Exclusive News - Bioshock, GTA IV, Oblivion, ...

Exclusive News - Bioshock, GTA IV, Oblivion, Splinter Cell // UPDATE

   These last couple of days brought plenty of announcements with regard to the exclusivity of some high-profile titles, such as Bioshock, GTA IV, Oblivion and the next Splinter Cell game. And by that we mean Splinter Cell 5, not the imminent Double Agent, which is expected next month on multiple platforms. But let's take them one at a time.

   We'll start off with Splinter Cell 5, since this is the only one from the aforementioned titles that has yet to receive an official clarification. Actually there should have been one by now, but we'll update this story once we know for sure. So, according to 1UP - via a leaked press release detailing Microsoft's X06 announcements, the next Splinter Cell game will be exclusive to the Xbox 360. This is not Splinter Cell: Double Agent, mind you, but the fifth iteration in Ubi's stealth-action series, possibly titled Splinter Cell: Conviction.

   Next in line is Grand Theft Auto IV, known to be targeting the PS3 and Xbox 360. Microsoft has previously hinted at some sort of exclusive content for their console, and now it seems that the game's publisher Take-Two will provide "exclusive access to two downloadable, epic episodes of Grand Theft Auto IV via Xbox Live, each with hours of entirely new gameplay". Scott Henson (Director of the Game Development Group at Microsoft) claims that these episodes are a "complete exclusive" and will not be available on the PS3 download service. Expect them within months after the release of Grand Theft Auto IV late next year.

   What's next, Oblivion? Well, let's see. In today's press release issued by Bethesda, it says here that The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion will be a launch title for the PlayStation 3, meaning it will be out this November in North America, and next March in Europe. So much for the PC / Xbox 360 domination... But wait, there's more! The same communique heralds the first Elder Scrolls role-playing game for Sony's PlayStation Portable, called The Elder Scrolls Travels: Oblivion and due for release in Spring 2007.

   And finally, there's Bioshock. Much has been said and speculated about the destination platforms for Irrational's ultra-ambitious first-person game. But today 2K Games set the record straight, by announcing that BioShock will be an exclusive Xbox 360 and PC (Games for Windows) title. Oh and, by the way, it seems we're back to "BioShock", instead of "Bioshock". How shocking!

P.S. If you really want to see something shocking, be sure to check out the HD version of the recent Bioshock demo trailer, available here, here, here and in several other places.

UPDATE: Indeed it's official: "Ubisoft confirmed that the next "Splinter Cell" title, the next installment in the series after "Splinter Cell Double Agent," will be a console-exclusive on Xbox 360, a testament to the ability of Xbox 360 to deliver a complete experience no other console can match."

(N.B. Archive text, links removed)