That announcement was made before the PS3 even launched though; I agree it was big/huge, but since GTA's been a time exclusive at best recently, and the news is old... I don't know. I mean, these are *real* exclusives we're talking about here, not just a six month advance (a la GTA).
Plus, the move was not unprecedented. R* was sequentially warming up to the Xbox platform over time and parity was the inevitable result of that. I classify it with the "well,
of course" titles like UT3 and Mercenaries 2. The change from time-exclusive to day-and-date was really the only remaining barrier between the two platforms and everyone pretty much saw it coming.
Not to diminish its importance, of course. But it really wasn't big to me because it was so expected.
Hmmm... well, I'm not sure I would say that VF5 was big, but I agree it's bigger than those others. It went into time-exclusive mode though, which is sort-of a halfway point. DMC4 being released simultaneously is on a different level even.
I agree that DMC4 is on a different level than VF5 due to their timings. VF5 just seemed big to me because I was not expecting it at all.
Several months ago I posted about how MS has a good platform and their increasing 3rd party portfolio is a good thing but they were still second class until the top class of Japanese games was on the 360. MGS, VF, Tekken, FF, DQ and DMC were the main (3rd party) franchises that just were not on Xbox. VF was the first on my list to make the jump. Now DMC. I don't know that, by themselves, the games are all that important. What I do know is that any platform that they could be on but they aren't is just not a leading console. It's a validation thing. If Sega was fine with having VF only on the PS3, then there was something clearly inferior about the 360. That the Xbox is getting these games means that the platform is finally arriving.
That's kinda how I judge "big."
Well, we'll see. Hopefully (for Sony),
neither titles moves over to the 360 - but I'll still hold the reverse position of FFXIII before MGS4.
Well, you're far more aquainted with Kojima, Kutaragi and Wada lore than I. So you're probably right. I still think S-E support will be the last straw, though. Probability be darned.
Out of curiosity, do you ever see Level 5 working on an MS platform again? 'Cause I don't. I think they'd gladly sell themselves to Sony before they did that, and I would imagine that Sony would be happy with such a situation.
Inane - Agree totally on your comments on SE. These guy's seem so out of touch with reality that it really surprises me, they don't seem to realize the massive sales they could net by bringing FF over to 360, and instead insist on thinking of Xbox as a platform for only shooters and MMO games, hence their announcement a 360 'shooter' game, and the rumours of development of a SE MMO game for both platforms.
Well, I'm not sure I'd say they are out of touch. I would say that they have the capability to back up their obstinance more than most Japanese developers, though. Even though it's unquestionable that they
could get more sales from being multiplatform, that just doesn't seem to be as important as it is to most other developers.
(despite Inane's smooth-talking!)
I guess there's a first time to be accused of everything.
