Commenting on the anticipated next gen FPS Titanfall, Major Nelson made remarks on the title during some casual exchanges on Reddit today. In regards to Titanfall remaining console exclusive on the Xbox One , Major Nelson simply stated the following: While a rather simple statement, it’s one that reminds us of the regularly overlooked fact, Titanfall is indeed a console exclusive, but only a timed console exclusive. This means that Microsoft’s current ace in the hole and mass hype machine known as Titanfall, may indeed remain exclusive for only a short period of time. Much like many other properties or DLC packs that MS pays top dollar to see on their consoles first, Titanfall was most likely secured as a timed exclusive, through a very large sum of money Microsoft handed to EA, in order to create a must have for the Xbox One. The development studio, Respawn Entertainment, founded by former Call of Duty creators Frank Zampella and Jason West, made an exclusive deal with EA. The deal involved a hefty sum of money changing hands, in the promise that EA would be Respawn’s only publisher in the coming years. With all things considered, and EA’s regular business tactics of broadening their financial horizons as much as possible, the Titanfall situation seems like a no brainer. As an inevitable cash cow in the future of the FPS market, the games looks to follow in the grotesquely profitable footsteps of Call of Duty, the very same series Frank and Jason helped to create. Major Nelson was very careful with his wording “not worried about itâ€, which is a subtle, if not loaded sentiment. Titanfall, even as a time exclusive, will create a massive surge of demand of sales for the Xbox One, for whatever amount of time the game is available as an exclusive for Microsoft. Even if the game’s timed exclusivity is only a six month lead (or even a year), the timed exclusivity will be make or break, and will be helped by the immense hype and supposed quality Titanfall looks to bring to the table. Nelson’s “not worriedâ€, may be a two fold reference. The first one being in reference to the cash and good press it will create for the Xbox One, and secondly, that when the title does release on the PS4, Microsoft will still be able to claim advantages. Whether these be through the newly created sense of brand loyalty with consumers, or the future potential of more timed content for Titanfall, are both very likely scenarios.All things considered, it’s hard to see how Titanfall won’t go multiplatform, releasing on the PS4 in a sooner than later scenario. Say whatever you will about EA, but the Catch-22 Titanfall represents in terms of revenue is too maddening to ignore. If the game does poorly (and a shocking turn of events this would be), EA will want the biggest audience for the title. If Titanfall does exceptionally well…EA will want the biggest audience for the title. Whether it’s to recoup the losses or create more gains, it’s more than reasonable to assume Titanfall is PS4 bound, whether Xbox One owners like it or not. The price tag and Kinect may still be a turn off for many console owning hopefuls, but we’ll see how much they stick to their guns, when Titanfall drops in 2014. Source:
