14 DAY TRIAL // Adam Boyes, a vice president of publisher and developer relations at Sony Computer Entertainment of America, says that console exclusivity might seem a good idea in the short term, but it can end up creating long-term problems for both hardware designers and game makers.
Gamasutra quotes the executive as saying during a IndieCade presentation that, “Right now exclusives are just a way to brag louder. Nobody gains from exclusivity in perpetuity. Developers now have the option to deliver on a huge number of platforms.”
Sony has recruited a number of high-profile teams, some of them from the indie space, to launch their new titles only on the PlayStation 4.
Boyes adds, “We want developers to be successful.”
This might mean that some of the games that are initially launched exclusively on the PlayStation 4 might be offered, in the future, on the rival Xbox One from Microsoft or on the PC.
Traditionally, games that only launch on one platform are seen as a good way to differentiate hardware and persuade gamers that they should just buy one device from the coming generation of consoles.
Both Sony and Microsoft have announced some big exclusives for their platforms, including a new Halo, Killzone: Shadow Fall, Gran Turismo, Forza Motorsport 5, Flower, Ryse: Son of Rome and more.
Sony launched a big program to attract indie developers to the PlayStation 4 when it revealed the new console, including financial support and promotional programs.
Microsoft has its own approach, which allows any user of the Xbox One to create titles on it and then distribute them to the community.
The PlayStation 4 will be out on November 15 in North America and two weeks later in Europe, with the rival Xbox One set to become available in 13 core territories on November 22.