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Bethesda Is Showing Its Strength in Microsoft's Portfolio and That's Really Encouraging - Spencer

Phil Spencer is really encouraged by the strength that Bethesda is finally showing in Microsoft's portfolio this year.

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-Foxtrot53d ago

But…these were games being developed before MS bought them so it’s not like they influenced anything

Outside_ofthe_Box53d ago

Translation: We are so glad to have kept these games off competing platforms so that we can say that our portfolio is looking really sharp. Hopefully the FTC and EU allows us to further compete so that we can continue to take credit for games such as diablo and call of duty as we again remove them from competing platforms.

53d ago
DarXyde53d ago Show
ravens5253d ago

Forspoken is a timed exclusive, just an FYI for people using it for this topic.

Christopher52d ago (Edited 52d ago )

This isn't about Sony and Nintendo whataboutisms. This is about Spencer's own words. Let's try and stay on topic rather than devolving to the same arguments that distract from Spencer's words being reported.

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 52d ago
Alexious53d ago

He's not taking credit for them. He's just saying that Bethesda is finally pulling its weight after the $7.5 billion acquisition and showing it was worth the price.

gangsta_red53d ago

Why does that matter. MS bought them and now their games are apart of the MS catalog.

I'm not even understanding this logic. Do you and others expect the games already in development to be scrapped and then started all over again under the MS umbrella?

Godmars29053d ago

Maybe because they've just laid off some of Bethesda? That the studio itself has a history of bugs when launching new titles. Any title.

And then there MS's growing(?) policy for hiring contract workers who are then let go every four months. Something like that impacts game development on several levels, including the fostering of talent.

gangsta_red53d ago (Edited 53d ago )

@godmars

"Maybe because they've just laid off some of Bethesda?"

You mean what the majority of the tech industry is going through at the moment?

"That the studio itself has a history of bugs when launching new titles."

What does that have to do with MS now having Bethesda's games under their portfolio?
Does Hi Fi Rush have a lot of bugs?

"And then there MS's growing(?) policy for hiring contract workers who are then let go every four months."

Every tech company hires contract workers, this is nothing new to the industry. Bethesda has a large number of full time employees and I'm sure they have their own policies they kept and follow, even under MS.

"Something like that impacts game development on several levels, including the fostering of talent.

No, you're grasping at straws now. And if Bethesda games has a history as you pointed out then what does MS policy have anything to do with Bethesda's development?
But three points for force feeding the word "fostering", even when your whole comment doesn't seem to actually make or point or is related to the subject.

Let's try again...

Why does it matter that MS is reaping the benefits of games that were in development before their purchase?

Godmars29053d ago

They're letting part of the workforce currently making games. How does that not impact the making of that/those games? Nevermind that layoffs are happening on suspicion of a recession which these layoff are likely to cause if not make worse.

Meanwhile, Bethesda published the Japanese title the Xbox camp is currently fawning over where, again, Bethesda themselves have a record for putting out bug ridden open world titles. With Starfield being their most ambitious "open world" game yet.

And going back to the layoff/contract worker situation, how are you missing the collation of a migrant workforce and loss of creativity in gaming? The best of the NES/SNES/PS1/PS2/early PC gaming eras happened because testers coders and artist were given opportunities to advance. That's not happening when you're letting people go ever few months on project that now take upwards to a decade to finish. Is likely much of the reason games are taking so long to make, if that's becoming standard among the industry.

And sure, blow off what I'm saying like you always do, but at least wait until the games you're trying to hold up in defense are out. I'm past tired of having this discussion, much less later ones where you're making excuses for them not delivering.

gangsta_red53d ago

@godmars

"They're letting part of the workforce currently making games. How does that not impact the making of that/those games? "

Starfield is pretty much in the late stages of development. It's been in development for a good four to five years. I doubt recent layoffs would greatly impact the game at this point.

Also, we're discussing how Bethesda's games are now boosting MS games portfolio and how it doesn't matter when they were purchased. I know I mentioned this before, but you seem to not comment on that.

"Bethesda themselves have a record for putting out bug ridden open world titles."

And yet their titles are some of the most influential, high scoring and played games to this date. Skyrim which is pretty much one of the pinnacles of fantasy RPGs. Fallout that has an interesting and rich lore and now Starfield is set to possibly do the same. But yeah, lots of bugs, sure.

"And sure, blow off what I'm saying like you always do,"

I'm not blowing it off, I'm just not interested, because as usual, it has nothing to do with anything here.

"but at least wait until the games you're trying to hold up in defense are out."

Hi Fi is already out and getting great reviews, Starfield is highly anticipated. I always get a kick out of people who tell others to not get excited, especially those with an extreme bias.

How about you just stop commenting (or at least replying to me) if you have nothing to add to the topic?
But I'm sure you'll make up more exaggerated layoffs and "MS doesn't foster or "nurture" their talent" tall tales while ignoring that the line up they currently have in the works looks incredible.

4Sh0w53d ago Show
343_Guilty_Spark52d ago

They move the goalposts constantly.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 52d ago
Crows9053d ago

He is encouraged means he is enjoying that he has made games available on less platforms and excluded over 60% of all gamers.

Jin_Sakai53d ago

“But…these were games being developed before MS bought them so it’s not like they influenced anything”

Yes but games like Hi-Fi Rush, Redlfall, Starfield, and ES6 are exclusive to Microsoft therefore making their portfolio strong.

Panhandler53d ago

Are you going to play these on Playstation? Xbox acquired Zenimax in September of 2020 but MS was in the works of the acquisition long before. Won't matter soon enough you'll enjoy master chief brought to you by sledgehammer or treyarch so no matter to me.

agnosticgamer53d ago

Right. But Phil Spencer never said anything about that. They are 1p games and in Xbox’s portfolio. MS did fund additional development time delaying both games a significant amount of time to hopefully release more polished titles than they normally do.

neutralgamer199252d ago

And this is why their acquisition of Activision shouldn't be allowed. They bought zenimax and made their games exclusives. So much for wanting more gamers to play and experience games "Phil Spencer"

Julion071552d ago

Yep that’s for any studio did you say the same for Nintendo and Sony acquisitions?

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 52d ago
53d ago Replies(5)
Lightning7753d ago

I was just thinking that. It's no secret that Bethesda and MS has had a great partnership in the past 20 years. So a buy out makes sense to me because they've had close ties for awhile despite being a multiplat title. Bethesda will be the saving grace for MS, if everything goes accordingly of course. MS internal Studios is seemingly dragging while Bethesda is carrying. It's not a bad thing it's just what it is.

Which brings me to my question. Why buy ABK? Bethesda is helping Xbox allot and like I said Bethesda is a good fit not so much ABK that's just weird imo.

Outside_ofthe_Box53d ago

"Which brings me to my question. Why buy ABK?"

To increase GP subscribers. If the deal goes through, in theory it should be enough to get their subscriber count to where they ideally want it to be.

Lightning7753d ago

They can do that with Bethesda or their internal studios like NT, Compulsion, undead labs etc. They have the studios already. They can grow GP with out ABK. All it's doing is stalling MS and MS can't stall anymore.

Imalwaysright53d ago

Why? Because they need a steady stream of content to put on gamepass and because Activision shareholders want to sell the company. If it wasn't MS it would most likely be Tencent and of the two, I guess it's up to each one of us to decide who would be the lesser evil.

Godmars29053d ago

Given example of the Bethesda layoffs in the face of MS's promise to be hands off, would dare say Tencent would be the more promising option. If they had ever been one.

Godmars29053d ago

MS is interested in building things at this point, making new IPs, they just want sure things to increase brand influence and GP subs. That's what Activision promises to given them even more so than Bethesda.

CBaoth52d ago

That doesn't make any sense though. ABK is the most risk aversive corp in the industry. I can't even remember the last new property they tried to create? Seikero maybe but that deal was a 1 off signed by From to gain some experience working with a major western publisher. No plans for a franchise. Bethesda in the past 12 months has released 2 new IPs in Deathloop and Ghostwire. The ABK deal is about securing CoD (GP day 1) and acquiring King (mobile).

Godmars29052d ago

"MS *isn't* interested in building things. Is not."

Don't why I do that, miss or fail to type words. Or I'll repeat them.

Outside_ofthe_Box52d ago

"They can grow GP with out ABK. All it's doing is stalling MS and MS can't stall anymore."

ABK is instant offense and will put them over the top far more quickly then waiting for Bethesda games to release. GamePass is Microsoft's last hoorah so to speak which is why they want to get as much subscribers as quickly as possible. Also the double whammy of weakening the competition as well.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 52d ago
peppeaccardo53d ago

Showing what ? Did i miss anyhting ?

RaiderNation53d ago

Lol exactly. One decent cell-shaded rhythm game and suddenly all is right with the world with Xbox. Redfall did not look that impressive at all.

badz14953d ago

didn't you get the memo? if xbox releases 1 game, they are definitely back and it's already the year of the xbox!

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