News
Harrison: Developers face format choice
Ben Parfitt Jul 26 2007, 10:46am
Comments (3)
Sony Studios boss says easy multi-platform ports are a thing of the past
Speaking exclusively to MCV, Sony’s Head of Worldwide Studios Phil Harrison has said that the choice developers face when deciding what hardware formats to support is harder now than it ever has been.
“Development and support for a format is very important yes, and the story is very different these days to how it was with older formats,” he stated. “In the past you could pay a million dollars for a PS2 game and get a $50,000 Xbox port thrown in. Those days are gone. Developers have to pick their formats much more carefully.
“This is partly because of the huge cost of development. But it’s not just a financial consideration. It’s about strategic marketing and the online consumer. It’s about how a game fits its format.”
To read MCV’s full interview with Phil Harrison, including his thoughts on PS3’s first party support, Sony’s hardware pricing strategy and the European roll-out of PS3 Home, click here.
Comments
“True but a silly reason”
Posted by: Rikki - Jul 26, 2:39pm
While seemingly very true, the reason is not entirely because of the format it 'fits' and the marketing! It's because Renderware was bought by EA and there's no platform for easy format ports.
Although he's trying to indicate that hand-wavy Wii games are aimed at kids and families and hence mature 360 shooters are not suitable, people still ported numerous PS2 games to Gamecube despite a similar preconception of the two formats. But that was because they could do it easily...
“Re: True but a silly reason”
Posted by: NaaCeeR - Jul 26, 3:59pm
he say "developers will chose."
I say "they will choose install base + exclusive feed"
he say "made ps2 game and get more for Xbox port"
I say "thay also made ps3 game and also get more for Xbox port"
he say "Those days are gone."
I say "port of ps2 is gone together with ps2. but port of ps3 is still pain in sony's ass"
“Re: True but a silly reason”
Posted by: Haze - Jul 28, 9:14pm
Yet again Sony fall off the boat. If they realised that Devs don't need to 'choose' a platform, because the money's in multi-platform releases these days, they'd have much better relationships with devs and publishers alike. These days it's not about who you're developing for in terms of console branding, but who you're developing for in terms of who's playing what. We're past the age of PS vs MS vs Ninty, and into the age of Online vs Innovation Vs.... hang on, i forget what it is that PS3 has... oh yeah, Vs. Blu ray.... o.O