140°

What's going on with Microsoft's Xbox One dev kit and launch parity policies?

Today, at an event in London, we asked Microsoft exec Chris Charla for a clearer picture of what was going on - but he refused to be drawn on what form Microsoft's eventual solution might actually take.

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eurogamer.net
TotallyNotGlenn3993d ago

Okay, that's a weird, dodgy little interview. Chris Charla has something to say, but he's not saying it--and while that's not uncommon, the fact that it's so painfully obvious here is strange.

Unfortunately, it sounds like something's wrong.

JBSleek3993d ago

I rather him dodge and not say anything then say something wrong and then here we ago with MS missteps.

TotallyNotGlenn3993d ago

True. I'm sure Microsoft is NOT looking for anymore PR trouble.

I just wish he had been more prepared to answer these questions. He was definitely a bit rattled, and it's not like the questions were accusatory or something. That really sends a message that something's wrong. For the vision thing, even if he gave a canned response like, "We're not ready to comment about the feature at this time, but we'll give everyone news as soon as we can," that would have come off a lot better than what he gave. "I can't, I have to say this, I can't talk about it publicly..." I don't know. Maybe I'm reading into it too much, but it just felt a little strange to me.

Mr Pumblechook3992d ago (Edited 3992d ago )

Earlier this week the journalist at Digital Spy publicly asked a Microsoft an honest question about the XB one Dev kit and was told that they had 'no plans' to release it. Can you guess what happened next?

Kotaku turned around and attacked the website and the journalist to say his report was false. Then some established N4G news posters (you know who you are) jealous of the hits that this story was getting killed the original story on N4G by calling it 'FAKE.'

But Kotaku's headline was untrue, the story was not a lie. The facts are that Microsoft contacted Kotaku and said the executive's comments were 'inaccurate.' They never at any point called the original story fake. Kotaku should have asked if the story is indeed 'inaccurate' when exactly is the Xbox One Dev Kit capability happening?'

Since then Kotaku have changed the title of their article. Originally it said "No Microsoft Didn't Reverse Course with Xbox One Dev Kits."
They have now changed it to " Microsoft Says they Didn't Reverse Course on Xbox One Dev Kits." The tone of the article has also been changed.

Good to see Eurogamer, a more balanced website, re-ask the question.

rdgneoz33993d ago

The problem they're having is probably similar to why they removed the ability to run linux on the ps3. Letting every console run in dev mode might lead to piracy.

jnemesh3993d ago (Edited 3993d ago )

What's going on? Simple, Microsoft doesn't know WHAT they are doing! One person says one thing, another says another thing...the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing!

Note that the "denial" didn't really clarify ANYTHING. It was just more mealy mouthed PR spin!

The "interview" was WORSE..."I can't comment on policies" Non-answers, avoiding questions, blah blah blah. Not ONE shred of additional information was given.

How are people supposed to trust a company that won't even DISCUSS their anti-competitive, anti-developer, ANTI-GAMER policies?

Charybdis3993d ago (Edited 3993d ago )

"Unfortunately I'm not really a developer so I can't really comment on that."
So you want someone to make a statement about something they don't know much about.

FamilyGuy3993d ago

They knew this question was in circulation, he should've found out the answer from a developer before even being interviewed.

Charybdis3993d ago (Edited 3993d ago )

@Family Guy:
They could also have decided that their personnel should finally stop commenting on things they don't know much about or aren't already set in stone and wait till there are at least official statements on company policies or time frames, especially after the latest mishaps in Microsoft pr and communication department.

fenome3993d ago (Edited 3993d ago )

@Charybdis

Unfotunately at this point it just appears that they're just hoping that if they ignore the questions then they'll magically disappear.

PR likes to play games, it's either hide and go seek, ring around the rosies or a wild goose chase. Everything is don't ask, don't tell. Well now everyone is asking, but nobody's telling us anything. Of course at this point people are just going to ask anyone associated, because there's not a specific person to ask. It's always either 'no comment', 'I don't know, because it's not my job', or 'ask him', and 'he' doesn't know either.

How far up the corporate ladder do people need to climb just to get a straight answer? These are things that have been spoken about for over a year now, why is it all mum's the word now?

Just be real about it, that's what it comes down to. All the elusive, secrative, question-dodging is horrible PR. If you want to get in good with your community, then be honest with them.

They've finally been getting more positive recognition again lately. After all their PR disasters over the past year, they shouldn't take the chance of letting this mis-communication (or lack there of) getting blown way out of proportion.

I'm not saying this guy should've answered, but someone in the company should at least acknowledge it. It doesn't even have to be formal press release. In fact, it probably shouldn't be.

Phil Spencer should just tweet something like 'Who wants dev kits? Everyone with an Xbox One? We've got you covered, more info coming sooner than you think ;)'.

People eat that sh!t up. Then follow through in a week or two with some kind of info.

Hopefully they haven't totally canned this project otherwise it's really going to hit the fan again. I can understand why they would though, because can you imagine what could happen when people jailbreak something like that?

Either way though, the most important thing they can do right now is just be honest with their fans.

(I ageed with you, I'm not arguing your stance, I just don't understand how nobody in the whole company knows anything.)

UltraNova3993d ago

@fenome

Agreed.

I cant see how MS can go through this now (all xb1 doubling as dev kits)that they had to revoke their DRM and always online plans. If they had just one chance to fend off hackers and jail-breakers that would be it.

If I had to choose I would go with the consumer friendly choice every day of the week.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3993d ago
JBSleek3993d ago

You are overreacting to an interview when a guy who has not authority over ID@Xbox says "I can't comment on that"

It's not that serious.

fenome3993d ago

That's true, but at this point people are asking anybody they can because so far everybody they've asked has that same exact answer.

skydragoonity3993d ago

Ah just another day at the M$ office

DeadRabbits3993d ago

If M$ were actually being honest then I would have have thought I woke up in Bizarro world. But no its business as usual in m$ bs hq

stripe8143993d ago

its coming back to life like Frankenstein...

Show all comments (23)
120°

ID@Xbox Sending "Tons More" Xbox Series X Devkits to Devs This Summer;"Full Steam Ahead on Next-Gen"

Today, during the Guerrilla Collective show, ID@Xbox director Chris Charla provided some insight about Microsoft's plans for indie developers and next-gen.

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twinfinite.net
timotim1827d ago

This is critical in getting as many games as possible despite what some say about indie devs. The more the merrier.

1826d ago Replies(2)
370°

Microsoft Explains How Games for Xbox Game Pass Are Selected; Over 90% Users Are Trying New Genres

During a panel at PDXCon 2019, Microsoft senior director of ID Productions Chris Charla talked about Xbox Game Pass and how games are selected for it.

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twinfinite.net
Orionsangel2065d ago

Great service but crappy store.

nowitzki20042065d ago

I don't have any problems with the store at all. What problems are you experiencing?

Orionsangel2065d ago

@nowitzki2004 Download errors and images not appearing.

DJStotty2064d ago

@Orions

Could be your connection/router as opposed to XBL.

Orionsangel2064d ago

@DJStotty Nope. I'm on Xfinity with 356.3Mbps

nowitzki20042063d ago (Edited 2063d ago )

@Orionsangel Maybe something to do with your connection? not meaning speed, but something in your settings. Just recently I started having trouble loading Netflix on my PS4 and Xbox One and my speed is good. But it has something to do with my Wi-fi router settings. Still havent figured it out, but it only affects Netflix so far for me, nothing else.

DJStotty2060d ago

@orions

Just because you have a fast DL/UL speed, does not mean you will not have gateway errors with a bad router/connection.

Re-read and try again

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 2060d ago
gangsta_red2065d ago (Edited 2065d ago )

"Just yesterday Paraxox Interactive announced Crusader Kings III, mentioning that it’ll be on Xbox Game Pass for PC on day one when it releases in 2020"

Nice, not bad for a service that doesn't support the developer.

I just dl and tried Dead Cells and it's seriously some of the best fun I've had with a game.

Obscure_Observer2065d ago

"Just yesterday Paraxox Interactive announced Crusader Kings III, mentioning that it’ll be on Xbox Game Pass for PC on day one when it releases in 2020"

Microsoft making their AAA games avaliable day one on gamepass is probably incentive enough to some third party developers do the same!

So much to discover! My kids are playing Decenders and having a blast! :)

Anomander2065d ago

Check out Lonely Mountains: Downhill when it hits GamePass on Oct. 23rd. Fun Mountain biking game. No tricks to perform, just downhill racing and jumps to land. Trails to explore. Tons of fun

rob-GP2064d ago

that and money - lots of money. Let's not forget they paid over 19m dollars for DMC 5 and MH and they weren't day-one

2065d ago
aconnellan2065d ago

“ Nice, not bad for a service that doesn't support the developer”

So the games get put on there for free without permission, and Microsoft don’t pay the developers to do it?

DaDrunkenJester2065d ago (Edited 2065d ago )

I think that comment was him being sarcastic and poking fun at the people saying the GamePass model isnt sustainable and why would 3rd party devs bother.

Wasabi2065d ago

@Aconnellan

"So the games get put on there for free without permission, and Microsoft don’t pay the developers to do it?"

Gangsta was using sarcasm to echo and disprove the sentiment that some users have expressed previously.

derektweed12063d ago

I've been playing crusader kings II a lot recently, I'm really looking forward to 3 being on Game Pass

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 2063d ago
lelo2play2065d ago

Tried this service on the PC... unfortunately the dam app was always giving error when starting to download a game.

Never had problems with other PC game launchers (Steam, Epic, Uplay, etc).

Fishy Fingers2065d ago

Thats wierd. Check your OS version is up to date.

lelo2play2064d ago

My OS is up to date (1903 version) and with original Windows key. Even deactivated my firewall... problem is the Windows Xbox app...

monkey6022065d ago (Edited 2065d ago )

I had the same problem. It's an issue with the Microsoft store in general. There's a roundabout way of fixing it involving going into the command files and clearing all the update data out. A pain in the ass and I've had to do it a couple of times but it works

nowitzki20042065d ago

PC is left out on Gamepass anyways, there is so much on Gamepass that isnt available for PC. But those games have PC versions..

timotim2065d ago

Their are games on Gamepass for PC that are not available for the service on console too. I have Ultimate which gets me all of it.

King_Noctis2065d ago

I had the same problem as well. The damn store is a pain in the rear to get working sometimes.

rainslacker2065d ago

Think that's an issue with the store itself. On my home computer, I've tried to get two apps from it on different occassions, and both times it gave me an error. Can't remember the fix, but it's fairly easy to do as I recall. Has something to do with how Win10 authenticates stuff. Still....it shouldn't be something that people have to do, and enough people need to do it that it's a well documented problem and easy to find fix.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 2064d ago
Italiano12345672065d ago

Thats obvious. Isnt that what a rental service is. I used to rent movies all the time i never would of bought or seen. Duh

gamer78042065d ago

eh not really the same as a rental service for several reasons. You get the games for a long enough period of time to beat them, not just a couple of days to squeeze it in and not really enjoy rushing through. Additionally, you then can buy the game at a discount should you choose to. Furthermore, its different because you get access to a vast selection of games all at once, and those are the same games your friends can play, which results in an instant catalog of games that you can play together regardless if everyone wants to spend enough to buy at retail.

P_Bomb2065d ago (Edited 2065d ago )

It is a rental. I’m under no pretense that I own anything I Spotify, Netflix, Gamefly, EA Access, PS Now, PS+ or GamePass. I’m fine with that.

Blockbuster actually had similar GamePass rental packages back in the day albeit much more expensive. $30 or something and you could lease anything and everything for that month. Rentals haven’t always been limited to a weekend, and you absolutely could buy said rental at a discount. Think of it as a brick and mortar Gamefly. A world before online, heh. BC = Before Computers lol! Growing up in the NES era, I wouldn’t say I was rushed, but I absolutely could beat games in a weekend.

The scenario I see playing out, is more publishers following Hollywood and launching their own services ala EA and Ubisoft. The libraries will eventually become more splintered. Some will fail like anything does (Shomi), but I could see Squeenix, Capcom, Activision channels making a go of it, with the occasional Sega or WB. Competition will hopefully keep the prices down. My Netflix on the other hand did go up twice in two years https://www.narcity.com/new...

As it stands for games, $5 - $10 a month is still cheaper than a month of DCUO. If anything I see MMO guys having to re-evaluate their own subscription pricing.

gamer78042065d ago

@P_Bomb. I didn't say it wasn't a rental, I just said it wasn't the same as traditional rentals, for reasons I stated as it having an advantage over traditional rental services.

xTonyMontana2064d ago

The old ones like Blockbusters maybe but new ones via post you can keep them for as long as you want.

rob-GP2064d ago

You're thinking of rental services from many years ago. Look at Boomerang - the biggest UK rental service. They send you out multiple games, you keep as long as you want, then you post them back and get more. If you like the game you have, you can buy it off them for a discounted price and they post you the box and everything inside as if it was new.

So technically, it's working exactly like the rental services, only you don't have to wait to receive your next games.

gamer78042064d ago

@rob-GP I don't live in the UK, but boomerang looks just like blockbuster, you can keep a max of 2 games at a time, at a max at 4 a month, thats a far cry from 50-100 games playing and switching out as much as you want. and that costs like 12 euro, the same as gamespass and no waiting on games being available or shipping time.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 2064d ago
gamer78042065d ago

really enjoyed hellblade and Blair witch stories. I never tried hell blade when it was on ps4 mainly due to not being sold on it, but trying it for free + my gold subscription well worth it, amazing game. Blair witch was also a pleasant surprise with a pretty good story.

Show all comments (67)
110°

Microsoft talks Project Scarlett ID@Xbox plans

ID@Xbox senior director Chris Charla discusses Project Scarlett, along with more general topics such as the impact of subscription services and consolidation on independent developers, and thoughts on the wider game curation debate.

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eurogamer.net