120°

Xbox 360 Still Sitting Above PlayStation 3: Can Sony Bounce Back In 2013?

Mobile & Apps: "The year 2012 is ending, which is a good time to look back at how well the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3 did throughout the entire year and the console's overall sale numbers. Sales took a dip compared to 2011; however, for 6-7 year old devices, current sales are still impressive."

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mobilenapps.com
Belking4159d ago

Maybe, maybe not. As long as MS keep doing great in the U.S. it will be hard for sony to pass them. At this point I don't think it matter much anymore. Good sales for all three this gen but MS has made the most improvement by selling 3 times what they did last gen.

Consoldtobots4159d ago

the first xbox would have sold more at this point but we all know what happened there. Bragging about selling 3 times more than a gen where you threw in the towel is weaksauce IMO.

Gazondaily4159d ago

Weaksauce?

Managing to come second place or joint second is quite a feat or are you forgetting the monopoly Sony had on the industry last generation?

MS first joined the game with mammoth competition from both Sony and Nintendo. Now look at them. They've done exceptionally well especially considering the forecasts of their eventual demise once the PS3 was going to be released.

If that is weaksauce, Chuck Norris must bathe in it every day.

Enemy4159d ago

The PS3 was released a year after the 360. Sometimes people forget and need the reminder.

SilentNegotiator4159d ago (Edited 4159d ago )

LOL, Ps3 is having the better year in hardware sales and is only like, 2 million behind the 360 total.

This article is ridiculous.

shutUpAndTakeMyMoney4159d ago (Edited 4159d ago )

1:xbox was at 10 million sold when ps3 launched.

2:ps3 launched was bigger than xbox launch despite high price.
http://kotaku.com/226742/ps...

3:sony now nearly tied and soon will over take xbox.

4:Sony makes AAA games even in bad times.

5:MS's newest AAA game was 2010's Alan wake (nice game got it on steam).

6:MS won't even make new AAA games in good times.

7:Xbox 360 has 61 kinect exclusives and 21 announced for early next year according to wiki & has 3 AAA core games. Still a main focus for xbox 720.
http://www.digitaltrends.co...

8:casual xbox maybe coming. And if successful them imagine MS's increased obsession with wii sucess with the casual market while they throw their core gamers another halo bone.
http://www.computerandvideo...

oh yes..
http://www.cinemablend.com/...
http://www.nowgamer.com/new...

9:The last of Us and beyond are coming for ps3 owners.

10:xbox 720 is coming for 360 owners.

11:One is a real games company.

" Sony: Our competitors are 'neglecting core gamers'"
http://www.computerandvideo...
Casuals are still to a point important.
"PS3 neglecting family-friendly genre, says Sony boss"
http://www.gamespot.com/new...

12:One is not.

"Xbox 360 Is 'Not A Games Console' Says Microsoft CEO"
http://www.worldtvpc.com/bl...
the end.

If I said that I would be called a blind sony fanboy. lol...

I think if ps4 launch along side xbox it will dominate and have more games.

tip of the day: Never support a company that wants to be like apple.

Sponsored by FACTSJUSTSAYIN inc.

Dms20124159d ago

Blame Nvidia for MS "throwing in the towel"

BitbyDeath4159d ago

Well said shutUpAndTakeMyMoney, exactly why i own a PS3.

It should always be about the games.

MikeMyers4159d ago

On one side you had doubters that the Xbox 360 was going to still be around after 7 years and still be this competitive and that it would take this long for the PS3 to catch up. On the other side you have articles like this who make it appear as though the PS3 has lagged when in reality it's actually sold better on average. Remember, the PS3 came out a year after.

The reality is this, the PS3 has bounced back and I would go as far as to say more so than the Xbox 360. Sony has been more committed to developing games and also new IP's while Microsoft has floated on existing franchises and failed with their better with Kinect advertising. The PS3 imo has more momentum leading into their next gen systems.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 4159d ago
avengers19784159d ago

I think the real question is will Ms continue to diphtheria 360 after they release there new console, Sony's history says they will continue to support PS3 for a couple years... heck they sold a lot of ps2s after the release of the PS3.
I for one want to see what happens If they both come out around the same time, say a couple weeks apart... it's not a good thing for those wanting both.

GribbleGrunger4159d ago

50 million PS2s to be precise. And the PS2 still sells in it's 13th years, as will the PS3

KingofGambling4159d ago

good point on whether 360 continue to support their fanbase until the next gen.

Persistantthug4159d ago

"The Xbox 360 is not winning this race based on exclusive games, but third party titles with exclusive content."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Was this true with STREET FIGHTER X TEKKEN?
Is this true with ASSASSIN'S CREED 3?
Is this true with FAR CRY 3?

PS3 actually gets far more exclusive 3rd party content, and that's not the worst of it in my opinion. The worst part is, is that the PS3 gets these things for FREE.
The little content difference that the XBOX 360 gets, which is almost nill.......Microsoft never gives any of it for free.

I just wish people would stop lying
Just sayin.

violents4159d ago

once again someone quoting VGchartz.

Regardless though sony is less than 2mil units behind xbox360 that had a years head start so I wouldn't exactly say they got schooled or anything. Both consoles did well this gen and wii got way too big a lead to catch up on. So what are they "bouncing back" from exactly? Selling 70mil units is far from failing so I dont understand why people keep coming back to this.

GamerSciz4159d ago

Don't forget the number is skewed for 360 considering it's launch had around a 30% failure rate. Everyone's whose console died they bought a new one which went towards the total sales number.

Belking4159d ago (Edited 4159d ago )

Even if that were true,(which it's not) the numbers they moved are still impressive. It's not like they didn't replace any of the 360's that broke. MS did have those hardware problems, but they handled it pretty well and bounced back with an even better slim version which is a great improvement. I don't think another corp who took those losses would of survived such a thing. Besides, sony's price hurt them more than MS RROD ever did. Overall pretty good gen for all.

greenpowerz4159d ago (Edited 4159d ago )

30% is a lie and why would people pay for a new console when replacements were free?

And lol at calling VGC out and then accepting the supposed gap they show.

PS3 has so many SKU's maybe people buy PS3 more than once skewing the total numbers not to mention PS3 own failure rate.

54%? Boy PS3 fanboys pull numbers out of their assess. Anyway I wonder if MSFT will force Sony to Release a super duper mini slim in 2013 so PS3 fanboys will trade in their PS3s again counting towards more sales.

IRetrouk4159d ago (Edited 4159d ago )

Yep 30% is a lie, it was actualy 54% from what i remember. And they wernt replaced when the problems first came to light you had to pay to get them fixed as micro said there was no problem untill the massive amount of complaints and inqueries made them come up with the whole 3 year waranty to cover their asses.

Oh so now im a sony fanboy? Ok here read this

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/w...

Lvl_up_gamer4159d ago

@ IRetrouk

Ugh. Why do you choose to be a sheep?

The 54% BS is a number from a Game Informer online survey.

ANYONE could have voted. There was NO proof that any one of those participants had ever owned a 360 nor that each person who took the survey ONLY submitted their vote once.

The survey also only had 5000 voters as well. A VERY small demographic sample of the market.

So as you can see IRetrouk, why anyone would take the 54% failure rate as "factual" or "truthful" would only be to continue spreading lies for their obviously out in the open agenda.

ThatsGaming4159d ago

You can say Sony's numbers are sckewed as well because they have had three form factors whereas 360 has only had two (yes, I know the third sony form factor isn't everywhere). And Sony has released more different sized hard drive models...

As for the RROD. I don't think that affected sales as much as people say. First, MS fixed a large portion of those 360's with the extended warranty and the 360 slim came the year after the issue was resolved... Second, you could argue that RROD negatively affected new sales during the time frame that it was at its peak because people shied away from 360 due to RROD.

violents4159d ago

I saw multiple articles that said the launch model 360 had a 72%failure rate and the launch model ps3 had like a 20-30%(cant remember exactly) and a lot of people I know even after having their xboxes repaired had to go buy a new one because it kept screwing up on them. I know people with ps3s that had to do the same. I'm sure both parties numbers are skewed by this a little but with a failure rate like the launch xbox had, MS numbers have to be up a little more than sony's because of it. I'm not saying thats the only reason they are ahead or anything but I've always wondered where it would lie if they took that into account.

Muerte24944159d ago (Edited 4159d ago )

for Gamestop when the xbox360 launched November 25, 2005. I can tell you for a fact that RROD was not covered until about (edit: year and a half) later. It happened to me and alot of other people. All you could do was trade it in as a broken console to put towards the cost of "Buying" a new one. For those to deny this should no longer comment because your thought processes are irrational and based in an alternate reality. That claim is very much true. Google/Youtube is all the proof you need.

* Only next gen system for an entire year
* People already sold their previous gen games and console
* You already had an existing library of launch titles
* People thought that they just might have bought a bad one out of the bunch "not knowing how widespread it was" so they just bought another one

Edit: I was wrong Microsoft didn't cover RROD under warranty until July 5th, 2007. A year and a half after it launched http://www.dailytech.com/ar...

* As gamers we just swallow the pill and buy another console. THe same as what happend with the Sony ps2 fiasco. Faulty power cords.

BitbyDeath4159d ago

People can argue either way but nextgen will be the true teller as MS shouldn't have such hardware problems again and they will release much closer to one another.

Dms20124159d ago Show
+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 4159d ago
JadedXGamer4159d ago

Not a chance. Technically speaking with the Wii U out the new console 'war' has started and last gen finished with Nintendo 1st, Microsoft 2nd and Sony 3rd. I think Sony are concentrating on how not to go out of business and become profitable again so they don't become bankrupt. Not on some silly fanboy bragging rights nonsense.

The Meerkat4159d ago

Seeing as this gen only started when Sony said so it would seem fair to say that it will only end once Sony says so. /s

I agree with you. N1 M2 S3

IRetrouk4159d ago

I wasnt aware that the wii 360 and ps3 stopped selling.

Lvl_up_gamer4159d ago

They didn't.

But this gen (last gen) ended when the new gen (this gen) started with the release of the Wii U.

So as per gen. The Wii, 360 and PS3 gen has ended with the release of the next gen console being the Wii U. As far as who won what gen, this gen (last gen) was won by Nintendo, then MS, then Sony.

The consoles will keep selling but the gen is over.

pandaboy4159d ago

@lvl_up_gamer

you don't seriously believe that do you? what if xbox 360 went on to sell 120million and the wii levels off at 100million? it would be ludicrous to suggest that the wii 'won' this gen then.

@jadedxgamer

actually sony always cared about making profit and not fanboy bragging rights... i mean seriously...

rainslacker4159d ago

@lvl_up

Console generations don't typically end, they just transition into another. They can however start, which is the case I guess with the Wii U for Nintendo.

However there is no real consensus on when a gen starts/ends, and it shouldn't be something considered across the board, but on a per console basis. For instance, Xbox gen ended when MS brought out the 360. PS2 gen has not ended because they are still being sold and some games are still being developed for it. The last gen hasn't ended with Nintendo either, as they are still selling the Wii, and will probably continue to do so for the next couple years at least.

A generation should be considered when the games coming out reflect what it is we'll be playing for the next 5-7 years. And so far the Wii U isn't representative of that. It will be the same for the first couple of years when the PS4/720 release as well. That gap in game changers will become greater as tech advances in consoles aren't as big as previous generations. In previous generations there was a significant difference in games even in the early life cycle, but that just won't be the case next time.

Jigga694159d ago

Like the comment said above you are aware that PS3 is still selling? It's only over when they are not platform anymore.

Riderz13374159d ago

Actually next gen hasn't started. Nintendo just finally decided to catch up to the PS3/Xbox 360. Sorry I had to say it lol =P.

Muerte24944159d ago

start until we start receiving next gen (Games). Seeing as how GTA5 isn't going to be on the (wii U) means that this generation will continue until the other big two launched. Don't forget Nintendo just launched Wii mini after Wii U. So even the Big "N" thinks this console is still going otherwise they would have release another Wii.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4159d ago
GamerSciz4159d ago

Wow what a troll article. I thought we were past the whole sales means everything ordeal. For those who don't care to read the article it basically states that PS3 is behind 360 in total sales according to VGchartz and exclusives mean nothing since all the PS3 exclusives this year bombed...

Quantity is not greater then quality. However this is the problem today which is why we see games like Assasins Creed 3 be released before its ready (i.e. its full of glitches). The dev just wants to get the game out while the hype is high so it sells.

Anon19744159d ago (Edited 4159d ago )

What's funny is how easy it is to disprove VGChartz's guesstimates. Sony announced the PS3 hit 70 million at the start of November. 6 weeks later during the busiest shopping weeks of the year worldwide and VGChartz claims the PS3 only sold an extra 300k? Sony announced the PS3 sold 525k during black friday in the US alone. VGChartz overtracked the PS3 and 360 all year long (and not by a small amount) and still their PS3 figures are completely out of whack.

And then they start going off about how surprisingly well the 360 did, but the PS3 sucked? The last official numbers we saw had the 360 down almost 40% year over year for the first 3/4 of 2012. That's surprisingly well? In what fairly tale land is that "doing surprisingly well" while the console that sells the most and showed resiliency in the face of slowing sales is the one we need to be worried about.

Strike One: Using VGChartz. No one with any knowledge of the industry would touch this fan-run site's numbers with a ten foot poll. It doesn't matter what console they seem to favor at the moment.

Strike Two: Making logic defying statements like considering a 40% drop in sales year over year is doing "surprisingly well"

Strike Three: Having the most annoying ads ever. Not one, but two video ads scream at you the second you jump onto this joke of a site. And don't bother pausing them, because in a minute they'll both just start playing again. Whoever designed this site needs an open handed slap across the ear. That's unforgivable. Do not visit this site. Do not give them your hits.

In fact, make sure you vote them down using the link below the "read full story" Garbage sites like this that can't be bothered to get accurate data for their articles while ads scream at you - I have no patience for this nonsense. Is there an opposite of a bookmark so you can never accidentally view a site ever again?

ThatsGaming4159d ago

Your comment about VGC Sony hardware sales... Sony reports sales as consoles shipped to distribution channels, not sold to customers. So their 70 mill is not consoles sold at retail, it is consoles shipped to retail. Sony stuffs the retail channels big time before Xmas. I went to a best buy yesterday, and there was a 3/4 pallet of 360's, one full pallet of Wii's and Wii U's together, and three full pallets of PS3's. I went to Wal-mart... No Wii U's, 1 360, and completely full shelves of PS3's.

Strike One: The console #'s on VGC are pretty accurate. The software sales they have are wild-ass-guesses and where they are always wrong.

Strike Two: Considering the lack of exclusives and the age of the 360 with no new innovations really in 2012, a 40% drop is a surprising performance.

Strike Three: I agree the ads on VGC are annoying. In fact the site is brutal and unusable as well unless you use a non-Microsoft browser.

Muerte24944159d ago (Edited 4159d ago )

I don't know if your a VGChartz troll but even Aaron Greenberg laughed @ VGChartz.
http://n4g.com/news/644755/...
Now why would he mock them even when they overtrack his console. Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo all sale to retailer. It's then the job of the retailer to move them out of the stores. If the company sends out an order for resupply then the company know it's "sell through" matches it's "sell in". VGChartz is indeed ran by an "ex neogaffer" who was banned for posting false "official numbers" ahead of NPD and Media Create. I also doubt that this mediocre site manage to do something that even analyst firms in EU can't manage, and that is to track all the hardware/software sales in different regions in EU. These numbers are just predictions and that's all they are.

rainslacker4159d ago (Edited 4159d ago )

How to block websites

www.pcworld.com/article/24907 7/how_to_block_websites.html

@thatsgaming

All companies report shipped to numbers. They report these numbers for investors, and that's the only number that matters to them. Also Sony (or any other company) doesn't just ship out these units on a whim, they ship them out based on orders that those particular companies make, and those companies order what they think they can sell. It's a weak argument, and any difference in numbers even if it were important would be negligible in the overall big picture.

torchic4159d ago

I still think think the numbers are wrong.

PS3 and 360 were basically level, with the 360 outselling the PS3 by only a few hundreds of thousands in the US during Black Friday week (and the week after).
while this was happening PS3 was outselling 360 everywhere else, so I think these websites should wait for end of February reports, they're in for a surprise.

VGchartz was out by 2 million when Sony announced they hit 70 million, so all these figures are pretty much useless.

Ezz20134159d ago (Edited 4159d ago )

shhhh.. Vgchartes numbers are what you should trust
sony and MS are the one with the wrong numbers /s

Show all comments (56)
300°

Report Claims Xbox Is Planning More Cuts Following Studio Closures

"The sudden closure of several video-game studios at Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox division was the result of a widespread cost-cutting initiative that still isn’t finished.

This week, Xbox began offering voluntary severance agreements to producers, quality assurance testers and other staff at ZeniMax, which it purchased in 2020 for $7.5 billion, according to people familiar with the company’s plans. Others across the Xbox organization have been told that more cuts are on the way.

Speaking about the closures more broadly, Booty said that the company’s studios had been spread too thin — like “peanut butter on bread” — and that leaders across the division had felt understaffed. They decided to close these studios to free up resources elsewhere, he said.

Game Pass has not seen the massive growth that Xbox boss Phil Spencer may have been hoping for."

Read Full Story >>
purexbox.com
just_looken2h ago

Sense it seems very few remember that human's were around before 2020 the next studio to close will be bethesda based no doubt on the history of.

Fallout 76
Elder scrolls online
elder scrolls blades mobile
fallout mobile
The vr versions of old games

Then you got starfield pissing out cash nothing to cover it.

I doubt tod's team or any sub team is making m$ cash they are no doubt on the chopping block for job cuts

If you can remember before 2020 even fallout 76 was made with over 4 studios.

-Foxtrot3h ago

"Speaking about the closures more broadly, Booty said that the company’s studios had been spread too thin — like “peanut butter on bread” — and that leaders across the division had felt understaffed. They decided to close these studios to free up resources elsewhere, he said"

So what you're saying is...you bought all these studios and you guys can't run them.

Jesus.

Inverno3h ago

Spread thin after firing over 2000 employees a few months prior. So basically they created the problem and their solution was to just fire more people. Absolute geniuses over at Xbox, of course can we even believe this to be the reason for the closures?

just_looken2h ago

9 agrees of course pro sony site

Oh look knowledge
https://www.pcgamer.com/aft...

They left them do there "magic" for 3 years lost alot of money redfall is what made them take charge.

This is right now m$ in charge

Profchaos2h ago

Leaders can't run them hire more management create new roles don't shutter entire studios cause you can't figure out how to run them.

Unless the reality is this whole consolidation thing was really an excuse for IP harvesting

Eonjay3h ago

Reports are suggesting that Game Pass will be getting a price hike soon and that Call of Duty may not be added to the day one offering. I honestly have a hard time believing this but it does beg the question why exactly did GP fail? I think the answer is that it just didn't get the growth that it anticipated. Jim was right but I wish he wasn't because at the end of the day, its gamers, devs and other front-line workers who have to absorb the blow for Spencer and team's miscalculations.

3h ago
NotoriousWhiz2h ago

And out of the ashes something even better than Xbox will be born.

Eonjay2h ago

Honestly as long as is not a situation where the industry has to contract in order focus wealth on a few people who are already trillionaires..

Tacoboto1h ago

I think 2022 killed the Series X.

2021 was a good year for Xbox though and maybe the best in a long long time, hardware and software and as a publisher. Halo Infinite launched to popularity, Forza Horizon 5 blew everyone away, Psychonauts 2 was so well received, Flight Simulator on console, Deathloop even on PS5 & PC.

But they followed that up with next to nothing. Then 2023 with Redfall, a disappointing Forza, Starfield, and 2024 leads with closures and layoffs. And some tweets reminding us Hellblade is days away.

The only disappointment with the PS5 is not enough Sony games. Xbox followed up no games with disappointing ones.

Scissorman3h ago

For all the armchair executives who were calling for Sony to release its big-budget AAA games on PS+, the same exact thing would have happened at PlayStation. Game Pass has killed Xbox. Congrats.

shinoff21833h ago

There's not many of of us clamoring for Sony to do this because most of us understand it would kill Playstation. I'm sure there's a few but I've not seen alot of it myself.

just_looken2h ago

I will give you a like sense this site is pro sony even the mods will delete this comment like my last asap as they defend sony 24/7.

Those with brains knows microsoft a trillion dollar company cares little about devs and is all about making cash so they will lease out ips gamepass is not a loss like amazon/netflix the overall ms make billions a week.

3h ago
Show all comments (41)
280°

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
22h ago
KicksnSnares18h ago(Edited 18h 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.

anast15h ago

Those are all coming to PS5 too.

Tech510h 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.

solideagle14h ago(Edited 14h ago)

the keyword is so Far...

on topic: Ouch!

Hedstrom12h ago

Kinda missing the forest for all the trees statement!

shinoff218312h ago(Edited 12h ago)

Bet all those don't make it though this year

romulus2311h ago(Edited 11h 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-8h 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.

Elda7h ago(Edited 7h ago)

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

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 7h ago
anast15h ago

Popcorn is good. Anyone want some?

anast11h ago

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

dumahim11h ago

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

anast6h 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.

Eonjay14h ago(Edited 14h 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.

Hofstaderman13h 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....

Tacoboto12h ago

What did happen to Obscure?

Tody_ZA12h ago

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

Elda12h ago

Exactly. Where is the mayor & spokesperson of XB?

badz14911h ago

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

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 11h ago
MatrixxGT10h 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.

Skuletor5h 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.

Sonic188110h ago

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

MrDead14h 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.

MrCrimson12h 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.

shinoff218312h 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.

romulus2311h ago

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

Show all comments (53)
960°

Microsoft Closes Redfall Developer Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush Developer Tango Gameworks, and More

Microsoft has closed a number of Bethesda studios, including Redfall maker Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks, and more in devastating cuts at Bethesda, IGN can confirm.

Moegooner1d 13h ago (Edited 1d 13h ago )

Hi-Fi Rush studio??? Seriously?? Goes to show quality matters lil to MS.

Worst gen ever. All big 3 battling are for who sucks the most. They just keep one upping one another.

-Foxtrot1d 13h ago

This does feel like a “quick Sony is getting shit on for Helldivers, let’s announce it now to minimise impact”

thesoftware7301d 13h ago

That is silly. Let's say there is some weird conspiracy. This announcement would effectively take ALL the attention away from the HD2 situation, especially since there is no longer an HD2 situation. I don't think anything will minimize this impact.

Tacoboto1d 12h ago

... so they announce it on a Tuesday? 36 hours after Sony cleared up everything?

You people care more about the next conspiracy than anything else.

Nevermind that Sony followed the golden rule of minimizing impact by announcing horrible news on a Friday.

Eonjay1d 12h ago

The constant weekly weird Sony drama is part of the industry's problem. Everyone else feels they can get away with murder. Also, what is the point of spending all that money if you just start shutting studios down. And... Redfall wasn't Arkane's fought. Microsoft new the shape the game was in but needed something for GamePass after a whole year of no releases into the service. Them taking it out on Arkane seems really disingenuous and distasteful. And WTF did Tango do? Didn't Todd just release a statement saying how he would never retire. Fire his ass.

romulus231d 12h ago

Well if that was the reason for the timing it didn't work.

darthv721d 12h ago

wow... i did not have them closing Tango and Arkane Austin on my bingo card.

Hofstaderman1d 11h ago (Edited 1d 11h ago )

Yes it does. Arkane Austin I can understand but Tango Gameworks made an excellent game in Hi Fi Rush.
On review, it want really all on Austin for Redfall and its failure, they were forced to make a multiplayer games when their expertise was always single player driven first person games.

-Foxtrot1d 11h ago

Guys I’m not being all that serious…relax

Outside_ofthe_Box1d 10h ago (Edited 1d 10h ago )

"I don't think anything will minimize this impact."

It already has. Notice your comment(or lack there of) vs HD2.

On another note, I would like to see Microsoft buy more studios and do more shadows drops on subscription services like they did Hi-Fi Rush. It's great for the industry I was told by people on here.

Zeref1d 9h ago (Edited 1d 9h ago )

I'm pretty sure that's exactly how it works. Same thing with layoffs. All of a sudden everyone has layoffs around the same time

Cacabunga1d 7h ago

MS will always make it to amaze me by showing the worse version of themselves every single time..

peppeaccardo1d 7h ago

MS proving to the world that ttheir leadership cannot drive success from these new acquisitions. They have ran the numbers and they have realized that long term, without a clear direction from the motehrship, these are a loss for the company hence they need to be cut. I might be wrong but I am absolutelly sure that if these developers would have not been purchased by Microsoft they would be still on business. A shame ...

senorfartcushion19h ago

Both things have happened but N4G's commenters (90% Playstation ) will follow suit

+ Show (9) more repliesLast reply 19h ago
Einhander19721d 13h ago (Edited 1d 13h ago )

10/10 deflection, the ol' Sony too deflect...

Let's not discuss the fact that PlayStations struggles have largely been caused by the fact that game pass has reshaped how consumers spend causing them to spend less as they play what is on subscriptions and don't buy games as much because they either have become subscription gamers or they fear the game will come to a subscription so they don't buy things.

And it's not just PlayStation, the whole industry has been effected, many big studios are struggling across the board to match sales targets from pre-game pass releases which is especially apparent in things like sequels.

Heck the best example was Microsoft's own Starfield which should have easily blasted past 10m sales by the end of 2023 going by sales of similar Bethesda games yet was only able to achieve 3m which of course was almost entirely on Steam.

Moegooner1d 13h ago

Or maybe it's because Sony hasn't released multiple worthwhile SP games like they normally do each gen and the ones they did released actually sold well.

Layoffs aren't because studios are struggling, but because major publishers want to maximise profit gains.

Profchaos1d 13h ago (Edited 1d 12h ago )

Absolutely it's a service that's changed the way we view and consume games overall for the worse games have little value when they are part of a sub and become disposable doubly so if they are a day 1 freebie often it's the kiss of death for a game to be day 1 on gamepass as PlayStation players look at it like why do I have to pay 60 dollars for back 4 blood, payday 3 or outriders it'll be on PS plus soon enough and funny enough those games always fail to meet expectations sales are poor and longevity is poor.

When I see a game get a day 1 tag outside of first party my first thought is always something is wrong with it and it can't stand on its own feet so the publisher has made a deal to recoup development cost.

Even first party games have dropped in quality noticeably so since gamepass with gears 5 being the only good release I can think of since gamepass started

Petebloodyonion1d 12h ago

Wasn't aware that Gamepass is available on PlayStation.
Or are you telling us that a service from a console lacking in sales is so great that it affects the morale and buying habits of ppl lacking access to the service?

Also pretty sure that saying all of them competing for who sucks means the whole industry and not just Sony and MS.

Nitrowolf21d 12h ago (Edited 1d 12h ago )

This is what people online want. They just don't know or understand it. So many have warned about consolidation, and exactly what they have fear has been happening

This isn't the end, expect more bought out studios to be closed in the next few years

Hofstaderman1d 11h ago

Spot on. All in the name "growth" to appease investors and shareholders. Can't sustain the lie though...it will always implode as illustrated by these closures. Applies to MS and Embracer.

TiredGamer1d 6h ago (Edited 1d 6h ago )

This. ^

Publishers are slowly mitigating all development risk since every new big/medium budget game has become too big to fail. Games are too expensive to make and the profitability for titles rests on a hair’s edge. When you need to sell 5 million copies of a game to be profitable, you know that we’ve turned a new page in gaming. The real victims here are the smaller studios/games that bring so much character and variety to the industry, like with Hi-Fi Rush.

It looks to me that Hi-Fi Rush did not fulfill financial expectations for moving the GamePass needle, and the sales from the PlayStation port experiment did not measure up either. So it gets the boot.

Sad day and era for gaming.

notachance1d 2h ago

yeah smaller ABK studios like Toys For Bob are now in dangers

notachance1d 12h ago

I just don’t know how the hell a company that can spend $67b to purchase a publisher decided that it’s okay to close the studio that produces their best game last year.

Whoever the higher up there that decides this is completely out of touch of how the game industry works, the damn xbox division as a whole would’ve been closed already if they weren’t sustained by other MS divisions.

shinoff21831d 12h ago

I got in an argument with someone on reddit and they weren't haven't that Xbox isn't propped up by other divisions argument. They swore up and down that Xbox was pulling its own weight. I just stopped after a couple back and forths

TiredGamer1d 6h ago

Didn’t move the GamePass needle and the PlayStation port couldn’t save the return on investment….

SeTTriP1d 5h ago Show
dumahim1d 11h ago

So this is what happens when you're pleased with the sales and investing in the studio? Good guy Phil at it again.

Sonic18811d 10h ago (Edited 1d 10h ago )

From Aaron Greenburg:

"Hi-Fi RUSH was a break out hit for us and our players in all key measurements and expectations. We couldn’t be happier with what the team at Tango Gameworks delivered with this surprise release."

😂😂😂 🤥🤥

Lightning771d 10h ago (Edited 1d 10h ago )

Once again MS creates their own problems and they create their own animosity. Idc about their shitty excuse and "reasons" they're a incompetent company, plus all their Xbox fanboy influencers are dwindling I noticed. How many excuses can you make for a company like MS? Consoles are down and they're losing their own fanboy influencers also. That's all they had to cheer lead them now they're leaving them. Pretty nobody will be on MS dude no matter if they (if they ever but I doubt it) get their act together.

Trashy ass ppl and company....

If they go under eventual it's because of their own doing nobody else's.

porkChop1d 7h ago

Yeah overall this gen is pretty shit. Everyone is making horrible decisions, great devs are getting either gutted or entirely shut down regardless of quality or success, very little in the way of innovative games, etc. This industry needs to see some drastic changes.

badz14921h ago

where are all the cheerleaders for MS acquisitions amid all these?? you guys happy now? this will not be the end of it, maybe just the beginning!

OptimusDK13h ago

Maybe it has to do with this:
Hinji Mikami is leaving Tango Gameworks in the coming months.On February 23 it was reported that Mikami would be departing Tango Gameworks. Bethesda has stepped in to confirm the report of Mikami's forthcoming departure from the studio he founded over a decade ago.

Mikami originally founded Tango Gameworks in 2010 after departing Capcom, having lead the development of iconic games like Resident Evil and Resident Evil 4.

+ Show (8) more repliesLast reply 13h ago
shadowT1d 13h ago (Edited 1d 13h ago )

Tango Gameworks and Arkane?

RaidenBlack1d 13h ago

Arkane Austin (Prey developer)
Not Arkane Lyon ( Dishonored developer)

Crows901d 12h ago

Prey was fantastic. Red fall was shit because they were forced to do shit they didn't want to make.

Atkane Lyon did death loop I believe....I hated that one.

shinoff21831d 12h ago

I personally liked prey more.

RaidenBlack1d 11h ago

@shinoff2183
Because Prey was creative and different
Other than the live service Redfall, all other single-player Arkane projects have been creative and interesting

Tankbusta401d 11h ago

@Crows90

So just because people don't want to do something in life...bad quality is excused? Look what happened over that bad quality? no more studio

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1d 11h ago
MrDead1d 12h ago

Will be more soon, I've said it before I can't see MS keeping Bethesda. I think they'll strip it's IPs and slowly close everything, it's what they do.

VariantAEC1d 11h ago

No one wants to admit it, but yeah MS has a long history of pillaging other smaller corporations for IP and dispensing with everything else.

Zeref1d 9h ago

That doesn't make any sense lol. How would they make money from these IP'S with no developers?

MrDead1d 8h ago (Edited 1d 8h ago )

@Zeref
"That doesn't make any sense lol. How would they make money from these IP'S with no developers?"

MS don't care about the studios, they want the IP's. They'll keep the big ones in house, the game engines they run on and licence the rest. Stacks of cash to be made from licensing IP's ...or just sit on them so no one else can use them.

blackblades1d 5h ago

@Zeref silly fool, buy them for the IP have there other studios make the games using the IP names to sell them. We all know having a popular franchise name can sell

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1d 5h ago
Einhander19721d 13h ago (Edited 1d 13h ago )

Well xbox fans you got what you asked for... and honestly deserved...

It was so easily predictable that game pass was never going to be able to support all these studios.

If Microsoft can't win they are going to burn it all to the ground...

Countdown to Phil Spencer telling us "it's better for the gamers this way" yet again.

Barlos1d 12h ago

Agree but gamers didn't ask for people to be out of work.

VenomUK1d 11h ago (Edited 1d 10h ago )

@Barlos They indirectly did. Every person who made a wish list of who Microsoft should buy next and were sending tweets to Phil Spencer and Xbox with proposed studios, played a part.

The saddest part is the studios were closed because of the underperformance of their last games, and if they had been given a chance then their next games could’ve been great and succeeded. But it is the same old Phil Spencer Microsoft problem which is not giving them a chance, and that’s why he is not able to manage game studios.

VariantAEC1d 11h ago

Yeah they did. Just because they refused to see what everyone with a brain was telling them doesn't mean they didn't know. They were told, they should've put up a fight and they didn't. This is the result. But who knows even if MS' fans weren't such boot-lickers, MS could've carried this out against their fans wishes anyway. Unfortunately, we have the hardcore MS defense bots running to deflect from any bad news and maybe, just maybe, MS felt empowered to do more damage as a result of their fans cheering this all on.

anast1d 10h ago

They sold themselves out. Once people buy you they can do what they want. None of this should have been a surprise. When companies get bought out, they eventually get dismantled.

shinoff21831d 12h ago

Xbox fans were to busy daydreaming of Ms curbstopping Sony they didn't look at the big picture.

Einhander19721d 11h ago

Not disagreeing at all.

I want to add that from the day Microsoft announced game pass, before they even started buying up studios it was obvious that game pass wasn't going to be able to support itself.

It was so dumb that they doubled down on it by spending 100B on a service they knew only existed through subsidization.

They should have realized there was no way that adding massively more costs on a subscription they were subsidizing was certain to fail. Especially after seeing how it had devastated sales across the platform as a whole.

Heck by the time this generation started during covid when the console sales were similar PlayStation was already outselling xbox on multiplatform games 8:1 yet they still doubled down on it.

1d 11h ago
Relientk771d 13h ago

This is beyond wrong. Like wtf!? Especially Tango Gameworks with Hi-Fi Rush. I've heard nothing but good things about that game. Just because Arkane Austin screwed up one game release doesn't mean you need to close them. It sounds like they were forced to do a multiplayer game when they're a single player studio. They could have made a Prey 2 or some other game next.

Just wow awful news.

Einhander19721d 13h ago

Apparently PlayStation owners didn't buy enough copies of Hi-Fi Rush...

romulus231d 12h ago

"Xbox says Hi-Fi Rush was a success "in all key measurements" amid rumors of poor sales. Following rumors that Tango Gameworks' Hi-Fish Rush didn't meet sales expectations, Xbox marketing VP Aaron Greenburg is defending the "break out hit" as a success by all metrics."

According to Aaron Greenburg it was a success so they shouldn't have even needed PlayStation owners to buy it. That being said, I bought it and really enjoyed it, it's a great game. Shame MS closed them down.

RpgSama1d 12h ago

@Romulus23

All lies by the Green Bug, that just means that a lot of people fired bullets or whatever in the game, that's the key measurements they care to share.

Tango did NOT deserve to be closed down, they have not released a single bad game.

Crows901d 12h ago

That's usually what happens when you don't release it at the same time as other platforms....same thing happened with tomb raider reboot sequel. MS got exclusivity for a year and then when it came to PlayStation it barely sold. Nobody cared anymore.

shinoff21831d 12h ago

Still waiting on the physical release pre order window

VariantAEC1d 10h ago

Well... I did my part. Hi-Fi Rush is a good game, but I don't think its MS' style. We don't really know how well it did or didn't perform by the numbers or whether it broke even. This could just be another MS blunder.

Elda1d 9h ago

Exactly. MS purchasing a 3rd party studio & keeping games off of other platforms probably hurt them in the long run, then finally putting Hi Fi Rush on PS which in turn PS fans probably didn't care to buy & support Hi Fi Rush after a year later of release. Hi Fi Rush was released on Gamepass so it probably never really made any money selling solely.

Eonjay1d 9h ago

@romulus23

Let's hope it didn't sell well because that would make this worse. Also I could have sworn I read an article about their next game in the works.

Seraphim1d 7h ago (Edited 1d 7h ago )

I was wondering if that played any part considering the timing, though, XB claimed the game to be a success last year only on XB & PC. Regardless MS f'd up there too. They shadow dropped HiFi on XB/PC last year at the perfect time. This year when they released on PS not only had the hype died, but there were so many solid games available the first 3 months of this year to play.

I almost bought it on PC last year, but now that it dropped on PS I just have far too many games to play to bother...

If MS needs PS and even Switch sales they need a better strategy. At the very least a release date where players are more inticed to buy said game. The problem is always going to be that if they want exclusives the hype for these games will be dead a year later. The exceptions might be some of their heavy hitters.... 2 cents

Angyobangyo17h ago(Edited 17h ago)

PS and PC owners probably bought more copies that Xbox owners.

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 17h ago
CrashMania1d 13h ago

I can only imagine the little amount of revenue both games generated, sent straight to gamepass and excluded from the largest current gen console userbase. Not to say both games would have done well if they were on PS5 too, but you heavily damage to a games revenue when you put it on a stagnating sub service for a poorly selling console, can't really see people going out in droves to sub to GP to play this.

shinoff21831d 12h ago

Gamepass subs(most of Xbox players) don't buy games all like that so it's not sustainable. It's reality.

RaidenBlack1d 13h ago

Yea Austin made one of the most creative game of last gen with Prey and were forced to take risk with Redfall and now the whole studio is being closed.

Aphrodia1d 12h ago

Yes, that Tango gameworks/ Hi-Fi closure was an eye opener for me as well. Neither played it nor was interested in it myself but all I heard was everyone acting like it was the second coming of guitar hero or something.

I don't know what else to say other than modern gaming is an overwhelming sea of mediocrity and there's not enough voices of reason speaking up and saying that most games made these days are just not very good.

shinoff21831d 11h ago

Your playing the wrong games then. There's always been shovelware type games. Going back to wii, snes, nes, ps1 Xbox og. That's a bs blanket statement. As an older gamer since atari days I'd personally say this is a great time. If you can't find anything to play. That's on you

With all that said in no way or form am I speaking of multi-player games, gacha, or whatever. I'm strictly speaking on single player games.

Aphrodia1d 9h ago

you are hilarious. trying to validate your comment by excluding over half of the games out there today. Pathetic man.

Neonridr1d 11h ago

I'm more devastated at the loss of The Evil Within.

Chevalier1d ago

Wait I was told Xbox had great engagement numbers?! Some Xbox fans said they bought games when I told them Xbox customers don't buy games?

So Xbox bought studios to keep games off other platforms and forgot they conditioned Xbox customers to not buy games. Whoops.

So anyone else think Outer World's 2 dies 🤔? I'm thinking a small game losing out on Nintendo and Playstation gamers buying will kill this IP. But it's okay Xbox fans can get more COD! Halo, Gears and Forza! Woot that's a 'win'. Yay Gamepass FTW

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 17h ago
CrashMania1d 13h ago

Can't wait to see the usual try spin and play this down. So much for the heroic MS and Phil saving these studios eh.

Eonjay1d 13h ago

By the end of the day IGN will be talking about how this is right for the industry. Don't worry, Microsoft's PR is making the call now.

RpgSama1d 12h ago

Tango did NOT deserve to be closed down, they have not released a single bad game, and I'm sure Arkhane failed just because they were both rushed and pressured into making a GaaS game they had no experience in doing and no support to get it completed out of the gate.

PrinceOfAnger1d 12h ago

Not a big deal only hi fi rush was good

Sony has closed
Manchester studio
Japan studio
Pixel opus
London studio
Ready At Dawn ...

RupeeHoarder1d 12h ago

The difference being Sony has a large group of other studios that have done something positive. Microsoft just closed the studio to the only good game they released in the past year (Hi-Fi Rush).

CrashMania1d 12h ago

They all suck as well of course. But MS spent 10s of billions on these publishers for mass consolidation, every made a song and dance about how MS would save them, using their endless Windows, 365 and Azure money to keep them open forever and how Phil was some hero.

Nothing is safe unless it makes money, even for MS.

romulus231d 12h ago

It is a big deal.

Microsoft has closed
Fasa Studios
Digital Anvil
Ensemble
Lionhead Studios
Press Play
Arkane Austin
Tango Gameworks

Einhander19721d 12h ago (Edited 1d 12h ago )

Wow how far back do you want to go back.

Lionhead Studios
Aces Game Studio
BigPark
Carbonated Game
Digital Anvil
Ensemble Studios
FASA Studio
Good Science Studio
Hired Gun
Microsoft Studios Japan
Microsoft Studios Victoria
Team Dakota
Xbox Entertainment Studios
Xbox Live Productions
Lift London
Access Software
Salt Lake Games Studio
Twisted Pixel Games
WingNut Interactive

And more before this, this was just their cuts during xbone era that Phil cut while he was at the head.

And some of those PlayStation studios were merged not closed, most of the UK studios were folded into each other.

Japan Studio was renamed to Asobi not closed, aAsobi was an internal team of Japan Studio the "closure" the press misinformed people about was more or less a name change, the studio is in the same building and when the change happened less than 5 people mostly leadership positions chose to leave the studio to form Bokeh Studio, which still works closely with Sony.

And even if your deflection stood on it's own, Microsoft spent 3 Billion 3 years ago almost to the date to buy Zenimax and has already closed 2 of it's biggest studios and decimated Zenimax's support studio structure.

It's no wonder Todd Howard was talking about "more frequent releases" and letting other studios make their IP's games. The days of big budget huge Bethesda games is over...

In fact sadly Microsoft has ushered in the end of big budget gaming as we know it with their obviously unsustainable subscription industry change.

And I feel fully confident that this isn't the end of studio closures from these recently purchased studios.

Abnor_Mal1d 12h ago

Ready At Dawn was never a Sony owned studio, and only made a few smaller God of War games and a Jax and Daxter spin off, and of course The Order1866.

They are currently owned by OcUlus Studios.

MrDead1d 12h ago

How many times has MS fired Bethesda staff since they purchased it? I think it's been three rounds so far

BehindTheRows1d 12h ago

Deflection is the finest form of delusion.

shinoff21831d 11h ago

London studio what have they made recently. Really the worst one was Japan studio. That sucked.

In reality though your deflecting. The fact of the matter is Ms just closed the studio that made their highest rated game in years. That's insane.

Hofstaderman1d 11h ago

Also many of those staff were absorbed into other studios.

VariantAEC1d 10h ago (Edited 1d 10h ago )

Ready At Dawn was never a PS first party studio.
Manchester was closed and it was proposed that London should be closed, but their website is still up with no news about it being closed on their official site anywhere. So it's possible that the proposed closure just did not happen to get fufilled. Meaning London Studio *MIGHT* still be open running lean.

Edit: Japan Studio was closed with some staff making up the new Asobi Team Studio who's first title was the PS5 pack-in game "Astro's Playroom." Pixel Opus was closed and not replaced or spun-off their only games were Entwined and Concrete Genie they also helped publish Journey according to Wikipedia.

Chevalier1d ago

Man you got crap info

Sony never owned Ready at Dawn. It's now owned by Oculus.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/...

+ Show (9) more repliesLast reply 1d ago
Tacoboto1d 12h ago

Phil needs to step down. What kind of usual spin do you want?

More and more people lose jobs but the people at the top stay the same. Hardware sales tank despite billions and billions spent. The math is plain and simple.

Sonic18811d 11h ago (Edited 1d 11h ago )

I'm still trying to figure out what was the real reason to acquire Bethesda for millions or Billions of dollars if you're closing down studios 🤔 What were their true intentions 🤔 I mean do Microsoft really want to be a third-party publisher? It sounds like they're confused.with their future in gaming

VariantAEC1d 10h ago

@Sonic1881
To rape each studio for their sweet succulent ultra-valuable IP. This is Microsoft's favorite past-time.

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