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Matt Booty on The Initiative: "I don’t want to get into too much, particularly with our showcase coming up, in terms of what The Initiative is doing"'

Theorry

Theorry

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Oct 27, 2017
60,972
""I don't want to get into too much, particularly with our showcase coming up, in terms of what The Initiative is doing. But I'll just say that obviously we spent a lot of time talking with them and reviewing and seeing what's going on. I think people are going to be pretty excited when we start to talk about what's going on there."
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www.polygon.com

Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty on acquiring studios and planning for the future

‘I don’t mean this to be at all sarcastic, but... I don’t know what a Game Pass game is.’
www.polygon.com www.polygon.com

Hmm it might be there still then? Intresting.

Edit: This is not the thread title i made btw. Title was focused on the quote.
 
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Terror-Billy

Terror-Billy

Chicken Chaser
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Oct 25, 2017
2,460
I'm gonna bet my ass The Initiative is gonna be there on the showcase. Leakers have been wrong before.

Matt is right about what a Gamepass game is. We have received a variety of genres and titles that in the end, is like asking what a Netflix film is. The Irishman and Roma are just like every other theatrical experience.
 
Fantastical

Fantastical

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Oct 27, 2017
5,362
Maybe it's just them talking about the project with a logo or something. Doubt we'll see gameplay given the age of the studio but who knows.
 
Baked Pigeon

Baked Pigeon

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Oct 27, 2017
7,087
Phoenix
It just sounds like he is saying that he doesn't want to talk about what they are doing right now because they are focusing on the upcoming showcase instead. I don't have time to read the interview right now so I'm not sure the context.
 
Caspar

Caspar

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Oct 29, 2017
1,402
UK
What kind of size is The Initiative at right now? I remember the early buzz term of them being a AAAA studio, but later Microsoft video's suggesting they were keeping the team relatively small in numbers. I have no idea what to expect from their eventual reveal in terms of scope.
 
JeffGubb

JeffGubb

Giant Bomb
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Oct 25, 2017
842
DarthWalden said:
I was under the impression that when he said they wouldn't be there it was more of an educated prediction (considering they are very much still a new studio) than a piece of inside information.
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No. It is based on reporting. I've been told it won't be a part of this. But if The Initiative is there, it's not in the same way that the other developers are going to be there. It's not a featured game like Halo or Playground's game. So if it does show up (and again, I've been told it won't), it could come in the form of a teaser or a logo or something. But I don't think so.

Edit: I agree that Booty's quote reads like he's saying it'll be there. But it's not the only way to read it. He is likely saying that he doesn't want to get into what The Initiative is working on because he doesn't want to derail expectations for showcase. And then "I think people are going to be pretty excited when we start to talk about what's going on there" sounds like he's saying it'll come later.
 

Raigor

Member
May 14, 2020
15,132
JEFFREY GRUBB said:
No. It is based on reporting. I've been told it won't be a part of this. But if The Initiative is there, it's not in the same way that the other developers are going to be there. It's not a featured game like Halo or Playground's game. So if it does show up (and again, I've been told it won't), it could come in the form of a teaser or a logo or something. But I don't think so.
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Jeff vs Booty

-10 days for the truth
 
Finaj

Finaj

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,358
Caspar said:
What kind of size is The Initiative at right now? I remember the early buzz term of them being a AAAA studio, but later Microsoft video's suggesting they were keeping the team relatively small in numbers. I have no idea what to expect from their eventual reveal in terms of scope.
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I've seen posts that suggest the Initiative's first title will involve a lot of outsourcing a couple times now, but I can't verify that.
 
NateDrake

NateDrake

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Oct 24, 2017
7,497
All recent communication pointed to The Initiative NOT being part of the July showcase. Unless plans changed at the 11th Hour, I wouldn't expect them to be present.
 
CloseTalker

CloseTalker

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Oct 25, 2017
30,544
This could read a couple ways. Booty could just be saying that he doesn't want to take the spotlight away from the Showcase, and the games that will be shown there. I don't take his statement as a big tease or anything.
 
Toumari

Toumari

Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,300
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Caspar said:
What kind of size is The Initiative at right now? I remember the early buzz term of them being a AAAA studio, but later Microsoft video's suggesting they were keeping the team relatively small in numbers. I have no idea what to expect from their eventual reveal in terms of scope.
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45 employees according to LinkedIn. So more AA sized than AAAA.
 
bigbusiness

bigbusiness

Lead Editor @ The Punished Backlog
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Oct 29, 2017
163
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Phil [Spencer] has always been super supportive in terms of how this fits into Xbox. I think it's more a case of, if we felt that there was a developer out there that we thought made sense to become more integrated and part of Xbox Game Studios, that we would be well-supported to go do that. Things happen with an ebb and flow. Right now, we're just very focused on supporting, making sure that we're ready for the launch of the new console later in the year.

And we're also very focused on supporting things that are important to Xbox like Game Pass, and helping support the Project xCloud team and making sure that our team is working on things like Smart Delivery, and making sure that we're getting prepped to get the most out of the new hardware. That's just where our mindset is right now. And that could ebb and flow is (sic) we get, say, nine months to a year out from now.
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Emphasis (and "sic") mine. Sounds like another acquisition (or several) isn't entirely off the table heading into next gen?
 
Cactuar

Cactuar

Banned
Nov 30, 2018
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JEFFREY GRUBB said:
No. It is based on reporting. I've been told it won't be a part of this. But if The Initiative is there, it's not in the same way that the other developers are going to be there. It's not a featured game like Halo or Playground's game. So if it does show up (and again, I've been told it won't), it could come in the form of a teaser or a logo or something. But I don't think so.

Edit: I agree that Booty's quote reads like he's saying it'll be there. But it's not the only way to read it. He is likely saying that he doesn't want to get into what The Initiative is working on because he doesn't want to derail expectations for showcase. And then "I think people are going to be pretty excited when we start to talk about what's going on there" sounds like he's saying it'll come later.
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Are you talking bout Grubbsnax?
 
Black_Red

Black_Red

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Oct 27, 2017
2,929
I dont want a tease from this without gameplay. Its a brand new studio working on a new IP or a revival that probably wont play like the old games so I wont be interested in this until we know how it plays, and a CGI trailer or in-game cutscene wont help.

I want to see this game but not until its ready.
 
OP
OP
Theorry

Theorry

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Oct 27, 2017
60,972
Size of the studio is difficult to say. Even Drew Murray said.



Also Coalition seems in some way 'involved" with them.
 
VeePs

VeePs

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Oct 25, 2017
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JEFFREY GRUBB said:
He is likely saying that he doesn't want to get into what The Initiative is working on because he doesn't want to derail expectations for showcase. And then "I think people are going to be pretty excited when we start to talk about what's going on there" sounds like he's saying it'll come later.
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I think this is it.
 

Bundy

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
20,931
bhingo said:
They're rumored to be using a different development strategy involving heavy outsourcing, so it is possible that they are well into AAAA development with a team of that size.
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Let's just keep calling it an "AAA" game then, because that's what it is if it has a high budget. Enough with the "AAAA" nonsense.
 
Dimple

Dimple

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Jan 10, 2018
8,538
Raigor said:
Jeff vs Booty

-10 days for the truth
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Jeff is probably on the money
 
HellofaMouse

HellofaMouse

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Oct 27, 2017
6,157
i think he ment he doesnt wanna talk about the initiative's game and let that steal the thunder from their showcase
 
Detective Pidgey

Detective Pidgey

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Jun 4, 2019
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What I'm gonna do is just not expecting anything and if there is anything at all regarding TI I bet it won't be gameplay. I would love to be wrong though.
 
Kyrios

Kyrios

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Oct 27, 2017
14,606
I believe that quote can be read either way. Won't know for sure until next week. Regardless it's clear it's not the end of the world if Initiative's game is not shown next week.

So if it comes up, sweet. If not, you'll see it later down the road.
 

Moist_Owlet

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Dec 26, 2017
4,148
Cool I hope they can just drip feed and tease us for weeks instead of just announcing the damn stuff.
 
Vico

Vico

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Jan 3, 2018
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JEFFREY GRUBB said:
No. It is based on reporting. I've been told it won't be a part of this. But if The Initiative is there, it's not in the same way that the other developers are going to be there. It's not a featured game like Halo or Playground's game. So if it does show up (and again, I've been told it won't), it could come in the form of a teaser or a logo or something. But I don't think so.

Edit: I agree that Booty's quote reads like he's saying it'll be there. But it's not the only way to read it. He is likely saying that he doesn't want to get into what The Initiative is working on because he doesn't want to derail expectations for showcase. And then "I think people are going to be pretty excited when we start to talk about what's going on there" sounds like he's saying it'll come later.
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All I'm getting from this is that PG's game will be shown in a heavy way hehe.
Here's hoping it's the RPG and not Horizon!
 
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