270°

Xbox One Exclusive Scalebound Will Have "Broader Appeal"

Bayonetta and Metal Gear Rising: Revengance developer Platinum Games' upcoming Xbox One exclusive, Scalebound, is a "gift" for Microsoft, marketing executive Aaron Greenberg says in a new interview. When asked if Microsoft might be challenged to the market the game widely, considering it's from a Japanese developer that people may not be familiar with, Greenberg said it's actually an opportunity.

"It's another gift for us," he told DualShockers. "If you think about what [game director Hideki Kamiya] has created, and his history of just creating incredibly unique games, that are such high quality and that are loved by core gamers… To be able to have him making a new IP exclusive for us and a big title, I think it's something we're really excited about."

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gamespot.com
Sonyslave33465d ago

I been saying this since day one about ScaleBound it a Jrpg with a Fable appeal I can see it selling 2 or 3mil.

GrubsterBeater3464d ago (Edited 3464d ago )

If that many people don't buy XBox's biggest games, or any XBox One exclusives, I don't see Scalebound being the highest selling game on the XBox One.

Plus, this is what XBox fans would call a "niche title".

Concertoine3464d ago

I love how everyone just generalizes a variety of opinions into the opinion they want to see and then call it "_______ fans" as if a pool of N4G fools represents any kind of majority.

poppinslops3464d ago

Most of my 20-something XO games are either full or console-exclusive titles - how many PS4 owners can say the same thing?

And how is an open-world RPG with dragons 'niche'? Skyrim wasn't niche.

Abracadabra3464d ago

Remember that we only get (occasional) physical number sales... nobody knows what are the digital number sales of console games.

Take the example of the sales season Microsoft are doing December 22, 2015 – January 7, 2016. Don't you think there will be a crap load of digital sales during that time.

Claiming that people don't buy Xbox's biggest games without real numbers or facts is presumptuous.

GrubsterBeater3464d ago

@ all of the above

Apparently you all didn't understand. This is a JRPG game, which MOST XBox fans would call a "niche title". The same fans that say these type of titles are niche and don't count as games that entice a broader audience, but now that this "niche" style game is on XBox, it's not niche, and it appeal to a broader audience, and will sell gang-busters.

I'm not saying all XBox fans are like that, but the majority are.

This is not your average XBox game, and more close to a "niche JRPG", that won't sell boatloads. At least that's what is said about all PS4 JRPG's...

guyman3464d ago (Edited 3464d ago )

Poppinslops

Lol. There are far more console exclusives, and outright exclusives than the xbox one. You're lying to yourself if you think otherwise. People forget about games that come from japan such as Yakuza and guilty gear. Like it or not, there are more exclusives on the ps4.

remixx1163464d ago

@Grubster

Gotta give it up to you my dude, you are mad right.

If you bring up any jrpg on ps4 in a discussion with an Xbox fan, 90% of the time they will call it "niche" and throw the word around as an insult or something........at least from my experience.

I've had an Xbox fan tell me "that stuffs for weeboos".....

Eve n had one tell ni no kuni wasn't AAA, though the respective budget, production value, amount of content and musical score was all that of a AAA and in some instances surpassed it.

But all of a sudden scalebound is this huge Xbox AAA game which they will get offended if it is called "niche"
......lol as if it burns.

There's nothing wrong with a game being niche, it doesn't equate to a bad game, all it means is that its not mainstream.........mainstream doesn't immediately equal an amazing game. Look at yearly shell out of COD, assassins creed, madden and so on........

GrubsterBeater3464d ago (Edited 3464d ago )

@Remix

Thank you! That is exactly my point. Somebody gets it!

There is nothing wrong with small titles or niche titles or even indie titles on PS4 or XBox One, and it's nice to see XBox finally try something new for a change. It's a shame that it will (most likely) not sell that much, due to the game not being something that fits the mold of your average XBox player.

Concertoine3464d ago (Edited 3464d ago )

To be fair, the xbox platforms have zero presence in Japan, and that's where a lot of those sales come from.

You say "a majority of xbox fans", but JRPGs dont sell to a majority of "Playstation fans" either, assuming you are talking about general consumers (since identification of a fan is totally indeterminable otherwise). I believe FF XIII was the best selling JRPG of last gen, and it sold to 1/16 of PS3 owners.

So what constitutes and how big is this "majority"? Where do we stop counting consumers as fans? This is all stuff you cannot answer, but people will continue to say this puzzling and vacuous statement.

"At least that's what is said about all PS4 JRPG's..."

There you go, generalizing based on N4G trolls. You let them get to you enough to assume so much about so many people?

GrubsterBeater3464d ago (Edited 3464d ago )

@Concertoine

Just stop.

Everyone knows I'm right, so quit the "stop generalizing us". You may not fall into said category of XBox fans, so congratulations on being the 1%, but the other 99% are the majority.

Also, you couldn't pay me to play FFXIII, true Final Fantasy fans (majority is on PS), would never praise FFXIII, let alone spend money on that piece of trash. More XBox owners bought it because it appeals more to the XBox fanbase, because it's more of a mindless action game than a real FF game.

Also, using the "XBox has no presence in Japan" excuse, is no good reason as to why XBox owners don't support their own games, even if they are closer to a JRPG style. (Mark my words, when Scalebound doesn't sell well, that is going to be the damage control excuse used).

I don't let trolls get to me either. I'm not a little girl who calls the emotion police because someone hurt my little feelers. I just observe the MAJORITY of XBox fans, and draw obvious conclusions based on the attitudes and comments towards "niche", indy, or JRPG games.

AngelicIceDiamond3464d ago

The games very much a niche title. Something the Xbox definitely needs. Which is diversity, not every game needs to be "shoot first ask questions later" AAA. And I'm glad Phil Spencer understands this. I like the fact Phil Spencer is letting the GAMER in him taking over the Xbox One. Again, glad MS is realizing they need to branch out and experiment.

Tobsesan3464d ago

@GrubsterBeater

The reason why so many people call PS4 JRPGS niche is because they are REALLY niche. Scalebound and recore are made with a western appeal by a well known def together with MS. On the other side you get games like Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax Ignition, Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force, Gundam G Generation Genesis, Nobunaga’s Ambition, Valkyria: Azure Revolution, Yakuza: Kiwami, Ys VIII, Earth Defense Force 4.1.

Those are niche games you guys claim as AAA games, they are an insult for AAA games.

+ Show (8) more repliesLast reply 3464d ago
3464d ago Replies(7)
FlipSwitch3464d ago

We'll see. Personally I think this will only sell a few hundred thousand

die_fiend3464d ago

It won't have a broader appeal if it's on the console with the fewest sales and least Japanese influence

xasz3464d ago (Edited 3464d ago )

So Xbox should have NO games then?

"Broader appeal" means targeted towards various audiences.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3464d ago
FallenAngel19843465d ago

Seeing that this is a Japanese RPG developed by Platinum Games and looking at how past JRPGs and games developed by Platinum Games sold on Xbox consoles, I see this game unfortunately flopping in sales seeing it's both.

d_g3464d ago (Edited 3464d ago )

you really want this game to flop don’t you ?

i see you saying the same thing in every Scalebound article

on topic

Scalebound looks very promising...can’t wait to play this game

nix3464d ago (Edited 3464d ago )

dg,

He doesn't want it to flop but it's going to because xbox gamers don't buy such games. Tomb Raiders didn't sell enough. How is Scalebound - the niche "Japanese" game - going to survive?

And those talking about digital sales constantly.. It goes same for the other games and consoles too. 95% of my games on PS4 are digital. I think we can add 20% to the total sales as digital unless the game is only digital.

All in all, i would like to see games like Scalebound and Quantum Break sell in large numbers.

WiiU-Dude3464d ago

@RAINSLACKER: I think every thing you said was the likely close to verbatim what I would say. Platinum Games is almost always a critical darling whose games almost never sell as well as they should. Actually, I don't know is ANY Platinum Games made game that has sold multi million units. You would have to return to Capcom for that. However, I don't know that Nintendo with Bayonetta, nor Microsoft with a fresh new IP in Scalebound actually care about the final numbers. Nintendo saw a great opportunity to gain a known property that gained a cult following and was about to whither in the vine, likely scratching their collective head wondering why Sony or Microsoft didn't jump on the opportunity and said, heck lets snag that. It sold marginally well when you take into account the small user base as well as being you have to almost half the user base because it being a mature title on a family friendly system. They wanted the quality, critical acclaim for a title on Wii U and publicity. The Wonderful 101 was a great new IP, but that's what new IP on an underselling system brings - obscurity and low sales. Microsoft needs both new IP and a dev with an incredibly solid track record. I almost guarantee they aren't fretting over sales. The same for Rise of the Tomb Raider.
Let me add, When people scoff at Microsoft and laugh at sales...um, Microsoft could buy and sell Sony and Nintendo together many times and as a company barely feel it. So don't worry about Microsoft.
@d_g- just because you are excited for a title and can't wait to play it doesn't mean it's going to sell well. I will be all over Scalebound. I'm betting Rainslacker will too and many more commenting here...the thing is, these people represent more of the hardcore. Will the slightly less dedicated buy it and then will the masses. Doubtful, but who knows. Rainslacker was saying and I agree, history gives us a glimpse that says it's not going to do gangbusters, but here's hoping it sells solid. Now having said that, great selling IPs have to start somewhere maybe this is the one? We all hope so.

remixx1163464d ago

@WiiU_Dude

Pretty well said for the mast of you comment, scalebound does look mad unique MS tryna diversify their properties which is great.

PS break that post up into subsequent paragraphs big homie, lol I got lost twice.

Don't do it like edmix though where every sentence gets its own line and space.

ScorpiusX3464d ago

Scary thing all of these commenters think their negativity is going to change the status of this game being exclusive . With sale this or JRPG that . very funny

TheDivine3464d ago

Reminds me of Xenoblade X mixed with Devil May Cry. That's a very good mix. Hopefully its heavy on the rpg and not just an action game. Either way day 1.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 3464d ago
DeadlyOreo3464d ago

It's sad, because this game looks fantastic. Why develop it on for the Xbox when it clearly isn't going to sell well at all. I really wish Xbox users would support their software a little more instead of letting great games go to die, most exclusives barely break a million.

I know I'll probably get hated for this, but if this game was on PS4 you could expect huge sales. Xbox users just don't buy these games.

Godmars2903464d ago

Because MS commissioned it? They made some assurance to Platinum which otherwise caused the game to be made?

For me, as a Panzer Dragoon fan, I'd rather see a Saga 2 than what this comes off as. The co-op is a more than bit of a turn off and i'm not seeing how this is an RPG much less a JRPG.

Need to what the flying sections look like/play out.

xasz3464d ago

"Why develop it on for the Xbox when it clearly isn't going to sell well at all."

Because MS owns the IP, is publishing the game, and is fully funding the game's development.

What proof is there that this game is going to "die"?

If they market it well enough and don't pit it against other big releases, it should do fine.

Personally, I'm looking forward to the game.

Hercules1893464d ago

There's plenty of fails on PS4 also. We could also say that if Killzone were on Xbox it would be a much more successful IP than it is that might even be second to Halo.

spicelicka3464d ago (Edited 3464d ago )

Wtff what a horrible comment. People buy what they want, you can't ask millions of people to just "support your software".

Like you want us to go buy 2 copies each? I don't understand the point of this request.

Youngindy213464d ago

How about them Tearaway Unfolded sales? What's that? Crickets........ Game released in September and some estimates have it not even selling 100 thousand copies yet.

So yeah. It's not just Xbox exclusives that struggle.

DeadlyOreo3464d ago (Edited 3464d ago )

You don't need proof to know it's going to die, it's just common sense based on the past. If one of the biggest AAA franchises like Tomb Raider doesn't even sell on the Xbox this sure won't, and that's a real shame.

@Hercules

Killzone may or may not have sold better on Xbox One, but the sales on PS4 were hardly disappointing, I remember it selling way past expectations.

@youngindy

Don't take this the wrong way but that is a horrible comparison.

1) Tearaway Unfolded is a remaster of a game that was hugely popular and successful

2) Even at 100,000 copies it definitely made some profit back, it's a remaster and they can be very cost effective

@ spicelicka

I think you're missing the point, and no it's not a horrible comment is it. I'm saying for the install base, more Xbox One users should be buying some of these good AAA exclusives and it'll support developers for future games. Why would you buy 2 copies each? What a silly thing to say.

The truth is, fantastic exclusive games that the Xbox One have, such as Sunset Overdrive, Forza, Fable, Tomb Raider sell very disappointingly, with each not even selling a million. Heck even Halo 5 has only topped 2 million which is astounding.

As a gamer I really want Scalebound to sell well, because it looks really good, and deserves to.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 3464d ago
Barnaby-Jones3465d ago

Can't wait to see how the co-op gameplay looks. I'm betting this game will be very awesome and a lot of fun. Highly anticipating this!

DevilOgreFish3465d ago (Edited 3465d ago )

People don't have much to judge about this game, except for the pre-alpha footage which is half a year old now. with it's RPG elements and traversal scale, i'm sure they aim to be going places. especially with those dragons. I'm expecting to see massive scale environments.

TheColbertinator3464d ago

It will be a good game. No doubt on my end.

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210°

Activision Forces Adverts into Call of Duty Black Ops 6 and Warzone Loadouts

With the launch of Call of Duty Season 4, Activision quietly put adverts inside loadouts for Black Ops 6 and Warzone, sparking a backlash in the process.

12d ago
12d ago
lukasmain12d ago

Putting Ads in a pay-to-play Premium title? Well done Microsoft. Well done /s This is really scummy.

jjb198112d ago

This game will never change because these sweatlords love buying up all the skins and bundles that become obsolete the following year. They're the ones perpetuating Activision's greed.

VenomUK11d ago

If Microsoft introduces adverts into its other games I hope it can do them without disrupting the immersion of the game world. So for example in the new Fable game it would look out of place if there was a billboard advertising Cadillacs.

A far better way to do it would be to have a wizard conjure a 'dream cloud' in front of your character and then in the cloud you can see the Cadillac car and see the text with price and availability and hear a booming sales voice promoting the car. That would work so well as it wouldn't be a billboard and completely, 100%, fit in with your character's adventuring in Albion. Doesn't that sound so much better?!

crazyCoconuts11d ago

@venom, or how about our of 100 farts in Albion, 1 of them has a Cadillac pop out

VenomUK11d ago

@crazyCoconuts That’s undeniably off-beat - but it could really work!

12d ago
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410°

Xbox's first-party handheld has been sidelined

Xbox's handheld ambitions continue unabated, but the focus is shifting towards improving Windows 11 for third-party handhelds — for now. The Xbox Series X 'Melrose' successor is safe, with development continuing at full pace.

Read Full Story >>
windowscentral.com
14d ago
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shadowT14d ago

Is there really a market for handhelds next to mobile?

Vits14d ago

If they run the same games as the main home console, then yeah, sure.
But if they need specially tailored games just for them? Probably not, unless there isn't a home console for comparison (see Switch).

RaidenBlack13d ago (Edited 13d ago )

I am kinda low-key happy this happened.
Dont want another Series S situation (games to be designed from 4 to 12TF scale and not 10 to 12TF).
Hope PS follows suit as well. Tablet SKU sharing with console for 10th gen, will just continue the cross gen -esque development/design phase/nature.
Want a proper 20+ only TF rasterized next-gen plz (+ frame-gen and the lot).
If anybody wants to continue the cross-gen, the Series S|X, PS5 will remain for that. And Switch 2, if you gotta go even lower in the TF range.

ABizzel114d ago

Yes and No. All of the PC handhelds combined have struggled to sell 7 million units, which would be a flop for any “console”. So the market is extremely niche because of price and target market (the informed hardcore gamer / casuals aren’t picking these up).

These handheld PCs are $500 or more, and offer at best Xbox Series S performance levels, so it’s best for MS specifically to just partner with ASUS, instead of investing millions if not billions.

Sony can make their own with custom AMD hardware due to their partnership, and stronger global brand for hardware. But even then it brings the question, of being a lower resolution PS5, and what does that mean for PS6 cross-gen (likely another generation where the first 3 - 4 years are just upgraded last-gen games).

Kosic14d ago

Imagine a Wii U style console, where the tablet doesn't rely on the console it's self, you download the game on the console under the TV and play in 4k glory, then you can remote play, get some unique game features if using both console and handheld in tandem. Then you can download the games in 720-1080p to play on the go, continue your progress, and continue on the TV when you get back.

Sony could get away with this due to exclusives, and that would be a reason for sales. Look at the portal.

I can picture seeing new hardware having some sort of GPU dock, where the handheld runs 1080p, and the dock has additional hardware to bring in 4k/60 specs.

I do think handheld gaming is going to be a strong future, imagine Nintendo release a new upgraded GPU dock for the Switch 3, every 2 years. More frames, sharper graphics on the same game for an extra £150 for a dock with a built in GPU chip. Console cycles doesn't have to be renewed, just the hardware can be improved by them reselling docks to us again and again with small/yearly upgrades like mobile phones.

GamerRN13d ago

Did you just imply that Sony can make a better stronger handheld than Microsoft? You do realize we are talking about Microsoft, the tech giant, right? If Microsoft can't make one that's cost effective, Sony definitely can't...

Brand and market share means nothing when you are a trillion dollar company

ABizzel113d ago

@GamerRN

It has nothing to do with what company can do it, or what company can spend.

For anyone taking a basic business class there is a term called ROI, and Xbox home consoles are selling at an all time low, meaning their ROI on a handheld is a risk that doesn’t make sense, even if they can afford it. Businesses are there to make money and it doesn’t make sene for MS to invest in a handheld that’s a companion device when their current home consoles they’ve spent 20 years working on are at an all time-low, when they can invest with little risk with what ASUS already has to offer.

This is why Sony can build a better device, because they have less risk involved, meaning they can invest more in their own product, and they already have an exclusive partnership with AMD on creating features and hardware. So in this specific case, YES Sony can built a better handheld, due to custom hardware, customer tools, low level APIs, compared to an off the shelf product running Windows or a Window Xbox kernel =.

TheEroica14d ago

I play steam deck primarily... Don't play consoles or mobile. The deck covers it all.

badz14913d ago

@shadowT

The Switch is a handheld, so will the Switch 2. what are you on about?

Cacabunga13d ago

To run native games offline? Anytime

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CrashMania14d ago

Funny to see the alt already damage controlling and having a meltdown with multiple accounts in the comments already.

Sad for MS if true, a dedicated handheld would go down a lot better than a rog ally 2 with an Xbox sticker on it I think.

crazyCoconuts14d ago

It couldn't have succeeded for a number of reasons. Now they've retreated to the Windows front and trying to keep that relevant for gaming. How long before Windows Central realizes there won't be a real console successor to Series X either?

Lightning7714d ago

Except there is. That project is reportedly full speed ahead.

Outside_ofthe_Box14d ago

@Lighting77

So was the handheld until today...

Lightning7714d ago

@outside obviously not since they sidelined it and they wanna see how the Asus does. Are you saying they're gonna cancel the next console?

crazyCoconuts14d ago

@lightning - I'm admittedly trying to box you in here - Do you think the next Xbox console will have Steam on it?

Outside_ofthe_Box14d ago (Edited 14d ago )

@Lightning

Here we go with having to spell everything out.

If I told you yesterday that Xbox was going to sideline the handheld console what would your response have been? Probably something along the lines of "I doubt that since Phil has been talking about it for some time now"

My point is just because they are "full speed" ahead now does not mean that will not change in future. As we have seen with the handheld. Do you understand what I'm trying to say now?

Lightning7714d ago (Edited 14d ago )

Box me in? No you said the same thing you've always been saying for years now. Those are the rumors to have Steam integration.

What about it

If you told me they were gonna cancel it tomorrow it would nothing more than fanboy talking points. I only wait for credible sources not what someone else says.

Also this is the handheld not a full blown new console. The Asus is yet to release and they're waiting to see how that thing does. Critical thinking is my strong suit you should try it some time if you can. But Ok cool well you hang your hat on that I guess. Main New console is gonna get cancelled even though the handheld is a different marketing device than the main the console itself.

__y2jb13d ago

I think there is a 75% chance there will not be another Xbox. There is zero reason to buy one now. No way it can possibly sell more than 10m units after Xbox went third party.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 13d ago
BLow14d ago

That's what they do. Goalposts shift like the wind.

I'm really confused on why they are making a "first party" device and also have a Rog Ally with their sticker on it. Make this make sense. How is their own device going to be any different?

Your console doesn't sell and they expect a handheld to?

RaidenBlack13d ago (Edited 13d ago )

The Rog Ally one is gen agnostic ... as you deciphered, it was to be the updated Rog Ally but just with Xbox branding. PC handheld with some Xbox features.
The handheld Xbox is/was supposed to be sharing the same gen/ecosystem with the next-gen (10th gen) Xbox. Think Series S but handheld ... it'll run the Xbox OS or whatever the next Xbox will run.
...
As for anybody wondering/confused why MS is doing another Xbox console ... coz mainly its the 10th gen of home consoles next, which started wayy back in 1972 for the 1st gen. And MS wanna be part in it, in the 10th anniversary gen of consoles. If they gotta bow out, they can't do that at 9th i.e just before 10th. They wanna stick around till the 10th or the X-th gen and check what the fuss happens.

Outside_ofthe_Box14d ago

Curious as to what excuses the spam was saying. Because prior to this news, the Xbox handheld was used as proof that Xbox is still committed to the hardware space. This handheld being scraped is not a good sign...

14d ago
Outside_ofthe_Box14d ago (Edited 14d ago )

@Spam
You can replace scrapped with pushed back if you like. It's not a good sign either way.

14d ago
1Victor14d ago

asq3= obscured: “ What’s your source on the handheld being scrapped? “
Read the article from Microsoft own website and one of your favorite quotations site when it’s something bad about Sony.
Oh BTW good luck with your next SPAM account.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 13d ago
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100°

Hideki Kamiya Is Interested In Directing A New Dino Crisis Game

Legendary game designer Hideki Kamiya has expressed interest in directing a new game in Capcom's Dino Crisis series.

Read Full Story >>
twistedvoxel.com
Scissorman15d ago

I'd say start with a remake. The original had some neat ideas but can greatly be expanded upon. Like trapping dinos behind laser barricades or tranq-ing them into submission. There is a lot of room to explore and flesh out these quirky gameplay mechanics.

on_line_forever15d ago

If this happens then I hope they give us different level of dinasors some of them smart than other and of course good story and great gameplay

MehmetAlperTR15d ago

is it gonna happen ? please say " YES !!! "

TheColbertinator15d ago

Onimusha? Okami? Maybe Dino Crisis too? Capcom is back in business.

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