480°

Rumor: AMD’s Mantle API is a direct copy of Xbox One’s low level API

AMD recently announced their new Mantle API. This API has been said to give AMD a significant advantage over their competitor Nvidia in terms of in-game performance. Anandtech speculates that AMD might be confident of this because their Mantle API is a direct copy of Xbox One’s Graphics API allowing developers to directly port their games from Xbox One to PC. Since Mantle can use Direct3D high level shader language, Xbox One’s shader will be already coded in the first place so there is not much work involved in porting them to PC.

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thrust3876d ago

This seems like great news for the xbox one

Fishy Fingers3876d ago

How does it? If anything it means easier and better PC ports of Xbox one titles and if you read the article it's already been contradicted by a bigger source:

"Update: Digital Foundry issues the exact opposite statement. According to Digital Foundry, the Mantle API appears to have much in common with PS4′s GNM API"

PFFT3876d ago

So the Mantle API has much in common with the Xbox One and Ps4's API. Thats good news to me.

JonnyLH3876d ago (Edited 3876d ago )

Digital Foundry said they're common in the idea of writing lower down, they didn't say it supports Mantle. The PS4 still uses its PSSL and LibGCN libraries like it always has done.

DeadlyFire3876d ago (Edited 3876d ago )

Well AMD made both system's GPUs. PS4/1BX both are structured around GPGPU compute. Mantle is to take the load off the CPU. So it sounds to me like its PC version of GPGPU compute API to assist DirectX and OpenGL platforms. Basically its an API for the inner workings beyond what DirectX and OpenGL themselves handle. Likely with compatibility with both HLSL, and GLSL.

P0werVR3876d ago

Wowzer!

So Sony chose x86 for porting and Microsoft went a step further and worked with AMD?!

If true, smart move by Microsoft. Probably this is why there is an NDA by the 29th.

Just speculations for now.

ShinMaster3876d ago

"Update:

Article updated with Digital Foundry info. Digital Foundry thinks the Mantle API appears to have much in common with PS4′s GNM API."

mewhy323876d ago

That it's related to both the PS4 and the bone's API is actually a good thing. As the PS4 sells by the tens of millions and the bone by the millions, AMD will be in a great position to pander this API to the devs for easier game porting between platforms. Pretty exciting stuff.

KazHiraiFTW3876d ago (Edited 3876d ago )

The new consoles both use x86 architecture like PCs. What this means is developers want to tap into the power of PCs more and are now able to use PC as the lead platform for all games and scale down to consoles, which greatly improves development efficiency. This is also the reason AMD is now able to implement this new Mantle API, which further improves the performance of PC games. This new generation is looking to be a big improvement over the last for all platforms.

Ju3876d ago (Edited 3876d ago )

This will never happen. XBox is DirectX. Nothing else. A low overhead version, none the less. But you can't bypass DX on the Xbox (one). There is no way in h..l that AMD can get below DX access to (their own) chipset without MS controlling it. Maybe that's unfortunate. But this is MS's business practice. MS controls the OS incl. the HW access.

At the same time, I can believe that AMD was involved in Sony's low level GNM library and Mantel might as well be a "AMD version" of the same thing, with the addition that it will run on PCs. At same time, Sony's API is so small, that Mantel should easily wrap around GNM. So, well, even if Sony won't offer this directly (which I doubt they will) there is nothing preventing AMD from releasing a version for the PS4.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 3876d ago
Kuse3876d ago

Agreed, this seems to be like a huge plus for Xbox One.

Gimmemorebubblez3876d ago

People need to understand the following
-Mantle is not the standard, all PC games fall back on DX and both consoles have DX11.2.(1)
-Consoles have their own low level API’s that allow coding to the metal. Mantel is an API meant for PC games, that improves OPC on the CPU compared to OGL or DX.
-This is a rumor has been shot down by TechGAF and Digital Foundry

pacostacos3876d ago

ps4 doesn't have dx 11. anything its a Ms exclusive the Ps4 uses open gl

Ju3876d ago

Playstation(s) don't use OpenGL. It uses some custom library (libGCM/GNM). Sony offers a PSGL (OpenGL compatible) library out of convenience. But that's about it.

forcefullpower3875d ago

@Tooly

That just mean the console can do anything that is in the DX and OpenGL libraries and a lot more. Nothing more than a compatibility matrix. The console does not use Direct X.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 3875d ago
Mike134nl3876d ago (Edited 3876d ago )

Not really console API already did and do the same thing, allowing developers to go to the bone of the console. Though it seems that mantle API seems to be somewhat dependant to AMD architecture it is open source and could even be used by Nvidia.

This could be a boom/great news for pc gamers and steam meaning more competition from pc's for the ps4 and xb1.

WarThunder3876d ago (Edited 3876d ago )

If this rumor is true, Then AMDs API will be compatible with both PS4 and X1 not only X1

http://n4g.com/news/1362393...

amnalehu3876d ago

Sounds like good news for PC.

2cents3876d ago

Foundry Vs. Anandtech

Fight Fight Fight!!!

wishingW3L3875d ago

both equally respectable, so things could get interesting with both saying different things. XD

nunley333876d ago (Edited 3876d ago )

it did till the story was updated, now its a ps4 story,zing! either way,this actually good news for pc games.

BallsEye3876d ago

AMD confirmed anandtechs article. It is for XO and PC.

https://twitter.com/AMDRade...

So I was right.

PrimeGrime3876d ago (Edited 3876d ago )

That article says this could be for both PS4 and Xbox One also. It never confirms anything or says that for a fact it is just Xbox One and PC.

It even says this. Did you even read it all yourself?

"Let’s be very clear here: AMD will not discuss the matter let alone confirm it, so this is speculation on our part."

You were far from right. Your previous comments basically say that this is only for the Xbox One and that only Microsoft could afford to use this as a fact. When none of this information has facts and again is pure speculation.

The same old grasping at straws a lot of you Xbox One fans have been doing non-stop. Sad when you can't even read the information you are sourcing, instead you all act like MisterX just picking and choosing what works for your console wars arguments.

It never actually once states it is specifically for the Xbox One as a fact.

"What’s not being said, but what becomes increasingly HINTED at as we read through AMD’s material, is not just that Mantle is a low level API, but rather Mantle is the low level API. As in it’s either a direct copy or a very close derivative of the Xbox One’s low level graphics API."

How is that definitive proof when in the previous paragraphs of that article it says this.

"Perspective #2: The Console Connection

However even with a basic understanding of draw calls and their overhead, so far we haven’t really explained why Mantle exists, and indeed the entire frame of reference that Mantle resides in requires better understanding just why it exists. If Mantle was merely about providing a new low level API for GCN, then the issue would be far more straightforward, and Mantle in most likelihood remain an underutilized curiosity. Instead we have to talk about what is not said and not even hinted at, but what is more critical than Mantle’s performance improvements: the console connection.

As the supplier of the APUs in both the Xbox One and PS4, AMD is in a very interesting place. Both of these upcoming consoles are based on their GCN technology, and as such AMD owns a great deal of responsibility in developing both of these consoles. This goes not only for their hardware but also portions of their software stack, as it’s AMD that needs to write the drivers and AMD that needs to help develop the APIs these consoles will use, so that the full features of the hardware are made available to developers."

That is why I can't even take some of these tech sites seriously. One minute they say one thing, the next minute they say the complete opposite. Why? Site hits.

... and now look the entire article was started from what Digital Foundry has said, now it has been updated, saying the complete opposite to prove my point further.

All you Xbox fans grasping at rumors, look like fools once again. Just like every idiot who told me to wait till the 26th.. Then the 27th and again it got pushed back to the 30th, now the person who even started all these rumors about this non disclosure agreement are claiming it will never come, now we have to wait years because Microsoft will hide it.

How delusional can you be to not see straight through all this crap?

When this comes from Microsoft's mouth, come back and talk about the superior technical aspects of software and hardware the Xbox One offers, until then stop making yourselves look anymore foolish than you already have as nothing in what you provided proves anything.

How about you actually read it all first.

thisismyaccount3875d ago

Xbox One dx 11.<1> gpu, dx11.<2> via software "tweaks".

PS4 "libgcm" 11.<2> gpu and 11.<2+> via software "tweaks".

Both have their LLD, and are prolly way more sophisticated than what Mantle.

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 3875d ago
BallsEye3876d ago

well, new series of their GPU were created in collaboration with MS, they've basicly sponsored a lot of the research. To remind you XBOX ONE deal with AMD costed MS over 3 billion! I'm sure they didn't pay that price for 1.3 tflop gpu..especially that sony paid nothing compared to that. Something must be up.

Kayant3876d ago

How were the new GPUs in collaboration with MS when it was confirmed by an Xbox engineer that PS4 and XB1 are using rebranded OEM HD7* series cards a.k.a HD8000 Sea Island---> http://www.eurogamer.net/ar...

"sony paid nothing compared to that" Semi-custom am pretty sure they paid quite a bit as well seeing as it's not a standard APU/architecture that can be found anywhere else like the XB1's.

Obviously MS paid more has their solution is completely custom from the base Jaguar architecture but they don't collaborate with AMD on the Volcanic Islands series expect you have information that says otherwise.

BallsEye3876d ago (Edited 3876d ago )

@Kayant

"it's not a standard APU/architecture that can be found anywhere else like the XB1's. "

Are you serious??? The whole XB1 Soc, whole APU and everything else is totally custom.

It was on hotchips and is on plenty of sites just write it in google. You just lost all your credibility. Get your info straight.. wtf.

http://techreport.com/news/...

http://www.pcworld.com/arti...

While ps4 got semi-custom APU XO have it a fully custom one.

http://www.tomshardware.com...

They didn't pay 3+ billion for nothing. Money that unfortunately Sony can not pay and you know it. Money always win, that's how it works.

Please stop posting lies. Misleading people is not good.

BG115793876d ago (Edited 3876d ago )

For what it's worth :
"The Frostbite Mantle used with Frostbite 3 engine powered Battlefield 4 is a new API which would be used naively instead of DirectX 11.1 on compatible Radeon GPUs to enable higher graphics performance."

"This enables upto 9 time more draw cells per seconds than other APIs such as DirectX 11 for instance by reducing the CPU over head load which is than tasked upon the GPU hardware since its easily accessible. It also allows developers to include more optimization work from next gen game consoles to PCs which in return means the benefit for PC Gamers."
In sum, not for consoles, just for PC.

http://wccftech.com/frostbi...

Ju3876d ago

"They didn't pay 3+ billion for nothing. Money that unfortunately Sony can not pay and you know it. Money always win, that's how it works. "

Makes you how MS could end up with the weaker chip after all those customizations and money spent, huh?

Kayant3876d ago

@BallsEye

Wooow how am i misleading people when I said "Obviously MS paid more has their solution is completely custom from the base Jaguar architecture"....

All I said was that Sony paid quite a bit aswell but not the same as MS because their solution is completely custom.

Re-read my comment before calling me a lair please. "like the XB1's" is there for a reason you know.

Seeing as there is no documentation that says MS & AMD worked together to make the new Volcanic Islands series GPU I don't see how am the one lying here.

Bud19143875d ago

AMD basically killed Digital Foundry's article and confirmed the Xbox rumor via a tweet.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 3875d ago
Belking3876d ago

lol...you mean you hope it isn't.... Don't forget who has the 3 billion dollar deal with AMD. It's MS. As we get closer to NDA expiration we are finding out more stuff about xbox-one just like i said.

grassyknoll3876d ago

Microsoft's deal is with 3 billion over the course Xbox One, from percentage from sales of consoles over its life time, not a one time investment. That's more than the whole company is worth.

Gimmemorebubblez3876d ago

And you know what.......even though Sony spent less (which is not known), they still created a weaker system.

PsychOff3875d ago

FACE PALM.. People still going on about the NDA.. Explains why you are down to one bubble now.

DeadManIV3876d ago

glad its on PC, finally PC gaming on steam OS is where its at (along with PS4 - too many exclusives to consider not buying it)

WarThunder3876d ago (Edited 3876d ago )

That what i always say, PC/PlayStation is the best gaming combination ever!
PC multiplatforms, PS4 exclusives (from their great first party studios).

BG115793876d ago

Wait, where do people get this info? I watched yesterday AMD's conference, and this wasn't stated at any point...

Are some people trying to launch another rumour, for those few hopeful that still believe that the Xbone still has some sort of leverage against the PS4?

Plus anyone that saw the AMD's conf should know this, the mantle thing is completely unnecessary for the Xbone or any other console fixed hardware. Mantle is only necessary for PC because the hardware is different in each PC. Mantle would permit to optimize each PC in an individual automaticly to obtain a perfect optimization.
Optimization of consoles is made with system updates and good software made by the games developers.

Kleptic3876d ago

exactly...coding to the metal is the primary benefit consoles offer over PC's...as a platform...

DirectX 11.1 has some features to address this, with the ability to off-load specific cpu tasks to certain gpu's...but just like everything in the PC world, its only relevant if a developer actually takes the time to do it...which they rarely do...

This goes even deeper down the same path...just as you said...the 'fixed' nature of a console is exactly why optimization gets huge priority...the only thing fixed in gaming PC's right now...is Windows...not the hardware...

So if Dice/AMD are able to provide a decent showcase for what mantle is capable of...then great, it'll benefit PC gaming more than anything...and begin to remove the absolutely retarded overhead windows as an OS still requires during game play...but if its just another smoke and mirros type of thing, much like what dx 11.1 has been so far (all kinds of talk of features, and absolutely no credible benefit yet to consumers)...it'll quickly be forgotten...

doesn't matter how similar mantle is to either console's set of low level drivers/api's...this is NOTHING new for console coding...they've always done this, and its the main reason consoles can never be directly compared to PC hardware...but this could be very big for PC gaming...if it gets support and is used by devs...

so i'll see what happens in December...I'll have BF4 day one on PC...and get well over a month in before mantle is released...should give me a good idea of whether or not this is just more marketing...or something actually beneficial to...you know...the people that buy the games...

zippycup3876d ago

yes this is a win for Microsoft but on PC only as they have a monopoly on the PC or so i have heard might be a rumor

think the only ones that have to worry are Linux and apple maybe ??

Bud19143875d ago

Sorry but AMD tweeted that the story was an excellent description of their Mantle and linked the article. That about solidifies it as fact.

syne493876d ago

So excited for the release of these consoles. If for anything to put an end to the rumors and speculations. I want to hear about games way more than I do tech. We need to get back to discussing games not hardware.

Kleptic3876d ago

this has absolutely nothing to do with either console though...I don't know why it was even tagged for the consoles...

this is a possibly large benefit for PC gaming as a platform...addressing coding issues created by Windows...where as, windows as a platform for gaming, doesn't allow nearly as efficient use of hardware compared to a 'simpler' OS like that of a console...

regardless of what mantle ends up being, if it works, or if its supported by game makers...it has nothing to do with either console...doesn't matter which its similar to...the 'coding to the metal' feature set used for either the xbox one or PS4 HAVE to be used just to get a game running...on PC, this is more related to better utilization of existing hardware...

Show all comments (58)
930°

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.

Moegooner18h ago(Edited 17h 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.

-Foxtrot17h ago

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

thesoftware73017h 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.

Tacoboto17h 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.

Eonjay17h 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.

romulus2317h ago

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

darthv7216h ago

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

Hofstaderman16h ago(Edited 16h 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.

-Foxtrot16h ago

Guys I’m not being all that serious…relax

Outside_ofthe_Box15h ago(Edited 15h 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.

Zeref13h ago(Edited 13h 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

Cacabunga12h ago

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

peppeaccardo12h 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 ...

+ Show (8) more repliesLast reply 12h ago
Einhander197217h ago(Edited 17h 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.

Moegooner17h 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.

Profchaos17h ago(Edited 17h 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

Petebloodyonion16h 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.

Nitrowolf217h ago(Edited 17h 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

Hofstaderman16h 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.

TiredGamer10h ago(Edited 10h 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.

notachance7h ago

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

notachance16h 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.

shinoff218316h 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

TiredGamer10h ago

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

dumahim16h ago

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

Sonic188115h ago(Edited 15h 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."

😂😂😂 🤥🤥

Lightning7714h ago(Edited 14h 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.

porkChop12h 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.

badz1491h 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!

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 1h ago
shadowT18h ago(Edited 17h ago)

Tango Gameworks and Arkane?

RaidenBlack17h ago

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

Crows9016h 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.

shinoff218316h ago

I personally liked prey more.

RaidenBlack16h 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

Tankbusta4015h 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 15h ago
MrDead16h 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.

VariantAEC15h 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.

Zeref13h ago

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

MrDead13h ago(Edited 12h 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.

blackblades10h 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 10h ago
Einhander197217h ago(Edited 17h 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.

Barlos16h ago

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

VenomUK15h ago(Edited 15h 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.

VariantAEC15h 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.

anast14h 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.

shinoff218316h ago

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

Einhander197216h 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.

16h ago
Relientk7717h 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.

Einhander197217h ago

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

romulus2317h 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.

RpgSama16h 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.

Crows9016h 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.

shinoff218316h ago

Still waiting on the physical release pre order window

VariantAEC15h 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.

Elda14h 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.

Eonjay13h 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.

Seraphim11h ago(Edited 11h 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

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 11h ago
CrashMania17h 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.

shinoff218316h ago

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

RaidenBlack17h 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.

Aphrodia17h 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.

shinoff218316h 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.

Aphrodia13h ago

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

Neonridr15h ago

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

Chevalier5h 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 5h ago
CrashMania17h 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.

Eonjay17h 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.

RpgSama16h 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.

PrinceOfAnger17h 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 ...

RupeeHoarder17h 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).

CrashMania17h 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.

romulus2317h ago

It is a big deal.

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

Einhander197216h ago(Edited 16h 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_Mal16h 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.

MrDead16h ago

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

BehindTheRows16h ago

Deflection is the finest form of delusion.

shinoff218316h 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.

Hofstaderman16h ago

Also many of those staff were absorbed into other studios.

VariantAEC14h ago(Edited 14h 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.

Chevalier5h 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 5h ago
Tacoboto17h 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.

Sonic188115h ago(Edited 15h 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

VariantAEC14h ago

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

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270°

AMD gaming revenue declined massively year-over-year, CFO says the demand is 'weak'

Poor Xbox sales have affected AMD’S bottom line

Read Full Story >>
tweaktown.com
RonsonPL5d ago

Oh wow. How surprising! Nvidia overpriced their RTX cards by +100% and AMD instead of offering real competition, decided to join Nvidia in their greedy approach, while not having the same mindshare as Nvidia (sadly) does. The 7900 launch was a marketing disaster. All the reviews were made while the card was not worth the money at all, they lowered the price a bit later on, but not only not enough but also too late and out of "free marketing" window coming along with the new card generation release. Then the geniuses at AMD axed the high-end SKUs with increased cache etc, cause "nobody will buy expensive cards to play games" while Nvidia laughed at them selling their 2000€ 4090s.
Intel had all the mindshare among PC enthusiasts with their CPUs. All it took was a competetive product and good price (Ryzen 7000 series and especially 7800x3d) and guess what? AMD regained the market share in DYI PCs in no time! The same could've have happened with Radeon 5000, Radeon 6000 and Radeon 7000.
But meh. Why bother. Let's cancell high-end RDNA 4 and use the TSMC wafers for AI and then let the clueless "analysts" make their articles about "gaming demand dwingling".

I'm sure low-end, very overpriced and barely faster if not slower RDNA4 will turn things around. It will have AI and RT! Two things nobody asked for, especially not gamers who'd like to use the PC for what's most exciting about PC gaming (VR, high framerate gaming, hi-res gaming).
8000 series will be slow, overpriced and marketed based on its much improved RT/AI... and it will flop badly.
And there will be no sane conclusions made at AMD about that. There will be just one, insane: Gaming is not worth catering to. Let's go into AI/RT instead, what could go wrong..."

Crows905d ago

What would you say would be the correct pricing for new cards?

Very insightful post!

RonsonPL5d ago

That's a complicated question. Depends on what you mean. The pricing at the release date or the pricing planned ahead. They couldn't just suddenly end up in a situation where their existing stock of 6000 cards is suddenly unsellable, but if it was properly rolled out, the prices should be where they were while PC gaming industry was healthy. I recognize the arguments about inflation, higher power draw and PCB/BOM costs, more expensive wafers from TSMC etc. but still, PC gaming needs some sanity to exist and be healthy. Past few years were very unhealthy and dangerous to whole PC gaming. AMD should recognize this market is very good for them as they have advantage in software for gaming and other markets while attractive short term, may be just too difficult to compete at. AI is the modern day gold rush and Nvidia and Intel can easily out-spend AMD on R&D. Meanwhile gaming is tricky for newcomers and Nvidia doesn't seem to care that much about gaming anymore. So I would argue that it should be in AMDs interest to even sell some Radeon SKUs at zero profit, just to prevent the PC gaming from collapsing. Cards like 6400 and 6500 should never exist at their prices. This tier was traditionally "office only" and priced at 50$ in early 2000s. Then we have Radeons 7600 which is not really 6-tier card. Those were traditionally quite performant cards based on wider than 128-bit memory bus. Also 8GB is screaming "low end". So I'd say the 7600 should've been available at below 200$ (+taxes etc.) as soon as possible, at least for some cheaper SKUs.For faster cards, the situation is bad for AMD, because people spending like $400+ are usually fairly knowledgable and demanding. While personally I don't see any value in upscallers and RT for 400-700$ cards, the fact is that especially DLSS is a valuable feature for potential buyers. Therefore, even 7800 and 7900 cards should be significantly cheaper than they currently are. People knew what they were paying for when buying Radeon 9700, 9800, X800, 4870 etc. They were getting gaming experience truly unlike console or low-end PC gaming. By all means, let's have expensive AMD cards for even above $1000, but first, AMD needs to show value. Make the product attractive. PS5 consoles can be bought at 400$. If AMD offers just a slightly better upscalled image on the 400$ GPU, or their 900$ GPU cannot even push 3x as many fps compared to cheap consoles, the pricing acts like cancer on PC gaming. And poor old PC gaming can endure only so much.

MrCrimson5d ago

I appreciate your rant sir, but it has very little to do with gpus. It is the fact that the PS5 and Xbox are in end cycle before a refresh.

RonsonPL4d ago

Yes, but also no. AMD let their PC GPU marketshare to shrink by a lot (and accidentally helped the whole market shrink in general due to bad value of PC GPUs over the years) and while their console business may be important here, I'd still argue their profits from GPU division could've been much better if not for mismanagement.

bababooiy5d ago

This is something many have argued over the last few years when it comes to AMD. The days of them selling their cards at a slight discount while having a similar offering are over. Its not just a matter of poor drivers anymore, they are behind on everything.

Tody_ZA4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

Great post. I went for a Nvidia RTX 3060Ti which was insane value for money when I look at the fidelity and frame rates I can push in most games including new releases. Can't justify spending 3 times what my card cost at the time to get marginal better returns or the big sell of "ray tracing", which is a nice to have feature but hardly essential given what it costs to maintain.

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5d ago Replies(1)
KwietStorm_BLM5d ago

Well that's gonna happen when you don't really try. I want to support AMD so badly and give Nvidia some actual competition but they don't very much seem interested in challenging, by their own accord. I been waiting for them to attack the GPU segment the same way they took over CPU, but they just seem so content with handing Nvidia the market year after year, and it's happening again this year with their cancelled high end card.

MrCrimson5d ago

I think you're going to see almost zero interest from AMD or Nvidia on the gaming GPU market. They are all in on AI.

RhinoGamer885d ago

No Executive bonuses then...right?

enkiduxiv5d ago

What are smoking? Got to layoff your way to those bonuses. Fire 500 employees right before Christmas. That should get you there.

Tapani5d ago (Edited 5d ago )

Well, if you are 48% down in Q4 in your Gaming sector as they are, which in absolute money terms is north of 500M USD, then you are not likely to get at least your quarterly STI, but can be applicable for annual STI. The LTI may be something you are still eligible for, such as RSUs or other equity and benefits, especially if they are based on the company total result rather than your unit. All depends on your contract and AMD's reward system.

MrCrimson5d ago

Lisa Su took AMD from bankruptcy to one of the best semiconductor companies on the planet. AMD from 2 dollars a share to 147. She can take whatever she wants.

Tapani4d ago

You are not wrong about what she did for AMD and that is remarkable. However, MNCs' Rewards schemes do not work like "take whatever you want, because you performed well in the past".

darksky5d ago

AMD prcied their cards thinking that they will sell out just like in the mining craze. I suspect reality has hit home when they realized most gamers cannot afford to spend over $500 for a gpu.

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300°

Microsoft Survey Asks About Handheld

A new survey from Microsoft has further hinted at the possibility of an Xbox handheld being in development.

Read Full Story >>
twistedvoxel.com
EasilyTheBest7d ago

This is definitely happening, I just hope they have 2 versions one with a much bigger screen.

GamerRN7d ago

I'll be happy with this, and a PC console hybrid that rivals anything we have power wise

Number1TailzFan7d ago

The problem with bigger devices is playing them on your side in bed, Vita and before that was fine. Since the Switch you gotta have a gooseneck holder & controllers detached so you can lie down holding them, or your arm will quickly get tired.

1Victor6d ago

@thesofware: “A much bigger screen than what?”
A gaming laptop 🤷🏿🤣

Kosic6d ago

Than the screen originally planned...duh... :D

darthv726d ago

it kinda already did... https://www.xbox.com/en-US/...

They are just gauging interest in one of their own.

crazyCoconuts6d ago

A Xbox version of Logitech G-Cloud?
I mean, why bother? Not like the G cloud is flying off shelves and what would Xbox add to make it better?
They're surely not going to create bespoke architecture here and there are already a few Windows handhelds out there. I have little confidence in their ability to put together an attractive UI in the way Steam did. So I doubt anything will come from this.

KicksnSnares7d ago

Day One buy for me if they'll make a dedicated handheld device.

darthv727d ago

i have that logitech g-cloud. Its a sweet little piece of kit. I like that it can also install games from the play store unlike the other android based handheld.

mudakoshaka7d ago

It sure is! Don't understand why you get the down-votes. Whoever does not like the G Cloud must have been dropped down a well, head first, when they were of a younger age.

PassNextquestion7d ago

I wonder if Microsoft will perform better in Japan if they do actually make a handheld since everyone says handheld and mobile are king over there.

TiredGamer7d ago

This looks like the future of the game industry... all three platforms with a handheld option.

I wonder if the Playstation Portal is a technology test-bed/prototype for a future Playstation handheld?

rlow17d ago (Edited 7d ago )

It’s a possibility but I can’t help but think would that be the best way to go about it? Though it would give you data on how much it is used and game type. It’s still not a true portable device and so people approach it differently. I think that data on phones, tablets, and of course the competition would give a better indication.

But I really think if Sony is considering a new PSP that could play ps5 games, now would be the time to dive in. Honestly, if they do this, it would be huge.

Traecy7d ago (Edited 7d ago )

Doubt if Sony PS wants to support a new handheld with first party games. Something they lacked with the Vita. What they should do is have a handheld that is like the PS Portal which can play all games but play those games on the go as well as at home. Something like that is a better investment.

TiredGamer7d ago

Agreed that you will probably never see a separate line of games specifically for the handheld (a la PSP or PSVita). The modern economics and expectations of game development make that cost prohibitive. What makes more sense is if the full-fat game on PS5 or PS6 has a special "handheld" profile that is automatically optimized for the lower spec handheld. There would be some significant compromises compared to the bigger console variant, but it would be the same game overall and would only require a single purchase.... somewhat what the Switch does with a lower resolution when playing handheld versus docked.

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