Will Rockstar pretend again that PC does not exist when they announce their next game (GTA6)? Most likely, yes.

[Paul]

There is this preview by Polygon of the RDR2 PC version:

https://www.polygon.com/2019/11/1/20942406/red-dead-redemption-2-rdr2-pc-impressions

One line really jumped at me, given Rockstar's longtime behaviour:

In case you're wondering about the origins of Red Dead Redemption 2's PC port, a Rockstar representative confirmed that it was part of the company's plans from the start.

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It is interesting to have this confirmed straight up, black on white.
Now, I think this was always kinda obvious. But ever since GTA4 (and probably even before with GTA3, VC and SA), Rockstar always announced and released console versions of their games, while pretty much pretending the PC does not exist. Only to get as many people as possible to get the console version, and then announcing PC versions later to scoop up the rest as well as double dippers (mods, framerate and better graphics are powerful motivators). PC version being always in the plan, but never announced publicly until much later.

Now, I personally think this business behavior, while making sense from "maximize profit" perspective, is, well, scummy.
You can do business in more ethical way. Yes, Rockstar would lose some double dipper money if they announced RDR2 on PC together with console versions.
But it would be more customer-friendly decision, ultimately building better reputation and customer goodwill. Which is valuable, just ask Larian or CD Projekt.

 

[Lashley]

Of course they will.

 

[Elven_Star]

I mean, why not make money off all those double-dips?

 

[Ac30]

It's gross but they know people will happily double dip

 

[Deleted member 8196]

T2 CEO

"The world has changed. When we consider a console release, the PC format can be 40% or 50% now of that revenue. Ten years ago, that number was 1% or 2%. Clearly, the world is changing. A previously closed system is indeed turning into an open system. That means hardware is going to look more like hardware and less like hardware taxing software, which is great news for us."

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They will still delay GTA 6

 

[rpm]

Of course they will, because:

Now, I personally think this business behavior, while making sense from "maximize profit" perspective

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Yes, Rockstar would lose some double dipper money if they announced RDR2 on PC together with console versions.

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[Slayven]

Is it a matter of ethics or just a business plan for a staggered release?

 

[SixelAlexiS]

Yep, like Activision pretend that PC doesn't exist for an year for Crash and Spyro games, it's their thing and they will continue doing it.

 

[R.T Straker]

Yes, they will.

This song and dance has been going on for almost 20 years.

 

[Braag]

As long as people keep double dipping they will keep doing it.

 

[Dandy]

Yes. It's Rockstar.

 

[NoKisum]

How else are they gonna make fans double dip?

 

[RockmanBN]

Yeah because they know people will double dip.

 

[Lashley]

Seriously, how much extra do they even make from double dips? And how do they know if isn't just PC players buying their first copy?

 

[Paul]

Is it a matter of ethics or just a business plan for a staggered release?

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To me it is both. If you have a business plan that you know you are developing a game on all three platforms, but you only announce it for two and pretend the third does not exist, then yes it is your business plan and it is also shitty towards customers.

 

[Rizific]

Learned my lesson with gtav. Not buying R* games on a console, period.

 

[R.T Straker]

Closest to day and date that Rockstar did was Max Payne 3 back in 2012, and that was with a 2 weeks delay also.

 

[¡ B 0 0 P !]

Got to get those double dip buys to earn even more money. The shareholders would riot else wise.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Rockstar, at this point, is the definition of getting people to double dip.

 

[Slayven]

Seriously, how much extra do they even make from double dips? And how do they know if isn't just PC players buying their first copy?

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What do you think Social Club is for?

 

[Lant_War]

Seriously, how much extra do they even make from double dips? And how do they know if isn't just PC players buying their first copy?

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They can do estimates based on what they see on the internet, which % of the Social Club accounts already had it on console, many things.

 

[giancarlo123x]

No shit. Double dip, they will get the money.

 

[Lashley]

What do you think Social Club is for?

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fair point

 

[Horns]

Unless RDR2 sells insanely well on PC to justify changing their approach, I don't see why they would not do the same thing. GTA V is the highest grossing game or is very close to it. They're going to follow the same approach again, but hopefully release it sooner after console versions.

 

[shimon]

Yup.

 

[Sheev]

I remember when people were sure this wouldn't happen with RDR2 and that Rockstar just didn't have plants to port it over and that's why it was never announced for PC.

 

[Datajoy]

Their playbook for major releases is pretty clear at this point

 

[Phantom88]

Seriously, how much extra do they even make from double dips? And how do they know if isn't just PC players buying their first copy?

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I've never believed this to be a thing that exists in any impactful manner. This neogaf/resetera concept of double dipping. Because it comes from an incorrect stance that people here have, that PC gamers are also console gamers. That pc gamers surely have a ps4 stacked somewhere. But they dont. You look at every yearly top selling and played games and theres no overlap. 8 or 9 games out of top 10 are pc only games. Console top 10 doesnt share games with PC.

I even find it a bit absurd to imagine the sales on pc are people with consoles who buy it again. Those are fresh buys, from people who game on pc. They're not "double dipping" anything. Not in any meaningful numbers.

The reason i suppose rockstar keeps delaying it is because they're getting everything out of each platform. They're squeezing every platform for all its juice.

 

[Lashley]

I remember when people were sure this wouldn't happen with RDR2 and that Rockstar just didn't have plants to port it over and that's why it was never announced for PC.

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People are always sure a game isn't coming to PC until they're wrong tbh

Death Stranding, this, Yakuza, Final Fantasy XV etc

 

[Hanbei]

It seems to be a successful formula to Rockstart Games, is it not? So yes, wouldn't surprise me a bit if their next big game was just like GTA 5 or RDR 2: time limited console exclusive, then released on PC the following year. I bet there are a bunch of people who will always double dip.

 

[dex3108]

I mean GTA Online RP servers on PC are reason why RDR Online is going in Role-Play direction. And GTA Online RP servers are huge reason why game is still Top 10 on Twitch and Steam. GTA VI will be made for PC from the start too but released when it's ready.

 

[SirBaron]

We're talking about a company that did triple dipping, pa3 and 360, oh then PS4 and Xbox one... ooook pc too. I for sure was the idiot that triple dipped... thank god it's not on switch otherwise my stupidity would know no end.

 

[flaxknuckles]

Until PC has 80% of gaming marketshare they will do this crap

 

[Mezati99]

i genially think the delay is mostly because they wanna make the best port possible, GTAV was an incredible PC port and RDR2 is shaping up to be the same if not better


double dipping is a plus

 

[Prine]

Yes . They make the bulk of thier money on consoles. They will always come first.

 

[laxu]

I knew they would release it on PC, but not when so I played the PS4 Pro version. They really bank on that happening. But I won't be fooled again and will just patiently wait for GTA 6 on PC. I wish they would just announce it like "Out at X for PS4 and Xbox, out at Y date for PC" if they want to delay the PC version for reasons instead of this "maybe we release it, maybe we don't" bullshit.

 

[RoboitoAM]

Yes . They make the bulk of thier money on consoles. They will always come first.

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Only because they release it on console 9-12 months before PC lol

Rockstar will continue doing it, whether it's from double dip shit or just to completely polish the game up to the standard of GTAV's PC version from now on, whatever. Just wait up to a year and play another game, people.

 

[ShutterMunster]

First of all, this is mostly about resources. The fact that a lot of y'all double dip is a bonus. Launching a game of this size and scale across three platforms is a tremendous task and things will inevitably slip through the cracks. There are a ton of fixes in the works for MW and a lot of them are specific to the platforms. Rockstar's games have even more moving parts, it simply isn't worth the risk. Rockstar focuses on nailing the console versions first because that is the biggest market by a large margin. The year allows them to launch and polish the console versions and make sure that when PC launches it's in great shape and the online space is firing on all cylinders.

 

[BobLoblaw]

Their playbook for major releases is pretty clear at this point

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This. Don't kid yourselves people.

First of all, this is mostly about resources. The fact that a lot of y'all double dip is a bonus. Launching a game of this size and scale across three platforms is a tremendous task and things will inevitably slip through the cracks. There are a ton of fixes in the works for MW and a lot of them are specific to the platforms. Rockstar's games have even more moving parts, it simply isn't worth the risk. Rockstar focuses on nailing the console versions first because that is the biggest market by a large margin. The year allows them to launch and polish the console versions and make sure that when PC launches it's in great shape and the online space is firing on all cylinders.

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That's fair and I think most people can completely understand that. I think for some people, seeing other companies being able to nail the console + PC launch makes it more of an annoyance than anything else. Not many are the size of Rockstar, but when Ubisoft can churn out stuff like they do as well as not "secretizing" the PC launch, people want the same from the other big companies.

 

[Deleted member 11421]

You can do business in more ethical way. Yes, Rockstar would lose some double dipper money if they announced RDR2 on PC together with console versions.

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It's about not making promises because they prioritize finishing it on consoles first (the online wasn't even out of beta until many months later). Have we forgotten all of the crunch stories already...

Obviously double dipping is a factor, but it gets way blown out of proportion around these parts. It's a worse look if they kept delaying the port like they have with practically of their previous PC ports. For once, it's coming out on time.

 

[Dust]

Double dip is my name, milking you is my game.

 

[justiceiro]

Still fail to see someone being harmed by this. They are free to keep doing from all I care.

 

[Strangelove_77]

They don't give a shit about reputation or goodwill. You want their game and they know it. They know you'll buy it on console then on pc. Why wouldn't you do what they do? Lose millions of dollars for "good will" even when they know customers can't resist buying their games is idiotic.
Maybe people should show more restraint.

 

[Deleted member 8196]

Yes . They make the bulk of thier money on consoles. They will always come first.

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Take-Two CEO

"The world has changed. When we consider a console release, the PC format can be 40% or 50% now of that revenue. Ten years ago, that number was 1% or 2%. Clearly, the world is changing. A previously closed system is indeed turning into an open system. That means hardware is going to look more like hardware and less like hardware taxing software, which is great news for us."

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No shit they make more money on consoles when RDR2 and GTA V released dates on PC were delayed lmao

 

[Deleted member 11421]

fair point

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That only became mandatory with Red Dead Online (which not everyone is gonna play either), what about the previous 10 years?

Meanwhile we've got people making threads about how announcing the PC port of Death Stranding too early was a poor business decision...so what's the right way, is there one? lol

 

[Ricky]

I doubt Rockstar gives a fuck about customer goodwill when they know people will rush out and buy the game again. You really have to vote with your wallet if you want to see thing like this change.

 

[aerozombie]

Now that they have their own launcher and can sell the game without a store fee, it is possible they have it at launch.

 

[Lashley]

That only became mandatory with Red Dead Online (which not everyone is gonna play either), what about the previous 10 years?

Meanwhile we've got people making threads about how announcing the PC port of Death Stranding too early was a poor business decision...so what's the right way, is there one? lol

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The way DS did it is the right way, except don't keep it a badly kept secret for so long

 

[InsaneLuchador]

Hek yes... sales from PC double dippers must be pretty sweet for them. And considering work conditions in that studio, focusing on a couple platforms to start is probably a better idea than the alternative.

 

[BrickArts295]

It's a strategy that has worked once and most likely will work again.
I wonder if theyll manage to cash in on current gen ports for GTA VI?