z64dan said: Every war has victims! Do you think Gamecube owners loved the fact that GTA3 was only for PS2, even though gamecube graphics were like 2x better?

It's not about having an entire game put on a single system. This isn't about exclusives. 

We are now seeing the "exclusive content" idea morph into certain systems having the "complete game."

-- Not added bonus content--

Essentially, gamers are at a crossroads in which some multi-platform games will not be whole on some systems.

This is rather different than previous times were older games ported over get re-vamped in certain ways or even get bonus content. Game developers are flat out telling their customers now: "If you own System B as opposed to System A, you don't get the full game when you buy it." 

 

 

mrstickball said: Ummm. Wasn't GTA a PC-only game at one point, and every iteneration on the PC at every stage of the game? Sony didn't make GTA a succuess, considering the PC started it all. Yes, later on, once 3-SA came out, it was huge on the PS2, but thats because of the userbase, and the fact they did a great job on the UI for the game - GTA already had its great merits, and was a good seller on PC already.

I played and enjoyed both 1 & 2, but I don't think either had ANYTHING close to the sales that the series achieved with 3. Yes, they were already a good company, with their own merits, but it was GTA3 that really launched them. I seriously doubt the game would have had as large an impact if it was a PC game. Maybe a couple million, but not nearly 12 million.

These are the top selling PC games on this site, and the only ones even SLIGHTLY close to the same genre are the Dooms, but they're not really the same. Most are Sims(that's scary) games, see my point?

	The Sims	EA	0.00	11.39	4.69	16.08
	Myst	Broderbund	0.00	4.59	3.21	7.80
	World of Warcraft	Blizzard	0.00	5.39	1.17	6.56
	The Sims 2	EA	0.00	3.14	2.07	5.21
	Microsoft Flight Simulator	Microsoft	0.00	2.84	1.85	4.69
	Theme Hospital	EA	0.00	2.33	1.66	3.99
	Doom II	GT Interactive	0.00	2.18	1.63	3.81
	The Sims: Unleashed	EA	0.00	2.06	1.70	3.76
	Theme Park World	EA	0.00	2.07	1.48	3.55
	Who Wants to be a Millionaire?	EA	0.00	1.97	1.52	3.49
	The Sims: Hot Date	EA	0.00	1.84	1.52	3.36
	Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun	EA	0.00	1.57	1.50	3.07
	The Sims: Vacation	EA	0.00	1.75	1.32	3.07
	The Sims: Superstar	EA	0.00	1.70	1.29	2.99
	The Sims: Livin Large	EA	0.00	1.70	1.29	2.99
	The Sims 2: University	EA	0.00	1.71	1.15	2.86
	Doom	GT Interactive	0.00	1.63	1.22	2.85

 

EDIT: I've got a question here, if they were 6.56mln copies of WoW sold and 9mln subscribers, then that MANY people actually have more than one acct?  o_O

@vizunary, apparently people in China can just pay by the hour in internet Cafes. Also, the numbers look awfully low, is it just US numbers there?

Tispower said: @vizunary, apparently people in China can just pay by the hour in internet Cafes. Also, the numbers look awfully low, is it just US numbers there?

@Tispower and Vizunary

Those numbers are shipment numbers that the companies send out in their quarterly reports. The japanese numbers are also missing from the list, unless Japanese people to play PC games

gebx said: I think alot of people have the episodic content thing wrong... First off, the game was never designed to have specific content just for Microsoft... Microsoft went to take two once their financial problems came to light (approx 3 months ago) and said "hey, make us some exclusive episodic content, and we will give you cash" and taketwo agreed. The game doesn't have hidden areas that will suddenly open, the only thing that people will get is more story. Maybe the main characters evil twin brother comes to Liberty City and you have to hunt him down.. it will be extra content in form of story line and new missions, but not new maps. Remember the key word here is "Episode", and not "add on" or "expansion".

 Approx 3 months ago? So what were they talking about at E3 06'? From the way R* has been talking the content is done and their waiting for people to spend some time with the main game 1st. Why couldn't the game have secret areas that open? This content has been in development for a while, I doubt it's something that's just tacked on.

DoesWhatNintenDont said: z64dan said: Every war has victims! Do you think Gamecube owners loved the fact that GTA3 was only for PS2, even though gamecube graphics were like 2x better? It's not about having an entire game put on a single system. This isn't about exclusives. We are now seeing the "exclusive content" idea morph into certain systems having the "complete game." -- Not added bonus content-- Essentially, gamers are at a crossroads in which some multi-platform games will not be whole on some systems. This is rather different than previous times were older games ported over get re-vamped in certain ways or even get bonus content. Game developers are flat out telling their customers now: "If you own System B as opposed to System A, you don't get the full game when you buy it."

 That isn't new to this gen. Remember when MK1 had blood on the Genesis, but not on the SNES? That was Nintendo's call, but it is an example of the same game having more content on another system.

Plus you're actually expecting us to believe that having only 90% of the game is somehow worse than having 0% of the game? That is how your post looks, so if that isn't what you mean, what do you mean? 

LordTheNightKnight said: That isn't new to this gen. Remember when MK1 had blood on the Genesis, but not on the SNES? That was Nintendo's call, but it is an example of the same game having more content on another system. Plus you're actually expecting us to believe that having only 90% of the game is somehow worse than having 0% of the game? That is how your post looks, so if that isn't what you mean, what do you mean?

I think that is an unfair comparison, as Nintendo wouldn't allow MK1 to have the blood. Midway wanted to put it on the game, thus allowing them to be equal in content. Nintendo censored them and SEGA used that to their advantage. Last time I checked, Sony wasn't censoring Rockstar beyond not wanting another Adult Only rating game for a GTA, the same desire as Microsoft.

And you have summed up my thoughts completely. I think it's asinine that I get only 90% of anything that I pay full price for. The only time that should ever be acceptable is when there is some kind of savings coming back to the customer due to an issue with a product.

But hey, if you guys are happy about spending your money on a lesser version of two products, by all means let your cognitive dissonance play a healthy factor in keeping yourself that way. I just hope you never get upset when the trend hits while more and more big title games get scaled back for particular consoles due to the developers, not the publishers, deciding only deal out unfinished products simply to turn a better profit. Of course, this tactic will only work if the gamers support it, which looks to be the case.

 

DoesWhatNintenDont said: Am I the only one who honestly doesn't like what this represents as a whole for gaming? Seriously this goes beyond MS and Sony jockeying for position here. Personally, I'm not interested in buying a product from a developer if they intentionally hamstring it and don't give me the full experience for my money. Since when did I start buying my games ala carte?

 So you dont like expansion packs? Isnt that essentially what a 'episode' that you can download is?

 

Or I could be wrong and completely getting the wrong end of the stick. Either way. 

Rath said: DoesWhatNintenDont said: Am I the only one who honestly doesn't like what this represents as a whole for gaming? Seriously this goes beyond MS and Sony jockeying for position here. Personally, I'm not interested in buying a product from a developer if they intentionally hamstring it and don't give me the full experience for my money. Since when did I start buying my games ala carte? So you dont like expansion packs? Isnt that essentially what a 'episode' that you can download is?   Or I could be wrong and completely getting the wrong end of the stick. Either way.

There is a difference between an expansion pack, bonus content, and now this new development of a "complete" game.

Expansion packs usually have only referred to PC games, but now we are seeing them adapted for our consoles as well as they grow more like PC anymore. These are fine as one pays to add more content to the entire original game.

Bonus content usually refers to extra content that comes along with later ports, which continue to hold the entire original game, plus sometimes new experiences. This is more of the traditional "expansion pack", if you will, for consoles. Also, in the past, bonus content has sometimes been drawn out simply due hardware specs. For example Casltevania Sympony of the Night had more content on Saturn than it did the Playstation. It also came out much later for Saturn which usually is the case with bonus content. This is the whole anti-timed exclusive thing I've joked about before.

We are now being told upfront by the developers, that this major game is being built fully on the 360. PS3 will not get the "complete experience" thus it is not the entire original game. That is the stark difference here.

 

 

 

DoesWhatNintenDont said: Astrodust said: In case you don't realize it there is a console war going on. At least between the 360 and the PS3, who share demographics. The Wii is competition too, but Sony and Microsoft know they need to focus on each other. They split the hardcore gamers. Nintendo gets everyone else. No need to be such a rude abrasive wretch. If you are too much of a fool to see that gamers will lose out by having an entire game experience broken up into segments (not expansions), simply to help the footing of certain titles and line the pockets of particular developers, then your precious war is only going to create victims in the people who enjoy and spend money in the entertainment sector itself.

Rude abrasive wretch huh? Last time I t checked, it isn't nice to call people names in an attempt to disguise your own fanboyism. I didn't start calling you names. Anyways denying a console war doesn't make one not exist. And before the Wii came out, it was all about focusing on demographics. The hardcore gamers got most of the attention and now the market is larger. If you look at the latest stats there are more people into video games than ever before from all age groups. Sony and Microsoft have a strong hold on the hardcore gamers right now and I guarantee you that they will try and reach for the casual gamers that Nintendo commands so strongly. I own a 360, and a Wii, and plan to get a PS3 when FF13 comes out. You know who really loses in the video game wars. The people who pick sides and can't see that there are great games on all the systems to enjoy. Those that are blinded by jealousy and envy and follow their favorite console makers like mindless sheeps unwilling to give rival companies any credit. Unwilling to give certain games a chance. Peace.