Alone in the Dark PS3 gets an even bigger delay [Update]

by Alexander Sliwinski { Sep 5th 2007 at 3:55PM }

Alone in the Dark already got a delay recently, but this is a delay within a delay, as the PS3 version of Alone in the Dark will not come out simultaneously with the Xbox 360 and PC version. Speaking with EuroGamer, Atari does not give a reason for the delay, but makes clear to emphasize that the PS3 version is still in development.

We're not saying that we're used to these PS3 delays by now -- but we totally are. No reason is ever cited for the delays, and even some of them are embroiled in controversy. Whatever, if we're just focusing on Alone in the Dark, the real question is if the game will see the light of day during its current release time frame which is before March of next year.

Update: OK, Alone in the Dark PS3 is not more delayed than before.

Tags: aloneinthedark, atari, delay

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Cellien @ Sep 5th 2007 3:59PM

Commonplace now...

Anonim @ Sep 5th 2007 4:49PM

But but but it's good that PS3 is hard to program so WHY delays?!

http://www.ps3scene.com/news/static/SCEpresidenthappygamemakersfinddevelopmentdifficult-1188866269.php

"SCE president happy game makers find development difficult"

From gamesradar.com:
[QUOTE]
Sony Computer Entertainment's president, Kaz Hirai, in the latest issue of Official PlayStation Magazine:

"If you look back at the commentary we received when we launched PS2, there was a lot of talk to the effect that 'It's very difficult to program for' and 'It's easier on a Dreamcast'. It's happened before," Hirai told OPM, acknowledging that PS3 is a more complex animal for developers to work with compared to its rivals. "If they came back and told me, 'PS3? We can do this in a heartbeat,' that would be worrying because what it is telling me is that we're not pushing the envelope from a technology standpoint."
[/QUOTE]

Mr. P @ Sep 5th 2007 5:48PM

This is funny, actually, because up until now I've been playing multi-platform games on the 360, but after having the console die on my for the 5th or 6th time, it dawned on me that this is a horrible idea.

Every day now I'm scared to turn on the console for fear it will choke and die again. The way I figure it, the less I play, the better. In fact, I'm considering not playing any games at all on the 360 just to be extra safe!

it just sucks that I have to wait a little longer to enjoy games on PS3.

Mal F4cti0n @ Sep 5th 2007 6:57PM

Okaaaaaay, Mr P.

Ur a Sony Fanboy if I ever smelled one.

Two can play at that game.

My Sony controller doesn't have rumble and the battery died so I have to buy a new one. Waawaaahhhwawaaaah

Ur a fool, I bet you don't even own a 360.

Vegnagun @ Sep 5th 2007 4:00PM

Is this a sad delay or a happy delay?

hvnlysoldr @ Sep 5th 2007 4:30PM

It could slide both ways. I mean happy since the game doesn't seem ready but sad since it's Atari and they still might not make a good game even given time.

Fernando Rocker @ Sep 5th 2007 4:02PM

Another reason (with like 100 other reasons) to not own a PS3.

If you want a movie player, go ahead. If you want a gaming machine, Wii60 is the right way.

FrankTheCrank @ Sep 5th 2007 4:07PM

If you want a job, scissors are the right way.

Ihya @ Sep 5th 2007 4:13PM

I love your posts. Not for the reasons you intended however.

megaStryke @ Sep 5th 2007 4:20PM

I think I want to disassociate myself with all things Nintendo just so that I don't feel like there is some tenuous connection between me and Fernando.

xXFenixKnight13Xx @ Sep 5th 2007 4:25PM

Well said my brotha, preach on preach on!!! lol!

Trev @ Sep 5th 2007 4:32PM

Alone in the Dark is one of those 'maybe' titles. I heard the series was good, but was never really interested. Kind of the same with Silent Hill; it looks great, but doesn't catch me. Maybe I'll check it out. Either way, I have about as many games as my wallet can handle coming before March.

(queues Fernando to say how much they all suck, because he lives in a crazy, fast-time universe where they're all out already)

Delays are unfortunate, but I could care less if they're not cancellations. Like with Nintendo, delays are just to put more time into making a good game.

FrankTheCrank @ Sep 5th 2007 4:35PM

Ihya, and you are?

Word of the street. @ Sep 5th 2007 5:48PM

Everytime a n00b sez Silent hill or alone in the dark are "maybe" titles a puppy dies,stop killing puppies.

Play Alone in the Dark,The new nightmare or Silent hill 3(2 is my personal favorite).

Hiroken @ Sep 5th 2007 5:51PM

Fernando:

Everyone who comes here already knows enough about videogames to make a rational decision as to which they prefer. Your trolling adds nothing to the forums...mods, it's really time to stop Fernando's nonsense--bring down the hammer.

~

riggs @ Sep 6th 2007 10:08AM

i want you to list all 100 reasons, fucking moron.

OrganicShadow @ Sep 6th 2007 10:19AM

From late 2006, to summer 2007, to fall 2007, to something 08?

I have a strange feeling that this game is going through some hardships in the development department. We haven't seen any REAL NEW media on this game in a while- mostly rehashes of what's been shown before.

Either way I'll be too busy with the fall 07 and spring 08 goodies to care.

TRUTH @ Sep 5th 2007 4:05PM

Does every game get delayed for the PS3?

Makes ya wonder...

Vegnagun @ Sep 5th 2007 4:06PM

Or does it?

hvnlysoldr @ Sep 5th 2007 4:08PM

If we're wondering if we're wondering about something, are we wondering it or just plain wondering if we're wondering and aren't actually wondering at all.

Also pie.

Vegnagun @ Sep 5th 2007 4:11PM

The PS3 is like an airport. It delays!

Take that Sony!

Grindstone @ Sep 5th 2007 11:48PM

Meh, the Half Life Orange box just got delayed on the PS3, so I would say it is common place these days.

FrankTheCrank @ Sep 5th 2007 4:06PM

Comments overheard at developers office:

I not know to develop game on PS3. PS3 too hard.

XBOX RULZ!

We're going streamline, all development has been shifted over to the "Nintendo Money Maker" aka; Wii.

TheGuy @ Sep 5th 2007 4:16PM

Don't feed the troll.

hvnlysoldr @ Sep 5th 2007 4:27PM

Fine.

No soup for you!

Ska Oreo @ Sep 5th 2007 4:21PM

Why do developers hate the ps3?

konajinx @ Sep 5th 2007 4:23PM

Why shouldn't they?

Vegnagun @ Sep 5th 2007 4:23PM

because PS3 ate all the cookies.

TheGuy @ Sep 5th 2007 4:42PM

Because the PS3 was designed with an engineering focus and not a software focus. Sony assumed the PS3 would do just as well as the PS2 and PS1 did, so developers would have to suck-up development difficulties if they wanted to get their game to a large gaming audience. However, due to the better development tools offered by Microsoft and lack-luster sales of the PS3, it isn't as vital for game developers to immediately deal with PS3 development problems. Sony has done some catch-up to improve development tools, but it still isn't as good as the 360s development tools and Sony needs to do a better job to mitigate weaknesses the PS3s software currently has against 360 software (ex. The PS3s software currently uses more memory than the 360s).

xXFenixKnight13Xx @ Sep 5th 2007 4:27PM

Oh yeah! Your mom goes to PS3 Dev College.....

Trev @ Sep 5th 2007 4:32PM

My mom can easily program for something that people are saying is too hard? You're saying my mom is really smart? That's got to be the worst "your momma" joke ever.

%P

dsub @ Sep 5th 2007 4:30PM

It's pretty much a given that every game on 360 and PS3 will end up being an automatic timed exclusive for the 360. I can't believe this. You'd think by now Sony would have some sort of improved dev kit or something for the PS3. If they can't stop this, things are just going to get worse. Even when game do ship on the same day, the 360 version seems to have a track record of being the better product. Maybe that will change with COD4.

Count Noobula @ Sep 5th 2007 4:33PM

The reason for the delay is a simple one..... Nobody likes the PS3, even its owners. There aren't enough PS3 owners so Atari is delaying it until MGS4 comes out, that way there will be more owners, and possibly more sales.

Why doesn't Sony just fess up that they botched the entire system, then get out of the console market and stick with the PSP. Developers are used to making PS2 games, so they can focus their efforts there, leaving MS the high def platform, and Nintendo as the fun/casual console of choice.

hvnlysoldr @ Sep 5th 2007 4:51PM

That's giving Atari too much credit for business acumen.

Matt B @ Sep 5th 2007 5:01PM

I love my PS3 and LAIR. Does that blow your mind?

upz @ Sep 5th 2007 5:20PM

That's also giving Microsoft too much credit for potentially being a benevolent monopoly.

bounchfx @ Sep 5th 2007 5:12PM

how can anyone be glad they own a ps3? It makes no sense.

Count Noobula @ Sep 5th 2007 5:40PM

Nobody can be glad that they own one. But you can be glad that you don't. Here's a few reasons:

1) Price
2) Paying too much for the Blu Ray player
3) No games
4) All games are delayed
5) Controller sucks balls
6) All PS3 games make their way to the 360
7) Sony hates its customers
8) Only Kutaragi know how to program the thing, and they fired him. Now they are S.O.L.
9) Lair
10) PLaystation Home. Sony wants you to lose your home, and live in theirs instead.

Trev @ Sep 5th 2007 7:41PM

1) Get a job, or buy a 360 and HD-DVD attachment... and wireless kit... and play and charge kit
2) See above
3) Gears, Bioshock and Geometry Wars have been the only things people have raved about on 360 when they're not making lists like this. Neither has a huge library of "must have" games yet. And that looks worse for 360 because it's been out for a year.
4) Ok, delays suck, but not ALL games are delayed
5) Controller sucks balls because it requires horrible reconstructive surgery to use the 360 shoulder buttons more than two at a time. Good thing you don't need to do that for Armored Core and Devil May Cry... wait, you do.
6) All PS3 games make their way to the 360, just like GRAW2, Oblivion, Rainbow 6 Vegas made their way to the ps3, with the content 360 users paid for included for free. What games have gone over to 360? Haze? No. Actually, I'd like to know this one.
7) Sony hates its customers, so they made a product that doesn't fail, that way they don't need to talk to them to send console coffins.
8) Only Kutaragi, the GRAW2 team, Bethseda, Insomniac, Naughty Dog, Incognito, Ninja Theory, Konami and Capcom know how to program the thing...
9) Lair was only one game
10) Trolling troll is troll, 10 didn't even make sense.

JJ Rooster @ Sep 5th 2007 11:50PM

Trev, you're kidding with #6 right?
How bout: GTA4, Assassin's Creed, DMC4, Katamari, Ace Combat 6, Virtua Fighther 5... these were all games at one time you would think were exclusives. Poof! Not anymore.

Trev @ Sep 6th 2007 3:17AM

I guess I read it as "games that are exclusive now will make their way to the 360" and not retroactively, but that doesn't cover VF5. I've always been a Soul Calibur fan and VF was kind of an out of sight, out of mind.

Assassin's Creed hasn't been for over a year now (officially announced 9/1/06) and technically it's not on either console YET since it's not out. I guess you could count that if we're going for any game that was ever considered as a PS3 exclusive.

Ace Combat 6 was never a PS3 exclusive, though the Ace Combat series was on PS2. According to OXM back in April, it's actually an exclusive 360 will lose http://kotaku.com/gaming/ace-combat-6/oxm-says-ace-combat-6-is-360-timed-exclusive-250945.php

I don't think DMC4 and GTA4 were ever officially announced as exclusive, though I remember a lot of articles about how "DMC4 wasn't exclusive anymore" sometime around March or April, but that could be another thing like Ace Combat where the series was exclusive in the previous console generation, or it could just be flamebait headlining. The previous GTA games are also on Xbox. Weren't exclusive before and continued not being exclusive.

Beautiful Katamari also wasn't ever exclusive and was announced for 360 and PS3 at the same time, then it was canceled for PS3. A 360 exclusive gained.

Definitely missed 1 (VF5). Could bring that up to 3 ( with AC and DMC4) you wanted to count back a year to before the PS3 was released and on stuff people only thought might be exclusive without official announcement.

vinny @ Sep 5th 2007 5:02PM

so who wants to bet on cod4 being the next delayed ps3 game, any takers?

Jake @ Sep 5th 2007 5:11PM

Too big of a game to be delayed. Famous last words? Perhaps.

These delays seem odd. Couldn't they plan for the difficulties in PS3 programming so everything comes out at once?

Here's what you do. Buy a 360 Elite and pretend it is a PS3. Wait for multiplatform games come out to PS3, then buy the 360 version used. You can pretend you are playing new games at used prices.

That has to be better than pretending that you're playing good games.

mach1z @ Sep 5th 2007 6:05PM

Why not just delay the PS3? Save us all from fanboy wars.

LAZoftheTamarinds @ Sep 5th 2007 6:06PM

Heck looks like the PS3 version is going to be stuck "Alone in the Dark for awhile.

gamernewz.net @ Sep 5th 2007 6:54PM

Why spend the money for dev on a system no one owns?

Mal F4cti0n @ Sep 5th 2007 7:06PM

Well, what happens....they start developing a game for PC, PS3, 360 at the same time with different teams. Team PS3 falls behind because of difficulties. PC and 360 are similar dev environments too, so they begin to pull ahead.

Publisher releases the game when done to begin to balance the books and make money. PS3 version comes out when it is finally done. It hurts Sony b/c why would someone want to wait for a game they can play on another system. If the person worked an extra job to be able to afford a PS3, they would probably buy a 360 to play the game earlier.

Sony needs to get a handle on this or it will be the death of the PS3, and that is a bad thing for gamers.

Sony will still be making money, don't worry about them, but the PS3 will go the way of the Dreamcast. It has everything working against it right now. They better get MGS4 and FF out as soon as they can.

Count Noobula @ Sep 5th 2007 7:10PM

The number one thing working against it is that its hard to program for..... wait, everyone knows that already :)

Komp @ Sep 6th 2007 5:02AM

these delays are moving from weekly to daily it seems like, and every single time I look at the sony fanboy comments when there really is nothing to say I see "this game sucks anyway" when any game awful or not would help the PS3, hell look at lair, the game is absolute shit (I consider a 6.5 a bad game and anything below that shit) but it will still sell some consoles since there is nothing for the ps3

the only fanboy comment we need now is the standard "wait this time next year *insert game here* and lair are going to destroy"