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Will MS regain its identity next-gen?
- Thread starter rrc1594
- Start date
I don't think Microsoft has "lost" any identity at all, even if you just define "identity" as first party games.
Microsoft's "identity" has been pushing online gaming and other aspects of game console operating systems forward: Live, Achievements, XBLA, DLC, and so-on. The next step of that is PC support, Game Pass, Play Anywhere, backwards compatibility, and Smart Delivery.
If you wanna talk 1st party and exclusives, has Microsoft's 1st party development really dropped off that much? I guess we don't get Fable anymore but they didn't really stop making Halo, Gears, Forza, etc. And now they're returning to Flight Simulator and Age of Empires.
Games like KOTOR, Mass Effect, BioShock, and Elder Scrolls were third party. I don't think that kid of third party stuff is ever gonna be exclusive to Xbox (and PC) in a big way again. What happened was during the original Xbox and early 360 eras Microsoft made an environment where it was easy enough for western PC developers to cross over to consoles, but Sony hadn't. That's why so many of those games ended up coming to Xbox first or only coming to Xbox, but in the middle of the last console gen they all got around to supporting PlayStation too, and I don't think that's gonna change. It's really somewhat similar to what happened to Sony between the PS2 and PS3 eras -- before Sony had had the near-exclusive support of Japanese companies like Square, Capcom, Konami, Namco, etc., and then the cost of game development forced them all to start supporting Xbox too. Today AAA Japanese games still support Xbox, it's just the lower-budget stuff that comes out on everything but Xbox.
Microsoft's "identity" has been pushing online gaming and other aspects of game console operating systems forward: Live, Achievements, XBLA, DLC, and so-on. The next step of that is PC support, Game Pass, Play Anywhere, backwards compatibility, and Smart Delivery.
If you wanna talk 1st party and exclusives, has Microsoft's 1st party development really dropped off that much? I guess we don't get Fable anymore but they didn't really stop making Halo, Gears, Forza, etc. And now they're returning to Flight Simulator and Age of Empires.
Games like KOTOR, Mass Effect, BioShock, and Elder Scrolls were third party. I don't think that kid of third party stuff is ever gonna be exclusive to Xbox (and PC) in a big way again. What happened was during the original Xbox and early 360 eras Microsoft made an environment where it was easy enough for western PC developers to cross over to consoles, but Sony hadn't. That's why so many of those games ended up coming to Xbox first or only coming to Xbox, but in the middle of the last console gen they all got around to supporting PlayStation too, and I don't think that's gonna change. It's really somewhat similar to what happened to Sony between the PS2 and PS3 eras -- before Sony had had the near-exclusive support of Japanese companies like Square, Capcom, Konami, Namco, etc., and then the cost of game development forced them all to start supporting Xbox too. Today AAA Japanese games still support Xbox, it's just the lower-budget stuff that comes out on everything but Xbox.
That's the problem though they can't get their message across properly and then get overshadowed by PlayStation reveal. If you are going to show Xbox series X games for the first time, you should have some heavy hitters there.
Mass Effect is a different case from the others you mentioned since Microsoft actually published/funded the first one, but you make a great point about PC devs and Japanese devs. For the most part, third party games are expected to come out on everything.
theyre identity gameswise has always been sci-fi shooties Since halo really. don't think they ever lost that, its just halo and gears arent as popular as they were in the 360 days. It's why I also hope the initiative isn't doing perfect dark, they don't need to add to that pile.
What exactly is the Xbox identity? They've always been just known as a console manufacturer and less for their first party IP's.
The XSX will be more powerful but besides that o can't tell you what the brand stands for
The XSX will be more powerful but besides that o can't tell you what the brand stands for
I mean, they already have an identity, they have a branding problem. They're about services and playing your games in the way you want. It's why Game Pass, Play Anywhere, and Xcloud exist. They've had a bunch of exclusives over the years, many of which didn't catch on (it's why putrid takes like "I feel like Xbox games are made by people that don't play games" exist and gain traction). Quantum Break was a great game that was forgotten, but when Remedy dropped Control, it was a hit. Titanfall was an exciting franchise that was originally exclusive to Xbox, but the acclaim didn't come until 2 released as a multiplat. Microsoft moneyhatted Tomb Raider exclusivity and the internet exploded, but when Sony does it, it's damn near crickets. That's a hurdle that Microsoft has to get over, and I'm not sure that great exclusives are enough. They had a better lineup than Sony until Bloodborne released, and people were instead lining up to grab PS4 bundles with last gen remasters instead of an Xbox with fresh experiences at the start of the generation. The brand has a perception problem, and it's why they're doing so much to differentiate their approach (in addition to the studio acquisitions, of course). I'm not sure it'll work, but they've positioned themselves well to remain in the industry regardless.
Xbox has never really had a set identity. With the original it was directx advertisement with a hint of online. 360 was online focused. Xbone was a weird kinect always on thing then a BC focused machine now a gamepass service system. Not sure what series x will be going for, it'll continue pushing gamepass but that doesn't seem to be enough.
To contrast, sony has always pushed higher budget, more cinematic games while Nintendo generally focuses on simple and fun games. I know what I'm getting with their consoles, Xbox is always a mystery.
To contrast, sony has always pushed higher budget, more cinematic games while Nintendo generally focuses on simple and fun games. I know what I'm getting with their consoles, Xbox is always a mystery.
I doubt it, I haven't seen anything that says they will and heck they still don't give me big reasons to be optimistic about their exclusives. If halo is good that might help but it's a big if and if they are able to make some great exclusives and keep it up throughout the generation. they have a big hill to climb and i'm not optimistic.
Will be this the time we see a revival of Xbox first-party classic N.U.D.E.?
What the fuck are you doing? No one at MS has officially talked about Lockhart. Comparing gaming PR to the lies from a racist administration? Jesus freaking Christ, is this forum gonna be this way for the next year or two?
People who say xbox hasn't had an identity have been living under a rock for the past 20 years.
Their identity has been "most powerful console" and online gaming.
They lost the powerful identity the first part of this gen and Sony caught up in the online space.
They are claiming the powerful part again and their online service is about to have a make it or break it point with game pass and xcloud.
Their identity has been "most powerful console" and online gaming.
They lost the powerful identity the first part of this gen and Sony caught up in the online space.
They are claiming the powerful part again and their online service is about to have a make it or break it point with game pass and xcloud.
The question is aimed at software, not hardware and features. And that's what people are referencing about the lack of identity
you are missing the s/ or you have no idea what you are talking about because no one at Xbox has even acknowledged that Lockhart is a thing publicly and you are just pulling out fanboy shit
go for a walk outside, all this time in quarantine is not helping you out
User Banned (Permanent): Troll account
I don't think you need to drop quite so many hyper aggressive statements champ.. pretty in line with the kind of reaction which i said the term "TFLOPs" seems to cause in certain fans~
Sorry, i had this thread in mind, didn't remember it was a "leak"
As for calling me out on drawing an equivalence between the game company and the Trump administration, you're probably right.. i spent a few months on NeoGAF earlier this year and i guess you might mistakenly equate xbox fans with the far right if you had, too.. it's a poor excuse though, my bad, I'll amend my post
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Yeah very weak. But with a refocusing and the new studios that output can't really be worse
Xbox's Hey Pikachu :v
Or Microsoft's Seaman :v
Exclusive for Japan, this game feature a humanoid prototype who you can interact with through voice recogniztion. There is not actual nudity, despite what the acronym spells, but it wasn't probably a coincidence 🤔
MS' business model seems to have pivoted hard from that era so...no? In general I think enthusiast fans are way more obsessed with this type of nostalgia than the companies ever are.
Honest question: Has another platform holder (a real one, not Ouya) ever gone a whole generation without a single essential game or GOTY contender?
Because that's what Microsoft just did.
Largely true, but that's a bit dismissive of the great stuff they did show.
Honestly...MS is, if you heard Phil Spencer, banking on the next big thing. They have no identity at all. They bank on 5 different things..and their identity is whatever gives them a win. Thats basically what Phil meant when he said in a recent interview that being a part of a big corporation like MS means they can invest in 5 different approaches...and drop away from what isn't working, and move towards what does.
So..no, I don't see them going back to how they were... in fact, 5 years from now, they will be unrecognizable from MS today.
So..no, I don't see them going back to how they were... in fact, 5 years from now, they will be unrecognizable from MS today.
Not sure what kind of identity one would be talking about with Xbox. I guess the first thing I would think of would be them bringing more PC experiences to the console. But, they are still that way so idk.
I think you are just asking "when will they make games that I like again?". And well all I can say to that is that they are investing more into internal game development than ever before and Game Pass requires a variety of content. So those two are a nice combination for their future content output.
I think you are just asking "when will they make games that I like again?". And well all I can say to that is that they are investing more into internal game development than ever before and Game Pass requires a variety of content. So those two are a nice combination for their future content output.
They have pivoted but at the same time I think it's understandable that enthusiast fans are invested in this stuff. We have like decades of in-fighting and discourse based around strong platform exclusives and brand loyalty (which, in retrospect, is dumb, but it happened), and over the last like decade that sort of thing has kinda become less and less important with each passing year.
if you restrict the goty narrative to 'story driven third person action adventure'... you're probably right
but if you open it up to platformers, shooters, racers, fighters, and online sea adventures, then maybe the narrative changes
Funny that they pulled out their best hardware to date, One S and One X are amazingly well built consoles, with superb gamepass service, but... They lost their "game". (Pun intended)
Though I've always been a PS gamer, I really hope the MS up the challenge.
PS Exclusives are pretty mediocre this gen, and I think that's largely because of MS laziness.
PS Exclusives are pretty mediocre this gen, and I think that's largely because of MS laziness.
Wasn't the Xbox's identity the "Dudebro" of console gaming?
If anything I imagine they'll want to find a new identity that would appeal to not just the male gamers- same way both Sony and Nintendo have done to great success.
If anything I imagine they'll want to find a new identity that would appeal to not just the male gamers- same way both Sony and Nintendo have done to great success.
To their previous exclusives quality and number.
It feels like the only memorable experience is Bloodborne.
I don't want to go back to any other exclusives of this gen except it.
While I go back a lot to the PS2-PS3 Exclusives like GOW3 and Resistance
in terms of genre they're a bit samey
the beauty of the playstation brand in past generations was its full diverse roster of genres, and games within those genres
it seems now they have settled on a thing, and are sticking with a thing
I don't think they're going back to their "old" identity at all but rather creating a new services-based identity which is pretty smart.
I don't even think they would do that well if they reverted to the 360 strategy - there is no way they can match the software output of Sony and Nintendo, so better focus on being the pro consumer company offering great services and affordable consoles as well as enthusiast stuff like the Series X.
I don't even think they would do that well if they reverted to the 360 strategy - there is no way they can match the software output of Sony and Nintendo, so better focus on being the pro consumer company offering great services and affordable consoles as well as enthusiast stuff like the Series X.
I'm seeing they're going back to a big focus on WRPGs with Obsidian, inXile and even Playground Games, ...then they have their online focus that's never gone away (probably because it's worked out every well for them as a business model) so expect a focus on MP and GAAS as well ....and finally they have their elite racers that are critical darlings so they'll never stop focusing on that as well ...so basically their identity will be AAA WRPGs, GAAS titles and excellent racers.
What is the identity you want them to regain?
I always just thought of them as the underdog who have a heap of great ideas with regards to online, and usually have the more powerful console (because they seem intent on hanging their hat on that fact), but lack games that captures gamers imaginations. Halo was the one game I think they had that did that but haven't really been able to do that since (and i was an Xbox guy for 12 years).
Hope they get a new identity where they are seen as leaders or at least on par with the others as producers of top tier games... and I mean games they have created internally from the ground up, not bought like Minecraft.
I always just thought of them as the underdog who have a heap of great ideas with regards to online, and usually have the more powerful console (because they seem intent on hanging their hat on that fact), but lack games that captures gamers imaginations. Halo was the one game I think they had that did that but haven't really been able to do that since (and i was an Xbox guy for 12 years).
Hope they get a new identity where they are seen as leaders or at least on par with the others as producers of top tier games... and I mean games they have created internally from the ground up, not bought like Minecraft.
MS really used to innovate in the online space, which was a big part of their identity. Unified online login via Xbox Live, Xbox Live Arcade (which basically kicked off the console indie scene), Achievements, Online Leaderboards, Party chat, 1 vs 100... downloadable horse armour.
The early 360 gen 2005-2008 was golden era MS and it was really great. Even had the best launch title of all time with Geometry Wars, stuff like Gears which was that next gen "jaw drop" moment, timed exclusives like BioShock, their investment in Japan which led to Lost Odyssey.
It's a shame it all went down the pan when Mattrick came along and tried to turn Xbox in to the Wii. Hope they can rekindle that magic of early 360, although it's been a long time. Their work on Game Pass definitely gives me those vibes though. Looking forward to seeing what they have cooking in July.
The early 360 gen 2005-2008 was golden era MS and it was really great. Even had the best launch title of all time with Geometry Wars, stuff like Gears which was that next gen "jaw drop" moment, timed exclusives like BioShock, their investment in Japan which led to Lost Odyssey.
It's a shame it all went down the pan when Mattrick came along and tried to turn Xbox in to the Wii. Hope they can rekindle that magic of early 360, although it's been a long time. Their work on Game Pass definitely gives me those vibes though. Looking forward to seeing what they have cooking in July.