Sean Halliday of Pixel Gate writes:
"Recently, a short article went around named ”Exclusives Need to Die’.” It created some discussion and promoted some interesting points. On the whole, I disagreed with the main point presented, mainly as it wasn’t put forward very well, but the post set off some cogs in my head, and soon I was thinking about why exclusives are needed, and why they tend to be staples of a generation of systems and games."
While many gaming layoffs are cruel, Tango Gameworks being culled after Hi-Fi Rush doesn't even make sense.
Good read. I think the point is important. Cuz the message it sends is, make a bad game? Well shut you down. Make a good game? We still might shut you down. How the fuck are you supposed to feel any sense of job security under those conditions. The level of core incompetence at play in the upper levels of this industry is staggering. This is common sense shit. You can’t chase trends on a 2 year cycle when games take fucking 6-8 years to make. Just let artists fucking art for gods sake. They don’t understand the basic principle that they’re all haggling for the same slice of fucking pie and the market will not bear it. Find a different fucking pie.
"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."
"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.
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.
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.
"While the 20 year anniversary edition of Nordic Game, NG24 Spring's homepage on 21-24 May in Malmö, Sweden, is getting closer, the organizers announced that more than 150 speakers are now lined up for the show." - Nordic Game.
How is this even a topic? Would you like to play Uncharted on Xbox and Halo on Playstation. It sounds good if you think about it, but what's the point of owning 2 or 3 consoles that will play the same games? Hahaha
Exclusives might seem silly, but the fact is that the rivalry between console manufacturers is the main driving force behind quality. It always has been, ever since the SNES vs MegaDrive/Genesis continually pushed forward with Mario/Sonic, FF/Phantasy Star etc. Exclusives are a key part of that as console manufacturers do their best to secure great games for their system.
A one-console or exclusive-less future could be a meritocracy, but just as likely, would mean that great games can get lost in a flood of complete crap. As we're seeing on Steam at the moment.
TL;DR: exclusives are a good thing, because console rivalry keeps companies *relatively* honest and quality high. Long may it continue.
Exclusives need to live. Its the point of competition
While I agree with the author has to say in regards to the importance of exclusives. I will say though that with Playstation Now and Xbox Live Cloud service will render consoles irrelevant. Moving away from the silly hardware war to which console manufacturer can deliver the better service.
Exclusives are the reason I gave Sony a chance with the PS3.