

Machinarium Rejected From XBLA For Not Being Microsoft Exclusive - mtinkerhess
http://www.xblafans.com/indie-adventure-game-machinarium-refused-for-xbla-41.html

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reitzensteinm
This is inaccurate. Microsoft just doesn't want to _publish_ the game, which
is completely different. They just need to find a publisher.

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tuacker
Why would there be a need for a publisher? Where is the problem for Microsoft
to just host the game on their servers, let people buy it off XBLA, keep a
certain percentage of the money and forward the rest to the developers?

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snprbob86
Publishing console games isn't as simple as hosting a file on a server. There
is significant testing and certification cost, assignment of liability, and
much more. Are those costs worth it to Microsoft? Will they have to advertise
the game themselves? Who handles the support calls (yes, there are support
calls for games)?

It just seems like Microsoft said "Our personal pipes are full, but maybe one
of our licensed partners has some bandwidth for this game." Extrapolating on
the headline, it sounds like Microsoft's pipes are full of Xbox exclusive
titles. Preferring exclusives seems like a reasonable general guideline when
there are simply too many games worth investing in. This is especially true
for simultaneous development of cross-platform games. Microsoft certainly
wouldn't want to spend time and money waiting on or helping a studio finish up
the Playstation 3 port of their game (PS3 development always takes longer).

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kevingadd
Saying it was 'rejected from XBLA' is pretty misleading. Microsoft is just
refusing to be their publisher.

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MichaelGG
Wow, if this is true (sounds sort of extreme, but I don't really know much
about this area) -- that's really scary. It bodes very poorly for the
WinPhone7 platform, too.

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watty
I'd like to see a quote from Microsoft... aren't there other non-exclusive
XBLA games like Braid and Peggle?

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matthew-wegner
Braid was Microsoft exclusive for over six months. Peggle is a pretty good
counter-example, although it did add local multiplayer and good Live
integration.

Microsoft is _extremely_ aggressive with exclusivity agreements with XBLA
these days.

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chrischen
I'm particularly annoyed by that being a ps3 owner. You'd think they would
spend their resources making xbox better, not screwing over people with PS3s.

In any case this just makes me avoid Microsoft products more.

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stcredzero
Someone was predicting a more Balkanized and much less open Internet awhile
back. In fact, IIRC, they were predicting this through increased reliance on
proprietary walled gardens. We see it coming true right here. Being in one
corporate camp or another trumps beauty and excellence.

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chrischen
Who said I'm in a corporate camp? So am I supposed to go out and by both a 360
and a PS3 to remain neutral? That's ridiculous.

I bought a PS3 because I needed a blu-ray player for my 12 foot projection
screen, and I also happen to play some games.

Now I find out microsoft is trying to f __me up the ass by paying to withhold
shit from me. I'm just saying why don't Microsoft go take that money and
integrate a blu-ray player instead. Maybe then I would consider a 360.

I'd only avoid microsoft products which employ similar tactics. Tactics which
are anti-competitive.

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stcredzero
I'm talking about the developer perspective. "Being in a camp," means
developing for platform X or Y because platform X won't license you because
you're on Y. This is a bad situation and I'm against it.

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Rickasaurus
Just goes to show that a closed platform is a crappy platform.

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reitzensteinm
So is an open platform with no market share.

