It’s just back and forth, back and forth with these types of things, isn’t it? Nearly a full 24 hours ago, Microsoft sent the internet into a frenzy by announcing that Rise of the Tomb Raider would release exclusively on Xbox next year. But as we’ve come to realise lately, there are many ways to dance around the facts.
What we do know is that Rise of the Tomb Raider, at launch in holiday 2015, will only be on Xbox One and Xbox 360. That’s a fact. But in an interview with Microsoft’s Phil Spencer, Eurogamer discovered that the exclusivity deal has a duration. Which means that once it’s over, Rise of the Tomb Raider could release on other platforms.
In other words, Microsoft does not own the Tomb Raider IP, Square Enix still does.
Spencer said he understood the reaction from fans, but also asks the public to understand that Microsoft is there to talk about there games and not the possibility of titles on other platforms.
“I don’t own them building Tomb Raider on other platforms. I can’t talk about the franchise that way. I can talk about the deal I have.”
That deal will give Microsoft the rights to the sequel for a limited time period, after which Square Enix is free to do what ever they want. That doesn’t necessarily mean Rise of the Tomb Raider will come to other platforms, especially since there’s no word on how long the deal lasts. What it does mean is that Tomb Raider, as a franchise, is not an Xbox exclusive, which is sure to relieve every Sony fan globally.
Will Square bring Rise of the Tomb Raider to other platforms? Probably, we just have to wait and see how long after the Xbox release though.
Last Updated: August 13, 2014
Marius Nell
August 13, 2014 at 17:10
Called it. Microsoft has no shame. It is a timed exclusive.
Kromas of City17
August 13, 2014 at 17:46
about 80% of the people here called it. 😛
DarthZA
August 14, 2014 at 08:23
Why do you jump to the “MS has no shame”. For all we know, SE could of decided that they didn’t want to take the risk with a sequel without some guarantee on profit, and they approached both MS and Sony. Sony couldn’t afford to commit like MS did, so they went with the MS deal. The only reason this game is even going to exist now, is because of the money injection MS gave it. I love when MS get anything exclusive that looks good, everyone plays the “Evil MS” card, but when Sony gets any exclusivity, everyone plays the “ha ha, Sony rocks” card. With all the extra content Destiny is getting on the PS4, I want to say Sony has no shame, but no, I don’t do that, because I’m not some little cry baby on the side who doesn’t understand that business is business.
Marius Nell
August 14, 2014 at 08:40
It has nothing to do with exclusivity but with the wording. They could have said its a timed exclusive, coming first to xbox or something along the line but they tried to hide it with “holiday 2015 exclusive”. I have no problem with exclusive titles it brings variety in the market and a reason to own both or different consoles. Dead rising – xbox one exclusive (lie its coming to pc) Ryse Xbox one exclusive (Lie its coming to pc).
Hammersteyn
August 14, 2014 at 08:35
Plus I told Pieter over and over, my gut says it’s a timed exclusive
HvR - 2 days
August 13, 2014 at 17:13
Ryanza
August 13, 2014 at 17:16
Microsoft Gamescom briefing left the impression that the next Tomb Raider was exclusive to the Xbox One. Now they say it’s a timed exclusive.
Looks like a 180 to me.
iAmWeasel
August 13, 2014 at 17:21
Yup, 180 confirmed.
MaSeKind
August 13, 2014 at 17:24
You mean 360 :p
or 1
J_Joestar
August 13, 2014 at 17:28
I would agree, but with so many XBO “Exclusives” jumping to other platforms recently, this is more straight on course than a 180.
DarthZA
August 14, 2014 at 08:25
When I watched it, it sounded like it was only going to be exclusive for the one year. I was surprised when I read afterwards that people thought it was a permanent exclusive. He even said in the announcement that it would be exclusive for the year.
Ryanza
August 14, 2014 at 09:10
There was no one year mentioned nor implied.
DarthZA
August 14, 2014 at 09:15
“Exclusive for summer 2015” were the words used. Either I’m a rocket scientist, or I understand basic English and logic.
Ryanza
August 14, 2014 at 09:25
what was said and written on screen, “coming holiday 2015, exclusively on Xbox.”
Ryanza
August 14, 2014 at 09:33
oh i have good memory.
Ryanza
August 14, 2014 at 09:31
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/TombRaider.jpg
Ryanza
August 14, 2014 at 09:31
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/TombRaider.jpg
HvR - Still dislikes Random.or
August 14, 2014 at 09:55
…
Guest
August 14, 2014 at 15:38
Damn son, you shut him down so hard, he’s too embarrassed to reply and concede defeat 😉
MaSeKind
August 13, 2014 at 17:23
So what happened to MS remembering that there is actually a PC market running almost exclusively on their platform?
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
August 13, 2014 at 17:54
Dude, they’ve been stringing PC gamers along since 2005. :/
iAmWeasel
August 13, 2014 at 17:24
This stinks! All that deceptive wording and insisting on being ambiguous about the details. This stinks like crazy MS. Shame on you.
FunnyAsPhuk
August 13, 2014 at 18:24
Yeah, I mean imagine Sony would never do such a thing! They just made people believe for as long as they could that Destiny and Diablo were PS only games lolol. Fu*k off you twat, they all do it, it’s called marketing.
iAmWeasel
August 13, 2014 at 19:05
Not sure what you’ve been smoking to have ever thought that Diablo or Destiny were PS games??? Either way its pretty lame to jump in and defend a corporation that is deliberately trying to manipulate customers with lies.. “Oh its OK because everyone is doing it!”… fanboy-ism at its very worst.
Ryanza
August 13, 2014 at 19:47
I am trying to think back in history off the top of my head if Sony ever took a multiplatform title through money at it for exclusive timed release. And all that I can think is, didn’t Microsoft start all of this timed exclusive bullshit. How much did they pay for GTA 4 DLC timed exclusive. How much do they pay for Call of Duty DLC timed exclusives.
What Sony does is have their 1st party developers create exclusive games, create good consoles and relationships so that 2nd party and some 3rd party developers create exclusive games for the Playstation and Sony might fund a title from the early stages of development. I don’t think Sony has ever taken a, late in development, multiplatform title and paid for exclusive timed rights.
So this argument of , “Sony would never do such a thing”. I don’t think they would. The last 2 years with console reveals and launched and games shown, Sony and Microsoft are clearly not in the same boat.
All that I can think about is when exclusive games on Playstation went multiplatform. The PS fanboys went nuts. And I mean really nuts. The game is getting a chance to be played by more people which is a good thing. And the only reason why that happen was because the PS3 have shit and no1 was buying it at 1st.
I wonder if Bungie saw this coming, what’s happening to the Xbox One, and just said fuck you Microsoft.
DarthZA
August 14, 2014 at 08:28
As much as I do agree with most of what you said, MS paid for the GTA4 DLC to be made. Tomb Raider MS are covering the development costs by the look of things. But yes, MS often throw money for exclusivity, just like Sony are doing with Destiny…
Ryanza
August 14, 2014 at 09:02
The exclusive stuff PS4 is getting for Destiny – 3 player game mode, mid sized map on a spaceship, and character skins, and can’t remember if there was a gun or 2. So not really much to go nuts about. This nothing exclusive deal will still be released on Xbox.
The main 2 DLC packs that Bungie spoke about will come to both consoles at the same time.
What I was saying is that Microsoft started this timed exclusive rubbish and now Sony has to do the same thing. So every time you hear Sony saying timed exclusive, that’s because of Microsoft. And now with this Tomb Raider shit, Microsoft has taken bullshit to the extreme.
Ryanza
August 14, 2014 at 10:10
“PS3 have shit” I can’t remember what I was trying to say. half shit or was shit.
Rinceable
August 13, 2014 at 17:25
It’s all in the wording. He said “will exclusive for summer 2015, I even said that watching him. Silly internet.
HvR - Still dislikes Random.or
August 13, 2014 at 17:33
So not timed exclusive, it is exclusive over a time.
Car salesman Level 100 achieved.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
August 13, 2014 at 17:53
Mmm.. you sir might just have what it takes to work for Microsoft. It’s all about the wording.
HvR - Still dislikes Random.or
August 13, 2014 at 18:45
No comment…
FoxOneZA
August 13, 2014 at 18:11
Xbros will be mouthing spoilers like it’s Christmas when this game releases.
Poo shots have being fired.
555.
Gareth L (That eXCheez Guy)
August 13, 2014 at 21:24
!!!Spoiler alert!!!
She becomes Tomb Raider at the end!
HvR - 2 days
August 13, 2014 at 17:26
J_Joestar
August 13, 2014 at 17:30
Really, at this point, it seems that unless MS either owns the IP or outright states that a game will NOT be a timed exclusive, you are fairly safe to assume it will be timed.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
August 13, 2014 at 17:50
This is such a PR disaster.
Microsoft and Squeenix come across as “shady as fuck”. I guess Phil Spencer finally earned his Don Mattrick jacket. The man is now a suit. :/ I’m actually saddened by this development. I honestly thought he’d steer xbox away from that corporate double-speak that just pisses in your cereal.
HvR - Still dislikes Random.or
August 13, 2014 at 17:56
MS should get a new PR manager
Mabenito
August 14, 2014 at 09:56
Mac Maharaj. He’s timeless.
Marius Nell
August 14, 2014 at 08:41
That gif 🙂
HvR - Still dislikes Random.or
August 13, 2014 at 17:50
Ok, so some of my posts keep on disappearing.
1. Disqus is broken
2. Kinect functionality for windows 8 confirmed
3. *Tinfoil hat* Gavin has succumbed to the MS money bags
FoxOneZA
August 13, 2014 at 18:10
The first 2 are true, so I assume the 3rd point is true too 😛
Johan Fourie
August 13, 2014 at 17:57
Try and avoid the inevitable spoilers on the internet when this game releases XBone and you have to *patiently* wait for it to release on other platforms.
FunnyAsPhuk
August 13, 2014 at 18:22
Talk about hearing what you want to hear. What he said was that it was exclusive for holiday 2015. Yeah it was worded so that the stupid… erm I mean majority… would hear that it was exclusive, but it was very clear from the second it was revealed that it was timed. Timed or not, the effect is the same, xbox owners will have played it and moved onto the next big thing before anyone else who is limited by platform even gets to play it.
Ryanza
August 13, 2014 at 19:22
If I can remember properly. The wording on the screen was, coming holiday 2015, exclusive to Xbox. Up until that point there was an understanding that, coming first to Xbox One = timed exclusive. There was no mention of Tomb Raider coming first to Xbox One and there was a comma on screen separating holiday and exclusive.
So the impression was exclusive to Xbox. Not exclusive to holiday 2015.
LowestoftheLow
August 13, 2014 at 18:57
This was a great day for gaming forums everywhere. the entire discussion can be summed up as follows:
Ponies:
1. “Shut up, its a timed exclusive. I heard him say.”
2. “Fuck you MS. I have been playing TR since I was in my mommies womb and now you have taken it away from me. You’ve ripped out my sole MS, I hate you. Now I am REALLY never getting a XBone.”
3. “Timed exclusive, called it.”
4. “Fuck you anyway MS”
XBots / Boners (? not sure what they are currently labelled as):
1. “Winner, winner chicken dinner”.
2. “Ah, never mind”
3. “Oh, wait, we still got dem spoilers”
PC Brethren:
You can all hang your heads in shame for lowering yourself to the level of the console fanbois. Go to the corner and think about it. And play four rounds of spider solitaire for your transgressions.
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 13, 2014 at 19:16
FOUR rounds? That’s cruel & unusual!
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
August 13, 2014 at 19:26
Wow, did he just say four rounds of spider solitaire? Why is he so mean Trevor? Why does he hate us so much?
LowestoftheLow
August 13, 2014 at 19:32
There needs to be consequences. Without them society will break down.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
August 13, 2014 at 19:37
You mean this gaming fraternity is a microcosm of society as a whole? Dear god man… what are you doing here? You need to get on FOX News and CNN and warn the elders! WE COULD ALL END UP LIKE EXTRAS IN A REAL MAD MAX SCENARIO!!
LowestoftheLow
August 13, 2014 at 19:47
I was being a tad dramatic. I actually love solitaire. Well I like it as a friend anyway.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
August 13, 2014 at 19:57
Good, because you don’t want to get Minesweeper jealous…. :/
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 13, 2014 at 20:27
That’s what I tell all my minions when I beat them, sometimes for no reason at all. I see your game sir!
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 13, 2014 at 20:32
It must be our winning personality. Only reason I can think of.
fred
August 13, 2014 at 19:25
Lara , you are dead to me , you hear that , DEAD !!!!
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
August 13, 2014 at 19:30
lol spotted this classic nugget on neogaf (by Rexnovis):
So basically this is gist of what has occurred in the past 24 hours:
MS: Here’s a PR statement designed to obfuscate and deceive you into thinking this 3rd party game is a full exclusive on our system
Gamers: What the fuck is this bullshit? You money hatted a 3rd part multiplat after it was announced as a multiplat. You shady assholes.
MS: Guys we totally aren’t that bad. Please ignore our previous attempts at deceit and general dickery the exclusivity “has a duration.”
Gamers: So it’s timed? What’s the duration?
MS: “It has a duration.”
Gamers: That is the lamest non answer PR I have ever heard …. Fuck off.
Jonah Cash
August 13, 2014 at 20:17
Uhmmmmm as with the Xbox One reveal last year where they basically said screw you the gamer, well this feels much the same to me from SE side!! So as I am going to wait to buy a One when the slim comes along, just like that I will wait for this title in the bargain bin or at half price on my PS4!!!
FoxOneZA
August 13, 2014 at 20:46
Agreed. The last Tomb Raider never sell well at release taking it’s time to break even. I think the duration would be related to the sales like as in Ryse. As a PC gamer, you tend to get used to waiting for nice games to release so this has little effect on me.
Jonah Cash
August 14, 2014 at 07:18
I hear you!! You PC guys have way more patience than what I do!! I feel betrayed and that pisses me off, so second hand buy is a 100% guarantee!!
I bought the original on PS3 and the remastered on PS4, traded both in yesterday…. My little drop in the ocean doesn’t matter to SE or MS but it makes me happy 🙂
Gareth L (That eXCheez Guy)
August 13, 2014 at 21:22
Worst. PR. Ever.
Ryanza
August 14, 2014 at 04:36
Ok. Just to put everything into perspective and make it very clear. There is too much misinformation going on.
Tomb Raider Rise of the Tomb Raider will get released on Xbox One and Xbox 360, holiday 2015. Maybe there will be a PC version later on. That’s it for now.
There will be no Tomb Raider Rise of the Tomb Raider on PS4. Just like there is no Ryse and Dead Rising 3 on PS4. Other Tomb Raider titles can land on PS4 but not Tomb Raider Rise of the Tomb Raider. Dead Rising 4 and Ryse 2 could come to the PS4.
This not a timed exclusive. It is a duration exclusive. Well the deal could change, now with the fan and public outcry. But for now, the next Tomb Raider game is exclusive to Microsoft, with a maybe for PC.
J_Joestar
August 14, 2014 at 17:21
I think it is too vague in general to truly say whether or not a future PS4 release is possible. All we know is that there is a duration to their deal and that afterwards SE can do probably do whatever they want (Unless MS pretty much paid for everything from the ground up like the Bayo2 situation, but this doesn’t sound like the case with what we’ve been told).
Ryanza
August 14, 2014 at 18:17
I don’t it’s vague at all. One Tomb Raider title for Xbox for the duration of? I’m thinking for the duration of Xbox One. Once next consoles drop, SE could then bring Rise of Tomb Raider to Playstation.
But as it stands, no Rise of the Tomb Raider for the PS4. But this has caused lots of drama for Microsoft and SE, so maybe that will change. But doubtful.
I’m hopeful for a PC release.
CAE9872
August 14, 2014 at 07:34
There are times when I wonder how game companies even succeed? How hard it can it be *said in my best Jeremy Clarkson voiceover* to just write what you mean.
And then when the internet explodes, just give a small post on your site confirming details.
I am not even in marketing and I could write it better. In the end it backfired on all of them – MS, Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix. Silly boys!
HvR - Still dislikes Random.or
August 14, 2014 at 09:32
I do not think Crystal Dynamics has anything to do with this; they just get the contract to create the game. They will of course bear the brunt of the fall out if the game doesn’t sell.
CAE9872
August 14, 2014 at 10:28
Unfortunately for CD they the ones making the “speeches” at the time – I was intrigued so went to official site! TR fans were out with pitchforks. So yes CD painted themselves into this as much as the other two even though it may not be their ultimate decision per se.
Anyway its all blown over now! Everyone can relax for a minute.
Hammersteyn
August 14, 2014 at 08:57
Well done
http://d3dsacqprgcsqh.cloudfront.net/photo/aXb450d_460sa.gif
Nikola
August 14, 2014 at 09:36
Still won’t buy it done with square enix plenty other games to play even though I love the TB series!!
Guest
August 14, 2014 at 16:03
Yeah, all these stupid shenanigans have definitely left a sour taste.
Even if does eventually get released on other platforms, I don’t think I would get it.
Hell, even if I owned and Xbox One I don’t think I would get it.
I don’t really want to support this anti-consumer bullshit.
Rags
August 14, 2014 at 09:54
Timed to a steam special for me anyway.
Hammersteyn
August 14, 2014 at 09:59
Bwahaha they even started a online petition
http://www.change.org/petitions/square-enix-and-crystal-dynamics-rescind-the-arrangement-to-publish-rise-of-the-tomb-raider-exclusively-on-xbox-one-2?share_id=WLsAHGuxLN&utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition