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Microsoft: We Want More Exclusives
Microsoft, which has been able to capture some important (timed) third-party exclusives such as Rock Band 2 and BioShock, continues to chase more exclusive deals to differentiate Xbox 360 from competitors.
Asked about Xbox 360's weaknesses, Microsoft interactive entertainment boss Don Mattrick replied, "We’d love to have more exclusive hits on our box, absolutely. Are we investing in that? Yes we are. Does that take a lot of time? Yes it does."
Microsoft's exclusive deals go beyond the boxed product. Grand Theft Auto IV and Fallout 3 will both offer exclusive downloadable content for the Xbox 360 versions. PS3 players wanting an extended experience for those games are out of luck.
Currently, Microsoft's exclusive strategy primarily involves deals with outside developers. Sony, which has double the internal development staff, has begun to rely more on bringing exclusives from within.
In a recent interview, SCE Worldwide Studios head Shuhei Yoshida noted how third-parties are now more inclined to go multiplatform to recoup costs, so outside exclusives are more difficult to come by.
"...We know that is the trend. We, as a company, can invest in our first-party studios; in terms of exclusive titles, our role becomes more important," Yoshida recently told ThreeSpeech. "...My role is to run first-party development, and we are always exclusive."
Aside from capturing more exclusives, Mattrick said that another challenge is broadening Xbox 360's audience to non-hardcore markets.
"It takes time to do that – we’re working on those beats but you can only do so much in a year," he said.
We'll have more from Mattrick in the coming days.
Sure helps to have other divisions with deep pockets that you can rely on to get the content at any cost.
Exclusives make the most of the platform they are on which I think results in a better game overall than multiplatform titles which tend to have to take into account the weaknesses of one of the platforms.
I DON'T NEET DLC.. I JUST NEED EXCLUSIVE TITLE.
Have we already learned that post launch DLC basically means nothing to gamers, yes. Have we also learned that timed exclusives are practically worthless outside of press releases, yes. Do I like to ask myself questions then answer them, obviously.
I think it is slightly unfair to dismiss timed exclusives... I have bought and played Bioshock on the 360, will I buy it an play it on the PS3 on its release? no, ofcourse not. If the gap in release dates is large enough, people will buy it for the console it is "exclusive" to. So i think it does more than make a good headline for a press release.
I agree... timed exclusives and post launch DLC are marketing ploys. However pure exclusives drive sales.
Sony has simply decided to give up chasing 3rd party exclusives (focusing on 1st party), i think is a pure financial decision, if they tried to get exclusives a bidding war would ensue and SONY is not a willing or able participant.
So they take that money and invest in new IP... and it seems to be paying off, the fall and holiday lineup for Sony looks amazing.
I'm a big Sony fan these days, but I must admit that Microsoft at least tries to secure exclusives. Sony just sits back and watches. What exclusives have I had to play in the past 5 months on the PS3? Metal Gear Solid 4 which is completed and done. Your DLC comment is pretty superficial.
Microsoft has more exclusives coming than Sony does. Infinite Undiscovery a Square RPG is 360 exclusive. Last Remnant which is another Square RPG is 360 TIMED exclusive. Last but not least, Last Remnant is another 360 time exclusive. Two of the three I just mentioned come out in the next 4 months. DLC what? 360 is like the good old PS2 in terms of getting RPG's. Good thing I own both systems.
Exclusives are drivers in console sales, look at PS3's domination of 360 in July NPD (North America) which clearly show that. The more the better.
In games with a strong multiplayer component (particularly co-op) I think that timed exclusives play a major role. If all of my friends get the Xbox version of a game because it came out earlier then I would be more inclined to get the Xbox version too so I could enjoy the co-op when everyone else is playing the game. This of course has a snowball effect - the more friends involved the more tempting it becomes.
If its a single player game then the temptation is less - the major factor being 'water cooler' conversations with friends who are currently playing the game.
That's hardly fair on the PS3 exclusives. Killzone 2, Resistance 2, Socom: Confrontation, and little big planet are all looking like they'll be strong this fall. It's certainly true that it's been lacking in the past, but the system is finally finding its footing. Besides, two of those 360 'exclusives' are coming to the ps3, even if it is a bit later.