360°

Microsoft Acquisition Allowed Us “More Resources and More Time” – Wasteland 3 Developer

The studio head says “the future is very exciting.”

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gamingbolt.com
darthv721903d ago

MS has really taken more of a hands off approach recently and that is a good thing. Let the teams have their creative freedom. I think their next step is not be as frugal with the budgets as they were.

RazzerRedux1903d ago

It really is. Frankly, the hands-on approach hasn't worked very well in the past. I think MS knows this now and they are letting the newcomers do what they do best, but with better resources and more stability. Really interested to see the new games coming from Xbox Studios.

SyntheticForm1903d ago

All Microsoft should do is support them from the side, and like you said, let developers do their thing. That's the best approach. They shouldn't get too involved if at all on the design side.

With that kind of support from Microsoft these studios should be capable of some really great stuff.

I'm looking forward to it too.

NeoGamer2321902d ago

Really it is more a change in approach with first party studios then it is hands-off and hand-on. Previously first party studios had a goal to show off the platform features that MS built into the XB OS. This led to Rare becoming the Kinect Studio, Halo was for the Multi-player features, etc.

But now the approach is that first party studios are there to build games and get gamers to buy into the platform, services, and subscriptions. Therefore the first party studios have to appeal straight to gamers and are not required to show off specific platform features.

UhOh1902d ago

I don't think it was a bad choice all the times they did it. I read somewhere that they forced the multiplayer option into the halo games. Not saying you feel otherwise. I just want them to remind their studios that a huge amount of players do want the big multiplayer, coop, and coop-campaign games.

Obscure_Observer1903d ago

@darthv72

Phil Spencer has a much better approach with developers than any of his predecessors ever had. small and middle studios now turned into AAA studios.

Ninja Theory, Obsidian and InXile are now working on AAA games. I´m positive that InXile, Obsidian and Playground will deliver great RPGs.

I can´t wait :)

ApocalypseShadow1903d ago

You have yet to see the fruit of their labor. As of right now, 360 had more games and more Japanese support. And maybe It's just me, but most of the near bankrupt companies they bought were not as great as the ones they closed or left like Bungie.

But I do hope they do better than than this gen. Can't get any worse than the position they put themselves in. The better they do only forces Sony to do even better. That's where I benefit.

As for the topic, fairly obvious with more money comes more resources. More freedom is just from watching their competitor's studios do a whole lot better creatively and the quest to try and duplicate it.

Prubar1903d ago (Edited 1903d ago )

Yeah exactly. I know allot of Xbox fans want MS to buy studios like Bethesda, 3D Projekt or other big developers. But that doesn’t really benefit anyone but MS as they probably don’t need MS and it would shut out PS and Nintendo fans. Buying AA developers and building them up seems to be the most beneficial for everyone. That combined with game pass allows them the financial freedom To explore new things without a high risk of failure and doesn’t have to worry about making a game for a niche audience. Plus with MS backing they can realize ther potential and possibly become a AAA studios. Even though not all of them need to be.

Obscure_Observer1903d ago (Edited 1903d ago )

@Apocalypse Shadow

"You have yet to see the fruit of their labor."

That goes for every single studio and its unreleased games. The Outer Worlds has a higher metascore than Days Gone and Death Stranding, a Hideo Kojima game. All new IPs. Which next gen sequel for saidgames will score better? No one can tell. Can you realize how silly you comment sounds?

"More freedom is just from watching their competitor's studios do a whole lot better creatively and the quest to try and duplicate it."

Lol. Xbox has more studios and a far more diversed line up of upcoming games.

Godmars2901903d ago

@Obscure_Observer:
Outer Worlds was both something already in development, and a further development of Fallout New Vegas sans Bethesda's BS.

"Xbox has more studios and a far more diversed line up of upcoming games."

Still have yet to see what those studios will make while directly under MS much less a list of diverse titles.

ApocalypseShadow1902d ago (Edited 1902d ago )

Yeah Obscure. And I see Outer Worlds sold more than Death Stranding and Days Gone. Oh wait. And you used a game that was already in development before Microsoft had purchased them. That's like buying From Software while they are developing their next game and somehow giving Microsoft credit. Oh you. Lol.

But I noticed you didn't use Compulsion games with their poor reviews of We Happy Few and Undead Labs State of Decay 2's average reviews. With Inxile coming in with comparable reviews to the Sony ones you picked above.

I won't use Sony's other first party games or top VR games to obliterate you. Helping with that 100+ million in sales. That's 3 out of 4 console generation wins. Where's Microsoft again? How many have they won again?

Anyway, Microsoft doing better only makes Sony do better. And that's the only thing that c matters to me. I get better games from them because Microsoft is finally trying after 18 years of failing.

DarXyde1902d ago

"Lol. Xbox has more studios and a far more diversed line up of upcoming games."

Uhhh, what? We actually don't know for sure if Xbox has more studios. Sony has been pretty vocal on saying they're doing acquisitions too. Even then, quantity is far less important than quality. This is why Playstation is so beloved. Plenty of studios AND they're solid games.

As for diversity, really? Okay, dude.

Ceaser98573611902d ago

"Xbox has more studios and a far more diversed line up of upcoming games"

More Studios well YES!
Far more diversity " Absolutely NO"

Unless you are an insider and have seen and played all the games before its release.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 1902d ago
gamer78041903d ago

I like that they let the devs decide What they want to to, but I just can’t get into the wasteland series. Wish they were making something else.

Obscure_Observer1903d ago (Edited 1903d ago )

Brian Fargo confirms that InXile is working on a brand new AAA RPG. :)

https://twitter.com/BrianFa...

Zeref1903d ago

Well not every game is for you

gamer78041902d ago

@obscure_oberserver. thats great to hear, I honestly loved their action coop fantasy game Hunted long ago. Kinda like gears but fantasy based.

ChrisW1903d ago

They probably looked at EA and said, "Let's do the complete opposite of them!"

Godmars2901903d ago

What actual signs are there that they've been "hands off"? What games have actually come out? Without evidence of something done purely in-house, versus buying a studio already working on a project which being bought gave them resources indirectly, this is just PR speak and circumstance.

Zeref1903d ago

They could have easily killed off Grounded and Bleeding Edge if they wanted to. But they didn't.

Godmars2901902d ago

@Zeref:
You literally said nothing.

The issue is that MS has issues with getting studios directly under their control to produce honestly outstanding much less good games. Not only was Bleeding Edge - allegedly - something already being worked on, its reviews are average at best. Meanwhile is Grounded even out?

1902d ago
camel_toad1902d ago

"Let the teams have their creative freedom"

Exactly this. That's where the best stuff comes from.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 1902d ago
Ninver1903d ago

That's all fine and dandy but the end product is all we really care about. Less talk more show.

1903d ago Replies(4)
sampsonon1903d ago

MS has a lot to prove. Not to the xbox gamer that will always praise them no matter what, but potential gamers. Especially the ones that went over to PS this gen.

Obscure_Observer1903d ago

@sampsonon

"Especially the ones that went over to PS this gen."

Look around you. Pay attention and you realize that there´s quite a number of PS fans interested on the Series X, even here on N4G. And by saying "interested", I´m not saying they´ll jump ship. They just might go multi console gamming this holiday.

Prubar1903d ago

“Less talk more show“?

Just in the last week we’ve seen Ori and Bleeding edge reviews plus Gears Tactics and Wasteland previews. And it’s just getting started. We haven’t even had a Xbox series X conference yet.

1903d ago
Gamehard1903d ago

Lol saying it like that sounds as though nothing has happened on the PS front in the same time other than the "talk about hard drive speeds." Nioh 2 released with fantastic scores, persona 5 royal is coming next week and FF7 the week after.

Chevalier1903d ago

" Clearly MS should've just held a conference to talk about hard drive speeds instead... that's way more fun than seeing games"

Weird. We're playing Persona 5 Royal, MLB 20, Dreams, Nioh 2 and even the Switch has Animal Crossing New Horizon. FF VII, Ghost of Tsushima and TLOU 2 by the middle of the year along with a bunch of other exclusives for both PS and Nintendo. While all you guys do is talk about what's to come. We get to play exclusive and the big 3rd party games while we're waiting. You guys seriously think PS and Nintendo are just sitting around not doing anything while Xbox studios get started on their stuff?

sampsonon1903d ago

funny that you don't see the resources when you look at most Xbox one games.

Pickledpepper1903d ago

Funny that you do see worried fanboys in Microsoft articles.
@sampsonon

sampsonon1902d ago

Worried? why would they be worried? I mean it's not like MS has been releasing AAA games for the last 5 yrs except one. I don't understand why what I'm saying is wrong. I say MS has to prove at the beginning of the next gen that they are committed to making high quality AAA games. Sony doesn't have anything to either prove or make up for because they, from start to finish of this gen, have created new AAA ip after new AAA ip.

The day that Sony starts to cut corners so that they can put their games straight to a cheap subscription service filled with old, A and AA games, is the day i stop buying PS.

But from the looks of it it seems Sony is doubling down on hight quality AAA games and new ip's.

People can argue with me all they want but it won't change the facts until MS "PROVES THEMSELVES" again that they are committed to AAA games, and not the drivel they've been spewing out.

The day they do that is the day i buy their console.

timotim1903d ago

Microsoft is definitely holding up there end of the bargain. Good to see a plan coming together.

Show all comments (52)
60°

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 devs praise games like Space Marine 2 for "lowering the barrier"

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 developers discuss the huge success of Space Marine 2 and its effect on the series as a whole.

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videogamer.com
Jingsing2m ago

How about an official level editor for Boltgun?

60°

Glen Schofield: Dead Space Wouldn’t Be Greenlit Today—Publishers Are Afraid to Take Risks

Sector sat down with Glen Schofield—creator of Dead Space and The Callisto Protocol—during the Game Developers Session (GDS) in Prague to discuss the evolution of the game industry, the current challenges of AAA development, and why it's become so hard to get original ideas off the ground in today’s risk-averse environment.

1nsomniac14h ago

It’s easy enough to say that, but why? It feels weird to me when developers say this but common sense would tell you everything about the idea itself should work.

The idea of the concept seems like a winner at whichever angle you look at it so why would publishers not greenlight it?

… it’s almost as if the majority of publishers are massively incompetent at their jobs. But there’s no surprise to anyone there.

150°

WILD HEARTS S Q&A - 'Switch 2 Is Closer to the Series S Than PS4'

Wccftech interviewed Koei Tecmo about their upcoming game WILD HEARTS S, gathering their first thoughts on the Nintendo Switch 2 console.

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wccftech.com
Christopher2d ago

This new tech, in 2025, is more comparable to 2020 tech than 2013 tech.

*tip toes over that bar*

Also, why are all the comparisons to PS4 and not Xbox One?

Neonridr2d ago

PS4 is more powerful than the XB1, S2 is more powerful than both, so why not use the higher of the two?

Christopher2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

Probably because people who owned an XBO and not a PS4 don't really know what it means. The assumption is that everyone is as knowledgeable as journalists or gaming news junkies. Gaming is mainstream, that means that mass majority of people don't know these specifics, only online talking points.

And the PS4 and XBO are the closest in power systems we've ever had, so this 'more powerful' is so small, it really isn't the big talking point people think it is.

RaidenBlack17h ago

I'd rather add, Xbox One X can be used as a good metric to gauge if a said system is more powerful than last gen.

VariantAEC8h ago

It's pretty clear that Switch 2 isn't more powerful than PS4 Pro. Is the base model PS4 being beaten? Well, Switch 2 is hardly ever actually being compared to the base model PS4, but seeing as how it's yet to outperform PS4 Pro in basically any other way than loading data into RAM in video comparisons. I have to assume the individual developer being interviewed has very little experience with PS4 and Xbox One.

OtterX1d 21h ago (Edited 1d 21h ago )

Which is great for a handheld/hybrid! Some people still stick to Digital Foundry's PS4 comparison comment as gospel, back when they were just watching trailers and hadn't even had their hands on it yet.

With that said, this interview doesn't go into very much depth on this. I'd like to see more analysis, but so far I'm really impressed with the performance since I got mine on Friday. Truth be told, having a PS4 Pro level handheld is enough for me. Anything beyond is icing. I'm not looking to replace my PS5 or PC.

VariantAEC8h ago

In this case Digital Foundry is right. They didn't adequately explain or sound remotely confident when showing Switch 2's "visual" benefits in that HogLeg comparison was related to loading. Yes, sometimes two massive world segments can be connected by a smaller individual loading zone like how Jak 2 handled open world zones on PS2. There is a small room that in itself is it's own discrete loading zone that you wait inside as the next massive portion of the map loads in. Very common when going from Haven City to any part outside of the city owlr when descending into the sewers or entering the city from the outside or leaving the sewers. Anyway, the HogLeg skybridge loading zone is more detailed because Switch 2 could load in more varied textures. Models load pretty fast. It's probable that the decimated models that appear in the Switch 2 version were supposed to be visible on Xbox One and PS4 in that scene, which might be why they exist on Switch 2. Unfortunately, the same video showcased above shows PS4 Pro is basically ahead of Switch 2 in all other ways imaginable. Higher rendering resolutions with a sharper cleaner image, better effects quality, and a better distance all favor PS4 Pro. Both the Pro and Switch 2 seem to have a pretty solid 30FPS performance level.

MDTunkown1d 16h ago

For how thin switch 2 is it’s impressive especially when it’s stronger than steam deck and cost less

Christopher1d 13h ago

Steam Deck is cheaper at $399. Switch 2 also uses cheaper materials. See joycon drift still being an issue. You'll also save a ton more money on software alone with the Steam Deck.

Honestly, if the Steam Deck was released today, it likely would at least match the Switch 2 in areas where it outperforms the Steam Deck but still have more advantages. Main thing holding back the Deck is the cores and resolution, because it still has the better CPU and GPU otherwise.

Neonridr18h ago

@Christopher - I own one, no stick drift. My OG joycons never had drift either.

Steam Deck relies on FSR which is still inferior to DLSS. Not to mention that the S2 can push double the GPU performance in docked mode. Deck has more memory, which is nice.

I have both, but my S2 will be getting the lion-share of playtime in the near future. That being said, I can still appreciate being able to play my steam games on the go.

FinalFantasyFanatic17h ago

For me, the game sales/prices and flexibility of the Steam deck outweigh the cost of the system itself, but I'll probably get a Switch 2 anyway.

OMNlPOTENT1d 14h ago

And the ps5 was comparable to a PC that could be built over 5 years before it came out lol, how do you think consoles stay affordable?

Christopher1d 13h ago

You're actually proving my point even more.

badz14922h ago

@omnipotent

PS5 comparable to a PC built OVER 5 years before it came out? let's see...

the best mainstream PC combo back in 2015/2016 would be the i7 6700K ($350) + GTX 1080 ($600). Sorry, but that setup is never going to outperform the base PS5 in games, especially modern ones.

you done lying yet or still want to continue lying so your precious Switch 2 doesn't get hurt by facts anymore?

CosmicTurtle1d 5h ago

It’s a tech article speaking about specs people who care about this will know. I did not own an XB1 but know it’s at a similar tech level as PS4. PS4 has a far greater sales footprint, it makes sense to use it.

ABizzel117h ago(Edited 17h ago)

Technologically it’s closer to the Series S….. Raster-wise it’s closer to a base PS4 which has been the point.

Why Switch 2 is better:
The much better CPU allows for higher FPS than the last gen Jaguar CPUs could ever produce.
The 12GB of RAM prevents the system from being bottlenecked in most modern games (even SS fails here)
The storage while not NVMe Gen4 speeds, is significantly faster than the HDD in last gen
It’s a RTX 3000 hybrid, and DLSS is a better upscaling solutions than all other consoles even PSSR currently, and significantly better than checkerboard rending.

This is where the PS4 & PS4 Pro comparisons come into play. Natively it can’t compete with the PS4 Pro, and really closer to the base PS4, but due to the better CPU, more RAM, faster storage, and DLSS it can upscale resolution, image quality, and performance to get close, match, or certain cases exceed the PS4 Pro, and rivals the Series S.

DLSS is really the saving force behind Switch 2 getting current gen ports to acceptable resolution quality, and NVIDIA and Nintendo did it at 10w, so kudos to them, because many of the AAA 3rd party games are and will continue to be native 540p - 720p upscaled through DLSS.

Also this game would benefit from DLSS.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 8h ago
Sonyslave31d 16h ago

I notice it always ps4 or ps4 pro but never xbox one x which is more powetful then the ps4 pro.

MDTunkown1d 16h ago

And it’s also in someways stronger than series S. Xbox one x is a special console that was never fully utilised and has 1,5 times more teraflops than series s.

badz14922h ago(Edited 22h ago)

but the Bulldozer CPU is much weaker and inefficient compared to Zen2 used in the Series S

Neonridr18h ago

the CPU's were those crappy Jaguar based chipsets though.

jznrpg18h ago

Because most people don’t care about Xbox

repsahj1d 7h ago

This is an ugly port, they should improve it more instead of releasing it early.

gold_drake20h ago

sooo ...

what this is telling us, is that it comes down to the game and the devs optimization.

VariantAEC8h ago

There are already several games on Switch 2 coming up short in side-by-side comparisons. Cyberpunk 2077, Fortnite, and HogLeg are just the first examples with the first game in this list only having better image quality due to DLSS and slightly more stable performance due to that lower resolution than last gen systems enabled by DLSS, but having simplified models at mid distances and fewer NPCs roaming around than on PS4 or Xbox One.