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[Poetic.Injustice]

For another thing, though, it's equally likely that Microsoft's decision stems in part from some issues internal to the publisher. Since Scalebound went into development in 2013, the Xbox division has been on a long, strange journey, and has ended up in a very different place to the one it anticipated when it inked its deal with Platinum three years ago. When Microsoft signed on to publish Scalebound, it was gearing up to launch an ambitious successor to the hugely successful Xbox 360 which would, it believed, expand upon the 360's audience by being an all-purpose entertainment box, a motion-controlled device as much media hub and high-tech TV viewing system as game console.

By the time Scalebound was cancelled this week, much of that ambition had been scrapped, PS4 had soared off into the sunset leaving Microsoft trailing in a very distant second place, and Xbox One has become instead one link in a longer chain, a single component of an Xbox and Xbox Live brand and platform that extends across the Windows 10 ecosystem and which will, later this year, also encompass a vastly upgraded console in the form of Scorpio.

That's not healthy for the future of the platform. The strong impression is that third parties have largely abandoned Xbox One as a platform worth launching exclusive games on, and unlike Sony during the PS3's catch-up era, Microsoft's own studios and publishing deals have not come forward to take up the slack in its console's release schedule. This isn't all down to Scalebound, of course; Scalebound is just the straw that breaks the camel's back, making this situation impossible to ignore.

The question is whether Microsoft's anaemic slate of exclusive releases is down, in part, to a focus on getting big titles ready for Scorpio's launch window. If so, it feels awfully like confirmation that Scorpio - though no doubt sharing Xbox One's architecture and thus offering perfect backwards compatibility - is really a new console with new exclusive software to match. If it's not the case, however, then along with clearing up the details of Scorpio, this year's E3 will have to answer another big question for Microsoft; where is all your software?

2017 needs to just be a temporary dip in the company's output, or all its efforts on Scorpio will be for naught. Seamus Blackley, Ed Fries, Kevin Bachus and the rest of the original Xbox launch team understood something crucial all the way back in the late nineties when they were preparing to enter Microsoft into the console business; software sells hardware. If you don't have the games, nothing else matters. Whatever the reasons for 2017's weak offering from Xbox, we must firmly hope that that lesson hasn't been forgotten in the corridors of Redmond.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-01-13-where-are-the-xbox-ones-exclusives

 

[Inuhanyou]

It feels like MS and Nintendo both have the opposite issues in the first and third party spaces

 

[JaseC]

The strong impression is that third parties have largely abandoned Xbox One as a platform worth launching exclusive games on, and unlike Sony during the PS3's catch-up era, Microsoft's own studios and publishing deals have not come forward to take up the slack in its console's release schedule.

I'd say third-party exclusives in general are a dying breed. Most publishers have come to realise there's more money to be made in wider availability than accepting a bag of cash from a platform holder, though a few, such as Squeenix (Rise of the Tomb Raider and now Nier Automata), seem to be a little conflicted on this front.

Edit: Full exclusives, not console-level exclusives.

 

[KooopaKid]

It feels like MS and Nintendo both have the opposite issues in the first and third party spaces

Yeah, MS should go third-party

 

[dex3108]

Yeah, MS should go third-party

MS should buy Nintendo

 

[Kazuo Hirai]

I'd say third-party exclusives in general are a dying breed. Most publishers have come to realise there's more money to be made in wider availability than accepting a bag of cash from a platform holder, though a few, such as Squeenix (Rise of the Tomb Raider and now Nier Automata), seem to be a little conflicted on this front.

You will see a lot of third party exclusive this year, the sales number just reach the breakpoint

 

[makingmusic476]

Ignore me.

 

[Theorry]

Why even own an Xbox?

Oh god this again.

 

[Banderdash]

It always bemused me that Microsoft, a software company, with such a large collection of IPs, just continues to be anaemic when it comes to games output.

 

[Holundrian]

I'd say third-party exclusives in general are a dying breed. Most publishers have come to realise there's more money to be made in wider availability than accepting a bag of cash from a platform holder, though a few, such as Squeenix (Rise of the Tomb Raider and now Nier Automata), seem to be a little conflicted on this front.

I think this is only true for big money deals ala tomb raider.
Sony will continue to have a lot of third party exclusive from Japan because most don't feel it's worth the effort to develop for both. Maybe if Xbox went to most of them and offers extensive help for localization(because to be honest that's the only reason to try encouraging a Xbox version anyway) they might change that.

 

[pswii60]

Microsoft and Nintendo should form the perfect alliance. They've both got what the other needs.

 

[alt27]

Microsoft are done this generation . There would have been rumours about new games or exclusives in dev for Scorpio already .

There's nothing .

Xbox Scorpio will just be a slightly enhanced PS4 pro , and then Sony will sell the pro 100 usd cheaper at Scorpio launch .

Microsoft just need to give up on Xbox and make there windows 10 gaming pc thingy

 

[LiquidSolid]

I'd say third-party exclusives in general are a dying breed. Most publishers have come to realise there's more money to be made in wider availability than accepting a bag of cash from a platform holder, though a few, such as Squeenix (Rise of the Tomb Raider and now Nier Automata), seem to be a little conflicted on this front.

No, money hat exclusivity is a dying breed but third party exclusivity will still happen if it makes sense from a business point of view. There's no point putting most Japanese third party games on Xbox, for instance, which is the source of 95% of the PS4's third party exclusives (NieR, Persona 5, Yakuza 0, Tales of Berseria, etc).

 

[JaseC]

I think this is only true for big money deals ala tomb raider.
Sony will continue to have a lot of third party exclusive from Japan because most don't feel it's worth the effort to develop for both. Maybe if Xbox went to most of them and offers extensive help for localization they might change that.

To be clear, I'm referring to full exclusives, not just games that aren't on competing consoles.

 

[Chindogg]

MS should buy Nintendo

Nintendo should buy the Xbox division from Microsoft.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

It feels like MS and Nintendo both have the opposite issues in the first and third party spaces

Not even -- Nintendo seems fine on both fronts on the 3DS, at least.

 

[jelly]

It feels like MS and Nintendo both have the opposite issues in the first and third party spaces

Sony has neither and they are leading. Shocking.

Microsoft think 3rd party and graphics is all they need. They just want to be a storefront that takes 30% and a subscription on top.

 

[watdaeff4]

MS should buy Nintendo

The only thing positive to come of that is that those of us with a dark side would enjoy the GAF implosion.


somemenwanttowatchworldburn.gif

 

[jasminlovesyoux]

It feels like MS and Nintendo both have the opposite issues in the first and third party spaces

Pretty true.

I'm expecting Crack down 3 on the Scorpio this coming e3.

 

[michaelius]

I'd say third-party exclusives in general are a dying breed. Most publishers have come to realise there's more money to be made in wider availability than accepting a bag of cash from a platform holder, though a few, such as Squeenix (Rise of the Tomb Raider and now Nier Automata), seem to be a little conflicted on this front.

While they aren't true exclusives since they often share release with different variants of PC/PSV/PS3 the number of games that cannot be played on xbox vs number of games that cannot be played on PS4 is going to be really high this year. And we aren't talking about little indies but actual 60$ retail releases.

 

[Holundrian]

To be clear, I'm referring to full exclusives, not just games that aren't on competing consoles.

So basically Sony/Microsoft funded third party developed games ala Bloodborne/Sunset Overdrive? I guess I can see those becoming very rare.

 

[sora87]

The drought is real.

 

[LiquidSolid]

So basically Sony/Microsoft funded third party games ala Bloodborne/Sunset Overdrive? I guess I can see those becoming very rare.

Bloodborne and Sunset Overdrive are first party games.

 

[JaseC]

So basically Sony/Microsoft funded third party games ala Bloodborne/Sunset Overdrive? I guess I can see those becoming very rare.

Full exclusives published by third parties rather than a platform holder. As an aside, Sunset Overdrive PC will likely happen eventually as Insomniac owns the game and publishing rights always revert back to the copyright holder after some time.

 

[Kazuo Hirai]

No, they'll still happen if they make sense. There's no point putting most Japanese third party games on Xbox, for instance, which is the source of 95% of the PS4's third party exclusives (NieR, Persona 5, Yakuza 0, Tales of Berseria, etc).

Nier,TOB aren't exclusives,Sony have not pay one cent for them, just because they can not sell well in Xbox. If switch sell well they will be port.
Yakuza,Nioh are third party exclusives get paid by Sony

BTW, consider the graphics quality of TOB, if I was Sony I wouldn't give it "Only on Playstation" label unless BNEI pay me.

 

[Nightengale]

This is a... weird-ish story?

XB1 continues to have a decent output of first-party exclusives. And while 3rd-party exclusives for them are lacking significantly compared to Sony/Nintendo, that has always been the case outside of the early 360 days where MS bought timed/lifetime exclusivity for many 3rd-party games.

In general, western publishers have largely given up on publishing exclusive games for single platforms, anyway.

Japanese publishers still do to various degrees, for MS, Sony and Nintendo, even if MS's exclusive deals with Japanese publishers appear to be more contractual than Sony and Nintendo's, whereas plenty of 3rd-party exclusives for 3DS, Vita and PS4 happen simply because many Japanese development teams apparently still has leeway to develop for single platforms as opposed to AAA western development.

 

[Inuhanyou]

Not even -- Nintendo seems fine on both fronts on the 3DS, at least.

That only proves my point though. What i'm saying is that nintendo can get a lot of Japanese third party support and their own first party software, but their western third party support is nonexistent.

MS can get a lot of western third party support, but their first party and Japanese third party support is non existent (outside of a few franchises)

Both of these companies lack an essential ingredient of world wide global success, and Sony is LUCKY that they have been able to forge global partnerships and their own in house studios in the way that they have, or else they would face similar issues.

 

[jesu]

Why even own an Xbox?

I use mine for playing games.
Well I try, I've got like 300 installed but it's taking forever to get through them!

That and watching amazon prime videos and the iplayer.

Bloodborne and Sunset Overdrive are first party games.

But they are made by a third party...

 

[Rymuth]

To be clear, I'm referring to full exclusives, not just games that aren't on competing consoles.

You said 'exclusives' though. Someone will/is getting excluded here.

 

[Holundrian]

Bloodborne and Sunset Overdrive are first party games.

I forgot the "developed" my bad.
it should have read ".... third party developed ...."

Sunset Overdrive PC will likely happen eventually as Insomniac owns the game and publishing rights always revert back to the copyright holder after some time.

I did not know that. That's cool. Sunset seemed like a fun game just not worth a 400+ euro console back then.
I'll gladly try it on PC less for the shooting and more to scratch the tony hawk itch.

 

[Tizoc]

Whn will the scorpio be revealed? At e3? You think when that gets revealed,'ms will announce more first party/exclusive titles?

 

[JaseC]

You said 'exclusives' though. Someone will/is getting excluded here.

Yeah, I realise my post wasn't perfectly clear, which is why I edited it accordingly after making the post you quoted.

 

[SMG]

To be clear, I'm referring to full exclusives, not just games that aren't on competing consoles.

I don't understand.

 

[JaseC]

I don't understand.

Not every gaming platform is a console. A game that is on, say, the PS4 and the PC isn't a PS4 exclusive.

 

[Coulomb_Barrier]

So will all Scorpio first-party titles have to release on XB1 too?

That's going to seriously cripple Forza, Halo and Gears on Scorpio isn't it?

 

[ChosenPredator]

least we know phantom dust is still alive.

 

[madmackem]

Ms needs more first party man, the trinity of halo gears forza is becoming so stale now. Ms is sitting on a lot of ip they are ignoring, I honestly can't think of an exclusive game fro ms I'm excited for apart from sea of thieves, the next halo the next gear the next forza meh and I'm a big fan of all three. Step your game up ms.

 

[Fredrik]

Microsoft are done this generation . There would have been rumours about new games or exclusives in dev for Scorpio already .

There's nothing .

Xbox Scorpio will just be a slightly enhanced PS4 pro , and then Sony will sell the pro 100 usd cheaper at Scorpio launch .

Microsoft just need to give up on Xbox and make there windows 10 gaming pc thingy

Xbox One is Microsoft's "windows 10 gaming pc thingy".

That graph that said that 3% of the devs were developing Switch games showed that Scorpio was roughly on par with PS4, so games are coming, nothing to worry about there.
But MS needs exclusives. Many of us are PC gamers too and there are few reasons why any of us need a XB1 today. This thing about spreading out the Xbox exclusives to PC help the Win10 PC platform and kill the Xbox platform. I don't get the reasoning behind this. It's like they sacrifice the Xbox just to increase Win 10 usage.

 

[jelly]

least we know phantom dust is still alive.

It's a port. They would have to be useless to mess that one up.

Hope they sell it at a fair price.

 

[nekkid]

I use mine for playing games.
Well I try, I've got like 300 installed but it's taking forever to get through them!

Lies. Xbox has no gaems.

 

[madmackem]

So will all Scorpio first-party titles have to release on XB1 too?

That's going to seriously cripple Forza, Halo and Gears on Scorpio isn't it?

It's a more powerful Xbox one they've said that from th off no one left behind etc.

 

[Bitch Pudding]

This is a... weird-ish story?

XB1 continues to have a decent output of first-party exclusives. And while 3rd-party exclusives for them are lacking significantly compared to Sony/Nintendo, that has always been the case outside of the early 360 days where MS bought timed/lifetime exclusivity for many 3rd-party games.

Does it? I'd say now with Scalebound gone their 2017 lineup is rather underwhelming, and that's a nice way to put it.

The most anticipated MS exclusive (here on NeoGAF) is now Cuphead, an amazing looking platformer from an indie developer.

 

[Kayant]

So will all Scorpio first-party titles have to release on XB1 too?

That's going to seriously cripple Forza, Halo and Gears on Scorpio isn't it?

All XB1 games work on Scorpio and vice versa minus VR Scorpio games so yes. Depends what you mean when you say 'crippled'. IQ wise no, design wise maybe?.

 

[Kazuo Hirai]

I remember someone said here that Gears of War 4 doesn't sell well in Windows Store?
Is that true?
MicroSoft take their "exclusive" to PC ,but seems PC gamers don't give enough fuck?

 

[jelly]

Xbox One is Microsoft's "windows 10 gaming pc thingy".

That graph that said that 3% of the devs were developing Switch games showed that Scorpio was roughly on par with PS4, so games are coming, nothing to worry about there.
But MS needs exclusives. Many of us are PC gamers too and there are few reasons why any of us need a XB1 today. This thing about spreading out the Xbox exclusives to PC help the Win10 PC platform and kill the Xbox platform. I don't get the reasoning behind this. It's like they sacrifice the Xbox just to increase Win 10 usage.

Windows Store is their number one priority, they'll sacrifice Xbox to make that work. The success of the store means UWP, Windows Mobile might be successful and that 30% cut of all paid software.

I'm not sure if Xbox would survive Windows Store success or maybe they would loosen the ropes and let it run free to some degree again as they make loads of money from the store and mobile.

 

[watdaeff4]

On The HD of Phils Xb1

 

[Crayon]

Does it? I'd say now with Scalebound gone their 2017 lineup is rather underwhelming, and that's a nice way to put it.

The most anticipated MS exklusive (here on NeoGAF) is now Cuphead, an amazing looking platformer from an indie developer.

Either Cuphead or Sea of Thieves.

 

[nekkid]

So will all Scorpio first-party titles have to release on XB1 too?

That's going to seriously cripple Forza, Halo and Gears on Scorpio isn't it?

I'm interested in this, and I wonder if it deserves its own topic, more so than PS4/Pro which are much closer in spec.

Sure, they've said "no exclusives" (apart from VR), but at what cost? Perhaps only Scorpio Halo will be 60fps? Or maybe that's where local split screen will be isolated? Perhaps Forza 7 will only feature dynamic weather and time of day on Scorpio...

 

[JaseC]

I remember someone said here that Gears of War 4 doesn't sell well in Windows Store?
Is that true?
MicroSoft take their "exclusive" to PC ,but seems PC games don't give enough fuck?

Microsoft doesn't release WinStore sales figures. The closest parallels would be the rumour that the WinStore version of Rise of the Tomb Raider represented a mere 2% of sales on the PC and the non-existent playerbases for last year's CoDs.

 

[Bitch Pudding]

I remember someone said here that Gears of War 4 doesn't sell well in Windows Store?
Is that true?
MicroSoft take their "exclusive" to PC ,but seems PC games don't give enough fuck?

For all we know not a single XBOX title sold well on their windows store. And with "well" I mean reaching 6-digit sales numbers.