Gamers outraged over Rise of the Tomb Raider's Xbox One exclusivity

[Himanshu Arora]

Rise of the Tomb Raider, the sequel to last year's well-received reboot of Lara Croft, will be exclusive to Xbox One when it launches next holiday 2015, Microsoft announced at its Gamescom 2014 press conference yesterday.

While it's good news for Xbox One owners, not so much for everyone else. Unsurprisingly fans are venting their anger on Microsoft, developer Crystal Dynamics and publisher Square Enix, noting that the franchise has always been available on a broad range of platforms including Sony's PlayStation.

While Microsoft and Square Enix haven't yet commented, Darrell Gallagher, head of Crystal Dynamics, wrote a blog post explaining the move.

"Today’s announcement with Microsoft is one step to help us put Tomb Raider on top of action adventure gaming. Our friends at Microsoft have always seen huge potential in Tomb Raider and have believed in our vision since our first unveil with them on their stage at E3 2011", Gallagher said. "This doesn’t mean that we’re walking away from our fans who only play on PlayStation or on PC. Those are great systems, with great partners, and amazing communities. We have Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris coming to those platforms this December, and Tomb Raider: The Definitive Edition is available on PS4".

But gamer's aren't buying it.

As always, there are also some jokes floating around the twittersphere.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is now exclusive to Xbox One. Square Enix clearly wants the game to be uncharted: as in, not entering the charts.

— CEO Kaz Hirai (@KazHiraiCEO) August 12, 2014

"Hello Microsoft, this is Square Enix. We were wondering, do you know any ways we could at least halve sales of Tomb Raider? ... You DO?!"

— John Walker (@botherer) August 12, 2014

There's even a change.org petition calling for a boycott of the game.

An interesting point worth noting is that the term 'exclusive' can have multiple meanings. If it's a full exclusive then it might never appear on any other system, but if it is simply a “timed” exclusive, it will eventually come to other platforms a few months later. According to Journalist Geoff Keighley, who spoke to people present at the conference, the game is "exclusive on Xbox for holiday 2015".

Our bet is on timed exclusive, but whatever the case is, we'll have you covered as more information becomes available.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/57722-gamers-outraged-over-rise-of-the-tomb-raiders-xbox-one-exclusivity.html

 

[m4a4]

Everyday I am reminded that the majority of the outspoken gaming community is made up of kids and self-centered people.

PS. You can't boycott something that you would not have bought since you probably don't have an XB1in the first place

 

[GeforcerFX]

Everyday I am reminded that the majority of the outspoken gaming community is made up of kids and self-centered people.

PS. You can't boycott something that you would not have bought since you probably don't have an XB1in the first place

right!!!!

 

[cmbjive]

Everyday I am reminded that the majority of the outspoken gaming community is made up of kids and self-centered people.

PS. You can't boycott something that you would not have bought since you probably don't have an XB1in the first place

As an owner of both an Xbox One and a PS4 I still would prefer to have the game on PS4 for two reasons: 1) I played Tomb Raider on PS3 and would prefer that to continue and 2) I prefer the PS controller to the Xbox controller for adventure games. It's just a personal preference.

Chances are that Rise of the Tomb Raider will always be an Xbox One exclusive. Then again, RE4 was also Gamecube exclusive until Capcom realized they could make more money releasing the game on PS2. I give Square Enix a year to realize they undercut their own sales and want to make that money back on PS4.

 

[cmbjive]

By the way, IGN is reporting that it is a "timed" exclusive (I can't link to the articel because I am at work). So Square is probably looking for ways to get out from underneath the deal with MS already.

 

[RH00D]

That's kind of disappointing. I'm only going to buy it if it's available on PC, not to spite them or anything, I just only game on a PC.

 

[amstech]

Here's my take:

Looks like Microsoft is paying off Square Enix to make the game an Xbox exclusive because they are still noticeably losing to Sony's product. Removing the Kinect, making Xbox Silver a better service (hey I can use Netflix on my 360S now hooray!) and removing necessity for online connection were only done after people complained.
You only get so many chances.

Now again I like my 360S (rock Fifa 13/Gears 3 with my pals all the time) and I've tempered my 'frustration' against them but if they thought no matter what, consumers would just eat up anything they spit out they have still not learned their lesson.
They aren't the big bad bully in the school yard anymore and slowly and painfully they are finding this out, I've been saying this for years.

 

[spoonofmilk]

Oh boohoo! Gladly, I have an XB1, but how many exclusives did PS3 fanboys gloat about in the previous generation? Microsoft manage to bag a decent one of their own (which is only a timed exclusive anyway) and the Sony boys go mental! Give and take, boys...

You're all well behind the news anyway... Phil Spencer has admitted it's only a timed exclusive. There's no news yet on when that exclusivity ends, but chances are it'll be six months at most. So you Sony and PC boys are STILL getting the best of it, once the bugs are all ironed out and all the DLC us XB1 owners will have to pay for gets bundled with your copies as some unnecessary recompense for making you wait a bit longer!

 

[psycros]

Everyday I am reminded that the majority of the outspoken gaming community is made up of kids and self-centered people.

PS. You can't boycott something that you would not have bought since you probably don't have an XB1in the first place

So much stupid in this comment. Almost got cancer I think.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I bet M$ would've loved it to be a fully exclusive title. It also sounds to me they're are starting to take desperate measures to move this XBone dog of theirs, either way I couldn't care any less, it's PC or nothing for me and a few exclusive titles wouldn't change anything.

 

[Alpha Gamer]

Oh boohoo! Gladly, I have an XB1, but how many exclusives did PS3 fanboys gloat about in the previous generation? Microsoft manage to bag a decent one of their own (which is only a timed exclusive anyway) and the Sony boys go mental! Give and take, boys...

It's not quite like that. The PS3 fanboys were gloating about Sony's own IPs and games that were developed from the start to the PS3. What Micro$oft did was buying(some would say "bribing") the exclusivity rights to a franchise that has always been multi-platform, instead of developing their own.

So, in a way, they not only bought the quality others have achieved by their own merits, but also took it away from the people who helped the game become what it is today.

 

[Guest]

Well I don't get why Psycros thought m4a4's comment was stupid it made sense to me.

If it is true that it is a "timed exclusive" then I would assume it is not that square is trying to get out of anything, more that, they get 3 months or 6 before it ends up on other platforms, like the slow announcement of GTA5 to PC, that kind of dealio.

 

[Cycloid Torus]

Looking forward to the Mod for PC to come...starring Clara Loft.... featuring HD graphics... leaving the version on the Zbux Zeru in the dust.

 

[Guest]

Well, if it is going to be a timed exclusive... for me there is no reason to buy it at full prices then, I will wait for the under $5 bargain on a Steam sale.

 

[GhostRyder]

Kind of a stupid complaint because in all honesty there are tons of exclusives on both consoles. Thats like me saying im mad that Final Fantasy 15 is PS4 exclusive.

I bought both so in the end im more than happy to buy it on the console (Or PC) it comes for. People whining over exclusives because they made a poor choice in consoles and are now regretting jumping the gun is just plain foolish.

If certain games matter to you and they are available on one system, then you should buy that system (Or a PC).

 

[IKROWNI]

Im sooo tired of the exclusive garbage! This does nothing but tear apart gaming communities. Why take a bribery check from microsoft for less than half what you can make in the first month from the sales of other platforms? What logical sense does it make at all? I will find my way to TPB for this game same with GTA5 when it releases on PC. Payed a lot of money for my gaming rig. much more than any console fanboy could ever dedicate to gaming hardware. And in return for my devotion to gaming I get to sit the sidelines for months while the most inferior product reaps the rewards? As I said TPB im coming to you in 6 months so that the devs of these 2 games can maybe learn a lesson.

Maybe that will teach these developers!

 

[Burty117]

I'm just amazed so many people still take the Tomb Raider franchise so seriously! xD
I know the most recent game was quite good but man, If I was out picking a platform to play games on I sure as hell wouldn't choosing one based on a Tomb Raider game.

I'm sure it'll be a timed exclusive, Square wouldn't want to lose out on another couple of million in sales for other platforms. Although I'd assume it's a Next Gen and PC affair only, the 360 and PS3 I assume wouldn't be developed for?

 

[Lurker101]

So Microsoft has taken another hostage for their unloved system. Big deal. If her face ends up looking anything like the next gen re-release face, they can execute the hostage for all I care.

 

[Scshadow]

I enjoyed Tomb Raider as I got to play it for free with my PS plus subscription. I didn't enjoy it enough to go buy a $400 console for the sequel. I could care less about timed exclusivity as I won't spend $60 for a game anyway. If its a permanent exclusive, I'm very disappointed. This series has always been multi-platform from what I can tell. They just aren't doing right by their loyal fans to switch it up like this.

 

[wastedkill]

Square enix just filed for bankruptcy, if they didnt well hey microsoft must have paid them double what they would have gotten in 3yrs of releasing the product multi-platform which is how many billions?

 

[Guest]

Welp the developer of this game obviously sold out. tomb raider was exclusive to sony since the ps1 and now its an exclusive to xbox? what a joke. situations like this are one of the things that cause fanboyism when it comes to what is everyones favorite console. I hope the console era dies one day. computers are so much better. theyve been able to do what the "new gen" consoles do now for the past 10 years and they do everything the consoles are stealing from pcs much better. lets not mention all the extra stuff you can do on a computer..........which is basically everything under the sun. microsoft shouldnt be in the console game. sony and nintendo can stay since they were around long before a majority of gamers/entertainment seekers started gaming on pcs etc etc.

 

[Darkshadoe]

Well, if it is going to be a timed exclusive... for me there is no reason to buy it at full prices then, I will wait for the under $5 bargain on a Steam sale.

^This is how you boycott a game.

 

[Darkshadoe]

I really don't see why these publishers have these exclusives anyways. They would sell alot more if it was open on all systems. Only 3 or 4 "special" people would buy a system just for one game. If anyone is smart about it, they would do what Guest said and wait till its in the bargain bin.

 

[Dukenukemx]

Firstly, who cares about Tomb Raider? The most recent game was such a disappointment in terms of gameplay. Riddled with Quick Time Events and linear gameplay. On the flip side the game did look good, but that's about it.

Secondly, Microsoft is doing the smart thing here. Consoles aren't consoles without exclusives.

Thirdly, it'll eventually come out to PC. Look at GTA V which took them a year. Same thing will happen to Tomb Raider and even Destiny.

 

[Puiu]

It's just a timed exclusive. now the real question is how long will it be exclusive?