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[LordBaztion]

I feel like they were banking on Titanfall being the game that defines Xbox this gen, and, it just didn't happen.

I suppose that if they didn't had started this gen in the dire situation they did, Titanfall could have been this gen's Gears.
Man, MS could have had Destiny if they would have supported Bungie.

MS could have had both, Destiny and Titanfall to define this generation.

 

[McMoneyman]

Yeah it does seem like a poor response. Look at that other awesome game Platinum created but you need a PC or PS4 instead to play out.

Like most Japanese games of note lately.

 

[Simply Sami]

Global head of games publishing?

She's doing a terrible job just like Phil did before her.

The first party games dried up once Shane Kim left and he's been gone nearly 7 years.

 

[BlackBuzzard]

Global head of games publishing?

She's doing a terrible job just like Phil did before her.

The first party games dried up once Shane Kim left and he's been gone nearly 7 years.

Shane RE5 coming to 360 but we already knew that Kim?

 

[pswii60]

Such a load of fluffy corporate answers with no real substance, she's very Microsoft.

 

[digoutyoursoul]

Those are some dodgy answers. All stock PR statements aside, I'm sure Microsoft already knows that they've dropped the ball on new IPs this gen, but how recent was that revelation for them? Was it back at E3 when everyone started complaining about it?

Even if they signed some new IPs as far back as a year ago, game development takes a long time, and it'll be a while before we see the fruits of that.

It does but this "announcing games too early" stuff the likes of Phil says since Scalebound , I don't get it. Look at Sony last generation, games like Eight Days, Eyedentify, The Getaway were cancelled, they closed the likes of Studio Liverpool and the team that did MAG and still managed to bring out a variety of first party stuff on a console that was struggling for quite sometime during that gen.

I could be wrong here, the disappointed people who were looking forward to Scalebound aside, I get the impression they come under heated scrutiny after that news was partly because they don't have a lot to offer in the AAA space as it was and compared to the competition it could be said it doesn't put them in a positive light.

You watch, if PSX brings some new big first party announcements then this Microsoft/First Party talk will come into play again and we will all have to wait till E3 2018 to be "the time they need to deliver" . It was supposed to be E3 2017 to some folk.

 

[rokkerkory]

Still not good enough MS. Missing early days of the 360.

 

[Dynomutt]

Insomniacs grandchildren are going to be making spiderman sequels. That game going to be big.

And at least two or three will be exclusively on PS.

 

[Simply Sami]

Shane RE5 coming to 360 but we already knew that Kim?

Yeah what about him?

He did a great job at MS. Miles better than Spencer or Loftis.

Even games like Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey it was Kim who got those games to be exclusive.

Since he left in late 2009, how many decent exclusives have MS had?

Spencer talks a good game but doesn't deliver.

 

[Sponge]

The Minecraft exclusivity comment is odd to me. They're okay with putting Minecraft on everything under the sun, but not games like Banjo-Kazooie that have an audience with Nintendo. It'd make a lot of sense to port the XBLA version to the Switch or something.

We are gonna see a lot of cancelled games with that mindset

People act like this is a new thing. Microsoft's been cancelling games for years. Rare has dozens. There's a cancelled Megablox Halo game, too.

 

[BlackBuzzard]

Yeah what about him?

He did a great job at MS. Miles better than Spencer or Loftis.

Even games like Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey it was Kim who got those games to be exclusive.

Since he left in late 2009, how many decent exclusives have MS had?

Spencer talks a good game but doesn't deliver.

Sorry its just the only thing i remember of him.

 

[Dynomutt]

The Minecraft exclusivity comment is odd to me. They're okay with putting Minecraft on everything under the sun, but not games like Banjo-Kazooie that have an audience with Nintendo. It'd make a lot of sense to port the XBLA version to the Switch or something.

Banjo is big but you can't possible be comparing Minecraft which is essentially a culture to a game that is just beloved.

 

[digoutyoursoul]

Yeah what about him?

He did a great job at MS. Miles better than Spencer or Loftis.

Even games like Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey it was Kim who got those games to be exclusive.

Since he left in late 2009, how many decent exclusives have MS had?

Spencer talks a good game but doesn't deliver.

I was disappointed what happened with Too Human/Silicon Knights in that period. The game had big potential.

 

[Sponge]

Banjo is big but you can't possible be comparing Minecraft which is essentially a culture to a game that is just beloved.

It's definitely not fair to compare the two. It's just odd to me Microsoft is okay with putting one game on other platforms and not another. It's Minecraft though, so it can get away with it due to it being a phenomenon. It's huge.

 

[PuppetMaster]

The ReCore IP has legs? Seriously?

 

[Floody]

It's definitely not fair to compare the two. It's just odd to me Microsoft is okay with putting one game on other platforms and not another. It's Minecraft though, so it can get away with it due to it being a phenomenon. It's huge.

Minecraft was already on or coming to pretty much every major platform before they bought it too, so they gain very little blocking whatever else was left out, pretty much just Nintendo as far as major players go at that point.

 

[Dynomutt]

It's definitely not fair to compare the two. It's just odd to me Microsoft is okay with putting one game on other platforms and not another. It's Minecraft though, so it can get away with it due to it being a phenomenon. It's huge.

Gotcha. If anything Forza could be multiplat. Then again I think Sony should take MLB: The Show multiplat that game would be huge.

 

[StereoVsn]

Look, many people said that Platinum would be in trouble after I cancelled their game. Right? Many people, OK? But I cancelled it and they are better than ever. Everyone is saying such good things about them. Frankly we can’t support them forever. They always want everything handed to them. But I am always with them.

Yeap, that was such a bullshit statement even for PR. She really went to Nier as an example that it was right to drop Scalebound basically. Yeah...

 

[jett]

That Halo/GoW question was kinda savage. They really haven't introduced any new defining IPs this generation.

 

[LiquidSolid]

Global head of games publishing?

She's doing a terrible job just like Phil did before her.

The first party games dried up once Shane Kim left and he's been gone nearly 7 years.

It isn't really the same job as the one Shane and Phil had, that role was basically split in two when Phil became head of Xbox. Phil still manages their internal studios, Shannon only manages their external projects.

But yeah, I agree. The last time Microsoft had a genuinely good first party slate, Shane Kim was in charge of it. It's hard to believe how fucking terrible their first party is these days though. Their first party lineup for this entire year has literally just been Forza 7, Halo Wars 2 and a couple of remasters.

 

[RichiRamjag]

ReCore a defining IP, but not Ori and the blind forest

What I’m saying.

 

[Jacqli]

Microsoft's game division is just pathetic at this point. Spencer and Co. only say empty words like Xbox One's catalogue.

 

[DominusLeges]

"And you know, Platinum is obviously doing great. "

Yea no thanks to you and your corporate BS. You and your peers nearly sunk the whole studio. Their success elsewhere does not absolve you of that.

 

[Tripolygon]

Look, many people said that Platinum would be in trouble after I cancelled their game. Right? Many people, OK? But I cancelled it and they are better than ever. Everyone is saying such good things about them. Frankly we can’t support them forever. They always want everything handed to them. But I am always with them.

Fuuuuuuuuck, I read this in trumps voice. Is that what you were going for?

 

[CalamityPixel]

The ReCore IP has legs? Seriously?

It has about as many kegs as my legless Great Aunt Irene.

 

[Cess007]

Man, the answer to the question about investing in first party studios has more spin on it that any NPD statement of Microsoft. Personally, I think admitting it's a weak point would be a great, great first step

 

[watership]

Microsoft can’t really handle studios, it’s a shame how they treated Remedy.
Couls’ve been their Naugthty Dog.

How have their mistreated Remedy? Remedy is an independent studio that chooses what projects to make. They only get funding from MS.

 

[Crayon]

Yes we are all glad platinum survived.

 

[Bits N Pieces]

Look, many people said that Platinum would be in trouble after I cancelled their game. Right? Many people, OK? But I cancelled it and they are better than ever. Everyone is saying such good things about them. Frankly we can’t support them forever. They always want everything handed to them. But I am always with them.

Okay..... lol.

 

[Jigorath]

That Halo/GoW question was kinda savage. They really haven't introduced any new defining IPs this generation.

ReCore tho

 

[watership]

Man, the answer to the question about investing in first party studios has more spin on it that any NPD statement of Microsoft. Personally, I think admitting it's a weak point would be a great, great first step

Admitting mistakes without presenting a solution is not a good PR move, even if it's honest and transparent. When/if MS has a new slate of games in the pipe that they're confident in, and they share it, then they can look back and admit mistakes.

To do otherwise is to invite, and i'm not kidding, hundreds of articles from the enthusiast to the mainstream that they're aware they're having major first part problems, the zigger would be "With no relief in sight". It's one thing to have VG punditry say that, and another to have a corporate statement as such.

I'm sure they'll talk about it when new games start rolling through the pipeline next year and beyond.

 

[DominusLeges]

Look, many people said that Platinum would be in trouble after I cancelled their game. Right? Many people, OK? But I cancelled it and they are better than ever. Everyone is saying such good things about them. Frankly we can’t support them forever. They always want everything handed to them. But I am always with them.

Pretty much this. That comment straight up made my blood boil. Such smug dimsissiveness.

 

[Cess007]

Admitting mistakes without presenting a solution is not a good PR move, even if it's honest and transparent. When/if MS has a new slate of games in the pipe that they're confident in, and they share it, then they can look back and admit mistakes.

To do otherwise is to invite, and i'm not kidding, hundreds of articles from the enthusiast to the mainstream that they're aware they're having major first part problems, the zigger would be "With no relief in sight". It's one thing to have VG punditry say that, and another to have a corporate statement as such.

I'm sure they'll talk about it when new games start rolling through the pipeline next year and beyond.

Fair point.

I just think that dancing around the issue and not addressing honestly make it worse as it gives an idea of disconnection between what consumers see and what we perceive MS see. It makes it looks like they perceive there's no issue on the 1st party input while most consumers does.

Then again, it could be as you mention that they hope to avoid an answer/PR mishap until they can announce something. Again, it's just that personally, I think being honest here (even if they don't have something to show/a fix right now) would land them in a better place with consumers

 

[Grumplestiltskin]

Wow at how tone deaf and remorseless that comment about Platinum games is. Yeesh.

 

[Papacheeks]

Microsoft has definitely dropped the ball on new IP this gen. They've had no killer titles like Halo or Gears were for the original Xbox and 360.

Be careful, I said the exact same thing about them creating a new hit IP with appeal like halo and hears did for last gen in another MS thread and a certain poster called me an idiot....cough....cough Chris1

 

[David___]

Wow at how tone deaf and remorseless that comment about Platinum games is. Yeesh.

I should be shocked about the Platinum comment, but then again this is the same company who screwed over Darkside with Phantom Dust

 

[Bickle2]

As much as I hate the lack of exclusive new games these past few years, I can somewhat understand where they're coming from, especially with this interview.

Microsoft attempted new IPs, there was Rise: Son of Rome, which didn't set the world on fire, Sunset Overdrive which also didn't set the world on fire, Quantum Break and Recore to name a few. I personally liked Rise and really enjoyed Sunset and Quantum Break, but the climate is changing and trying to pour money into games you're not sure are going to succeed is very difficult. I hate that they canceled Scalebound but there's a reason behind it.

I just hope they don't completely abandon the Single Player narrative games. I still enjoy those and hope we get at least one or two of these in the upcoming years.

Bang on

Phil Spencer has actually proposed GamePass as somewhat of a solution, where people subscribe for the original programming as well. If they grow the base enough, they can produce smaller games, or narrative DLC for bigger ones.

The problem is that people are going for valid, Grindr repetition instead of quality narratives, because those take too much work and interfere with socializing with your friends. You can’t make a new single player fanchise any more. And frankly after the internet finishes crapping on a lot of them who wants to risk $30 million?

 

[primovinny]

Fair point.

I just think that dancing around the issue and not addressing honestly make it worse as it gives an idea of disconnection between what consumers see and what we perceive MS see. It makes it looks like they perceive there's no issue on the 1st party input while most consumers does.

Then again, it could be as you mention that they hope to avoid an answer/PR mishap until they can announce something. Again, it's just that personally, I think being honest here (even if they don't have something to show/a fix right now) would land them in a better place with consumers

Who is most consumers? Gaf is NOT most consumers. If this had an effect on their sales we would notice a hit on sales which wasn't seem so far.

 

[bitbydeath]

How have their mistreated Remedy? Remedy is an independent studio that chooses what projects to make. They only get funding from MS.

Probably referring to how MS shot down Alan Wake 2.

“They have been really supportive about Alan Wake and [now head of Xbox] Phil Spencer has been awesomely supportive when it comes to Remedy and Alan Wake along the way," Lake said. "We showed it to Microsoft and I guess at the time Microsoft was looking for something slightly different for their portfolio.

https://www.polygon.com/features/2015/4/20/8450329/alan-wake-2-prototype-video-interview

 

[Triggerhappytel]

Man, the answer to the question about investing in first party studios has more spin on it that any NPD statement of Microsoft. Personally, I think admitting it's a weak point would be a great, great first step

Pretty sure the first step of doing PR is never focus on negatives and if you can, spin it into a positive.

 

[sangreal]

Sunset Overdrive is not their IP.

Neither was gears in the x360 era


I think Microsoft's problem has been the mediocrity of their games, new IP or not. She talks about ReCore: Definitive Edition showing they are dedicated to the series, but why not show you care when you actually launch the game? Plenty of other games from them this generation that are 'good' but far from great.

 

[TheUnsunghero26]

There is no way she thinks ReCore is the definitive IP added to Xbox this generation. I laughed aloud reading that.

That's not what she's saying. ReCore Definitive Edition is the name of the update for the game. Ori and the Blind Forest got the same subtitle on it's update.

 

[daTRUballin]

Microsoft can’t really handle studios, it’s a shame how they treated Remedy.
Couls’ve been their Naugthty Dog.

Hell, Rare could’ve been their Naughty Dog, but they fucked that studio up.

 

[Granjinha]

I think that the key to developing these IPs into something really special and something really monumental is sticking with them.

You think so? Cause i haven't seen MS doing anything like this.

 

[Humdinger]

Corporate Clone speak.

 

[semiconscious]

-We got Halo on the original Xbox and Gears of War with the Xbox 360 – do you think that you’ve added an iconic IP of that caliber in the Xbox One generation?

-Wow, that’s a really interesting question. IPs in my observation seem to be developing a little bit differently this generation than they did in the previous generations...

uh-huh ...

 

[Spaced Harrier]

I honestly don't see the point of the Xbox one X when there is little to suggest MS are investing in IP.

Constantly turning the successes they have into IP Farms, diluting what made them special.

I just don't see long term goals here anywhere. Everything is just a reaction.


Someone said recently that MS have been in the console business longer than SEGA.

Where is their cultural impact? It's slim pickings. And the glory days of the first 3 years of Xbox 360 are long behind them.

 

[Sponge]

Hell, Rare could’ve been their Naughty Dog, but they fucked that studio up.

Definitely. Sundown looked hellish. Some of it gave me a Last of Us vibe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5cr3SCx6Dk

 

[Wereroku]

I understand why they keep getting asked but no one is ever going to get a satisfying answer about Scalebound. Neither MS or Platinum are going to give an answer beyond this one and even if we did get something candid it would probably be 2 different answers. I kind of wish Platinum had the money to buy it back and finish it but I doubt MS would be up for that anyway.

 

[RoKKeR]

She answers the new IP question without talking about Ori or Cuphead... c'mon now, those are the best Xbox games released this gen. I would hope Shanon recognizes that.