Microsoft making at least four new IPs
- Thread starter GarthVaderUK
- Start date
Only if there is no BC in the 720.
I was thinking more along the lines of KS3 being a 360 title with some Durango-specific features.
kinect games no longer sell well, at all. i think dance central 3 did ok, but much worse than 2.
Oh, well only if there is full BC with 720.
They put out a new KS product last year though...
Mind you they put out a DC game every year for the last 3 years...
REMEMBER CITADEL
Banned
No, i don't see that happening this time around at all. First of all, they successfully broadened their audience with Kinect, and the releases on Xbox 360 are drying out. Are they supposed to completely ignore those people for two or more years and only then try to recapture their attention? They might as well forget about them at that point, it would undo all the good work they've done with Kinect. No, they will cater to those people from the very start, and some of the recently opened studios (London Lift and KALE, for instance; what are they supposed to be doing in the mean time?) corroborate that idea.
The presumption that less casual gamers are not likely to spend good money on a new console is wrong. Kinect bundles went for $299 and $399, and they were flying off the shelves - that was a half a decade old hardware bundled with a new peripheral. Furthermore, the next Xbox is going to be positioned as an all-encompassing entertainment center with features we can't even grasp yet, making the price more easily digestible to people who are not necessarily core gamers. If people are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on mobile phones and tablets, sometimes buying new ones every year, then a product like this shouldn't be too hard to sell, given a proper marketing push (and you know Microsoft will go all out on that front).
Finally, the subscription model they've been testing out with Xbox 360 over the last couple of years is also going to be put to good use. Keeping all that in mind, it would make zero sense for Microsoft not to try to cater to all those consumer groups from the get go.
That is, unless there are really two drastically different Xbox machines launching this year, but even then that doesn't mean anything from their first party studios' perspective - we'll see all kinds of games coming out of Microsoft this fall.
Wasn't that just a bundle pack with KS1, 2 and all of the DLC? I don't want to predict if KS3 will be a launch game or not, but it could theoretically be ready for launch this fall.
Two years of development time sounds about right for Kinect Sport 3.
The problem is phones/tablets do a lot more than just play a game like a console. IMHO you cater to this audience with simply media and other services as your entertainment hub, that is how you cater to this audience. Cheaper and makes the core and the casual core user believe that you are catering just to them...
If the 20-30% of the launch line-up is casual/family stuff it's fine by me as long as in the rest 70% we get games like AW2, PGR5, Shadow Complex 2, Ryse e.t.c.
Hopefully MS will keep a balance between the casual and the hardcore content not only at launch (where I agree that it must be more focused at the core) but for it's entire lifetime. Let's hope that all 3 systems will go that route to keep everyone happy and create portfolios that will be attractive to both the core and the casual players....and yeah I don't think that's hard to do - all they have to do is keep a balance and create as much as quality software they can do (less quantity? I'd take quality over quantity any time), good games are good game regardless of complexity or theme.
InaudibleWhispa
Member
I think Kinect Sports 1 and 2 have really used up most compelling ideas for the current gen of Kinect. Even 2 was pushing it a bit. If they're going to release Kinect Sports 3, I'd like to see some significant strides with the next Kinect (in which case I'll be happy for them to revisit the best sports from the first two).
That's the key really. Microsoft moved onto Kinect this gen after they felt they had achieved success with the core market. This gen should hopefully see a better balance between the two throughout.
You could assume that I was largely referencing their gaming branch. Also, the Microsoft of years past are not the Microsoft of today, it is clear that their management is getting significantly worse, and goddess does it show.
Yet... They open studios and create partnerships whilst Sony close developers and end partnerships with independent devs.
Voice of Reason
Banned
All I want is that Black Tusk shooter and Alan Wake 2 and I'll be fine for launch.
I'm hoping they do something with Itagaki's team, given he seems to have a fairly good relationship with MS.
We have yet to see the fruition of their new studios or partnerships, (with the exception of 343i) hence the point of this thread.
and how did you get to that conclusion?
extending the life of the 360 with Kinect seems like a good management decision.
This man is right.
These new studios need to show something before I would make a judgement on whether they were a success or not. Sony is indeed making a mess of things at the moment, but some quickly forget that MS also closed a few studios over the past years and in my opinion failed pretty hard in not keeping Bungie or securing a deal with BioWare.
Agent Ironside
Member
This has actually caused some employees to leave the gaming division.
Wait and see what they're actually producing.
Baconsammy
Banned
He's actually not right. The current management team is the one that decimated Sony's marketshare. The same team that successfully launched Kinect late in the 360's lifecycle and then went on to having their best sales years. The same team securing deal after deal for services on XBL that does nothing but drive more and more XBL subscriptions. Microsoft has their hands in lots of businesses, so they do have high profile failures, but they also have huge successes.
Microsoft IP have been managed poorly post 2008, see Crackdown, Halo, Gears, Fable and any title produced by Rare in general.
Then there's other stuff which is a bit off topic; the perhaps, overstated effectiveness of Kinect as 360 hardware did slip into third place after all, also the lack of competitiveness in XBL despite it being a priced service, and of course the disastrous launch of their flagship product.
Again, I AM eager to see these new titles however, when Microsoft do get things right they usually do it remarkably.
SlipperyMoose
Member
I would be ok for these at launch as well. I don't think we'll get Alan Wake 2 as a launch, but I think it will happen.
I can't wait for next massive series from MS game studios...
How have Halo, Gears, Fable and Crackdown been mismanaged? (Rare definitely has.) (I'm talking management on Microsoft's level not management within the developers.)
If any major IP has been mismanaged by Microsoft it's Forza and it's lack of push into Japan and Europe, with how Gran Turismo performs there Microsoft should be pushing it as hard as Halo.
360 hardware even in 3rd place world wide is still doing insanely well overall considering last gens original Xbox.
The overall effectiveness of Kinect is not going to change until Kinect 2 is launched, Kinect is pretty limited even in it's own abilities.
Are you referring to Surface? I don't consider completely selling out a $1000+ tablet online and in brick in mortar in a morning to be disastrous, even more so considering the hate people have been expressing towards it online.
REMEMBER CITADEL
Banned
Crackdown also has, and the last two Fable games didn't do very well (Heroes and The Journey, but that wasn't due to poor management on Microsoft's side.
Gears and Halo, however... I believe the only appropriate response would be "lol".
In any case, the current Microsoft management seems to know what they're doing, and the company is reaping the rewards.
actually the ps3 is still at 3rd place and I don't see that will change until the new consoles will arrive.
as for mismanagement on the IPs you are referring I agree only for crackdown. The rest are still selling really well.
Fable
- Fable 3 was rushed
- They lost key staff from Lionhead
- Fable: Heroes sucked
- Fable: The Journey was an absolute disaster
Halo
- Halo: ODST as an expansion pack launched full price next to Modern Warfare 2
- Halo: Reach sold less copies than Halo 3, and caused tremendous fan backlash
- Halo 4, from what we've seen, is not doing well at all in terms of user activity. It also supports even less features than Halo: Reach.
- Also, the generally terrible handling of the lore, their outright refusal to combine it with the Halo books and of course the absolutely horrible titles from Travis.
Gears
- I feel Gears 3 didn't have the impact it should have, multiplayer was seemingly far less popular than the other 2, perhaps down to over production of DLC
- There's ALREADY a new Gears game next month, the lack of hype suggests franchise fatigue
Crackdown
- Crackdown 2 had a questionably short development time, was not a proper sequel.
- Where is Crackdown 3?
Yes, very well indeed. However I feel much of it is down to Sony's initial incompetence, now that Sony are competent again, they've been gaining ground FAST.
RT sales have been largely disappointing for Microsoft, I don't think Surface Pro selling out is a brilliant indicator either, as it's been suggested that they produced a very small number of units. I can't even bloody buy the thing and I want one really badly.
Not really, we'll have to wait and see the lifetime Halo 4 and Gears: Judgment sales, but something tells me they're not going to be nearly as high as their predecessors.
From a business perspective I would argue that Rare is being better managed under Xbox Kinect then in the beginning of the gen.
Didn't the Dynopia prove that 77 million + surpassing wrong?
Do you want another rushed game or shall we give Crackdown a normal 3 year development time (2010-2013)?
Crackdown 2 was rushed, extremely, but not broken and that makes me have faith in Ruffian.
Good point, Kinect Sports did really well. Though I question the mass exodus of staff.
I'm pretty sure Halo 4 has sold more than all the the Halo games.
It had a stronger launch (in some territories), but of course it hasn't sold 12+ million copies in three months.
Halo:Reach had a stronger launch than Halo 3, it still did worse through lifetime sales.
Karak
Member
There is some real logic bias going on here. Mismanagement is not the same thing as a game just not being very good or fun, or just not hitting people the way a company expected. The desire to diss on everything MS is becoming transparent. If Killzone does horribly or isn't fun we don't blame Sony. Likewise we thank the dev if its good and follow them accordingly.
What a bunch of drivel.
What a bunch of drivel.
I do.
SeanNoonan
Member
Those fuckers should get out of my Linked In.
I worked on a number of projects at Ruffian. A small but talented team, able to get a lot done in a short amount of time. I look forward to seeing whatever they put out next.
True. Same applies to Sony shutting down studios. It's never Sony being "evil" like when MS does it either.
REMEMBER CITADEL
Banned
The last mass exodus of the staff happened when Microsoft let go of them. What you're probably referring to is some of the senior staff leaving, but I don't think that was really massive, and it's also arguable whether that was a bad move. Rare was underperforming for years, and even their past fans (often upset Nintendo fans/fanboys in disguise) were regularly complaining about them losing their magic. It remains to be seen whether that senior staff will achieve anything of note now that they've been "freed". Rare, meanwhile, seems to have found its niche for the time being. I'm curious to see where it goes next.
That was under the old management.
Whatever Microsoft's new direction is, it's hard for me to get excited. Publishers like to call absolutely everything these days AAA, ecause they want that perception. Games actually being AAA means they're bland, uninspired copycats.
Outside of Halo 5, I am not interested in Microsoft's or Sony's output. I hope both of them open up their distribution platforms for smoother certification & patching processes and various business models.
Outside of Halo 5, I am not interested in Microsoft's or Sony's output. I hope both of them open up their distribution platforms for smoother certification & patching processes and various business models.
Karak
Member
Ya just a bunch of misdirection drivel. Yelling at the sky because clouds covered your sun. Waaaaaaaa. Not ignoring there are issues but actually concentrated ON the real issues and not making ones up is always the best bet.
Hopefully a reboot of Perfect Dark, and other classic Rare franchises are brought back. I still care ... *searches for .jpeg image of the 'Room of people who still care'*
CrunchinJelly
formerly cjelly
I thought Journey was a choice made by Peter?
SuperEpicGuy
Banned
Nailed it.
Always funny watching people try to spin all this negetive, when before these same people were complaining about lack of new IP's and studios shutting down. Now you have a bunch of studios starting up, Rare Staffing up and the promise of new IP's but that's a bad thing now? Damned if they do and damned if they don't....
*Cries*
Why? They want new IP to vary up between Fable, Forza and Halo ... they have it in the Rare IP.
maybe new Rare IP is even better than old Rare IP?
Don't we all love to meet new heroes and anti-heroes, new faces and creatures? I sure do.
Maybe they will outsource Rare's IP to other studios? if they want to bring some of them back this is the most possible scenario.
I like to see what Twisted Pixel could do with the Banjo series.
Only if they hired Chris Seavour back as a consultant, must have Britt doing the design work...
Hm, SCE has expanded their core teams, integrated some, and closed down others. There are now a few first party studios internally that have more than one team working on a game. There are still partnerships happening with independent developers too. I can tell you right now that there are 11 big budget games in development at SCE for next generation, 6 of them are new IP. A few of these you will see very soon. This also isn't including certain deals that have been agreed with other independent developers for smaller new IP. MS is doing the sensible thing by creating new studios because they will have to support the next Xbox, but I think you're being a bit ignorant if you think Sony is just closing studios and ending partnerships.
Next generation output for Orbis will be much stronger than it was for even PS3.
I'm excited to see what MS cooks up for next generation since they're clearly aware they need more support on the homefront. But I'll keep expectations in check for the newer teams since they're yet to prove themselves. All it takes is one game though. They'll certainly have the money and backing from MS, they just need to deliver. Also, I think people expecting MS to launch 5/6 new big IP are going to be disappointed.