This console generation has seen a seismic shift towards the ubiquity of multi-platform releases - something which wasn’t nearly as prevalent during the PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube era. These days the only way for a platform holder like Sony or Microsoft to ensure that a game remains exclusive to their system is to either sign an exclusivity deal with the developer or buy them outright.
Sony has a history of purchasing their most successful third-party developers such as Naughty Dog (acquired in 2001) and Media Molecule (bought in 2010). Today it was announced that Washington-based inFAMOUS and Sly Cooper creators Sucker Punch Productions has also been welcomed into the Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) family.
What this means for consumers is that all Sucker Punch’s games going forward will only appear on Sony platforms. We’ve yet to see a Sucker Punch title on a portable system but if PS Vita proves successful we could well see an inFAMOUS game coming to the handheld.
Sony fans will undoubtedly greet the acquisition with roars of approval. Although multi-platform games can be enjoyed by a wider audience, exclusives are often optimised for the console they appear on and thus we have PS3-only titles like Uncharted 3 which really demonstrate what the hardware is capable of.
Sucker Punch have gone from strength to strength over the years, and the marked improvement between the first inFAMOUS and its sequel goes to show that they’re clearly on an upward spiral. Who knew they would become one of SCE’s key assets when their first game Rocket: Robot on Wheels was released for Nintendo 64 back in 1999.
We wish Sucker Punch all the best for the future and hope they keep on bringing awesome games to the PlayStation platform for many years to come.
Source: IGN
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Comments:
This is definitely significant - while Sucker Punch has had a long lasting relationship with Sony for many years, this will help the studio focus on PlayStation technologies going forward instead of keeping up-to-date with other platforms.
I wonder if it's a relief for platform-exclusive studios to develop for only one console, or if there's always a nagging doubt over their potential audience.
i reckon if you're getting paid well enough and have a high level of job security then it's great developing exclusive content for sony! i just hope sony play their cards right in terms of tapping into the amazing potential of ps vita and how it can operate alongside ps3 - developers need to get on board too!