Sony plays dirty with Destiny in the UK, thoughts?

[Guerilla]

OK, that's kind of desperate from Microsoft. And an exclusive adverting deal doesn't hurt gamers at all unlike the exclusive deals Microsoft makes because they rarely focus on making their own first party games. Those deals actually hurt gamers because they deprive them of a game. Instead of contributing to the gaming industry Microsoft seems to just limit it, it's a real problem with them.

Desperate from Microsoft? Seriously?? You completely missed the point, then. We have all seen timed exclusives and such, which is already pretty garbage moves from BOTH companies, not just Microsoft... but for Sony to PAY Activision to tell Microsoft they cannot advertise for a game that is also going to be on their console, is desperation on Microsofts part? Um... the guilty party here is both Sony and Activision.

Microsoft makes such deals all the time. To play the victim here is hypocritical beyond imagination. Furthermore, like I said these deals don't hurt gamers like Microsoft's shady deals do.

I was pretty much going to give up on posting to this whole thread anymore, but I have to call you out on this. If you want to say that Microsoft makes deals like this all the time, IE paying publishers to NOT ALLOW SONY TO ADVERTISE A GAME coming out on their console as well... show me. Show me proof, and I will agree with you. I keep up with the gaming industry and world fairly well, and I have never seen any proof showing this before. I have provided proof that Sony has done it with Destiny, now its your turn, or your argument is invalid.

I was talking about the exclusivity deals that are even worse.

 

[Riff Moonraker]

OK, that's kind of desperate from Microsoft. And an exclusive adverting deal doesn't hurt gamers at all unlike the exclusive deals Microsoft makes because they rarely focus on making their own first party games. Those deals actually hurt gamers because they deprive them of a game. Instead of contributing to the gaming industry Microsoft seems to just limit it, it's a real problem with them.

Desperate from Microsoft? Seriously?? You completely missed the point, then. We have all seen timed exclusives and such, which is already pretty garbage moves from BOTH companies, not just Microsoft... but for Sony to PAY Activision to tell Microsoft they cannot advertise for a game that is also going to be on their console, is desperation on Microsofts part? Um... the guilty party here is both Sony and Activision.

Microsoft makes such deals all the time. To play the victim here is hypocritical beyond imagination. Furthermore, like I said these deals don't hurt gamers like Microsoft's shady deals do.

I was pretty much going to give up on posting to this whole thread anymore, but I have to call you out on this. If you want to say that Microsoft makes deals like this all the time, IE paying publishers to NOT ALLOW SONY TO ADVERTISE A GAME coming out on their console as well... show me. Show me proof, and I will agree with you. I keep up with the gaming industry and world fairly well, and I have never seen any proof showing this before. I have provided proof that Sony has done it with Destiny, now its your turn, or your argument is invalid.

I was talking about the exclusivity deals that are even worse.

No, its not. Also, both companies do it.. Sony just as much as Microsoft. Also my whole thread was not about exclusivity, or timed exclusivity, but Sony paying Activision money to deny Microsoft the right to advertise a game in the UK that is also coming out on their console. You specifically said to "play victim here is hypocritical beyond imagination." which would mean you are specifically referring to my post, and my thread which again, is NOT about timed exclusives. So, again, I want proof that Microsoft has paid to block Sony from advertising COD, or your argument is invalid. I'm not responding to you again, unless you provide proof, as I have already stated. If you dont provide proof, then your counterpoint against the point I am trying to make here has no validity at all. The ball is in your court.

 

[J Tyran]

I think Sony will come to regret this, they are in a precarious financial situation and all the profits from the SCE division are being greedily eaten up by the parent corporation. They are financially more conservative anyway, they have bought some exclusive timed deals and some extra content etc but now this and they have obviously pissed some people are Xbox off.

The company that will happily throw 2 Billion Dollars at getting games a few weeks earlier than anyone else? Sony cannot afford a marketing cock measuring contest and could see themselves forced off a lot of advertising space when Microsoft start buying exclusive adds in return.

 

[Thisgermandude]

I´m sorry but why should people think that just because of an ad that states: "Available on PS4" at the end (or an poster or literally any kind of advertisment) that it´s exclusive. I don´t know how you handle this in the UK but if I go into my local tech-store I´m not greeted with an: "ALL HAIL SONY". Everyone can make their own choice when buying it. I don´t really see the problem here.

 

[J Tyran]

I think Sony will come to regret this, they are in a precarious financial situation and all the profits from the SCE division are being greedily eaten up by the parent corporation. They are financially more conservative anyway, they have bought some exclusive timed deals and some extra content etc but now this and they have obviously pissed some people are Xbox off.

The company that will happily throw 2 Billion Dollars at getting games a few weeks earlier than anyone else? Sony cannot afford a marketing cock measuring contest and could see themselves forced off a lot of advertising space when Microsoft start buying exclusive adds in return.

Sony is fucked either way. Microsoft Game Studios would rather burn (which it will, this is their last generation as they have said before) and take everyone else with them then any other situation. Either Sony survives this generation and succeeds next generation or they both die. If they have to resort to tactics like this to slow their demise? So be it. They hardly have the money to become just like Microsoft's tactics anyway.

Playstation will be okay, whether its owned by Sony or someone else and even if consoles as we know them die off. The Brand is solid and Sony will either keep it with the other profitable divisions as they trim everything else off or it will be sold off by a board trying to raise funds and buy time for Sony's more "traditional" divisions, Playstation will continue to be around for a long time yet even if it just becomes a publisher or an app/service for a future "home entertainment centre" but personally I think we see at least one more Playstation console. Especially if it gets bought out, a buyer will quickly want to stamp their own identity on the brand.

 

[KenAri]

Does it even matter? Seems like a waste of money on Sony's part. Hypothetically, if the first I saw of Destiny was an advert followed by a Playstation logo, and I owned an X1 instead of a PS4, I'd check Amazon to see if there are X1 versions.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

So, thoughts?

I'm assuming the deal was for TV advertising only? 'Cause if not Sony need their money back. I live in the UK and my Xbox Homescreen has been swarming with Destiny ads and vids for months now.

No, homescreen doesnt count, as either company can freely promote how they pretty much please, there. This would be adverts outside of their own console space, so yes.. TV and possibly magazine ads?

It's certainly possible. That having been said though I can't remember seeing TV ads for Destiny full-stop, nevermind PS4 only ones.

 

[Fsyco]

Ok, while I am fully aware of the already over-discussed timed exclusivity of the next Tomb Raider, and such, I came across this last friday and find this to be MUCH worse.


Sorry, I am not quite sure on how to put the actual video up in my post, so I apologize for that ahead of time.

Fixed that for you. It's [ youtube= video code (the stuff after the v= in the url, minus any additions about playlists or time and such)]

On Topic: Corporations doing possibly unethical things? Oh no! In a similar vein, I think I found a bear turd in the local woods this morning.

Thank you, for that.

And I know, I know... but my whole point is that, at least to my knowledge, this is a new low. Which will spur further lows, etc. If Sony and Microsoft keep throwing wrenches into the engines, so to speak, its going to eventually break. None of us want that, do we? Am I really the only one seeing the bigger picture here?

Personally, I don't really care, since I don't own either a PS4 or Xbone. Although I imagine this kind of behavior will eventually cause one of them (probably Microsoft) to drop out of the 'console war', and ending all the anti-consumer BS that comes with said console war.

 

[Wasted]

Before anyone even brings up COD, I do not believe that there is any ongoing attempt financially by either Microsoft to not allow Sony to advertise for COD, so lets not just fall back on that and make it out to be the same thing, because I am pretty sure its not.

I just wanted to comment on this point. During the last console generation, I remember reading about the Xbox 360 exclusivity deal with Call of Duty. All shown gameplay had to be from the 360 and all commercials had to show people playing on 360s. So yeah, I'm pretty sure this happened with Microsoft and Call of Duty.

Or I could be crazy and I imagined that article.

 

[Riff Moonraker]

Wow. That is my only reaction.

Sure, somebody could bring up how Microsoft basically only advertised Titanfall as an Xbox One game, but then again the only other platform Titanfall was released on that wasn't Microsoft was PC. EA was making money off of Titanfall regardless of whether it sold on Xbox One, Xbox 360 or PC. I guess they could bring up the CoD DLC timed exclusivity, but they never advertise that it's never coming to PS consoles (they always say PS3/PC version comes later, or a month later).

Agreed... also, the timed exclusivity thing is something done by both parties. (I honestly hate it, either way...because ultimately, it is us gamers that get shafted with these situations)

But this is a situation where Sony paid X number of dollars to Activision to have them tell Microsoft "You cannot advertise this game in the UK"... this is a new low, to me.

How is that worse then an exclusivity deal? Oh noes, you have stopped them advertising for a console in a region! What next! You'll stop them buying the game on that console too...oh wait that's a much better alternative"

Basically, what this boils down to is opinion. Yours.... vs. mine. Its pretty apparent you have it in for Microsoft, so nothing I say is going to change your mind, and you most certainly are not going to change mine. I have been gaming longer than you have been alive, so while I definitely would qualify myself as more experienced at the gaming world in general, if nothing else out of sheer volume alone, your antagonistic comments fall short on me. You want to discuss something with a more civil tone? Go for it, I will discuss away with you all day. You want to act like you have some kind of advantage over me and try to talk down to me? ROFL... yeah, not going to work, not even remotely. Try someone else. I will take the high road, not take your bait, and ignore you. Oh noes!

 

[x EvilErmine x]

Does it even matter? Seems like a waste of money on Sony's part. Hypothetically, if the first I saw of Destiny was an advert followed by a Playstation logo, and I owned an X1 instead of a PS4, I'd check Amazon to see if there are X1 versions.

This

It's a very silly waste of money. I would be very interested in getting some raw sales data on this one, I have a feeling that the platforms would be about equal in terms of units shipped (when weighted according to market share) as anyone who is interested in the game would immediately have checked to see if it was coming out on their platform of choice like KenAri said. The only people I can see this having any influence on is the just casual gaming crowd and Destiny is not the sort of thing they usually go for so the point is moot.

 

[Willzors]

This is such a non issue that it hurts my brain. I don't understand how this is apparently a 'new low', YOU CAN STILL BUY IT ON XBOX.

Exclusive content is worse because you CAN NOT BUY IT.

Even if someone thought that they could only get it on Playstation, then went into a store to buy it they should see that it makes no difference...

 

[FancyNick]

I'm with a lot of the other people here. This just seems like a waste of money. Really, even the most casual of casual gamers probably use Google to look at games they are interested in. It says it's available for either console on the freaking Wikipedia article. I really don't see an issue beyond Sony using money irresponsibly. Also, let's not forget that this is not some new evil devised by Sony. This shit has been going on for years, by both parties.

 

[SeventhSigil]

OK, that's kind of desperate from Microsoft. And an exclusive adverting deal doesn't hurt gamers at all unlike the exclusive deals Microsoft makes because they rarely focus on making their own first party games. Those deals actually hurt gamers because they deprive them of a game. Instead of contributing to the gaming industry Microsoft seems to just limit it, it's a real problem with them.

Desperate from Microsoft? Seriously?? You completely missed the point, then. We have all seen timed exclusives and such, which is already pretty garbage moves from BOTH companies, not just Microsoft... but for Sony to PAY Activision to tell Microsoft they cannot advertise for a game that is also going to be on their console, is desperation on Microsofts part? Um... the guilty party here is both Sony and Activision.

Microsoft makes such deals all the time. To play the victim here is hypocritical beyond imagination. Furthermore, like I said these deals don't hurt gamers like Microsoft's shady deals do.

I was pretty much going to give up on posting to this whole thread anymore, but I have to call you out on this. If you want to say that Microsoft makes deals like this all the time, IE paying publishers to NOT ALLOW SONY TO ADVERTISE A GAME coming out on their console as well... show me. Show me proof, and I will agree with you. I keep up with the gaming industry and world fairly well, and I have never seen any proof showing this before. I have provided proof that Sony has done it with Destiny, now its your turn, or your argument is invalid.

Sooooo.... why ARE there never Playstation-centric Call of Duty TV spots, ads, etc, etc, and yet there are plenty of ones that show Xbox 360 at the end? You pay attention to the gaming industry, you MUST have noticed the massive imbalance, more than simply 'Microsoft helps pay for ads' would account, as- according to you- nothing would stop Sony from also chipping in to help pay for Call of Duty ads. Heck, I pay attention pretty well myself, and I don't remember EVER seeing a Call of Duty ad since the partnership with Activision that specified Playstation; it was always either an Xbox platform for television ads, or (in some cases online) no specified platform whatsoever.

Are you saying that Sony never has any TV ads because... they just don't feel like it? Massive, super popular shooter franchise, and Sony has absolutely no interest whatsoever in chipping in for ANY ads? At all? I mean, heck, they wouldn't even NEED to make their own ads, just help pay for Activision's marketing, like Microsoft and both the Xbox 360 AND the PS3 could be shown at the ends of the ads, right? Because it's not like, again according to you, the deal Microsoft has to help cover Activision's marketing expenses in any way excludes Sony from participating, correct?

I mean, you say find proof that there is a marketing deal with Microsoft, but the thing is, think about the only reason we know about this marketing deal with Sony and Activision. Microsoft, essentially, complaining about it, not necessarily because they think it's this horrible thing that they'd never do, but because it inconveniences them, and is boosting their rival. If Microsoft hadn't pulled that fragrance thing, where would we have found proof that a marketing deal between Sony and Activision existed? o.o

 

[Daft Ada]

It's still not a big issue though. Both companies do this all the time in the UK, it's just the first time Sony or Microsoft have made a point about not getting the exclusive slot in the TV ads. I wouldn't be surprised if we enter a tit-for-tat phase where Sony make a point about Tomb Raider or COD in the near future. As for asking for proof, you don't seem satisfied with us UK gamers telling you this is common practise here for gaming and other companies, so I guess unless someone on here happens to work in the marketing or finance teams and can send you a copy of the contracts that's a fruitless point to argue. It's not a conspiracy, it's not corruption. There's far more going on in the world to get annoyed or upset about. Get over it and just enjoy your gaming!

 

[Sherokain]

Plain and simple withholding information related to consumer choice is immoral, less educated gamers might not do background research and know its multi-platform. Then again I guess that's the point, all I can say really is Boo games industry. -_-

 

[Rozalia1]

Who should be careful? Are you referring to Sony, or Activision? Or me? If you mean me, then I do not follow what you are saying. Indulging in these matters is not advised? Explain further, please, because I am thinking you worded this wrong or something. It almost comes off sounding like a threat towards me, which I am pretty sure wasnt the intention.

You yes. This platform wars balderdash is just a storyline, don't get hooked on it. By all means enjoy the matches but don't actually believe it all to be real.
Currently Microsoft is heel (have they ever been face? Verses IBM in a different promotion way back perhaps?) and jobbing to Sony in a big way doing massive damage to their credibility as they can't get a clean win to save their lives even with paid enforcers to cheat for them (like any good heel).

Eventually Sony will have to either find some way to keep their run fresh, or they'll turn heel and put over Nintendo or someone.
Microsoft needs either a face turn, or/and some time in the midcard taking part in interesting feuds.