Machinarium skips XBLA for PSN

By Robert Purchese Published 13 April, 2010

MS declined to publish indie game.

Delightfully difficult point-and-click adventure Machinarium has been turned down by Microsoft, and so skipped a potential Xbox Live Arcade release in favour of PlayStation Network.

"They told us, 'It's not Microsoft-exclusive, we don't want it,'" Jakub Dvorský, founder of Machinarium developer Amanita Design, told Joystiq.

"They didn't cite the Mac and Linux versions [as reasons for the refusal] but it's quite clear that's the reason."

"It means if we want to release the game on XBLA we must throw probably most of the profit out of the window to [another] publisher, just because we created Mac and Linux versions."

"We submitted the game to Sony after Microsoft refused it," he added.

Note that Microsoft has not refused Machinarium an XBLA release, simply a Microsoft publishing deal. Also, this policy is not new.

Trials 2: Second Edition already existed on PC and RedLynx had to create a new version (albeit willingly) for Microsoft to publish on Xbox Live Arcade. Similarly, award-winning indie strategy game Darwinia was required to have additional content before Microsoft would publish the game on XBLA. This led to numerous development hold-ups, forcing a later-than-expected February 2010 release. Eurogamer's verdict: a hearty 8/10.

Machinarium was released in autumn last year on PC. Eurogamer's Machinarium review can tell you more.

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.

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

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Comments (68) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Beano #1 2 years ago

    Also quite suitable for PS Move controls :)

  • Shikasama #2 2 years ago

    This comments thread is gonna be awesome

  • Eraysor #3 2 years ago

    Having thoroughly enjoyed this on PC, Microsoft are evidently a bunch of idiots.

  • Toothball #4 2 years ago

    I picked this up on Steam over Christmas in the sales, but have yet to play it. I probably would have bought it again on XBLA as I've heard nothing but glowing reports about it.

    Microsoft aren't the only ones guilty of this though. Sony are also know to insist on platform specific content when timed exclusives hit the PS3. Eternal Sonata and Tales of Vesperia are cases where this has come up.

  • GamesConnoisseur #5 2 years ago

    I clearly favoured X360 console of my multi platform gaming habit as those who knows me, but with this MS is clearly beyond retarded!

    This is no way for them to be able to expand and importantly,for them to support X360 owners with deserving titles. I sincerely hopes that PSN will reaps the benefits of MS's stupidity.

    Will be getting Machinarium on PSN even though already got the excellent game off Steam.

  • HarryPalmer #6 2 years ago

    Can't wait to play this all the way through, loved the demo.

  • Murton #7 2 years ago

    Great news for PS3 owners, we really need some more games like this on the platform, I'm really looking forward to this.

    As for MS refusing to publish the game, it's a shame that strategic decisions can keep original games out of the hands of gamers like this, this is precisely why we need more than one platform, so that developers refused on one can go to the other.

  • Xerx3s #8 2 years ago

    MS has not said that they don't want it on their platform, just that they don't publish it if they don't get platform exclusivity. Seems only logical. It's like releasing a game on windows mobile and iphone and then complaining that apple doesn't want to publish the game.
    Other than MS, I don't recall any other 1st party that has ever published on a platform that wasn't theirs.

  • bad09 #9 2 years ago

    I must get round to buying it myself, I'm waiting for a cheap Steam deal because of the big borders with no wide screen support on PC. I loved the demo though when I tried it so I would say to all PS3 owners check out Machinarium when it hits it's a wonderful game.

  • ignatiusjreilly #10 2 years ago

    Why do they even need a publisher? The game has already been made and has some recognition among games fans, so why can't they just stick it on XBLA themselves? They'd get to keep all the profits then too.

  • FireMonkey #11 2 years ago

    "It means if we want to release the game on XBLA we must throw probably most of the profit out of the window to [another] publisher, just because we created Mac and Linux versions."

    But surely if Microsoft decided they would publish the game then they would want to take a cut of the profits just the same as any other publisher. Some other publishers out there may even take less of a profit than Microsoft. This just sounds like a lazy developer bitching because they can't be bothered to find a decent publisher for themselves.

  • nuanimal #12 2 years ago

    I've heard of MS policy in making sure that their XBLA games are exclusive, even by updating existing games on other platforms to make them "unique". Like Perfect Dark...

    I'm sure this makes some sense to MS, but it means that MS will no revenue from this game whatsoever. And also the XBLA games policy is at odds with general multi-platform retail games!?

  • Murton #13 2 years ago

    "Why do they even need a publisher? The game has already been made and has some recognition among games fans, so why can't they just stick it on XBLA themselves? They'd get to keep all the profits then too."

    I'm thinking there's likely a massive fee involved that they can't afford without a publishing deal.

  • FireMonkey #14 2 years ago

    @farticusmaximus - "I really don't get why they won't publish the game on XBLA - surely there are no financial reasons not to do it?"

    It's probably all down to politics and anyway if you were MS would you really want to pay to help promote a game that will also be getting sold on other systems?


    @nuanimal - "I've heard of MS policy in making sure that their XBLA"

    This is only for the games they publish and NOT for all XBLA games. Have you seen many retail games published by MS that have been sold on other platforms?
    Edited by 1 at 13/04/10 @ 11:37

  • nuanimal #15 2 years ago

    @FireMonkey

    If MS makes the game exlusive, it denies Sony and others (including the develpoers) making money out of it. That only really helps MS. Also, MS want a "distinguished" XBLA experience.

    Some people only have a 360 or PS3, so if it's only on XBLA, that would deny PS3 gamers paying and playing it. Generating less for the devs.
    Edited by 1 at 13/04/10 @ 11:36

  • muscleblade #16 2 years ago

    @ignatiusjreilly

    Not that easy im afraid. We would have seen lots more Xbla games and lot less Indie games on Live if it was that simple.

  • ignatiusjreilly #17 2 years ago

    @muscleblade

    Why not? Anything specific?

    edit: OK, read a little further and the simple answer is unlike PSN, Nintendo or Steam, Microsoft won't allow a game onto XBLA without a publishing partner. Depressing but not surprising.
    Edited by 1 at 13/04/10 @ 11:46

  • oldschoolsoviet #18 2 years ago

    Eh ?

    PSN ?

    \o/

  • FireMonkey #19 2 years ago

    @nuanimal - "If MS makes the game exlusive, it denies Sony and others (including the develpoers) making money out of it"

    Yes and MS want to deny Sony from making money!

    As for denying the developers extra money then that is purely a choice that the devs have to make for themselves. If they think that having the game exclusive is worth it to have MS behind them then they can, if not they can seek out another publisher to release the game on XBLA, PSN, Steam, etc.

  • _LarZen_ #20 2 years ago

    I love all the strange games on XBLA and this game would be ferfect with the rest of em. But noooo....Microsoft had to go mental again.

    Good thing it may come on PSN then, since they realy need more games like this. Games that there are plenty of on XBLA.

    Microsoft you just fucked up!

  • FireMonkey #21 2 years ago

    @ teh9182 - Yeah, sorry I did get that just didn't express myself too well sorry.
    I was just trying to explain the reason not just specific to this case.

    Anyway, I really don't see what the problem is as the dev can still release through another publisher. What would a deal with MS have given them that any other publish would not have? The answer is absolutely nothing.

    If people with 360's want this game on XBLA then rather than moaning about how MS don't want to take the game on they should go to the devs forums and show there support and ask them to seek another publisher for XBLA. It'd be a shame if they don't go to another publisher and get it on XBLA as I really liked the bit of this I played and it would be nice to see the devs benefit from having it on all platforms.

    MS have decided they don't want the game. No matter what the reason is it is completely their choice and I can't really see the impact of not having this game on XBLA really bothering MS too much tbh.
    Edited by 2 at 13/04/10 @ 12:05

  • Spekingur #22 2 years ago

    At first I thought that someone at MS might have had a case of the dumbs. But then I read further and saw that they hadn't refused Machinarium on the XBLA - they just refused being the publisher for the game.

    As someone mentioned before, why can't they just publish the game themselves? There's already an 'Indie' section on XBox Live. Use that.

  • VandelayIndustries #23 2 years ago

    Well Ninja Gaiden 2 made it over to PS3 and that was published by Microsoft on Xbox, and Hydrophobia hasn't been ruled out as a PSN release either.

  • chrisjm #24 2 years ago

    if its good they can use the ps3 profits to fund the self publishing it to xbox and make more money in the long run.

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #25 2 years ago

    The problem is Microsoft refuse to publish it which is fair enough, but they also refuse the developer to self publish it for there platform, which is what they want to do. Microsoft has told them they need to get one of the big Publisher to publish there game, which they dont want to do cos they dont want to lose the IP or the profits.

    MS is basically shutting out small indie developers from doing anything self published except through there XNA inidie portal, which cant have leader boards or achievements.

  • FireMonkey #26 2 years ago

    @VandelayIndustries - "Ninja Gaiden 2 made it over to PS3"

    No it didn't. "Ninja Gaiden 2" was only on 360, but "Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2" was created specifically for PS3.
    (Check the wiki page for NGS2 http://en .wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja_Gaide... )

    Fixed the link.

    Not sure quite why I got marked down for this as all I have done is point out the fact that the games were quite heavily altered so much so that they are not classed as the same game.
    Edited by 2 at 13/04/10 @ 12:43

  • FireMonkey #27 2 years ago

    @ GamesProgrammer - "get one of the big Publisher to publish there game, which they dont want to do cos they dont want to lose the IP or the profits."

    They won't lose the IP. Lot's of publishers will let them keep the IP, and the amount of money lost to the publisher of the game on XBLA is much less then is lost if they do not even release the game on XBLA.

    Also, the publishers will actually be doing a fair bit of work for the devs still. They will need to be running it through testing on XBLA and making sure it meets all the 360's standards. If they get a decent publisher they will also be helping with any translations into new languages, helping with advertising and potentially act as a buffer for any legal activity. Imagine what would happen if the game caused someone to die through an epileptic fit? Do the devs really want to take the financial hit from that court case?

  • JayKwon #28 2 years ago

    Crap I want that game on XBLA :(, please arrange something.

  • the_mtfr #29 2 years ago

    Great then Linux version for me it is.

  • FireMonkey #30 2 years ago

    If you want the game on XBLA then tell them so!

    Add your support / comments to there forum:
    http://ma chinarium.net/forum/index.php/t...

  • Murton #31 2 years ago

    "If you want the game on XBLA then tell them so! "

    There's a lot more to making games than doing what the fans expect of you. PS3 fans want a European SKU of Demon's Souls and are constantly posting in the dev's forum about it, but it's a publishing issue and out of their hands. Any developer that wants their game to be played and make money wants/needs a publisher to help them achieve that, but if publishers refuse, as MS has here, then no amount of "telling them" is going to change things.

  • el_pollo_diablo #32 2 years ago

    Well, I'll get to play it, so good news for me.

  • Flying_Pig #33 2 years ago

    This, on PSN!? Best news I've heard in ages!

  • FireMonkey #34 2 years ago

    @Murton - Only MS has said no to publishing the game. There are plenty more publishers out there that would probably take it on. All it takes is for the devs to get the deal is to go to them and try not just giving up as MS doesn't want the game. If we show them support then maybe they will see that it will be worth looking for a publisher. As I said paying a publisher still makes you more money than not releasing the game.

  • doulema #35 2 years ago

    @Beano

    I wonder who are the ignorants who rated you +. Machinarium is one of the best Indie games ive purchased for a way long time on the PC. There is no way in hell you could implement Move controls on this brilliant game. Do you even know what game you are talking about? Have you actually noticed how it's played?

    @Eraysor

    No, you and the ones that + voted you are the idiots... Just read Xerx3s comment #9 over and over till it kicks in. It's like you would expect a "Sony Computer Entertainment" released on a 360 or Wii. Same way like WRITTEN in the article, MS can't accept to publish a game that is on MAC platform released already. What is so hard to understand and what's weird about it?


    Anyhow. For anyone that hasn't had the pleasure to enjoy this game, even if you are at least a 5% interested in this kind of game just go for it. Its really brilliant and the platform you buy it on wont matter. I was more than impressed with how original it was as well.

  • el_pollo_diablo #36 2 years ago

    @doulema

    Chill out sweetheart.

  • Murton #37 2 years ago

    @FireMonkey: I think it's incredibly naive to think that Amanita aren't looking for another publisher and that they've "given up" just because MS didn't take them on.

    Fact is, the publishers know the game is there for the taking, many of them likely received a pitch way back when, but for whatever reason those publishers didn't want to put the game out for XBLA or Amanita didn't like the terms of the arrangement and turned them down, and now MS has refused it because it's available elsewhere, leaving them with the PSN as their only option to add another platform for their game.

  • Retroid #38 2 years ago

    AFAIK there's nothing stopping them submitting it to the Indies channel. That's what Gameloft have done with one of their games.

    Lower maximum RRP, like, but.... if it's done, it'd be extra income for them.
    Edited by 2 at 13/04/10 @ 13:32

  • Spekingur #39 2 years ago

    I wonder how much they wanted for their game? Perhaps they don't want to release it through the Indie channel on XBox Live because it doesn't yield as much per copy as XBLA might do. Still, going through the Indie channel and having it cheaper might mean that more people would buy it. Wanting it on XBLA might also have something to do with advertising the game on XBox Live itself?
    Or something to do with return on bought copies? I believe that the Indie part pays out annually, not sure about XBLA.

    Might get a higher percentage of the sales through the Indie channel as well, even if they had to settle for a lower max price.

  • SpaceMonkey77 #40 2 years ago

    Sorry, this is business bs. MS are encouraging use of XNA, then leaning on small developers and holding them to ransom for exclusivity, which shouldn't matter as much anymore. Most small developers will no doubt say yes to their exclusive deal to get their game out there. Some will say no, as is their right, and end up without a paddle.

    I wish them better luck on PSN, but its going to take them time to now convert it over.

  • Murton #41 2 years ago

    What's the size limit on the Indie Channel though? Could be an issue with filesize that rules that way out rather than pricing.

  • Spekingur #42 2 years ago

    @SpaceMonkey77: But the Machinarium guys were not looking to release their game through the normal XNA channels (the Indie channel). Should try to brain a little more.

  • sneetch #43 2 years ago

    @doulema
    @Beano

    I wonder who are the ignorants who rated you +. Machinarium is one of the best Indie games ive purchased for a way long time on the PC. There is no way in hell you could implement Move controls on this brilliant game. Do you even know what game you are talking about? Have you actually noticed how it's played?

    Point-and-click? Surely a pointer (the PS Move) would work quite well? You sure you know what the PS Move controls are?

  • JayKwon #44 2 years ago

    @ fire monkey - "If you want the game on XBLA then tell them so!

    Add your support / comments to there forum:
    http://ma chinarium.net/forum/index.php/t...

    Done:).

  • FireMonkey #45 2 years ago

    @Murton - I am not being naive and I never said that they had given up as I really hope they haven't. All I have been saying is there is no point slagging off MS as they are just doing their role as a publisher and there are plenty of other routes to market on XBLA if the devs want, and that we should show our support for it.

    "Fact is, the publishers know the game is there for the taking, many of them likely received a pitch way back when, but for whatever reason those publishers didn't want to put the game out for XBLA..."

    Why should MS be any different to any other publisher?

    "... or Amanita didn't like the terms of the arrangement and turned them down"

    Well that is completely their own decision. If they can't find an agreement they like then it won't be released on XBLA and they will lose potential profit because of it and we will miss out on a good game on XBLA.

    (The devs are getting a lot of free advertising because of this though and if publishers didn't know of the game before they probably do now - wouldn't be surprised if they could now get a really good deal with one of them)
    Edited by 2 at 13/04/10 @ 14:30

  • Shinetop #46 2 years ago

    So they're faced with two options:

    1. Hire a publisher to get the game on XBLA.
    2. Don't hire a publisher and don't get the game on XBLA.

    Option 1 would mean they'd only get part of the profit, whereas option 2 would mean they'd get no profit at all. So they went with option two.

    Yeah that's some sharp logic there.
    Edited by 1 at 13/04/10 @ 14:41

  • taurus82 #47 2 years ago

    OH MY MOTHERF*CKING GOD!! This is AWESOME news!!
    ...and I think I may have came a little.

  • siro #48 2 years ago

    I was on the fence for this on PC, but I just don't get around playing at all with the PC. For XBLA this would be 'must have' for me, but I'm not sure I will get it for PS3.

  • jaf #49 2 years ago

    Great, with Monkey Island 2 SE, Sam&Max, Blue Toad, Heavy Rain and now Machinarium, this is a good year for adventures on the PS3!

  • freakzilla #50 2 years ago

    One thing I think you should've mentioned is that there is a way for devs to publish their own wirk on PSN. Shatter was published by the devs themselves and no third party was needed.

  • freakzilla #51 2 years ago

    @Xerxes
    Sony publish on a MS platform...
    guess which one.

  • RobotRocker #52 2 years ago

    Seems more like an Amanita Design are taking a public strop like a little child. MS only deals in games that appear on X-Box or PC only and they should have known that before trying to sign a publishing agreement. If anything MS were being nice when they told them they could find another publisher. I'm pretty sure one of the smaller publishers like ATLUS would have certainly given it a punt on XBLA and coughed up the cash to get it on PSN as well.

    No sympathy for them whatsoever. They should consider pulling their heads out of their arses and shopping around again if they aren't lazy gits.

  • SomaticSense #53 2 years ago

    "Delightfully difficult point-and-click adventure Machinarium has been turned down by Microsoft, and so skipped a potential Xbox Live Arcade release in favour of PlayStation Network."

    Erm, probably should change this article introduction to something a bit less 'tabloid' and misrepresentative.

    It's even more stupid given the 'note' later in the same article stating that it's not necessarily skipping an XBLA release after all...

  • ignatiusjreilly #54 2 years ago

    @RobotRocker and others

    It's unfair to call them stroppy or lazy. If they really feel like the following:

    "I don’t believe that it’s worth to sign with some big publisher, because a big publisher takes almost 80-90% of your revenue. They usually bring it to some platforms and effort in marketing, but not much unless your game is a hit. If it doesn’t sell very well, they will stop everything for you. Then you can’t change it, because you’re already signed with them."
    [link url=http://www.xblafans.com/machinariums-xbla-refusa l-and-more-the-original-interview-with-amanita-designs-jakub -dvorsky-90.html
    ]http://ww w.xblafans.com/machinariums-xbl...[/link]

    ...then who are you to decide they're making wrong decisions? Let them do their thing, and if XBLA misses out on a single game Microsoft and 360 owners will survive I'm sure.

  • RobotRocker #55 2 years ago

    If they are getting lowball offers from publishers, they should start playing hardball themselves. Publishers have to make a profit too and spend a lot of capital on PR, marketing and cert costs so they cant exactly say "Oh you have such an amazing game. Here, have 80% of the profits and we will just take 20%". A publisher would be lucky to see 40%-50% of that back so they are obviously giving realistic figures. They should be negotiating realistically or looking into raising money to self publish.

    They are being totally stroppy about it and have probably let the IGF win get to their heads. Again, a smaller publisher like ATLUS or D3 who have experience in doing games on a budget would be much more favourable to them and probably have the low costs they need.

  • ignatiusjreilly #56 2 years ago

    They should be negotiating realistically or looking into raising money to self publish.

    That's what they have done. If they could do that to get on the Xbox, I'm sure you'd already be playing the game. So they'll find someone else to do it at a rate that works for them or just skip Xbox and publish elsewhere. It's not like just because your game isn't on one particular console you have failed.

  • Spekingur #57 2 years ago

    How large is the game on PC?
    What are the size limits on the Indie part of XBL? (According to wiki it's 150mb, but I believe I have seen larger filesizes on there.)

  • TOOTR #58 2 years ago

    Other platforms? Viva piñata on the DS is about the only one that springs to mind.

    Anyway I read somewhere that MS won't let developers on xbla without a publisher....but I don't know why they won't let them publish themselves? Anyone know the reason?

  • Spekingur #59 2 years ago

    MS being hardheaded probably - them being such a large corporation it's not that surprising. At least they normally work quicker than most governments.

  • man.the.king #60 2 years ago

    @farticusmaximus

    "Who could publish it on XBLA now that MS have passed it up, and is that even likely? "

    I would have thought there are other publishers on XBLA as well. I haven't recently played many XBLA games, so my memory may be a little fuzzy in this regard, but surely not all XBLA games are published by MS? If so, then this will wind up on XBLA sooner or later, just not published by MS.

  • Bumbuliuz #61 2 years ago

    Dumb move on Ms part.

  • TheJuriel #62 2 years ago

    Hmm. That's a shame. This looks like a pretty adventure game.

  • RobotRocker #63 2 years ago

    Other platforms? Viva piñata on the DS is about the only one that springs to mind.

    They licence out the property to THQ while Rare develops. MS also don't see the DS as a competing console so they are more loose with Rare developing for it (They even had a way internally of transferring Pinata from 360 to DS but Nintendo were not very happy with it so it was nixed from the game).

    Anyway I read somewhere that MS won't let developers on xbla without a publisher....but I don't know why they won't let them publish themselves? Anyone know the reason?

    All the major publishers publish for XBLA. You can self publish but you have to set the developer up as a dual publisher/developer like The Behemoth or Twisted Pixel. Its mostly as an assurance that the game will go through QA and cover the games certification costs. Again, its a major cost issue but its an option if they have the money. If anything, Amanita were probably fishing for a deal with MS, MS said no can do but you can do it yourself or find someone else to do it and Amanita took a tantrum about it to drum up publicity about how it was them versus the evil corporation who wanted nothing to do with their award winning artistic game.

    Its getting disturbingly common with indie games somehow.

  • Spekingur #64 2 years ago

    It's because many developers have big egos :D

  • MizzouGaming #65 2 years ago

    I won't put all the blame on the commentors that have failed to grasp what is being said here, because of how poorly this was written.

    MS didn't pass on the game coming to XBLA. They passed on publishing it due to their own poilicies. I think if the writer did a bit of work here you would have a better understanding on what actually happened here and why it happened that way.

  • Lusterpurge #66 2 years ago

    They should release it on Wiiware. It should be fairly simple to port, and suitable for a point and click adventure game. It's not graphically demanding, so the Wii should be able to handle it.

  • canuter #67 2 years ago

    Can't Amanita set itself up as publisher? Machinarium is a Flash game, porting costs will probably be minimal.

  • Acrid #68 2 years ago

    Outstanding proof that, yes, Microsoft are a bunch of pretentious cunts.
    Their loss is Sony's gain.