GamingFan4Lyf

@OldGamer999 The games industry has grown way too big. There are tons of developers and publisher out there and only a few games per year really gain traction. I think it's the reason there are so many studio closures and lay-offs going on now. The gaming bubble has burst.

If you don't make an expensive AAA blockbuster, you get ignored. And if that AAA blockbuster you make fails, you're bankrupt.

I miss the days when there were only a handful of developers/publishers making games and experimentation didn't lead to financial ruin. Tons of games release every month, yet only like 1 or 2 get any kind of notice.

There are only a small handful of developers/publishers who can afford to take some risks these days:

Remedy
Kojima Productions
Annapurna Interactive
Double Fine Productions

Even indie games are follow trends - how many Metroidvania are out there now?! Roguelikes?!

I'm also tired of the "release now, fix later" mentality with games.

I know people are up in arms about the "death of physical", but if the trend is that certain regions aren't selling physical copies for whatever reason, why spend money manufacturing and sending physical copies to said region to collect dust on store shelves (especially from a company that is really trying to reduce its carbon footprint)?

@Fenbops I thought that was fixed already with a previous patch.

What sound settings do you use when you play? I can run a quick test using a previously notorious scene using the same audio setup as you to see if things appear synched up (I generally play using Dolby Atmos for Headphones which seemed to be perfectly fine across the board when running through The Final Draft).

@OldGamer999 I'm with you there. Microsoft has a lot of first-person games.

I was slightly disappointed that Indiana Jones will be first-person, but I'm looking at it as more of a Metroid Prime type experience since it kind of mixes third-person viewpoint "smartly" into the first-person viewpoint.

Still, I do feel like Microsoft needs to diversify a bit from the first-person viewpoint - especially when the biggest game for Xbox in 2023 was a third-person shadow drop title.

I'm not saying Xbox needs to emulate Sony with every game, just have a little more diversity in its portfolio: if Microsoft isn't creating a strategy game, it's making a first-person game.

I'd argue that Sony needs to do the same thing and diversify from the third-person melee-focused game.

Seeing the same kinds of games over and over from the same studios just gets stale after a while.

Good! One thing I hate about "Bethesda RPGs" is that the bulk of the game's content is just finding stuff to do on your own.

I don't mind long games, but what I don't like is a 20 hour main campaign and 100+ hours of side content.

I like the MonolithSoft approach with Xenoblade Chornicles: 60 - 80 hour main campaign with about 20 hours of side content.

I love that Remedy puts numbers in the performance savings. They are quite obsessed with shaving off even the slightest of milliseconds to overall performance.

The game already performed extremely well on Series X, but I guess any savings are good savings.

The one bit of audio I wish they would fix is whatever ambient sound the game uses for...wind (I think)...it just sounds like compression noise.

Let me find my surprised face.

Yes! Bring in all the great talent to make even more awesome games!

Who cares about her previous credentials being non-gaming?!

Reggie Fils-Aime had a history with Procter & Gamble, Pizza Hut, Guinness, Derby Cycle, Panda Express, and VH1 before going to Nintendo of America and he did a great job, if you ask me!

@CallMeDuraSouka I guess. It was cool with Astro's Playroom for the first level or so, but once the novelty wore off it was just another vibrating controller.

DualSense went completely unnoticed in Deathloop, Returnal, God of War Ragnarok, Demons Souls, and Ratchet & Clank.

So even if Xbox adds similar technology, it will go entirely unnoticed to me.

I find properly implemented 3D Audio (whether via Dolby Atmos or Tempest) to be significantly more next-gen and immersive than gimmicks in the controller.

I don't mind the Xbox controller, just wish it was overall quieter.

If the improved controller means a quieter gaming experience, I'd be interested in one.

I'm not overly fussed with haptic feedback or adaptive trigger. It was a neat novelty when I first got a PS5, but now I don't even pay attention to it at all or "miss it" when switching back to gaming on Xbox. To me, it's just something to increase the price of the controller and nothing more.

@lacerz I don't think people actually think Microsoft (or any corporation) is "your friend". Just because a company makes some consumer-centric moves or buddy-buddy speeches, it's still for the sole purpose of improving the business, not because it wants to be our friend.

I just don't think everyone subscribes to this idea that corporations are inherently nefarious like people seem to do these days.

Yes, money is the only reasons any business gets started - from a major corporation to a local mom & pop shop. And any effort to continue making that money will be made - from a major corporation to any mom & pop shop. Some are better than others at the "people" part of things, but not immune to reality.

There are certainly places in this world where everyone is equal (well, except the people in power of course). Where everyone is given housing. Everyone is given healthcare. Everyone is provided basic rights to life. By all means, look to those places if you wish to be treated equally to everyone else (well, except the people in power, of course).

You'll have to give up some luxuries, probably a couple of freedoms, too, but if any kind of luxury or certain personal rights isn't your thing, then, hey, have at it. There is nothing stopping you and I wish anyone who chooses that well. Just keep in mind that you are still a cog in some wheel somewhere, just a different kind of wheel.

@DennisReynolds What do you expect Microsoft to do? I guess I don't understand what there is to "call out"? A $3 Trillion company has the money to pay people to do...what exactly? Work how? If someone is already doing the work what are the other people supposed to do Monday morning? Come in to work and read a magazine because Microsoft is worth $3 trillion, so, whatever?

Let's say Microsoft wasn't a $3 Trillion corporation but say a $300,000 plumbing business that recently bought another plumbing business for...whatever reasons...expansion...maybe to save plumber jobs from a poorly managed business...use your imagination.

Now let's say that merged business kept all 15 extra plumbers from the previous business, but now had 6 people in the HR and payroll departments that were no longer needed because it already had 6 people doing the job and 12 people is just too much.

Should that plumbing company train HR and payroll people to become plumbers despite having absolutely no skills as plumbers at all? Should it just create some random position on the fly just so people don't lose employment? How is it fair for the people working that others who aren't working get the same money for doing nothing?

Should the plumbing company NOT have bought the other company and saved 15 other people from losing jobs or even create new positions for even more plumbers at the expense of 6? Okay, maybe it creates 1 extra position in that department to handle the extra workload created with bigger business, but that's still jobs lost.

The logic of business doesn't change whether you are a $300 company, a $300,000 company or a $3 Trillion company. It's just the scale is different.

I am sad for the people. I hope that they had a little bit of foresight and were in a position to have a little saved up. I hope the severance package provided is also ample. I hope there are plenty of positions at other companies in the areas where they live that will scoop them up sooner, rather than later.

But I guess I just don't see what there is to "call out" other than we see this $3 trillion dollar value and think Microsoft has unlimited funds to throw to the wind simply because...trillions.

I know the optics are horrible: spend billions on a company only to turn around and cut jobs. It's never anything that will look good - especially in this social media reality. And it's a horrible day for all affected - no one wants to walk into work and get a pink slip.

But if I can afford to spend billions of dollars to redo my lawn and I have 1900 people standing around staring at the people working because they have nothing to do, why pay the people to stand around with nothing to do simply because they have families to feed and mortgages to pay?

Or am I just expected to send a career horticulturist to electrician school so they can rewire my house at a later date simply because I can afford it?!

My heart goes out to these people, but headlines like this really make it sound like some fat cat is pushing the Fire button while burning hundred-dollar bills to light a million-dollar cigar. Microsoft can't just conjure work out of thin air while at the same time just keeping people on payroll who will literally show up to work and do nothing just because...feelings.

No more having to use the Browser for Game Pass Cloud.

Happy days - if that's your thing.

Kind of happy a survival game is being cancelled - that just screams "Publisher chasing trends" decision.

Always bad PR when job losses are being reported - especially when execs are also reported leaving ("AHHH! The ship is sinking!!" and all that).

I hope all who are affected land on their feet - maybe even start a new studio or two (or three) to chase their passions.

I really enjoyed it, even if my save file somehow got corrupted and I had to repeat about 4 - 6 hours of gameplay.

I really liked the little fun they had at the end of the story DLC, too!

Looking forward to seeing what comes next for the studio.

I am curious how Gears 6 is going to handle that whole "Sophie's Choice" at the end of Gears 5.

I hope this improves sales for those developers who probably need it the most for funding their next projects.

With so many layoffs happening across the gaming industry, it's nice that Microsoft is at least trying to do something to help smaller studios keep the lights on.

The only worry I have is that enemy AI seemed a little too stupid. I mean those enemies stood around waiting to be killed at times.

Otherwise, it looks like more great stuff from Obsidian.

I think what made it a success was showing games that are actually expected to release this year more than the format itself.

Don't get me wrong, it's nice to hear from developers and see footage, but if we got no new information, it would have been all for nothing!

This is what Microsoft should be doing from here on out: putting out presentations with games that are realistic expected to come in the next 12 months.

Game's looking great!

You know it's been 15 years since the last "original" Indiana Jones game (The Staff of Kings)?

@themightyant Wow, how did I miss that?

"Reading is FUN-damental."

Hooked on Phonics did not work for me. 🤣

@Kaloudz Man, I loved RE7. It was the first Resident Evil game in a long time that made me feel so paranoid and on edge!

First-person definitely has a way of evoking certain emotions...when it's done right.

Metroid Prime was a great example of how a traditionally third-person game can changed perspective to great effect. It still maintained that Metroid feel, just through the eyes of Samus - it was more than just Call of Duty with a Metroid skin.

Indiana Jones, to me, seems like it will be that "Metroid Prime evolution" based on the trailer.

My biggest concern was that this was going to be like Doom with a whip. Instead, it looks like everything I wanted in an Indiana Jone game, but first person. I like that it adds player choice to enemy scenarios - seemed very...Arkane...in that aspect.

Uncharted's pacing is a great benchmark for what an Indiana Jones game should be - i.e. mixing modern pulp action spectacle with exploration, puzzle solving, and story. This seems very similar just with a first-person perspective.

I really hope this resonates with people. I am already seeing comments where "PlayStation gamers" are looking to get Xbox for Indiana Jones.

Not surprising seeing as how Microsoft can now count Core subscribers into their Game Pass numbers.

Though the fact that over half are Game Pass Ultimate subscribers is surprising.

What. A. [Expletive]. Year.

Microsoft is coming into 2024 swinging (in more ways than one)!

I was a little skeptical about the first-person view, but with all the third-person switching for environmental navigation plus what look to be high-quality cutscenes, I think this will be something quite special!

It kind of reminds me of how Metroid Prime handled first-person and third-person mechanics - and that is such high praise as I adore Metroid Prime.

I hate the title of this game.

Every time I see a headline about it I think that the patch is "the final" patch of some game. 😅

@OldGamer999 Well, yes. I meant in terms of pushing more consoles.

Microsoft is positioning itself away from the tradition console model and becoming a third-party publisher that also provides dedicated gaming hardware (kind of like how it develops Windows, but also provides laptops).

@OldGamer999 I wholeheartedly agree with you that the Xbox ecosystem and the system itself actually offers a much friendly user experience compared to both Sony and Nintendo.

The feature set on Xbox was actually more robust than the PS5 and still is to this day.

The biggest problem is just mindset.

I have friends who only play the latest Madden, COD. At the beginning of the generation, I told them all about the stuff Xbox does better. They listen and react in a positive way towards Microsoft. Yet, at end of the day, they got PlayStation.

I don't know what Microsoft can even do at this point to break that when people and social media are all about the "the new PlayStation."

I have Series X, PS5, and Switch. I chose Xbox as my primary console because of the feature set and "out of box" capabilities and services. PS5 is an exclusives-only machine (as is my Switch).

OMG THANK YOU!

One thing I absolutely hated about Sea of Thieves was wanting to continue (and/or start) a Questline only to be spawned a good distance away from where I need to be.

For someone that may only have like an hour of playtime, spending the first 20 minutes getting back to where I need absolutely killed enjoyment - moreso if some jackwagon attacks my ship while I'm trying to get where I need to go.

That being said, I love sailing in Sea of Thieves - it's truly the most realistic feeling of being on the open seas I have experienced in a game (from wave behavior to the sounds of splashing water to the creaking of the ship), so I'd only use the Dive system to get back to where I needed to be and then "play proper" from then on.

I don't think we will ever have a "subscription-only" future. It truly doesn't make sense.

Even though streaming has been the dominant way people consume TV/film for years, an ability to make an actual purchase still exists (whether it be physical media or through Vudu, Prime Video, etc.)! The same will still apply to games.

@cragis0001 Oooooh, right. Yeah, that went over my head.

@cragis0001 Did I say anything about Cloud-only? I don't foresee Microsoft going to an all Cloud solution until wireless data is fast enough to support it across broad range areas.

@cragis0001 @OldGamer999 I agree, I think Microsoft will still produce Xbox hardware of some kind, but I think its main value will be Game Pass:

"You could buy all our first-party games on other consoles, or get ours and subscribe to Game Pass to get them all for one 'low' monthly price!"

And I think Microsoft will continue to focus on backwards compatibility so that your library can continue to go with you.

I'll give Those Who Remain a shot. I have owned Resident Evil 2 for a while now.

The developer certainly has forgivable reasons for the delays. Delaying for polish really needs to be normalized in the industry.

I understand that time is money, but releasing a crappy experience probably costs more in the end than delaying a game until it's "ready".

@InvaderFromSpace Yeah, I added an EDIT: to my comment after I realized it wasn't just some rando on Twitter.

@Kaloudz I think it's because the person said "Developer Direct" and not "Developer_Direct"

Kind of an odd swipe at some random Twitter post, but I guess it's to differentiate itself from "Nintendo Direct"? The fact InXile bothered to comment could be seen as "curious", though.

EDIT: Just noticed the person works for IGN, so I'm guessing the correction makes more sense since I am sure Microsoft wants "Developer_Direct" when being mentioned in press releases.

I just have this feeling that it won't be "let go" from PlayStation until the FF7:R series is complete.

I have yet to ever get stick drift on any controller from any console I have owned. I have them all and never once experienced this issue.

What in the heck are people doing to their controllers?!

There is nothing worse than minding your own business trying to get the story content done and some jackwagon pulls up and sinks your ship.

I have said it once and I will say it again, if PvP is an option in a game, it becomes mandatory because multiplayer games have basically engrained "see other player, kill other player" into...well...everyone.

I miss the days when PvP really was optional and required mutual agreement to engage in PvP.

I don't think anything of it. After finishing the campaign of all the Halo games, I've moved on.

It was definitely meaty with its content, though! So, it's a great value. I think I have a physical copy, too.

@Romans12 Fallout 4 is getting a native Series X|S/PS5 upgrade.

I would be pretty nice if Microsoft had a System Setting (with a huge disclaimer attached regarding potential game instability) where the DX layer simply attempts to run all BC games at 60fps. Of course it would default to Off.

Maybe add a new FPS Boost dropdown with 3 Options ("Always On", "Supported Games Only", "Off"). And the Default option is "Supported Games Only".

@Jey887 I'd say for the most part it's fixed. Performance is great. Sometimes though, there are random visual bugs - nothing that hinders gameplay progress, it just breaks the immersion (like performing a kill animation on an enemy in the air and the body hovering above the ground when it's done).

Only for games I absolutely love - even then sometimes I don't even bother.

@Kaloudz I hate to use Wikipedia as a reference for anything, but I'm lazy today so:

"In mathematics, a great circle or orthodrome is the circular intersection of a sphere and a plane passing through the sphere's center point."

"Some examples of great circles on the celestial sphere include the celestial horizon, the celestial equator, and the ecliptic. Great circles are also used as rather accurate approximations of geodesics on the Earth's surface for air or sea navigation (although it is not a perfect sphere), as well as on spheroidal celestial bodies.

The equator of the idealized earth is a great circle and any meridian and its opposite meridian form a great circle. Another great circle is the one that divides the land and water hemispheres. A great circle divides the earth into two hemispheres and if a great circle passes through a point it must pass through its antipodal point."

Knowing Indiana Jones, I'm guessing it's probably some mythical place that requires knowledge in geometry in order to find.

Either that or it has something to do with treasure related to Gerardus Mercator since Mercator projection is slightly related to great circle navigation ideas:

"The Mercator projection (/mərˈkeɪtər/) is a cylindrical map projection presented by Flemish geographer and cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569. It became the standard map projection for navigation because it is unique in representing north as up and south as down everywhere while preserving local directions and shapes. The map is thereby conformal. As a side effect, the Mercator projection inflates the size of objects away from the equator. This inflation is very small near the equator but accelerates with increasing latitude to become infinite at the poles. As a result, landmasses such as Greenland, Antarctica, Canada and Russia appear far larger than they actually are relative to landmasses near the equator, such as Central Africa."

"The Mercator projection was designed for use in marine navigation because of its unique property of representing any course of constant bearing as a straight segment. Such a course, known as a rhumb (or, mathematically, a loxodrome) is preferred in marine navigation because ships can sail in a constant compass direction, reducing the difficult, error-prone course corrections that otherwise would be needed frequently when sailing a different course. For distances small compared to the radius of the Earth, the difference between the rhumb and the technically shortest course, a great circle segment, is negligible, and even for longer distances, the simplicity of the constant bearing makes it attractive. As observed by Mercator, on such a course, the ship would not arrive by the shortest route, but it will surely arrive. Sailing a rhumb meant that all that the sailors had to do was keep a constant course as long as they knew where they were when they started, where they intended to be when they finished, and had a map in Mercator projection that correctly showed those two coordinates."

Uhm...I feel like I have seen types of creatures before somewhere else. 🤔

I didn't even know this game was meant to be a GaaS. I just figured it was a strategy game in the Minecraft universe with a single player campaign and multiplayer option in the same vein as like Starcraft or something. 🤷‍♂️