Piracy "pushed" id to create multiplatform games

id Software's CEO Todd Hollenshead has revealed that videogame piracy "has pushed id as being multiplatform."

In a lecture on videogame piracy during last week's GDC, he explained that the Doom and Quake developer started to eye console platforms as a method to battle the financial loss piracy incurs.

Enemy Territory: Quake Wars was given as an example of id's multiplatform direction. Originally in development for PC at the hands of Splash Damage and id Software, the multiplayer-focused action game is now additionally heading to Xbox 360 and PS3.

In related news, the topic of videogame piracy was brought upduring a panel discussion focusing on the future of PC gaming at GDC last week.

In the discussion, Soren Johnson - designer/lead programmer, Sid Meier's Civilization III & IV - said "game design on the PC is going to bend toward persistence" as in MMOGs. Massively multiplayer online games succeed because "You cannot pirate an MMO. Period,"said Johnson.

Sources: Joystiq, ExtremeTech

March 12, 2007

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