A conflict in the Style Guide has been found and we will need to rectify it using a poll, but for now we will have this discussion thread.
At the top of the
Platform post of the Adv Guide:
Games Released for multiple or co-branded platforms
There are some instances where a game release has multiple branding or compatibilities listed. In older titles this was mostly seen for micros, but has also become more common as modern consoles enter transition periods. In these instances, the game should be put into the category for the newer console.
Examples
- Xbox 360 / Xbox One co-branding: should go into Xbox One category. See Bully - Scholarship Edition
- Xbox One / Xbox Series X co-branding: should go into Xbox Series X category. See Gears Tactics
- PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 co-branding: should go into PlayStation 5 category. See Need Example
Games where another platform is marked as compatible
There are some game releases for a specific platform, but mention compatibility for another platform on the packaging. These types of items should be put into the category that the release is meant for, and to note the compatibility in Description field, and put the relevant compatibility text into Box Text.
Examples
- Xbox One branding with Xbox Series X compatibility note, should go into Xbox One category. See The Dark Pictures: Little Hope
- PS4 branding with PS5 compatibility note, should go into PS4 category. See Watch Dogs: Legion
The original or un-written rule, pre-community investment and pre-adv Guide was that a game release that is branded for multiple console was to classify them as for the most recent console. This was particularly in reference to older systems such as Atari 2600/7800 and various micros in Europe. And along with it came the Xbox 360 / Xbox One releases, where they ended up in Xbox One categories.
However, something happened just recently with the introduction of the Xbox One / Xbox One X and PS4 / PS5 co-branded releases that some had thought that the games should be in a category based on what the packaging actually said. And this concept was put into the Adv Guide as the two sections:
- Co-branding
- Co-branding with compatibility note
However, the examples shown in the first section (Bully and Gears Tactics) are actually not valid examples for that, and are instead relative examples for compatibility notes. And there are edit wars over items moving them to different categories (one user keeps trying to put an Xbox 360 Oblivion entry into the Xbox One category) and many dupes have been created and edits have been put in to move Star Wars Squadrons around.
As Gears Tactics
was in the Xbox Series X category, before actual covers became available where it was found it has this text: "For use only with Xbox One or new consoles with optical drive" and now it is in the Xbox One category.
Bully Scholarship Edition has a similar situation where it has text: "For use with Xbox 360 entertainment systems with NTSC designation", but is currently in the Xbox One category and not the Xbox 360 category.
The possible solutions that we can have (may +/- more later as the discussion progresses)
1. Co-branded games go in the category of the newest console
2. Co-branded games go in the category of the oldest console
3. Co-branded games that have compatibility info go into the category represented by that text, if compatibility text is not present then it goes into the category of the newer console
4. Create co-branded game categories ala
Sega CD 32X [NA]*
*note: it is worth it to point out that the Sega CD 32X example is alone in this to only have the [NA] category, while the other regions do not have a separate category.
And this would include things such as:
- PS4 / PS5
- Xbox 360 / Xbox One
- Xbox One / Xbox One X
- Atari 7800 / 2600 (these games are currently in the 2600 category)
Also note that this discussion is
only in reference to branding and
NOT having anything to do with compatibilities that exist beyond that, such as the fact that 2600 games can be played on a 7800, PlayStation games can be played on a PS3 or GameCube games can be played on a Wii.... or
most cartridge or disc based games can be played on a computer with appropriate hardware and/or software.
Also note that this does not resolve the
other issue that faces micros in Europe, where single game releases for multiple current systems were made. I can't think of a specific example at the moment, but there are various games that may support both C64 and Amstrad CPC, among others.
