Platform Dependancy
There are two types of platform dependency, this is dependent, and independent. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages, something that i will explore below.
Dependent:
When a video game is platform dependent, it means that during the creation of the game, it was specifically targeted at a specific platform. This means that there will have been a clear focus on what console or system the game will be made fro. This is the case with every exclusive game, as they are all therefore dependent on that single platform n order to be a success. An excellent example of a dependent video game would be the Mario franchise. Serving as the mascot for Nintendo, Mario is an exclusive Intellectual property, any of the Mario games cannot legally be played on any platform other than Nintendo's own products. This therefore makes him a dependent game franchise. |
There are several advantages to having a game become dependent. For starters, it gives the initiation game development a clear purpose and goal. There is one specific audience which the designers need to please, as there is only one main demographic, unlike games which are cross platform that need to please an array of gamers and their consoles. So in this case, Nintendo are mostly known for their family friendly games. As Mario will only be made for a single platform, eg the Wii U, there is no harm in mailing it family friendly, as it will not matter if it alienates the Xbox audience. This example shows that if you only need to please one audience, it makes the game more focused on pleasing the specific audience greatly, instead of keeping the game general so it may amuse a wider audience. The second advantage is more about technical aspects rather than development content. Different platforms all operate in different ways. PS4 is considered more graphically capable than Xbox One, but Xbox One may offer a better player experience (just an example, i'm not taking sides honest), and then there's the technically limited Wii U when compared to both of them. For games that are dependent on a single one of these, it makes it much easier to be able to work on the good points of the console, making up for what it may be lacking. Considering this, it allows the game to optimized for the platform its being played on. This can be seen further when looking at the unique technology each company has to offer, in this case, the 3D capabilities of the 3DS plays can an important role in how Super Mario 3D world plays. If this game were to be available on other devices without 3D, then the 3D dependent game play would have to be removed, so it is actually playable in 2D.
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Independent:
The complete opposite of dependent, an independent game is when it is available on more than one platform, and is specifically built with several platforms in mind. A good example of independent games are DVD games. These are video games that are put onto a DVD game storage medium, more specifically the DVD format used for films. This makes the game independent, because most consoles devices are able to play film DVDs. Its because of this that a single disc can be played on multiple systems, as they all have a DVD drive. An example of this could be seen by the Harry Potter DVD game, as seen to the right. The main advantage to a game being independent is that it does not alienate any gamer, as they will most likely own at least one device that can play it. This will help make the game more of a success, as unlike dependent games, independent games do not heavily rely on a single platform, so there is less risk for failure. However there are a few disadvantages to this type of format. To begin with, because the game must play on many different systems, it means that it can only be strong as the weakest system. What this means is that it would be pointless making it to the specs of a PS4, as it would mean it could not play on a weaker system, such as a simple DVD player. This would defeat the whole purpose of being independent. So this therefore means that no matter how strong a consoles specs are, the game will always be restricted due to the lack of processing power of a DVD player. This is why DVD format games are not very popular, as the ability to create excellent quality games that are quality specific to the specs of various consoles is a lot more beneficial. And so games developers choose to either make a game exclusive, or to create different formats of the same game, forcing people to buy the game again if they wish to use it on a different console.
The complete opposite of dependent, an independent game is when it is available on more than one platform, and is specifically built with several platforms in mind. A good example of independent games are DVD games. These are video games that are put onto a DVD game storage medium, more specifically the DVD format used for films. This makes the game independent, because most consoles devices are able to play film DVDs. Its because of this that a single disc can be played on multiple systems, as they all have a DVD drive. An example of this could be seen by the Harry Potter DVD game, as seen to the right. The main advantage to a game being independent is that it does not alienate any gamer, as they will most likely own at least one device that can play it. This will help make the game more of a success, as unlike dependent games, independent games do not heavily rely on a single platform, so there is less risk for failure. However there are a few disadvantages to this type of format. To begin with, because the game must play on many different systems, it means that it can only be strong as the weakest system. What this means is that it would be pointless making it to the specs of a PS4, as it would mean it could not play on a weaker system, such as a simple DVD player. This would defeat the whole purpose of being independent. So this therefore means that no matter how strong a consoles specs are, the game will always be restricted due to the lack of processing power of a DVD player. This is why DVD format games are not very popular, as the ability to create excellent quality games that are quality specific to the specs of various consoles is a lot more beneficial. And so games developers choose to either make a game exclusive, or to create different formats of the same game, forcing people to buy the game again if they wish to use it on a different console.