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Xbox now has 20 video game franchises that have earned $1 billion

Kokoloko85

Member
You might want to look up MS’ track record as a publisher or just the quality of Xbox management overall. Their job as a full third party only gets tougher not easier. And they have a lot of studios they are responsible for managing now.

Expect A LOT of studio closures, divestments, and layoffs over the coming years.

I know.
But without the publishers they recently bought, they would just be a Minecraft publisher. With then Forza, Sea of Thieves, Flight sim, Gears. Nothing else guaranteed.

Titles like Elder Scrolls online are being successful, Diablo too. They just need to leave it alone and make some smart choices to progress their success. Yes I know thats harder than it sounds, especially for MS lol.
Without Bethesda and Activision, I dont think they would have even launched the Xbox Series and they’d have no significant future.

But I wouldnt be surprised if they lose it all, they have that magic touch
 

Kokoloko85

Member
Microsoft started buying studios what, 6 or 7 years ago? What do they have to show for it? They bought Ninja Theory in 2018 and they finally released a game, and it was a wet sloppy diarrhea fart. The best game Microsoft released in that timeframe was Forza Horizon 5, which is a homegrown franchise. So, no, Microsoft did not secure anything.

Ninja Theory and Obsidian arent Bethesda and Activision. The Ip popularity isnt even comparible. COD is huge. Doom and Elder Scrolls, Diablo are all popular franchises.

Im not denying there best times was before. Im not saying they are gonna succeed. Just as a publisher, they wouldnt be the same without COD, Diablo, Fallout, Doom etc etc. They wouldnt be here now without them this generation, as bad as they are doing. They would be doing worse.

Without Bethesda and Activision, What would Xbox be doing? I doubt the Xbox Series would even lasted 6 months without the fake hype of Xbox having Bethesda and Activision ips all on gamepass exclusive.
 

diffusionx

Gold Member
Ninja Theory and Obsidian arent Bethesda and Activision. The Ip popularity isnt even comparible. COD is huge. Doom and Elder Scrolls, Diablo are all popular franchises.

Im not denying there best times was before. Im not saying they are gonna succeed. Just as a publisher, they wouldnt be the same without COD, Diablo, Fallout, Doom etc etc. They wouldnt be here now without them this generation, as bad as they are doing. They would be doing worse.

Without Bethesda and Activision, What would Xbox be doing? I doubt the Xbox Series would even lasted 6 months without the fake hype of Xbox having Bethesda and Activision ips all on gamepass exclusive.
Bethesda released their biggest game ever and it sucked. In principle I agree with you. They have the studios and the brands and all that. But they need to deliver. Look what they did to Halo.
 

Shake Your Rump

Gold Member
I'm going to bold the ones in the list that were purchased by Microsoft as opposed to being created by them.
  • Halo
  • Minecraft
  • Forza
  • Age of Empires
  • Flight Simulator
  • Gears of War
  • Call of Duty
  • Candy Crush
  • Warcraft
  • Diablo
  • Overwatch
  • Guitar Hero
  • Tony Hawk
  • Crash Bandicoot
  • The Elder Scrolls
  • Fallout
  • Doom
 
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Mr Moose

Member
I'm going to bold the ones in the list that were purchased by Microsoft as opposed to being created by them.
  • Halo
  • Minecraft
  • Forza
  • Age of Empires
  • Flight Simulator
  • Gears of War
  • Call of Duty
  • Candy Crush
  • Warcraft
  • Diablo
  • Overwatch
  • Guitar Hero
  • Tony Hawk
  • Crash Bandicoot
  • The Elder Scrolls
  • Fallout
  • Doom
Gears of War was Epic.
 

ap_puff

Member
I'm going to bold the ones in the list that were purchased by Microsoft as opposed to being created by them.
  • Halo
  • Minecraft
  • Forza
  • Age of Empires
  • Flight Simulator
  • Gears of War
  • Call of Duty
  • Candy Crush
  • Warcraft
  • Diablo
  • Overwatch
  • Guitar Hero
  • Tony Hawk
  • Crash Bandicoot
  • The Elder Scrolls
  • Fallout
  • Doom
Technically gears of war was bought by microsoft since epic was originally the devs, and both aoe and flight sim are developed by external studios
 

Shake Your Rump

Gold Member
Gears of War was Epic.
Wikipedia: "After Microsoft acquired the rights to the franchise Gears of War in 2014", so I guess you are right. I was under the impression that the deal was made prior to the game being developed.

both aoe and flight sim are developed by external studios
Wikipedia: "Microsoft established the company as Zipline Studios in February 2010.", which then went on the create Microsoft Flight (later renamed Flight Simulator. So I give them credit for that one.
 
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ap_puff

Member
Wikipedia: "After Microsoft acquired the rights to the franchise Gears of War in 2014", so I guess you are right. I was under the impression that the deal was made prior to the game being developed.


Wikipedia: "Microsoft established the company as Zipline Studios in February 2010.", which then went on the create Microsoft Flight (later renamed Flight Simulator. So I give them credit for that one.
Pretty sure the flight sim franchise has been going on since the 90s

*Edit* https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sublogic

80s even
 
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Shake Your Rump

Gold Member
Pretty sure the flight sim franchise has been going on since the 90s
Has MS ever made anything on their own? Heh.

Wikipedia:

Bruce Artwick began the development of Flight Simulator in 1977. His company, Sublogic, initially distributed it for various personal computers.[4] In 1981, Artwick was approached by Microsoft's Alan M. Boyd who was interested in creating a "definitive game" that would graphically demonstrate the difference between older 8-bit computers, such as the Apple II, and the new 16-bit computers, such as the IBM PC, still in development. In 1982, Artwick's company licensed a version of Flight Simulator for the IBM PC to Microsoft, which marketed it as Microsoft Flight Simulator.
 

FoxMcChief

Gold Member
This is like a rich guy recently getting into Warhammer 40K and showing off his pre-painted army he bought online.
Larry David Hbo GIF by Curb Your Enthusiasm
 

Kokoloko85

Member
Bethesda released their biggest game ever and it sucked. In principle I agree with you. They have the studios and the brands and all that. But they need to deliver. Look what they did to Halo.
And I agree with you. Starfield was meant to the be the next Elder Scrolls.
They could ruin all those ipl into a Halo disaster. I just think without those purchases they’d already be 3rd party but without the brands and ips going forward, I just cant image where they’d be right now. Xbox Series defo discontinued by now
 

pasterpl

Member
If I buy a Porsche 911 turbo that does not make me a race car driver, it just puts me $200,000 in debt.
You forgot one thing, you are now in possession of an asset (car) worth $200,000 - the case is if it will increase or decrease in value over time, also you say in debt, MS did it use any dept to finance ABK deal, it was all from their cash in hand warchest, so no interest will be generated. In your exapmle if you bought a right model of Porsche and take a good care of it, its value might dramatically increase over years, and you might end up even doubling your money in 10 years, but it is hard to say in car market what will become a classic and what’s not.
 
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kyussman

Member
Congrats,just goes to show everyone what a creative powerhouse they have been since getting into gaming......oh,wait.
 
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