We recently sat down for a chat with Remedy Head of Franchise Development, Oskari Häkkinen.
In an in-depth interview, Häkkinen discussed Alan Wake, bringing the game to PC, and their brand new XBLA release Alan Wake’s American Nightmare. He also offered various insights into the industry and what goes on behind the scenes at Remedy...
Game companies are reportedly "baffled" by Microsoft's multiplatform strategy, and they are reluctant to develop games for Xbox consoles.
Ironically what killed the xbox brand was the Activision's acquisition, in hindsight if that was blocked it would have let the brand survive a little bit more. Oh well 🙉.
''Ironically what killed the xbox brand was the Activision's acquisition''
Actually the green brand was killed the moment they entered the gaming space, MS and their fanbase didn't know it but if you look at their tracking record there's never been a war as so many love to call.
First time in market (PS1: total sales102mil)
First time in the market (Original xbox: total sales 24mil)-----( PS2 total sales 160mil)
360 total sales 85mil----PS3 total sales 87mil This right here is a battle not a ''war'' and only because MS decided to rush and show up 1 year+ early to the battlefield.
Xbone total sales 58mil----PS4 total sales 117mil
Series S/X total sales as of now 31mil----PS5 total sales 75mil
So I'm having a hard time seeing this so called ''war''
Next gen will be a rinse n repeat.
Making billions selling games and services on multiple platforms, not on selling hardware.
Making billions and making billions in profit are two different things. I guess if you want to take microsoft as a whole they make profit but xbox doesn't. It generates revenue but just in 5 years they've spent 100 billion in acquisitions. Dont think they've even generated 100b in 5 years with xbox let alone profit.
See what you don't realize is consoles sales are only a small part of the industry.Microsoft launching 360 early was n the right call for them. I think paid off big time. They sold millions of consoles and beat ps3 in the biggest market for pretty much the entire generation. They got what they wanted which was to establish xbox as a recognized bran. There is no way in hell they were going to beat an established brand like playstation in hardware. But look where we are now. They are selling games on all platforms and reaping the rewards financially. They are one of if not the biggest publishers the industry has. They've made some bad calls and some good ones as well. However, they are in a great place right now. ABK acquisition is done.Gamepass is doing well. Their published games are doing really good numbers. A next gen console and handheld gaming device is coming. Big releases like Fable, Perfect Dark, Gears and SOD are coming. Lots to look foward too.
MS have been toxic for every industry they’ve made a foothold in. The 360 was a miraculous success but they simply couldn’t help themselves in the end with Kinect etc. I was a fan in the 360 days, but they showed their true colors a long time ago. I hope devs move away from them in their droves, couldn’t happen to a better company.
I notice you left out Wii vs. PS3 / 360, Switch vs. PS4 / XBO. Comparing to Nintendo, the war was always Microsoft in a distant 3rd. Nintendo’s family catered audience doesn’t make them any less a valid industry contender.
I agree but disagree if you consider Sega mega drive vs SNES a console war then you have to consider the PS3 vs 360 one to
There wont be next gen like we had until now. Atari is gone, Sega is gone and now Xbox will leave the console market. Remember the leaks? Best case scenario is that they will launch one last disc less console. They even have a deal with the new Asus handheld pc portable. You will see Sony abuse their customers, Microsoft tried to do that early with the Xbox One, Playstation is already doing it. I mean people pay to play online on consoles that sometimes are not even using Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo servers, they are just a bridge and charge for it and that just the surface of the problem, lets not talk about remasters, remakes, remasters, remakes and more remasters.
Also more users doesn't mean more profit, you need to calculate how much each player spent and the if the console was sold at a loss. Xbox players spends more money with games and services than Sony players, sure Sony is the big one and they deserve it, but profit margins are better in Nintendo for an example. You are flexing on Xbox fans now, but tomorrow you will see how this ends. Its not a war, look at Microsoft value they would buy Sony if FTC allowed. The future id not looking good for now.
They have not make 82 Billion, even in revenue, in all 4 generations of being in the game industry combined. Let alone profits.
@Jukins huh? No there earning call early 2024 showed with out ABK they were operating in the Red or flatlined. Cod rakes in allot of money albeit small growth in GP.
I think you're just makin up stuff. Which I don't like.
seriously, they were doing friendly fire since they started making bad calls on the Xbox One then having to roll them back.
Naw that would of operated in the Red with out ABK. It was either buy ABK and go multiplat or not buy ABK and have Satya shut down xbox for good.
Satya threatened to shut down Xbox in 2021 so that resorted to buying ABK a year later.
They're still on the red with activison. They lost 300-500m per qtr since abk acquisition. They screwed themselves with cod on gamepass. That lost them alot of money for temporary boost in gamepass subs.
I dont think there was ever a threatened shutdown. They spent to much. They bought multiplat developers and publishers worst case they can be a 3rd party dev. Saves so much money not having to do hardware and let oems license xbox.
It was taking damage ever since they started talking about Xbox One, then spent the entire generation not making 1st party games. They almost only had Forza, Halo, and Gears. Not buying Activision wouldn't have put them in any better a situation except for the pounds of money they now need to make sure they make on the investment.
It was dying before that. Gamepass and acquisitions were desperation moves. They should have built studios of their own in the beginning slowly building more over the last 2 decades and focus on creativity instead of thinking they could buy their way to the top. They could have thrived along PS and Nintendo. Their focus was taking over and not being an equal. They failed miserably.
MS are completely creatively bankrupt. They couldn't create success with Xbox so they brought others success instead.
It's still unreal that they thought banning games from their biggest console market and gamers would work. I'm just glad that Xbox users don't buy games which meant multiplatform publishers remain multiplatform... for now. The industry is still at huge risk from MS's industrial consolidation, three major publishers no longer competing is such a massive negative to the industry, devs and gamers. More and more owned by fewer and fewer isn't good for anyone but the greedy piggies at the top.
You dont know what the he'll you're talking about. Post where they said they were going to ban games from any console. In fact they've always stated the opposite. They must be successful because here they are talked about on the regular.
Chill out little one. Here you go:
"One that stands out the most is a February 2022 email exchange between Pete Hines, Todd Howard and other Bethesda execs questioning why Microsoft was going so hard on the idea of Call of Duty remaining multiplatform while Bethesda’s big games like Starfield and Elder Scrolls were being left Xbox exclusive.
“I’m confused,” Hines writes. “Is the below [a Microsoft statement about Call of Duty staying multiplatform] not the opposite of what we were just asked (told) to do with our own titles? What’s the difference?”
“Did anyone at Xbox think about giving us a heads-up on this? Todd’s going to DICE in a couple weeks, you don’t think a journo might find him and press him on why the below is ok for COD or any Activision Blizzard games but not TES6 or Starfield? Or at any/every future interview he does?”
While it is not shocking that Microsoft wants some of its acquired studios to produce Xbox exclusive games, the argument is not an especially good one, given that Elder Scrolls, for instance, has tens of millions of players throughout the series’ lifespan, many of whom have played on PlayStation, even if the upcoming game is not multiplayer. And if even Bethesda doesn’t understand Microsoft’s rationale here and is upset about it (as after all, as a developer you want as many people experiencing your game as possible), then why should the legal system agree with Microsoft’s reasoning?
This email joins a separate quote in a 2019 email about how Microsoft could “spend Sony out of business”
https://www.forbes.com/site...
Yea Xbox is so successful because people talk about it here “more often”. Interesting metric. Reminds me of “total bullets fired” “number of players”. The hive mind thinks just like their favourite trillion dollar corporation. To anyone with a brain, yes, we can see Xbox is a failed brand and its demise is inevitable.
Microsoft gaming will continue and Ms will remain a third party publisher
The fall started at the end of the 360 era. When they were selling Kinnects and tons of shovelware.
The lost the plot then. In the OG and First half of the 360 era, Xbox was truly innovative.
People think the lack of imagination started at the X1 era, but it was actually the tail end of X360.
Heavy Rain was supposed to be and Xbox exclusive. They turned it down because of the subject matter. They had lost the plot by then. No one noticed because of how successful the 360 was.
They were just coasting on the early success of the system.
Bingo
This is where the fall started. Just look at the last 24-36 months of Xbox 360 and PS3. Software support wise it wasn't even close. Many at that time said Xbox is getting ready for next generation and gave them a pass for poor exclusices releases. We all know now that was the beginning of the downfall.
I really don't understand how you get to have MS resources yet can't compete with either playstation or Nintendo. Sad thing is now is the time we need great competition yet now is the time playstation can do whatever and get away with it. Losing the Xbox one generation was just bad because now those with all their friends and game libraries on playstation are less likely to switch to Xbox.
Their best hope is to release their next Xbox 1 year ahead of Playstation, make it much more powerful, have some great exclusives are launch. Remake some old games to be ready at launch. Could you imagine fallout 3 and new Vegas remake at launch of next Xbox only available on that one platform. But we all know Xbox has gone 3rd party and they care about selling software since that's their bread and butter
MS as a company knows how to sell software and now they will be the biggest gaming publisher. They are already seeing huge benefits of selling software on playstation when those games are generating hundreds of millions
It's true I switched to 360 after the PS1/2 mainly because it was so much cheaper but when the first party titles dropped off around that midgen point and Kinect came around I picked up a PS3 and never looked back
Satya said it himself in 2023 he would do away with exclusives. He's doing exactly that. Phil wanted to keep stuff exclusive with Bethesda and flirted the idea of COD only being on Xbox and PC. but he obviously lost that battle so you're not totally off base.
In terms of being creative. Nobody cares who's more creative than the other as long as the games are there and are good. Nobody complained with OG Xbox and especially 360 days when most of those games were third party. If the games are there who cares how it's made or who bought what. If the games are there that's literally all that matters instead pointless internet talking points or imaginary trophy and "pride" of how the games get distributed.
Thank you for not buying games so multiplatform remained multiplatform.
"I'm just glad that Xbox users don't buy games which meant multiplatform publishers remain multiplatform"
"One that stands out the most is a February 2022 email exchange between Pete Hines, Todd Howard and other Bethesda execs questioning why Microsoft was going so hard on the idea of Call of Duty remaining multiplatform while Bethesda’s big games like Starfield and Elder Scrolls were being left Xbox exclusive.
“I’m confused,” Hines writes. “Is the below [a Microsoft statement about Call of Duty staying multiplatform] not the opposite of what we were just asked (told) to do with our own titles? What’s the difference?”
“Did anyone at Xbox think about giving us a heads-up on this? Todd’s going to DICE in a couple weeks, you don’t think a journo might find him and press him on why the below is ok for COD or any Activision Blizzard games but not TES6 or Starfield? Or at any/every future interview he does?”
While it is not shocking that Microsoft wants some of its acquired studios to produce Xbox exclusive games, the argument is not an especially good one, given that Elder Scrolls, for instance, has tens of millions of players throughout the series’ lifespan, many of whom have played on PlayStation, even if the upcoming game is not multiplayer. And if even Bethesda doesn’t understand Microsoft’s rationale here and is upset about it (as after all, as a developer you want as many people experiencing your game as possible), then why should the legal system agree with Microsoft’s reasoning?
This email joins a separate quote in a 2019 email about how Microsoft could “spend Sony out of business”
https://www.forbes.com/site...
... did you just compare a studio to buying up $80 billion worth of publishers and massive industry consolidation?
I think you need to get a refund on that scholarship.
What's so confusing? It's all a part of the master plan by good guy Phil... if you can't create success nor buy success, you just move the goalposts and redefine what success is.. simples!
I bet five he talk to some small time indie devs, who was probably saying this none of the big devs cares.
If it even happen at all. As you can sell he used the "reportedly " in that claim. But you have to expect stuff like that. Especially here. All I know is Microsoft is putting out some good games. So they have to have something to counter that.while Sony puts out a overpriced upgraded console that can't even do a quick resume feature. Go figure🤷.
@Reaper22_
How do you feel paying $60+ for a controller that still uses batteries, lacking basic features, and still uses tech from the 90s? Or the inferior SSD that is more expensive?
The manufacturer took a series of preventative measures to protect itself from any impending moves by the US government, doubling supply chains and stockpiling hardware in order to give itself a buffer.
They are based in the USA. I bet Nintendo play the dirty card and make the Switch 2 more expensive in the rest of the world and keep the same price in the USA, Basically the rest of the world will absorb the tariff so US consumers can get the Switch 2 cheaper. Sorry ain't gonna happen.
The price of Switch 2 here in Sweden is ridiculous:
Base model (Without MKW)
USD: $449.99 = 449.99USD
GBP: £395.99 = 511USD
EUR: €469.99 = 517USD
JPY: ¥49,980 = 343USD
SEK: 6790:- = 675USD
With MKW:
USD: $499.99 = 499.99USD
GBP: £429.99 = 554USD
EUR: € 509.99 = 561USD
JPY: ¥53,980 = 370USD
SEK: 7490:- = 744USD
Can you order from one of the neighboring EU countries? I ordered my Switch 2 from Spain, because we don't have our own Amazon here in Portugal. I've also often ordered from Germany or France.
Sweden shouldn't have any additional custom fees from neighboring EU countries, even though you guys use your own currency.
**Also that listed US price is deceptive bc it doesn't include the additional sales tax (7% in my hometown back in the States, for instance). The EU price already includes the VAT.
***Additionally, the Trade Wars has tanked the US dollar value recently bc it wasn't too long ago this year that the US dollar was about equal to the Euro. It would have been nice to have the Switch 2 before the Trade Wars started.
@OtterX
Yeah, I usually drive down to Germany and pick up electronics.
In Sweden we pay "chemical tax" on top of the normal price.
The distributor of Nintendo in Sweden, also takes their own cut, but this time it's just a joke.
I'm well aware of the tax that adds in the States, so the price will of course differ from state to state, but even with the most expensive state (I think it's 25%) the price is 150USD cheaper in US.
On top of that the median salary in Sweden compared to US is almost half.
We do have extremely cheap health care and child support however.
Your pound sterling exchange ratio is way off
Edited no its not my apologies
In Brazil we will pay almost 850,00 USD!
Here, the taxes are imposed not with the aim of strengthening the domestic market or promoting sustainable economic development, but rather to feed the coffers of a government characterized by excessive bureaucracy and mismanagement. This structure favors the perpetuation of welfare practices that, instead of emancipating the most vulnerable, keep them in a cycle of dependence, undermining their autonomy and ability to advance economically.
This is the postmodern enslavement of the poorest people by welfare.
@joaovictorop
Brazil taxes for games increased in the early to mid 90s.the Bolsa Familia welfare system was 2003, and from what i've read, have done a lot of good.
https://www.isglobal.org/en...
Seems the old system was better the new one...
But either way, the taxes on games came a decade earlier than the first welfare expansion.
I bet your one of those "poor people just need to pull themselves up by their bootstrap" guy or "reduce child labor? Get those kids to work!" man
@MrNinosam
About the same price as Sweden here in Norway. It’s wild. 7449 NOK. 693USD / 1153AUD / 630Euro / 537 GBP)
I don’t get why the scandinavian countries got the worst deal.
Edit:
Nvm. It seems Brasil is worse off than us.
I'm getting one personally price in AUD is less compared to Europe still up there costing about the same as a ps5 for the bundle at launch before it's price hike
$769AUD or $461usd with mkw
$699aud or $419 usd without
Games also translate to 70 USD at worst for physical carts so it's not bad here I guess
Nintendo already went dirty selling a Japanese region locked version for $349. That means they are charging other countries $100 more just cause.
I think that's because you're seeing the Japanese pricing in US$. The Yen pricing is actually quite high for the system when the PS5 was launched for ¥43,978 before raised to ¥72,980 last year due to the weakening Yen and Sony using the US$ as base.
for comparison, the PS4 launched at ¥39,980, the OLED Switch, ¥37,980. so, at near ¥50k for the Switch 2 is still actually quite high of a launch price. the 20GB PS3 launched at the same price too FYI. bottom line is, The Switch will make money with the same Japanese pricing globally but Nintendo is overpricing it elsewhere due to GREED! may they crash and burn with this scummy practice.
I think it's more likely that they will end up raising the US price as punishment for the tariffs.
MP1st talks to Remedy Entertainment about FBC: Firebreak and even Alan Wake about game budgets, live-service and more.
