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DragonKnight

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This Blog Posted Exclusively On N4G

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have an exciting announcement to make. Thanks to years of support from my partners here at N4G, the success that that partnership has brought both myself and everyone on the site, I'm proud to announce that the proceeding blog will be posted exclusively on N4G.com.

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

Yeah, no one cares. The topic of exclusive content just keeps coming up. Over and over and over and over and over.

Whether it's Assassin's Creed, Destiny, Witcher 3, or Rise of the Tomb Raider, there's some kind of exclusive content B.S. going on, and we have to stop being pancakes about this.

Look, exclusive content is not a good thing, for anyone. If you're sitting there, all gleeful that you're an Xbox One fan who gets Rise of the Tomb Raider first, or Witcher 3 exclusive items; if you're a Playstation 4 fan who's elated that you get exclusive AC Unity or Destiny content; you're the problem. You need to realize that your elation can quickly turn to tears once you see that these companies don't give a damn that you're happy about it because they are perfectly capable, and willing, to flip the script and offer exclusive content to the platform you DON'T own.

All exclusive content is B.S. It benefits no one but the company being paid to offer that content. It hurts EVERY gamer. How? Well I already mentioned that the companies have no ethics that would stop them from flipping the script, but let's also think of this at a consumer level.

Exclusive content means that some people are getting access to a full and complete game for the full retail price, while others are not getting a full and complete game but still have to pay the full retail price. This has already set a precedent. Developers and publishers know what they can cut out and get away with doing so while still charging full price for the game.

Why do they care to give you a full game when all they have to do to please you is just flip flop with the next game? You're sitting there championing your console getting exclusive content, you're buying it, you're justifying their actions with your money. Then it happens to you and you proceed to whine about it? You had the chance to nip this in the bud by not supporting this kind of action when it was happening to the other platform and you didn't take it. What kind of support do you think you'll receive?

I watched a video by a supreme corporate a$$ kisser named Rich on ReviewTechUsa who practically begged Microsoft to ensure that Rise of the Tomb Raider DIDN'T come to any other platform. Taking the stance of the corporate a$$ kisser, Rich said that keeping the game exclusive to the XB1 would be a brilliant business move for Microsoft, and he facepalmed when he found out it was a timed exclusive because he said that now people have no reason to buy the XB1 for the game if they can get it somewhere else if they wait.

An alleged gamer said that. An alleged gamer said "it's a good thing to piss off 10 million PS4 owners and millions more PC owners to try and force people to buy an XB1 for one game." A gamer said that completely oblivious to the fact that he is not a Microsoft employee (that we know of), that the XB1 keeping that game is of no benefit to him personally, that he is not a majority shareholder in any of the companies involved in the deal (again, that we know of). A gamer tried to tell Microsoft, Crystal Dynamics, and Square Enix that it would be an awesome idea to keep a 3rd party title out of the hands of AT LEAST 10 million gamers.

Why? I'd love to hear some opinions on that.

CD Projekt Red is giving the XB1 fans that purchase Witcher 3 exclusive items in game. Items no other platform will receive. The game is being released on PC and PS4 too, and both platforms will have to pay their equivalent to a full retail price, yet 2 of the 3 platforms are receiving an incomplete game. Why? Because Microsoft has always promoted the Witcher games so much.

The PC has no marketing team. Games are promoted by their own developers on the PC platform and that's just due to the reality of the platform having no owner. PC gamers shouldn't be left out because of that fact, even if they are happy with getting the best version that can also be modded, they're still getting an incomplete game. Even if the items are non-essential items, they are still items purposely left out of two versions of the game and yet the userbases of those two platforms are expected to pay full retail price?

This is the first Witcher game on a Playstation console. Sony has never even been given a chance to promote either Witcher 1 or 2 previously, and what incentive do they have to do so with the Witcher 3 when CD Projeckt Red is simply throwing the love to Microsoft?

It's the same B.S. with AC Unity and Destiny. Why should Xbox One and PC gamers pay their equivalent to full retail price for games that are shipping to them incomplete? This matters for timed exclusive content as well because no one is getting a timed discount price.

The P.R. responses also need to go. None of us are stupid. Every single reason you companies try to invent to explain away these decisions are immediately seen through. Look on any gaming news site that posts stories with these "clarifications" and "explanations" and you'll DEFINITELY see "Microsoft/Sony/Nintendo drove some trucks full of money to the developer's doorstep" in the comments section, probably repeatedly.

Stop patronizing us. Your shareholders are not the ones buying these games (they might buy the games, but they aren't the demographic being targeted). They aren't the ones you market your games to and they aren't the ones you're taking money from once the game releases. They are the ones making money off of your games. They already know they're getting a huge bonus of money thanks to whoever is money hatting content. Every time you offer us some lame P.R. response, the only thing you succeed in doing is angering us and creating further division. Funny that, considering all you execs party together like you've always been best buddies, you create such divisions between gamers because you see money in it and then criticize US for said divisions.

We need to stop supporting companies that use these tactics. How can we expect the publishers and developers to respect us and our wishes if we can't even respect ourselves and the value of our money? I detest PC elitism and elitists, but credit where it's due they know how to be patient and/or boycott anti-consumer moves until they get those discounts, those sales, and all of that content.

I recently stated that the only way SE and CD would learn a lesson about what they did with Rise of the Tomb Raider, because it's honestly not Microsoft's fault for offering, it's SE's fault for accepting; is if Xbox One fans do not buy the game. At least not until it's released on PC and PS4. That would be a showing of solidarity, and a statement that not only do gamers support other gamers' rights, but they also support their own rights to not be cheated in the same way from some different game in the future.

I was met with a "yeah, I'm not doing any of that." Of course, one can't be blamed for buying a game they want when they want to, but you're just setting yourself up for a future backstab.

There's too much flip flopping on this. Too many people praise a company for it with one breath, then complain with the other.

Any kind of exclusivity involving a 3rd party IP is wrong. Praising it is praising the fact that you're happy that millions of other gamers DON'T get to play a game. Praising it is praising it when that company inevitably turns on you in the same way. Contrary to what the corporate a$$ kissers will tell you, these deals benefit no one. They don't even benefit Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo because they had to spend money to get that content and most people will not spend hundreds of dollars for one game, or one item, or one mission. Not unless they literally have more money than sense.

There are always exceptions to any rule. Like Bayonetta 2 for example. It wouldn't even exist had Nintendo not approached Platinum and said "we'll fund the development." But when you take a game that was always multiplatform, that was going to be developed anyway, and you lock away content from an entire userbase or you lock away the release date for months so that another userbase gets it first, that's unacceptable. It's also wrong.

All I can say to those that support these moves is that you'd better not complain when it happens to you. We all have our chance to stop this. We just have to take it.

DonDon4340d ago

Lol that had to be the funniest beginning to a blog I've ever read. Dragon why aren't you writing for DualShockers or the myriad of other game sites out there? Your writing style is very good.

Well, back to reading the rest of the blog...

randomass1714340d ago (Edited 4340d ago )

Since the Bayonetta 2 thing I had not given much thought to the problems that arise from third party exclusivity but this blog really puts a lot of it into perspective and the intro was funny to boot. You are right that that Bayonetta would not exist without its exclusivity so not a lot can be done about it. Microsoft must have paid them quite a lot since this is a sequel to a multiplatform financial failure... not sure how they expect more success without the platform that sold ten million units worldwide. Nice jab at RTU by the way, can't stand that guy since he uploaded and deleted his The Last of Us Sucks video. :P Great blog as usual.

DragonKnight4340d ago

You know what's funny about how Rich said that TLOU sucks? He championed the remaster. The guy flip flops on everything but in the end he'll always kiss that corporate a$$, unless they're Nintendo.

Fullmetalevolust4340d ago

I do believe that corporations should strive to create their own IPs and that the only exclusive games that should exist are the ones under 1st party studios.

3rd party studios shouldn't be bought for timed exclusives or any sort of exclusivity.
Then again, some games wouldn't be given a second chance if Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo didn't pay for publishing and developing them. It's not an ideal world out there, it's a competitive business.

Just my humble observation, but it seems that Microsoft might've been the first company to buy a timed exclusive to get an edge over Sony, and Sony being pigeon holed had to adopt the same business model. To be fair, had Sony done it first, Microsoft would've followed suit, but somehow I'm lead to believe that Sony had enough games being produced for the ps3 and didn't need to secure games.
What ends up happening is that instead of creating new IPs and developing already existent ones into solid franchises, gamers are held hostage to a console until a game's exclusivity has ended (could be years) and it stifles the creativity for new IPs.

What would be a tin foil conspiracy is if all three companies bought timed exclusives just to push gamers to purchase all three consoles...lol.

randomass1714340d ago

I feel that the approach of funding development for games that otherwise would not get it is a fair approach to exclusivity. Nintendo did it with Bayonetta and Devil's Third and Sony has funded some indie games which are console exclusive to Sony. Journey is another example of indie gone Sony exclusive and it turned out beautifully as a result. Not all exclusives are bad IMO, but I am pretty frustrated about Tomb Raider. I liked the first one and the only reason I can't play the sequel on my PS4 is because Microsoft paid a bunch of money to keep it locked away.

Kavorklestein4340d ago

I agree that exclusive content is dumb, but I'm not about to cry over it because it gets me nowhere.

As far as Tomb Raider Goes- What if people may be looking at this completely the wrong way? What if the game was on the list of gambles/financially unsure if they could continue development, or was about to be SCRAPPED?

What if Microsoft rescued them? What if although it will be a TIMED exclusive, MS is to THANK for keeping this game from disappearing COMPLETELY?

We really don't know all the details, and people who THINK they know it all, are just jumping to conclusions.

I would find it funny if Microsoft is actually the reason why ANYBODY gets to play this game, and saved it from going in the dumpster.
I think that's why Microsoft mentioned that they believe in the team, and their ambition and ideas for the Future of Tomb Raider... Because they practically are FUNDING the completion of an exciting/promising future title with a little trade off for timed exclusivity?
What if Crytek's situation made Microsoft want to think about studios differently, and they didn't WANT to see the same thing happen to Square Enix/Eidos/Crystal Dynamics, and figured out a way to make EVERYONE happy?

THEN what kind of tune would PC and Sony gamers be singing?
I would laugh so hard if people getting upset should actually be thanking Microsoft for saving a studio.
And before people say "Well why wouldn't MS just buy them out completely?"
Maybe because they see studios like to be free from ownership more than ever... for example: Studios like Insomniac?

I don't think we will ever know the full details, because maybe Microsoft wants to respect their (Square/Eidos/CD) financial situation, and keep it free from negativity- like the professional and Respectable gent Phil Spencer is?

I have no clue, but my theory has just as much probability as all the other conspiracy theories.

We really don't know why/how all the details work out for all the exclusive deals so far this gen, On PS4, AND Xbox One.

So instead of crying about it, and choosing to feel singled out, Particularly when it comes to TIMED exclusivity-
Let's just pick a good middle ground of understanding that it sucks, but we have to deal with it.

Let's at least be mature, and accept the things we can't change.

Most of all tho- let's not let these deals RUIN of enjoyment of potentially good games. With, OR without these exclusive deals going on.

DragonKnight4340d ago (Edited 4340d ago )

"As far as Tomb Raider Goes..."

-Unlikely. The game was already being developed and was announced at E3. Corporations don't just start development all willy nilly. They plan, they budget, they develop. The most that would come of this deal would be advertising dollars, a bandaid solution to SE's troubles because they think that more marketing will mean more success, but they foolishly cut off 3 out of 4 potential platforms and millions of consumers to go for that hope. The risk was not worth the reward, no matter what anyone says. Pissing off that many millions of people, giving them a reason not to support your game, that's a surefire way to put yourself in the position of needing help.

"I would find it funny if..."

Microsoft is not a charity. Every move they make is not done out of faith and trust in a studio they love and want to support. It's purely business to make them money. If they thought that buying Tomb Raider exclusivity wouldn't be good for them, they wouldn't have done it no matter how badly SE needed the money and no matter how "good" the game might be. They aren't making everyone happy, that should be clear as day. They are creating situations in which gamers are overjoyed that other gamers don't get to play games. That's a loss, not a win.

"THEN what kind of tune would PC and Sony gamers be singing?..."

Again, Microsoft are not a charity. They don't care about the status of 3rd party studios, they only care about themselves. If CD closed, the Tomb Raider IP would be sold off and MS could still get a Tomb Raider game. Even if that weren't the case, they have first party titles they could focus on and other dev studios they could lobby for content. Altruism isn't a common business tactic.

"I don't think we will ever know the full details..."

Then they're failing miserably.

"I have no clue, but my theory has just as much probability as all the other conspiracy theories."

In so much that your theory suggests Microsoft is in the business of charity.

"So instead of crying about it, and choosing to feel singled out, Particularly when it comes to TIMED exclusivity-
Let's just pick a good middle ground of understanding that it sucks, but we have to deal with it."

A defeatist attitude solves no problems. Apathy leaves everyone screwed.

"Let's at least be mature, and accept the things we can't change."

Except we can change it.

"Most of all tho- let's not let these deals RUIN of enjoyment of potentially good games. With, OR without these exclusive deals going on."

It's not us creating the situations in which we could have the enjoyment of good games ruined, it's companies that don't respect us and think they are entitled to our money and have the right to play games with us. That needs to end.

Kavorklestein4340d ago (Edited 4340d ago )

Dude, you don't know anything about how or why this happened. Neither do I.

My theory is just as realistic as yours.
Just because you are taking an anti-Microsoft approach and I am taking a "who knows, but here's a possibility" approach doesn't make you right.

Just because you are choosing to be a victim, and just because you are getting angry- doesn't make you right.

I fully acknowledged that Microsoft gets something out of this deal, and that they have an angle, but if they can combine a helping hand/charity case with a potentially profitable OR "attention getting" situation, then why would that be so impossible to imagine?

I admit- I could be wrong- But I'm not going to fight to the death about your ideas being different than mine.

I like how you disregard anything I said that acknowledges that I ALSO don't usually like 3rd party exclusivity, timed or not.

I don't see how you think timed exclusivity is somehow CUTTING OFF GAMERS.

It's just making people wait, right? I mean half the PC gamers are going to wait for a steam sale to snag it anyway so why do they care if it's coming a bit later on??????

Sony gamers DEFEND Driveclub and The Order, and anytime Polyphony delays Gran Turismo games to the death, so what's the big deal with waiting???

Oh. Because MS gamers don't have to in ONE situation, and they are jealous?

Yeah. That's the ONLY reason.

If they were keeping the timed exclusivity a SECRET, then yeah that would be more of a CUT off approach, but timed just means timed.
Crying about it doesn't do anything. It's time to grow up and stop slinging hatred that is so ineffective to making companies change their ways, and is basically pointless.

And....
"I don't think we will ever know the full details..."

'Then they're failing miserably.'

?????? What does that even mean??????
No sense can be made from that rebuttal whatsoever.

DragonKnight4340d ago (Edited 4340d ago )

If you would have read my blog you'd have seen this...

"I recently stated that the only way SE and CD would learn a lesson about what they did with Rise of the Tomb Raider, because it's honestly not Microsoft's fault for offering, it's SE's fault for accepting"

I'm not blaming Microsoft for offering the deal, I'm blaming Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics for taking the deal.

Your theory isn't realistic because it requires a business to stop acting like a business. It requires Microsoft to become charitable to a 3rd party developer that has no loyalty requirement to Microsoft, no obligation to sustain continued exclusivity deals with Microsoft, and is in no way controlled by Microsoft.

Try to dismiss me by saying I'm a victim all you want to, this affects everyone, has affected everyone, and will continue to affect everyone.

Your apathetic, defeatist attitude merely supports publishers and developers in their quest to rid you of your money with the least possible value and return you could hope for.

These deals do not benefit any gamer, period.

**EDIT**

Nice stealth edit.

"I like how you disregard.."

For 2 reasons. First, because you said "usually." Liking timed exclusives at any point places you in a position of liking that gamers don't get to play something while you do. That's selfish.

Second, your entire comment was made to tell people "tough sh*t, get used to it, you can't do anything about it." Again, selfish. Also childish, and wrong. You paint the picture that this is something you like and you create unrealistic, nigh impossible scenarios of Microsoft being a charity to justify your enjoyment of these deals.

"I don't see how you think timed exclusivity is somehow CUTTING OFF GAMERS."

Then open your eyes and you will.

"It's just making people wait.."

There's a difference between waiting because you choose to, and waiting because you don't have a choice to. This isn't simply "making people wait." This is promoting the idea that publishers get to toy with us and that we'll let them keep games away from us, for any duration, and won't give a damn. It promotes the idea that one platform is more deserving of content than another and promotes the division that these companies will hypocritically rally against when asked about it in public.

"Sony gamers DEFEND.."

Are you trying to equate delays from first party studios meant to improve development, to 3rd party exclusivity meant to money hat? That's a terrible example to make and further erodes your argument.

"Oh. Because MS gamers don't have to in ONE situation, and they are jealous?"

Continuing to prove that you're selfishly in favour of these deals.

"If they were keeping the timed exclusivity a SECRET..."

Which they tried to do. And complaining about this isn't "immature crying." It's a consumer right and a tool to use to show these companies that their anti-consumer practices won't be tolerated. You've proven that you don't actually have a defeatist or apathetic attitude, you're in favour of these deals that completely ignores the very existence of millions of gamers. You are part of the problem.

SilentNegotiator4339d ago (Edited 4339d ago )

"but I'm not about to cry over it because it gets me nowhere"

Not expressing disgust with publishers will get you even less...where.

TR has a larger fan base on PS systems than Xbox, and PS4 has double the systems as Xbone in general on top of it. Not to mention PC fans. Fans, especially a majority, would prefer to not be treated second rate and are expressing that.

gangsta_red4339d ago

Then you should contact Sony and ask them to start shelling out some money to secure some third party exclusives for their system.

It seems MS cares more about their users by going the extra mile and getting them games to play FIRST on their console.

It's funny everyone screaming at MS and Square for doing business and providing the fans of TR on Xbox the game first. But no one is screaming at Sony who according to sony fanboys have the bigger install base, the larger fan crowd and the system that this game originated on... Shouldn't Sony had stepped in and said "waitaminute...here's an equally larger check for the game?"

But no...it's easier to scream and write a blog about MS and how these exclusives are killing the industry.

You know who's not screaming and feeling second rate...Xbox fans and fanboys.

SilentNegotiator4339d ago (Edited 4339d ago )

Why would I EVER ask/want Sony to spend money to get games that they're going to get anyway?

I switched from Xbox to PS early last gen because Sony was creating, and paying for, lots of interesting, REAL exclusives; Not a few months alone with a multiplat title. LBP, Demon's Souls (the spiritual successor is multiplat, but the game was and is exclusive), inFamous, KZ2/3, etc.

gangsta_red4339d ago

Then get used to being treated as second rate and keep wasting time expressing this new found hate.

Since you don't want Sony to spend money and secure titles for their user base. And since you have all those "great" exclusives you rattled off then you won't mind MS spending the money to secure some more established IP's first for their users.

Problem solved!

SilentNegotiator4339d ago

How much did N4G pay you, sellout? :)

randomass1714339d ago

Enough for a timed exclusive. Then this blog and all subsequent followups hit IGN, Gamespot and Kotaku.

DragonKnight4339d ago

I'm not at liberty to discuss current business partnerships. As you know, discussing amounts is bad for business so I'm afraid that information is classified.

SilentNegotiator4339d ago

Is there a duration, DragonSpencer?

DragonKnight4339d ago

There is a duration, but all you need to know is that N4G has this blog exclusively for 2014.

Show all comments (25)
70°

Microsoft Gaming Revenue Drops 7% Year-on-Year, Content and Services Down 5%, Xbox Hardware Down 33%

Microsoft announced its financial results for Q3 of fiscal year 2026, including an update on its gaming Xbox business and more.

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Jin_Sakai67d ago (Edited 67d ago )

Not looking good. Hopefully Asha Sharma is able to turn Phil’s disaster around.

dveio67d ago

To me it's still quite remarkable how they can cash-in 5.3bn in revenue in a single quarter, since their hardware is basically dead.

Jingsing66d ago

The stock mark is what makes Microsoft remarkable, They have convinced every institutional and retail investor to just keep piling money into them. Like many big tech giants they are just a big growing pyramid scheme. As long as people keep dropping money into ETF's that cover the market Microsoft will always be liquid. At the same time it is completely stifling innovation and competition. People need to start being more discreet in how they invest their money as it's killing the system.

Tanktopmaster9266d ago

Once they re-evaluate exclusive all will be fine….

S2Killinit66d ago

Riiiiight because people will just flock back to them for one or two games per year.

Jingsing66d ago

15+ years of bad performance is what they call irreparable in business. It is time for them to sell off the assets and get out of entertainment.

Tanktopmaster9266d ago

These declines are on the back of extra revenue received from releasing games like Forza horizon 5 on PlayStation. So I’m being sarcastic here when I said they should go back to exclusives. Killing off a revenue stream from Ps5 sales will only make things worse

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Games Done Quick is coming to Europe for the first time with 3 days of Gamescom speedruns

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