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Microsoft Games Studios's new direction, thoughts..

T

thorns

Banned
I must not be the only one who saw a change in MGS's direction. Most of their games seem to be now epic games with big stories and high production values. I feel they want to create new worlds, as opposed to mere games. It seems they want to complement this with big marketing (ala Halo 2) and establish some new franchises with movie tie-in potential.
Let's look at some of the upcoming and recent games:

Kameo: Started as a humble platformer, seems to have turned into an epic action/adventure type of game.
Perfect Dark Zero: Very little known about the single player portion, but seems to be a "big" game nevertheless. Probably the story isn't as involved as Halo, but we will see. I'm sure they're thinking of having a Perfect Dark movie sometime in the future if this is a success..

Both these games probably started before MS even got rare, so they might not be the best examples.

Jade Empire: Big story, epic adventure etc. you get the deal. A sequel is apparently works (hinted by Shane Kim)
Fable: Again, an epic game that fell short of its potential, but a big commercial hit. You can be sure they'll be aiming really high with the sequel, and it has a large budget.
Too Human: Again, looks to be an epic adventure, definite movie potential for the future as well. It'll be a triology.
Gears of War: "Gears of War thrusts gamers into a deep and harrowing story of humankind’s epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet." enough said..
Mass Effect: Again, a game with a strong story and universe is to be expected. It'll be a triology (seems to be a new trend).
Lost Odyssey: A game to be in the vein of Final Fantasy, no need to say more..
Ninenty-Nine Nights: Mizuguchi has said this game will be very epic etc, you know the deal..
Blue Dragon: I know very little about what's the deal with this game is , so maybe someone fill that in.
Crackdown: Big futuristic world. Know too little to comment about it..
Halo 3: No need to say more..

There are some more games that haven't been announced as well (Shadowrun? a 2nd bungie project maybe? more rare games?).

It obviously seems like they're aiming big with this kind of lineup. They've become a quite unique publisher, with no licensed games at all. It will be interesting to see how this strategy plays out. Personally I love the new direction.
 
thorns said:
They've become a quite unique publisher, with no licensed games at all.
Click to expand...

Hmmm do any of the hardware manufacturers make a lot of licensed titles? Nintendo makes... none that I can think of off the top of my head... Sony?
 
Yeah but what about the lower profile, not-so-mainstream games like Phantom Dust? Games like that don't seem to have a place in the new MGS, which is a shame.

Hopefully they pick up a smaller, unique kind of game now and then also. Although they are publishing a couple Mutant Storm games for Live Arcade, and maybe the new Kingdom Under Fire...

And they do have that licensed Marvel MMORPG.
 
DarienA said:
Hmmm do any of the hardware manufacturers make a lot of licensed titles? Nintendo makes... none that I can think of off the top of my head... Sony?
Click to expand...

SCEE publish a lot of licensed stuff 24, WRC, F1, sports games, stuart little, Athens game etc.

Edit: Yeah that Marvel game is the only license they have apparently (if you don't count forza, pgr etc.), totally forgot about that game..
 
I think the trend towards more epic scope is a general one, not just at MGS. A natural extension of the ways in which better tech is allowing greater breadth of effect.
 
I think MS is starting big. Starting a bunch of huge stories with large worlds / cast / etc. When a few of them stick, then the milking begins. They can use those characters for other means of money. Halo being a great example. They've used Halo to sell Xbox, Xbox Live and soon xbox 360, premium content, movie tickets and build hype for DOA4. I would expect more Halo spin-offs in the future.

It's a great idea and as long as the game quality doesnt suffer then I'm all for it.
 
kaching said:
I think the trend towards more epic scope is a general one, not just at MGS. A natural extension of the ways in which better tech is allowing greater breadth of effect.
Click to expand...

QFT
 
kaching said:
I think the trend towards more epic scope is a general one, not just at MGS. A natural extension of the ways in which better tech is allowing greater breadth of effect.
Click to expand...
I think this is true, but from my point of view, unfortunately, this greater breadth is leading to more generic gameplay. Most next gen games that people are excited about seem to be some sort of third-person shooter/action (with first-person elements). There's only so many of those, no matter how epic they are, that I can play.

That's a different topic though.
 
thorns said:
It obviously seems like they're aiming big with this kind of lineup. They've become a quite unique publisher, with no licensed games at all.
Click to expand...

Well there is the Marvel MMO.

Personally I dislike how MS has been cutting back some of its first party effort. Selling/trading away some key franchises and so forth. But I've complained about that before..
 
Doom_Bringer said:
That's a killer lineup IMO. Much, much better than Sony or Nintendo, they are really going all out.
Click to expand...

You've seen Nintendo and Sony's next gen lineups? Details por favor.
 
Sometimes some people are so keen on wanting that 'super unique' experience that they forget there's still a world of opportunities for games to be fun, using typical game mechanics.

I love having rare games like Katamari Damacy show up and bring unique gameplay mechanics, but I wouldn't trade the 'generic' (as some people would call them) Halo, Ninja Gaiden, Final Fantasy, Legend of Zelda, Metal Gear Solid, GTA and other games for them at all. I love having games that attempt creating believable and expansive worlds for one to play within.
 
DarienA said:
You've seen Nintendo and Sony's next gen lineups? Details por favor.
Click to expand...


lets just say then they have a lot to match up to. ok?

then nobody can argue cause it is a killer lineup, one of the best.
 
MGS's lineup is really impressive. They need to develop their sports range though. Take Amped 3 and Top Spin away from 2K Games because they suck, and give it to a better developer. And give me a new Links game, you fuckers! Links is the best game on Xbox Live and it NEEDS a next-gen sequel!
 
Doom_Bringer said:
That's a killer lineup IMO. Much, much better than Sony or Nintendo, they are really going all out.
Click to expand...

It also helps that very few of their games this generation were true break out hits and that they've only had 1/2 a generation of first party console publishing ;)

Halo >>>>> PGR > Fable >>> The rest (from a hit perspective)

And all of those are returning. Seems somewhat out of necessity.
 
DarienA said:
You've seen Nintendo and Sony's next gen lineups? Details por favor.
Click to expand...

No but if they include JAK IV, V and VI, JAK racing II, SLY IV, V, VI and Ratchet & Clank 4, 5, 6, Getaway I, II etc… for Sony then the MS lineup is a hella lot better.

Sony and Nintendo milk too much and too much milking sucks. Both companies need to focus on making awesome new franchises.

MS lineup is awesome, lots of cool scifi stuff and I like scifi :)
 
Doom_Bringer said:
No but if they include JAK IV, V and VI, JAK racing II, SLY IV, V, VI and Ratchet & Clank 4, 5, 6, Getaway I, II etc… for Sony then the MS lineup is a hella lot better.

Sony and Nintendo milk too much and too much milking sucks. Both companies need to focus on making awesome new franchises
Click to expand...

All of those franchises you just mentioned from Sony started this gen. So your argument of them not making new franchises doesn't hold much weight.
 
I can name 6 next-gen Nintendo games that have been confirmed. Sony's confirmed list is bigger, but lacks details from some big studios like Team ICO, Sucker Punch and Naughty Dog.

-Mario
-Zelda
-Smash Brothers
-Animal Crossing
-Metroid Prime 3
-Camelot RPG


Eyedentify
Formula One PS3
Genji 2
Heavenly Sword
I-8
Killzone PS3
Lair
MotorStorm
The Getaway PS3
Untitled Page 44 Hockey Project
Untitled SCE London Project
Vision GT
Warhawk PS3


But there aren't many details.
 
Doom_Bringer said:
No but if they include JAK IV, V and VI, JAK racing II, SLY IV, V, VI and Ratchet & Clank 4, 5, 6, Getaway I, II etc… for Sony then the MS lineup is a hella lot better.

Sony and Nintendo milk too much and too much milking sucks. Both companies need to focus on making awesome new franchises
Click to expand...

You've used terrible examples... the reality is that MS doesn't have many established titles to make lots of sequels to, this is only their second generation as a hardware manufacturer... it would however be silly to think that some of the successful first party titles of this current gen won't be seen again as sequels in the next gen.... and the franchises you mentioned started this gen.
 
Doom_Bringer said:
No but if they include JAK IV, V and VI, JAK racing II, SLY IV, V, VI and Ratchet & Clank 4, 5, 6, Getaway I, II etc… for Sony then the MS lineup is a hella lot better.

Sony and Nintendo milk too much and too much milking sucks. Both companies need to focus on making awesome new franchises.
Click to expand...

Yes, because MS is creating a lot of new franchises... not.

Sony introduced R&C, J&D, EyeToy games, etc.

Nintendo introduced Pikmin, Brain training, Nintendogs and resurrected Metroid.

And now, Nintendo is introducing the most innovative product the gaming world has seen in the last 10 years, plus they created new ways to play with DS.

I would say MS is easily the most unoriginal out of the three console makers.
 
Doom_Bringer said:
Sony and Nintendo milk too much and too much milking sucks. Both companies need to focus on making awesome new franchises.
Click to expand...

:lol

Jesus, man. Everybody milks their big franchises. They need the cash cows. Microsoft is just as guilty of pulling on the teats as Sony and Nintendo are.
 
Hitler Stole My Potato said:
Evidently you can forget about Crimson Skies 'cause it ain't happenin'.

*cries*
Click to expand...


HUH?! Did I miss something? Please explain, were sales that bad on the XBox. I loved this game. <Apharmd Battler goes into a sudden state of depression>
 
thorns said:
I feel they want to create new worlds, as opposed to mere games.
Click to expand...
And by "feel like" you mean "repeat Allard's PR speak from last E3", correct? ;)

You could see this trend towards 'epicness' this gen in many big game productions from everyone, and it's only going to continue going there more and more.
 
Hitler Stole My Potato said:
Evidently you can forget about Crimson Skies 'cause it ain't happenin'.

*cries*
Click to expand...

WTF?!?! Say it ain't so. For the love of God, please say it ain't so!!!
 
Personally, the line-up doesn't appeal to me. I'm not a huge fan of big, story driven, epic titles. I prefer smaller, arcade style games. That's not to say I don't play some 20+ hour titles, but I rarely seem to get through them.

Of the MSG titles you listed the only ones that look interesting to me are Ninety Nine Nights (only for Mizuguchi's involvement) and Mass Effect (for the art style). Not being a console FPS fan nor a graphics whore, MSG doesn't really publish what I'm looking for.

However, I think they're making some smart choices for the regular gaming populace. They're underwriting some big games from big names. It's good for Xbox fans (they get long titles that won't ship before they're finished) and it benefits MS (they get some new franchises out of the deal). I would think their biggest concern would be bankrolling a bunch of expensive unknowns, which they could take a bath on up until Halo 3 is released.
 
Doom_Bringer said:
That's a killer lineup IMO. Much, much better than Sony or Nintendo, they are really going all out.
Click to expand...


Hey, real quick. Can I get next weeks Powerball numbers from you please?
 
thorns said:
I
Kameo: Started as a humble platformer, seems to have turned into an epic action/adventure type of game.
Click to expand...
Just on that one point. Kameo was never a platformer, it was always a (zelda inspired) fantasy adventure.
 
Geek said:
Of the MSG titles you listed the only ones that look interesting to me are Ninety Nine Nights (only for Mizuguchi's involvement) and Mass Effect (for the art style). Not being a console FPS fan nor a graphics whore, MSG doesn't really publish what I'm looking for.
Click to expand...

Try again. Out of 10 games listed in the first post, 7 of them aren't FPS games.

The argument that the Xbox only does FPS games is bullshit. It was almost true 2-3 years ago but that has changed severely since then. IMO MS have a much more diverse portfolio of exclusive games than Nintendo and Sony do
 
Doom_Bringer said:
No but if they include JAK IV, V and VI, JAK racing II, SLY IV, V, VI and Ratchet & Clank 4, 5, 6, Getaway I, II etc… for Sony then the MS lineup is a hella lot better.

Sony and Nintendo milk too much and too much milking sucks. Both companies need to focus on making awesome new franchises.
Click to expand...

Things may have changed post X05, I'm not sure, but last I looked into it, Sony had announced more original first party titles for PS3 than MS had for X360 (despite X360 coming sooner).
 
123rl said:
Try again. Out of 10 games listed in the first post, 7 of them aren't FPS games.

The argument that the Xbox only does FPS games is bullshit. It was almost true 2-3 years ago but that has changed severely since then. IMO MS have a much more diverse portfolio of exclusive games than Nintendo and Sony do
Click to expand...

I'll try again.

That wasn't supposed to be a broad statement like "All they do are FPS's!", just my personal take on the MGS line-up. They definitely have some more interesting stuff than this gen.

I won't comment on the percieved diversity between the 3 hardware manufacturers first party software so it isn't derailed by trolls.
 
I don't think the move to epic is simply a justification or enabling by technology. I think it's in large part a justification for the massive budgets working with said technology is going to bring about.

That being said, epic doesn't have to mean length and I think we'll see that being pulled back as well. It will be interesting. I hate to see the mega resources of companies having to be pooled toward further milkings of their white bread series because they literally cannot afford to have any title fail. That will head us toward an uncomfortable ground.
 
Not surprised at all by the change.

Someone should post a list of MGS titles during the first two years of Xbox's life just for a good laugh.

They showed Ed Fries the door and then decided they weren't going to back anything unless it's going to be a surefire hit.
 
I too notice a change in direction for MGS and I like what I'm seeing. The thread has gone to shit though with the usual pointless, inane bickering so I'll step out here :lol
 
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