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[IbizaPocholo]

Phil Spencer Was a Big Reason Why Obsidian Joined Xbox

The Outer Worlds and Grounded developer Obsidian reveals what made it join Xbox's ever-expanding list of prominent developers back in 2018.

gamerant.com

Speaking in a recent interview, Obsidian Studio Head Feargus Urquhart said that the company wanted to prioritize maintaining its creative freedom in making games. Urquhart was unsure at first whether Microsoft would allow this. However, it seems that Xbox boss Phil Spencer put those fears to rest. While Microsoft and Xbox executives convinced Urquhart to have his studio join the team at the gaming giant, Phil Spencer's attitude towards gaming was what sealed the deal.

Spencer came across as "authentic," according to Urquhart, and as someone who genuinely "loves games." This attitude has been recognized by others in the gaming community as well.

 

[EGOMON]

Lol yeah sure and not the truck load of money

 

[Sosokrates]

Spencers, Xbox's and Microsofts goals are pretty transparent at this point and Spencer seems direct and humble.

Getting aquired by them is a good deal for devs.

 

[The Pleasure]

Phil Spencer Was a Big Reason Why Obsidian Joined Xbox

The Outer Worlds and Grounded developer Obsidian reveals what made it join Xbox's ever-expanding list of prominent developers back in 2018.

gamerant.com

Speaking in a recent interview, Obsidian Studio Head Feargus Urquhart said that the company wanted to prioritize maintaining its creative freedom in making games. Urquhart was unsure at first whether Microsoft would allow this. However, it seems that Xbox boss Phil Spencer put those fears to rest. While Microsoft and Xbox executives convinced Urquhart to have his studio join the team at the gaming giant, Phil Spencer's attitude towards gaming was what sealed the deal.

Spencer came across as "authentic," according to Urquhart, and as someone who genuinely "loves games." This attitude has been recognized by others in the gaming community as well.

I needed a laugh while taking a shit. Thanks!

 

[March Climber]

Phil put nearly all of his points into persuasion and barter.

 

[Kokoloko85]

Man if I had the blank cheque Phil got compared to Don Id be buying loads of studios too.

I wonder if Don did get the same go ahead money from MS. Seems like none of the others had the same dosh

 

[The Pleasure]

Phil put nearly all of his points into persuasion and barter.

Which was a great move because he's like Adam Sandler in his ability to spend people's money.

 

[Chukhopops]

Spencers, Xbox's and Microsofts goals are pretty transparent at this point and Spencer seems direct and humble.

Getting aquired by them is a good deal for devs.

His plan was clearly to create the absolute best non-J RPG lineup between Obsidian, Bethesda and inXile. I’m sure they also approached Larian and Owlcat but they weren’t selling.

Phil put nearly all of his points into persuasion and barter.

40 base Charisma
40 base Luck

Didn’t even need to put any points in it.

 

[Robb]

Spencer came across as "rich” […] and as someone who genuinely "has a lot of money to offer."

This is how I read it. I’m sure Phil is a good negotiator as well though.

 

[nush]

Sucking up to the boss 101.

 

[sinnergy]

All the negative posters! Keep up the good work!

 

[Sosokrates]

His plan was clearly to create the absolute best non-J RPG lineup between Obsidian, Bethesda and inXile. I’m sure they also approached Larian and Owlcat but they weren’t selling.

40 base Charisma
40 base Luck

Didn’t even need to put any points in it.

Not only RPG, but when the acti-blizz deal is done, they will have some of the best FPS's along with racing games and 3rd person action games. They even have a horror studio with tango.
There 1st party size, quality and diversity will be unprecedented in the gaming industry.

 

[In Cold Blood]

Phil Spencer is a man for all occasions.

 

[Craig of War]

He is also the reason why Kojima San is making a game with Xbox Game Studio publishing

 

[MadPanda]

Man if I had the blank cheque Phil got compared to Don Id be buying loads of studios too.

I wonder if Don did get the same go ahead money from MS. Seems like none of the others had the same dosh

If he had he would've put all of that into Kinect. He was a man responsible for setting the course for Xbox and his course was Kinect and TV. Phil changed their course and Phil convinced Satya (Microsoft CEO) and Amy Hood (CFO) to buy mojang and later on to invest in gamepass and other studios. Of course they would give his such financial backing when he presented a clear and prosperous vision and he did that in times when Satya was questioning why Microsoft was even in console business. That's his biggest achievement and that's why he's praised so much, not for buying these studios. This is all well documented if you want to read further.

 

[sircaw]

Phil Spencer Was a Big Reason Why Obsidian Joined Xbox

The Outer Worlds and Grounded developer Obsidian reveals what made it join Xbox's ever-expanding list of prominent developers back in 2018.

gamerant.com

Speaking in a recent interview, Obsidian Studio Head Feargus Urquhart said that the company wanted to prioritize maintaining its creative freedom in making games. Urquhart was unsure at first whether Microsoft would allow this. However, it seems that Xbox boss Phil Spencer put those fears to rest. While Microsoft and Xbox executives convinced Urquhart to have his studio join the team at the gaming giant, Phil Spencer's attitude towards gaming was what sealed the deal.

Spencer came across as "authentic," according to Urquhart, and as someone who genuinely "loves games." This attitude has been recognized by others in the gaming community as well.

 

[The Pleasure]

He is also the reason why Kojima San is making a game with Xbox Game Studio publishing

Nutella needa to cut Phil off before Kojima spends the entire budget making a pog delivery simulator in the prison system starring Samuel L Jackson and featuring Norman Reedus.

 

[Vognerful]

Uncle Phil mojo baby

 

[DavJay]

No matter who you don’t sell out for one guy because if he ever left for some reason you are stuck forever.

 

[Gojiira]

Not only RPG, but when the acti-blizz deal is done, they will have some of the best FPS's along with racing games and 3rd person action games. They even have a horror studio with tango.
There 1st party size, quality and diversity will be unprecedented in the gaming industry.

‘Quality’ Lol, and yet despite this so called ‘quality’ Xbox still has the weakest lineup of the big three. Obsidian is so far the only interesting/quality producing dev in their lineup.
Of course denial seems inherent in Xbox and its fans lol

 

[Bloobs]

 

[jigglet]

Well Phil would have been easy to take at his word, since they've been so hands-off on all post-Rare acquisitions.

Whether this is a good thing or not remains to be seen though.

Sometimes studios need a bit of hand-holding. Remember when Activision said they would not dictate what each of the three COD studios were working on? Then we ended up with 3 futuristic games in a row. Sometimes you just need oversight (*cough 343i cough*).

 

[Gavon West]

Phil definitely is a BIG reason why Xbox has had the turn around its had. Especially when you consider most of the changes took place in a few short years, After the Actiblizzard deal, Xbox will have the best stable of first party developers in the business, with some of the biggest IP's in the industry. Shit is crazy when you think about it.

Shit, just thinking they own Doom, Oblivion, Skyrim, Starfield...and soon CoD and a bunch of others. Damn...

 

[Sosokrates]

‘Quality’ Lol, and yet despite this so called ‘quality’ Xbox still has the weakest lineup of the big three. Obsidian is so far the only interesting/quality producing dev in their lineup.
Of course denial seems inherent in Xbox and its fans lol

Last year they were metacritics publisher of the year.

And there line up for the next 12 months is the best imo.

2022 has been quiet but covid has effected everyone.

Also game preference is highly subjective.

So you really are barking up the wrong tree here.

 

[Denton]

Microsoft has been historically terrible with their aquisitions, but I do believe that MS since Spencer got appointed is mostly hands-off.

The problem is, judging by how problematic the development of Avowed has been, maybe they should actually be more hands on.

 

[Gojiira]

Last year they were metacritics publisher of the year.

And there line up for the next 12 months is the best imo.

2022 has been quiet but covid has effected everyone.

Also game preference is highly subjective.

So you really are barking up the wrong tree here.

Not really.
Game preference is indeed subjective, but Im sorry to tell you but nothing has come out of MS’ rampant acquisitions besides a few middling first party releases. They can publish as much Forza and Indies as they want but it doesnt stop their current lineup and future lineup from being bland.
Until Avowed at least.

 

[nominedomine]

Microsoft has been historically terrible with their aquisitions, but I do believe that MS since Spencer got appointed is mostly hands-off.

The problem is, judging by how problematic the development of Avowed has been, maybe they should actually be more hands on.

Phil Spencer was made head of MS Game Studios 14 years ago, why do people have such a hard time remembering this?

 

[Neofire]

You mean to tell me that big ass check they wrote wasn't the reason?

 

[Denton]

Phil Spencer was made head of MS Game Studios 14 years ago, why do people have such a hard time remembering this?

He was made leader of gaming at MS only after Mattrick left in 2013. And then it took a couple years before the acquisition spree really began.

 

[El Pistolero]

Phil definitely is a BIG reason why Xbox has had the turn around its had. Especially when you consider most of the changes took place in a few short years, After the Actiblizzard deal, Xbox will have the best stable of first party developers in the business, with some of the biggest IP's in the industry. Shit is crazy when you think about it.

Shit, just thinking they own Doom, Oblivion, Skyrim, Starfield...and soon CoD and a bunch of others. Damn...

That's what happens when you have tens, if not hundreds of billions of dollars at your disposal...People act as if MS invented time travel...They simply have been buying their way to the top, or at least been trying to.

 

[nominedomine]

He was made leader of gaming at MS only after Mattrick left in 2013. And then it took a couple years before the acquisition spree really began.

Head of MS Game Studios is what I said (general manager of Microsoft Studios was the title I think, so the top guy there answering directly to Don Mattrick and he even got promoted one year later), a similar position to what Herman Hulst has today at Sony or that Shuhei Yoshida use to have at that time, so pretty high up. Phil gets all the credit when something works out and none of the blame when it doesn't.

Why pretend he wasn't there all along in a high up position? You think Don Mattrick made all the decision by himself? Also Don Mattrick left almost 10 years ago as well.

 

[PharaoTutAnchAmun]

This is how I read it. I’m sure Phil is a good negotiator as well though.

Money makes the world go round.....

 

[In Cold Blood]

As good as Microsoft money was for Obsidian, Obsidian has been good for MS.
They have four games in development, The Outer Worlds 2, Pentament, Avowed and Grounded, and they have the ability to take a number of Bethesda IP and do just as good a job with them.
Grounded has done really well for the amount of staff that built it, Pentament is actually really interesting to me from the story of it, and I enjoyed TOW as well.

 

[Gavon West]

That's what happens when you have tens, if not hundreds of billions of dollars at your disposal...People act as if MS invented time travel...They simply have been buying their way to the top, or at least been trying to.

Reading comprehension. How does that work?

I never doubted Microsoft had money. Of course they do. Phil spencer was the man that got Microsoft to invest money into Xbox. Sony would do the same if they had the money Microsoft has. So would Nintendo. I'm surprised so many have an issue with what Microsoft is doing. 1 to 1, Sony nor Nintendo can compete with Microsoft financially.

And I wouldnt say their "trying" to do anything. They're literally in the middle of purchasing one of the biggest publishers in the industry for $70 billion. Before Activision, they bought another publisher for $7 billion.

 

[Zok310]

I swore i was because of the money

 

[Markio128]

Yeah, the main reason why I joined the company I work for is because of the boss, and nothing to do with the money /s

 

[mejin]

Phil said " You can be right or you can be rich! What say you, Obsidian?"

Obsidian "What an authentic Man!"

 

[Gavon West]

To add, Sony has been making purchases as well with plans to make more acquisitions. Are we just going to ignore this, er?

 

[Sosokrates]

Not really.
Game preference is indeed subjective, but Im sorry to tell you but nothing has come out of MS’ rampant acquisitions besides a few middling first party releases. They can publish as much Forza and Indies as they want but it doesnt stop their current lineup and future lineup from being bland.
Until Avowed at least.

Yeah games take time. And again your wrong. There acquisitions have got them forza horizon 4 + 5, and because of pre existing contracts deathloop + ghostwire are on ps5 for a year and psychonauts 2 was multiplatform. But that will soon change, sony wont be able to moneyhat those devs and there others devs games are coming, (games take time.)

But u say its going to bland, but u say its subjective. Well there devs have a good track record with meta scores and are very popular so objectively they will have the best first party by those metrics by the time this gen is done.

And you just ignore that ms were publisher of the year in 2021, so your argument has no merit.

 

[CitizenZ]

Not the check, but because of PS, WTF ever.

 

[adamsapple]

 

[nominedomine]

And you just ignore that ms were publisher of the year in 2021, so your argument has no merit.

Always this line, publisher of the year was never a thing until MS apparently won it. Are they going to win it again in 2022? Did they ever won it before?

 

[iceatcs]

He's the guy will go ahead for a long term breaks. OR request to pause the project and he will allow that.

I think devs view him as anti-crush.

 

[spons]

Phil's origins are in PC gaming, of course he likes Western RPGs. He's basically acting out his childhood dreams, and who am I to blame him.

 

[Teslerum]

Everyone here: LOLZ ItS MoNeY.liE

Meanwhile realtity: Obsidian is making Grounded and Pentiment. Two projects that are purely passion ones by small teams.

Name another publisher that would have allowed Obsidian to also produce these 2.

You know money can be an insenstive, that doesn’t mean the article isn’t true.

 

[Hezekiah]

Last year they were metacritics publisher of the year.

And there line up for the next 12 months is the best imo.

2022 has been quiet but covid has effected everyone.

Also game preference is highly subjective.

So you really are barking up the wrong tree here.

 

[Hendrick's]

Well deserved praise and on Father's Day. All your green rat children are proud of you papa Phil.

 

[Laptop1991]

Will judge it after Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 are released, hopefully more money will makes these games really good.

 

[splattered]

So much salt in this thread lmao

 

[K2D]

I bet there is a clause, an option for them to buy themselves out if they ever wanted to. Like Bungie did. Same for Bethesda?