"Exclusive" is only as important as the platform you own. If MS can make a PC game and sell it on Xbox and vice versa, that's fantastic. Everyone wins. Except people that don't own an Xbox or a PC. but c'mon, who doesn't own a PC here??
Speaking to Game Informer, Square Enix said the following:
“Yes, Microsoft will be publishing ‘Rise of the Tomb Raider’ on Xbox, Microsoft has always seen huge potential in ‘Tomb Raider’ and they will get behind this game with more support across development, marketing and retail than ever before, which we believe will be a step in continuing to build the ‘Tomb Raider’franchise as one of the biggest in gaming.”
While it’s unclear as to what that development and marketing support entails, it does add fuel to the rumors that Square Enix couldn’t afford to finance Rise of the Tomb Raider’s development on their own. The idea was speculated after Square Enix sad that Tomb Raider (2013)‘s sales led to an “extraordinary loss” and it wasn’t until the release of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (the 2013 game but with better graphics and all of the DLC) on PS4 and Xbox One earlier this year that the game became profitable.
Of course you are confident, you can't expect me to find a document where SE admits they were out of money and needed MS' support. They lost MILLIONS on Final Fantasy XIV, and spent MILLIONS more on re-building it. To top that off, Tomb Raider reboot under-performed. Sleeping Dogs and Hitman Absolution didn't help. Their then-President, Yoichi Wada, got fired. Square anticipated selling 14.9 million retail games in North America and Europe between September 2012 and the end of March 2013. Within that period, however, Sleeping Dogssold 1.75 million units, Hitman: Absolutiongarrotted 3.6 million, and Tomb Raideraccounted for 3.8 million — each worldwide!
Their gamble to release Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn actually paid off. Re-releasing next-gen version of TR Reboot paid off, too. So NOW it doesn't look like they needed any help, but back in 2013, there was very little chance that they would ALSO gamble on another Tomb Raider game.
Publishing (and advertising) paid for by Microsoft is HUGE for SE. and the TR franchise. It kept it alive, and because it's not exclusive, you'll get to play it. That sounds like a huge win-win for everyone!
@Snapdragon1: Right. big sack of cash and publishing it = helped paid for by Microsoft. with that kind of cash deal they could have kept it exclusive but it's not. so quit crying. the game wouldn't have been made if MS hadn't help pay for it.
Does anyone know if this is an entire run thru the story again or some separate mode? I have the season pass so I should get this, I'm just wondering exactly what it means.
OK I've played some, and it's considered a separate level. it's in the "Expeditions" on the menu. it's actually really cool in that after you find a rescue fire, you can choose to quit while you're ahead, or keep going extra days and push your luck.
@blitzgirl: I normally agree, but this is Star Wars. from 1977 onward it has done this. they deliberately put in all these alien creatures and exotic planets and interesting characters - to make the Galaxy seem old and big and awesome. it's just like Tolkien's universe. do the books/movies explain what a Weathertop is or why that guy is singing in Jabba's palace? no. they don't have to, stuff like that just adds details. IF you want to find out what that fat guy and his First Order girlfriend's names are, knock yourself out. it's not pertinent information.
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