It's more of a basic understanding of how a business works, the time it takes, and that there is no quick fix.
Spencer has done a lot of good for the Xbox brand.
Well, maybe he's in the wrong business because to me, the most important aspect of the video game business is just that - video games and in this aspect, Spencer's history and resume look bad. He prefers to spend millions upon millions on timed exclusives such as ROTTR and DR4 instead of putting that money towards a new studio and staff to where not only they might actually make some good or better games but in the long term, would be a far better investment. Four years is NOT a quick fix. One more year and it's a half a decade. How many free passes until he's held accountable?
You say Lionhead was mismanaged. Wouldn't that be on Spencer? Once he took over in 2014, he should have green lit that Mature rated Fable game that Lionhead pitched and was shot down because even if it bombs, it's STILL a far better idea and concept than what Legends turned out to be.
Spencer has done a lot of good for the brand in every other aspect. Problem is that the majority don't care about all of those other aspects including me. I spend a few hundred dollars on a gaming console and I expect some exclusives. All the other shit means nothing to me. Show me some games. Last exclusive I have played was Gears of War 4. That's 15 months ago and it looks like I have at least another three months give or take to go before State of Decay 2 gets released.
My main problem with Spencer is that he mouths off about acquiring new studios and making partnership deals. Some deals are good and acquiring some studios is good but instead, why NOT form and create a new studio and internal development team that can be around for far longer than just one game? He mismanages the money he's given to spend for gaming. Seriously, WHY spend millions on timed exclusives when they're one and done and chances are, won't do anything to help sell more consoles?
I just want to see some good stuff happen so I can be more confident in the brand in the future. Doing these one and done type deals isn't going to do it. Instead of the same PR speak over and over, show me. Prove me wrong. I'll be happy if he does but thus far, he's had more negatives than positives for me personally. Hopefully, he comes out swinging at E3.
I don't think he is getting any undeserved slack. He hasn't been on the job for four years yet and one by one he has been addressing criticisms about the Xbox One. He moved apps like Netflix from behind the Gold paywall. He halted the bundled Kinect with every console. He addressed the power issue. The games lineup is obviously the most important but that also takes the longest time to address.
We can certainly argue whether it was a good idea or not to wait for the UWP to be implemented before greenlighting a number of games but I think it is too early to say whether he is doing an awful job, a great job or somewhere in between.
I agree but like I stated above, my concern is in regards to exclusives. He does deals that are timed (which I see as nothing more than a waste of money) one and done as opposed to opening new studios and trying to get something going not even for Xbox One but for next gen and the gen after that. He seems to be the type who likes to make a big splash with nothing but style and no substance.
If Playground Games is indeed working on a new Fable game, why not keep Lionhead and you know, actually let them make the Fable game that they wanted to make instead of this Legends garbage? They could have had that and still went to Playground for another game.
To me, it's just nothing but the same PR bullshit that he's spewed for four years and when it comes to the most important aspect, he's thus far for the most part has failed.
This is obviously just my opinion but im simply tired of reading about all this shit but seeing nothing.
