Namco Bandai used Microsoft funds to develop Tales of Vesperia PS3

Posted Sep 15, 2009 at 10:21PM by Mabie A. Listed in: PS3, Xbox 360 Tags: Japan, Microsoft, Namco Bandai, SCE, Sony

0

A Japanese game developer has let out a bombshell on his blog, saying that Microsoft did pay off Namco Bandai to secure an "exclusive" Xbox 360 release for Tales of Vesperia. Hold it, though. That's not the best bit. The more interesting part is that Namco used the Microsoft subsidy to cut down the costs of the development of the PS3 version. In essence, therefore, Microsoft paid for the PS3 version's development.

That got your attention, didn't it? There's more. He said that Sony actually intervened and threatened them into adding "massive amounts of new content" or else the green light won't be given for them to release on Sony's console at all.

Here, let's hear it straight from the horse's mouth:

First off, it was easier developing for the Xbox 360. This is to do with the games I was involved with, but basically if you sign an exclusive contract with Microsoft (you wonÂ’t release it on other hardware for a year or similar), they will give you a lot of cash for development.

Their support is also very fast and complete in these cases.

SCE donÂ’t really give much cash out (any at all perhaps). Their support is confused and unreliable. When I was doing it at least, the 360 was easier to develop for, which lowers costs.

As a result, first we developed for the Xbox, reducing development costs. But the Xbox version wonÂ’t sell [in Japan], you canÂ’t recoup even those lowered costs at all.

So we ported to the PS3, itÂ’s cheaper as you already have the game done, but then Sony came back and told us Â‘We wonÂ’t recognise it if itÂ’s the same as the Xbox 360 version. Make sure you put in a lot of extra stuff!Â’

If we didnÂ’t then they wouldnÂ’t have let us pass their checkÂ…

The said developer aired this insider laundry out in response to the complaints of Tales of Vesperia Xbox 360 fans regarding the supposed exclusivity of the game, and how Namco Bandai is carrying out "underhanded" and "unfair" tactics for putting in more on the PS3 version than on the Xbox 360.

Translated text via [Sankaku Complex]

Via Ameblo

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Comments

# they learned a lesson — spacewiz 2009-09-15 17:24

it seems trying to buy as many exclusives as possible has had a major backfire

# so..... — damien1986 2009-09-15 17:26

in a way, they did use microsoft's money to create a better game for the ps3?

thank you microsoft...

# >> — pure 2009-09-15 17:48

This article is funny on so many levels.

# omg...irony — D3ATH_4N6EL 2009-09-15 18:02

we love you microsoft for helping ps3

lol

# smaaaarrt! — Navani 2009-09-15 18:41

hahaha that was clever.. And I don't think they're breaking any laws or anything either. Whoever thought of this plan was brilliant

# LMAO!!! — deadlyangel91792 2009-09-15 18:45

Ok usually i dont post comments but this is hilarious.I agree with navani on this one whoever thought of this is a damn genius.seriously i just cant express how funny this is,i just hope they release the ps3 version in the usa does anyone know if its coming to the us or at least europe so i can import????

# ... — Masemune 2009-09-15 18:56

LOL

# ??? — papajag 2009-09-15 19:00

What's so bad about buying exclusives? It's a great way to get games made for your console. It may have backfired and may seem unfair but at least MS tried to keep their fans happy(so that they can sell more consoles too).

Anyways this is one of the many RPGs that is good this gen. It's worth the buy for those that have only the PS3.

MS must have seen this coming because it's only a timed exclusive.

# Japan sound track — typerice 2009-09-15 19:23

I hope the add the Japanese sound track to PS3 version, unlike some other RPG we know about *cough* FF XIII *cough*

# lmao lmao lmao — hush404 2009-09-15 19:38

Ahh that stings eh?

MS "buys" off namco/bandi - later Sony says "You'd better make it awesomeer for making us wait" and so N/B takes MS's money to make the PS3 port. Pure genius.

There's a prob with buying off devs to make sure you have an exclusive! Less you wanna be handing money out forever... it's eventually going to come to an end and the company port over to the other. MUCH better to just support studios and make strong bonds (ie - Sony/insomniac).

# I think its funny — cloudhaacker 2009-09-15 19:45

I think that its funny that 360 owners are complaining that ps3 is getting more content than they are - the opposite is usually the case when games are ported to the ps3. I own all 3 current gen consoles, and I really like buying games for my PS3 for the better graphics (usually-ghostbusters suprised me in that the 360 version looks better) but I'm always disappointed with the lack of extras for those games. I don't know why they don't spend a little extra time & money to port the dlc from 360 to ps3 - and vice versa. They already know how & have all the tools in place obviously, so why not make a little more money? Anyway, I love this article-good stuff!

# lol.. — Freya 2009-09-15 19:48

*couch* dumbass *cough*

Did you not play FFX? They used original sound track.

# This just in — phiyuku 2009-09-15 20:07

Rockstar's huge sum of money from Microsoft for exclusive DLC paid not helped but paid for the development of Agent for PS3

# agreed — yourmistakes 2009-09-15 20:17

@typerice: its bull$#!7, amirite

@Freya: i don't see anybody talking about FFX

# mmm... — Seoulfood 2009-09-15 20:22

I wouldnt say it backfired. They wouldnt have sold nearly as many copies as they did if this had originally been announced for both systems. Essentially, the game was exclusive for as long as it mattered. That is not to say that the PS3 version wont sell a crap ton of copies though.

# Lol — Digitus 2009-09-15 21:42

It is really funny I have to agree. I bought Vesperia for 360 and thoroughly enjoyed it. And Sony probably realized nobody would buy a game for 60$ if they could get it for 20$ so they figured make it worthwhile by adding a ton of new content. So they win, I'd buy it again if it comes out here in the states on launch day. Next to Abyss (for the fantastic storyline and character development) Vesperia is my favorite Tales game.

# .. — NarooN 2009-09-15 22:12

Yeah, it's ironic and all, but what caught my eye just made me hate Sony more than I already do. This generation, for whatever reason, Sony just doesn't care about any devs except the 1st party ones. First, they blew it with the price, then they blew it with the lack of online features from the start, then they blew it with the developer relationships. Sony has no one but themselves to blame for a piss-poor performance in 2006-2008.

# ... — Musev 2009-09-15 22:44

"What's so bad about buying exclusives? It's a great way to get games made for your console."

Its good for companies maybe but not for "gamers"

3rd party stuff should not be exclusive to anything. Anyone other than the company that gets it, that's happy over exclusive content is a *****ing idiot.

and microsoft dont do it to keep fans happy, if they dont profit they dont do it. how deluded are you ffs.

# ..... — Musev 2009-09-15 22:51

I think they took their support for granted being so big last gen and no-one liking the 360 when it first came out iirc.. they probably thought they could get away with being lazy.

this is what M$ could end up like next gen after having so many idiots defending the 360 like its their breadline, even though it breaks so much.

# this is worse — RICH_OV_HULL 2009-09-16 02:29

this is no different to what i.b.m did to sony!. i.b.m used the cell technology which sony had paid for to develop the chip for the xbox 360 and microsoft ended up getting their console to market a year ahead of sony so basically sony paid for the development of the xbox 360 and cut its development time due to i.b.ms underhand tactics

# no flames but... — danielakadanny 2009-09-16 05:09

didn't microsoft have another deal with someone else since the CBE had problems so they went with I think its called the xenon or something like that

# ^ — sony_player 2009-09-16 07:53

I disagree completely, I love exclusives and wish there were more of them. I have all consoles and I want to get my money out of them, if other gamers can't get a game because they don't have the system, their loss; i don't care. Besides exclusives have way more hype leading up to them in most cases.

# I meant the Japanese Audio track — typerice 2009-09-16 08:21

I meant to say that we wont see the Japanese Audio track in the US version. We will not hear the Japanese audio track on the PS3 version because I will not fit on the Xbox dvds. I hope the English dub isnt horrible like some other dubs I have seen.

# Yeah.... — Shatterdome 2009-09-16 08:36

This is really the first generation where a 1st party is paying 3rd parties for their development costs. The only reason for it is because MS has so much money to throw around.

Sony didn't do this with ps1/2, nintendo doesn't do it, Sega never did it, only MS.

The only area Sony fell short on with 3rd party support was with SDK kits, and honestly they were probably ok, just not as simple and easy as Microsoft's. This is no surprise because 360 uses a Direct X environment that is almost identical to the PC, so those tools have been in the works for basically a decade.

It is a big fact that because of the new shift in technology (mainly multiple cpu/core systems) that dev costs have gone through the roof. Third parties are looking to cut costs anywhere and if they can get free money and release on the system with the most units, then of course they will take it.

# nope... — Shatterdome 2009-09-16 08:39

All 3 chips in all 3 consoles are made by IBM.

They did use some of the same ideas in Cell in the 360's cpu, but the designs are still very much different.

There is a reason IBM is still using Cell boards to make the worlds fastest super computers, and not the general purpose cpu that is in the 360...

# Freya... — Shatterdome 2009-09-16 08:41

I guess you didn't read the article where they said 360 and PS3 version will be identical and that there will only be english because both soundtracks will not fit on dvd ?

# We'll probably see Japanese audio — kupomogli 2009-09-19 11:54

You're thinking of FF13 because Square wants to downgrade the PS3 version because the 360 version is on DVD.

The PS3 version is already better, so I doubt Namco is thinking of dropping dual audio.

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