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[Mdot]

Honesty is the best policy.

And I definitely think we shouldn't expect the new Gears anytime soon. Keeping the expectations in check with the "I just want to give them the time" line. Fine by me.

 

[statham]

Endless Gears sequels and no Shangheist.

or expand into two teams and work on both, once they proven themselves.

 

[schwabdizzle]

If they turn Gears into a Survival Horror game I might Jump In.

 

[Visualante2]

It's weird that Microsoft has Phil Harrison but they are not as effective as Sony in attracting developers like Media Molecule.

 

[Doctor_Thomas]

Man it's crazy how you can start a convo with a guy leading a billion dollar division for a massive corp like it's a casual text message saying what's up and get a response. Twitter is a cultural phenomenon.

Seriously. Between the heads of divisions and the smallest indies, it has made approaching developers and platform holders directly a possibility. I do talk to them absolutely casually. Had a short discussion with David Jaffe over Twitter about Sony Imagesoft once. Jounalists don't really care or need to know that but it interests me.


It is awesome when someone like Spencer or Yoshida take the time to reply.

 

[Barack Lesnar]

I predict we'll know 90% of their announcements well before the E3 conference.

Yeah how about actually plugging the leaks to keep a few things under wraps before E3? It would be nice to have that excitement and build-up for their conf not knowing what to expect.

 

[bidguy]

new official gears forums will be up in 2 weeks btw

 

[viveks86]

Good responses, Phil. Honesty is always appreciated!

 

[Goodacre0081]

it's going to be hard to get gears correct. Epic themselves were only 50/50 in that regard. new studio with no track record? odds seem to be stacked against them.

 

[shinobi602]

And I definitely think we shouldn't expect the new Gears anytime soon. Keeping the expectations in check with the "I just want to give them the time" line. Fine by me.

Well, they literally just started development a few weeks ago, so yes, not for a few years.

 

[To Far Away Times]

They need something as fresh as Gears of War 1 was. There was nothing like it when it came out, and although it had many imitators, no one was able to match it.

 

[rokkerkory]

honesty is always the best policy

 

[BennyBlanco]

i have to say phil always comes across as very level headed and down to earth.

 

[adamantypants]

So refreshing to hear from him. He needs to turn into the YOSP of Microsoft.

 

[Gorillaz]

damn didn't know they passed on guitar hero too

 

[LTWheels]

It would be nice if there was a Phantom Dust announcement at E3. It's a very unique game and nothing like it on the market.

MS are going to need as many unique selling points this gen with their console being more expensive at not as powerful.

 

[Diablohead]

I have hopes for gears if they are going to brew it for a while, judgement was just a gap filler which went in the wrong direction for the series.

Something like Gears 2 story along with Gears 3 multiplayer but bigger is what I would love to see.

 

[JayEH]

Phil's been pretty open the last few months which I can respect. MS needed their own Shu (Twitterwise).

 

[Killing_Joke]

Wait so that BT game everyone was talking about is totally canned (put on hold?) for a new gears? That sucks.

 

[Chobel]

What the possibility that MS will be doing the definitive editions of Gears games? They're already (re)doing Halo 2, 3 and 4 for xbone.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

I agree Shinobi Phil is a good guy. I don't like the PR spin but lately I enjoy his responses

Wait so that BT game everyone was talking about is totally canned (put on hold?) for a new gears? That sucks.

Yeah big bummer. I thought the reveal trailer for that game was as cliche as possible but I kept hearing it was blowing people away that saw it.

 

[Salvor.Hardin]

I'm still shocked that they've thrown GoW at Black Tusk. I'd like to think they have at least one new creative scifi shooter with a campaign mode but it doesn't look like it.

 

[kitsuneyo]

If you ignore every other thing he's been doing besides the quotes in this one thread then sure. His comments, candidness, openness has been this way since Don left, and people are acknowledging it's a nice change of pace.

It is a nice change of pace, I just don't see what it has to do with the strategy for bringing games to Xbox that's all.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

I'm still shocked that they've thrown GoW at Black Tusk. I'd like to think they have at least one new creative scifi shooter with a campaign mode but it doesn't look like it.

Another shooter to compete against Halo?

 

[SEGAvangelist]

My concern is if Gears does poorly or below projections, developers at black tusk won't feel compelled to stay. A game not hitting it's mark rarely fosters a good dev scenario



they possibly get to make sequel for it until the end of time? *shrug*

At best they get to breath and get back to work on their stealth title?

You are being a debbie downer, and that's coming from someone that has been called that in the past many times. The optimist in me believes Black Tusk sees this as their chance to shine. They have positive buzz from industry insiders and now have a very popular IP for their first release. Add the Rod Fergusson pickup and I think you could say they are in good shape to put together a fine game. Also, you'd have to imagine that Rod has had ideas brewing on how to bring the franchise to next-gen considering it's his baby now.

 

[sixteen-bit]

I hope one of those unannounced games is a Phantom Dust sequel.

 

[Endo Punk]

So refreshing to hear from him. He needs to turn into the YOSP of Microsoft.

Nah, better. YOSP ruined a brilliant opportunity to capitalise on amazing new IP like Demon's Souls, and still dragging his feat with TLG plus bad launch exclusives for PS4. Games like Puppeteer and GT6 should have been on PS4.

 

[Bsigg12]

I'm still shocked that they've thrown GoW at Black Tusk. I'd like to think they have at least one new creative scifi shooter with a campaign mode but it doesn't look like it.

I'm not really anymore because you don't put a massive franchise in a dev teams hands if you're scared of the outcome. They have faith in the Black Tusk team so while putting the other game on hold sucks, it's probably best for Gears as a franchise as it will be handled by what seems to be a competent team. Hopefully they are able to get back to the other project post Gears reboot game #1.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

What the possibility that MS will be doing the definitive editions of Gears games? They're already (re)doing Halo 2, 3 and 4 for xbone.

I'd love to see a definitive Gears collection with all the single-player campaigns and Gears of War 3 MP included. That would be best to me.

 

[Salvor.Hardin]

Another shooter to compete against Halo?

I think Halo will already have its hands full against Titanfall.

A campaign focused shooter. Is it too much to ask for? Probably.

 

[Skilotonn]

With Rob back again, and the responses they've gotten about Gears Judgment, they have more than enough info for the next Gears to be amazing again. Even if it's Gears 3 with some tweaks.

I do not see the big deal about passing on this Rime game because no one can predict how a game will turn out in the future, and reading that other thread, they're the same people that were responsible for Deadlight, so I can understand why MS wouldn't want to throw 3 mil at them like that without seeing more of the game. It didn't even have the same name back then.

Many companies have passed on potentially-good and bad things, and picked up on good and bad things. It happened, hopefully other potentially-good games get a chance.

 

[IN&OUT]

Spencer is the only decent MS PR.

 

[E92 M3]

Man I am loving that Phil is actually being honest and not regurgitating some dumb PR message. Lots of respect to Microsoft if they've actually changed their views on how interaction with the fans should be like. All I know is if the Xbox brand survives till next generation, the console will be a beast.

 

[twobear]

black tusk gears sells well: black tusk are turned into a gears of war farm by ms

black tusk gears sells badly: black tusk are shuttered

the former is the lesser of two evils, but neither of them are particularly exciting scenarios

 

[-PXG-]

Reignite.... which means going back to basics, embracing what made Gears 1 great and not caving into making dumbass changes that no one asked for.

It's been echoed so many times. Give us a hybrid of Gears 1 and Gears 3 and everyone will be happy

 

[m23]

It would be nice if there was a Phantom Dust announcement at E3. It's a very unique game and nothing like it on the market.

MS are going to need as many unique selling points this gen with their console being more expensive at not as powerful.

It's still really early for a Phantom Dust announcement. The creator just launched Crimson Dragon.

 

[KennyLinder]

Passing on Guitar Hero was probably a big deal back then... Why would you ever pass on anything?

Because... oh wait this isn't a serious question.

 

[Goodacre0081]

I'm not really anymore because you don't put a massive franchise in a dev teams hands if you're scared of the outcome. They have faith in the Black Tusk team so while putting the other game on hold sucks, it's probably best for Gears as a franchise as it will be handled by what seems to be a competent team. Hopefully they are able to get back to the other project post Gears reboot game #1.

well they're pretty much forced to put faith in that team. what other studio at MS could handle a big franchise like that?

they had three choices: cancel the current BlackTusk stealth game(which they did), sit on the Gears IP until BlackTusk finished their internal project or create a new team big enough to handle the task.

 

[Drencrom]

or expand into two teams and work on both, once they proven themselves.

Just like they did with Rare... oh wait

 

[SwiftDeath]

You are being a debbie downer, and that's coming from someone that has been called that in the past many times. The optimist in me believes Black Tusk sees this as their chance to shine. They have positive buzz from industry insiders and now have a very popular IP for their first release. Add the Rod Ferguson pickup and I think you could say they are in good shape to put together a fine game. Also, you'd have to imagine that Rod has had ideas brewing on how to bring the franchise to next-gen considering it's his baby now.

Yes I am being a debbie downer. I'm still salty about the change made to Black Tusk

Their game or the little we saw of it got me hyped but alas it's no more for the unforeseeable future for Gears. And while I loved Gears for its Co-Op I was legitimately excited for that stealth game.

I actually think Black Tusk will make a stellar Gears game truth be told. Whether or not I find it compelling is hard to say at this point although online co-op would be nice.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

Rob is great and a huge addition but man without CB it's a tall order. I have issues with the guy but listening to him on all those podcasts when Gears was coming out definitely made him seem like a cornerstone for why that series became as good as it did. Such great little nuanced design decisions that made the game so memorable came from him.

 

[Warablo]

Is that a serious question?

On topic, yeah Gears needs time. Hopefully they can bring back some of that survival/horror theme back.

This just reminds me how great Gears 1 was... Singleplayer and multiplayer....

 

[outunderthestars]

Man I am loving that Phil is actually being honest and not regurgitating some dumb PR message. Lots of respect to Microsoft if they've actually changed their views on how interaction with the fans should be like. All I know is if the Xbox brand survives till next generation, the console will be a beast.

Agreed. MS needs a more gamer-friendly message. This kind of dialog is a good step in that direction.

 

[ChosenPredator]

Hopefully we get a Phantom Dust teaser trailer at E3.

<3 if that tease he did on twitter was for nothing i'll be heart broken, lol.

 

[shinobi602]

Their game or the little we saw of it got me hyped but alas it's no more for the unforeseeable future for Gears.

To be perfectly honest, while the idea of a new Microsoft IP was enticing, what we saw didn't really hype me up in any way. Too short, little details...but I did want to know more.

 

[m23]

This just reminds me how great Gears 1 was... Singleplayer and multiplayer....

The first time I heard a Theron Guard whisper.....them feels.

 

[adamantypants]

Nah, better. YOSP ruined a brilliant opportunity to capitalise on amazing new IP like Demon's Souls, and still dragging his feat with TLG plus bad launch exclusives for PS4. Games like Puppeteer and GT6 should have been on PS4.

I actually totally agree with you. He's a bit too laissez faire on the business side. But I was more referring to him being the face of the company. People just inherently love Shu. There's nobody like that at Microsoft.

 

[LKSmash]

Their game or the little we saw of it got me hyped but alas it's no more for the unforeseeable future for Gears.

I think our imaginations allowed that little snippet to turn into so much more than it was. There was never any additional information so I think it's hard to get too upset at the (likely) cancellation of that potential title.

 

[SwiftDeath]

To be perfectly honest, while the idea of a new Microsoft IP was enticing, what we saw didn't really hype me up in any way. Too short, little details...but I did want to know more.

I am very easily excitable. Like a squirrel or something. A big AAA stealth game that's not made by ubisoft or Square enix oh the possibilities

 

[LTWheels]

I actually totally agree with you. He's a bit too laissez faire on the business side. But I was more referring to him being the face of the company. People just inherently love Shu. There's nobody like that at Microsoft.

Ken Lobb??

But he is not as active on twitter or the PR side.