Apparently Microsoft rejected this game.

And that's the reason it was a PS3 exclusive.

http://www.digitalspy.ca/gaming/news/a512356/heavy-rain-was-turned-down-by-microsoft-over-child-kidnapping-story.html

Sometimes I feel like Microsoft is run by people who don't know what they're doing.

"They got scared by the fact that Heavy Rain was about kids being kidnapped, and they said, 'This is an issue, we want to change it'. Well, we could have kidnapped cats, it would be a different experience!" For me, that was a very interesting signal. It was like, you know what, I don't think we can work together, because you don't understand what I'm to achieve here."

QTE Fest, Jason, Bad VO.

Yup, saw that a day or 2 ago. Their loss, (my)Sony's gain.

I know some people really liked it, but in my opinion they didn't miss out on anything of worth.

I can see it, but I really doubt it, the timing of the announcement is far too suspicious; just trying to jumpstart talk about his new game.

Well, they didn't miss much. Game was sort of awful.

There are a lot of non game players working at the Xbox division within Microsoft.

I rejected it as well after playing it for an hour. Game was terrible.

Quality of the game aside, that's a troubling issue. How many other games had to alter controversial content to get Microsoft's approval? (assuming, obviously, that David Cage isn't bending any facts)

Thats....strange heavy rain was flawed but i liked it. Beyond seems ok. At this point sony should buy quantic dream if no one else wants them.

@jimmyfenix: Yupp, then fund Kara. Everyone wants Kara.

Depends on how many games with supposedly controversial elements were presented to Microsoft for first or second-party publishing considerations. But it does sound like a decision that Microsoft would make. The games Microsoft Game Studios have produced aren't exactly known for taking such risks.

Flaws aside I enjoyed that game for the approach that it took and the ideas that drove it, it was a fairly unique experience. I'm personally looking forward to playing Beyond.

If you have access to the collectors edition of the first Gears game you actively see how hard Microsoft as a publisher pushed to have the Lancer removed/modified in order to lower the ESRB/OFLC/PEGI rating to increase sales.

They're missing out on some gold:

Anyway, no thanks, David Cage. Get back to Omikron and bring Dave back while you're at it.

Based on what I know about Heavy Rain, I'm not sure Microsoft missed out on much...

I like the version with the cartoon sound effects better

In my head cannon, Heavy Rain and Alan Wake are in the same universe so this news is doubly disappointing!

Eh, it was a really bad game anyway. Sony can keep it.

I think it's weird how many people think back on this game and feel it was awful. I thought it was pretty interesting and enjoyed it. The weird European voice acting and all was pretty dumb but it was a nice break from all of the Gears clones of the generation.

That's a really stupid reason to reject a game.

As far as Microsoft "missing out", I enjoyed Heavy Rain more for what it was trying to be than what it actually was. Though what it actually was was kind of rough...

I enjoyed Heavy Rain even though I hated that ending.

You know, I don't like Heavy Rain or David Cage, but this is a really dumb reason for them to have turned the game down. As many problems as I have with the writing in that game, and... well, everything about it, they shouldn't have rejected the game because of the kidnapping aspect or wanted to change the story to be more approachable.

Which ending? There are like 5 ;p

I liked Heavy Rain, it makes me sad to see so many people bash it. Yes the VO was terrible at times and the story was a little goofy but it was still interesting and unique. Sure it was barely a game but to be fair the same could be said for Brothers and Gone Home etc. At least Heavy Rain's story played out differently depending on your choices. Which a lot of games claim to do but end up phoning in the "choices" the player makes.

But anyway, Microsofts reasoning is terrible and is exactly why most of the stuff that comes out of Hollywood sucks. (or is at least mind-numbingly predictable) Just to clarify, I was talking about them avoiding taking risks out of fear of controversy. Not that something has to have child kidnapping to be exciting. ;p

That David Cage guy sure does some real envelope pushing, controversial things. Better check out out he's up to. Oh I see he's releasing another game in about a month? Must be a coincidence.

Basically who the culprit was.

Boy, we really dodged a bullet, didn't we?

I thought they rejected the game for being bad.

I still find Heavy Rain one of the best experiences of the last console generation. Because it wasn't safe. Yes the QTE wasn't ideal and someone should have proof-read the script and see the very big plot holes. But overall I truly enjoyed it.

On the matter of Microsoft being so scared to do this kind of thing, perhaps it explains why my PS3 had so much more playtime. Oh does anyone remember all the "only possible on PS3" talk? Guess that was *surprise* only marketing talk.

Oh they rejected it for controversy? For a second there I was gonna give them more credit.

JASON JASON JASON!

Fuck the haters, Heavy Rain is one of the best games this gen. MS slipped big time.

Played this up until I lost the second kid I think, was that before or after the apartment fight with shelby? I couldn't take it anymore, I wasn't having fun and what I was doing wasn't interesting, so instead I just watch Matt & Pat play the game, which was 100 times more entertaining.

if you managed to not get spoiled about the TWEEST its pretty fun and thrilling. nothing special though

It makes sense. Quality of the final game aside (because they couldn't know that at the time) it's still a massive risk. It doesn't fit the kind if games Microsoft push and advertise for. Unless it appeals to everyone or the first person shooter fan base Microsoft probably won't give a damn.

Microsoft didn't really suffer financially from that decision. Quality aside, it only sold a couple of million copies and Ms has had plenty of profitable exclusives since then.

Heavy Rain is one of my favorite games. Their loss, indeed.

I know heavy rain wasn't the best game ever and it didn't have super big sale numbers behind it, but it offered something different that I;m so glad somebody had the guts to back them up on such a project. Perhaps numbers wise and everything MS didn't drop the ball, but this article shows that they have no balls at the same time.

But hey, mowing down people in an airport is way more suited to Microsoft anyway.

Valkyria Chronicles, Uncharted 2 and Heavy Rain are the best PS3 exclusive games

I bought a PS3 recently. I've liked Heavy Rain so far, but Valkyria Chronicles is addictive as hell. Missed it when my old tv died. Bought all the Uncharted games too. Got a lot of catching up to do.

That game had a terrible twist.

While I liked the game, I don't consider it a unmissable experience.

I thought it was a great game, it took chances, it's better than the generic wave of FPS's that were on the market at the time.

Only possible on Xbox 360 PS3.

That came out on PS3 as well.

Terrible might be an understatement

It was an entertaining experience with a seriously flawed script, I'll give it that.

I liked Heavy Rain a lot when it came out.