Rumor: Microsoft Paying Third Party Publishers Not To Show Their Games At Sony’s PS4 Press Conference

Just before E3 happens, we’re getting word that Microsoft is cutting deals with major publishers like EA to only show their games at the Xbox One conference.

It’s no secret that multiplatform games will look better on PS4, and because of that, and also because Microsoft wants to portray Xbox One as the definitive all-in-one box that primarily plays games, the company is literally throwing money at these publishers so Xbox One gets all the third party shine at E3.

I’m talking Battlefield 4, FIFA 14, the new Ubisoft games, Call of Duty: Ghosts and more. Monies are being thrown around, people on NeoGAF say, and publishers are apparently grabbing.

Now this is only a rumor but just remember if you don’t see certain games as Sony’s press conference and running on PS4, you’ll know that said rumor was actually true.

Some may say such a move is simply a waste of money, but it’s not. Think about this. All the major media outlets will be present. I’m talking CNN, ABC, BBC, NBC, FOX News and more – they’ll all be present to cover E3, and they’ll take footage of their coverage straight to their millions of viewers who know nothing about used game-blocking DRM, always-online and the other features of Xbox One that core gamers have been complaining about. Based on just coverage, which console do you think consumers will choose if mostly all the big games are shown on one platform? Yeah, you guessed it. Plus, Microsoft has cancelled its post-E3 roundtable with the games media.

But Sony has a strong first and second party lineup, enough to rival all the publishers combined, so I’m not afraid for the giant. I guess this is what Microsoft meant when one of its executive said that they intend to “kill” Sony at E3.

Thanks, NeoGAF.