JAW wants Oddworld remake on 360

By Robert Purchese Published 29 September, 2010

"We've been getting a fair bit of stick."

Just Add Water's Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath remake isn't a PS3 exclusive out of choice. An Xbox 360 version is being worked on but, simply, the file is too big.

"Since we announced Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath for the PS3 we've been getting a fair bit of stick along the lines of, 'Why are you not doing 360,' 'Why are you only PS3 Exclusive,' 'Please don't be dicks, support 360,' wrote the developer on its website.

"I can tell you that we are not PS3 exclusive. As far as we are concerned we are a multi-platform company, supporting the big three: PC, PS3 and 360."

"One thing we can discuss is the size of the game. On XBLA there is a 2GB size limit we have to adhere to. Currently the title weighs in at 2.1GB, and that's without any updates. So either we have to pull a miracle out of the bag with some type of amazing compression system, or ask Microsoft to increase their 2GB limit.

"However," JAW added, "this limit is apparently hardware led, so please let us try and make a miracle happen."

The PSN version of Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath aims to arrive next Easter. Added are 720p visuals, more character detail, normal mapping, self-shadowing, re-mastered dialogue, Move support and other undisclosed bonus material.

This will be the first Oddworld game for PlayStation hardware in over a decade - Munch's Odyssey and Stranger's Wrath were both originally Xbox games.

Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath took a more combat-heavy approach than previous games in the wacky, humorous series. Eurogamer's then-editor Kristan Reed stamped the game with a 7/10.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (33) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • NimbusTLD #1 2 years ago

    EG's review mentions that Lara Croft: GoL's size is just over 2GB.

    So who is lying??

  • IronCladChicken #2 2 years ago

    'On XBLA there is a 2GB size limit we have to adhere to. Currently the title weighs in at 2.1GB'

    So that explains why there's no PC version.
    Is Wii not one of the big three?

  • Malek86 #3 2 years ago

    I guess the PC can't handle any download bigger than 2Gbs. Fair game. That "The Witcher" thing I downloaded from Steam the other day, which came at 15Gb, was probably a hallucination or something.
    Edited by Malek86 at 29/09/10 @ 11:27

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #4 2 years ago

    Theyve not said there wont be a PC version, quite often these days when a 3rd party says exclusive they just mean either xbox or ps3.

    You know like when mass effect 2 came out last year it was a 360 exclusive, even tho there was a PC version.

  • davisorle #5 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 20:44:35 16-04-2012

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #6 2 years ago

    What about a munch's remake as well, then i could own all the odd world titles on my PS3, the 2 abe games ive played recently and they still look beautiful and have loads of charm, its great when a game ages well.

  • Malek86 #7 2 years ago

    @GamesProgrammer: oh, believe me, Munch didn't age well.

  • bad09 #8 2 years ago

    Right you support the big 3? Cool I'll have this Strangers Wrath (never played it originally myself) and an downright beautiful HD remake of the Abe games on PC please.

  • Darren #9 2 years ago

    I had no idea that Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath was coming to the PS3?!? When was that announced? :o

    Superb news though as I loved that game on the Xbox and I still own the boxed copy but it doesn't work on the 360 sadly unlike Munch's Oddysee (albeit with glitches). Honestly, I can't wait to play it again... but... next Easter. Why that far away, why, why, why? :(

  • EugenesLair #10 2 years ago

    Reducing a game's data from 2.1GB by 100Mb isn't exactly a miracle. There's tons of things that can be done, even if the original data is already heavily compressed.

  • Darren #11 2 years ago

    P.S. EG, it's Munch's Oddysee by the way not Odyssey. ;)

  • Vitor #12 2 years ago

    Well, since the Oddbox apparently turned into vapour-ware a long time ago, I'm seriously hoping for a Steam release for this, my favourite of the Oddworld bunch.

  • sonicyoda #13 2 years ago

    Oh I see! You developers play ball with the 360 users but when we PS3 owners want some multi-platform love you're not so welcoming!

    (Not referring to this game obviously, just in general).

  • Raznilof #14 2 years ago

    @sonicyoda games are generally developed on PC, porting over to xbox is generally easy compared to porting over to ps3. It's a numbersgame for developers as game development is very expensive and not a simple matter of porting. The Xbox simply has the advantage that it uses software, tools and hardware that is similar to the basic development tools for games (which are usually PC based.

    And this isn't meant to say any platform is superior or some such nonsense, it's just "more work" to get something working on PS3 if it was developed for PC just like it is more work to get something working on PC if the development happened to be for ps3. You can replace PC with xbox ; )

    Point I am making is, it's more often than not got little to do with what developers want, and far more what (money) allows them to do. Unfortunately.

    Anyways, I really hope this can happen on xbox too and that microsoft is paying attention to the complaint. They are slow to react, but they do usually follow through in the end (EA got their own servers and joined live, the initial download limit was raised etc. etc. )

  • M1chl #15 2 years ago

    Remeber guys when games have 1 CD and we had more fun than we have with most of recent games? Missed old times :' (
    ---
    And how much data axactly have the original game?

  • miiiguel #16 2 years ago

    PS3 owners want some multi-platform love you're not so welcoming!

    huh? All the petitons I know were for exclusivity, not "multi-platform love". PS3 owners are not known as an inclusive bunch.

  • bad09 #17 2 years ago

    "Oh I see! You developers play ball with the 360 users but when we PS3 owners want some multi-platform love you're not so welcoming!


    Whatever. Try being a PC gamer, WE are the bottom of the barrel my friend! ;)

  • Tad59 #18 2 years ago

    For those saying why isn't a big console:

    Nintendo are a huge company, but the Wii's not a big console for gamers. It's aimed at the casual Market. I really don't know anyone that plays that many hardcore games for the damn thing. Most gamers I know have actually got rid of it or have it collecting dust under there TV.

  • SteveHolt #19 2 years ago

    If they have such a hard time compressing it, why don't they put it on a DVD and release it at a budget price?

  • ouchio #20 2 years ago

    xbots seem to have a mind blowing sense of entitlement.

  • sonicyoda #21 2 years ago

    I forgot to take into account the PS3 is such a hard bastard console to port games to, my bad.

  • Username_0074 #22 2 years ago

    "If they have such a hard time compressing it, why don't they put it on a DVD and release it at a budget price?"

    Mostly likely it would cost them more and sell less, even for budget price. Would probably end up being pricier too.

    Figured the XBLA size limit would be a problem, hopefully they'll be able to manage it without sacrifising too much quality. Wonder why they can't the game through GoD though, that file system allows for larger than 2GB.
    Edited by Username_0074 at 29/09/10 @ 13:08

  • Boomerang #23 2 years ago

    @Raznilof
    "games are generally developed on PC, porting over to xbox is generally easy compared to porting over to ps3"

    I'd have to disagree buddy. Based on the number of shitty (and blatant) 360-to-PC ports we PC gamers have seen over the last few years, it's the other way around. Things like unoptimised engines and textures, manuals that still reference console buttons, and on-screen prompts that mention console buttons (yes, even when playing with a mouse and keyboard).

    Too many PC games start out as 360 games then get shitty ports for my liking.

  • Cjail #24 2 years ago

    No Ps2 owner ever played Stranger's wrath so actually it is Sony that should be complaining about the huge 5 years delay and not Microsoft.
    Edited by Cjail at 29/09/10 @ 13:16

  • Raznilof #25 2 years ago

    @Boomerang: "games are generally developed on PC, porting over to xbox is generally easy compared to porting over to ps3"

    My statement was a response to someone making a comparison between xbox and ps3 ports and linking it to developer love. I just wanted to add a dimension that has little to do with love and more to do with the cost and practicality of development. That's why I wrote developed ON not developed FOR.

    I understand your frustration, but don't read words into what I wrote please as it's hard enough to talk about platforms as it is, and for the record, I really favour neither and hope things will improve for your favourite platform of choice.
    Edited by Raznilof at 29/09/10 @ 13:20

  • coolbritannia #26 2 years ago

    This is why xbots and the SDF need the Wii. One console we can all agree on is a bag of shite. :-)

  • lockload #27 2 years ago

    Tomb raider is over 2gb

  • jtodroc #28 2 years ago

    @coolbritannia

    I do have a wii as well as a PS3 but I had to laugh at that comment :)
    Edited by jtodroc at 29/09/10 @ 17:08

  • septimus #29 2 years ago

    Awesome. Really thought this would be out on 360, but no loss, at least it is coming out.

    I'm sure they will figure a way to release it or MS will just relax at some point.

  • BAM! #30 2 years ago

    He's saying the original Xbox version is 2.1 GB, i.e. before the HD updates and new assets. It will be much much more than 2GB by the time it's finished. Lara Croft being 2.2GB or whatever is not really relevant.

  • Username_0074 #31 2 years ago

    "I'm sure they will figure a way to release it or MS will just relax at some point."

    Like the devs said, it's not a matter of corporate policy. The current XBLA file system limits files to a maximum size of about 2GB (Lara is pretty tight fit), so for them to up that limit they'd have to overhaul the file system, and I don't see MS going to the trouble when most XBLA games don't even break 1GB.
    Edited by Username_0074 at 29/09/10 @ 18:44

  • Vin #32 2 years ago

    Just release it in two episodes at 800 points each.

    Simps.

  • the_mtfr #33 2 years ago

    PC version please. And NOT exclusively for Steam, some of us use Impulse for example.