Death to Exclusives for Multi-platform Games

As I'm sure all the gamers who are looking forward to Batman: Arkham Asylum have heard ...the PS3 version will exclusively feature the Joker as a playable character. I am a proud owner of a PS3 so this actually works to my benefit, but it still upsets me. I personally hate content exclusives for multi-platform games. I think all customers should get the same content regardless of the console they own. I understand that Sony/Microsoft pay for these exclusives, but it just seems so damn unfair to me! Below is one of the "official" articles that confirms that the Joker will be a playable character on the PS3 (courtesy of www.gamingnexus.com):

PS3 owners have got the jump on their 360 counterparts in Batman: Arkham Asylum -- PS3s get The Joker as an exclusive downloadable character to use in the game's Challenge Maps.

The Joker to Be Playable Character in Batman: Arkham Asylum Exclusively for the PLAYSTATION®3 Eidos Interactive and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announce that The Joker will be an exclusive playable character in Batman: Arkham Asylum for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. The character will be made available upon release as a free downloadable character through PlayStation®Network for the PLAYSTATION 3 and can be played in Challenge Maps from the game. Fans can get additional information in the June issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine. In Batman: Arkham Asylum, DC Comics' DARK KNIGHT takes on his greatest challenge yet when he becomes trapped with all of his most dangerous villains inside the insane asylum of GOTHAM CITY - ARKHAM ASYLUM! Batman: Arkham Asylum exposes players to a unique, dark and atmospheric adventure that takes them to the depths of Arkham Asylum – Gotham's psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane. Gamers will move in the shadows, instigate fear amongst their enemies and confront The Joker and Gotham City's most notorious villains who have taken over the asylum. Using a wide range of Batman's gadgets and abilities, players will become the invisible predator and attempt to foil The Joker's demented scheme. Batman: Arkham Asylum features an original story penned exclusively for the game by famous Batman author and five-time Emmy award winner, Paul Dini, whose credits include Lost season one and Batman: The Animated Series.

I think it's dumb too but what are you going to do? :/ Sony and Microsoft like their moneys and they'll each keep doing stupid stuff to do it.

well, seeing as its downloadable you have to buy it and as such is it a complete ripoffshadow_hosi

It's a free download.

I have a 360 it doesn't bother me at all that I can't get the Joker Challenge Map, who the hell actually play's Challenge Maps anyway?

I have a 360 it doesn't bother me at all that I can't get the Joker Challenge Map, who the hell actually play's Challenge Maps anyway?

Miyuki-Chan

the people who buy the PS3 version?

I think its slightly unfair. Its about time PS3 got some content over the 360. Although I do own both consoles though.

I own all the consoles so it doesn't really bother me.

I think it's a great thing. Helps me pick which platform I'm going to buy the game on. I don't miss out on anything and even if i did i doubt I'd care it's not like any of the exclusive content so far has been ground breaking stuff.

I don't really like it.. PS3 owners missing out on GTAIV DLC? 360 owners missing out on PS3 exclusive content? I like exclusive games, but exclusive features and tidbits in multiplatform games is just going a little too far:P

It depends. If a company just pays for some content NOT to appear on any other system then I think it's lame, but if they pay them to make content that otherwise wouldn't had been made it's cool. The problem is that we never know which one it is.ManicAce

The Joker DLC is FREE and it will be available day one.

I'm not going to pay for something that I'm not getting the full version of. The companies just make me not purchase their game. Kcdragon8116

The Joker DLC is FREE. You can only download it for the PS3 version.

I can understand that if a game was ported to another console at a later time and things were added to the game (like RE4 or Tales of Vesperia),other than that I'm not a fan of exclusive content for multiplat games.

I have a 360 it doesn't bother me at all that I can't get the Joker Challenge Map, who the hell actually play's Challenge Maps anyway?

Miyuki-Chan

ok, let's say that it's true that no one plays Challenge Maps .......it's not just about this 1 game or that 1 Challenge Map, it's about developers creating exclusive content for multi-platform games in general. but, i think ManicAce brought up something interesting - and i agree thatit's cool for Microsoft/Sony to pay the developer to create content that otherwise wouldn't have been made ...but I wonder if (sometimes) the developer creates a sort of bidding war between platforms for exclusive content that they have already planned on creating for the game anyway - if that happens, i think it's completely unfair to the gamers who only own the losing console

Yea it's annoying. I wish all third parties stayed multiplatform and the console maker had to dev thier own exclusives.

I dont mind. But then again, im a PC gamer so im used to exclusive free content and/or tons of free community made content.

Its freakin a Batman game whats the big deal about its not like its exclusive dlc for gtaIv. Anyways if I did decide to buy it, I will get the pc edition knowing that there will be a joker mod and lots of other mods I dont have to pay for.

Its freakin a Batman game whats the big deal about its not like its exclusive dlc for gtaIv. Anyways if I did decide to buy it, I will get the pc edition knowing that there will be a joker mod and lots of other mods I dont have to pay for.

druggyjoe3000

i used the Batman game as an example ...im not making a "big deal" about this ONE GAME, i'm talking about ALL multi-platform games in general

It doesn't bother me if the exclusive content is announced before the game comes out but if it it announced after and I already bought the game for the wrong system then it can bug me.

I believe that it's totaly fair! does'nt the 360 get it's fair share of extra content?