Which new AAA studio should Xbox do a partnership with?

Gaming
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Over the last few years we have seen a number of industry veterans establish their own new AAA studio. Many of these come from well established studios such as Naughty Dog, Santa Monica, Bungie, Ubisoft, Bioware, Blizzard, Rockstar, Treyarch etc.

We have already seen PlayStation undertake exclusive deals with a number of these studios in order to help fund and publish their first AAA game, including:

  • Firewalk Studios (Bungie, Sucker Punch & Infinity Ward)
  • Deviation Games (Treyarch & DICE)
  • Haven Studios (Ubisoft)

Typically we have only seen Xbox work with pre-established studios such as Crytek, Avalanche, Asobo, IOI etc. Therefore my question to you is which new AAA studio should Xbox do a partnership/publishing deal with?

My preferences would be:

Skydance New Media (former Naughty Dog & EA)

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Skydance are currently working on a new Marvel narrative driven, blockbuster action-adventure game. For me this sounds like a perfect opportunity for Xbox to obtain a superhero game, considering PS currently have Spider-Man and Wolverine as exclusive titles.

Humanoid Studios (former Bioware) image

Not much is known what they are working on but if Mass Effect and KOTOR are anything to go by it is likely a RPG and there is a lot of potential!

That’s No Moon (Naughty Dog, Santa Monica & Infinity Ward)

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That’s No Moon are currently working on a third person action adventure game which apart from the Hellblade IP, Xbox seems to seriously lack. I think this would cater to that market (and look at that talent!).

A few other studios to mention: (credit to shinobi602 for some of these):

  • Inflexion Games (Bioware)
  • Frost Giant Studios (Blizzard)
  • Dreamhaven (Blizzard)
  • Gunzilla Games (Ubisoft, EA & WB)
  • Nesting Games (Ubisoft, Capcom & WB)
  • Ascendant Studios (EA & Sledgehammer)
  • Yellow Brick Games (Ubisoft & EA)
  • Mountaintop Games (Respawn, Bungie, Blizzard & Naughty Dog)
  • Cauldron Studios (Bungie)
  • Cloud Chamber (CDPR, Ubisoft & Crystal Dynamics)
  • Gravity Well (Respawn & Rockstar)
  • Striking Distance (EA)
  • Build A Rocket Boy (Rockstar)
  • Liquid Swords (Avalanche)
  • Eyes Out (Yager)
  • Nightdive Studios (System Shock Reboot)

More forum contributions as of Feb 2022::

  • JP Games (Square Enix)
  • Absurd Ventures in Games (Rockstar)
  • Bokeh Game Studio (Gravity Rush)
  • Cliff Blezinki’s new studio (Epic)
  • Shannon Studstill’s new studio (Santa Monica)
  • Racoon Logic (Typhoon Studios)
  • Fractiv (Offset Software)
  • Bruce Straley’s new studio (Naughty Dog)
  • M-Two (Tetsuya Minami)
  • Archetype (Blizzard)
  • Bonfire Studios (Blizzard)
  • Cloud Imperium Games (Star Citizen)
  • Moon Beast Productions
  • The Astronauts
  • Rebel Wolves
  • Blueside
  • Deck13

One new AAA studio we do know Xbox is working with is Brass Lion Entertainment on Project Shaolin (Wu-Tang).

I understand there is significantly more risk investing in a brand new studio/IP but imagine the payoff! PlayStation have done this for years and have found many treasures including the recent Kena Bridge of Spirits (Ember Lab).

Enough rambling from me, what do you think? :slight_smile:

(Just to make it clear to mods - this is not an acquisition thread, I’m asking which ‘new talent’ Xbox should develop a relationship with through a partnership/publishing deal).

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Link to Shinobi602’s twitter thread with more detail:

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JP Games. By far.

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Good shout, provides an opportunity to cater for the Japanese market too.

Apparently they have two projects on the go and considering his pedigree (Final Fantasy) we could be looking forward to something good!

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Absurd Ventures in Games.

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Oooh the former Rockstar guy, he worked on all of the GTA’s and RDR right?

That could potentially be a fantastic investment!

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Humanoid Studios

JP Games

Bokeh Game Studio

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Slitterhead looks spooky as ****! Xbox could do with a good horror/thriller.

:+1::+1:

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Yup I just hope Sony doesnt moneyhat the game haha

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I wouldn’t be surprised! :wink:

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While not new or AAA, I would like to see Microsoft work with Neon Giant on a sequel to The Ascent!!!

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It had lots of potential, I’m not sure if that particular deal was fruitful for Xbox but a better funded sequel could have a bigger splash for sure!

It was the type of deal I would like to see Xbox do more of in future.

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This actually makes sense because there’s an actual tangible outcome with The Ascent now, you could see where they’re good and where they could improve and build on etc

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Well if its Xbox Global Publishing…that makes it first party and that means MS has to own the IP at least

Dreamhaven but that’s because I have alot of history with Blizzard

I know it isn’t on the list but I really hope Phil does reach out to Platinum

PLEASE stay away from Jade Raymond, everything she touches practically dies

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It was my understanding that Xbox Game Studios publishes third party IP too. For example CrossfireX which is owned by Smilegate lists the publisher as Xbox Game Studios (same with Sunset Overdrive and Ori)?

EDIT: I have revised the heading and description to be more generic

Jade hasn’t had a great deal of luck lately has she - I’m sure she knows this! I think Deviation Games in particular could be a success though.

Hopefully Blizzard can flourish again under MS :slightly_smiling_face:.

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I would like for them to partner with Quantic Dreams. They make some of the best looking games that pushes a consle out there and the games have good stories.

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Games from Quantic Dreams always seem to get mixed reviews, however I am intrigued how the new Star Wars will turn out :+1:.

That said I wouldn’t really consider them a new studio (they are over 20 years old now) :wink:.

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Casey Hudson with Humanoid Studios.

Cliff Bleszinski is hinting he is getting back into the game. So if he does he’d be one to work with.

Shannon Studstill is up to something and it would be wise to work with her.

Raccoon Logic, that is the team made up of former Typhoon Studios who made Journey to the Savage Planet.

It is an old company, but is coming back from the dead, so I think it should count and that being Factor 5.

There is also Fractiv, which is made up of the team that was working on Project Offset before Intel closed the company and their first game is Etherland.

I also want to say I think I remember reading on N4G, Bruce Straley is starting up a new company, so if that is true, that would be another one to work with.

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Casey Hudson (Mass Effect), Hideo Kojima (MGS, Death Stranding) and Sam/Dan Houser (GTA, Bully, RDR(If they are still in the game business)).

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