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The Initiative xbox game: "I don't think the internet is going to react very well to it."

I don't know why people are suprised - Microsoft first party games are always trojan horse for whatever is current corpo fad in Redmont.

In X360 era they wanted to sell Live so they pushed online everywhere.
When Xone started they tried to make everything in Gaas
Now it's all about gamepass so you will be getting games that keep people subscribed - episodic content and long service game in Halo Infinite.
 

Redlancet

Banned
I don't know why people are suprised - Microsoft first party games are always trojan horse for whatever is current corpo fad in Redmont.

In X360 era they wanted to sell Live so they pushed online everywhere.
When Xone started they tried to make everything in Gaas
Now it's all about gamepass so you will be getting games that keep people subscribed - episodic content and long service game in Halo Infinite.
this is microsoft in a nutshell,you forget kinect,sony does this too,they did move,but at least it was a secundary thing,kinect almost destroyed all microsoft development culture
 

kuncol02

Banned
I don't know why people are suprised - Microsoft first party games are always trojan horse for whatever is current corpo fad in Redmont.

In X360 era they wanted to sell Live so they pushed online everywhere.
When Xone started they tried to make everything in Gaas
Now it's all about gamepass so you will be getting games that keep people subscribed - episodic content and long service game in Halo Infinite.
Ryse, Quantum Break, ReCore. Gears Tactics, Battletoads, Sunset Overdrive, Gears 4 and 5, Halo Wars 2 and many others. Yes their push for Gaas was unbearable (Sea of Thieves, Grounded and that's pretty much all). Even Forza Motorsport is more of standard game than GT:Sport.
 
Ryse, Quantum Break, ReCore. Gears Tactics, Battletoads, Sunset Overdrive, Gears 4 and 5, Halo Wars 2 and many others. Yes their push for Gaas was unbearable (Sea of Thieves, Grounded and that's pretty much all). Even Forza Motorsport is more of standard game than GT:Sport.

Cancelled Fable game which they killed because they couldn't figure monetisation inwhat used to be normal RPG says hello. Or their Platinium exclusive where they were forcing pointless multiplayer co-op.

Forza was full of microtransactions when this gen started.
 

kuncol02

Banned
Cancelled Fable game which they killed because they couldn't figure monetisation inwhat used to be normal RPG says hello. Or their Platinium exclusive where they were forcing pointless multiplayer co-op.

Forza was full of microtransactions when this gen started.
Co-op is not GaaS also microtransactions in game also don't mean it's GaaS, that just means it has microtransactions.
 

Three

Member
Have no idea if this rumour has any credibility or not but I mean it wouldn't be out of the question.

MS have probably been planning something like this since the days of Mattrick.

Quantum Break was supposed to be an episodic game tied to TV. The model fits well with their gamepass subscription model too. Release every month and get subscription money if you want to continue.
 

kuncol02

Banned
Have no idea if this rumour has any credibility or not but I mean it wouldn't be out of the question.

MS have probably been planning something like this since the days of Mattrick.

Quantum Break was supposed to be an episodic game tied to TV. The model fits well with their gamepass subscription model too. Release every month and get subscription money if you want to continue.
QB is effect of Remedy playing with idea of episodic content. Not first one on their side. First one was Alan Wake. And hard to call them episodic when they were always distributed as whole package. Even earlier there were experiments with episodic content on PC (Sin Episodes, Half-Life 2: Episode 1 and 2).
There is one huge problem with episodic games. Making games takes way more time than making shows. Because of that you need to make whole game at once and then release it as episodes which makes episodic release pointless, or you are dripping 2-3 hours long parts every few months which is even worse. If Initiative game is really episodic and they somewhat found solution for that problem then that would be revolution probably even bigger than digital distribution
 
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Calverz

Member
Cancelled Fable game which they killed because they couldn't figure monetisation inwhat used to be normal RPG says hello. Or their Platinium exclusive where they were forcing pointless multiplayer co-op.

Forza was full of microtransactions when this gen started.
It actually wasnt until forza 6. And now they have actively removed them from forza 7, their current flagship title. As soon as i go to start gt sport i see i can buy individual cars for a couple of quid. All as bad as each other im afraid.
 

pratyush

Member
Anybody who think Gamepass won't impact how games are made, is surely in denial. Budgets for AAA games will go down and lot of filler has to be added to make list compelling. Initial offering is always good. Look at Netflix model, initial offering was too good and it's subscription always felt like it's for free. Gamepass is at that level ( maybe not but it hasn't reach its peak yet in my opinion and it will get better). But it's difficult to maintain quality with that model. Netflix has proved that already.

This might be a solution without compromising quality but games with episode nature is bound to be repetitive and players might lose interest pretty soon.
 

Redlancet

Banned
Kinect helped sell another 30million consoles.

ok,i uderstand some of you cant accept reallity,but thats a very myopic point of view,kinect was the demise of the lastt good bits of the xbox 360 legcy,and they reaped all of that shit until that day but 30 millions...thanks for making me have a good laugh
 
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Thirty7ven

Banned
this is microsoft in a nutshell,you forget kinect,sony does this too,they did move,but at least it was a secundary thing,kinect almost destroyed all microsoft development culture

Microsoft is a productivity software services company. This should come as no surprise. It took Gamepass, a service, to finally have them go “Know what? We actually need to have an ambitious first party because otherwise this service won’t work”
 

Redlancet

Banned
Microsoft is a productivity software services company. This should come as no surprise. It took Gamepass, a service, to finally have them go “Know what? We actually need to have an ambitious first party because otherwise this service won’t work”
you know in some point and time,the got excellent people who cared for that,that was the first years of the 360,also they still have some talented teams ( the forza guys)
 

DustQueen

Banned
So...they ll try to be risky n do something original?

How dare them! Develop reverse engineered streamline piece of shit version of an 11 year old game like everyone else does!!!
Otherwise - no download from me from an extremely cheap game subscription service. Get it "Initiative"?! Get in line!!!
 
This sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, but in many ways unsurprising for MGS.

You put together an all-star dev team, declare it a "AAAA studio" and hype it up to kingdom come. Pretend all first-party devs have carte-blanche full creative freedom, and then reality sets in when the proof in the pudding is revealed to be some single-A or AA episodic afterthought game.

Honestly, at this rate I fear for both Obsidian and all Zenimax studios.
 

kraspkibble

Permabanned.
the internet won't like it? so it'll be good then lol. first thing i thought was that it'll upset the twitter/resetera crowd which can only be good.

comparing it to Black Mirror immediately has my interest.
 
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NickFire

Member
It should probably go without saying that all you can eat consumption models will need quantity of some sort. Hopefully the quality is more Brazilian Steak House and less $15 buffets.
 
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ACESHIGH

Banned
Its Microsoft... the internet won't react very well no matter what they do. As long as they release quality single player games I'm in, episodic or not. If they are episodic I'll just wait until all episodes are released and get the full game.

The only thing I want is please dont try to replicate what Sony is doing. Not a fan of their cinematic cover shooters. If anything, aim for ps1/ps2 era Sony with their quirky and diverse output. That plus being the undisputed WRPG king.
 

Dolomite

Member
Anybody who think Gamepass won't impact how games are made, is surely in denial. Budgets for AAA games will go down and lot of filler has to be added to make list compelling. Initial offering is always good. Look at Netflix model, initial offering was too good and it's subscription always felt like it's for free. Gamepass is at that level ( maybe not but it hasn't reach its peak yet in my opinion and it will get better). But it's difficult to maintain quality with that model. Netflix has proved that already.

This might be a solution without compromising quality but games with episode nature is bound to be repetitive and players might lose interest pretty soon.
I think what finally caused netflix to plateau is Time and despite it's peak, it's still the most popular streaming service. The competition (Hulu, Prime video, Disney plus) just Finally caught up. If we're comparing GP to Netflix, recognize that Netflix was always a big fish.... because it was the only thing eating in the pond. Early success has Always been due to SOME really good 1st party content, as well as tried and true series that have cult followings. Aside from Stranger Things, and Orange is the new black, netflix had to rely on network shows, like the Office and Arrested development to sell subscriptions. Right now MS is the only fish in thier game, they have some good 1st party content (Gears, Forza periodically, Ori) but also see great value in 3P games that everyone loves and sell themselves ( Dragon quest, GTAV, Red Dead, Cyberpunk eventually?)
Point being GP is a cash cow, we're talking $150,000,000/month cash cow, and until Sony or Nintendo jump into the ring with their own caliber of services(to the distain if thier most vocal minority) Microsoft will only grow the service better unchallenged. Why would AAA Content not arrive from the 15 internal studios MS has already promised day and date GP releases for, when they are so ready themselves to drop bank on 3rd party AAA Content months after release?



: OT : Also the Game in question from the initiative is still a complete mystery until The Initiative reveal it imo. No use arguing over rumors yet
 
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Microsoft just doesn't get it do they?

I'm willing to try it, but my expectations are low.
So much for "let the devs make what they want". Turns out Microsoft is doing exactly that and now everyone is like, "fuck this, Microsoft can't do nothing" even though they're being mostly hands off letting devs be be creative and create their vision. Not necessarily you since you said you're open to try it, but man people are stupid whiners!
 
Today, we have a couple of new details about The Initiative's project, which could release in an episodic format according to Xbox insiders hosting the Xbox Era podcast (1:45:50). They compare the game to Netflix's TV series Black Mirror and its format.

"All those episodes of Black Mirror are linked to each other, they take place within the same universe. When I talked about The Initiative's game, I'm not saying it's exactly like Black Mirror, but it has that Black Mirror-like aspect to it."

"I know the word episodic has been thrown around," insider Shpeshal Ed said about the game.

However, they also made it clear that The Initiative's games will not be similar to Sony's blockbuster third-person action adventures such as The Last of Us Part II or God of War. Shpeshal Ed says in the podcast that he thinks the game will not be accepted well.

"I don't think the internet is going to react very well to it. This is gonna be bad, a level of bad where people give up on Xbox Game Studios. Fanboys are gonna get really upset," he said in the podcast.

Ed reiterated that this is just his opinion and prediction so keep that in mind before you get disappointed. Also, these are just rumours and speculation, nothing official. It's possible that The Initiative's game turns out to be something completely different. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

giphy.gif


Why would you do this to yourself? Why?
 

sainraja

Member
Co-op is not GaaS also microtransactions in game also don't mean it's GaaS, that just means it has microtransactions.

I don't think you understand what GaaS is if you are saying that.

QB is effect of Remedy playing with idea of episodic content. Not first one on their side. First one was Alan Wake. And hard to call them episodic when they were always distributed as whole package. Even earlier there were experiments with episodic content on PC (Sin Episodes, Half-Life 2: Episode 1 and 2).
There is one huge problem with episodic games. Making games takes way more time than making shows. Because of that you need to make whole game at once and then release it as episodes which makes episodic release pointless, or you are dripping 2-3 hours long parts every few months which is even worse. If Initiative game is really episodic and they somewhat found solution for that problem then that would be revolution probably even bigger than digital distribution

Hitman was episodic and they managed. Now combine that with a service designed with month-to-month cost, because of that, it's not necessarily going to be pointless.
 

Calverz

Member
ok,i uderstand some of you cant accept reallity,but thats a very myopic point of view,kinect was the demise of the lastt good bits of the xbox 360 legcy,and they reaped all of that shit until that day but 30 millions...thanks for making me have a good laugh
I stated a fact. I didnt say anything else. Well done jumping to conclusions
 

Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
Internet (before info released):
"We want something new and innovative"

The Initiative doing something differerent.

Internet (still before any info released):
"Micro$oft sucks"

Sites like NeoGAF skew towards franchises, and safe predictable gameplay routines. It's always felt like the majority wanted The Initiative to copy the Uncharted formula with Perfect Dark or another IP.
 
Wait for the announcement folks.

"This is gonna be bad, a level of bad where people give up on Xbox Game Studios"

That right there is suspect. The game could still be episodic but that dig... lol. Reminds of DuskGolem.
 
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Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
giphy.gif


Why would you do this to yourself? Why?

Because game makers don't view "internet criticism" as bad. Fortnite is one of the most derided games out there but insert Woody Harrelson wiping tears with money gif here.

They view business models based on the wider demo, not based on what 12,000 annoying gatekeepers want.
 

Hendrick's

If only my penis was as big as my GamerScore!
They are definitely not making a "Sony game". The studio is too small and too new to make something like GoW or Uncharted. I'm honestly expecting more experimental and smaller experiences, but hopefully still with super high production values.
 
Because game makers don't view "internet criticism" as bad. Fortnite is one of the most derided games out there but insert Woody Harrelson wiping tears with money gif here.

They view business models based on the wider demo, not based on what 12,000 annoying gatekeepers want.
I get that. I was referring more to the guy, before anyone has even seen the game, throwing out all the negative vibes about it. Give it a chance first.
 
D

Deleted member 471617

Unconfirmed Member
I'm hoping for Perfect Dark to be an AAA action stealth based third person shooter with a great story and characters but im not expecting this whatsoever. At this point, just have to wait and see what happens.
 
4chan Leaks:
Perfect Dark It's an episodic 3rd person stealth game with optional coop, getting announced at The Game Awards. it plays similar to splinter cell with its own twists. trailer song is No Church in the wild by Kanye West.
Volume one releases on Christmas eve, completely free on Game Pass. each episode is split into 12 episodes and each season is 5 volumes.
Its not going to be like a Telltale game, its very cinematic without having cutscenes and stuff like that. Think of it like a new vegas that continues to evolve. it starts small and it just gets content added to it the longer its out. The Initiative also plans on doing a lot of experimentation with some of the volumes. they have another game in development I'm not going to share today since I'm sharing too much, just think of this as quite possibly the first good games as a service game. They've mastered making quality content in a short manner like no other studio I did contract work with.
don't worry about people not returning, from what I've test we've got the fucking gameplay down to perfection. story also is going to end on some cliffhangers per volume, and each episode has been replayed endlessly to ensure players will have a lot of fun replaying it over and over. It's designed to be mastered like hitman. Microsoft also has some huge plans for advertising with this one, big sports games and stuff like that.
https://boards.4channel.org/v/thread/534745837/perfect-dark-its-an-episodic-3rd-person-stealth
 

oldergamer

Member
This sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, but in many ways unsurprising for MGS.

You put together an all-star dev team, declare it a "AAAA studio" and hype it up to kingdom come. Pretend all first-party devs have carte-blanche full creative freedom, and then reality sets in when the proof in the pudding is revealed to be some single-A or AA episodic afterthought game.

Honestly, at this rate I fear for both Obsidian and all Zenimax studios.
What a load of bs dude. You are seriously stretching for negatives.
 
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