HeisenbergWW62
Banned
He said the same thing last year and it ended up being Forza
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Microsoft Studios (& Partners) Current and Future Landscape
- Thread starter Banjo-Kazooie
- Start date
Steverulez
Member
Publishers are going to notice a problem when they all go Games As A Service and they launch several games at a time then gamers lose interest in having to keep going back to games all the time to get the most out of them.
It'll take a while but as with everything, the ones at the very top will remain and the rest end up fading away and devs/pubs pick a new thing to chase. You're also cutting into your own gamers time a lot by launch so many together.
CD3 and SOD2 are both games as a service titles, does Forza count? IDK, but whenever Sea of Thieves launches that is a similar thing plus whatever 343 are still doing with Halo 5 and TC with Gears 4, eventually these things are too much, now launch 3 of those in the space of 3 months plus all the games from 3rd parties, regardless of genre theres definitely some major overkill in there
They'd be better off holding one until 2018 and launching at a better time to spread stuff out
Dead Rising 4 was also announced at E3 2016 for holiday release, im going to guess he meant that instead.
Nightengale
Member
Last year's "surprise" was Dead Rising 4.
Yeah it's a 3rd party timed exclusivity but it's a strategy Xbox has used and may continue to use.
I would not say it's out of the realm of impossibility for a semi-major Japanese publisher game like say... something like a DMC5 being timed exclusive or something.
Yeah it's a 3rd party timed exclusivity but it's a strategy Xbox has used and may continue to use.
I would not say it's out of the realm of impossibility for a semi-major Japanese publisher game like say... something like a DMC5 being timed exclusive or something.
PanicFreak
Member
State of Decay was one of the better selling XBLA games. It sold over 1 million on Steam and more than a 1 million on XBLA.
With a bigger budget and more marketing, I wouldn't be surprised if it sold more than that. That would be huge because it will probably be a $60 game.
it can work out though. Like for example right now we have Forza horizon 3, Halo 5 and Gears 4 all in the top 20 most played games or hovering around it(Gears slips in and out). And that's with the competition of 3 call of duty games Destiny etc. they can have multiple service games that fill each void. And they are different enough so that they arent really encroaching on each other too much. The closest would be Sea of thieves and state of decay 2 since they are both co-op but SoT is more survival based. Also I don't think the full version is going to be launching this year
I agree, I don't think Sea of Thieves is launching this year. Early access or something is more likely IMO.
HeisenbergWW62
Banned
That's true, I already forgot about that game lol
If he's referring to another third-party timed exclusive that won't help them much
Steverulez
Member
Im sure I saw somewhere SOD2 was put down as a summer game, maybe it will end up being late-August/early September.
Which is something he said in the past he wouldnt do anymore.
Not that there is anything really wrong with it, its all business, but he did say he wanted to focus on their IP's and move away from such deals
gaming_noob
Member
I wasn't aware it sold that well. Thanks for the info.
Weak bump but I recall NerdLeaks (the twitter account that leaked the entire MS conference) stated there was a major title MS seemingly decided to not show at the last minute.
Was that ever speculated or eventually revealed? They haven't tweeted since last e3.
Didn't they have Ori 2 in that list and it didn't pan out? Not "major" exactly but it'd be a big announcement.
digoutyoursoul
Member
He's working on HoloLens
Wasting talent
Salty Hippo
Member
To me it's quite clear he just went with the flow. Ryan interrupted and answered for him and he was like "yeah sure it could happen", but his previous tone suggested to me that he was going to tell people not to expect that.
digoutyoursoul
Member
Could be wrong but of all the interviews I've seen with Phil, the one question I would like asked, isn't. Which is
"Would you consider 343 or Coalition to work on a new IP in the future? Expand the teams perhaps , even for a smaller digital title"
He gets asked a lot about first party but the interviewers don't seem to ever ask something of that nature.
"Would you consider 343 or Coalition to work on a new IP in the future? Expand the teams perhaps , even for a smaller digital title"
He gets asked a lot about first party but the interviewers don't seem to ever ask something of that nature.
DriftingSpirit
Member
It'll probably be a cinematic trailer with a beta attached to Crackdown 3.
Anything is possible but I don't think there is anything pointing toward them letting 343 and Coalition do something new.
I would just like another smaller title to go along with their core titles.
Maybe he just wanted to do new things but I do think he would be great on actual game development.
chaosmaster(1)
Member
I would love if they set up an RPG studio at some point.
digoutyoursoul
Member
And that's my annoyance with all this, when is creativity not going to be completely stifled by business, surely at some point there has to be a better balance between the two? I mean, if you are a developer, being creative and having ideas should drive you on, new stories, types of gameplay, settings, genres.
of course I understand that bills need to be paid,family, livelihood but at what point does the stagnation creep in when you are in a sequel factory setting. Despite all the talk about how much dollar MS have, It doesn't look like they will be opening up any new Xbox studios any time soon, so why not have the ones you have be a bit less predictable in what they have to create.
Nothing that I can tell. It would be nice to have a MS E3 conference that hasn't had the details leaked beforehand.
Ori 2 is all but confirmed. Also there's Ruffian Games who are apparently working on an Unreal Engine multiplayer game for Xbox One. Some think that could just be helping with Crackdown 3 (they did Crackdown 2) but I don't see why they would hide the fact that they're working on an already announced game. Plus they would be the fourth company involved which would feel... Excessive. Could maybe be a more AA title like Recore.
Other than that we have no idea what's in the works besides the obvious. The pipe dream is that Sakaguchi's new console game is a secret project with Microsoft like last gen's Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon. But that's super unlikely. Any significant new games would have to be 2nd party partnerships that have been kept super hush hush.
Playground was expanding recently and wanted to do an open world game that wasn't a racer. It would be very far away and no indication if they'd partner with MS again, but the Horizon series proves how talented they are and they seem to have had a good working relationship with MS, so maybe they'll continue pursuing that?
What a waste man, hope it bears fruit at some point.
Much needed at this point, or anything that outputs original AAA games in RPG or adventure genre. MS needs diversity, they do multiplayer just fine we all know that.
MosquitoSmasher
Member
I would love for MS to announce that they have either 343 and/or The Coalition working on a brand new game but that really isn't likely to happen..... sadly. But what about Rare? Weren't there rumors a while ago that next to SoT they were also working on other games?
New game from Moon Studios seems like a safe bet. Hopefully a brand new IP for next year, but the question then is, by which studio? Unless they have established a brand new studio silently or a deal with a third party. Maybe something like DR3 or similar to SO. But I will keep my expectations low. I would love to be surprised but you gotta stay realistic about this.
New game from Moon Studios seems like a safe bet. Hopefully a brand new IP for next year, but the question then is, by which studio? Unless they have established a brand new studio silently or a deal with a third party. Maybe something like DR3 or similar to SO. But I will keep my expectations low. I would love to be surprised but you gotta stay realistic about this.
DriftingSpirit
Member
I get what you're saying (it annoys me as well) but that business side just overtakes it all. The stuff outside of MS' core titles isn't doing all that well so they want to make sure what they have keeps going. If Halo, Gears and Forza entirely collapses, that is ball game. They have to keep that foundation.
I think the idea of making those studios bigger and maybe splitting off teams within that is good in theory but I think that is a lot to handle. Sony is rolling this gen but even Naughty Dog had trouble with that two in one structure and I think Guerrilla Games did as well, if I am not mistaken.
I think MS can definitely work toward a less stagnant situation with their core first party devs but I also think finding the right balance between creativity and business is pretty tough in general. Never mind figuring it out in MS' situation.
If any Microsoft studio works on a major new IP, a huge if, I'd imagine it would be the Coalition. Gears has declined far more than Halo has and they already had a new IP in the works that was shelved when they acquired Gears. Less risk than 343 (smaller IP) and they wouldn't be starting from zero.
MosquitoSmasher
Member
Phil Spencer told someone on Twitter that he agrees that diversity and new IP are important. This was shortly after the Scalebound news. The problem with this is, he said the exact same thing a year or two ago. It's clear as day that MS needs to invest that money in making new studios, of course it's not easy and will take time. Guess we'll find out at E3 if there are any big plans or changes or perhaps it will just be Gears, Forza, Halo as their big franchises and here and there a new IP like Sea of Thieves but not much else. It is what it is.
You mean that Shangheist game? Would definitely be interested in what that could be. But I really doubt it. Aren't they making a brand new Gears trilogy anyway? I would be very ok with them giving Gears 5 a long wait and bring us something new. But nah.
You mean that Shangheist game? Would definitely be interested in what that could be. But I really doubt it. Aren't they making a brand new Gears trilogy anyway? I would be very ok with them giving Gears 5 a long wait and bring us something new. But nah.
digoutyoursoul
Member
Not really, the only "hints" I heard about, where from a guy called Jez Corden at Windows Central on their podcast , who has recognised the first party talk and especially amongst fans. He has hinted at Scorpio stuff, maybe I'm being hasty but he has stated he knows quite a bit about MS' Xbox plans , he can't really say in detail but hasn't exactly eased concerns in regards to first party output or even hinted they have something new, his hints seem to be more of the capabilities of Scorpio and how the usual big names that are currently unannounced, some will be in 4K on Scorpio.
So I'm guessing COD, maybe Battlefront 2 or the new Assassins Creed?
Maybe he genuinely doesn't know hardly anything about MS 1st party stuff currently unannounced but given his constant teasing of Scorpio and stating he knows a fair bit of MS' plans, a little hint here and there of something to ease some fans complaints about studios and new games, hasn't happened.
I wouldn't mind if they doubled down on Fable.
Make a solo Fable action RPG to make it up to the fans that wanted a good action RPG (RIP Scalebound) & re-purpose the Fable Legends assets to make a Dragon Age/FF XIV style action RPG in that universe as well. The betas for Fable Legends showed lots of amazing environments and character designs which would be a huge shame if just thrown away.
digoutyoursoul
Member
I hear you mate but at what point is taking a risk totally out of the question? You mention ND and GG, I understand a two team set up isn't easy and problems arise but surely you can say that for a one team set up also?
Despite any problems , we have seen Killzone to Horizon, the likes of Crash to Uncharted to the Last of Us. Are Microsoft totally incapable of offering something similar? If so, why and why can't that be changed.
DriftingSpirit
Member
Yeah, I think they should at least give it a shot but yeah. What can we do? ¯\_(ツ
_/¯
Dr.brain64
Member
Forza and Halo announcements for scorpio would be enough hype! but MS should definitely go for more obviously.
Halo and Gears have single player portions yes but their primary goal are multiplayer service games. Halo 5 for all the people say that it underperformed is still going strong in its 17th month on the market( I'm talking about most played). The req system along with the forge playlists are keeping the game alive and MS has to be happy with the engagement. And it's going to get a boost once it enters the game pass
What other game would you have 343 or he coalition make that's going to bring in the same revenue or player engagement that Halo or Gears has done? Let's say 343 makes a great single player RPG game that sells well. That's fine and all but where are you making up that lost revenue and micro transaction money up?
LordBaztion
Member
Hopefully Capcom Vancouver is done with Dead Rising and the they, Capcom and MS are working on something new.
SneakersSO
Member
Yeahhhhh, wouldn't be too sure about that.
Yeah, for the typical Halo/Gears/Forza user, which are already on the X1 to begin with, and the future versions of each entry in each franchise will be on PC. MS really needs to come with some announcements that reverberate throughout the larger gaming community and gets people excited about the brand again. If all their announcements energize their core base, which is already on-board regardless, and gets no one outside of that group enthused, then its gonna be a real problem for them.
Have you seen the last of us dlcs? They are all cash grab and the fans probably ate it all up.
They can make money of single player games. They just need to build one first.
A high end, expensive console is going to only be for the core anyway. Which across the board is not a very big demographic. Outside of PR bragging rights, I think the main point of Scorpio will be to get their core fans to upgrade and hand me down their old consoles to fringe gamers, who then become part of the Xbox family.
Besides the current one on its third season?
Yes. I want new one with a new engine. IG has been doing amazing work being locked to engine they had no hand in. A new game new new engine can do wonders for development of KI.
miller.skippins
Banned
Same here. I like some of their multiplayer games and understand why they want long running service games with a high retention factor and microtransactions, but it's starting to feel like if you're a fan of single player focused games, Xbox just isn't for you and I never felt that way about the 360.
Caayn
Member
I've sadly got to agree with this. The 360 fulfilled my needs for singleplayer content. But with MS IPs moving to, heavier, multiplayer focus Xbox starts to feel like a place that in the future might no longer be able to fulfil my needs.
But I also feel that the gaming industry as a whole is moving more and more towards a multiplayer-only future. Everything needs to be co-op, everything needs to competitive, everything needs to be about leaderboards, everything needs to be about micro-transactions, etc.
Yeah sorry was referring to the multi stuff.
I wouldn't say the industry as a whole is doing that, there's more than enough single player games being made. Even Sony still focus mostly on single player games and I always felt i got my money's worth with the Xbox One exclusives despite barely touching the multiplayer modes.