Sony on DLC: "Nothing is ever exclusive"
- Posted October 29th, 2008 at 13:26 EDT by
- 5,057 views
- 29 Comments
Speaking at the London Games Festival this week, Sony Computer Entertainment UK Managing Director Ray Maguire has told Videogamer that there's no such thing as exclusive downloadable content.
When asked if he had anything to say to PlayStation 3 owners irked by Sony's refusal to secure unique DLC packs from third party developers, Maguire declared: "One thing to remember, nothing is ever exclusive. Things get wrapped up for a period of time for a large amount of money and if it's a strategic decision by competition to do that then we have to live with that."
Microsoft has made aggressive moves on this front, "exclusivising" post-release material for the Xbox 360 versions of multiplatform games like Fallout 3, Tomb Raider: Underworld and Grand Theft Auto IV. Sony has signed up the odd bit of PS3-only DLC here and there - Mirror's Edge is one of the bigger names on the list - but appears otherwise content to let its competitor walk off with the prize.
Maguire went on to observe that he would "much rather that we (Sony) were investing money into making sure that we've got great R&D and we start producing games like LittleBigPlanet, rather than paying other people a huge amount of money to stop people playing their product."
He also implicitly reinforced comments by Sony Marketing and Public Relations Manager Mark Levitan, who claimed last week that Sony could no longer rely on third party exclusives to drive its consoles. "You have to remember that most third-party publishers of course have a business proposition that covers all platforms. With our own of course it's different because our investment would purely be on our own platforms, and that's the same as any first party."
"That's a small part of the overall offering nowadays and the days of big exclusives, I think they were over a couple of years ago but they're certainly over now.
Comments
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Staticneuron
- 1:38pm GMT - October 29th, 2008
- 1
Maguire went on to observe that he would "much rather that we (Sony) were investing money into making sure that we've got great R&D and we start producing games like LittleBigPlanet, rather than paying other people a huge amount of money to stop people playing their product."
Thank you! I have been saying this for a while that this looked like what they were doing so it is awesome to hear it from the horses mouth.
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Dave-The-Rave
- 1:38pm GMT - October 29th, 2008
- 2
well it is true..the sooner people realise this, the sooner they'll stop getting annoyed at previously 3rd party exclusives going multi...this generation is all about the 1st/2nd party exclusives
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gingo
- 2:06pm GMT - October 29th, 2008
- 5
psn id: gingo... i personally believe sony have the right mentality when it comes to spending money, sure they lose previous exclusives and maybe dont get exclusive DLC but their first party titles are amazing and pumping money into them is probably a better idea
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Perkons
- 2:14pm GMT - October 29th, 2008
- 7
Microsoft shouldn't even joined to this console war with their xbox, because they are thinking only about competition, about throwing as much as money they can in game's companies hands. While Sony throw all money in their games, which is right move.
and LOL, wtf here is doing Gears of War 2 advertisement in upper right corner in Playstation Universe? Am I only one seeing it? I like GOW2, but this is Playstation'ish site, this is the last site in internet I expected to see it :)
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melmacj
- 2:22pm GMT - October 29th, 2008
- 8
It's kind of a tough issue. I think developers now days are playing a big part in this. Think they could have a finish product then say we can take these two levels out or these features and try to sell it off to Microsoft or Sony for big bucks. I thank Sony for seeing through this. I rather have LBP, Killzone, gow etc quality high than have Sony pay for extra content in game that should be there in the first place. Good job Sony. Speaking of which I haven't seen any reviews or news on the extra content for GTA4 on 360. Did it come out? Was it worth it? Lastly Sony did pull it off with PS2 securing exclusive games, (games not extra content) but I think it's a different situation now. With the enconmy and all it just don't seem valid now. I do think Microsoft is throwing out the money just in case Sony try to do it.
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Xdeth
- 2:32pm GMT - October 29th, 2008
- 10
I think Sony is making the right move on this. The only thing so far that still burns my a** is Im a hardcore fan of the Ace Combat games and Im starting to think we will not get AC6. It was only a timed exclusive but Im wondering if they are just going to bypass it all together and just do a multi-platfrom for 7? Any other AC fans out there?
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hitman8062
- 2:34pm GMT - October 29th, 2008
- 11
I agree with gingo. (this part is my opinion) We spend wisely on a functional consol while they spend lots of money on add ons when they have a broken piece of junk (i had one and it broke 6 months later,and dont say it was my fault i frikkin loved that thing, by itself. But at least now i have the better console so its a win-win situation). And yes perkons i see the gears trailer too wich is kinda strange
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Punisher99
- 3:01pm GMT - October 29th, 2008
- 12
I've been telling people this for ages Sony is putting their money into first party development and not trying to buy up 3rd party DLC and games. This is the absolute way to go. Dont buy exclusives, make exclusives! Which is what they are doing.
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Peterballs
- 4:04pm GMT - October 29th, 2008
- 14
#3 - What? Lair was a great game. The controls were the only thing that kept it from getting great reviews and as for someone who had no problem with them, it was certainly a great game to play and beat. I hope for a Lair 2. For those who had problems, the new patch fixed it up for you. But from launch day, I was there, played it, beat it, placed it in my top 10 PS3 games list.
Haze on the other hand was a complete let down. Poor saps should of stuck with TimeSplitters.
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lordAlucard
- 4:13pm GMT - October 29th, 2008
- 15
DLC exclusively to be honest who would pay over 1 million pounds for exclusive DLC content of Tomb Raider? @ 4 NO Gears of War is rubbish played it and it su cks
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dukelord
- 5:11pm GMT - October 29th, 2008
- 19
it seems that sony knowns wat is all about.
microsoft only cares about getting more multiplatform games while were having more and great first party exclusives.and thanks to them we can enjoy ur exelent exclusive games,while microsoft only updates their well known games.such as halo,fable,project gotham racing.
Now games such as dead or alive,ninja gaiden 2 and gears of war 1 n 2 need to go for multiplataform as well.if sony do that my life is complete.lol
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TestosteRohne
- 6:36pm GMT - October 29th, 2008
- 22
His statements would be all good and well if this problem was across the board.
However Microsoft don't seem to the same problem at all.
If I was an XBox owner I suppose I'd be quite chuffed.
Sony have a better machine, but Microsoft have an amazing and agressive marketing/ PR machine going.
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Fingal_D
- 6:53pm GMT - October 29th, 2008
- 23
@#10 That was like a shot of wasabi powder up the nose. For a franchise to start on the ps1 and end on the pee60. I was really looking forward to ACE COMBAT online this gen. "Die! You S.O.B." namco needs to be mugged, greedy turds, also same with VF5 online sh4tsbox Pee60 Dive only. Arrrrrrgh!
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west_end_matt
- 7:56pm GMT - October 29th, 2008
- 24
I think Sony's doing the right thing, I think Sony's first party games are the one's challenging what games can be. They're investing in innovation which I for one am excited about.
Question; Can all xbox's download content??? I was under the impression that not all xbox's are sold with a HD.
Question 2; Did the 360 get their "exclusive downloadable content" for GTA4?
While I liked the game I don't think I could really pick it up again now as it's pretty much played out for me, would rather GTA5
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PS3-The Ultimate Machine
- 10:52pm GMT - October 29th, 2008
- 26
I don't like to get stumped by DLC anyway,if it ain't on the disc,it's not important.And PSU,do SOMETHING about that GeOW2 advertisement,it's idiotic to publicise a 360 game on a strictly Playstation Site.Next time at least look at what you type in the URL to get to this place,b4 okaying a 360 advert.
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v8nnwilder
- 2:57am GMT - October 30th, 2008
- 27
I totally agree. I would much rather get an awesome first party exclusive than some crap DLC. Look at GTAIV? Alot of great things got taken out because it had to fit onto DVD noit Blu ray...No car mods, no flying with jets and the list goes on... Now MS are getting DLC called Chinatown Wars or something like that.... In the meantime we'll be getting Yakuza 3 (exclusively) that sound slike a better deal to me that's for sure.
And it's so true that MS is buying all this content to P*** off Sony but it doesn't seem to be bothering Sony much so eventually MS will start looking like asses. they'll eventually be like that annoying person you know that wants to throw money around to be his friend. Trying to buy your friendship.
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TestosteRohne
- 7:55am GMT - October 30th, 2008
- 29
After all of that though I really want that DLC for Fallout 3!
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