Manifold Garden will release on Xbox Series X|S as a next-gen upgrade at launch via Smart Delivery due to limited Dev Resources [Check Threadmarks]

[Deleted member 9584]

Pot...



Oh sure, maybe actual cash was not exchanged and it's just "financial arrangements" including marketing push.

But let's call a spade a spade.

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Or they're a small team and they're doing xbox first since (maybe) it's easier to develop for or they don't have a ps5 dev kit yet. Instead of taking them for their word and applying some logic, you're just gonna assume this is a conspiracy and MS is money getting ports and then also paying the devs to lie about it.

 

[chrominance]

Setting aside the prioritization issue, Manifold Garden is an excellent puzzle game, one of those kinds of games where you wonder how on earth they even managed to make it because it screws with your conception of physical space so thoroughly. (I know William Chyr has a GDC talk that probably covers some of this, it's on my list!)

If you remember the puzzle game Antichamber, this gives off similar vibes, though Manifold Garden is very much its own thing. It's not without its issues (mostly stemming from the game explaining nothing to you explicitly, and how that can occasionally leave you wondering what to do next), but it's an easy game to recommend.

 

[Axel Stone]

I smell some bans coming

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Fingers crossed, they'll have been well-earned.

 

[Raide]

Hey! We weren't offered any money. This was just a decision because of limited resources and only having five people working full time on the team.

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Don't worry. No need to explain yourself. Some Era people have a habit of getting on bandwagons, clutching at straws and then jumping to conclusions. All usually within seconds of a thread being posted. Nevermind, crow is served.

 

[Theorry]

i wish it would have stopped there, and not people putting on their tinfoil hat and reading in between the words to imply the dev is lying. shameful.

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Nothing surprises me even more.

 

[TheFurizzlyBear]

Hey all, just a few last bullet points here to help clear things up. I appreciate all the questions and discussion about the game! The Xbox Series X version of Manifold is something I was the project lead on and I'm super passionate about it. I can't wait until next week when we have footage and more details to show.

• We can't talk about the business realities such as why we're on Xbox first vs PlayStation, who authored what language, etc. I can however be clear - no deal was signed, nor money changed hands, regarding a next-gen upgrade policy. We were working on the Series X|S version, and it was ready for launch (in fact, it's already live for anyone with the hardware as of today.) No conspiracy theories here.
• The fact that our PlayStation answer is "stay tuned" comes from us, not any of our business partners. We don't want to talk about things until we have details and an announcement ready.
• While the contents of it may be redundant for many on this forum who keep up to date with how these programs work, we put together an FAQ about the Xbox console upgrade process in relation to Manifold Garden, as well as the Series X|S versions of the game, that you can find here. Again, hardcore industry followers aren't necessarily the target audience, but you can hopefully find something of value there!

Click to shrink...

Thanks for this. It's more effort than some of the posters in this thread deserve. You shouldn't have to defend against conspiracies but here we are. Come on Era, we better than this.

 

[DongBeetle]

Ok what made you guys choose MS instead of Sony for this first update ?

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Does it matter? lmfao

 

[nib95]

Will this be on Game Pass?

 

[Belthazar90]

It was announced as a timed exclusive.

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It really wasn't, people found out about it due to a PS5 icon not being present.

 

[FGLS1992]

It's incredible that people thinks that MS pay for this. You always surprise me, ERA.

 

[Noobguru]

Syrenne Are you able to comment on your initial statement

Hey! We weren't offered any money. This was just a decision because of limited resources and only having five people working full time on the team.

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Was this choice because migrating/upgrading the assets on Xbox consoles is easier/requires less than PS4>PS5?

 

[THEVOID]

Thread is embarrassing. Syrenne Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Deleted member 45460]

Football Manager: Accused of moneyhatting. Then, we just learned the developer didn't have a PS5 devkit.
Yakuza: People tried to distort what Imran Khan said so it looked like moneyhatting. The money involved was a marketing deal, nothing else.
Manifold Garden: moneyhatting! Then, the producer confirms there was no money involved and this is purely a resource decision.

When will we learn to not assume everything is "moneyhatting"?

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When we move on from being a "must be first with my hot take before all the info is out" culture. I'm not sure that happens anytime soon though, we've been like that throughout recorded history.

 

[RR30]

Nice to have an actual producer come in here and set the record straight before the rage began. That's much appreciated.

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I mean it's still happening after their post lol.

 

[EvilBoris]

It really wasn't, people found out about it due to a PS5 icon not being present.

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It's such a a weird game to comment on generally given it was a timed exclusive to Ps4.

 

[CrazyNomad]

Have Sony had timed patches or bought a whole publisher?

Anyway, will be interesting to see why the resources went to Xbox first, gamepass title? Either way all the best for the game launch.

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sony bought SF5 exclusivity for an entire generation of consoles, sony bought destiny 1 and 2 dlcs exclusivitys for awhile.

while MS did it in the 360 generation with COD and other games, sony isn't an angel when it comes to moneyhating games.

EDIT: oh and about patches, theres a type of game in the last COD that is exclusive for PS4 for an entire year. or the FFVII remake that is timed exclusive too.

 

[Liliana]

Football Manager: Accused of moneyhatting. Then, we just learned the developer didn't have a PS5 devkit.
Yakuza: People tried to distort what Imran Khan said so it looked like moneyhatting. The money involved was a marketing deal, nothing else.
Manifold Garden: moneyhatting! Then, the producer confirms there was no money involved and this is purely a resource decision.

When will we learn to not assume everything is "moneyhatting"?

Click to shrink...

Seriously, it's downright embrassing.

Hey all, just a few last bullet points here to help clear things up. I appreciate all the questions and discussion about the game! The Xbox Series X version of Manifold is something I was the project lead on and I'm super passionate about it. I can't wait until next week when we have footage and more details to show.

• We can't talk about the business realities such as why we're on Xbox first vs PlayStation, who authored what language, etc. I can however be clear - no deal was signed, nor money changed hands, regarding a next-gen upgrade policy. We were working on the Series X|S version, and it was ready for launch (in fact, it's already live for anyone with the hardware as of today.) No conspiracy theories here.
• The fact that our PlayStation answer is "stay tuned" comes from us, not any of our business partners. We don't want to talk about things until we have details and an announcement ready.
• While the contents of it may be redundant for many on this forum who keep up to date with how these programs work, we put together an FAQ about the Xbox console upgrade process in relation to Manifold Garden, as well as the Series X|S versions of the game, that you can find here. Again, hardcore industry followers aren't necessarily the target audience, but you can hopefully find something of value there!

Click to shrink...

We appreciate you chiming in here with us <3 but you dont have to explain yourself! Most people you're responding to are arguing in bad faith and shouldn't be given the time of day.

Looking forward to playing your game!

 

[Aldi]

Hey all, just a few last bullet points here to help clear things up. I appreciate all the questions and discussion about the game! The Xbox Series X version of Manifold is something I was the project lead on and I'm super passionate about it. I can't wait until next week when we have footage and more details to show.

• We can't talk about the business realities such as why we're on Xbox first vs PlayStation, who authored what language, etc. I can however be clear - no deal was signed, nor money changed hands, regarding a next-gen upgrade policy. We were working on the Series X|S version, and it was ready for launch (in fact, it's already live for anyone with the hardware as of today.) No conspiracy theories here.
• The fact that our PlayStation answer is "stay tuned" comes from us, not any of our business partners. We don't want to talk about things until we have details and an announcement ready.
• While the contents of it may be redundant for many on this forum who keep up to date with how these programs work, we put together an FAQ about the Xbox console upgrade process in relation to Manifold Garden, as well as the Series X|S versions of the game, that you can find here. Again, hardcore industry followers aren't necessarily the target audience, but you can hopefully find something of value there!

Click to shrink...

Thank you.

I'll deffo check out your game.

 

[Tagg]

Thanks for the detailed explanation and transparency, Syrenne. You are too good for this forum lol.

 

[PopcornMegaphone]

This thread is an embarrassment.

 

[Raigor]

Hey all, just a few last bullet points here to help clear things up. I appreciate all the questions and discussion about the game! The Xbox Series X version of Manifold is something I was the project lead on and I'm super passionate about it. I can't wait until next week when we have footage and more details to show.

• We can't talk about the business realities such as why we're on Xbox first vs PlayStation, who authored what language, etc. I can however be clear - no deal was signed, nor money changed hands, regarding a next-gen upgrade policy. We were working on the Series X|S version, and it was ready for launch (in fact, it's already live for anyone with the hardware as of today.) No conspiracy theories here.
• The fact that our PlayStation answer is "stay tuned" comes from us, not any of our business partners. We don't want to talk about things until we have details and an announcement ready.
• While the contents of it may be redundant for many on this forum who keep up to date with how these programs work, we put together an FAQ about the Xbox console upgrade process in relation to Manifold Garden, as well as the Series X|S versions of the game, that you can find here. Again, hardcore industry followers aren't necessarily the target audience, but you can hopefully find something of value there!

Click to shrink...

You don't have to.

Some people don't deserve an explanation as detailed as this one

 

[Iwao]

The PS4 version runs at 60fps? I'm not sure how boosted resolution is worth the ado.

 

[Marano]

Cf my edit, what the Manifold Garden rep is saying says it all
Can't talk about PS5 patch.

"Stay tuned".

Smh

Literally, for the record:

Click to shrink...

Pot...



Oh sure, maybe actual cash was not exchanged and it's just "financial arrangements" including marketing push.

But let's call a spade a spade.

Click to shrink...

Stay tuned for PS5 updates as we can't really talk about that up until a random date in the future that's probably six months from now but that's just a coincidence!!!!

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It looks even worse when the dev has to clarify things twice, because folks thought she was lying.

 

[Chippewa Barr]

Can't imagine being in the business and personally coming here to explain something and then basically being called a liar lol.

No wonder industry peeps on here end up running for the hills...

This new gen got everyone seeing things!

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Setting aside the prioritization issue, Manifold Garden is an excellent puzzle game, one of those kinds of games where you wonder how on earth they even managed to make it because it screws with your conception of physical space so thoroughly. (I know William Chyr has a GDC talk that probably covers some of this, it's on my list!)

If you remember the puzzle game Antichamber, this gives off similar vibes, though Manifold Garden is very much its own thing. It's not without its issues (mostly stemming from the game explaining nothing to you explicitly, and how that can occasionally leave you wondering what to do next), but it's an easy game to recommend.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, really enjoyed my time with the game and was insanely impressed by how clever the puzzles were. My favourite thing about it was exploring the world. Something the game deserves credit for is the secrets and different ways to discover things. Without giving too much away there's some really genius ways to progress and discover the world. Definitely worth playing by anyone who liked The Talos Principle, The Witness, Antichamber, Standpoint etc.

 

[Deleted member 10737]

thank you Syrenne for taking the time to explain things, even tho you didn't have to. good luck on the upcoming launch.

 

[Deleted member 1003]

Yeah, really enjoyed my time with the game and was insanely impressed by how clever the puzzles were. My favourite thing about it was exploring the world. Something the game deserves credit for is the secrets and different ways to discover things. Without giving too much away there's some really genius ways to progress and discover the world. Definitely worth playing by anyone who liked The Talos Principle, The Witness, Antichamber, Standpoint etc.

Click to shrink...

Have you done the 0% run? That is really cool.

 

[Guru Meditation]

Cf my edit, what the Manifold Garden rep is saying says it all
Can't talk about PS5 patch.

"Stay tuned".

Smh

Literally, for the record:

Click to shrink...

You're embarrassing yourself.

 

[BioDigital Jazzman]

You're embarrassing yourself.

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I thought people got banned for attacking devs here...

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Have you done the 0% run? That is really cool.

Click to shrink...

Ha, I attempted it very early on when it first released but it wasn't fully fleshed out. Now that it's fully embedded in the game and works perfectly I might have to go back and give it an official shot. It really blew me away that it was even possible when I first played it.

 

[Syrenne]

The PS4 version runs at 60fps? I'm not sure how boosted resolution is worth the ado.

Click to shrink...

This I can answer! So fundamentally, and this isn't marketing speak, we made sure that every version of the game was one we were proud of and would be excited if it was player's only experience with the game. On PS4 and PS4 Pro, you get 1080p and 1620p at 60 fps (though being perfectly honest it goes between about 50 and 60 fps.) The game looks great on either, and you'll of course be able to play the PlayStation 4 version of the game on PlayStation 5 through backwards compatibility and have a great time.

That said, if you watch our trailer for the game that we put out at our initial console launch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3TJwtuUEr8) you can see what type of game it is in motion - especially in the exterior areas, it's a beautiful game where the architecture really shines. The Series X version has pretty much maxed out settings - faster loads, rock solid 60 fps, max draw distance(!), and more. I especially want to highlight the draw distance. If you want to get the game on PlayStation 4, play it there, and have that be your experience, we'd love that. It's a wonderful version of the game that was in development for a long time and received a ton of love!!

The Xbox Series X version of the game will hopefully reach a new audience, and that new audience will see the same great game, just shining on more powerful hardware with all the bells and whistles.

tl;dr, we're very proud of all versions of MG.

 

[Malcolm9]

sony bought SF5 exclusivity for an entire generation of consoles, sony bought destiny 1 and 2 dlcs exclusivitys for awhile.

while MS did it in the 360 generation with COD and other games, sony isn't an angel when it comes to moneyhating games.

EDIT: oh and about patches, theres a type of game in the last COD that is exclusive for PS4 for an entire year. or the FFVII remake that is timed exclusive too.

Click to shrink...

Sony helped fund the development of SFV though, different story.

Usually the market leader has the pick of timed exclusivity with games, not upgrade patches. Anyway, I'll leave it there.

Sounds like fantastic work on all versions Syrenne.

 

[Deleted member 1003]

Ha, I attempted it very early on when it first released but it wasn't fully fleshed out. Now that it's fully embedded in the game and works perfectly I might have to go back and give it an official shot. It really blew me away that it was even possible when I first played it.

Click to shrink...

It blew my mind how it all came together. Manifold is a truly amazing experience.

 

[Damage_inc]

What is the framerate and resolution on xbox one x?

 

[coma]

Game looks cool, first I'm hearing of it. Will check it out at launch.

Embarrassing thread as always.

 

[Noobguru]

Also, you all realize that most of you are the reason why devs don't come around here very often. It's one thing to ask questions and even not agree with them, but it's another to be aggressive and downright mean. Grow up, don't be an embarrassment.

 

[FliX]

Everyone, we have the good fortune to have a member of the actual dev team for the game in the thread to interact with the community. Please refrain from baseless accusations, claims of money-hatting or anything else that is just based on your gut feeling. Going forward inappropriate posts will be actioned accordingly.

 

[OldDirtyGamer]

Sony helped fund the development of SFV though, different story.

Usually the market leader has the pick of timed exclusivity with games, not upgrade patches. Anyway, I'll leave it there.

Sounds like fantastic work on all versions Syrenne.

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Did they help fund ff16 and cod and every other timed deal they made ?

You dont see those threads ending up like this . Its only natural , people will get mad when a company they dont prefer has timed exclusive content .

It seems lately tho that more and more when it is "assumed" ms is doing it , that the threads turn much more hostile.

 

[Handsome James]

Thread is fucking embarrassing, and not surprising given how much nerd rage I've seen in the Yakuza threads. Developers don't have infinite amounts of money to push out free upgrades to multiple platforms that release during a once in a lifetime pandemic.

Maybe MS was on to something more than just "PR SPEAK!!!" with smart delivery when designing their next gen console.

 

[Deleted member 78123]

People love to attack Microsoft here, huh.

Anyway, great news! Series S continues to prove it will be handle next gen games at the same level of detail and perfomance, but at lower resolution. :)

 

[catswaller]

Syrenne Are you able to comment on your initial statement


Was this choice because migrating/upgrading the assets on Xbox consoles is easier/requires less than PS4>PS5?

Click to shrink...

Again, no competently run business can answer this question. They arent going to make any statements of personal preference or that potentially make one of their partners look bad.

 

[Syrenne]

What is the framerate and resolution on xbox one x?

Click to shrink...

1800p/60 with settings between PS4 Pro and Xbox Series X, I believe!

 

[cyrribrae]

Hey all, just a few last bullet points here to help clear things up. I appreciate all the questions and discussion about the game! The Xbox Series X version of Manifold is something I was the project lead on and I'm super passionate about it. I can't wait until next week when we have footage and more details to show.

• We can't talk about the business realities such as why we're on Xbox first vs PlayStation, who authored what language, etc. I can however be clear - no deal was signed, nor money changed hands, regarding a next-gen upgrade policy. We were working on the Series X|S version, and it was ready for launch (in fact, it's already live for anyone with the hardware as of today.) No conspiracy theories here.
• The fact that our PlayStation answer is "stay tuned" comes from us, not any of our business partners. We don't want to talk about things until we have details and an announcement ready.
• While the contents of it may be redundant for many on this forum who keep up to date with how these programs work, we put together an FAQ about the Xbox console upgrade process in relation to Manifold Garden, as well as the Series X|S versions of the game, that you can find here. Again, hardcore industry followers aren't necessarily the target audience, but you can hopefully find something of value there!

Click to shrink...

I thank all the drama that brought so many people here to this thread who clearly have no interest in the game. Because I just checked out the (PS4) trailer and this looks so cool!! I've never heard of this, but will definitely check it out now, if Smart Delivery will just carry it over without any effort. Thanks for taking the time to do this and clearing up our confusion too :)

??? I'm still laughing at people not believing about Yakuza 7 being a timed exclusive.

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??? I'm still laughing at people believing that MS paid for 112 days of patch exclusivity. (Like at least make it a nice even number of months. March 10th or something. Unless RGG needed more time to make the pat- oh. hmm.. )

 

[Dunlop]

It's a mystery to me why so few devs post in these forums...

 

[BioDigital Jazzman]

It's a mystery to me why so few devs post in these forums...

Click to shrink...

It's crazy that random people think they are owed a business explanation on a forum

 

[Iwao]

This I can answer! So fundamentally, and this isn't marketing speak, we made sure that every version of the game was one we were proud of and would be excited if it was player's only experience with the game. On PS4 and PS4 Pro, you get 1080p and 1620p at 60 fps (though being perfectly honest it goes between about 50 and 60 fps.) The game looks great on either, and you'll of course be able to play the PlayStation 4 version of the game on PlayStation 5 through backwards compatibility and have a great time.

That said, if you watch our trailer for the game that we put out at our initial console launch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3TJwtuUEr8) you can see what type of game it is in motion - especially in the exterior areas, it's a beautiful game where the architecture really shines. The Series X version has pretty much maxed out settings - faster loads, rock solid 60 fps, max draw distance(!), and more. I especially want to highlight the draw distance. If you want to get the game on PlayStation 4, play it there, and have that be your experience, we'd love that. It's a wonderful version of the game that was in development for a long time and received a ton of love!!

The Xbox Series X version of the game will hopefully reach a new audience, and that new audience will see the same great game, just shining on more powerful hardware with all the bells and whistles.

tl;dr, we're very proud of all versions of MG.

Click to shrink...

Thanks for the info - I think this thread is the first time I've seen the game and it looks interesting so I'm happy to check it out even via backwards compatibility. I wonder if PS5 boost mode will do anything for the game. For me, the faster loads is the bigger deal on the next-gen versions of games.

 

[Handsome James]

This I can answer! So fundamentally, and this isn't marketing speak, we made sure that every version of the game was one we were proud of and would be excited if it was player's only experience with the game. On PS4 and PS4 Pro, you get 1080p and 1620p at 60 fps (though being perfectly honest it goes between about 50 and 60 fps.) The game looks great on either, and you'll of course be able to play the PlayStation 4 version of the game on PlayStation 5 through backwards compatibility and have a great time.

That said, if you watch our trailer for the game that we put out at our initial console launch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3TJwtuUEr8) you can see what type of game it is in motion - especially in the exterior areas, it's a beautiful game where the architecture really shines. The Series X version has pretty much maxed out settings - faster loads, rock solid 60 fps, max draw distance(!), and more. I especially want to highlight the draw distance. If you want to get the game on PlayStation 4, play it there, and have that be your experience, we'd love that. It's a wonderful version of the game that was in development for a long time and received a ton of love!!

The Xbox Series X version of the game will hopefully reach a new audience, and that new audience will see the same great game, just shining on more powerful hardware with all the bells and whistles.

tl;dr, we're very proud of all versions of MG.

Click to shrink...

Thank you for your replies here, this is the first time I've seen a trailer for your game and it looks lovely! It invokes some Witness vibes which is great, can't wait to try it

 

[Deleted member 29599]

More next-gen "time exclusive" patches just like Yakuza 7.

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This first reply aged beautifully.

 

[Dunlop]

It's crazy that random people think they are owed a business explanation on a forum

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I just hope these same people protect their friends and family with the same ferocity they do for corporate interests and a plastic box

 

[Damage_inc]

1800p/60 with settings between PS4 Pro and Xbox Series X, I believe!

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Thanks for aswering !!