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Variety: Matt Booty on ‘Beginning to Hit Our Stride,’ Game Pass Strategy, ‘Fallout’ Update, Studio Closures and More

But it looks like they're going to follow the approach Sony is taking with PC releases. Launch on PC/Xbox at day 1 and 6 to 12 months later for PS. Doom was an existing franchise like CoD with multiple entries on other platforms already so that is a different case than something like Indiana, which will not be coming to PS for either a while or not at all. Fable and Gears E-Day are reportedly not even a part of project latitude so not under consideration as of last month.
LOL.

Look, just enjoy the games and disassociate from the discourse. It'll save you some headache. Its really not worth it.

Big, sweeping publishing changes can take years to put into place. With increasing regularity, you're gonna see more and more games launching day 1 on other platforms (Nintendo too - not just Sony). They just don't wanna say that and risk the already awful HW sales even further.
 

DeepEnigma

Gold Member
LOL.

Look, just enjoy the games and disassociate from the discourse. It'll save you some headache. Its really not worth it.

Big, sweeping publishing changes can take years to put into place. With increasing regularity, you're gonna see more and more games launching day 1 on other platforms (Nintendo too - not just Sony). They just don't wanna say that and risk the already awful HW sales even further.
They "have a business to run," after all. Over 80b investor reasons. Just ask Tango and Arkane.
 
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adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
LOL.

Look, just enjoy the games and disassociate from the discourse. It'll save you some headache. Its really not worth it.

Big, sweeping publishing changes can take years to put into place. With increasing regularity, you're gonna see more and more games launching day 1 on other platforms (Nintendo too - not just Sony). They just don't wanna say that and risk the already awful HW sales even further.

I doubt this generation lasts more than a couple of years and if they make sweeping changes like that at the start of a new gen, that makes more sense. But to your point, I don't see those changes being implemented in the next year or two at least.
 

Topher

Identifies as young
I doubt this generation lasts more than a couple of years and if they make sweeping changes like that at the start of a new gen, that makes more sense. But to your point, I don't see those changes being implemented in the next year or two at least.

Frog GIF
 

solidus12

Member
It’s pretty obvious that their games will be exclusives in the sense that they will launch first on gamepass then will be ported to PlayStation some time later.
 

DeepEnigma

Gold Member


"launch exclusives" blowing up on twitter. If Microsoft plans on continuing to have full, permanent Xbox (console) exclusives then why the hell don't they just say that?

Gotta leave the loophole, bruh!

If their next "console" takes off, then they will foreclose on a lot of games. If it's the same old shit, open Project Revenue.
 
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"launch exclusives" blowing up on twitter. If Microsoft plans on continuing to have full, permanent Xbox (console) exclusives then why the hell don't they just say that?


Because they are not that’s why . To them Gamepass will be the exclusive offering in terms of consoles for Xbox. Pay a subscription on the Xbox console, buy it on other consoles.

I’m in a very small minority, I hate what Gamepass has done to the brand. The constant talk of it, the excuses made for shitty games or games lacking features from previous iterations. Fuck it.
 
I doubt this generation lasts more than a couple of years and if they make sweeping changes like that at the start of a new gen, that makes more sense. But to your point, I don't see those changes being implemented in the next year or two at least.
You're right - they've already been implemented. Ports are not born out of the ether and adding a new platform to your release plans can add 6 - 12 months onto your dev timeline, after its all said and done. They aren't gonna alter or affect the deliverable timelines of projects, almost all of which are much further out than initially anticipated, in order to hit day 1 on other platforms.

You're also unbelievably mistaken in thinking that anyone, and I mean *anyone* (includes Nintendo), is still thinking of software or publishing strategy in terms like 'generations'. Generations are dead. A few consumer groups online will still think of things in this way just cause we're a demo who has long thought of things in generational terms, but generations don't exist, especially at MS.
 

RiccochetJ

Gold Member
"launch exclusives" blowing up on twitter. If Microsoft plans on continuing to have full, permanent Xbox (console) exclusives then why the hell don't they just say that?
Personally I think it's because things can and will change depending on how the Xbox brand does moving forward. I could easily see Nadella overruling any plans they may have.
 

Ozriel

M$FT
Right? That was literally a handful of months ago.

Ever shifty this narrative is. How are people not tired carry it all the time?

You’re talking about the same week - months ago - where Spencer refused to commit to it being just 4 games?
Not seeing a tremendous shift here.



"launch exclusives" blowing up on twitter. If Microsoft plans on continuing to have full, permanent Xbox (console) exclusives then why the hell don't they just say that?


Probably because they're keeping their options open? Especially when you know they recently talked about more Xbox games coming to more platforms.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
You're also unbelievably mistaken in thinking that anyone, and I mean *anyone* (includes Nintendo), is still thinking of software or publishing strategy in terms like 'generations'. Generations are dead. A few consumer groups online will still think of things in this way just cause we're a demo who has long thought of things in generational terms, but generations don't exist, especially at MS.

I meant in the sense that a 'new' hardware generation also aligns well with making big fundamental changes that can be a 'clean break' from before. Like how Sony implemented paid-online with PS4, while PS3 continued to be free even for games that came out around the same window. It makes more sense to have broader sweeping changes, be it hardware or software, in that case. IMO.
 
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Astray

Member
Personally I think it's because things can and will change depending on how the Xbox brand does moving forward. I could easily see Nadella overruling any plans they may have.
They're not going to change course after opening the floodgates like that.

All this waffle is to keep up the kayfabe and try to lose as little users as possible, but they will lose a significant chunk in due time.
 

Ozriel

M$FT
Just like Doom right ?

There's a reason why you don't have other examples to cite from the showcase, aside from the Activision stuff, of course.

Doom seems to fall within the "franchise with large existing community" basket Microsoft PR spoke about during the Bethesda acquisition. It'd be interesting to see if there's any change with ES6.

I wouldn't bet on a new Fallout game being exclusive.
 
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Topher

Identifies as young
You’re talking about the same week - months ago - where Spencer refused to commit to it being just 4 games?
Not seeing a tremendous shift here.


“We made a decision that we’re going to take four games to the other consoles, just four games. Not a change to our fundamental exclusive strategy"

to

“Our commitment to our Xbox customers is you’re going to get the opportunity to buy or subscribe to the game, and we’re going to support the game on other screens,” said Spencer. “You are going to see more of our games on more platforms, and we just see that as a benefit to the franchises that we’re building, and we see that from players, and the players love to be able to play.”

to

"We are absolutely committed to having launch exclusives on Xbox, it's part of our core promise."

The shift is there. The narrative has changed. The only "committment" Xbox customers are getting is the opportunity to "buy or subscribe". The "core promise" for Xbox customers is timed exclusives. That's light years from "just four games".

Probably because they're keeping their options open? Especially when you know they recently talked about more Xbox games coming to more platforms.

Eh....I mean....the options based on this are games will come to PlayStation day one or sometime later.
 
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skit_data

Member
I like this "good cop, bad cop" thing they have going. One week it's about "slimy platform" things, Helldivers 2 not being on Xbox not helping anybody = exclusivity being somewhat immoral and the next week its back to exclusives being the land of milk and honey. I'm pretty certain a lot of people has just had enough of this. The games will come to their platform of choice at some point if they are critically and comercially viable to do so because that's simply in the nature of the larger Microsoft plan at play.
 
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Ozriel

M$FT
“We made a decision that we’re going to take four games to the other consoles, just four games. Not a change to our fundamental exclusive strategy"

to

“Our commitment to our Xbox customers is you’re going to get the opportunity to buy or subscribe to the game, and we’re going to support the game on other screens,” said Spencer. “You are going to see more of our games on more platforms, and we just see that as a benefit to the franchises that we’re building, and we see that from players, and the players love to be able to play.”

to

"We are absolutely committed to having launch exclusives on Xbox, it's part of our core promise."

The shift is there. The narrative has changed. The only "committment" Xbox customers are getting is the opportunity to "buy or subscribe". The "core promise" for Xbox customers is timed exclusives. That's light years from "just four games".

They already signaled the potential of more Xbox ports, same week as the four game announcement


We had the thread about it here, back in February.
 

Astray

Member
I meant in the sense that a 'new' hardware generation also aligns well with making big fundamental changes that can be a 'clean break' from before. Like how Sony implemented paid-online with PS4, while PS3 continued to be free even for games that came out around the same window. It makes more sense to have broader sweeping changes, be it hardware or software, in that case. IMO.
Respectfully, I feel you are coping here.

They are more than waist-deep into this initiative, and going back on it risks not only losing the 3P revenue, but they're not guaranteed to regain the entirety of the trust they lost in the process of opening up to other consoles.

Going back on this initiative at this stage in time essentially risks incurring the negatives of both alternatives at the same time.
 

Ozriel

M$FT
I like this "good cop, bad cop" thing they have going. One week it's about "slimy platform" things, Helldivers 2 not being on Xbox not helping anybody = exclusivity being somewhat immoral and the next week its back to exclusives being the land of milk and honey. I'm pretty certain a lot of people has just had enough of this. The games will come to their platform of choice at some point if they are critically and comercially viable to do so because that's simply in the nature of the larger Microsoft plan at play.

Eh, by this time last year, the folks posting the boiling frog memes were already insisting that MS had a grand plan to buy the entire industry and drive Sony out of business.

Now the argument is that the ABK purchase helped push MS into multiplatform releases.

Things change, with remarkable fluidity
 

HeisenbergFX4

Gold Member
Where the fuck did I ever say that? You are creating an argument in me that doesn't exist.

Shit, this time 6 months ago y'all Phil slobbers were laughing at any games coming to the PS5.

You don't buy the largest 3rd party publisher and narrow the field to your base that doesn't buy games. That's investor suicide. They have pretty much said this, and will continue to ween you narrative carriers into that reality.

S SneakersSO has been on the money. More so than this forums Xbox influencers.
Some tried to warn people before that but were silenced

Sipping Over It GIF by Insecure on HBO


No still not letting that go before anyone asks :)
 

Topher

Identifies as young
They already signaled the potential of more Xbox ports, same week as the four game announcement


We had the thread about it here, back in February.

Yeah......but I think the third party narrative is ramping up faster than anyone expected.

Eh, by this time last year, the folks posting the boiling frog memes were already insisting that MS had a grand plan to buy the entire industry and drive Sony out of business.

Now the argument is that the ABK purchase helped push MS into multiplatform releases.

Things change, with remarkable fluidity

The boiling frog memes started with the rumors of MS going third party this year. Believe HeisenbergFX4 HeisenbergFX4 was the one who brought in that analogy. The "drive Sony out of business" came directly from Matt Booty's leaked emails.
 

Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
Buying huge publishers is not building out anything because the content they provide was going to come to Xbox anyway!

Minus of course the output of studios that they close down as part of their global strategy... meaning that rather than building anything, they are actually diminishing the whole industry in a quest to make themselves appear larger and more competent.

Under the current management regime Xbox is literally industry cancer.
 

Varteras

Member
Pattern recognition is something that is shockingly lacking. Follow. The. Pattern.

Xbox games won't go to PlayStation. They need exclusives to compete and make GamePass more attractive.

That Xbox game is insignificant and wasn't even made by Xbox.

That game might be completely, and suspiciously, lacking platform confirmation, even half a year later. But! It's made by Xbox and they already have another exclusive deal with that company. So, obviously... Xbox.

It's only that small game.

It's only a handful of older or small games.

It's Doom. Of course it'll be multiplat. Even though Microsoft got caught, in 4K, lying about Zenimax "case-by-case" basis titles. Now that tune has changed.





Now: Microsoft said don't worry.

If it matters to you, and it clearly does to plenty of you.... worry. You should definitely worry.
 

recursive

Member
What rhythm? one first party game all year, and the rest scheduled for much later in the year.

I’m yet to see any evidence of competence from this guy.
I agree with this. I think "hitting your stride" is after you knock a few bangers out of the park.
 

Jaybe

Member
“Xbox players can absolutely continue to expect many games to launch as exclusives”

Many (or all) Microsoft Gaming games will come to PlayStation with some being Day 1.

Jurassic Park Ian Malcom GIF
 

Ozriel

M$FT
Buying huge publishers is not building out anything because the content they provide was going to come to Xbox anyway!

You know the ‘building out’ bit was clearly referring to portfolio of studios, not content? As in, expanding their first party studios?
 

Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
You know the ‘building out’ bit was clearly referring to portfolio of studios, not content? As in, expanding their first party studios?

"Building out" to me indicates growth and expansion, but what this management team is doing is simply placing an Xbox badge on content that was formerly third-party.

Presumably to maintain a steady cadence of banner releases on GP - which isn't a bad goal in itself, its just being done in a ham-fistedly destructive way.

The reason why studio closures happen is not because Microsoft or Xbox is "evil". Its a natural occurrence within the management of large enterprises comprised of multiple component business units. Its simply how these publicly traded conglomerates are run, you fund the high performers within an evaluation cycle and jettison the less performant ones. Its the essence of all "lean" derived management strategy - its about eliminating inefficiency.

When you understand this reality, you have to be against mass consolidation because the casualties are inevitable. And in a creative field, its always the financials that are the deciding factor directly or indirectly.

Just imagine a parallel universe where MS sunk 10% of their M&A warchest into funding and nurturing start-ups and talent... and what that could do for gaming in general compared to what their current plan is yielding...
 
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