Microsoft's Sleazy Tactics in the Video Game Industry? 57
Dyrandia asks: "I'm currently working on a Legal and Ethics course for my software engineering degree and have decided to write about microsoft's tactics of buying up video games and companies in order to keep games limited to their own platforms (pc and xbox). I am currently using the following games as examples: Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee; Halo (Microsoft bought the developers, however rumour has it that Halo will actually make it to PC next year); and Shenmue 2 (they even bought the rights to it so that it couldn't be released for the Dreamcast in the US, even though it was released in Japan and Europe). Does anyone know of URLs for sites that would have more information and possibly other games Microsoft has used similar tactics on?"
Just Microsoft? (Score:1, Flamebait)
Nintendo buys Retro Studios [nintendoweb.com]
Sony buys (into) Square [rpgamer.com]
Sony buys (into) Rare [the-lowdown.net]
Buying a development house to gain exclusives does not seem to be ground-breaking news.
Re:Just Microsoft? (Score:1)
you did notice the date on this story, right?
Re:Just Microsoft? (Score:2)
/me hits himself in the face with a shovel.
Single out M$ because it's a monopoly (Score:2, Offtopic)
Sorry, Microsoft is just playing the game in this case:
There are some specific games that Microsoft is not allowed to play under United States law. Microsoft has been convicted of using a monopoly to create another. Leveraging its Title 17 monopoly [cornell.edu] on Windows software into a monopoly on the broader market for x86 PC operating systems is one thing; leveraging that monopoly into new areas (XboxOS is based on Windows 2000 Embedded) is another. Bill Gates III does not like to talk to the judge.
Re:Single out M$ because it's a monopoly (Score:1)
See, kids, it's much easier than Hello world.
And no need to compile either.
Why take this as 'bad tactics'? (Score:3, Flamebait)
Halo will be coming out for the PC and Mac, but it may not be for a while... personel are still focused on the next game release, and not porting the game to PC/Mac.
Bungie will keep its name, as one of the many subsidiary companies of a larger company throughout the gaming industry.
Its all about project funding.
Re:Why take this as 'bad tactics'? (Score:3, Interesting)
I think Microsoft has another priority. Halo is XBox's Killer Game right now. As long as Halo continues to drive XBox console sales, they have no incentive to release it on other platforms, even if the ports are already done. Why buy a $299 console to play a game that's available for PC?
Windows XB (Score:1)
Why buy a $299 console to play a game that's available for PC?
Microsoft could release Windows LH [google.com] operating system for the PC, charge $300 per seat, and encourage developers to take advantage of Windows LH's new gaming features.
Better yet, Microsoft could release a VMware-like product that virtualizes your CPU and GeForce 4, creating "Windows XB" with a built-in Xbox "emulator."
Re:Windows XB (Score:1)
I seem to remember Dvorak theorizing that last autumn. Doesn't the XBox use a very x86-like CPU, anyway? If that's the case, then I'd suspect that, once the price of the PS2 drops to $150 or so, they'll match that on the consoles, but sell a $99 emulator for XP.
Re:Windows XB (Score:1)
Re:Why take this as 'bad tactics'? (Score:2)
I guess that's one way to spin it.
Is this really sleazy, though? (Score:3, Interesting)
As fun as it is to punch MSFT in the nose every once in a while, don't blame 'em for this one... =)
Re:Is this really sleazy, though? (Score:2)
Square and N are back together (Score:1)
PS2: everything Squaresoft
Not necessarily. Squaresoft and Nintendo have made up [freshangles.com]. Specifically, Final Fantasy Tactics is coming to Game Boy Advance.
Re:Square and N are back together (Score:1)
halo (Score:1)
what my point here? i forget. f*** M$.
Sleazy tactics... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Sleazy tactics... (Score:1)
Just games? (Score:1)
Has Microsoft, to some extent, limited competition in the entire software industry by buying rights so programs cannot be released to other platforms?
Well, I can tell now:
-1 Troll, -1 Offtopic, -1 redundant, -1 overrated.
Perhaps there is an M$ conspiracy surrounding
a better topic (Score:5, Insightful)
- adam
Re:a better topic (Score:1)
These kinds of deals happen all the time in almost every industry, and their is absolutely nothing wrong with them legaly or ethically.
Re:a better topic (Score:1)
Re:a better topic (Score:1)
Age of Empires (Score:1, Offtopic)
Re:Age of Empires (Score:1)
Break out of "the MS control"? What the hell...Newsflash: IT'S A GAME. Play it, enjoy it, move on. Not everything has to hold this anti-MS stigma.
*groan*
Empire Earth (by the same guy) (Score:2)
EE is like AoE with all the good add-ons included, and all the bad parts removed.
Re:Age of Empires (Score:1)
Don't Forget SubLogic! (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Don't Forget SubLogic! (Score:1)
Re:Don't Forget SubLogic! (Score:2)
Sleazy but ineffective (Score:1)
Bungie :( (Score:1)
Shenmue (Score:1)
As I understand it, they will be paying for heavy advertising of Shenmue II in America, and as part of the deal (for obvious reasons) Sega is not releasing it for the Dreamcast. This was a simple business deal between Sega and Microsoft, and while it may piss off Dreamcast fans, there is nothing the least bit sleazy about it.
This isn't sleazy. (Score:2)
Re:This isn't sleazy. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:This isn't sleazy. (Score:1, Flamebait)
Re:This isn't sleazy. (Score:2)
The first Gameboy was pretty lame, but it didn't cause any Navy ships to go dead in the water. The early Walkmans were expensive, but didn't crash every third song. IBM . . . well, I guess I don't have a great example for IBM, but they are the only typewriter company still in business today. And why? Because the products aren't crap.
How dare you call me blind when you can make such a comparison with a straight face.
flight simulator (Score:1, Interesting)
It was a while ago, I'd really like to find that article again. I might have messed up some of the figures and facts, but that was the basic gist of it.
Other tactics (Score:2)
MS also frequently makes acceptance of 3rd party games contingent on the inclusion of a few XBox-only features. Sony (and presumably Nintendo) frequently do this as well. All three are guilty of the tactic the original poster describes, although MS may be pursuing it a bit more strongly than most.
Digital Anvil (Score:2)
http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2000nov/gam2000
More often than buying up the companies, they just make deals with them where they are the only platform that that the game can be developed for.