PlayStation 4 Getting The Witness First Because Next Xbox Isn’t Strictly About Gaming

Jonathan Blow detailed why his next game The Witness was going to be a timed exclusive for the PlayStation 4.

Speaking with Edge, Blow talked about why the decision to appear exclusively on the PS4 was a good one. “Yeah, there were a lot of reasons why it was a good choice,” Blow said. “Some were technical – we haven’t officially been disclosed on Microsoft’s next console, but we do see the same leaks as everyone else has, and they seem plausible. To me they talk about a console that is not strictly about games. It’s trying to be the centre of the living room device, which is fine and maybe it’s the right thing for Microsoft to do, business-wise."

Blow also pointed out his past experiences with Microsoft, and those of his friends, as contributing to the decision to take The Witness elsewhere first. “I’ve had a bad time working with Microsoft in the past,” Blow explained. “Maybe not super bad, but a moderately bad time in terms of business relationships. Other developers who are friends of mine have had a horrible time, so the idea of signing up again with Microsoft isn’t something I’d have ruled out, but there’s a certain amount of dread I have about doing that again. I don’t have that with Sony."

What do you think of Blow's statements? Are you glad to see an indie developer jump ship, or do you think he's overreacting to Microsoft's purported focus for its next-gen console?