Can we all just try and take Avowed for what it is, not what it MUST BE? I’m sure it’ll be good.
Might be the only one but when the games were all stacked in the 2nd half in 2021 it was a better discourse and it drowned the noise of negativity to a minimum. I’m not saying I want it to be like that again, just the discourse side of it lol
I don’t disagree, but Hellblade is bigger than both of those. You can have one game in a quarter if it’s a big game. Last year had HFR and Age 2 console in Q1 and Minecraft and Redfall in Q2, Q3 had Age 4 on console and Starfield and Q4 has Forza, so they can/will do it. It’s just about when the games are ready and what makes sense for each title. For all we know, both Hellblade and Ara are Q1.
Also, I don’t think there’s any argument that Sony have a better 2024 lineup than Xbox right now, because they don’t.
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Yeah, last year they almost reached the ideal number of 8 releases, I think this year they can do it, even without considering years late ports (which technically are not new games, but it’s fair to count them, I’m also a fan of AoE series). We already know of 7 new titles targeting 2024 and there’s always surprises, look at Indiana.
No, Sony lineup is not better in any stretch of imagination, but it’s fair to say they will have two 1st party releases (even if one is a technical patch sold as a remaster, lol) and two 3rd party exclusives all in the Q1. I suppose then Q2-Q3 will be very barren, they have stacked all there for the closure of financial year I suppose.
Did I miss something?
I’m saying hypothetically. But it’s also not impossible. I think Hellblade will be Q2 though.
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Personally, I’m not hoping for anything in the first quarter, apart from perhaps the first salvo of the ABK catalogue. 
Last year they had Goldeneye modern port, AoE 2 console port and HFR. I’d say we should expect something in Q1.
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I think something will be, even if it’s just Ara (or a surprise like HFR).
I’m not concerned by Ara (PC) but it would be nice, for sure.
Really that’s comparing apples to oranges though. Sony are running a premium sales model and MS are focusing on a subscription one.
Ages ago (2021) Phil laid out their plans to release one first party every quarter to ensure a steady stream of new content. Something that is critical for a subscriber service. Whacking out four at a time and then nothing for ages doesn’t fit their model at all.
Saying that given the number of studios they now own it’s clear that going forward we will more often than not see more than one first party game per quarter perhaps one bigger title and some smaller ones or 3rd party exclusives.
I have said multiple times that the ideal scenario is 1 AAA and 1 AA each quarter and I think it’s realistic considering the size of Xbox organisation now.
Well I don’t have all of your posts on notify but in this one you are comparing a specific one off quarter of Sony releases that won’t be repeated to the Xbox roadmap. That’s apples to oranges and misleading.
I think misleading is a bit too strong, those games are releasing, also I did not say Xbox must copy it, I only said they shouldn’t have barren quarters anymore (and they won’t have it bar exceptional circumstances) because it’s not healty for subscriptions in the 1st place (like 2022, remember?) and then the usual comparisons with the competition, which are inevitable, even if their business models are different.
Considering last DD was mostly focused on titles releasing in the first half of 2023 (bar Forza), I’m optimistic about release dates.
Like Q1: Ara and HB2, Q2: Avowed and a smaller game, then you have the summwr show for the second part of the year and teases about 2025 and beyond games. Mostly what they did last year, after the 2022 bad idea of promising games within 12 months (which is impossible if most of them are 3rd party and out of your control).
well, Stalker 2 is scheduled for Q1
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Shadowdrops are cool but I think you can get the best of “both worlds” (ie. shadowdrop vs a build up in marketing prior to a release) by showcasing a title no one has ever seen before and no one was ever aware of and then announcing a release date landing within three to six months.
If it looks intriguing enough then the media will try to get as much information as possible within those few months which could work out well. Can build up marketing hype during that time.
In an age where games are announced years before their launch, this seems like a great alternative.
What people like are surprises and if HFR was released in the same way people would have still been genuinely surprised and delighted.
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Avowed just needs to be a good game that’s fun to play like all games. It may end up having some flaws like any game, but that’s fine. I think Hellblade is getting more of the MUST BE pressure unfortunately, so Avowed may slide under that FUD radar and be received better because of the lower (i.e., sane) expectations surrounding it. I haven’t really seen anyone say Avowed must be the next Skyrim or something (although people do expect it to play similarly to Skyrim). Seems most expect it to be a better version of Outer Worlds in the PoE setting.
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TOW reviewed well, sold well and had lots of players, and that was TOW. It’s only recently that the conversation has started to sour on TOW.
Avowed will be fine.
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We’re complaining about when our games come out, meanwhile Sony has no first party games slated for this year!
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Technically they have a remaster (TLOU 2) coming out next week (19th) but yep…