Square Enix may actually understand its audience after all, as the publisher's European and North American boss Phil Rogers has admitted that the company knew it would "disappoint fans" by essentially delaying the PlayStation 4 version of Rise of the Tomb Raider. The company still seems adamant that this was a good business move, though – despite the franchise's biggest audience being in Europe, where Sony's system is currently cleaning up the competition.
"I hope fans know that it wasn't an easy decision," said Rogers, presumably while staring at a briefcase packed to the brim with Bill Gates-branded dollar bills. "I think that any sort of partnership at this level is a decision that took a long time for us to get to. The decision at a studio level, we took very, very seriously. We knew that it would, in the short-term, disappoint fans."
So why sign the deal – apart from the truck of cash that was dumped outside its office? Bizarrely, the company believes that it will actually help the franchise to grow. "What we saw in Microsoft, which is probably not as well known, is that Microsoft's passion for Tomb Raider is amazing," added Rogers. "Having been working with us on previous games in a lesser sense, they've been supportive. [However], for Rise of the Tomb Raider, they've just brought this passion and belief that has really enabled us to blow people away."
And that's all well and good, but the Redmond-based organisation's going to have to drop a seismic bomb decorated with Lara Croft's face if it intends to overcome Fallout 4's marketing blitz this 10th November on Xbox platforms only. Of course, we now know that the game's due out Holiday 2016 on the PS4, so we're not going to be bitter. Instead, we'll just wish the organisation the very best of luck.
[source examiner.com, via videogamer.com]
Comments 51
I don't think this is a huge deal, i mean Laura Croft is a bad ass adventure, but the PS4 has its own exclusive resident adventurer also in Nathan Drake, and he's coming out with games soon.
I think PS4 players are more amused by their hilarious business gaff.
We have an Uncharted Trilogy this fall, plus Fallout the same day, and Metal Gear, so when would I play Lara Croft? Next fall, with all of its DLC for less money. That's when.
let the big head corp play his game...ps4 gamers have plenty to fill the gap..lol
@GhastlyMagician Laura Croft is this a new franchise? Ive never understood the love for tomb raider, when the original released I had Ocarina of Time and Mario 64 on the N64. Tomb Raider was a horrible experience. I for one couldn't care less and would much prefer Zelda to be released on the Ps4.
Laughable really...
Meanwhile at Square Enix Towers:
@GhastlyMagician Maybe, but she started on PlayStation. It was the PS fanbase that got that character to where they are today. So it's definitely a slap in the face to the fans who helped make TR a big franchise to begin with.
@themcnoisy I played TR2 back on PSone and didn't enjoy it at all. But I do enjoy the reboot version more than the classic TR games. It's worth giving the reboot a try, especially when it's so cheap to get a copy.
@mineralrich Yeah I seen it for £15 in Smyths toy store about half an hour ago. I'm unlikely to pick it up. We all know Knack, Killzone, Tomb Raider and Black Flag will end up on Ps plus sooner rather than later.
So they believe they can grow the franchise by alienating the biggest section of it's potential customer base and the console maker that helped establish it in the first place? Genius, I'd have loved to have been there when this was so decided. So then shall we sell our game to all console owners or should we ignore these 20 million customers and just sell to the 7 million over here? At least just admit you did it for the money
Well I for one will not be buying this when you can be bothered trying to sell it to me.
@themcnoisy Hmm, I think Tomb Raider for PS3 did hit PS+, at least in the US (not sure about in your region). Although, based on the games you mentioned, you probably don't have a PS3 at the moment - or conveniently in storage .
Might buy it when it's in the bargain bin second hand for £7. Maybe. But by the the time it's out it will be old news, so won't be excited to buy it new, that's for certain. Delaying it into 2016 for PS4 is risky.
@BLPs Somebody should sue him for making an annoying meme.
Whatever, if it eventually ends up on PS4 nobody will care about the Xbox version anyway. lel
Cut the bullsh*t, Squeenix
@BLPs I'll take the risk.
Which basically means that they are KNOWINGLY idiotic!
Translated as "We know it will upset PlayStation and PC players but we're going to do it anyway". What's really going to set this game back is that it's on Xbox 360 too. Graphically it looks ok but nothing special and so far the gameplay looks like something Uncharted did 5 years ago.
".....However, for Rise of the Tomb Raider, they've just brought this passion and belief that has really enabled us to blow people"
Why am I not surprised?
If they actually understood their fans they probably wouldn't have done this in the first place. Was alienating a whole player base worth it?
If Squeenix plays it right this will still sell big on PS4. Just look at all the recent game issues Day 1. And look at Bayonetta on PS3 vs Xbox360. PS4 should get a new and improved version w/ a years worth of customer feedback. Considering how many PS3 games have sold remastered on PS4, well this is just an X1 game remastered on PS4. Possibly also a Directors Cut w/ some DLC thrown in.
Only way they screw this up is if it's just the same game. If that's the case, it deserves bad sales. But I don't see sales being zero, unless the game is that bad, the PS4 consumer is preconditioned to repurchase old games.
I don't care about Lara anymore, I'm more interested in the new PS-only girl Aloy, in Horizon Zero Dawn
@glassmusic Tomb Raider was actually released first on the Sega Saturn - but the series did become big after its Playstation port.
On topic; Square Enix are twats.
Phil Rogers, please...
All I keep is general remarks like MS's passion for TR. What does that even mean? Nothing? Just BS and no one is falling for that.
Hope MS's "passion" was worth the loss of sales this will (hopefully) result in.
"We knew we would alienate the biggest TR fanbases but that paycheck was so good that we needed too.........we still care and appreciate our PC and PS fanbases but the money was wonderful, not as great as our f.............no sorry, the money was too good to resist"
Also nope I don't wish them the best of luck, hope it bombs and MS/SQEnix lose millions.
I'd just stop talking about this if I were somebody at SE or Crystal Dynamics. The deal happened, at least it's coming to PS4 eventually (though I don't think it'll sell for sh*t). I was furious when I first heard about it and even last week when it was initially announced to be coming to PS4. But the anger more stems from the fact these idiots keep talking about how they want to 'grow' the franchise so what do you do? You cut out the two biggest fanbases on PS4 and PC for one year and anywhere from 3-6 months. Dumb. And what's worse is that the talk surrounding this game continues to be about this deal and not how good it actually seems to be. Not how you build hype or grow a franchise. But as I say a lot, it is what it is. If this does bomb hard hopefully SE gives up on the franchise and sells it to a company not run by jacka$$ses. Just thinking about the possibilities of a new company getting the series is fun. A Nintendo-made Tomb Raider? Maybe Sony Santa Monica? Either would be awesome.
@Boerewors
LOL. But on the real. That was my favorite quote. So much bullsh*t in that one. MS brought more 'belief' to Rise of the Tomb Raider than Sony in the sense that it dropped a dump truck full of $$$ on SE's lawn. I really hate these corporate a-holes. Again, Sony does these deals to so I'm not going to crush MS, but I will go after SE for bullsh*tting me and trying to insult my intelligence. Most of us who play Tomb Raider, who grew up with the series, are in our late 20s to mid 30s now. Cut the crap and just tell us the truth.
The guy making the excuses is sounding more like a jerk than anything else. Unless Microsoft recouped SE for the potential losses on doing this deal, it really isn't a money maker at this point.
Language -Tasuki-
@rjejr
It's going to be the same freaking game with some lame costume and weapon DLC for $60. If it sells big, it's going to be because Sony will have nothing for the holidays for the 3rd straight year. If Horizon or maybe even the new God of War is the big holiday game next year, PS4 gamers should skip right on by Rise of the Tomb Raider. I know I would.
@Gamer83 - "It's going to be the same freaking game with some lame costume and weapon DLC for $60."
That's kind of a contradictory statement, no? If it's the Definitive Edition w/ all DLC for the same price, or less, for the original, then it isn't the same game, is it? And if they don't spend that year uping the res or FPS or something to justify the wait then it should bomb. If X1 hits 1080p and 30fps and PS4 gets 60fps then that's something to market.
But you're also right, depends what else is available on PS4 when it releases. We still don't have an Uncharted 4 date do we?
I think the PC release being in "early 2016" could exacerbate the X1 vs PS4 time frame. 22mil PS4 vs 13mil X1 means there are more PS4 owners than X1 owners, but I think there are more PC gamers (though I have zero in the way of facts or #s to back that up, merely a hunch.)
You think the X1 - Win10 connectivity will get people interested in X1 more? Think they'll use that to market RotTR? Win 10 being free should at least get X1 some marketing exposure.
@themcnoisy She's been around since the PS1 days, and she not a bad heroine, though the early release were (in my opinion) plagued by horrible controls, i just believe we have a game that in the same vein as tomb raider, and will be a whole lot better, coming a whole lot sooner.
@glassmusic Technically you are correct, and if Nathan Drake didn't exist this would defiantly suck a lot more, But Uncharted Plays a whole lot better, so i think when the Nathan Drake Collection and a Thief's End drops, all of the slapped face's might feel a little better.
@rjejr
I'm not really sure what windows 10 is going to do for Xbox One. I worry if anything it's a sign that MS is shifting from the console market. I know most people here hate the Xbox bu to me, less competitors is never a good thing.
So basically what I'm hearing is that Microsoft dropped a bunch of money in front of them and like the whore they are, they took the money
Honestly, this is a very stupid decision and could quite possibly make the game receive less sales because of this. I know personally, after reading this I kinda don't want the game as much, unless it's a bargain price, which it should be when it comes to ps4.
@Gamer83 I wish there was another company trying to compete with Sony though. I have nothing against the XBox, but I despise Microsoft, and will always hope for the downfall of anything they are associated with, even if it meam a stagnant console space.
I crossed Tomb Raider off my list when this was announced. I may pick it up when it hits bargain bin prices of $19.99 or less. I don't think about it or care to. I focus on games that excite me and make me happy.
@thedevilsjester Well there is Nintendo.
The silly part is MS will leave them like they do ever other partnership. MS don't care about TR what they "care" about are sales of Xbox One this holiday season. So SE may well have set back Lara years by doing this but again MS doesn't care (they actually never do believe it or not).
Apparently MS's passion is worth more than the fans ... The cash must have been a crazy amount for Sqeenix to risk all this backlash and pissing off its largest fan base . Despite all this they act like everything will turn out ok regardless
Lol...i can just imagine someone at microsoft sat in an office cold calling devs and simply asking "how much?"....
Wothout knowing how big that truckload of cash was, we will never truly understand the entire story. I do find it strange that before the remaster, all we heard was how disapointed square was with its sales, then the remaster sold better on ps4 than x1 (i remember reading thigs like 2-1 but i would be surprised if it was that much) and made the sequel a viable aaa project. Its a business practice i loath, there should be no "console exclusives", no exlusive time period, but last gen with cod they opened that bag of worms and barely anyone batted an eye. Now its commonplace, and it drives me nuts. I for one will buy the game used, in a way that square sees no money at all from me, if i decide to grab it on my x1 at all.
How did that Microsoft deal workout for Respawn and Titanfall.
They have not piss me off. It tough for big companies to money in the video industry. So if ms offer them am amazing deal, i cannot blame them for taking the offer. When the game get release on ps4 and if it good, they will get my money still.
Some business types really are idiots, there should always be a developer in the room with these fools.
@Aromaiden Nintendo is not trying to compete against Microsoft and Sony in the console space, they are just doing their own thing, for better or worse.
Amazing how companies are willing to piss off their very own fans/customers, all for the sake of some quick cash. Maybe money is the root of all evil after all!
Bad karma SE which I hope will come back and bite you on the ass...
Speak for yourself, I'm bitter as hell!!
I'm not sure how the Microsoft deal will help "take Tomb Raider up to the next level" if it's also being released on the Xbox 360.
Perhaps Phil Rogers thinks it's 356 levels up from the PlayStation 4.
Once again I would be annoyed at this IF Tomb Raider wasn't trying to turn into Uncharted. I'll take Uncharted 4, thanks
@BLPs @rjejr Same here, I expect a GOTY style release with all DLC for a cheaper price.
@BLPs - I'm 48 hours behind on email replies, its too hot to type. OK not really, but working backwards from the newer emails always messes me up. I think it's time for an ice cream break.
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