THQ says console war is "irrelevant"
- Posted April 7th, 2008 at 08:10 EDT by Mike Harradence
- 4,093 views
- 21 Comments
THQ Worldwide Studios head Jack Sorenson has branded the on-going format war between Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo as “totally irrelevant.”
Sorenson told Gamesindustry.biz that he feels there is "too much of an emphasis on the sports aspect of who's winning and losing."
"I think [the console war] is totally irrelevant. Even in the history of the business, other than something like the Dreamcast, you can do decent business on lots of platforms," he offered.
"So the issue is not who wins, it's can an independent publisher do a good business on that platform. We're thinking everything from high-end MMO all the way to cell phones."
Sorenson pointed to the publisher’s success with the Game boy Advance, suggesting that the company would be willing to release games on older platforms, provided they were still viable.
“There's a ubiquity of gaming out there, and the platform is really just a medium. If that makes sense [we'll publish on] PlayStation 2 next year for something, PS2 two years from now."
"We certainly probably carried on longer on the GBA than most and had a very nice business out there because there're 80, 90 million GBAs out there - maybe a bunch left in closets and drawers, but there's still enough audience to buy them. All these platforms kinda win."
Source
Comments
-
Odium_Generis_Humani
- 8:33am BST - April 7th, 2008
- 1
Finnaly, some sense. The N64 and Gamecubbe "lost". But still did good business. Like I said early witttth the PS3, alI I neededddd was to make sure it ddddidn't fail (like,well...the Dreamcast). Ever snce PS3 got it legs under it after all the stupid fanbboy garbage (and yes, Sony's mistakes), I've been fine. What the heck is wronggggg with my keybdd!
-
Deusthousand |
Deusthousand- 8:46am BST - April 7th, 2008
- 2
Yeah I havent seen aonole war this big sionce genesis and snes (remember commerc; genesis does what nintendo dont.) But thats alot of gbas out there. 90 million?Geez!
-
ThisIsLivingB3yond |
akingishere- 8:56am BST - April 7th, 2008
- 3
yeah now imagine 120 million ps2s and most of them will probably jump the ps3 ship later
-
ProfSebastian
- 9:02am BST - April 7th, 2008
- 4
Totally agree with this guy, and I hope that, despite its a huge business, people start again to center in the hobby aspect of gaming, Its horrorful that the game industry (the perfect mix of art, hobby and business) is "infected" with competition instead enjoying.
-
frank_magnet |
Frank_Magnt- 9:21am BST - April 7th, 2008
- 5
The exclusive games wouldnt be as good as they are if there wasnt a console war! eg Gran Turismo, MGS4... a few mentioned i have.
-
-
-
-
Emo-Mercenary |
Clarky-132- 11:51am BST - April 7th, 2008
- 9
"...on-going format war between Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo as “totally irrelevant.” ... Nintendo are in the Console War?! I don't want to sound like some fanboy but, Nintendo really have no clue on what they're doing. Sure, their console has sold the most, but the games ALL $UCK! Im sorry but they do, they shouldnt even be mentioned when 'Console War' topic comes up. THQ are terrible game developers / publishers. =-]
-
AclayPS3
- 12:41pm BST - April 7th, 2008
- 10
I have to agree somewhat. There is too much emphasis on console sales and whose "loosing" and "winning" too much, but to be honest, all of that is exciting to me. As long as there is 3 seperate consoles on the market, there will always be a console war.
And I never heard so much about a console war until this generation of consoles. I never really heard anything about PS2 v.s. Xbox at all... I guess it was because the PS2 had literally taken over that generation of consoles and the Xbox and Gamecube didn't stand a chance, so people just accepted it or something.
Also, it's like the Gaming media always puts PS3 v.s. Xbox 360 in the forefront and the Wii is like in the left field somewhere doing it's own thing. However, I do wish that the Gaming Media would just focus more on Video Game titles and Video Game news than PS3 v.s. Xbox 360 all the time.
THQ aren't the most talented game developers in the world, and I could really care less what they have to say. The only game developed by THQ that I own is Red Faction 2, and they really haven't impressed me with any other game title since Red Faction.
-
reccodog |
reccodog- 3:23pm BST - April 7th, 2008
- 11
MMOs on cell phones??? That is the stupidest thing EVER! I don't know about you but I wouldn't sit on my cell phone all day and play a lame MMO on it. Its not pratical. How board do you have to be to have such an idea like that??? How board would you have to be to play such game???
-
terminator12259 |
tacitassassin25- 4:53pm BST - April 7th, 2008
- 12
say whatever you want to be sony is goin to win this war
-
zombieking36
- 6:04pm BST - April 7th, 2008
- 13
Thats the war lol, to get the publishers and developers on your side.
-
-
Alpha2
- 8:59pm BST - April 7th, 2008
- 15
Ummm No. This guy is speaking form the perspective of a developer NOT the CONSUMER (and a 2nd rate developer at that).
The consumer has to hope that all these 3rd party developers choose to support the platform they choose to buy in the best manner they possibly can. THAT is why the Console wars become important. We've already seen numberous instances of develoepers making sloppy ports from one platform to the other. That's not for the benefit of the consumer, that's to his detriment.
This guy can say it dosent matter because he's just going to publish his second rate games on which ever system he can mannage but other developers may choose their own sides, make alliances that hurt the other platform, he|| we see M$ do it everyday by she||ing out huge bucks to land timed exclusives that make it appear that the PS3 doesnt have the preseance it should have. it's damaging to consumer impression and sways the vote inorder to weaken their opponent.
Consoles ARE NOT VCRs, you dont just buy any game and expect it to work it has to be MADE for the system and take advantage of that system to warrant it's 60 dollar price tag so no it's not just the medium it's a Platform seperate and distinct from it's competitors and THQ needs to understand this or face outrage from it's customers.
-
caveman7
- 11:30pm BST - April 7th, 2008
- 16
I strongly disagree with this guy. Hear me out (or read rather). Competition is the driving force of progress. If nobody was concerned with winning, we'd all be using clubs right now and living in caves with loin cloths. Competition is the driving force of business, acheivement, creativity, and progress, along with the core of american strength.
Yes, it does matter who wins because then we all get better stuff.
-
Demobot
- 11:51pm BST - April 7th, 2008
- 17
I think that competeion is hurting the gaming industry. In movies you don't see studios competing for actors or for theatres to show one movie and not the next. The directors only need to worry about making a good movie. Not worry if they will make their money back or not. There is way too much politics in videogames today. The sooner there is a single format the better videogames will get.
-
GhostVIII |
GhostVIII- 12:49am BST - April 8th, 2008
- 18
(Caveman7) Jack is speaking from his company’s point of view. His company can make a game for all consoles.
(Demobot) Where should I start. Every movie is a different console if you think about it. Yes the production company does want to make their money back off of the movie they made, and with that they hire the director. Ok you know if that single console is a dud all the games made on it will be a dud to right. That’s what is wrong with having only one console. Comp. forces game companies to make the best product possible at the time. -
Demobot
- 4:29pm BST - April 8th, 2008
- 19
Every movie is not like its own console. Every movie is more like a game and the DVD player that you play it on is like a console. In other words, you can buy and watch any movie you want and it will play on your cheap walmart dvd player just as well as it will on a high end dvd player and it will still work. Think of it like this. if you bought a spiderman dvd, how stupid would it be if you could only watch it on a dvd player made by Sony.
-
InfernoReaper |
GrimDarkling- 11:59pm BST - April 8th, 2008
- 20
Wii for casual gamers, Xbox 360 for shooters, and the PS3 gets everything else.
-
Advertisement