Possibility of not having No Man's Sky for this year might be something to frustrate sci-fi 18 quintillion-world indie game fans while patiently waiting before its official release by August. One big reason to guess that would result to this disappointing outcome is the parity clause between Microsoft to Hello Games' PS4 and PC chosen platforms.
Recently, ID@Xbox director Chris Charla said in an interview that he wanted to have the game to arrive in Xbox One console apart from having it in PS4 and PC platforms, by saying,
"I would love to see [No Man's Sky]," he said referring to Hello Games' decision of having it available in the Microsoft's next-gen console, too. He added, "If you're worried about policies, we try to be really easy to get in touch with. When we talk to developers, we try to be really transparent. Don't assume that something you read on Neogaf is our policy, just talk to us.
For those who didn't know about NeoGAF, it is a gaming forum, nexus of hardcore gamers, - founded as an adjunct to Gaming-Age [former name] -- where video games, enthusiast press are discussed to fellow gamers, developers as well as with publishers.
Since the parity clause invites controversy from gamers and developers as it requires No Man's Sky [game] launching to go on the same day as the other platforms like the confirmed ones. Thus, if Hello Games would consider Microsoft's request to consider having Xbox One as the indie game's platform, it would require them another time or another months of extension to develop the entire 18 quintillion worlds fit for the Xbox One console.
If the teams behind the PC and PS4 platforms have been busy making it to make sure that the game will surely arrive on time, how much more if the game developer will add more platforms. Again, that requires another ample time needed to finish the entire gameplay.
What made it conclusive that Hello Games might consider this parity clause acceptable is based from the previous statements released by Charla which highlighted the though"Microsoft isn't as strict about the parity rule," from the whole statement given.
"If it's a situation where a developer needs to shop serially on consoles because they don't have the resources simultaneously ship, we totally get that. It's no problem. Our 6 goal is to make sure that if a developer wants to ship their game on Xbox one, that they can ship their game on Xbox One," Charla expressed previously.
He also emphasized that Microsoft doesn't want to compromise the game developers pay for the exclusivity expecting for another platform while having the Xbox One console released after some months. They wanted to have something fresh for the owners though the other platform versions of the game are already released beforehand.
Slated to release for PS4 this year followed by PC sometime and hopefully in Xbox One, No Man's Sky arrives late 2015.
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