Joshua Mosqueira, Diablo 3 lead designer, has revealed that the game could come to other platforms. Diablo 3 was announced at the Sony conference as coming to the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation 4. Mosqueira confirmed that Diablo 3 isn’t necessarily a PlayStation exclusive, which suggests that the game could also come to the Xbox 360, and possibly Wii U.
“We don’t have any announcements to make at this time. But we’re not necessarily a Sony exclusive.”
Mojang’s Jens Bergensten who is lead designer of Minecraft Pocket Edition for iOS and Android, says that when console exclusivity for Xbox 360 runs out the team are considering bringing the game to PlayStation. But he says that a Wii U version is very unlikely. Here’s what he had to say.
“Microsoft has an exclusivity deal for consoles. When it runs out we’ll consider Minecraft for PlayStation, but Wii U is very unlikely.”
Sony is holding a meeting this Wednesday, February 20th, to discuss the future of PlayStation. The company is expected to reveal a new console, also known as the successor to the PlayStation 3, which was released in 2006. To promote the upcoming meeting, Sony is supposedly attacking its rival Nintendo via placing ads around the web. In one particular ad, spotted by a NeoGAF member, which can be viewed above, Sony seems to be mocking Nintendo’s number one mascot, Mario.
Some intrepid modders have made it possible for Super Smash Bros Brawl owners to get their hands on the roster of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale characters in the Wii game. They have also added additional characters that aren’t available in PlayStation All-Stars which includes characters from Grand Theft Auto, Tomb Raider, Metal Gear Solid, and Tekken. The ultimate matchup is available to download now.
Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime admits Sony did a great job in terms of supporting its 12-year-old console, PlayStation 2, which launched in 2000. The PlayStation 2 is currently the best-selling video game system of all time, followed closely by the Nintendo DS, which released 2004. Like the PlayStation 2, Fils-Aime believes Wii will keep selling for quite some time.
Have you learned anything from watching Sony’s continued success selling the PlayStation 2?
“You know, PlayStation has done a phenomenal job driving sales on what is a [twelve] year-old machine. They’ve done a phenomenal job, and they have been able to address different marketing over time, to build an incredibly large install base. We believe that the Wii system, similarly, will keep selling for quite some time. They’re going to be different addressable markets, not only from a U.S. perspective but from a global perspective… [but we'll] hopefully continue to drive sales at a historic rate.”
GameStop CEO Paul Raines has revealed that insider information suggests that there will be only one console launching in 2013. The most likely company to fill this spot will be Microsoft with their next generation Xbox console which is expected to launch in the Fall. It’s likely that the PlayStation 4 will launch sometime in 2014.
“We have not been expecting two more consoles in 2013. We’re expecting Wii U this holiday, another one next year, and another one in ’14. These rumours change every week, but we’re hearing more about next year.”
“What we do know is that Xbox 720 is further along the production line than PS4. However, we also know that elements within the Sony hierarchy are determined not to allow the Next Xbox to enjoy the same sort of head start on the market that 360 had over PS3.”
During Gamescom 2012, Sony demonstrated how the PlayStation Vita can mimic a Wii U GamePad’s capabilities. According to 1up editor Chris Pereira, Sony is aiming to shift the focus of Wii U potential buyers toward the PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 3 cross-play feature. Sony is apparently trying to let consumers know that, when connected to a PlayStation 3, the PlayStation Vita can do the same thing and “possibly even better” than Nintendo’s upcoming console.
“Particularly in today’s on-stage demonstration of the new LittleBigPlanet 2 DLC, which is coming later this year, Sony didn’t shy away from attempting taking the wind out of Nintendo’s sails. It’s looking for any reason to help sell Vitas, and this functionality certainly doesn’t make it any less attractive to potential buyers, but more importantly this feature is something that makes what Nintendo has to offer seem less special. As Sony looks to sell its own hardware this holiday (and simultaneously hopes its own next-gen offering, not the Wii U, will eventually be the big seller), what better way is there to hurt interest in the competition’s offering than by showing how you can do the same thing, possibly even better?”
PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale director Omar Kendall fully admitted that his team borrowed ideas from the Super Smash Bros. series. More recently, PlayStation All-Stars producer Gavin Russell says that he understands why people are finding similarities between the two franchises and claims that he is flattered by the comparison to a game as successful as Nintendo’s brawler.
“Obviously we know games like Smash Brothers are quite easily drawn into comparison with our title, and to be honest, with a game as successful as that, it’s flattering to be placed in the same company.”
IGN recently questioned a large amount of “industry professionals” – who are also video game developers – about the next generation of video game consoles. The anonymous developers claimed that they will release their new video games on the next Xbox and PlayStation consoles during 2013.
The majority of the developers stated that they were pleased with the easiness of developing for the unannounced consoles, while “63% of developers said the Wii U would be the most challenging platform to develop for.”
In the past, known developers have stated that the Wii U is very easy to develop for. We don’t know who the developers are and we don’t know exactly how many were approached by IGN, so let’s wait until E3 next week to find out the number of developers that are supporting the Wii U.
Rumours that Sony were working on their own Super Smash Bros clone surfaced way back in November last year but it’s only now that Sony has registered the PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale domain. The project was originally referred to internally as Title Fight but it seems as though the long-winded PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is the official name for the free-for-all beat em up.
