Rockstar's next franchise to be PS3 exclusive

[Titanio]

Interesting news. No details on the game yet, but it's supposedly not LA Noire.


http://blog.us.playstation.com/2007/07/27/new-rockstar-games-franchise-exclusive-to-the-ps3/

This is Michael Shorrock. I’m the Director of 3rd Party Relations at SCEA. As you may have seen this morning/last night on GameHead with Geoff Keighley, we are announcing that a new franchise from Rockstar Games will be exclusive to PS3. As part of our long standing relationship with Rockstar, and the incredible success for both companies with the cultural icon that is Grand Theft Auto, we’ve agreed to the PlayStation exclusive rights of the next great franchise from the Rockstar studios.

I guess Sony realised belatedly that it wasn't such a good idea to let the (timed) exclusivity of GTA walk past them, and they're trying to make amends for it in some way now.

 

[slider]

LA Noire would be the obvious choice but as it isn't that we're stuck.

Hmm. Whatever it is, it's probably a while off. Especially if it's aiming to be something comparable to GTA.

 

[tabs]

Table Tennis 2?

 

[bystander]

How about Bully 2?

 

[morlock]

A new Table Tennis or Bully would'nt be a new franschise.

 

[Titanio]

Hmm. Whatever it is, it's probably a while off. Especially if it's aiming to be something comparable to GTA.

Well, who knows if it's supposed to be or not. Sony reckons it's the 'next big Rockstar franchise', but they're not going to say otherwise really, are they?

And yeah, it's not likely to be a sequel to anything if it's a new franchise.

 

[slider]

Well, who knows if it's supposed to be or not. Sony reckons it's the 'next big Rockstar franchise', but they're not going to say otherwise really, are they?

I don't know. I guess I was being naive! I'm wary of commenting on PR but I think it'd be a mistake to hint at a big new IP (esp. from Rockstar) and then have something that doesn't meet expectations. Ok, I know it's only been one comment but it was on the US Playstation blog!

 

[22psi]

There is no substance to this talk/PR.

 

[JardeL]

So , this means GTA4 is the last of the series ?.. If so , Sony'll get a new exclusive franchise for giving GTA4 episodic content exclusivity , which seems to be a good deal ...

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I guess Sony realised belatedly that it wasn't such a good idea to let the (timed) exclusivity of GTA walk past them, and they're trying to make amends for it in some way now.

Howso, though? If Sony re to be believed they don't pay for 3rd party exclusivity, and exclusives come because 3rd parties want it. If they're not offering money to R*, what else can they use to pursue an important exclusive? I'm thinking perhaps the online system of PSN is better suited in some way to MMOs, which attracted NCSoft, and perhaps R* are after this lucrative market. Imagine something like GTA with 5 million players in a persistent world all paying $5 a month...

Either that, or it's all lies and Sony lumped a big cheque at R*HQ.

 

[one]

I thought Getaway has been groomed as the superior substitute of GTA in this gen that fully exploits Cell & Blu-ray...

I'm thinking perhaps the online system of PSN is better suited in some way to MMOs, which attracted NCSoft, and perhaps R* are after this lucrative market. Imagine something like GTA with 5 million players in a persistent world all paying $5 a month...

Myabe it's not an MMO if you believe Blu-ray is fully exploited:

Rockstar really wanted to make a game that you can truly only do on PS3, harnessing the power of CELL and Blu-ray disc

so it excludes a small PSN game either. Also I speculate it's not a typical Rockstar game that contains a controversial factor.

 

[Silent]

I guess Sony realised belatedly that it wasn't such a good idea to let the (timed) exclusivity of GTA walk past them, and they're trying to make amends for it in some way now.

To be honest I'm not that interested in the new GTA. It doesn't do as much to me like the previous titles. Maybe it's me and have I outgrown the series. When viewing the trailers and screenshots I get a big "meh" (been there, done that) feeling. I'm not that impressed.

And I think I'm not the only one judging on reactions on other forums. So to my humble opinion I'm not that sure that Sony has made a mistake while passing on this (timed) exclusive.

From a technical point of view I'm more interested in the new Getaway because they only have to deal with the technical limitations of the PS3 itself. It seems to "look" better even if that doesn't say much about the game (play) itself.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Myabe it's not an MMO if you believe Blu-ray is fully exploited:

I have my doubts on that. What'd stop them porting such a title to a multidisk format? 50 GBs of data still sounds implausible, especially for a box that's only sold a few million units!

Anyway, there's the interview at GameTrailers where Tretton is talking about the deal, and it comes down to 'they've done some good things for us, and we've done some good things for them' as though it was a mutually beneficial choice on R*'s part. It'll be nice to hear R* comments on the matter.

 

[Titanio]

So , this means GTA4 is the last of the series ?

Who said that?

Howso, though? If Sony re to be believed they don't pay for 3rd party exclusivity, and exclusives come because 3rd parties want it. If they're not offering money to R*, what else can they use to pursue an important exclusive?

They offer money in round-about ways. They may not hand a cheque directly to them, but they offer co-marketing and co-development deals, even. It's very naive to think Sony doesn't strike deals..clearly they do, but they would say they're not 'bribing them' per se. A useless distinction, perhaps.

 

[tabs]

A new Table Tennis or Bully would'nt be a new franschise.

Doh!

So , this means GTA4 is the last of the series ?.. If so , Sony'll get a new exclusive franchise for giving GTA4 episodic content exclusivity , which seems to be a good deal ...

You can have more than one franchise going at once, just look at EA.

 

[wco81]

Rockstar is a one-hit wonder though. They've generated a lot of PR and controversy but none of the other games could really be termed a hit.

Interesting read about behind the scenes at Rockstar:

http://badasscat.blogspot.com/2007/07/rockstar.html

 

[sevanig]

well based on how gta 4 plays, and what new ideas they bring to the table will determine the quality of their next game...

 

[tabs]

well based on how gta 4 plays, and what new ideas they bring to the table will determine the quality of their next game...

Or it might have nothing to do with it. GTA4 could suck yet the mysterious next thing be great, the two don't necessarily coincide.

 

[mister slim]

I'm wondering who the studio is. I doubt it's Rockstar North. Most of the other Rockstar studios are pretty busy, but Rockstar Toronto hasn't done much since shipping The Warriors.

 

[weaksauce]

So it's not the untitled western project?