![Ghostbusters becomes PS3 exclusive [Update] photo](http://bulk2.destructoid.com/ul/131138-staypuft.jpg)
Sony has today pulled a shocking coup, using its clout as the owner of the original Ghostbusters movie license to negotiate a cheeky last minute deal with Atari and turn the Ghostbusters game into a timed PlayStation exclusive. Wii and Xbox 360 owners will now have to wait even longer for the much delayed game, while PS2 and PS3 owners can get their hands on it in June.
"We will be releasing the title on June 19th, for PS3 and PS2, to co-incide with the release of the Blu-ray movie from Sony Pictures," said a Sony rep this morning. With Sony owning the rights to the film, we really should have seen this coming. So far, this all concerns the European release, but Sony is surely looking to make this a worldwide situation.
It was believed that Sony had acquired sole publishing rights, which would pretty much kill any chance of the game releasing on other platforms. However, it has since become apparent that Atari is still publishing, with other platforms getting Ghostbusters "later this year." Only PlayStation owners will be able to enjoy the game's 25th Anniversary release.
I imagine Sony's lawyers are giving each other golf claps over this one.
[Update: Check out our story here for a clarification. Apparently Sony is publishing the game in Europe, where it will be a PlayStation exclusive. PAL gamers just got raped. Hard.]
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
8:20 AM on 05.06.2009
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You don't see that so much these days. Wii is kind of off doing its own thing, and 360 seems to get everything that PS3 gets and then some. It's nice to see Sony get something that the other consoles don't get every once in a while.
Douchey? Like the M$ Fallout 3 fuckjob, or the GTA fuckjob?
Fuck you, Sony. Seriously. This is ass.
I could see this happening back when the game was announced...happens all the time. I can deal with that.
BUT WE'RE A FUCKING MONTH AWAY FROM THE GAME'S RELEASE!!!
Okay...okay...calm down. It's only in Europe at the moment. My Amazon order still shows a June release. Hopefully I don't get an email saying it's been delayed.
If I do, it's time for Sony to burn.
Fallout & GTA is just DLC, and that was known about well in advance. This is the actual game and rather last minute. Kind of a douche move in my opinion.
Stop being hypocitical fools! So if the 360 gets a exclusive game or DLC its ok, but if the PS3 gets a timed exclusive its the end of the world? This is why I don't hang with the 360 crowd. :(
My birthday is in June.
Golf claps all around chaps.
It's a win either way.
(Calling this a LAST MINUTE ordeal is a bit over dramatic, it's still not hitting anywhere for another month and a half.)
I don't get why everyone is acting surprised, what goes around comes around.When MS did the exclusive DLC thing it wasn't hard to figure out that down the line sony was gonna retaliate.
When you punch someone in the face you shouldn't be surprised or angry when they punch back.
And with E3 around the corner I doubt sony (or MS) are gonna end this here.
Fuck you Microshaft. Sony use those rights they've owned for years and use them to do anniversary releases - nice, not just PAY for exclusive deals with the only aim being to disadvantage the competition.
Funny seeing all the "Mother fuckers" etc comments. It's almost like MS hasn't been screwing Sony by throwing money at exclusives since the start of this generation?????
For any MS fanboy to bash Sony for this move is seriously fucking hypocritical!!
If they had negotiated it earlier in the development, then sure I think most people could deal with that.
But to have it listed as coming out in June, people getting all excited about it...only to have Sony yank it and say "Psyche!"
Thats the bullshit in this move by Sony, waiting till the 11th Hour.
Makes me glad Im a 360 Owner....Im gonna go play me some Broken Steel for a few months =P
I'm in no way saying that it's a good thing, though.
Either case, well done for Sony. That was like a punch in the stomach.
I'm fine with timed exclusives. What sucks in this case is that here we are, a month before the release of a game that was announced, then rumored to be canceled, then delayed, and then given a release date...only to have Wii and 360 owners get the shaft.
This isn't just a Microsoft vs. Sony thing. Wii and DS owners are getting smacked as well.
That's why this sucks. Sony comes in and announces exclusivity a month prior to the game's release, screwing all of the people that have been anxiously awaiting this game. At least with games like Bioshock or the Lost and Damned DLC, PS3 owners knew/know about the timed-release. They didn't get all excited that the games were being released, only to have the rug pulled out of them a short time before they hit the stores/PSN.
I'm fine with the jokes about Sony pulling one on Microsoft. Whatever. I have no allegiance with one system. This is just a dick move. I would think the same way if Microsoft or Nintendo pulled the same thing, even though I own both a 360 and a Wii.
C'mon Sony. Dick move.
It's not like people are mad because this game was ONLY announced on PS3. It wasn't an exclusive right from the beginning, which is quite a big difference.
What's worse? Getting "excited" for a game we've never played, and don't know much about, only to find out it's still coming out on other systems, just at a later date?
or
Having Xbots laugh and mock PS3 users on a constant basis because of all the cool Fallout 3 content they get (including the real end of the game, and increased level cap), when the official statement from Bethesda is "we have NO plans for PS3 Fallout 3 content in the future".
You tell me.
gamers are the biggest whiners ever.
I REALLY wanted this for Wii.
If I didn't have a PS3, I'd be really dissappointed right now too!
Its unfortunate, I think, for the publisher as well. I don't think this will impact Wii sales. But I imagine that this stagger release is going to have a negative effect on 360 sales. Not only do you miss out on first day impulse buyer, but you'll also get people that read the review, decide 7.5 isn't worth buying, and forget about getting the game on 360 all together.
Not to mention how it could get lost in the late year release schedule... and how much people will bitch about the inevitable 360 DLC that isn't included in the delayed package...which has already been pressed, right?
It's no ones fault that Microsoft spends all their money buying exclusives. As far as I'm concerned they started it.
Again I have to say what were you expecting, When sony tried to take the honourable route they were condemed for it with lost exclusives, non-stop internet bashing, constant insults to their hardware by the media, and just generally getting mud kicked in their face.So sony phoned in its evil twin brother and said your turn I tried.
I surprised this didn't happen sooner.
seriously c'mon 360 owners don't gripe so much when normally this would be an MS move, I can guarantee that if it was announced "bioshock 2 to be a timed exclusive on 360" you uys would either be silent or there would be a bunch of "PS3 sucks" posts
#1 for me. I've been waiting for this game since it was announced. Ghostbusters is one of my favorite movies, and seeing the videos and hearing how great the game is from people who had the chance to play it has only got me more excited for it. I try to hold my judgement on a game until it's released...but c'mon. We Ghostbusters fans haven't had a good game released on any console, save for the Genesis version (which was just "okay").
However, I do see your point. I try to stay out of the exclusivity fights, and not just because I'm a 360 owner. I do it because it's pointless to tease people online because your preferred gaming system got something the others didn't, and may never get.
If I were a PS3 owner, I'd do the same: stay out of the online fights. Might not have said anything here because I wouldn't be angry about this announcement, but I would still stay out of the exclusivity fight.
As I said, this is more annoying because of the fact that this is happening a month before it's release. If I knew back when the game was announced or after it was re-dated, I'd think it still sucks but wouldn't be as mad.
Let's look at what MS hath wrought on us all for their purse swinging ways.
How many of you have had to send in your 360 for a RROD repair? Drive tray repair? How many of you have paid for XBLA games that are locked to your single console/user ID?
On top of those lovely delights, look at all the exclusive games that you've been lucky enough to get long before PS3 owners/not at all.
Left 4 Dead
Fallout 3 DLC
GTA4 DLC
Gears of War
Bioshock
Mass Effect
Xbox Live? Not avaiable on the PS3. PS3 users get stuck with mediocre online service that feels slightly better than what was available last gen.
Netflix? Not on PS3.
Any anyone pulling the "but it's a month away" bit? E3's in a month, expect Microsoft to counter with some other equally dick move, one that will have you all here quivering and salivating over how much better your 360 is.
I'm not bitter at MS over anything in particular, nor am I preening that I'll be getting it on it's original launch day either way...
I'm just trying to knock the spin and shed a bit of light on this to those who think throwing out a bunch of "FUUUUUUUUUUU"'s to Sony is the solution to it all.
You have no right to complain.
Oh, and my very first post. Hello people. :)
Sexalchocolate is 100% right. MS throws money and lawyers around to the detriment of gaming consumers ALL the time to secure exclusives and even flat-out steal Sony's exclusives (FFXIII).
hmm… i wonder if we'd be seeing PS3/Wii/DS versions of a property that MS legally holds the rights to at all?
It's buisness people, live with it, like I did with the GTA4 and Fallout 3 DLC.
They don't care about your feelings or the fact that you don't own a PS3, all they want is your money. That's the way buisness goes, sadly.