290°

Xbox Has Had More Studio Closures Than First Party Game Releases So Far In 2024

Twisted Voxel writes: "We've almost reached the end of the 1st half of 2024, and Xbox has had more studio closures than first party game releases in the year so far."

Read Full Story >>
twistedvoxel.com
25d ago
KicksnSnares25d ago (Edited 25d ago )

Hellblade 2, Indiana Jones, Avowed, Towerborne, and Call of Duty are still to be released this year. Marcus Fenix collection to be added to the list with the Xbox showcase, hopefully.

anast25d ago

Those are all coming to PS5 too.

Tech524d ago

"Xbox Has Had More Studio Closures Than First Party Game Releases So Far In 2024"

they kept the IPs though. they'll be making them under the MS brand i'm guessing. like minecraft all those years ago.

solideagle25d ago (Edited 25d ago )

the keyword is so Far...

on topic: Ouch!

Hedstrom25d ago

Kinda missing the forest for all the trees statement!

shinoff218325d ago (Edited 25d ago )

Bet all those don't make it though this year

romulus2325d ago (Edited 25d ago )

If we're going to talk in "still to be's" there still could be more studio closures from Microsoft this year as well.

DOMination-24d ago

How much confidence do people have in these games being good though? I hope they will be (especially Avowed) but from what we know of them so far, it's hardly a guarantee, is it?

And even if they do turn out to be good, how much of that will be down to Xbox and its leadership? Most of these games were either sequels to games made before being acquired or started development before being acquired.

And just a note on Hellblade II - it is out in two weeks and unless I'm missing something, I don't see much in the way of previews or advertising from Microsoft. Not ideal for a niche game that looks like it probably cost a lot of money to make. It genuinely feels like another game being sent out to die and then have the studio shut down.

Elda24d ago (Edited 24d ago )

To me...Avowed graphics look cheap, the game looks generic as well as boring.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 24d ago
anast25d ago

Popcorn is good. Anyone want some?

anast24d ago

I wouldn't mind a caramel and cinnamon mix actually.

dumahim24d ago

That does sound good. I have trouble just finding caramel corn.

anast24d ago

I find it interesting that people have to resort to praising how they were randomly born in a certain location to say they're not weird. But, I'm not sure this kind of stupidity can be generalized over an entire group of people, at least, I'm being optimistic here.

Eonjay25d ago (Edited 25d ago )

Sony doesn't have to bother fighting the next Microsoft acquisition. The massive layoff by themselves should be enough to get the next big buy blocked.

Hofstaderman25d ago

Vindicates Jim Ryan. Don't know who didnt see this coming except those frothing pro acquisition fanboys who are not commenting here for some reason....

Tacoboto25d ago

What did happen to Obscure?

RNTody25d ago

Obscure is working on his thesis on how to spin this.

Elda25d ago

Exactly. Where is the mayor & spokesperson of XB?

badz14925d ago

Obsecure where are you? Don't tell us Phil fired you too

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 25d ago
MatrixxGT24d ago

Let’s not pretend Sony is setting the world on fire with its first party either….it’s been crickets from them as well. In fact they even said not to expect any at all this year.
MS is a dumpster fire and Sony isn’t fighting anymore and it shows. I fail to see how this is a good thing.

Skuletor24d ago

Wasn't it no new existing IP entries? That would still leave room for new IPs, maybe we'll see one or more of those this year.

Sonic188124d ago

I was actually thinking about that. You beat me to it

MrDead25d ago

So if MS hadn't spent $80 billion consolidating the industry just think of all the games and jobs that would have saved.

MS is a drain on gaming and have been nothing but a negative.

MrCrimson25d ago

not exactly like the studios were putting out good games anyway. Industry needs to restart from the ground up; if games like battlebit or manor lords can be made by teams with 10 people - then there's something fundamentally wrong with having 500 man teams put out glitchy overmonetized crap.

shinoff218325d ago

Interesting. Prey was a good game, evil within was dope, and hi fi was the best Xbox game that Xbox has had in so many years. That's according to the base.

romulus2325d ago

HiFi Rush was a really good game actually so that's hardly the reason for shutting down Tango.

Show all comments (53)
90°

Take-Two CEO Doesn’t Think AI Will Reduce Employment or Dev Costs; “Stupidest Thing” He’s Heard

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick doesn't think AI will reduce employment or lower development costs, and calls it "stupidest thing" he's ever heard.

lodossrage2h ago(Edited 2h ago)

They already have AI trained to do coding.......

How he thinks it's stupid is beyond me, Especially since we see it happening in real time.

CS725m ago

Company A has 300 employees and lays of 200 to replace them with AI to release the same quality game.

Company B has 300 employees and keeps all 300 but instead uses AI to release a game with dramatically larger scale, scope, complexity, short dev cycle etc.

Company B would release a dramatically better product by using humans + AI and consumers would buy the better game.

I actually agree with this concept.

Huey_My_D_Long18m ago(Edited 17m ago)

This is key facet. Its how the AI is used. It's actually is impressive as is and really would make an amazing addition to alot of people in their jobs, not just tech. It also has the potential for businesses to use to lay off large amounts of people, as much as they could to save money on labor. I hope too many companies don't go with the latter. But since usually companies are worried about bottom line over people...we will see some try and hopefully fail. But yeah, if its to help workers like in your company B scenario I'm totally down...Just scared Company A may be too enticing to some ceos and businesses.

Number1TailzFan19m ago

You can already make your own SFX with text prompts now as well, of course it will lower development cost and time

1Victor10m ago(Edited 8m ago)

WARNING WARNING ‼️ SARCASM AHEAD
Sure Strauss and robots didn’t take jobs from car factories.
Edit:Sad thing is he believes it and unfortunately he won’t be replaced for a long time by AI

jambola2h ago

Ceo says stupid thing
Part 5837384

Zeref55m ago(Edited 55m ago)

I think maybe sometimes we give people in these positions too much credit when it comes to intelligence.

romulus2346m ago

As long as it doesn't effect his inflated executive salary or his ridiculous bonuses I'm sure he's fine with it.

RNTody22m ago

Hahaha yeah trust the CEO suit over the actual developers making the games. Good one.

100°

Every PlayStation Studios game available now on Windows PC

Windows Central writes: "Many PlayStation Studios games that are ported to PC get dedicated PS5 DualSense support, which allows users to experience haptic feedback and adaptive trigger support without actually having to own a PS5.

According to Hermen Hulst, head of PlayStation Studios, it's still the company's intent to launch the bigger single-player games on PS5 first, before later bringing the games to PC. This might not be the case for multiplayer games however, which are considered okay to launch simultaneously on console and PC."

Read Full Story >>
windowscentral.com
ocelot071d 9h ago

My guess is after god of war. Probably last of us 2 that's a almost 4 year old game now and by the time it's released on pc it will be more than 4 years old or close to 5.

Elda1d 3h ago

Every old Playstation game that is now on PC.

shinoff218317h ago

Right. I definitely see what a headlined from a website named windows central was trying to do though. It's cute little wordplay to help out the green box

Flewid63816h ago

Are PlayStation games no longer good or worth playing once they are old?

Elda15h ago

I'm guessing my comment went over your head.

XiNatsuDragnel1d 1h ago

Good at least they can sell hardware

220°

Former Activision studio Toys for Bob partners with Xbox to publish its first game as an indie

Former Activision studio Toys for Bob partners with Xbox to publish its first game as an indie. This is something of a homecoming, as Microsoft owns Activision.

Read Full Story >>
engadget.com
Obscure_Observer1d 19h ago

Very very early in development. Still, fantastic news!

Let´s GO!!!

Lightning771d 17h ago

I guess.

How come they didnt either let them go or sell Tango and others to another publisher? Not saying Ubisoft, EA would be any better. (Capcome would of treated them right )

At least it wouldn't be MS of all ppl destroying them.

MS really should let go Tango go like they did TFB here.

darthv721d 17h ago (Edited 1d 17h ago )

one was under Bethesda (Tango) the other under Activision (TFB). Clearly each one handled the separations of their subordinates differently.

Obscure_Observer1d 16h ago (Edited 1d 16h ago )

"How come they didnt either let them go or sell Tango and others to another publisher? Not saying Ubisoft, EA would be any better. (Capcome would of treated them right )"

Perhaps because Zenimax and ABK handles such matters differently based on their own internal policies as "independent" publishers.

Whoever, chances are it´s simply because MS didn´t wanted Tango or Austin to be acquired by competitors and develop new bangers for them, giving MS a bad rep in a possible future. Which could also be the reason why they ensured an exclusive partnership with TFB and its new game, before anyone else.

Sad and disgusting. But it is what it is.

Lightning771d 13h ago (Edited 1d 13h ago )

"Whoever, chances are it´s simply because MS didn´t wanted Tango or Austin to be acquired by competitors and develop new bangers for them, giving MS a bad rep in a possible future."

MS has a bad rep now because those studios are no more. I rather them sell the studio continue to make multiplatform releases, while MS continues to focus on whatever they're doing. If they didn't want Tango around they should separated from them or sell them to, like they did TFB.

It's inexcusable, they have options on how to handle studios they don't want anymore with killing jobs. Not just MS but the rest of the industry also.

Sad and disgusting sure how many will get shut down next year or this year even?

I don't trust MS decisions and motivations at this point. You have to admit they make one dumb move after another.

Obscure_Observer1d 5h ago (Edited 1d 5h ago )

"MS has a bad rep now because those studios are no more. I rather them sell the studio continue to make multiplatform releases, while MS continues to focus on whatever they're doing. If they didn't want Tango around they should separated from them or sell them to, like they did TFB."

Imo, MS separated from TFB because they didn´t had a game associated with Xbox yet, unlike Tango.

"I don't trust MS decisions and motivations at this point. You have to admit they make one dumb move after another."

Fair enough. It was indeed an epic dumb move from them to close Tango.

Still, all to be forgotten, like always have. This is not the first time a big publisher shuts down a beloved and/or successful studio out of nowhere and certainly won´t be the last. Do you remember Lionhead? Do you remember Evolution Studios? Yeah... both were beloved studios and yet, those companies kill those studios in q blink of an eye and got away with it.

anast1d 3h ago (Edited 1d 3h ago )

The studio boss made some money from this transaction. Once the game releases, the studio will get chopped up.

-Foxtrot1d 19h ago

Manages to buy their freedom especially after all the shit Microsoft has been doing with its studios lately

...

Goes right back to them as partners.

Okaaaaaay...

darthv721d 17h ago

Id venture a guess that TFB working directly with MS was a better outcome than working through Activision to get to MS.

VersusDMC1d 15h ago

From the article...

"Toys for Bob spun out as an indie back in February after Microsoft instituted sweeping layoffs that impacted 86 employees, which was more than half of the staff"

I doubt those 86 employees enjoyed the Microsoft experience over Activisions.

Inverno1d 15h ago

MS shuts down studios because of lack of resources and then helps these guys by giving em resources. Also MS is what forced them to buy their freedom in the first place? What kind of logic 😂

Chevalier1d 11h ago

The best thing is that the company that is worth $3 trillion and owns the company instead of Xbox lacks resources. How the hell does a company worth $3 trillion making a measly $70 billion purchase they 'can't' support. Lol

BlindMango18h ago

The reason they would need to "partner with Microsoft" is simply to make a game that's part of a franchise that Microsoft owns. Meaning they're probably going to make a new Spyro game - they're still an independent studio, but are making a game in a franchise that Microsoft owns. It's kind of like Remedy partnering with Rockstar to be able to make the Max Payne remakes.

shinoff218317h ago

It was probably the deal to get released from Ms

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 17h ago
Sciurus_vulgaris1d 17h ago (Edited 1d 17h ago )

Xbox’s gaming division seems to still function as 3 semi-autonomous sub-divisions, Xbox Studios, Bethesda and ABK. The three main sub-divisions can seemingly shut down or build studios and set up partnerships independently. This would explain why Bethesda can recently shutdown studios, while ABK spins off one studio, while building a new one. Plus, Toys for Bob could be spun off by ABK, only to immediately re-partner with Microsoft.

Chevalier1d 11h ago

That's absolutely 💯 BS. Any sane 'autonomous' company would NOT put their games on Gamepass day 1 like COD will lose probably billions.

Also they're all under Xbox game studios so any autonomy is an illusion.

PhillyDonJawn23h ago

No, I'm sure MS can and does step in when they want something done specifically but I'm also sure they let them also work independently

shinoff218317h ago

I highly highly doubt this. Ms controls all. The guys aren't gonna be allowed to just shut something down like that without approval. No way

Elda1d 12h ago

Either a kiddie game or something uninteresting.

Obscure_Observer1d 5h ago

Don´t worry. You won´t be playing it anyway since their next game will possible be a next gen Xbox console game.

Elda1d 4h ago (Edited 1d 4h ago )

Don't worry about my comments.

PhillyDonJawn23h ago

Right probably something like astrobot

romulus2323h ago

Nah he said "uninteresting", lots of people are interested in Astro Bot.

Elda21h ago

Never Astro Bot. Astro Bot looks better than any exclusive released on XB this entire generation & believe there hasn't been much.

Asplundh20h ago

Crash 4 was good, so I'm hopeful.

PhillyDonJawn19h ago

Hey you said that about SOT and looks like many ppl on PS is playing it. You also found bugsnax interesting ffs your opinion hold no weight lol.

Elda18h ago(Edited 18h ago)

Bugsnax is BS, tried it & quickly deleted it. It's a game that fits right on Gamepass. PS5 owners that are probably playing the boring SOT you could count on one hand. LMAO!!...don't try to come for me.

PhillyDonJawn16h ago

So you admit bugsnax interested you enough to try? 😂 someone gotta call you out on the foolishness.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 16h ago
Show all comments (35)