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Rumour: Microsoft and EA to enter exclusivity deal

sleepingwiththeenemy

Many were wondering why there was absolutely no presence from EA – who already have next-gen games running – at Sony’s PlayStation 4 reveal event. It seems that the answer might be that they’re sleeping with the enemy; Microsoft, to be specific. According to CVG, Microsoft and EA will announce a partnership at Nextbox’s reveal event, rumoured to be happening in April.

While the exact details of the partnership aren’t available, CVG’s spies say it’ll relate to a bunch of exclusivity deals – that include entire games with staggered release dates, or more likely given EA’s penchant for releasing their games on just about every platform imaginable, timed DLC exclusivity.

If this is true, it’s a terribly way for the company to ensure people flock to their console – and it wouldn’t really surprise me. While Sony’s been focused on developing new IP, Microsoft’s historically employed the tactic of just buying it.

Tags: dick move, EA, Microsoft, time exclusivity

Author:Geoffrey Tim

I'm old, grumpy and more than just a little cynical. One day, I found myself in possession of a NES, and a copy of Super Mario Bros 3. It was that game that made me realise that games were more than just toys to idly while away time - they were capable of being masterpieces. I'm here now, looking for more of those masterpieces.

View all posts by Geoffrey Tim →

Trebzz

It will be like Mass Effect all over again
- OVG
  
  Cant believe Microsoft sold it off.
  - Banana Jim
    
    Yeah, I never understood why they let the publishing rights lapse… :/
    - OVG
      
      They did get a billion when they sold them to EA to help with the 3billion 3 year warranty.
      
      But I must admit that Microsoft had some shit hot exclusives in 2007-2009.
      - Banana Jim
        
        And then they shifted their attention to Eye Toy… :/
      - OVG
        
        IT WAS PETER MOLYNEUX AND HIS LITTLE BRAT MILO…Arghhhhh TECH DEMOS thats all we have had this gen. Im tired of these smart ass entrepreneurs jumping on the band wagon and taking the wooooooos of amazed laymen a sign to green light this shit.
        
        Like Horse Armor I blame the iPhone and all the cool Lemmings threw their money at the shit. Nintendo just copied and even went so far as to use the vowel i and use white casing…IT WORKED and beat out SONY and Micropants with a kick in the tera flops.
        
        At least SONY went…Fcuk it lets get back to our core gamers and ignore the MOVE.
      - Banana Jim
        
        Peter really did a number on them, but I guess they (MS) didn’t know that Molyneux is two-parts shit and one-part water. Had they listened to the gamers and their moans… this world might have been Kinect-free by now.
OVG

Interesting, now its starting to hot up. Money talks while gamers walk. That GTAIV timed exclusive DLC did nothing but ruin it for gamers. I still have no clue what Gay Tony is about and lost interest and I own an XBOX.
- Banana Jim
  
  I thought Gay Tony was about a guy who wanted to own his own McDonalds franchise….
  - OVG
    
    me to :p
    - Banana Jim
      
      All I can remember from Gay Tony: candid penis cam and explosions. What an odd expac that was.
      - OVG
        
        SOLD:)
      - mornelithe
        
        Oh come on….Gay Tony had the FN P90, the M249 SAW, Atchisson Assault Shotgun, the .44 Auto Mag, DSR-1 Sniper Rifle, satchel charges, new sports cars, the Buzzard, Skylift, AND the Parachute woooo. All it was missing for the easiest ‘collecting’ experience was the Jet Pack
Deon Steyn

Took me a minute to figure out the relevance of the story to the header. Had to Wiki to make double sure. Very clever Geoffry.
- OVG
  
  i dont get it. Is it because she is a whore in Pretty Woman? Then Ill understand the timed exclusive blowjob.
  - Deon Steyn
    
    The screenshots from the movie Sleeping with the enemy(1991).
    - OVG
      
      OH now I get it. I hope they use protection. No telling how many bugs EA have.
      - OVG
        
        WHORES
      - Deon Steyn
        
        Wow, well interesting enough in the store her husband abuses physically and the husband suffers from OCPD (obsessive-compulsive personality disorder). Now know where MS fits in.
The Crying Dutchman

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sir Captain Rincethis

Header win. And if this is true, wow. Microsoft is clever. Instead of actually, you know, CREATING something, they get someone else to. I think it’s a cheap method and looks like my savings will be heading to PS4 (just need to get those obligatory 3 other jobs now).
- Deon Steyn
  
  I don’t believe the PS4 will be that expensive. Unless of course your three jobs are a griller at Steers,Kfc and Mcdonalds.
  - Banana Jim
    
    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
  - Sir Captain Rincethis
    
    I was referencing the launch of the PS3 and what the boss at that time suggested when people said it was too expensive
  - Sir Captain Rincethis
    
    And it’s not griller, it’s FLIPPER!
    - Banana Jim
      
      If you’re a flipper or a griller, can you sample some of the donkey burgers or is that frowned upon?
      - Sir Captain Rincethis
        
        I fondle ass all the time. So I think that if you worked as a flipper, flipping (erm) ass would… erm… Wait what?
      - Banana Jim
        
        Too Much INFO!
      - Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
        
        Well, that’s it. I am now officially broken. Thanx Rince
      - Sir Captain Rincethis
        
        Proud to be of service! Haza! Whoot! Marshal Bravestar, Captain Planet, no, no, not Captain Planet, fucker.
      - Banana Jim
        
        I want a Bravestarr movie!!
      - Mikhil
        
        Or game…
    - Deon Steyn
      
      Sure you would know the right term. LOL
      - Sir Captain Rincethis
        
        Be very careful next time you order a take away, very careful indeed…
      - Banana Jim
        
        hehehe extra-Rincethis seasoning. Ball-hair covered patty and urinal cakes in coke.
      - Sir Captain Rincethis
        
        Just fo ya!
      - Banana Jim
        
        Under-manboob sweat for that extra tangy flavour!!
  - Andre116
    
    *throws down spatula and storms out of kitchen to find another job*
    - Sir Captain Rincethis
      
      Wait, what about my fries?!
      - Andre116
        
        *walks back into kitchen. Picks up spatula and washes it off. Proceed to make some fries for the last time. Writes a resignation letter and asks the boss for a recommendation letter. Hangs up apron and place spatula in kitchen sink and walks out while waving to everyone*
      - Sir Captain Rincethis
        
        That’s better. Don’t you feel like a real man now? Huh? No more feelings of ‘I’m going to return with a PPK and shoot all you in the face, and then make you eat ass burgers?”
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew

War. War never changes. The Romans waged war to gather slaves and wealth. Spain built an empire from its lust for gold and territory. Microsoft bought the developers to ensure total control….
- Banana Jim
  
  Assuming Direct CONTROL!! So essentially Microsoft is a reaper and Sony is an Asari?
  - Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
    
    Whahahaha
- http://twitter.com/ClericZA Kobus Nel
  
  Control? They built their own controllers with their lame consoles, they can go play with those. *in Gollum voice* “Filthy Microsoftses”
Admiral Chief Erwin

dum dum DUUUUUUUUUUUM!!!
- http://www.facebook.com/people/Theo-Steenekamp/100000464298189 Theo Steenekamp
  
  Here’s a like to balance out the comment;)
Banana Jim

I doubt it’s true exclusivity, EA is too greedy for that, but it sounds like MS is up to it’s old tricks again.

Instead of actually delivering games, Microsoft is rather going the tired timed exclusivity route again. Seriously, can a company be even more retarded? Instead of PAYING companies for timed-exclusivity, why don’t they DEVELOP GAMES for the XBOX 720?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Theo-Steenekamp/100000464298189 Theo Steenekamp

This makes me think… What does Xbox have what PS4 wont have? for a company like EA to sign such a deal with Microsoft and move away from the giant in the industry… April will be a fun filled month.
- Banana Jim
  
  Kinect 2.0 and Usher!
  - Banana Jim
    
    But apparently EA has already tweeted to say that they’re not going to be exclusive to the xbox. It really wouldn’t make sense for them to give up on more revenue.
    - Banana Jim
      
      Correction: It wasn’t EA but rather Rob from CVG – https://twitter.com/Rob_Crossley_/status/306713852924547073
- http://twitter.com/SaveTheQueenIX umar bastra
  
  well they have……money
  - Banana Jim
    
    500 million alone was spent on pushing Kinect…
    - http://twitter.com/SaveTheQueenIX umar bastra
      
      MS is pretty baller … so hey … comes as no surprise.
      - Banana Jim
        
        BLURRY NUDE SIMS? 240MS points!! PAY NOW!
- Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
  
  Money. Lots and lots and lots of money
- mornelithe
  
  Xbox has Microsoft as a parent company, which has a vast vast surplus of cash to spend on timed exclusive deals. That’s what the Xbox has over the PS4.
Banana Jim

It’s going to funny if EA had a chance to beat Activision next gen, but timed-exclusivity screws up their plans and instead PS4 gamers boycott Battlefield 4 in droves. Instead, in walks Call of Duty BLOPSMW1234566790… same old tired engine from 10 years ago, and wins the sales.

That would be the most awesome middle finger to EA ever…
- mornelithe
  
  Yep, that’s the reality. I never buy games that play with timed exclusivity. Unlike most gamer’s, I actually take a stand with my wallet.
http://twitter.com/mathuthe Mathias

What new IP?
http://twitter.com/SaveTheQueenIX umar bastra

So..Don’t you find it funny that, just recently EA had lay offs and now they PARTNERING with Microsoft? …. I smell a conspiracy!! Is EA having money problems???
- Banana Jim
  
  You know, you might be onto something…. wouldn’t it be funny if EA went under, and Microsoft bought them? HAHAHAA Sims as XBL avatars!!
  - http://twitter.com/SaveTheQueenIX umar bastra
    
    lol a blurry nude person as an avatar !
http://twitter.com/mathuthe Mathias

This only means EA has some titles that will be exclusive to M$, nothing more.
Xelus

Lovely so this means that we’ll be seeing most likely more console games than PC platform games. I hate microsoft
- Banana Jim
  
  But consoles > PC #UnwashedMassesStormedTheBastille
  - The Lying Dutchman
    
    Banana Jim > Xelus #LOL
http://twitter.com/mathuthe Mathias

*Playing Crysis 3*

*ALT+TAB*

*Reads*

*Laughs histerically*

*ALT+TAB*

Oh, these console children
- Azure
  
  Funny… When I A:T+Tab on my PC, I can’t get back to playing Crysis 3… Im running a GTX 590 and an i7 3770K… Stop BSing and acting like PC is so superior… Even with my setup, I still have a PS3 to play all exclusives… Ni No Kuni, GOW… EVEN TEKKEN!!!
  
  PC has the power… But we only get the Multiplats… Sadly…
  - Willem Swanepoel
    
    PLEASE do not tell me that you have bought an i7 for gaming … if you did then yeah I r trol laughing my ass off
  - http://twitter.com/mathuthe Mathias
    
    I have my consoles to play the exclusives as well… I just don’t care about the console wars.
    
    And is it my fault that you bought that hardware? Go get more decent stuff to ALT+TAB away!
Tbone187

Game changer of note…Playstation will fizzle out if this happens…
Doe

Reason Microcock ALWAYS has and ALWAYS will suck c0ck!
Plamf

This is a bad idea, bungie learned from this mistake. But microshaft and EA are as bad as each other, almost a perfect couple. Prepare for over marketed rushed yearly sequel games out to eat wallets