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Xbox research interested in asking devs why their game isn't on Xbox
BlackTron
Member
A good friend of mine who back in the day made money customizing Xbox 360s came over awhile ago for some gaming. He's extremely techie and modded his Switch and the modern Xbox controllers he uses on PC.
When he saw my Series S I had to explain exactly what it is and how it fits into the ecosystem. He initially thought he would be playing on some sort of Xbox One S bad console. Worse, the way I explained it made me feel dumb for even having to say all this shit out loud to parse all their confusing names.
Reizo Ryuu
Member
No they didn't, the researcher says the program exists to gather data for their tools and services, and they are open to hear from everyone, it doesn't exist for "why studios avoid xbox" and definitely doesn't mention anything about "changing their minds", all it mentions is improving their tools
4.Half Xbox units for cloud service.
Esparadrapo
Member
It's not even western centric, it's even worse than that. It's "English" centric because their game translations are laughably bad even in Spanish, German or French.
Clickbait-fu on point
It's an Xbox research initiative that started a few months ago, first aimed at users to give their feedback on how
they want the future Xbox hardware to be, and now it's moving to developers and Studios.
As expected, the OP article makes clickbait of a specific point.
It's clear that MS is preparing to launch new hardware and is asking for feedback. It remains to be seen if it will take it into account or wipe its ass with the list of recommendations it receives.
Lucifers Beard
Member
In no particular order...
1. Series S is a cunt to develop for and the parity clause means that developers need to fuck around more than they want to get the game running on that dinosaur.
2. Xbox sales are low because there is a massive lack of exclusive first party games to play there. Those games also release on PC day one (which works great for me), so why bother getting an Xbox when you can play on PC instead? In addition to this point, they're also bringing a lot of those games to Playstation. Worst move they could have made for their hardware sales.
3. They have an 'everything is available day one on Game Pass' approach which has fostered this mindset that other games should come to it day one too, partly because of some of the deals made with indie developers (which I believe isn't happening anymore?)
As well as those points, Phil and the rest of the leadership change direction more often than most people change their underwear. Throw whatever shit they can at the wall and see what sticks seems to be the strategy and it's really not working.
Please note that I say all of this as someone that wants to see Xbox succeed. This industry needs competition and soon!
1. Series S is a cunt to develop for and the parity clause means that developers need to fuck around more than they want to get the game running on that dinosaur.
2. Xbox sales are low because there is a massive lack of exclusive first party games to play there. Those games also release on PC day one (which works great for me), so why bother getting an Xbox when you can play on PC instead? In addition to this point, they're also bringing a lot of those games to Playstation. Worst move they could have made for their hardware sales.
3. They have an 'everything is available day one on Game Pass' approach which has fostered this mindset that other games should come to it day one too, partly because of some of the deals made with indie developers (which I believe isn't happening anymore?)
As well as those points, Phil and the rest of the leadership change direction more often than most people change their underwear. Throw whatever shit they can at the wall and see what sticks seems to be the strategy and it's really not working.
Please note that I say all of this as someone that wants to see Xbox succeed. This industry needs competition and soon!
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HeWhoWalks
Gold Member
Careful, I’ve been told that second one is a lie.
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Moriarty1889
Member
This is very true. Gamepass has truly killed sales for Xbox. It has made most people just sub and wait for games to eventually come to the service for rent. Devs need to make money thru actual sales in order for them to recoup money invested. MS has managed to wreck their brand thru this ridiculous strategy and it seems there is no going back either. That is what will ultimately push them more towards third party. All by their own doing sadly.
TheRedRiders
Member
They need to streamline the console development and hardware, which means getting rid of the Series S. They also need to build a healthier relationship with more and more third party studios and bring in more games to their ecosystem, especially exclusives as it will help sell the hardware. Similar to Sony, they need to also offer technical support in bringing or porting games over to their consoles.... I can go on and on but I'm genuinely so baffled, I've seen such a major company and brand so out of touch and clueless.
rm082e
Member
DeltaPolarBear
Member
That's the mistake. You think Xbox would be the Competition.
In real life, if someone always come 3rd in a competition between 3 people, you wouldn't be demanding that they improve so they can come 2nd or third; you would tell them to retire and let someone else take the spot. SEGA retiring was exactly what gave Xbox a boost to get started.
So if you want Competition, you would want Xbox to retire ASAP. Because there are many other wealthy corporations out there wanting to give it a try. They just are waiting for Xbox to get off the podium.
GHG
Member
Again, this is the title:
"xbox wants to know why studios avoid their consoles"
And this is directly from Xbox:
"If you're not on Xbox, we'd love to know why.”
They say the same thing.
You're taking issue with something that isn't in the title, which is where it would need to be for this to be defined as clickbait.
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Mr Reasonable
Completely Unreasonable
"I wonder what a thread about Xbox asking developers what their experience is will generate here?"
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Reizo Ryuu
Member
DonF
Member
Exclusives. Cheaper than competition, better than competition.
I've had every playstation console except for ps3, where I went xbox 360 and it was a great choice. It had great exclusives (Bioshock and Mass Effect, even if those went multiplat years later. Halo, gears). Also, third party games looked and ran better on x360. The online experience, even if it paid vs free, was superior.
Thing is that now with the extreme amount of information available, the x360's case is NOT going to happen again. Why would a company with a superior product charge LESS than the competition?! Stakeholders would go fucking crazy.
I've had every playstation console except for ps3, where I went xbox 360 and it was a great choice. It had great exclusives (Bioshock and Mass Effect, even if those went multiplat years later. Halo, gears). Also, third party games looked and ran better on x360. The online experience, even if it paid vs free, was superior.
Thing is that now with the extreme amount of information available, the x360's case is NOT going to happen again. Why would a company with a superior product charge LESS than the competition?! Stakeholders would go fucking crazy.
GHG
Member
They don't mention the program itself in the title. I'm starting to wonder if your reading comprehension is failing you:
"Microsoft Gaming has unveiled an expansion to its Xbox Research initiative, through which it aims to get more and better feedback from video game developers on various subjects, with the aim of improving its tools and services."
Said expansion, in bold is what this article is specifically referencing. So let's see how they went about expanding their research initiative:
"Microsoft is expanding the initiative to those who aren't even thinking about working on Xbox consoles, to find out why and what could help them change their minds."
Oh what a coincidence, that's exactly what this article is about.
XXL
Member
Lucifers Beard
Member
Oh right. Who are these corporations then? Genuine question. If anyone was interested in genuinely trying to get in on the action then they would have done already.
HeWhoWalks
Gold Member
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ByWatterson
Member
Yeah it's so weird when all Microsoft does is empower creators to imagine experiences that surprise and delight Our Players
Reizo Ryuu
Member
The funny thing is that some of you talk as if there are tons and tons of Studios that skip Xbox when the reality is different despite everything that has happened...
The reality is that this is the Xbox generation where more 3rd party games of all kinds and conditions are arriving (for whatever reason) to XBOX consoles...
There is nothing wrong with MS caring and showing some commitment and interest in those specific Studios that decide to skip Xbox ecosystem to change their minds...
GHG
Member
The title you're suggesting doesn't even make it clear what the change to the program is and why it's taking place. It's not just "open to all devs", they are specifically targeting developers who have decided to skip Xbox in the past. Why do you want some softball title to protect your feelings?
Fucking hell, no wonder Xbox has had the issues it's had of late. You've got a bunch of yes men (both in the company and in the fanbase) who don't want to face up to the reality even when it's staring them right in the face.
tommib
Gold Member
You say that as if it’s a bad thing.
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
Do they even know what they're doing over there?
Roronoa Zoro
Gold Member
Yeah don't need research for this one. Ez
alucard0712_rus
Banned
4. PC exists
cireza
Member
Big Baller
Al Pachinko, Konami President
Pulling no punches here. Amazing.
Reizo Ryuu
Member
That's fine, it's still describes the program accurately, but if you really want to get hung up on that
No they aren't, they are specifically targeting everyone
Literally nowhere is mentioned that this program exists to specifically target "xbox skippers"
Not sure what you are suggesting about me, but that probably explains your hostile manner of posting.
I can assure you that no feelings were involved in determining that the title is indeed clickbait by every definition that exists for clickbait.
SlimySnake
Flashless at the Golden Globes
You shutdown Tango Gameworks.
You cancelled Scalebound after 3+ years of development.
You canceled Coalition's new IP and forced them to work on soulless Gears of War sequels.
You paid $85 billion for Zenimax, Activision and Minecraft and laid off 25,000 people in one year.
You shut down Arkhane after just one flop.
You released Series S despite every developer telling you NOT to do it.
You have trained your userbase to skip any game that doesnt come to gamepass on day one.
Your sales are trash.
You need surveys to tell you the obvious. Your leadership is clueless and should not be running this business.
You cancelled Scalebound after 3+ years of development.
You canceled Coalition's new IP and forced them to work on soulless Gears of War sequels.
You paid $85 billion for Zenimax, Activision and Minecraft and laid off 25,000 people in one year.
You shut down Arkhane after just one flop.
You released Series S despite every developer telling you NOT to do it.
You have trained your userbase to skip any game that doesnt come to gamepass on day one.
Your sales are trash.
You need surveys to tell you the obvious. Your leadership is clueless and should not be running this business.
XXL
Member
Boss Mog
Member
Yep, this is it. The fact that they force you to release games on Series S is a huge factor. Devs are already struggling to get good Framerates on the base systems. Nobody wants to waste time trying to make games run properly on even weaker hardware.
Roronoa Zoro
Gold Member
There's not room for a fourth. That's why sega left
diffusionx
Gold Member
1. Systems aren't popular
2. Xbox gamers trained not to buy games
3. You force devs to code to functionally a last gen machine.
4. You keep buying studios to force devs to compete with you on all fronts
2. Xbox gamers trained not to buy games
3. You force devs to code to functionally a last gen machine.
4. You keep buying studios to force devs to compete with you on all fronts
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
rickybooby87
Member
HeWhoWalks
Gold Member
Lucifers Beard
Member
Sega left because of a series of consoles that weren't commercially successful. They packed up and became a publisher because that's where the money was for them.
