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Piranha Games (MechWarrior 5) Has Met with Microsoft 6+ Times This Year to Talk About a MW5 Console Port and Things "I Can’t Really Say"

Dancrane212

Dancrane212

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,962
From the Q/A archived here: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/343727858 (2:45 into the video - 3:05 specifically for console question)

Piranha Games has been meeting with Microsoft (at least half-dozen times this year with another this coming Wednesday) with an Xbox version of the game being one of the topics discussed and the rest being something that Russ Bullock (President of Piranha Games) couldn't speak to.

My quick transcription of that bit…

Yeah, I mean I think we are interested in that [console MW5]. There's a lot going on I can't really say. I will say I'm going to Seattle on Wednesday and I'm visiting Microsoft headquarters and this will not be the first conversation I've had with them. There's been a half dozen this year.
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He then goes on to talk about the feasibility of a console port (and directly confirms that it is something they are talking to MS about). Russ reiterates that this is a PC first game but that the Xbox supporting mouse/keyboard and HOTAS would make elements of a port pretty feasible. Crossplay is also mentioned as well as the current restriction that, as part of the licence agreement with Microsoft, they cannot make a Switch of PS4 version of the game.

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Meetings make sense as the MechWarrior/Battletech license that Piranha Games has with Microsoft is set to expire mid-2020 (something Russ has previously been open about), but anyone taking bets on an MS acquisition? Would fit with both the PC drive MS currently has and fall in line with the resource sharing that Phil Spencer has talked up in regards to MS' UK studios (the Coalition is also in BC).
 
Shelbyville Milhouse

Shelbyville Milhouse

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Oct 25, 2017
22,378
Piranha Games (MechWarrior 5)
I stared at this for a minute, completely confused before realizing that that doesn't say Piranha Bytes
 
Mechaplum

Mechaplum

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Oct 26, 2017
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Would make sense, as long as they keep pumping out games for PC I don't really care. Unless they forceThe Store on us, then it's pitchfork time.
 
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Dancrane212

Dancrane212

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,962
Mechaplum said:
Would make sense, as long as they keep pumping out games for PC I don't really care. Unless they forceThe Store on us, then it's pitchfork time.
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They did confirm GOG as a retailer for MW5 so that's a nice surprise. I remember Shadowrun having to clear some hurdles with the contract to get that option.
 
Hexer

Hexer

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Oct 30, 2017
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Fantastapotamus said:
Piranha Games (MechWarrior 5)
I stared at this for a minute, completely confused before realizing that that doesn't say Piranha Bytes
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Fuck! I totally thought this was them, too. Lol. Well thanks for not making me look like an idiot :). After recently just playing Elex for 20+ hours, I would LOVE for Bytes to get some really good financial backing. Elex was surprisingly really great!
On Topic though, I'd be down for a new MechWarrior game. Was hoping MS would go the MechAssault route though. haha
 
Vela

Vela

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Apr 16, 2018
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Like I wrote in the other thread:

Microsoft was the company that buried Mechwarrior deep down in their catacombs for over a decade. They need to stay as far away as possible when it comes to the IP. Their hands-off approach despite owning the license has worked out for PGI and HBS and it better continue like this.

Microsoft has meant absolutely nothing but death for the Mechwarrior series. Anyone advocating the return Microsoft's lethal corporate hands means having a death wish. The closure of Lionhead Studios and Press Play were literally 2 years ago. Besides, getting in bed with Microsoft means:

1. Financial obligations that affect game design and creative choices
2. Windows Store exclusive, no GOG, no Steam
3. Console-focused game design of a mech sim
4. At the whim of sudden feelings of shareholders and executives

Look, Microsoft hasn't even bothered to put the Mechwarrior and Mechcommander games on GOG or Steam, despite them being the second-most requested series on GOG's wishlist. That, and the fact that they literally buried Mechwarrior and Mechcommander until PGI came along and excavated it. No one should be wishing for Microsoft to be involved.
 
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Dancrane212

Dancrane212

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,962
Vela said:
1. Financial obligations that affect game design and creative choices
2. Windows Store exclusive, no GOG, no Steam
4. At the whim of sudden feelings of shareholders and executives
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Those are all absolutely valid concerns. You can have folk from Obsidian and InXile talking about how MS is going to give them a hands-off approach but until we have games release, post-acquisition, it's not something I'd expect everyone to buy into. I'm pulling for the acquisitions to bring us some real cool games but we'll just have to wait and see.

Vela said:
3. Console-focused game design of a mech sim
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I will go against this somewhat though. Things have changed in the console space compared to the days of Arcade Combat Edition; you can have hardcore PC experiences find some degree of success on console. Even CRPGs kinda clicked on the platforms this time around. And with MS making keyboard and mouse a thing on Xbox—specifically calling out that it will bring games that require those controls to the platform—and announcing PC-first titles like AoE4 and Gears Tactics there is groundwork for "real" PC games to come from MS and release on console.

Russ Bullock said as much when he talked about porting the real MW5 to console during the Q&A. Watching gameplay from MechCon there isn't really that much difference in a thrustmaster stick and an Xbox One pad. Sure the UI would need work but I don't think it is an impossible task to conquer.

Vela said:
Look, Microsoft hasn't even bothered to put the Mechwarrior and Mechcommander games on GOG or Steam, despite them being the second-most requested series on GOG's wishlist. That, and the fact that they literally buried Mechwarrior and Mechcommander until PGI came along and excavated it. No one should be wishing for Microsoft to be involved.
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This is a bummer for sure. I think the MechCommander 2 source code is the only thing we've gotten from those original titles and that was way back in 2006.
 
Vela

Vela

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1,818
Thanks Dancrane212 for the measured response. I think I am also just a traumatized victim of corporate abuse after what Microsoft did to Mechwarrior and FASA and then left the corpse to rot deep down in their IP catacombs.

I'd like to be as positive and optimistic as you, but I'm just more pessimistic considering the history of businesses like Microsoft. Add to the fact that PGI simply does not have enough bandwidth at the moment to both support MW:Online, the launch of MW5: Mercs in 10 months, and then potentially a console port of the latter.

It would be cool for Microsoft to help provide PGI with the resources they need, but such a relationship has a lot of conditions and as we've seen in the past with FASA, Ensemble, Lionhead, Press Play, those guys that did Flight Sim, Microsoft ends up shutting or absorbing such studios.
 
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Dancrane212

Dancrane212

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Oct 25, 2017
13,962
Vela said:
Thanks Dancrane212 for the measured response. I think I am also just a traumatized victim of corporate abuse after what Microsoft did to Mechwarrior and FASA and then left the corpse to rot deep down in their IP catacombs.

I'd like to be as positive and optimistic as you, but I'm just more pessimistic considering the history of businesses like Microsoft. Add to the fact that PGI simply does not have enough bandwidth at the moment to both support MW:Online, the launch of MW5: Mercs in 10 months, and then potentially a console port of the latter.

It would be cool for Microsoft to help provide PGI with the resources they need, but such a relationship has a lot of conditions and as we've seen in the past with FASA, Ensemble, Lionhead, Press Play, those guys that did Flight Sim, Microsoft ends up shutting or absorbing such studios.
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Thought I replied earlier but it must have been eaten by the site issues...

It's optimism through force of will at this point. There's just been so much direct content from these developers (Hellblade "making of" series, developer Twitter account, KS updates) that I really, really want things to believe that things are different this time around. The "we are getting independence and resources" line just rings a but more true when it comes from those places after following folk for years.

I think back to when I was reading Rusel DeMaria's making of Xbox book, Game of X. There is talk in there about how the ruination of FASA is what directly lead Jordan Weisman and others to protect Bungie's studio identity despite being bought by a massive corporation like Microsoft. It wasn't something done for a lot of acquisitions, but just having those voices in the room fighting for studio independence made such a difference that—if you take everyone at their word—the idea of these new and existing MS studios getting the resources to really push creativity is tantalizing.

But yeah, there is absolute grounds for skepticism based on the years and years of bad history we've seen. We can only hope for the best; be it PGI staying independent or not.
 
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