The Ultimate SOMA Discussion Thread

[Sampyli]

The thing is, Sony likes to brag, that's why we didn't get any PC confirmation, it goes without saying.

This.

[plutomaniac]

I think SOMA is initials for something, not a word itself. That description feels WAAY off.

Coupled with the word Vivarium, it could make some sense. However, I don't think it's relevant as well. Who knows what's inside FG's sick minds though? :p

[Mothhive]

The thing is, Sony likes to brag, that's why we didn't get any PC confirmation, it goes without saying.

This.

And how many people said the same about Everybody's Gone to the Rapture? Every single article about it when it was revealed said it was a PC game. Now it turns out it's a PS4 exclusive with no plans for a PC version.

Super Meat Boy was announced for WiiWare and PC and was due to be released at the start of 2010 until Microsoft threw bags of money at the devs, then suddenly it was pushed back to the end of the year so they could do the XBLA version, which ended up being a timed exclusive. The Wii version was cancelled.

This is an extremely common occurrence these days, especially with the new consoles about to release, so assuming it goes without saying that there will be a PC version is extremely short sighted.

Set yourselves up for disappointment if you want, but don't act like it's a fact and set others up too.

[Zgroktar]

You might start to read Thomas blog, and you would understand why most of us are 100% sure it will be on PC, it is very strange in itself that there will be a PS4 version altogether, but because of that we can only be happy for FG and their success.
I admit Everybody's Gone to the Rapture was bit of a shock, but I am sure Frictional isn't in the same position as The Chinese Room to make such decisions.
In the end, nothing is impossible, but a PS4 exclusive will 10x times bigger shock, and will it equal to FG's reputational suicide.

[Googolplex]

Sony has been doing their best to get as many indie games as exclusives as possible, and they already snapped up Everybody's Gone to the Rapture from The Chinese Room, which everyone was certain was going to be a PC game.

While I obviously hope it'll be on PC, I've seen too many devs lured in by bags of Sony/Microsoft cash who have abandoned PC, or at the very least made PC a secondary concern.

Fuck Sony and all others who ruin PC gaming. When it's PS4 exclusive, they have stolen Frictional Games from us. Everyone should boycott Sony for this.

[ReadingNotAllowed]

Sony has been doing their best to get as many indie games as exclusives as possible, and they already snapped up Everybody's Gone to the Rapture from The Chinese Room, which everyone was certain was going to be a PC game.

While I obviously hope it'll be on PC, I've seen too many devs lured in by bags of Sony/Microsoft cash who have abandoned PC, or at the very least made PC a secondary concern.

Fuck Sony and all others who ruin PC gaming. When it's PS4 exclusive, they have stolen Frictional Games from us. Everyone should boycott Sony for this.

They haven't stolen anything :p

[Sampyli]

You might start to read Thomas blog, and you would understand why most of us are 100% sure it will be on PC, it is very strange in itself that there will be a PS4 version altogether, but because of that we can only be happy for FG and their success.

This (again )

The Sony indie game exclusivity is mostly about money, because indie developers don't have enough to publish their own games, right? Well, FG earned more than enough from Amnesia to publish their own games, and most (atm all of it, since they don't have any console games) of their fan base is PC players, so there is no way it would be console exclusive.

This is from the FG blog, only 4 months after Amnesia was released. (Back then (January 2011) they had only sold about 200 thousand copies, and in September (2012) the total was about 1,36 million copies, including the Humble Indie Bundle V sales. On the top of that, they probably get a good chunk out of the AMFP sales.)

With these figures at hand, we must confess that it gives us new confidence for the PC. The sales that we have had (and are having) are more than enough to motivate developing a game with the PC as the main (and even only) platform. Based on what we have seen, the online PC market is just getting bigger and bigger, and we are convinced we are far from the end of this growth. We think that other developers that consider making their game exclusive to a console might want to think again.

[Kein]

[...]it is very strange in itself that there will be a PS4 version altogether[...]

Eh. And why is that so?

The Sony indie game exclusivity is mostly about money, because indie developers don't have enough to publish their own games, right? [...]

I don't know if the call was from Sony to FG or vice versa, but the reason why Sony needs it on PS4 and not on PS3 is because they need to expand the growing market of new console. At the moment when SOMA will be released it will be deep 2014, when great PS4 machine start its engines fully. And of course, a title, where they can put headlines like " A NEW OUTSTANDING HORROR FORM MAKERS OF AMNESIA", 'NOW ON PLAY STATION' all over the game is exactly what they need. For FG it is not big deal, all the promotion and production part for PS4 is on Sony shoulders.

[Mothhive]

Don't worry guys, I can easily counter your blind confidence and optimism all day long!

So, we're quoting blog posts are we? How about these from Robert Briscoe of The Chinese Room less than a year ago?

there was no way I could turn my back on the PC gaming community that had supported and encouraged us for so long

I also want to say that I really believe that Steam has also been a vital part of our success. It’s a gateway that allowed us to reach millions of gamers all over the world, and although we still sell Dear Esther through our own website and several other online stores, for us, Steam currently accounts for over 99% of our total sales, which I think is a testament to how powerful a tool it is for reaching gamers.

People's opinions change when they are handed large sacks of money.

Anyway, I'm not saying it's definitely not coming to PC, because I don't know (just like you don't know that it is coming to PC), I'm just saying that it's quite possible that this could be a PS4 exclusive, or maybe just a timed PS4 exclusive.

So again, for the sake of people who don't want to be disappointed, stop insisting that this will definitely be on PC. I was burned by The Chinese Room and I wouldn't want anyone else to feel the same way.

[Googolplex]

They haven't stolen anything :p

When FG now becomes to a console exclusive developer, they've stolen them from the PC gaming history.
If I'm wrong (what I hope), then I please Jens or someone else to confirm the PC version.

Why does nobody confirm it?