Microsoft claims Sony is keeping games off Game Pass by paying developers 'blocking rights'

[ZedClampet]

You shall not Pass

This comes to light as Brazilian regulators are reviewing the Act/Bliz purchase.

Game Pass pays devs well by all accounts, and Epic and Sony are paying well not to sell games on Steam or sign up to Game Pass. The competition between Steam/Epic and Microsoft/Sony is creating a great situation for developers, but that's a weird result to capitalism competition where the producers are the ones who benefit. Usually it's the consumers, but in this case Epic and Sony (and all the indie devs who sign up with them) are screwing consumers. Strange times.

 

[WoodenSaucer]

What is dirtier? What Sony is doing, or MS buying up all the big studios and making some big games exclusive?

(Personally, I think what Sony is doing is dirtier)

 

[Frag Maniac]

We all know deep down a capitalist society is better than a communist one, but sometimes you have to wonder how much better.

Just kidding, screw the commies!

 

[Pifanjr]

Consumers are at least getting happy developers out of it, who in turn have the opportunity to make better games.

 

[Barukanen]

It seems Sony has a much dirtier approach to the same end goal as Microsoft. It's just that you can see Microsoft buying up all the developers publicly, this doesn't make it right but it's something that Sony could have also done.

The way Sony approaches it, just seems shady by keeping it undercovers and back handed envelopes to developers.

The silver lining as a PC Gamer you get access to all of the launchers, game passes and slowly Sony exclusives.

 

[Colif]

Microsoft... who used to pay Motherbaord makers to only support windows... yeah, they totally have a clean record and want to act like victims lol

 

[Zloth]

Wait a second, paid to keep it OFF a platform instead of ON a platform?? That has some interesting possibilities. You could simply write a shell of a game, show it off to the big companies, get paid not to release it on various stores, then don't release it at all. Easy profits!

 

[WoodenSaucer]

Wait a second, paid to keep it OFF a platform instead of ON a platform?? That has some interesting possibilities. You could simply write a shell of a game, show it off to the big companies, get paid not to release it on various stores, then don't release it at all. Easy profits!

You'd have to have a "game" that somebody would want to keep off of another platform, though.

 

[ZedClampet]

What is dirtier? What Sony is doing, or MS buying up all the big studios and making some big games exclusive?

(Personally, I think what Sony is doing is dirtier)

In all honesty, Microsoft is just trying to catch up. Sony has a bunch of high profile studios. Who would you rather have Naughty Dog or Bethesda? We're PC guys so we probably say Bethesda, but the real answer isn't as clear. Of course, Bethesda brought Id and Machine Games with them. Then Sony has other hit machines like Insomniac, Bend, Guerilla, and about 20 more. Activision/Blizzard is a mess, but will even the field quite a bit, but they aren't as reliable as a Sony studio. People hate them at least half the time. All these other studios Microsoft bought are small change except maybe for Obsidian, but that's another one I'm biased on because they were always a PC dev.

Before all these purchases, Xbox was in really bad shape. They were basically Halo, Forza and a big, steaming pile of garbage.

 

[WoodenSaucer]

In all honesty, Microsoft is just trying to catch up. Sony has a bunch of high profile studios. Who would you rather have Naughty Dog or Bethesda? We're PC guys so we probably say Bethesda, but the real answer isn't as clear. Of course, Bethesda brought Id and Machine Games with them. Then Sony has other hit machines like Insomniac, Bend, Guerilla, and about 20 more. Activision/Blizzard is a mess, but will even the field quite a bit, but they aren't as reliable as a Sony studio. People hate them at least half the time. All these other studios Microsoft bought are small change except maybe for Obsidian, but that's another one I'm biased on because they were always a PC dev.

Yeah, good point. I'd say Bethesda, but Naughty Dog would be awesome. I've never had a PlayStation (well, other than PS2), so I don't think I've played their games. Uncharted looks awesome, though. I think I'd probably like them at least as much as Tomb Raider.

 

[ZedClampet]

Yeah, good point. I'd say Bethesda, but Naughty Dog would be awesome. I've never had a PlayStation (well, other than PS2), so I don't think I've played their games. Uncharted looks awesome, though. I think I'd probably like them at least as much as Tomb Raider.

I couldn't exactly tell you why, but I enjoyed Uncharted 4 quite a bit more then the original Tomb Raider reboot, which are the only two in each series that I played (and I didn't come close to finishing Tomb Raider). I think it was a combination of level design and dialogue. In Uncharted 4 you had an NPC with you most of the time, and my memory of it is that it was pretty hilarious at times.

 

[WoodenSaucer]

I couldn't exactly tell you why, but I enjoyed Uncharted 4 quite a bit more then the original Tomb Raider reboot, which are the only two in each series that I played (and I didn't come close to finishing Tomb Raider). I think it was a combination of level design and dialogue. In Uncharted 4 you had an NPC with you most of the time, and my memory of it is that it was pretty hilarious at times.

I played and beat Tomb Raider 2013, and I liked it quite a bit. I haven't played through the other ones yet. I do have them, though. But Uncharted does seem like it would be a lot of fun.

 

[Barukanen]

Wait a second, paid to keep it OFF a platform instead of ON a platform?? That has some interesting possibilities. You could simply write a shell of a game, show it off to the big companies, get paid not to release it on various stores, then don't release it at all. Easy profits!

Someone tell @Ryzengang that this is the future! Not STEAM Trading Cards!

 

[Frag Maniac]

The more I think about this topic, the more silly my POV gets regarding these big game publishers.

Microsoft

"Up to your dirty game blocking bribes again Sony?"

Sony

"Splish splash baby, we was just takin a bath to clean off all that monopoly trash you're tryin ta reign down on us!"

Needless to say this isn't a Rub a Dub Dub Three Men in a Tub situation when it comes to Microsoft, Sony, and Epic. These guys act more immature than most gamers.