-
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.
Xbox Original Programming
- Thread starter jbug617
- Start date
They probably mean that Spencer is now responsible for things that used to be shared between himself, Whitten and Mattrick.
LyleLanley
Banned
Free to all Gold subscribers and a small fee to non subscribers doesn't seem that bad to me.
oops...
This is the first thing that popped into my head and judging by the poster's status I'm really glad I didn't reply with it.
Nothing there that I would buy Gold or Xbox One for, that's for sure. The in-development shows amount to a big fat zero since according to the press release only one of those series has an actual pilot commitment. Any of them have the potential to be scrapped without that commitment.
More power to the people that are interested I guess.
More power to the people that are interested I guess.
Having it restricted to just Microsoft devices is what will alienate people who can access other services through devices they already own. That is the only reasoning behind my suggestion that they do this with different branding and as an app that is widely available on all devices. As the Xbox brand is recognized for gaming. It is merely an approach that would reach the wider audience they need in order to succeed, but even then, I still don't think it's a good idea. You gave Zune as the perfect example.
So yes, I can see why they would want to leverage it behind the Xbox brand and that might make sense from a standpoint of recognition. However, it's like I said before. What is Xbox recognized for most? Gaming, and that is what most people will be buying an Xbox One for. And people on other Microsoft devices who don't game would likely not give a shit, given the name and it's association.
On the whole, this looks like a venture that is meant to push the entire MS ecosystem. Meanwhile, all of the other similar services are available on devices of one's choosing. Including Xbox One. Unless they end up with the next Game of Thrones on their hands, I just don't see it happening for them in this area. But sure, anything is possible.
While MS has cash to bleed, they're the greenhorn in an already busy market of "original programming". They're playing against companies that garner a hell of a lot more respect and mindshare in the entertainment world. Aside from Halo which has its built-in core audience that is in full neutral, nothing described in the press releases reads as the next big thing or even a medium thing.
Unless they're saving some bombs for E3, the announced and in-development (any show on that list amounts to nothing without a pilot commitment ) shows are pretty underwhelming.
We agree.
Havoc2049
Member
Based on past experience, I'm sure the Halo content will end up on Microsoft's Youtube channel, Netflix, Blu-Ray, DVD, etc. Forward Unto Dawn launched on Halo Waypoint and Machinima Prime, but was eventually released on other outlets and formats.
Is HBO, Netflix, AMC, ABC, NBC, CBS, etc, etc, etc....all wrong for initially having entertainment content that they create only released on their outlets so that they can attract viewers and make money off subscribers or advertisers??? Why must Microsoft do something that other entertainment content providers don't do???
Of course they can't offer new movies, that's not what I meant, sorry. But other shows like Breaking Bad or Mad Men and movies that are availabe on Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Yea, I don't think we're really in much disagreement overall. I think the device restriction is dumb as hell. You can brand it as Xbox without tying it to a specific platform as they have already shown with Xbox Music. Although I would agree that the term Xbox is primarily associated with gaming today, I don't think that will necessarily be the case over the next decade or so. It's definitely not what MS seems to have planned. They seem to see the name as their consumer entertainment face. The other devices offering Xbox Music and Xbox Video will sell exponentially more units than Xbox consoles will, and so over time I can see the tight coupling between the word Xbox and the games consoles that share its name becoming diluted.
My mother actually has an Xbox Music subscription for use on her phone (Lumia 620). She never ever plays games, but that hasn't stopped her from finding value in an Xbox product. So it's very possible to use the Xbox brand name without alienating those that don't play games. If she were to decide to purchase a new console to use as a media box in a few years when they're both cheap, the inclusion of Xbox Music would likely work as an incentive for her to choose Xbox over Playstation (she has a PS3 atm, because the 360 lacked BluRay).
They should be making the content available anywhere via the website, and hoping that draws people towards their ecosystem where this content is best served. Asking people to join the ecosystem before they can even sample the content isn't how I would approach the problem personally. Even if they did have a Game of Thrones on their hands, it would probably be crippled by people not having an easy means to watch it.
I'm not saying they should put the content on other services. They absolutely should keep the content exclusive to Xbox Video, at least initially. What they shouldn't be doing is locking out other devices that can access Xbox Video. You can get access to Xbox Video on a Mac, but from the sounds of it, you wouldn't be able to watch these shows there. That's not the same as the other examples you've provided.
Yea, that I can see, and fully expect to happen at some point down the line. Wuaki is a good example of how I imagine the model being. The have some content as part of a Netflix style subscription. Newer content is often only available for individual rental or purchase... and then sometimes you have purchase only, to satisfy those studios that are being difficult.
EDIT: damnit... double post...
PachinkoChampBruh
Member
Give me a sgt johnson, arbiter tv show..
featuring samuel jackson, and keith david.
featuring samuel jackson, and keith david.
King Allant
Member
some of this sound interesting hope they turn out actually good
soulassssns
Banned
SenjutsuSage
Banned
A lot of things don't read like the "next big thing," so that's a rather silly thing to say. We don't know until we see how they come together and are executed. How good any of these original programs will be is very much still up in the air. A few of them based on description have just as much of a chance of being awesome as they have of being terrible. That I'm interested in Halo pretty much goes without saying, but I could see myself take an interest in any number of the others depending on how good they turn out to be.
Humans could be interesting, Winterworld and Gunmachine are two projects I'm very curious about, Deadlands sounds almost too crazy to work, but I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there, and Extraordinary Believers is something I would immediately be interested in checking out due to the reputation of the people involved. Now, of all the projects in development that may or may not become full blown committed projects, the one I find myself hoping turns out amazing is Winterworld, as I did a bit of light reading on the material and it could have serious potential. But we'll see.
Totally agree. It was already pretty bad-ass, when those ODST's dropped in FuD.
"This is not good."
-"ODST's dropping is never good."
Salvor.Hardin
Banned
LOL. This is insane. What in the world do you expect from in-development show synopsis where the cast and crew haven't even been confirmed?
Havoc2049
Member
Don't you think that the main reason MS is doing this is to make money and add subscribers to Live initially and add value to Live for people who already subscribe? Then once that is over, then I'm sure they will release it on other outlets, platforms and formats for other people to enjoy and have another round of revenue come in. Not really different than a movie studio releasing a movie at theaters and then BR/DVD at a later date or HBO initially launching a show on HBO and then other formats at a later date.
Also, do you know for sure MS isn't going to release this new content on Xbox Video at launch or are you just making an assumption?
SenjutsuSage
Banned
Exactly. That's some bizarre thinking. It's like if they don't have the next Game of Thrones they're wasting their time.
Also, this pretty much confirms an ultra cheap apple tv style device is coming.
Visualante2
Member
Seems to be catering to an audience they already have. I hope the reality TV is a cut above the usual stuff on air.
I like TV shows, Titanfall and PvZ just made me renew my subscription anyway and Netflix also managed to deliver great original content (Amazon's Alpha House was also ok), so I am not complaining.
Just hoping it will get released here in Europe in the right way, with original dub option and without delay.
Not sure if this will push Xbone sales. Popular series get pirated by most of the more interested consumers anyway, mostly because the availability isn't there though.
Just hoping it will get released here in Europe in the right way, with original dub option and without delay.
Not sure if this will push Xbone sales. Popular series get pirated by most of the more interested consumers anyway, mostly because the availability isn't there though.
Monty Mole
Member
I'm just glad they're co-producing a UK show - Netflix doesn't offer any original UK content. Along with Amazon's pick-up of Ripper Street, I'm hoping it could lead to further TV drama investment in the UK. It's also good to see diversity beyond scripted drama - the documentary series is particularly interesting.
Of course, the proof is always in the pudding, and nobody is disputing that. But this list of programming - no matter how early in development - is still far better than what I expected to see from MS/Xbox.
Original content does not automatically equate to success. In which case, it would be an assumption either way. I just don't have faith in it, but congrats to them if they manage to pull it off.
Havoc2049
Member
I think Micro$oft already is laughing all the way to the bank, with cash in hand and the intent to make more.
All from Wikipedia:
"On April 30, 2012, Microsoft Studios announced that Forward Unto Dawn would play on Machinima Prime and Halo Waypoint (a marketing website for the Halo series) during the weeks leading up to the release of Halo 4. The series' first episode attracted five million views on Youtube within two weeks and, as of March 2013, has eleven million views. The second episode attracted three million views within two weeks and six million views by March 2013; however, these statistics do not include views on Halo Waypoint."
Halo Legends:
"Based on Rentrak and Home Media Magazine numbers, Legends ranked second and fourth in Blu-ray Disc and DVD sales, respectively, during its first week of sales in the United States. It also ranked seventh in Blu-ray Disc rankings in Japan. In its second week it dropped off the US Blu-ray Disc Top 20 charts, and slipped to tenth for DVD sales. According to The-Numbers.com, Legends sold $2.56 million worth of merchandise or 168,000 DVDs its first week. Total sales have reached $8.32 million, selling almost 600,000 units."
"In February 2013, Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of Microsofts Interactive Entertainment Business, shared that Xbox LIVE members now number 46 million, up 15 percent from a year ago. during the D: Dive into Media conference in Southern California."
giant_frying_pan
Member
Oh. That kind of 'programming'.
TheAmazingXemo
Member
DEADLANDS. HOLY SHIT DEADLANDS. I'll buy all my mutiplats for Xbox One if this happens... and it doesn't suck.
ChosenPredator
Banned
okay that is a pretty impressive list of xbox original programming...if they do more of that I am so down.
You do realize that Amazon and Netflix's streaming services were created as value-add to other existing subscriptions, right? If you were getting DVDs in the mail you could stream some stuff. If you had Prime shipping, you could stream some stuff. If you have Live Gold you can stream some stuff. Even Hulu started as a free service with a paid option, which evolved to the primary one. Not sure how those are the standard-bearers and the market should now close...
That's not to say that this will explode and change the face of programming, but why you'd whine about some free content being provided to existing subscribers I have no idea.
So you are assuming that these figures will translate into Xbox TV being a shoo in? That remains to be seen.
That is probably why they're doing it, but I still don't think it makes much sense. Offer it as part of a Gold subscription, and also offer it for rental/purchase for non-subscribers. Anybody with an Xbox device would probably just to go the Gold route as it makes sense when looking at it from a price/value point of view, and anybody without an Xbox console is not likely to sign up for one or two shows. If they were offering a fully featured streaming subscription then I could see people on other devices taking it up, but otherwise we're looking a situation similar to if Netflix has 20 shows total on its service, at roughly the same price. How many people can you realistically see going for that?
As for knowing that they won't be releasing it on Xbox Video... no I don't know that. I just think using the language "only available on Xbox One, Xbox 360 and other Microsoft devices" doesn't appear to suggest it will follow the standard Xbox Video release template, as everything else on that service can be watched on non-Microsoft devices. I agree with what you're saying in regards to staggered releases, but I'd picture it being a release on Xbox Video (viewable on any device that can access the service), followed by DVD, BluRay and possibly other services at a later date.
Steverulez
Member
Good that MS is getting this news out of the way before E3, hopefully we see some other stuff in the next month too + SO in a 10 days or so
Thats a bannable offense just so you know.
Thats a bannable offense just so you know.
Not agreeing with or not liking the focus on a particular area does not = whining. We are just having a discussion and I happen to be of the opinion that this will not take off. That's it.
At any rate, as long as there is still a strong focus on gaming, I really don't give a shit what they do. I'm still buying an Xbox One for the games and some of the features that I find attractive.
Penguins&PolarBears
Member
But Amazon and Hulu have done a terrible job developing original shows. I could easily see Xbox TV doing a better job especially since it is being run by executives from CBS, WB, and AMC. Not to mention they've partnered with big name production studios from Spielberg, Ridley Scott, Seth Green, Sarah Silverman, etc. Honestly I don't see any way that companies like Hulu or Yahoo have an advantage over Xbox Live. Xbox already has a huge subscriber base and is backed by a company with far more resources. Whether Xbox Originals becomes a huge mainstream success is another question, but I don't think it is that difficult to pass the low bar set by Hulu or Amazon. Even Netflix hasn't had that much success beyond Kevin Spacey. Arrested Development S4 was a complete abomination that tarnished the memory of the show.
As I have said, it remains to be seen and anything is possible. I'm just not seeing it and have no interest, but I'll happily admit I was wrong if they knock it out of the park. And as long as gaming is their driving force on Xbox, then I'll wish them luck in whatever else they choose to bring to the table.
asthmagasm
Member
According to the Polygon article the 48. Million number includes Gold and Silver memberships.
Some of these shows sound interesting, no doubt, but I feel like all I'm getting is the elevator pitch and if that's all the information they can give then it's not anything to really get worked up over, good or bad. The more important thing is that these are device locked and the internet has shown how willing it is to fork over money for things behind a paywall; especially one as obstructive than this.
BUT MICROSOFT DOESN'T LIKE CREATIVE STUFF.
No seriously yeah, that sounds really cool.
Garrett 2U
Member
In IGN's coverage they mention that each show has an 'interactive' budget.
That's kind of interesting IMO.
Perhaps some games will be attached to a few of the series. Maybe something like 1v100 will come?
That's kind of interesting IMO.
Perhaps some games will be attached to a few of the series. Maybe something like 1v100 will come?
Head.spawn
Junior Member
I had the same initial negative reaction when I heard about the Netflix original shows, but I gave them their fair shake and I ended up watching all of them, and I'm patiently waiting for the next season off Orange Is The New Black.
Same with this, at first I thought the only the Halo stuff would be worth checking out but did if the other shows might be cool as well. They certainly sounds interesting enough to keep an eye on at least.
I still do not know why they're choosing to put money into this increasingly volatile and decreasingly profitable business, but there's at least three of those shows I'd watch if they're any good. I just have zero confidence they will invest the money to making them good enough to be worth watching. We shall see, the ones I'm interested in are Winterworld, Deadlands and Gun Machine.
Some of these sounds like they would require an actual decent budget for effects.
Some of these sounds like they would require an actual decent budget for effects.
Not a single quote saying that's the case in that article.