430°

Should Microsoft delay the Xbox One Launch | OmniGamer

As we all know Microsoft and the Xbox One have had a lot of issues with the console launch and the console hasn't even launched yet! I personally know of quite a few people that were once Xbox fan boys/girls that have already pre-ordered the PS4. I believe that at this point Microsoft needs to take drastic action…. DELAY THE RELEASE OF THE XBOX ONE but my friend and coworker feels differently.

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omnigamer.com
allformats3951d ago

Nah, let them go ahead and release the thing.

NatureOfLogic3951d ago (Edited 3951d ago )

Xbox One has so many issues that a delay would be the best approach for the consumers or Xbox fans to pan out some of the problems with the console. The only reason MS will not delay, is the fear of giving PS4 a headstart. It's becoming more clear by the day that MS is clearly rushing their console out to compete with Sony.

Fanboyism aside, I think MS understands that Xbox 360 launched a year of ahead of PS3(with all it's launch issues) and was still out sold by PS3. I believe they're not as confident as Sony was in Playstation when they chose to delay PS3. It clear that Xbox One is rushed only to compete with PS4. A delay would mean no software patch, no kinect requirement and maybe a price reduction/ram upgrade. The lack of first party games and third party exclusives is also evident of a rushed launch. This is just my opinion on the topic.

zeal0us3951d ago

People tend to exaggerate heavily. The Xbox One don't have so many issues. The only issues I see right now is the price(which is due to the inclusion of Kinect) and the specs. What else is there need to be fixed? The DRM and used game crap is gone.

Building a functional X1 without Kinect shouldn't take long. Far as the specs goes, increasing them really isn't necessary.

georgeenoob3951d ago (Edited 3951d ago )

So many issues? You need to exit that Sony fantasy land of yours.

You don't even state any issues in your post to support your statement. Go ahead and try to state some I'd love to hear it. Probably the same Sony fanboy crap you guys love crying about like "kinect will spy on you".

pedrof933951d ago Show
Godmars2903951d ago (Edited 3951d ago )

@NatureOfLogic:
If as I suspect Kinect has been nothing but a marketing record device since it was first announced, then MS isn't going to be getting rid of it anytime soon. Though they don't have always online now they're still stressing online features, the cloud, so Kinect can still do what it was meant to do, which is to help with advertising.

@pedrof93:
"I wanna see them play Halo and Gears and Fifa and Unchartred on their gay station."

-__-

One of those games is exclusive and another's multi, so you've got to be joking. You've got to be.

Edit@pedorf93:
Thank you and sorry. Given the internetz, its hard to tell sometimes. Most times...

pedrof933951d ago

@godmars.

My friend.

Trolling I was.

HammadTheBeast3951d ago

Oh thank god Pedro. I was about to cry.

Cmk01213951d ago

People really exaggerated , when you factor in people buying ps3 for a blu ray player solely on top of who'll Asian market refusing to buy Xbox 360 for no reason other than it was 100% catered to them and the sales were last released as being within a million units of each other not really a big deal. Last gen wii won need I say more Bout people's purchasing decisions ... People
Mocked ms for not caring about gamers yet MS brought Netflix Nd the app centric approach to
Gamers. And Sony followed in toe. Same with this gen, all
You hear is about MS talking about sports and tv yet last gen Sony brought nfl Sunday ticket to ps3( great feature btw). It's all
About perspective and seeing that
Xbox is better online and competitive and Sony owns offline campaign experiences.

slampunk3951d ago (Edited 3951d ago )

@natureoflogic

I have both PS3 and 360.....and what you are saying doesn't make a whole lot of sense.....why?

PS2 sold around 150 million, Xbox Original around 20 million....

360 and PS3 have sold around 80 million each.....

Do you really think that Sony wanted to lose the amount of market share that had in one generation?

It's hilarious that FB's criticize the other company whilst being blind to their preferred consoles mistakes ( which both companies have made).

I think the PS4 has done a fantastic job so far but there are still questions i have regarding their online services as they have been very quiet about when things will launch with gaikai and i also think they could have issues around their software at launch....hope i'm wrong, but we'll see...

The best thing Sony has done IMO with PS4 is fix the mistakes they made last gen....launch at the same time or first, make a developer friendly console, cross game chat, improve the controller design and ship with a headset!!!!

MS have done a terrible job with their messaging so far but i do have faith in their online services and software....you only have to look at the upgrades they have made to the dashboard over the course of this gen.....in amongst some concerns.....

Heartnet3951d ago

There is nothing to suggest there rushing it out...

and tehre is no problems with the console just some PR disaster in explaining stuff...

and if they were going by the previous gen they wouldnt worry about releasing early as although the ps3 eventually outsold the Xbox360 MS still had way more profit and money out of the thing..

hell until a few years ago sony were making a loss on each ps3 sold and were relying on Software sales.

and X1 has more games than ps4 at launch and showed exclusive games at E3..

when you said fanboysim aside you clearly havnt done any research aside from n4g which is pretty muuch all sony pro news and ms neg news... get off n4g and go do some actual research into whats what and youll realise how much is wrong in ur comment

gamertk4213951d ago Show
NatureOfLogic3951d ago (Edited 3951d ago )

@ Heartnet , Nice try, though it seems you are the one who use n4g for facts.

PS4 launch games not available on Xbox One.....

Killzone Shadow Fall
Knack
Warframe
DC Universe Online
DriveClub
Diablo 3

These are games that we know are day one.

Xbox One launch games not available on PS4.....

Dead Rising 3
Forza Motorsport 5
LocoCycle
Killer Instinct
Kinect Sports Rivals
Ryse: Son of Rome

:\

And If I were to include a list of total announced games so far, Xbox One would lose there.

georgeenoob3951d ago (Edited 3951d ago )

@Nature

Half those games you listed for PS4 are multiplatform. X1 launch exclusives beat PS4's in both quality and quantity.

PS4:
Killzone
Knack
Driveclub

X1:
Dead Rising
Forza
Ryse
Killer Instinct
Kinect Sports

NatureOfLogic3951d ago

@ georgeenoob

He argued that Xbox One had more launch games, which is simply untrue. You can not play warframe, Diablo 3 or DC Universe Online on Xbox One(these are games for those in denial). Xbox One might have more day one launch exclusives so far, but PS4 have more games available over Xbox One on launch day. Prove me wrong if you can.

fermcr3951d ago (Edited 3951d ago )

So many issues ???

The only issue i see now is the forced inclusion of Kinect, and that is easily resolved with a software update.

The smartest thing Microsoft could do now (from my point of view) is release a cheaper version of the X1 without Kinect, maybe even a bit cheaper then the PS4.

Kryptix3951d ago

@georgee
lol You mention quality then you add Kinect Sports. lol Yea...you woke up from your dream yet?

H0RSE3951d ago

@NatureOfLogic - "PS4 have more games available over Xbox One on launch day. Prove me wrong if you can."
--

According to the Xbox One and PS4 wiki's on IGN, you are both right and wrong - Xbox does not have more launch titles than PS4, however PS4 does not have more either - they are the same. 17 titles each.

XBOX:

1. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
2. Battlefield 4
3. Call of Duty: Ghosts
4. Dead Rising 3
5. FIFA 14
6. Forza Motorsport 5
7. Just Dance 2014
8. Killer Instinct
9. Kinect Sports Rivals
10. LEGO Marvel Super Heroes
11. LocoCycle
12. Madden NFL 25
13. NBA 2K14
14. NBA Live 14
15. Ryse: Son of Rome
16. Skylanders: Swap Force
17. Watch Dogs

PS4:

1. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
2. Battlefield 4
3. Call of Duty: Ghosts
4. DC Universe Online
5. Diablo 3
6. Drive Club
7. FIFA 14
8. Just Dance 2014
9. Killzone: Shadow Fall
10. Knack
11. LEGO Marvel Super Heroes
12. Madden NFL 25
13. NBA 2K14
14. NBA Live 14
15. Skylanders: Swap Force
16. Warframe
17. Watch Dogs

AzureskyZ3951d ago (Edited 3951d ago )

Well its easy to just delay the console, but then they risk in giving sony the easy win. At this point production of the console is probably in full circle to meet the demands for holiday season. Console specs im sure finalized and in production, however if there is one concern it might been in the software department. DRM, family share was deeply rooted in the infrastructure of the os, so its possible a significant amount of it have to be recoded. My other concern, although is a rumor, is that APU may get overclocked, although this might give it a performance boost, it also produces alot more heat. Microsoft never shied away for releasing untested product, but its hard to say what the correct approach is when your competitor is release their console within the same window and has been gaining momentum since E3.

Ausbo3951d ago

You guys are all wrong. Diablo 3 is not a launch title. It got delayed to 2014 and an xbox one version is likely

http://www.craveonline.com/...

minimur123951d ago

'around the world later this year '

Japan, 2014 and wherever else it's being released in 2014

Urusernamesucks3951d ago (Edited 3951d ago )

The only Issue is bad publicity Which is fed By Misinformed children fanboys and paranoid tards.

+ Show (17) more repliesLast reply 3951d ago
StoneyYoshi3951d ago

@ allformats
Agreed! i mean they couldn't even play the games on the actual system they were demonstrating to people at E3. There has to be something wrong if they cant show their systems running their launch games 5 months before the whole freaking system releases.

Death3951d ago

Both Sony and Microsoft had games running on PC's and dev systems. This is not uncommon this early in a console lifecycle. Neither system has started production. Pre-production with limited runs are happening to get manufacturing setup, but full scale production is weeks if not months away.

theWB273951d ago

Did you not know about this?

http://www.psu.com/forums/s...

There were games running on actual hardware and on PC's for both systems. Get over it.

Godmars2903951d ago

@Death:
Except where Sony used actual dev kits, with hardware representative of what would finally go into the PS4, MS used neither similar hardware or even software. And even the rumor that the XB1 might see increases in RAM and CPU/GPU, even if its only to spite Sony and no longer be the lower spec system, suggest such.

StoneyYoshi3951d ago

"There were games running on actual hardware and on PC's for both systems. Get over it."

Ok so we have a legit photo of a demo running on a windows PC and you are going to come back with Giantbomb claiming that PS4 was also doing the same thing? Legit proof and word of mouth are nothing alike. Show me a picture of a PS4 demo at E3 running on a pc.

How about you get over it?

Heartnet3951d ago

You do realise that one picture on the web was A developer who created the Game LocoCycle and they owned up to it as they hadnt finished porting it and wanted to show it off...

seriously dude get off n4g and go research before irrationalyl comment...

your mindset is stuck on ps4 and refuses to see anything else...

StoneyYoshi3950d ago

@ heartnet

Lol! Did you also forget the windows 7 sound that chimes in at 3:20 on the Dead Rising 3 demo? Seems like you need to go do some research yourself. Oh and while you are at it, why don't you go learn how to type a proper sentence, also spelling helps too, because its very hard to take any of your comments seriously.

You might have to get off of N4G yourself, because it seems like you are getting pretty livid at anybody who doesn't agree with you.

Also stating my opinion towards something that you deeply care about does not make somebody a "fanboy".

Can we just have a damn debate about something on this site without these children coming in here with, "fanboy this and fanboy that! FANBOY FANBOY FANBOY."

Seriously, you people need to grow the hell up.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 3950d ago
dedicatedtogamers3951d ago

If the rumors regarding yield issues and being forced to rush-fix the UI are true, then a delay would be for the best for Xbox fans.

But of course, Microsoft won't delay it. "Ship first, patch later" has always been their MO. The people who will suffer will be early adopters.

Heartnet3951d ago

same with every console and every game this gen...

i miss the previous gen when nothing could be patched so everything was fine :)

medman3951d ago

Microsoft would only anger gamers further by delaying the console. They already have a pr disaster on their hands, but to infuriate those gamers who despite Microsoft's shortcomings pre-ordered what appears to be a confused console would be galling. Delay for what? To get their act together and offer more hardware performance? That ship has sailed. They are not going to eat hundreds of millions in development cost to go back and upgrade the memory and gpu/cpu to give the ps4 a head start in this gen. It is counterintuitive. They made their plan, they botched it, Sony surprised them with 8gb of gddr5 and other aspects of the ps4 including pricing. Now they have to push on and hope that gamers will find some of the software they offer to be compelling enough to put down cash for the Xbone.

greenlantern28143950d ago (Edited 3950d ago )

they should only delay the launch if they are aware of problems. it would really be a bad thing to bring it to market if the machine isnt ready to go. but if it is then release it.
I know they dont want to give sony any kind of head start. but the reasons people want them to delay launch is for things that ms isnt going to do annyways like remove kinect. however they might want to delay just a little bit to avoid potential problems with the day 1 update,

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 3950d ago
zeal0us3951d ago

Making a functional X1 that doesn't rely on Kinect to run wouldn't take that long or long enough that it needs to be delay.

Increasing the specs so that its closer to the PS4 or stronger than the PS4 really isn't necessary. Soon as MS does you can bet the price will increase with or without the Kinect.

HammadTheBeast3951d ago

That's not happening because MS is forcing devs to put in Kinect dedicated applications into games. Their emphasis on the kinect will make it hard o make a kinect-less X1. But I agree, there aren't any massive issues with it.

Heartnet3951d ago

wouldnt say there forcing dev's

at the end of the day if there not publishing the game then they cant tell the dev what to do...

there giving developers more options to use knowing that they can use those features.

For instance every ps4 controller has move attached but the dev cant utilize this without putting in an extra option to ovveride that as not every1 will have the camera therefor no dev will utilize it as its a waste of time and money.

Kryptix3951d ago

The main problem with this is people who already pre-ordered the Xbox One and paid the full $500 would be pissed off. And I agree, there's not many problems with the Xbox One...it's just the people running it.

RedHawkX3951d ago

without everyone always being online kinect will not function as good without the power of the cloud that was based around everyone being online drm all the time. not only that but releasing now and not having enough consoles to where people who want an xbox one cant get one or have to pay ebay prices is not good thats lost money. the xbox one needs a day one patch like nintendos wii u and we seen how bad that went because some people didnt have internet to download the patch and because the patch was a huge file. they we need to have a day one patch disk available to people at the store so those without internet can get there xbox ones to play games. they need to delay to january or late december. also these are just the problems we know right now imagine top seret stuff we dont know that coud be going wrong.

blackmanone3951d ago

"without everyone always being online kinect will not function as good without the power of the cloud that was based around everyone being online drm all the time."

I understand now how MS convinces these people. It's just too easy.

iamnsuperman3951d ago

Bad move. I mean they could update some of the system to make it more powerful but that not only does that add to the cost of developing the console it also puts Microsoft in a bad position as the console is already more expensive than its rival. Okay it happened to the PS3 and sales eventually picked up but the increase in cost with the bad press and the fact that couldn't make drastic hardware changes to the One it would be suicidal for Microsoft. They would have to completely change their how PR campaign. These things do not get done in a matter of weeks. It takes months and sometimes years to do when it comes to a big launch

FrigidDARKNESS3951d ago

First of all this is an opinion by the author that has been reading to many negative articles. Delaying it won't stop all the negative BS and Mularkey. Release the console show how awesome itit is with the better looking games and consumers will start to change their minds.

pedrof933951d ago (Edited 3951d ago )

You are right. The faster they release it. The faster people understand how awesome the One is.

The xbox one is going to be LEGEN-
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Wait for it...
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Heartbeat.

Gamesgbkiller3951d ago (Edited 3951d ago )

I don't think that MS has the balls to do something like .... oh wait!!

Red_Devilz3951d ago

They may not have balls, but they have Ballmer!

Urusernamesucks3951d ago (Edited 3951d ago )

Fuking hell... My sides ...

Show all comments (111)
380°

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_looken9h 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.

-Foxtrot10h 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.

Inverno10h 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_looken9h agoShowReplies(1)
Profchaos8h 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

Eonjay10h 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.

10h ago
NotoriousWhiz9h ago

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

Eonjay9h 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..

Barlos3h ago(Edited 3h ago)

It's already here and it was born before Xbox was even a thing. It's called PlayStation.

Tacoboto8h 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.

Scissorman10h 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.

shinoff218310h 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.

10h ago
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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
1d 5h ago
KicksnSnares1d 1h ago (Edited 1d 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.

anast22h ago

Those are all coming to PS5 too.

Tech517h 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.

solideagle21h ago(Edited 21h ago)

the keyword is so Far...

on topic: Ouch!

Hedstrom19h ago

Kinda missing the forest for all the trees statement!

shinoff218319h ago(Edited 19h ago)

Bet all those don't make it though this year

romulus2318h ago(Edited 18h 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-15h 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.

Elda14h ago(Edited 14h ago)

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

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 14h ago
anast22h ago

Popcorn is good. Anyone want some?

anast17h ago

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

dumahim17h ago

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

anast13h 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.

Eonjay21h ago(Edited 21h 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.

Hofstaderman20h 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....

Tacoboto18h ago

What did happen to Obscure?

Tody_ZA18h ago

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

Elda18h ago

Exactly. Where is the mayor & spokesperson of XB?

badz14918h ago

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

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 18h ago
MatrixxGT16h 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.

Skuletor12h 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.

Sonic188116h ago

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

MrDead21h 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.

MrCrimson19h 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.

shinoff218319h 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.

romulus2318h 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 20h ago (Edited 1d 20h 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 19h ago

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

thesoftware7301d 19h 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 19h 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 19h 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 19h ago

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

darthv721d 18h ago

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

Hofstaderman1d 18h ago (Edited 1d 18h 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 18h ago

Guys I’m not being all that serious…relax

Outside_ofthe_Box1d 17h ago (Edited 1d 17h 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 16h ago (Edited 1d 16h 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 14h ago

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

peppeaccardo1d 14h 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 ...

senorfartcushion1d 1h ago

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

+ Show (9) more repliesLast reply 1d 1h ago
Einhander19721d 19h ago (Edited 1d 19h 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 19h 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 19h ago (Edited 1d 19h 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 18h 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 19h ago (Edited 1d 19h 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 18h 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 12h ago (Edited 1d 12h 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 9h ago

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

notachance1d 18h 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 18h 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 12h ago

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

SeTTriP1d 12h ago Show
dumahim1d 18h 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 17h ago (Edited 1d 17h 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 17h ago (Edited 1d 17h 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 14h 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.

badz1491d 4h 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!

OptimusDK19h 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 19h ago
shadowT1d 20h ago (Edited 1d 20h ago )

Tango Gameworks and Arkane?

RaidenBlack1d 19h ago

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

Crows901d 19h 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 18h ago

I personally liked prey more.

RaidenBlack1d 18h 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 17h 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 17h ago
MrDead1d 19h 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 17h 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 16h ago

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

MrDead1d 15h ago (Edited 1d 15h 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 12h 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 12h ago
Einhander19721d 20h ago (Edited 1d 20h 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 18h ago

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

VenomUK1d 17h ago (Edited 1d 17h 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 17h 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 16h 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 18h ago

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

Einhander19721d 18h 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 18h ago
Relientk771d 20h 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 19h ago

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

romulus231d 19h 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 19h 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 19h 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 18h ago

Still waiting on the physical release pre order window

VariantAEC1d 17h 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 16h 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 15h 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 13h ago (Edited 1d 13h 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

Angyobangyo1d ago (Edited 1d ago )

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

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 1d ago
CrashMania1d 19h 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 18h ago

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

RaidenBlack1d 19h 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 19h 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 18h 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 16h ago

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

Neonridr1d 18h ago

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

Chevalier1d 7h 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 1d ago
CrashMania1d 20h 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 19h 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 19h 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 19h 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 19h 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 19h 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 19h ago

It is a big deal.

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

Einhander19721d 19h ago (Edited 1d 19h 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 19h 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 19h ago

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

BehindTheRows1d 18h ago

Deflection is the finest form of delusion.

shinoff21831d 18h 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 18h ago

Also many of those staff were absorbed into other studios.

VariantAEC1d 17h ago (Edited 1d 17h 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 7h 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 7h ago
Tacoboto1d 19h 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 18h ago (Edited 1d 18h 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 16h ago

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

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