Alex from GamersFTW writes: "Can you believe it? 2015 is almost behind us already! This year has disappeared faster than respect for Konami has.
So, without further ado, here is our shortlist for Game of the Year, in no particular order. We didn’t want to go without giving a nod to some truly cracking games that didn’t make the shortlist, so there are some honourable mentions as well."
Xbox growth continues to disappoint, and interfere with its exec's pay bonuses, as Microsoft's CEO stops counting Game Pass entirely.
Puts things into perspective when Spiderman 2 managed to sell 2.5 million copies in 24 hours only on the PS5, a single platform.
Gamepass will never hit the growth they want, its just not a thing the majority of gamers have interest in, it goes to show a console with good games will sell well, that's all you need.
I would honestly be careful saying 'never' when Microsoft just spent $80b more on top of their billions from before to make this happen. They'll spend over $100b more if they can control the gaming market and turn it to all digital and relying on their hardware for others to even compete.
@Christopher they can't just burn money. Investors have been wanting them to ditch their Xbox division for years for poor performance.
It's the division destroying destroying shareholder value.
Chris
MS have Better odds of winning the powerball than go buy another big publisher. This boat has sailed and they will buy smaller independent studios but that’s it for them publishers wise
They will literally do the complete opposite of what they were telling the regulators before the acquisition
On topic:
Gamepass isn’t sustainable no matter what the cult of Xbox fanboys will say. It will never reach 100 million and by 2030 MS will be a 3rd party publisher in gaming. They have put their eggs in the wrong basket just like when they backed HD DVD
Ms investors have been wanting them to sell Xbox brand for a while and if spending almost 100 billion won’t resolve anything than this is IT for Xbox. It is kind of funny and sad that the so called savior of Xbox Phil himself would have saved the Xbox brand (according to Xbox fans) and killed it after spending 100 billion
It sounds like MS set unrealistic expectations which lines up with how out of touch they are with gaming. I wonder what their targets will now be after the Activision acquisition
@neutralgamer1992:
"This boat has sailed and they will buy smaller independent studios but that’s it for them publishers wise"
MS doesn't do that. They tend to buy troubled studios with well known IPs, which should be the biggest red flag that their approach is all wrong.
For instance, their involvement with HD-DVD was more about preventing BR from continuing the dominance of physical media, to allow streaming to take over, and yet for such destructive and disruptive effort, they gained little to nothing of direct value or investment.
Well, aside from licensing fees from menu formats for BR. But again that's nothing "direct".
@blitz0623:
"It sounds like MS set unrealistic expectations which lines up with how out of touch they are with gaming."
They seem to be out of touch with reality in general.
I do think there's interest. But 100 million subscribers is a very optimistic target.
That 2.5 million copies includes early pre orders and console bundles. Out of 45 million PS5 users 2.5 really isn't impressive. As you said just putting things in perspective.
While games dont sell their whole load on day 1. It would be remarkable for any game to get a 50% or more attach rate. Heck a 30 percent attach rate is crazy. Its potential is high regardless, the spiderman series on playstation alone sold 33 million before the windows release.
Which Xbox 1st party in the last 15 years has matched Playstations records sales?! Oh right NONE. if it's so easy than how come Xbox can't even pull it off in the last 15 years or so?
Plus the first game started slower and has sold over 30 million copies. Again NO Xbox game has even come close to those numbers
...so does this mean MS will punish gamers even more now by taking away even more multiplatform publishers to try and make this turd a viable service model? They have proven over the last two and a half generations to be totally creatively bankrupt to bring anything new to gaming and all they do now is take.
Microsoft will flood gamepass with the ips from their acquisitions to see if there is growth due to their investment first.
They will also want to see how foolish said players will be with seasons and micro transactions in games inside said subscription service.
This will take a solid year to incorporate and digest the info.
Missed the goal but still showed growth.
Dom: It dont matter if you grow by a point or a percent... growing is growing.
Imagine theres still miniscule growth after call of duty is on gamepass? That would be hilarious.
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Mena Sato Kato was previously the Vice President of Mobile Business for Sony.
"VP of Mobile Business"... could be beneficial once the ABK deal closes.
She's not there for mobile shes there to lead JP partnerships its in the title
I get that, but it also doesnt hurt that she has experience in mobile seeing as MS are about to take on a pretty big mobile acquisition.
Actually outside of US, mobile game is a much bigger deal. In Japan, a lot of games (anime IPs, especially) are being developed exclusively for mobile. So MS focusing on that sector is a much better strategy than focusing on traditional console games.
Good Xbox's new approach to Japan has been refreshing, and I'm hoping that this means more JRPG's come to PC through Xbox!
No.... in Japan & Asia, mobile game is a much bigger deal than PC or even console gaming now. A lot of those small to mid size developers, ones that traditionally developed Japan-centric games, are now developing exclusively for mobile.
if she was the reason genshin impact came to ps5, that alone netted Sony enough for her to be worthwhile
Edit: While i know most gamers don't care for gacha games from mobile they make huge numbers and i don't mind playing the good ones.
She only had the VP of mobile role for a year. Trust me, she didn't do anything.
that's actually been the main reason i never felt compelled to buy xbox all these gens except for 360
the good part now is even if they do get a bunch of exclusive jrpg's i like i can use game pass to play them on my pc
Exclusive Japanese games I doubt unless they pay for full development or pretty damn close to it. There just isn’t enough money to be made for Japanese games on Xbox in general especially as an exclusive. Xbox gamers barely buy western games now
@jznrpg A single month of global income from Gamepass subscription can almost fully fund the development of Starfield. So I think there will be no issue if MS pay for a full price for any Japanese mobile game in development now. It only takes the developer to ask MS. I think this is the job for Ms.Kato to contact any interested developer.
Why her a former mobile leader to lead up a Japanese partnership. What experience can a mobile leader have to help with Japanese games going to Xbox.
Xbox, or even PC may not be the focus of MS. The great prize IS the mobile gaming market! In Asia-Pacific & Japan, mobile gaming is much bigger than console & PC.
Here's how Xbox is supporting LGBTQIA+ communities this year - including a partnership between Xbox Game Studios Publishing and GLAAD.
Really sad to be honest. I support any company reaching out to other groups because it equals more money. I don't see anything relevant beyond this fact. I keep saying this but people don't realize that the reason you want to be more inclusive is because you want to invite as many people as possible to spend money with you. It is just good business.
Replies(3)They click downvote to show just how NOT upset they are, haha. Conservative hypocrites want to cancel crusade against Bud Lite and Target, but when PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo all publicly support LGBT, they make a few triggered comments but continue supporting those companies. Put your money where your mouth is and boycott videogames, or are your 'values' only worth something when it doesn't inconvenience your hobbies?
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This is cool. There is going to be hyper-correction of past idiocies and then things will level out.
Most definitely Witcher, whilst I liked Fallout I dont think it was a big enough leap forward in terms of graphics. Witcher was absolutely amazing and I'm gutted I've completed it and probably have to wait another 5 years for another one :(
There were so many good games this year, and from so many different genres! I loved playing The Witcher, but also Fallout 4. Tricky to choose between all the goodness that has been around, but I'm glad that The Witcher came out on top. Wooo.
The industry has gone mad with open world games! So many massive titles out there.. nice to see a case for games like Slaton and Undertake _b
I was hugely impressed with Fallout 4 but the Witcher is the better game overall.. I finished both games but out of the two I'd rather replay the Witcher. Better music, better graphics and the characters more interesting.
MGSV! It plays way better than the other open world games.. :P Witchers combat is actually pretty ordinary.. Fallout's gunplay maybe improved but its not a good first person shooter. Other games on the list are meh..