Gamescom: Microsoft press conference (August 4; Scalebound, Crackdown, QB, H5+ more)
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Steverulez
Member
But if it doesn't, then I don't think Microsoft would bother. The whole point is that they want people to have a Microsoft account, gamertag and play/buy across Xbox One and PC.
Its not their aim to segregate the game (and multiplayer community) they want to bring them together and if Steam can't do that they won't do it. They also shouldn't do that because its a silly idea.
Although you can use third-party stuff like UPlay on Steam, so its probably possibly they will just use Steam as a "storefront" and everything else goes through W10 etc?
Doug Heffernan
Member
Also, the argument that Microsoft has released games on Steam in the past, so they will now is no longer valid. When Microsoft was releasing games on Steam, it was because they had just killed their old PC marketplace and literally had nowhere else to sell them. Now they have the marketplace to sell on, so Steam is no longer necessary.
unapersson
Member
As one of those ten, well running Linux rather than a steambox, I can promise I won't be expecting Microsoft to support Linux. We've had almost two decades to get used to their attitude to Linux
You realize Windows 8 came out in 2012 right?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_games_published_by_Microsoft_Studios#Steam
Aren't there games on Steam that use backend services like Origin and Uplay?
I could see MS putting games on Steam so long as they had to use Live as the backend for online play.
As one of those ten, well running Linux rather than a steambox, I can promise I won't be expecting Microsoft to support Linux. We've had almost two decades to get used to their attitude to Linux
It's probably not on the near horizon, but MS has started to support Linux in Azure.
EDIT: Let me clarify to avoid confusion. I know the Linux support is business-oriented, but when you couple that with the fact that MS is also supporting iOS and Android with their software, it may not be completely out of the question that their games become device and OS agnostic someday. I would guess Linux is so small in the game market that it's probably really, really far off.
Doug Heffernan
Member
You realize there's a difference right? Windows 8 store was all tablet-compatible games. Windows 10 is no longer tablet-focused.
Windows 8 was modern apps only. Windows 10 can do actual windows apps.
dragonelite
Member
Two completely different markets
Yep, which is why I said it's not on the near horizon.
The fact that MS is supporting releases of key software like Office on iOS and Android as well could indicate that someday their games could be device and OS agnostic (as long as you're logged into Live somehow).
Yes but they did sell the App like games on Steam as well such as the Halo Spartans
Hopefully they keep releasing on both marketplaces.
Which would require Gabe and Phil having a little chat first
Now that you mention it the MS KI team did a panel with Iron Galaxy at Evo and repeatedly stated that the Xbox and Windows versions would run the same through and through (minus more graphics options on PC and so on).
I don't think MS will drop Steam as a storefront cold turkey though.
PanicFreak
Member
Do you have a PC?
Chobel
Member
It's not about me. If I want some PC game, I don't really care if it's not available on steam. However if MS really want to expand the audience of KI, then they should release it on Steam. Windows Store in its current state, won't add that much new players for KI.
Steam would be a great idea if Microsoft's primary goal was to sell games. But it's not, so why would they need to release their games there?
Precisely, Windows 8 and Windows 10 have extremely different foci. Windows 8 was Microsoft's grand attempt to unify all platforms with the primary goal of establishing Windows as a major brand in smart phones and tablets. Windows 10 is an attempt to recover lost ground in the fight against the possibility of suffering lowered relevance in their key business segments. And in the latter, Microsoft is concentrating on the areas where they already have a stranglehold, notebooks and desktops, and trying to leverage that into a locked in marketplace.
I doubt that increasing the audience of Killer Instinct is going to be much of a priority among Microsoft's decision makers.
I get that, but pretty much everyone will be upgrading to Windows 10 due to it being free. Which means EVERYONE will be 1 button click from the Windows Store and Xbox Live. They want to grow THAT store and Xbox Live through PC also, as it's free now and doesn't cost PC users, I see people using it.
Yes Steam is larger, but the whole point behind Windows 10 is to get everyone onto that Eco System.
Steverulez
Member
At the end of the day, they want to sell products, in the case of Microsoft Studios their primary goal is to sell games, if they're putting their money/investment into these ports and none of them are selling because they're not on Steam, doesn't that kind of make the venture pointless for games?
ehh. I'd say promoting the windows 10 store is a bit more important than selling the ports. Sales are still important though
The Windows division is a thousand times more valuable to Microsoft than all of their gaming segments, so who do you think is calling the shots? Even if a Windows Store-only game only sells a tiny portion of what it would sell on Steam, but it manages to accelerate the adoption of the Store, then Microsoft is sacrificing something that doesn't really matter to them to gain something that's extremely important. Isn't that kind of decision pretty easy to make?
That's not to say that Microsoft wouldn't release any of their games on Steam, but it should come as a surprise if they did so.
Doug Heffernan
Member
Why on Earth would Microsoft give a percentage of their sales to Valve when they now have their own marketplace?
For more potential sales?
So should Nintendo go third party for more potential sales?
This is all about the Microsoft ecosystem.
For more potential sales?
So should Nintendo go third party for more potential sales?
This is all about the Microsoft ecosystem.
Steverulez
Member
Surely a big chance of Microsoft doing that is using Steam as a trojan horse to get people into their eco-system, you still require those accounts (Microsoft/Gamertag).
Im not even necessarily thinking they will use Steam, in fact I said the opposite above but I can see the merit in doing it. Seems like a crazy tactic for someone else to hamstring Phil Spencer's ability to improve his division (by making more money) if someone else above him is "calling the shots" on where he can and can't release things. He's always been supportive of Valve, they even have a relationship for VR
They need to face the reality that in the gaming market it would be unfair to suggest they are leagues behind Steam because they're not even in the same tournament. Building up the Windows store particularly for games is going to take years, they'd probably be better off offering better/distinct features compared to Steam then pretending it doesn't it exist entirely.
Eugh, Nintendo is such a lazy argument, they don't make and own Windows, Microsoft do its one of their platforms and Nintendo only keep their own games on their own platforms. Microsoft don't release their games on for Mac and Linux for that reason too.
Using Steam as a storefront in the short-term at least isn't exactly a horrible idea
Banjo-Kazooie
Member
Actually incredibly wise. If people want to buy KI they will have to do so in THEIR store where they get the full profit of the game sale and don't have to give any percentage to STEAM. I think that margin alone is worth it for them by any "lost" consumers who refuse to buy anything not on STEAM.
Doug Heffernan
Member
Crossbuy/crossplay also becomes an incentive to sell more consoles, so it's absolutely in Microsoft's best interest to keep PC sales in their marketplace.
Chobel
Member
Here's the thing, most people only use Steam. So they're not really refusing to buy anything not on Steam, they just won't know the game exists.
Calm Killer
In all media, only true fans who consume every book, film, game, or pog collection deserve to know what's going on.
This whole thread turned into a steam or else thread. To me it is a dumb stance. I don't care if I buy the game at WalMart or target. I play it on PC. Steam or windows store, it doesn't matter.
Calm Killer
In all media, only true fans who consume every book, film, game, or pog collection deserve to know what's going on.
This seems like a terrible argument to me. If you want to buy a game you know how to buy it. Not because steam told me to buy it.
Poodlestrike
Banned
No Sea of Thieves is a bummer, but I'm still super hyped.
There is nothing stopping them I would imagine, at least nothing other than the 30% that Steam takes. I personally don't see why one would want to purchase it on Steam anyway though. Different friends list, different friend communication methods, different cheevos, etc. Seems like a weird mix to want to deal with.
No. No one here is excited to see Quantam Break, Scalebound, Crackdown and some more Halo 5. Not a single person. It's going to be terrible.
Not sure that MS studios primary goal is only to sell games. I think it would be accurate to say to sell games that drive Microsoft platform growth. Nadella has aligned the divisions to support his three core platforms of Windows, Azure, and Office. Everything they're doing supports one or more of those in a way. He's not having any of the other divisions run as individual businesses like they did in the Ballmer era.
For example, their push of applications on all mobile devices including competing OS and devices is not just for having the application endpoints. Nadella said he thinks of it from the perspective of what's behind those endpoints, Azure. He reiterates that no matter if it's Office, Skype, Wunderlist, Sunrise, etc., there's a Microsoft Account (MSA) in there and the backend is Azure.
If we apply that same line of thinking to games then I think in the quest to drive Windows and/or Azure usage that Xbox games could end up on multiple stores (entry points), perhaps even on other OS, but there will almost always be hooks into Xbox Live at the very least to get the MSA and drive OS and/or cloud usage. I could imagine Microsoft starting to build stores into games for DLC sales, offering special discounts if bought through the Windows Store and/or with a Live subscription.
Siberia, but yes, exciting shit awaits. I don't remember any games taking place there*.
*that I have played.
Been waiting so long to see gameplay for Scalebound and Crackdown. If there are two games that would sell me on the XB1, it's these two. Scalebound in particular, that feeling of seeing a strong, fresh new IP for the first time.
ReCore should be here as well since it's releasing early in 2016 right?
ReCore should be here as well since it's releasing early in 2016 right?
Sony will win it.
CalamityPixel
Member
No, Atari will.
Rodney McKay
Member
Calm Killer
In all media, only true fans who consume every book, film, game, or pog collection deserve to know what's going on.
Thing is, I'm sure there are a lot of PC game players that only use Steam as their gateway to all things PC games. They probably installed it to play DOTA or TF2 and it just pops up at the launch of their PC and the storefront what they think of when they think of playing PC games
You and I don't because we are big enough fans to post on a video game forum, so we're definitely educated enough to hear about and find any game that's available. But unless your game gets the popularity of Minecraft or have a huge marketing campaign behind it (neither are things I'm guessing the PC release of Killer Instinct will get) I doubt a lot of people are going to know about this game or where to get it, so having it be exclusive to one store doesn't seem like a good business move for either driving adoption of their store or selling units without a 30% takeaway from whatever third party storefront they decide to use.
Like others have said, I think it makes a lot more sense for Microsoft to tie in the individual games with their Xbox Live services, to get people to sign up for a Microsoft account so they can email customers directly about their products and services. Hopefully that won't suck as much as buying a GFWL game on Steam and having it as another shitty layer before you can access your game, but I think that's still the smartest move for Microsoft to drive adoption of its services rather than just getting people to use their store.
EDIT: ANYHOO, I think Microsoft's showcase at Gamescom sounds pretty great. If Crackdown turns out to be as amazing as I hope it will be, then it may be the game that finally gets me to buy a current gen console. (assuming it doesn't come to PC eventually)
OrbitalBeard
Member
What evidence do we have that Scalebound has co-op? Not doubting you, I just don't remember reading anything about that.
BluenoseGames
Member
Yeah I can't wait to see more of Siberia too its all we've seen I need Syria ! I'm glad that they're taking us to more locations my guess :
Syria start, back to london flat and meet with Jonah , Siberia and maybe Syria again but the way people are talking about the Syria portion (behind closed doors @E3) makes it seem like its a 1 -2 hour prologue thing before Siberia. I bet this Syria demo is the demo we see at Gamescom too.
Its beautiful !
I would honestly rather they didn't tbh. Anything sold through Steam is more likely to have the PC players default to communication through Steam.... it'd create an invisible divide in the community imo, where PC players are less likely to interact directly with the current playerbase.
fallingdove
Member
Really excited for Scalebound. I missed out on Bayonetta 2 and have been having withdrawals since MGR was released. I need a good fast paced action game in me life again.
Oh, hot damn, I thought you misspelled Siberia. I had no idea about it taking place in Syria. Looks great, a lot of environmental variety, then.
What they can do is let users import Steam games into their Windows Store accounts, at least the games that are available on both storefronts. I remember Origin doing this, I imported my Crysis 2 and Sims 3 serial keys from Steam into Origin.
Double post third time this week! Argghh, apologies.
Backfoggen
Banned
Has any of that been confirmed?
Totally agree.
I'm late to the party. Any info yet on titles that will be XB1/PC crossbuy via Windows Store?
For a refresh that's supposed to get a big push from the release of Windows 10, Microsoft has sure been quiet as to the specifics of the Windows Store.
Fable Legends and Gigantic along with the Microsoft games so far, but Windows hasn't launched yet, and they confirmed Windows 10 talk will be at Gamescom, so there's that.
Oh, cool. Good to know. Thanks.
Oh well, there's plenty of other stuff to get excited about. Thanks for the info. Sounds like they could be showing stuff later this year as well.
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