GHG
Gold Member
He's half right.
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Hellblade 2 failed to make Top 100 in Europe during May (launch month)
He's half right.
The problem here is not Gamepass, it's that these short graphical "experiences" with very little gameplay are well known to be super niche products.
Ninja Theory should have built on the foundation of the original to make a much better game, instead they basically took all Microsoft’s money to learn how to use UE5, pay the mocap studio and travel around the world to find the artistic inspiration
If the studio survives they'll be tasked to do something completely different.
Ninja Theory should have built on the foundation of the original to make a much better game, instead they basically took all Microsoft’s money to learn how to use UE5, pay the mocap studio and travel around the world to find the artistic inspiration
If the studio survives they'll be tasked to do something completely different.
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lol. I didn't buy it. 
BobLeeSwagger
Banned
MisterXDTV
Member
"Gamepass improves sales"
bender
What time is it?
Just watch a Youtube playthrough with a DualSense in your hand while holding the left analog stick up.
Bojanglez
The Amiga Brotherhood
4 years development, cost of maybe ~$50m? MS got a 4hr sequel to a game that was not that successful in the first place. Who knows if it pulled it's weight in subscription value.
I think I'm one way they did, because they used it to promote Gamepass longer than it was relevant once released on Gamepass
skyfinch
Member
PS5 is more powerful. The port would be easy, and they would do a solid 60fps version with less story and more action.
Dr. Wilkinson
Member
Again... Why would people buy the game for $70 when you could quickly play through it on Game Pass for $10 or $16 a month? I feel like Microsoft must have expected very little from individual copies sold of this game at MSRP. There wasn't even a physical version, right?
I thought the whole model they were going for was having their studios bolster the Game Pass lineup to drive subscriptions. Not having this intention that Hellblade 2 would've somehow lit up the sales charts. It's a 5-10 hour game. If that's not the model then I really don't know what they're going for.
I thought the whole model they were going for was having their studios bolster the Game Pass lineup to drive subscriptions. Not having this intention that Hellblade 2 would've somehow lit up the sales charts. It's a 5-10 hour game. If that's not the model then I really don't know what they're going for.
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Gambit2483
Member
I almost feel bad for Ninja Theory. Almost.
Dr. Wilkinson
Member
Than Series X? Ehhh. That's debatable/ negligible at best.
Kokoloko85
Member
Phil Spencer: Game Pass leads to more game sales
This past weekend's X018 event was, arguably, a two-hour long advertisement for Game Pass, and given what Microsoft gam…
www.gamesindustry.biz
Phil was right all along
GHG
Gold Member
Well the bold isn't happening either.
yazenov
Member
The people who were defending this clearly bullshit lie looks so dumb right now. They were so dumb to us back then as well.
Its basically common sense.
MayauMiao
Member
Ooof, looking at the number of concurrent players on Steam seems it's not doing so hot there either
More ooof, the first one still beats it after 7 years.
Nydius
Member
Can’t say I’m surprised. It’s a niche game at best and the gameplay was a downgrade from the original in every aspect outside of graphics.
Dropping it on Game Pass guaranteed the sales were going to tank. If Xbox suits thought this game was going to sell Game Pass Ultimate subs, they were delusional. Especially since we know their subscriber numbers from April 2022 are the exact same as their announced Game Pass subscriber numbers from February 2024 (34m), which means NONE of their big 2023 releases drove new long term subs. Not Hi-Fi, not Redfall, not Starfield, not Forza. If those didn’t move the needle, Hellblade 2 certainly wasn’t likely to either.
Dropping it on Game Pass guaranteed the sales were going to tank. If Xbox suits thought this game was going to sell Game Pass Ultimate subs, they were delusional. Especially since we know their subscriber numbers from April 2022 are the exact same as their announced Game Pass subscriber numbers from February 2024 (34m), which means NONE of their big 2023 releases drove new long term subs. Not Hi-Fi, not Redfall, not Starfield, not Forza. If those didn’t move the needle, Hellblade 2 certainly wasn’t likely to either.
Little Chicken
Member
I'm happy Microsoft has the courage to create amazing niche titles while others chase GaaS rubbish
diffusionx
Gold Member
$50M was the price of, like, a PS3/360 game 15 years ago.
This was at least a $100 million game, probably more like $200 million.
Starbuck2907
Member
Sales don’t matter on Xbox. Only subs.
Do you think Netflix is worried about the sales if Stranger Things blue rays or if it is driving sub growth?
The game probably wasn’t a big hit. But sales isn’t the metric to look at. Subs matter at Microsoft, not sales. This is just like what they did 25 years ago with MS Office - disincentivize traditional sales and move the market to a subscription model.
Do you think Netflix is worried about the sales if Stranger Things blue rays or if it is driving sub growth?
The game probably wasn’t a big hit. But sales isn’t the metric to look at. Subs matter at Microsoft, not sales. This is just like what they did 25 years ago with MS Office - disincentivize traditional sales and move the market to a subscription model.
ChorizoPicozo
Member
there is a common denominator here.... and it's MS.
Horseganador
Member
I see the same future for the responsible studio as others, they will make the port to PS5 and then close them.
Varteras
Member
Frankly, I've not felt that Ninja Theory was all that great of a studio for awhile. I think they were an impulse buy when Spencer was trying to build a bigger stable for Gamepass.
Yes. It's all still a management issue and a series of bad gambles. But I don't think they deserve mercy at this point.
Astray
Member
Game cost $50, not $70, and it is honestly too much still.
I considered it to test out my new pc rig, but even then the cost was way too steep for the offering.
Angry_Megalodon
Member
If this turd cost more than 30-40 million to make it's the scam of the century. Kudos to the team for the white glove robbery.
Dr. Wilkinson
Member
Right. Yeah I totally agree. Honestly didn't know it was $50. But still, like I really doubt Xbox team expected high sales of the game at full retail. I thought they wanted people to subscribe to Game Pass in order to play these big games to get people to subscribe. If that's not their plan then I guess I just don't understand the Xbox plan anymore.
Have a bunch of studios > studios pump new exclusive games into Game Pass > people subscribe to Game Pass to play them and makes Xbox lots of money from subscriptions, which pays for the whole thing. Like, I thought they didn't even care about title sales anymore.
If that's not Xbox's model, and they're internally disappointed that games like Hellblade II aren't lighting up the sales charts, then I really don't think their model works.
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Dr. Wilkinson
Member
Oh it for sure did. Like, it took them 7 years. Games are ridiculously expensive to make now.
Banjo64
cumsessed
Microsoft don’t have the bollocks to create a Conker 2 or something that people would actually want to play, but will invest millions in this poorly written mental illness simulator. Crazy.
Daneel Elijah
Member
A lot have been said about Arkane Austin and Tango. How they had games already in dev when Xbox got them. How they did not want to get them, but had to in the process of buying Zenimax. How they have been better than the alternative. Here none of it should work. Xbox got them after Hellblade 1. They let them finish their GAAS game and then made them work on Hellblade 2. They were in charge since day one of it. They choose how to market it and how much to pay for it. They acted as a publisher once again since day one. Ninja Theory did what they have been told to do, and gave us what they could. For them to be fired because of it would be 100% because of Xbox bad management. IF Xbox wanted the game sooner, they had ways to do so. If they wanted more gameplay, they had the means to ask them to do so. If they wanted more game time, same answer. They choose to put it on Gamepass, and to let Ninja Theory do their thing. They got exactly what they wanted. Now should be the time to work with them to make their next game better, or at least have better prospects. I know that Microsoft will probably end them too, but it would be their fault if that happen. And Ninja Theory should deserve another chance, if Xbox have a good producer to handle them. Sony, Nintendo, the big publishers have many of those, can't Xbox have a good manager go there a few months?
Gambit2483
Member
The fact that theirs was one of the first games to be announced/revealed for the console and then comes out just last month only to be 5 fucking hours long and have reduced gameplay depth from the original title makes wonder what the hell they were doing all this time..!?
Only to have the game be a complete commercial flop.
Outside of their mocap technology, I can't see how Xbox/MS still values them as a development team.
Fess
Member
I remember you talking about it pre-launch.
You liked it?
I disliked the puzzles but otherwise I loved it, the combat was so awesome, I want more. If MS end up closing Ninja Theory then they deserve all the misfortune I can think of. Don’t you dare doing it, MS!!
I bought it on Steam and it was worth every penny, short but the first game I’ve played that succussfully merged two of my hobbies, gaming and movies.
Haven’t played TLOU2 yet, guess it would be another one. I’ll try it when it’s on Steam, saw someone post the final fight, was very very cool and similar to what I got in Hellblade 2. As long as I can get my Elden Rings too there should be a place in the industry for these over-produced short movie-like experiences too.
Kenneth Haight
Gold Member
ninja theory devs waiting for the email from Spencer/Bond/Booty beginning “it is with deep regret….”
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
This should’ve been a Heavenly Sword style action game.
Varteras
Member
I never shy away from pointing out the piss poor management of Xbox. But these guys spent 5 years, minimum, on a game that lasts not even 6 hours, with miniscule gameplay, that you mostly just walk forward in. That is not just on Xbox. And I sincerely doubt it was a situation where they didn't want to make that sequel.
Kacho
Gold Member
Who didn’t see this coming? Ninja Theory is a trash tier studio like Bloober is. I will always laugh when I think back on Phil pushing this as a system seller for Series X. Like LOL!
At some point they knew they had a stinker, which is why there was no physical release and it had a $50 price tag. They put together a half-assed marketing campaign and shoved it out the door.
I’m sure it failed to drive Game Pass growth too. This is why it’s important to have people at a gaming company who understand gaming. I don’t care how desperate Microsoft was for studios at the time, Ninja Theory was a terrible purchase.
At some point they knew they had a stinker, which is why there was no physical release and it had a $50 price tag. They put together a half-assed marketing campaign and shoved it out the door.
I’m sure it failed to drive Game Pass growth too. This is why it’s important to have people at a gaming company who understand gaming. I don’t care how desperate Microsoft was for studios at the time, Ninja Theory was a terrible purchase.
Varteras
Member
To be fair, kinda hard to market a single player narrative game when you only need about 10 minutes to highlight every noteworthy moment in it.
Daneel Elijah
Member
At some point who is to blame will have to be decided, and Ninja Theory failed in many ways, yes. But unless they lied to Xbox, they did what they have been asked for. If Xbox was smart they would have just needed some exclusivity. They choose to buy the whole studio. Look at Sony and destruction allstar. Not the same problem, Sony just helped the studio then left it to survive on its own. And they did survive. How can Ninja Theory deserve less, when they are under one of the biggest corporation on Earth. They have a working studio, Xbox should have managed them better. You can't push a studio you own to do their own thing then kill it for doing what you asked them to do. Not fair and it will harm all Xbox studios if they continue this in the future.
Astray
Member
Mattyplays had a great point in his review of the game, and I say this from memory: The game doesn't have a huge marketing campaign because they already exhausted all the good non-spoilery shots previously released trailers.
Really makes you think about not only what Ninja Theory was doing, but also the amount of neglect the Xbox leadership pays to their studios. It really feels like they get surprised by the state of their games all the time.
Unknown?
Member
Yeah we didn't need this to know it was a flop.Nothingburger of a news
Self High Five
Member
Wait, this was a $50 release and it didn't have a physical release? lol
This is what gaming has come to
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Clear
CliffyB's Cock Holster
Gotta stress the point that I wasn't dissing the game out of hand; its simply that the market for a (relatively) expensive, short, artsy game like Hellblade 2 is vanishingly small today.
The bitter irony is that a big part of the reason for its lack of saleability is Game Pass, and services like it, devaluing product.
The bitter irony is that a big part of the reason for its lack of saleability is Game Pass, and services like it, devaluing product.
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Embearded
Member
They played the long game and tried to spend Sony out of business but it didn't work. Now they have spent so much money on publishers and they need to start cutting loses.
It's incredible how MS has spent over 75B on publishers since 2020 and they still don't have something exciting to show.
To this day, i still believe they could have invested the 7B from the Bethesda buyout to open new small studios around the world for AA single player titles and it would have gone better for them.
Gojiira
Member
Lmao serves them right, had enough of these 360 era walking sims, you can be as artsy as you want but if the gameplay sucks worse than the other trash you put out previously this is the result.Xbox is clearly determined to make Game Pass work. But there is a challenge. Game Pass numbers haven't grown much over the last 18 months, if at all. Meanwhile, premium sales of Xbox games have been disappointing. Hellblade 2 in May didn't even make the Top 100 in Europe.
Price hike shows Xbox is determined to make Game Pass work | Opinion
If there were any doubts about Xbox's commitment to Game Pass (and there was plenty of industry chatter earlier this ye…www.gamesindustry.biz
Finally Dring acknowledges HB2’s failure.
And of course Gamepass LOL, thus game received no favours whatsoever.
Matsuchezz
Member
They have project MARA in the chamber, let's all wait for another 4-5 years to be amazed with a truly remarkable experience!! The combat in that game will be visceral AF!! Uncle Phil, Satya Nutella don't give up on NT just yet.