Xbox Gaf: Are you satisfied with the current state of Microsoft Game Studios?
- Thread starter SlimySnake
- Start date
yurinka
Member
This list gets more impressive if we consider HFW, GT7 and GoWR were originally planned for last year and the delays may have been related to covid, and specially if include ports and remasters with extra content/important DLC and a few missing ones like:
- Death Stranding Director's Cut
- Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut
- Uncharted Legacy of Thieves Collection
- GoW PC port
- Horizon PC port
- Days Gone PC port
- Gears 5 Hivebusters
- Age of Empires IV
- Gears Tactics
- Flight Simulator
- Flight Simulator console port
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farmerboy
Member
I think what we can take from this is that modern day AAA game production is a huge, hard and complex endeavour. We should be happy with the games we get and appreciate what it takes to get it there.
Xbox fans who expect to get AAA games day 1 on gamepass every 4-6 months are dreaming. But if Xbox achieves that, I think it will be some sort of miracle.
Xbox fans who expect to get AAA games day 1 on gamepass every 4-6 months are dreaming. But if Xbox achieves that, I think it will be some sort of miracle.
Part of me thinks Halo Infinite's release state and follow up issues have really caused them to make these delays, they need to avoid Crackdown 3 and Cyberpunk comparisons. So maybe this if for the best. Still a lot of hot air at this point, but when these games hit, hopefully they are glorious.
IndianaJack
Banned
They do fill gaps with 3rd party exclusives like Crossfire X.
Heisenberg007
Gold Journalism
Such a good post, and 0 upvotes.
Borowski_1
Member
no one is happy
Playstation fans don't get new announcements
Xbox have many games announced, but they're not coming
Playstation fans don't get new announcements
Xbox have many games announced, but they're not coming
Hendrick's
If only my penis was as big as my GamerScore!
Not really considering a lot of those were announced pre-acquisition.
Chukhopops
Member
It's not a very good post since it's just ridiculous cherry-picking:
- Some Sony 3rd party deals are added but somehow MS' ones are not included like The Medium or The Ascent. And don't tell me it's because they are not AAA when the Sony list has Sackboy and Destruction all-stars;
- Other Sony 3rd party deals are not mentioned, like Pragmata, Project Athia (which would become Forspoken), Little Devil Inside or Goodbye Volcano High (lol), since they wouldn't work with the argument. But they were presented in June 2020 so will have a 24 months delay or more;
- Some MS first party is somehow missing like Flight Sim or Gears Tactics.
It's bullshit made for warring idiots basically.
BlueHawk
Neo Member
But of a mixed reaction.
If it wasn't for Gamepass, I'd have been put-off from Xbox this year. They need to have back-up games or not make the year so end heavy for launches. On the other hand, like I said above - thankfully Gamepass keeps pushing out some good games to save money I'd have spent on them and makes up for the year.
If Gamepass was supported on Switch, Steamdeck or iPhone to a high quality I wouldn't own a games console probably.
If it wasn't for Gamepass, I'd have been put-off from Xbox this year. They need to have back-up games or not make the year so end heavy for launches. On the other hand, like I said above - thankfully Gamepass keeps pushing out some good games to save money I'd have spent on them and makes up for the year.
If Gamepass was supported on Switch, Steamdeck or iPhone to a high quality I wouldn't own a games console probably.
IndianaJack
Banned
That has nothing to do with contractors.
StealthGoblin
Banned
They've got some great studios under their belt, but they appear to be badly mismanage, and that hasn't changed.
Torrent of Pork
Banned
I'm disappointed about Starfield, sure, but it is what it is. I can still remember being 11 years old, and getting blue-balled month after month as 'Zelda 64' kept getting its date pushed back in Nintendo Power. A few extra months ain't going to kill me between my backlog, and the 3rd party Gamepass deals Uncle Phill will sugar-daddy his way into making as a response.
KXVXII9X
Member
BUT, they still output more exclusives than PS and Xbox combined. They have a bunch of exclusive titles releasing this year including two major Pokemon titles, Kirby and the Forgotten Lands, Splatoon 3, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Mario Strikers Battle League, Switch Sports, Fire Emblem Warriors, Mario and Rabbids Sparks of Hope, and Triangle Strategy. Bayonetta 3 is also possibly coming. That is ELEVEN exclusive titles in ONE year. And Games like Xenoblade, Splatoon, and Kirby aren't small releases either. We even had another full Metroid game (Dread), to bridge the gap for the awaited Metroid Prime 4. Also unlike most Microsoft upcoming games, Bayonetta and Zelda BotW2 already have gameplay footage.
Justin9mm
Member
I really like what Xbox has done with implementing their gamepass service. I own a Series X and PS5, I really like the Series X console. But Microsoft has been saying the exclusive games are coming for years now and I'm still waiting! Churning our sequels to the same IP's like Forza, Gears, Halo etc. Don't count!
Heisenberg007
Gold Journalism
1. Those are not third-party deals the OP included. Sackboy and Destruction All Stars are first-party games. Medium and Ascent are not first-party games. They are both on PlayStation as well.
2. Pragmata, Forspoken, Little Devil Inside, Goodbye Volcano High are also not on this list for the same reason. They are not first-party games. These are third-party games. What does Sony have to do with the development and release schedule of any of these games?
3. Fair point, they should have included them all. In the comments, however, they mentioned that they wanted to stick with games released in this console generation, not the previous one.
The idea of the post is that XGS games have a longer time-to-release than PS Studios games. Therefore, they could only include first-party games.
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CookieWithMatt
Member
I'm not very satisfied with the state of the studios at the moment for the most part. There's a lot in the pipeline, but most of it is still a ways off. Mood will probably change by this time next year.
For current releases, the real disappointment for me was the Halo campaign. Despite being a huge Halo nerd, the campaign didn't leave all that much of a lasting impression on me. It was fine, but definitely not something I'd go back and play through again & again. The receptiveness of the campaign missions were a real slog to get through. Maybe co-op will change that. I still play multiplayer, but it's in desperate need of more maps and modes (bring back Warzone!!!).
Psychonauts 2 was a sequel I'd been waiting on since 2005 and absolutely loved it! Still haven't gotten around to playing through FH5, despite smashing my way through the fourth iteration, so maybe I should get on that.
Still though, there's enough content on Games Pass to make the wait a bit easier. Just made my way through Guardians of the Galaxy (holy shit that game is a wild ride!) and about to start on Trek to Yomi. As an all in one package, the Series consoles are a beast. Just need more AAA content from Microsoft now.
For current releases, the real disappointment for me was the Halo campaign. Despite being a huge Halo nerd, the campaign didn't leave all that much of a lasting impression on me. It was fine, but definitely not something I'd go back and play through again & again. The receptiveness of the campaign missions were a real slog to get through. Maybe co-op will change that. I still play multiplayer, but it's in desperate need of more maps and modes (bring back Warzone!!!).
Psychonauts 2 was a sequel I'd been waiting on since 2005 and absolutely loved it! Still haven't gotten around to playing through FH5, despite smashing my way through the fourth iteration, so maybe I should get on that.
Still though, there's enough content on Games Pass to make the wait a bit easier. Just made my way through Guardians of the Galaxy (holy shit that game is a wild ride!) and about to start on Trek to Yomi. As an all in one package, the Series consoles are a beast. Just need more AAA content from Microsoft now.
Balducci30
Member
No, I'm not satisfied with the state of either of the next gen consoles tbh over a year in…
Maybe it's rose tinted glasses but I remember previous console generations having way more cool, mind blowing shit. I have both consoles and I still don't really feel like playing anything after Elden ring. Maybe till god of war comes out? That's really the only game coming this year I think I give a fuck about now
EDIT: I will say I loved halo - but it was totally barebones and incomplete. So until they add co op (which will improve it significantly in my book) I'm out
Maybe it's rose tinted glasses but I remember previous console generations having way more cool, mind blowing shit. I have both consoles and I still don't really feel like playing anything after Elden ring. Maybe till god of war comes out? That's really the only game coming this year I think I give a fuck about now
EDIT: I will say I loved halo - but it was totally barebones and incomplete. So until they add co op (which will improve it significantly in my book) I'm out
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It was about the second part of my comment, the salary part.
I suspect the majority of the budget is towards their other divisions however. The money companies are throwing to employees with xr experience is very high.
DavidGzz
Gold Member
Exactly, it's all the same. Playstation announced games YEARS and years out in the past but now their fans don't remember, maybe they switched roles but in the end, all huge AAA games take a LONG time. Ghost of Tsushima, FF7 Remake, and God of War came out several years after their reveal. Sony is doing more surprise reveals like Demon's Souls so it seems the games are coming quicker, but they are taking just as long on both sides.
Chukhopops
Member
How are Sackboy and Destruction All Stars first party games when Sony doesn't own Sumo (which belongs to Tencent) and Lucid games (independent)?
The problem is the criteria used is all over the place:
- if it's supposed to be a comparison of first party, then why does it include Contraband, Sackboy or Destruction All Stars?
- if it's supposed to be exclusives, why does it include MLB for Sony games?
- if it's supposed to be including moneyhatted exclusives then there are a lot missing.
It's just not very good data.
Heisenberg007
Gold Journalism
I think you're confused about what constitutes a first-party games (which is fair, as I see a lot of discussion around this topic from time to time).
It generally works like this: if the IP is owned by a publisher, it is a first-party game, regardless of who is developing it. And the external developer group may help a third-party studio create the game. Examples:
- Bloodborne is a PS first-party game because Sony owns the IP and contracted it out to FromSoftware. Japan Studio's xDev team helped FromSoftware build the game.
- Sackboy is a PS first-party game because Sony owns the IP and contracted it out to Digital Sumo. PS's xDev studio helped Digital Sumo develop the game.
- Destruction All Stars is a PS first-party game because Sony owns the IP and hired Lucid Games to make it. PS's xDev studio helped Lucid Games to develop the game.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator is a first-party Xbox game because MS owns the IP. They hired Asobo (a third-party studio) to make the game. Xbox's Global Publishing (just like PS xDev) helped Asobo make the game.
- Contraband is a first-party Xbox game because MS owns the IP. They hired Avalanche to make the game. Xbox Global Publishing is helping them.
- Medium is a third-party game. Neither MS nor Sony owns the IP. Neither of them helped the studio develop the game. The game was just money-hatted to be timed exclusive.
- Ascent is a third-party game. Neither MS nor Sony owns the IP. Neither of them helped the studio develop the game. The game was just money-hatted to be timed exclusive.
Snake29
Banned
My GPU is ending later this year. I use it on the PC. I've played out several games, but overall I don't use it much. After I finished Halo Infinite SP (which was pretty bad in my opinion), I haven't touched any other games. Most of the games on the list are not interesting at all or I just don't want to invest time in them.
A game like Starfield (if it ends well) I would always buy on steam. After my subscription ends later this year, I won't be re-subscribing it for a long time. I have a lot of other games to play on PC and PS5.
A game like Starfield (if it ends well) I would always buy on steam. After my subscription ends later this year, I won't be re-subscribing it for a long time. I have a lot of other games to play on PC and PS5.
Heisenberg007
Gold Journalism
Play Ori 1 and 2 if you haven't, before your subscription ends. My most favorite XGS games. I'm sad they won't be making a third one, but I'm excited to see whatever Moon Studios does next.
Bernd Lauert
Banned
Video game forum nerds came up with the term "second-party" for the scenario when a first party commisions a game from a third party, but in the real world that term is not a real thing so yeah, games like Flight Sim are first party.
Doctor Hades
Member
In answer to the thread title and as an owner of the Xbox Series X: No.
Microsoft rely too much on their key franchises: Forza, Gears and Halo with third-party and backward compatibility with their Game Pass subscription to boost the Xbox library. While I will admit that I bought an Xbox Series X as a cheaper alternative to upgrading my gaming PC and the main platform to play third-party games on since the PS5 at the time did not offer VRR support, I'm still disappointed that 18 months into the launch that the Xbox Series X still does not have a showcase game like the PS5's Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart to show how impressive its hardware can be free of the shackles of the last gen. The console itself is great, UI aside which is a cluttered mess in my opinion, and it is obviously a great games machine but if I had to choose between a PS5 or an Xbox Series X then it would be Sony's console all the way due to a better first-party library, especially for solo players (I personally do not like online multiplayer games with is why I was never interested in Sea of Thieves on Xbox).
Microsoft have bought new first-party studios and are looking to make amends but the problem is that they should have done this years ago instead of resting on their laurels. Now we are having to play the waiting game for these new first-party releases with some games that were due out this years slipping into 2023. The PS5 isn't much better to be fare but at least it has had a fairly regular string of first-party releases since launch and was arguably the only console between it and the Xbox Series X|S offering first-party releases at launch.
Microsoft rely too much on their key franchises: Forza, Gears and Halo with third-party and backward compatibility with their Game Pass subscription to boost the Xbox library. While I will admit that I bought an Xbox Series X as a cheaper alternative to upgrading my gaming PC and the main platform to play third-party games on since the PS5 at the time did not offer VRR support, I'm still disappointed that 18 months into the launch that the Xbox Series X still does not have a showcase game like the PS5's Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart to show how impressive its hardware can be free of the shackles of the last gen. The console itself is great, UI aside which is a cluttered mess in my opinion, and it is obviously a great games machine but if I had to choose between a PS5 or an Xbox Series X then it would be Sony's console all the way due to a better first-party library, especially for solo players (I personally do not like online multiplayer games with is why I was never interested in Sea of Thieves on Xbox).
Microsoft have bought new first-party studios and are looking to make amends but the problem is that they should have done this years ago instead of resting on their laurels. Now we are having to play the waiting game for these new first-party releases with some games that were due out this years slipping into 2023. The PS5 isn't much better to be fare but at least it has had a fairly regular string of first-party releases since launch and was arguably the only console between it and the Xbox Series X|S offering first-party releases at launch.
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The Eradicator
Member
The term "second party" has been around for like 20 years, and yes, it does mean something in the real world. Too many people act like it isn't a thing, and just claim everything is "first party", even when it isn't.
Hendrick's
If only my penis was as big as my GamerScore!
Has Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo ever called one of their games second party?
If you look at the "phil spencer says steady flow of great games" thread from a few weeks ago xbox fans are not dreaming of one every 4-6 months they are in a coma thinking of one every 1 month.
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Kokoloko85
Member
What 1st and 3rd party exclusives has xbox series got so far?
Halo Infinite
Forza
Flight Simulator
I think Im missing something or 2
Halo Infinite
Forza
Flight Simulator
I think Im missing something or 2
Memorabilia
Member
Almost all of these threads give off big time concern trolling vibes.
Assuming OP is being sincere, however, my immediate reaction is simple: it takes time to build chemistry & vision in each & every studio & it takes more time to get things in a groove to pump out quality product.
Gamers are in general an entitled lot who suffer others their 1st world problems view of reality far too often.
Yes, we have some grounds to expect studio output but common sense about how things take time to shake out & coalesce is in short supply.
Everyone needs to take a deep breathe & realize the world isn't going to end bc of the Starfield/Redfall delays. Most people with any grasp of reality knew it'd probably take until 2023 before things start to come together with those and other titles.
Assuming OP is being sincere, however, my immediate reaction is simple: it takes time to build chemistry & vision in each & every studio & it takes more time to get things in a groove to pump out quality product.
Gamers are in general an entitled lot who suffer others their 1st world problems view of reality far too often.
Yes, we have some grounds to expect studio output but common sense about how things take time to shake out & coalesce is in short supply.
Everyone needs to take a deep breathe & realize the world isn't going to end bc of the Starfield/Redfall delays. Most people with any grasp of reality knew it'd probably take until 2023 before things start to come together with those and other titles.
Banjo64
cumsessed
And that's fine.
But in order to give those studios time to form an identity and a cohesive way of working, it probably made little to no sense for MS to put pressure on them by releasing CGI trailers for games that are 5 years away.
Like Everwild. Despite it being just a world with no gameplay loop finalised, and later needing a reboot with Gregg Mayles taking charge as director.
Or Perfect Dark, with half the senior staff leaving and Crystal Dynamics taking charge.
Or The Outer Worlds 2 when we've still only seen a CGI trailer for Avowed.
It's not the fans having unrealistic expectations here, it's MS dick teasing but thinking they can dick tease for 4 or 5 years when their studios aren't ready to show.
Yeah I'm so entitled with my Xbox and Game Pass subscription and pumping money in to MS and Xbox I really should just not expect anything at all from them and just be grateful for any shit they care to shovel in to my stupid big mouth.
Memorabilia
Member
You sound triggered. I'm not here to provide therapy or to read novels.My overarching point stands: There is a lack of nuance in how many are responding to this issue, including many who insincerely mix console warring into every single discussion. People like yourself who apparently feel the need to make such a big deal out of delays are largely entitled, spoiled brats with a major case of 1st world goggles. And, most importantly, every time someone posts nonsense like that it proves beyond a shadow of doubt someone is not only clueless about game production pipeline realities but like they've never had a job.
Fact: Games which are delayed are generally better for it.
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Banjo64
cumsessed
I'll keep it short for you; I'd rather be a spoilt brat than a corporate boot-licker, like you.
My overarching point stands: There is a lack of nuance in how many are responding to this issue, including many who insincerely mix console warring into every single discussion. People like yourself who apparently feel the need to make such a big deal out of delays are largely entitled, spoiled brats with a major case of 1st world goggles.
Fact: Games which are delayed are generally better for it.
Bernd Lauert
Banned
Weird misrepresentation of that thread.
Why is it wierd? Did you read it?
Bernd Lauert
Banned
Yeah. I didn't see anyone expecting one game a month, maybe I missed it.
Memorabilia
Member
That couldn't be further from the truth. Just because I'm pointing out that reality doesn't comport with your childish view of the world it doesn't mean I'm in any way inclined to favor multinationals over people. But, having said that, one would have to be able to hold down a job to be a "boot licker" so we know that rules you out. 
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Banjo64
cumsessed
My overarching point stands: There is a lack of nuance in how many are responding to this issue, including many who insincerely mix console warring into every single discussion. People like yourself who apparently feel the need to make such a big deal out of delays are largely entitled, spoiled brats with a major case of 1st world goggles.
Fact: Games which are delayed are generally better for it.
There are in fact several people in that thread.
Here is one of them who replied to me
And another
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Memorabilia
Member
I rest my case.
Bernd Lauert
Banned
Ah, turns out I haven't read the thread, I just posted the gif and then left it because I assumed mods would close it anyway.
Where do people get 36 studios from, though? I count 23 or so, and 2 of those don't even make console games.
Topher
Identifies as young
My overarching point stands: There is a lack of nuance in how many are responding to this issue, including many who insincerely mix console warring into every single discussion. People like yourself who apparently feel the need to make such a big deal out of delays are largely entitled, spoiled brats with a major case of 1st world goggles.
Fact: Games which are delayed are generally better for it.
Anyone can dismiss any issue facing gamers by referencing "1st world goggles", not just delayed games. If folks took that attitude then Xbox Live gold would still be double the price it is today because no one would have complained so loudly that MS backed down. They should have just stayed quiet rather than complain about first world problems? I get your point on delayed games, but the fact that some have a problem with Microsoft's game output are surely legit discussion points on a forum dedicated to video games. If someone brought this up in the thread in Off Topics discussing the war in the Ukraine then yeah.
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Topher
Identifies as young
Psychonauts 2 was fantastic.
Memorabilia
Member
I disagree that people standing up to push back against Xbox Live Gold price increases is in any way analogous to people bitching about studio output. The first is a form of consumer pushback to guarantee fair pricing...while the second is a mixture of people who are entitled & generally clueless about production pipelines combined with some measure of people who just want to engage in console warring (many of the people dog piling on Xbox studios are generally not also looking at the rather lackluster output over at Sony over the past year with the same equally critical eye).
That said, I would still agree that to some degree this is a legit discussion. It's to our benefit to let Phil & company know we expect greatness from at least some of the 34+ studios they've amassed/built. It's just that much or perhaps most of the discussion around this topic isn't in good faith & is pretty much akin to a child screaming "I want what I want & I want it now!" without taking into account all of the various factors that combine to get projects out the door in good shape.
The bottom line is it takes time to build studios & pump out relatively bug free content. And we know that many of the same people bitching about delays are the same people bitching about buggy releases. Ultimately delays result in better games. That doesn't mean we can't discuss it & try to offer feedback that hopefully helps em put the pedal to the metal. But there are limits to how fast any project can be pushed without lowering the quality at release, which is a reality that many don't think about while bitching about it until they get a buggy piece of shit in their hands at launch.
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