Ten New Titles, Critical Acclaim, and Exceptional Engagement Mark a Record Year for Xbox

From XBOX Wire: "I’m inspired by the dedication and extraordinary work across our many talented creative teams within Xbox Game Studios to launch a record number of first party games this year. In addition to a record-breaking year for games we’ve launched, many of these titles have earned strong critical acclaim, as well as impressive engagement from our fans".

[TranceHop]

Xbox Series X/S next-gen gameplay confirmed for later this month finally. Looking forward to seeing Gears Tactics, The Medium, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, & Assassin's Creed Valhalla running on Series X. Hopefully, it's a live stream event

[Obscure_Observer]

It´s gonna be an exciting and astonishing next gen for Xbox and it´s 23 first party studios.

Games, games and even more games!

I can´t wait

[Name Last Name]

I’m having a deja vu...

[crazyCoconuts]

Oh, I think you can wait

[potatoseal]

Yep all multiplats. Gonna be great

[r2oB]

Of course you can wait. It's one of the main things Microsoft has its fans do, at least for the past decade or so.

[itsmebryan]

I don't understand the down votes.smh

[Obscure_Observer]

@Name Last Name

"I’m having a deja vu..."

Nah. You´re in denial. ;)

@potatoseal

"Yep all multiplats. Gonna be great"

On PC, yeah. Maybe some less demanding games on Switch. No new Xbox first party on Playstation, tough.

[sprinterboy]

Where are they then ? oh year 2 and beyond.
I am personally gonna jump into the Xbox Eco system nxt gen for the 1st time but geez they make it hard for you.
PS5 day 1 easily but why buy a nxt gen xbox until black friday/holiday 2022? literally nothing but some good 3rd party and a few nice indies to play?

[TheTony316]

It's gonna be a long wait.

[TheProblem]

“ I’m inspired by the dedication and extraordinary work across our many talented creative teams within Xbox Game Studios to launch a record number of first party games this year”

Huh?

Microsoft has released a record number of first party games this year? What are they?

Are they saying that because they have released 2, up from 1 or something

[Petebloodyonion]

Reading the article would actually help.
15 titles (including the upcoming Age of Empire 3.

Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition (Releasing on Oct. 15), Battletoads, Bleeding Edge, Gears Tactics, Grounded, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary on PC, Halo 2 Anniversary on PC, Halo 3 on PC, Halo 3: ODST on PC, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Minecraft Dungeons, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, The Bard’s Tale Remastered, Tell Me Why and Wasteland 3

[TheProblem]

@Petebloodyonion.

Battletoads isn't first party. Neither is Gears tactics, flight sim, Ori, Tell me why or any the Halo's mentioned as they were all made by Bungie.

So Age of empires 3 re release, bleeding edge, Minecraft dungeons, the bards tale and an early access Grounded is a record year for first party games. Seriously? There isn't one AAA first party game there

There is so much spin in this news post it would take a day to pick it all apart.

[ziggurcat]

@pete

Dontnod, and Moon Studios are not 1st party studios. Dontnod is 3rd party, and Moon is considered 2nd party.
inXile made Bard's Tale Remastered long before they were purchased, as was Wasteland 3, so those are also not 1st party titles. Age of Empires III also is not a 1st party title.

Re-releasing Halo games on PC also doesn't count.

[Petebloodyonion]

Facepalm!
Are we really doing this to discredit Microsoft?
Validating if the studios or the games were owned by Microsoft to call them a Microsoft game?
Ok, let's do this and see how stupid the arguments get.

Spiderman is not a real Playstation game since it was made by Insomniac (before being a 1st party studio)
Demons soul is made by Blue Point so again not counting
Destruction Allstars is made by Lucid Livid Games so again out
MLB 20 is a rehash of the same game every year so...
Sackboy: A Big Adventure is made by Sumo Digital So I guess it's not a Sony game.
Should I go into PSVR?

Honestly paying your team our outsourcing to the outside team to develop your project is still call spending your money.

Did they said that Halo was something new? they said that 10 out of the 15 games were newer games and also to be re-released would mean that they were already released on PC unless you are saying that Horison just got re-released on Pc, Death Stranding got re-released on PC...

[TheProblem]

@Petebloodyonion.

You are right. The games you listed aren't Sony first party. Although demon souls was originally co developed by Studio Japan so it could be considered 1st party. MLB is first party.

I am not exactly sure what the point of your comment is. Or why you would even bring that up?

This article from xbox clearly states. "Record number of first party games" while listing the games you mentioned. My point is most of those games aren't first party. I am calling Microsoft out on their spin and lies. There is loads of spin in this article. I can't be bothered going into it

So again what was the point of your comment?

[ziggurcat]

"Are we really doing this to discredit Microsoft?"

Well, no... you literally listed games that aren't 1st party. And I never mentioned PS games, so...

There's a difference between a game that is exclusive, and one that is actually 1st party.

[Wintersun616]

@Petebloodyonion

in addition to TheProblem's and ziggurcat's replies to you, let's not forget the article was about games released this year. And since you brought up Sony, I'd like to remind you of Dreams, Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us 2.

[potatoseal]

Multiplats. Looking forward to Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Hitman 3, CyberPunk, Far Cry 6, even that Harry Potter game lol. If the Medium turns out to be good, I'll just sub to gamepass for a month, finish the game and then unsubscribe. Cheap as chips. Thanks MS

[TranceHop]

@ potatoseal make sure you have fun playing The Medium

[King_Noctis]

“ I'll just sub to gamepass for a month, finish the game and then unsubscribe. Cheap as chips. Thanks MS”

Then Microsoft would accomplish what it set out to do, gaining more subs. No matter if you sub for one month or one year, they’ll get your money either way. Microsoft should be the one who thanking you.

[potatoseal]

@ King, I don't care what it is. I get to play the game I want, on PC, for next to nothing and unsubscribe, all for the cost of peanuts.... if MS like that, then I like that.

But I will tell you what, they're losing a boat-load of money. I'm all for it LOL

[King_Noctis]

“ I get to play the game I want, on PC, for next to nothing and unsubscribe, all for the cost of peanuts”

Microsoft thanks you for being interested in their GAMES and service. It’s people like you that help keep Gamepass going strong. They would gladly include you into their overall subscriber number, even if it just for “one” month.

“ But I will tell you what, they're losing a boat-load of money. I'm all for it LOL”

You’re right. MIcrosoft will discontinue Gamepass in a few weeks because they are losing not just a boat-load of money, but an entire ship-load of money.

[potatoseal]

@ King.. ahahahaha LMAO

Dude GamePass for PC is the best thing MS has done for PS fans. We now don't have to buy an Xbox Console. So for that and the cheap as chips price on PC, as a Playstation gamer I'm very happy about that. So for that... I thank Microsoft too. First time I've felt good about MS in a very, very long time. Now to get rid of Arron Greenburgers and Phil ;-) ;-) lol

[sprinterboy]

Embarrassing you xbox fans have not seen any gameplay footage, yet here we are with loads of negative PS5 news everyday, at least we got plenty of gameplay and new year one games to see.

[RaidenBlack]

"... and many more unannounced games in development."

[Chriswheeler22]

Let me know when one of those games I actually want to play comes out.

[Killer73nova]

Are you complaining on having hundreds of games available to play?

[Chriswheeler22]

Whats the point of having hundreds of games to play when I've already played the ones I want to and the rest dont interest me?

[sprinterboy]

What those awesome hundreds of games only 40million gamers this gen were interested in?

[Babadook7]

Out of the 10, I only wanted the new Ori.

[RgR]

Ori and Wasteland 3 are really the only amazing titles. Guess gears tactics is decent as well.
Age of Empires is not a new game though.

[Petebloodyonion]

So I guess the only genre you play is 3rd person action games right?

[Chriswheeler22]

No, i like racing games, rpgs, interactive movies like Detroit, horror games, rts, crpg, survival basebuilding as well.

The only gakes I dobt play are competitive multiplayer really and fps, but I am ok with the first person view.

[Jericho1337]

Decent output by XGS this year (although as many hits as misses). The lineup of future games is looking stacked, just wondering how many of them we'll see given the ongoing pandemic.

[aaronaton]

Average metacritic of around 60. Interesting, v.interesting.

[ic3fir3]

wait for elders scrolls 6, starfield, dishonored 3, halo infinity, avowed, fable, and more game from bethesda zenimax etc...
to see the average score high.

[Chriswheeler22]

We will be waiting yes. For a long time.

[ic3fir3]

nop, 2021 and 2022 is all there

[Games1st]

Xbox would speed things up with Zenimax.

Bethesda's Todd Howard has indicated that the studio's focus will be on Starfield first and then will shift to The Elder Scrolls VI. Bethesda senior vice president Peter Hines says not to expect Elder Scrolls 6 news until years from now.

[dumahim]

You are truely delusional if you think Elder Scrolls 6 is coming before 2023.

[King_Noctis]

The fact that they are producing more games ever than before is promising. And you still have many unannounced games from many of their studios such as The Initiative, The Coalition, Compulsion Game, and the entire Zenimax studios.

[System_Call]

🤔

Why does this sound just like words/smoke/dejavu?

[King_Noctis]

“ Why does this sound just like words/smoke/dejavu?”

Did they make up the graphic in the headline? Those games don’t exist right?

[Brazz]

with all due respect... 2020 was kinda "weak" or perhaps kinda "meh" for Xbox studios exclusives and Xbox consoles, i mean...

Ori - made by moon studios, not part of xbox... Also on switch
Bleeding Edge - a game made by a xbox studio, but weak reception...
Gears Tatics - re-realease, coming from Pc.
Minecraft Dungeon - Multiplat. game
Grounded - Early access, incomplete game...
Flight sim. - Great game... made by a non-xbox studio, Asobo, also... only on PC
Battle Toads - Made by non xbox studios, weak reception...
Tell me Why - Made by non xbox studios, "ok" reception...
Wasteland 3 - good AA game, great work from inXile
Age of Empires 3 - A remaster...only on PC.

Not trying to cause console wars, but... this doesn't look especial at all...

[Petebloodyonion]

And why is it important to know if the game is playable on other systems?
Or made by Studio own or not own by Microsoft?
Is Ori suddenly less good because MS let Moon studio port it on the Switch?
Should we already give a pass on Demon's Soul because it's not made by a Sony in house studio?

[Chriswheeler22]

I agree with that there. Regardless of what platform its available on, that doesnt change the quality of the released games.

[crazyCoconuts]

I'd think the multi-plat differentiation would only matter to people that are undecided on which platform to buy and are only buying one.
The parting message from Aaron is "the future has never been brighter for Xbox gamers" but exclusives are the only games that would substantiate calling Xbox gamers out from anyone else.

[Brazz]

"And why is it important to know if the game is playable on other systems?"
> Imho, Exclusives are a selling point for a console. If a game can be played on other systems Xbox loses part, but not the entirety, of it's selling point.

"Or made by Studio own or not own by Microsoft?"
> the article tries to praise "Talented creative teams within Xbox Game Studios" ... then lists a bunch of games that were not made by "teams within Xbox Game Studios" and totally ignores that many of these games "truly created by teams within Xbox Game Studios " had poor reception...

"Is Ori suddenly less good because MS let Moon studio port it on the Switch?"
> absolutely not, but Moon studios is not part of "teams within Xbox Game Studios". The article takes the good work of a non-Microsoft studio and tries to link this studio's achievement and talent to "teams within Xbox Game Studios" ... it's misleading to say the least.

"Should we already give a pass on Demon's Soul because it's not made by a Sony in house studio?"
DeS is a Remake made in partnership, Japan Studios and Bluepoint are making this thing together. Unlike XGS Global Publishing that never created, and probably never will create anything (only publish).
Can you see the difference?
Case Sony: 2 studios collaborate on 1 work> result Demon's Souls Remake. > both studios deserve prais//e.
Case Microsoft: Pay for 1 sutido to do the work > Result, Ori. > the one studio that made ori deserves praise.

[NeoGamer232]

A few comments....

1) As a gamer, who cares if MS actually "made" the game or they contracted it? I would have one great game contracted out then 10 crap games internally made.
2) As a gamer, I am not sure why I would want only gamers who own a XB, PS5, or Switch to only be able to play a specific game? Makes me think people have superiority issues. "My platform is superior because nobody else can play my games, the rest are crap!".
3) Is it necessary to marginalize Gears Tactics just because the release is staggered to XB by about 6 Months? Way to pick at straws!

[RazzerRedux]

Definitely see more value in the upcoming games than the past. Primarily Fable and Avowed. And still want to know what Initiative is doing.

[jznrpg]

Well that list is what makes me not care about Xbox . Maybe they will do better in the future but when they tout this list as great it makes me think they don’t give a shit about quality just quantity

[FloydianAndroid]

I’m a huge fan of both Xbox and PlayStation, but I Don hope people realize that the new studio acquisitions won’t make difference for a few years. I think they have a solid plan and solid devs now, but it’s gonna take time before we start seeing a steady stream of new first party content. I’m very optimistic though. They’ll never sell more consoles than Sony, but there will be competition now and that’s great for everyone. Now if Nintendo would just get in the game from a graphics and online functionality standpoint this could be the best gen in years. And for the love of god Nintendo please add trophy/achievements!

[Automatic79]

This year was solid for Xbox. I had lots of fun with the games. Ori 2 easily top game of the year. I know they have more work to do but looking at roadmap on console Gears Tactics, Flight Simulator, Crossfire X, Psychonauts 2, As Dusk Falls, Halo Infinite, EverWild, Forza Motorsport, Hellblade Senua's Saga and Starfield (rumored). Xbox is bringing the heat.

Pay close attention to language "More unnannouced games."

The pipeline is rich of great games to look forward too.

[potatoseal]

It's been a terribly average year for Xbox One games. Not a single one I'd play on PC, even for the 1 month sub to gamepass. All multiplats too.

[waverider]

Damn, one of the worst years for Microsoft in term of new games.... Again, this is why they are in last this gen. They live in another world. Aaron Greenberg, dude.... even worse, Lauching a new console with zero blockbuster games. This is why so many make fun of the PR of microsoft. Its so bad and they dont learn nothing. You can launch 30 games, if they are average or below average, it means nothing.

[Ron_Danger]

I’m always amazed that they do this. They always use hyperbole when talking about upcoming games or consoles which is fine since you’re trying to build hype. Then they turn around and use the same language when talking about their past and it’s like what planet are they on?!

[crazyCoconuts]

They're good at spin and managing the message with media. That's obviously not enough to win.
On the plus side for Xbox fans, MS obviously is committed to making this work, so it's not like they're not going to be trying very hard to win gamers over. Out of all of their strategic moves of late, I think the act of buying exclusive IPs is the most promising for them, so they really do have a shot at taking the crown away a few years down the road imo

[chiefJohn117]

Congrats MS, Xbox got some bangers on the way

[S2Killinit]

In other words, More hyperbole ambiguous terms than ever before.

[Father__Merrin]

at this momwnt in time xbox is only worth gamepass thats it im afraid

[Rhythmattic]

But Xbox is now the service..MS changing their definition of such via Marketing Strategy... .. Its no longer a Console that has exclusive games , But Xbox is a exclusive "Subscription" content system.... (with Multi hardware support, even phones!)
Linux and Game pass... Now that would be interesting,

[Harryvok]

As someone who had a PS4 and Xbox One this whole gen, i've never been more disappointed in a system for an entire generation than Xbox One. Quite a few of these games listed aren't first party games. I really hope they turn things around games wise. Gamepass is cool, but when there's nothing on there i want to play, it doesn't make it a very good service.

Unfortunately it looks like it will be at least a couple of years before Series X has any decent first party games.

[Chocoburger]

This PR article should have been posted on The Onion's website instead. I can't believe that they're actually proud of themselves for releasing so many mediocre games. (*facepalm*)

[RPGer]

Shooter, shooter shooter, generic, shallow, shooter, sport games, shooter, indie and, shooter. Lastly, a patch exclusive from a Japanese game that used fo be on PS only and nobody is buying it on Xbox.

[chiefJohn117]

There's 2 shooters on that list wtf are you talking about? Lol

[ufo8mycat]

It is great that Microsoft now have 23 studios, the question isn't quantity though, it is quality.
Are they going to be able to match the quality of the 1st party titles that Sony deliver? Are the games going to be AT LEAST great, or are they just going to be average? If it's the later, those 23 studios means absolutely nothing.

[sprinterboy]

critical acclaim? I think they meant critically acclaimed ffs.
Journalism at its finest from the kids yet again.