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Hudsoniscool

Banned
Jun 5, 2018
1,495
343 has multiple other teams they need devs for.
  • Halo 5 live-team
  • Halo Wars 2 live-team
  • Legacy team (Halo TMCC + all older Halo games)
Halo Infinite obviously makes the largest part though. With Slipspace they are clearly aiming for something super ambitious here.


Very true. But I'm assuming that of the 500 people there that 400 of them are on infinite. Maybe it's only 350 or so. But I only put down that they had 100 outsourced workers. That could be a massive lowball because we know the coalition has around 250 outsourced workers.

Obviously it's impossible to know how many people are on the game. Low ball number is probably 400 total people(including outsourced) highball number though is around 600.

Either way if infinite doesn't launch till holiday 2020 than it either has a massive budget, or it has one of the biggest budgets on a video game ever. 400 people over 5 years is about 250 million. 600 people is about 350 million. Either way it's probably the biggest budgeted game Microsoft has ever made.
 

SuikerBrood

Member
Jan 21, 2018
15,490
The 100k is a method to estimate the costs of a videogame. But it has so many 'ifs' and 'whens' that you can't really say anything useful. When people earn 60k per year on their job, the costs for the employer are much higher than that. Taxes, insurances, tools, administration, etc.
 

Hudsoniscool

Banned
Jun 5, 2018
1,495
The 100k is a method to estimate the costs of a videogame. But it has so many 'ifs' and 'whens' that you can't really say anything useful. When people earn 60k per year on their job, the costs for the employer are much higher than that. Taxes, insurances, tools, administration, etc.
Exactly in my estimate I put 120k total cost per employee. Which includes wages/insurance/ building costs.
 

Deleted member 36493

User requested account closure
Member
Dec 19, 2017
4,982
Wonder if Slipspace is going to be something that all MS studios have access to and develop with.

Definitely think NT's facial animation tech is going to be integrated into more MS games. Collaboration (where appropriate) can be a really good thing for MS Studios. Like PG should consult Obsidian on making an RPG. Everyone should consult Rare on getting that water in their game.
 

Startropper

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,005
What else is 343 working on? They have 450-500 employees. I accounted for people doing other things. 400 devs at 343 working on halo infinite + 100 or more outsourced people. Makes 500 people at 120k a year for 5 years. That's 300 million. Idk where your only coming up with half that.
The team working on gears 5 is 500+ (including outsourced) coalition has said so themselves.
343i employee numbers include more than just developers (engineers, artists, story, etc.). They also have in house teams for all the extended universe for books, toys and other media.
343 has multiple other teams they need devs for.
  • Halo 5 live-team
  • Halo Wars 2 live-team
  • Legacy team (Halo TMCC + all older Halo games)
Halo Infinite obviously makes the largest part though. With Slipspace they are clearly aiming for something super ambitious here.
Outsourcing isn't necessarily 100 full time salaries and 343i has been working on fixing up MCC, post launch support for Halo 5, and any other Halo projects that have come out since 2015 has some fingers from 343i in those pies, which may be just a few employees or may be a whole bunch. They could be working on embryonic projects that we have not been informed of yet.

300 million is what the studio as a whole probably will spend over 5 years, yeah, but it's hard to know how much of that will end up being Halo Infinite. I was conservatively estimating simply to show that someone doubting that they'd spend over 100 million was pretty laughable - it's way more than 100 and I'd consider 150 to be a lower estimate. I would hestiate to go close to 200 mil, unless you're factoring in marketing costs for the games.

343 Team plus Skybox Labs

https://skyboxlabs.com/skybox-labs-partners-with-343-industries-on-development-of-halo-infinite/

SkyBox Labs is excited to continue this partnership with 343 Industries to aid in the development of Halo Infinite, working on features across the game including AI, gameplay, networking, and cutting-edge graphics features.
 

Steelyuhas

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,181
Wonder if Slipspace is going to be something that all MS studios have access to and develop with.
It's the Halo engine, so probably not unless MSFT has a long term goal to get their teams off using UE4.

Getting all your teams to move to an engine that doesn't necessarily do what your team needs can be a painful process. Frostbite at EA is a good example.
 

Deleted member 36493

User requested account closure
Member
Dec 19, 2017
4,982
It's the Halo engine, so probably not unless MSFT has a long term goal to get their teams off using UE4.

Getting all your teams to move to an engine that doesn't necessarily do what your team needs can be a painful process. Frostbite at EA is a good example.
Yeah they shouldn't force any team to use a particular engine. But if it has the tools to make the game they want to make, will they have access to use it?

I have the same question about Sony studios and Decima. Like, can any 1P studio use it?
 

Steelyuhas

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,181
Yeah they shouldn't force any team to use a particular engine. But if it has the tools to make the game they want to make, will they have access to use it?

I have the same question about Sony studios and Decima. Like, can any 1P studio use it?
I would imagine they could get access if I team wanted to use it.
 

OneBadMutha

Member
Nov 2, 2017
6,059
Played some We Happy Few. Really like the art and characters. Compulsion needs a better game designer. If they can find someone to tighten up game design and make it so there isn't a long loading screen in place of door opening animations, I'll be in on their next thing. Quite possibly the most mixed bag studio I can think of in terms of high end strengths and major opportunities. Really high highs and low lows.

...and when was the last game that was better due to survival mechanics like sleeping and eating? Can we just ban those from gaming? Think it's the only thing I have rated higher than loot boxes in terms of things I want the game industry to ban.

I believe if WHF simplified their game and just focused on a shorter linear story driven game with basic game mechanics and none of the bloated survival shit, it would've been one of the better surprises of 2018.
 

Deleted member 36493

User requested account closure
Member
Dec 19, 2017
4,982
If MS wanted to, could they preload next-gen Xbox consoles with all of the launch exclusives + a month of GP to access them? That could be really enticing for a consumer to be able to just buy a box and have all the games ready as soon as they get home.

Like imagine having Halo Infinite, Forza, and KI ready to play from the get-go.
 

Redesigned83

Member
Jul 9, 2018
761
Played some We Happy Few. Really like the art and characters. Compulsion needs a better game designer. If they can find someone to tighten up game design and make it so there isn't a long loading screen in place of door opening animations, I'll be in on their next thing. Quite possibly the most mixed bag studio I can think of in terms of high end strengths and major opportunities. Really high highs and low lows.

...and when was the last game that was better due to survival mechanics like sleeping and eating? Can we just ban those from gaming? Think it's the only thing I have rated higher than loot boxes in terms of things I want the game industry to ban.

I believe if WHF simplified their game and just focused on a shorter linear story driven game with basic game mechanics and none of the bloated survival shit, it would've been one of the better surprises of 2018.
does the MHW eating mechanic/system count?
 

nekkid

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
21,823
If MS wanted to, could they preload next-gen Xbox consoles with all of the launch exclusives + a month of GP to access them? That could be really enticing for a consumer to be able to just buy a box and have all the games ready as soon as they get home.

Like imagine having Halo Infinite, Forza, and KI ready to play from the get-go.

They're going to be boxing up the hardware months and months before most of the launch games go gold, I would imagine.
 

Marano

Member
Mar 30, 2018
4,893
Rio de Janeiro
Does everyone here expect the new bay area studio headed by glen shofield to be focused on action/horror games in the vein of Dead Space exclusively or would they have creative freedom like the initiative? Assuming of course they are going ahead with a new bay area studio with Glen Shofield..

I say that because Matt Booty isn't looking to fill a genre quote, that's why they haven't gone after a platformer, fighting and strategy studio, though it might be different for action/horror?
 

Sexyphobe

Banned
Aug 14, 2018
828
Played some We Happy Few. Really like the art and characters. Compulsion needs a better game designer. If they can find someone to tighten up game design and make it so there isn't a long loading screen in place of door opening animations, I'll be in on their next thing. Quite possibly the most mixed bag studio I can think of in terms of high end strengths and major opportunities. Really high highs and low lows.

...and when was the last game that was better due to survival mechanics like sleeping and eating? Can we just ban those from gaming? Think it's the only thing I have rated higher than loot boxes in terms of things I want the game industry to ban.

I believe if WHF simplified their game and just focused on a shorter linear story driven game with basic game mechanics and none of the bloated survival shit, it would've been one of the better surprises of 2018.
The Sims!

Does everyone here expect the new bay area studio headed by glen shofield to be focused on action/horror games in the vein of Dead Space exclusively or would they have creative freedom like the initiative? Assuming of course they are going ahead with a new bay area studio with Glen Shofield in the bay area.

I say that because Matt Booty isn't looking to fill a genre quote, that's why they haven't gone after a platformer, fighting and strategy studio, though it might be different for action/horror?
Maybe both? Given creative freedom, Shofield might use the opportunity to create a new action/horror IP.
 

Marano

Member
Mar 30, 2018
4,893
Rio de Janeiro
The Sims!


Maybe both? Given creative freedom, Shofield might use the opportunity to create a new action/horror IP.
Well he was given anything but creative freedom working on COD for activision, so it might be a nice change of pace for him to work under MS on a Dead Space clone (shrugs).

I just think whatever he makes shouldn't be a clone of an existing game, unless of course MS works out a deal with EA to acquire the Dead Space IP, but that will never happen because EA never ever sells their IP, even when they're not planning to do anything with them.

Also, the location is concerning, San Matteo, is anyone here from the bay area? As I understand it it's very far from San Francisco proper where most of the talent is, also Oakland and the valley south of San Francisco where there's also a lot of talent, MS might find it hard to hire there, since people would have to either commute long distances or move closer to the studio.
 
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Mington

Banned for use of alt account
Banned
Dec 22, 2018
1,429
Does everyone here expect the new bay area studio headed by glen shofield to be focused on action/horror games in the vein of Dead Space exclusively or would they have creative freedom like the initiative? Assuming of course they are going ahead with a new bay area studio with Glen Shofield..

I say that because Matt Booty isn't looking to fill a genre quote, that's why they haven't gone after a platformer, fighting and strategy studio, though it might be different for action/horror?

I think he'd create a successor to Dead Space, he said in the video how he is working on ideas for new IP all the time
 

Mington

Banned for use of alt account
Banned
Dec 22, 2018
1,429
Let's a play a game. Over/unders on studio aquisitions for 2019...let's call our shots now and see what happens.

Predict how many small (under 80 employees), medium (80-150 employees) and large (over 150 employees) studios get purchased or start being built by Microsoft in 2019.

Me prediction:
5 total.
3 announced E3. 2 at X019.
2 large, 2 medium and 1 small studio.
4 purchases, 1 built from the ground up.
Both of the larger studios (1 built from ground up) and 1 small studio will be announced at E3.
2 medium studios at X019.

7 total.

4 announced at E3. 3 at XO 2019
4 between 150-300 staff count
3 between 40-80
 

Mington

Banned for use of alt account
Banned
Dec 22, 2018
1,429
My predictions for who they get next, hell new thread why not.

IOI
Turtle Rock
Typhoon
New Glen Schofield studio
Ready at Dawn
4A Games
Mercury Steam
 

Mington

Banned for use of alt account
Banned
Dec 22, 2018
1,429
It's only a rumour, based on him using the words "Studio Head" on his LinkedIn profile and that being a Microsoft term. Might be meaningless though.

It would be awesome though if Schofield got the Gallagher treatment. Such a talent.

And like Gallagher he has close ties to the Xbox guys
 

Marano

Member
Mar 30, 2018
4,893
Rio de Janeiro
correct, but if it was developed in the US it would cost significantly more.
Depends, if it were developed on the main development hubs (L.A area, Seattle, Bay area) it would cost a lot, cause those places along with manhattan are the highest cost of living places in the U.S so labor costs are higher too, obviously that is also where most of the talent is. It would cost a lot less in other places, but with less dev talent.
 

12Danny123

Member
Jan 31, 2018
1,722
I guess it will depend on what the best option is. The streaming they have right now is only available in Japan, presumably because of the infrastructure costs, but if Microsoft hits their targets with X-cloud it'll be viable in a lot more places, plus Azures already built on so expansion should be easy.

It also depends on the library, if big third parties stay away from X-Cloud, then it makes sense for Nintendo to just cut individual deals with those parties for their games, but if X-Cloud has a lot of big third party support on top of Microsoft games, then that's almost certainly the best option. Or in my dream world, where X-Cloud let's you stream any and all Xbox games you own digitally.

I'm pretty sure one OT ago I was saying Nintendo probably wouldn't let X-Cloud on the Switch, but the more I think about it the more I doubt myself.

I'm pretty sure all Xbox games will work on XCloud.

What's more plausible to me is that Nintendo team up with Nvidia and use their GeForce Now technology to stream the games that won't run on Switch. The partnership is already there as are most of the big name games and they get the same benefits that they would have from Xcloud.

The problem with this idea is that Nvidia Geforce is based on PC Games. This has a major disadvantage as the only way to play those games on a Switch is if you have a mouse and keyboard. Nobody would want to constantly carry a computer setup on the go. Its why I said that in order to stream games where ever you are, it must be a controller.
 

Sexyphobe

Banned
Aug 14, 2018
828
I'm hoping they create/buy a Mid-west/North-Eastern developer. Since the bigger publishers have little presence they wouldn't have much competiton in getting talent. Plus it would be neat to finally see a presence around here. Especially Chicago and Milwaukee.

There's so many collages and programs dedicated to programming and electronics I'm surprised there aren't many, even if they're small AAs.
 

Mington

Banned for use of alt account
Banned
Dec 22, 2018
1,429
Microsoft and 4A games seem really close.

All the recent demos of Metro Exodus were demoed at MS HQ in the respective countries
 

Razdek

Member
Oct 27, 2017
125
I'm pretty sure all Xbox games will work on XCloud.



The problem with this idea is that Nvidia Geforce is based on PC Games. This has a major disadvantage as the only way to play those games on a Switch is if you have a mouse and keyboard. Nobody would want to constantly carry a computer setup on the go. Its why I said that in order to stream games where ever you are, it must be a controller.

Not sure where you're getting that you need a keyboard and mouse in order to play GeForce Now games to stream. On the Nvidia Shield you can use the controller to play Tomb Raider and other games so it wouldn't be that different using joy cons.
 
Oct 26, 2018
2,222
I'm hoping they create/buy a Mid-west/North-Eastern developer. Since the bigger publishers have little presence they wouldn't have much competiton in getting talent. Plus it would be neat to finally see a presence around here. Especially Chicago and Milwaukee.

There's so many collages and programs dedicated to programming and electronics I'm surprised there aren't many, even if they're small AAs.
Hey another Midwesterner!!!
 

OneBadMutha

Member
Nov 2, 2017
6,059
What's more plausible to me is that Nintendo team up with Nvidia and use their GeForce Now technology to stream the games that won't run on Switch. The partnership is already there as are most of the big name games and they get the same benefits that they would have from Xcloud.

Nvidia isn't in the same universe in terms of infrastructure to pull off global game streaming. Could they do it in some territories? Sure. Not worldwide. They don't have the datacenters. In terms of cost, they don't have datacenters already being leveraged by other parts of the business. What business model is Nvidia using to be competitive? They also can't offer additional games to the platform that Microsoft could sell. It makes too much sense for Microsoft and Nintendo to figure something out.
 

Marano

Member
Mar 30, 2018
4,893
Rio de Janeiro
Nvidia isn't in the same universe in terms of infrastructure to pull off global game streaming. Could they do it in some territories? Sure. Not worldwide. They don't have the datacenters. In terms of cost, they don't have datacenters already being leveraged by other parts of the business. What business model is Nvidia using to be competitive? They also can't offer additional games to the platform that Microsoft could sell. It makes too much sense for Microsoft and Nintendo to figure something out.
Most likely scenario is that it won't happen, unless MS cuts Nintendo a very sweet deal, which to be fair could happen, but you also have to consider the opportunity cost, could that money be invested somewhere else that would give a better return on invest? I think the answer for the amount nintendo would asks is most certainly yes.
 

DaeJim

Founder LifeisXbox.eu
Verified
Oct 28, 2017
163
Becoming too large to fast is a danger, I hope that they don't just buy to buy but have a plan too.
 

Remo Williams

Self-requested ban
Banned
Jan 13, 2018
4,769
What are the current rumored variants for the next gen Xbox? Powerful version (X analogue) and standard version (S analogue)? Any disc-less or cloud versions rumored?

A powerful version (Anaconda), and a standard/streaming version (Lockhart). There are also rumors about a discless Xbox One console launching this year, which should also serve as a test to determine whether to bother with a discless next gen SKU.
 

Deleted member 18951

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
5,531
Does everyone here expect the new bay area studio headed by glen shofield to be focused on action/horror games in the vein of Dead Space exclusively or would they have creative freedom like the initiative? Assuming of course they are going ahead with a new bay area studio with Glen Shofield..

I say that because Matt Booty isn't looking to fill a genre quote, that's why they haven't gone after a platformer, fighting and strategy studio, though it might be different for action/horror?

I don't think any of that is going to happen, sometimes we get too far ahead of ourselves.
 

Captain_Raoul

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
330
Hmm factor how 4A have been really supportive of XGP so far and have worked with MS for some time.

I hope MS ask them to join the team

I hope not. I have both consoles and my pc but MS doesn't have to buy everything, just for buying. Let's see first if they can even manage the current studios they have.

Agreed. MS has partnered with 4A for a very long time going back to the Xbox 360. There's got to be a relationship there.

That doesn't mean they acquire every studio they partnered with. Then Sony would have all japan studios right now and a lot of other western studios.
 
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