SOE: All of our future MMOs will appear on consoles
by Alan Tsang 
{ Oct 6th 2008 at 12:45PM }
Smedley has stated beforehand that MMOs will become a selling point on the PS3, so this doesn't come as a surprise. However, it looks like SOE is leaning against having PS3-PC cross-platform play for upcoming titles The Agency and DCUO due to their potential inability to provide simultaneous content updates. Will this lack of cross-platform play spell the end of MMOs on the PS3 or can console owners sustain their own community?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
godslim @ Oct 6th 2008 12:51PM
so when r these two mmo games coming out?!
thebigpants27 @ Oct 6th 2008 12:59PM
I am so sick of hearing about The Agency. I was excited about The Agency like a year and a half ago. I'm sorry but with NO RELEASE DATE or clear sign of any kind of progress, The Agency is simply vaporware(like DukeNukem Forever). I think most of us who were interested in this game have realized by looking on the web that it will never come out. If it does come out, judging on the lack of news pretty much all the time, it will be in like winter 2010.
Popfrogs @ Oct 6th 2008 2:28PM
I'm starting to wonder if the same crew responsible for Home is working on things like this.
Kspraydad @ Oct 6th 2008 5:20PM
Popfrogs...
SOE IS involved in HOME.
kibikiri @ Oct 6th 2008 12:59PM
Come on, Sony: EQ3 + PS3 = potential WoW killer.
Ronson @ Oct 7th 2008 12:16AM
EQoA2
Kombat @ Oct 6th 2008 1:36PM
oh.. like.. when HOME and ZILLZONE comes out.. so that means NEVER!
Sonyi kid i kid..... just a love hate thing
Popfrogs @ Oct 6th 2008 2:29PM
The difference between Killzone and Home is that Killzone has a release date.
Kspraydad @ Oct 6th 2008 5:20PM
KZ2 has a release date?
sean @ Oct 6th 2008 1:22PM
good
The Calibur @ Oct 6th 2008 1:23PM
There really isn't any good excuse to NOT include cross-platform play. If Square can do it with FFXI (their FIRST MMO) there's really no GOOD reason why SOE can't do it.
Hashbrown Hunter @ Oct 6th 2008 1:28PM
When I first read that The Agency would not have cross-platform play, it didn't really hit me as to why it was such a big deal. But then I realized that this is an MMO we're talking about and that divided communities would totally f**k up any chances at The Agency or DCUO have to be successful.
So, yeah Sony definitely has to incorporate cross-platform play.
Christian @ Oct 6th 2008 1:57PM
The community would be 'divided' no matter what. All major MMO's have to split their players onto multiple servers anyway. World of Warcrafts community is split over a huge numbers of servers haven't seemed to hinder its success for instance.
Metal_Gear @ Oct 6th 2008 2:34PM
You seem to forget though, the MMO market is a different beast to the Gamer market. A MMOer is less likely to have a console, and will only play that one game for years and years with the small group of friends they have made in that game or from real life.
You'r average Gamer will play lots of games and a MMO may not keep their attention as long.
They have to get the cross platform available or The ANgency and DCUO will be the last ones :|
Lootskin @ Oct 6th 2008 1:46PM
EverQuest 3?
Mattchewie @ Oct 6th 2008 2:07PM
I can see PC mods and other game extenders giving PC owners the advantage. Along with platform specific bugs etc. However looking at the base line issue (usually the use of keyboard and mouse) I don't see why it won't work since the PS3 supports those.
Cause in the end, a console controller really isn't the ideal interface for a MMO that is made with PC controls in mind. (FF with just a controller was HORRIBLE).
Joe @ Oct 6th 2008 2:16PM
Everquest 3 coming to the PS3 would be sweet so this is great news. This also means Ramayan 3392 A.D. will come to the PS3 and I think that idea for a game sounds pretty cool. I so hope SOE will soon say EQ3 is in development. Also I hope Vanguard: Saga of Heroes will soon become part of the EQ world. I think if it could that would be great news too.
Zach Adams @ Oct 6th 2008 2:32PM
No cross-platform for DCO would be a disaster (then again, I'm not sure the game isn't going to be a disaster anyway). If it's not cross-platform, it has no excuse for looking like a PS2 game, and the hard-twitch gaming may be an even harder sell for the traditional PC MMO crowd without the ability to play with console-based friends. I know that I, as a current City of Heroes player, will be a lot less interested in either version of DCO without cross-platform play.
kloteradyingrose @ Oct 6th 2008 5:40PM
Look obviously I have to spell some of this crap out for you guys.
Phantasy Star Online had cross platform but it caused some problems because of it.
Example some characters are easier to play on PC while others are easier to play on PS3. This creates unbalanced gaming. Also the Agency would be STUPID to have Cross-Platform because this isn't an MMORPG. This is an MMO FPS or 3PS. This means that PC players would almost always have an advantage over the PS3 players.
Also how are people going to communicate? If I wanted to use in game video chat on the PS3 using the XMB (rumored to come out by the end of the year) then how on earth would I be able to get that to work? The coding and everything on the PS3 is ENTIRELY abnormal.
So basically what we have, is difficult feature set to pull off, advantages and disadvantages for the console players versus the PC players depending on the type of character, control schemes, etc, different updating methods, different features and incompatibilities, etc...
There are tons of pros and cons to doing it. What would you rather have?
If you'd rather have a better online experience, then play these new games coming out. If you'd rather have a worse online expereince BUT play with PC users, then go ahead and play Phantasy Star Universe or FFXI.
If you want a non existent 3rd option.... then go and make your own game. You people NEED to understand that there are things to be lost and gained depending on these choices and they have to decide between dumbing down the game, or leaving it ENTIRELY unbalanced.
I think Free Realms will let you cross-platform but I haven't found much info on that game. Other than it's free, no subs, funded through microtransactions, and the MMO Fanboy thing on Joystiq went to see a demo of it and were actually quite excited about it.
TCampbell76 @ Oct 6th 2008 6:21PM
It's great having cross-platform titles, but coming from playing an MMO like Final Fantasy XI for five years before retiring - mmo's with pc and console players while is great can be fustrating when PC players start using homebrew plug-ins that cheat to claim mobs before they spawn on console players screen, speedhacking to get around places faster, etc.
This is another reason why PC gaming is becoming a dying breed. From the DRM drama to avoiding the temptaion for PC players to use plugins, mods, and other various third party tools to minipulate the game in a way that isn't balanced or fair for console players.
While I like PC and console online titles - PC players will always have an obvious upperhand. It's a balancing issue developers constantly fight with that plagues these kinds of cross-plat titles.
dustandechoes91 @ Oct 6th 2008 7:02PM
Planetside 2?
please?
Maxx @ Oct 7th 2008 4:06AM
I wouldnt be surprised at all if SOA anounced that EQ3 will be PS3 only. With Keyboard and Mouse support of course. I would be THA-RILLED. Sick of cheaters, and updating video drivers etc. I would be perfect. This mixed in with Home and Sony Rewards etc..... all good in my view.
robb @ Oct 7th 2008 10:15AM
From what i heard pc to ps3 cross-platform isn't all that good, but what about xbox 360 - ps3 cross platform MMO's, sure it'd be one big flame war but im sure it would be possible with less problems