Why's there multiplatform games?

[BangSmashBoom]

Forget about the money and simplicity for customers and only think of pride and competiton for a sec.
If you can't buy a 360 game and play it on your PS3 and etc.
Then why don't the console developers only have console exculsive games.
After all Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo if it was allowed, they would burn each other down.

So... Why's there multiplatform games?

 

[Rawne1980]

That gives Microsoft the advantage.

GFWL and Xbox so that gives Microsoft the Xbox and PC markets.

Nintendo and Sony would be left behind.

You say forget about the money but thats what it's all about. If they didn't make any money there would be no games, no games no need to argue over various platforms.

There are console only games and there are PC only games. Why limit the market completely?

 

[ZeroMachine]

... For money and simplicity for customers.

Seriously, if we forgot about those reasons, we'd run out of 'em.

Developers would make a disgustingly less amount of money, and then game quality would take a nose dive. Every system would start churning out games like the Wii does now. Cheap, easy to make casual games.

 

[cydvis]

Just for money. There is no other reason.

 

[Zipa]

That gives Microsoft the advantage.

GFWL and Xbox so that gives Microsoft the Xbox and PC markets.

Nintendo and Sony would be left behind.

You say forget about the money but thats what it's all about. If they didn't make any money there would be no games, no games no need to argue over various platforms.

There are console only games and there are PC only games. Why limit the market completely?

GFWL is a joke though honestly, no PC gamer in the right mind is going to pay them for it when the games selection is poor and they charge you for it, they just get blown away by the competition like steam and impulse.

 

[Kurai Angelo]

Clearly for the reasons you have vetoed...

Pointless question.
What if i said what's the point in eating?... If we ignore the fact it keeps you alive and food tastes nice. kind of defeats the object really.

 

[eggy32]

Because unless Nintendo/MS/Sony commision a dev to make a game for their system then there's no reason for the developer to limit their game to one system and Nintendo/MS/Sony aren't just going to buy out every idnependant development studio.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Clearly for the reasons you have vetoed...

Pointless question.
What if i said what's the point in eating?... If we ignore the fact it keeps you alive and food tastes nice. kind of defeats the object really.

^ Ha!

 

[setting_son]

Capitalism.

 

[Keepeas]

The developers want to provide their product (the game) to the greatest amount of people possible in order to maximize the amount games sold, thus making them the most possible money.

Here is a simple way to look at it:

G = (Cost of game(before retail))
Pop. = Population of people who can purchase and use the game
% = percentage of Pop. who will purchase the game

P(# of people who buy the game) = Pop * %

Total Revenue $$$ = G * P

G is usually constant, but some try to increase money by raising the price.
If G is relatively constant the only way to increase $$$ is to increase P.

Two factors go into P, Pop and %.
Increase either of them and $$$ is increased.
% - can be changed by advertisement, reputation, sequel factor, etc. I'm not going to explain this part any further because this doesn't answer your question.

Pop. - One simple way to increase Pop. is to make the game available for all consoles.

I know you said forget about money...but that's really all there is to it.

Businesses need to make money to survive.
Money is the driving factor and because of it you get most of the games you want on any system you want(Exclusive titles are there to make you want to buy that system).