Microsoft is trimming the fat. Those studios didn't do sh!t. If MS didn't buy Bethesda, it was going to happen anyway.
If anyone watched the Psychonauts documentary, you'll see how Double Fine was in trouble before being acquired by MS. Not saying they were their savior. They might have had other choices, but the purchase did get them by to where they are now. I wonder what they've been working on.Microsoft is trimming the fat. Those studios didn't do sh!t. If MS didn't buy Bethesda, it was going to happen anyway.
I think people are reacting with their hearts and that's not a bad thing. No one wants to see people lose jobs. It is confusing because of how things are playing out, but we just don't have all the pieces.I find myself reluctantly agreeing with you the more I mull it over. The industry is rapidly moving to be driven either by forever games or Mega hits. The days of small critically acclaimed darlings but commercially unsuccessful is reaching its end at least at the big companies. Both Arkane Austin and Tango are known for the critically acclaimed games but couldn't find an audience in Prey or Hi-Fi rush for example. If independent companies they would have been shuttered. The prevailing thought or perception was with MS's warchest that wouldn't matter as much. We're finding out that it very much does.
This just proves my point. Double Fine was good, but if MS didn't acquire them. You think they will be standing?If anyone watched the Psychonauts documentary, you'll see how Double Fine was in trouble before being acquired by MS. Not saying they were their savior. They might have had other choices, but the purchase did get them by to where they are now. I wonder what they've been working on.
Or the games before that.MS ultimately has detailed metrics on things like how many played Hi Fi Rush, for how long, etc. We simply don't have that info. While it was well reviewed, was it widely played? More importantly, how would a Hi Fi 2 have done?
While it is easy to look at Hi Fi and question why they'd dump a studio making a hit? They have the detailed numbers and we don't.
Please, these are people with a skill that can make games, they can go anywhere. They clearly have the skills, it's the business of understanding what people want and imagination is what they lack for their down fall.I think people are reacting with their hearts and that's not a bad thing. No one wants to see people lose jobs. It is confusing because of how things are playing out, but we just don't have all the pieces.
If anyone watched the Psychonauts documentary, you'll see how Double Fine was in trouble before being acquired by MS. Not saying they were their savior. They might have had other choices, but the purchase did get them by to where they are now. I wonder what they've been working on.
I think Obsidian and InExile, great studios, got a big push during the Kickstarter craze, but that wasn't going to sustain them long term.That's true of most of the studios they bought during the spending spree. Ninja Theory, Obsidain, InExile, Compulsion Games etc. All of them were in dire straits. And xbox probably got them on the cheap.
Funny thing is, they have hired people from the likes of Sony and Nintendo, and they still can't get in a rhythm.That isn't to say management isn't blameless. Their job is to manage these IPs and studios to put out a product that is commercially and critically successful. And so far very few executives in the xbox division past or present have been able to crack that code.
I think it was more assumed game pass would be the answer. That games that may not sell but were good would find the audience with subscribers.I find myself reluctantly agreeing with you the more I mull it over. The industry is rapidly moving to be driven either by forever games or Mega hits. The days of small critically acclaimed darlings but commercially unsuccessful is reaching its end at least at the big companies. Both Arkane Austin and Tango are known for the critically acclaimed games but couldn't find an audience in Prey or Hi-Fi rush for example. If independent companies they would have been shuttered. The prevailing thought or perception was with MS's warchest that wouldn't matter as much. We're finding out that it very much does.
I think it was more assumed game pass would be the answer. That games that may not sell but were good would find the audience with subscribers.
Now we are back to having no clue what their future direction is. Multiplatform publisher of mostly mega IPs only probably.
This quote from the article puts it perfectly.The philosophy of a great video game platform holder is that it makes money in order to make more consoles and more games. The philosophy of Microsoft - and by dint of that, Xbox - is evidently that it only makes consoles and games in order to make money.
And the first part where you "make money" to make more consoles and more games is supposed to just happen I guess? Just make good games? Clearly that doesn't always cut it. This is the mindset that has sent the videogame industry into a tailspin.Eurogamer put out an article asking about Xbox direction as well.
What is the point of Xbox?
Xbox has repeated the same terrible mistakes for over a decade. The reason is simple: its priorities are back-to-front.www.eurogamer.net
Some great insights here into how Microsoft keeps chasing growth metrics and has forgotten its core purpose in the gaming industry. Good quotes from ex-Microsoft studios to bolster it. You don't get to scale in the gaming industry without patience and sticking with the core concept that you are there not to grow Gamepass, sell XYZ copies but to provide compelling entertainment experiences to customers. The money comes after you do that and then you figure out how to optimize it from there. Helldivers 2 took almost 8 years to make and the first game was honestly fairly middling in terms of sales/player numbers. Look where it is now because they were given time and resources to iterate under investment from their publisher partner.
This is especially galling for Microsoft because they have the deep pockets to subsidize these things and take risks but often simply give up, it's a cycle that has been endlessly repeated. They bought A-B for 70 billion to chase more growth metrics rather than actually serve their core customers.
I think at some point they need to have a philosophical discussion about what can actually be accomplished under the parent company and how they're going to do it. The thing that bothers me is that they have done this before in the 360 era but are choosing all of the wrong battles to fight now.
This quote from the article puts it perfectly.
Sony attacking Phil and Ybarra
I don't think she ever worked for Xbox or Microsoft. If she did, it's not listed in her career accomplishments. Now, she DID go to a conference as a game journalist at an Xbox Australia event once.She actually worked for Xbox Australia when she first started in the industry, she mentioned it before in a podcast, which one, I forget
I may be confusing it for that, that may have been her first gig/assignmentI don't think she ever worked for Xbox or Microsoft. If she did, it's not listed in her career accomplishments. Now, she DID go to a conference as a game journalist at an Xbox Australia event once.
Just to follow this, word is that Tango was still pitching ideas for their next game, despite HiFi being released 16 months ago.Everybody is judging MS' closure of Tango purely off what they released in the past, but only MS has full insight as to what they have been working on. The decision could largely be based on what the next game is, not necessarily HiFi Rush.
Well don't forget the game did just get ported to PS5Just to follow this, word is that Tango was still pitching ideas for their next game, despite HiFi being released 16 months ago.
It’s sad the mods let the same usual suspects constantly ruin the gaming side of this forum. Just let the trolling ’s run free.I think I'm done with this forum.
This thread is moronic.
And was probably also already well into development for PS5 prior to the acquisition. The PS5 was likely the lead platform.Well don't forget the game did just get ported to PS5
And the first part where you "make money" to make more consoles and more games is supposed to just happen I guess? Just make good games? Clearly that doesn't always cut it. This is the mindset that has sent the videogame industry into a tailspin.
Absolute nonsense. Just ask Sony how that philosophy is working out for them financially.We know MS has no short stack amount of money so that's already a non factor. What Eurogamer is probably referring to is the "exponential" growth factor they are trying to go for , see their previous history in the last decade.
Some of the ex Xbox studios comments are pretty insightful.