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[aeolist]

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/02/11/microsoft-really-really-is-into-pc-this-time-apparently/

The last 10 years in one answer:

RPS: Do you have any major PC games or exclusives on the horizon?

Lobb: I can’t make any announcements. But we are very dedicated to that space.

I think the best we can hope for is some tablet-oriented spinoffs exclusively in the Windows app store.

 

[grkazan12]

Ken Lobb

 

[Opiate]

We have a new version of our "Microsoft Office" game coming out next year!

 

[Alx]

We have a new version of our "Microsoft Office" game coming out next year!

That just reminds me... is there still a flipper hidden in Excel and a flight simulator in Word ?

 

[Azih]

Do we even want them to be? The way they've treated their Xbox first party game devs shows that they're not exactly good at dealing with internal game development. (Well ever since Don Mattrick got in charge anyway)

 

[angular graphics]

For people getting their hopes up. This is MS's various statements on their promise to PC gaming.

• 2005 - We care about PC gaming, Longhorn (Vista) to usher in modern PC gaming with "Tray and Play"
  Vista launches with none of the stuff MS promised, Vista itself sucks the ass of a thousand camels.
  
  
• 2006 - MS: Don't Count PC Games Out
  MS announces GFWL and how utterly amazing it will be, suckers everywhere rejoice in the eventual ass reaming they don't know is coming yet.
  
  
• 2007 - MS continues PC push
  MS launches GFWL...and it has a $50 a year fee, and they announce a whole slew of games to include Shadowrun with cross platform play and Gears of War 1! What are you paying for you ask? Jank ass software that crashes and has the most unintuitive updating system known to man. Load a game, game says you need update. Signs you out, downloads update, you jump back in...oh GFWL client has a update too! signs you out, downloads up date and you log back in...
  
  MS will shortly thereafter disband Ensemble because MS feels that they're (MS) moving in a different direction! But don't worry we tots <3 you PC gamers.
  
  
• 2008 - MS: PC gaming is A-okay
  Yea we've looked at some money pie charts and can see that PC gaming brings in billions in revenue. Here is our open letter to how awesome PC gaming is and our promise to support it! We finally put some new titles up on GFWL! Oh and we got rid of the $50 a year fee for GFWL, see we're serious about PC gaming! If that's not a sign of commitment, I don't know what is!
  
  
• 2008 - MS: PC gaming is not dead!
  Look at this event we're throwing for PC gaming, you think we'd throw this if we didn't truly care about it?! Look at these games that will be on GFWL. We <3 PC gaming. You want fixes for GFWL issues? We'll look into that.
  
  
• 2008 - MS bolsters PC gaming with all new Games for Windows Live!
  Hey gaiz remember those GFWL client issues you were having...well we didn't fix those per say but....here is the same shit in a slightly newer skin! PROGRESS
  
  
• 2009 - MS: PC gaming still a priority for us!
  Okay gaiz look, this time we're serious about our upcoming push in PC gaming. It's so vital to us at MS that we give the PC our love and support!
  
  
• 2010 - MS: "We're doubling down on PC gaming
  By doubling down we mean we're keeping this shittastic GFWL client around because! We might even throw an update at it to fix the problem of game saves being randomly deleted or rendered worthless...maybe.
  
  
• 2010 - MS Launches Games for Windows Marketplace
  Hey gaiz, we're making GFWL even better because it's now called Games for Windows Marketplace. Everything is brand new and easy to use, anonymous journalists have even said it's better than Steam. We had 3 interns and a janitor work on this, so you know we're committed!
  
  
• 2010 - MS: Windows 8 is going to relaunch gaming!
  Hey gaiz, MS again. With Windows 8 we're totally going to put our full weight behind PC gaming just like we promised back in 2006! Pls be excite.
  
  
• 2012 - MS: We won't ditch GFWL!
  We're committed to PC gaming and we absolutely think GFWL is the best play to get PC games and play with others. Our client is awesome....ly bloated and deletes shit randomly, but that's really one of the charms of PC gaming that we captured! It's a balanced experience! Hope you rike!
  
  
• 2013 - MS to discontinue GFWL
  Hey gaiz new manager here, so like a bunch of your games might stop working come 2014...but that's okay! We expect there to be transitions as we build out new investments, but we remain committed to bringing first party gaming services and games to Windows for years to come. We will share more details in the future!
  
  
• 2013 - MS promises core first party games coming to PC
  We're so committed we swear!

Sorry, but all MS is doing is blowing smoke up the ass of gullible people. So yea go ahead and get your hopes up and get excited. In a year or two when none of what they say comes to fruition...I'll pretend to act shocked.

.

 

[DeaviL]

Just give me that Fable HD version, i expect no more of you Microsoft.

Spoiler

Except Freelancer 2

 

[Nightengale]

Don't believe their lies.jpg

 

[aeolist]

.

there we go

 

[ambientmystic]

I'm happy with them being the absentee landlord that they are right now, with regards to the PC.

Just continue making OSes, update yer DirectX and maintain backwards compatibility with older applications. Stay the fuck away from any gaming initiatives for the PC.

 

[Santiako]

We have a new version of our "Microsoft Office" game coming out next year!

Now rebranded as XBOX Office!

 

[Arulan]

We have a new version of our "Microsoft Office" game coming out next year!

With pre-order DLC Clippy?

 

[renitou]

MS first-party devs aren't putting out anything I'm interested in biting on, so no great loss one way or the other.

 

[kazebyaka]

 

[GavinUK86]

spartan assault 2 obviously

 

[JaggedSac]

LOL, this would be a perfect time for a Memento image.

 

[saelz8]

Glad they aren't involved.

We know what happens when they get involved beyond the OS.

 

[Twin Tails]

LOCOCYCLE is coming out, and it's a first party game.

 

[SwiftDeath]

MS's various statements on their promise to PC gaming

Why can't I have a new Age of Empires? Why? :'(

 

[CassidyIzABeast]

Let me get that Quantum Break PC port

 

[HariKari]

Can see them pushing Xbox title ports to PC via the Windows store. More or less the scenario that is driving Valve away from Windows.

 

[Jb]

A lot of words to say nothing in particular. I feel like this interview could have been published 5 years ago.

 

[solarus]

No new satanic drm please. If they release anything it better be steam, I don't care what game it is I won't buy it if it's a windows store exclusive or some bullshit like that.

 

[DeaviL]

Why can't I have a new Age of Empires? Why? :'(

Edit: Well that was a weird coincidence Jeffrey

Because we've already gotten Age of Empires 2 HD you ungrateful peasant!

EDIT: I wanted to add Age of Empires Online, but everyone knows that's not an AoE game.

 

[derFeef]

They are certainly not shy publising their IP's on Steam, but I would not expect any big exclusive PC game from them.

No new satanic drm please. If they release anything it better be steam, I don't care what game it is I won't buy it if it's a windows store exclusive or some bullshit like that.

Ah the irony.

 

[SwiftDeath]

Because we've already gotten Age of Empires 2 HD you ungrateful peasant!

Age of Empires IV or bust

 

[Visualante2]

Jason Holtman wasting his fucking time.

 

[Fox_Mulder]

Quantum Break on PC

 

[Opiate]

In seriousness, I think Microsoft's handling of Windows gaming would actually be a pretty good analysis on how platform choices are made in general.

More commonly, people look at Nintendo platforms and see how little software comes to them from third parties. There's some meat there, but Nintendo is such a distinct company that there is less information there that can be transferred over to other situations.

In the case of Windows, however, there is no doubt it sells software. There is no doubt it has a large audience of 16-35 male gamers. As such, figuring out just why some companies have weak presence on the platform is legitimately interesting.

 

[HyperZone<3]

Heck, I'd just be happy if they'd publish some of their years old XBLA exclusives, especially outside of their own Windows store.

That'd be nice.

 

[Opiate]

With pre-order DLC Clippy?

It's exclusive DLC at Office Max. Office Max: Power to the Players.

 

[Portugeezer]

"This time we mean it"

 

[graywolf323]

third time's the charm?

though we are past three times by now

 

[JaseC]

I will refuse to believe that Microsoft is serious about PC gaming until it releases ilomilo+ on Steam.

 

[fluffydelusions]

Ah their yearly spiel of how they continue to support PC gaming but never actually do anything.

 

[Saty]

Most interesting:

Now we’re one [unified] Microsoft. I don’t see this as pressure. I see it as an opportunity. We have more support internally to support PC more. That’s great! My only expectation would be, please let us continue to do that over a five-year period so we can have real impact. That’s how it feels right now. We’re getting very strong support internally. So we’re really going after PC.

Suggests that previous attempts were half-hearted, unfocused and the higher-ups didn't really care one way or another. Hope it's different now.

 

[ghst]

RPS: Will launches of games Microsoft has locked down as exclusives be concurrent on both Xbox and PC from now on?

Lobb: It’s my belief that the goal of a development team should be to make the best thing for each particular platform. So I think it makes sense to take Game A, maybe it’s exclusive on one of the platforms, but maybe you do some support games on the side platforms. Like, “Hey, I’ll do a big game here, and then I’ll do a tablet game or a smaller web thing, etc.”

Ubisoft did a great job last year. I played Kenway’s fleet on an iPad and I played Assassin’s Creed IV on an Xbox.

RPS: Yikes. Are you saying you consider PC to be a “side platform,” a la tablet or mobile? Other Microsoft developers have certainly suggested as much.

Lobb: Oh, not at all! What I’m saying is, that could very much potentially go the other way. Maybe there’s a big exclusive on PC and there’s an Xbox Live Arcade game to support it. Or a mobile game. It makes perfect sense to develop that way. Same ship, same parts. Maybe you buy one and get another free.

i really wish RPS just went for the jugular and asked possible value an xbone exclusive can have to someone who already owns a gaming PC and would rather play it there.

 

[derFeef]

I will refuse to believe that Microsoft is serious about PC gaming until it releases ilomilo+ on Steam.

Add Viva Pinata to that, I fear it might die with GFWL :/

 

[jelly]

Are the hooks already there with Windows Store apps and Xbox features so all they have to do is release games if they care ?

I think one problem is finding devs and publishers that will even bother releasing outside of Steam, own stores etc.

Microsoft would need to convince publishers and devs to release a variation of their game that supports Xbox achievements, friends, cloud etc. which should be straight forward as basic Xbox Live features are unified across PC, Phone and Xbox.

Could still be that simple reason, don't upset the console.

 

[Gaogaogao]

if you're committed prove it you assholes

 

[Freedom = $1.05]

They may have shat on us PC gamers for years, sure, but at least we have a universally accepted PC controller. It might be the only thing good to have come out of their PC efforts in the last 5-10 years.

 

[Mass Effect]

Just put Quantum Break on PC and that's all I care about. Otherwise, MS can stay the hell away from PC gaming.

 

[entremet]

Ken Lobb

Why the frown?

 

[DeaviL]

third time's the charm?

though we are past three times by now

The X/3 time's the charm.

 

[leadbelly]

I hope Microsoft leaves PC gaming well alone. They have absolutely no interest in making PC gaming 'better' they are only concerned with how much money they can make out of it.

I also hope Direct X is dead now. Seems hard to believe there won't be a DX12, but I would welcome that move.
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/13/04/12/1847250/amd-says-there-will-be-no-directx-12-ever

The way Microsoft have been tying every update of Direct X with their operating system of late, I really hope the fucking thing dies. I don't want to be forced to buy the next Windows just so I can take advantage of the latest Direct X features.

 

[Sydle]

They hired Jason Holtman (former Steam Director of Business Development for 8 years) back in August, so I wouldn't be surprised to see them give a go at it again with a little more structure this time.

If KLobb is involved then we may see more cross-platform games from internal studios that were previously just Xbox focused. They could start by bringing the previous Halo, Gears, Fable, and Forza games to PC.

EDIT: Seems he's already left Microsoft! Wow.

 

[Banjo-Kazooie]

I will refuse to believe that Microsoft is serious about PC gaming until it releases ilomilo+ on Steam.

Really wouldn't hold your breathe, especially now that Southend Interactive is no more...the IP seems to have a big question mark above it.

 

[Glass Rebel]

I would be fine with Microsoft just rereleasing HD updates to their classic games like they've done for AoEII. It doesn't look like they're that interested in the platform and any time they open their mouth about it they make themselves look silly.

 

[JaseC]

Add Viva Pinata to that, I fear it might die with GFWL :/

At least Viva Pinata isn't arbitrarily exclusive to Win8 -- remember that it's simply a PC port of an XBLA (i.e. DX9) title. Even if I were running the OS, I don't think I'd buy the game on the count of not wanting to support such a disagreeable practice.

 

[Azih]

The fact that they sent Ken Lobb out to the RPS hotzone is something different though.

Edit: Nevermind, gave RPS the (ugh) click, and RPS corraled him at a public event.