The Big ol' Xbox 3rd Party Releases Discussion Thread (HiFi, SoT, Pentiment, Grounded) (Part 1)

[KakkaKarrotKake]

@TheStarborn

I do see a timeline where XS are selling 10 million less units than it is now though, and it’s the one we’re living in if Xbox continue to go third party. They’ll be digging their own graves.

If the next console is essentially a PC and easy to port to, this wont matter

[CryOn]

@Joe_Sinister1

MS is more often than not a bit too ahead of the curve and do shit before people are ready for it and it often doesn’t work out well for them.

Tbf when they announced their Xbox one plans, Sony had the same plan till they saw the backlash.

And being third place behind Nintendo and Sony you have to be innovative.

[PhantomRPG]

@pg2g

I’m still of the belief that they saw enough negative backlash and not enough sales from the single player games (even niche games hurt the brand notably) that they will be hesitant to push further. GaaS/MP games seem like a slam dunk and I think they ramp that up even further.

Dunno what that means for BIG games with MP components like Halo/Gears/Forza but I expect they’ll be hesitant due to damage to the brand.

This makes more sense than using single player games.

This creates more revenue in the long run and keeps core console users happy while other console user are happy playing multiplayer or game as service.

I mean Helldiver 2 would drive a lot by being on Xbox and that is a game as a service, which i can see that since its the kinda game that xbox users love to play.

[DeoGame (Farewell)]

@Jez

…ut tv show blowing up fallout across every platform is a great example of something cutting through zeitgeist in such an extreme way. if im final fantasy 7 rebirth and im only available on one platform… it doesn’t really cut through the attention being vacuumed up by fortnite etc. it’s not exactly an apples to apples comparison, but hopefully that illustrates the point. starfield being on pc at launch helped it capture some of that audience mindshare. it was incredibly controversial but it was inescapable, and set engagement records for bethesda at the time. if starfield had been xbox console-only, it wouldn’t have generated anywhere near as much discussion more than likely. mat piscatella was getting attacked on twitter for suggesting helldivers 2 did crazy numbers mainly cus of PC as well.

I mean, I’d still argue that’s a change though. If the plan was full multiplat, why would they say that unless it was a transparent attempt to lie to Xbox fans to ring every last dollar out of them dry.

[Vivir]

@TheStarborn

I do see a timeline where XS are selling 10 million less units than it is now though, and it’s the one we’re living in if Xbox continue to go third party. They’ll be digging their own graves.

I think we all agree this generation is significantly better than the X1 generation yet X1 is going to outsell this generation by possibly 10 million + units. This was going to happen regardless if they went third party or not.

I think that speaks more to the increasingly unsustainable formula that’s been largely the way we defined success in the console space.

[pg2g]

@DeoGame

I mean, I’d still argue that’s a change though. If the plan was full multiplat, why would they say that unless it was a transparent attempt to lie to Xbox fans to ring every last dollar out of them dry.

If they do it I don’t think it’s because it was the plan, it’s because they did their experiment and the outcome of the experiment told them it’s what makes business sense. That would not personally be my read on the data, but that is Jez’s.

[IdiotGuru (Justin)]

I understand that “1st-party” multi-plat is a philosophical shift for the console industry but I continue to be utterly perplexed why folks have to get mad at people for speculation. We have to learn to differentiate between opinion and reporting.

That said, I do think that, ethically, the media industry can and should do a better job of delineating between the two. That goes for way more than the games industry.

[Mort]

I just think this multiplat thing is boring. I enjoy the different flavours of the consoles compared to the grey mass of PC gaming where I started out. I think it will ruin that community layer I so very much enjoy, the things around the games. It’s what led me to this site f.e.

I’ll always play games, but I really think something fun will be lost.

[IdiotGuru (Justin)]

@Mort

I just think this multiplat thing is boring. I enjoy the different flavours of the consoles compared to the grey mass of PC gaming where I started out. I think it will ruin that community layer I so very much enjoy, the things around the games. It’s what led me to this site f.e.

I’ll always play games, but I really think something fun will be lost.

1. I’m more interested in the games than the publishers.
2. Whatever happens, competition is probably inevitable, but likely just in a different format than we’re used to. So if brand loyalty is your thing, that isn’t going away.
3. Ultimately, I think gatekeeping is bad for consumers, so I don’t particularly care about the “fun” of console warring.

[peter42O]

@Jez

im not denying that i do believe that eventually we see the barriers come down. but i dont know for sure yea. i guess this is why a lot of journalists arent really active in communities etc. idk what im doing.

just a matter of when, and how they message it, and what the fine print says, and what the value proposition for xbox hardware is in the post-exclusivity world. im intrigued to find out!

Great to see Jez here posting as it’s been a while and I have a question for you that im very curious about -

My biggest issue as to why im pissed off as an Xbox fan who’s invested over $2500 in the last three plus years since Xbox Series X launched is that after acquiring ABK, Microsoft decided to QUIT. Outside of being a screwed up sick human being, the worse thing a person can be or in this case, a company, is being a QUITTER.

Microsoft acquired Bethesda just over three years ago and launched a great game in Hi Fi Rush, another great game in Starfield (which is my current Xbox Series/PlayStation 5 game of the generation) with Redfall being the disappointment that in my opinion should have been cancelled for one simple reason - the studio didn’t want to work on this type of game which was evident by so many people leaving the studio during and after production. Microsoft then goes on to acquire the biggest third party publisher in the industry with ABK this past October.

Let’s just say that Microsoft and the executives let the current generation run it’s course and set everything up for their next generation console which based on rumors, Microsoft wants to release in the Fall of 2026. Release a single console SKU because the dual SKU approach didn’t and isn’t going to work with a disc drive and the ability for digital and cloud streaming.

Have an actual launch lineup of Xbox/PC/Cloud exclusive games that are current generation only (want to play next generation games on Xbox Series? Cloud is there for you.) and have an amazing lineup for the two years that you’ll have ahead of Sony and PlayStation 6. Go to third party publishers like an EA for example who don’t appear wanting to make a Dead Space 2 remake, well, go to them and agree to fund the game in exchange for exclusivity. Do this with several third party publishers like Ubisoft, Capcom and even Square Enix since they love accepting exclusivity deals.

Now after picturing all of this happening, my question is as follows -

With a two year head start, great console, exclusive launch lineup, two years worth of great exclusive games and content in addition to already having Game Pass, would Microsoft still have not been able to actually be the lead platform with Xbox which in turn would lead them to having another Xbox 360 generation where they’re the default platform of choice?

That’s by far my biggest issue. Microsoft didn’t even give the acquisition of ABK any time to see what that along with already owning Bethesda and having all the other studios can do when starting a new generation.

In my mind, no one can ever convince me that having the second biggest console IP in COD behind only Fortnite and doing what I said above doing nothing for Microsoft and the Xbox brand. There’s just no way because at the end of the day, they would have had the games that you can’t play on any other console and with a two year head start, you’re going to gain tens of millions of new or returning consumers.

Anyway, sorry for the long post and if you can answer my question, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks. Jez.

[pg2g]

I need TLDR summaries when you guys create posts like that lol

[Jez]

@pg2g

I’m still of the belief that they saw enough negative backlash and not enough sales from the single player games (even niche games hurt the brand notably) that they will be hesitant to push further. GaaS/MP games seem like a slam dunk and I think they ramp that up even further.

Dunno what that means for BIG games with MP components like Halo/Gears/Forza but I expect they’ll be hesitant due to damage to the brand.

could be true.

[Mort]

@IdiotGuru

1. I’m more interested in the games than the publishers.
2. Whatever happens, competition is probably inevitable, but likely just in a different format than we’re used to. So if brand loyalty is your thing, that isn’t going away.

1. I’m also more interested in the games than the publishers. Would be kinda weird otherwise, no?

2. I’m not sure, it sounds very bland to me.

@IdiotGuru

Ultimately, I think gatekeeping is bad for consumers, so I don’t particularly care about the “fun” of console warring.

What makes you think I’m talking about “console warring” when I’m talking about fun?

[pg2g]

@peter42O

… Xbox 360 generation where they’re the default platform of choice? That’s by far my biggest issue. Microsoft didn’t even give the acquisition of ABK any time to see what that along with already owning Bethesda and having all the other studios can do when starting a new generation. In my mind, no one can ever convince me that having the second biggest console IP in COD behind only Fortnite and doing what I said above doing nothing for Microsoft and the Xbox brand. There’s just no way because at the end of the day, they would have had the games that you can’t play on any other console and with a two year head start, you’re going to gain tens of millions of new or returning consumers. Anyway, sorry for the long post and if you can answer my question, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks. Jez.

I think Xbox still sees the writing on the wall in terms of the market’s growth and while they could fight a war of attrition for a stagnant market they decided to focus on expanding to growth markets instead.

[Thebaconlife]

I mean with Xbox pretty much out of the game if this is true what’s to stop Sony from over charging on everything? Ps6 can basically be a half upgrade over the pro to save money because where else are people gonna go? The Xbox that nobody wants? Its games are on ps. Nintendo? Maybe they do pump up game price past 80 bucks and stop supporting g plus because why do they need to if there is no real competition.

[Jez]

@peter42O

… Xbox 360 generation where they’re the default platform of choice? That’s by far my biggest issue. Microsoft didn’t even give the acquisition of ABK any time to see what that along with already owning Bethesda and having all the other studios can do when starting a new generation. In my mind, no one can ever convince me that having the second biggest console IP in COD behind only Fortnite and doing what I said above doing nothing for Microsoft and the Xbox brand. There’s just no way because at the end of the day, they would have had the games that you can’t play on any other console and with a two year head start, you’re going to gain tens of millions of new or returning consumers. Anyway, sorry for the long post and if you can answer my question, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks. Jez.

people longing for xbox 360 generation are forgetting that people see fortnite/fifa/cod as their “platform” now rather than their console. at least the vast majority who drive revenue. so in essence some of microsoft’s decision making on this is basically moving where the revenue is. you can’t compete with fortnite if you’re not at least present.

i dont think microsoft is giving up, the business of gaming is more than simply having exclusives, and we have yet to see what impact, negative, if any, itll have on console. so until then we have just assumptions that itll lead to lower console users. satya said again during the quarterly that xbox continues to set total console (xbox only) engagement. that includes xbox one/xbox series x|s gamers only. so if that number is going up rather than down, so far it doesnt seem to have had material impact on the overall amount of users actively playing/spending money on xbox.

that’s not to say it wont have impact in the coming months, of course.

it’s on microsoft to explain what the value proposition of the new xbox generation is, if indeed, halo and forza etc. are no longer exclusive (lets assume for arguments sake). how will they do that? i have no idea. but CoD marketing may do more for Xbox mindshare and hw sales than any “exclusive” people are upset about might do. the industry has changed and user habits have too. gotta appreciate the vast majority of players aren’t that invested in these kinds of discussions.

just my opinion. tytyty for asking.

[peter42O]

@pg2g

I think Xbox still sees the writing on the wall in terms of the market’s growth and while they could fight a war of attrition for a stagnant market they decided to focus on expanding to growth markets instead.

Microsoft could still have done everything else excluding releasing their first party games on Sony/Nintendo platforms and even this, they could have done if the next generation Xbox were to fail.

All im saying is that at the very least - Microsoft should have tried actually competing after acquiring ABK instead of just giving up which is how I see it.

[Hue]

@Jez

clickbaiting for…what? my discord server?

i didnt even post the fucking conversation on resetera lmao.

@PhantomRPG

I think he meant how some journalist change their minds whenever there new information

Hey Jez, yes sorry I should have probably worded it better, not clickbait but I think it’s fair to say that these types of opinions gather a lot of attention, whether you directly put it out there or not and your opinion has much weight within this community as you are well respected.

There have already been hundreds/thousands of forum threads, articles, tweets and videos on this opinion already and presumably if you were willing to say it privately it would have likely ended up public too. As you’ve said yourself before you almost use Twitter like a mind dump before and usually end up saying way more than you probably should, or before you have sufficient information to support X opinion.

As a patreon over at XB2 I tune in to your shows weekly so It wasn’t meant to be a personal dig at you, but generally with these flip/flop opinions of journalists/influencers where one minute Xbox is doomed and then riding high again to help with engagement. I think again you’ve admitted to changing your opinion shortly after stating something.

[pg2g]

@peter42O

Microsoft could still have done everything else excluding releasing their first party games on Sony/Nintendo platforms and even this, they could have done if the next generation Xbox were to fail.

All im saying is that at the very least - Microsoft should have tried actually competing after acquiring ABK instead of just giving up which is how I see it.

They are competing, you think of competition only in terms of selling consoles. They are moving beyond that.

[Andodalf]

@peter42O

… Xbox 360 generation where they’re the default platform of choice? That’s by far my biggest issue. Microsoft didn’t even give the acquisition of ABK any time to see what that along with already owning Bethesda and having all the other studios can do when starting a new generation. In my mind, no one can ever convince me that having the second biggest console IP in COD behind only Fortnite and doing what I said above doing nothing for Microsoft and the Xbox brand. There’s just no way because at the end of the day, they would have had the games that you can’t play on any other console and with a two year head start, you’re going to gain tens of millions of new or returning consumers. Anyway, sorry for the long post and if you can answer my question, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks. Jez.

They have more than enough data to show that people on PS will stay on PS no matter what. Console purchasing decisions are no longer rational. No substantial amount of people changed consoles for Starfield. The same will hold true for Indy, Avowed, and Cod gamepass. The media is completely against any exclusive because the algorithms of the internet reward people for hating on Xbox. They lost the console battle. It’s over. The hope is to make money as a pub and with a boutique console, while making gamepass so strong it’s undeniable on PC and set up well for when cloud eventually is worthwhile.