Report: Sony dallying cost PS3 exclusives

Newsweek report says Ken Kutaragi's "slowness" allowed Assassin's Creed and GTA IV to go to the Xbox 360.

This past spring, Ubisoft announced Assassin's Creed, a visually stunning PlayStation 3 stealth-action game that impressed members of the gaming press at E3.

While the French publisher did drop many story details about the game, which is set in medieval Jerusalem during the Crusades, it danced around the question of whether the game would be exclusive to Sony's new console. Though early Assassin's Creed press releases only mentioned the PS3, the game was shown off at Microsoft's X05 event last fall as "Project Assassin." For their part, Ubi reps danced around the subject of whether or not the game would would be released on other consoles...until they finally fessed up the game would come to the Xbox 360 and PC.

At first, many chalked up the confusion to the dissembling that is all too common in game-publisher public relations. However, a recent Newsweek article says that, for a time, Assassin's Creed was indeed intended to be a PlayStation 3 exclusive. In his blog Level Up, correspondent N'Gai Croal reports that both the Ubisoft game and Grand Theft Auto IV were both slated to debut solely on the PS3--but slowness on the part of Sony cost the electronics giant both franchises.

"We've learned that Take-Two [Interactive] and Rockstar Games were interested in continuing their longtime relationship with Sony, in which they premiered their Grand Theft Auto games on PlayStation platforms exclusively for 6-12 months before bringing them to other systems," wrote Croal. "Also, Ubisoft was interested in making Assassin's Creed, due in stores next spring, exclusive to the PS3."

So what happened? According to Croal, "For the greater part of this year, PlayStation chief Ken Kutaragi hadn't finalized the business terms for independent publishers on the PS3," wrote Croal. "[But] PlayStation's Japanese headquarters was effectively radio silent, and without Kutaragi's signoff, the normally independent American and European branches had no authority to reach agreements on the exclusives they believed could be valuable to the PS3 cause."

According to Newsweek, while Sony played the waiting game, Microsoft contacted both Take-Two and Ubisoft and offered them very generous terms to bring Assassin's Creed and Grand Theft Auto IV to the Xbox 360. Croal cites an unnamed source at one of the companies as saying, "I do have to give Microsoft a lot of credit for going after titles and doing whatever they can to generate third-party support. They've been magnificent in this generation."

Though Sony Computer Entertainment America had not returned GameSpot's requests for comment, its executive vice president, Jack Tretton, told Newsweek that the 360 GTA IV was all its publisher's idea. "There was interest on Take-Two's part to bring Grand Theft Auto onto Xbox platforms," said the executive. "We wouldn't encourage them to do that. The interest came from them."

747 Comments

  • king_chapeton15

    Posted Jun 25, 2009 2:43 pm PT

    man kutaragi should have been fired for being stupid

  • boarwar

    Posted Jun 3, 2009 12:59 pm PT

    It sucks when you try to put the latest tech (blu ray/dvd, wifi, bluetooth, etc) into one system for cheeper than the competetor (ms monopoly) who has been out for a few years prior. XBOX's ONLY SMART MOVE WAS RELEASING A FAULTY SYSTEM BEFORE ITS COMPETETOR, YOU CANT PLAY DVDS WITHOUT BUYING AN ADDON, YOU CANT CONNECT TO THE INTERNET WITHOUT BUYING AN ADAPTER, YOU CANT WATCH BLU RAY, YOU CAN UPSCALE DVDS...WITH A SEPERATE ADAPTOR. Can you use bluetooth head sets on xbox or are we still using wires??

    to recap: Success is acheived buy
    1. Buying out decade long franchises with daddies Money
    2. Releasing a FAULTY piece of hardware that still uses many of the same old technology that ps2/xbox had mastered
    3. Instead of being innovative, BUY the RIGHTS to INNOVATION rather than work at it.

    MS tried to push MAC out of the buisness then, now look at apple. When sony stands back up on its feet and removes MS boot from its gut....They will rise with exclusives that are incappable of being sold to ms. If ms spent the money they used to SECURE GOOD TITLES they could have researched and developed NEW and EXCITING exclusives, instead of buying PS #1 selling game and banning ps from having exclusive material.

    MS fanboys need to stop huggin bills balls and open up their eyes. The original Xbox would have never made it with the lineup they created, cause ms games are flat.

  • killa4lyfe

    Posted Dec 17, 2008 4:40 pm PT

    this is where the Sony ship began to sink i am sad to say.....in profit at least.......they shot themselves in the foot but good thing that they healed the wounds themselves...they maybe healed but they are not completely gone.

  • zeeshan810

    Posted Dec 17, 2008 2:54 pm PT

    NOT GOOOD SONY!!!!!!!! not good

  • peeweeshift

    Posted Jun 4, 2008 4:50 pm PT

    its not a bribe jacob. they paid them fairly for content exclusiveness. it paid them off and if it makes perfect business sense.

  • jacob-goodlich

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 2:31 am PT

    i hate microsoft, always bribing everyone. gta4 and assassins creed are the 2 best games ever for consoles apart from oblivion

  • bizuit

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 12:13 pm PT

    xxalucard66xx, what other games are on the ps3? since you named more games for the 360 then you did ps3

  • DADA_007

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 9:39 am PT

    Means there is more chanse to next gta after gta iv will exclusive on ps3 and also Next Assassins Creed 2 if it will come.
    Ken Kutaragi what the helllllll:@

  • LittleYoshi

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 9:20 am PT

    Quote: angkawsw ("If Kutaragi causes Sony to lose alot of money by withhelding the release of playstation 3 he could be fired")

    He can't dude, because he is the maker (father) of the PlayStation.
    He is not going to work w/ Sony next time. PS4 will not be a Sony system next gen!

  • LittleYoshi

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 9:15 am PT

    There seem to be a lot of MS fanboys (AKA: haters) I don't know why u hate ps3, because it not even fighting back! So I don't know why u still want to fight back for?! Just hating because it is better huh. Whatever I don't care what haters think.....sorry, but get life is just a system.

    There is always a hater no matter where u go to........I wish assassin creed guy was here to take good care of those haters, because all the system are cool, but now I don't like the 360, all because of you haters out there! Thanks a lot!

  • Martyr

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 8:58 pm PT

    if only microsoft can bribe konami for MGS4 and that would be awesomE!

  • DJSMITH007

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 4:12 pm PT

    Just Microsoft bribing companies to port games to their console. Nothing new.

  • adamclarke

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 10:48 am PT

    why is it so bad that theyre releasing multi platform? its saves people like me a LOT of money.

  • jacob-goodlich

    Posted Jul 17, 2007 5:37 am PT

    it would have been good if assassins creed and gta 4 came out only on ps3, it is dissapionting that ubisoft and rockstar allowed their companies to be bribed. (i reckon assassins creed and gta4 will be the best games of 2007)

  • knux15

    Posted Jul 12, 2007 6:32 am PT

    I dont believe Newsweek, they will make a story out of anything and make every good thing look bad. This is the only reason I DO NOT like games in Newspapers, because we dont need to be fed the corruption of those blasphemous journalists who make up stories just to bag people. Now Im not defending Sony as they HAVE screwed themselves big time with how they run the Video Game Entertainment Sector, but still this is most likely lies and myth.

  • samdonni

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 2:07 pm PT

    lol. u say hes a SONY fanboy, then that means your a 360 FANBOY u dumbass.

    Who cares wheter games are exclusive? As long as they are available almost know one!

  • bm500

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 10:33 am PT

    stocko none of those game are going to be ground breaking and with the ps3 costing more than a house no one will be playing on it they will be playing on the 360 cos its live destroys psn and im no troll i just think you sony fanboys are so stuck up and think you would dominate this time but your ps3 with its blu-ray cant beat a wii with 4gb discs and 480p graphics

  • darren05r

    Posted May 24, 2007 11:42 am PT

    well said, xxalucard66xx , halo 3 is not all its cracked up to be. Bill gates is just a money grabbing buffoon trying to become the monopoly of the gaming industry.

  • xxalucard66xx

    Posted May 24, 2007 12:30 am PT

    " Microsoft contacted both Take-Two and Ubisoft and offered them very generous terms"

    Of course, big daddy Gates has to come in with his massive wallet and save his console's ass. Don't deny it x-box fanboys! Halo isn't all that. So far the only reason I see for buying a 360 is Gears of War. Yet so many more for my PS3. Hmm, decisions decisions. -_-

  • StOcKoHeArTs

    Posted Apr 12, 2007 12:45 am PT

    OMG everyone thinks that its the end of the PS3 they got 1st party ones like:
    Heavenly Sword
    R&C tools of ductruction
    Warhawk
    Uncharted
    Ninja gaiden stigma(orginally XBOX exclusive)
    Killzone
    lair
    white knight story
    and loads more GOD!!!

  • angkawsw

    Posted Mar 22, 2007 5:46 pm PT

    If Kutaragi causes Sony to lose alot of money by withhelding the release of playstation 3 he could be fired....

  • stepheno_311

    Posted Mar 17, 2007 3:55 pm PT

    This comment goes back to the very first entry to this blog... Someone needs to look up in Websters the definition of the word Monopoly. If Sony is getting the exclusive rights to games that other companies like Microsoft can't get, it seems to me that they are closer to monopolizing the gaming industry than Gates and Microsoft. In the gaming industry you can't stand around with a finger in your ear. 25 years ago IBM did the same things that Sony is doing today and that's why Microsoft is the monster they are today

  • PackersRock

    Posted Mar 16, 2007 4:45 pm PT

    sugreev2005-06-
    "Monopolizing Microsoft will probably get sued in the future,for these shady back door deals in the future."

    LOL. How do you figure this is shady or back door. Sony was slow to sign a deal, so Microsoft took advantage of an oppurtunity. Quit whining.

  • SantaisSatan

    Posted Mar 16, 2007 4:07 pm PT

    Anyone who thinks that Sony ( or Microsoft) are only in it for the games...well, you're stupid. JustinHendre

    I am looking in your direction.


    For a company to exist, it has to make money, IT HAS TO!!! No money, means. NO PAYCHECKS, which means, NO EMPLOYEES, which then means, NO COMPANY!!!

  • sugreev2005-06

    Posted Mar 14, 2007 11:21 pm PT

    Monopolizing Microsoft will probably get sued in the future,for these shady back door deals in the future.

  • SeyhanC

    Posted Mar 12, 2007 10:59 am PT

    Wow, just when I thought it couldn't get any worse for Ps3 owners

  • MARIOJAY450

    Posted Mar 5, 2007 12:21 pm PT

    good job

  • ---Neil---15

    Posted Mar 5, 2007 12:11 am PT

    IM startin to think sony makes money off every screw up they make. if so there probably rolling in dough by now, more so than microsoft.

  • onthe_dl

    Posted Mar 4, 2007 8:18 pm PT

    "lafsdave

    osxgp the 360 isn't really cheaper if u think about the fact that u have to buy the recharge battery thing or an wired controller, the wireless connection adapter and yeah its seems cheaper but if u calculate that to play online ull ever have to pay, and pay for every little thing make the 360 a lot more expensive.....
    a game that cost 80 $ Ca will easily cost u 110$ with the extras u can buy and download, yeah it is a choice to buy them, but they got a pretty good strategy to make poeple buy them... u want the game 100% well u are obliged to go online... i hate that mentality when i pay 80 $ for a game im wishing to be able to finish it without paying more than my internet already, the game and the console...
    Boycott Microsoft
    even if i have a 360 !!!"

    first of all you don't need to buy anything with a premium bundle. they now include a game so you can play it right out of the box, just like wii.

    it comes with a wireless controller and i don't know where you get your info from but you definitely don't need a wireless adapter to enjoy your wireless controllers, thats for the pc if you want to you your 360 as a wireless gamepad for pc.

    get your info straight first, and theres only two games out with extra content that gives you more length to the game, the rest are just simple game pictures or extra mods (such as new skins, cars...ect) that don't really contribute much to the original 80$ purchase.

    yeah online you do have you pay but it's about 45$ a year and that includes a big network of people you can play games with and invite into your games while they're playing different titles. plus now you can join in with people on pc's with xbox 360. i'd prefer the community of xbox live and joining games with my friends as groups instead of an un organized list of servers in a game.

  • LinKuei_warrior

    Posted Mar 3, 2007 1:57 am PT

    Shows how much Microsoft cares about its customers.making VERY generous terms so fans that have the 360 consoles can enjoy!awesome move micro!

  • t-dogg79

    Posted Feb 19, 2007 1:01 pm PT

    i dunno guys i mean i have a 360 and im really happy with it but im also impressed with the ps3 but what the fukswith the price? i have always bewlieved that sony had a passion for games but why charge soo much for the console? i know its a bit more powerful than the 360 bu jeez 500 pounds?! cmon man give us a break here!

  • Arkinsweets

    Posted Feb 16, 2007 2:21 pm PT

    I'm glad there's less exclusive games out there actually. We know that the PS3 will run them better - or certainly have more content than the 360 and Wii - but it's good for the developers to sell as many copies as they can so they can continue to make better games. On the other hand, porting games from PS3 to the 360 and Wii could be a problem. It may be difficult to put the game on anything but a Blu-Ray, and therefore the release date would be put back. :S Let's not go there...

  • lafsdave

    Posted Feb 16, 2007 4:15 am PT

    osxgp the 360 isn't really cheaper if u think about the fact that u have to buy the recharge battery thing or an wired controller, the wireless connection adapter and yeah its seems cheaper but if u calculate that to play online ull ever have to pay, and pay for every little thing make the 360 a lot more expensive.....
    a game that cost 80 $ Ca will easily cost u 110$ with the extras u can buy and download, yeah it is a choice to buy them, but they got a pretty good strategy to make poeple buy them... u want the game 100% well u are obliged to go online... i hate that mentality when i pay 80 $ for a game im wishing to be able to finish it without paying more than my internet already, the game and the console...
    Boycott Microsoft
    even if i have a 360 !!!

  • Raiders505

    Posted Feb 13, 2007 2:51 pm PT

    Stop hatin' on the PS3 it just came out damn.

  • StealthyOneal

    Posted Feb 12, 2007 11:53 pm PT

    i just have to tell this JetGodLike dude that half the tittles the he said are "100%" X-Box306 games are also PS3 game... so dude dont just put what you think... put what you KNOW.. heres his list....ill add what its for ( Halo3-xb, HaloWars-xb, GTA4-both, PGR4-xb, LostPlanet-both, GearsofWar-xb, VurtaFighter5-both, DeadRising-xb, TestDrive-both, BioShock-?, TwoWorlds-g@y, Unreal2007-(read psm) both, Half-Life2-both, Froza2-g@y, ResnetEvil5-both, DefJameIcon-both, Fifa-both, proEvo, Area51-neather unless you mean "BackSite"- both, G.R.A.W2-both and C&C3- ?) i dont no alot about the Wii but its good to so dont think just because i diden't add it in here DOES NOT mean it sucks.. Peace P.S- listen to JustinHendre he's 100% right on that one

  • xifritx

    Posted Feb 11, 2007 6:06 pm PT

    i hate you kuturagi ...

  • osxgp

    Posted Feb 10, 2007 10:33 pm PT

    Sony's former president , in my opinion, ruined the PS3 by not getting his head out of his ass. His cocky attitude about Sony may cost them millions of dollars. In a past interview, he was talking about how the PS3 would sell even if there were no games simply because its a PS3. That kind of arrogance makes me want to see Sony fail (not really), but he might as well told the public that we are idiots and don't know the difference from our ass and a hole in the ground. Make no mistake, I love my PS3 and want it to succeed but if Sony cant hold on to exclusives, I fail to see why people will spend the extra money for a PS3 when they can get the same games on a less expensive console.

  • frankthelizard

    Posted Feb 10, 2007 7:19 am PT

    I think that this good because these are both big games and xbox 360 owners would feel left to the curb and now sony is losing there big franchises.

  • samad5

    Posted Feb 8, 2007 5:34 am PT

    ticalmc2k2 I agree with you. The PS3 exclusives do look better than the 360 ones on paper.

  • ticalmc2k2

    Posted Feb 7, 2007 2:39 pm PT

    JeTGoDLiKe
    btw y get a ps3 when the xbox360 has the best games like ( Halo3, HaloWars, GTA4, PGR4, LostPlanet, GearsofWar, VurtaFighter5, DeadRising, TestDrive, BioShock, TwoWorlds, Unreal2007, Half-Life2, Froza2, ResnetEvil5, DefJameIcon, Fifa, proEvo, Area51, G.R.A.W2 and C&C3) lol and thats just half off the Major titles that 100% will b on xbox360 i cant remember the other half :/ ahh well cya l8r. Ps the xbox360 is already pwning the ps3 www.ps3justgotowned.com

    Most of those games are on PS3 too, and other than Halo 3 and GoW, those other 360 exclusives are just good hit titles at best. PS3's exclusives are still better. Most people will take GT5 over Forza2 in a heartbeat. DMC4, GoW, MGS, FF, Killzone, Resistance, Motorstorm, Lair, Heavenly Sword, F1, and several more are still PS3 exclusive. When it comes down to it though, the only exclusive killer apps for each side are Halo, GoW, MGS, FF, GT, and maybe Resistance or Killzone. Btw, you left out probably the best exclusive for 360 for Spring, Mass Effect.

  • Seabread

    Posted Feb 7, 2007 4:35 am PT

    ====================
    A NOTE TO JustinHendre
    ====================
    How the hell do you know that it's gonna suck? eh? YOU DONT ass-master!
    A PS style game? er, please clarify how a CONSOLE game can only fit one particular type of console! how exactly does the controller FIT it better? they have all the same buttons! personally i preferred the DualShock2 up until this generation and then Microsoft got their controller perfected with the 'bumper' buttons and i mean PERFECTED (imo) and Sony drop the ball by going for SUXaxis and removing the rumble feature. games on PS3 will be no where near what we've come to expect over the past 10 years or so 'cos they've CHOSEN to remove technology that pushed the industry forward that little bit more.
    Xbox BUNS? what the hell does this mean?
    as for bill gates being all about the benjamins that may be more than true but no more than it applies to Sony. you can't tell me, after all the carry on that's happened over this generation, that Sony isn't trying to take it's hardcore fans to the cleaners. By MAKING them have technology that isn't even off the ground or proven you dont know that it wont crash and burn (like the majority of Sony gimmicks).
    And the price tag? if MS were all about $ then they would have taken advantage of Sony's pricing and kept 360 prices high which we all know they didn't.
    You points have been disproven Justin, every single one of them. next time think about what you're writing, not about how mad you are about the 360 being better than the PS3. you got sucked into the fanboy way of thinking and, like the dark side, it'll cloud your vision of the truth.
    YOU mark MY words, little man!

  • JustinHendre

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 11:13 pm PT

    Now GTAIV is gonna suck cus they sold out! 2 straight generations of success on SONY's consoles, and now they sell out. GTA is a playstation style game, the controller fits better for it. Xbox buns. Mark my words, if this game isn't developed primarily for PS3 and ported to 360, it's gonna suck. Now we gotta deal with this bad Karma hex on what should be the best game ever, but nope once again dollars and cents had to hinder the best things in life. Bill gates is wack, look what he did with vista. He's gonna ruin the video game industry cus it's all about being a monopoly for him, Sony is about making video games and systems, they always have been.

  • BIGboss600

    Posted Feb 4, 2007 6:40 pm PT

    ILL STILL HAVE IT ON MY PS3 I JUST WISH IT WERE A GAME MADE FOR THE PS3 AND PORTED TO THE 360 INSTEAD OF THE OTHER WAY AROUND

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