630°

The Initiative shows off Xbox boss Phil Spencer playing its unannounced first-party game

The Initiative has teased another behind-the-scenes update about its unannounced Xbox game. The new first-party studio welcomed Xbox boss Phil Spencer back to its offices on Tuesday for a chance to discuss the overall direction of Xbox, as well as to share an image of Spencer playing The Initiative's mysterious new project.

Obscure_Observer1576d ago

A new Perfect Dark, perhaps? O.o

MasterCornholio1576d ago

I think it's probably a new IP.

1576d ago
xX-oldboy-Xx1576d ago ShowReplies(7)
DarXyde1576d ago (Edited 1576d ago )

If it's Perfect Dark, that would be profoundly underwhelming in my opinion.

Using a "AAAA" studio to develop an FPS when they still have the primary studio who made the original games is probably as bad for morale as Disney animators in the 90s watching all of their painstakingly-crafted frames remade using CGI. It's just not good optics and pretty insulting. Many of those people left, but imagine not being trusted to handle your own creation. If they willingly say they don't know what they're doing, that's one thing, but I imagine that would be a bit of a gut punch otherwise.

Fortunately, I SERIOUSLY doubt that is the case.
It really should be a new IP. Anything less is kind of underwhelming from a newly created studio that's supposed to be this grand display of talent and synergy.

Atom6661576d ago (Edited 1576d ago )

When or if Perfect Dark returns, I do think it'll be third person. At some point, they will reintroduce the IP and the world. You look at the resumes of the people forming that team, and I can see it being a 3rd person, narrative driven, action/stealth sci fi game of some kind.

The tough part for MS is that for everyone who shares your opinion, there's someone else asking to revisit an old IP from the vault.

The only way to come close to pleasing both groups would be a reimagining of an old IP. That may be the case here.

I think new IPs will mostly come from the acquired studios.

1Victor1576d ago

Nice 👍thank you I haven’t laughed like this in a while pots calling the kettles black or donkey calling rabbits long ears 😂 🤣 😂

skiggy341575d ago

I absolutely agree. Let someone else make that game. I want this company to make a witcher 3 / God of War style game..

mark_parch1576d ago

looking forward to finding out more later this year

Obscure_Observer1576d ago

Matt Booty teased the reveal at this years E3. :)

King_Noctis1576d ago

I believe some people here are having meltdowns judging from the all the disagrees on this article.

Relientk771576d ago

The game is obviously Dr. Pepper Simulator. Soda in the picture gives it away.

Silly Mammo1576d ago

Reboot of Cool Spot 7-UP mascot game.

Chevalier1576d ago

Your onto something with their ties to Xbox, NFL and the Pepsi half time show and now Dr. Pepper being a Pepsi product. So maybe it will be a Soda Football league game.....

RangerWalk2671576d ago

This isn't Perfect Dark. I'll bet a months salary it's a new ip

xX-oldboy-Xx1576d ago

You'd hope so - it's the only way forward.

King_Noctis1576d ago (Edited 1576d ago )

So no company should ever make sequel to their games?

You’ve been very active on this article’s comment section.

mark_parch1576d ago

Phils tweet and things he has said in the past point towards a re-imagining of an old ip.
Rand did a good video on it.
https://www.youtube.com/wat...

BillyG0AT1576d ago

Hey I'll take that bet! Providing you're one of those people who makes like $20,000 a month on this site?

1576d ago
Show all comments (77)
160°

Former Activision studio Toys for Bob partners with Xbox to publish its first game as an indie

Former Activision studio Toys for Bob partners with Xbox to publish its first game as an indie. This is something of a homecoming, as Microsoft owns Activision.

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engadget.com
Obscure_Observer7h ago

Very very early in development. Still, fantastic news!

Let´s GO!!!

Lightning775h ago

I guess.

How come they didnt either let them go or sell Tango and others to another publisher? Not saying Ubisoft, EA would be any better. (Capcome would of treated them right )

At least it wouldn't be MS of all ppl destroying them.

MS really should let go Tango go like they did TFB here.

darthv725h ago(Edited 5h ago)

one was under Bethesda (Tango) the other under Activision (TFB). Clearly each one handled the separations of their subordinates differently.

Obscure_Observer4h ago(Edited 4h ago)

"How come they didnt either let them go or sell Tango and others to another publisher? Not saying Ubisoft, EA would be any better. (Capcome would of treated them right )"

Perhaps because Zenimax and ABK handles such matters differently based on their own internal policies as "independent" publishers.

Whoever, chances are it´s simply because MS didn´t wanted Tango or Austin to be acquired by competitors and develop new bangers for them, giving MS a bad rep in a possible future. Which could also be the reason why they ensured an exclusive partnership with TFB and its new game, before anyone else.

Sad and disgusting. But it is what it is.

Lightning7751m ago(Edited 50m ago)

"Whoever, chances are it´s simply because MS didn´t wanted Tango or Austin to be acquired by competitors and develop new bangers for them, giving MS a bad rep in a possible future."

MS has a bad rep now because those studios are no more. I rather them sell the studio continue to make multiplatform releases, while MS continues to focus on whatever they're doing. If they didn't want Tango around they should separated from them or sell them to, like they did TFB.

It's inexcusable, they have options on how to handle studios they don't want anymore with killing jobs. Not just MS but the rest of the industry also.

Sad and disgusting sure how many will get shut down next year or this year even?

I don't trust MS decisions and motivations at this point. You have to admit they make one dumb move after another.

-Foxtrot7h ago

Manages to buy their freedom especially after all the shit Microsoft has been doing with its studios lately

...

Goes right back to them as partners.

Okaaaaaay...

darthv725h ago

Id venture a guess that TFB working directly with MS was a better outcome than working through Activision to get to MS.

VersusDMC3h ago

From the article...

"Toys for Bob spun out as an indie back in February after Microsoft instituted sweeping layoffs that impacted 86 employees, which was more than half of the staff"

I doubt those 86 employees enjoyed the Microsoft experience over Activisions.

Inverno2h ago

MS shuts down studios because of lack of resources and then helps these guys by giving em resources. Also MS is what forced them to buy their freedom in the first place? What kind of logic 😂

Sciurus_vulgaris5h ago(Edited 5h ago)

Xbox’s gaming division seems to still function as 3 semi-autonomous sub-divisions, Xbox Studios, Bethesda and ABK. The three main sub-divisions can seemingly shut down or build studios and set up partnerships independently. This would explain why Bethesda can recently shutdown studios, while ABK spins off one studio, while building a new one. Plus, Toys for Bob could be spun off by ABK, only to immediately re-partner with Microsoft.

130°

What Happens to Your Steam Account When You Die?

The Outerhaven writes: While Steam has come out recently, stating that Steam accounts can't be transferred, we need to think about it since we all will eventually kick the bucket. But if Valve is denying transferring accounts, what can be done? Plenty, actually.

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theouterhaven.net
thorstein1d 8h ago

It goes to my kids because I gave them the passwords.

To Steam: Missio has a song that conveys my feelings about you stealing my purchase after I die. It's called "Middle Fingers"

shinoff218313h ago

Pretty much. My son knows my info.

Abear2113h ago

Yeah worrying about digital ownership when you’re on the other side of the grass seems a little strange, but also on brand for these millennial journalists to worry about.

Goodguy0117h ago

I suppose if I have kids, I'd just give em my account details by retirement age. If I die young then...idk lol.

CrimsonWing6914h ago

Yea, I mean just give someone the password to your account. Is that difficult to do or something? Like, I’m legit asking because I don’t know.

anast12h ago(Edited 12h ago)

It's not difficult but It's against the policy. If they find out, they will lock the account permanently.

CrimsonWing6911h ago

Ah ok, I had a feeling there was something like that. It seems kind of weird that you can’t just hand your account over to a family member or friend and let them take over the account.

Show all comments (13)
90°

CDPR Confident In Transition To Unreal Engine 5 For New Witcher Game, Addresses Industry Layoffs

CD Projekt Red is confident in the transition from its in-house Red Engine to Unreal Engine 5 for the next Witcher game.

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twistedvoxel.com
cthulhucultist19h ago

My main concern with UE5, is that some developers have resorted to very low resolutions in order to enable the advanced feature set of this engine and sustain the frame rate.

In open world games, especially those with excellent graphics, we cant realistically expect 60fps  from consoles (PS5 pro set aside as we do not know exactly how performant it will be) without huge compromises.

Thus the new Witcher game will probably require more powerful consoles to experience it the way the developers intended and in that sense, it reminds me of Cyberpunk situation.

It was released in current gen systems albeit in dire state (even PS4 Pro and Xbox One X suffered) requiring next generation consoles to achieve a desirable (and still not ideal) result.

DarXyde18h ago

My thoughts exactly. This is definitely a PC engine first and foremost, given the compromises required on consoles. Tekken 8 is a **fighting game** on UE5 and, even without Nanite and Lumen, needs to be upscaled to 4K to run at a solid 60fps. The engine straight up dog walks current console hardware. I don't see this getting much better on a PS5 Pro either.

I don't see this game releasing this generation. If it wasn't Sony owned, I think Decima 2.0 would be an excellent engine for this game.

Aussiesummer17h ago(Edited 17h ago)

I am quietly confident that they are going to make one hell of a jaw dropping witcher considering what they achieved with cyberpunk, i reckon they will bring a new level of what can be expected from ue5 BUT i reckon it will be a ps6/rtx 5090 game.