I believe that multiplatform ports of games should all be released simultaneously at the exact time. Delaying the port of console or PC game ports of multi-platform titles adversely affects sales, time and time again.

I will give a couple of examples. Oblivion on PC/360 was released 14 months before the PS3 version came out. Oblivion PS3 version looked better but sales of the game were poor due to excitement of the game had well and truly died off and people moved onto something new.

Poster: Discuss this and give example to highlight that delaying ports of multi-platform titles adversely affects sales.

See: Timed Exclusives.

Also, think about the fact that sometimes, developers wanna see if a game will do well, and if it does, they'll expand to other platforms.

UT3 was delayed for the Xbox 360.
I agree, it is stupid.

For the most of the developers cost is really the reasons for having timed exclusives. While EA can have many teams working on each consoles, most smaller companies can only do them one at the time.

Delaying Wii ports does not affect sales. Wii games sell regardless. VF 5 being delayed on the 360 adversely affected 360 VF 5 sales. VF 5 was released 9 months earlier on the PS3.

Delaying UT 3 for the 360 was a huge mistake. UT 3 sales for 360 will have be adversely affected. UT 3 will struggle to sell one million on the 360.

It should of been released at the same time as the PS3/PC versions of the game. XBox Live with around 12 million subscribers would of wanted UT 3 on XBox 360.

ut3 was a disaster either way.

Assassins Creed, Mass effect, Gears of War, Burnout Paradise City, Devil May Cry 4, GTA 4, delayed for PC. PC versions would of sold more if released at same time as console versions of the game. Excitement for the game would have faded when the game does make a re- appearance . Cosmetic improvements do little to enhance sales of the game, that has been delayed.

Wow, you are so right about the delays for PC Rock_on, in fact I will go so far as to say most of them should never even be made for PC.
Mass Effect, Gears of War and partially GTA IV should be on PC as the only ones you've listed here, and I don't even see why you put Burnout Paradise on your list as it was never ever intended as a PC game, and is in fact the first PC version of a Burnout game, you should be happy that they are at least doing.

And GTA IV hasn't even been announced for PC yet, Rockstar might as well not do the port and do something else.

And the hole thing you are nagging about here is what we normally know as 'timed exclusives', which is essentially (for this generation) Microsoft or Sony making a deal with a given game developer to delay the game for the opposing console and/or PC. If that isn't the case, then the developer most likely will have another version follow the essential releases due to time restraints. This can prove important for the sales of the PS3/X360, which is why it is so used as it is, and so I think that instead saying that it is stupid here, I think you should try and explain to Sony and Microsoft why it sucks so much and see what will happen.

Whew, sorry about all that, guess you caught me in a bad mood :P