Ben-DutkaAlthough the controversy remains on whether or not Eidos hinted that reviewers should hold bad reviews until after the game launched, Tomb Raider: Underworld is responsible for making another kind of splash.
Early on, the discrepancy between the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 user bases was so large, multiplatform releases always sold much better for the 360. That's only logical. But as Sony has closed the gap, things are starting to change, and that is most evident when one looks at the first-week sales for Underworld . According to GamesIndustry.biz, the PS3 version comprised 51% of the total sales, while the 360 version only accounted for 34%. The last bit was split between the Wii, DS and PC, but the real story is the fact that a multiplatform title – one that is almost identical on the PS3 and 360, by the way – is selling better on Sony's machine. This even happened in the face of Eidos announcing two digital episodes being exclusive to the 360 version; these episodes supposedly add 6 hours of play, but that wasn't enough to draw more gamers away from the PS3 version. If this isn't an indication of the PS3's rise in 2008, absolutely nothing is, although Underworld sales haven't been impressive. In fact, they only topped Tomb Raider: Anniversary sales by 6,700 units in the first week.
If this is the start of a new trend, the console war has officially hit full stride. This is even more significant because developers and publishers will take notice…what's the point of exclusivity or even timed exclusivity on the 360 now ?
Related Game(s): Tomb Raider: Underworld
