BioShock News

For:PS3  Also On: Xbox 360, PC Release Date: 16 October 2008

BioShock 360 exclusivity deal explained

NewsPosted 18/07/2008 - 12:54pm GMT+1

PS3 version didn't start development until after 360 version had shipped.

Bioshock screenshot

Exclusivity deals these days are complicated things. When BioShock was originally announced everyone expected it would be released on all suitable platforms, but it ended up being an Xbox 360 exclusive. Throughout the months leading up to its release rumours about a PS3 version were cropping up on an almost daily basis, and we tracked down Markus Wilding, International PR director, 2K, to find out what exactly the deal was with BioShock on Xbox 360 and the game now coming to PS3.

"Originally we announced BioShock as a next-gen game and didn't specify platforms," stated Wilding. "Then we were approached by Microsoft and at that time that deal made perfect sense for everybody, so we did it. As far as exclusivity deals go these days, they expire after a certain time, and then it was up to us to decide if it would make sense to release a PS3 version such a long time after the 360 version. BioShock has such a huge fan base and we literally got emails almost every day from people requesting, asking for a PS3 version or asking if it would be possible.

"Basically we chose the right time and we had the opportunity after a while, and we said all right, we'll go for it. Obviously we couldn't announce it for a while. Had we announced it at the time we launched the 360 version, basically we'd nullify that deal, so we had to work it so both parties would be pleased. That's the basic story. There's no big surprise in there. As long as you have an exclusivity, you cannot talk about other platforms."

What about the rumours of a PS3 version being in development before the Xbox 360 game shipped to stores? We asked Markus when development on the PS3 version of BioShock started.

"The development basically started, let's see, I can't put a finger on it, but certainly not right after we shipped the 360 version, because at that time we didn't know if it'd make sense to release a PS3 version," he stated. "BioShock was a big team, but it wasn't like 200 people working, so it wasn't like we could say "hey, let's work on a version that might not even come to light". So I can't give you an exact date, but after the 360 version was done. When the right time came we could announce it and we did."

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xboxlive's Avatar

xboxlive

i didnt really like the frist one so i want be getting this one went its out
Posted 09:07 on 19 July 2008
redshirt's Avatar
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redshirt

360 exclusive ? What about the PC ?
Posted 05:08 on 19 July 2008
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Rogue_Soul@ John M. the II

Quote:
Originally Posted by John M. the II
Hmm, that makes me wonder whats going to happen to the Xbox in the next 2 to 3 years because last year they basically lost every major studio they had and the devolopers that were loyal to them were bought up. Except for Bungie who has become more like a 2nd party developer to M$ like Insomniac is to Sony.

Microsoft has plenty of 'in-house' studios...

* ACES Game Studio: Flight Simulator series, Combat Flight Simulator series and the upcoming Train Simulator 2
* Carbonated Games: Hexic, 7 Hand Poker, UNO, Aegis Wing
* Ensemble: Age of Empires series, Age of Mythology series, Halo Wars
* Hired Gun: Halo 2 for Windows Vista
* Lionhead: Black & White series, The Movies, Fable series
* Rare: Perfect Dark series, Kameo, Conker series, Banjo series, Viva Piñata
* Turn 10: Forza Motorsport series
* Wingnut Interactive: A new studio set up in conjunction with Peter Jackson (they will be producing alongside with Bungie Studios a new game based in the Halo universe)
* XNA Program

They also have close partnerships with: Valve (who've declared not to develop for PS3 or Wii), Bungie (formerly a in-house studio), Epic Games (Gears of War), Silicon Knights (partially owned by Nintendo), Namco Bandai, Konami, Ubisoft, Capcom, Tecmo (TeamNinja/Tomonobu Itagaki) and now Square Enix... to name a few.

Somehow, I don't think Microsoft are too worried about where the games are coming from at the moment.
Posted 02:44 on 19 July 2008
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John M. the II

Hmm, that makes me wonder whats going to happen to the Xbox in the next 2 to 3 years because last year they basically lost every major studio they had and the devolopers that were loyal to them were bought up. Except for Bungie who has become more like a 2nd party developer to M$ like Insomniac is to Sony.
Posted 00:45 on 19 July 2008
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Johnno

In the early days of Sony starting up they did pay for exclusives, but during this generation it makes much more financial sense to fund your own studios which guarantee exclusives and more control. You can make profits largely based off your own portfolio of exclusives. Nintendo managed it with the Gamecube, and is doing the same thing with the Wii realizing they couldn't count on third parties to help them in the Gamecube era. It's the smart thing to do... And when you look at Sony's press conference and all the exclusives they had for this year and all the exclusives to come, it's definately working out very well! Plus their internal studios share resources amongst each other and go on to help out third parties making games for PS3 like Insomniac, Guerilla and their London studios are doing...

As for FFXIII it would make sense to keep that one as it's a guaranteed seller, but Sony does still have exclusivity for it in Japan which will move a ton of consoles, and I bet that much like what happened with GTAIV, Sony will pull together some deal for the US and EU to have FFXIII exclusively bundled with PS3 when it comes out... If they throw in something like Advent Children Complete on blu-ray along with it, it's guaranteed to tip the scales heavily in their favor! Anyway, it's not such a big deal for Microsoft as they make it sound... And Sony can still get third party exclusives through other means by helping development of them or help with financing and promoting it rather than outright just buying a deal for exclusivity.
Posted 22:47 on 18 July 2008
El-Dev's Avatar

El-Dev

360=HD-DVD
Posted 22:37 on 18 July 2008
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John M. the II

Sorry i didn't know that. All I'm hoping is that FF13 on the PS3 still uses all of the PS3's capability like they promised because if they make a watered down version the game will still be good it just won't be as awesome.
Posted 21:29 on 18 July 2008
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Prototype36

Funny you say that, because Sony bought excusives to beat out Sega and Nin back in its days of PS1 and PS2.
Posted 21:20 on 18 July 2008
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John M. the II

Sony isn't buying exclusivity because it is one of the biggest publishers out there and they want to spend all of their money on their first party developers and second party developers that are loyal to them. Although, I wish they paid for FF13 exclusivity instead of giving Guerilla 60 million US$'s and counting to spend on making another one of their really good looking, but overall crappy game.
Posted 21:19 on 18 July 2008
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Good News!

PS3 = Betamax!
Posted 18:07 on 18 July 2008
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El-Dev

Developers want to make games on PS3 but are getting paid to make them for 360. I think it's a testament to how good sony are that they are still in this console battle with the amount of zeros MS are putting on all their cheques to buy exclusivity deals. If Xbox was run by a normal company and not MS it would no longer be around cause it's so unprofitable. I know PS3 isn't making profits at the minute but given time it will.
Posted 16:32 on 18 July 2008
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Alex

I wonder how much MS payed for the exclusivity deal. It continues to amaze me that MS is willing to just go around dropping money for exclusives. By the way I was one of those people who sent an e-mail asking for a PS3 version.
Posted 16:30 on 18 July 2008
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Sentry

Wow, this guy is quite a good lair... I can guarantee you that... He made it seem so simple, it was a much more complex deal then that, and he knows he cant say a thing because it would just get the wrong wheels turning...

""Originally we announced BioShock as a next-gen game and didn't specify platforms," stated Wilding. "Then we were approached by Microsoft and at that time that deal made perfect sense for everybody, so we did it. As far as exclusivity deals go these days, they expire after a certain time, and then it was up to us to decide if it would make sense to release a PS3 version such a long time after the 360 version. BioShock has such a huge fan base and we literally got emails almost every day from people requesting, asking for a PS3 version or asking if it would be possible."

Lol... yeah.
Posted 16:01 on 18 July 2008
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ShortFlip

How sad MS knows they are going down the hole, so they must buy out every game to make it exclusive for them only. This is simply getting retarded. Sony has enough money as well, but realize they shouldn't have to throw a boat load of money just to save a game. MS is seriously ruining gaming as we know it. Can't wait to hear what they announce next year........
Posted 15:49 on 18 July 2008
Its jst sad!'s Avatar
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Its jst sad!

Its so sad that a company has to buy its way through the market. If M$ cant sell a game without cheating its way then they shouldn't be around. So if Microsoft hadnt of told 2K to say anything about the PS3 version then maybe PS3 sale would of increased at a multi plat launch!

Typical MS scum!
Posted 15:34 on 18 July 2008
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