280°

Why everyone loves to hate the Xbox One

Xbox One has spawned a subculture of hate. With some expert help, Screen Robot posits ideas on why this is.

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Gazondaily3758d ago (Edited 3758d ago )

Well, it didn't exactly start off with the right footing.

Before its release, the 360 had a lack of new first party games and also a lot of Kinect shovelware.

Then rumours were abound of its media focused console. Sony have an impressive reveal and MS reveal their so-called 'games console' as anything but a games console.

Then the DRM fiasco which eclipsed the impressive showing of games.

Then the u-turns, mandatory Kinect, NSA fiasco, corporate jargon and disastrous PR.

Then the resolution problems.

All this plus Microsoft's image of the evil, money-grubbing company run by the Illuminati and you have the perfect storm.

GarrusVakarian3758d ago (Edited 3758d ago )

"Xbox One has spawned a subculture of hate"

No. MICROSOFT has spawned a subculture of hate. You can't hate a plastic box. It's not the console people hate or it's games....it's the company behind them. I don't get why people act all dumbfounded about why MS get so much hate, look at 2013 alone to see why, 2013 was disastrous for MS, it was just bad decision after bad decision. But others like myself would argue it goes further back than that....

In 2010 they abandoning the core gamer for casuals and families, focusing on Kinect titles instead of giving people quality exclusives. Add to that all the things you just listed......how can anyone blame people for not looking at MS in a positive light. No one is to blame for MS's hate but MS. MS in the original Xbox days and MS now are completely different companies. I wish they were more like the former.

TomShoe3758d ago

TL;DR Above:

Microsoft brought a lot of it on themselves. You can't say that it's not uncalled for.

Hatsune-Miku3758d ago (Edited 3758d ago )

Cite xbox's history and xbox ones initial announcement.

There is a running theme perpetuated by most sony nay sayers that n4g and most non-biased websites are rampantly filled with sony fanatics. It isnt true at all. Sony PlayStation is just the most rational choice for core gamers with its consumer friendly choices like being a powerful machine, worth the price of hardware, having the most criticality acclaimed exclusive games, has one of the best online service with psn which gives gamers access to a lot of free games

human beings seeks out to get the best of anything often times that they are able to attain unless there is something else they might like for their own personal reasons

MightyNoX3758d ago (Edited 3758d ago )

Abandoning Core gamers is fine and all, long as you're honest about it. However, they took a downright offensive approach and rather than say "Well, that's fine but we're after a different segment of the market." they attacked any one with different opinions. It was always OUR fault and not theirs.

People without internet : LOL! Why would I wanna live there? - Adam Orth

Remove the kinect : It can't be removed! Are you an engineer? - Major Nelson belittling Angry Joe

Power Gap: Any one wants to fall on their sword that the PS4 is more powerful than Xbox One, go ahead but you WILL be apologizing to us - Albert Penello

On moral issues of DRM: DRM wasn't wrong, we were just too advanced for the consumer - Albert Penello

See that? It was never a difference in strategy or being honest about what they were after. It was the consumer who was at fault. Microsoft was ENTITLED to the consumer's money and the consumer is always wrong, too backward, too hung up on things like morals and/or ethics (pfft!)

MSFT fostered this toxic environment.

BX813758d ago

@ tomshoe at this point it is uncalled for. They announced some dumb policies, changed them based on what the consumer wanted before release. Came out with great games straight out the gate. What's your complaint?

Pogmathoin3758d ago (Edited 3758d ago )

Lukas, you are right about what MS did, they definitely messed things up, despite clearly having some amazingly talented people working for them, but as is business at any company, the suits get too much control and think they can drip feed us anything. All have been guilty of this. I think though too, the hate for MS is a bandwagon culture as well. I see people commenting as well, wondering do you even know why are posting crap like this, is it just to fit in? The promotion of the hatred though, through sites like this is the worst though. I am upset over how MS launch X1, still got one though, along with PS4, because no matter what, there are still gamers/developers who simply love making great games, are they are on both. In the meantime, I hope MS turns back like the one that launched Xbox, and 360, especially in the Peter Moore days when it was all about the games and whatever gamers wanted.... Sony learned from PS3 launch, not to take us for granted any more, why will people not give MS the same chance? They are both big companies who at the end of the day are driven by profits.... PS4 will do great, but then the suits might like that profit and want to squeeze it.... that's how it is....

Kayant3758d ago (Edited 3758d ago )

@BX81

"hey announced some dumb policies, changed them based on what the consumer wanted before release. " - *You mean they where lacking in preorder numbers* - Fixed.

When they announced their policies in May after their reveal everyone was already giving their feedback. They said nothing at E3 waited two weeks after to finally address it and doing the 180s. It really had nothing to do with our voices their main drive to change was the initial pre-order numbers if not they would have said something before or addressed at E3 considering the uproar. It took them about month from the announcement for the change to happen.

OrangePowerz3758d ago (Edited 3758d ago )

@BX81

Did they really listen to the consumer? Before the.console reveal the rumours started about DRM and everybody was against it. They still didn't change their mind. They changed theit mind after pre orders started when they saw that they are miles away from the PS4 pre order numbers. They couldn't care less about what their consumers want (see not making a kinect less bundle).

At E3 they cancelled their interviews so they wouldn't need to answer questions and the onlu interview they gave was a train wreck telling people to buy a 360.

creatchee3758d ago

@MightyNoX

"Abandoning Core gamers is fine and all, long as you're honest about it."

Xbox One had a very good launch lineup and has a lot of potentially good games releasing in the next year.

The "not a gaming machine" "argument" needs to die in a fire.

Charybdis3758d ago

I find that the problem mostly stems from the policies Microsoft announced at unveiling of the xb1. They tried to strip away many options/choices of consumers and force requirements on consumers (internet requirement, kinect requirement). People don't like being told what to do.

ZodTheRipper3758d ago

I don't hate the Xbox, I hate Microsoft. Their business methods are far from what I call "acceptable". It's sad to see that for Microsoft only money talks in an industry that's built on creativity.

thehitman3758d ago

I actually dont hate MS, I do hate the xbox LOL... and I don't like their games or the lack thereof and hate their xbox policies. I love windows with the one and only exception of windows 8. I hate Internet Explorer, but I like MS Office. I like stuff that actually works and is good and worth the money. I dont care about the company behind it or their past. I use to be a Nintendo fanboy and I gave up on them after I bought the gamecube and it was baron compared to the N64. I am loyal to quality and quality only. The minute Sony starts showing they dont care about producing great games and goes the MS/Nintendo route I would stop supporting them too, but I doubt that will happen.

Bathyj3758d ago

Exactly. I don't hate Xbone. I hate Microsoft. I don't care about them because they don't care about me.

mewhy323758d ago

I have to agree with Lukas. ms brought this all on themselves. Don Mattrick did the damage and then left. How can we forget the "if you don't have internet the we have a great platform for you call xbox 360" interview with gametrailers? Yeah. Nuf said.

pompombrum3758d ago

I agree with most of the posters in this bit, it isn't the Xbox One I hate, it's Microsoft and I'm sorry but only the most ardent Microsoft fanboy can deny that the hatred is at least partially justified.

dedicatedtogamers3758d ago (Edited 3758d ago )

Nearly a year ago, I predicted this out in my blog http://n4g.com/user/blogpos...

They're the new media whipping boy. Playstation was the whipping boy for nearly all last gen. Now it's Xbox's turn. I think certain people are uncomfortable with that fact because they saw how long it lasted for PS and how viscious it was. Now that it's aimed at X1, it makes some people nervous, and it definitely makes people eager to just sweep stuff under the rug and say stuff like "They released good games. Why are people still complaining?" and "The hate needs to stop. They reversed the DRM"

MAULxx3758d ago

I could not have said it any better than that Lukas. Bubble for you.

+ Show (13) more repliesLast reply 3758d ago
Volkama3758d ago

Hate is such a strong word. And yet seemingly accurate, people get quite passionate in their vendettas around here.

It will all be forgotten in time. It wasn't that long ago that people loved to hate Sony, and they've gone on to become the peoples' champion.

Personally I don't get emotional about either company. If typical sci-fi programming is accurate then I think that lack of emotion makes me the bad guy.

DragonKnight3758d ago

It's never been forgotten. Have you not seen the SonyToo™ everywhere? The difference is that Sony worked hard over the years to change, they positioned themselves as the company for gamers first and that's what the PS4 is designed around.

Microsoft have always had the attitude that their vision is correct, everyone else just has to get used to it. They have no interest in consumer rights or being pro-consumer. Everything they have done will not be forgotten because the internet isn't a person, it doesn't lose its memory.

Volkama3758d ago

I've only seen that Sony Too nonsense from the likes of you and dedicatedtogamers. I figured it was just a deflection technique as that's how I've seen it employed.

You're right though, not everybody will literally forget the facts. The storm of negativity will calm and attitudes can change.

pyramidshead3758d ago (Edited 3758d ago )

I think people forget PlayStation was put through its paces in 2006, and it lasted a whole lot longer than what's already happening now for XB1. Sony took their sweet time to rectify all the missteps they did too, I believe 2 years, no? Hell they even removed features on hardware revisions!

In turn the 360 was a huge success for them(minus the RROD). I don't think xbox fanboys or Microsoft were prepared or even expecting this amount of backlash from the Xdivision's decisions so now a lot play the whole 'victim' card or just in general can't come to terms with Microsoft doing any bad seeing as they took care of them well for a full 8 year gen. Now it's reversed people have Stockholm Syndrome.

Fanboys need to suck it up and take it on the chin, it no doubt didn't affect any die hard xbox fan's decision on buying the box anyway.

alejandroelputo3758d ago (Edited 3758d ago )

@Septic

JAJAJA your comment was just perfect bro. Couldn't have said it better myself.

badboy7763758d ago

Because we get paid to hate them.

GarrusVakarian3758d ago (Edited 3758d ago )

Lol, i don't even need to work a real job, every pro-Sony comment and every anti-MS comment i make, Sony pay me £10!

That's a joke btw.....There are people on this site that genuinely believe that.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 3758d ago
Hellsvacancy3758d ago

They do it to themselves, Microsft that is, it's no conspiracy that the way they handle business is tyrannical

green3758d ago

They did bring all this hate upon themselves. I have been impressed with how fast they reversed their policies and a lot of things that they have been saying.

But this year will be the year that they have to prove that they are indeed committed to providing great games and services to benefit their consumers.

TheKayle13758d ago (Edited 3758d ago )

i mean numbers are not showing this

x360 sold as much as sony ps3...(they ended pretty much in pair) ...

xbox and x360 gained lots of market share from sony and nintendo in this two last gen and already in the second one the "king" ended pair with the "newbie"
the start of the xb1 sets for MS a record..in sales..(compared to the x360)

i think theres no hating...is just like said millions times...there are a lots of biased internet media and usually sony fonboys users are more louds

ps. clearly is true the drm (that also if u will not want will come soon also for sony with the ps now) ...been used againt ms so badly by ..that biased blogs/forums/sites/magazine and by every sony users

i know i will end with 800 disagree..on N4G...but the sales number are a true fact....and if u look just at this months u need to dont forget that ps3 been 8 millions consoles back the x360 for 6 years...so i dont think this two months mean a lots

just dont lie to urself ...and dont act always like a fanboy

pyramidshead3758d ago

"i think that theres no hating...is just like said millions times...there are a lots of biased internet media and usually sony fonboys users are more louds"

What ever pushes your narrative thekayle. I bet believing that helps you sleep at night.

SniperControl3758d ago

@Thekalye1

"just dont lie to urself ...and dont act always like a fanboy"

You my friend are one of the biggest fanboys on here.........lol

TheKayle13758d ago

i could agree with u sniper but this dosnt change the facts

Kayant3758d ago

@TheKayle1

"clearly is true the drm (that also if u will not want will come soon also for sony with the ps now) ...been used againt ms so badly by ..that biased blogs/forums/sites/magazine and by every sony users" - Right facts such as the above i guessing.

Please stop the BS when does MS's DRM policies become the same thing as a digital service that requires DRM like any most other DD services of it's type (netflix etc) and is entirely optional.

Baka-akaB3758d ago (Edited 3758d ago )

Well the facts is MS was always massively disliked in the PC World , managed to salvage some reputation with its three consoles , yet somehow kept repulsing some people with some practices during the life of the second console , lost some more goodwill with the lack of support of its second console in its final days , and had some more baffling decisions and shenanigans with its latest console .

Finally , you guys are a riot with your "n4g only hate" meme . It then quickly became "Neogaf is Sonygaf" . You are by admission giving those places so much power , and control over the whole of media-dom and internet press and blogging .

Good job fanboys , you made n4g and gaf your tyrant overlords oppressing your valiant microsoft white knight . LOOL .

PS : Oh yeah but i forgot "but but .. Sony is evil too "

CorndogBurglar3758d ago

"and if u look just at this months u need to dont forget that ps3 been 8 millions consoles back the x360 for 6 years"

Because this is horrible english, I'm assuming that you are saying that PS3 sales were behind on Xbox 360 sales for 6 years, and only just now caught up?

If that is what you are saying, its like you forget that the Xbox360 came out an entire YEAR before the PS3 did. If you don't think that effected their sales, then you are sorely mistaken. They had a lot of catching up to do.

pompombrum3758d ago (Edited 3758d ago )

It seems that ever single Xbox/MS whiteknight on here ignorantly blames Sony fanboys for everything remotely negative towards the Xbox or Microsoft. Open your eyes and smell the coffee, most people on here are gamers and Microsoft burned that bridge for many back with kinect.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3758d ago
Fishy Fingers3758d ago

Because they bought playstations?

They obviously haven't done themselves any favours, but when your a member of a site like this you see plenty of unjustified "hate", whether to justify they're choice or downplay others is regardless. They're lumps of plastic/silicone, there's no need for them to invoke such strong emotions.

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320°

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."

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purexbox.com
just_looken4h 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.

-Foxtrot5h 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.

Inverno5h 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_looken3h agoShowReplies(1)
Profchaos3h 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

scareduser53m ago(Edited 51m ago)

Well just_looken is gone again

Everyone watch out crhistopher is online ready to defend his god sony

Anything remotely negative towards this company or any mention that is not praise you will be banned asap.

@Inverno

He mentioned that after the launch but also said they never took charge that is why they took the reigns now.

Well i will get banned now lates

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 53m ago
Eonjay5h 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.

4h ago
NotoriousWhiz4h ago

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

Eonjay4h 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..

Tacoboto3h 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.

Scissorman5h 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.

shinoff21835h 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.

4h 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."

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twistedvoxel.com
1d ago
KicksnSnares19h ago(Edited 19h 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.

anast17h ago

Those are all coming to PS5 too.

Tech512h 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.

solideagle16h ago(Edited 16h ago)

the keyword is so Far...

on topic: Ouch!

Hedstrom14h ago

Kinda missing the forest for all the trees statement!

shinoff218314h ago(Edited 14h ago)

Bet all those don't make it though this year

romulus2313h ago(Edited 13h 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-10h 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.

Elda9h ago(Edited 9h ago)

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

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 9h ago
anast17h ago

Popcorn is good. Anyone want some?

anast12h ago

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

dumahim12h ago

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

anast8h 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.

Eonjay16h ago(Edited 16h 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.

Hofstaderman15h 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....

Tacoboto13h ago

What did happen to Obscure?

Tody_ZA13h ago

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

Elda13h ago

Exactly. Where is the mayor & spokesperson of XB?

badz14913h ago

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

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 13h ago
MatrixxGT11h 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.

Skuletor7h 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.

Sonic188111h ago

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

MrDead16h 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.

MrCrimson14h 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.

shinoff218314h 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.

romulus2313h 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 15h ago (Edited 1d 15h 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 14h ago

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

thesoftware7301d 14h 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 14h 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 14h 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 14h ago

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

darthv721d 13h ago

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

Hofstaderman1d 13h ago (Edited 1d 13h 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 13h ago

Guys I’m not being all that serious…relax

Outside_ofthe_Box1d 12h ago (Edited 1d 12h 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 11h ago (Edited 1d 11h 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 9h ago

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

peppeaccardo1d 9h 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 ...

senorfartcushion20h ago

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

+ Show (9) more repliesLast reply 20h ago
Einhander19721d 14h ago (Edited 1d 14h 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 14h 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 14h ago (Edited 1d 14h 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 13h 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 14h ago (Edited 1d 14h 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 13h 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 7h ago (Edited 1d 7h 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 4h ago

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

notachance1d 13h 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 13h 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 7h ago

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

SeTTriP1d 7h ago Show
dumahim1d 13h 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 12h ago (Edited 1d 12h 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 12h ago (Edited 1d 12h 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 9h 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.

badz14923h 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!

OptimusDK14h 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 14h ago
shadowT1d 15h ago (Edited 1d 15h ago )

Tango Gameworks and Arkane?

RaidenBlack1d 14h ago

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

Crows901d 13h 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 13h ago

I personally liked prey more.

RaidenBlack1d 13h 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 12h 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 12h ago
MrDead1d 14h 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 12h 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 11h ago

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

MrDead1d 10h ago (Edited 1d 10h 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 7h 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 7h ago
Einhander19721d 15h ago (Edited 1d 15h 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 13h ago

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

VenomUK1d 12h ago (Edited 1d 12h 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 12h 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 11h 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 13h ago

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

Einhander19721d 13h 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 13h ago
Relientk771d 15h 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 14h ago

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

romulus231d 14h 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 14h 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 13h 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 13h ago

Still waiting on the physical release pre order window

VariantAEC1d 12h 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 11h 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 10h 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 8h ago (Edited 1d 8h 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

Angyobangyo19h ago(Edited 19h ago)

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

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 19h ago
CrashMania1d 14h 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 13h ago

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

RaidenBlack1d 14h 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 14h 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 13h 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 10h ago

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

Neonridr1d 13h ago

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

Chevalier1d 2h 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 19h ago
CrashMania1d 15h 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 14h 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 14h 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 14h 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 14h 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 14h 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 14h ago

It is a big deal.

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

Einhander19721d 14h ago (Edited 1d 14h 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 14h 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 14h ago

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

BehindTheRows1d 13h ago

Deflection is the finest form of delusion.

shinoff21831d 13h 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 13h ago

Also many of those staff were absorbed into other studios.

VariantAEC1d 12h ago (Edited 1d 12h 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 2h 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 2h ago
Tacoboto1d 14h 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 13h ago (Edited 1d 13h 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 11h ago

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

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