Splinter Cell, BioShock, GTA IV episodes exclusive for Xbox 360

by Ross Miller { Sep 27th 2006 at 2:00PM }

Both BioShock and Splinter Cell Conviction (the suspected title for the post-Double Agent iteration) will be console-exclusive to the Xbox 360; BioShock will still be coming to the PC, while Splinter Cell can still be released for the PC and various portable console (DS, PSP). BioShock publisher Take-Two will also be providing "exclusive access to two downloadable, epic episodes of Grand Theft Auto IV via Xbox Live, each with hours of entirely new gameplay ."

Ubisoft's Splinter Cell Conviction is the title found during their "accidental" leak earlier this month. The exclusivity of BioShock was predicted by GameSpot back in January after developer Irrational was bought by Take Two.

The GTA IV episodes are a "complete exclusive," according to Scott Henson, Director of the Game Development Group at Microsoft, and will not showing up on the PlayStation 3 download service. The episodes will be available a few months after the release of Grand Theft Auto IV on October 17 and 19 in US and Europe, respectively. Microsoft hinted at exclusive GTA IV content as early as July.

While BioShock may not affect the mass audience, the loss of Splinter Cell and some exclusive GTA IV content could hurt the PlayStation 3's image in North America and Europe. Then again, Sony does have Metal Gear Solid 4 to satiate its consumers, but what are the long-term ramifications of Microsoft's exclusive deals?

Tags: barcelona, BioShock, GrandTheftAuto, gta, GTAIV, irrational, rockstar, SplinterCell, SystemShock, TakeTwo, ubisoft, x06

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Saneless @ Sep 27th 2006 2:11PM

GTA is going to friggin catapult the 360 WAY up. GTA is the main game people at large want to play, period. Play it on a $600 system or play it on a system that is likely $350. Hmmm. I think I'll pay 350, buy the game, and have a riot. Byebye sony

DarrenJ @ Sep 27th 2006 2:13PM

"While BioShock may not affect the mass audience..."

From the look of it, you may eat your words on that one. I suspect the only reason you say that is because it's not a sequel with a pre-existing loyalty. But then again, so was Halo 1.

Shaun @ Sep 27th 2006 2:18PM

actually exclusivity just pisses off the consumer, because we can't ALL afford ALL consoles. certain titles you expect to be exclusive, nintendo has mario for instance. but when the big titles like GTA get exclusivity they effectively cut their potential sales and put a large proportion of people off the game in the future!

toygame @ Sep 27th 2006 2:20PM

WOW, Another blow for Sony and fair play to MS for being so aggressive this time.

Bioshock was an essential purchase (though I would ultimately prefer the PC version) now my 360 need not worry about it, glad I didn't hold out for a PS3.

The exclusive content is also good news for XB360 owners.

kayzai @ Sep 27th 2006 2:23PM

BLOODY HELL!!! Whatsup with Microsoft buying up all publishers???

I never thought I'd say this..... I think it's time for me to get a 360.

Wii will still be my main console though!!!

Why is SONY not doing anything???? :(

Sploog @ Sep 27th 2006 2:24PM

2. "While BioShock may not affect the mass audience..."

From the look of it, you may eat your words on that one. I suspect the only reason you say that is because it's not a sequel with a pre-existing loyalty. But then again, so was Halo 1.

sarcasm?

System Shock 2 before this was amazing, and did claim quite a few fans. BioShock looks like it will be a sequel faithful to its predecessor too. Can't wait!

JJ @ Sep 27th 2006 2:25PM

How much you wanna bet that sony gets exclusive content as well for GTA IV?

I'm betting its gonna be like Soul Calibur 2 was on GC/pS2/xbox. They all got "Exclusive" content didn't they?

Some were better than others though...."Zelda over spawn/heihachi"

Bioshock is a bit of a surprise though, i thought that was a TIME exclusive?

kiz @ Sep 27th 2006 2:27PM

its just exclusive episodic content, rockstar is proably gonna have ps3 episodic exclusive also, thats diff from the 360 version....

TRUTH @ Sep 27th 2006 2:29PM

Good! Screw sony! People are mad because they know MS and Nintendo got it going on this gen.

@BMWM3P

"MS thinks it can buy it's way into anything, I don't give a shit what about their dumb exclusive deals they wont last for long."

You must be an idiot! What do think sony was doing in the first place! FF used to be only on nintendo and GTA was only on PC back when it was 2D.

Lefty @ Sep 27th 2006 2:29PM

i was shocked when they started playing assasins creed live. i mean wow. where was sony at tgs. i guess they figured this game was noit good enough to show live lol

here here Long live my 360

Saneless @ Sep 27th 2006 2:34PM

I think the exclusive content though is just more of a matter of Sony's online delivery method being pure crap (well, non-existent) and MS actually having a service.

"Fuck you ms, you're not buying me out. We're all better off without ms if they can't make something good they buy it out and shit on it."

Huh? May want to dip your grapes in some honey there buddy, they sure seem sour. Actually we're all better off if Sony does poorly this gen. Could you imagine their cockiness, already at a disturbingly high level, if the PS3 was as dominant as the PS2?

Cage @ Sep 27th 2006 2:40PM

LOL...MS haters are out in full force. You cant stop the goodness!! Sit back and enjoy. Maybe in a year (when you can save up to buy a 360 after spending so much on a PS3 and ONE game) you can get all this goodness in the convenience of your own home.

"How much you wanna bet that sony gets exclusive content as well for GTA IV?"

"Bioshock is a bit of a surprise though, i thought that was a TIME exclusive?"

"MS thinks it can buy it's way into anything, I don't give a shit what about their dumb exclusive deals they wont last for long."

"its just exclusive episodic content, rockstar is proably gonna have ps3 episodic exclusive also, thats diff from the 360 version...."

Haha. Crying isnt good for your keyboard...

biohazard @ Sep 27th 2006 2:46PM

@3 & 6:
ever consider that the 360 is an easier platform to develop on and with the new development tools Microsoft is publishing (read XNA and developer) this allows the studios to easily distribute across 2 platforms (360 and PC).

Microsoft doesn't have to buy anyone out; the beancounters of the studios are getting giddy with dreams of recouping development costs...

And if that argument makes too much sense: how long has Sony locked up certain game franchises? [looking at early GTA3, DMC, new FF's, and on and on and on]

shase @ Sep 27th 2006 2:49PM

why are people so fixated on exclusive content? Its another scheme to make more money off of people. You buy the game for 60+, then pay 10+ for content and you are 70+ for a game with maybe few bonus contents that most likely arent major game changers (unless new char or new ending). Seems more people fine with paying tons of money over downloadables and complain about how PS3's price is when they probably unknowingly paid more money to MS for bonus stuff that really doesnt make or break a game.

Lefty @ Sep 27th 2006 2:50PM

lol a game exlcusive to the 360 lol. doesnlt hurt me at all as i donwload some new content from marketplace. it only affects sony fanboys and thats always a good thing if u ask me

and so u know thats how u show off games at a agme show. not 2 hrs of bs. 2 hrs of the games

did u see them play assasins creed live at tgs, no they did at x06 and that game is awsome

Lefty @ Sep 27th 2006 2:50PM

14

actually having a decent priced console with almost 10 milliuon users by the end of the year, a unified online service in place for 4-5 years that has shown it can generate cash flow and is a new tool for developers as well as the support ms gives their developers and money.

many factors and when devs see the 500 ps3 which won't even launch in pal conutries till 2007 its not hard. take ms's money and put the game where the console are. last i checked there are no ps3's on the market. till than u will see many games go to 360 becasue ms can afford to get them and show they will not be making a mistake

its called bussiness my friend and who wins, those who buy 360's cause we play hot titles. we are being treated as gamers and not a tool to win a format war. imagine if sony cared about gamers. at tgs u would ahve seen devs playing their games at the press confrence like ms has done at every one. instead they spend 2 hrs talking bout ps1 and ps2 games and google earth lol.

360 is for true gamers. we ahve the online and the money to make it work. ur anger is more cause ur a fanboy of sony. well guess what i am a fanboy of microsft and today was a good day i tell ya. canlt wait to see what happens behind clsoed doors. oh i want some halo 3 footage.

any way let em get back to my doom game. bringing back emmeorues of losing my disks and thinkin i would neevr play this again. man i love ms

OtakuCODE @ Sep 27th 2006 2:51PM

I'm definitely glad I got a 360. BioShock 0wnz me. I would kill for BioShock. I haven't seen diddly about it (on purpose) but anything from Irrational that has even a tenuous link to System Shock 2 which is, flat out, no-holds-barred, the best game ever created gets my undying loyalty by default. I'll buy it for the 360 and for the PC, and maybe a few copies just to help its sales numbers.

Jerm @ Sep 27th 2006 2:52PM

Um BMWM3P, are you confused? The original PlayStation and the Saturn were released around the same time and PlayStation took over because of it's exclusive content. There were developers who went with Sony because it was selling well, but Sony threw around alot of money to developers to have exclusive games.

Although I'm sure you're right, M$ will run through their $34 Billion in the bank, and the $1.5 Billion a month that MS Office brings in and will soon be bankrupt, and Sony, who have seen deminishing profits for a few years now, are going to crush them. This is all a game to M$. M$ will be ok if the 360 doesn't do well, will Sony be OK if the PS3 flops?

OMahagtp @ Sep 27th 2006 2:53PM

"In the end the money is going to run out, ms will disappear and everything will be back to normal. Who knows sega might make a comeback."

That has to be a joke. LOL. Delusional, at best.

MS. Runs out of money?

You may not like it, but MS is here to stay.

TRUTH @ Sep 27th 2006 2:53PM

TRUTH @ Sep 27th 2006 2:55PM

@ ASSHOLE...I mean BMWM3P.

Don't get mad because MS is good at business. Sony would do the same damn thing! Developers are expanding away from the PS3 because Sony's user base will not be as big as last generation. Why should developers hang themselves with a piece of shit system like the playstation?

Mark Felps @ Sep 27th 2006 2:57PM

Yeah, because Sony never buys up publishers to create exclusives. They didn't buy a major share of Square, or recently purchase Guerilla Games, and they certainly didn't pay gobs of money last generation to secure exclusives in the hope of killing other consoles.

They also don't brag about imaginary capabilities of their machines in an attempt to "knife the baby" like they did with the Dreamcast.

Oh, wait...they do all those things, just not very well, apparently.

suffah @ Sep 27th 2006 2:59PM

BMWM3P = azn_1080p ???

Lefty @ Sep 27th 2006 2:59PM

lol ms lose money

its networking services alone can keepo them afloat for years. not to emntion that 90 eprcent of all compyuters bought have windows on it and they get roylaties for that, they actually publihs many windows games so they are aklso a game company so alomst any game played on widnows will be published by ms

not to mention vista launches in january. a huge cash cow on both the it sector and corparate sector not to mention its new suite of office software to accompany that vista windows.

u need to realise ms has never been healthier and getting more every day. wake up. sony is in deepo trouble. ms could lose billions on the 360 and no notice it. sony can not which is why they ahve shown only profit once in the last 8 quarters. the ceo just got replaced 15 months ago and etc etc. ur funny though man

Lefty @ Sep 27th 2006 3:03PM

and becuase of the problems an american is running a japnese company in what is a shocker. so u should realise sony is in trouble and ps3 could sink them in the game department. the new ceo canlt remebr his name cares nothign about playstation. this was alls et ebfor he took over. he will cut hwats bleeding if he needs to. if thats the playstation brand it will be. now we are talking 4-5 years down the road but please sony fanboys know how bad the situation could get for so if the ps3 struggles.

the writing is on the wall. u just need to read it

IslandLife @ Sep 27th 2006 3:05PM

I don't care what some of you are saying. This is bad for the industry. Microsoft seems intent on trying to throw their money at everything. People want choice and MS seems intent on limiting their choices. Trust me, if the 360 was as good as they're touting it to be, they wouldn't have to throwing money out the window to keep it afloat. Some of you are so blinded by their crap you don't even notice that they are trying to monopolize this industry. Don't you think that there was a reason for companies taking MS to court so many times for them trying to monopolize different facets of the computer industry. Think people. Think.

Me @ Sep 27th 2006 3:13PM

Whats funny is that i will be buying GTA 4 (gta was basically born on the playstation, so thats where it will stay for me) and splinter cell on my PS3 where they belong !!!

TRUTH @ Sep 27th 2006 3:14PM

@ IslandLife

"if the 360 was as good as they're touting it to be, they wouldn't have to throwing money out the window to keep it afloat."

LOL!!? The 360 is that good. Have you played one? What about the PS2 100 million user base? Talk about monopolizing. Ive came to the conclusion that 99% of sony fanboys are idiots.

Lefty @ Sep 27th 2006 3:14PM

island life

i am playing my 360 right now. it is that good. its worth every penny ms wants ti spend on it cause its all for my benefit the gamer. they are no forcing a format on us that they control. they are not tryign to force us to pay 500-600 bucks. they want gamers to game.

the 360 connects people like never befor. i have friends i consider family if u wnat to belive it on my friends list i have known since 2001. they are in 4 diff countries and nightly we allc hat and play togetehr. we all decided to get a 360 together. now with the cam we can chat and see each other. we can lauch and joke or get some hardcore gaming on

its what the 360 is about and if u donlt have one u wonlt know what its about. the 360 takes gaming from u by urself or a friend in ur living room to this force where the possibilites are endless. i spend hours just chatting on the 360. sometimes in uno sometimes in private video chat. its like my aim and my pc. its like no console i have ever owned. ms was not the amrket elader last gen sony was. ms is leveling the playing field. i am all for it. i sit here playing doom. freaking doom the godfather of fps. i mean my god.

but who loses u do my friend cause ur to thick to the forest from the trees. they are doing thsi for the gamers. the vision cam, live, exclusive hit games, gears of war any one. they want it to be a top notch experience and everyday it gets better. from playing the sonic demo last night to watching the press live on their website. they wnat gamers to choose. do u wnat hd movie playback. bam here u go. u want video chat bam here u go. u want twice yearly updates to make the system better than ebfor. bam u got it. for u to be sour is a sign they are doing the right thing and sony is no longer the giant. theres a new sherif in town and to hate him u have to hate what he does. like gve 2.5 billion of his own money to charrity. rock on bill, j allard, and petter. we love ya

sony fanboys go play in traffic. u wonlt be missed

Lefty @ Sep 27th 2006 3:15PM

29

splintercell is 360 exclusive so that will be darn near impossible lol.

Enzo @ Sep 27th 2006 3:21PM

I'm shocked this generation, because for the first time ever, Microsoft is the lesser of two evils.
MS can do whatever they want for all I care, as long as they can bring Sony as low as possible.

Lefty @ Sep 27th 2006 3:25PM

the xbox division can lose all the money it wants. losses will be offset by the new brand games for windows. u do realise that after vista alunches ms will basicaly ahve millions of users playing games across pc's and 360;s togetehr called live anywhere. and for u to play any pc game u will need vista. and that agme will be published by ms meaning they get a cut. yeah its sneaky but it will make the game division a killer. xbox let it loose money. but it will not lsoe anywhere near the amou nt the ps3 is and will lose. almost 4 billion in reaserch. it will take 5 years just to recoup those losses and thats from sony;s mouth lol.

any way time to go to the bus stop and get the daughter but u got me laughing all the way

The Intangible Fact @ Sep 27th 2006 3:25PM

Whats funny is that Sony's failure is in everybodies face yet the Sony women can't see it.

"I pity the fool that don't buy a 360"

Infil @ Sep 27th 2006 3:28PM

If I cared about these franchises, I'd be more interested in an X360. But for those who care about them, this seems like a good snag for MS.

I also agree with IslandLife that MS throwing money around to whoever the bloody want is NOT good for the industry on the whole. But I'd rather see this (right now) than Sony on top. At least MS is delivering gaming content right now. I think Sony's arrogance is worse than a potential MS monopoly on HD gaming. That might change in a few years, but we'll see.

The new Banjo game has be a bit interested, but not enough to pick up a brand new console. Still the Wii for me; I'm already spending enough money on that purchase, with all the games and such I'll be getting.

It's a shame that even with all this stuff... it's still mostly American tastes the 360 is catering to, and it will continue to be largely ignored in Japan (and I don't count the "token black guy" games they're releasing in Japan enough to court gamers there just yet). So Sony will probably still be a force in Japan.

CaptNink @ Sep 27th 2006 3:30PM

@ BMWM3P

Dude, you are the tool of the day!

HA!

biohazard @ Sep 27th 2006 3:31PM

@33 back at BMWM3P
but a "dumb geek" liking a PS3 is better?

The truth is simple, the PS3 still isn't available, won't be for another month if you're lucky. And what spectacular games were shown at TGS that make it a must buy at launch? Ridge Racer 8, you bet.

No developer is going to want to put a ton of resources into developing a game for a platform that won't make them money. But, right now some developer are going moving big franchises to semi-exclusive or exclusive for the 360. What do you think that means?

Lefty @ Sep 27th 2006 3:31PM

infil

this is x06. its america and europe. there was over 30 titles shown at tgs. many that looked awsome but was not talked about by the media. all catering to japenese gamers.

but with that said. its the fact it s awestern console maker but with the games they have comming out they might geta foothold. but since i am not in japan i could care less. excpet for blu dragon, trusty bell, and lost odyssey lol

Lefty @ Sep 27th 2006 3:34PM

BMWM3P

it snot a medicore machine. its awosme and gets betetr every day. from media cenetr extender to vision video chat in agmes to tripple a titles. i have not once had a problemw ith the money i spent on this console and since i can tell u donlt own one how would u know?

care to clarify why its a medicore console?

and it has sold over 6 million woirlwide and forcasted to sell 4 million thru the holidays but the end of the fiscal year is march so if they hit 10 million by march it was a good first fiscal year.

once again explain how u know it medicore when i doubt u have ever touched one?

IslandLife @ Sep 27th 2006 3:40PM

@ Lefty

I'm sorry, but I tried reading your drivel, but your lack of english and spelling skills really turned me off. But hey buddy, I tried and thats all that really matters.

biohazard @ Sep 27th 2006 3:45PM

@IslandLife

Lefty may have typing and grammar issues, but are you as willing to dismiss BMWM3P's inane and obscene rantings? Or is your criteria people who agree with your platform vs against it.

Just want a clairification, so I can spell-check all my further posts for your ease of reading.

zelig2 @ Sep 27th 2006 3:45PM

MS hatin' is so 2001

LordMinogue @ Sep 27th 2006 3:55PM

I see. All the sony fanboys are mad because the 360 gamers got more good news in one day of X06 then they've gotten in TGS and E3.

I'm upset because I dont have the money to get all of the games comming out on the 360 that I want to play. Halo 3, Gears of War, Prey, PGR 4, Splinter Cell, Rainbow 6, BioShock, GTA 4, Asassins Creed...

I really need a Job, but there's just too much going on in my Senior year. Hopefully I can make room for one after my first semester is over.

Draco @ Sep 27th 2006 3:56PM

does anyone else find that thing looks exactly like an Elemental Gimmick Gear from the Dreamcast?

whats next he can roll into a ball?

XxOMGHEYxX @ Sep 27th 2006 4:05PM

Ummm...just to throw this out there, Joystiq...

This game was already announced for the Playstation 3 aboutttt...a month ago?...

Sooo, why are you still saying it's exclusive?

Same thing with L.A. Noire...the official site even says that is a PS3 game and y'all have been saying " it's comeing to PS3 or Xbox360...nobody knows yet. "

Correction: Joystiq is antiPS3/Sony and doesn't WANT to know.

:]

Postin' 'dem liesssszzzsszszzsszzz!one!11!1eleven!11111!1

I love you, Joystiq.

Lefty @ Sep 27th 2006 4:14PM

XxOMGHEYxX

um i donlt know what ur saying but everyhting herfe was announced live to the world not just 2 hrs ago at x06. i watched it myself. Bioshock exclusive to 360 and windows

solinter cell, the next one after the one about to launch, will be exclusive to the 360

gta4 will have 2 episodic downloads for the 360 thats exclusive and these "will be hours of extra gameplay not a character or a car" roight from peter moors mouth

u need to check ur fats cause joystiq poisted this straight from the 360's x06 press release

and to IslandLife
ur right my typing was bad in my last posts. as i said many time in my posts i was playing doom and rushing thru my posts. as u can see i give more credence to my gameplaying than trying to explain the obvious to fanboys

and yes i am a 360 fanboy lol

ihya @ Sep 27th 2006 4:15PM

Island Life, this is the golden age for being a 360 player; I personally cannot blame them for being jubilant. MS is throwing so much money at the consumer in order to buy market share, all the 360 players here are clear winners and are truly loving it.

After all the consumer at the moment is in control. MS has to bow to their every whim, or they may just go to Sony or Nintendo instead...

But when MS have their monopoly (and it will happen), they'll come calling for that $4 billion they lost entering the market, tapping every vein a gamer has for that cash.

Consumables.

Microtransactions.

Adverts. Adverts Adverts.

And you'll cough up bitch, or no GTA for you.

Sure any of the big 3 would do the same in that position. Which is why having 3 players in the market means the consumer (that's you) can stop that shit from getting totally out of control.

Having MS buy up everything puts one company in control. That means bye bye discounted hardware. Bye bye innovating your products to do better than the competition. Bye bye choice. And that hurts the consumer. The irony is with no competition and no reference point for anything different we won't even realise we are poorer for it.

In a few years I'll certainly look back to these days and miss them.

But anyway, let's all hope Sony and Nintendo are knocked out of the next gen race, and hope my brand loyalty to MS warms the embers of my heart when their absence brings a sudden chill wind...

jjrooster @ Sep 27th 2006 4:27PM

HAHAHA 360 + FW hack + all these great games = FTW

IslandLife @ Sep 27th 2006 4:31PM

Did BMWM3P address me Mr. Biohazard? I think not. However Lefty did address me, and that's why I took the liberty of responding. If you have a problem with Mr. BMWM3P then I think you should take that up with him. Now, is that enough clarification for you?

brockmajaro @ Sep 27th 2006 4:36PM

Little suprised at spilnter cell being a 360 exclusive. When I finnaly get my hands on a PS3 I still plan on buying all the games that are released on multiple consoles for that. Not because I think they will be better on either one, but MS lost my trust after my 360 turned to a paperwieght last week and is costing me $140 ti fix. I also don't plan on buying any additional content.