Jonathan Blow, independent creator of the Xbox Live Arcade's highly successful "Braid," and occasional bomb thrower, is releasing his next title, "The Witness," as a timed exclusive with that other big game company. Sony's Playstation 4 will launch this holiday season with Blow's game in tow. The controversial developer explains why he made the jump.
"To me [Microsoft talks] about a console that is not strictly about games. It's trying to be the center of the living room device, which is fine and maybe it's the right thing for Microsoft to do, business-wise," Blow tells Edge. "I don't know; I actually don't think it is, but they've certainly thought about it more than me! As a place to put the best, highest performing version of our game on, it doesn't seem as good a choice."
Blow admits he doesn't have any information on Microsoft's next console that hasn't already been leaked to the public, but he considers that information "plausible."
At Sony's Playstation 4 event in February, Blow came out on stage to show a game that wasn't about violence, heroism or graphical prowess, though the trailer for "The Witness" wasn't a slouch in the visual department. Instead his next project echoes the methodical pacing seen in "Braid." Players are meant to explore a dense, open world by completing puzzles and unlocking new areas.
"At its core, it's a game about epiphany," Blow explained at the PS4 unveiling, "that instantaneous transition of the mind that takes you from confusion to understanding." Deep stuff, Jonathan, deep stuff.
Sony, according to Blow, is embracing his method of making and publishing games.
"I do think they realize that downloadable games are going to be bigger than they ever have been, and I think they realize that part of success in that area is having developers who are making the most interesting games want to be on their platform," said Blow.
"Braid," which released in 2008, played a large part in popularizing Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade storefront, though Blow tells Edge he felt a sense of Dread in dealing with Microsoft again.
"I don't have that with Sony," he said. Perhaps Sony is hoping he can repeat that success with their new console.