PS Vita Classic 'Freedom Wars' Is Getting A Remaster For Everything Except Xbox

Yay another minimum effort (probably) remaster that wont be clogging up the store. W for xbox

That's a boromir move if I've ever seen one!

I'd hazard a guess its due to low console numbers and unless they get a worthwhile chunk of GP money from MS there's no point trying to compete against GP. Probably not worth the risk for them.

This is something we can expect to see more and more. With Microsoft basically moving to multi-platform, and the take up of Xbox consoles continuing to fall (and likely to be an even bigger problem next generation), it simply is not worth the time and money investment for many companies to make an Xbox version too.

You can completely understand how companies view this; are the likely sales on the Xbox going to turn a profit once you factor in the time and money required to make an Xbox version. If the answer to that is no, or it's risky because it possibly won't be enough to make it worthwhile, then companies won't make that game for the Xbox. Simples!

And this will become a self-fulfilling prophecy; the more games that skip the Xbox, the more gamers will look to play those games elsewhere. The more gamers that lock into other platforms, the fewer Xbox consoles that will be sold. The fewer Xboxes that are sold, the fewer Xbox gamers there will be, and thus the more unlikely it is for a developer to want to make an Xbox version of their game.

This also has severe ramifications for Game Pass too, you only have to look at the recent, and upcoming games for the Service, to see it is already suffering too. I mean, there is only one game coming to Game Pass consoles this week, and even that is a pretty tame offering.

Personally, I just cannot see this situation improving, particularly not with the current Microsoft mindset. With Phil Spencer effectively out of the picture, the horizon is pretty bleak...

People still surprised Playstation not putting their IPs on Xbox when not needed?

Thats why i never got the argument that Playstation is starting to go multiplat because of Destiny and MLB. They where contractually obligated to with those games. Otherwise, for the time being, probably best to not expect Playstayion IPs to go to Xbox

Entirely correct, @LogicStrikesAgain. When Xbox is down and hurting, why would Sony offer them a lifeline? If you want to be the last one standing, you don't do that by helping out your competition...

I suspect Sony may have had a condition when licensing the IP to Namco that this port wouldn’t go to Xbox.

Comments from other “insiders” on this same tweet point out that regardless of who is publishing it, it’s still Sony’s IP.

Sometimes, as much as I don't like it, I can understand why this decision is made. If it's something to do with older engines, MS policies forcing parity between consoles or even if you're talking about a small dev/publisher with very limited resources which means difficult choices need to be made. However, Namco leaving out any platform for such a niche game is beyond stupid. It's not likely to do great on Xbox but it's not going to do huge numbers elsewhere either. Get the $ where you can.

@Gamer83 It’s Sony’s IP being licensed to them so it may have been a condition of getting the license. Not necessarily Namco’s decision.

@awp69
Fair point that I've seen mentioned elsewhere. Admittedly, I didn't think about that at first, especially given that Freedom Wars isn't exactly a big-name IP. It's not like if Horizon showed up on Xbox, even if only in Lego form, that'd be a huge deal.

@StonyKL As this is coming to PS4 as well, an Xbox One version would likely be an option, so with the One and Series consoles would you really call a combined sales total of 85+ Million consoles low?

I know it pails into insignificance compared to PlayStation but this narrative that there are no Xbox consoles out there is just idiotic.

It's a Sony-owned IP, and we've already seen that Sony is very afraid of Xbox as a business and the changes it's promoting in the industry.

Here the surprising (or not so surprising) news is that it's coming out on Nintendo Switch.

@Pabpictu Well i think Sony should be atleast a bit afraid. Microsoft has shown they are able and willing to buy up large chunks of the gaming industry. Something Sony is not able to do on that scale. If the exclusivity strategy is working for Sony then its probably a good idea to keep pursuing that, for them to stay competitive.

I know we like to see it from a consumer point of view. But business wise, they cannot compete financially with a multitrillion dollar company. If they start porting their IPs to Xbox now, what other competitive edge would Playstation still have?

Regarding Nintendo, probably Sony doesnt really see them as competitors

I'm not sure what people expected. The game/IP was licenced by Bandai Namco from Sony, and Sony obviously - as it's consistently shown - has no interest in giving the closest thing they have to a competitor a leg up, certainly not when they're "winning" so effortlessly this generation.

Game pass strikes again

@Fiendish-Beaver

Eh? Plenty, and I mean PLENTY of games are on, and coming to Xbox. Are you really sincere? I just can't tell, nor do I ever implicitly trust anything I read on game-site comment boxes. If you are being sincere, I suggest you have a glass of water and calm the heck down on the hyperbole. And in all honestly, with regards to this game in particular, I can't imagine many Xboxers will be shedding tears at missing out on this.

edit: Also, just to add, there are 4 games coming to game-pass this week, one of which is Frostpunk2 (pc) which is one of my most anticipated games of the year (though sounds like it's b*stard hard). Pretty decent from where I'm standing.

Yes, @BrandNewOldSchool, I am absolutely sincere. Feel free to point out where I said Xbox was getting no games. What I said was it was getting fewer, and will continue to do so as the situation worsens.

I have no need to calm down, but thank you for your concern.

As for Frostpunk, I hope you have a PC, as I did specify console Game Pass...

IDK why anyone's surprised. It's not like Bandai themselves are super behind porting their own games to Xbox, let alone one from Sony. Though TBH the only small PS games I'll be devastated if Xbox doesn't get should they get re-released are things like Dragon's Crown and Tokyo Jungle.

@NostromoXP it’s not 85+ million - just as Sony wouldn’t be 150m+.

Take into account second consoles due to breaking etc those that no longer game and most importantly how many of those 50m Xbox one owners that upgraded to a series console. (Sony would have the same things)

@shoeses ooooh Dragon's Crown! Some of the choices around female characters' designs were... problematic... but otherwise it was a really good game.

@Fiendish-Beaver
Fair enough, I just don't see the implosion happening the way a few of you guys on here do, and missing out on a former Sony IP does not really fit into the thrust of your concerns. On Gamepass, the console has been doing just fine for my gaming needs - was hoping that I could play Frostpunk 2 on it, but it got delayed, so that was a bummer, I guess. Still think you're hyping the doom a bit.

Getting on switch but didn't realize xbox wasn't getting it. I wonder if it is a sales or an engine issue?
Edit: Nvm Sony owned IP. (I wonder if they would be willing to redo some of the older vita games....)

@Markatron84 It's a great Beat 'Em Up. I'd say PS & Switch can have Battletoads 2020 but that might have the opposite intended effect.

@shoeses that's the dream. If Sony wants to put out remasters or new entries of Soul Sacrifice and Gravity Rush, I'll be there.

@Ryu_Niiyama I liked Battletoads; cool little 4-hour beat-em-up with Saturday morning cartoon vibes 👍

@Markatron84 It looks good visually, but Local-only Co-op for any Beat 'Em Up made past 2005 is sinful.