Anime lover 69
Banned
This thread is gonna be a graveyard
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Lionhead Studios and Press Play closed. Fable legends cancelled.
- Thread starter chadskin
- Start date
A very adult view on this topic. Thumbs up.
Looking back at the whole 2013 debacle, let me ask: how much Software is Apple selling through retail? How much through their own store? This gives you an idea what Mattrick was trying to do with XboxOne. The TRUE initial idea has not been reversed by Phil the Savior. MS was just too bad at executing, following and communicating their plan, so it looks like they didn't have an idea how this will go together with w10 in 2013.
Consumer spending thought process are also fuzzy. With uninvested consumers even more so.
The options aren't just XB1 or PC however. Each consumer has their own subjective fuzzy valuation of each option and they make the purchase which they feel has the highest value to them at the point they want to make a purchase.
Having the exclusives move to the terrible w10 store PC is the exact detail but they might have a different ideas as that fuzzy value isn't based on just pure data. It's based on what they perceive as the truth. It's why always online DRM, less power for more money and kinect STILL haunt the XB1. The message on this has already gotten out of control so the message uninvested consumers may have is 'XB1 no longer has exclusives' or 'nothing has changes'
So for some non 0 percentage of customers this move will discourage a purchase of xb1. I have no idea how many. I lack the data but I'm sure some will. And they may not opt to buy a PC, they may opt to buy a PS4 and get a PC later to play that w10 store game, they may purchase a wii u, they may choose just not to purchase.
We'll know with the March NPD if this bout of mixed messaging will have a impact. If we get a leak of # sold and the YoY is much worse then we can extrapolate that all this news has hurt the XB1. If not then the average consumer didn't care.
Someone has to design all of those little app icons in w10 store, I guess.
Alebrije
Member
The XB1 had a 2.4M headstart in shipments after the first Q compared to the 360. That gap has most likely been slowly decreasing very soon after that.
and lionhead was planning the next beta test of fable legends two days ago
ElBoxyBrown
Banned
I'd like to say Sony is in the clear but then we have to remember the Playstation is all Sony has that's not doing horrible compared to their movies and music. We can't go back to those days.
Edit: Ok, maybe not that bad.
Proelite
Member
At this point I think MS would be better suited to decouple Franchises with their studios.
I also thinks it doesn't make sense to keep a big number of First Party studios around. I think 5 studios capable of releasing a big title every two years is the sweet spot.
Switch up the franchises once in a while, have 343 make a Gears fps, and Coalition make a TPS Halo game etc. Have the teams work on new IPs on the side like Sony studios do.
I believe studio fatigue is a real thing. Combat it by having less first party studios. Contract IPs to third party studios.
A studio is a team, and like all teams, they go through cycles of being awesome, defunct, tired etc.
I also thinks it doesn't make sense to keep a big number of First Party studios around. I think 5 studios capable of releasing a big title every two years is the sweet spot.
Switch up the franchises once in a while, have 343 make a Gears fps, and Coalition make a TPS Halo game etc. Have the teams work on new IPs on the side like Sony studios do.
I believe studio fatigue is a real thing. Combat it by having less first party studios. Contract IPs to third party studios.
A studio is a team, and like all teams, they go through cycles of being awesome, defunct, tired etc.
MatrixMan.EXE
Member
Stahp.
Do they have a career position for "Mascot Planning and Success"?
Shalashaska161
Member
I think some of you guys are getting ahead of yourselves. The closing of Lionhead sucks, but it's not the end of days over at Microsoft gaming. TBH the writing was on the wall after it took them almost 4 years to get Fable Legends almost out the door. They we're too big of a studio to go that long without a major release and with the Xbox division hurting a bit MS wasn't going to subsidize them forever.
Papacheeks
Banned
Return to the old days when N64 vs PS one debates filled the web. PS4 vs NX now.
No, I was just saying I loved playing golden eye at a friends in 4 player split screen. Then going home to play MGS, ape escape and medievil.
Good times.
AncientDiety
Banned
Sigh...this has not been true for a long time, why do people keep posting this? Playstation is not even sony's most profitable division.
Holy shit. What.
Beta was not my cup of tea, but wasn't bad. Gorgeous with what seemed to be a decent amount of content. I suppose the cost to support it after launch was deemed to risky based on quality feedback and projections?
Beta was not my cup of tea, but wasn't bad. Gorgeous with what seemed to be a decent amount of content. I suppose the cost to support it after launch was deemed to risky based on quality feedback and projections?
Poimandres
Member
Things look pretty weird with Microsoft and Xbox at the moment. I can understand why people are feeling a bit doomy.
I wonder what the story is behind Fable Legends? Being so close to finished and reportedly not terrible. Is it just that the cost of maintaining an online game is too high to go through with releasing it? I can't help but get the feeling that if it was a single player game they would finish it off and get it out there. Wonder how long it will be before we fine out more?
I wonder what the story is behind Fable Legends? Being so close to finished and reportedly not terrible. Is it just that the cost of maintaining an online game is too high to go through with releasing it? I can't help but get the feeling that if it was a single player game they would finish it off and get it out there. Wonder how long it will be before we fine out more?
They've always got insurance to fall back on.
ElBoxyBrown
Banned
Ok I might have been exaggerating but you can't argue Playstation is helping them a lot.
Papacheeks
Banned
It is, but their film division seems to be doing fine, Spectre made almost a billion dollars, Ghostbusters though looks horrible will make money this summer.
Their mobile even isn't as bad as it use to be and their new lineup seems to be getting talked about well.
So I think they are in a better position now then they were 4-5 years ago.
And Playstation isn't going anywhere.,
Given MS's recent announcements, I think a hardware refresh reveal at E3 is very possible.
Kill a brand that they are spreading to their various devices now and in the future with them announcing the death of the brand at a gaming conference.
Definitely makes sense (eh -- not really).
There's definitely going to be major changes with the brand but major changes =/= "death". Not sure how anyone can feel that this is a smart conclusion to make right now.
AncientDiety
Banned
You are setting yourself up for disappointment. That's not going to happen this year.
Alebrije
Member
That is what been thinking , this E3 will be interesting. The "solid" PS4 and its VR set, NiNtendo could finally reveal NX, and Microsoft is a mystery.
GusBricker
Member
I actually think we're gonna be shocked at some of the announcements. Hell, we might even get a JRPG. Would love Lost Odyssey 2.
And what if Crystal Dynamics is doing another Xbox One exclusive since it's been revealed that they're not doing the PS4 port.
Oh course, I'm just spit balling here.
You're going to be disappointed. Don't do that to yourself.
People obviously aren't talking about the brand, no one cares about "Xbox" as a brand.
W10 Store!
They will probably be killing the Xbox brand and moving towards a new Windows 10 brand.
element
Member
Studio fatigue is totally a real thing, and when it happens typically those people who are fatigued move on to other teams or leave the company. But it would be extremely risky to take your top tier studio and give them an IP that they are unfamiliar with.
Not to mention, technologies used might be different (internal engine, Unreal, Unity, etc), so there would be a learning process.
343i is kind of doing this now with external partners/developers making games in the Halo universe. Getting someone like The Creative Assembly to make Halo Wars 2 is a pretty big deal.
GusBricker
Member
Yeah, I know, that and KOTOR 3. Sigh......
PlatypusDude
Member
I would put the odds of this happening in the same boat as the odds of Sony announcing The Order:1887 at E3 this year.
I watched this vid from The Know. A insider told them developers are having trouble with cross play
https://youtu.be/5CsGkCW-Acs
https://youtu.be/5CsGkCW-Acs
flaxknuckles
Member
wtf, my mouth is watering
Xbox name is too widely known for gaming for it to be a smart idea to start from scratch in my opinion.
I definitely think that Xbox will be sucked more into Windows (I mean, that's pretty obvious already) but the name/brand will still exist within Windows.
...Scatter...
Banned
I feel bad for all those that are potentially out of work though it sounds like MS is looking to place as many as they can in other roles if they desire.
Honestly after playing the Fable Legends Beta I'm not 100% surprised. I played like 30 minutes of it and was not captivated at all. I kept asking myself "who's going to buy this?".
Honestly after playing the Fable Legends Beta I'm not 100% surprised. I played like 30 minutes of it and was not captivated at all. I kept asking myself "who's going to buy this?".
ItWillGetBetter
Banned
This is what happens when a company has too much money. They can easily shutdown almost Completed games that have had money and time put into it.
It's sad.
Fable is a big franchise for them.
It's sad.
Fable is a big franchise for them.
Yes, it is true that they have done squat since Fable 3. So it is not really a surprise when you think about it.
Ultimately, it sucks for those who lost their jobs and it sucks for those of us who wanted Fable 4 one day. But it is not the fucking end of Xbox, Jesus Christ. Though I am worried about what they have planned in terms of new titles beyond what we already know and expect. I am hoping for some surprises.
It being widely known as a console brand doesn't mean branding Windows 10 games as "Xbox" is a good idea. The same reason MS moved away from Xbox Music.
Cheesecakebobby
Banned
Holy crap. My first work experience was at Lionhead. Testing Fable and BC, meeting Molyneux and the Carter Brothers... A great studio with a friendly atmosphere (at least 13 years ago or whenever it was)
Or shortest Xbox E3 ever.
Is it, though? Crackdown 3, Scalebound, Recore, Halo Wars 2, Forza Horizon 3, Gears of War 4 plus third-party content (new The Division DLC, Titanfall 2 and/or Battlefield 5? Ghost Recon Wildlands? Dark Souls 3 DLC?) and indies. Perhaps a slim console, new console update with new features (e.g. background music).
That plus perhaps one or two surprise announcements is about what I'd expect.
AncientDiety
Banned
Disappointment incoming.
ElBoxyBrown
Banned
"Everyone gets a free copy of Fable Heroes! And it's backwards compatible!"
*E3 crowd goes wild.*
*E3 crowd goes wild.*