• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Rime: Microsoft rejected Tequila Works’ game before it became PS4 exclusive

N

nampad

Member
To be fair, after spending $400 million on the NFL deal, paying $3 million for an exclusive game does seem like a big investment for an entertainment hub.
 
B

Black Mantis

Member
LiK said:
My point is, people are judging them for one game they didn't like and yet no one pointed out DH's library of shit. Yet MS happened to work with DH on their own exclusive.
Click to expand...

Er, people did. That's what I saw all the time in every KI thread prior to its proper showing/release. There are no double standards going on, I wasn't personally aware of DH's record before KI, but boy did I learn after viewing threads here.
 
K

Kinyou

Member
Well, it's the guys who made Deadlight, so I would understand some skepticism at the time.

On the other hand, more exclusives never sounds like a bad idea
 
D

Dart

Member
Frumix said:
To be objective, Sony used to reject games to their peril (Meat Boy anyone).
Click to expand...

Except for completely different reasons.

Rime

[...]Then the Xbox One plans were announced and everything changed. The people at Microsoft say that the game doesn't fit in the strategy of the new console, that they are looking for "connected experiences" and the social factor. Rime didn't fit because it was a single-player game, a very traditional game experience. [...]
Click to expand...

SMB

[...]Oh, also the answer to last weeks question “why is there no ps3 version of SMB was “Because Sony didn’t express interested in the game.”[...]We had started development of SMB for PC, Wii, Xbox and Ps3. we had kits for all systems and the game ran on all consoles. we submitted our current build to MS and Sony and it was as simple as Sony not getting back to us expressing interest in picking up the title and MS grabbing it up as soon as we submitted it.[...]
Click to expand...
 
Doug Heffernan

Doug Heffernan

Member
gaming_noob said:
So glad he's gone. I know Elop is not too popular around here but let's see what he can do.
Click to expand...
Elop didn't get the gig, they promoted Nadella to CEO.
As far as the Xbox division goes, there's no one in Mattrick's old position but Spencer seems to be the highest ranking guy.
I'm okay with that, Spencer lobbied hard for Below and the Killer Instinct revival.
 
C

CheDominik

Member
Dart said:
Except for completely different reasons.

Rime



SMB
Click to expand...

Too be fair,MS saying that the game doesn't fit in their plans of connected experiences might just be the kind way of saying "We think your idea isn't very good at all"

I just hope that Rime turns out to be good. Honesty all I want is to explore this beautiful world. As long the actually gameplay doesn't interrupt me from doing that, I'm fine with every direction they take for this game.
 
M

m23

Member
Loch Doun said:
Elop didn't get the gig, they promoted Nadella to CEO.
As far as the Xbox division goes, there's no one in Mattrick's old position but Spencer seems to be the highest ranking guy.
I'm okay with that, Spencer lobbied hard for Below and the Killer Instinct revival.
Click to expand...

Also looks like he's trying to bring back Phantom Dust.
 
A

Agent Gibbs

Member
I imagine the conersation went something like:

[MS] Were marketing the Xbox One at predominatly American Sports fans, including a lot of multimedia features in the One and aiming to set up a gaming comunity through constantly connected (to the internet) experiences, what about Rime would appeal to the sports fans who would appreciate the One and what online connected features could it support?

[Rime's Dev's] It probably wouldn't appeal to sports fans....and since its a single player game it won't have any online functionality, neither do we see any potential for any additional features putting in

[MS]*drops mountain dew on the floor* MY GOD! no thats not the game for the One i'm sorry, goodbye
 
M

maxiell

Member
What we have seen so far of the game is insanely promising, but I can't really fault Microsoft. They reject funding games all the time, and Deadlight wasn't exactly a critical or commercial success. It looks like this game went exactly where it should, as well - it's just a good fit with other Sony titles.
 
S

spekkeh

Banned
The "Rime" pitched to MS is a very different game than the one now in development for Sony.

Isometric RTS like tower defense game without a clear goal? A phone style game for the Xbone? Over 3 million dollars?

Good chance Sony would have dismissed them too. Maybe they did, considering they massively changed the concept.
 
B

BananasWithGuns

Member
In hindsight it sucks for Microsoft because Rime looks fantastic but, as others have said, can't really blame them.

Deadlight wasn't a very good game and it probably didn't do all that well commercially even with Summer of Arcade behind it. The original pitch also seems quite different from what Rime ended up becoming.

Either way, hindsight is always 20/20. In the end, you win some and you lose some.
 
batman2million

batman2million

Member
You win some you lose some. That's just how this business is.

I'm pretty sure a lot of people go to MS to pitch a game, despite their reputation, and if the game didn't fit the direction MS is going for then that's fine. Who know's what other reason MS would have for rejecting the game.


Here's to hoping the Rime comes to every platform, just so more people can play it.
 
M

Mask

Member
Just cements how hard MS was trying to push the stupid decisions that lost them their marketshare.

I would have thought they'd see the words "Minecraft" in the pitch, and think "Cha ching!", but they must have been too busy securing that NFL deal instead.
Eh, at least we're getting to play it on the PS4 instead.
 
rob305

rob305

Member
Recall said:
Microsoft and EA are clearly brothers.

Microsoft's loss is Sony's gain.
Click to expand...

Yes, brothers in terms of doing profitable business. Comparing EA's, Microsoft's and Sony's numbers of the last 5 years it looks like out of the 3 companies the Japanese fellas aren't doing too good
 
J

jaded_up_

Banned
robs99 said:
Yes, brothers in terms of doing profitable business. Comparing EA's, Microsoft's and Sony's numbers of the last 5 years it looks like out of the 3 companies the Japanese fellas aren't doing too good
Click to expand...

And? What the fuck do you care if they're more profitable than Sony? Microsoft and EA have shitted on consumers such as myself and yourself while Sony hasn't (well, as much). That's all that matters.
 
rob305

rob305

Member
jaded_up_ said:
And? What the fuck do you care if they're more profitable than Sony? Microsoft and EA have shitted on consumers such as myself and yourself while Sony hasn't (well, as much). That's all that matters.
Click to expand...

I love how everyone is white knighting Sony. Things such as the removal of other os, bw compatibility etc have been completely forgotten.
But lets stay on topic before we risk a ban over this. This game has me really interested as I love adventure and exploration games. I hope it turns out better than Tequilas first attempt.
 
A

Abdiel

Member
robs99 said:
Yes, brothers in terms of doing profitable business. Comparing EA's, Microsoft's and Sony's numbers of the last 5 years it looks like out of the 3 companies the Japanese fellas aren't doing too good
Click to expand...

I really don't understand why people make the comparisons between Sony and Microsoft as entire companies during these conversations. It's about their gaming divisions, and in that sphere, the Microsoft gaming division has written off more in total losses than they've made back in profits, while Sony has seen consistent growth from their gaming section. there's a reason why some of the Microsoft board wants to axe the section, while PlayStation is a darling to Sony
 
batman2million

batman2million

Member
jaded_up_ said:
And? What the fuck do you care if they're more profitable than Sony? Microsoft and EA have shitted on consumers such as myself and yourself while Sony hasn't (well, as much). That's all that matters.
Click to expand...

Sony has shitted on consumers just as much any other company.

And I doubt he really cares much if EA or MS is profitable (unless he's invested in their stock) but for the sake of this thread, it's just another point made.
 
T

twobear

sputum-flecked apoplexy
honestly though i don't see what the big deal with rime is, it looks very derivative of ico

very pretty, but only because it borrows a lot from other, beautiful things
 
SolidSnakeUS

SolidSnakeUS

Member
The idea that it was more single player driven instead of being social/connected and was denied says a lot about what MS wants to do with indie titles. Be connected/social/MP or be gone.
 
M

McLovin

Member
Pretty stupid move on Microsofts part. This game took over my last guardian hype.
Edit: on second thought that original pitch didn't seem that good.
 
F

FairXchange

Member
Damn, if Rime really has all that going on in its game systems, it's going to be a huge game for me. I couldn't tell from that trailer that crafting, survival, and RPG elements were in this game!
 
C

chicagocubsfan

Member
robs99 said:
I love how everyone is white knighting Sony. Things such as the removal of other os, bw compatibility etc have been completely forgotten.
But lets stay on topic before we risk a ban over this. This game has me really interested as I love adventure and exploration games. I hope it turns out better than Tequilas first attempt.
Click to expand...
They weren't forgotten and I'm sure Sony was criticized pretty hard by Neogaf at the time( I don't know, I wasn't a member at the time). But look at the way Sony has rebounded, they are in a much better position now. You really want people to create threads saying "hey remember when Sony did this" instead of talking about the similar mistakes that Microsoft is making?
 
K

Kazuma Kiryu

Member
robs99 said:
Yes, brothers in terms of doing profitable business. Comparing EA's, Microsoft's and Sony's numbers of the last 5 years it looks like out of the 3 companies the Japanese fellas aren't doing too good
Click to expand...

robs99 said:
I love how everyone is white knighting Sony. Things such as the removal of other os, bw compatibility etc have been completely forgotten.
But lets stay on topic before we risk a ban over this. This game has me really interested as I love adventure and exploration games. I hope it turns out better than Tequilas first attempt.
Click to expand...

You can't make this stuff up.
 
B

Bsigg12

Member
spekkeh said:
The "Rime" pitched to MS is a very different game than the one now in development for Sony.

Isometric RTS like tower defense game without a clear goal? A phone style game for the Xbone? Over 3 million dollars?

Good chance Sony would have dismissed them too. Maybe they did, considering they massively changed the concept.
Click to expand...

I think the issue here is people are thinking of what Rime was shown for the PS4 and not reading the design doc. The game sounds like a completely different concept from the game we see on the PS4. We have barely seen the game though.
 
Castef

Castef

Banned
Dragon1893 said:
This



and no shooting?

Who would want that?
Click to expand...

I don't know... maybe the same company who opted for the exclusives of Brothers, Minecraft, Max and the Curse of Brotherhood, Peggle 2, Braid, Splosion Man and about several other very good games which totally lacked guns and in some cases even multiplayer?

I mean, do you even check the things you write before clicking on the magical "Submit" button?
 
B

BlazingDarkness

Member
spekkeh said:
The "Rime" pitched to MS is a very different game than the one now in development for Sony.

Isometric RTS like tower defense game without a clear goal? A phone style game for the Xbone? Over 3 million dollars?

Good chance Sony would have dismissed them too. Maybe they did, considering they massively changed the concept.
Click to expand...

Actually the trailer does show hints of what is in their pitch, most of 'design pillar 1' is shown, we can see for example, animals and 'the avatar' eating something from his pouch, which suggests hunting/gathering, and then we see the ruins in the landscape which may be the 'Guardians' mentioned in Pillar 2. The only thing we don't see anything of is the tower-defense aspects, but again, possibly implied there with the 'hordes' appearing at night - and the creatures in the trailer also appearing at night?
There's no reason to assume the design of the game has changed, we've just not seen much of what they're creating yet.
Artistically it's probably changed a bit, but I wouldn't be surprised if the concept is the same, or even more ambitious, under Sony.
 
R

Replicant

Member
The people at Microsoft say that the game doesn't fit in the strategy of the new console, that they are looking for "connected experiences" and the social factor.
Click to expand...

So MS is mostly interested in MP games? Eh, another reason not to own Xbone.
 
S

Sydle

Member
Just watched the reveal vid again and I can see some of the design pillar elements in it. Looks more like a spiritual successor to ICO than any of the games mentioned in the elevator pitch, but there's probably a lot we're not seeing yet.

Some of you are ripping way too hard on Deadlight. It was average, not bad. Under the right guidance Tequila Works may make a great game.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Microsoft is improving its Xbox app for Windows handheld gaming PCs
News Community Business
18
2K
THE DUCK replied
Microsoft considered acquiring Bungie and Sega to bolster Xbox Game Pass, internal emails show
News 2 3 4 5 6
251
14K
Ozriel replied
Phil Spencer on what the hell is happening in the games industry and why exclusives have become a risky business
Business Game Dev 3 4 5 6 7
301
18K
ProtoByte replied
Xbox CFO Discusses Opportunities with AI, How Microsoft Measures Its Success in Games, and More
News Business 2
84
5K
SimTourist replied
Phil Spencer interview - Says that their intent is for all Xbox games, including Call of Duty, to be available on Xbox Game Pass Day One
2 3
102
5K
Kenneth Haight replied
Top Bottom