Game News 2.0

recyclops · 07-05-2024 3:34pm

Such a bizarre and stupid decision by MS

Retr0gamer · 07-05-2024 3:45pm

It really is a different breed of sociopaths running these companies now. Other than Nintendo they just seem to be blindly chasing profits and shareholder appeasement. It's chasing the current trends which always brings diminishing returns instead of fostering healthy eco systems with broad appeal and funding lower risk more out there products while the reliable money makers keep things stable.

Listening to Tim Rogers talking about the early days of PlayStation when it was run by old school Sony music executives that wanted to create a brand that was more like a music or movie publisher fostering a wide portfolio of products.

I don't know, this closure just really doesn't sit right with me. I kind of wanted Microsoft to do well and be some healthy competition to Sony but **** them.

johnny_ultimate · 07-05-2024 3:49pm

It also really makes me question the benefit of something like GamePass. I always thought the saving grace of that model given the drawbacks was potentially funding smaller games like Hi-Fi Rush to ensure a steady stream of releases that might not have otherwise gotten the green light. But if that’s not what’s going to happen and it’s only going to just be a model to fund mediocre AAA slop like Starfield and Halo Infinite, then it just reaffirms the worst fears about a subscription model.

MikeRyan87 · 07-05-2024 3:58pm

The writing has been on the wall for a while.

GamePass is just unsustainable and cuts/closures were always coming when they were buying so many studios/funding aaa games from the ground up on an ecosystem that doesn't want it's customers to buy games.

Might not be the most popular figure but Colin Moriarty has been calling this for years.

I really think it's time for Phil Spencer to go. It just hasn't been working. They need a change in leadership and a new vision. Everything releasing on PS5 soon after Xbox isn't the way forward either. Sony having such control over the high end console market is going to make them even more complacent than they already are.

Such a shame as I really enjoyed Ghostwire Tokyo and HiFi Rush.

Zero-Cool · 07-05-2024 4:07pm

Was confirmed yesterday (after it was confirmed by Tony Hawk ages back) that Tony Hawk 3&4 remaster pitch was rejected as Activision wanted the Devs to work on supporting call of duty instead. So much of the gaming industry is leaning into this awful, mediocre, singular area of trying to make money from AAA online games, it really sucks.

Penn · 07-05-2024 4:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122107654#Comment_122107654

https://twitter.com/imranzomg/status/1787855320204837116

….

Retr0gamer · 07-05-2024 4:18pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122107832#Comment_122107832

I saw that all over twitter the last few days but it was known about since around the time of the first TH remake. Still ****.

Mr Crispy · 07-05-2024 4:51pm

Never forget.

https://twitter.com/aarongreenberg/status/1649431572137779203

Retr0gamer · 07-05-2024 4:53pm

Dogshit

https://twitter.com/Akfamilyhome/status/1787855503852523848?t=y1aWkcZ5FootWtVpZBEFjg&s=19

recyclops · 07-05-2024 5:05pm

Its going to make any up and coming MS announcements bitter sweet because regardless of how good something is you cant promise that the developer will be there in the future. Creativity is almost being consumed by generic open world titles or cash grab GAAS. I guess I have outgrown what these companies want me to be playing or I at least feel I have.

I am almost lucky enough to have each console going Id be despairing if I was a sole MS consumer.

CatInABox · 07-05-2024 5:24pm

Really such a brain dead move from MS, actually getting angrier over it

SuperBowserWorld · 07-05-2024 5:43pm

Would you like Halo or Forza with your fries sir ?

TitianGerm · 07-05-2024 5:44pm

Is there something going on in the background? Doesn't make sense to close down the HiFi Rush team after how successful the game was.

SuperBowserWorld · 07-05-2024 5:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122108234#Comment_122108234

Yup especially since it's just being launched on PS and Switch. Mad stuff.

TitianGerm · 07-05-2024 5:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122108237#Comment_122108237

Thats what I'm saying. This is a successful team so why kill them off? Is there something going on in the background? Some scandal maybe? Or maybe the team never wanted to be solely working for Microsoft and they've agreed to close and reopen under another name? Did they have a valuable IP that Microsoft wanted?

johnny_ultimate · 07-05-2024 5:53pm

Genuinely just don’t think Microsoft really know what they’re doing at the moment - the messaging and strategy is bizarre, confused, contradictory. It seems like they’ve hit a wall with Game Pass sustainability, but now also have a staggering bill from all the acquisitions to worry about too.

But beyond Microsoft the closure of all these small studios (like Roll7) is a disgrace. None of these massive companies give a **** about quality - just endless growth. Modest success isn’t good enough. It brings me some solace at least that the indie space has seen so many successes recently, because really that’s the place where there’s cause for optimism in gaming at the moment as the AAA and corporate space implodes.

PixelPlayer · 07-05-2024 5:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122108237#Comment_122108237

Maybe it hasn't sold? Didn't they say they needed to make the move to 3rd party in order to fund the sequels? Guess their metrics are telling them its gone as far as it's going to go and it's not worth investing in a sequel.

I only hope the team get hired elsewhere or maybe even moved somewhere else internally within xbox studios.No future in Tango but look we value your talent and have something else in mind for you. Wishful thinking.

Penn · 07-05-2024 6:14pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122108234#Comment_122108234

These days, no game makes enough money unless it makes all the money. No game meets sales expectations unless we're all currently playing it right now. No game is successful unless we're all staying on the roadmap for all future seasons, battlepasses and cosmetic mtxs.

The criteria for "success" has become a near-unreachable goal throughout the industry.

Zero-Cool · 07-05-2024 6:31pm

Sounds about right.

https://twitter.com/JakeNoseIt/status/1787859514848416255?t=FEGPP-JEeH6nZOCVh3qMmQ&s=19

Penn · 07-05-2024 6:53pm

Past comments aging like fine milk

https://twitter.com/klobrille/status/1787894632577114298?s=19

marcbrophy · 07-05-2024 7:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122108155#Comment_122108155

They've just assured that no studios will ever want to join the brand in the future!

Bit of an own goal here!

I think we might look back on this decision as the start of the end :(

CastorTroy · 07-05-2024 7:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122108348#Comment_122108348

They're not even allowed to have CoD on there, are they?

Retr0gamer · 07-05-2024 7:53pm

Remember when Microsoft came very close to purchasing Sega?

Thank **** that didn't happen.

SuperBowserWorld · 07-05-2024 7:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122108625#Comment_122108625

They did enquire about Nintendo, and Nintendo just laughed at them. 😁😁😁

CatInABox · 07-05-2024 8:14pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122108543#Comment_122108543

In fairness, when MS comes calling with a giant cheque, I think that'd change developers minds. No, this is more about consumer facing, and it just means that they're becoming just like Activision, where all their studios are got roped into the COD mill, this is just the same thing, except the games that they're going to be working on aren't even as good as cod, they're fecking Halo and Forza.

Mr Crispy · 07-05-2024 8:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122108543#Comment_122108543

They've just assured that no studios will ever want to join the brand in the future!

Absolutely. And they just announced their summer showcase and have apparently sent out embargo details to journalists today re some of the games that will be on show. Hard to be excited about any of those titles now when it's been made very clear that their future commercial and/or critical success could still see the studios canned.