Some people never took or passed a basic economic class. Such doom and gloom without any real reason.
Microsoft can’t exit the console business and become third party after their Activision purchase. If they did, PlayStation would “in theory” have a monopoly. Thus killing Microsoft’s third party strategy. Sony could dictate pricing and how much they get from sales on all Xbox products (including hypothetically game pass on PlayStation). Microsoft couldn’t realistically pull their games off of PlayStation (and Xbox consoles if they don’t exist) because the loss of players would crush them. Only putting their games on PC (maybe Nintendo) wouldn’t have enough power to justify their billion $ purchase. Also, we’ve seen in the last two years alone how much turmoil there is from third party studios. If Xbox was a third party, they’d have to significantly downsize even more.
Developers at other third parties are definitely trying to send a message to Xbox by skipping their console upfront. They clearly don’t want to develop for two different Xbox’s and jeopardize their game and timelines. That’s fair. But they are also harming themselves by doing this. They are literally foregoing the potential returns from Xbox players and I have no idea if their financials support the decision. It absolutely works for devs that have the money to skip, but smaller game studios with smaller budgets HAVE to develop for all consoles to make it work. They need players.
I agree the Xbox brand needs to grow to be sustainable, but abandoning a console because they are putting their “exclusives” everywhere is silly from a consumer side. It literally feeds the fire for Sony becoming a monopoly. If the Xbox players get the game first, it’s a benefit. Xbox also has gamepass another benefit that Sony can’t replicate, because Xbox players get day one access to games on a subscription price. That’s the value of Xbox. Just enjoy playing games and let the execs figure out how to sell more consoles in Europe.
I really like the gears series and definitely want to see more, but it’s no wonder MS studios continue to struggle. Sometimes studios need a break from working on one series to try something different. Fatigue is real, and the last thing a company wants is to lose good developers who want to try something different. New games and IP are how they can test new ideas, and occasionally you can make hits. Obviously it wasn’t announced, but it’s clear the rumors that they were working on something new were true, and it sucks we’ll likely never get to see that. I understand cuts are happening due to the economy, but it would have been a nice change of pace to see something new from this studio. If Microsoft continues forcing these studios to specialize in one game, great developers are going to leave and it’s going to continue to get harder to create new stories. Sequels are hard to top, because everyone always wants the game to be better than the last, but reality is that it’s very hard to find new creative ways to improve a sequel. Also would like to see a game set during the pendulum wars one day.
I think it’s fair to assume they’d be interested in more entertainment companies. Especially with how up and down Netflix has been in the past year. If they obtain Activision they’ll have plenty of IP to create more original film and tv for it, and vice versa they can create games from the Netflix IP. Don’t know how that impact halo on paramount though. However, where I see issues is that Netflix is currently a competitor in cloud gaming. Not entirely sure how that would work. There would for sure be more issues if they try to acquire a competitor in that market, considering the scrutiny they are under now.
@Titntin Firstly, I could probably spend all day debating this with you. I fully understand the scrutiny behind this deal and governments questioning. I’m not a fool because I’ve read one part of a headline as an end all be all. I could debate the entirety of this deal being 100% bad for game’s industry as well if I wanted too. I have the capacity to see both sides. But I’m not going to type a dissertation on this in the comments of an article. I defended one side because at heart I believe it’s great for gamers because I think the competitive landscape improves. Sure, I will concede that over the next few years that xbox would likely begin to capture more market power and eventually be number 1. BUT, that wouldn’t happen overnight. AND, why is it BAD if Xbox becomes number 1 in gaming? Buying Activision/Blizzard won’t launch them into a stratosphere vastly above everyone. There’s too many studios and publishers out there today. Where this could become bad is where you’ve stated, Xbox withholds IP. Restricting IP is 100% a possibility. But so far with regards to XBOX related acquisitions (not all Microsoft related acquisitions), they have not yet removed ANY EXISTING IP from other platforms that I’m aware of. It is entirely possible that in the future they withhold popular games, but I choose to believe that it wouldn’t be in their best interest to remove those due to the major hit they would take. The cost of switching is too high at the moment for those that prefer one platform to another. And the availability of high end consoles is bare, but getting better. Also, I don’t have a law degree, but I’m pretty sure the FTC could still sue them post acquisition for anti-competitive behaviors such as restricting consumers choice. If Xbox became the overwhelming favorite, they would likely open a case against them. I just worry that many (not saying you) are missing the point of what happens if this doesn’t go through now. That’s a much scarier scenario in my opinion, because if everyone thinks this is anti-competitive; what’s it going to be when they throw those billions at studios and companies for rights to whatever they want.
@Titntin I don’t have a backlog of all Microsoft acquisitions, so I can’t agree or disagree with your remarks about “chewing up business and stomping on choice,” but how can we possibility say that Microsoft owning Activision/blizzard stomps choice? Gamepass allows you the options to play game virtually anywhere on many different screens. They have agreed to bring existing IP to Nintendo which hasn’t been there in years and agreed to continue bringing games to other pc game stores. We can’t look at the Bethesda acquisition as a sign of what Xbox will do with Activision existing IP, because even Bethesda has not released any existing IP for any platform since the acquisition. All Bethesda games since acquisition have been NEW IP. Ghostwire and Deathloop were both timed exclusive for PlayStation with a minimum of a year (still no official word on ghostwire) and Starfield and red fall are Xbox exclusive. And to add, elder scrolls online had a new expansion which is available everywhere the game is. It’d be one thing if Xbox withheld a new fallout, doom, elder scrolls, etc…but so far, everything has been brand new IP. I think much of the confusion is around what Xbox should/will do with their new IP. You don’t buy all of these teams to just to keep creating the same games over and over for your competitors. You also want them to innovate and create new adventures for your brand as well. That’s how they differentiate, which is what leads to competition needing to do the same. So while I understand concerns about this purchase being anti-competitive, we also need to acknowledge that other competitors absolutely have the ability to build new IP for their brand as well or compete in different markets such as cloud gaming.
@KilloWertz my business law is a little rusty, but I don’t think that’s entirely true…in any acquisition or merger there are rules and obligations surrounding existing contracts and agreements. None of which has an easy transfer button to the new owner. Xbox could have easily walked away from those agreements after that. Might have had to pay a small fine or make concessions that they won’t make those game Xbox exclusive now, but they could’ve walked away from the agreements.
“Microsoft decided to make several of Bethesda's titles including Starfield and Redfall Microsoft exclusives despite assurances it had given to European antitrust authorities that it had no incentive to withhold games from rival consoles” Didn’t Xbox promise to keep making existing IP available on all platforms they currently are on? They also added the verbiage, “case by case”… Starfield and Redfall are brand new IP. Additionally, they allowed PlayStation to continue to have deathloop and ghostwire for a full year before coming to Xbox. So far, they haven’t lied about anything with regards to that deal that I’m aware of.
I think that many who are still complaining about this deal going forward are entirely under estimating Microsoft’s power if this doesn’t go through now. They’ll have billions of dollars to do whatever with….what’s to stop them from throwing a billion at 30 different games to be exclusive (or timed) to Xbox/Gamepass. Or even announce they are opening new studios and looking to hire experienced fps and adventure game creators to create brand new IP (*cough cough COD studios).
And just to be clear, I’m not anti-PS, I love their games too. I’m just very pro this acquisition. I think it benefits all types of gamers. But to each their own.
I definitely agree with everyone’s point about not revealing dates years in advance, but people really need to start tempering their expectations about video game releases. This isn’t the early 2000s anymore. Even before covid causing delays, games are significantly harder and more complex to make, especially RPG games. And top notch developers are far and few between. Plus they are trying to meet consumers expectations; which is an impossible task these days. So unless you want games with worse graphics, animations, and quests, let them bake this in the oven a little longer. And let’s not forget, every single RPG to come out in the last 20 years always has bugs. So be prepared for those no matter how delayed the game is.
As for gamepass, I do hope they have something up their sleeve as I’m sure we all do, but I trust that if they don’t feel their holiday releases are good enough, they’ll make a deal with 3rd parties to bring games to GP on day 1. And even if you’re not a GP person, I’m sure there’s something out there for you as well.
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Re: Major Game Maker Reportedly Questioning Xbox Support Amidst 'Falling Sales'
Some people never took or passed a basic economic class. Such doom and gloom without any real reason.
Microsoft can’t exit the console business and become third party after their Activision purchase. If they did, PlayStation would “in theory” have a monopoly. Thus killing Microsoft’s third party strategy. Sony could dictate pricing and how much they get from sales on all Xbox products (including hypothetically game pass on PlayStation). Microsoft couldn’t realistically pull their games off of PlayStation (and Xbox consoles if they don’t exist) because the loss of players would crush them. Only putting their games on PC (maybe Nintendo) wouldn’t have enough power to justify their billion $ purchase. Also, we’ve seen in the last two years alone how much turmoil there is from third party studios. If Xbox was a third party, they’d have to significantly downsize even more.
Developers at other third parties are definitely trying to send a message to Xbox by skipping their console upfront. They clearly don’t want to develop for two different Xbox’s and jeopardize their game and timelines. That’s fair. But they are also harming themselves by doing this. They are literally foregoing the potential returns from Xbox players and I have no idea if their financials support the decision. It absolutely works for devs that have the money to skip, but smaller game studios with smaller budgets HAVE to develop for all consoles to make it work. They need players.
I agree the Xbox brand needs to grow to be sustainable, but abandoning a console because they are putting their “exclusives” everywhere is silly from a consumer side. It literally feeds the fire for Sony becoming a monopoly. If the Xbox players get the game first, it’s a benefit. Xbox also has gamepass another benefit that Sony can’t replicate, because Xbox players get day one access to games on a subscription price. That’s the value of Xbox. Just enjoy playing games and let the execs figure out how to sell more consoles in Europe.
Re: New Info Suggests Xbox Developer The Coalition Has 'Cancelled' Two Games Recently
I really like the gears series and definitely want to see more, but it’s no wonder MS studios continue to struggle. Sometimes studios need a break from working on one series to try something different. Fatigue is real, and the last thing a company wants is to lose good developers who want to try something different. New games and IP are how they can test new ideas, and occasionally you can make hits. Obviously it wasn’t announced, but it’s clear the rumors that they were working on something new were true, and it sucks we’ll likely never get to see that. I understand cuts are happening due to the economy, but it would have been a nice change of pace to see something new from this studio.
If Microsoft continues forcing these studios to specialize in one game, great developers are going to leave and it’s going to continue to get harder to create new stories. Sequels are hard to top, because everyone always wants the game to be better than the last, but reality is that it’s very hard to find new creative ways to improve a sequel. Also would like to see a game set during the pendulum wars one day.
Re: Talking Point: Could Microsoft Be Interested In Acquiring Netflix?
I think it’s fair to assume they’d be interested in more entertainment companies. Especially with how up and down Netflix has been in the past year. If they obtain Activision they’ll have plenty of IP to create more original film and tv for it, and vice versa they can create games from the Netflix IP. Don’t know how that impact halo on paramount though. However, where I see issues is that Netflix is currently a competitor in cloud gaming. Not entirely sure how that would work. There would for sure be more issues if they try to acquire a competitor in that market, considering the scrutiny they are under now.
Re: FTC Files Lawsuit To Block Microsoft's Takeover Of Activision Blizzard
@Titntin Firstly, I could probably spend all day debating this with you. I fully understand the scrutiny behind this deal and governments questioning. I’m not a fool because I’ve read one part of a headline as an end all be all. I could debate the entirety of this deal being 100% bad for game’s industry as well if I wanted too. I have the capacity to see both sides. But I’m not going to type a dissertation on this in the comments of an article.
I defended one side because at heart I believe it’s great for gamers because I think the competitive landscape improves. Sure, I will concede that over the next few years that xbox would likely begin to capture more market power and eventually be number 1. BUT, that wouldn’t happen overnight. AND, why is it BAD if Xbox becomes number 1 in gaming? Buying Activision/Blizzard won’t launch them into a stratosphere vastly above everyone. There’s too many studios and publishers out there today. Where this could become bad is where you’ve stated, Xbox withholds IP.
Restricting IP is 100% a possibility. But so far with regards to XBOX related acquisitions (not all Microsoft related acquisitions), they have not yet removed ANY EXISTING IP from other platforms that I’m aware of. It is entirely possible that in the future they withhold popular games, but I choose to believe that it wouldn’t be in their best interest to remove those due to the major hit they would take. The cost of switching is too high at the moment for those that prefer one platform to another. And the availability of high end consoles is bare, but getting better. Also, I don’t have a law degree, but I’m pretty sure the FTC could still sue them post acquisition for anti-competitive behaviors such as restricting consumers choice. If Xbox became the overwhelming favorite, they would likely open a case against them.
I just worry that many (not saying you) are missing the point of what happens if this doesn’t go through now. That’s a much scarier scenario in my opinion, because if everyone thinks this is anti-competitive; what’s it going to be when they throw those billions at studios and companies for rights to whatever they want.
Re: FTC Files Lawsuit To Block Microsoft's Takeover Of Activision Blizzard
@Titntin I don’t have a backlog of all Microsoft acquisitions, so I can’t agree or disagree with your remarks about “chewing up business and stomping on choice,” but how can we possibility say that Microsoft owning Activision/blizzard stomps choice? Gamepass allows you the options to play game virtually anywhere on many different screens. They have agreed to bring existing IP to Nintendo which hasn’t been there in years and agreed to continue bringing games to other pc game stores.
We can’t look at the Bethesda acquisition as a sign of what Xbox will do with Activision existing IP, because even Bethesda has not released any existing IP for any platform since the acquisition. All Bethesda games since acquisition have been NEW IP. Ghostwire and Deathloop were both timed exclusive for PlayStation with a minimum of a year (still no official word on ghostwire) and Starfield and red fall are Xbox exclusive. And to add, elder scrolls online had a new expansion which is available everywhere the game is. It’d be one thing if Xbox withheld a new fallout, doom, elder scrolls, etc…but so far, everything has been brand new IP.
I think much of the confusion is around what Xbox should/will do with their new IP. You don’t buy all of these teams to just to keep creating the same games over and over for your competitors. You also want them to innovate and create new adventures for your brand as well. That’s how they differentiate, which is what leads to competition needing to do the same. So while I understand concerns about this purchase being anti-competitive, we also need to acknowledge that other competitors absolutely have the ability to build new IP for their brand as well or compete in different markets such as cloud gaming.
Re: FTC Files Lawsuit To Block Microsoft's Takeover Of Activision Blizzard
@KilloWertz my business law is a little rusty, but I don’t think that’s entirely true…in any acquisition or merger there are rules and obligations surrounding existing contracts and agreements. None of which has an easy transfer button to the new owner. Xbox could have easily walked away from those agreements after that. Might have had to pay a small fine or make concessions that they won’t make those game Xbox exclusive now, but they could’ve walked away from the agreements.
Re: FTC Files Lawsuit To Block Microsoft's Takeover Of Activision Blizzard
“Microsoft decided to make several of Bethesda's titles including Starfield and Redfall Microsoft exclusives despite assurances it had given to European antitrust authorities that it had no incentive to withhold games from rival consoles”
Didn’t Xbox promise to keep making existing IP available on all platforms they currently are on? They also added the verbiage, “case by case”… Starfield and Redfall are brand new IP. Additionally, they allowed PlayStation to continue to have deathloop and ghostwire for a full year before coming to Xbox. So far, they haven’t lied about anything with regards to that deal that I’m aware of.
I think that many who are still complaining about this deal going forward are entirely under estimating Microsoft’s power if this doesn’t go through now. They’ll have billions of dollars to do whatever with….what’s to stop them from throwing a billion at 30 different games to be exclusive (or timed) to Xbox/Gamepass. Or even announce they are opening new studios and looking to hire experienced fps and adventure game creators to create brand new IP (*cough cough COD studios).
And just to be clear, I’m not anti-PS, I love their games too. I’m just very pro this acquisition. I think it benefits all types of gamers. But to each their own.
Re: Bethesda Delays Starfield And Redfall To First Half Of 2023
I definitely agree with everyone’s point about not revealing dates years in advance, but people really need to start tempering their expectations about video game releases. This isn’t the early 2000s anymore. Even before covid causing delays, games are significantly harder and more complex to make, especially RPG games. And top notch developers are far and few between. Plus they are trying to meet consumers expectations; which is an impossible task these days. So unless you want games with worse graphics, animations, and quests, let them bake this in the oven a little longer. And let’s not forget, every single RPG to come out in the last 20 years always has bugs. So be prepared for those no matter how delayed the game is.
As for gamepass, I do hope they have something up their sleeve as I’m sure we all do, but I trust that if they don’t feel their holiday releases are good enough, they’ll make a deal with 3rd parties to bring games to GP on day 1. And even if you’re not a GP person, I’m sure there’s something out there for you as well.