All current studios seem to be working on multiple projects, which is pretty awesome. Seeing studios like Rare and The Coalition oversee games within existing franchises (i.e., Battletoads, Gears Tactics) is an awesome compliment to larger games.
After seeing the content roadmap during the Xbox Games Showcase, there are a ton of AAA games in the pipeline, teams are growing, and the fruits of the current acquisitions will really start hitting on a flow-basis in 2022 (makes sense, games take awhile to develop). I love seeing the teams grow and create universes with full creative freedom. Honestly, it seems like every studio is developing at least one game thatâs as ambitious, or more ambitious, than anything they have ever developed (which is awesome).
In my opinion, Xbox Games Studios needs a few more first-party studios to ensure Game Pass has the exclusive content output needed, and allow the current studios to meet their ambitious ideas. Take some pressure off all the studios and the games can take as long as needed to create.
If there are any new studio announcements I expect them this month or in November. Who they might be? I have no idea at this point. Tbh they really donât need to, they could continue to build up XGS and create multiple teams within existing ones like theyâre doing with Playground, Inxile, Obsidian, etc. There will be no shortage of Xbox games, the goal is for them to release 3-4 high quality titles a year. We can thank Game Pass for this
I donât think theyâre done with studios in 2020, I can see some studios that are strugging with how the world is right now needing to be purchased or given money to so they can keep the studio open.
I would love for MS to buy ASOBO and People Can Fly and call it a year, those 2 studios are awesome. MS will never be done buying studios because of Game Pass they will need a ton to pump out GOOD games and not force studios to rush things. So more studios would help with that.
I think they will always keep a eye and ear out for any future studios asking to be bought out, it wonât stop imo.
Well i hope not because Game Pass still needs more Games from Xbox. I donât think its happening this Year because Covid makes things way harder. I hope they get 5 more Studios in the next 2 Years. Maybe built 1 or 2 more like they have with Turn 10, 343 Industries, The CoalitionâŚ
Maybe they will buy Asobo, Bloober ? and the new formed Studio behind As Dusk Falls.
I hope we see a couple smaller studios this year, not for platform wars but rather allowing them to work on whatever they want without having to worry about finances.
But more so I think they need to acquire or build more support studios. With the rumors that Forza is later so that they could help with Halo, this should be the #1 priority.
Honestly, I think Sperasoft (a support studio) would be a great investment⌠if itâs even possible to buy it haha. They have a ton of experience co-developing AAA games.
40-80 people size studios would be ripe for MS to pick up to make some good short narrative games or even cool MP games like grounded but bigger. I could see them start to try get some games like life is strange in pumping out monthly episodes or something like that to keep people in.
I think MS should buy a huge support studio to just help every other studio in the XGS that would really help with QA massively.
I think Xboxâs goal should be to have one release into Game Pass per month that will not be part of a rotating cast. I love the big releases in there, but I donât like being on a timer to complete my games. Whether thatâs a first party title or a title by Xbox Publishing. They need all the support they can get.
It would be great to have 36 teams in house. Right now they are at about 22-24 depending on what each studio is doing. I was extremely interested in WB Games because that would have basically gotten them to a point where they could have a game + a month in one fell swoop. It was a bit too big of a purchase to reasonably expect, but the fact that they were interested says they see the need to add more studios to Game Pass.
They are going all in but they arenât quite there yet. Netflix took a while to get to the point where a majority of their releases were Netflix Productions and I presume Xbox wants to get there sooner than later.
Bungie coming back at home could be big news. With a new IP debuting only on XSX would be killer.
IOI said no and are staying independants.
Techland needs help on their really ambitious game Dying Light 2 & I think they gonna skip current gen like they did with Dying Light due to too much hassle trying to run it smoothly.
We got no news about the game since more than one year.
Also seems to me it gonna run on DX12 so MS technical expertise needed.
Not sure why people are saying WB isnât for sale anymore. Thatâs not what I read at all. Doesnât matter though. I think weâll get at least two acquisitions before Series X release. My take anywayâŚ
I donât think that letter says they are off the table but I do think if no deal is struck by August 22, it indicates that nothing is imminent. Announcing huge games with their biggest franchises and biggest developers (Rocksteady) at what seems to be the biggest DC event ever would indicate that selling the games division is unlikely to come any time soon.
Unforunately, I think People Can Fly are off the table. They just started development on a AAA multiplat game, thatâs gonna be in development for a while.
True. But we all know these deals and events are planned months, even years in advance. Its not unlikely for an acquisition to take place while certain deals remain in tact. Near half the acquisitions made by MS in the last couple of years had multi platform deals already in the works while the dev houses were being acquired. Not saying its going to happen in this scenario, but its still a possibility.
It definitely doesnât make it a certainty but if something were even remotely close, Iâd imagine theyâd want to seal the deal before that date. At least an agreement in principle before beginning the marketing process.
I want Bloober and Asobo bad, those 2 studios would really fill out the type of games MS can deliver. Love Bloobers games, would love to see Layers of Fear 3 with a huge budget or a big budget Plague Tale 2 from Asobo.
Honestly I think they may already have new studios purchased, they may be waiting to announce them at XO20 much like their did with Obsidian and InXile.
In terms of mid size teams I think Asobo and Bloober are a very good fit. They both have their own expertise and could could only get better under 1st party umbrella. But more than either of those I think MS should invest in a Japanese teams itâs been the most sought after thing from the fans since Lost Odyssey landed. It just makes sense.
I donât think weâll see another studio announced as purchased in 2020, even if they already have a deal done or nearly done. Thereâs a new console launch to focus on and the messaging around that to focus on for the remainder of the year, and a new studio announcement would be a good way to kick off âhypeâ in 2021. I canât say I necessarily want them to purchase anyone, but like many others have said I think likely candidates are Bloober or Asobo. Asobo is a potential gem, they seem to do great work and Iâm curious to see how The Medium turns out for Bloober.
