CDproject red wouldn't do it, I don't think. They love their autonomy and like their stuff to be DRM free.
Xbox Rumors and Speculation
- Thread starter Andy
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CDproject red wouldn't do it, I don't think. They love their autonomy and like their stuff to be DRM free.
I think someone like Crystal Dynamics, Crytek or 4A games (Metro) makes a lot of sense.
Crystal Dynamics would be a nice get. I don't know the other companies well enough to say.
I understand some studios want to stay independent but, again, they wouldn't announce that they're ready to be acquired because it drops the value of the studio. No one in their right mind would state such a thing. However...
Because a studio says they'd rather remain independent doesn't mean they won't take the right deal, should it come around. PGG also stated they wanted to stay independent. As did Undead, I believe.
Because a studio says they'd rather remain independent doesn't mean they won't take the right deal, should it come around. PGG also stated they wanted to stay independent. As did Undead, I believe.
Bruh... Remedy. Get. Remedy. CD too if its feasible. But definitely get Remedy.
Christ, if Microsoft were to acquire both, they'd be right as rain.
Why do some root for Microsoft to buy up all the studios? Shouldn't we root for them to start studios instead?
At this point and time, Microsoft is finally seeing the response they wanted from the gaming community, when instead of paying 3rd party devs to create new content, their actually investing in the studios and devs as a whole. That creates loyalty and confidence with their fanbase. It doesn't matter if the studio is built from the ground up or not, so long as fans and gamers are seeing solid investments in acquisitions - they'll be happy and stick around.
Besides, Isn't The Inquisition a brand new studio?
Besides, Isn't The Inquisition a brand new studio?
If they are buying studios I'd like to see them buy studios that they can build up and improve like with Undead Labs. Studios that can really benefit from it.
Hoping they buy CDPR is just disguised console war stuff
Have to agree. Every purchase they’ve made so far I believe equates to better games on Xbox and better games from those studios in general due to increased funding and resources.
CDPR doesn’t have funding, resource or support issues. Cyberpunk probably won’t be better on Xbox because Microsoft buys them. CDPR makes once a generation games...once a generation. Xbox gamers are better off if Microsoft continues to invest in studios that they can make better.
I do think Remedy makes all kinds of sense. Would like to see Remedy get the same creative freedom as NT and continue the Alan Wake series like they want to.
I'd be sort of meh if they acquired Remedy. That's sort of on the level of acquiring Undead Labs -- in the sense that Remedy was already producing Xbox exclusives, so it would just be status quo. I realize there's a difference there, in that Remedy had gone multiplatform after QD, but still, it would be locking down a developer who's already been producing Xbox exclusives.
I'd rather they acquire something new rather than something old. They need as much new blood as they can get.
I'd rather they acquire something new rather than something old. They need as much new blood as they can get.
My bets are on either CDPR or Armeture, and or the guys who did Ori.
Who knows, maybe they’ll surprise us in Germany at GamesCon, with another handful.
Who knows, maybe they’ll surprise us in Germany at GamesCon, with another handful.
Frankly, getting something new doesnt really make as much sense as acquiring a trusted developer that has a pedigree and reputation. NT, PGG, Undead Labs are such studios (can't remember the other two for the life of me...). The hardcore audience all ready know about these guys and are excited about the future based on their reputation alone. CD and Remedy are such studios as well. They have one studio build from the ground up in The Inquisition. I think that's enough for new blood. Build the rest from those with great reputations. JMHO
Nah, I disagree. New > old, and Initiative is not nearly enough (fortunately there's more). I also don't think Remedy's pedigree/reputation is as high as you think.
Takes longer. More risk. Established culture and leadership. Also most independent developers aren’t big enough or stable enough to publish their own stuff. Often times it’s the best thing for the studio. More stability. Developers are closing down all the time.
If the publisher and developer are a good fit in terms of strategies, it’s often win/win for everyone involved.
Buying a healthy publisher is different. I think CDPR is on the verge of being strong enough to enter publishing or expand. At that point, it isn’t helping the industry grow by purchasing them.
New studios like The Initiative still need to deliver something and because of that I can't place them above Remedy's games. Everything is nice on paper but until they actually put out something, I'm more hype for Remedy joining. At least I know that they can deliver a compelling story with believable characters and execute action, paranormal or science fiction adventures. I really don't know anything about what the Initiative is doing and what their first game will be about.
New developers doesn’t mean what most people think it does. A AAA developer like Initiative is going to poach and stock established talent from other studios. They aren’t going to build with a bunch of newbies trying to cut their teeth. It’s not necessarily expanding or refreshing the industry the way most people think other than it shows Microsoft is serious about gaming and may be building their brand towards something that can reach customers with AAA games that Sony and Nintendo won’t.
The #1 way Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo help developers, create jobs within the industry, create stability for developers, create a landscape with more overall games, better games, etc...is by growing the industry and appealing to more consumers. If the pie is the same, then all everyone does is change where the biggest slice is coming from and who the power players are.
My point (which I take too long to make) is all these old studios being bought can be like new studios if the support, resources, freedom and hiring go up and new studios can be old if they poach a lot of existing talent from established companies.
Coalition, for better or for worse, is an old studio in a new studio’s skin based on their leadership, strategy, freedom (lack of) and talent.
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I gotcha. My point, and the way I'm using "new" vs. "old," is is in reference to Xbox's already-established exclusives. Adding Remedy to the pile doesn't do a whole lot to shout "look at the new exclusives coming to Xbox." It sounds more like "look at us locking down the studios we've already worked a lot with."
It's an "old" studio in the sense that we're already accustomed to them being in the Xbox exclusive catalog. Ninja Theory would be a "new" studio in this sense, as would the guys who do We Happy Few (can't remember their name). Even the second Playground studio is "new" in this sense.
Granted, a "new" studio won't necessarily be higher quality than Remedy. It could be lower. Hopefully not. But all things being equal, I'd rather have something new rather than something familiar.
Just my preference. I realize there are a lot of Remedy fans here who think differently.
That’s fair. Reason I’d be excited about it is I’d love to see Remedy working with “new Xbox”. That is...make stories for Game Pass. They get the freedom to follow through and complete their stories. I still can’t think of a single developer who’s past single player games fit the model of Game Pass better.
As a sports fan, I equate it to a talented player stuck in a limiting role on a mediocre team. New coach comes in, new system...and that player flourishes.
I look at Remedy as a talented studio who’s been somewhat limited working with Microsoft in the past.
Edit: also one of the reasons I’m hoping to see Remedy is that from the comments coming from E3 (like Giant Bomb), they are showing growth as a developer when it comes to gameplay now that they’re no longer focused on the game engine. I think it was Gertsman who had it as one of his top games of E3 after getting to see more of it. He gave Quantum Break one of its lowest reviews so that is somewhat telling.
Right now Remedy is having Control published by a small Publisher. I think their story telling and characters deserve higher funding and production values.
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So the platform gets more attention.
Sort of like Sony buying up studios like crazy during the PS3 years and nobody complained.
I think MS will buy up the Cuphead devs. They are partly based in Oakville, Ontario which is literally a 10 minute drive (depending where in Oakville) to Microsoft Canada's head office.
I doubt CDProjekt will sell out to anyone soon, but you never know. I don't think anyone saw Ninja Theory being on the table and they ended up getting snatched up.
I doubt CDProjekt will sell out to anyone soon, but you never know. I don't think anyone saw Ninja Theory being on the table and they ended up getting snatched up.
The fact Control is being published by 505 Games shows larger publishers don't want to bother with Remedy games, which...... take forever to come out, have high production values, and I don't think their latest games (Alan Wake and Quantum Break) sold like gangbusters.
Remedy has been around a while. Putting it into sports context, Remedy is that veteran player who is decent, but overpriced. Everyone knows somebody will take him, but given price/performance ratio is a risky bet so many teams will avoid.
Nobody is complaining now either.
I was specifically talking about people hoping they buy someone like CDPR. Which is really people hoping they win the "console wars" and nothing more.
There’s a good reason why people want their chosen platform to sell well and that’s because some third party developers sometimes only choose to support the best selling platform. Cliffs B’s recent game never supported Xbox because of limited resources so chose to go with PS4 because of the higher install base.
There’s also player base to think about when it comes to multiplayer games, especially the less popular games where it can be hard to find a game. It’s doesn’t always come down to preferred piece of plastic.
I thought Cliffy B brought his game(s) to PlayStation was because they were exclusive, except for that last one where he called out Phil and Xbox for help/funds to port it over.
For a good while I thought he was still working on Fornite until I found out he was working on Law Breakers, way back when.
I love CDPR, and have since the first Witcher, but I'm not sure if they'd blossom under MS.
They're prone to delays and massive budget blowouts, (Although that could have been because the company was largely in its infancy with unrealistic expectations and management) MS aren't fans of that. Not only that, but I think CDPR NEED to be multiplat, to make enough coin to lavish all that time on their games, and make all their free DLC!
They're prone to delays and massive budget blowouts, (Although that could have been because the company was largely in its infancy with unrealistic expectations and management) MS aren't fans of that. Not only that, but I think CDPR NEED to be multiplat, to make enough coin to lavish all that time on their games, and make all their free DLC!
Yeah, it's all just "rumors floating around," with no basis (afaik). The CDPR rumor in particular just sounds like wishful thinking, similar to the EA rumor.
Phil has said they're going to continue to buy studios, though. So they'll buy something, eventually.
Yep. I should state that I’m being a selfish consumer when I say I don’t care for the idea of Microsoft investing in the likes of CDPR or EA.
As a multiconsole owner, the quality or quantity of great games doesn’t improve with purchases like that. If Microsoft doesn’t keep the games from those companies multiconsole, they’d be losing money...or they’d be investing this money to drive people to the platform by keeping content off of other platforms. That would clearly come out of a budget that could be used to fund development of games that wouldn’t be made otherwise.
Selfishly I want Microsoft to be more competitive but do it because they’re adding new things to the industry...not because they’re able to play keep away from other platforms.
It’s different with most other independent studios because most of them live on the edge of staying in business and are often restricted from AAA productions values if they want to maintain creativity or take risks. Where Microsoft’s mindset is today is actually a good place (at least short term) for developers to flourish.
Me, too. I heard Phil talk about acquiring Compulsion, and how he didn't want the acquisition to interfere with their already-established relationship with another publisher (I forget which) to take We Happy Few multiplatform. He said something along the lines of, "I don't want to keep this game from other people" -- in other words, I don't want to "play keep away," as you put it. I liked that. I hope they continue to be that way. Otherwise, you just piss people off (not to mention cut your income stream by two-thirds).