EA: PS3 Dev Difficulties Still Impacting Release Dates

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In today's press and analyst financial conference call, Electronic Arts executives weighed in on the matter of PlayStation 3's development difficulties as they relate to multiplatform releases.

Likely in reference to games such as EA and Pandemic's own Mercenaries 2, EA executives were asked whether the challenges in development multiplatform games on PS3 have cleared up. "Not quite," responded EA CEO John Riccitiello.

"There's no doubt that Electronic Arts along with many publishers had some challenges...on the PS3," Riccitiello went on, referring mainly to the early generation of multiplatform games released on both PS3 and Xbox 360. Still, the situation is improving greatly as developers become more acquainted with the hardware. The CEO estimates the issues is only about a third the problem it once was.

He pointed out that parallel development on both systems is when difficulties are most present. Games developed primarily for PS3 tend to go much more smoothly in development, he said. For example, Criterion Games, a studio which prides itself on its strong familiarity with the PlayStation family, had few issues development Burnout Paradise (PS3, X360), whose lead platform was PS3.

Recently, PS3 development issues were named as a contributing factor in the delay of Rockstar North's highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 4 (PS3, X360).

From The Chatty
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    January 31, 2008 3:39 PM

    This is why developers need to stop putting emphasis on making cross platform PS3/Xbox 360 games exactly the same. They are developing for the lowest common denominator of both systems and the consumers are getting crappy quality on both machines as a result.

    Mutliplatform development is the worst thing to happen this generation.

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      January 31, 2008 3:49 PM

      It's not at all new to this generation.

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        January 31, 2008 3:51 PM

        It's at a much higher level than it ever was compared to last generation. There was FAR more exclusive content last generation.

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      January 31, 2008 3:50 PM

      As opposed to last generation, when the same thing happened?

      This is why GOOD middleware is essential.

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      January 31, 2008 4:07 PM

      Well, if you want maximum return on your investment cross platform is necessary. It has happened every generation by the way.

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      January 31, 2008 5:17 PM

      Honestly, I'd argue that multiplatform development has been *BETTER* this gen than last. None of the 360/PS3 developed titles I've played have seemed any worse for having been developed on both.

      Granted, a few PS3 games have had some issues, but things like CoD4, Assassin's Creed, Devil Mary Cry certainly run great on both.

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        January 31, 2008 9:35 PM

        Less crying about games being hard to develop, more hurry up and release the shit so I can give you my hard earned money. I'm sick of delays honestly. It happens on all platforms.

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          February 1, 2008 4:17 AM

          Maybe I just have less time for gaming these days, but delays really haven't been bothering me so much. There's still plenty of games I haven't finished, so the longer other games take to make, the better.

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      February 1, 2008 3:42 AM

      That's far less true of this generation than last.

      Last generation the Xbox was clearly superior to the PS2 in many ways - as it was released a year or two after. There was a major gap between the PS2 and the XBox that anyone who owned both could see which put the lowest common denominator quite low. This generation the lowest common denominator is hilariously high in comparison. Cross platform games are incredible now - compared to where they used to be last gen.

      Yes - multiplatform development is as bad as your lowest common denominator. However this gen - between the PS3 and the Xbox 360 - that's a fucking impressive lowest common denominator.

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      February 1, 2008 5:09 AM

      Well there seems to be larger emphasis on developing a multiplatform engine than previously, where the same game would be recreated on different engines for each platform. Making an engine that runs on all 5 platforms without any additional effort on the behalf of the artists/designers is all the rage because that's the most logical and efficient way to make a multiplatform game right now.

      However, once the engines and the market mature and stabilise a bit in the next year or so I'm sure per-platform bonuses and extras will become a significant part of game development.

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      February 1, 2008 5:21 AM

      I agree totaly it realy fecks me off due to Xbox useing DvD Format and PS3 using Blue ray there is a massive difference in how much content you can put on each disc? BUT if the games are comming out on both consoles and are identical then surely the PS3 version will be lacking? I mean this isnt the main fustration its the processing power of each console the PS3 Pwns the xbox in processing power or am i wrong?

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