Xbox: ‘We’re finding the world’s greatest teams and allowing them to operate independently’

Xbox’s GM of marketing Aaron Greenberg talks about a huge Q4, how Fortnite has grown gaming, why Game Pass benefits its partners and the outlook for all those newly acquired studios.

[Mr_Commander]

delusional, beyond saving.

[JaguarEvolved]

I've been an Xbox fan for years and Microsoft reps. Loves to talk and make promises without anything to show.

[fiveby9]

Less talk more action. We'll see in 5 years where MS has improved.

[Eonjay]

I never realized that he was in charge of marketing. It all makes so much sense now. Yeah this guy is killing Xbox because people like me who are turned away by unbecoming self platitudes and promises and dumb zombie death stats and undeserved self congratulations..."People Pick Xbox Because We Have The Biggest Franchises"..."We have the most Hardcore players"... this guy needs to go.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

We're ignoring MS last E3 now?

[Eonjay]

@AngelicIceDiamond
95% of it was a presentation of games coming to all systems.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

I'm talking about those studio acquisitions MS made at E3 I mean CLEARLY what else would I be talking about? See they don't exist considering nobody here never brings it up. N4G, a site where you can shape reality and leave out obviously important details in order to keep the negative narrative in tact. And yet nobody can prove me wrong.

[ApocalypseShadow]

You mean those acquisitions that won't benefit xbox until possibly next Gen? With half the developers already making Xbox only games?

Sure.

[Vizigoth04]

Yeah, I mean potentially can take is one game. One AAA game with great story and gameplay from quality artistic directors with out the distraction of microtransactions or online heavy elements and people will jump in. It's sad that it take a whole next generation of gamers to do so with the exception of previous generation players who still cater to Halo, Gears and Forza. Crack down might be it. I have severe doubts though.

[thehitman1398]

Microsoft to us, "Like mgk would say, let's talk about it"

[milohighclub]

@Angelic shape reality and leave out important details??

Here's the reality for you, a few important details you left out.

its taken 17 years for them to realise studios are important, n because they bought a small handful all should be forgiven and forgotten?
It's not even like they were amazing studios!! Ninja theory yeah, good buy there but the rest?
By the time any of them release anything exclusive it will have been 20 years, that's 2 decades of them been players in this industry, most likely on the next gen. So it will have taken them 4 gens, 20 years, 2 decades to figure out gamers want games.
And you wanna give these people your money?

[bouzebbal]

too bad Sony Santa Monica and Naughty Dog signed with MS...
...wait... isn't it what he just said?

[IamTylerDurden1]

Angelic

Let's really breakdown the five studio acquisitions, shall we?

The Initiative

A brand new yet to be formed studio. As of E3 they only had a studio head (Darrell G) and he is still filling the roster. It's hard to even call this an "acquisition".

Compulsion Games

A 43 man team that has only produced two games, and both have been subpar. Contrast, a small straight to PS+ indie game with middling reviews. We Happy Few, a hyped failure that received terrible reviews and even worse sales. 50k first week and a 66 Opencritic.

Undead Labs

The studio behind State of Decay and State of Decay 2 that was already operating like a Microsoft first party anyway. This doesn't gain anything considering they were already dedicated to making Xbox exclusives. While neither game was particularly well rated they did manage adequate sales. However, State of Decay 2 was a clear disappointment critically, sitting at a 67 Metacritic. The acquisition means very little and SoD2 was a bad game.

Playground Games

They've been operating like a first party for years. It's nice to know they aren't going anywhere, but the acquisition changes almost nothing for Xbox fans. Whether they were officially acquired or not Microsoft would still be contracting them to make exclusive Xbox games namely Forza Horizon. Like Undead Labs, this acquisition is just paperwork and won't change much.

Ninja Theory

The lone acquisition that was truly shocking and truly meaningful. However, Ninja Theory isn't a huge AAA studio so i wouldn't necessarily expect massive AAA games from them. Much of the reason Microsoft acquired the bulk of these studios is because they are cheap. In fact, the studios they acquired were either cheap or already operating like a Microsoft first party. It's not like they went out and bought five AAA studios that weren't already contracted to make games for them.

[DarkVoyager]

Worlds greatest teams. Lmao.

I swear these Xbox reps live in a bubble outside of reality.

P.S. Fire this guy already.

[Ricegum]

How is this guy still around? Greenberg is laughable

[fiveby9]

Marketing is like politics. They will tell you anything to separate you from your hard earned money.

[rainslacker]

You can have the greatest devs on earth, but if you don't provide the structure to allow then to create, and be efficient at proper oversight as a producer so they don't get too far ahead of themselves, it won't mean much. Providing resources and allowing devs freedom...if that's what they want.... isn't the end of a publishers responsibilities.

Ms seems to have a vision for where it wants its future development to go, and they haven't really shown that they are about giving freedom to their devs. Saying they are, and actually doing are two different things, and ms seems like a company that likes to micromanage everythjng

[trooper_]

He needed to be fired a long time ago.

[crazyCoconuts]

I mean, he's a marketing guy. What would he say if he told the truth? That they have no hope of catching up with the competition who has way more original content, innovations like VR, and a larger user base? He's got to play off of what he has, and it's a Hope and change message. Can't fault him for doing his job, and I'm sure some people believe it and think Xbox has truly turned around at this point.

[SuperSonic91]

Xbox is so behind PS4 that it needs alot of catching up.
Naughty Dog, Guerilla Games Sony Santa Monica, Sucker Punch, Insomniac etc are seasoned AAA game developers comparef to Xbox's E3 studios. Even their long time studio ,Rare, ain't in the same league as Sony's and they just let these newly acquired studios run loose?

[IamTylerDurden1]

Greenberg is a clown. I guess he missed the part where We Happy Few failed miserably? Compulsion Games is one of the best teams in the business? One of the other teams is brand new. So a failure and a fledgling team get included in the "best teams" rhetoric? This guy certainly can spin. "Best teams in the world" and "best lineup ever". I certainly wouldn't call State of Decay 2 dev Undead Labs one of the world's greatest either.

[CarlDechance]

Sounds great, but I'm not sure letting Compulsion Games have too much independence is such a great idea. Those guys need some help.

[Jinger]

Exactly, I think they can do something great, but need a bit of help on a technical standpoint. Maybe they can get Ninja Theory or someone to give them some guidance.

[IamTylerDurden1]

Everyone was hyped over Compulsion until We Happy Few actually released...

But in actuality Compulsion Games has some incredible creative talent. They've always had a great art team, but they are clearly in need of quality programmers and gameplay designers.

Sadly i believe the main reason MS bought most of these studios is because they are cheap. Smaller studios that produce a AAA-ish product. So MS doesn't need to pay a AAA budget for a game they can make AAA money off of. The unfortunate thing is that Compulsion has shown us that they can't make a competent AAA product with only 43 people.

In the case of Compulsion i believe MS actually needs to step in and manage or else we are in for another hyped failure like WHF.

[CarlDechance]

They seem to have great artistic talent. Contrast was awesome looking. But you are right. Their technical staff leave a lot to be desired.

[SpaceRanger]

This guy is the equivalent of a used car salesman.

[rainslacker]

That's being kind of unfair to used car salesmen don't you think?

I mean, a used car salesman can usually sell stuff and can sound believable when they talk.

[AizenSosuke]

XD

[Silly Mammo]

Carnival barker

[SuperSonic91]

"operate independently"?
Didn't I hear that line before?
Microsoft always comes off as contrived

LOL Not even seasoned veteran developers like Insomniac, Naughty Dog, etc have third party consultants like Mark Cerny whenever they make their games.

Another can of worms from Greenberg

I just wonder why MS hasn't let this guy go

[rainslacker]

The producer oversees everything. Ms produces it's own games, so they will have oversight angle control over the game itself.

But you're right. Even the top tier studios don't just get money and run with it. You give a.studio that much freedom, and you end up in a star citizen situation.

[Eonjay]

The difference between 'creative freedom' and no oversight is a pretty clear line.

[rainslacker]

There would never be no oversight. If someone wants that, they would have to fund and publish everything themselves.....which is fine for indie games, but will never happen with a AAA game. Star Citizen is an example where oversight is not apparent, and we see how that project has become bloated and lost its scope.

[BigKev45]

Need to step up the game there, Aaron.

[salmonade]

"We're finding anyone who will say 'yes' to our money bags"

[Ceaser9857361]

""We're finding anyone who will say 'yes' to our money bags"

HAHA!!

[AizenSosuke]

OMFG that's funny

[badz149]

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photo...

[Garrett_the_GOD]

Microsoft really needs to get rid of Aaron Greenberg,he just makes the Xbox brand look even worse with all the dumb shit he is constantly spewing..im just hoping they dont make Ninja Theory develop a single franchise for the next 5-20 years..I think 343 and The Coalition could possibly put out some great games but unfortunately they are being forced into being the second string Halo and Gears of War devs.for fuck sake,let them try their hands in some new ips..something they can call their own

[spambot0815]

if you just put half the effort in making games that you put into creating funny headlines... but oh well... it's also a form of entertainment, not the one i would pay for but it at least gets a few clicks and comments from me every once in a while...

[SethBrundlefly]

"And this Christmas, with Xbox One X having been in full production all year, he confirms that stock will not be an issue."
For once, I believe him.

[crazyCoconuts]

Can you believe less than 1 year in and you can get the X1X for $50 off already without looking hard. And the PS4 pro? Supposed to be listed at $100 less than the X1X is being sold at a premium of almost $100 more than the X because of shortages. Incredible. Where will the X go for Black Friday? $399?

[Christopher]

Umm... I wouldn't brag about the Pro still being as expensive as it is when it could be priced lower to get more people to upgrade. If the X hit $399 for Black Friday, that's a massive win for gamers and not something to mock because it's now cheaper. That's what we want.

[crazyCoconuts]

@Christopher, I'm not mocking. Im commenting on how crazy the situation is.

[Vizigoth04]

Makes sense because there is never an Xbox shelf at retail that is empty. Gotta sell those ones better smart PR guy.

Oh no, I know the solution of course, release yet another piece of next gen Hardware.

[Cmoney007]

So when is MS going to cancel Crackdown 3? If the game finally comes out, then it is not going to be very good. Everything shown about that game is not very impressive lately.

[rainslacker]

They aren't going to cancel it. Too much riding on it, and too much hype built up around it. It won't live up to the hype either way, but after Scalebound, and then their current perception of not having enough games, cancelling it after showing it for so long would be a major blow to their reputation.

I called this a couple years ago after the last showing of the game at E3. Game will operate on the cloud like they said, but I have a feeling that the game will not live up to expectations, and even MS has backpeddled on the scope of the cloud destruction.

[Tross]

You have bought some decent studios over the years. “World’s greatest” is pushing it, but I’ll concede they’re not all bad. I fail to see how sitting on said studios, stifling their development, pushing them to release sequels in series that fail to capture what made the originals great, then eventually closing said studios or simply abstaining from so much as acknowledging they exist is allowing them to work independently. Plus, if all of what Greenberg said is true, the Xbox lineup would rival PlayStation’s, but...it doesn’t.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Get THQ NORDIC

[Christopher]

Not likely considering they've been buying IPs left and right. They're on the rise, and therefore too expensive to buy.

[CrimsonWing69]

look, I was a huge 360 fan last gen; that was my primary system. This gen they royally f'ed up and I mean reeeeaaaaalllllyyy f'ed up, right out of the gate. Hell, the unveil for the Xbox One they even said they're not focusing on games and would save that for E3 because now it's an all-in-one entertainment hub. That right there is where they went full r*tard.

Now, with Phil he's trying to get them back on track but man... Sony has steamrolled them so hard I don't even know if I can go back to Microsoft now. The exclusives this gen for Sony and the library blows Microsoft away. We've gotten Bloodborne, Spider-Man, God of War, Yakuza, Street Fighter V, Ni No Kuni 2, Persona 5, The Last Guardian, Uncharted 4, Horizon Zero Dawn... I mean the variety is like 35 flavors here, something for everyone.

When I look at Xbone's exclusives it's the same old series... Halo, Forza, Gears with lackluster stuff like Sea of Thieves and I dunno... some other things that never made a splash this gen.

Unless Microsoft pulls a Sony and really gets a crazy amount of exclusives and a library that can compete against Sony I really can't say I'll go back to them.

[Vizigoth04]

And that is just the facts brother.

[Christopher]

***Unless Microsoft pulls a Sony and really gets a crazy amount of exclusives and a library that can compete against Sony I really can't say I'll go back to them.***

I don't think this is unreasonable depending on your tastes in games, but can we at least agree that it would be way more beneficial if they did focus on competing to make what you and others want rather than just giving up?

[CrimsonWing69]

Oh I agree. I want that kind of competition because we get more games that way. I miss the generarion of the PS2, Xbox, and GameCube. To me that was the apex of the industry in terms of how creative they could get. Now it’s fewer risks or remasters...

But back to your point, yes! I don’t want MS to disappear I just want them to get their sh*t together.

[Jivesh]

Both he and Spencer sprout this bullshit every single quarter and fail to deliver every single quarter.

[ECHOINFINITY]

Sony and Nintendo have built their brands on doing this since day one. Xbox needs to do this for about a solid decade before they can be taken seriously when compared to the other two.

[MrSec84]

I've been saying for ages that Microsoft needs to buy lesser known teams, build new studios from scratch.

So far it's only The Initiative that are a thing, although even that Studio isn't really a Studio yet.
MS needs to keep quiet until they actually have Studios, who have working games, that are beyond the concept stage and have actually become something real.

This whole chat, with nothing to show about Studios that have nothing concrete in the way of anything yet is stupid.
Empty promises is exactly Microsoft's issue this gen and they seem to be continuing down that road again.
They had something like 5 studios at the beginning of this generation that were going to usher in a new lineup of franchises for XBox, but none of them showed anything real and Microsoft quietly closed them all down.

I hope the Studios we know about actually get the chance to make great games, I really do.
I cannot believe Aaron Greenberg or Phil Spencer, not until their actions actually prove to be in line with their promises.

[KickSpinFilter]

Yikes toxic comments page!
Hey def feel this gen MS has dropped the ball, but I do feel MS are putting a lot in place to be at least a challenger next generation to Sony. Remember competition is good to have around.

[AizenSosuke]

Aaron is spouting some big BS which we all hate.

[AizenSosuke]

Promises without action are quite hard to believe, just simple action enforces and gives credit to your msg.

[KickSpinFilter]

Well with services like Game Pass, and BC, and CP, and the purchase of 5 studios perhaps they are.
Still very few highly rated new exclusives after 5 years should have XB1 users pissed.

[AizenSosuke]

Well they need to really learn

[rainslacker]

Actual action means you don't have to say anything.

Actions speak louder than words as they say.

[ziggurcat]

we'll see how independently they'll be allowed to operate if those teams are made to work on only one IP.

[FallenAngel1984]

Yet Xbox still has yet to get a new flagship IP this generation

And no don’t say Minecraft

[dragonyght]

lol they trying to sound like Sony

[Samonuske]

After those Studio purchases I’m excited for the future of Xbox but right now it’s weak, the next box has so much potential if Microsoft learn from all their mistakes this gen

[DrStronk]

It is partly true as they did aquire one of gamings greatest teams once. Rareware. And we all know how how that turned out... *shudders*.

[Artemidorus]

Enough taking just give gamers what they paid for.

[Morgue]

I think this headline should've been titled " Buying the worlds greatest studios and giving them the illusion that are operating independently "

[ImportGamer3004]

I won't believe it until i see it. Unless you truly start giving devs creative freedom i don't see anything changing for you Microsoft. Besides your reputation amongst many devs is tarnished because you will tell them how you want their game developed when said developer is making said game. Look at Scalebound a PlatinumGames title that had promise but was ruined because Microsoft intervened every time, and told them "you should make the game this way."
I don't blame Hideki Kamiya for being pissed off at Microsoft for sh!t like this. Besides Xbox as a whole is dying because they don't have their crap together at all. "we have the biggest franchises" What a load of horsh!t.

Sony & Nintendo have far bigger franchises than the same 3 you guys love to pukingly regurgitate on a regular basis.
Halo being milked as a Shoddy live service title, Gears getting a rehashed sequel with no gameplay improvements, and Crackdown 3 which has been in development hell as long as Kingdom Hearts III, but will never be as awesome as KH3.
Sony & NIntendo have better first party franchises overall.

[cbuc1125]

Xbox: "We're now doing what Sony has been doing for years."

[Christopher]

And we should complain about that why?

[cbuc1125]

And we should now release press statements and brag about that why?

[Christopher]

Because that's how marketing works... For everyone, which includes Sony.

[cbuc1125]

Nice try dude. They suck. leave it at that.

[RizBiz]

*Correction*
Xbox: 'We're [buying out some decent teams around the world] and [either forcing them to work on garbage or shutting them down]'

[the worst]

What ever it's time to fire this guy

[jcole97]

Show me games or stfu

[milohighclub]

It's only taken them 3.5 console generations to figure out what's important in the gaming industry, and you guys wanna give this company your money?
Fools.

To clarify, It's taken them 17 years to realise this.
17 years!!!

Microsoft will never get another penny off me.
How does a company owned by one of the smartest people out there employ such morons that's have zero knowledge about the industry they are working in?
If i was Bill i'd fire the lot and start a fresh.

[DrumBeat]

This guy's a simple salesman, nothing more. I know it's going to take awhile to get those games in the pipeline out there (if they're in the pipeline at all) but you could show us some of the work these studios are doing. Let us know that these aren't just the words of a suit.

Throw us a little meat, and you may renew some of that lost faith.

[bellome]

The greatest teams already have a house Aaron, and it's not yours.

You are late to the party.

[DVAcme]

Ok... So, where are the games?

[IamTylerDurden1]

Imagine if E3 2015 Sony announced 3 huge first party studio acquisitions and it turned out to be Quantic Dream, Ready at Dawn, and some brand new yet to be formed studio they slapped a name on for E3?