The bold part is what I'm curious about. Did they just reveal that Microsoft is going the casual route?:|

Jonathan Blow Clarifies The Witness PS4 Exclusivity

The Witness could launch on PC or iOS simultaneously with the PS4 release.

Nearly four years after first teasing his follow-up to Braid, game designer Jonathan Blowshowed offThe Witness as a timed PS4 exclusive at Wednesday's PlayStation Meeting. Blow clarified the announcement on the game's website today, explaining that the statement of exclusivity only referred to consoles. "You will see the game on the PlayStation 4 for a while before you will see it on the Wii U or the rumored next Microsoft console... This exclusivity does not prevent us from being on the PC or iOS at launch, for example," Blow wrote.

He also divulged some of the reasoning for going with the PlayStation 4 for The Witness' console debut, which he says had nothing to do with money:

"To launch a high-spec version of the game on a console, it came down to a choice between the next Microsoft console or the next Sony console. There were people at Sony who really liked the game and were keeping in touch with us about it, and so we naturally started going to their PS4 developer events, got a dev kit, and started playing with it. I don't have good communication with anyone at Microsoft right now, but all our technical people like the PS4 specs a lot more than the leaked Durango specs, and we like the positioning of the PS4 (it's about games) more than what we perceive Microsoft's positioning is going to be. So we just found ourselves doing a PS4 port. And once we are doing that, it is not practical for us also to think about another console port."

Blow added that he decided not to go with a PS3 or Xbox 360 version because of those consoles' technical limitations and the amount of work in porting The Witnessto them. While the decision to launchThe Witnesson the PS4 may have been the result of timing, system specs, and a good relationship with Sony, Blow was required to pledge console exclusivity in order to show off the game at the PlayStation Meeting: "To be in the show we signed a timed exclusivity for competing consoles. But this was just a formalization of something that was already going to be the case."

Of course, this isn't an announcement thatThe Witnesswill appear on PC, iOS, or any other console; Blow is just clarifying when that would be a possibility. The release date and non-PS4 platforms forThe Witnesshave yet to be announced, but we'll surely hear more about the puzzle game as we get closer to the console's holiday 2013 release.

poor lems :(

I'd be shocked if it wasn't on PC, but Sony clearly has a an impressive machine. Meanwhile, every rumor surrounding the Durango sounds awful, so the console choice makes sense.

Uhh, read the whole sentence that you bolded part of.

"I don't have good communication with anyone at Microsoft right now, but all our technical people like the PS4 specs a lot more than the leaked Durango specs"

They're going on 'leaked' specs, no confirm.

Uhh, read the whole sentence that you bolded part of.

"I don't have good communication with anyone at Microsoft right now, but all our technical people like the PS4 specs a lot more than the leaked Durango specs"

They're going on 'leaked' specs, no confirm.

Inconsistancy

Uhh, read the whole sentence that you bolded part of.

"I don't have good communication with anyone at Microsoft right now, but all our technical people like the PS4 specs a lot more than the leaked Durango specs"

They're going on 'leaked' specs, no confirm.

Inconsistancy

Microsoft (IMO) is focusing on a Kinect based console (Every developer will have to incorporate Kinect in one way or another to make games on the new Xbox). That's how I see it anyway. Microsoft is really gonna push Kinect on their next console.

Uhh, read the whole sentence that you bolded part of.

"I don't have good communication with anyone at Microsoft right now, but all our technical people like the PS4 specs a lot more than the leaked Durango specs"

They're going on 'leaked' specs, no confirm.

Inconsistancy

Microsoft (IMO) is focusing on a Kinect based console (Every developer will have to incorporate Kinect in one way or another to make games on the new Xbox). That's how I see it anyway. Microsoft is really gonna push Kinect on their next console.

dream431ca

Well they've spent over a billion on Kinect, I see them pushing Kinect next gen more than ever before since each system will have it built in and not just an add-on.

"He said that the Sony deal doesn't keep him from also launching the The Witness on PC or iOS at launch"

Thank the gaming gods he went with Sony then. If it were exclusive on the next Xbox MS would want none of that, even when PC is one of their own platforms.

"He said that the Sony deal doesn't keep him from also launching the The Witness on PC or iOS at launch"

Thank the gaming gods he went with Sony then. If it were exclusive on the next Xbox MS would want none of that, even when PC is one of their own platforms.

R4gn4r0k

Good point.

[QUOTE="R4gn4r0k"]

"He said that the Sony deal doesn't keep him from also launching the The Witness on PC or iOS at launch"

Thank the gaming gods he went with Sony then. If it were exclusive on the next Xbox MS would want none of that, even when PC is one of their own platforms.

dream431ca

Good point.

[QUOTE="dream431ca"]

[QUOTE="R4gn4r0k"]

"He said that the Sony deal doesn't keep him from also launching the The Witness on PC or iOS at launch"

Thank the gaming gods he went with Sony then. If it were exclusive on the next Xbox MS would want none of that, even when PC is one of their own platforms.

clyde46

Good point.

And I stopped caring about them years ago, even my Xbox is catching dust. They thought PC gamers would move over to Xbox if they dropped PC support. They didn't.

[QUOTE="clyde46"][QUOTE="dream431ca"]

Good point.

R4gn4r0k

And I stopped caring about them years ago, even my Xbox is catching dust. They thought PC gamers would move over to Xbox if they dropped PC support. They didn't.

[QUOTE="clyde46"][QUOTE="dream431ca"]

Good point.

R4gn4r0k

And I stopped caring about them years ago, even my Xbox is catching dust. They thought PC gamers would move over to Xbox if they dropped PC support. They didn't.

PC = open platform

Xbox = constrictive platform

That might have something to do with it. Plus the Xbox is "locked" until you pay for xbox live to "unlock" the console.

MS had tons of great PC games. Shame they let them fall by the wayside.clyde46

They had many great Xbox games too, but stopped focussing on them in favor of Kinect. The result is we are left with just one 360 game this year: Gears of War Judgement. :|

PC = open platform

Xbox = constrictive platform

That might have something to do with it. Plus the Xbox is "locked" until you pay for xbox live to "unlock" the console.

dream431ca

It's something Sony realises as well I think. That PC is not in direct competition with them like Nintendo and MS are.

[QUOTE="Inconsistancy"]

Uhh, read the whole sentence that you bolded part of.

"I don't have good communication with anyone at Microsoft right now, but all our technical people like the PS4 specs a lot more than the leaked Durango specs"

They're going on 'leaked' specs, no confirm.

clyde46

Lems be cried :cool:

Glad to see someone made a thread on this, I posted about it in the PS4 sticky, but it got buried seconds later :P

It's interesting, do you think that he actually knows what direction MS will take with the Nextbox and what specs they are going to use?  He can't just come out and say that he knows, cause that would break some sort of nondisclosure agreement, so he would have to be careful with his wording and make sure he uses words like "rumor" and "think".

Maybe I am just thinking to far into this, at the very least we'll find out soon what direction MS will take when they unveil their console.  And maybe they'll even talk specs, I doubt it though, unless it is more powerful than the PS4.

Glad to see someone made a thread on this, I posted about it in the PS4 sticky, but it got buried seconds later :P

It's interesting, do you think that he actually knows what direction MS will take with the Nextbox and what specs they are going to use?  He can't just come out and say that he knows, cause that would break some sort of disclosure contract, so he would have to be careful with his wording and make sure he uses words like "rumor" and "think".

Maybe I am just thinking to far into this, at the very least we'll find out soon what direction MS will take when they unveil their console.  And maybe they'll even talk specs, I doubt it though, unless it is more powerful than the PS4.

-Patrick_92-

"Blow added that he decided not to go with a PS3 or Xbox 360 version because of those consoles' technical limitations and the amount of work in porting The Witnessto them"

But ios is just fine? Hmmm. Weird.

PC Gamers should be pleased.

If he had went with MS everyone else would have got the game as a 6 months late port.

[QUOTE="dream431ca"]

[QUOTE="R4gn4r0k"]

"He said that the Sony deal doesn't keep him from also launching the The Witness on PC or iOS at launch"

Thank the gaming gods he went with Sony then. If it were exclusive on the next Xbox MS would want none of that, even when PC is one of their own platforms.

clyde46

Good point.

After GFWL failed they did everything they could to sway players to Xbox e.g. Not porting their sequels to PC, making certain games Vista only...etc

[QUOTE="clyde46"][QUOTE="dream431ca"]

Good point.

Obviously_Right

After GFWL failed they did everything they could to sway players to Xbox e.g. Not porting their sequels to PC, making certain games Vista only...etc

Wasn't this EXACTLY Sony's issue at the start of the PS3 generation?  They just acted like every game developer should approach them and as a result, MS beat Sony to the punch on a lot of third party exclusives and woo'd away some cross-platform action?

My my, how the tables have turned.  Technical debate and Kinect aside, Microsoft is clearly asleep at the wheel.  Funny how much things can change.

Wasn't this EXACTLY Sony's issue at the start of the PS3 generation?  They just acted like every game developer should approach them and as a result, MS beat Sony to the punch on a lot of third party exclusives and woo'd away some cross-platform action?

 

My my, how the tables have turned.  Technical debate and Kinect aside, Microsoft is clearly asleep at the wheel.  Funny how much things can change.

Shewgenja

[QUOTE="Shewgenja"]

Wasn't this EXACTLY Sony's issue at the start of the PS3 generation?  They just acted like every game developer should approach them and as a result, MS beat Sony to the punch on a lot of third party exclusives and woo'd away some cross-platform action?

 

My my, how the tables have turned.  Technical debate and Kinect aside, Microsoft is clearly asleep at the wheel.  Funny how much things can change.

clyde46

Poor lems the next Xbox will offically be the KinectU Box.

Im not surprised tbh, Blow's fat ego if I recall correctly had him bashing everything around the Braid release, Microsoft included. And he hasn't revealed anything other than whats he's read in leaks and what he perceives them to be up to. He's knows nothing more than us (i.e nothing).RR360DD

[QUOTE="RR360DD"]Im not surprised tbh, Blow's fat ego if I recall correctly had him bashing everything around the Braid release, Microsoft included. And he hasn't revealed anything other than whats he's read in leaks and what he perceives them to be up to. He's knows nothing more than us (i.e nothing).Shewgenja

Im basing this on what Blow said himself.

"our technical people like the PS4 specs a lot more than the leaked Durango specs" indicates they only know the specs based on the leaks, which could be false or out-of-date for all we know.

"we like the positioning of the PS4 (it's about games) more than what we perceive Microsoft's positioning is going to be." indicates he's guessing. He doesn't know what Microsofts positioning is going to be

[QUOTE="Shewgenja"][QUOTE="RR360DD"]Im not surprised tbh, Blow's fat ego if I recall correctly had him bashing everything around the Braid release, Microsoft included. And he hasn't revealed anything other than whats he's read in leaks and what he perceives them to be up to. He's knows nothing more than us (i.e nothing).RR360DD

Im basing this on what Blow said himself.

"our technical people like the PS4 specs a lot more than the leaked Durango specs" indicates they only know the specs based on the leaks, which could be false or out-of-date for all we know.

"we like the positioning of the PS4 (it's about games) more than what we perceive Microsoft's positioning is going to be." indicates he's guessing. He doesn't know what Microsofts positioning is going to be

[QUOTE="RR360DD"]

[QUOTE="Shewgenja"] Developers never talk to one another. I will etch your assumption in stone.Shewgenja

Im basing this on what Blow said himself.

"our technical people like the PS4 specs a lot more than the leaked Durango specs" indicates they only know the specs based on the leaks, which could be false or out-of-date for all we know.

"we like the positioning of the PS4 (it's about games) more than what we perceive Microsoft's positioning is going to be." indicates he's guessing. He doesn't know what Microsofts positioning is going to be

Which would indicate .... he knows nothing. If he actually knew stuff about the console, then like you said he wouldn't be talking about it.

I'd be shocked if it wasn't on PC, but Sony clearly has a an impressive machine. Meanwhile, every rumor surrounding the Durango sounds awful, so the console choice makes sense.

DarkLink77

The ps4 leaks were legit,but duragons leaks are not legit? lol lems.Yes some stuff could change,but nothing big if they really want to lauch this year.

The ps4 leaks were legit,but duragons leaks are not legit? lol lems.Yes some stuff could change,but nothing big if they really want to lauch this year.

reynal1287

I don't know what they could possibly change this late. They can't change to GDDR5 RAM but they could possibly just double up to 16GB DDR3 RAM that's probably the only thing they could do. It's too late unless they delay.

The game will be ported even on iOS. So it has nothing to do with the specs of the next xbox if an ipad can handle it.

After GFWL failed they did everything they could to sway players to Xbox e.g. Not porting their sequels to PC, making certain games Vista only...etc

Obviously_Right

They started switching their studios to Xbox development before that, once the Xbox was out MS began focussing more on that and less on PC. 

GFWL was a disaster, what killed it was having to have a XBL gold subscription to play online. That was a massive slap in the face for PC gamers who had been used to playing online for free. clyde46

We would have seen that as a slap in the face if that would have been the only way to play online. People just went 'meh' because of all the other free options there were.

What killed it was MS dropping support for it when they noticed people weren't willing to pay. Instead of trying different methods of money income (like how Valve makes money from steam, EA from Origin and Ubisoft from Uplay eventhough those don't require subscriptions) they just gave up after a single try. In return developers gave up on GFWL and now not a single game coming out uses it anymore.

"Try once and if it fails stop trying" is not really an effective business strategy Microsoft...

edit: on a sidenote though it seems like MS is willing to give PC gaming another try, seeing as how they released Mark of The Ninja and Deadlight on PC last year. It's not the support PC once got, but at least it's something :)

Add an "s" to his last name, and I'd lololol everytime he was mentioned. I like Braid though, if that's the same dude. All these developers that talk too much about the industry are the same to me.freedomfreak

Yeah it's him. I liked Braid too, but this game seems completely different, don't know if I will like it.

Yeah it's him. I liked Braid too, but this game seems completely different, don't know if I will like it.R4gn4r0k