venturebeat: Xbox boss Phil Spencer made gaming matter to Microsoft
- Thread starter Cranster
- Start date
I think people sometimes look at the studio acquisitions a bit too literally in the sense that they did this to pump out video games. I don't necessarily think this is all about game studio acquisitions to pump out more games. I think this is part of Microsoft's plan to speed up the technological progress of Microsoft's cloud and software innovation. Whatever these game studios learn and execute can be leaned heavily on other divisions in MSFT. Additionally, they can incorporate gaming software and interactive software more readily than any other software, cloud, or tech company. Much like how the US military affects technology advancements, I can imagine these studio acquisitions paying off for MSFT in a heavy way. MSFT is playing the long game and is interested in something entirely different than any other publishing or gaming company.
A lot of people have had their mind made up about Spencer for a long time, and criticisms have changed to accommodate that, but we are far past the point of being able to say Phil “only” reversed old and terrible policies.
Spencer is the best person they could have tapped to take over. The results are indisputable.
Spencer is the best person they could have tapped to take over. The results are indisputable.
The Xbox One had a rocky launch, but Spencer is turning it around, setting up next-gen for Microsoft to be ridiculous. Proper backwards compatibility with actual enhancements, Game Pass, xCloud, more and more new studios, accessibility options, opening up to new (old?) markets, the awesome Xbox One X, Play Anywhere, more Japanese games... this generation's pretty much gone and done but next-gen will have a much different look for Microsoft surely. Had Microsoft's 2012-2013 strategies continued I'm not even sure they'd be necessarily wanting to make a proper next-gen console, Spencer's approach definitely had a huge hand in turning the Xbox product around though.
The other big loss in the late 2000s was Shane Kim. He did a really good job running Xbox's game organization and he was the reason the Xbox 360 had so many great games at the start of the generation. After he left, the number of Xbox exclusives went down. Mattrick never found a good replacement for him and it showed. First, you saw fewer exclusives. Second, Kinect just didn't have enough good software and one of the reasons was Mattrick did not have a good person running the Xbox games organization.
One of the things I really like is Phil S has a great job improving Xbox's exclusive games. He also did it the right way. He didn't just increase the quantity. He made sure he released good games people would actually want to play.
One of the things I really like is Phil S has a great job improving Xbox's exclusive games. He also did it the right way. He didn't just increase the quantity. He made sure he released good games people would actually want to play.
What? Phil has been on the gaming side for quite a while and it’s pretty clear that he’s the one that turned this generation around for Xbox. He salvaged the mess that Mattrick left. The proof is in the pudding.
The gaming industry would be much worse off without Microsoft. There were rumors earlier in this generation that they were thinking of getting rid of Xbox. So I think we all have to thank Phil for pulling through.
The gaming industry would be much worse off without Microsoft. There were rumors earlier in this generation that they were thinking of getting rid of Xbox. So I think we all have to thank Phil for pulling through.
What I need from Phil is some investment in Japanese exclusives, the likes that og Xbox and 360 got. Tell Sega to make JSR3, Crazy Taxi 4 and a new Panzer Dragoon, then get Lost Odyssey 2 and a new action game like Ninja Gaiden by Itagaki.
Xbox will always feel incomplete to me without its own brand of JPN exclusives.
Xbox will always feel incomplete to me without its own brand of JPN exclusives.
You know, I was actually thinking about this earlier in the week and I had a wee look at the OP in the Xbox First Party thread:
Twisted Pixel
Press Play
Lionhead
Team Dakota
Xbox Fitness Team
Decisive Games
Those are the studios we sadly lost this gen.
Playground Games
Ninja Theory
Undead Labs
Compulsion Games
The Initiative
inXile
Obsidian Entertainment
And those are the studios they have acquired this gen, not only are they a marked improvement (imo) but a few of them have multiple teams - Playground, Ninja Theory, Obsidian, inXile. Not forgetting the crazy hiring spree that most of the studios are currently going through.
They didn't just replace what they lost, they have grown on a huge scale.
Twisted Pixel
Press Play
Lionhead
Team Dakota
Xbox Fitness Team
Decisive Games
Those are the studios we sadly lost this gen.
Playground Games
Ninja Theory
Undead Labs
Compulsion Games
The Initiative
inXile
Obsidian Entertainment
And those are the studios they have acquired this gen, not only are they a marked improvement (imo) but a few of them have multiple teams - Playground, Ninja Theory, Obsidian, inXile. Not forgetting the crazy hiring spree that most of the studios are currently going through.
They didn't just replace what they lost, they have grown on a huge scale.
Didn't you forget Ensemble? Either way, you're totally right. It's also important to point out that many of those teams, like Dakota for example, didn't shut down and fire everyone. They were put together with internal talent for a project and, after, reassigned to new or their old positions. In other words, that talent remains in the company.
Also, Playground's second team is so large that it has its own building, they could be considered an entirely independent studio.
Also, Playground's second team is so large that it has its own building, they could be considered an entirely independent studio.
Ensemble were closed in what 2009 or 2010? The studios I mentioned were all closed in 2015 or 2016, when they also cancelled Fable Legends and Scalebound.
It's pretty easy to see that Phil didn't really control the budget during that period and they didnt really have a pot to piss in. Once the senior management reshuffle took place and he got a seat at the top table that all changed and Xbox and gaming in general is now an integral division within Microsoft.
It's pretty easy to see that Phil didn't really control the budget during that period and they didnt really have a pot to piss in. Once the senior management reshuffle took place and he got a seat at the top table that all changed and Xbox and gaming in general is now an integral division within Microsoft.
Bend, Naughty Dog, Media Molecule, Sucker Punch, Guerrilla Games were all acquired by Sony + the defunct studios, like Zipper and Evolution.
Starting a new studio is time and money consuming, Xbox is not in the position to open 2-3 studios and wait 5-6 years to see games from these studios.
The Initiative is a new studio, PlayGround second team is a new studio as well.
Starting a new studio is time and money consuming, Xbox is not in the position to open 2-3 studios and wait 5-6 years to see games from these studios.
The Initiative is a new studio, PlayGround second team is a new studio as well.
Seems like they are going in the right direction although it is taking a while.
I definitely miss the OG xbox early 360 days when it seemed like Microsoft game studios were pumping out a new exciting huge IP every year or 2, Halo, Fable, Gears of War, Forza, Jade Empire, Mass Effect, even working with Japanese developers getting bunch of exclusives with Sega, Team Ninja, Mistwalker etc.
I definitely miss the OG xbox early 360 days when it seemed like Microsoft game studios were pumping out a new exciting huge IP every year or 2, Halo, Fable, Gears of War, Forza, Jade Empire, Mass Effect, even working with Japanese developers getting bunch of exclusives with Sega, Team Ninja, Mistwalker etc.
Have you read what I said? Brand New IPs not studios to work on current long last standing IPs.
And I'm not driving any narrative mate, I'm a big Xbox fan and I am really happy that they are buying studios and getting rights to new IPs... I want competition and more good games that's all not driving any narrative like I said.
I would just like to see new studios from the ground up to work on new ideas.
And I'm not driving any narrative mate, I'm a big Xbox fan and I am really happy that they are buying studios and getting rights to new IPs... I want competition and more good games that's all not driving any narrative like I said.
I would just like to see new studios from the ground up to work on new ideas.
Who said anything about the studios they’ve bought being lumped onto existing IP? devs like Ninja Theory and Obsidian are gonna go off and make new IP’s, that’s what they do, would be counter productive to buy them and have them make Halo spin offs.
On top of that, they’re building the Initiative from the ground up to attract talent and presumbly make something’s that’ll go toe to toe with Naughty Dog and SSM.
On top of that, they’re building the Initiative from the ground up to attract talent and presumbly make something’s that’ll go toe to toe with Naughty Dog and SSM.
I get why some people are reacting. Announcing six new acquisitions in such a short time span is unprecedented and comes off as less organic than Sony's slower 1st party expansion. From someone who isn't that knowledgable about Microsoft Studios and only knows what they've read the last half year it can sort of look like MS is only focused on buying out studios.
Still doesn't excuse pure ignorance though. And using silly criterias to brush away the new studios that Xbox has created is just weird.
"Well yeah... I get that Xbox has more studios now, but when are they going to create a North American west coast studio that is not situated in Washington or California?! Canada doesn't count."
Still doesn't excuse pure ignorance though. And using silly criterias to brush away the new studios that Xbox has created is just weird.
"Well yeah... I get that Xbox has more studios now, but when are they going to create a North American west coast studio that is not situated in Washington or California?! Canada doesn't count."
Funny seeing them say what I've been saying for fucking forever with game pass will have streaming apart of it. More and more talks just harden my stance that the multiplayer paywall will go away and $10 will be the entry to the xbox ecosystem. But yea...i'll wait for the confirmation from Microsoft themselves since people here think I was crazy with my predictions.
Am pretty sure Xbox One would have been the last MS console if it wasn't for Spencer. I am also beyond confident the Xbox One X would have never come out.
Myerson wanted nothing to do with Xbox, and that is probably why they even started the crossplay and playanywhere Initiative with PC to slowly move on from Xbox.
I am glad Nadella listened to Spencer. To my understandin, he also wanted nothing to do with Xbox because he didn't understand that market (myerson didn't help that consensus either)
Next Gen is going to be ridiculous. I don't think many simply don't understand how different the launch will be for next gen.
Myerson wanted nothing to do with Xbox, and that is probably why they even started the crossplay and playanywhere Initiative with PC to slowly move on from Xbox.
I am glad Nadella listened to Spencer. To my understandin, he also wanted nothing to do with Xbox because he didn't understand that market (myerson didn't help that consensus either)
Next Gen is going to be ridiculous. I don't think many simply don't understand how different the launch will be for next gen.