@NEStalgia I'm imagining a Yakuza-style twist to all this where the heads of the Sony and Microsoft clans are revealed to have been agents of destruction working for the Nintendo clan all along.
The ruthless gangster era Nintendo never actually changed. They just began playing the long game.
@NEStalgia I'd say Xbox's fate as a brand was sealed the moment Uncle Phil assumed his throne. The man worked as a mascot, but his leadership has been absolutely disastrous.
Back in the day, Microsoft would work with Japanese creators to release exclusive games on their console to help account for the lacking Japanese support, for example. But they don't do that now, because countless billions were spent re-inventing Xbox into a streaming service. The complete lack of oversight with their developers is also remarkable.
Final Fantasy just isn't THAT big of a brand anymore, and S-E's lacking support isn't going to tank a major console line. What will is having almost nothing else of note releasing on the platform for years at a time.
"If they'd done this years ago Xbox might be in another place today."
Eh, no. The lack of a few big FF games didn't help Xbox, of course, but their damage is mostly self-inflicted. They've perfected the art of self-sabotage.
"TOTK runs at 720p. Avowed at 4K. How is that even comparable? How is that not using Xbox power?"
Of course the more powerful device renders games at a higher resolution. But that's all. Games like Hellblade 2 and Starfield feel dated at release because they don't use the greater mechanical grunt of the Series X to meaningfully expand gameplay possibilities or smooth out performance in addition to boosting the presentation. There's a reason these releases are failing to make a splash in the same way that major releases from the competition are.
"Zelda BOTW and TOTK has lots of pop in all the time, you can see enemies appearing out of nothing, don't know how that is seamless, that doesn't make it a bad game tho, and as I've said before, 30fps is just fine for Zelda, Starfield or Avowed."
So we're saying there's not a meaningful difference between a dense and fully seamless open world and an "open world" that's riddled with loading screens every time a door is opened because the former features pop in of enemy character models? Deeply disingenuous.
The issue isn't 30fps being unplayable for those games. The issue is that the performance metrics are disappointing for the hardware they're on. Compare what Sony's developers are achieving on similar hardware with their own first-party games. Heck, many developers now are able to provide stable and comparatively visually impressive AAA experiences.
"What you're doing is trying to find ways to keep using your double standards."
There are no double standards here. There's an obvious context you refuse to acknowledge because it would require acknowledging that Microsoft's developers are failing to properly optimize their games for the Series X in order to get the most out of the hardware.
@eduscxbox You don't need to mansplain the concept of graphical fidelity to me, hon.
My point is simply this: TotK is a miracle on the technology it's operating on, whereas XSX is capable of so much more than Microsoft's developers are getting out of it. Consider also how the comparatively powerful PS5's first-party games almost all have higher performance options, yet are still fairly industry-leading in terms of their presentation for major AAA titles.
Of the three big manufacturers, Microsoft is the one doing the least in terms of fully harnessing its own hardware with the games it publishes.
Also: "So is Starfield (in a way bigger scale) , but I haven't seem the same standards being applied there"
No, no it isn't. Starfield is a game filled with many, many loading screens. I used the word "seamless" very specifically: TotK is a dense open world composed of three different layered maps that never seems to force loading, no matter where you go. Like, literally, you can start on a sky island, dive toward the surface, target one of the entrances to the Depths, and dive down to the bottom of that, all in real time. On a Switch.
@NEStalgia A lot of AAA developers have abandoned interactivity and physics simulations for their worlds in general, which is disappointing. Most of the industry is using supercomputers to churn out games that feel like strolls through a museum, where you're not allowed to touch anything; Nintendo is going nuts on hardware that might as well be powered by hamsters running on wheels.
@eduscxbox Xbox Series X is the "world's most powerful console," yet it can't run fairly run-of-the-mill games from first-party developers at higher framerates, so some reason.
Tears of the Kingdom has a seamless open world and tons of complex physics systems running all the time and is running on, let's face it, hardware that would have been considered weak a decade ago.
They're all looking for areas of growth, but Microsoft is the only one aggressively doing so at the expense of their own base. Sony is still being cautious with their PC approach, and I'm convinced Nintendo would sooner go bankrupt than start releasing internally developed games on competing platforms.
I've heard Xbox stans go on ad-nauseum about how bad and anti-consumer software exclusivity is for ages, and how they're such a nice, good company because they want you to be able to play their games across a range of devices.
Well, here you go, the logical end result of that. Microsoft is a third-party publisher with a console option. The only actual draw to their platform is an unsustainable subscription service that is escalating in price now that the corpos want to see returns on their considerable investments in the gaming sector sooner than later, regardless of what that ends up doing to the brand's ability to compete in the home console space.
Or, more likely, they've realized the people who were managing the brand don't know how to run a successful console gaming business and have decided to fundamentally alter the trajectory of the Xbox brand.
It's going to be incredibly funny once people start inevitably waxing nostalgic about the comparatively brighter days of the early Xbox One era.
At least this is more consistent with their previous messaging. It was annoying seeing Phil "Two-Face" Spencer simultaneously talk about the issues with platform exclusivity, how games should be available to all gamers, etc. while simultaneously canceling the PS5 versions of games from studios Microsoft bought, paying for temporary console exclusivity, paying companies to restrict their announcements to just Xbox for a period of time, etc.
@Techno92LFC
"Why should we be happy for people that play on another console?"
Perhaps some Xbox owners enjoy the feelings associated with seeing their console maker of choice prioritize gamers on other platforms? Like, maybe a perverse thrill runs up their spines when they realize the PS5 runs Starfield better than their Xbox ever could.
@Mustoe I could see it going either way. They clearly have a good thing going with the Switch concept, and there's a lot of potential in a more powerful hybrid device that isn't missing out on 90% of modern AAA games from third-party developers.
That said, the concept itself doesn't have the same wow factor anymore, and Switch has sold SO well that I could see it maintaining some level of momentum into next gen, potentially competing with Switch 2, depending on games and pricing.
Ultimately, it all comes down to the games. Switch wouldn't have exploded quite as violently that first year without classics like Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey. If Nintendo can load up the first year with exclusive killer apps again, there's no reason it shouldn't be able to inherit Nintendo's current brand momentum.
As far as console purchases go, only Switch 2 is of interest to me, and I'm still leaning away from getting one at launch due to the sheer number of games I already own and still need to play (plus, the Steam Deck fills the 'more powerful Switch' niche for me almost perfectly). That said, if the Switch 2 drops with unmissable bangers and costs $400 or less, I'll probably still be there day one.
"they do so by introducing a lot of very small "filler" projects, which are of a level of simplicity that would not pass on any other platform but theirs"
They're not filler, though. They're just not AAA. This mindset that first-party publishers only pump out BIG games is relatively new, and why delightful developers like Japan Studio were shuttered. And, frankly, it's probably why indies and smaller Jp devs thrive on Switch, as opposed to rival console platforms. A fun game is a fun game, even if the development budget doesn't compete with the GDP of a small country. Nintendo is the only one of the big three that really, deeply understands that fundamental truth.
"Nintendo doesn't buy and close developers all the time -DIRECTLY, but the implication they simply never cancel projects or teams that suggests isn't true. "
Never implied anything of the sort. Nintendo probably cancels projects all the time. What I said is they're not snapping up and shutting down entire development studios like other publishers. And they don't. Trying to equate that to the Mario & Luigi developer shuttering because of a run of bad game sales on 3DS is disingenuous, and you know it. There's a difference between snapping up developers only to close them down en masse like Microsoft or Embracer vs. not propping up failing studios that you're not responsible for.
"True about hardware prices, though a difference is Sony/MS generally subsidize hardware at launch and make thin margins, while Nintendo charges for profit from the start"
Agreed! Nintendo makes hardware that's affordable to begin with. Their business model is sustainable from the very beginning. I'm sure they're all very glad they didn't get sucked into the power console arms race that is skyrocketing prices for the competition's hardware.
"They get led by the bubbles too, they just hold back a generation before doing it to let everyone else take the falls first and use the lessons so they don't have to."
Well, that's the thing: not getting sucked in during a gold rush means not getting led by market bubbles. I don't mean they'll never go anywhere near new industry trends. They're already dipping their toes in the live service waters with the way they're releasing and persistently updating games now, and I fully expect a full-on live service title next gen. Done in their own Nintendo way.
"NINTENDO isn't laying off hundreds or thousands because they never bothered hiring them to begin with."
Yup. Responsible business choices lead to more ethical outcomes overall, it seems. Nintendo has no obligations to employees working for a third-party studio that they happen to have a contract with.
Although it's worth mentioning that Japanese business culture is more ethical in certain respects in general. Which is why, during the Wii U fiasco, Nintendo's top brass took severe pay cuts to avoid layoffs.
@NEStalgia Nintendo DOESN'T have these kinds of problems, though, lol, which is why people keep saying stuff like that.
Time for me to fangirl a bit.
Nintendo maintains a consistent schedule of exclusive releases for their base.
Nintendo isn't snapping up developers and then shuttering them.
Nintendo isn't pumping up their hardware prices in certain markets and being led astray by industry trends like the live service bubble.
Nintendo isn't laying off hundreds or thousands of employees because of poor choices made by the top brass.
Nintendo internally delays games all the time, but is typically smart enough to keep these delays internal, so consumers aren't gobsmacked with eleventh hour delays (Zelda games are a notable exception).
And yes, Nintendo is smart and maintains a high level of content publishing by working with other companies to develop exclusives for them and assist with development of key games. Nothing is stopping Microsoft from contracting skilled third-parties to help them develop new games, or to utilize their IPs in interesting ways. They prefer to simply buy companies and then give them free rein to make whatever they want, which has been mostly turning out disappointing products, because EVERYONE at a development studio needs to do their job, including the higher management.
The results speak for themselves, frankly. This generation is a new golden age for Nintendo, whereas the competition is floundering.
Not surprising, though. Microsoft is methodically dis-incentivizing console purchases at every turn. I'm not sure why anyone would buy an Xbox in 2024.
If the Xbox division was being run by someone who was deliberately trying to lose the company as much money, mind share, and good will as possible, I think they'd still struggle to outperform the people currently calling the shots.
@anoyonmus Oh, totally. Late 2025 would be my guess. Why not? From Sony's thinking, everyone who bought a PS5 for SM2 has already bought in, and the game doesn't sell millions for years on end without really steep discounts, so it gives them a second shot at a full price release.
@anoyonmus I heard the "hook em on the first game, then tempt them to play the sequel on PS5" theory before. But... like... Horizon Forbidden West and GoW Ragnarok are going to PC now. There's legitimately no incentive for a PC gamer to get a PS5 for Playstation sequels when they inevitably release in a superior state on PC anyway. And the whole PC initiative is still pretty new, so I expect the wait time between PC ports to go down as well.
Sony is spending too much money on these games, and their bet is that there's enough of a difference between console and PC gamers to not damage their hardware sales momentum with ports that aren't day and date.
We'll see how that works out. On my end, it just means Playstation-branded hardware is no longer an investment worth making to me. Particularly since they killed Japan Studio, anyway. I bought a PS4 for Gravity Rush 2, after all.
@InterceptorAlpha Microsoft NEEDS to release a gyro-enabled controller for the sake of parity between the platforms. I know at least one developer said they didn't enable gyro aiming in their console game because that would benefit Playstation users but not Xbox ones.
Oh, hey, another one of the twelve people who bought a Steam Controller! I've yet to get comfortable with the thing, unfortunately, although the ideas born from it have paid off elsewhere (LOVE the trackpads on my Steam Deck, which feel much more responsive).
@anoyonmus When it comes to Microsoft, the notion of exclusivity being a factor is increasingly going by the wayside. It's pretty clear they eventually want to have all their games on as many platforms as possible.
The Microsoft show didn't do much for me apart from the new DOOM, which wasn't a surprise at all, but at least they delivered for their fans. Nintendo DEFINITELY delivered, especially this late in the generation. The Switch era is the golden age of Nintendo by pretty much all metrics.
PS5 started strong this gen, but has been running on fumes. They're very lucky they have some decent third-party exclusives to drive interest in the hardware.
I agree that rushing Fallout projects is a bad idea. Just develop them on a reasonable time-table. Nothing good comes from rushing projects. Particularly when it comes to this dev.
That said:
"Right now, the Fallout TV show fills a certain niche in terms of the franchise and storytelling - we totally get the desire for a new mainline single-player game, and look, those things take time and I don't think it's bad for people to miss things as well."
Something about this part of the statement rubs me the wrong way, and I'm not even sure how to articulate why that is.
Sounds good. I always enjoyed the first Gears because of how it balanced the 'scary' and action aspects. The second game on adopted a different tone that I didn't much care for in comparison. Haven't played a game in this series since the 00s as a result.
@Sol4ris Let's be real: the Series S needing to be supported has already delayed a few games, so it's a reasonable assumption to make. Weaker platforms take time to optimize ports for. Switch versions of AAA games sometimes take years to get right.
"Regardless of if this is true or not (but especially so if it is true), it genuinely impresses me how talented Microsoft is at consistently further damaging their brands. They make making themselves look bad into an art, it's honestly kind of impressive."
Same lol. It's practically performance art at this point. Very entertaining, and I mean that with zero malice.
@belmont I've never heard of a Game Boy breaking down in any way. My GBC from when I was a kid still works like new. When the bombs drop, all that'll be left in the rubble of the world will be small animals and Game Boys.
@Banjo- I have Split Pads I can use for undocked, but I like motion aiming in games like Splatoon and BotW, so they're not fully satisfying for me. Motion is good on the Pro Controller, but I'm playing undocked on my OLED model 90% of the time. Just glad my Lite has been resistant to these drifting issues.
Hopefully whatever the Switch 2 ships with is more robust.
@Banjo- I've had more issues with the DS line than any other piece of hardware. The hinge on my DS Lite broke after a few years. My OG 3DS scratched its own top screen thanks to the raised borders on the bottom. My nephew has has a shoulder button just stop working entirely on his 2DS. And one of my New 3DS units just stopped working entirely.
I also had to replace a Wii U GamePad, but that wasn't really the console's fault. A kid spilled water on it. I guess I just resent not being able to play my Wii U without the stupid tablet controller, even though I pretty much only used my Pro Controller after a while.
With Switch, the main unit is solid as hell, but those joycons keep having issues, dude. Only other controllers I've had any drift issues with were with 20 year old PS2 controllers.
Been a huge fan of binaural audio in games since I first experienced it in the PSP version of Corpse Party. Hellblade 1 made excellent use of it as well. Very much a highlight of the game experience. I have to imagine it's cool in the sequel as well.
Seems like the Microsoft equivalent of something like The Order: 1886, where it's a real technical spectacle, but the game underneath leaves a lot to be desired.
tbh even the first Hellblade wasn't particularly fun, but the immersive and nightmarish journey you (Senua) go on makes up for it. This sounds like a less potent version of that.
And yeah, the original was never a good choice for a sequel. It was like a very high production quality independent film... not really the sort of thing you make a series out of.
"Sales of switch/switch popularity can be atributed to quite a few things, including the 2020 bump, and zero stock on other consoles. A lot of it is marketing. people bought it like it was the first handheld gaming system ever....as though GB, GBC, GBA, DS, 3DS, PSP, Vita never existed. That's just marketing power and nothing more. The docking gimmick is great, but it won through marketing more than anything."
This is pure copium, come on. Obviously the strong concept and marketing were important, but people have to like the thing you're marketing in the first place.
Did Switch get a bump during the height of the pandemic? Sure. But it sold well before, and it sold well after, even as other consoles have become obtainable again. It has been consistently popular.
Switch isn't the first console that can be played as a handheld, of course, but it's the first major one that has allowed the user to play home console-quality games. Something Sony promised with the Vita, but which never materialized.
You don't have to like the platform, but acting like it's the beneficiary of some random level of popularity with casuals like the Wii because they couldn't buy PS5s is being deliberately disingenuous.
"The third party support is by nature just a worse version of things on other systems"
On the AAA front, sure. This isn't true at all when it comes to non-AAA software.
Notably, though, the third-party support is the best Nintendo has enjoyed since the GameCube.
"the price is high for the hardware though it fits a role"
The price was high enough for Nintendo not to lose money, but low enough to appeal to a market filled with more expensive hardware. The Series S is comparably priced, but the Series S is also almost nobody's first choice for buying a console. You want an example of a console people bought almost exclusively because the bigger ones were inaccessible? Here you go.
"IMHO most (not all) Nitnendo excluisives went downhill on Switch."
This is an extremely unpopular opinion. shrug For most series, many gamers, myself included, think the Switch entries represent the apex of those respective properties.
Also, I have news for you: BotW, Pikmin 4, Splatoon 2 & 3, etc. are also "actual Switch games."
The Wii U was a misfire from the start, centering all its resources on the stupid, expensive tablet controller almost nobody cared about to begin with and which the system wouldn't function without. It had some excellent games, but that's because it's Nintendo and all of their consoles (sans maybe the Virtual Boy) have some world-class software. I use mine mostly for its bc Wii games.
You asked why people like it, and I answered. You don't have to like it, of course, but for most people, Switch-era Nintendo is the company's new golden age. The numbers back this up. Nintendo has raked in more profit during this console generation than their other ones COMBINED, even adjusting for inflation.
@NEStalgia "I really don't understand why switch era Nintendo is so wildly praised in the Internet."
I mean, it's probably going to rocket past PS2 lifetime sales in, like, half the time, so it's not really a matter of the console just being popular on the internet.
On my end, I can't think of a console I've enjoyed more. It's an explicitly Japanese device with decent third-party support, tons of high-quality exclusives, and a concept/gimmick that amazed at launch and continues to be useful and make the console more accessible than its peers. Most of the games on it are lacking qualities that plague AAA titles on other systems.
It's honestly the first Nintendo console I could have absolutely mained on its own. There's always something fun to play.
@NEStalgia It would've made the PS5 an optimization nightmare like the Series S has been lol.
Nintendo is a demonstration that brand integrity and strong game design are more potent than inflated budgets for getting people excited about premium-priced products.
@NEStalgia Considering how much Playstation/Microsoft are struggling with costs and profit margins, it really is hilarious how enormous Nintendo's profits in the Switch era are.
Comments 587
Re: Phil Spencer Talks About Two Activision Games That Xbox Missed Out On Signing
@NEStalgia I'm imagining a Yakuza-style twist to all this where the heads of the Sony and Microsoft clans are revealed to have been agents of destruction working for the Nintendo clan all along.
The ruthless gangster era Nintendo never actually changed. They just began playing the long game.
Re: Poll: Are You Buying Star Wars Outlaws For Xbox Series X|S?
I'll buy the Ultimate Gold Deluxe edition for $10 on Black Friday if I want it.
Re: Roundup: The Reviews Are In For Razer's 'Wolverine V3 Pro' Wireless Xbox Controller
Crazy price for a controller.
All I want is that upcoming revision with gyro compatibility. That's the only major downside of the existing first-party controller to me.
Re: Final Fantasy Dev Insists The Future Is Bright For Square Enix Games On Xbox
@NEStalgia I'd say Xbox's fate as a brand was sealed the moment Uncle Phil assumed his throne. The man worked as a mascot, but his leadership has been absolutely disastrous.
Back in the day, Microsoft would work with Japanese creators to release exclusive games on their console to help account for the lacking Japanese support, for example. But they don't do that now, because countless billions were spent re-inventing Xbox into a streaming service. The complete lack of oversight with their developers is also remarkable.
Final Fantasy just isn't THAT big of a brand anymore, and S-E's lacking support isn't going to tank a major console line. What will is having almost nothing else of note releasing on the platform for years at a time.
Re: Final Fantasy Dev Insists The Future Is Bright For Square Enix Games On Xbox
@NEStalgia
"If they'd done this years ago Xbox might be in another place today."
Eh, no. The lack of a few big FF games didn't help Xbox, of course, but their damage is mostly self-inflicted. They've perfected the art of self-sabotage.
Re: Talking Point: Does Microsoft Have A '30FPS' Problem With Its Xbox Series X|S Output?
@eduscxbox
"TOTK runs at 720p. Avowed at 4K.
How is that even comparable?
How is that not using Xbox power?"
Of course the more powerful device renders games at a higher resolution. But that's all. Games like Hellblade 2 and Starfield feel dated at release because they don't use the greater mechanical grunt of the Series X to meaningfully expand gameplay possibilities or smooth out performance in addition to boosting the presentation. There's a reason these releases are failing to make a splash in the same way that major releases from the competition are.
"Zelda BOTW and TOTK has lots of pop in all the time, you can see enemies appearing out of nothing, don't know how that is seamless, that doesn't make it a bad game tho, and as I've said before, 30fps is just fine for Zelda, Starfield or Avowed."
So we're saying there's not a meaningful difference between a dense and fully seamless open world and an "open world" that's riddled with loading screens every time a door is opened because the former features pop in of enemy character models? Deeply disingenuous.
The issue isn't 30fps being unplayable for those games. The issue is that the performance metrics are disappointing for the hardware they're on. Compare what Sony's developers are achieving on similar hardware with their own first-party games. Heck, many developers now are able to provide stable and comparatively visually impressive AAA experiences.
"What you're doing is trying to find ways to keep using your double standards."
There are no double standards here. There's an obvious context you refuse to acknowledge because it would require acknowledging that Microsoft's developers are failing to properly optimize their games for the Series X in order to get the most out of the hardware.
Re: Talking Point: Does Microsoft Have A '30FPS' Problem With Its Xbox Series X|S Output?
@eduscxbox You don't need to mansplain the concept of graphical fidelity to me, hon.
My point is simply this: TotK is a miracle on the technology it's operating on, whereas XSX is capable of so much more than Microsoft's developers are getting out of it. Consider also how the comparatively powerful PS5's first-party games almost all have higher performance options, yet are still fairly industry-leading in terms of their presentation for major AAA titles.
Of the three big manufacturers, Microsoft is the one doing the least in terms of fully harnessing its own hardware with the games it publishes.
Also: "So is Starfield (in a way bigger scale) , but I haven't seem the same standards being applied there"
No, no it isn't. Starfield is a game filled with many, many loading screens. I used the word "seamless" very specifically: TotK is a dense open world composed of three different layered maps that never seems to force loading, no matter where you go. Like, literally, you can start on a sky island, dive toward the surface, target one of the entrances to the Depths, and dive down to the bottom of that, all in real time. On a Switch.
@NEStalgia A lot of AAA developers have abandoned interactivity and physics simulations for their worlds in general, which is disappointing. Most of the industry is using supercomputers to churn out games that feel like strolls through a museum, where you're not allowed to touch anything; Nintendo is going nuts on hardware that might as well be powered by hamsters running on wheels.
Re: Talking Point: Does Microsoft Have A '30FPS' Problem With Its Xbox Series X|S Output?
@eduscxbox Xbox Series X is the "world's most powerful console," yet it can't run fairly run-of-the-mill games from first-party developers at higher framerates, so some reason.
Tears of the Kingdom has a seamless open world and tons of complex physics systems running all the time and is running on, let's face it, hardware that would have been considered weak a decade ago.
Context is everything.
Re: Phil Spencer On Game Exclusivity: 'We Have To Anticipate There's Going To Be More Change'
They're all looking for areas of growth, but Microsoft is the only one aggressively doing so at the expense of their own base. Sony is still being cautious with their PC approach, and I'm convinced Nintendo would sooner go bankrupt than start releasing internally developed games on competing platforms.
Re: Former Xbox Exec Defends Phil Spencer's Recent Decisions As Head Of Xbox
I've heard Xbox stans go on ad-nauseum about how bad and anti-consumer software exclusivity is for ages, and how they're such a nice, good company because they want you to be able to play their games across a range of devices.
Well, here you go, the logical end result of that. Microsoft is a third-party publisher with a console option. The only actual draw to their platform is an unsustainable subscription service that is escalating in price now that the corpos want to see returns on their considerable investments in the gaming sector sooner than later, regardless of what that ends up doing to the brand's ability to compete in the home console space.
Or, more likely, they've realized the people who were managing the brand don't know how to run a successful console gaming business and have decided to fundamentally alter the trajectory of the Xbox brand.
It's going to be incredibly funny once people start inevitably waxing nostalgic about the comparatively brighter days of the early Xbox One era.
Re: Poll: Are You Buying Forza Horizon 4 Before It Gets Delisted On Xbox?
I might snag it on Steam if it goes on sale again for a properly steep price.
Never played one of these games, and am not a racing sim fan, so I'm not sure how I'll feel about it.
Seems insane to me they keep getting delisted.
Re: Rumour: Xbox To Announce 'Big' Game For PS5 Next Week
At least this is more consistent with their previous messaging. It was annoying seeing Phil "Two-Face" Spencer simultaneously talk about the issues with platform exclusivity, how games should be available to all gamers, etc. while simultaneously canceling the PS5 versions of games from studios Microsoft bought, paying for temporary console exclusivity, paying companies to restrict their announcements to just Xbox for a period of time, etc.
@Techno92LFC
"Why should we be happy for people that play on another console?"
Perhaps some Xbox owners enjoy the feelings associated with seeing their console maker of choice prioritize gamers on other platforms? Like, maybe a perverse thrill runs up their spines when they realize the PS5 runs Starfield better than their Xbox ever could.
Re: Xbox Attracts Controversy Over New McDonald's Ad On The Dashboard
Christ, that's tacky. Being a primarily Nintendo person thankfully shields me from a lot of this.
Re: Xbox First-Party RPG Avowed Reportedly Delayed Until Early 2025
@Mustoe I could see it going either way. They clearly have a good thing going with the Switch concept, and there's a lot of potential in a more powerful hybrid device that isn't missing out on 90% of modern AAA games from third-party developers.
That said, the concept itself doesn't have the same wow factor anymore, and Switch has sold SO well that I could see it maintaining some level of momentum into next gen, potentially competing with Switch 2, depending on games and pricing.
Ultimately, it all comes down to the games. Switch wouldn't have exploded quite as violently that first year without classics like Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey. If Nintendo can load up the first year with exclusive killer apps again, there's no reason it shouldn't be able to inherit Nintendo's current brand momentum.
As far as console purchases go, only Switch 2 is of interest to me, and I'm still leaning away from getting one at launch due to the sheer number of games I already own and still need to play (plus, the Steam Deck fills the 'more powerful Switch' niche for me almost perfectly). That said, if the Switch 2 drops with unmissable bangers and costs $400 or less, I'll probably still be there day one.
Re: Xbox First-Party RPG Avowed Reportedly Delayed Until Early 2025
@NEStalgia
"they do so by introducing a lot of very small "filler" projects, which are of a level of simplicity that would not pass on any other platform but theirs"
They're not filler, though. They're just not AAA. This mindset that first-party publishers only pump out BIG games is relatively new, and why delightful developers like Japan Studio were shuttered. And, frankly, it's probably why indies and smaller Jp devs thrive on Switch, as opposed to rival console platforms. A fun game is a fun game, even if the development budget doesn't compete with the GDP of a small country. Nintendo is the only one of the big three that really, deeply understands that fundamental truth.
"Nintendo doesn't buy and close developers all the time -DIRECTLY, but the implication they simply never cancel projects or teams that suggests isn't true. "
Never implied anything of the sort. Nintendo probably cancels projects all the time. What I said is they're not snapping up and shutting down entire development studios like other publishers. And they don't. Trying to equate that to the Mario & Luigi developer shuttering because of a run of bad game sales on 3DS is disingenuous, and you know it. There's a difference between snapping up developers only to close them down en masse like Microsoft or Embracer vs. not propping up failing studios that you're not responsible for.
"True about hardware prices, though a difference is Sony/MS generally subsidize hardware at launch and make thin margins, while Nintendo charges for profit from the start"
Agreed! Nintendo makes hardware that's affordable to begin with. Their business model is sustainable from the very beginning. I'm sure they're all very glad they didn't get sucked into the power console arms race that is skyrocketing prices for the competition's hardware.
"They get led by the bubbles too, they just hold back a generation before doing it to let everyone else take the falls first and use the lessons so they don't have to."
Well, that's the thing: not getting sucked in during a gold rush means not getting led by market bubbles. I don't mean they'll never go anywhere near new industry trends. They're already dipping their toes in the live service waters with the way they're releasing and persistently updating games now, and I fully expect a full-on live service title next gen. Done in their own Nintendo way.
"NINTENDO isn't laying off hundreds or thousands because they never bothered hiring them to begin with."
Yup. Responsible business choices lead to more ethical outcomes overall, it seems. Nintendo has no obligations to employees working for a third-party studio that they happen to have a contract with.
Although it's worth mentioning that Japanese business culture is more ethical in certain respects in general. Which is why, during the Wii U fiasco, Nintendo's top brass took severe pay cuts to avoid layoffs.
Re: Xbox First-Party RPG Avowed Reportedly Delayed Until Early 2025
@NEStalgia Nintendo DOESN'T have these kinds of problems, though, lol, which is why people keep saying stuff like that.
Time for me to fangirl a bit.
Nintendo maintains a consistent schedule of exclusive releases for their base.
Nintendo isn't snapping up developers and then shuttering them.
Nintendo isn't pumping up their hardware prices in certain markets and being led astray by industry trends like the live service bubble.
Nintendo isn't laying off hundreds or thousands of employees because of poor choices made by the top brass.
Nintendo internally delays games all the time, but is typically smart enough to keep these delays internal, so consumers aren't gobsmacked with eleventh hour delays (Zelda games are a notable exception).
And yes, Nintendo is smart and maintains a high level of content publishing by working with other companies to develop exclusives for them and assist with development of key games. Nothing is stopping Microsoft from contracting skilled third-parties to help them develop new games, or to utilize their IPs in interesting ways. They prefer to simply buy companies and then give them free rein to make whatever they want, which has been mostly turning out disappointing products, because EVERYONE at a development studio needs to do their job, including the higher management.
The results speak for themselves, frankly. This generation is a new golden age for Nintendo, whereas the competition is floundering.
Re: Xbox Console Sales Struggling As Hardware Revenue Nosedives At Microsoft
Ouch.
Not surprising, though. Microsoft is methodically dis-incentivizing console purchases at every turn. I'm not sure why anyone would buy an Xbox in 2024.
Re: Sony PlayStation 'Regrettably Outspends Us', Says Xbox EMEA Marketing Boss
If the Xbox division was being run by someone who was deliberately trying to lose the company as much money, mind share, and good will as possible, I think they'd still struggle to outperform the people currently calling the shots.
Re: Fallout TV Series Nominated For Loads Of Emmy Awards At 2024 Show
It was genuinely really good. Enjoyed every single episode.
At this point I'm more excited for new seasons of this TV show than new Fallout games potentially developed by Bethesda, lol
Re: 'Tipster' Suggests Xbox Will Stop Marketing Consoles In Certain Markets
@NEStalgia Truth. I see Playstation and Nintendo adverts on TV all the time, and I rarely watch TV. All over the internet, too.
Don't recall seeing an Xbox ad any time this gen, though.
@IOI So the plan is to complete whatever games you've purchased on the platform and then divest yourself from the ecosystem going forward?
Re: Microsoft Rewards Is Making Big Changes Relating To Xbox Game Pass
@PsBoxSwitchOwner One thing I've learned in recent years: no matter how deep the hole one is in, they can always keep digging.
Re: Talking Point: Do You Ever Pre-Order Xbox Games Anymore?
Very rarely. Although I'll preorder a game on PC if the price is below MSRP. That's how I snagged a pre-purchase of Metaphor: ReFantazio for $40.
Re: Talking Point: How Do You Feel About 2024 On Xbox So Far?
Don't play on Xbox, but if I did, I wouldn't be disappointed this year, since every game I really dig has released on Xbox as well thus far.
Re: Reaction: Xbox & Nintendo Continue To Deliver With Major Summer Showcases
@anoyonmus Oh, totally. Late 2025 would be my guess. Why not? From Sony's thinking, everyone who bought a PS5 for SM2 has already bought in, and the game doesn't sell millions for years on end without really steep discounts, so it gives them a second shot at a full price release.
Re: Reaction: Xbox & Nintendo Continue To Deliver With Major Summer Showcases
@anoyonmus I heard the "hook em on the first game, then tempt them to play the sequel on PS5" theory before. But... like... Horizon Forbidden West and GoW Ragnarok are going to PC now. There's legitimately no incentive for a PC gamer to get a PS5 for Playstation sequels when they inevitably release in a superior state on PC anyway. And the whole PC initiative is still pretty new, so I expect the wait time between PC ports to go down as well.
Sony is spending too much money on these games, and their bet is that there's enough of a difference between console and PC gamers to not damage their hardware sales momentum with ports that aren't day and date.
We'll see how that works out. On my end, it just means Playstation-branded hardware is no longer an investment worth making to me. Particularly since they killed Japan Studio, anyway. I bought a PS4 for Gravity Rush 2, after all.
@InterceptorAlpha Microsoft NEEDS to release a gyro-enabled controller for the sake of parity between the platforms. I know at least one developer said they didn't enable gyro aiming in their console game because that would benefit Playstation users but not Xbox ones.
Oh, hey, another one of the twelve people who bought a Steam Controller! I've yet to get comfortable with the thing, unfortunately, although the ideas born from it have paid off elsewhere (LOVE the trackpads on my Steam Deck, which feel much more responsive).
Re: Reaction: Xbox & Nintendo Continue To Deliver With Major Summer Showcases
@anoyonmus Don't all Microsoft games already come to PC? There's already no need for an Xbox console if you own one for exclusives.
Sony's working on this as well.
That's why PC + Nintendo is the way of the future, my friend.
Re: Reaction: Xbox & Nintendo Continue To Deliver With Major Summer Showcases
@anoyonmus When it comes to Microsoft, the notion of exclusivity being a factor is increasingly going by the wayside. It's pretty clear they eventually want to have all their games on as many platforms as possible.
Re: Reaction: Xbox & Nintendo Continue To Deliver With Major Summer Showcases
The Microsoft show didn't do much for me apart from the new DOOM, which wasn't a surprise at all, but at least they delivered for their fans. Nintendo DEFINITELY delivered, especially this late in the generation. The Switch era is the golden age of Nintendo by pretty much all metrics.
PS5 started strong this gen, but has been running on fumes. They're very lucky they have some decent third-party exclusives to drive interest in the hardware.
Re: Multiple Games Announced For Xbox Following June 2024's Nintendo Direct
Nice to see Xbox included in the DQ party on time for once.
Re: Bethesda's Todd Howard Says The Team Doesn't 'Need To Rush' Future Fallout Games
I agree that rushing Fallout projects is a bad idea. Just develop them on a reasonable time-table. Nothing good comes from rushing projects. Particularly when it comes to this dev.
That said:
"Right now, the Fallout TV show fills a certain niche in terms of the franchise and storytelling - we totally get the desire for a new mainline single-player game, and look, those things take time and I don't think it's bad for people to miss things as well."
Something about this part of the statement rubs me the wrong way, and I'm not even sure how to articulate why that is.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (June 15-16)
SMT V: Vengeance for the foreseeable future.
Re: Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Launches On Xbox To Fantastic Reviews
Unsurprising. The base game was already excellent, and this re-release seems to address the majority of its issues.
Game is running at a smooth 60fps on my Steam Deck. So happy this went multiplat!
@FraserG Did y'all not get a review code? I was surprised you hadn't posted a review of this alongside the other sites.
Re: Preview: Dragon Age: The Veilguard Is A Confident Return for BioWare
Jesus, this looks awful. We're such a long way away from the heights of Origins.
The fall of Bioware is one of the saddest happenings in this industry. They were probably the best RPG developer back on the 360.
Re: Gears Of War: E-Day Will Be Linear As Dev Focuses On The 'Scary Moments' Of Gears
Sounds good. I always enjoyed the first Gears because of how it balanced the 'scary' and action aspects. The second game on adopted a different tone that I didn't much care for in comparison. Haven't played a game in this series since the 00s as a result.
I'll definitely keep my eye on this one.
Re: Black Myth: Wukong Suffers Delay, But Only For Xbox Series X|S
@Sol4ris Let's be real: the Series S needing to be supported has already delayed a few games, so it's a reasonable assumption to make. Weaker platforms take time to optimize ports for. Switch versions of AAA games sometimes take years to get right.
Re: Report: Xbox Is Working On A Halo Remaster, Also 'Considering' PS5 Release
@BHPM
"Regardless of if this is true or not (but especially so if it is true), it genuinely impresses me how talented Microsoft is at consistently further damaging their brands. They make making themselves look bad into an art, it's honestly kind of impressive."
Same lol. It's practically performance art at this point. Very entertaining, and I mean that with zero malice.
Re: Atlus Quietly Removes Xbox Game Pass Mention For SMTV: Vengeance
It's probably coming. P3R hit GP, after all, and that's a bigger series. Atlus also has a history of accidentally leaking announcements via Instagram.
Re: Talking Point: Which Has Been The Most Reliable Xbox Console For You?
@belmont I've never heard of a Game Boy breaking down in any way. My GBC from when I was a kid still works like new. When the bombs drop, all that'll be left in the rubble of the world will be small animals and Game Boys.
Re: Talking Point: Which Has Been The Most Reliable Xbox Console For You?
@Banjo- I have Split Pads I can use for undocked, but I like motion aiming in games like Splatoon and BotW, so they're not fully satisfying for me. Motion is good on the Pro Controller, but I'm playing undocked on my OLED model 90% of the time. Just glad my Lite has been resistant to these drifting issues.
Hopefully whatever the Switch 2 ships with is more robust.
Re: Talking Point: Which Has Been The Most Reliable Xbox Console For You?
@Banjo- I've had more issues with the DS line than any other piece of hardware. The hinge on my DS Lite broke after a few years. My OG 3DS scratched its own top screen thanks to the raised borders on the bottom. My nephew has has a shoulder button just stop working entirely on his 2DS. And one of my New 3DS units just stopped working entirely.
I also had to replace a Wii U GamePad, but that wasn't really the console's fault. A kid spilled water on it. I guess I just resent not being able to play my Wii U without the stupid tablet controller, even though I pretty much only used my Pro Controller after a while.
With Switch, the main unit is solid as hell, but those joycons keep having issues, dude. Only other controllers I've had any drift issues with were with 20 year old PS2 controllers.
Re: Talking Point: Which Has Been The Most Reliable Xbox Console For You?
I got my 360 during the height of the RROD epidemic and never had a single issue with it, ironically enough.
Re: Skull And Bones Season 2 & Free Trial Announced As Player Numbers Dwindle On Xbox
They made a AAAA game when they should've made a AAAAA game. Pump up that budget!
Re: After Hellblade 2, Here Are The 10 Highest-Rated Xbox Games Of 2024 So Far
Solid year for Japanese games so far.
Re: Ninja Theory Explains Why Headphones Are So Important In Hellblade 2
Been a huge fan of binaural audio in games since I first experienced it in the PSP version of Corpse Party. Hellblade 1 made excellent use of it as well. Very much a highlight of the game experience. I have to imagine it's cool in the sequel as well.
Re: Review: Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 (Xbox): An Incredible Spectacle That Lacks An Essential Hook
@Martinscavalo Agreed. How dare the writers have integrity and not praise a game just because Microsoft published it!
Re: Review: Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 (Xbox): An Incredible Spectacle That Lacks An Essential Hook
Seems like the Microsoft equivalent of something like The Order: 1886, where it's a real technical spectacle, but the game underneath leaves a lot to be desired.
tbh even the first Hellblade wasn't particularly fun, but the immersive and nightmarish journey you (Senua) go on makes up for it. This sounds like a less potent version of that.
And yeah, the original was never a good choice for a sequel. It was like a very high production quality independent film... not really the sort of thing you make a series out of.
Re: Rumour: Xbox Planning To Bring More Games To PS5, Despite Some 'Unease' At Microsoft
@NEStalgia
"Sales of switch/switch popularity can be atributed to quite a few things, including the 2020 bump, and zero stock on other consoles. A lot of it is marketing. people bought it like it was the first handheld gaming system ever....as though GB, GBC, GBA, DS, 3DS, PSP, Vita never existed. That's just marketing power and nothing more. The docking gimmick is great, but it won through marketing more than anything."
This is pure copium, come on. Obviously the strong concept and marketing were important, but people have to like the thing you're marketing in the first place.
Did Switch get a bump during the height of the pandemic? Sure. But it sold well before, and it sold well after, even as other consoles have become obtainable again. It has been consistently popular.
Switch isn't the first console that can be played as a handheld, of course, but it's the first major one that has allowed the user to play home console-quality games. Something Sony promised with the Vita, but which never materialized.
You don't have to like the platform, but acting like it's the beneficiary of some random level of popularity with casuals like the Wii because they couldn't buy PS5s is being deliberately disingenuous.
"The third party support is by nature just a worse version of things on other systems"
On the AAA front, sure. This isn't true at all when it comes to non-AAA software.
Notably, though, the third-party support is the best Nintendo has enjoyed since the GameCube.
"the price is high for the hardware though it fits a role"
The price was high enough for Nintendo not to lose money, but low enough to appeal to a market filled with more expensive hardware. The Series S is comparably priced, but the Series S is also almost nobody's first choice for buying a console. You want an example of a console people bought almost exclusively because the bigger ones were inaccessible? Here you go.
"IMHO most (not all) Nitnendo excluisives went downhill on Switch."
This is an extremely unpopular opinion. shrug For most series, many gamers, myself included, think the Switch entries represent the apex of those respective properties.
Also, I have news for you: BotW, Pikmin 4, Splatoon 2 & 3, etc. are also "actual Switch games."
The Wii U was a misfire from the start, centering all its resources on the stupid, expensive tablet controller almost nobody cared about to begin with and which the system wouldn't function without. It had some excellent games, but that's because it's Nintendo and all of their consoles (sans maybe the Virtual Boy) have some world-class software. I use mine mostly for its bc Wii games.
You asked why people like it, and I answered. You don't have to like it, of course, but for most people, Switch-era Nintendo is the company's new golden age. The numbers back this up. Nintendo has raked in more profit during this console generation than their other ones COMBINED, even adjusting for inflation.
Re: Rumour: Xbox Planning To Bring More Games To PS5, Despite Some 'Unease' At Microsoft
@NEStalgia "I really don't understand why switch era Nintendo is so wildly praised in the Internet."
I mean, it's probably going to rocket past PS2 lifetime sales in, like, half the time, so it's not really a matter of the console just being popular on the internet.
On my end, I can't think of a console I've enjoyed more. It's an explicitly Japanese device with decent third-party support, tons of high-quality exclusives, and a concept/gimmick that amazed at launch and continues to be useful and make the console more accessible than its peers. Most of the games on it are lacking qualities that plague AAA titles on other systems.
It's honestly the first Nintendo console I could have absolutely mained on its own. There's always something fun to play.
Re: Rumour: Xbox Planning To Bring More Games To PS5, Despite Some 'Unease' At Microsoft
@NEStalgia It would've made the PS5 an optimization nightmare like the Series S has been lol.
Nintendo is a demonstration that brand integrity and strong game design are more potent than inflated budgets for getting people excited about premium-priced products.
Re: Rumour: Xbox Planning To Bring More Games To PS5, Despite Some 'Unease' At Microsoft
@NEStalgia Considering how much Playstation/Microsoft are struggling with costs and profit margins, it really is hilarious how enormous Nintendo's profits in the Switch era are.
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2024/05/nintendos-profit-during-the-switch-generation-is-absolutely-wild
People laughed at them for years for developing cheaper games on underpowered hardware that doesn't lose them money, but look where we are now.