Rise of the Tomb Raider [XO, XOX, X360, PS4, P4Pro]

Game Informer has interview with the games writer, Rhianna Pratchett, whose gaming credits include Heavenly Sword, Mirror's Edge, Bioshock Infinite and 2013 Tomb Raider reboot, among many others.

She doesn't give much away!

 

I'm hoping by the end of this month of Tomb Raider we finally see some gameplay footage!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rise_of_the_Tomb_Raider

MS is now listed as a co-publisher.

The original source

http://www.polygon.com/2014/12/9/7359861/rise-tomb-raider-microsoft-pubslish

Microsoft is publishing for the XBO and X360.

Square Enix will be publishing the PC version. And if there are other versions they will publish it as well. However...

Dead Rising 3 - XBO, PC
Dance Central - X360

If you look closer at Dead Rising 3, you'll see a similar situation with Microsoft as co-publishers. Microsoft was the publisher for the XBO version. Capcom was the publisher for the PC version as well as the Japanese XBO version.

Also, note that Microsoft was also just a co-publisher for Dance Central. MTV games was the other publisher.

In fact, for any Xbox exclusive this generation which has had a PC release. Microsoft has only been a co-publisher. As the PC versions have been published by other companies. Ryse PC was Crytek and Deep Silver, for example. Titanfall was EA on PC. All of them were time limited exclusives (except Titanfall which launched simultaneously)...just like the upcoming Tomb Raider game.

Wording is still vague. So it's possible it'll appear on PS4, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Especially if the contract is similar to the one they had with Capcom (who had the rights to publish on other platforms, as long as they were not Playstation related). But so far, when MS has been listed as a co-publisher, the games haven't appeared on a competing console.

Only time will tell as neither SE nor Microsoft are going to disclose details of the publishing agreement. Just like neither Capcom nor Microsoft are going to disclose details of the Dead Rising 3 publishing agreement.

So time limited exclusives for Ryse and Dead Rising 3. Time limited exclusive for Tomb Raider...

I'd be willing to go out on a limb and say all XBO exclusives are time limited. Just that when time expires. PC may get a version (no guarantee), but will anyone else?

Regards,
SB

 

OT: I imagine SE could release the definitive edition on PS4.

 

I don't want to revisit this heavily again because it's been done to death but this isn't new information, this is the same situation clarified in the Eurogamer Phil Spencer interview. Microsoft confirms they would be exclusively publishing on the Xbox platform only. All that's changed is that SE have clarified that they (and not somebody else) will publish on a non-Xbox platform. There are many non-Xbox platforms. The exclusivity to Xbox is for Holidays 2015.

Co-publishing credit, like movie distribution, is common as publication/distribution rights can vary between platform, territory or platform and territory.

 

Am I the only one worried that releasing this for the X360 could mean substantially worse assets than otherwise?

 

There is a big difference between small IP (dead rising) or new IP (Ryse) versus very big and traditionally Playstation IP like Tomb Raider. If SE allowed Microsoft to forever forbid this game into Playstation platforms, they would:

- Loose potentially millions of games sold to PS hardware obviously
- Alienate PS players and damage potential sales of all future Tomb Raider games on the Sony platforms

The only way this game won't release on PS4 is that Microsoft paid not only for the exclusivity but also for the money (and potentially future money) lost as explained before.

That's a lot of money.

Finally I am honestly already surprised SE even agreed to any time exclusivity, they are already taking risks that the game would flop (or relatively flop) on PS later like it happened with Garden Warfare on PS4. EA must have noticed that the deal with Microsoft had alienated somehow Sony players because they even gave the game for free during a limited time like an apology...

 

Well Nixxes software is working on the 360 version so hopefully it won't have any impact. They will most likely use lower poly models on the 360 version as well as lower quality textures. The 360 version will most likely drop the snow sim that allows animals to leave tracks in the snow that fill up naturally with more snow.

 

I am sure Microsoft is paying for the development of both the Xone and 360 in full as well as covering marketing. In my opinion the reason that Square/Crystal Dynamics went with the exclusive deal has a lot to do with ROTR coming out in the same time period as Uncharted 4. Tomb Raider as it stands now is very similar in play style to uncharted and hence has became competition. This could be a potential problem when it comes to getting any sort of backing from Sony. They may have feared lower sales on the Ps4 if they released head to head with Uncharted 4.

 

Some new shots over at GAF... for the most part, meh to nice looking.

This shot seems weird... looks like a frozen mop of hair on her head. Take an ice pick to it...

 

New High Res Screenshots ← Here

Edit: Beaten

I'm liking the hair from the non winter esk screenshots.

 

Esk? Is Granny Weatherwax in it too?

 

Hair looks weird in the snow yes, but looks ok here. Just my opinion.
Looks like a more refined version of the tressfx they used in the PC version.

 

No. But a "Hedgehog can never be buggered"...

 

Um, looks average at best, no PBR again? Texture res are really low and it's kinda concerning especially seen in the promo shots.
New Lara's face model looks like Asian Now?

 

I think the faces look great, in an offline render kind of way. It's the ultra frozen-wax hair and beard that's off putting. Other than that, the game looks quite nice IMHO. Hopefully the PC edition isn't far behind...

 

I also noticed her eyes are quite puffy. Maybe she just woke up.

 

The guy's moustache needs shifting slightly.

Skin shader looks nice.