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Do you Microsoft to invest into buying more studios or do you want them to use their resources and make new studios?
- Thread starter Derktron
- Start date
TheThreadsThatBindUs
Member
They’re big enough as it is with Bethesda. They need to focus on delivering with the studios they now own.
Endless rapid expansion will only lead to eventual collapse.
Every major world empire in history should have taught us this important lesson by now.
Endless rapid expansion will only lead to eventual collapse.
Every major world empire in history should have taught us this important lesson by now.
Derktron
Banned
Lol that statement can be argued by what Nintendo is doing by going strong on sales of the Switch.
Derktron
Banned
I agree I think they need to focus on what they have now and make sure their current studios make great games for them.
Hendrick's
If only my penis was as big as my GamerScore!
I haven't seen this happen with any of their recent acquisitions. I think their hands off philosophy is smart in that regard.
CatLady
Selfishly plays on Xbox Purr-ies X
No doubt just look at the 2nd reply.
Anyway I voted 50/50. Do it all, I'm mainly Xbox only with Switch on the side. I much prefer Xbox games to the typical Sony 1st party games so I want them to give lots of great 1st party games.
phil_t98
#SonyToo
Didn’t Sony buy studios to get to that point? Same thing
Aion002
Member
Buy. They need more games and they need it quickly.
I bought an SS on launch week and I didn't play on it a single next gen game...The Medium releasing on january 28th will be the first Xbox next gen game and this is ridiculous.
MS needs more games and they don't have the luxury of building up new studios, in my opinion they need to be quicker.
I bought an SS on launch week and I didn't play on it a single next gen game...The Medium releasing on january 28th will be the first Xbox next gen game and this is ridiculous.
MS needs more games and they don't have the luxury of building up new studios, in my opinion they need to be quicker.
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bxrz
Member
It took them 3 years to do this lol really?
N1tr0sOx1d3
Given another chance
Fair point. This is true. EA on the other hand
oldergamer
Member
MS has been expanding and growing the teams they have prior and after purchasing Zenimax. Many have moved into new office spaces or opened satellite studios. As panjev said, they grow them based on being comfortable with how they are managed and the overall quality of output.
There really is no reason to not also purchase new studios. They can do both.
There really is no reason to not also purchase new studios. They can do both.
Azelover
Titanic was called the Ship of Dreams, and it was. It really was.
I don't think they need to buy so many studios. In my opinion, it would be best to make partnerships with independent developers who are talented. And if it works, then maybe make an investment.
If you buy the companies outright, you're stuck with them. And not only that, these kind of acquisitions tend to cause erosions of talent.
If you buy the companies outright, you're stuck with them. And not only that, these kind of acquisitions tend to cause erosions of talent.
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It sure looks like it, because anytime an MS game is announced people stumble over themselves to tell everyone how they will play that non-exclusive on pc, just to reinforce that they won't buy an xbox.I forgot Windows PC are where ALL non Xbox console gamers are, right....
Daffy Duck
Member
Which Wednesday is it they buy Sega?
Bernkastel
Ask me about my fanboy energy!
Both the statements are false. Initiative and World Edge have not shipped any games, so Coalition is the last studio they made. 343i is older than all them, but still newer than Turn 10.
None of the Crackdown games were made by any first party studio(Realtime Worlds, Ruffian Games and Sumo Digital).
MistBreeze
Member
they have now like what?? 23 studios???
they have maybe too much now
they better stop expanding otherwise it will lead to management issues and it is the last thing they want
they have maybe too much now
they better stop expanding otherwise it will lead to management issues and it is the last thing they want
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Decontamination Silo
Banned
343i is the poster child for the notion "money can't make games". It takes a visionary leader(s). Ubisoft does this a lot. All the Ubi franchises have become unmoored from their creators and they now exist in a state where they're being made, but no one loves the projects.
I suspect GTA6 will suffer dearly from the loss of Houser.
Maybe you can buy some visionaries? Worked for EA bringing West and Zampella back in the fold with Respawn. But these people are few and far between.
I hope Outer Worlds 2 gets big funding. The first was kinda bare bones, but it's the first time in recent memory Obsidian dropped a big game with no glaring technical bugs. A great "proof of concept" that should encourage a big budget sequel.
I suspect GTA6 will suffer dearly from the loss of Houser.
Maybe you can buy some visionaries? Worked for EA bringing West and Zampella back in the fold with Respawn. But these people are few and far between.
I hope Outer Worlds 2 gets big funding. The first was kinda bare bones, but it's the first time in recent memory Obsidian dropped a big game with no glaring technical bugs. A great "proof of concept" that should encourage a big budget sequel.
yurinka
Member
I think that with the 'recent' purchases, MS already has enough studios for the future specially if they grow them to give them extra budget and maybe create more dev teams working at the same time inside them.
But they will need time to release their first games created since the start under the MS banner, because it takes time to make big games. If MS needs something, would be some big AAA exclusives for the next couple of years, because I think beyond that they will have it covered.
And they don't have time to cover these couple of year with new studios, because to grow a new studio needs more time than to buy an existing one who has their game ready to be published. Another, more realistic option would be to pay some 3rd party to make (probably timed) console exclusive some game that was planned to be multi. But this an be unpopular when done with well known AAA multi brand that may be more associated with other console (as happened with Tomb Raider). Obviously they can also try it with indies, for the prize of a huge AAA they can make (timed?) console exclusive several great indies.
But they will need time to release their first games created since the start under the MS banner, because it takes time to make big games. If MS needs something, would be some big AAA exclusives for the next couple of years, because I think beyond that they will have it covered.
And they don't have time to cover these couple of year with new studios, because to grow a new studio needs more time than to buy an existing one who has their game ready to be published. Another, more realistic option would be to pay some 3rd party to make (probably timed) console exclusive some game that was planned to be multi. But this an be unpopular when done with well known AAA multi brand that may be more associated with other console (as happened with Tomb Raider). Obviously they can also try it with indies, for the prize of a huge AAA they can make (timed?) console exclusive several great indies.
supernova8
Banned
I want them to finally do something with the studios they already have.
I mean just look at this, it's ridiculous.
I mean they've been around since the original Xbox (ie they're only technically one generation later than Playstation to the console party) and the memorable Xbox exclusive franchises I can think of (without actually making an effort to remember) are:
Halo
Forza
Gears of War
Dead Rising (until it went multiplat for DR2)
Project Gotham (they canned it)
Fable
Crackdown
Alan Wake
Chronicles of Riddick (for me but maybe not for everyone, I loved it)
Ninety Nine Nights
Lost Odyssey
Sunset Overdrive
Blue Dragon
Ninja Gaiden
Chromehounds
Steel Battalion
Dead or Alive (3 and 4 were exclusive for Xbox and X360 respectively)
Saints Row (was originally exclusive for Xbox 360)
Amped 3
Look at how many of those games are either a mess now or just don't really exist anymore.
Part of it is probably the Xbox One not selling as well as people hoped and 3rd party support/willingness to release exclusives on Xbox suffering, and I guess Microsoft/Xbox either failed to or didn't want to money-hat those exclusives.
Xbox 360 was the best Xbox generation by far but think now what does Xbox have to be excited about? A bunch of studios, a few pre-recorded CGI "cinematic teaser world premiere cinematic teaser" trailers...?
Buying more studios isn't going to help. Just get the damn games out the door and please establish some genuinely long-standing franchises beyond Halo, Forza and Gears of War.
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Actually the more studios they buy the better chance to establish new tentpole games. It is about not only buying big publishers like zenimax but small studios with strong leadership like inexile and pump resources into them so they can grow and flourish. The mistake of the 360 era was all the timed exclusives not owning anything or building up studios put them in this spot where they are rebuilding the first party from the ashes. Rebuilding takes time and no one likes that but the pay off is much greater than a couple of timed exclusives. A constant stream of content once things get rolling versus one or 2 games.
Decontamination Silo
Banned
360 made it's mark with Xbox Live and third party games though.
Codes 208
Member
Did they not buy coalition back they were black tusk?
Edit: yes and no, they started off independent making Facebook games as zipline studios before being approached by ms and later becoming black tusk studios and then coalition when they became the gears equivalent to 343i
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TheThreadsThatBindUs
Member
And yet they launched not one but two next-gen consoles without any first party exclusive games.
There’s clearly still a lot of work they need to do to get their existing dev houses in order. Buying up more studios when your studio management doesn’t even have the bandwidth to properly manage the existing ones isn’t really a sure recipe for success.
BattleScar
Member
Shouldn't really want any company to buy up IP and developers. It just leads to commoditisation of franchises. Just a constant haze of unoriginal high-budget noise.
See: The Walt Disney Company and what they did with Star Wars and seem to be doing with their own fucking properties too now. Even the much loved Marvel was mostly vanilla shite outside of a handful.
See: The Walt Disney Company and what they did with Star Wars and seem to be doing with their own fucking properties too now. Even the much loved Marvel was mostly vanilla shite outside of a handful.
Kenshin775
Member
I think this is why people would welcome MS acquiring Sega the same way people were ok with Sony acquiring Insomniac or the rumors that Sony will buy Bluepoint. MS and Sega have worked together for years dating back to the Dreamcast. Also MS has made deals to bring games from both Sega's japanese and western studios, Sega even made a Halo game. Regarding Japan, when MS made their first Xbox they were like the new kid sitting alone all by himself at the lunch table, Sega was like the only major japanese publisher that would sit at the same table.
bxrz
Member
And Halo 3/Gears/Bioshock/Mass Effect
Bernkastel
Ask me about my fanboy energy!
They were never 3rd party in the first place. Zipline was always a first party studio.
Microsoft has a new studio in Vancouver, working on a AAA Kinect shooter
This siyrobbo's post in a thread about Microsoft's, Nintendo' and Sony's current internal projects has brought my attention to the existence of a new Microsoft Games Studio in Vancouver. It seems to be called Zipline Studios (not to be be confused with Zipline Games), and their official website...
Decontamination Silo
Banned
Eh, I still think COD, Madden and Spongebob had more to do with it's success. 360 would have been equally successful without any of the titles you mentioned.
Yes that Sony monopoly would be awesome for customers. I.am sure most here would love the guys at Sony bringing back that old Nintendo seal of approval for content and new levels of censorship. Jacking up prices of royalties which would raise the prices of non Sony games. The prices of hardware not dropping with Sony being the only game in town. No thanks you can hate all you want but Microsoft is the last competitor Sony has left.
CatLady
Selfishly plays on Xbox Purr-ies X
WTF are you babbling about? The last time they made AAA studios was Playground 2 and The initiative. WAY after 343 and the studio that made Crackdown which is also not 1st party studio.
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toxiichollow
Member
Microsoft already said they’re looking into buying more game companies.
Trogdor1123
Gold Member
Makes more sense in the long run to grow them internally
Panajev2001a
GAF's Pleasant Genius
Sony Japan worked quite close with SEGA too, it’s mostly SEGA fans that fled to Xbox when SEGA quit the HW market.
Burythelight
Member
I don't mind if microsoft buy little studios in difficult situations. Anyway it's time to bring games and not to talk.
Burythelight
Member
Because microsoft studio management was shit last generation. Maybe you and the others, are not aware.
The_Mike
I cry about SonyGaf from my chair in Redmond, WA
Can you please explain me how Microsoft managed the studios during xbox 360 era? I haven't heard anything about it so I'm curious.
Werewolfgrandma
Banned
Ah yes emulating Sony is a good idea. They have had a lot of success with this strategy.
RebellYell
Banned
I want Microsoft to buy Square Enix and send the weebs into a complete meltdown.
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Codes 208
Member
I wrote that while I was half asleep, Bernkastel already has you covered on that argument.
RebellYell
Banned
Imagine Liquid Phil coming out on stage at the Microsoft conference @ E3 2022 in a Kingdom Hearts Tee and a Sepiroth wig to announce that Dragon Quest XII will be an Xbox console exclusive.
Weeb suicides would be up 950% for that Month alone.
Weeb suicides would be up 950% for that Month alone.
Derktron
Banned
More like Capcom.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
Build your own great studios instead of paying to take devs (or entire publishers) and their games away from competing platforms. The first benefits Xbox gamers, the second only hurts PlayStation gamers and benefits nobody (except MS).
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Burythelight
Member
Imagine if they sell only dudebro games for fat american player oh wait...
TheMay30thMan
Member
Are they not using their resources to make new studios through acquisition?