New Lara Croft A Timed Exclusive

TSA Staff 42 Comments

Microsoft’s Summer of Arcade promotion is about to kick off, bringing some great titles to the Xbox 360’s online Marketplace including Limbo and the new Castlevania.  However, as a direct consequence of appearing in the promotion, the new Lara Croft game, subtitled Guardian of Light will be released on the 360 on the 18th of August as a timed exclusive.

“As with all arcade titles, irrespective of platform, you have to go through your submissions before they agree and approve a date,” developers Crystal Dynamics told Eurogamer. Unlike a disc based title where we can pick our window, you have to go by what the first parties approve and give you a date, to make sure you’re not coming out on the same day as five other titles. They like to manage the release window accordingly.

“We have requested a specific date and hopefully we’ll get that and it’s not too long after the 360 SKU.  The agreement with Microsoft is, in order to participate in their hugely successful Summer of Arcade promotion, there is a window of exclusivity. That window of exclusivity is a set four weeks.”

A release date for the PS3 version is expected within the week.

Thanks, w3r3w0lf.

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42 Comments

  1. Do timed exclusives really work? This sort of thing isn’t going to make me go out and buy an alternative console.

    • Multi-plat gamers will possibly buy if for the 360. This then takes away sales from Sony. How much it works is something else.

      • I have both a PS3 and 360. If a game is out on both consoles I’ll buy the PS3 version, even if it’s released later.

      • I can understand that, but I can’t believe the amount they would get from multi-plat owners would be worth however much MS pays for the deal.

      • We are back to the GTA4 thing. Didn’t MS lose some huge amount on that deal because it didn’t shift consoles the way they expected?

      • MS don’t pay for the timed exclusivity for the summer of arcade titles.

        ” in order to participate in their hugely successful Summer of Arcade promotion, there is a window of exclusivity”

        The developers want to be a part of Summer of Arcade because it’s been a very successful promotion over the last few years. Lots of popele tend to purchase all of the Summer of Arcade games because you get back the cost of one game for doing so.

        I’m a multiplatform owner, and for me, i’m going to buy it on which ever console it is first available (aumming that a) I want the game and b) i have the $ at time of release and c) there is no special benefit/feature for the version that is being released later).

        The timed exclusivity can very likley result in higher sales for that platform, which apart from the obvous benefit of more $, also makes for great marketing.

        Keep in mind that in an age where DLC is as prominent as it is, securing those extra sales for your platform also secures the sales of any DLC that may come along.

      • Just because it’s on a MS promotion, doesn’t mean Sony cant have it on PSN at the same time. Perhaps in this case there may be other big PSN titles coming out at the same time so they’re gonna hold off, but this isn’t the same in every case (e.g. MW2 map packs). The only thing these timed-exclusives do as far as I can see is add more bullshit to the fanboy wars.

      • “The timed exclusivity can very likley result in higher sales for that platform, which apart from the obvous benefit of more $, also makes for great marketing.”

        As I said, this would only be the case for multi-plat users, and from what I understand they’re in the minority. People tend to own either a PS3 OR a 360 (and maybe a Wii, but that doesn’t count).

      • Its a marketing tool

        Pretty sure everything in the promotion has an angle to make it unique in some way to the XBLA

        At least its only timed, and not a full exclusive.

  2. Shame, but I guess an extra 4 weeks isn’t too long to wait.

    • yeah, should be 15th september then for PS3

    • It also gives you some time to see some gameplay videos to see how good/ bad it is

  3. I agree, you’d think they would all just grow up and get over this timed exclusive bickering… I own all 3 of the latest consoles, but I do prefer my PS3. If I didnt though, as PoorPaddy said it wouldnt win me over either.

  4. I’m looking forward to it as i’m hoping it’s going to be good but at least there’ll be a few reviews out by the time it’s on PSN.

  5. If someone owns both consoles they’ll buy on the one the game comes out on first. Also if ms become known for getting all big games first, that could influence a persons console buying decision. It does make sense, though a little annoying.

    • i’d choose the ps3 version for the free online play personally, even if it meant waiting.
      though many people may prefer not to wait.

      • It’s not like you pay a seperate fee to play that particular game online. If someone is already a LIVE gold memeber already that it makes no diff. I doubt anyone would subscribe to a gold member ship to play a 5 hr downloadable game online.

        I think most people will go with which ever verion is alailable first. Unless they have a die hard preference of system or achievements/trophies.

    • i would rather wait however long it is going to be than spend £190 on a 360

  6. Have never liked Tomb Raider anyway tbh, so thankfully this isnt bad news for me…..

  7. Strange that Eidos once again chooses to favour MS over Sony when the series have always been associated with Playstation. Perhaps it has something to do with Square Enix though.

    Furthermore I believe that people preferring it on PS is more likely to lose interest in the series rather than download or pick it up for a different platform. Wrong decision Square Eidos!!!

    • “Furthermore I believe that people preferring it on PS is more likely to lose interest in the series rather than download or pick it up for a different platform.”

      Couldn’t be more correct, I was a die-hard Tomb Raider fan (I loved Angel of Darkness / look at my PSN name) but this generation has really turned me off the series, what with all the content (besides the vanilla Underworld) being exclusive to the 360.

  8. I won’t be buying it at all then, not because I’m petty (although that plays a part) but because the optimal time to play a co-op game is when everyone I play with is off for the summer, not when you’re back to college / school and have to find time to play around weird schedules.

    We have three months off so the release date on PS3 (and 360 tbh) is stupid, and although the article states this isn’t the developer’s fault, they have to had something to do with it.

  9. I really don’t get the point in timed exclusives. Waiting for a month doesnt do anything to me, I don’t feel the need to rush out and buy a different console because of it.

    • It’s about getting the sale from multiplat owners. I don’t think that either company (MS or Sony) would be stupid enought to think that a $15 downloadable game having a 4 week exclusive window would make someone go and purchase their console.

      • but thats exactly what MS think is going to happen jus coz its exclusive to 360 they think people are stupid enough to go out and waste £200 on 360 just to buy and play the game

  10. That’s annoying, but I’m glad it’s only a four weeks delay. The game looks interesting.

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