Not the same at all. No Man's Sky exclusivity announcement didn't follow "Some Dude's Sky" that came out a year prior on both Sony and Microsoft platforms which was then released as "Some Dude's Sky: Way Better Sky Edition" on the XONE and PS4. The precedent has been set for Tomb Raider that it's a multi-platform series.

Also, it's a shame No Man's Sky is only coming to the PS4 and PC. Everyone should have chance to play something that fresh and ambitious on the platform of their choice.

I think this deal is great for Microsoft. I didn't have a whole lot of attachment to the most recent game, it was good but never clicked with me all the way. For the people that it really did click with, it can be a system seller, which is what Microsoft needs. Also, based upon what Square said last time, they really want (expect?) this thing to sell, they want Tomb Raider to be huge. In my personal opinion, i feel that they expect this new one to be a system seller, and if Microsoft is giving them a bunch of cash to make sure it is Xbox One's that are being sold, I think it's good for both parties.

A lot of the reaction to this is negative, but I don't think it needs to be. If you're a hardcore tomb raider fan, you may humble and grumble about it, but you'll pick up an Xbox to play. If you're interest in Tomb Raider is more passive, pick up the sequel to that excellent downloadable game. I think it's a smart business move, but they aren't leaving the fans who can't buy Xbox's in the dark either.

Thats a shame for PS4 owners, Tomb Raider was an awesome game really great for a first go around. I'm really excited for this one to see what they improve on.

If they want the game to sell, cutting out like two thirds of their potential audience is probably a bad idea, both in short term sales and the long term health of the franchise. It's also horrible PR-wise. Consumers have really rallied behind the Playstation 4 and Square Enix has basically told them that a short term money grab is worth more than pleasing fans of the series.

Nope. This is a case of Microsoft throwing dollars at Square Enix to keep the game off of other platforms, not a case of ensuring the game is made at all.

Yah this is tragic news for me. I was all set on buying a PS4 next month without really looking back despite being a huge 360 fan all last generation. Now this has shaken my resolve cause I absolutely loved Tomb Raider - in fact I liked it a lot more than Uncharted. I am genuinely ..kinda upset about this..

No Man's Sky = TIMED exclusive

Rise of the Tomb Raider = permanent exclusive

Sony's philosophy is to fund games and enjoy the perks of timed exclusivity while small devs enjoy the revenue to make it for other platforms. Good guy Sony is footing their startup bills regardless of platforms. Microsoft says "Fuck all that! Here's some money if you cancel PS4/PC versions of your game."

Can you tell the difference?

Well, I don't feel so bad now for never playing the first one.

I'm legitimately going to have to rethink about purchasing Square products in the future. I don't feel comfortable supporting a company that so brazenly flips off a huge number of the people that have supported the reboot of a long struggling franchise just so they can line their pockets.

Suppose MS really wants something to "counter" Uncharted 4? Seems weird and it's disappointing as a PS4 guy, but ah well.

@hailinel: Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaame. Like I said I'll probably still get it.

BOOM!

@excast: While I would tend to agree that the PS4 had more positive buzz going, I really believe that the Xbox brand has really turned it around from where they had been. And I think franchise wise they aren't killing their brand, they are putting out a Tomb Raider game of some form on everything* soon.

I do agree that they are limiting their sales potential due to their game being exclusive to the Xbox, but I would also say that is where the Microsoft money is going. I would imagine it has to be enough to make up for that, otherwise a company wouldn't go exclusive. But then again, none of us really know the specifics of the deal, so I honestly don't know if it makes up for it.

@excast: I'm thinking that if this game ever does come out on PS4 I might buy it second hand which I've never done just as a way to not to give them the sale, which seems petty granted. But this deal has annoyed me as I bought Tomb Raider when it came out and was looking forward to supporting the sequel.

@trafalgarlaw: Well put and it's why I'm happy to support Sony as they in turn support the developers who give us such great games.

Bingo.

Anxious to play this.

It's all just spin for when sony comes out and say's "rise of tomb raider out exclusively now! on ps4!" then a bunch of tombs fall from the ceiling we all cheer.

No one wins by missing out on games. If Microsoft made it, sure, that's different and they can use that to drive their own sales. But to have a franchise that's already been multiplatform, and a direct sequel no less, as an exclusive is a bad move. It's leaving people out by nature and doesn't do anything but fuck people who played it on other platforms. People who played Definitive Edition on PS4 are not going to buy an Xbox, PC gamers who wanted this game are not going to buy an Xbox. The only ones benefiting are Square-Enix, and that's only short-term. Tomb Raider didn't do well out of the gate, and putting it on the lesser-owned next-gen platform and simultaneously pissing off a massive portion of their fanbase is the dumbest thing they could possibly do with it.

I don't get Square Enix. They complained that the last game which sold 3.4 million copies in its first month was "very disappointing" because they expected it to sell 6 million copies within the same time period. While the game did go on to sell over 6 million copies, it was also the most successful game in the franchise history! Right now, we can gather that there's around 6-7 million Xbox 1 owners (I couldn't find any numbers since April) but by holiday next year, let's just assume that number will be around 15 million.

Tomb Raider had a reach of Xbox 360 (78 million units as of late last year), PS3 (80 million) and Steam users (75 million). Then there was the definitive edition which launched on the PS4 and XB1 but both of those numbers would be much lower even combined. So let's say that Tomb Raider could've potentially sold to an audience of around 235 million users but the actual number will be significantly lower due to regions, personal preferences, owning more than one system etc but to reach 6 million in sales would be a lot more achievable. For TR2 to even sell close to the first game while being exclusive to the XB1, it'll likely have to sell to around 40% of world wide users.

This decision is almost as stupid as the name "Rise of the Tomb Raider."

Not quite-- but almost!

I like this theory.

well i guess CD choose money over gamers. lame. was looking forward to that game.

Well, I guess my short lived stint as a Tomb Raider fan is over.

I just find this weird, wasnt this announced at e3 for other platforms or was i imagining that?

Microsoft secure themselves exclusivity on a modern, more fun and fluid version of Uncharted.

Well done them.

Weird, but not that weird I guess. Microsoft always does seem to have a knack for paying out third party developers for exclusivity (See: GTA4 DLC, Dead Rising 3, Munch's Odyssey, Tales of Vesperia) in order to strong arm its competition. I guess what make's this all the stranger is that this time they are claiming that it is a hard exclusive; I still have my doubts about that, they always find a way to the PC at least. They must've paid a ton if they seriously wanted to prevent any other platform from having it.

yup. my guess is sales havent improved much (or at least to what they wanted) after the price drop and they are throwing money everywhere seeing what sticks.

Wouldn't this be on SquareEnix since they are the ones publishing the game? Either way, this decision seems very short sighted. They are trading quarterly profits for the possibility of growing the rebooteded franchise into a bona fide success by their own apparently very high standards.. Not that I believe for a minute this game won't eventually be on PS4 and PC, if people still care.

I didn't like the game much, so I'm not that bummed. Still it sucks for people waiting for the game on the PS4.

Microsoft waved it's financial support and Crystal Dynamics and Square-Enix followed.

Wow, weird. I consider myself pretty much in the core Tomb Raider audience, I've played many of the games and love GoL and the reboot. Now they don't want my custom? Maybe my attitude is a product of age, but I'm totally willing to "ditch" franchises that don't go in the direction I want, and this pretty much franchise-ditching material. Also, I don't wanna support publishers dicking around like this, so Square Enix can join the EA blacklist.

Love the Hirai tweet, and can't believe the Sony strategy of laughing at Microsoft has worked for over a year now. Two years ago I was only playing games on 360, now I play on PC, 3DS and Vita because Microsoft have done everything in their power to push me away. Unbelievable PR department. Unbelievable!

People forget one tiny thing when they say "third party exclusives make sense": The issue is that they could have taken the money they gave the producers from Square-Enix to make another game instead and still have this game as well. Forget PS4 or PC, their could have been another game on the XBox One!

This has always been the problem with paying for third party exclusives. It is destructive because the vendor is throwing money at the ISP. They have essentially increased costs while we the buyer and gamer are getting less game/product.

I don't think Crystal Dynamics had final say over that decision, Square Enix ultimately made that decision.

It'd be interesting to see if it'll be similar to Ryse and Dead Rising 3 wherein it was an XBO console exclusive but would eventually come to PC at a later time.

This doesn't make any sense in terms of Square Enix's current business model. They've spent the last couple years trying to get games on as many platforms as possible (including convincing their Japanese side to do the same with franchises like Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts getting the go-ahead on multiple platforms). I just don't see how this fits (other than the obvious up-front money thing: but I thought they'd come to the realisation that these business deals don't help them in the long run).

This will be on PC in a year.

So much rage and of course because it's MS they're the big bad. Sony does it "Sony loves gamers derp".

Good move on MS. It's the better "Uncharted".

i was looking forward to playing this on the pc. am sad. hopefully its just timed.