Zenimax Media/Bethesda

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Nah. Entire market is restructuring and due to that, a lot of companies are finding themselves out of position. These companies either need to restructure and re-strategize or sell. We saw that with Bethesda figuring that they were either going to have to turn single player studios into GAAS studios or sell. It's ironic hearing people complain about "consolidation" and how this is making gaming worse when in actuality, over the past decade the middle class of gaming died along with a lot of AAA diversity. Market has been consolidated when less than 10 companies made all the money and 2 of them (Valve and Apple) weren't even making games or helping developers. 1 of them (Epic) makes most of their money off of 1 game. Activision makes the majority of their profit off of 1 IP. In contrast, Bethesda will be better under Microsoft and making games for a subscription. Where they were at, studios like Arkane and Tango were at risk of being consolidated.

Microsoft investing in a subscription model has created a platform where AA games and non GAAS single player games can survive. There are more developers and investors entering the industry than are getting bought up because there is more opportunity. When Sony has had complete market dominance in the AAA space 2 out of 3 generations, has 0 competition in more than half the world and was able to have 100s of exclusives they never funded, nobody thought it was a problem. Now that there's competition, a new model and more opportunity for games that were struggling to find a market to exist, everyone's suddenly worried about "consolidation". Vertical consolidation can lead to better products. Horizontal consolidation (like Microsoft trying to buy Sony) would be anti-competitive and we shouldn't want that.

On that note, both Capcom and Sega have struggled to find markets for most of their IPs. Capcom actually put themselves up for sale this generation and didn't get takers. They were saved by the success of Monster Hunter World. Even RE has under-performed except for the RE2 remake. Monster Hunter World is more of a GAAS single player game. These companies will have to either re-structure, find success with GAAS or partner with a subscription. Many will align with subscriptions (either through partnerships or vertical consolidation) and that will actually create a landscape that allows for more diversity of AAA games.

Sony dominating was based as much on everyone elses mistakes than anything else. If people were to be upset it would be at Microsoft for not doing more and that is why it was a good thing they built their first party up and have made better decisions.

But gaming is bigger than Sony vs Microsoft. The insistence on going back to console wars shows that is the only thing you are concerned with. And enough of the "But Sony" stuff to defend Microsoft. THEY DON'T NEED TO BE DEFENDED. THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG.

And before you told me consolidation isn't going to happen and now you are telling me it has to happen. Make up your mind.
 
Sony dominating was based as much on everyone elses mistakes than anything else. If people were to be upset it would be at Microsoft for not doing more and that is why it was a good thing they built their first party up and have made better decisions.

But gaming is bigger than Sony vs Microsoft. The insistence on going back to console wars shows that is the only thing you are concerned with. And enough of the "But Sony" stuff to defend Microsoft. THEY DON'T NEED TO BE DEFENDED. THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG.

And before you told me consolidation isn't going to happen and now you are telling me it has to happen. Make up your mind.

I was upset in the past with Microsoft for not doing more in gaming. I'm not anymore. I've spoken before that the industry is bigger than Sony and Microsoft. There's more platforms and devs today than there was at the start of the gen. My point is consolidation isn't a problem. No it does not make people console war fanboys if they're excited about the Bethesda buyout.
 
I was upset in the past with Microsoft for not doing more in gaming. I'm not anymore. I've spoken before that the industry is bigger than Sony and Microsoft. There's more platforms and devs today than there was at the start of the gen. My point is consolidation isn't a problem. No it does not make people console war fanboys if they're excited about the Bethesda buyout.

I don't think so either but I think we should agree there should be a point where them continuing to buy would be a bad thing for the industry. The question is when that point is. But lets not pretend there aren't a lot of people who would never see that point and would probably even celebrate them buying Sony or Nintendo.

And even on the gamepass front Microsoft could get any game they want on there if they wanted to. Making the deal with EA was a much better result than buying EA for example.
 
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PS4 is at about 120 million consoles sold and have a chance at coming close to PS2.

I could also post exclusive game sales from Nintendo and Sony if need be.

MS is the only one flip flopping all over like a dead fish with diamonds in its belly.

PS5 is at 0 sold, currently. Plus their about to embark on a generation that has moved outside of the box wrapped in subscription services. Two marks they are in no way prepared to do. And their biggest competitor just bought a huge publisher with juggernaut titles brought to the table. Last but not least, three more Titan companies (not unlike Microsoft) are joining the fray.

Sony may do well. But I'm pretty sure they won't come out of this coming generation the same as they are now. It'll be interesting to watch.
 
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I don't think so either but I think we should agree there should be a point where them continuing to buy would be a bad thing for the industry. The question is when that point is. But lets not pretend there aren't a lot of people who would never see that point and would probably even celebrate them buying Sony or Nintendo.

And even on the gamepass front Microsoft could get any game they want on there if they wanted to. Making the deal with EA was a much better result than buying EA for example.

I agree with that. I mentioned in the other thread I don't want Microsoft pursuing 2K, EA or even Ubisoft (the rumor that I don't believe floating around right now). I want to see Sony be strong and do something to future proof themselves beyond next gen. I'm probably conflating your points with others I've seen so apologize about that.

Personally I look for buyouts that make products better for me. Vertical consolidation should result in better products if handled correctly. Obviously there's a point where things get worse. I feel we're far from that evidence.
 
I agree with that. I mentioned in the other thread I don't want Microsoft pursuing 2K, EA or even Ubisoft (the rumor that I don't believe floating around right now). I want to see Sony be strong and do something to future proof themselves beyond next gen. I'm probably conflating your points with others I've seen so apologize about that.

Personally I look for buyouts that make products better for me. Vertical consolidation should result in better products if handled correctly. Obviously there's a point where things get worse. I feel we're far from that evidence.
True, but buying EA would prob mean a much more consumer friendly approach to FUT etc
 
Anyone else find it kinda weird that sega is delisting a bunch of games of steam? Could it be because they’re getting bought out?

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True, but buying EA would prob mean a much more consumer friendly approach to FUT etc

Maybe...but Microsoft's approach has been hands off. They're growing too fast to change anything about any company. What I like about the Bethesda deal is that the buyout allows the studios to go back to their strengths and not force a transformation they were obviously kicking the tires on due to the changing industry. EA is a front runner in what the traditional AAA game industry is. Almost opposite situation. EA would cost over 30 billion. Better off with an EA partnership.
 
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Buy Sega, finance Shenmue 4-6, Streets of Rage 5-7, Shinobi 4, Reboot Sonic in 3d, Virtua Fighter 6, Dynamite Cop 3 and they've won the entire coming gen.

You forgot make a real Shenmue III
 
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You forgot make a real Shenmue III
I never got around to playing it. Is it lacking in scope and/or story or just graphics? I was pretty disappointed with the Shenmue remasters. It would be cool to remake the whole package with amazing graphics and release the whole thing as Shenmue Saga or something like that. I guess they could add more to Shenmue III, if it lacked scope, seeing how it wasn't made as long ago. Not sure if Yu Suzuki would change the story though.
 
It has about 5 minutes of story.

They were making a proper remake of 1 and 2 but came into issues and decided to kill it

 
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It was fine, as you said, short on story, but that could be remedied by more games imo
But after such a long wait it should have really moved the story on
I have been critical in the past of how these remakes were handled, and how the remakes and Shenmue III were both finally shoved out seemingly without being linked projects. IMO, it should have ALWAYS been to have Yu's team remake the originals to stunning detail FIRST... Then take that dialed-in world, and improve again with the sequel.

The fact that most of the Shenmue III reviews act like the game is a relic rather than a new classic just reinforced this, so I stayed away. The original game was on another level when it came out. The sequel even came out just before GTA went open world. The series deserved better treatment, and I am just saddened by any attempt to make a new one without taking the entire franchise into the modern era. I don't mean time-line, I mean technology. I know it was built on an ideal that you had to build the custom engine. Well one look at the UE5 demo and it's like: that's what Shenmue deserves! All the detail! Amazing lighting! Make a world that I want to actually spend some time in!
 

That's alot more shady IMO than just letting them be outright exclusives. Maybe I'm reading too much into what he said.

So instead of becoming full exclusives, MS may make them timed exclusives or withhold DLC from the other consoles temporarily or permantely or at worst gimp the base experience on other consoles so that it's "better" on xbox? All of that seems patently worse than just making the game exclusive to xbox/pc.
 
That's alot more shady IMO than just letting them be outright exclusives. Maybe I'm reading too much into what he said.

So instead of becoming full exclusives, MS may make them timed exclusives or withhold DLC from the other consoles temporarily or permantely or at worst gimp the base experience on other consoles so that it's "better" on xbox? All of that seems patently worse than just making the game exclusive to xbox/pc.
I don't think something is proper with the interview. Even the head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, won't comment on what they are doing with Zenimax games yet until they sign the deal.
 
Talk about wasting money.
WTF is wrong with MS?
Make the games exclusive and people with have to buy a XB.
They will end up being exclusive to the Xbox ecosystem. Otherwise, they would have had Forza, Gears, Halo, as well as all the new studios they bought in 2018 put their games on PlayStation as well if they were for EVERYWHERE. There is a reason that only Fallout 76 and ESO were mentioned to have continued PS support, and nothing about all the other games.

Unless they have an end game of having ALL of their games be multiplatform for all devices, being like an Activision, and still having a console.
 
They will end up being exclusive to the Xbox ecosystem. Otherwise, they would have had Forza, Gears, Halo, as well as all the new studios they bought in 2018 put their games on PlayStation as well if they were for EVERYWHERE. There is a reason that only Fallout 76 and ESO were mentioned to have continued PS support, and nothing about all the other games.

Unless they have an end game of having ALL of their games be multiplatform for all devices, being like an Activision, and still having a console.
Not according to what the above says.
 
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Talk about wasting money.
WTF is wrong with MS?
Make the games exclusive and people with have to buy a XB.

Imagine if Microsoft actually decided to truly make the games exclusive to the Xbox. As in not launching on PC/PS5/etc.

Their marketshare would explode overnight. You would be forced to buy their console.

This is in a world where Microsoft cares about marketshare.....or at least I hope they do.
 
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Not according to what the above says.
Yup, and he isn't the head of Xbox, and it's an interview that has been translated, and is from audio, and he won't even comment on the claims. Phil won't even say anything until the deal is done.
 
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Yup, and he isn't the head of Xbox, and it's an interview that has been translated, and is from audio, and he won't even comment on the claims. Phil won't even say anything until the deal is done.
Ok but they have not one time since the acquisition said this wasn't the case.