suddenly tiring? Months ago, you were ok with it .... now you can not fathom this pain anymore.

QBiyYfu.jpg


Since the thread got closed, i was not able to post my answer to your reply.

How am I on a hunt when I only started posting maybe an hour ago? :pie_roffles:

Anyway, it's tiring because that's the first thing people are jumping to now. And you must be having foggy memory, I've never outright said "MS/Sony/Nintendo should buy XYZ dev/pub.". Heck the recent Take 2/MS rumor I completely laughed at and made fun of, you must've missed that.

For the CD, I even hinted at why SE would let them work with The Initiative; CD lost SE $100 million on The Avengers, you really think SE want to put them on another big game anytime soon? If a MS 1P studio can take them off their hands for a bit, and SE still gets paid, why would they turn that down?

It just also happens to work out 'cuz Gallaghar gets a team he's intimately familiar with working with him again.

Because it is the nature of the business now. This is why I have multiple consoles. The price of making games is getting higher and higher and small studios have a harder and harder time keeping up. There is a mentality of "its terrible for gamers" but the truth is it is usually best for the devs who can afford to pay their rent.
"Gamers" want to wrap their arms around one console and ride it into the sunset that is their choice. At the end of the day it is business.

For the platform holders it's business, for gamers who just outright jump to "so and so should buy such and such", it's wishful thinking and practically begging for it at this point. You can say it's "business" for them too because they want certain talent all on one system they happen to conveniently have, but then that turns into a form of console warring, or at least breeds a sense of entitlement.

I mean there aren't even rumors surrounding Ember Labs potentially looking to get acquired, not any credible ones anyway, and no evidence hinting at such either. It'd be like someone saying "I hope Microsoft acquires Asobo" even though Asobo are well and good financially and want to stay independent, but some are still gonna ignore that for mostly selfish reasons.

Why?

What they are saying is...they can see Sony continue to acquire teams, not that they want this or that. Keep in mind, maybe they do, regardless Sony acquiring teams, Sony saying they will continue to acquire teams, same with MS is what leads into "i can see Sony BUYING" this or that.

Cause they are the ones even telling us this.


So I see where you are coming from, but lets not try to force this being a "mentality" simply from someone giving a educated guess. They are simply suggesting what Sony is already confirming themselves about what they are seeking.

It's not an educated guess tho, there's no evidence suggesting Ember Labs are anywhere near looking to sell to any publisher. So it's really just someone hoping/wishing they get acquired because to them it's another part of the console meta and they probably want their preferred platform to get a preferred company as new in-house talent.

It's kind of like some of the Xbox podcasters I've seen thinking Microsoft will buy Crystal Dynamics now and theorizing all kinds of reasons why (working with The Initiative on PD, SE Western studios not doing well (in which case why would Microsoft buy them other than to be a charity?)(this has led to some of them saying MS should just buy Eidos as well), etc.). What are people basing most of these acquisition speculations on other than hopes and dreams?
 

EDMIX

Writes a lot, says very little
It's not an educated guess tho, there's no evidence suggesting Ember Labs are anywhere

I disagree.

Sony partnering with a team with some timed deal and them saying they wish to continue to acquire more studios is enough for that guess to be valid for someone to make.

So it's really just someone hoping/wishing they get acquired because to them it's another part of the console meta and they probably want their preferred platform to get a preferred company as new in-house talent.

Or....its cause Sony themselves stated they want to continue buying teams like this....

A timed deal means they liked what they saw.

So.....sorry but the guess is simply just that, speculation based on Sony's intent to continue to buy and their deal with this studio.

It's kind of like some of the Xbox podcasters I've seen thinking Microsoft will buy Crystal Dynamics

and?

Thats just as valid though.

MS is still looking to buy, that team is working on a MS game, Square has not only sold teams they bought, the even sold back IP they bought when they let IO interactive go and sold back the Hitman IP. For all we know, Square doesn't like what they are seeing from Hitman, lets go of the team and IP, they might feel the same way about Tomb Raider and CD.

Who knows.

Either way, all of that is valid speculation and a solid educated guess imho. Its not that wild, its not without reason and its not just randomly saying any team without cause.

why would Microsoft buy them other than to be a charity?
Shit, why would MS buy MANY of the teams they already bought bud lol That is for MS to know and for you to find out. You asking doesn't mean its not valid for MS to make the move if they feel they can make some use out of the studio. For all you know, Perfect Dark reboot becomes a hit because of CD's involvement and there you got, your reason right there lol Funny enough, its like asking WHY MS is even having CD even help, clearly they think they are fit enough to work on that reboot man...
What are people basing most of these acquisition speculations on other than hopes and dreams?


Sony literally bought like several teams over the last month or 2 and have shown interest in buying MORE
MS has bought several teams over the last few years and has shown interest to buying MORE.


So when Sony works with a team, MS works with a team, I don't see anything that wild in speculation on either publisher buying said teams when they have bought teams in the past and are openly stating they will continue to do so. You are basically telling us we should not fucking except what has already happened before, to keep happening or happen again or something lol
 

EDMIX

Writes a lot, says very little
Its not full playstation exclusive!?
tumblr_pxsdefHm8n1w0433po1_400.gif


I enjoyed the game but if its not Sony exclusive then that means the game is TRASH!!! Now proceeding to delete all my memory of this game.

I felt when this game was announced, that this was a YOU game lol
 
Sony's timed deals are years. The Medium was timed for like what, a month? Lol We still don't have FFVIIRemake
I would imagine Sony deals are much longer because Sony and the publishers know there is a good chance that it will sell well on PlayStation. Microsoft’s fan base is very, very finicky when it comes to buying games, even exclusives. So I’m sure it’s much easier for Sony to procure timed exclusives for that very reason.
 
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kingpotato

Ask me about my Stream Deck
Well that’s the line they try to sell us. Publishers make extra money so a console holder can have an exclusive for a period of time. That’s not a win for the end users.
How is that not a win? Everyone gets the game still. Look at Tomb Raider reboot sequel on Xbox, it took a couple of extra years to hit PlayStation, but the game would have potentially been scaled back if they wouldn't have had the funding from a platform holder. I thought someone had posted a thread about how the funding convinced SquareEnix to continue the series.

I think I disagree. For me at least, it's majorly off putting - case in point, Disco Elysium. I have a good gaming PC and a PS5, but I want to play it on Xbox (my preferred platform, achievements etc). They've fucked around with it so much now that I'll never buy it - I'll play it on Gamepass or Games with Gold or if it's given away free on something like Epic Games Store, but if they have so little interest in me as a customer I have little interest in giving them any of my money. Timed exclusives are complete bullshit. I think full exclusives are much better and less disrespectful to my value as a customer, but I don't support bought exclusives either.

Either buy the company or leave them alone.

Although actually I'm not sure Disco Elysium is a great example as I think it may have been a developer decision rather than Sony paying for it in that case, but philosophically the point stands. I'll never buy Deathloop either, but that's possibly an even worse example :messenger_tears_of_joy:
What do you mean "They've fucked around with it"? Like it's worse now that it's on Xbox with loads of extra content? I don't follow...

It sounds like your personal feelings are hurt because a game didn't come out on your favorite platform first and you've decided that instead of enjoying the title you were excited about, you'd rather "punish" the creators and deny yourself playing a game with tons of accolades. So you basically said that had Disco Elysium only come out on PlayStation, a platform you don't prefer, that would be better? How?

How about if the game came out only for PC and then was later ported to Xbox so it was only PC and Xbox at that point? Would you still feel upset and refuse to play the game?
 
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Indie devs swimming in money off the console rivalry. Get paid for timed exclusivity. Then get additional customers once the game releases on the other console. Or get paid for a Gamepass release. Either way get paid and the risk of financially bombing is essentially zero.
 

Withnail

Member
Indie devs swimming in money off the console rivalry. Get paid for timed exclusivity. Then get additional customers once the game releases on the other console. Or get paid for a Gamepass release. Either way get paid and the risk of financially bombing is essentially zero.

I doubt they got paid from Sony the way you think they did. Their "payment" would have been being featured in the future of gaming show (watched by millions) plus a lot of promotion on Sony's official social media accounts.

Plus this is a self-published indie from a small team, they probably didn't have the capacity to launch on more than 1-2 platforms.
 
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I doubt they got paid from Sony the way you think they did. Their "payment" would have been being featured in the future of gaming show (watched by millions) plus a lot of promotion on Sony's official social media accounts.
That's still a very decent "payment" if true, I doubt it's true though. They got cash.
Plus this is a self-published indie from a small team, they probably didn't have the capacity to launch on more than 1-2 platforms.
There's a PC version, which means making an Xbox version would be 20 minutes of work (slight exaggeration).
 
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