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Should Xbox take a break from Halo, Gears, and Forza(Motorsport) this new generation?

Should Microsoft give them a break?

  • Give Halo, Gears, and Forza Motorsport a break this new generation.

    Votes: 130 39.5%
  • Keep releasing Halo, Gears, and Forza Motorsport at the usual frequency.

    Votes: 199 60.5%

  • Total voters
    329
After Halo Infinite and Forza 8 obviously since those are coming soon and are already in development.

Halo, Gears, and Forza Motorsport were the top franchises in the industry at one point. They started the Xbox, and they were the backbone of the 360. They were among the top rated game series critically for years and are still well reviewed now.

Even on Xbox One where they had weakened substantially, they were the franchises that got the console out of slumps and stopped everything from falling apart.

But this is why I created this thread, it's not just the decline and changing developers that are a problem, but I believe a lot of new Xbox series fail because of these franchises, and they take away resources from these new projects. I think Microsoft put too much reliance on them and it's caused them to have too much sway on first party game sales.

Let's look at the Xbox Ones AAA first party releases, outside Killer Instinct which barely counts, and Sea of thieves what other AAA release succeeded outside of H/G/F? Nothing.

It's not just commercial success either, but also critical success. Here are Xbox One first party AAA releases on metacritic

Forza Horizon 4 - 92%
Forza Horizon 3 - 91%
Forza Motorsport 6 - 87%
Forza Horizon 2 - 86%
Forza Motorsport 7 - 86%
Halo Master Chief Collection - 85%
Gears 5 - 84%
Gears of War 4 - 84%
Halo 5: Guardians - 84%
Halo Wars 2 - 79%
Quantum Break - 77%
Sea of Thieves - 69%
Crackdown 3 - 60%

The scores are declining but the H/G/F games still score higher than other AAA Microsoft games, so they still give those entries priority leading to less resources available for games like Sea if thieves, little help for Remedy on Quantum break, and heavy outsourcing for Crackdown 3.

Do you think it's time for a break? Let Forza 8 and Halo Infinite be the last entries for the next 5 years? I feel that will help Microsoft do better with new AAA ip this generation.
 
Don't need to take a break from Halo, Gears and Forza.

But Gears and Halo can do with fresh new ideas. What those ideas are I have no clue but I imagine people will get tired of the same formula with those titles.

Forza is Forza and you need a tentpole racing franchise in your arsenal. Maybe push Forza Horizon's open world concept a bit more to introduce more open world gameplay concepts.

Overall MS just need new IP's to go alongside the big 3.
 
If you asked me this 5 years ago I would've said yes. Now that Xbox has 26 different studios I say no. It's been 6 years since Halo 5, 3 years since Forza, and looks like it might be 3+ for Gears 6 so it's not like they are pumping them out at a rapid pace.
 
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Seems like they’re trying to bring in some other games like Fable and Perfect Dark that have been dormant for a while, plus all the Bethesda games. If they time it right with releases the usual Halo/Gears/Forza won’t feel as monotonous interspersed with other games.
 
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HeisenbergFX4

Gold Member
Still play both of the last 2 Forzas enjoyed Gears 5 for a bit and looking forward to trying the new Halo so keep pumping them out imo.

Halo beta coming quite soon look forward to trying out
 

Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
Halo most likely needs a reboot after Infinite.

Forza Motorsport + Horizon should each get one entry on SX.

Murder Gears of War with a rusty lance so you can't recognize the body.
 

MadPanda

Banned
Forza Motorsport is going for one gaas game without frequent installments, halo infinite is going free to play for multiplayer so obviously gaas. So they're obviously not going to release new games in those two series for a while.
In addition to this, Microsoft bought so many studios and is investing so much more money in them so they can diversify their lineup.

Are you sure you follow xbox and their studios enough to make such questions? If you did, you wouldn't have to ask such questions.
 

RiccochetJ

Gold Member
Maybe Halo depending on how Infinite turns out, but I've never had a problem with Gears and the Forza titles. What I hope is that they keep on branching out with side projects. For example Gears Tactics was an excellent first entry in what I hope is a new series for them. I also wouldn't be upset if they took another crack at Halo Wars. I thought CA did a good job with 2 with what they had to work with, but maybe they could pivot so it has more of a Total War flavor.
 

Stuart360

Member
If they were still stuck on 5 or 6 studios, then i'd probably still say no. Halo is like a new game, main game, every 4 or 5 years. Forza Motorsport and Horizon are every 2 years for each. Gears def is getting a bit stale, and needs a mix up. I hope they go full open world with Gears 6.
Now they have 27 studios (if the new rumour is true) then hell no, keep maiking them Halo's and Forza's.
 
There hasn't been a Forza Motorsport since 2017.

That's enough break time between releases.
There are 4 Forza Motorsport releases on Xbox One and it may be 5 unless Turn10 keeps their next gen only promise.

If we use the Xbox One as an example for this thread, 5 years in was 2013 to 2018 for one entry. That's what we call a break. So for Xbox Series it would be 2022 to 2027 since Halo Infinite is releasing this year, a suitable break to let other franchises shine.

Halo Infinite and Forza 8 should be able to last 5 years. At worst 4 for Forza.
 

Codes 208

Member
Why stop making the few franchises that actually sell the systems? That’d be like if Nintendo decided to take a gen off from making Mario games.
Halo had 7 releases on Xbox One last gen after Infinite.
7? Are you including the shovel ware (and arcade game) no one cares about? Halo has had only four major releases last gen (including infinite), two mainline titles, a remaster collection and a rts spin-off.
 
I think it's fine as long as they are willing to take risks with gameplay and change things up every now and again; making minimal changes will only lead to a slow decline.
 
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SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
Most definitely. You are sapping the imagination of entire studios by forcing them to make the same game over and over again. Yes, Halo is getting rebooted but even after 6 years it looks pretty much the same.

Lets move on. 20 years of Halo is enough. Forza Motorspot is a racing game so i doubt they can do anything else tbh, but Coalition needs to be given a chance to do something different. Don matrick had them make a Sci-Fi new IP that was revealed at E3 2013 and then cancelled by Phil Spencer. Let them go back to that. You cannot do more with Gears without completely changing the mechanics and setting like GoW did.

I always like to point to Sony devs like ND. They made Jak and Daxter the same year Halo came out and completely changed console shooters forever. Within five years, they had realized they needed to ditch that kiddie franchise and do something serious. By 2009, they themselves changed the console third person action adventure forever winning more awards than Halo ever did. Then they did it again with TLOU a few years later. They knew that you cant keep making the same franchise over and over again.

Same thing with Sucker Punch. They made Sly Cooper. By 2009, they had reached success with Infamous and in 2020 they were winning GOTY awards competing with games like TLOU2 and FF7. It took time, but they only got there because they left Sly fucking Cooper behind.

Insomniac was making fucking Spyro. Hell, they are still making Ratchet but would they be considered this marquee studio without Spiderman? or Resistance? I really dont think so.

Let these talented devs do something different. People talk about cross gen holding back games. I think fans expectations and legacy gameplay mechanics and setting also holds back their vision. Let 343i make a new IP and see how they do. They have hundreds of developers. Pick one and have him make his or her dream game. This industry will never have its Christopher Nolan if they dont take a chance on new ideas from new people. Corporate suits like Satya Nadella, Don Matrick, Reggie, Jim Ryan, Jack Tretton and Phil Spencer will never ever come up with the next big IP. They jsut dont have the talent. So why are they the ones deciding what games these talented people should be making?
 
Why stop making the few franchises that actually sell the systems? That’d be like if Nintendo decided to take a gen off from making Mario games.

7? Are you including the shovel ware (and arcade game) no one cares about? Halo has had only four major releases last gen (including infinite), two mainline titles, a remaster collection and a rts spin-off.
After Infinite it will be 4 major titles, 1 rema, and 2 enhanced mobile rereleases.
 
Most definitely. You are sapping the imagination of entire studios by forcing them to make the same game over and over again. Yes, Halo is getting rebooted but even after 6 years it looks pretty much the same.

Lets move on. 20 years of Halo is enough. Forza Motorspot is a racing game so i doubt they can do anything else tbh, but Coalition needs to be given a chance to do something different. Don matrick had them make a Sci-Fi new IP that was revealed at E3 2013 and then cancelled by Phil Spencer. Let them go back to that. You cannot do more with Gears without completely changing the mechanics and setting like GoW did.

I always like to point to Sony devs like ND. They made Jak and Daxter the same year Halo came out and completely changed console shooters forever. Within five years, they had realized they needed to ditch that kiddie franchise and do something serious. By 2009, they themselves changed the console third person action adventure forever winning more awards than Halo ever did. Then they did it again with TLOU a few years later. They knew that you cant keep making the same franchise over and over again.

Same thing with Sucker Punch. They made Sly Cooper. By 2009, they had reached success with Infamous and in 2020 they were winning GOTY awards competing with games like TLOU2 and FF7. It took time, but they only got there because they left Sly fucking Cooper behind.

Insomniac was making fucking Spyro. Hell, they are still making Ratchet but would they be considered this marquee studio without Spiderman? or Resistance? I really dont think so.

Let these talented devs do something different. People talk about cross gen holding back games. I think fans expectations and legacy gameplay mechanics and setting also holds back their vision. Let 343i make a new IP and see how they do. They have hundreds of developers. Pick one and have him make his or her dream game. This industry will never have its Christopher Nolan if they dont take a chance on new ideas from new people. Corporate suits like Satya Nadella, Don Matrick, Reggie, Jim Ryan, Jack Tretton and Phil Spencer will never ever come up with the next big IP. They jsut dont have the talent. So why are they the ones deciding what games these talented people should be making?
Why would MS just stop making one of their biggest ip? That is like Nintendo stopping Mario.
 

Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
Halo Infinite IS the reboot and it is supposed to run for 10 years with consistent new content

There's no law on record that says you can't reboot a property after a failed reboot.

Their 10 year plan is contingent on the public embracing Halo and right now (two days before their re reveal) that looks like an uphill climb.

And let's face it, there's nothing about that gameplay we saw that looked like a rebooted Halo. It just looked like more formulaic Halo.
 
A break from Halo this gen? Meaning we’d go what a decade plus before we get another? Hell no. I’m almost 41. I might not be around by then with my poor diet and lack of physical activity.
Why aren't you doing things to improve your diet and physical activity?
 
There's no law on record that says you can't reboot a property after a failed reboot.

Their 10 year plan is contingent on the public embracing Halo and right now (two days before their re reveal) that looks like an uphill climb.

And let's face it, there's nothing about that gameplay we saw that looked like a rebooted Halo. It just looked like more formulaic Halo.
I would say it looks more like COD and games like Destiny, not Halo.
 

LastBattle

Member
Like others have said. It’s been years since we have seen new games from the aforementioned franchises, not to mention they are top tier gaming experiences. Add to that all the additional games coming over the next few years and there’s no reason why Halo, Forza and Gears can’t sit comfortably amongst the steady stream of other releases.

I just fired up Halo 2 Anniversary last night and for me personally, Halo is still as fun as it’s ever been. Even after 20 years. If 343 can capture that spirit of the older Bungie games (seems like they are aiming to with Infinite), I couldn’t be more excited to get my hands on Infinite this year 😃
 

Kagey K

Banned
Where are you getting four? And btw one of those mobile games is on pc/mobile only, not xbox
Only math I can figure is Halo Wars 1 (remaster) and 2, Halo 5 and Infinite.

He also doesn’t take into account we only had 1 mainline Halo FPS this gen and then spin-offs in different genres and a remake of the old games.

They are just lumped together as Halo even though it spans different genres and stories.
 
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Yoboman

Member
Yes except Forza which is consistently good so there is no reason to break from that. Especially Horizon which can easily keep things fresh just by going to a new country

Halo and Gears need a break and I mean at an IP level. Even if main games are years apart we are still getting bombarded with RTS spin offs, mobile Gears Pop etc

God of War had franchise fatigue, took a break and when they came back to it with a fresh perspective people were super hyped.

A real problem for Coalition and 343 is that they've never gotten it right so they don't really have the earned trust to reboot things. If Bungie or Epic came back to their IPs to reboot them you can bet hype levels would be insane
 

Killer8

Member
Gears franchise is a zombie that should've ended at 3, so yes it should be retired.

Gran Turismo and Forza are highly iterative games that ideally should keep getting better each entry due to advances in technology. They should continue forever. It's only poor design choices getting in their way, not the tech.
 
I know that they're very different types of shooter but at the moment there is absolutely no sign that 343 Industries is anywhere near capable of producing anything as good or as popular as the last two Doom games.
I think they're far better off just leaving it for a while until they can find a more suitable studio to develop a new Halo. Or maybe even see what id Software think about the series, not sure they'd be interested but maybe they'd be interested in leading a new studio for the Halo games.
 

Fbh

Member
With their recent acquisitions they've expanded their studios enough that they can keep releasing these franchises without it meaning they don't have other stuff too.

With that said IMO both Gears and Halo need a God of War 2018 moment. Some sort of soft Reboot to change things up and make them feel fresh and exciting again.
Both franchises (at least their single player parts, which is what I like) are kinda stuck in this "more of the same but not as good"
 
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