Microsoft's partnership with Crytek to develop Xbox 360 exclusive Ryse represents the "perfect marriage" of the manufacturer's Kinect strategy and the developer's creative aspirations, according to corporate vice-president Phil Spencer.
Microsoft considered bringing Crytek on board as a first party studio a few years ago, Spencer explained, but felt Crytek projects of the time were too close in style and subject matter to certain other Xbox 360 titles.
"I do think it's about quality," he commented when asked how he felt about Microsoft's hardcore software slate. "And the relationship with Crytek is a perfect example. The first time we met with [Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli] and the team was around seven or eight years ago, and we started talking about what it'd mean for them to become first party."
"And it was a process of what do you guys want to do, what's unique for us, and they were just going to do Crysis, and they'd just come out of Far Cry, and we said we've probably got enough military future shooters, so go do that.
"Then they came up with this idea around Ryse, and now they've really fallen in love with Kinect, and it's a perfect marriage for us."
Once known as Project Kingdoms, Ryse is a rather brutal first-person brawler which uses Kinect as a full-body controller. Here's the E3 trailer.
4 comments so far...
rafoca on 4 Jul '11 said:
I hope this game supports Kinect, but don´t be a Kinect Only game. I want this gme to be playable with the xbox 360 controller.
Waffles2541 on 4 Jul '11 said:
Too right, i hope they don't forget about the large number of people who don't have or don't want kinect.
Bubblebeard JS on 21 Dec '11 said:
I Really hope it is Kinect Only, to many games are trying to incorporate it with a controller and it just dont work, take Halo Anniversary for example, shouting grenade at the tele or even reload when the button is right in front of you dont seem logical, and it dont even work properly, i shouted grenade and my flashlight came on instead.
this is a first person gladiator game in respect, the perfect first real hardcore KINECT ONLY game. its the only way it wan work and with Crytek on board, its only gonna be brilliant.
CunningSmile on 21 Dec '11 said:
I agree with Bubble. If developers keep trying to make games that are Kinect optional all we will ever get is the same stuff we already have with badly executed Kinect pasted on. If this tech is ever going to live up to the potential it has it will take someone of Crytek's reputation to say "screw everyone else, we are making this from the ground up with Kinect in mind." Then we might start seeing some interesting uses for it.