It's hard no to feel totally jaded about xbox division output (and even future).
Playground established new 'fable' studio in 2017 and by all accounts - they're still hiring staff. We got a a trailer in late 2020 that probably will have no relation to the game when it comes out. If it comes out, ever, if it doesn't suck. There's really no guarantee - theses aren't the same people who make Forza.. (probably some management has crossed over)
They bought Forza + Gear - doesn't really make a difference since
Their other pre-Zenimax recent acquisitions were mostly studios on life support, who couldn't even get funding to make a game and relied on Patreon to stay afloat.
- State of Decay is at least a good game (even if buggy) ..
- We Happy Few was by all accounts - a bad game
- Ninja Theory .. used to quite good at action action ..reduced to covering 'difficult issues in games' to get publicity for Hellblade .. it's a really low step
- inXile's output feels dated (isometric 3d rpg) and though it has fans, can't see it exciting anyone else
- Obsidian - the Outer Worlds looks like a 360 game, maybe Grounded is fun, and their new IP 'avowed' looks like someones dream of a game, but from 2006
tldr - hard to acquire good studios, easy to acquire failing studios
MS got lucky getting Prey/Wolvenstein/Doom etc. And the ElderScrolls/Fallout IPs are worth a lot .. but Bethesda hasn't actually made a good game
this generation , spent it cashing in on Skyrim .. I won't be suprised if they are going the same way as Bioware, slowly and painfully downhill.
The good bits are impressive, but it's a fuck ton of money for what feels like dated IP from 'middle aged' studios.
I gotta apologize for the negativity dump, but you're right about
Fish Tomorrow
[and the thing Rare is making 'Everwild' - seems they don't even know what it is yet. New consoles are out now. Holy shit]