Originally posted by Vishal
Gta 3 isnt gonna come to the xbox. Sony has made Rockstar sign a deal where they will release it only for the ps2.
Your kidding right? It is confirmed. Trust me, I run an Xbox site and deal with developers personally. Here is an article on of our partner Xbox sites has put together:
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Missing In Action
Uncovering the marvellous truth about the imminent arrival of Metal Gear Solid X and Grand Theft Auto 3 on Xbox as well as Sony’s dirty tactics.
We’ve had letters asking about these two must-have games than anything else on Xbox. Do they exist or not? Thankfully the answer is a resounding YES despite what their respective publishers want us to think right now. You want the proof? Well, have a butcher’s at these two beauties.
Metal Gear Solid X…..The Proof
Last Month we rang Konami and asked their press spokesperson if Metal Gear Solid X exists. The response; “No comment”. Which is odd because after a root around the archives of Konami’s press releases, we discovered that they were prepared to shout about MGSX from the rooftops in September 2000. Get a load of these actual quotes from Konami’s press release dated 22.09.00…..
“Konami corporation has announced that it has begun development of several game titles for the launch of Microsoft’s future generation game console, Xbox….these titles include Silent Hill X and Metal Gear Solid X a sequel of the 5.5 million world-wide seller action-shooting game”
“These titles have been specially designed for the Xbox and will include fantastic graphics, high quality sound, and hard disk drive features that are unique to the new console. They will provide gamers with intense, action packed game experiences never realised on previous game consoles”
“Konami has already started work on these new titles after receiving around 100 Xbox Development Kits”
Kagemasa Kozuki, Chief Executive Officer of Konami, even went on record to say; “I am delighted to be the first in the industry to announce specific game titles for Xbox.”
Flipping HECK!
So let’s recap. Metal Gear Solid X exists. Konami have been working on it for at least 18 months, it contains unique Xbox features, and it has personal blessing of Konami’s own grand fromage. And all that information comes straight from the horse’s mouth, Konami. So why is that mouth so firmly shut now? Read on…..
Grand Theft Auto 3…..The Proof
Grand Theft Auto 3 for Xbox is under development right now at DMA Design in Dundee. Yet Take 2 and Rockstar Games refuse to talk about it. Seems a bit late now though because in February 2001they couldn’t shut up about it. Here are the crucial points taken from Take 2’s own press release dated 15.2.01 (and still freely available on their website –
http://www.take2games.com/index.php?p=pr&release=XBox_Development&page=1).
“Titles in development for Xbox include Grand Theft Auto 3, The much anticipated sequel based on the Grand Theft Auto franchise”
Paul Eibeler, President of Take-Two no less, was even moved to comment in the release: “We are very excited about the prospects for Xbox, and the opportunity to publish titles designed to demonstrate the unique features of this future-generation gaming console.”
Thar She Blows
Grand Theft Auto 3 confirmed in writing for our beloved box. What’s more, Take 2’s head honcho has promised that it’ll contain special Xbox Only feature. And to top it all, the date of this release proves that GTA3 on the Xbox has been in development for over a year. We feel better already.
WHATS GOING ON?!?
A wall of silence has been thrown up around these two games to the extent that our good friends at Take 2 and Konami won’t even talk about them off the record. Clearly Powerful forces are at work. Previously these games were the subject of triumphant proclamations released to the world to enhance the standing of the companies involved. Now the very existence of these games is flatly denied. Could it be anything to do with Sony’s recent anti-Xbox offensive, the latest move in a brewing console war fought between the makers of the PS2 and Microsoft? No other site would dare tell you this, but Sony has been tying up exclusive deals with certain publishers to delay the release of certain big Xbox titles.
BATTLEGROUND EUROPE
This exclusivity tactic is primarily aimed at undermining the launch of Xbox in Europe. With Sony secure in Japan and Xbox predicted to clean up in the US, Europe is where the business behemoths believe the battle will be won and lost. So it’s on our own patch that Sony has directed its main assault.
The exact details of the pacts are secret but our industry contacts have revealed the important points.
Game releases of certain big titles are delayed on Xbox – for six months on average! The game publishers involved aren’t allowed to promote the titles in the territories where the deal applies and they won’t speak to the press about their existence. The inducement? Could it be that large sums of cash change hands and that Sony pays some of the games’ promotion costs on PS2, thus compensating the publishers for any temporary losses that they might incur on the Xbox version?
Most of the games that Sony has targeted so far have been the European releases of games which are already available to buy in the US. But the recent denials of Xbox versions of GTA3 and MGSX suggests that Sony is prepared to pull the strings on a global scale, when it thinks the stakes are high enough.
Leave It Out
Sony’s strategy is obvious. These details help undermine confidence in Xbox. Already we’ve had agonised emails from readers questioning whether it’s worth buying an Xbox if MGSX doesn’t exist. Prospective purchasers scanning the release schedules will question the viability of Xbox when it appears the big games aren’t forthcoming. Confusion reigns as genuine announcements are dismissed as rumour and companies won’t even admit to statements they’ve made a matter of public record by issuing corporate press releases.
Worst of all, innocent gamers are misled and have to suffer while games are suppressed in the name of a pointless console war. Why should Sony scheme to prevent us from enjoying our machines? Aren’t the sales of PS2 ticking along nicely enough?
In short, the situation stinks. But happily it won’t niff for long. The publishers may strike their bargains with Sony, but they know they need Xbox too. They want console competition because ultimately it means more loot for them. That’s why the deals are only temporary. Then the games hit the shelves as nature intended and we can get down to the serious business of playing them to destruction.
And in some ways this whole business is a blessing in disguise for Xbox owners. It means the developers get longer to perfect their games. Tecmo have taken advantage of the natural delay in DOA3’s Euro release to add 50 new moves and extra costumes as well as other special features. We also know of one massive game currently available in the states but blocked under the terms of a Sony deal, that the developers are continuing to enhance, so Europeans will effectively get the 1.5 version by the time it hits Europe.
Anything else? Oh yeah, Metal Gear Solid X and Grand Theft Auto 3 are 100% coming to the Xbox. Believe it
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I rest my case.
