Epic Games, Unreal Tournament 3 sign exclusivity deal with Sony
by Nick Doerr 
{ Jul 11th 2007 at 7:00PM }
Right alongside NC Soft, Epic signed a multi-stage exclusivity agreement with Sony to optimize use of the Unreal Engine 3 for the PS3. The big idea behind this was Unreal Tournament 3. Namely, making it a PS3 exclusive for this financial year. That's right -- the devs responsible for Cogs of Battle want to try their hand at making the PS3 the leading platform for their hot, hot, hotly anticipated UT3. What's really impressive about this announcement isn't necessarily the exclusivity agreement, but the fact Jack Tretton promised us the ability to bring user-created PC mods into the console version of the game via the PlayStation Network. Homebrew is happening, little by little, and we're very happy about that.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
kingofwale @ Jul 11th 2007 7:09PM
I'm not really a big FPS fan, but I've played Unreal on my PC before, will this support the mouse and keyboard on PS3?
Sounds like Sony did REALLY well in E3. PSP redesign, exclusive games and PS3 price cut. Nice PR.
Consolcwby @ Jul 11th 2007 7:11PM
=o fatal inertia? what's that? =P
Looks like you win some, you lose some, you win some...
blitz @ Jul 11th 2007 7:18PM
yes but... fatal inertia... whats that, for real? I didnt even know that game existed... not to mention it looks bad. Its like warhawk, except you cant get off the ship, cannot shoot, and youre forced to keep on a track.
apease @ Jul 11th 2007 7:18PM
splitfish fragfx is basically a mouse and keyboard. Works with any ps3 game.
ck @ Jul 11th 2007 7:20PM
kingofwale: UT3 is the only PS3 title that I've heard will have kb/mouse support. Hopefully more games will follow suit.
Apparently MS won't allow this on the 360 for some reason. If that's true they're going to get owned in the FPS market.
ck @ Jul 11th 2007 8:03PM
If you can't manage to plug in a USB mouse/kb then you deserve to have your ass handed to you by someone who can. Segregating the servers just complicates the crap out of things for no good reason.
Darko @ Jul 11th 2007 8:06PM
Screw the consoles for UT.... much better on the PC. That and my 8800 GTX beats the crap out of the RSX.
JimyD @ Jul 11th 2007 8:24PM
Looks sweet. Give us KBM support since that's how FPS should be played, regardless of what game system it's on. As far as balance is concerned - oh well, at least you have a choice.
ck @ Jul 11th 2007 8:26PM
Josh: Coffee table FTW.
SPARTACVS @ Jul 11th 2007 8:37PM
Uhh... "want to try their hand at making the PS3 the leading platform for their hot, hot, hotly anticipated UT3."
First of all, "try their hand" at making the Ps3 the leading platform? This game has been in development for 360, Ps3, and PC for a loooong time, and Epic has confirmed that it uses the 360 as the lead platform for development as a graphical bar that they need the other versions to reach.
Second, Sony said they wouldn't pay for exclusives, and Epic sure didn't do this for Sony out of the goodness of their heart. Epic CHOSE to do this as a strategic decision, as did the makers of Haze, to release their shooter only on the Ps3 this year to avoid having lost sales on the 360 because everyone is playing Halo 3. Instead, UT3 and Haze will be released when it is more advantageous for the devs to make money on the 360 version.
icekhold @ Jul 11th 2007 9:28PM
@5
Not true. I'm guessing Microsoft will always remain on top when it comes to FPS games. They already hold that position and Mouse and Keyboard control won't be changing that.
Most people who play console games can't properly use a mouse and keyboard because of the nature of where you play console games. Most people play in their living room sitting on a couch or in your bedroom laying down. You need a flat surface to effectively use a mouse so unless your the hardcore or you already play on a computer monitor your not going to be using it.
Tis the sad fact.
Titty Pink @ Jul 11th 2007 11:33PM
Looks pretty sweet. I dunno though, I always thought the characters on unreal were too skinny/small compared to the maps. Doesn't look like much has changed. As far as the 360 being pwned on the FPS front, ironically that MAY be exactly what we're looking at here. After the new KZ trailer, I think H3 could very well be second in line (not to mention Haze). The controller still doesn't work as well as the 360 controllers for FPS though. Maybe a cool patch that "accidentally" allows it is in order, or maybe a FPS style controller with staggered sticks, the same concept as a driving wheel. How many of you wouldn't drop $40 for a 360 style controller for FPS? I know I would...
UltimateNinja9 @ Jul 12th 2007 1:14AM
@14 check out this "PS360" controller
http://gaming.engadget.com/2007/05/01/how-to-make-a-ps360-controller/
Joey_Numbers @ Jul 12th 2007 3:38AM
This game will hit the PS3 first?!! wow. i thought we would get screwed and get it last. I have been waiting for this game for a long time. :D
Coble @ Jul 12th 2007 7:32AM
I read an article on the Internet that said the only place people have "confirmed" that a Keyboard and Mouse can be used with the Playstation 3 version of Unreal 3 is on the Internet Forum Chatrooms.
The fact of the matter is that Epic and Midway have NEVER Officially said that a Keyboard/Mouse combination could be used with the Playstation 3 version of the game.
Hal Black @ Jul 12th 2007 7:45AM
The PC version of Unreal Tournament 3 will also be released in time for Christmas of 2007.
Obviously, the PC version is going to have a lot better graphics especially when you have a high-end PC with one of the new graphics cards using Windows Vista.
Unreal started out as a PC game, and I think that is where it will enjoy the most success.
Jack Westrick @ Jul 12th 2007 7:55AM
@ ck,
You are right,
Epic has made it clear that Microsoft is much more strict with the way Xbox 360 version and PC version are compatible with each other in terms of the maps. Microsoft doesn't want a huge amount of Xbox Live server space taken up with bogus maps that PC people create. Microsoft would much rather do the same thing with Unreal Tournament 3 that they are doing with Gears of War PC. That is, let people on the PC develop all the cool maps, and then select the 10 best maps each month to optimize for the Xbox 360. That way, the Xbox Live consumers get new maps each month, for costs as low as $3 a month, according to Epic.
I would much rather play 10 carefully selected maps each month that have been optimized for the Xbox 360 hardware, rather than have thousands of bogus maps that are a waste of time, and aren't optimized for the PS3 hardware.
Also, Coble is correct, I don't remember ever seeing Epic or Midway officially say that the PS3 version of Unreal 3 would be compatible with a keyboard and mouse for gaming. I wouldn't want to do that for console gaming anyways. I don't even like the idea of playing a First-person Shooter without a controller that rumbles, because it's too fake, since the controller doesn't shake. I'll probably stick with the PC version, and I might play it with my Xbox 360 controller!
Howard @ Jul 12th 2007 8:14AM
#12, SPARTACVS,
You're right. I saw several people of Epic talk about how the Xbox 360 is the lead platform that they are using to set the graphical standards for the other versions.
Epic pretty much said that the Xbox 360 version determines how many polygons will be in the game. Really powerful PCs will have the same graphics, but at super high resolutions. The PS3 version will unfortunately have less polygon detail, lower framerates, and less lighting. But, something is better than nothing. At least we aren't getting shafted like with Ace Combat 6, Beautiful Katamari, and Fatal Inertia.
Epic's Mark Rein said very clearly that Unreal 3 would be released on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 at the same time if Microsoft didn't insist on having adjustments made that cause the game to be different from the PC version.
I wonder if you guys are right about the real reasoning behind the decison. It probably would be a really dumb idea to release a game like Unreal 3 this holiday season on the Xbox 360, because Microsoft isn't kidding when they say they have the best holiday lineup of games in the history of the videogame industry.
With games like Halo 3, Mass Effect, Grand Theft Auto 4, Bioshock, Assassins Creed, Call of Duty 4, Lost Odyssey, and all of the dozens of others, I think even Unreal might get overlooked on the Xbox 360 this holiday season. It probably would be a better idea to add some of those custom features and release the game a few months later in early 2008.
Vic Mackey @ Jul 12th 2007 8:58AM
Actually, @ 12 and 20, you are wrong, the PS3 is the lead platform. "Graphical Bar" when discussing the 360 and PC in an XBOX magazine does not equal 360 being the lead platform. Fact is, the PS3 gets it first, so live with it. Stop being a tool.
If you think EPIC is concerned with Halo affecting it's sales you are a buffoon. Why you xbot losers feel the need to even come to a PS3 site is beyond me.
If UT3 and Haze would have been announced as timed exclusives for the 360, you'd be in here rubbing that in. Go get a life then diaf losers.
Ty @ Jul 13th 2007 12:37PM
This is pretty big news. Sony picks up an exclusive (of sorts) that speaks their language. Plus I've always liked Epic and Digital Extremes anyway.
John @ Jul 12th 2007 4:12PM
Did anyone else think the "36 to 48" initial maps didn't sound too suitable for DVD-9?
esc1 @ Jul 12th 2007 4:28PM
If this is the best one up playstation has its very sad. Unreal is only played on pc. The hype is overplayed.
DaveC @ Jul 13th 2007 11:13AM
This is such a wierd topic, Epic signed a deal with Microsoft to optimise the engine for the Xbox 360 not that long ago. Now it's being optimized for PS3, and it has Games for Windows Live support built into it. This engine reminds of of Katamari, the ball just keeps getting more and more stuff added to it.