-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Phil Spencer on If Microsoft Will Ever Launch AAA Titles on Steam Again
- Thread starter dancrane212
- Start date
ThoughtsOfSpeaking
Banned
I'm not pretending anything. There is no reason to bring up the PS4 in discussion of PC storefronts. Quantum breaks sales are indeed laughable, but it's not like it would of sold much more as a multiplat on console.
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
It's weird that the interview focuses on how Microsoft doesn't think Valve is doing poorly without MS games... the answer is pretty thoughtful, even... as if that's the reason the question was being asked. It seems more likely that people asked because they want MS games on Steam, so the better answer would be what Microsoft thinks about gamers who want the games on Steam and aren't getting them.
It's doing horrible apparently.
Some credible source said it was a burning flaming mess that's vastly underperforming.
For reference, 2% of the PC sales of The Rise of the Tomb Raider came from their store.
Their walled-garden also completely destroyed every single mod on JC3 and ended the modded community.
People are still going back to Just Cause 2's steam release.
I didn't think the interview focused on that point at all. He merely talked about that as an aside. He said he wants a store. And first party games are a way for them to try to get it off the ground. And especially when their shit needs fixing.
JC3 is on the Windows Store?
He responded to a specific question in an interview and just gave the motivation to focusing on Windows Store now and that they need to utilize their first-party to push the UWP format like they did when they first launched Xbox Live. Should he have said "next question?" Something like that would have gone over really well here. *rolls eyes*
The bit about them working with Valve here and there was news to me and appreciated context.
Not that I can find.
What is he talking about?
Doesn't he answer that, though? He basically is saying "it's not you, it's me. I have some shit I need to work on first before I'm ready to get out there into the world again."
I think you're underestimating the Steam impulse buy market. I know, at least speaking anecdotally, that I probably would own Gears of War or Quantum Break by now if they were on Steam. It's not I'm explicity avoiding them because of the Windows 10 store out of some kind of principle (though I do think so far it sucks), it's more just that I'm on Steam all the time, seeing what's new, what's on sale, what's popular, etc.
I would say there is a MUCH higher chance I would have picked up at least one of the Windows 10 exclusives incidentally if it was on Steam and I saw it there on my wishlist every day or so.
And look at the Tomb Raider thing - 98% sold on Steam. 98%! Obviously there are factors like bundles affecting that but I mean..... 98%. It's no coincidence - the W10 store is worse than a last resort for most customers.
Phil Spencer said:
Ehhh not in any meaningful way, so far.
ThoughtsOfSpeaking
Banned
That was deveno and JC3 having shit level design.
JC3 is not on the windows 10 store.
Yeah, I asked that question knowingly. Just curious what in the world he/she was talking about.
Valve is a private company, I don't think there is any offer Microsoft could make that would allow that sale to happen.
But I'll humor you: personally, I wouldn't really care. I like Steam more by precedent than anything else, it's not especially good piece of software. Despite Valve's "cool" / laid back image I don't think they are any better than most companies, and in several ways they manage to do markedly worse than what a large, experienced company like MS would be able to offer.
RespectThySole
Member
He did answer the question though. MS is trying to build up there Windows store. At this point in time, releasing their games on steam is counter productive to that goal.
His answer to gamers who want it on steam is clearly " come check out this other store"
I know for a fact that it would have sold MUCH better. I agree with that.
Do you really, really think that it would change the fact that, considering it's budget and expectations (with the live show and all that shit), it would have been a sucess just by putting it on Steam?
Well, we'll agree to disagree then.
I know for a fact that it would have sold MUCH better. I agree with that.
Do you really, really think that it would change the fact that, considering it's budget and expectations (with the live show and all that shit), it would have been a sucess just by putting it on Steam?
Well, we'll agree to disagree then.
Maybe I misinterpreted your statement - no I don't think it would have topped the charts or anything, but I do think it would have "healthy" sales. Certainly enough to justify its presence on Steam and the subsequent cut that the publisher takes by selling it there.
Phil Spencer said:
Did you... read it?
Metroidvania
People called Romanes they go the house?
ScientificPizza
Banned
Phil just seems like such an earnest guy that really believes in what he's saying. I think he legitimately *does* want what's best for the consumer, but Microsoft is such a behemoth of a corporation he can't just do as he pleases
The stuff he says about the PC move is good and honest, and I'm glad that he's acknowledging past mistakes as mistakes and not trying to sugarcoat them
The stuff he says about the PC move is good and honest, and I'm glad that he's acknowledging past mistakes as mistakes and not trying to sugarcoat them
CrispyBoar
Banned
LOL, you're being silly. Sony has plenty of exclusives.
I'd bet less than 2 years, personally.
That interview has a kind of abhorrent idea in there, that they want UWP to make Xbox and PC games update in sync. Unless they abolish the certification of updates on Xbox, then that will bottleneck what could be done on the PC when there is no certification, allowing for multiple updates per day in some cases. With such talk on innovation of hardware, he seems to forget the innovation of software that happens with that freedom to itterate and collaborate without restriction, not to mention when PC games support features and services that might not even exist on their own service / vice versa
to be honest, I think it's easy to see where the puck is going and it's in that direction
Which would be smart, although as shown on many PC services, things can go wrong without it, and PC users tend to be fine with that. Not sure about the console crowd. Yet this doesn't account for the PC versions of games utilising entirely different services and features to make games unique to that platform or service. Xbox or any other platform cant guarantee being that in sync
Crayon
Member
The irony is that it would be better for their store in the long run if they would just release on steam. That way they could make sure the games find an audience, grow the audience, and in the meantime try to offer some competitive edge for their store.
With what they are doing now, their franchises will suffer and have less pulling power.
With what they are doing now, their franchises will suffer and have less pulling power.
RiccochetJ
Gold Member
You're getting into tinfoil hat areas with all your posts you've been so gracious to send our way in the Xbox threads.
When Durante is cool with what they're doing, then I'll be cool. Until then, I'm going to have a healthy amount of skepticism in their message.
flaxknuckles
Member
That's what GOG does. Then they give people free copies of the games they own on Steam for more eye-share. It is basically trojan-horsing Steam.
Nvm!
That was denuvo!
The rest is true though, and there've been GAF threads on it.
Reagan's BR
Banned
I think that part of the answer was somewhat joking. He acknowledged that they want to build a store and that means putting their own games on Windows Store as opposed to Steam in order to meet that goal.
The best possible scenario, in my opinion, would be to see the Windows store get integrated into Xbox App on Windows. Then the Xbox App could function both as a launcher/management tool and a social application. If MS can continue to launch 1st party titles via UWP on the Windows store and Xbox then essentially Xbox could become a platform akin to Origin or Battle.net. Best possible scenario and dependent on MS continuing to support Win32 and developers choosing to build for Win32 instead of using UWP for quick easy "ports".
ScientificPizza
Banned
not really. the games on the Windows store aren't just PC ports, they're tied to the xbox ecosystem from everything to acheivements to larger account level stuff. it's designed to be the same app across both platforms simultaneously so you can put it down on one platform and pick it up on another
its better that they refine what they're doing now on their storefront before pushing them out to third party storefronts. leaning by doing is the perfect wording for what they're doing. i hope that they come to steam as soon as they possibly can, but i also want them to come to steam when the games and infrastructure are ready
this holiday is going to be really interesting when all of those big games start dropping
Absolutely. Great job on both sides. I feel like Microsoft has someone finally at the helm who gets it.
Auto-Reply
Member
It's obvious that Microsoft is not interested in a store like that, it's UWP or go to hell. They let the store burn to the ground with all games that are on it and just start over gain later with new names and pr camapaign and new games before they abandon the app store concept.
Crayon
Member
Another fan? *blush*
Yeah and that's the way to do it. Openness. Gog is EXEMPLARY in this sense. It's almost disarming because it's absolutely a good move that doesn't hurt anyone or withold from anyone. It takes balls and patience to go that route though because it's a long term play.
Crayon
Member
If tying their xbox functionality in is truly something that can only be done when a games is sold in their store, then that would be a perfect differentiator for their store version over the steam version.
grandwizard
Member
Absolutely fantastic interview. You can really understand Spencer's positions and plans wrt the gaming division.
Mass Effect
Member
Probably not very happy to put it mildly.
Doesn't matter though because Valve is a privately-held company and will never sell to MS as long as Gabe Newell is in charge.
RiccochetJ
Gold Member
Yea, your drive-by shitposting in those threads is having an effect at annoying people. Congrats.
Reagan's BR
Banned
Yeah, I'm saying that I don't have a problem buying UWP Gears or Forza from Windows (just like I don't mind buying Battlefront from Origin) so long as I can still buy Win32 Half-Life from Steam. I'm totally open to multiple stores, Windows store for MS titles and GOG/Steam/Origin/Battle.net for (most) everything else.
Compsiox
Banned
Really. Gabe wouldn't sell it for the same reason Evil Lore wouldn't sell GAF.
They don't have the money for that.
RiccochetJ
Gold Member
Of course not. He's making a shitload of money. There's only 3 reasons why you would sell your company:
1. It's losing money (which valve is not)
2. You think you can sell it for more than you think it's worth and you're getting generational money
3. You want to get out
ScientificPizza
Banned
i think you're underestimating how much Microsoft has
they do have the money for it, but they would never buy it
It made a bad first impression.
It might improve but it's tainted to the point it'll probably limp along until MS pulls the plug. And they will pull the plug, because that's generally what they do it they don't immediately get the audience to play by their rules.
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
I'm not so confident. Alan Wake really got a second wind after releasing on Steam. It released on 360, it did OK, it died out. Years later, it pops up on Steam. Now it's sold 1.5 million copies on Steam. Even before bundles that's quite likely 5-10 million dollars in revenue, maybe more. For a game whose budget was maybe 20-30 million and a 3 year late port, that's really impressive. I believe that if Quantum Break had launched concurrently on Steam it could have sold at least 1 million copies at a $30 ASP for ~$20 million in revenue. I don't think that's chump change. It's not going to be a $500 million hit.