Rumour has it that Game Pass was conceived earlier than most people suspect. Under the glorious reign of Don.
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GameSpot: Seven Years In, Phil Spencer Has Succeeded Immensely In Helping Xbox Turn Things Around
- Thread starter Fiery Phoenix
- Start date
Phil has made some great decisions so far. So much that I am considering snagging and XSX despite having a 3080 PC. Good job MS.
All Phil can do is put these talented studios in the best position to succeed. Ultimately it will be up to the studios to help maximize their potential comes to fruition with the quality of their games.
Yeah, it's a decent result. It's nothing like the PSP -> Vita or Wii -> WiiU transitions, which were like 80M+ -> 10M. It's kind of astonishing how MS reached 50M given how maligned Xbox was for the better part of the generation. I'd also like to know the split between the 1S and 1X sales since 2017.
I mean maybe someone at Microsoft was throwing ideas around, but they didn't really start investing until 2017 (and even scaled back their development resources in 2014-15).
Maybe they could change their strategies? You're contradicting yourself
The only place I'll buy console third party games honestly. Sony could t continue to fuck up more and more as time goes on.
Internally, green field projects, not ones that have been outright purchased with culture that was created by the acquired firm. 343, The Coalition, Rare, Bungie, Twisted Pixel, and Lionhead I would argue all struggled under Microsoft's control.
Given that Bungie and Twisted Pixel have been gone for ages and Lionhead shutdown, and their new focus on acquiring external devs with already-established identities & cultures of success, I'm thinking maybe they realize those previous efforts didn't really work.
He was in power for some of the dumbest decisions this gen (losing the COD marketing and timed DLC exclusivity, shutting down multiple studios and canceling several projects) but at the same time, I'm not sure how much of that was all his fault, and so far I feel he's totally redeemed himself as being a good head of Xbox, seeing as how he's revived the first party, got good hardware in the One X and Series consoles, Game Pass and even xCloud.
It's good to see Xbox with the full backing of Microsoft honestly, more so than seeing a particular figurehead in charge of the brand.
It's good to see Xbox with the full backing of Microsoft honestly, more so than seeing a particular figurehead in charge of the brand.
You know who was a game developer? Mattrick. Maybe you don't need a game developer to run a gaming business, in fact, it might be a terrible idea
Very true, but they have since learned from those experiences and restructured their management not only to better manage their current studios but also prepare themselves to successfully manage future studios as they expand.
coalition and rare both have released great games recently...
343 - made to make halo games
The Coalition - would like to see them away from gears, no evidence that they are being forced into it at this point though?
Bungie - That deal is over two decades old and bungie has shown themselves to not really be the best under their own freedom and immediately went to activision anyway
Rare - Over twenty years ago, have by all accounts been given freedom to do what they want. Another publisher would have cancelled sea of thieves after a MEH launch
Lionhead - they werent really killing it before
As soon as Game Pass became a thing last gen, the value proposition of an Xbox became potentially intriguing for many people, myself included. Then as the service grew, coupled with Microsoft's seemingly steadfast to continually improving/expanding backwards compatible offerings, it's become an extremely compelling value even for people who have never been in the Xbox ecosystem.
I've been exclusively a Sony/Nintendo console owner since the PS1 days until recently when I got the Series X. The biggest compliment I can pay the console/Microsoft is that I won't be getting a PS5 for a while (even when stock is readily available). While I admittedly still prefer Sony's 1st party offerings, Xbox under Spencer seemingly does everything else just as good as, if not (slightly) better than, Sony.
I've been exclusively a Sony/Nintendo console owner since the PS1 days until recently when I got the Series X. The biggest compliment I can pay the console/Microsoft is that I won't be getting a PS5 for a while (even when stock is readily available). While I admittedly still prefer Sony's 1st party offerings, Xbox under Spencer seemingly does everything else just as good as, if not (slightly) better than, Sony.
Why in the world would they release this article on April 1st. Bizarre choice.
Anyway, I hope that Xbox gets some good games under its belt this gen beyond the Halo/Gears/Forza trifecta. They sure have enough studios to do so... they just have to actually be able to competently manage those studios to deliver a good product.
Also please for the love of god please fix the Xbox app on Windows 10. It is a huge disgrace to Microsoft that they cannot properly develop a Windows game launcher.
Anyway, I hope that Xbox gets some good games under its belt this gen beyond the Halo/Gears/Forza trifecta. They sure have enough studios to do so... they just have to actually be able to competently manage those studios to deliver a good product.
Also please for the love of god please fix the Xbox app on Windows 10. It is a huge disgrace to Microsoft that they cannot properly develop a Windows game launcher.
Fallout
Age of Empires
Doom
Halo
Banjo Kazooie
Shadowrun
The Elder Scrolls
Flight Simulator
Forza
and so on and so on. The lack of IPs is not a problem whatsoever.
The fact that Microsoft and Satya Nadella are 100% behind Xbox and see it as a core part of Microsoft's identity going forward is massive and long overdue.
He has the check, because he asked Nadella to buy Minecraft and the acquisition was a major success. He also pitched gamepass iirc. His Vice President position is fully earned by himself.
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In fact Spencer already told Balmer and Mattrick to invest in first party and buy Minecraft. They obviously decided against it and focused on TV TV TV, always online and kinect. There were always those blaming Spencer equally for 2013 Xbox One Vision, but it wasn't his fault at all, even though he was responsible for first party during that time.
Agreed. It should go to J Allard, didn't he design The Duke controller?
No doubt about it. From backwards compatibility to first party to Game Pass, there's a world of difference between where they were and where they are. Still can't believe Microsoft's first party now has studios like Arkane, Obsidian, Inxile and Bethesda, but their commitment to the platform is exactly the reason why Xbox (and PC) will be my main platform(s) this generation.
I thought it was Seamus Blackley, since he spearheaded the effort to get the Duke re-released a couple of years ago
You're probably right, forgot about him. He was great for Xbox.
Yuji Naka, man. Yuji Naka. He or Yu Suzuki.
Well, besides Balan Wonderworld.
That comment is weird no offense, because it's common sense and Sony wouldn't be in this race without their money, too. If you enter a market you need to spend big and that's how Sony could compete with Sega, Nintendo, ... back in the PS1 days. They bought developers, even a publisher and made many third part deals. This is not me criticising them, because there is no other way to enter a market with established players.
Xbox itself nowadays is profitable btw, but obviously you need big cooperation money to enter the market. Ask Google about it and how good it goes if you aren't willing to invest big. Go Big or go home that's the reality in competitive markets like gaming.
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Got me to buy a Series X after noping out of the Xbox One.
It's subjective but they still haven't put out many games beyond Forza Horizon that have really moved the needle for me since he's been in charge, them acquiring Bethesda is my main reason for buying a Series X.
That said, a lot of interesting stuff they have announced to look forward to and Halo seems to be getting the time it needs at least.
It's subjective but they still haven't put out many games beyond Forza Horizon that have really moved the needle for me since he's been in charge, them acquiring Bethesda is my main reason for buying a Series X.
That said, a lot of interesting stuff they have announced to look forward to and Halo seems to be getting the time it needs at least.
He's done his part to make a tremendous plan for Xbox! It's crazy to me that Halo can get delayed, no "exclusive games" seemingly coming for the first year of the Series X's life, and yet Game Pass, Xcloud, future games, and other cool quality of life moves have exponentially increased good will towards Xbox.
Seems like a friendly guy with good values. He is obviously great at his job and he should be commended for it.
User Banned (3 days): Console wars, trolling
I really don't understand why people are so vocally devoted to the Xbox platform. The only reason why Gamepass exists is because they couldn't even sell their own games on their own console anymore. Halo 5 just barely squeezed into the top 10 best selling XB1 games. Cool for them for attempting to buy out every studio under the sun in hopes something will stick instead of prioritizing quality for their big exclusive games to begin with. Maybe if Sony keeps shooting its own foot they can finally get over the hump and go back to being the 2nd best selling console manufacturer again.
Bungie was before Spencer's time, hell before Mattrick's time. Twisted Pixel spun off iirc. Agreed on Lionhead and 343. Rare is doing much better now and Phil always seemed to be the guy at Xbox who believed in them, and SoT seems to have paid off in spades. Coalition is doing just fine and has been since the pivot to Gears.
I think the big thing for Phil and Booty is to look at how Mojang has done, as that was the acquisition done under Phil and controlled by Booty. Minecraft could've been a fad, now it's evergreen. I think that Microsoft learned a lot from Mojang about mostly leaving them to their own devices and it seems the same applies to the other studios. The only caveat they seem to have that Mojang doesn't is their future output is Xbox exclusive, which comes with its own set of benefits (full utilization of hardware, not needing to make another SKU, easier to polish) and drawbacks (all else being equal, you are still losing some eyes on your games, even if the gains of Game Pass should make up for it).
Lots of folks are telling you why they're good with the platform in this very thread. Folks gaming on the platform have allot to play right now š¤·
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I'm not a fan of them buying up huge studios either but gamepass can only be good for the industry.
You know, its still bizarre to rewind and refresh yourself on just want MS wanted to do Under Mattrick when they were announcing the Xbox One.
I mean, this was a gaming company, who wants its consumer's money, literally doing every mustachio twirling movie villain move it could possibly do to piss off and screw over gamers- it truly boggles the mind.
Gamers pissed off about content being locked behind dlc codes/season passes, etc. all in the "fight" against used games?
MS- "Our console is going to block used games, you are not going to even lend a game to one of your friends!"
Gamers are sick and tired of motion controls which lead to pretty vapid experiences that fall well short of being compelling games.
MS- "We are packaging in Kinect with ALL Xboxes this time around, which will push our MSRP $100 above our competition, so please look forward to it!"
Consumers- "We are generally sick of a lot of the corporate bullshit, takings games and making them into products and shoving non-gaming stuff down our throats"
MS- spends precious little times on actual videogames with Xbox One announcement- instead goes on and on about its multi media capabilities, having your cable tv go through it, other services available, etc.
Just a really bizarre moment in gaming history.
I mean, this was a gaming company, who wants its consumer's money, literally doing every mustachio twirling movie villain move it could possibly do to piss off and screw over gamers- it truly boggles the mind.
Gamers pissed off about content being locked behind dlc codes/season passes, etc. all in the "fight" against used games?
MS- "Our console is going to block used games, you are not going to even lend a game to one of your friends!"
Gamers are sick and tired of motion controls which lead to pretty vapid experiences that fall well short of being compelling games.
MS- "We are packaging in Kinect with ALL Xboxes this time around, which will push our MSRP $100 above our competition, so please look forward to it!"
Consumers- "We are generally sick of a lot of the corporate bullshit, takings games and making them into products and shoving non-gaming stuff down our throats"
MS- spends precious little times on actual videogames with Xbox One announcement- instead goes on and on about its multi media capabilities, having your cable tv go through it, other services available, etc.
Just a really bizarre moment in gaming history.
I forgot when I even found this image, I think it was during the initial "smoking" Xbox Series X social media non-controversy.
For what it's worth, I wouldn't buy a PS5 either. I'm willing to be patient for these new consoles to actually have some games before before I even consider getting them.
Yeah things have definitely come around. MS are doing really well now. Hopefully this can be a much more successful gen for them this time around.
So, you're saying you want them to switch gears?
So, you're saying you want them to switch gears?
>:D
Almost guaranteed he's a multimillionaire. He's a division head at a trillion dollar company. That said, his story makes him a lot more relatable than many of the suits you see. He started as a software development intern at Microsoft and climbed his way up to where he is now over 33 years. From a broke college student to the head of Xbox. Got recruited by a friend in his fraternity if I recall correctly.
Ah, ok. Yeah, that makes sense. Sorry, I kinda jumped to conclusions here.
I agree Phil Spencer indeed has turned the sinking ship around but , now I want Xbox to turn out 1-2 goty tier games every year and all will be good in this world with both ps and Xbox turning out great gamesš¬š¬
Game Pass might have been. But honestly what makes Game Pass a game changer is the commitment to release first party day 1 on it. The version of Game Pass that released 2017 would have changed absolutely nothing.