Would have been perfect for Game Pass. Phil, you know what to do.
Actually, I thought that the Ludens X Xbox thing in Phil’s background was a bunch of nothing but who knows.
Didn’t know that Kojima was so interested to try something with cloud gaming.
Stadia refused his project (last spring or before I guess) so I wonder if he discarded it entirely or tried to sell it to MS now that xCloud has launched (in some countries) in September and MS has big plans to expand it in 2021 (Series X servers blades, iOS, PC, TVs, more countries…).
Plus we know from a recent job listing that MS wants to make cloud-based games (with “external developers”)
Join Xbox Game Studios as an innovative leader and help us achieve our mission to reach over 3 billion gamers.
We are seeking a Senior Director, Cloud Gaming to shape and drive a new initiative focused on making great games designed for the cloud. You will partner with external developers to create a roadmap for producing new game products, plus building an internal team to navigate relationships between partner teams within Xbox and Microsoft, bringing new cloud-based technologies into our games.
The ideal Senior Director, Cloud Gaming has proven experience directing a game or a studio, and has deep technical experience. You are excited about pushing technological boundaries in gaming and enjoy building upon the work of others by uniting teams under a shared common vision.
Build an internal multidisciplinary Xbox team from the ground up to advance the world of cloud gaming through partnerships with independent developers.
Experience building, running, and managing a successful game and/or development team; ideally with multiple projects and priorities.
Developing and delivering innovative new technology in a game or other service/application.
Shame about Journey to the Savage Planet 2. I really enjoyed the first one (thanks GamePass) much to my surprise. I had not tried out the DLC yet.
The Kojima title was probably still years away, given how long previous titles took. At least this one wasn’t teased year after year after year after year at E3.
As Narrative Director on the Xbox Game Studios Publishing team, oversee all narrative-related elements for multiple XBOX first-party franchises, most recently the critically-acclaimed “Microsoft Flight Simulator” and other exciting new AAA titles yet to be announced.
They currently have 27 jobs listed, doesn’t look like they’re slowing down hiring even though this was canceled, actually looks like they are ramping up
Given the last game from him that I actually liked was Ground Zeroes (did he even direct that?), I can’t say I’d be overly excited at the prospect of something experimental from him using the cloud. Even if it is Xbox exclusive.
The salt factor loses its allure when the project in question is something no one would care about.
He directed Ground Zeroes. I think an exclusive Kojima game is a huge feather in Microsofts cap. He brings the kind of weirdness and unpredictability that MS first party needs right now.
It’s also a major boon for Xbox’s presence in the Japan development community too. Especially if all future Kojima games at the very least now are coming to Xbox too.
MS getting an Kojima exclusive is similar to an Oscar bait movie. It’s not going to make any real profit (the casual fan may not even like it) but all that prestige…
UPDATE 28 February 2021: In a statement to GamesRadar+, Google says VGC’s report “was inaccurate and reported hearsay as fact” and that VGC’s assertions about cancelled Kojima and Yu Suzuki “projects” are not true.
It further added that Google “[doesn’t] have anything, nor have announced anything, with Kojima or Yu Sazuki”.
Asked specifically about the Kojima games pitch, a spokesperson told VGC: “We talk to partners all the time in situations that don’t result in a project or even a proposal. This is very common. Speculating that two parties that speak regularly in this industry leads to proposals or otherwise, is inaccurate.”
That doesn’t sound like a very robust denial to be totally honest. We know Kojima had a project in progress on his own, so if he was talking to Google about it going to Stadia and Google not biting would still line up with the chatter online.
