drexel

after playing the demo and seeing the reviews and movies, I cant wait for splinter cell. Now comes word that it will be X box EXCLUSIVE, no longer just 6 month exclusive. Also ubisoft have all ready created 11 extra missions that will be available, 2 confirmed, through x box live and the pressance of a hard drive to add to the game. I'm sure they will make the missions available through OXmagazine dvd's just like they are adding cars and tracks to sega gt. I personally think that's huge news for X box owners

matrixrok9

wow, that sucks. I was hoping to get this game when it comes out for the ps2. Now it's an exclusive? Damn you Gaattttttteessssss! BTW the demo is really good, I think it's better than mgs 2 so far. Animation is really good.

Flay

Show me the press release.

Message board rumors don't count.

KingSmoth

I did a search on Google, came up with nothing proving that it is exclusive to the XBox. All reports that said that were dated around May 24-27, and everything else said it would be on XBox/PC this Fall, and on other consoles in 2003.

Young Vito

it actually is xbox exclusive as ive been saying/knowing all along, in the ads it has the "only for xbox" stamp, ive had a full playable copy for a bit now...and i must say....this is a must buy.

TeeSeeJay

I hope this is true. Just out of spite regarding GTA3 and Vice City. You PS2 boys can't have your cake and eat it too!

Actually, seriously, I don't get "exclusive" releases. I think the true 3-console-owning hardcore crowd is a little too small, and it's a little alienating to the rest of the gaming public, not to mention a poor fiscal decision.

Obviously, Microsoft has no reason to release their games for PS2 or the GC, but unless a 3rd party developer is 100% owned by the 1st party console-maker, why have exclusivity at all?

Trigger

$

Gromit

Awwww, I thought you were going to say it's being released early.

Zodo

I'm still skeptical on whether it really is an exclusive, or whether it's a 6mon exclusive.

Where is the proof?

...oh, and a 'only on xbox' sticker on some pre-release copy does not count as proof.

JaxComet

I'm not sure about Vice City but from my experiences with GTA3 (PC Version), overrated isn't nearly a strong enough word to describe the game......To each his own I guess.......

AgtFox

There is no PR piece yet...but expect one close to or after SC is released would be my guess. And this has nothing to do with Microsoft shelling out money to get exclusivity, you need to think outside the box on this one.

Zodo

What are you talking about? Why would a company chose to only release their game on one system, one that isn't the most popular (PS2), if they weren't getting paid to do such?

I'd say it's also pretty convenient for you to say 'expect one close to or after SC is released'.... in other words 'there's no proof right now, but there may be some soon'.

JaxComet

From the way the large review sounded in this month's XBOX magazine, it seemed like they went all out in creating the game. They'd probably have to water it down for the PS2. Who knows. Maybe they'll be a PC version.........

el_jer

Well, even if the the core game were to hit the PS2 they still won't be able to take advantage of the add-ons without a HD. So from that perspective I would rather not have the game at all if I was limited from the full potential of the game.

Still waiting on my demo from OXM but played it a EB. Never played MGS 1 or 2 but was very impressed by the lifelike movement of the characters. Picking up the bodies was so realistic it was weird. Looks like fun but am unsure about the stealth vs action thing. I hear it is a decent mix. The only game I ever played that was stealth like was Thief for the PC which I did enjoy but never finished.

Since my home turns into a motel between now and New Years I am contemplating whether I will have time for a one player game. I may have to wait on this title and play Unreal,NFL 2K3, and pick up another mutiplayer game like Tiger Woods since some more conservative gamers will be visiting.

Josh H

They're definitely a PC version coming. The ad in EGM has the x-box logo and the PC CD-ROM logo. I believe the PC version is slated to come out in the end of January.

As for exclusivity, I'm not buying it until I see something official.

And if it is exclusive, you can be sure MS is paying money for it to be exclusive.

Ubi Soft wants to make money, and the PS2 version (even if it's watered down) would make the most money simply because there's around 40 million PS2s in homes world wide, to around 4-5 million X-boxes, according to the most recent data.

MS would have to pay them some cash, to offset the profit they lose by not having a PS2 version.

AgtFox

All I was saying is that there may or may not be ports of SC coming. I was also saying that if ports are not coming that it would not be because of money, but something else. You can believe I know nothing, which is fine. Being in gaming journalism sometimes brings about the inability to disclose certain information before the publisher lets us do so.

I own all 3 systems and I sometimes (but not always) find the knee-jerk reaction of MS buying exclusivity hilarious. Wait for the information to come out before reacting that way. Any rumor of possible exclusivity for an X-Box game is immediately condoned as "MS paid them off". Is there a possibility that some other reason might be there? Think about it.

Josh H

Why would there be another reason? Game publishers are in it for the money. It's not like the film industry where you have indy studies and directors just trying to make good films and not worrying so much about the bottom line.

They could make more money porting the game to other consoles, so why would they chose not to if MS didn't offer them a financial incentive to offset the loss in profits?

Flay

I really don't see it either.

Unlike all other Tom Clancy games, The team developing Splinter Cell is actually part of Ubi-Soft.

The folks at Ubi-soft have developed tons of games on all kinds of consoles, so it's not a question if they can port it. They obviously have the people who can. If they have the ability, why not cash in on it if Splinter Cell is a smash hit?

The only thing I can think of is if they don't want to sacrifice the quality on the PS2, not so much for the Gamecube. But when you are comparing artistic choice to the profit from millions of PS2 owners, I'd have to lean to the latter.

dgc

I thought about it........., and NO there is no other reason.

Ok, let me guess...., MS didn't pay them off........, instead, MS bought Ubi-Soft.

Josh H

That would be the pits. I have absolutely no problems with MS buying exclusivity rights to Splinter Cell, but buying developers sucks.

If enough get bought by console makers, it will likely reduce the quality of games. One of the things that produces great games is the competition between third party developers trying to outdo their rivals. Less third parties=less competition.

Buying exclusivtity rights for single games could likely improve the quality of games. The developer can think "if we can make this game really great, we can sell exclusivity rights and still make a ton of money withouth the expense and hassle of doing versions for all 3 consoles."

AgtFox

You're getting warmer.

Although it is true that MS may end up giving them some extra money for exclusivity, the initial reason would not be the extra money. The SC team has worked long and hard on this game and are very serious about conveying the most they can get out of the game.

Another thing to think about: if 1 million X-Boxers buy the game, how is that different than other major games on other systems that don't have ports? There actually are not many non-sports games that sell over a million units. The user base of millions is there for MS/Ubi Soft, they just have to utilize it with excellent games that many will buy (like Halo and DoA3...which have sold over a million each).

And MS buying Ubi-Soft is not part of this equation. Ubi looks toward games like Rocky and the new Rayman game that they can sell across all platforms.

Flay

Volumetric Lighting perhaps? That's a big part of the game.

I think I read the PS2 cannot do Vol. Lighting or that it has limited capablilties.

If that wasn't in the PS2 version, I could see how they wouldn't want the game ported to the PS2 at least.