Console Exclusives

Console exclusivity has been a big part of the industry for the longest time now. But does this trend of tying down a developer to a single platform actually help the industry grow by creating a competitive environment ? Or does it hurt the industry by dividing the fan-base and hurting sales in the process (which ultimately affect the developers) ? Not to mention the disgusting fanboy subculture it spawns. The fact that it has existed for so many years means the industry itself sees exclusivity as a necessary evil but what do you guys think about it ? If you support console exclusives, what is your justification for denying others the fun of playing Halo, God of War or Mario Galaxy ?

My own answer to the question is that it does nothing for the players. If there was only one platform in existence, game developers would still be competing against each other to make the best possible game for that single platform. If anything, mediocre clones like Dante's Inferno or Killzone 1 would never exist if that were the case. I also wonder how this will all change once a service like OnLive really takes off. Maybe it won't happen immediately but that's where this is all going and ultimately, console manufacturers will feel the biggest impact of this.

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Consoles need exclusives to be able to compete in the market, Would you want every console to be identical? there'd be no differential between them. Exclusives tend to highlight the benefits of their console, giving the customer more incentive to purchase it. 

For. why? well cause lets say EVERY game was on EVERY console.. so what are you going to do when you are looking at a console? you only look at 1 thing really which friends have which system? you wont have to think which has better ___ and ___ cause both have them! so then everyone would jump to 1 system and any others would likely fail in sales.  So consoles do need exclusives to really survive.

Console exclusives are one of the key aspects of competition in the games industry, and it's competition that forces the companies to always try their best to come up with new innovative ideas and secure exclusive game rights. Take away that competitive aspect, and suddenly you get a one-console standard and everything gets lazy. Plus, different consoles try to suit the needs of different markets, which is a good thing. A console maker that tries to please everyone is going to fall flat on its face. Console exclusive form a significant part of a console's identity; take that away and what have you got left?
 
Like it or loathe it, console exclusives are not only necessary, they're a good thing for the industry.

"For. why? well cause lets say EVERY game was on EVERY console.. so what are you going to do when you are looking at a console? you only look at 1 thing really which friends have which system? you wont have to think which has better ___ and ___ cause both have them! so then everyone would jump to 1 system and any others would likely fail in sales.  So consoles do need exclusives to really survive. "

For, what evidence of superiority would fanboys be able to show without exclusives?

Without exclusives there wouldn't be competition. And competition is good for the consumer.

Not only is competition necessary but more often than not, when a game goes cross-platform for the first time, the ported system will get screwed over. As time goes on, a lot of gamers have more than one system anyway, so why waste production time and half-ass an Xbox version when you could just put all your resources into a great PS3 version? *cough*FF13*cough*

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I dislike the fact that I won't be playing God of War III.

For!  (see BAYONETTA on PS3 vs. Xbox 360)

I love console exclusives, it makes deciding should I get it for the 360 or PS3 a lot easier.

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They are pretty much a must. 

I'd love for all games to be available on one platform though I understand why that can't really happen unfortunately.

I don't really care, either way, but console and PC development and game styles are somewhat different, and the results are sometimes weird when one is ported to the other. Also makes it more desirable to own them all. 

There shouldn't need to be three consoles. An ideal gamer's world is one console that all games come out on. Exclusives are just dumb and it just makes the fanboys brag, that's it. But of course we know that will never happen.

For.  Console exclusives promotes competition; competition makes for better games.

I own all 3 systems and that wouldn't have happened without exclusives.   So I am for exclusives but I am glad to see them be fewer than in the past.

Console exclusives always turn out to be the best games I think. I suppose its the devs are directing all their focus on on platform and therefor can complete so much more with only focusing on one. Examples, the MGS series, Killzone 1 & 2, Uncharted, Heavy Rain, GoW series and a couple more I dont remember right away. I know there are some good Xbox exclusive titles out there too. I just think the PS3-only devs make far more awesome games than the Xbox ones. This might be coincidense...

I'm all for it. Granted, it sucks that I can't play such games as Uncharted 2 and the likes because I don't have a PS3 (yet) but without any competition in the market, it won't go anywhere.

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We barely get 3rd party exclusives anymore. The only exclusives we get are 1st party nowadays.  

For. Competition brings better games. Also if there weren't exclusives eventually there would only be one console which would cause a monopoly. Having a monopoly would allow that company to set prices at what ever they want cause there is no longer any competition. In the end it just hurts the consumer.

For. It speeds up the development process.