Guys, just wait. If e3 comes and goes without a bunch of new games, then get mad. But I don't think it's fair to get all up in arms when Microsoft says they are committed to 1st party stuff on March 24th,
before showing their new hardware. There's a time and place to debut new stuff. This time of year isn't that time, especially prior to a hardware reveal.
Nintendo was radio silent about new games for over a year leading up to the Switch reveal too. This is how things work.
Sony's PS4 Pro strategy of downplaying the upgrade from stock PS4 isn't necessarily Microsoft's blueprint. They probably want to debut some first party stuff with the new hardware. For them, this is a bigger launch and a bigger brand refresh.
I am just as skeptical as the next person about Microsoft's plans regarding 1st party software. But I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt with what's in store for the new hardware. They had great exclusive software in the previous two generations. They know their brand is hurting with the core audience. Let's just see what they have in store.
People forget that Xbox had a much better selection of games than Sony for the first half of last gen.
The leadership that lead from later in the 360 life to launch of the one botched everything. They are still recovering and sales have improved remarkably.
That said I've been disappointed with the way MS has treated Halo but that's neither here nor there. (Halo 5 MP is great but different than Halo. Singleplayer and Halo 4 were disasters.) Gears 4 story also felt a bit out of place in that universe.
They have killed it with Forza lately though.
Re: Japan MS has put in more effort but come up short each time. They have chased that market hard and have nothing to show for it. Canceling scalebound was the right decision. The project was overbudget and projections didn't have it being profitable enough.
If: sunk cost + cost to finish < projected sales revenue
Then it should had been canceled.
Props to Sony for chasing after it last half of last gen and all of this gen. It's been great to see such good competition.
Eh... I don't agree cancelling Scalebound was the right move. They were better off releasing a mediocre game than no game at all, even if it lost them money. They really soured the good will with their brand for a lot of hardcore gamers.