In the note it is clear that he refers to games of his development studies.
I guess the battle royale game is not going to jump Xbox (?). They were sad in the statement, yes.Their AAA game is battle royale, and judging by the tone of their 'arcade is dead' piece, it seems like the decision to move to bigger titles is bittersweet for them. If MS can offer a path to produce smaller games on top of a AAA every couple of years, I can def see them joining the team.
Has this been talked about yet?
Not sure how to add images here. Xbox Game Pass twitter account says: "A game a lot of you have been asking for is being announced Feb. 5 on Inside Xbox.
I'm guessing Pillars.
Xbox Game Pass already adds one or more AAA games per quarter. That is no longer a goal. That's why I read it that way.I didn't get that but maybe I should read it again. It says that they believe first party studios will help with achieving that goal, but that doesn't mean they'll be exclusively responsible for it.
They also say they don't expect to see new third party AAAs included in Gamepass anytime soon, but that doesn't mean never. I've said it before and I still believe it, what we'll eventually see is a "channels" type situation, where users can pay an extra fee to bundle various third parties subscriptions with their gamepass subscription. Amazon Prime and Hulu both do this now.
Regardless of whether it is a challenge, or not, getting enough content is the goal. As Microsoft watchers, we tend to care a lot about 1st party and what they're up to. But, as an Xbox player, I don't really care who made it - I just want to play cool games. If other publishers roll out their own services, then that means potentially fewer game options for MS. So, they're setting an achievable goal even if their very success shifts the market away.Xbox Game Pass since its launch already adds one or more AAA games per quarter. This is no longer a goal. That's why I read it that way.
Has this been talked about yet?
https://i.imgur.com/sz8ZyDA.png
Not sure how to add images here. Xbox Game Pass twitter account says: "A game a lot of you have been asking for is being announced Feb. 5 on Inside Xbox.
I'm analyzing the publication. Microsoft intends to have that efficiency in terms of AAA games in the service, 1 AAA per quarter is something that can already be achieved with third party games as we are seeing now. The publication talks about an objective that is intended to be achieved, so for me it has that reading.Regardless of whether it is a challenge, or not, getting enough content is the goal. As Microsoft watchers, we tend to care a lot about 1st party and what they're up to. But, as an Xbox player, I don't really care who made it - I just want to play cool games. If other publishers roll out their own services, then that means potentially fewer game options for MS. So, they're setting an achievable goal even if their very success shifts the market away.
Halo Reach maybe? Though I doubt they'd hype it that much.Potential Candidates:
Forza Motorsport 5-7
Forza Horizon 2-3
Elder Scrolls 5 Skyrim
Assassin's Creed Origins
Fallout New Vegas
Fallout 76?
Minecraft
Rare Replay
Well Quantic Dream is now a multiplat dev and so is (I can't remember) which other, either supermassive or housemarque is alsoTake this picture of the Sony study thread, one of these could be(Some do not count).
MS has been aiming for 4 AAA releases per quarter this gen to begin with. Delays and cancellation of projects has impacted it but it's always been their intent for it.
2015 had Halo5, ROTR, Forza. They planned to have QB that year too but delays happened.
2016 had Forza, Gears and QB. The original 2016 plan was Forza, Gears, CD3 and Scalebound but we know what happened to the last 2 games.
2017 was supposed to be Halo Wars 2,Forza , SOT, SOD2 but again delays impacted that plan.
The new studios are aimed to improve quality of games and have a better buffer against reality of delays that cause an even the best laid plans to go out of schedule
I get that. But, it could also just be an ongoing goal. That is a "primary" goal that is not necessarily aspirational, but operational. We will need to have at least one AAA halo game every quarter to drive game pass continuity, so there's always a reason to not bother letting the subscription lapse. That doesn't even necessarily mean NEW AAA games.I'm analyzing the publication. Microsoft intends to have that efficiency in terms of AAA games in the service, 1 AAA per quarter is something that can already be achieved with third party games as we are seeing now. The publication talks about an objective that is intended to be achieved, so for me it has that reading.
I think this is Forza Horizon 3. They can also talk about the new Forzathon stuff and the new achievements. Timing seems to be right. My theory was they waited until after FH4 to add FH3, because they didn't want to burn people out on the game before the new game launched so they could maximize the buzz that FH4 got and to keep selling FH3 until FH4 launched.Has this been talked about yet?
https://i.imgur.com/sz8ZyDA.png
Not sure how to add images here. Xbox Game Pass twitter account says: "A game a lot of you have been asking for is being announced Feb. 5 on Inside Xbox.
I just quoted a comment about the plans to launch AAA games that Microsoft had in this generation. Imagine now what will be achieved in the next generation with the current state of MS.I get that. But, it could also just be an ongoing goal. That is a "primary" goal that is not necessarily aspirational, but operational. We will need to have at least one AAA halo game every quarter to drive game pass continuity, so there's always a reason to not bother letting the subscription lapse. That doesn't even necessarily mean NEW AAA games.
I get what you're saying, and I am leaning in that direction as well. But, let's set our expectations correctly and give ourselves room to be pleasantly surprised. There are limited benefits to having such a high output of first party games, it may even become counter productive at a point.
Forza Motorsport 7 would be really nice. I held off buying it because I thought it would come to GP.
There's a big race regulations system that's supposed to be coming to FM7 in the near future which would benefit hugely from getting more players from a service like game pass. They'd be able to try them out and give feedback (on other experimental features they've been doing too)
Though I remember reading that licensing was possibly holding back past Forza titles from going to Gamepass? I think it was a Aaron Greenberg tweet?
Either way I'm glad theres no Forza Motorsport this year. Desperately needed a break. For the next game, do you think there's a chance they drop the numbers (kinda like what Halo's done) or rebrand it in someway?
I really hope Turn10 and Playground opt for a 'games as a service' model for FM and FH next generation. Give each team 3 years to develop solid foundations, then build with regular free DLC (like Sea of Thieves) and optional annual content passes (like R6 Siege), until you have an incredible experience after 3 years that draws in a multitude of players through Game Pass.Forza might skip this year but you will have a Forza game every year from 2020 onwards again. That is pretty much one-game set.
They can also use MSGP to have a 3rd party AAA game for this. Doesn't have to come from in-house Studio.
But it's easier to get to 4 per year than 1 per quarter as game delays are the norm.
I'd love a studio dedicated to those arcade kind of experiences. Do it!I think Housemarque is the most likely candidate. They fit the profile of what MS is seeking to the T.
Get em now and the next Xbox could have a Resogun spiritual successor for it's launch.
I really hope Turn10 and Playground opt for a 'games as a service' model for FM and FH next generation. Give each team 3 years to develop solid foundations, then build with regular free DLC (like Sea of Thieves) and optional annual content passes (like R6 Siege), until you have an incredible experience after 3 years that draws in a multitude of players through Game Pass.
I'll drop this here. A report from an institutional investor that held a meeting with MS last year.
Ready at Dawn makes the most sense. They have already shipped one AAA game this gen, and have a lot of experience as well
Yea, integrating the storefront/streaming launcher with streaming games on every device makes a ton of sense. Kinda like what Discord and Twitch are doing, but with an already established platform.I've also talked about the importance of Mixer to Microsoft and I still don't think people really realize how important Mixer is to the company. It's not just about being a competitor to Twitch, it's about enhancing the entire platform. Microsoft wants to monetize everything you know about gaming. That's from Game Development, Gameplay, Game Watching, and everything in between. So all of their services surround that.
Great post.cyrribrae hit it on the head and was something I said earlier (I believe I said it here) that while MS wants to put more of their games on XGP, it's really the 3rd party games that make the service shine. Getting more ID@Xbox games, smaller published titles, and older titles from bigger AAA pubs in there is absolutely necessary for the market to have a good relationship with Microsoft. Microsoft makes the most money from their partners, not their 1st party offerings. So while it would be cool for MS to get a bunch of content into Xbox Game Pass from a 1st party point of view, they can't oversaturate it the service where there's no one buying 3rd party titles and 3rd party DLC/MTX. The first party offerings are to give more of a reason to stay on the service and spend money in their ecosystem.
I've also talked about the importance of Mixer to Microsoft and I still don't think people really realize how important Mixer is to the company. It's not just about being a competitor to Twitch, it's about enhancing the entire platform. Microsoft wants to monetize everything you know about gaming. That's from Game Development, Gameplay, Game Watching, and everything in between. So all of their services surround that. What's funny is that they talked about the CCC which I've had convos with Klobrille about and how important it is to Microsoft. Mixer is there because it's about the "Community" aspect of gaming. Having a relationship with a streamer and potentially buying a game or service on there. Do you think xCloud is only meant for mobile games? Nah, it's also there so that on any screen, you are watching a Mixer stream (be it a web browser, console, tv app, etc...) and they have a little button that says "Play/Buy this now with Xbox Game Pass" ...Microsoft has already set up a button to buy games through a Mixer stream. xCloud just enhances it. That's the Cloud aspect helping the Community aspect. The content is what the streamers provide to their audience, but games is what drives them, so MS wants to make their games standout. Once you have that relationship, money is there to be made. That's just one example of Content, Community, and Cloud. So I think people shouldn't underestimate the importance to Mixer. It's more than just a Twitch competitor. If you've noticed, there aren't any ads on Mixer. It's because it's model is based on this future. They've been building it up that way from my point of view.
The whole 1 AAA per quarter thing isn't all that surprising to me. I think what is important is Microsoft getting PC and console gaming on the same "level" with input, and getting mobile gaming in there as well. Positioning Xbox as a platform rather than just a "console". That's what Phil hinted to during the podcast with Major Nelson and what ZhugeEX talked about in his last "State of Xbox" address lol ;). The studios will have a cadence for development and to have enough content from a first party so that any game can have more time before release and they can "switch out" games if need be. If you read in between the lines here, I don't think we will be getting release dates really far out (thank god) because it allows Microsoft to be flexible. I think they will show games but not really give a release date until it is actually ready to launch in that period. So while 1 AAA game per quarter is nice, don't think it's the only thing that MS is going to release. They are building a platform so they will have games that come out on mobile (Gears Pop) and on PC (Gears Tactics, AOE4, etc...) first before console and other smaller games in between (though I think Gears Tactics, and AOE4 are AAA but that's just me). So still expect smaller games from MS studios, and that's not a bad thing.
In regards to streaming. It's definitely something that Microsoft wants to work a lot. It will be the thing that they think will make them even more profitable and to show huge growth. It can enter markets where they couldn't before, and get gamers on a subscription that they always wanted who would never buy their console. I still believe it will come for free with Xbox Game Pass (though XGP will have tiers) to get as much volume and people on their platform, and I do mean that XGP subscription means you have access to stream, so it's not only streaming xgp games. It would really highlight the fact that Xbox is a platform and not just a console. That's why you'll see the revamp of their PC offerings this year, aligning with the launch of Xbox Game Pass on PC. I expect you'll see updates to their mobile applications that highlight some of these changes as well.
All in all, it seems MS is really making the big platform play and what services and offerings to customers is going to be "big".
Cmon guys..lets admit it
As a fan of microsoft i this time I find it hard to say that fun as it may be CD3 is certainly not the title that MS needs to raise its brand in the gaming world. It can entertain those who already have a microsoft console and a gamepass subscribction but it would have been a failure out of that service and certainly will not move in particular any hardware sale.
I think that consciously microsoft has been found between the anvil and the hammer. No longer able to give up the exit of the title because ..they had to show that the "power of the cloud" was not a bullshit ... and also because after the cancellation of scalebound..the closure of the lionhead studio and the cancellation of the old fable....also renounce at Crackdown3 would have been a kind of disaster. So they accepted all the title development problems and here we are .. but certainly this is not the AAA that microsoft users are looking for
Right? CD3 isn't a system seller, it's a justifier - a reason for people who own the box to turn it on.Who is saying that CD3 is the game destined to raise the Microsoft brand? People are saying that's irrelevant to enjoy the game.
WHAT IF
MS BUYS KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS?
MOON. IT'S AN ASTRONAUT
sorry i'm drunk
Right? CD3 isn't a system seller, it's a justifier - a reason for people who own the box to turn it on.
zedox Yep. Totally agree. I think Xbox definitely CAN put out 4 AAAs in a year and that would be good. But that cannot be the sole focus. It's a great Halo effect (pun absolutely intended), but it's the partnerships that can set Game Pass and the overall library apart. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if you beat everyone else as much as if your customers are happy with your service. Even Nintendo has failed in the past with fantastic first party output, because of a lack of 3rd party support.
Yea, integrating the storefront/streaming launcher with streaming games on every device makes a ton of sense. Kinda like what Discord and Twitch are doing, but with an already established platform.
I have found myself wondering lately whether MS would benefit from more aggressively pursuing Mixer-related opportunities. Not just implement partners or try to get new people to stream on a site where they won't get so totally buried. But actually "partner" with targeted content creators for regular shows designed to bring people in to the platform and designed to make the most of the interactivity. I think, for example, of tabletop gaming. There are plenty of big name D&D streams that launched fairly recently and all went to twitch because that was the default platform - the only option. Might that have been an opportunity to build on an established brand to create an engaged community that comes back to the platform week after week? And, should MS consciously combine targeted development of new talent with a few big names poached from elsewhere at the same time? (I know there are some ethics to consider here whether everyone gets a fair shake - but I think it would be ok.) I think these things have to happen in unison, because it's a perception problem and a scale problem. Having a good platform is crucial, but without MS aggressively supporting Mixer, it will have a hard time reaching the potential it certainly has.
Great post.
I believe there are still major puzzle pieces we are missing as of today, but the bigger picture and the Xbox road ahead is getting more and more clear - and also a little bit brighter every day I feel like.
Cmon guys..lets admit it
As a fan of microsoft i this time I find it hard to say that fun as it may be CD3 is certainly not the title that MS needs to raise its brand in the gaming world. It can entertain those who already have a microsoft console and a gamepass subscribction but it would have been a failure out of that service and certainly will not move in particular any hardware sale.
I think that consciously microsoft has been found between the anvil and the hammer. No longer able to give up the exit of the title because ..they had to show that the "power of the cloud" was not a bullshit ... and also because after the cancellation of scalebound..the closure of the lionhead studio and the cancellation of the old fable....also renounce at Crackdown3 would have been a kind of disaster. So they accepted all the title development problems and here we are .. but certainly this is not the AAA that microsoft users are looking for
They mean the announcement of an existing game coming to Game Pass. Maybe Forza 7 or something.Maybe, that quote just doesn't read like that to me. I read it like: "an exclusive is getting announced that a lot of people have been asking for, and because it's first party, it will be on Game Pass when it eventually launches."
Fallout 76?Has this been talked about yet?
https://i.imgur.com/sz8ZyDA.png
Not sure how to add images here. Xbox Game Pass twitter account says: "A game a lot of you have been asking for is being announced Feb. 5 on Inside Xbox.
I personally think while CD3 isn't going to turn the world on fire, it's going to be a game that makes the fans happy and stick on their platform. While getting more users is always a goal, retention is just as important. Microsoft is making bank just on the users it has and to try to make those users happy should be its priority while it tries to shift the narrative (and truth) about not having good quality titles on their platform that groups of users want. I think, personally, that we will see that shift come this E3 and that going into next-generation of consoles, people will start looking at MS' 1st party offerings differently. I also think that people will look at MS differently from a platform point of view and that that will be something people will come to understand. Something that Microsoft wants people to understand as well. It's not just the console, it's the platform that goes with you wherever you are. Crackdown 3 is for Crackdown fans and people who are interested in it, and that's fine. No different than having games like The Last Guardian or Shenmue 3...games for fans even if they don't set the world on fire. Not every game needs to do that.
Negativity for like, a week. Then when they release games it's either apathy or dumb justifications.
Look zedox i completely agree with you basically on everything...the point that i was making is ....right now on this market (gaming) there are 3 big companies....both of the are firing on all cylinder with their first party and AAA games....expecially the direct rival Sony. Albeit CD3 is what it is .....a fun game..the lack of other successful AAA titles in the microsoft portfolio (at least not as much as those of direct competitors)..have inevitably turned the spotlight on him. If microsoft had in those years other big AAA caliber titles ... I'm sure crackdown 3 would have been much better received by critics.
However I think as you ... we will see the microsoft completely change this E3 tone and with the advent of the new generation. I can not wait
Look zedox i completely agree with you basically on everything...the point that i was making is ....right now on this market (gaming) there are 3 big companies....both of the are firing on all cylinder with their first party and AAA games....expecially the direct rival Sony. Albeit CD3 is what it is .....a fun game..the lack of other successful AAA titles in the microsoft portfolio (at least not as much as those of direct competitors)..have inevitably turned the spotlight on him. If microsoft had in those years other big AAA caliber titles ... I'm sure crackdown 3 would have been much better received by critics.
However I think as you ... we will see the microsoft completely change this E3 tone and with the advent of the new generation. I can not wait