PS4, Next Xbox May Allow Publishers To Self-Publish Game Patches

**claud3** · 03-09-2013

With Sony recently announcing the highly anticipated fourth generation PlayStation, and Microsoft heavily rumored to be working on its own next generation Xbox, all the talk if the town right now is very much centered on what the new game consoles will be able to offer to not just games, but also game developers.

Developers have long been less than happy about the costs associated with creating games for home consoles, and just recently Double Fine’s Tim Schafer went on record as saying that it costs around $40,000 just to push an update out for a console game. With the PS4 around the corner and next Xbox not far behind it, developers will no doubt be hoping that such a cost will be reduced.

According to Overkill Software’s Simon Vikland, they may be in luck. In fact, that cost may not just reduce, but actually be eradicated completely.

Speaking to the Official Xbox Magazine in the UK. Vikland said that the current rumor doing the rounds amongst those in the gaming industry was that the next generation of consoles may make it possible for developers to push updates out themselves, without the need to get first parties involved along the way.
Vikland says that the move would be welcomed by just about everyone in the business, but he also understands why things are the way they are right now.

"At the same time I understand why first-party wants to keep control of everything – they want to play-test, they want to make sure that it doesn’t crash. Because that’s the whole idea of a console – it’s for the casual gamer, it works all the time."

Others in the industry have been commenting on the fact that pushing games out to the likes of Steam involves next to no costs, assuming the developer already owns a PC. Comparing that to the home consoles where developers need expensive development units as well as certification by first parties leaves many wondering why they bother. The move away from expensive updates is a step in the right direction, at least.

http://www.redmondpie.com/ps4-next-x...-game-patches/

Now this could be excellent or not... Have to wait and see

**YoungMullah88** · 03-09-2013

MS finally opening up live? well that can only be a good thing. this should be good for both platform, hopefully the cost will be low

**Bigdoggy** · 03-09-2013

This rumor falls more in line with PS4 then the next Xbox in my opinion. The way microsoft works, I think they are going to still put boundries and hoops for the developers as well as charge them for updating/patching. To be honest, this is the microsoft way and I highly doubt they will change.

which is why games couldn't be properly updated. If this is all true that this is HUGE news, infact this is a whopper of news and more of a relief to developers. the fact that it would cost that much money to push out an update is so ridiculous and it's no wonder why games were taking forever to get patched and after maybe 2 patches we didn't get anymore. To charge for updates is ridiculous so I'm glade to hear it's going away.

**Ghost-Rhayne** · 03-09-2013

Originally Posted by Bigdoggy

This rumor falls more in line with PS4 then the next Xbox in my opinion. The way microsoft works, I think they are going to still put boundries and hoops for the developers as well as charge them for updating/patching. To be honest, this is the microsoft way and I highly doubt they will change.

which is why games couldn't be properly updated. If this is all true that this is HUGE news, infact this is a whopper of news and more of a relief to developers. the fact that it would cost that much money to push out an update is so ridiculous and it's no wonder why games were taking forever to get patched and after maybe 2 patches we didn't get anymore. To charge for updates is ridiculous so I'm glade to hear it's going away.

MS opening up Live would be huge! I hope this is the case, but I wonder if it will be, given the whole Windows 8 thing they have going on.

**HellsJester** · 03-10-2013

Please be true!!!

**coolguy** · 03-10-2013

sony should not charge devs to patch there games and make them better

**Coconut_Crunch** · 03-10-2013

charging developers to patch their games is kind of a double edged sword because while Sony makes money, they also lose money that would potentially scare off developers. This is most likely true that the next consoles wont charge any money for patching games. It would create a more indy dev friendly environment.

**claud3** · 03-10-2013

should this not have been the case from the get go and both sides win

**MATRIX 2** · 03-10-2013

Originally Posted by claud3

http://www.redmondpie.com/ps4-next-x...-game-patches/

Now this could be excellent or not... Have to wait and see

ehh,

"At the same time I understand why first-party wants to keep control of everything – they want to play-test, they want to make sure that it doesn’t crash. Because that’s the whole idea of a console – it’s for the casual gamer, it works all the time."

I can see the process become more streamlined and costs decrease, but to think it will go away is insane.

There is a reason why they like to certify patches first.

**Cyn** · 03-10-2013

It would be big for developers and big for gamers. Especially online games that may need a quick hotfix as soon as a previously unknown bug/glitch becomes apparent.

Sony have been moving toward a more open environment for a few years now and it wouldn't be surprising if they did something like this but it's very hard to MS following suit. But honestly I don't see either dropping the charge altogether. A better solution to the current way could be to allow developers complete freedom to update their game as they see fit but to also heavily fine those who break their games with a patch.

I'm more interested in how willing both Sony and MS are to opening up their networks more for developer cooperation. To allow things like CCP are doing with DUST 514. MS are notoriously hard nosed about that sort of thing

**Sufi** · 03-10-2013

I would love it if developers had the control...that's how it works on PC.

**Coconut_Crunch** · 03-10-2013

I've never heard of a PC going belly up because of a game patch.

**Terminator 101** · 03-10-2013

This can only be a good thing.
Battlefield 3 launched as fairly unpolished game and it took them 100 days to finally fix the voice chat, possibly because they had to wait for the certification process, while also supporting two other versions of the game.

This could lead to more games being broken at launch, but at least they might get patched sooner.
I rarely game on a PC much any more so I don't know how broken are the games at launch and how often they get patched

**GreatSpaceKoaster** · 03-11-2013

Originally Posted by Bigdoggy

This rumor falls more in line with PS4 then the next Xbox in my opinion. The way microsoft works, I think they are going to still put boundries and hoops for the developers as well as charge them for updating/patching. To be honest, this is the microsoft way and I highly doubt they will change.

which is why games couldn't be properly updated. If this is all true that this is HUGE news, infact this is a whopper of news and more of a relief to developers. the fact that it would cost that much money to push out an update is so ridiculous and it's no wonder why games were taking forever to get patched and after maybe 2 patches we didn't get anymore. To charge for updates is ridiculous so I'm glade to hear it's going away.

The fact this was a statement made to the Official Xbox Magazine in the UK would lead one to believe it's just as likely for the Xbox as PlayStation. Why else would they mention it to an Xbox magazine?

**Kuro** · 03-11-2013

That be great if they did.

**Bigdoggy** · 03-11-2013

Originally Posted by GreatSpaceKoaster

The fact this was a statement made to the Official Xbox Magazine in the UK would lead one to believe it's just as likely for the Xbox as PlayStation. Why else would they mention it to an Xbox magazine?

Doesn't matter because it used consoles as in Both consoles but I just don't see Microsoft doing stuff like this and anyone who is familiar with microsoft would know that this isn't their style to begin with. I will still stand by what I say until it's proven that both consoles are doing the same thing. I could see Sony starting this first and MS following suite because no way would they be the first to do this.

**chrisw26308** · 03-11-2013

Well now we know why it takes so damn long for updates.

To update or patch I think is fine to leave in the developers hands. But dlc obviously has to stay the way it is.

It sounds like they have to charge for updates because it costs them money for their guys to test and certify the update. I can see why though because when a game dont work on a console, noone calls and bitches out the dev, they call 1800 sony or ms.

on the other hand if they give them this power to update at will our games will get fixed faster.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2

**Jabjabs** · 03-11-2013

I hope this is true. This will mean that all 3 console vendors have finally realised they can't treat developers the way they did this generation.

**Yuuichi** · 03-11-2013

Ill believe it when i see it. Ms making devs jump through hoops to patch a game has hurt us the gamers. If the ps4 is really focused for dev easyness then ms has to follow or devs will leave.