Microsoft reserves the right to refuse an Xbox 360 release for games that are released first on other platforms, according to reports.
Eurogamer reveals that Microsoft's developer terms also stipulate that the company may also refuse to allow an Xbox 360 release for games that offer more features or content on other platforms.
Microsoft's content submission and release policy reads: "Titles for Xbox 360 must ship at least simultaneously with other videogame platforms, and must have at least feature and content parity on-disc with other platform versions in all regions where the title is available.
"If these conditions are not met, Microsoft reserves the right to not allow the content to be released on Xbox 360."
The terms apply to Xbox Live Arcade games, too, with Microsoft's online content terms stipulating that games "must simultaneously release on Xbox Live Marketplace in all regions where the game is available." Demos, too, "must ship within the same week of its launch on other videogame platforms or via magazines."
Microsoft's vice president of interactive entertainment, Chris Lewis, defended the policy, saying: "We're a little biased, so obviously we're going to look to protect our own space as best we can and get exclusivity…we seek to maximise our own advantage to ensure the playing field is even, and certainly plays to our advantage wherever possible."
Lewis goes on to sound a familiar refrain by saying that the company's restrictive terms benefit its users. "Honestly - and this is going to sound a bit contrived - we just want what our consumers want from us," he said. "We want to be where they want us to be.
"We want the quality bar of what they experience from us to continue to go up. I think it has to happen; everybody's got to do that. If we want to continue to command healthy average selling prices, which we all do, that which we offer our consumers has got to keep getting better."
One publisher, speaking on condition of anonymity, strongly disagreed. "Microsoft is suggesting that anything but parity will result in them not carrying a title," the source said. "They may think this is competitive, but it's not. They are killing any creative exposure of titles to make up for their own platform's shortcomings."
While it is no secret that Microsoft demands exclusivity for Xbox Live Arcade games included in promotions like Summer Of Arcade, the news that it demands feature and release parity across the board is something of a surprise. The claim that it motivated by the needs of its consumers, too, seems a little odd, as it seems designed not to reward those who own Microsoft platforms so much as punish those that do not.
Source: Eurogamer
Comments
17Is Microsoft in a position to be able to demand this without harming their platform? Does Sony have something similar?
Tad hyporitical if they enforce this and the main people they'll hurt if enforced are their cutomers.
How exactly does it hurt Microsofts customers. Also, learn to spell please.
Go away and learn to punctuate.
Hi, I'm FPSMadPaul, I'm so mad for FPS that I act a complete tool on gaming forums.....
....why will nobody play with me? Even on CoD? Which I'm mad for, btw...
Well summed up I thought. It never fails to make me titter when someone gets all patronising about spelling/grammar, especially when it's obviously a simple typo, and then makes such an error in that very comment. Don't they even think of double checking their own comment before clicking submit, if they're going to say something like that?!
It hurts consumers that may only have a competitor's system or both and perhaps the competitor's system will allow them to do more either through a different feature set or, for example, a more open online service and they may not be able to make full use of that system so consumers with those systems are hurt and it's hurt conpetition because there is no point in making the best game for a system when one hardware company may block your game.
What happens if a game comes out a day/week later on PS3 with more features - does it still meet this criteria?
Strange, Batman Arkham Asylum and Assasins Creed 3 had exclusive content on PS3. So, it seems they reserve the right, but don't enforce it on the big companies/titles.
The poor indies/smaller developer lose again, eh?
"No way, we refuse to let you release COD 5 on our precious 360. What were you thinking, adding Move support? Our console doesn't have Move!"
Hypocrisy is alive and well. Microsoft have been notorious about waving both their wallet and willy to sign up DLC and games for exclusive initial release on 360, yet refuse to allow the same rules to apply to PS3? Maybe the realisation that they're about to spend the second half of this generation in an ever increasingly firm third place could actually spur them into not being dicks? Nah, thought not.
In otherwords MS hasn't changed one bit and reserves the right to abuse publishers to maintain their position.
Oh well, at least we won't die.
Thanks for the comfort. Now tell us your secret.
Burlimey, talk about hypocritical. Microsoft just being Microsoft as per usual.
I would genuinely love to see a major title test this nonsense. Launch FIFA a week later on 360, with a couple of extra stadia, and see how much of that right Microsoft reserve. Since EA have previously beaten down Microsoft to be able to run their own servers, I'm pretty sure we know what the result would be there.It's a tool to push around the smaller companies, as pointed out Eidos and Ubisoft have already managed to pass despite offering PS3 exclusive features. Would they look the other way if 505 wanted to do the same?
They'll probably only bother blocking titles that would financially hurt by the game not being allowed on their platforms.