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[MilkyJoe]

"Shannon Loftis and I are thinking a lot about, well, could we put story-based games into the Xbox Game Pass business model because you have a subscription going? It would mean you wouldn’t have to deliver the whole game in one month; you could develop and deliver the game as it goes.”

Which in Phil speak means yes, we are developing a story-driven SP game(s) with a similar model to Hitman/Telltale

If that's true then I'd just wait for the goty edition.

 

[Sleight of Jam]

Do MS actually even have any AAA exclusives out this year?

 

[michaelius]

Do MS actually even have any AAA exclusives out this year?

Annual edition of Forza

I'm assuming when Phil talks about innovating he means new ways of doing microtransactions in their GAAS bussiness model since when he promised us to take PC gaming seriously he forgot to mention it will UWP only junk.

 

[Nightengale]

Do MS actually even have any AAA exclusives out this year?

Forza Motorsport 7
Sea of Thieves
State of Decay 2
Crackdown 3

In terms of AAA exclusives, they're actually not worse off than many other pubs annually. The problem is perception, retention and familiarity.

 

[Rembrandt]

It's so obvious. This is another good example:

https://twitter.com/XboxP3/status/858069236832321536

If you want to disprove the idea that you're done focusing on story-based SP games you don't answer with "That's not what I said". You answer with "That's not what we're doing". It's pretty straightforward. The former is an empty, meaningless cop out statement disguised as an answer. The latter is a real answer.

they're both real answers believe it or not.

 

[EvB]

Do MS actually even have any AAA exclusives out this year?

Halo Wars 2 came out this year,

 

[wapplew]

Do MS actually even have any AAA exclusives out this year?

Halo Wars 2, but it don’t have the same impact that it used to have.

 

[MCD]

It's so obvious. This is another good example:

https://twitter.com/XboxP3/status/858069236832321536

If you want to disprove the idea that you're done focusing on story-based SP games you don't answer with "That's not what I said". You answer with "That's not what we're doing". It's pretty straightforward. The former is an empty, meaningless cop out statement disguised as an answer. The latter is a real answer.

Now you are reaching. Spencer can be a PR tool but you are just being petty.

 

[Terbinator]

Halo Wars 2, but it don’t have the same impact that it used to have.

Used to? One prior release in a relatively niche console genre.

 

[anothertech]

Just don't phantom Dust and Scalebound me again Phil. I don't think I can take it.

Forza Motorsport 7
Sea of Thieves
State of Decay 2
Crackdown 3

In terms of AAA exclusives, they're actually not worse off than many other pubs annually. The problem is perception, retention and familiarity.

Except none of those have confirmed release dates. So that's really the problem I would say.

 

[Fortuneelsewhere]

“The audience for those big story-driven games... I won’t say it isn’t as large, but they’re not as consistent. You’ll have things like Zelda or Horizon Zero Dawn that’ll come out, and they’ll do really well, but they don’t have the same impact that they used to have, because the big service-based games are capturing such a large amount of the audience. Sony’s first-party studios do a lot of these games, and they’re good at them, but outside of that, it’s difficult – they’re become more rare; it’s a difficult business decision for those teams, you’re fighting into more headwind."

Is schoking how clueless these guys at MS are regarding what makes this business work for a plataform holder....

 

[Shinjica]

The are studying a way to put loot boxes in every game

 

[wapplew]

Is schoking how clueless these guys at MS are regarding what makes this business work for a plataform holder....

Clueless or forward-thinking? Let history be the judge.

 

[Chronospherics]

Forza Motorsport 7
Sea of Thieves
State of Decay 2
Crackdown 3

In terms of AAA exclusives, they're actually not worse off than many other pubs annually. The problem is perception, retention and familiarity.

This is spin if I've ever heard it. Why are you comparing them to other pubs? They're a platform holder, there are clearly different expectations.

Three of these titles are an unknown quality. If we anticipate their success from the history of those studios then we can't expect anything at a triple A standard. Crackdown averages 76 on metacritic, the XBOX one version of state of decay, 72, and outside of some collaboration on Killer Instinct, Rare haven't made a great game in almost 10 years.

 

[anothertech]

Clueless or forward-thinking? Let history be the judge.

They said they were forward thinking in 2013 too...

 

[Outrun]

Just don't phantom Dust and Scalebound me again Phil. I don't think I can take it.

Except none of those have confirmed release dates. So that's really the problem I would say.

Wait until E3.

 

[ViciousDS]

Forza Motorsport 7
Sea of Thieves
State of Decay 2
Crackdown 3

In terms of AAA exclusives, they're actually not worse off than many other pubs annually. The problem is perception, retention and familiarity.

outside of sailing seas, cannons, some treasure and minor stuff......do we even really know what we are doing in sea of thieves. Every time I see the game I am asking myself the EXACT same question I did with no mans sky......which is not a good thing,

 

[Yautja_Warrior]

Do MS actually even have any AAA exclusives out this year?

Forza and Crackdown will be their big AAA games for 2017 and Scorpio launch, unless they have something unannounced to show at E3 that will be ready for Scorpio's launch.

They also have games like Sea of Thieves, Cuphead, Phantom Dust (remaster) and State of Decay 2 coming at some point this year (hopefully) although I'm not feeling like they are going to be big AAA games. Hopefully they will be good games but they feel more like mid tier games to me.

 

[bigol]

“The audience for those big story-driven games... I won’t say it isn’t as large, but they’re not as consistent. You’ll have things like Zelda or Horizon Zero Dawn that’ll come out, and they’ll do really well, but they don’t have the same impact that they used to have, because the big service-based games are capturing such a large amount of the audience. Sony’s first-party studios do a lot of these games, and they’re good at them, but outside of that, it’s difficult – they’re become more rare; it’s a difficult business decision for those teams, you’re fighting into more headwind."

Is schoking how clueless these guys at MS are regarding what makes this business work for a plataform holder....

I mean, they are not great successes but they are extremely important to me. Right now every game i'm playing except maybe one or two are single player focused games.

If this the direction they are taking one more reason to not bother considering Xbox Scorpio.

 

[MysteryM]

Three of these titles are an unknown quality. If we anticipate their success from the history of those studios then we can't expect anything at a triple A standard. Crackdown averages 76 on metacritic, the XBOX one version of state of decay, 72, and outside of some collaboration on Killer Instinct, Rare haven't made a great game in almost 10 years.

Except that the first Crackdown was nothing short of amazing, orb hunting was a fantastic meta game. If you don't class Crackdown as AAA then nothing will please you.

 

[leeh]

Except that the first Crackdown was nothing short of amazing, orb hunting was a fantastic meta game. If you don't class Crackdown as AAA then nothing will please you.

I hope in Crackdown 3 we get an online mode where it splits of sections of the map to the players in-game and the person who destroys the most buildings wins.

 

[OrbitalBeard]

Phil Spencer: Microsoft to Develop Games for Machines Played by Players of Games

Clarifies: Games Will Arrive at Some Point in Future and be "Innovative"

Good ol' Phil in a nutshell.

 

[Kolx]

Maybe he shouldn't have closed tons of studios then, and turned the rest into Microtransaction factories. Since he took over the direction MS took with their exclusives is the worst it could ever be. How he isn't called for it and is praised instead blows my mind.

 

[Eria]

Maybe he shouldn't have closed tons of studios then, and turned the rest into Microtransaction factories. Since he took over the direction MS took with their exclusives is the worst it could ever be. How he isn't called for it and is praised instead blows my mind.

He's praised because he has good PR statements, nothing more.

 

[Yautja_Warrior]

Except that the first Crackdown was nothing short of amazing, orb hunting was a fantastic meta game. If you don't class Crackdown as AAA then nothing will please you.

Maybe because of Crackdown 2 (it wasn't exactly a great sequel) people are a bit cautious of Crackdown 3. Hopefully it's more like the first game, with a decent story this time too but there is always a chance it could disappoint like CD 2 did.

 

[Guymelef]

Sea of Thieves online will die fast, Mark my words.

 

[wapplew]

Sea of Thieves online will die fast, Mark my words.

Why you think that? Ark still alive and kicking on PC and consoles and that game is turd.
Sea of Thieves have that AAA treatment, from production to marketing it will only do better.

 

[Nestunt]

The way he has been praising Destiny and other online-only games suggests to me that the new IP that will come out of MS in the near future will be the type of games I am not interested in.

I want more Zeldas and Horizons. I guess their target demographic is not me, and that's OK. There are other companies that offer what I want. It's all about signalling the market with your wallet.

 

[mcrommert]

Halo Wars 2, but it don’t have the same impact that it used to have.

Original Halo wars also had no impact... Both are great games though

 

[GHG]

Why you think that? Ark still alive and kicking on PC and consoles and that game is turd.
Sea of Thieves have that AAA treatment, from production to marketing it will only do better.

Ark has dinosaurs. People have been chomping at the bit for a dinosaur game for a very long time and it so happens that Ark is in a genre that is very hot at the moment (online survival). It also released on the storefront where there is the biggest market for those types of games (steam).

Sea of Theives is a pirate game, and it's not releasing on steam. Good luck. That's all I'll say.

 

[alt27]

So investing first party money into MP focused titles which is what I got from that . Given Xbox only sells well in US and U.K., that ain't going to end well

 

[Sjefen]

Sea of Thieves online will die fast, Mark my words.

I watched the latest Dev diary with Phil Spencer and it looks really uninteresting, but I really dont like MMO type games. Many on twitter and different Youtube channels have expressed concern on the playmechanics, graphics etc after playing the aloha/beta and feel it needs alot more dev time. And I truly think this is a game that needs to be released on every console to have a chance

 

[Goalus]

Good read.
Phil is the right man in the right position, looking forward to E3.

 

[MysteryM]

Maybe because of Crackdown 2 (it wasn't exactly a great sequel) people are a bit cautious of Crackdown 3. Hopefully it's more like the first game, with a decent story this time too but there is always a chance it could disappoint like CD 2 did.

Crackdown 2 was a rush job knocked together in a very short development window by Ruffian games. I have no doubt that Crackdown 3 will be great with some real cutting edge tech. A previous poster in this thread casting a shadow over its AAA status is a joke.

 

[alt27]

Crackdown 2 was a rush job knocked together in a very short development window by Ruffian games. I have no doubt that Crackdown 3 will be great with some real cutting edge tech. A previous poster in this thread casting a shadow over its AAA status is a joke.

Depends on your defeniton of AAA. Crackdown 3 in my eyes is no where near a AAA title

 

[Guymelef]

Why you think that? Ark still alive and kicking on PC and consoles and that game is turd.
Sea of Thieves have that AAA treatment, from production to marketing it will only do better.

What could go wrong with Battleborn? I mean Moba + Overwatch...

 

[mcrommert]

Depends on your defeniton of AAA. Crackdown 3 in my eyes is no where near a AAA title

Only thing AAA means is a large amount of money was spent on a game... It's not really a your feelings sort of thing

 

[Yautja_Warrior]

Crackdown 2 was a rush job knocked together in a very short development window by Ruffian games. I have no doubt that Crackdown 3 will be great with some real cutting edge tech. A previous poster in this thread casting a shadow over its AAA status is a joke.

Hopefully that will be the case. I loved the first one, spent hours and hours orb hunting to get fully upgraded, I just hope they put a little more effort into the story, if they do that, along with gameplay like the first one, they would have something really great.

I'd count it as AAA too, they seem to be pumping a good amount of money into it and it's had a long development cycle. Maybe some don't see it as AAA because the IP is not the most well known or successful series around. I think this will have a big showing at E3 this year though, it has to really if MS really want to push this game.

 

[Doffen]

Three of these titles are an unknown quality. If we anticipate their success from the history of those studios then we can't expect anything at a triple A standard. Crackdown averages 76 on metacritic, the XBOX one version of state of decay, 72, and outside of some collaboration on Killer Instinct, Rare haven't made a great game in almost 10 years.

AAA is defined by budget and scope, not metacritic score.

 

[Hoo-doo]

AAA is defined by budget and scope, not metacritic score.

That kinda makes State of Decay not a AAA game, if it's anything like the original.

 

[alt27]

Only thing AAA means is a large amount of money was spent on a game... It's not really a your feelings sort of thing

That's not really true . Large amount of money means lots of different things . Will crackdown 3 have similar amounts on it compared to Destiny 2 , battlefront 2 , COD , final fantasy etc etc .


Haha, not even close . It's not AAA

 

[Sjefen]

Hopefully that will be the case. I loved the first one, spent hours and hours orb hunting to get fully upgraded, I just hope they put a little more effort into the story, if they do that, along with gameplay like the first one, they would have something really great.

I'd count it as AAA too, they seem to be pumping a good amount of money into it and it's had a long development cycle. Maybe some don't see it as AAA because the IP is not the most well known or successful series around. I think this will have a big showing at E3 this year though, it has to really if MS really want to push this game.

I think they are doubling down on the MP part of the game, focusing on the games as a service part. Dont think the story will evolve that much

 

[KORNdoggy]

That kinda makes State of Decay not a AAA game, if it's anything like the original.

I would hope we'd be seeing something way more polished and high budget from that game. If MS just show up with another recore level of commitment, it would be pretty disapointing. We need to see MS throw money at new games they believe in, not just half assedly support something. It just shows a huge lack of confidence imo.

 

[Thorrgal]

So basically it's more "service based" games and forget about SP.

That fucking blows to be honest...

 

[wapplew]

Ark has dinosaurs. People have been chomping at the bit for a dinosaur game for a very long time and it so happens that Ark is in a genre that is very hot at the moment (online survival). It also released on the storefront where there is the biggest market for those types of games (steam).

Sea of Theives is a pirate game, and it's not releasing on steam. Good luck. That's all I'll say.

Ark is very popular on console too.

 

[gamz]

Sea of Thieves online will die fast, Mark my words.

Sounds like wishful thinking. I'm pretty sure you'll be wrong about that.

 

[Yautja_Warrior]

I think they are doubling down on the MP part of the game, focusing on the games as a service part. Dont think the story will evolve that much

I have that feeling too, would be nice to get more of a story though.

 

[Chronospherics]

Except that the first Crackdown was nothing short of amazing, orb hunting was a fantastic meta game. If you don't class Crackdown as AAA then nothing will please you.

Right, and we can also look back and say that Rare produced some of the best games ever made, in the 90s.

But this cherry picking doesn't seem likely to be predictive of future success.

Crack Down 3's development has been outsourced to Sumo Digital. A studio whose last 3 titles (ports and dlc excluded) average 77 on metacritic. What reason do we have to believe that Crack Down 3 will buck the trend, and be a standout title from the studio?

Not to say that 77 is a bad score, but it doesn't stand out. Every year we see abundance of titles released at a better quality, and if we consider attach rates, then the average consumer doesn't buy more than 2 games per year for their platform. So the bottomline is, if your game is below an 8, when consumers have 20 'better' games competing for their attention and cash, then you can't hope to sell systems with a 79.

As a game, Crackdown 2 was good enough, as a first party title, intended add value to the platform, it's not good enough and games like this, in the 70-80 quality range are simply not good enough when competing alongside multiple other titles considered to be better games.

Microsoft need some really stand-out games to make a difference, and no disrespect to Sumo Digital, but based on their previous software output, we don't have much to suggest that Crackdown will be that title. I'm not saying it won't be, or can't be, but I feel that a fair evaluation of their announced lineup doesn't put them anywhere close to delivering what the platform needs right now.

AAA is defined by budget and scope, not metacritic score.

Yes, but in order to mediate the risk that comes with producing games with that cost, games produced with AAA budgets are expected to meet a certain quality standard. I was those expectations of quality, when I said 'AAA standard', I should have been clearer.

 

[etta]

Depends on your defeniton of AAA. Crackdown 3 in my eyes is no where near a AAA title

That's not really true . Large amount of money means lots of different things . Will crackdown 3 have similar amounts on it compared to Destiny 2 , battlefront 2 , COD , final fantasy etc etc .


Haha, not even close . It's not AAA

You go girl, don't let society define things for you! Break the chains! Be be independent!

 

[alt27]

You go girl, don't let society define things for you! Break the chains! Be be independent!

I would take the industry's definition of AAA , not a gamers . Just my opinion , and crackdown 3 is not AAA by a long shot .