Strategy Informer talks about the PS3 version of Section 8 with Robert Siwiak, Director of Production, TimeGate Studios

Strategy Informer: Why was the PlayStation 3 version heavily delayed compared to the Xbox 360 and PC?

Robert Siwiak: The short answer is that we wanted to make sure the PS3 version of Section 8 received the attention it needed to meet the high bar set by the PlayStation player base. It is our first product to be released on the PS3 and we wanted to make sure that it had sufficient time to be a polished product.

We’ve also done a lot to make the experience very custom for PS3 gamers and have included content in the PS3 version that is not available in any other retail version. So despite the game coming out a little later on the PS3, PS3 gamers will have a highly-polished and unique version of the game. Additionally, we setup our publishing infrastructure since we are publishing the game ourselves on the PlayStation Network.

Strategy Informer: The game is now coming out as a downloadable title, what was the motivation behind choosing digital distribution rather than disc based?

Robert Siwiak: The PSN Store is a powerful platform for digital distribution, and we see a lot of potential with this model for future releases. From a production standpoint, you have the advantages of not needing to worry about manufacturing costs and warehousing. Since it ultimately costs less to distribute a digital title, it gives us the ability to pass on some of those savings to our PS3 fan base (in exchange for patiently waiting for the game to come out on the PS3).

Also, looking at the content currently available on the PSN, we were surprised and excited to find that there was a void of full-sized games available, so Section 8 has the opportunity to cater to players that have been eagerly waiting for this kind of experience.

Strategy Informer: The PS3 release sees the addition of new maps, but are there any other specific improvements or additions to this version?

Robert Siwiak: In addition to the new maps, players can expect to find an overall highly-polished product that is optimized for the PS3. We’ve had the benefit of being able to accommodate community feedback to enhance the usability of several features, such as our matchmaking system.

We look forward to talking about our additional improvements/additions as we get closer to release.

Strategy Informer: What is one of the largest improvements made when comparing the PS3 version to the Xbox 360 version.

Robert Siwiak: Our matchmaking solution has been completely overhauled to better service our community. Players should have no trouble connecting to each other on the PS3 release.

We are fully supporting dedicated servers to maintain a high level of quality for the community. These servers will always be populated with a combination of players and bots to ensure that all online players consistently and reliably get the full and complete Section 8 experience.

Strategy Informer: Section 8 was well received by critics and consumers alike, but it's in an incredibly crowded genre. How will it make its mark?

Robert Siwiak: Anytime you break an established mold, you have some people that are eager for a paradigm-shift, while others have a comfort zone that they want maintained.

With Section 8, we pushed a lot of boundaries to truly offer a player-driven experience where gamers are empowered with tons of choices to create a completely dynamic world. You’re choosing where you want to burn-in spawn, how to customize your weapons and powered armor suit, where to dynamically call in vehicle dropships. That level of control sounds awesome to a lot of people, but can understandably be daunting for some.

2009 also saw the release of a lot of great first-person shooters, and inevitably, so will 2010. But Section 8 is here to stay and our commitment to the franchise and our community is very solid.

Strategy Informer: Do you feel that Section 8 will receive more attention on the PS3 due to the Spring release rather than in the busy Autumn schedule, as with 360 and PC?

Robert Siwiak: Definitely. We have a full game’s worth of content, and then some, packed into a very aggressively-priced download. Our presence on the PSN Store also makes for a really convenient way of purchasing Section 8.

Who doesn’t like the idea of getting a full game without having to leave your couch?

Strategy Informer: Will we see any other add-ons to the game, future DLC perhaps?

Robert Siwiak: Nothing that we have publicly announced (Smiles)

Strategy Informer: The Xbox 360 saw a demo before release and many gamers felt that it didn’t really reflect the ultimate product. Is there a plan to release a bigger demo for PS3 users to try before release?

Robert Siwiak: We learned a lot of lessons from our 360 demo and PC open beta, so any future demos would definitely be geared towards giving players a more representative taste of the full game.

Strategy Informer: Are there plans for a sequel to Section 8, perhaps with a more in depth single player campaign?

Robert Siwiak: We are very committed to Section 8 and its community. All we can say at this time is that it has never been our intent for it to be a one-product franchise

Strategy Informer: So far the release date is a tentative “Spring 2010”. Do you have a firm release date at all?

Robert Siwiak: We look forward to sharing that information in the near future.