Sony buys Ghostbusters game from Atari
Sony has bought the rights to publish the new Ghostbusters game from Atari.
The game, which is scheduled to hit shelves on June 19th, will coincide with initial filming on a third film that is also being made by Sony. Sony, obviously eager to capitalise on the popularity of the franchise, has apparently decided to make the previously multi-platform game a PlayStation exclusive.
Ghostbusters: The Game will now ship as a PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 exclusive when it is released in June, with the exclusivity lasting for several months, after which a PlayStation Portable version will be released, according to GamesIndustry.biz.
It's unclear what will happen to the remaining versions of the game, most notably the Xbox 360 release, but early reports indicate that Atari will retain the rights to publish the game on that platform at some point.
The move to Sony means that the Ghostbusters game has shifted publisher three times over the course of development, having first been dropped by Vivendi after the Activision-Blizzard merger last summer. Atari picked the title up quickly in an effort to make some quick cash after having been hit hard by the recession.
Early previews of the upcoming Ghostbusters game have had a favourable response from critics, especially with the addition of co-operative gameplay, so it seems all we can do now is hope Sony doesn't do too much to alter the development of the game.
Are you looking forward to the new Ghostbusters game? Let us know your thoughts in the forums.
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Discuss in the forums ReplyWhats the news on a possible PC release? Xmas time?
unless is it a sony VIAO exclusive, you have the same chance as 360, Wii and DS users
I was really looking forward to playing a new Ghostbusters game too. I'm so disappointed.
I shall never buy a Sony product again.
.....and Halo ODST, Gears of War will be available on the PS3 by Christmas with the likes of Little Big Planet and God of War coming to the 360
:facepalm:
F**k Sony.
I'm quite shocked Sony managed to pull this one, if they had a decent game with mass appeal coming to everything including the wii, wouldn't they earn more money? No option of self publishing?
stop flaming fanboy....... try gametrailers.com and not some crappy fanboy site, alot of the videos go on about the Wii control scheme and getting the best GB experience.
These aren't just some guys on the forums, these are MS employees, Ghostbusters IS coming to the 360, what part of timed exclusive do you not understand?
"Yes, it's true. This man has no dick."
there is not confirmation on whether it is a timed exclusive or not, atari isn't doing well in the credit cruch at the moment, so if sony has brought this timed exclusive then they are going against there ethos where they dont buy exclusives....
let just hope that atari will still be publishing the other versions, but that will now depend on the details of the agreement which i'm sure will come about later. I dont believe sony are stupid, I think the rights would have been pulled completely and all other versions canned.
Linky
which really annoys me. I was looking forward to this game - especially as it was supposed to come out just after my birthday.
Even though this is a bait post I'm biting. Nobody seemed to have a problem when Microsoft was buying up everything for the 360. I was a HUGE Ace Combat fan. Where is it on PS3? I love RPGs, oh wait, Microsoft had the exclusives on all Mistwalker games, a couple of Square-Enix titles (Star Ocean comes to mind first) and up till now, even a Nacmo title (Tales series). I see nothing wrong with this move by Sony. By all accounts Microsoft through down the guantlet when they squeezed Square-Enix out of the exclusive contact with Sony for Final Fantasy. But everyone is upset that Sony snatched The Ghostbusters? HA.
Edit: not to sound overly... pissed or whatever... I have nothing against console manufacturers fighting over exclusivity - that's fine by me... but don't sc*** PC gamers in the process...
@themax: it's not that they've made it PS3 exclusive that annoys me, it's the fact they've made it PS3 exclusive less than a month from release. And only for europe, non-pal territories still gets the 360/Wii versions at release!!!
usually the exclusivity rights are bought at the beginning of the development cycle aren't they? Not when the game is nearly on the shelves. So the salivating masses don't get disappointed when they find out the game isn't coming out on their format of choice.
This has just pursueded me to hack my 360 & download a pirated version of the US version. Just off to cancel my order with game.....
But MS don't go around saying how they never buy exclusivity, they finger point at the big bad company while they're no better themselves.
And as BladeMRK said, they don't buy exclusivity very close to the release date, there are tons of people with pre-orders for the 360 version who are going to have to wait a lot longer simply because Sony are making a dick move and I don't really see what Sony achieve with this, it's not a mega high profile release, it's not going to shift them that many more consoles because people can't wait to get their hands on it.
Microsoft does the same thing with DLC or timed exclusives, so I guess that means you won't buy another Microsoft product either?
And I recall majority of this forum bashing Sony for saying such. Perhaps Sony realized they can't simply appeal to developers anymore. Microsoft changed the whole game with thier blank checks this generation. Besides this not even close to PS3 owners being forced to wait an extra year (in PAL and NA) for the 360 version of FF XIII thanks to MS so they can release simultaneously.
I understood that a lot of games were delayed on a particular format in order to achieve a simultaneous release with others and so prevent this kind of effect.. so this is really just a case of them shooting themselves in the foot here and seems pretty stupid to me...
I'm not one to pirate games, but to withhold it like this just to try and shift more PS3s is a pretty shoddy way to treat European customers no? Almost makes me more inclined to take the pirate's side... almost.
i never even heard of this game until now.
What you say? The PS3 is too expensive? OK fanboy don't buy it no one is forcing you.
To Neat69 the one that said he was going to pirate the game because "He hates Sony" (or she for that matter, although I imagine a girl being WAY more mature about this). Are you threatening Sony with piracy? Great idea. Tell me how it works out for ya.
Seriously though, I don't see this falling through. If I were to bet I would say that Sony is going to renege on this move and drop the exclusive, although I am having way too much fun reading comments like these
/Burnfanboys :P ;-)
It's a discussion forum, if you can't deal with the fact that other people have different opinions and situations than you, I doubt you'll be missed if the door hits you on the way out.
People were looking forward to buying the game on the Xbox/PC in Europe because it was announced as multiplatform, they may not have the means, or the desire, or need, to buy a PS3 just to play the game, and thus to them it's not fair.
I still believe though that Sony is going to drop the exclusive because this sounds a little over the top and pressure will come for the masses to force Sony's hand on this. But that is only my most humble opinion.
It's just marketing and corporation bullshit that is being used to sell a product and which demonstrate how pathetically desperate Sony is about selling their overrated console.
I made my point which is if you want to buy the game the day it comes out in PAL territories then get a PS3 or wait simple.
Your point is? "I hate corporations for doing business", and my post are pointless.
I'll say it again though I DON'T see this exclusive going through. I believe Sony is going to renege.
..BT is a primarily British based company, with British based staff, and what I'd wager is a higher number of British members. Reporting about stuff that doesn't affect us happening in NA is not likely to gain them anything much. Telling us what's happening here, well. That's what they're here for.
On topic: Boo-hoo.
MS do it, Nintendo probably do it, why shouldn't Sony?
Guess it's time to import then.
It's in the works.