PC Ghostbusters’ Online Flatlined Because Devs Wanted to Focus on Console Versions
Posted 06/17/09 at 08:20:09 PM by Nathan Grayson
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When there’s something strange in the neighborhood, who ya gonna call? Ghostbuster. Yep, only one – at least, if the PC is your ectoplasm-extractor of choice. Why would developer Threewave allow such a horrible thing to happen, though? Well, to be frank, Threewave’s justification will probably only add insult to whatever injury PC Ghostbusters players are already nursing.
“Multiplayer for the PC version of Ghostbusters is something that Threewave and Terminal Reality always wanted to do. However, our focus was on making the console version the best that they could be,” Threewave CEO Dan Irish said.
“When we looked at the resources necessary to pull off multiplayer on the consoles and the PC, it became a question of what could we do and still be excellent in our execution. We couldn't do all versions with multiplayer simultaneously with the resources that we had available - there was simply too much to do. Something would have to suffer. Therefore, we kept our focus on making the console versions deliver on the promise of being an integral player on the Ghostbusters team.”
Don’t think the nostalgia gods have completely forsaken you, though. Since, without co-op and other multiplayer options, PC players are essentially getting half the game, they only have to pay half the price. $30 for a new Ghostbusters adventure? The quickest way into our hearts is – and always has been – a multiplayer Ghostbusters videogame, but money’s a close second. Consider our outrage mostly placated.
If you really, really love us, though, Threewave, you might consider releasing multiplayer as DLC. The console versions are out now; what’ve you got to lose?
funny, last i heard,
Submitted by rayatwork05 on Fri, 06/19/2009 - 3:30am
funny, last i heard, developers axed this game.
i was totally stoked when i saw it for download on steam, and bought it right away, i was very bummed about lack of multi coop, and even more so today when i found out consoles got multiplay!?! WTF?!?!?!
ive only played for a minute, but the game kicks ass.
11gb download, and no multiplay.....
Submitted by mrvander on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 10:04am
What's with the persepective on that screenshot? Is the Ghostbuster walking down the side of the building all Adam West Batman style?
Ghostwhat?
Submitted by horzo on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 7:45am
Ghostwhat?
It really comes off as a
Submitted by digital demon on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 1:34pm
It really comes off as a slap in the face more than anything. They're like "Here, PC gamers...take half the game for half the price and be happy with it. We are going to make more money with the console versions, so either buy it or eat shit." Well, to everyone involved, you can eat shit. Good thing I wasn't anticipating this game in the slightest.
Submitted by Driftweed on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 11:08pm
ORRRR....
they could have released some developer tools and let the modding community have at it. Sometime the stuff modders dream up are better than what the Original developer could have ever hoped of coming up with.
Submitted by smashingpumpin on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:47pm
offtopic but... your comment reminded me of another game that caused a dev. a serious case of "money-itch"- upcoming L4D2 with newer weapons and an L4D1 SDK absence!
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he's pwning with a trackpad? oh really? oh reheheheeally?
Submitted by EvilRusk on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 11:05pm
Who in their mind releases a PC game without multiplayer?
Isn't that half the point of PC games?
I don't get it.
Submitted by D.E. on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 8:52pm
Why do some games just get all this press and added features that are totally unnecessary. Dropping a PC port entirely is one thing, but really, you want to play Ghost Busters online? A game that will most likely be a single play through worth of entertainment and then thats it? Sorry but I am not getting much of this hype.
Submitted by SEALBoy on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 7:47pm
Atleast they were honest and straighforward about it, and willing to cut the price in half.
If they couldn't devote the time and resources for a complete game, I'd much rather have a working game with less content than a broken game with (supposedly) more content. PC games naturally get lower priority because of piracy, and that is understandable.
A DLC multiplayer would be great, maybe they will do that after they have recuperated their money from game sales. But I doubt it.
Submitted by mesiah on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 7:39pm
In my opinion if you can't do something right, don't do it at all. If they couldn't show the PC the same support that they show consoles then they should have scrapped the idea of a PC version or atleast put it on hold. It's like they are giving us a discount for buying damaged product. No thanks. Gaming hardware has come a long way since the days of atari and nes. These days your xbox and ps3 really aren't that much different from your pc. Its about time we streamline the process of making multi platform games. Producers shouldn't have to spend months porting games from one platform to the other. They should be able to focus on making quality content without worrying if its going to work on console and PC.
Submitted by comptech08 on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 6:31pm
uh never heard of this game lol. So maximumpc is covering news about games that we really dont know about. ie: Matrix MMO
Submitted by mattixxg on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:17pm
comptech08
Where have you been?
Most knew this was comming out months ago as it had been covered in various gaming mags already.Most also knew about matrix online as it was advertised pretty much everywhere even on television before it came out.
Wait...you must be a newer gamer huh?
Submitted by thegamepro on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 6:09pm
At least it is cheaper than the console version, so at least the PC version wasn't a complete after-thought. It could have been a lot worse, they could have ported the wii version instead. I'm kind of glad that they had given us the xbox version for half price with less content. At least the developers were honest about their reasons instead of using PR spins.
Submitted by mpetrowsky on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:10am
Its actually a really fun game to play, got it on PS3 on release day and havent put it down yet!
I am upset over the PC situation though as my PC is my main gaming platform for 1st/3rd person shooter type games.
Usually I play Car/Racing/ATV type games only on consoles.
Submitted by samduhman on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 3:51am
"my PC is my main gaming platform for 1st/3rd person shooter type games.
Usually I play Car/Racing/ATV type games only on consoles."
So you bought it for your PS3 after what you just said. <scratches head confused>
My 2 cents, I agree with two of the previous comments. It feels like a slap in the face but on the other hand do you really think your gonna want to play Ghostbusters multiplayer? While it does kinda sound fun a developer actually pulling it off and making it awesome seems unlikely IMHO.
This is a crap comment though. "We wanted to make the console version the best it can be." Why, because you don't have the brains to develop for a superior platform and make it the best "it" can be. You only know how to be creative on 5 year old hardware? <rolls eyes>
Submitted by MeTo on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 5:50am
It cost less to deveolp for consoles and even if the game is bad it will sell a million copies. Makes sense to me.
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