Tue, Apr 14, 2009 | 11:20 BST

360 exclusivity has “helped” Gears of War, says dev boss

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Both having Microsoft as a publisher and concentrating on 360 as a single format has aided the Gears of War IP, executive producer Rod Fergusson has told VG247.

“Yeah,” said the developer when asked if keeping the franchise exclusive to 360 had been a benefit.

“Microsoft is just an awesome publisher. They’re a great partner for us. They help us in so many ways, both in terms of the obvious with marketing support, and also in terms of usability, tested, play-testing, design reviews, support on the art side and a whole bunch of different things.”

Fergusson described the restriction of having to keep Gear on 360 as a “tax” for working with Microsoft, but explained that the set-up allowed Epic to attempt to make the best possible title for one format.

“We benefit a lot by having Microsoft as a publisher, and one of the ‘taxes,’ if you will, of working with them is that we’re only on one platform, but also it allows us to focus our efforts in terms of development,” he said.

“UE3 runs great on PC, it runs great on PS3 and 360 as well, but for us as a team it allows us to focus and make the best game we can for that one particular platform, which has been great. I think it has helped the IP from that perspective as we’ve been focused on creating the best game possible.”

Gears of War 2 has sold around 4 million units so far.

Fergusson was talking at GDC.

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23 comment-trail-alt Posted in: Action, Development, GDC 2009, Hot, Microsoft, Shooter, Xbox 360
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23 comments

#1

G1GAHURTZ
14/04/09, 11:18 am

I can’t see him saying anything other than that, tbh.

Doesn’t have a very good point about cross platform holding a game back though, when you look at the likes of the CoD games which are PC/360/PS3, and don’t seem to have suffered.

#2

Shatner
14/04/09, 11:47 am

Erm..

How does the PC version of Gears of War with its additional content fit into this statement?

#3

freedoms_stain
14/04/09, 1:36 pm

Perhaps “360 exclusivity” should be replaced with “Microsoft exclusivity”

#4

Quiiick
14/04/09, 4:23 pm

To me this essentially sounds like: “We’d love to bring out Gears on PS3 but unfortunately we’re contractually bound to stick with Microsoft only.

#5

blackdreamhunk
14/04/09, 4:58 pm

Too bad epic games is a has been in the gaming world! I mean your engine and gears of war is not as hot as “Crysis” cry engine 3. I hear your matching making sucks the balls! Oh and epic games helped Midway to go bankuprt!

I the hotest games this gen is cod 4,cod 5, killzone,crysis,sims oh and wow!

#6

Michael O'Connor
14/04/09, 5:04 pm

“Too bad epic games is a has been in the gaming world!”

Yes, because the millions and millions of profit they make from their games makes them such has-beens.

“I mean your engine and gears of war is not as hot as “Crysis” cry engine 3.”

You’re comparing software on a static console format to a game on the constantly evolving PC format? Seriously?

#7

Seraphemz
14/04/09, 5:13 pm

From what I played of Gear of War 2 I thought that it was a freakin awesome game. Not enough to be the 360 but a great game still….

#8

blackdreamhunk
14/04/09, 6:23 pm

Here is a really good message for micro soft I think epic games should give the news to mirco soft

http://apple20.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/04/14/survey-84-wont-upgrade-to-windows-7-in-the-next-year/?source=yahoo_quote

#9

blackdreamhunk
14/04/09, 6:52 pm

oh one more thing pc gaming and pc gamers are on top of the food chain when it comes to gaming!

#10

G1GAHURTZ
14/04/09, 7:32 pm

Yeah! If only us poor console gamers could spend £600 on a mid spec PC so that we could all enjoy those chart topping PC games like… The Sims…

#11

blackdreamhunk
14/04/09, 7:40 pm

I think people should be educated on who is on top of the food chain when comes to gaming!

http://www.homecinemachoice.com/playback/game_news/depth+why+future+looks+bright+pc+gaming+05+04+09

#12

Gekidami
14/04/09, 7:43 pm

“PC” and “games” in the same sentance? Are we in the 90′s again?

#13

blackdreamhunk
14/04/09, 7:50 pm

please console are nothing more than gimped pc’s real gamers buy real hardware for real gaming!

pc gaming is cuting edge gaming

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-j69RnEBAc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GPI9xDmRjk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y2nJmKzOVY

so what is in side them console old hardware from the 2005 what joke

http://vator.tv/news/show/2009-04-10-raptr-founder-on-the-evolution-of-gaming

before you start to debate with “real gamers” maybe you should know who your debating up agist!!!!

#14

Psychotext
14/04/09, 7:52 pm

:O

#15

Michael O'Connor
14/04/09, 8:06 pm

““PC” and “games” in the same sentence? Are we in the 90’s again?”

Making the ignorant assumption that PCs aren’t a popular format for video games? Are we in 2005 again?

#16

blackdreamhunk
14/04/09, 8:25 pm

one more thing there is alot more pc games than there is consoles!

http://adrianwerner.wordpress.com/games-of-2009/

#17

David
15/04/09, 2:28 am

Blackdreamhunk does it hurt your feelings not everyone wants to play games on PC that you have to defend your choice.

Real gamers don’t feel the need to defend a format Real gamers are too busy playing games.

^.~ so why don’t you go play those Real games on your real format since your a real gamer.

#18

freedoms_stain
15/04/09, 12:31 pm

The Fanboyism (on both sides) is so strong it actually has an odour in here.

Somewhat akin to old cheeto dust

#20

blackdreamhunk
15/04/09, 9:10 pm

oh one more thing cod4 did alot better gears of war 2 ever did!

#21

Psychotext
15/04/09, 9:16 pm

The PC version did better than Gears? Or do you mean all versions together?

If the latter… then yeah, it did better than 99.5% of games so far this gen.

#22

blackdreamhunk
16/04/09, 12:01 am

sorry I meant to say the video give good reasons why gears of wars didn’t do well with pc gamers.

good caych. :P

#23

freedoms_stain
16/04/09, 1:03 am

I bought the Windows version of Gears a couple of weeks ago (cheap, was aware it had issues, worth the risk at £15, so far experienced zero issues and I’m nearing the end) and I like it fine.

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