Warhawk to be Distributed on Blu-Ray Disc, Not a PSN Download [Archive]

Chalex

03-13-2007, 04:54 PM

IGN has the news (http://ps3.ign.com/articles/772/772517p1.html) from Sony.

"Officially, Warhawk will be released as a Blu-ray-based product," commented our SCEA rep. "It will see release in late summer."

This didn't address the various reports coming out of GDC, however, that claimed Phil Harrison revealed Warhawk to be "available as only a download" at a blogger's event held at the Palomar Hotel during Day two of the show.

If you want to play Warhawk, you'll have to buy a disc, not a download.

"That's a misinterpretation," replied Sony's spokesperson. "Phil was only addressing what the future of downloadable content meant for the industry and how important online support will be for games. He didn't make any announcements."

"We were just in a discussion about the future of consoles and downloadable content," said IGN's Hilary Goldstein, who was in attendance at the blogger's event in question. "Harrison said that 'by the next generation of consoles there likely wouldn't be a need for disc-based media.' That's how we got onto the whole subject of Warhawk and how there's already a discussion for a beta program, the benefits of downloadable demos, etc. But never did he actually say 'Warhawk will be available only as a download.'"

Ultima Thulian

03-13-2007, 04:59 PM

So it is both now?

CaptStu

03-13-2007, 05:03 PM

Oh my freakin' God, can Sony not say anything, anything at all, without going against themselves?

You see, I think this is Sony's intent all along -- the misinformation. It confuses the hell out of the public to the point the public is happy to get anything.

Vanthar

03-13-2007, 05:03 PM

The way they word it is that it is only going to be sold at retail.

IrishWhiskey

03-13-2007, 05:04 PM

...Okay Cause that wasn't confusing at all before.

Incidentally, this this mean it won't also be available as a download? Cause I'm not sure if an online multiplayer only title should be a retail box disc.

CaptStu

03-13-2007, 05:05 PM

Oh, this should be front-paged.

Chalex

03-13-2007, 05:06 PM

Oh my freakin' God, can Sony not say anything, anything at all, without going against themselves.
According to the article Hilary Goldstein (who was at the roundtable it was "announced" at) said it was a misquote. Harrison never siad it would be downloadable.

fitbabits

03-13-2007, 05:06 PM

Moved to News.

Please, Sony, don't undo the good work you did at GDC!

CaptStu

03-13-2007, 05:08 PM

According to the article Hilary Goldstein (who was at the roundtable it was "announced" at) said it was a misquote. Harrison never siad it would be downloadable.

Whatever. Do your damn homework before you open your trap, Phil.

Chalex

03-13-2007, 05:09 PM

I'm not sure if an online multiplayer only title should be a retail box disc.
It's not the only game to only support multiplayer, it's the cool new thing to do.

Just ask Shadowrun (http://xbox360.qj.net/Shadowrun-developer-justifies-absence-of-single-player-campaign/pg/49/aid/84541).

Sandman

03-13-2007, 05:10 PM

Should they waste disc space and tack on a crappy single player game like Battlefield 2 did on the 360?

Chalex

03-13-2007, 05:11 PM

Whatever. Do your damn homework before you open your trap, Phil.

You are still blaming him for something he didn't do.

But never did he actually say 'Warhawk will be available only as a download.

Kelegacy

03-13-2007, 05:11 PM

So still no single player campaign? I was hoping THAT would be wrong.

TrackZero

03-13-2007, 05:13 PM

Sony Left hand, I'd like to introduce you to Sony Right hand (careful, he's a douche).

Johan

03-13-2007, 05:14 PM

Gorvi

03-13-2007, 05:15 PM

Shadowrun was always intended to be multiplayer-only -- the way it was promoted all along. On the other hand, Warhawk was promised to be a full game, with single player, but now it was rushed to get it out, nixing the singleplayer and the online distribution. Broken promises.
Either way, Warhawk is looking to be a hell of a lot better than Shadowrun. Well, unless you need another online FPS, in which case, enjoy.

fitbabits

03-13-2007, 05:17 PM

I think the one constant fact I know of is that there is no single player in the game.

I'm not sure this is so horrible for Sony, in that he could have been misunderstood when talking about downloadable content...possibly...maybe?!
Phil Harrison made a point, I think, to not be misinterpreted during GDC. Whether he was misinterpreted or whether Sony HQ has changed their collective minds is moot right now (and probably will be until Warhawk is released).

TrackZero

03-13-2007, 05:17 PM

Either way, Warhawk is looking to be a hell of a lot better than Shadowrun. Well, unless you need another online FPS, in which case, enjoy.

You better go get a new suitcase to carry around all that money Sony's paying you.

CaptStu

03-13-2007, 05:17 PM

Either way, Warhawk is looking to be a hell of a lot better than Shadowrun. Well, unless you need another online FPS, in which case, enjoy.

I deleted that posting because I realized I didn't want to get into it, especially with you. No need for an arguement circle. Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one and some are one.

fitbabits

03-13-2007, 05:18 PM

Either way, Warhawk is looking to be a hell of a lot better than Shadowrun. Well, unless you need another online FPS, in which case, enjoy.
Different strokes for different folks, Gorvi. That's dangerously close to trolling right there.

Gorvi

03-13-2007, 05:19 PM

You better go get a new suitcase to carry around all that money Sony's paying you.
Man, I was right alongside everyone saying Warhawk looked like shit. The trailer you can download off of the Playstation store (the TGS one I think) looks like ass. The new trailers, however, look a lot better, and if you'd care to watch them, I'd be surprised if you didn't think they at least look impressive.

Chalex

03-13-2007, 05:21 PM

Different strokes for different folks, Gorvi. That's dangerously close to trolling right there.

Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one and some are one.

It only took one page for my news post to completely go to shit!

Sandman

03-13-2007, 05:21 PM

Gorvi

03-13-2007, 05:21 PM

Different strokes for different folks, Gorvi. That's dangerously close to trolling right there.
I have a lot of distaste for Shadowrun after hearing the recent 1UP Yours podcast with one of the devs (the producer I believe). He came off like an ass, and did nothing to actually answer honest questions he was asked.

TrackZero

03-13-2007, 05:21 PM

Man, I was right alongside everyone saying Warhawk looked like shit. The trailer you can download off of the Playstation store (the TGS one I think) looks like ass. The new trailers, however, look a lot better, and if you'd care to watch them, I'd be surprised if you didn't think they at least look impressive.

Valid point. No reason to dis on Shadowrun though. Which is a game about gameplay over graphics, and wasn't necessary, IMHO.

TrackZero

03-13-2007, 05:22 PM

TrackZero

03-13-2007, 05:23 PM

Warhawk will probably sell better as a disc based product because quite frankly the PSN Store sucks balls.....and it doesn't hurt having your game in a store for that impulse buyer who's there browsing.

Agreed, this will definitely help sales of the title. I still think download only, for a full retail product is near suicide at this point. Now using both distribution methods, that's the way to do it.

Gorvi

03-13-2007, 05:23 PM

Valid point. No reason to dis on Shadowrun though. Which is a game about gameplay over graphics, and wasn't necessary, IMHO.
I know, I responded before thinking. Though, if you see my above post, I do sorta have something against the game. That will all change though if Shadowrun comes out for $30 and Warhawk is $60.

TrackZero

03-13-2007, 05:24 PM

I know, I responded before thinking. Though, if you see my above post, I do sorta have something against the game. That will all change though if Shadowrun comes out for $30 and Warhawk is $60.

Ah, alright, good response.

Kelegacy

03-13-2007, 05:24 PM

I have a lot of distaste for Shadowrun after hearing the recent 1UP Yours podcast with one of the devs (the producer I believe). He came off like an ass, and did nothing to actually answer honest questions he was asked.
My distaste for Shadowrun (which this thread isn't about, damn you derailers), is that it's a GODDAMN ONLINE FIRST PERSON SHOOTER! Shadowrun as a first person RPG might have worked I guess, but Hayzeus CRYST! A FPS? Like Unreal Tourney?

A piece of me died the day it was announced to even exist.

CaptStu

03-13-2007, 05:24 PM

It only took one page for my news post to completely go to shit!

My apologies. But, I tried to get out of the back-and-forth before it started.

Chalex

03-13-2007, 05:25 PM

Gorvi

03-13-2007, 05:25 PM

Agreed, this will definitely help sales of the title. I still think download only, for a full retail product is near suicide at this point. Now using both distribution methods, that's the way to do it.
See, I think, for something like Shadowrun or Warhawk, games that are only online multiplayer, this could work well. Of course, those are the only types of games I can really see it working for.

IrishWhiskey

03-13-2007, 05:28 PM

It's not the only game to only support multiplayer, it's the cool new thing to do.

Just ask Shadowrun (http://xbox360.qj.net/Shadowrun-developer-justifies-absence-of-single-player-campaign/pg/49/aid/84541).
Umm, for all the discussion that followed that comment, it missed the important part. There is no campaign in Shadowrun, but they also said there would be bots, linked console play and some single player focused scenarios. Whereas Warhawk is only playable online against others.

Thats the distinction. If you can play at all just on the console then a retail box makes sense. But if its purely online.... then you just increase costs and don't appeal to anyone who couldn't play it anyway.

Grimmjow

03-13-2007, 05:30 PM

Sony Left hand, I'd like to introduce you to Sony Right hand (careful, he's a douche).

That made me chuckle :D

Grimmjow

03-13-2007, 05:31 PM

It only took one page for my news post to completely go to shit!

Its ok, I've seen worst, anything about Sony, people here @ EvAv feels the need to spread the hate.

Ilikecapcom

03-13-2007, 05:35 PM

Umm, for all the discussion that followed that comment, it missed the important part. There is no campaign in Shadowrun, but they also said there would be bots, linked console play and some single player focused scenarios. Whereas Warhawk is only playable online against others.

Thats the distinction. If you can play at all just on the console then a retail box makes sense. But if its purely online.... then you just increase costs and don't appeal to anyone who couldn't play it anyway.

Thank you, a man who understands!!!! :)

Karmakin

03-13-2007, 05:45 PM

To me, both Warhawk and Shadowrun are in the same boat. They're revival of IPs that basically rip out the heart of them and piss on the remains.

Warhawk...am I the only person that has good memories of the original? I loved the gameplay of making strafing runs on a base, finding a shield/power ups and charging up to do it again, taking down the defenses a bit at a time, until eventually you can hit the core.

I don't see any of that gameplay here.

Shadowrun should be an RPG. Actually, as far as a game goes, I'm a lot more interested in Shadowrun than Warhawk. I'm peeved too, but only because we're not seeing a Shadowrun RPG AND this Shadowrun action game.

One final thing. If it's the case that you can go to your local retailer and pick up a Warhawk CD for 15-20 or so, then fine and dandy. That's great and wonderful. But if they're selling this for full price...

fitbabits

03-13-2007, 05:47 PM

Its ok, I've seen worst, anything about Sony, people here @ EvAv feels the need to spread the hate.
Where have you been the last week? You know, the week where everything with Sony was hunky dory and was reported as such here.

Justin_Bailey

03-13-2007, 05:51 PM

I think people read a little too much into this line in the Warhawk GDC press release:

Play Warhawk Exclusively Online

Sounded like a download-only game to me at the time but I can what they meant it to mean.

ChiHawk

03-13-2007, 06:08 PM

Rook34

03-13-2007, 06:15 PM

Right Hand, meet Left Hand. Try to talk to eachother every so often...

IrishWhiskey

03-13-2007, 06:16 PM

It never made sense to have Warhawk be a downloadable title. Not only are you saddled with the stigma that all downloadable titles on consoles should be inexpensive, but your potential market is miniscual. What are there, around 2MM+ PS3s sold? With some fraction of that number actually plugged into the 'net? Just wouldn't make sense to take a game that has been developed in the same manner as a full retail, disc based game (with lots of $$), place a cut rate price tag on it, and sell it in the smallest possible market. But put a reduced price on it and sell it in physical retail outlets? Huge potential sales, especially with the current state of the PS3 library.Wow, I'm amazed by how far off the point you are there.

ITS ONLINE PLAY ONLY! Therefore the "2MM+ PS3s sold", "With some fraction of that number actually plugged into the 'net" are the only people who can possibly play your product. In other words once you put it online, you've made it available to all the people who would possibly purchase the product anyway.

Yes there are some situations where a person might want to get a case instead of downloading. But it makes no sense to suggest that the market for an online only titles will suddenly expand beyond those connected online. Not to mention that online distribution is cheaper, so that instead of fighting the perception it should be cheaper, you can actually make the game cost less, or make a greater profit from it.

bapenguin

03-13-2007, 06:17 PM

Man, this is what...the 4th or 5th time this happened? When is Sony going to understand what Sony is doing?

Khash

03-13-2007, 06:19 PM

Whatever. Do your damn homework before you open your trap, Phil.
And you should read the article before opening yours.

CaptStu

03-13-2007, 06:27 PM

And you should read the article before opening yours.

There is no need to. Perception is reality. The perception is or was Warhawk was going to be a downloadable game. That isn't the case.

What bothers me is the miscommunication. I was actually giving Sony much credit for bringing a game purely online, as a download -- something I wish MS would do with Live, maybe like Shadowrun.

You and I have clashed before about stupid things, but I have a point here.

Evil Avnovice

03-13-2007, 06:40 PM

So Warhawk is being slapped on a Blu-ray and onto store shelves, but nothing about the price and lack of a single-player mode has been mentioned.

Jack B

03-13-2007, 07:00 PM

I thought it was a decent idea to go download only, specifically with an online only game. Microsoft did it for their arcade titles. I wasn't a bad idea. I was surprised ShadowRun didn't do the same thing.

It's no big deal either way to me.

Johan

03-13-2007, 07:22 PM

I'd say the most important considerations about this game would be the price and the actual gameplay.

If it's priced reasonably, since it's apparently online only, AND the online component plays well and is fun...well, then all is well!

If it's a full priced retail game, or the online component is borked somehow...then that's disappointing.

We'll see!

EternalGamer

03-13-2007, 07:40 PM

Well the situition with all these events is probably that Sony hadn't firmly decided how to handed these issues, but that didn't stop their talking heads from relaying conjecture.

More directly on topic, this is kind of a bummer. I fully support downloadable full retail games. Even at the same price, I would rather download than buy in a retail box for a couple of reasons. First, it is nice to have instant access to it on your harddrive w/o having to mess with discs. And second, I want to support this movement for environmental reasons. The sooner I can buy and rent all my media--films, music and games--in digital format, the better.

Johan

03-13-2007, 08:03 PM

The sooner I can buy and rent all my media--films, music and games--in digital format, the better.

I'm hoping for better compression/storage technology so that can be possible for mass consumers of digital content. I can't imagine how many gigs of data all my retail disk-based games would be if I had them all stored on a hard drive. :eek:

I would miss the manuals and the ability to resell my games, however...

inmostlight

03-13-2007, 08:04 PM

Frankly, I'd rather see these online only games on physical media, not a download only. Because that means that I can rent them.

Incidence

03-13-2007, 08:34 PM

I'm hoping for better compression/storage technology so that can be possible for mass consumers of digital content. I can't imagine how many gigs of data all my retail disk-based games would be if I had them all stored on a hard drive. :eek:

I think this right here is why you won't find any major or more sophisticated games released as download only, with the consoles having pretty small hard drive sizes it would get pretty impractical to have a major portion of your game library stored there.

The price points need to change so you can start getting 500+ gig hard drives standard with easy/cheap extras before you can really start a major push toward majority downloaded game content.

Justin_Bailey

03-14-2007, 12:02 AM

So with all this Warhawk stuff settled, will someone now get to the bottom of whether LittleBigPlanet is going to be on a Blu-Ray disc or not, because no one seems to be entirely sure either way.

Jack B

03-14-2007, 12:14 AM

Frankly, I'd rather see these online only games on physical media, not a download only. Because that means that I can rent them.

Now that's a good point.

Achilles

03-14-2007, 01:24 AM

I watched a video interview with the producers on the procject and they were saying that it was multiplayer only, I believe they said that it was online only as well (if so it wasn't just Phil that was 'mistaken' though I'm guessing they had to change their minds after the anouncement because of pressure from the retailers), but I may be getting my wires crossed. So it’s going to be a $60 disc online-only game? Man Sony starts talking, saying some definite stuff for a change, then the contradict almost all of it a week later. Tomorrow we’ll be hearing that Home is really a FPS and won’t be out till 2008.

Chameleo

03-14-2007, 01:37 AM

who says you cant temporarily download something?

there are plenty of "trial versions" of software that automatically locks themselves after a certain period of time.

downloadable content CAN be rented.

DangerousDaze

03-14-2007, 03:06 AM

It's Harrison's job to stay on top of what his content team is up to. However, considering that team is in the multiple thousands, it's not an organisational challenge I'd like to have personally.

jbavon

03-14-2007, 04:04 AM

I don't understand the Sony bashing in this thread?

It's clearly a case of the news sites (EvAv included) getting their info wrong.

Dag-Sabot

03-14-2007, 04:45 AM

I don't understand the Sony bashing in this thread?
Relax and enjoy your problem.

roboninja

03-14-2007, 07:00 AM

Wow, I'm amazed by how far off the point you are there.

ITS ONLINE PLAY ONLY! Therefore the "2MM+ PS3s sold", "With some fraction of that number actually plugged into the 'net" are the only people who can possibly play your product. In other words once you put it online, you've made it available to all the people who would possibly purchase the product anyway.

Yes there are some situations where a person might want to get a case instead of downloading. But it makes no sense to suggest that the market for an online only titles will suddenly expand beyond those connected online. Not to mention that online distribution is cheaper, so that instead of fighting the perception it should be cheaper, you can actually make the game cost less, or make a greater profit from it.
Was going to respond, but you got it.

As for the rental issue, while that is a valid reason, it would be an incentive for Sony to move to DL-only; they do not like game rentals at all. There was even talk about them trying to make rentals and used game sales illegal before they realized how mad that would make everyone. Now, they are making people mad other ways :p