Insomniac Explains Sunset Overdrive's Xbox One Exclusivity
Benefits include 'quicker production cycles'.
E3 2013
Sunset Overdrive looks like the kind of colourful, imaginative game that Microsoft's Xbox One could really benefit with more of. But it seems that the Xbox One exclusivity of the project has resulted in a whole bunch of questions to Insomniac from loyal PlayStation owners. Studio CEO Ted Price has moved to explain.
In a statement on the studio's website, Price - whose outfit is best known for PlayStation mainstays Ratchet & Clank and Resistance - opened with, "At Insomniac, we’ve always been transparent with our fans. It’s important to us that our fans understand why we do what we do – it’s really the only way to build a meaningful long-term relationship."
No prizes for guessing who exactly were asking Insomniac 'why', and for what those questions were referring to. In case it wasn't clear, though, "It may surprise some of our longtime fans that we have partnered with Microsoft Studios to develop Sunset Overdrive exclusively for Xbox One."
"When we first began discussing this idea with Microsoft, we were initially hesitant to shift back into an exclusive arrangement. But as the Microsoft team began introducing us to the abilities and philosophies driving the development of Xbox One, we knew that Sunset Overdrive was a perfect fit," Price wrote.
He added that the exclusivity with Xbox One allows Insomniac to "create an ongoing two-way dialogue with our community," and offers "quicker production cycles." Like immediate live updates to the game, we imagine. But don't think Sunset Overdrive's situation means that Insomniac has totally swung in Microsoft's direction.
"Many of you may be asking what this news means for Insomniac. What about Ratchet & Clank? What about Fuse? Others may ask why we have “abandoned” our PlayStation heritage," Price continued. "The truth is, not a lot has changed. Insomniac has been, is, and will continue to be 100% independent. We have treasured that independence for the last 19 years.
"It now allows us to own and control our IP, and find the most suitable partners to make those IP a reality. While we are excited about partnering with Microsoft on Sunset Overdrive, that doesn’t mean we can’t or wouldn’t make games with our longtime friends at Sony. That’s the magic of being an independent developer."
Sunset Overdrive hasn't got a release date, although with 'quicker production cycles' we imagine Insomniac is working hard to finish the game as close as possible to the Xbox One's launch this November.
In a statement on the studio's website, Price - whose outfit is best known for PlayStation mainstays Ratchet & Clank and Resistance - opened with, "At Insomniac, we’ve always been transparent with our fans. It’s important to us that our fans understand why we do what we do – it’s really the only way to build a meaningful long-term relationship."
No prizes for guessing who exactly were asking Insomniac 'why', and for what those questions were referring to. In case it wasn't clear, though, "It may surprise some of our longtime fans that we have partnered with Microsoft Studios to develop Sunset Overdrive exclusively for Xbox One."
"When we first began discussing this idea with Microsoft, we were initially hesitant to shift back into an exclusive arrangement. But as the Microsoft team began introducing us to the abilities and philosophies driving the development of Xbox One, we knew that Sunset Overdrive was a perfect fit," Price wrote.
He added that the exclusivity with Xbox One allows Insomniac to "create an ongoing two-way dialogue with our community," and offers "quicker production cycles." Like immediate live updates to the game, we imagine. But don't think Sunset Overdrive's situation means that Insomniac has totally swung in Microsoft's direction.
"Many of you may be asking what this news means for Insomniac. What about Ratchet & Clank? What about Fuse? Others may ask why we have “abandoned” our PlayStation heritage," Price continued. "The truth is, not a lot has changed. Insomniac has been, is, and will continue to be 100% independent. We have treasured that independence for the last 19 years.
"It now allows us to own and control our IP, and find the most suitable partners to make those IP a reality. While we are excited about partnering with Microsoft on Sunset Overdrive, that doesn’t mean we can’t or wouldn’t make games with our longtime friends at Sony. That’s the magic of being an independent developer."
Sunset Overdrive hasn't got a release date, although with 'quicker production cycles' we imagine Insomniac is working hard to finish the game as close as possible to the Xbox One's launch this November.
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