If You Publish on PSN First, Microsoft Ain't Interested

If you're one of the remaining few still holding out hope for an eventual XBLA release of Critter Crunch, we have some unfortunate news...

You may have noticed that games that appear on the PlayStation Network, but not on the Xbox Live Marketplace, don't seem to ever come Microsoft's way down the road. The opposite has often been true, with numerous Xbox 360 and Xbox Live Arcade releases eventually making their way to Sony's disc-and-download-based platforms months after the fact. And yet Microsoft seemingly never gets these post-exclusive releases on the other side of the coin.

Apparently, that's because they don't want them.

Speaking to Eurogamer at Gamescom, Xbox Europe head Chris Lewis stated that Microsoft's policy is that titles must ship simultaneously on Xbox 360 or XBLA alongside other platforms, or be exclusive to Microsoft for some period of time. Otherwise, the company may simply refuse to allow the content on its console.

"We're a little biased, so obviously we're going to look to protect our own space as best we can and get exclusivity," he said. "Whilst I can't be specific about the terms and conditions, you can be very confident we seek to maximise our own advantage to ensure the playing field is even, and certainly plays to our advantage wherever possible."

Eurogamer obtained a copy of Microsoft's Content Submission and Release Policy, which states the following regarding parity and/or exclusivity:

Titles for Xbox 360 must ship at least simultaneously with other video game platform, and must have at least feature and content parity on-disc with the other video game platform versions in all regions where the title is available. If these conditions are not met, Microsoft reserves the right to not allow the content to be released on Xbox 360.

The "parity on-disc" portion of that statement does explain away how Sony was able to secure certain launch exclusive content, such as the added bonus case for L.A. Noire, which came in the form of downloadable content. At the same time, it doesn't explain away how Warner Bros. was able to release Mortal Kombat, which featured an on-disc PS3-exclusive character in God of War lead Kratos, without drawing Microsoft's ire. While Kratos would never appear on any console not branded PlayStation, the fact that the Xbox 360 version had no equivalent bonus character seems to go against the wording of the policy. Perhaps feathers were rankled, and Microsoft simply allowed things to move forward given MK's stature and draw as a title.

This policy does also extend to digital titles as well. This may have something to do with why Sony's new PSN PLAY program, ostensibly an attempt at bringing to the table its own version of Microsoft's Summer of Arcade, features no exclusive titles save for Payday: The Heist, a Sony Online Entertainment developed title. Microsoft, for its part, requires a minimum of four weeks of platform exclusivity to include any title in the Summer of Arcade program.

Regardless of any evidence of apparent flexibility in the policy, Lewis made it clear that he sees no chance for change in the policy any time in the foreseeable future, and emphasized that Microsoft sees this policy as a way of ensuring things remain competitive between the various console platforms.

"But, honestly, and this is going to sound a bit contrived, we just want what our consumers want from us. We want to be where they want us to be. We want the quality bar of what they experience from us to continue to go up. I think it has to happen. Everybody's got to do that. If we want to continue to command healthy average selling prices, which we all do, that which we offer our consumers has got to keep getting better. Despite the fact it can be irksome to have such strong competition all the time, it actually does keep us on our toes. It's great for everyone, and it makes for a very healthy race to higher and higher levels of quality of game experiences."

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What if Kirby Was Thrown in a Blender With New Super Mario Bros. Wii?

The first player has to be Kirby, but everyone can pick from other known Kirbyverse characters.

With few erratic (and sometimes embarrassing, like Kirby's Air Ride) exceptions, the pink puff ball has always been largely a solo experience. That's merely an option in Kirby's Return to Dreamland, the second Kirby game being released this year, and a game that may as well be New Super Kirby Bros. Wii.

I had no idea Kirby's Return to Dreamland was even announced atE3. I'm paid to know facts like this and didn't realize Nintendo had revealed two Kirby games until catching up on RSS feeds after the show. But Nintendo showed both to me recently in San Francisco (read my impressions of Kirby Mass Attack over here), and you can imagine my surprise when another Nintendo employee picked up a controller--and a blue Kirby appeared. And then a yellow one. And another color I can't remember.

Four Kirby dudes at once! Madness. Playing as Kirby isn't your only option either, so long as you're the second, third or fourth player. Someone has to play as Kirby, but anyone who joins in the game afterwards has the option of playing as several other characters, such as Meta Knight. If you're not Kirby, however, you lose access to Kirby's unique ability to acquire powers through cannibalism. I doubt Nintendo would approve of such terminology, but you tell me what else Kirby's actually up to.

Other playable characters include King Dedede and Waddle Dee, each with their own attacks. I can't figure why you'd want to play anyone other than Kirby, though; messing with the powers has been the general appeal behind the Kirby series since forever. To be fair, this defining bit wasn't even part of the original Kirby game, Kirby's Dream Land, released on the Game Boy in 1992.

By collecting a particular power-up, Kirby's powers are exponentially increased.

The four-player mania was a love-it-or-hate-it feature from New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Three people was the sweet spot for me, preventing the chaos from spilling into the realm of frustration, but I totally understood why most people had zero interest whatsoever. Platformers are about strict timing--it's a very personal affair. Kirby is not. There is platforming involved in playing this or any other Kirby game, but it's not front and center. Again, it's more about really messing cute dudes up with powers.

And there are hella powers up in Kirby's Return to Dreamland, powers way more powerful and screen-encompassing than anything else Kirby's had access to before. They're the typical powers found in previous Kirby games--fire, swords, etc.--but with the option of accessing super powered versions. There's even one that allowed Kirby to create his own personal wave and surf across the damn screen. Surf.

All told, while I'm thankful for what appears to be two new quality Kirby games, I can't help but be a little remorsefulKirby's Epic Yarn appears to have been a one-off when it comes to Kirby's console appearances. Kirby's lacked a strong visual identity in 3D, an issue Kirby's Epic Yarn solved by running in the opposite direction and embracing something different. It's not to say Kirby's Return to Dreamland looks bad, but "well, it looks like another Kirby game" is hardly a compliment, either.

Fortunately, "it looks like another Kirby game" also means it's probably gonna be a pretty good game.

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