Bethesda Admits Missing Skyrim DLC Isn't Sony's Problem

[Karloff]

Bethesda Admits Missing Skyrim DLC Isn't Sony's Problem

Bethesda's VP of Marketing responds to Hearthfire's absence on the PlayStation 3.

Sometimes Twitter can be a very mixed blessing, as Bethesda Marketing VP Pete Hines can testify. His personal Twitter account lit up with complaints from PS3 users after Bethesda announced the Hearthfire DLC pack [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/9907-The-Elder-Scrolls-V-Skyrim-Hearthfire-Review] was available on Steam. The PS3, on the other hand, hasn't seen Dawnguard DLC yet, much less even a whisper of Hearthfire.

When one angry fan asked why Bethesda blamed the PS3 for DLC issues, Hines responded that Bethesda had never blamed anyone for anything. "It's our problem, and it's on us to solve it," Hines said. Hines was juggling a lot of queries at the time [https://twitter.com/DCDeacon], and said he responded only because so many people were pinging him all the time about PS3 DLC. Hines said he had no new news, and asked for patience when fans continued to inquire about DLC.

Hines didn't want to get into an in-depth Twitter debate but he did say, in response to a question as to what the PS3 problems were, that the performance wasn't good enough. "For most folks, it'd be fine," Hines said. "For some folks, it wouldn't be."

This isn't the first time Hines has had to go to bat for they may not be able to solve [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/119353-Bethesda-Disappointed-Theres-No-PS3-Skyrim-DLC-Yet]. When Skyrim first launched on the PS3 it suffered significant lag issues, and at the time it was thought that the PS3's restrictive memory architecture, coupled with the game's RAM-gobbling saves, could be to blame. Bethesda's playing its cards close to the chest, but a similar issue may plague the DLC.

Source: Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-10-05-skyrim-hearthfire-dlc-hits-steam-as-ps3-owners-begin-to-lose-hope]

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[Fappy]

He's got his work cut out for him it seems. I do not envy Mr. Hines.

 

[Braedan]

People need to stop complaining. If it wont run on the system, it wont run on the system. We don't get mad when Skryrim doesn't run on N64s.

 

[Rainboq]

He's got his work cut out for him it seems. I do not envy Mr. Hines.

Love the new avatar, what's it from?

OT: Sucks to be a PS3 player when it comes to Skyrim. This is why I tend to stick to PC, modding is what basically makes Skyrim for me.

 

[Suicidemoon]

Hehe, now Todd Console and the entire team can't get a console version right. So what now todd? 3DS? IOS apps? Don't try crawling back to the PC like Cliff did.

 

[Gordon Freemonty]

People need to stop complaining. If it wont run on the system, it wont run on the system. We don't get mad when Skryrim doesn't run on N64s.

But Skyrim does run on the PS3. Well, to an extent. With all the problems plaguing the PS3 edition of the game and now this... Well, I'd be pretty mad if I bought an inferior version of the game, whether it was Bethesda's or Sony's fault. Evidently, the game's stability was not tested enough prior to release.

 

[Epona]

People need to stop complaining. If it wont run on the system, it wont run on the system. We don't get mad when Skryrim doesn't run on N64s.

No one bought Skyrim for the N64.

 

[cerebus23]

If they sold it for the ps3 it should work on the ps3, if it does not they should fix it or refund it simple as that imo.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

Wasn't one of the selling points of a console that it's hardware was standardised and thus easy to design/create games for?

 

[Epona]

Wasn't one of the selling points of a console that it's hardware was standardised and thus easy to design/create games for?

No, the hardware is standardized but there is no promise that it will be easy to develop for. If Bethesda is going to sell games on any console, it is their responsibility to ensure that it works. Blaming Sony is silly and Bethesda knows that too.

 

[Imp_Emissary]

Well this stinks. I was hoping I could build my house while I wait for Dawngaurd.

 

[Zagzag]

If they sold it for the ps3 it should work on the ps3, if it does not they should fix it or refund it simple as that imo.

No, the hardware is standardized but there is no promise that it will be easy to develop for. If Bethesda is going to sell games on any console, it is their responsibility to ensure that it works. Blaming Sony is silly and Bethesda knows that too.

This is exactly what they are doing. They have decided not to (yet) release the DLC for the PS3 because it won't work. Would you rather they release it anyway, and have to put up with the same shitstorm they got when people discovered the save file issue on the PS3 in the first place? Given that the way their game's engine works, adding extra plugins will definitely increase the PS3 lag issues, and I'm not convinced that this can actually be solved.

The problem that they were having in the first place was the ever increasing save file sizes taking up too much RAM, and therefore causing lag. Since installing plugins (mods or DLC) on the PC increases the game's RAM usage, it would be natural to assume that this also happens on consoles. Due to the RAM architecture on the PS3 this would probably make the game nigh unplayable right off the bat, even if your save file isn't exactly huge. I'd very much like to be proven wrong, but I suspect that there just isn't enough RAM on a PS3 to run Skyrim + DLC.

 

[Agow95]

If they sold it for the ps3 it should work on the ps3, if it does not they should fix it or refund it simple as that imo.

Skyrim does work for the PS3, they're not selling the DLC yet because it won't work and they're trying to fix it. If they released content that didn't work your argument would suddenly make sense and they'd get a lot of complaints from PS3 users.

 

[Fappy]

-Snip-

-Snip-

I've been asked this question 1,000 times since yesterday XD

It's from Darker than Black. I should make that my custom forum title >.>

 

[BehattedWanderer]

Oh ffs, Bethesda. All of your games have this problem on the PS3. Fallout 3 and New Vegas both lagged out the ass with either large save files or all the content added on. 40 minutes in and the game would start to slooooooooow dooooowwwn. If it's a conflict between how your engine actually runs and operates the game and the existing hardware, short of building a whole new engine for a potentially soon-to-be-replaced console, there's not much you can do except suck it up, release the content to those that want it, and say "We know there's a problem, we'll try and fix it for the future, have the same content at a slightly reduced price for the disadvantage. The issue lies in how our tools access their system, so it's not their fault, but there's little we can do at this time. Sorry."

Seriously who cares that much about Hearthfire anyway? I want to play Skyrim not Fable 3.

It's the principle of the thing. If you release a multi-platform game, then abandon a third of the people interested, you're failing to serve the customers you already have. Nintendo ran into the same problem when they shifted to broadening their audience, and look at the vehement despair/rage that came of that from the dedicated gaming community. A game touted as equal on three platforms is expected to hold that standard. It dramatically shifts buying preferences if large amounts of content don't appear on one of the platforms (see: Team Fortress 2 on the Xbox, though I can't imagine why you'd want to see that).

 

[Rainboq]

-Snip-

-Snip-

I've been asked this question 1,000 times since yesterday XD

It's from Darker than Black. I should make that my custom forum title >.>

XD That's what happens when you have an awesome avatar.

 

[Fappy]

-Snip-

-Snip-

I've been asked this question 1,000 times since yesterday XD

It's from Darker than Black. I should make that my custom forum title >.>

XD That's what happens when you have an awesome avatar.

Most of the questions were geared more towards, "WHY THE FUCK DID YOU CHANGE IT FROM THE CAT!?"

Thanks though, I like it too :3

 

[IronMit]

i got skyrim last month on the ps3...5 days before a patch was released (the one that lets you fight on horseback).

It crashed a few times before which was frustrating(lets say every 10 hours)..since the patch it crashes lets say every 30 hours and those odd frame rate dips are gone. That's not bad,considering most full games don't even last that long.

I'm 180 hours into this game....on the 3rd act now...already planning my next play through to role play with a different race and build that's sympathetic to the Imperials.

I knew of the open world Bethesda engine having problem's with the PS3 from fallout reviews so i don't actually mind.

I was waiting to get a good pc to buy the game but i ran out of money and purchased it on the PS3. I am very happy overall.

I was going to make a point but i forgot due to the awesomenes of skyrim......i guess what i'm saying is 99% of hardcore gamer's the kind that are more likely to buy dlc would already know these issues so shouldn't be so surprised.
The other gamers that feel short changed...well £40 for this game was still worth it..and the trade in value is still high...