Insomniac on working with Microsoft Studios for Xbox One exclusive, Sunset Overdrive
Insomniac Games' new open-world shooter, Sunset Overdrive, is exclusive to Xbox One and published by Microsoft Studios – and this partnership may require some explaining for "longtime fans," Insomniac CEO Ted Price writes.
"When we first began discussing this idea with Microsoft, we were initially hesitant to shift back into an exclusive arrangement," Price writes in an Insomniac blog post. "But as the Microsoft team began introducing us to the abilities and philosophies driving the development of Xbox One, we knew that Sunset Overdrive was a perfect fit. The Xbox One and Xbox Live will support our ambitions to create an ongoing two-way dialogue with our community. It will also allow us to have quicker production cycles, enabling timely content updates for new weapons, characters, storylines and even pop culture-relevant content like memes based on social commentary."
Independent studios aren't allowed to self-publish on the Xbox One, and Insomniac is definitely independent, Price says. This means the studio doesn't have to abandon its PlayStation roots or classic franchises such as Ratchet and Clank.
"Insomniac has been, is, and will continue to be 100 percent independent. We have treasured that independence for the last 19 years. It now allows us to own and control our IP, and find the most suitable partners to make those IP a reality. While we are excited about partnering with Microsoft on Sunset Overdrive, that doesn't mean we can't or wouldn't make games with our longtime friends at Sony."
Sunset Overdrive has an official site, and the trailer from Microsoft's E3 show is now viewable in our announcement post.
