GermanZepp
Member
The idea of new IP's always thirlls me
This would be a good fit I think, Hitman series has been well but appears to be on the decline sales wise, it could get a rebirth/reboot with new innovation. IO are quality devs too so I’m sure they can work on other stuff as well.
Can we stop the “Microsoft will just close them in x amount of years” prophecies lol
The thing is though, the difference between buying a studio and paying them to exclusively work on a project/series of projects is that the former means the purchaser owns any and all IP, past and present.
Ownership is primarily about buying and controlling IP, because in these days tech is largely irrelevant due to the prevalence of third party engines (deepening if a corporate tech strategy is in place) ond staff and their expertise are free to leave as and when they choose.
The usual outcome Is a loss of identity, especially when the parent decides that the studio branding is of less importance than the IP name and their own corporate label. For example, IO becomes MS Studio Copenhagen. And as we know from history, once a studio becomes a corporate unit, its just another chess-piece on the board and can easily be sacrificed if the overall strategy demands it.
Bottom line, its better than going under but rarely desirable. Because if the current management/direction has gotten a studio into the state where a buy-out is appealing, they are unlikely to last long under corporate scrutiny.
I don't believe that it's a clear cut as that and I am sure that Microsoft would have done enough due diligence to make sure they are going into a deal with an achievable outcome, they don't buy a studio with an intention to close it down.
Should I post list of studios killed by Sony. ?The problem I have with Microsoft just buying up developers is that they can easily make the same mistakes that caused them to run Lionhead, FASA, Bizarre, and Bungie into the ground or out of the building. I’d rather they develop teams in house and learn how to manage the creation and release of successful IP. I feel like buying studios is putting a bandaid on the issue when the real problem is that a lot of Microsoft divisions are ran by complete idiots.
The problem I have with Microsoft just buying up developers is that they can easily make the same mistakes that caused them to run Lionhead, FASA, Bizarre, and Bungie into the ground or out of the building. I’d rather they develop teams in house and learn how to manage the creation and release of successful IP. I feel like buying studios is putting a bandaid on the issue when the real problem is that a lot of Microsoft divisions are ran by complete idiots.
I'd say the Coalition and 343 are very capable companies.They can buy everything they want. It doesn't automatically translates into quality. I don't believe Microsoft with studios when i see it. Playground is the only capable atm inhouse and that's not much.
as is turn 10I'd say the Coalition and 343 are very capable companies.
How was repeating the same pricing mistake made in the first place a "well thought out response"? I agree the hardware is ace, but who fucking cares if no one but the hardcore ever buys one? That's why I feel it was checking a box, because they gained little or nothing from it.
It will mean killing the series. It has underperformed twice now, MS will have IOI work on some new IP most likely.As a massive Hitman fan, if it means saving the series then absolutely I'm all for it.
Hitman 2 didn't do well because there's no advertising for it. With microsoft that can haappenIt will mean killing the series. It has underperformed twice now, MS will have IOI work on some new IP most likely.
If no one cares for it now....even fewer will care if it goes to Xbox
Firstly, Microsoft had publicly floated the idea of a mid-gen upgraded console before the Pro was even rumoured to exist. The Pro camer out earlier because it was a PS4 with a second GPU strapped onto it. Mucriosoft went with an actual upgrade.
Second, what the hell do you want them to do?
People complain about their lack of first party output, so they're bolstering their first party studios.
You realise it's not a coincidence that all thsi spending is coming not very long after Phil was promoted right under Nadella right? It's no real secret Myerson didn't take Gaming seriously and basically had a tight leash on Xbox spending.
Microsoft has spent more on gamign in the last year and a half than they had the entire first half or more of this generation.
Should I post list of studios killed by Sony. ?
Also you talking about old MS which is different compared to new MS. This New MS sees gaming as core part of MS now
So what was the point in releasing it? Again, it doesn't gain them anything. If Spencer is trying to sell to the already converted, he's basically waving a white flag.
EDIT: It also further the stigma that buying an Xbox console is now going to cost $500. It seems like that may be their strategy; to normalize the $500 price point.
In fact, it costs them, because now their successor console has to drastically outperform the X at a lower price point to be competitive to the mainstream. Many of the ideas on the X are great ideas, and could have been implemented for the next true console generation. Not only did they take all the thunder away from those ideas, they've created a competitor for themselves when making their next console.
You misunderstand the point of the X. The original Xbox One's focus on multimedia and its large size convinced many that MS simply could not handle the hardware side of this business. Resolutiongate was a flag for all of those concerns and it was undermining consumer confidence at a rapid rate. MS understood this and made clear that they intended to end that narrative.
And that is precisely what the X achieved. Following its release, the same media that told that gaming world that it was critical to report the resolution differences of every major release, suddenly changed their position once PS4 no longer had the power advantage. With just one console release, MS ended resolutiongate and forced an industry of so-called gaming journalists to change topics.
The X also demonstrated the immense talent of MS's engineers as the console proved to not only be more powerful than Pro but also proved to run quieter and cooler. Consumer confidence in MS hardware is suddenly back as even MS's harshest critics have been forced to concede that MS's engineers can go toe to toe with Sony's any day of the week and have clearly outclassed Sony's engineers so far.
Now those intangible benefits will not drastically increase Xbox console sales in the short term but when you're an 800bil company like MS you have the luxury of planning for the long term. MS's gaming revenues are growing each and every quarter and they do not rely on gaming to keep the lights on in the same fashion as Sony does. I get that the X gets under the skin of certain Sony loyalists on this forum but its success is beyond debate. Its not often that a single piece of hardware can so drastically change a narrative.
If these studios don't produce the total domination victory Microsoft is gunning for since they are throwing a ton of cash into their gaming sector, you can bet the higher ups will cut losses, write off, and blow up studios. Microsoft always does.
Just take the Kin as an example. Two months after their 1 billion dollar project released, it sold so poorly that they canned the whole thing and wrote it off.
It makes sense though. I would bet Sony would do the same if they had the money MS has but they may have no choice if MS starts looking at bigger fish. I can see in the near future this becoming common with companies like MS, Google and Amazon just buying up devs and discarding them when done and repeat. Automation is coming for this industry as well.Buying financially troubled development houses to aid your own struggling console business is probably not the best plan ever presented in a boardroom. I'm just fascinated that Microsoft keeps doing it.
EDIT: Having owned their products now in this space for a decade and a half, my observation has been that Microsoft is very into checking boxes, even when it doesn't benefit them. They did it with Kinect when the Wii craze was dying out. "See guys! We've got waggle too!" They did it with the X this generation after Sony brought out the Pro. "See guys! We have the most powerful system!" And now they seem to be doing it in response to their lack of studios. "See guys! We own all these development houses!"
It's all very formulaic to them, as if they can just tick off boxes and magically reverse what Mattrick did to them. It's going to be a long uphill slog, and it's going to require brilliant moves rather than just a fat wallet. Ask George Steinbrenner.
Alright, now you have done it. Should I tell you that Sony has closed more studios than Microsoft ?If these studios don't produce the total domination victory Microsoft is gunning for since they are throwing a ton of cash into their gaming sector, you can bet the higher ups will cut losses, write off, and blow up studios. Microsoft always does.
Just take the Kin as an example. Two months after their 1 billion dollar project released, it sold so poorly that they canned the whole thing and wrote it off.
I think its kinda funny people talking like Sony don't have the money to do similar purchases, sure MS are a much bigger corporation but Sony aren't exactly small fry themselves. The Playstation business is also a lot more important to Sony than Xbox is to MS in terms of annual revenue, its making them a lot bank these days.
$1.7 billion operating income (from revenue of $18b) in FY 2016-2017 for their G&NS business buys a lot of studios, and their forecasts are up this year.
The thing is, a buy-out war is not good for the industry as a whole. Its anti-competitive no matter who's doing it.
"1 billion" is not a true value lmao ICO's are not the same at all to a company buying out another.Just take the Kin as an example. Two months after their 1 billion dollar project released, it sold so poorly that they canned the whole thing and wrote it off
Nokia is still a company that exists lmao don't act like they died completely. Shit they still make phones, and have been for a few years.Or Nokia.
They do not own Good Music. UMG does and that's owned by Vivendi.They recently bought kanye wests record label for I believe 2.3 Billion dollars
Problem is none of the studios they have bought would make me get an xbox, they took a load of studios that made 'meh' games or company's that made exclusives anyway.
In this case all it would do is ensure I probably never got another hitman game, and I've had them all on ps so far.
They do not own Good Music. UMG does and that's owned by Vivendi.
They bought some songs that Kanye had done previously with EMI.
I do think sony need to make a move or two though. Sony should try to acquire insomniac games and/or kojima productions. I think a headline like that would go along ways to dissolving a lot of hype and good will Microsoft has got from these studio purchases. Blunting your biggest competitors momentum and building up your own house would be worth the cost id think.
If no one cares for it now....even fewer will care if it goes to Xbox
How was repeating the same pricing mistake made in the first place a "well thought out response"? I agree the hardware is ace, but who fucking cares if no one but the hardcore ever buys one? That's why I feel it was checking a box, because they gained little or nothing from it.
They also laid off a bunch of people from their Santa Monica Studio. So even the employees responsible for money banking God of War gets the axe.Alright, now you have done it. Should I tell you that Sony has closed more studios than Microsoft ?
989 Studios (closed in 2005)
Bigbig Studios(closed in 2012)
Contrail(closed in 2000)
Evolution Studios(closed in 2016)
Incognito Entertainment(closed in 2009)
Studio Liverpool(closed in 2012)
Zipper Interactive(closed in 2012)
Guerrilla Cambridge(closed in 2017)
So, what should they do about Kin ? It failed, the team than made Zune(its UI was a predecessor inspired Windows Phone UI) and finally the Surface, which is so successful. Now, Panos Panay heads the whole Microsoft hardware division, include the Xbox since 2015(and they made the Xbox One S/X). But you want them to continue making Microsoft Kin ? How would that even work in the current mobile environment.
I think it was Eidos Interactive. Then they switched publisher to WB Games. In any case, I think it wouldn't be bad if Microsoft buys IOI. If things go wrong, they could pull another "self buy" like they did with Eidos.Here speaketh the man who does not understand incremental vs radical portfolio management.