Confirmed: Bioshock shocks us in June '07

by Christopher Grant { Jan 5th 2007 at 9:25AM }

1UP has confirmed that Bioshock, Irrational's highly anticipated "spiritual successor" to the System Shock series, will be hitting the Xbox 360 and Windows platforms exclusively this June. At X06, the game was announced to be an Xbox 360 console exclusive upon its release in the Spring of this year, but the wording of the announcement left the possibility of timed exclusivity open. Is this another exclusivity mystery or the real deal: a third-party console exclusive?

[Thanks, Todd]

Tags: Bioshock, IrrationalGames

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

J.Goodwin @ Jan 5th 2007 9:32AM

Chris said: "Is this another exclusivity mystery or the real deal: a third-party console exclusive?"

Does anyone even care about this anymore? If it does come to the PS3, it's going to be months later, selling to a tiny install base, and won't have any significant additional features.

The media continues mooting (to put out for discussion) the issue, but I say it's a moot (of no legal significance, since it has already been settled) one.

cubbiechris @ Jan 5th 2007 9:39AM

Bring it on!

Zach @ Jan 5th 2007 9:59AM

Isn't it also coming out on the PC? So it's not really exclusive, although it is right now as far as consoles go. I mean, it's possible that it could be a timed console exclusive, but somehow I can't really envision that happening...

I would like to say however that I'm looking forward to this game SO much. It just looks amazing. If you haven't already, I'd suggest checking out the X06 trailer...awesome!

JJ @ Jan 5th 2007 10:10AM

But J, then theoretically... couldn't you say that about any timed exclusive? Since for the most part, any timed exclusive that gets released months later doesnt perform nearly as well as the initial release?

This goes both ways of course if bioshock does release on the PS3, but the same could be said of a later release date for any game really for instance VF5 on the 360 comes out nearly half a year later, which i believe will make it fly under the radar for the most part.

MagWheels @ Jan 5th 2007 10:20AM

June works for me! The latest Bioshock trailer kinda freaked me out. So spooky, so violent, so krazee! Up here in the northern hemisphere, June will give me plenty of daylight hours to play the game in. With my teddy bear at my side. :)

C. Grant @ Jan 5th 2007 10:55AM

J: It's a question of precedence. We're all curious about how big pubs, like T2, are going to handle the exclusivity question. Even if they promise an exclusive, is it going to be timed? Will there be any more huge AAA exclusives and, if so, how many? Assassin's Creed is launching side by side on both platforms, after a long period of uncertainty ... what about other hotly anticipated games?

J.Goodwin @ Jan 5th 2007 10:55AM

JJ, exactly.

My view on VF5 is that it's not a dominant sales driving title anway, but that several month delay means that it's basically a PS3 exclusive, unless of course the install base is so tiny that the sales make no difference (if VF5 sells 100,000 units on PS3 in the US in it's first month, I would be surprised, and I'm relatively certain that it will sell more units on 360, it's a special case because we're talking about a 5+ fold difference in US install base).

But if you take an example from last generation that's somewhat comparable (like Splinter Cell), you'll see that even though the delay was just a few months, and the available install base was much bigger, the series is still in part defined by that strong link to the Xbox. People still think of Splinter Cell as an Xbox franchise first, even though that delayed release on the PS2 added some missions (that were later free downloads on the Xbox).

Daigoji Gai @ Jan 5th 2007 10:59AM

Given how I still have System Shock 2 installed on my Athlon 64, I am drooling in anticipation for this.

The problem is, which version do I get? Do I go for the PC, and remain true to my gaming roots, or get the 360 version, and forsake keyboard and mouse precision for Live and achievements?

Ooooh the torment!

Knoxximus @ Jan 5th 2007 11:22AM

Well, the box artwork doesn't say "Only on Xbox 360", so I dunno....

Xaero @ Jan 5th 2007 11:33AM

@Daogoji Gai,The PC version will be superior. I'm not giving a fanboy opinion here but the game is being primarily developed on PC. It was first announced on PC and then a 360 game. The PC version has better controls, possibly better graphics,mods. I don't know why you're worrying about Live when this game won't have a multiplayer.