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Xbox Games Studios - 2021 and beyond

MiguelItUp

Member
I'd hope for a Quake reboot before another Doom game, also I can't see Forza Horizon and Forza 8 launching in the same year, either one comes this year or they are 2022/2023
Apparently Ancient Gods Part 2 is meant to tie up a bunch of lore in the DOOM 2016/Eternal. So, I wouldn't be surprised if we'll see another game before we see another DOOM game. Hoping it's Quake.
 
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I have hardly seen a bigger graphical showcase than Hivebusters to date. That game looks too good to be true on an OLED. And butter smooth 60fps.
I'd say keep it up for Gears 6 and improve on an already pretty good story.
It is lacking that X-factor that games like God of War have, not sure what could be improved or done to achieve this, but it is needed to put Gears in the position the original trilogy was in.
 

Leyasu

Banned
I have hardly seen a bigger graphical showcase than Hivebusters to date. That game looks too good to be true on an OLED. And butter smooth 60fps.
I'd say keep it up for Gears 6 and improve on an already pretty good story.
Yep, even for a cross gen game, hivebusters looks incredible.

If the coalition use the UE5 engine for gears 6 (which I think they will), then I can see this being something special grfx wise.

OP, some of those dates seem.... optimistic
 

Romulus

Member
They had like 5 studios 3 years ago. People really need to chill with the ridicilous hyperbole.


Every year since abt 2010 it's been about "next year xbox is stepping outside the Gears, halo, Forza" rinse and repeat and theres barely been anything of substance in that time.


 

Calverz

Member
And Psychonauts 2 is on PS5 too.

If you want to count Bethesda as Microsoft first-party, they have two more 2021 games - Deathloop and Ghostwire Tokyo. 🤣
Which is really great news toad as it lines microsofts pockets to spend on more studio acquisitions. 👍🏻
 
You have no idea what you're talking about. Developers are not scaling up for better specs, they make games for them and then scale down for low spec machines. XSS is not holding back high end consoles.

Receipts?
Pc dev after pc dev has said many times they target minimum
Specs and then scale shit up.

Same was done with the mid gen refresh last gen. so why all of a sudden is it targeting highest spec
And scaling down?
 

Perrott

Gold Member
I couldn't find a thread like this;

343 IndustriesHalo Infinite, 2021
The CoalitionGears 6(?), 2022/23
Compulsion GamesTBA, TBC
Double Fine ProductionsPsychonauts 2, 2021/ Next Project TBA, TBC
The InitiativePerfect Dark, 2022
inXile EntertainmentAAA Steampunk Project, 2023/24
Mojang StudiosMinecraft
Ninja TheoryHellblade 2/2022, Project Mara/2023
Obsidian EntertainmentAvowed, 2023
Playground GamesForza Horizon 5/2022, Fable/2022
RareEverwild, 2022
Turn 10 StudiosForza 8, 2022
Undead LabsState of Decay 3, 2022
World's EdgeAge of Empires 4, 2021
Arkane StudiosDishonored 3, 2023
BethesdaTES6/2022, StarField/2021(?), Fallout 2023 (?)
id Softwarenew Doom game 2022, Quake reboot 2023 (?)
Machine GamesWolfenstein 3 2023, Indiana Jones 2023 (?)
RoundhousePrey (2023)
TangoTBA/TBC

Potentially (some assumptions based on rumours and assuming that Zenimax deal will close without issues) there might be between 25-30 games being developed by Xbox Games Studios, most are AAA projects and all will be GamePass Day 1.
Starfield in 2021, The Elder Scrolls VI in 2022 and Fallout 5 in 2023? Absolutely no way.

Same for "new DOOM in 2022" as Eternal took much longer than that, nearly four years. Also, I don't think Roundhouse is working on Prey and Arkane Austin on Dishonored 3, both seem to be busy with new IP it seems.
 
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magaman

Banned
You have no idea what you're talking about. Developers are not scaling up for better specs, they make games for them and then scale down for low spec machines. XSS is not holding back high end consoles.
You are talking out of your ass, and that's a 100% fact. Developers have literally said the XSS is holding them back, generating bottlenecks, and/or creating additional unnecessary work to meet minimum specs. Here are just a few examples. Your argument is completely nullified with a simple Google search:

 
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The_Mike

I cry about SonyGaf from my chair in Redmond, WA
Only Halo Infinite, Psychonauts 2 and Age of Empires 4 for 2021?

Should’ve launched the console next year instead and used the extra time to improve the specs.
Agreed. Given only three games is available the first year its pretty bad.

If you ignore there will be third party games. Let's not overrate exclusives. The average soccer mom kid plays CoD, gta or Fifa anyway.

You are talking out of your ass, and that's a 100% fact. Developers have literally said the XSS is holding them back, generating bottlenecks, and/or creating additional unnecessary work to meet minimum specs. Here are just a few examples. Your argument is completely nullified with a simple Google search:

It's about time console owners get to feel how it's like to be dragged down by the lowest hardware.

Just like pc is suffering.
 
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Greggy

Member
It is lacking that X-factor that games like God of War have, not sure what could be improved or done to achieve this, but it is needed to put Gears in the position the original trilogy was in.
Just better marketing (or any of it for that matter) and bigger focus on a single charismatic hero a la Master chief. Go back to Marcus or focus on his son.
 

Fredrik

Member
Agreed. Given only three games is available the first year its pretty bad.

If you ignore there will be third party games. Let's not overrate exclusives. The average soccer mom kid plays CoD, gta or Fifa anyway.
Pretty bad?
There are late ports, updates and DLC but as far as I know this is the first time ever that a console has launched without a single new 1st party game. Won’t even be one there in the launch window.

And personally I can’t believe they only had planned to have Halo there.
What if you don’t like first person shooters?

It’s really an astronomically badly planned launch, I know it’s out to cockblock Sony or something but it’s really not doing a good job at all since even multiplats run worse on the Series consoles.

And don’t take me for some trolling Sony fanboy here, I don’t have a PS5 and I’ll do my best to wait for the Pro before I jump in there. I’m really just a disappointed XSX owner. The officially unsupported retail RetroArch is it’s saving grace for me. Don’t think you can get that any longer though.
 
D

Deleted member 471617

Unconfirmed Member
For 2021, I'm expecting Flight Simulator in August, Forza Horizon 5 in September, Wolfenstein III in October and Halo Infinite in November. I also wouldn't be surprised if Dying Light 2 becomes a full Xbox exclusive.
 

The Alien

Banned
I'm worried for gears 6. I loved the gears 5 campaign and had a lot of fun with it, but it needs something... different... to set it apart and propel gears back into the limelight.

Either a HUGE graphical showcase or a very personal gritty moving story. The gameplay was fantastic tho

CANNOT wait for Halo Infinite and Psychonauts 2
I agree.

They are making it in Unreal 5...so should look nice. Also expect to see even more open world gameplay, expanding on 5.

However, I do think that after Gears 6, a reboot may be in order.
 

The_Mike

I cry about SonyGaf from my chair in Redmond, WA
Pretty bad?
There are late ports, updates and DLC but as far as I know this is the first time ever that a console has launched without a single new 1st party game. Won’t even be one there in the launch window.

And personally I can’t believe they only had planned to have Halo there.
What if you don’t like first person shooters?

It’s really an astronomically badly planned launch, I know it’s out to cockblock Sony or something but it’s really not doing a good job at all since even multiplats run worse on the Series consoles.

And don’t take me for some trolling Sony fanboy here, I don’t have a PS5 and I’ll do my best to wait for the Pro before I jump in there. I’m really just a disappointed XSX owner. The officially unsupported retail RetroArch is it’s saving grace for me. Don’t think you can get that any longer though.

Was ps4 launch any different? From that launch I could only remember resogun being talked about. And indie games because Microsoft didn't have them at the time.

Also, Xbox is known for shooters and racing games, but yeah, halo infinite been delayed was technically for the better, but still bad judgment from Microsoft for not talizong how bad the project were graphic wise.

Not having a Forza as a launch is a weird choice as well. They have two series, and should've launched with at least one of them.

But does ps5 have any exclusive atm, and any noteworthy besides Demon's Souls?

You could also put it like, if I dont like a punishing game like Demon's Souls, then is there a reason to buy a ps5 now?

I'm not getting either of the consoles, as I'm a PC Gamer, but I still find the subject interesting.
 

Fredrik

Member
Was ps4 launch any different? From that launch I could only remember resogun being talked about. And indie games because Microsoft didn't have them at the time.

Also, Xbox is known for shooters and racing games, but yeah, halo infinite been delayed was technically for the better, but still bad judgment from Microsoft for not talizong how bad the project were graphic wise.

Not having a Forza as a launch is a weird choice as well. They have two series, and should've launched with at least one of them.

But does ps5 have any exclusive atm, and any noteworthy besides Demon's Souls?

You could also put it like, if I dont like a punishing game like Demon's Souls, then is there a reason to buy a ps5 now?

I'm not getting either of the consoles, as I'm a PC Gamer, but I still find the subject interesting.
PS4 had Resogun and Killzone at the nov launch and The Order came in feb, and Second Son in march. Wasn’t great but wasn’t terrible either. You also had the definitive edition on all multiplats.

Sony’s 1st party studios have so far released Astro’s Playroom, Miles Morales, Demon’s Souls and Destruction Allstars on PS5. And there is also so far the definitive edition on most multiplats.

To me it seems like Microsoft stressed the launch, the hardware is great but the software situation is terrible.
I just realized that I haven’t played Gears Tactic though, I need to correct that asap.
 
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Pretty bad?
There are late ports, updates and DLC but as far as I know this is the first time ever that a console has launched without a single new 1st party game. Won’t even be one there in the launch window.

And personally I can’t believe they only had planned to have Halo there.
What if you don’t like first person shooters?

It’s really an astronomically badly planned launch, I know it’s out to cockblock Sony or something but it’s really not doing a good job at all since even multiplats run worse on the Series consoles.

And don’t take me for some trolling Sony fanboy here, I don’t have a PS5 and I’ll do my best to wait for the Pro before I jump in there. I’m really just a disappointed XSX owner. The officially unsupported retail RetroArch is it’s saving grace for me. Don’t think you can get that any longer though.

Fred, as much as it pains me to admit it, i have to agree (i mean, i've also spent 500$ for the Series X).
Also not a PS fanboy since, well, there's nothing in Sony's line-up so far that interests me besides Demon's Souls remake since i never was into platformers (Sackboy Adventures/the upcoming Ratchet and Clank) and HouseMarque's games, being able to play Ghost of Tsushima, The last Guardian and Days gone at 60fps would have been cool though i admit.

You know what's funny ? That i (and 2 of my other friends) got a Series console mostly due to the BC feature, i mean, here i am playing again Lost Planet 2 (online is still active !), the Gaiden trilogy (1&2 might as well be remastered editions with the X enhancements) , the Zone of the Enders and MGS trilogies etc etc.Frankly, i'm having the time of my life, is this why i spent 500 bucks though ?
Which brings me to : where's that touted "double framerate" feature/option that was supposed to come out ? I'm not kidding when i say that this is one of the main reasons i got my series console so early on since i usually wait 1 year for launch hardware's kinks to get ironed out.
Also, what about some new BC games ? There are still so many titles from the original xbox and Xbox 360 era that should be playable, man, what i wouldn't give for Otogi 1&2, Kingdom under fire : Circle of Doom, Lollipop Chainsaw, JSRF , Gun Valkyrie etc to be playable on the series consoles and at 60fps to boot (for those that didn't support it).
What i don't understand though is if this "framerate doubling" will be a generic/universal feature like the "auto-HDR" one or on a selected/ per game basis or, if it's gonna be available for all BC games (i.e: including xbox One) or OG xbox/Xbox 360 games only.

I'm reading online that MS has an online event/stream on the 20-something of February - really, really hope that they'll show some news about the whole BC thing.
 

Fredrik

Member
You know what's funny ? That i (and 2 of my other friends) got a Series console mostly due to the BC feature, i mean, here i am playing again Lost Planet 2 (online is still active !), the Gaiden trilogy (1&2 might as well be remastered editions with the X enhancements) , the Zone of the Enders and MGS trilogies etc etc.Frankly, i'm having the time of my life, is this why i spent 500 bucks though ?
Which brings me to : where's that touted "double framerate" feature/option that was supposed to come out ? I'm not kidding when i say that this is one of the main reasons i got my series console so early on since i usually wait 1 year for launch hardware's kinks to get ironed out.
Also, what about some new BC games ? There are still so many titles from the original xbox and Xbox 360 era that should be playable, man, what i wouldn't give for Otogi 1&2, Kingdom under fire : Circle of Doom, Lollipop Chainsaw, JSRF , Gun Valkyrie etc to be playable on the series consoles and at 60fps to boot (for those that didn't support it).
What i don't understand though is if this "framerate doubling" will be a generic/universal feature like the "auto-HDR" one or on a selected/ per game basis or, if it's gonna be available for all BC games (i.e: including xbox One) or OG xbox/Xbox 360 games only.

I'm reading online that MS has an online event/stream on the 20-something of February - really, really hope that they'll show some news about the whole BC thing.
First game I played through on XSX was Kameo lol
No doubled framerate though but I understand the thought there, there are many games worth revisiting.

But I would rather play new games. A new big Forza would be nice. A new Rare platformer, Banjo, Conker or a spiritual sequel to Donkey Kong Country. Just something. And maybe Killer Instinct 2. Feels like it was ages ago that MS 1st party released something big.
 

Leyasu

Banned
Pretty bad?
There are late ports, updates and DLC but as far as I know this is the first time ever that a console has launched without a single new 1st party game. Won’t even be one there in the launch window.

And personally I can’t believe they only had planned to have Halo there.
What if you don’t like first person shooters?

It’s really an astronomically badly planned launch, I know it’s out to cockblock Sony or something but it’s really not doing a good job at all since even multiplats run worse on the Series consoles.

And don’t take me for some trolling Sony fanboy here, I don’t have a PS5 and I’ll do my best to wait for the Pro before I jump in there. I’m really just a disappointed XSX owner. The officially unsupported retail RetroArch is it’s saving grace for me. Don’t think you can get that any longer though.
It is not trolling to criticise the series launch... I got one day one.

Obviously allowing their newly acquired studios time to finish their games in production had a massive impact on their ability to provide something for launch/launch window. 343 need a management change, and with all the stories of late dev kits and Phil stating that they had to wait for certain tech from AMD before mass production. It feels like this should have been a holiday 21 console.

Then again, it is understandable that they couldn't let Sony have a yr to themselves. Still, when you add it all together, you get the current situation, and people quite rightly criticising them
 
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PS4 had Resogun and Killzone at the nov launch and The Order came in feb, and Second Son in march. Wasn’t great but wasn’t terrible either. You also had the definitive edition on all multiplats.

Sony’s 1st party studios have so far released Astro’s Playroom, Miles Morales, Demon’s Souls and Destruction Allstars on PS5. And there is also so far the definitive edition on most multiplats.

And Sackboy.

Anyway, we should wait what will 343i will do in next few months.
 

Fredrik

Member
It is not trolling to criticise the series launch... I got one day one.

Obviously allowing their newly acquired studios time to finish their games in production had a massive impact on their ability to provide something for launch/launch window. 343 need a management change, and with all the stories of late dev kits and Phil stating that they had to wait for certain tech from AMD before mass production. It feels like this should have been a holiday 21 console.

Then again, it is understandable that they couldn't let Sony have a yr to themselves. Still, when you add it all together, you get the current situation, and people quite rightly criticising them
Exactly. Considering all bad reviews at launch about lacking games and DF/NX showing that performance isn’t where it should be yet, and having no 1st party games ready, possibly nothing major even in 2021, the sum of it really hurt the PR. And the snowball has been rolling at the wrong direction for 3 months now. It really shouldn’t have launched in 2020.
Wirst thing, they need to nail every single release going forward or people will laugh at them. Can they do that? X for doubt...
 

Fredrik

Member
And Sackboy.

Anyway, we should wait what will 343i will do in next few months.
Yeah sorry missed that. So then we have 5 first party games on PS5 so far. And on Series consoles we have... one? 😕

Anyway, people are thirsty, XSX is still out of stock in my country three months after launch so for now things aren’t looking too bad for the platform.

As for 343, I’m glad they delayed Halo since I wasn’t too happy about what they showed. I want some news though! Hopefully they hit it out of the park whenever it arrives!
 
I'm not even going to comment on release dates but yeah, Xbox are all set to potentially have their best generation yet. They now have a strong first party line up & a bunch of very exciting titles in development. Good times ahead.
 

j0hnnix

Member
OP is your real handle colteastwood?

So many studios but at this moment nothing yet to show for these acquisitions. MS better knock it out the park next few years. The exclusives seem enticing but the recently released medium was mediocre, my opinion. Halo Infinite was pushed into the closet due to its ugly child Craig.
Right now Sony just needs to drop GOW Ragnarok and that's enough to set the world a blaze.
 

Bernkastel

Ask me about my fanboy energy!
The "fantasy project" rumor came from Lisa Charriere's LinkedIn page.
unknown.png

It seems like the "fantasy project" was something she worked on Daybreak Game Company.
unknown.png

They probably are working on Prey 2.
 

mejin

Member
You mean hopefully 2022 and beyond.

Quantity wise it's a good output, but quality is still a problem.
 
The amount of incredible games which will be available this gen on Xbox is awesome. If they will also acquire Sega, in maximum 10 years no one will buy a PS anymore 😂
 
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Agreed. Given only three games is available the first year its pretty bad.

If you ignore there will be third party games. Let's not overrate exclusives. The average soccer mom kid plays CoD, gta or Fifa anyway.


It's about time console owners get to feel how it's like to be dragged down by the lowest hardware.

Just like pc is suffering.
I love the "the average joe and kid only plays cod and fifa" excuse. Does the average joe post on gaming enthusiastic forums? Is there a forum for soccer mums to discuss only COD?

I'm looking forward to that diablo style isometric tower shooter. But again, its just another low budget title.
 

FritzJ92

Member
They were on track for a much better launch but things came up and they had to work around it. It isn’t the best Xbox launch by far, but none of the consoles (PS5 or XSX) had a launch to brag about.
Sony launched with an OS lacking features promised, support for memory expansion and stability issues.
MS launched without any 1P games and their timed exclusives and 3P exclusives were all delayed. The Ascent, The Medium, Bright Memory Infinite.... made the launch seem weaker.
Also, waiting for AMD created incomplete dev kits... regardless both consoles were better off launching spring of this year or winter but I’m happy to catch up on my backlog until better games start rolling out
 
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PS4 had Resogun and Killzone at the nov launch and The Order came in feb, and Second Son in march. Wasn’t great but wasn’t terrible either. You also had the definitive edition on all multiplats.

Sony’s 1st party studios have so far released Astro’s Playroom, Miles Morales, Demon’s Souls and Destruction Allstars on PS5. And there is also so far the definitive edition on most multiplats.

To me it seems like Microsoft stressed the launch, the hardware is great but the software situation is terrible.
I just realized that I haven’t played Gears Tactic though, I need to correct that asap.
I wouldn't disagree with the assertion that both consoles have released with less than desirable elxcluves to showcase the hardware. XSX not having at least Halo is bad... Embarrassingly so.

Having said all that, it's not as if the PS5 has been significantly better. Astros Playroom is a tech demo for the dualsense. Miles Morales is an expansion that should've been available on PS4 for $20, but Sony decided to fleece it's userbase into upgrading in order to get it for double the price. And Demons Souls is a remake of a decade old game. That launch lineup could easily be argued to be better than Xbox's, but only marginally at best. 2 don't even qualify as full games, and the one that does is a ten year old game.

If you wish not to come off as a Sony fanboy as you previously stated, then maybe consider dropping the whole "definitive edition on most multiplats" schtick. It's one thing to argue that MS failed on the whole "Most powerful console ever" slogan, or that it hasn't met your expectations... But the narrative you're pushing there isn't fooling anyone.
 
I love the "the average joe and kid only plays cod and fifa" excuse. Does the average joe post on gaming enthusiastic forums? Is there a forum for soccer mums to discuss only COD?

I'm looking forward to that diablo style isometric tower shooter. But again, its just another low budget title.
It's really not an excuse if it's factual data related to the topic being discussed.

Are there forums for people to only discuss trends, sales data, and games of all types?
 

Heisenberg007

Gold Journalism
I've looked at the GamePass library and there's just too much filler for me to be interested in it, and I'm not looking for a host of AA games to play in my limited gaming time.
That has been one of my concerns as well. Yes, GamePass has a LOT of games to play. But does it have the games I want to play?

I pay $180 per year for GamePass, but then I still have to buy Assassin Creed Valhalla, Immortal Fenyx Rising, Demon's Souls, Spider-Man, Cyberpunk 2077, Control UE, Hitman 3, RDR2, etc., when they release.

If I purchase them, my gaming budget goes berserk. If I don't purchase them, I'll be filling my time with games that I don't really want to play. That's a double-edged sword. I'm glad GamePass is working so well for so many gamers, but I haven't been able to get past this problem yet.
 

Fredrik

Member
I wouldn't disagree with the assertion that both consoles have released with less than desirable elxcluves to showcase the hardware. XSX not having at least Halo is bad... Embarrassingly so.

Having said all that, it's not as if the PS5 has been significantly better. Astros Playroom is a tech demo for the dualsense. Miles Morales is an expansion that should've been available on PS4 for $20, but Sony decided to fleece it's userbase into upgrading in order to get it for double the price. And Demons Souls is a remake of a decade old game. That launch lineup could easily be argued to be better than Xbox's, but only marginally at best. 2 don't even qualify as full games, and the one that does is a ten year old game.

If you wish not to come off as a Sony fanboy as you previously stated, then maybe consider dropping the whole "definitive edition on most multiplats" schtick. It's one thing to argue that MS failed on the whole "Most powerful console ever" slogan, or that it hasn't met your expectations... But the narrative you're pushing there isn't fooling anyone.
I’m not pushing a narrative I’m just going by the comparisons by Digital Foundry and NX.

There were two reasons why I preordered the XSX -
1. I have Gamepass prepaid until mid 2022 and wanted the cheapest way to enter the new generation when it comes to software.
2. I wanted the best multiplat versions and assumed I would get that with what at the time was assumed to be the most powerful console.

1 came through, 2 did not. I think I’m in my right to be disappointed. So far only Hitman 3 and Control’s photomode has shown that XSX is more powerful, sometimes you see hints of the extra power but it always stumbles somehow and PS5 ends up with the most stable performance.

That said, no I don’t wish I had bought a PS5 instead. To be honest I think PS5 is an ugly beast of a console and the SSD is way too small for how I’m using the consoles and has no external alternative. Just nope. At this point, when the nextgen launch hype has died down, I’m starting to see the positives from how scalpers has helped me stay on the fence. Maybe I can actually wait for a revision or even a Pro instead, how far away can it be, 2023? But for that to work MS needs to get going and roll out some great software so I forget what I’m missing out on.
 

Outrunner

Member
That has been one of my concerns as well. Yes, GamePass has a LOT of games to play. But does it have the games I want to play?

I pay $180 per year for GamePass, but then I still have to buy Assassin Creed Valhalla, Immortal Fenyx Rising, Demon's Souls, Spider-Man, Cyberpunk 2077, Control UE, Hitman 3, RDR2, etc., when they release.

If I purchase them, my gaming budget goes berserk. If I don't purchase them, I'll be filling my time with games that I don't really want to play. That's a double-edged sword. I'm glad GamePass is working so well for so many gamers, but I haven't been able to get past this problem yet.

Exactly my view om GamePass. MS first party games are really not that great and I have zero interest in everything else on GamePass, the few good games there I already played somewhere else.
 
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