Microsoft Game Studios boss Phil Spencer has fighting words for Sony this morning, offering his first-party games to go up against Sony's any day of the week. Absolutely merciless in his challenge, Spencer states that he "loves" comparing the Xbox 360's first-party software to the PS3's. That's some confidence right there.
"Let's start from the beginning of both consoles - PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 - which first party has had more success on their own platform? We have Gears, Halo, Forza, we're continuing to push existing IP while bringing new IP to market. I'll line up against Sony's first-party any day.
... We're going to stand up at the next E3, or at the right time, and we'll show a line-up that will continue to win. We talk about our games when we understand what they are. I'm not going to put a billboard up on stage and say, 'Boy, I hope you buy this game when it comes out and when I know what it is...'
We talk about games when we know what they are, when we can guarantee the quality to the customers, and we'll say when they're going to come out - I think the customers want that.
Lining us up against Sony first-party - I love that comparison. Review score average, exclusive hits to-date, you pick the metric and we can talk about it."
You better watch those words, Spencer; otherwise, Sony will tell on you and get you "done." Also, it knows your dad!
Surly words indeed from the MGS man, but is there any truth to them or is he all bluster? In a few years' time, when Sony finally gets around to finishing one of its projects, Microsoft will be in trouble.
-icon.gif){kind=icon}
21 comments + 95764 views
No doubt about it, MS had a better start with the 360, but methinks things are much better now for PS3 fans. The first party crew is holding their own.
I like how the 360 managed to make a lot of PS3-exclusive games go multi-platform. Everyone should enjoy awesome games!
I think we need to compare when Sony has had the same amount of time on the market.
Or maybe we should just stop flaming the fanboy wars, eh? Guy sounds like a fuckin' mouthy jock.
I think Microsoft should watch who they call out with their focus on not needing hard drives and smaller storage space. Not trolling here just saying Sony could get some really pretty looking stuff that the 360 might not be able to share.
He has a point. Sony did not play fair. Let's also remember 8 days, getaway cancellations, two titles which sony used to promote the system when it literally had nothing in his hand pre and at launch.
I don't know why, but the attitude coming from the MS department is annoying...I have no idea why!
@Clance
We're coming up on two years for the PS3. How many truly stellar first-party and exclusive titles have they had? MGS4, Warhawk, Uncharted, Ratchet, Motorstorm, Ninja Gaiden Sigma and Resistance? I've been a PS3 owner for a little over a month and I've just about run out of games to play. At this point, I'm just waiting for games like Little Big Planet, Infamous, and Resistance 2.
Two years into the Xbox 360's lifespan, MS had Call of Duty 2, Perfect Dark Zero, Condemned, Gears of War, Halo 3, Bioshock, Mass Effect, Forza 2, PGR3 and 4, Viva Pinata, Dead or Alive 4, Dead Rising, Crackdown... did I miss anything?
I love my PS3, don't get me wrong, but Sony has had an amazingly slow start this generation, and yet they continue to act as if it's just a matter of time before they will claim victory over Nintendo and MS.
I'm not defending Sony's poor form this generation, but I would still prefer Shadow of the Colossus over Gears of War any day.
SOTC is a must, no matter what kind of Fanboy whore you are.
SoTC is just Quality!(easy but still awesome game)
Ico and SoTC are fantastic, groundbreaking games. Games as art. That kinda thing.
I've always been a bigger fan of Sony's first party franchises over Microsoft's. Gears was GREAT. But Halo 1.3 was just as /yawn as the previous two (though multiplayer kicks ass).
Having layed the groundwork for my next comment, I hope it's clear I'm not a MS fanboy:
PS3 would be a great console IF IT HAD ANY HALF DECENT GAMES AVAILABLE. What truely outstanding games has it got right now? The non-exclusives, like GTA, and... er... well, it's got MGS4, that's an exclusive too, and... SWEET FUCK ALL. That's what.
If the PS3 was being released right now, with the lineup due this year, and the better titles like Uncharted, MGS, etc. then Sony could gloat.
As it stands, it's a blu-ray player that might possibly potentially have a game or two worth playing sometimes in the not-too-distant to distant future perhaps.
@JJ Rage: half of those are also on PC, and some aren't even worth mentioning (Perfect Dark Zero? come on...).
I'm not saying Sony is any better BTW.
I'm sorry, I'm reading this more and more and 360's launch was about on par with DS's whereas PS3 at least had Resistance. In fact, come to think of it, as a publisher last year, didn't Sony's meta reviews actually exceed Nintendo AND Microsoft last year even with turds like Liar mucking down their numbers? Why yes, yes they did.
To me, this comment from MS reeks of the douchiness that got Sony in trouble.
wait, wut?
Excuse my ignorance, but are Gears, halo, and forza FIRST party games, made by microsoft, or are they 2nd party exclusives...
Unfortunately Phil Spencer has hit the nail on the head - Sony's lineup has nothing on Microsoft's.
It is important to have healthy competition in the marketplace, and I am just not seeing it from Sony right now.
I guess I'm a different type of gamer. Not saying I'm special or rare, just different.
Taking JJ Rage's comment's as my example, he (she?) said he's had the system for a little over a month, mentions quite a few games, then states nothing to play. I have plenty of friends that have that kind of time to play games for hours on end dayly or whatnot. I, on the other hand, don't have that time. Being away from home for work between 10 and 12 hours daily, other responsibilities after that, and a wife I give a lot of attention to, I find myself having only like an hour or so to rest and have to myself every couple of days... and I found myself for the past year almost watching the news and keeping up with things like elections and such. Jeez, I'm only 29.
Add that to the fact that my fav genre is RPG, and I'm the type that tries to find everything myself on each game thus my hours are twice as much as most on RPGs, and I guess... wait... what the hell are we talking about again...?
All my rambling and kidding aside, even though MS deserves it's props and success I've been with Sony for a while. Even though their list may be shorter, they have a lot of quality attached to them IMO. I'm just now starting Burnout Paradise and I haven't even touched MGS4, so with my life I still got a while to enjoy Sony before then next big thing hits.
I was on the fence this Gen, PS3 or xbox360...the games won it for me so i went 360, for me it was the right choice.
I only think of delays when i hear the word Sony which is a sahme as i loved my PSX and PS2 :¬(
He's just jealous that Microsoft has played all their big cards and now Sony has all the momentum and thunder on it's side. His comments sound like a spoiled braggart wanting attention from his parents.
The 360 has great games, no doubt, but if you can get almost all of them on the PC how is that exclusive? Microsoft also can't touch the breadth of the Sony 1st/2nd part lineup.
Also, someone commented on Sony losing exclusives. If it isn't a 1st/2nd party studio game, 99% of the time, it (or it's sequal) will make it on the other console eventually.
Altair78: and I found myself for the past year almost watching the news and keeping up with things like elections and such. Jeez, I'm only 29.
Did I get this right? I really hope that was supposed to be sarcasm. Everybody should keep up with the news. It doesn't make you old, it makes you informed.
@topic: If it only were for exclusives, I guess I would have skipped this console generation. I have to admit I got a 360 so I could play current games, many of which also are on PS3 or PC, at the most competitive price. Mostly, I was tired of upgrading my computer every few months. Anyway, for my taste in games, MS's lineup is slightly more interesting.
JJ Rage,
I take your point but by the time PS3 hits 2 years old it will have Resistance 2, Motorstorm 2, LittleBigPlanet... ;op
Admittedly, 360 had the brightest start but I do believe the future looks brighter at Sony for upcoming games and technological boundary-pushing (my opinion).
I'd be happy with either console, I just don't think this man should be fanning the flames.
@ Max Power
I totally agree with your PC statement, the games may be out on PC but id have to pay 500 quid to play them at a decent standard!! Plus no live!!
I think this MS dude is just trying to stick up for his corner after SONY touted how they had the best line up. You cant really expect someone to just sit there and let people think that they have the better games. Its all about money and im afraid the old 'my dads harder than your dad' fanfare will never go away!!
I wish PS3 had awesome game as id love to have a bluray player but it hasnt yet, until something awesome comes out that takes me away from my xbox sony will not sway me. Im not alone in this stance either which is bad news for Sony which sux!
Id like to add how Nintendo comes out smelling of roses, the little kid in the middle that doesnt get involved and ends up winning!!Well done Nintendo i say! :¬)
@ PixelJunky and Clance
Very good comments from both of you. Many here are still too MS fanboys to have a good jugement. Clance made a good point .... PS3 will be 2 years old in novembre .. many games will be out by november , just don't forget about socom too.
@TorpedoTed, no Live is way better. I just wish I had a better PC to play games on.
@TheDreadHawk
Thats what i meant....Live is awesome!
@Quest,
yes, and SOCOM. Cheers for that...
I know LIVE seems like a better service but atleast PSN is free and the games haven't yet been too expensive.
Dtoid having MS fanboys? NO WAY!
PS3 is better for the sheer fact that the system actually works.
This douchbag needs to shut it! Maybe they should be comparing hardware failure rates. Id love that comparison. Its difficult to play the best first party games when your console is off to the repair shop for the next month.
Out of the 10 people i know that have a 360 only one hasnt had to send theirs in for repairs. So he needs to shut it!
Sony could announce the Final Fantasy 7 remake at will. That will end any debate about which game has better exclusive titles.
But seriously the days of exclusive titles are nearly over. Who cares at this point? If your gaming life seriously depends on Halo and Gears then you need help anyway, because both series are overrated in their own regards.
No matter how much all the little fanboys bitch and whine, it all comes down to what you're interested in.
As far as first party support is concerned, Sony will always beat microsoft. That's how it's always been and how it always will be. But it appears that he's not talking about first party support, he's talking third party exclusives.
Gears of War was great, but so was Resistance (over a year earlier). I could give a fuck about Forza or PGR. I've never been a Halo fan (get over yourselves Halo fanboys, they tried to reinvent the wheel and failed). I still believe that a console is no place for an FPS anyway.
So, being someone that doesn't really care about MS' exclusives, I don't feel like I'd be missing out if I didn't have a 360. Also, it seems as though Microsoft is shooting for the shotgun tactic. They're not getting consistent good games. They're getting a steady stream of games that are ALL OVER the scale. They have a few shining gleams among the turds that we've been seeing this generation, but the market is being saturated (Specifically on the PC, PSP, and 360).
I guess I should have worked toward a point...
My point is that Microsoft has probably been the biggest failboat this generation. The sales numbers say one thing, the failure rates say another. Oh wait. That's the terrible 68% failure rate hardware, not the games... What can I say about the games to wrap up my post? Different strokes for different folks.
and the PSN uses real dollars. Not imaginary "Oh, that doesn't seem like that much" microtransaction bullshit dollars.
Coming from someone with both I play my 360 every day after work for at least an hour while my PS3 waits in a corner for a new game to peak my interests.
Great Blue Ray player though. But that's all it has been used as for 4 months now.
@TorpedoTed: That's not what he meant. He meant not having Live is way better, ie: Live sucks.
SephirothX:Sony ... Final Fantasy 7 remake ... better exclusive ... need help ... overrated. ...and you post this as SephirothX.
lawl
@ TheDragon
you must be joking...did you even play resistance. It was so incredibly mediocre it's not even funny. I played it and it just reminded me of halo...but alot worse, with worse multiplayer.
If we are talking about games that microsoft publishes...well microsoft has the hishest average reviews for it's games.
I guess that explains my 4 360 discs in contrast to my 20-ish PS3 discs. Halo and Gears are just so good, why own anything else? /sarcasm
No, really, I'll be sure to do a cblog or something when my 360 finally gets switched on by someone other than my Halo-loving friend, because right now that's the only person doing it.
...CRIPPLE FIGHT!!!!
Corporate exec has total faith in his company, wow shocking, did anyone expect any less?
Corak seems one of the few that actually gets it.
at the end when you say "surly words from the mgs man" dont you mean "from the MS man"?
RAB:
Nope, MGS as in Microsoft Game Studios.
Same here Trev. Gears/Halo/Bioshock to me, are the 3 standout titles out of 6 disc games I own for the 360. Whereas my 60GB launch PS3's game collection is now around 30 and I can't find time to play them all. I'll be near broke next month starting with the Oct.21 line-up.
I just like the fact that say after a year into a game's life, I wanted to hop online out of the blue, I don't have to pay LIVE fees. Just started revisiting Warhawk and UT3.
Plus it's less than $100 for a 320GB HD upgrade so more room for games and DLC vs. MS overpriced 120GB. Toss in Bluray, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and PSP Remote play to the bundle (All, Which I take advantage of) and it's really a no-brainer for me between console preference.
He works for MS, they sign his cheques......Why bad mouth the company you work for? That leads to getting fired.
It doesn't really matter if he has a point or not. This kind of boastful carry on is just unclassy.
fosho. sorry
Returning Dtoiders: login now to post a comment
Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just Create an avatar now - it's fast and free: PLUS you also get your own gaming blog and begin posting stories and uploading videos in our open community area that may also appear on our home page. Sign up and we'll guide you through it, it's easy and 100% anonymous.