249
rate

Sony: Microsoft "bribing" publishers for exclusive content

July 03, 2007 in News comments 38

The backbiting between Sony and Microsoft has enjoyed somewhat of a ceasefire in recent weeks, but that's all set to change following an acid outburst from Sony's Jack Tretton accusing Microsoft of 'bribing' publishers for videogame exclusivity. Handbags at dawn, GamerSquad duly runs for cover...

"We don't buy exclusivity. We don't fund development. We don't, for lack of a better term, bribe somebody to only do a game on our platform. We earn it." OUCH. And here we were thinking this was a business, Jack; silly old us.
mistermostyn via gamersquad.com »
Favourite this article Add source
| More
Report!
Latest comment:
Most recently commented on by on Jul 8, 2007

Comments

Register as a member to subscribe comments.
  • 0
    Final Blade Jul 4, 07
    I guess this would put the fire out from sony in the passed week.
  • 0
    Seeker X Jul 4, 07
    quote
    OUCH. And here we were thinking this was a business, Jack; silly old us.
    And I'm wondering why everyone was pissed because Sony was treating the Folding @ Home program as a business...because it IS a business, after all, Microsoft would agree.
  • 0
    tallteen86 Jul 4, 07
    Yeah....What MS is doing, isn't illegal, it is business, pure and simple...they pay money for an advantage over the competition...

    Now, if they bought out all the developers, that would be another matter...whats the term, ah right, antitrust or something like that?
    • 1
      Guticb Jul 4, 07
      The term is a monopoly, and Microsoft is attempting to illegally create another one like they did with Windows.
      • 0
        tallteen86 Jul 4, 07
        But wouldn't anti-trust laws apply in this case, if they tried to acquire (or succeeded in acquiring) various publishers in an effort to root out Sony and Nintendo as competitors?

        And they arn't doing it now...they are just spending money to get an advantage...Sony can do the same thing, if they wanted to...
      • 1
        Xenctuary* Jul 4, 07
        Haha guticb, "illegally"
  • -1
    Final Blade Jul 4, 07
    But isn't the point of being in the gaming industry is to make a great console so that devs wants to make games for it, not be forced into by bribing them. At least i wouldn't, i would want to makes games to whom i choose, even if i was offered alot of money.
    • 1
      Miss Razz Jul 4, 07
      quote
      i would want to makes games to whom i choose, even if i was offered alot of money.
      Which is exactly why the Developers aren't being forced to make games exclusive to a certain console. They can CHOOSE whether to accept a "bribe" or not. It's not like Bill Gates himself is holding a gun to their heads.
      After all, developers are companies who'se main goals are to get money.

      - - -

      Maybe Sony should take a page out of Microsoft's book, and try harder to get more exclusive titles, because they've recently been having trouble keeping their hands on some major exclusive titles.
      • -4
        Final Blade Jul 4, 07
        how ever GG if that was the case then xbox fanboys wouldn't open there mouth about halo and gears all the time since those 2 games would be multi yes, and since on a constant basis they start with those games first. So if you think about Bill gates might as well be holding the gun. From that Sony is doing the right thing besides according to this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_PlayStation_3_games
        They have alot ALOT of exclusives coming and being developed so i don't see whats the whole issue with exclusives.
        However accepting a bribe is no better than the person or company who offered it.
  • 0
    Existenz Jul 4, 07
    94 exclusives coming out by the end of their fiscal year which is March 31st 2008... and over 38 more exclusives in production for the next fiscal year starting April 1st 2008, Sony are not struggling for exclusives if anything this just shows how desperate Microsoft are since even in the PS3's infancy Sony still have the leverage to pretty much get any title they want on their console.
    • 0
      Miss Razz Jul 4, 07
      Well I'm sure that the whole 94 of them aren't major titles. I don't see rabid fanboys/girls orgasming over the latest "Hot Shots Golf 5" or "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune" news. There's only a handful of exclusive titles with MAJOR fanbases. The other games are just moderately loved to barely-known-at-all.
      • 0
        Existenz Jul 4, 07
        How do we know, they may be new franchises but new franchises make a console... No console can survive on just major franchises, they need new ones also Sony know that which is why they are making lots and lots of them... Think to the future.
  • 0
    mistermostyn Jul 4, 07
    True, but that depends on whether the upcoming PS3 exclusives are established franchise entries, no? While a franchise title falls into the categories you note in terms of existing fanbase, brand new titles cannot be judged as being hits or failures until they arrive and the public does or does not embrace them. Grand Theft Auto was an unknown once you know
  • 0
    Final Blade Jul 4, 07
    The whole point of exclusives is to make your system sell, so it doesn't matter if they are orgasmic or not its the end result that matters GG. And like Existenz there not struggling for exclusives.
  • 0
    Seeker X Jul 4, 07
    I don't know...The upcoming Final Fantasy titles, Killzone 2, MGS4, The Agency, Ratchet and Clank, LittleBigPlanet, Socom: Confrontation, upcoming TimeSplitters, Warhawk sound pretty good really.
  • -2
    JJBDude Jul 4, 07
    Pshhh, sounds like Jack is jealous that Microsoft and the Xbox 360 are stealing exclusives from Sony and the Playstation 3. Bit of bribing is good, I'm definitely not saying no to extra games for me to play on my 360.
  • 0
    BANDITO ATTACK Jul 4, 07
    M$ don't care, they'll be laughing all the way to the bank while Sony stands up on it's moral pedestal with no sales.
  • 0
    Storm* Jul 4, 07
    Xbox fanboys? I've seen worse with Sony fanboys...aka finalblade to name one. Microsoft has the cash, no doubt. They use that to their advantage, and it's a good time to strike now that Sony's got this expensive console out on the market. It's just business.

    Like GG said, it's the company's choice to accept the bribe, and hell, companies like Rockstar have...so who are you really mad at here? Be mad at Rockstar if anything, because they want that kind of money.

    I admit, it sucks for Sony right now, as they could use the exclusives for better sales and such, but they need to make contracts with these companies to keep things exclusive to them. If this was the other way around, I can assure you that these Sony fans up above would not be saying a damn word. I don't think half of you know about the Sega's Dreamcast and Sony's Playstation battle years ago, do you? Sony did similar moves.
    • -3
      Final Blade Jul 4, 07
      Unfortunetly Thats not the case here, Sony doesn't need GTA as an exclusives have you ever thought the exclusives that Sony lost never was mean to be exclusives to begin within. That's why Tretton is saying this he is a smart man that should be listen to. Read what Existenz has said it basically proves my point on how many exclusives and new games are coming to show the power of the cell and ps3. MS is just wasting there money on crap.
  • 0
    Robert Ninja Jul 4, 07
    I'm not suprised. Microsoft are rich as sin, of course they'll bribe to make more money!
    • -2
      Final Blade Jul 4, 07
      More like loose more money. like wasting 50 million dollars for two exclusives, you would think he would get more.
      • -1
        Sungod Okami Jul 4, 07
        Don't be stupid. It's a business, they've done it before, they know what they're doing. They're not going to lose money when they've obviously calculated the market and seen that this action will make them more money than if they had not bought exclusive rights.

        BTW sorry about double post I made this after I made the post under it and didn't remember to just edit the original one.
  • 0
    Sungod Okami Jul 4, 07
    It's not illegal, it's business. However, I think it would be a shame to see all the more popular titles on the 360 rather than the more technologically advanced PS3 just because Microsoft has more cash to start out.
    • 0
      Existenz Jul 4, 07
      Actually it is illegal after a point, they could be in breach of a monopolising law they breached it with Windows, and they could easily do the same here.
  • 0
    Deviant Jul 4, 07
    Well... that's pretty low... although it isn't illegal.... =/
  • 0
    Infinite Jul 4, 07
    Sony should just start doing the same thing and try and get some companies to work only for them. Instead of complaining about Microsoft why not do the same thing and make some moves for the PS3?
    • -3
      Final Blade Jul 4, 07
      There is no need just look at what Existenz has said several times and you clearly the truth.
      • -1
        Sungod Okami Jul 4, 07
        "Actually it is illegal after a point, they could be in breach of a monopolising law they breached it with Windows, and they could easily do the same here."

        No dude. He's saying Microsoft could get in trouble because they might make it so that every single game company will only make games for them and basically shut down all the other consoles. However, that's not going to happen because Microsoft is only paying a few companies like Bungie and such to make games for them. They're not monopolizing it at all.

        So let me get this straight:

        You're telling me that Microsoft getting in trouble for paying game companies to only make their games for the 360 is the same as a pimp getting arrested for paying women to have sex with tons of different men?

        Explain to me how that works.

        This time, start with "Paying game companies to only make games for the 360 is equivalent to a pimp paying women to have sex with tons of different men BECAUSE:"
        • -2
          Final Blade Jul 4, 07
          No again like GG said
          quote
          They can CHOOSE whether to accept a "bribe" or not
          The pimps give them a offer and they accept it, rather than not. Its choices, right or wrong. And bungie should just makes games to who ever they choose not accepting dirty money from MS. Since bungie gets more money if halo was multi.
  • 0
    Sungod Okami Jul 4, 07
    I'm sure if Bungie would make more money making Halo multiplatform rather than not, they would've done that instead of accepting Microsoft's money. It's business, and whatever makes them more money (and is legal) then they will do it. So I guess in the end they were making more money from Microsoft than if they had made it multiplatform.

    So you're saying Microsoft and pimps are the same because they offer someone money to do something? So if I offer the guy at the checkout counter in the 7/11 some money for a bag of chips, it's the same thing? Quite frankly, prostitution is illegal and giving money to game makers in exchange for the assurance that they will only make their game for the 360 is completely legal, so long as they don't monopolize it.

    Your arguement is void.
    • -3
      Final Blade Jul 4, 07
      It will lead into that you know, "once you pop, the fun don't stop" huh, same here. Just face it its going to happen.
    • -2
      Evanster48 Jul 5, 07
      Microsoft and pimps are the same
  • 1
    Storm* Jul 4, 07
    Haha, just ignore Finalblade, Sungod Okami, it's not worth it trying to make him understand.
    • -1
      Sungod Okami Jul 5, 07
      Finally, someone who can see through sheer idiocy and blind reasoning.
  • 2
    iLLmatic Jul 5, 07
    finalblade, do you really think hoes get paid? Do you really think they keep that money? Why do you think a pimp is a pimp? I swear you talk just to talk.
    • 0
      Final Blade Jul 5, 07
      Well how about you give me an example of something that is the same of what MS is doing that is illegal. Trust me it is.
  • 0
    tidus04 Jul 5, 07
    Is it not illegal to bribe them ?
    • 0
      Final Blade Jul 8, 07
      Yes it is. Tell me what happens after MS gets all devs on there system away from sony. That is bribing. Also they are trying to create another monopoly. Just cause you guys stand by MS and disprove it doesn't mean anything. Have they done it b4 on the PC world. I rest my case.

This news story is archived and is closed to comments now.