GDC 09: Sony Offers Huge Incentive For PSN Exclusivity
Burn Zombie Burn!Remember that biased and irrational media blowup concerning the PSN bandwidth fee? Yeah, well, who thinks publishers won't want to put their games on the PSN now?
As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, Sony will match the development budget of a self-published video game if that title remains exclusive to the PlayStation Network. The first game to take advantage of the deal is the recently released Burn Zombie Burn!, and Sony says they're "looking for a great many more titles," so pay attention, self-publishers! Chris Eden, Sony development relations manager, says they're ready to put their money where their mouth is:
"It's all very well for us as platform holders to say 'put all your money into PlayStation Network, it's a fantastic idea', but are we prepared to put or money where our mouth is? The answer is yes. We're looking for a number of great games, and in return for exclusivity we'll match your development budget with guaranteed royalties."
This deal is called the "Pub Fund" and just to be clear, Sony is not purchasing exclusive rights for the games in question (a practice Microsoft doesn't seem to shy away from); IP rights and full control will remain in the hands of the development teams. This deal merely says, if you keep your game exclusive to the PSN - and therefore sacrifice any potential sales on the XBLA - we will match your development budget. Added Eden:
"A really important thing to point out is that this is not first-party publishing, this is not Sony buying your product. You'll be the publisher, you'll own the IP and you'll control your product. This is assisting you to make your next step from developer to publisher."
Not bad, right?
3/26/2009 John Shepard
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Comments (Beta)
brighat1971
Thursday, March 26, 2009 @ 10:15:52 PM
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5 up, 0 down
NoSmokingBandit
Thursday, March 26, 2009 @ 10:21:55 PM
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9 up, 1 down
ps92117
Thursday, March 26, 2009 @ 10:33:15 PM
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Zemus101
Thursday, March 26, 2009 @ 10:36:59 PM
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Last edited by Zemus101 on 3/26/2009 10:37:17 PM
4 up, 0 down
Daedusian
Thursday, March 26, 2009 @ 10:50:40 PM
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WorldEndsWithMe
Thursday, March 26, 2009 @ 11:13:30 PM
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4 up, 0 down
sammyt
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 12:09:15 AM
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rell
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 6:58:08 AM
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Fabi
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 3:17:24 AM
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DVE SIXBURGH
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 5:36:40 AM
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3 up, 1 down
PSNclaw18
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 6:56:28 AM
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However, I hope that standards are maintained and we don't get junk titles on the PSN. Which is to say, just because a third party developer says, "ok, i'll be exclusive to ya", just to get that price match, Sony will hold them accountable to produce A+ titles.
3 up, 0 down
raztad
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 7:27:08 AM
The big difference between these Pub Fund and MS bribes is that MS is only trying to steal (make them multi, or exclusive or timed exclusive) popular and well established franchises running previously on ps2.
Last edited by raztad on 3/27/2009 7:27:48 AM
2 up, 1 down
timster118
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 7:39:52 AM
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Keep up the good work Sony. I like what PSN offers now and this is really just the start.
4 up, 1 down
rell
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 9:51:34 AM
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1 up, 0 down
Orvisman
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 10:49:40 AM
And before you flame me shoota for being a fanboy, I'm a fan of all systems. My main set up contains two PS2s, an Xbox, a Saturn, a DC, a PS3, a 360, and a Wii. I also have a PS3 in my bedroom and a PSX, GC, and N64 in my den -- not to mention an Intellivsion and Colecovision in my closet.
2 up, 1 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 1:12:59 PM
1 up, 0 down
Kurenai
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 10:38:44 AM
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0 up, 1 down
LyleCapua
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 1:26:36 PM
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"I like the way Sony thinks.
Final Fantasy XIII? Assassin's Creed? Who needs exclusivity.
But Burn, Zombie, Burn? LOCK THAT SHIT UP BEFORE MS GETS THEIR DIRTY HANDS ON IT"
1 up, 2 down
ps92117
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 8:19:00 PM
Last edited by ps92117 on 3/27/2009 8:23:31 PM
0 up, 0 down
Bio
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 1:34:22 PM
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1 up, 0 down
rell
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 1:44:34 PM
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1 up, 0 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 2:06:48 PM
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3 up, 4 down
LyleCapua
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 2:27:51 PM
Amazing.
3 up, 4 down
Arvis
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 3:35:29 PM
He wasn't telling the truth about the upscaling. He was making that crap up. Try thinking for yourself every now and again.
As for the "paying off devs" for PSN titles, there is a world of difference between what Sony is doing, and what MS does. If you choose not to see it, who am I to tear down your wall of willful ignorance?
-Arvis
5 up, 2 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 3:48:25 PM
1 up, 1 down
Bio
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 4:12:02 PM
1 up, 0 down
ps92117
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 8:25:51 PM
0 up, 0 down
Bio
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 8:44:22 PM
Does it make the 360 better? No. But it is what it is, and it's the truth. I'm not even trying to argue whether he should have been banned for saying it (because that's not up to me and the people who make such decisions don't like me much already), but he was 100% true with what he said about upscaling.
It's not a matter of opinion it is a matter or fact.
2 up, 0 down
Arvis
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 11:41:24 AM
Now, I'm no genius, but when I stick my old PS1 copy of Final Fantasy VI in my PS3 and it's displayed in 1080, that means that 12 years ago they coded that disc for upscaling? Right. Sorry, but I remain skeptical.
-Arvis
Last edited by Arvis on 3/30/2009 11:41:56 AM
0 up, 0 down
NoSmokingBandit
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 8:25:50 PM
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Sony has a philosophy that has been shown over the years which promotes letting the 3rd party game developers make their own choices. Its the developers choice to allow custom soundtracks (some games' soundtracks are very integral to the gameplay. listening to Madonna while playing KZ2 would completely kill the atmosphere), devs *used to* be able to choose trophies or no trophies (moving to forced trophies is a good idea though, but some trophies are just stupid and feel rushed), and Sony lets the developers choose what platform to develop for.
MS hunts down studios and pays them to develop for just the 360. Sony lets dev's come to them before they offer anything in return for exclusivity. The neat thing here is that the developer chooses Sony before they lay any money on the table. MS, ont he other hand, has to 'bribe' developers to be 360 exclusive. This means the developer is only going 360 exclusive just to make money whereas PS3 exclusive games are on the ps3 because the developer wanted to work WITH sony, instead of working FOR them. This means the developer can decide how the game is made with no input from sony because sony did not buy the game.
Insomniac is a good example of this. I read an interview with Ted Price a while ago (their CEO) and he said they talked with sony about joining forces and becoming a first party developer for sony, much like Naughty Dog (drakes fortune, Jak and Daxter) or Polyphony Digital (gran turismo) but Insomniac wanted to remain 3rd party because its lets them choose how to make the game instead of being told by sony what they need to do.
Sony is helping the developers, whether they be small indie devs, or huge 3rd party devs and is not controlling them with money, but promoting creativity.
...which is why i own a ps3.
Last edited by NoSmokingBandit on 3/27/2009 8:26:09 PM
3 up, 1 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 9:04:19 PM
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1 up, 2 down
Midris7
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Thursday, March 26, 2009 @ 10:14:02 PM