Sony Accuse Microsoft of Hurting Developers Protecting 'Inferior' Xbox 360 Games Console
PlayStation 3 maker Sony has accused its chief competitor Microsoft of imposing unreasonable restrictions on publishers in order to protect its "inferior" Xbox 360 console. ps3previews.net

PlayStation 3 maker Sony has accused its chief competitor Microsoft of imposing unreasonable restrictions on publishers in order to protect its "inferior" Xbox 360 console.

The comments were made by Sony Computer Entertainment America's senior vice president of publisher relations Rob Dyer in an interview with IndustryGamers.

Dyer's comments against Microsoft were made in response to the company's recently leaked Content Submission and Release Policy document.

The document was originally released by Eurogamer in early September 2011. It detailed a number of requirements publishers must meet in order to release games on the console.

The requirements listed in the document have since been criticised by numerous analysts and developers, for being overly strict. Chief among the policies questioned was Microsoft's insistence that the game, if being released on another platform, must appear on the Xbox 360, if not before, then at the same time.

"Titles for Xbox 360 must ship at least simultaneously with other video game platform, and must have at least feature and content parity on-disc with the other video game platform versions in all regions where the title is available.

"If these conditions are not met, Microsoft reserves the right to not allow the content to be released on Xbox 360," read Microsoft's policy document.

In the interview Dyer used the policy as evidence for his claim that Microsoft were "protecting an inferior technology."

"I think they want to dumb it down and keep it as pedestrian as possible so that if you want to do anything for Blu-ray or you have extra content above 9 gigs or you want to do anything of that nature, you'd better sure as heck remember that Microsoft can't handle that," Dyer commented.

The VP went on to clarify his belief that the policy was a part of Microsoft's ongoing battle to ensure its popular Xbox LIVE online service retained its strangle-hold on developers.

Dyer went on to cite Sony's recently revealed "Pub Fund" programme as a key strategy by the company designed to counter Microsoft.
The Pub Fund is a new three-year $20 million investment plan from Sony designed to help increase the number of exclusive titles on its PlayStation Network.

"We're not pushing that. In fact, we've gone the other way to try and encourage publishers through our Pub Fund," commented Dyer.

"We want to welcome the indies and we've seen that become a very big part of our business because indies are recognising that we aren't demanding a pound of flesh in order for them to get a game published on our network."

Microsoft are yet to release a statement addressing Dyer's comments.