Game of the Year 2010: Multi Platform

Peter Chapman 123 Comments

Games that everyone can enjoy. Surely those are the best kind? This category is uniquely able to celebrate the achievements made by developers who aren’t tied in to exclusive deals with any one platform.

The category includes any disc based release which was available for two or more of the biggest platforms (home consoles and PC/Mac). We didn’t count any of the mobile-phone spin-offs or handheld derivatives which may or may not share features. These are big hitters.

The exclusives often seem to get the most attention in our industry. Perhaps that’s because they are the easiest to cling to when the fanboys are making pointless claims that their choice of console is somehow “better” than another. Multiplatform titles skirt that issue by making themselves available to all (or many, at least). Now, if only we could stop paying so much attention to those comparison articles!

So, in celebration of all things inclusive, we present our Multiplatform Game of the Year 2010: Mass Effect 2 (PC and Xbox 360)

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Related stories from TSA

Game of the Year 2010: Overall
Game of the Year 2010: PlayStation 3
Game of the Year 2010: Xbox 360
Game of the Year 2010: Handhelds

123 Comments

  1. I think you missed the 0 after the 5 and before the % on Rock Band 3.
    Tell me that’s what happened, please :p

  2. It’s funny, because Sony fanboys have spent all year calling Mass Effect 2 & a few other X360 console exclusives as not being an exclusive, but now it seems people want it both ways…

    Good to see BlOps & NfSHP getting some love

    • Was Mass Effect 2 available for PS3 at any point in 2010? (No)

      So is it still only playable on MS boxes until it’s released for PS3? (Yes)

      So is it currently still exclusive to those boxes? (Yes)

      • No, I could power on my PC, go on Steam and play it right now (after downloading all 11gb lol).
        But I won’t, I’m playing through the first. On my 360.
        That’s 2 platforms, isn’t it? I won’t be playing them both on my 360.

      • I guess it depends how you define platform, but last I checked this was a console gaming site until recently when swathes of blogs and iDevice reviews which are presumably of interest to almost nobody coming here for console gaming news started diluting the core content. And console gaming sites usually consider multi-platform as two or more of PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii. Where was the review of World of Warcraft Cataclysm?

      • ” until recently when swathes of blogs and iDevice reviews which are presumably of interest to almost nobody coming here for console gaming news”

        Our readership figures suggest otherwise, but sure, keep it up.

      • We certainly don’t have enough time to review every game (nevermind WoW) and you have to consider there’s only a few staff members that are proper PC gamers. That is all.

      • Nofi, try getting rid of the PS3 content and see how many people come to the site then.

        How many PC-only gamers do you think read TSA? How many iPhone-only players do you think read it? I’m guessing minimal-to-zero. Isn’t all this console-irrelevant stuff what AppTilt is for?

        Incidentally, regarding the snide tone of your reply, I’m just saying what a lot of regulars are thinking. I’m the only one who has the balls to, because the most common complaint I hear is that whenever they post something that doesn’t agree with the staff they get immediately jumped on and cut down, much like you just tried to do to me, when most of the readers are probably nodding in agreement, at least from the medium-sized body of anecdotal evidence I have in my inbox. Try some humility.

      • Snide? I said that iPhone content and blogs aren’t, as you claim, insignificant in numbers in term of readership.

      • “but sure, keep it up.” <-- snide

      • It’s only as snide as your comment is ignorant, though. Yes, our core focus is PS3 and 360 news, but blogs have been central to TSA since the site began.

        IPhone content is experimental, but prooving popular enough to pursue, if, of course, Peter gives the go ahead.

      • “How many PC-only gamers do you think read TSA? How many iPhone-only players do you think read it?”
        I don’t come here solely for console news though, I play games regularly on my PC and iPhone. TSA covering all of these is great for me, how many people plays games on an iPhone but on no other format?
        Last I checked the header said “Gaming News and Opinions”.

      • Yeah but you’ve got a problem there. Readers have the liberty of being assholes, snide, arrogant and uninformed, and get banned if that is the staff’s perogative. You don’t.

        You run the site in part. The customer is always right, even when they’re wrong. If you want to always remain on the periphery of being a major gaming site, just keep talking to your readership like that. You have to be professional, I don’t.

      • I wasn’t talking to readers, my reply was directed at you, who last time I checked was still (occasionally) contributing.

        Point taken though, and I apologise.

      • Thanks for the apology, but it’s not really me you need to apologise to. I know it was directed at me, and you know I can give you a good pasting if I’m so inclined so it just rolls off both of us, the issue is the impact your comments have on all the visitors, lurkers and regulars. I’m not referring only to this thread, I mean over the course of months in many comment pages, and you’re not the only one on staff like that. The culture of slamming down readers who disagree with you is counter-productive.

        I do contribute occasionally (usually on account of when health permits), but if I was more involved and had a red banner over my posts, I would be a lot more concilliatory and professional towards readers. If someone posted something I strongly disagreed with, I would either:

        1. Ignore it with the mindset of, comments are for readers, not for staff to argue with

        2. Reply explaining my reasoning in a polite tone then leave it at that.

        3. If the user was abusive or making a personal attack, delete the post and/or send them a warning.

        By way of illustration, while I was eating my dinner I got a PSN message from someone I’ve spoken to once or twice in my life, and not for months, it reads as follows:

        “go katy! tsa bitch wars. You’re right of course – nofi’s not doing himself any favours is he? defends being snide by calling you ignorant. that’s a contributor getting a diss for having a different opinion. put’s off a lurker like me from daring to question the ever changing tsa ruleset.”

        If you haven’t seen Thank You For Smoking I can recommend it. It’s a movie about debate and argument. In one scene the lobbyist debates with his son about whether vanilla or chocolate ice cream is best. The son disagrees, then eventually says he hasn’t been convinced. The lobbyist replies “it doesn’t matter; it’s not you I’m talking to, it’s them” (whoever happens to be listening). In other words, this isn’t a private conversation, and while there was a time a year or so ago when you could just talk as if only the TSA in-crowd were reading, now you can’t. Your words reflect in the minds of hundreds or thousands of people who read this comments – so if you are a dick, and have a red banner, people will think twice about posting, or reading.

        I know I’m not alone in this opinion, I’m mostly summarising what has been written to me on PSN, MSN, Facebook and Twitter numerous times in the last months by various people, some of whom I don’t know.

    • One question, what would the reaction have been if me2 had won pc exclusive goty and 360 exclusive goty? Would there have been complaints that it won 2 awards? I’m not a fan of me but I can’t see which other category it could go under.

      • Exactly,

        Multi-platform is obviously multi-platform. When drawing up lists of console exclusives in the past many people have been quick to point out ME2 (& others) aren’t Xbox 360 exclusives because of it availability on a completely separate platform (PC).

        The site has never pandered to fanboys pretending that other platforms don’t exist, lots of posts have written on PC games, pretty sure reviews etc will be forthcoming as soon as it’s known there is the will & importantly capacity amongst the team to do them justice.

  3. Yeeeeeahhhh…. well Final Fantasy XIV is currently only out on Windows but it’s coming to PS3 next year, so clearly that should have been in the nomination list. Oh right, the logic is flawed. Much like including ME2 then.

    ME2 was a Microsoft timed exclusive, out for Windows and Xbox 360. Technically they are the same platform, Windows games use DirectX, 360 games use XNA, which is basically the same thing, they wouldn’t have had to do much if any porting work, it was quite possible the whole thing was compiled from a single source tree with some #ifdefs.

    Fail.

    • My hands are bananas.

    • Katy, I really respect your opinions. You’re one of the only staff who says it like it actually is without wanting to crawl up the other staff members’ bums.

      • Some people totally missed the point. ME2 was available on more than one (multi) format. Some of us voted it higher than other multiformat games.

        The tears. They are bitter.

      • As you know from your messages on PSN, Katy, I agree with you on every point here.

      • “The tears. They are bitter.”

        Grow up. What kind of professional attitude is that to portray to visitors?

      • I get the point nofi, but tht doesn’t mean I have to agree with it.

        As for the tears, why would I be crying over a game that is to be released on my platform in under a month? I don’t feel personally offended by ME2 winning this poll, but I am allowed to think the logic of including it was poor.

      • Sure, that bit was cheap and unnecessary. My point still stands, though: ME2 is multiformat and I seriously don’t get the confusion.

      • I chuckled… Anyways, I can understand both sides. I just finished ME1 yesterday and I’m still undecided if I should get it on the PC or wait for the PS3 version with the ME3 engine… I do see the PC as a separate gaming platform but my first thought was that the game has to be out on at least 2 different consoles to qualify for this GOTY entry.

      • As a lurker of these pages i feel somewhat inclined to agree with Katy. Often see comments from staff that make me go Hmmmm…. but not in a good way.

        oh and Nofi isn’t MultiFormat different from MultiPlatform?

      • “Sure, that bit was cheap and unnecessary.”
        I must say, I do agree with Katy that staff should not be argumentative or rude, as she says, you are representing your site and are for all intensive purposes “employees”. You wouldn’t behave like that to a customer if you were working, the same applies here. You are the public face of TSA. You shouldn’t be able to summarise anything you reply to a user as being “cheap and unnecessary”.

      • @ Nate: Yes, staff should try to be as courteous as possible when engaging with commenters. It’s an unfortunate side-effect of the fact that we engage far more than any other site I can think of that when a comment is made which is rude, aggressive and hurtful (or just profoundly stupid) it’s very difficult to switch off our natural responses to that.

        Yes, perhaps we should try harder (or at least never stop trying) but we also deserve a right to respond to the aggression shown by some and, in most cases, I’d rather my staff were a bit rude to people who seem to be trying to start a fight than we just banned them as a lot of sites do in the face of such misdirected bluster. As much as it’s very fashionable to talk about freedom of speech and imply that it’s a right which is being eroded (regardless of facts of ownership, etc.), I think we do a better job than most at allowing diverse opinions to be aired – as long as they are aired in a mature and intelligent manner.

        As with most things, it’s about trying to find a balance. I think we mostly do a much better job than any other site I can think of and that’s a big part of the reason why the vast majority of our commenters are sensible, intelligent and capable of reasoned discussion. Which, in turn, is why we can sometimes find it difficult to contain our disappointment when someone comments and it doesn’t seem to be (to us) any of those things.

        We are constantly trying to improve and find a smaller spot to balance on though :)

      • It’s true there is a lot of engagement from staff here which is really nice, and I accept that you (as a plural) would also feel the urge to retaliate against rude or aggressive comments as this completely natural (though I would say just ignore profoundly stupid, other members will soon tease them anyway!). My point is that these urges should not be acted on, you have the benefit of having to type out a response, which lends you more time to think about it as opposed to having an argument in real life where things can be said that are immediately regrettable. The correct response to someone being rude or aggressive is surely not engaging them in further argument? I’m not talking about banning people that step out of line, I am just saying there are ways to deal with upset people (whether or not they are getting upset for a stupid reason), that are preferable to furthering a conflict with them (especially publically). It just isn’t professional to be rude to users, even if they are being dicks, it reflects badly on the nature of the site. I’m not saying don’t respond, I’m just saying there are better ways to do it than a retaliation (and again, especially not publically). And I am in no way trying to stir or attacking the way you run things, I just care about the site (as evidenced by the fact I’m never off the bloody thing), which is why I raise these points.

      • @ Nate: Much appreciated. All your input is taken on board.

      • Just to add, and it may seem like im sucking up, but at then end of the day it gets dark ;), nah i meant, at the end of the day, the staff do this for free, its their time and effort that go into this site for us – the reader, I agree that staff shouldnt be rude etc, but sometimes it is warranted, if i was putting in a lot of ‘free’ time and effort on something, I would want to defend it.

  4. I expected Red Dead to win this hands down! Superb game, though there are some massive contenders there. Not entirely sure I agree with including PC in multiplatform but it is coming to PS3 and its Christmas so who cares!

    • with you would have had RDR down as a winner.

      • Same here, expected RDR to come out on top.

  5. Awesome! I declared this my Game of the year back in February :D Absolutley loved it and looking forward to getting it again on PS3 :D

  6. Hmmm dont agree with this as i have yet to play it on my PS3

  7. PC gaming is massive. Yes it’s not a ‘console’ but you play games on it no? PC deserves to be here as much as any other.

    Deal with it.

  8. Wow, it appears that people have completely missed the point that ME2 is a great game (according to pretty much everyone i know) and have simply focused on arguing :P

    I look forward to buying this on PS3 and spending ages playing it :)

  9. Enslaved and Naruto have been my multi platform highlights of 2010 – both stunning.

    • NfSHP & Dante’s were mine, looking forward to picking up Enslaved at some point, really want Vanquish too

    • Rock Band 3 and God of War 3 for me, both awesome.

      • NO WAIT. Not GoW, lol. That’s PS3, isn’t it?
        Playing Hot Pursuit just now and I’m really enjoying it.

    • Transformers and dante’s inferno on reflection for me :)

      • Ooh yeah, need to have a look at Transformers as well

      • Rented transformers and loved it so I sent it back and got it for Xmas :-)

      • My defining memory of Transformer was the ‘out of ammo’ warning! NOT AGAIN!!!

  10. I enjoyed the demo so i’m looking forward to the ps3 exclusive version… :)

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