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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Leaked Bungie contract basically confirms Fall 2013 Xbox 720 release

PSwii60 on 22 May 2012

 

This contract was written 2010-Mar-31, and was made effective 2010-Apr-16. Knowing the stance Nintendo has strategically for this gen and being Nintendo was so secretive with Wii U,  Activision and Bungie prepared this contract without Nintendo in mind, as is most third party developers probably do, due to Nintendo's unpredictable nature. From what I remember, correct me if I'm wrong, Wii U dev kits weren't provided until late 2010, early 2011, but definitely before this contract was created.

 

Also:

1A Release PLan

The release plan for the Destiny Games ("Release Plan") is currently comprised of four (4) major retail Destiny GAme releases tentatively scheduled for the Fall of 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019 and four (4) Comet releases following each Destiny Game release tentatively scheduled for the Fall of 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020. (...)

"Tentatively" sounds like questionable.

 

The only two times 'Nintendo' was mentioned, but only as an example.


5.1 Grant of Rights

5.1(b) ...publish and distribute all versions, conversions and adaptations of the Products for all other Platforms, operating systems, media, devices, or methods of distribution, whether now known or hereafter created or devised, including but not limited to, Sony PlayStation (e.g., PS3, PS4), PC, handheld (e.g., Nintendo DS and Sony PSP), mobile operating systems, online and server based systems, and/or casual extensions of the Products which may be playable via handheld gaming devidces, a PC or mobile handset, which versions, conversions and adaptations are developed during the Development Term (the "Conversions"), but Conversions specificlly exclude remakes and spinoffs of the Products and Ancillary Markets

7A Activision's Responsibilities

7A.15( k )

Assuring that the Products receive approval from any first party proprietary system licensor, such as Sony Computer Entertainment, Microsoft Corporation and Nintendo of America, Inc and/or their Affiliates (each as "First Party", collectively, "First Parties"), as necessary for the commercial release of the Products (in this regard, Licensor agrees to make any and all changes that may be required by such First Parties so as to allow Activision to commercially release and distribute the Products worldwide). In this regard, Bungie shall be responsible for all release management activities with the First Parties

 

Activision/Bungie did not have Nintendo in mind in regards to "Destiny" and "Comet" for the this gen obviously, and the next gen, but this is before they've learned of the Wii U. All we know as a solid fact is, as per the contract, there will be continued support for Microsort consoles for this gen and the next gen.

In addition, there's nothing in "Confidential Information and Non-Soliciation" that would completely breach the contract of any leak, really. Shame.

 

Post #22 on this thread already mentions all the most imporatation info anyway.



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Fumanchu on 22 May 2012

With the next-gen consoles around the corner and the markedly different tech specs (rumoured) for the PS4, is it worth Bungie's time to learn how to code for the PS3?*

*Assuming lack of PS3 knowledge is the cause of the staggered release.



S.T.A.G.E. on 23 May 2012
Fumanchu said:
With the next-gen consoles around the corner and the markedly different tech specs (rumoured) for the PS4, is it worth Bungie's time to learn how to code for the PS3?*

*Assuming lack of PS3 knowledge is the cause of the staggered release.


Highly doubt that. Activision and Microsoft are extremely close, especially when it comes to COD, Xbox Live and American business outlook on the gaming industry. Theres probably a contractual edge thats being given to the Xbox version so people adopt it earlier with them. You must remeber as well, Activsion now makes money off of Xbox Live gamers. As bobby kotick said, Activision gathers a modest sum of the money that people pay monthly for the service. Microsoft also gets timed exclusivity for a limited amount of time for map packs. It reminds me of Sony and EA's old relationship last gen because of the high sports game sales. You can tell EA still favors Sony but can't do anything about part of last gens PS2 owners jumping ship, which based on sales coupled with Xbox adapters to the 360 makes for better multiplatform sales and sales of exclusives.



Millenium on 23 May 2012
S.T.A.G.E. said:
Fumanchu said:
With the next-gen consoles around the corner and the markedly different tech specs (rumoured) for the PS4, is it worth Bungie's time to learn how to code for the PS3?*

*Assuming lack of PS3 knowledge is the cause of the staggered release.


 Microsoft also gets timed exclusivity for a limited amount of time for map packs.

 

Didn't that deal end this year though without being renewed? (Serious question) Not sure if with it Activision stops receiving a share of XBL revenue or not.



S.T.A.G.E. on 23 May 2012
fillet said:
S.T.A.G.E. said:
fillet said:
VGKing said:
d21lewis said:
Dallinor said:
Why alienate a section of the market by releasing only on the 360/720 for the first game? Hasn't seemed to have worked out too well with other IP's this gen.


Saints Row, Dead Rising, Bioshock, Mass Effect, Call of Duty 2, Lost Planet, Ghost Recon Advance Warfighter


The only real success there is Call of Duty. But COD 2 came out as a 360 launch title while PS3 didn't exist yet. 
Mass Effect sells so much less on PS3 though. It's clear that the 360-exclusive ME1, and late ME2 port damaged the sales of ME3 on PS3.

If all 3 ME games were to be released on PS3 and 360 simultaneously the franchise as a whole would have been much more successful than it is now.

I disagree strongly with those sentiments, Mass Effect just isn't the type of game the core PS3 gamers are willing to give a chance. Just like old school type gameplay games always sell better on the PS3 because the Americans don't want to play anything that isn't a shooter.

Personal opinion counts for nothing here those be the facts, and the analysis of sales for these types of games prove my point.

To say Mass Effect suffered badly in sales because the first one wasn't on the PS3 is simply guesswork and conjecture. Of course it suffered somewhat that goes without saying but not to the degree implied by many.

He's right the PS3 community got a late port of a game to a franchise that was two titles in. Most of the people who had a PS3 most likely devoted their funds to the 360 or PC version of the game. You must remember the PS3/360 crowd are split from the PS2 crowd. Theres room for very similar games, they just flip flop between two brands now. Microsofts job is to keep themselves as close in third party offerings to survive. Microsoft has had a lot of timed exclusivity of timed exclusivity this gen with certain titles and that killed the need to get it on the PS3.

Definately true, I'm just making the point that there is evidence to suggest that those facts you state aren't the be all and end all and that some of the rather poor sales on the PS3 can be attributed to the game and developer itself. I'm sure most would logically deduce that and forgive me for being patronising.

I mean thinking about it, the way this new game sounds it's even less of a PS3 owners type game. I believe from sales data there is a very large number of people both on the Xbox 360 side and PS3 side who will either only buy those Japanese style PS2 games - and on the Xbox 360 side only buy shooters, and rarely deviate from that buying pattern.

Sorry it sounds like I'm saying that with an insulting tone but not at all meant that way. End of the day, to say sales of Mass Effect 2 and 3 suffered badly because as you say the 2nd was released late and the first not at all, kinda emotively overstates the case and implies that those were the only reasons it sold badly.

I'm sure, yes it was the main reason it sold badly, but I firmly believe if Mass Effect was a PS3 style game like MGS franchise it wouldn't have affected the sales nearly as much as it did, heck I'm overstating my point now so bit of a hypocrit but anyways.


It's majorly that Mass Effects origin wasn't native to the PS3. As far as a market is concerned the title started on the 360/PC platforms and the game demands you play on the same console to continue your saves. Microsoft used timed-exclusives in the first three years of the PS3's life to stay infront of them for many games. When the PS3 came closer to the 360 all the timed exclusivity love ended. At this point the majority of the people who buy COD are really close on the PS3 and 360 right now. The most avid gamers jumped ship to the 360 since the offerings were so similar (from a third party perspective) since 2008. For the most part Sony has been pandering to Americans and ignoring the Japanese which besides the issues in Japan is the reason for lower than expected PS3 sales. If Sony made from high quality JRPG's that the Japanese could get into instead of depending on Square Enix the Japanese would be running to the 360.

Look at how third person shooters like Uncharted and MGS have sold on the PS3. Think about how many PS3 owners have either a PC or 360 (because really if you have a PC you dont need a 360 unless you're a Gears or Halo fan), they could get the best versions games like Skyrim, Mass Effect, Witcher 2, etc. Yes FPS games sell better on the 360 because of the American adopters. If you look at CODs sales, 60% of the franchises sales come from America alone and with Halo 80% comes from America alone. From there we add another variable and you will notice Americans turned the tides jumping ship from the PS2 to the 360 and purchasing 360 games. Shooters are culturally larger in America though even though its been big on PC world wide for a while now. One could say Americans buy the most of a lot of products, and I'd say yes which is why they are a very powerful consumer base when you're selling a product. Mass Effect is a westerners game and the PS3 is a console geared for westerners, the problem was the late adaptation of the game and the crowd was mostly focused on PC/360 by the time two hit the PS3. Bioware said it was happy with the PS3 digital sales though. 



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S.T.A.G.E. on 23 May 2012
Millenium said:
S.T.A.G.E. said:
Fumanchu said:
With the next-gen consoles around the corner and the markedly different tech specs (rumoured) for the PS4, is it worth Bungie's time to learn how to code for the PS3?*

*Assuming lack of PS3 knowledge is the cause of the staggered release.


 Microsoft also gets timed exclusivity for a limited amount of time for map packs.

 

Didn't that deal end this year though without being renewed? (Serious question) Not sure if with it Activision stops receiving a share of XBL revenue or not.


They still are. It's because Microsoft was boasting that 60% of Xbox Live users play mostly COD. Kotick since then was bitching that Activision deserved a cut. Sony said not a word when their percentage is almost as high. Thats the reason for the price hike and it's still on isn't it?



donsterydo2 on 23 May 2012

What the hell are you talking about XD Activision doesn't get a share form XBOX Live revenue. What kind of bullshit is this? The price on XBOX Live gold was rised in US because it was cheaper for years than in other teritories and now everyone pays more or less the same. Earlier often people from Europe were playing on US accounts and buying cheaper US Gold subscription.



S.T.A.G.E. on 23 May 2012
donsterydo2 said:

What the hell are you talking about XD Activision doesn't get a share form XBOX Live revenue. What kind of bullshit is this? The price on XBOX Live gold was rised in US because it was cheaper for years than in other teritories and now everyone pays more or less the same. Earlier often people from Europe were playing on US accounts and buying cheaper US Gold subscription.


Look it up instead of bitching about what I am saying.



WiiBox3 on 24 May 2012
Fumanchu said:
With the next-gen consoles around the corner and the markedly different tech specs (rumoured) for the PS4, is it worth Bungie's time to learn how to code for the PS3?*

*Assuming lack of PS3 knowledge is the cause of the staggered release.


If this contract is true, it is likely that they would have a side dev team do the port to the PS3. They would probably have a few of the people who worked on the 360 version head up the team and hire other programers who have experience with the PS3 to help. Though it might make sence for Activision to farm out the PS3 port to one of their internal developers with a few Bungie employees helping out.

You never know, if Activision is pleased with what Bungie had built so far and they think the pruduct will sell well, they may have already started making a PS3 version concurently.



VGKing on 24 May 2012
crissindahouse said:

interesting how people always complain about timed exclusives for a console they don't own but if sony or microsoft buy the whole developer to release all games in the future only for one console and with that, some will never play the games, yeah, this is super great for most. no clue but for me it's better to play the game later than never^^  if sony would have bought bungie i don't believe the people who only own a ps3 would complain about that, but if someone only gives money to get the release earlier, that's soo bad...

i mean, for people who get the game later, it's better than never and people who say it's better to buy the developer, if microsoft/sony would buy the developer, the developer wouldn't release more games and with that money they can put more money in the development so the money isn't lost.


No one complains about exclusives. I don't see anyone complaining that Halo is not on PS3 or that Uncharted is not on 360.

However when you are a multi-platform developer (which Bungie is now) you are supposed to make games for both platforms. You aren't supposed to show bias towards one of the console companies.