Rumor: Insomniac Games Going Multiplatform

// March 12, 2010 - Overheard at the Game Developers Conference: Insomniac Games has become a multiplatform developer. The company, best known for the Ratchet & Clank and Resistance franchises, is allegedly creating cross-platform software for both PS3 and Xbox 360, according to a trusted source who spoke with IGN under the condition of anonymity.

Insomniac Games has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with Sony, but remains an independent studio, which affords it the right to create games for any platform should it choose. The company is based in Burbank, California. Earlier this year, Insomniac Games expanded its resources when it opened a new studio in North Carolina.

Last year, an alleged billboard advertising Resistance 3 was said to have been erected during the filming of a forthcoming feature film titled Battle: Los Angeles. Details here. Given that Sony has in the past published the series, it seems unlikely that the first-person shooter -- or, for that matter, Ratchet & Clank, also funded by Sony -- would ever appear on a competitor's console. It seems much more likely that if rumors are true and Insomniac is working on 360, it is creating something altogether new.

We contacted Sony for comment but the company was unable to respond before publish time.

Insomniac Games' president Ted Price said only that the developer does not comment on rumors and speculation.

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WOW...ratchet on the 360 as well as resistance?

that would be HUGE for M$

CDUB316

WOW...ratchet on the 360 as well as resistance?

that would be HUGE for M$

WOW...ratchet on the 360 as well as resistance?

that would be HUGE for M$

CDUB316

Sony owns both Resistance and Ratchet IPs

WOW...ratchet on the 360 as well as resistance?

that would be HUGE for M$

WOW...ratchet on the 360 as well as resistance?

that would be HUGE for M$

CDUB316

reading fail

if they go multiplat they're going to create new IP's to do so

sony will buy them before they can do anything and M$ will buy EPIC games or bungie if they want to make multiplats

sony will buy them before they can do anything and M$ will buy EPIC games or bungie if they want to make multiplats

gugler990

[QUOTE="TheGrat1"]Well, they are indie.... [QUOTE="CDUB316"]

WOW...ratchet on the 360 as well as resistance?

that would be HUGE for M$

Warriorboy1990

oh, well thank god...haha

i have all three systems so it's not like it'd hurt me if those games went to the 360...i just like systems having lots of exclusives to make my purchase more justifiable

:)

Sony owns Insomniac. Its not going to happen. Shiftfallout

Sony owns Insomniac. Its not going to happen. Shiftfallout

Sony owns Insomniac. Its not going to happen. Shiftfallout

Remember this all happen before in 2008

Insomniac is one of the strongest developers focusing on Sony's platform at the moment, and the company's status as a "second party" developer has led many to question whether Sony would finally make a move and scoop the firm up. Insomniac CEO Ted Price has debunked that notion, saying that the company is not looking to be acquired.

With two of the biggest PS3 titles, Resistance: Fall of Man and Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, under its belt, Insomniac has become an attractive company in an acquisition-heavy business. Price conceded that he is constantly approached by those "who are wondering if we want to sell, if we want private equity money." The company remains satisfiedwith its independent ownership.

However, that's not to suggest that the company isn't looking to expand. Price did note that although the company "doesn't have the bandwidth to be able to" create multiplatform games, he did say that he thought it was "impressive to see some of the sales numbers for people who are going cross-platform."

Price ended his comments on the matter by expressing his belief in the PlayStation 3 as a platform, referencing the growing install base and better network services which the team is hoping to leverage with its fall release of Resistance 2.

While many assume that Sony has some stake in Insomniac, in 2007 during a question and answer session on his blog Ted Price repeated the fact that Insomniac is completely independent; Sony has no ownership at all. "We work directly with the first-party divisions at SCEA, SCEE and SCEI," he wrote. "These divisions are responsible for Sony-published titles whether or not the developer is a part of Sony. Therefore even though I guess we're technically 'second party' (or perhaps even 'third party' since agreed-upon definitions don't seem to exist) we've always used the term 'first party.' I realize that it gets pretty confusing."

How long until the financial rewards of cross-platform games give us a Ratchet and Clank title on the Xbox 360, or even the Wii? Who knows, but independence allows Insomniac to react to the market and do what's best for the company, and that could bea positive thing for gamers.

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so i the chances that they wont are higher but its still possible

Sony owns Insomniac. Its not going to happen. Shiftfallout

[QUOTE="gugler990"]

sony will buy them before they can do anything and M$ will buy EPIC games or bungie if they want to make multiplats

Parasomniac

then i think well see multiplats from them

[QUOTE="Parasomniac"][QUOTE="gugler990"]

sony will buy them before they can do anything and M$ will buy EPIC games or bungie if they want to make multiplats

gugler990

then i think well see multiplats from them

Quick Sony better aquire them like now! I kid, if they were, they probably would've by now.

[QUOTE="gugler990"]

[QUOTE="Parasomniac"] Microsoft already let Bungie go. They won't buy them again.lawlessx

then i think well see multiplats from them

why doesnt Ted just answer us this happen before it took him 3 months to answer when he answer it it stop nobody bug him anymore now he just doesnt answer it again then lets bug them

[QUOTE="lawlessx"][QUOTE="gugler990"]

then i think well see multiplats from them

killa4lyfe

It's been rumored for quite some time that Bungie is working on the PS3 and planning to bring titles to it (multiplatform).

As long as it plays better than Resistance 2.

Still haven't got to try new Ratchet yet, loved ToD.

I don't know if Sony owns the IP's, but cool news for 360 owners. Ultimately a good move for Insomniac if true.

IDK, I hope they could bring Ratchet and Clank to the 360 :P

[QUOTE="Shiftfallout"]Sony owns Insomniac. Its not going to happen. Warriorboy1990

[QUOTE="Warriorboy1990"][QUOTE="Shiftfallout"]Sony owns Insomniac. Its not going to happen. Shiftfallout

The ratchet games are fun but are getting really old by now and the resistance games aren't even close to the quality of other major FPS AAA games imo.

I do hope they come out with a new IP as those franchises aren't really anything worth getting excited over imo.

I think they are a clever studio and make good games, but they haven't done anything special in a while.

Holy ****, this would be LOL huge...

And totally unexpected.

Last two games from them have sucked anyway so I don't mind.

[QUOTE="lawlessx"][QUOTE="gugler990"]

then i think well see multiplats from them

killa4lyfe

1) MS owns 49% of Bungie

2) MS has first rights to publish anything coming out of Bungie

3) MS could easily aquire majority stake in the company to prevent that (and im sure they would)

Do you know what a second party developer is? Their IP's and contract agreements, most likely a non-compete clause, with Sony is pretty much the same as being a first party with more independence from the publisher (sony). One of my associates worked at insomniac as well as sony, he pretty much said that they are tied to Sony in just about every way possible. Essentially, in the business world there are only 1st party or third party developers, it always comes down to that one way or another. Insomniac is seen by the industry as a first party developer. In order for Insomniac to develop for multiple consoles, they would have to have Sony let them go AND have to find a third party PUBLISHER (EA, ACTIVISION..ect) to back them. Its the only way, and its not gonna happen.Shiftfallout

Insomniac Games, Inc. is an independent American video game developer founded in 1994 that has released titles for the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3 video game consoles.

[QUOTE="Warriorboy1990"][QUOTE="Shiftfallout"]Sony owns Insomniac. Its not going to happen. Shiftfallout

[QUOTE="killa4lyfe"][QUOTE="lawlessx"] microsoft still supports bungie in game development..so chances are they wont developer outside the 360 and PC.navyguy21

1) MS owns 49% of Bungie

2) MS has first rights to publish anything coming out of Bungie

3) MS could easily aquire majority stake in the company to prevent that (and im sure they would)

[QUOTE="navyguy21"]

[QUOTE="killa4lyfe"] I think once they are done with halo, Bungie will make multiplats :)SaltyMeatballs

1) MS owns 49% of Bungie

2) MS has first rights to publish anything coming out of Bungie

3) MS could easily aquire majority stake in the company to prevent that (and im sure they would)

[QUOTE="Shiftfallout"][QUOTE="Warriorboy1990"]Fail, they AREN'T owned by Sony. They are a 2nd party developer, not a first.themyth01

I doubt true because...

A. Sony would buy them out.

B. This would really hurt relations with the company that made Insomniac (success wise).

I have heard these rumors before too.

I guess it's possible. I believe that Sony owns Resistance and Ratchet and Clank so them being on the 360 probably isn't a possibility but they could make a new series.

[QUOTE="SaltyMeatballs"][QUOTE="navyguy21"]

1) MS owns 49% of Bungie

2) MS has first rights to publish anything coming out of Bungie

3) MS could easily aquire majority stake in the company to prevent that (and im sure they would)

navyguy21

we all know this happen before in 2008 and the official answer was NO they in my opinion less likely to go multiplat. and chances of them going are small. since they are an indendent company but dependent to sony on alot of things

[QUOTE="navyguy21"][QUOTE="SaltyMeatballs"] Why would they? MS owns Halo which his all that matters. Let Bungie be, they are not the holy grail and I'd like to see what they can do outside of Halo.SaltyMeatballs

[QUOTE="Shiftfallout"][QUOTE="Warriorboy1990"]Fail, they AREN'T owned by Sony. They are a 2nd party developer, not a first.navyguy21