3rd party developpers going multi-platform: Good or bad?

[Dabra]

We all know first party developpers tend to stay on their own respective console to attract sales, and probably more reasons that i'm not familiar with.

What we don't know, is why 3rd party developpers don't go multi-platform? It brings a lot more cash and it's a minor step forward with a little polish and gameplay tweaking. After all it's not a brand new game, it's just a direct port.

You might say that a lot of 3rd party devs that make extremely good games get ripped off from one of the console's brand to produce games for them, and that crappy games that DO go multi-platform have half-bad games that don't deserve to show off the console's crappy side.

On a money point of view, it gets more sales. No matter how you see it, it does. You put a crappy game (imo) like New legends on xbox on other consoles, it will sell slightly more. Will it pay off? of course, it only takes a couple hours or days to tweak the game to suit the respective console. Correct me if i'm wrong because i don't see any inconviniences (sp?) in this judgement, disregarding the 1st parties that try to buy off some games and be the ultimate egoist (in a good way heh).

On a popularity point of view, well, it get's a little misleading. You make multiple awesome games for PS2, build up a huge fanbase, and then when you decide to move on, you get hated, hate mail arrives, you slightly derivate to stressful, boring day jobs, hateful, painful job days, or deceiving ones.

A good example would be Rare, that has stood VERY loyal to nintendo since it's first days. If you liked Perfect dark, Coonkers bad fur day, battletoads, the donkey kong series, the banjo kazooie duo or the famous golden eye, then you know Rare's quality.

But the recent announcement that Rare has moved on to other console has crushed some fans, a lot. And i think Rare has kind of regret it, but i'm still skeptical about the situation and unsure so don't ask me auqestions or affirm my thoughts when i'm completly not sure.

So why don't developpers (3rd party) don't publish games on more than one console? Is it the Publisher's decision? A couple budget problems maybe? or they prefer waiting untill they know it's worth it?

Anything it is post! I'm eager to know your thoughts http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif

[LieutenantDwAnGStick]

its still not set in stone if RARE is going multiplatform.. those basterds i wish they would comment on something

[Shadow_Blade]

I do know one thing. Sega makes some of the best games and they ARE multi-platform.

[RuneLateralus]

Well, Rare was multi-platformed before going straight to Nintendo. Remember RC Pro-AM and Battletoads. They weren't exactly Nintendo exclusives (there was a Genesis version of Battletoads and ProAM and an arcade version of Battletoads).

And if they do go, then I wouldn't care. It might mean another Battletoads game. God, I miss that game.

[Cube]

Im not worried about the Rare rumors.

heck if they want to go third party, thats fine. They'll probably end up like Square. Sticking mainly to one console, yet still developing for others... So dont expect Xbox exclusive PD0, or PS2 Exclusive Conker.

Nevertheless, Nintendo will still profit off of Rares third party success since they own about 25% of the company.

[Ness]

On 2002-09-03 18:15, RuneLateralus wrote:
Well, Rare was multi-platformed before going straight to Nintendo. Remember RC Pro-AM and Battletoads. They weren't exactly Nintendo exclusives (there was a Genesis version of Battletoads and ProAM and an arcade version of Battletoads).

And if they do go, then I wouldn't care. It might mean another Battletoads game. God, I miss that game.



Battletoads 128!

[Ziggy-san]

Battletoads...good lord, I actually still remember that...

Quite a few companies are already multi platform, and I think it's great, since it allows owners of different platforms to enjoy the same great games...to some extent...

That makes it hard on the consumer to pick just which console, though...

I went with GameCube, because, quite frankly, I got PSX like...three months before PS2 came out, which kinda pissed me off...especially with the whole PS1 thing...so I don't like them _/ Plus I only own one game for it and only kinda like it...

X-Box just horrifies me...I know nothing about their quality of games at time of release.

And I've been a Nintendo supporter...well...a majority of my life, and, trust me on this one, Nintendo makes damn good games for everyone.

[BlackRose]

Basically, console groups pay third-party game designers a fat wad of money to only make games for their system. I'm too lazy to explain it in depth.

RARE will probably go multi-system. It's getting more profitable that way. *points to Sega*

[RuneLateralus]

On 2002-09-04 05:54, Ziggy-san wrote:
And I've been a Nintendo supporter...well...a majority of my life, and, trust me on this one, Nintendo makes damn good games for everyone.



But if they screw up on Metriod Prime...all hell will break loose with me.

[Robert_Garcia]

Hmm...Rare deciding to go multi-plat? Since When?

[RuneLateralus]

It is not an offical statement...but a really big rumor that is going around. Nothing is etched in stone yet, and Rare has been really quiet as to what is going on.

[Robert_Garcia]

On 2002-09-04 09:39, RuneLateralus wrote:
It is not an offical statement...but a really big rumor that is going around. Nothing is etched in stone yet, and Rare has been really quiet as to what is going on.



Ah...well seeing as how nothing is eched in stone yet, its proabably just a rumor...or is it?

[Nidarrock]

Going multi-platform I think is good idea if they don't pull what SEGA is pulling. Almost every one of their games is an exclusive to one of the three systems, which sucks for some people. I hate exclusives. PSO I think is the only exception. I miss the head to head comparisons in the game magazines so I'm for it.

I don't think that it is hard to port a game over, but they do have to do some tweaks graphical, sounds and controller for each system. It's more or less time consuming, whcih eats up money.

As for the Rare rumor, that has been talked about almost all summer, each EGM I get usually says something about it.

I WANT MORE BATTLETOADS!!!!!!!

[Robert_Garcia]

On 2002-09-04 11:06, Nidarrock wrote:

I WANT MORE BATTLETOADS!!!!!!!



Speaking of Battletoads, I have that game on my NesterDC. Its a pretty fun game...I never really beat it though, due to the fact that I'd rather screw around instead. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

[l337_h4xOr]

On 2002-09-03 18:32, Cube wrote:
Im not worried about the Rare rumors.

heck if they want to go third party, thats fine. They'll probably end up like Square. Sticking mainly to one console, yet still developing for others... So dont expect Xbox exclusive PD0, or PS2 Exclusive Conker.

Nevertheless, Nintendo will still profit off of Rares third party success since they own about 25% of the company.



RUMOUR WHIRLWIND AS MICROSOFT MOVES ON RARE

And before you say, "But it was supposed to be Activision," word is that there simply wasn't enough cash in the bank: full story inside

17:18 UK sources indicated today that the long-rumoured Microsoft take-over move on Rare may be imminent. Insiders have now set a price of £350 million for the developer, which at the moment is owned by Nintendo to the tune of 49 percent of its stock.
Rare refused to comment on the speculation today.

The news is looking likely to be a jigsaw piece that slots in nicely to make a final, Rare-shaped picture. Talk is heating up today regarding an apparently huge announcement at Microsoft's X02 event in Seville later this month, which will be specifically software related. Rumour has been constant recently regarding the next Perfect Dark game heading exclusively to Xbox. See what we mean?

More. Chatter of the Stamper brothers, founders of the developer, looking to sell up has been circulating for more than a year. It's now widely well known that Activision looked seriously at buying the outfit earlier this year, but British sources this morning hinted that Rare was simply too rich for the publisher's blood.

Microsoft is said to have held a meeting recently with Rare in a hotel near Twycross, the developer's base. Exactly the same talk emerged when Activision was looking over the company's book.

Even more. Rare appears to have cancelled two projects recently, removing the links to the games from the company's website. "It's simply due to updating the site," said Rare by way of explanation last month. Still "updating" then, are you boys? Apparently so.

"There's one guy running the website here," said a Rare employee today. "He's got fairly minimal support, so he's doing all of that at the same time as doing all the instruction books."

The games are still under development, the source added. Current speculation suggests the titles are being doctored to remove Donkey Kong, a Nintendo property, from the games.

Obviously, there's more. When questioned on the state of Nintendo's relationship with Rare at E3 this year, Nintendo heavyweights would only say that the only Rare game being shown for GameCube was Starfox Adventures: Dinosaur Planet because that was the only title coming out in this financial year. Then they refused to say anything else. We suggest you look carefully at the huge gaps between these lines.

While Microsoft remained unavailable for comment today, don't expect this to go away. As soon as we hear more, we'll let you know.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/news/news_story_main.php?1&id=79789