The Xbox One doesn't need self-publishing indies

GamesRadar - In the race to accrue the good will of gamers as they transition into the next-gen, Microsoft seems to have shot itself in the foot. I too was aghast that the hour-long Xbox One press conference only had room for a handful of triple-A titles, and even those seemed to take a backseat to TV connectivity and voice-recognition wizardry. So when I read that the Xbox One won't allow self-published games, I hopped on the bandwagon with those who assumed Microsoft was giving the finger to every indie dev out there. But this might not be the greed-fueled, visionary-crushing move you think it is.

[ZodTheRipper]

In fact, it needs all the support it can get right now. It really seems like Microsoft is on a self destructive path regarding games right now.

[lastofgen]

so, you've see what ms has in store for xbox one at e3?

[JD_Shadow]

If the past few years at E3 and this conference is anything to go on....ABSOLUTELY!

[PirateThom]

Oh no... not "just wait until E3"...

[grimmweisse]

If MS can't show what they have in store for Xbox fans with GAMES, especially during a monumental unveiling for them, then don't show anything. Wait till E3 and unveiling everything, and answer all questions.

That whole "wait till E3" argument is getting tired though. That fact that they had to push the mess of an unveiling by a month shows they are not prepared.

Sony done and is doing everything right without even showing the console. Shows how out of touch MS is with it's core demographic!

[Yi-Long]

... it doesn't even matter what they come up with at E3, because of the announcements they already made, has put most people, including, completely off their new console.

Oh, a new Halo!? Oh a new Gears of War? Oh, a new Project Gotham Racing even!? Dance Central 4!? Really!? Another Fable game, and this time you AE the horse!?!? Wow, amazing.

No thanks.

I don't want a spying TV-box that doesn't allow me to give or borrow my old games to a friend, that insists I check in every 24 hours, or that still charges for online MP.

And I'm pretty sure I've already left a bunch of other negatives out.

[morganfell]

What's that darkpower?

http://www.abload.de/img/e3...

[Boody-Bandit]

Seriously, wait until E3 again?
Okay so lets take a ride in the bubble and assume. Let's say MS secretly acquires a plethora of studios and announces a ton of great new games, revives a couple old games, hell even Rare "finally" gives gamers Killer Instinct? Does that somehow magically make all the restrictions, requirements and fees (ALL of which are unnecessary and or excessive) with the XBOX ONE worth it?

What is it with some of you guys? Paying for online was one thing. Purchasing DLC, which was MS with Gears against Epic wanting it so, was starting to push it with a fair amount of gamers. Season passes and then selling trivial items such as horse armor, pissed off a ton of people. Now we have all these new restrictions, requirements and additional fees and this is all okay because there might be some great games to be played?

I just don't get how anyone can be okay with this. If MS, Activision, EA, Ubisoft and some other greedy manufacturers, devs & publishers had their way they would sell us games a map, level, track, car, weapon, upgrade at a time. Some of them are already doing it. This is hurting the industry and they, especially MS, don't care.

What I want to know is how far do they have to go to push the most diehard of fans before you to say enough is enough? Some of you claim it's mostly just fanboys of the opposition that are doing the complaining but that's just wishful thinking on your part because it's far from it. Those that are the most frustrated are hardcore MS fans. Sony fans aren't frustrated, they couldn't be happier. But I'm sure they are also nervous at the same time. Because if MS Is successful? It wont be a matter of if but when they to will end up doing it because of developer and publisher pressure.

Personally if all these rumors (I still have to call them rumors since MS is not given definitive answers) are true and it spills over into all the consoles my favorite past time will become just that. Unlike some, I actually don't like being used. Obviously MS doesn't either.

[ShinMaster]

Xbox fans have been waiting for E3 for the past 3 years.

[hazardman]

@ grimm.. i understand what your saying but MS never said the unveiling any games at the may 21 event. In fact the email they sent out was like see the future like what they been working on and that full game lineup would be shown at e3.

Also altho i dont like the direction they're going regarding indie games i still think they will be ok if they have a good E3 showing. If not good bye xbone!!

[badz149]

Those indies who don't bow to the might of big publishers are nothing!

[Jek_Porkins]

@darkpower
The last few years was all about Microsoft biding time for their first party studios to make games for the Xbox One, if you'll notice, you rarely saw a first party studio take the stage, even most of the Kinect stuff was third party.

Hence the 15 exclusives and 8 new Ip's within the Xbox One's first year on the market. We don't know what those 15 are aside from Forza 5, Quantum Break and Ryse, but I know I'm not the only one dying to find out.

In fact, Microsoft is having people give emergency contact information if you attend their E3 conference in person, I guess in case people get too excited? Now I don't know about needing medical care from excitement, but they should have some games to show off.

As for Indie's, they do need some, and I'm sure they'll have some. They might not be the beacon for Indie's like Sony is right now, but we have to remember it wasn't always like that, Microsoft can always opt to change if they want, I kind of don't see it happening, and they probably have their reasons, maybe those Indie games sold poorly or something? I just know that the more games they can acquire, the better.

If they don't change their ways, they still aren't out of it or anything, at least in my opinion.

[GusBricker]

Is Remedy first party now? MS owns them?

Not really, FIT. How many first party games that been released on the 360 in the past couple of years? 2-3? Halo 4 being the biggest.

The rest of been doing something...right?

[OCEANGROWNKUSH]

what you also dont know is how many of those will be shitty kinect games, im willing to bet a good portion will be.

Idk why they are doing this to themselves lol.

[matgrowcott]

@FITgamer

I like how you chose the one part of his post that most of us have been taking for granted for years. Of course most of their first party teams have been working on next-gen games, and for a long time as well. The alternative is that they've been doing nothing, and while that makes for a fantastic anti-MS joke that I'm sure would be absolutely hilarious, it's unlikely at best.

You'd have been better quoting the emergency information stuff.

[OpieWinston]

I agree 100%

Microsoft has been working on this for several years now and you can tell that Xbox One will have a great deal of focus.

15 Exclusives/8 Brand new franchises?

Assuming they've put their money where their mouth is I'm buying a Xbox One.

But bro trust me N4G is covered with Sony Fanboys...You can't talk sense into them.

Playstation 1 & 2 had beast franchises but 3 was a disappointment for me.

This console war has just started, Xbox One vs PS4...

E3 will help me decide, 90/10 leaning towards Xbox One.

[grimmweisse]

So why couldn't they show those exclusive, give fans a taster of what to expect at E3! I can bet that half of those exclusive will be some kind of kinect nonsense to appeal to the casuals.

TV, TV, TV NFL, TV, COD, TV....end unveiling!
Pathetic event! Leaves us with more questions than answers.

[RiPPn]

Soooo this is why they have shafted the gamers and focused on casual and entertainment for the last 4 years.

This could be the most delusional fanboy in all of fanboydom!!

[matgrowcott]

"Soooo this is why they have shafted the gamers and focused on casual and entertainment for the last 4 years."

No, that's because that's who make Microsoft the most money for the least effort.

That doesn't mean there can't be core experiences as well, you're just not the target. They don't rely on your sale to turn a profit, and they probably never will again.

How that works out for them will be interesting, but so far it's been fine.

[GusBricker]

I know you don't want to hear it, grimm, but wait until e3.

MS really needs to blow us away at E3, though, that's for sure.

[GotEnder]

"the last few years was all about microsoft biding time for their first party studios to make games for the xbox one". sorry but that seems unfair to 360 owners.

[nycgamer4ever]

Jek

Come on now just stop with the spinning and defending. MS is huge conglomerate and doesn't anyone advocating it. Fact is that company has be known since leven before the first Xbox to have shady monopolistic business practices. And it has carried over to the games division. Loot what happened leading up to and when the 360 released, they promptly dropped all support for the original xbox. Then came the rrod fiasco and the denial until the courts mandated they fess up. Then they forced developers to make the games the same as other consoles holding thrm back. Now the last couple years leading to the release of xbox one its been without major support again.

You could say they have been bidding their time and resources for the xbox one which is great, but what about the 75,000,000 or so people who bought the xbox 360? Just like the first xbox they are leaving them hanging too. They are going to drop support for that too when xbox one releases. History will repeat itself. Maybe they dont have enough studios to support both but please dont defend it. Sony is releasing a console the same time this year and yet this year alone they have or are releasing, sly cooper, ni no kuni, puppeteer, the last of us, gow ascension, beyond two souls, gt6, killzone mercenaries, and many many more I cant list.

Now you like the xbox I get that I had a 360 until it started failing and I didnt think it was worth getting another, especially since paying for online is weak but please stop defending everything they do as a lot of it is not good for gamers especially their fans.

One look around and its clear many of their fans are sick of it and ready to move on. It isnt the ps fanboys hating bro trust me they are happy as hell with that reveal. I am too as it saves me money. Now I can just buy one console and be done.

Instead if taking whatever they dish as a fan and consumer you should voice your concerns when companies try to take advantage of you, believe me ms is testing how far they can push the consumers.

Online console, games must be installed, locked to one account, mandatory kinect, anti indie, etc. These do not benefit the consumers.

Instead of living with it tell them you have had enough. The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again expecting a different.

Sorry for the rant I just don't understanf why people keep defending this crap.

[Mikeyy]

""That doesn't mean there can't be core experiences as well, you're just not the target. They don't rely on your sale to turn a profit, and they probably never will again. ""

~matgrowcott

Thanks for clearing that up, so every core gamers greatest fear is true, Xbone doesnt offer a "core" gaming experience, it is directed at Casuals. So Core Gamers should buy a PS4.

Thanks for making this easy. Core gamers might be the minority, but they are the majority when they are the only gamers spending Thousands of dollars on their addiction.

Casuals don't buy more then 2-4 games a year. and the majority just corner camp in COD every day, that isnt making MS any money.

[SonyPS4]

Indies help made the Arcade into what it is today and the majority of my XBLA games I own are indies. You may say it doesn't need indies, but having them is better than without. Can't lie about that.

[matgrowcott]

It depends what you count as "indie" surely? A company that could afford the marketing and submission costs to make an Arcade game is still going to be able to publish on Xbox One.

Some little start-up... no way.

[ziggurcat]

just like how nintendo doesn't need 3rd party support?

[MidnytRain]

Isn't this one of the stages of grief?

[SpiralTear]

What bothers me is that Sony, Nintendo and Valve are all offering great and simple opportunities for independent devs on their digital services. That kind of accessibility seems like something that should be standard now, especially after all of the positive attention the indie scene has received over the last few years.

I mean, many of the indie devs who originally made XBLA games have jumped ship from Microsoft and the negative reception of this news from the indies on Twitter is huge. Indie devs have made a big mark this generation, so I can't say that I have much confidence in this decision from Microsoft. It will hurt them in the long run.

[Bakkies]

I didn't expect such hogwash from Gamesradar. It comes across as apologetic. Like MS PR spinning a story to make everything seem alright.

Factually, indie devs aren't that impressed. Eurogamer recently interviewed game devs and indie devs weren't happy.

Surely Microsoft can still fund and publish high quality indie titles, but the irony is that if it's not self-published and self-funded, it's not an indie game anymore.

[SexyGamerDude]

Say that to the millions of Minecraft players. The creator already stated he is liking the PS4 more and more.

[OCEANGROWNKUSH]

Oh really? Microsoft doesnt seem to ened anything anymore... like games and customers

[NewEra7]

They apparently dont seem to need one of the most diverse gaming genres there is either... NBD. /s

[Chapter11]

This article is such a joke I can't formulate a proper response. Way to go champ.

[Supermax]

No buddy cares about a indie game on a console it's a waste of time and space on a gaming rig

[mochachino]

Sure sure, Xbox doesn't need anyone. It has all the ignorant silly consumers locked. It can't do wrong. NDP #1 every month!

Sarcasm aside, I understand MS's arrogance, after RROD, ridiculously priced proprietary peripherals, blatant Kinect functionality lies, losing all exclusives, casual focus, paying millions for timed exclusives that added nothing new to the industry and only restricted other gamers from having content that would have otherwise existed anyways, and pay to play online MP people still supported them.

How could they not think that they could do whatever they wanted and people would support them.

I'm happy the US finally woke the f up.

[Tales RPG addict]

Halo and Gears are fun. Fable 3 sucked but i dont care about MS other first party franchises.

[Supermax]

Hey look Sony has drm now