This opinion piece here is in response to this video that was recommended for me to watch that supported the abolishment of used video games. They also argued that games can not be compared to DVDs, music or any of those formats for various reasons. I’ve watched the whole video and here is my response on why used games are not the problem. - LazyTechGuys
While on stage with Dina Bass at The Bloomberg Technology Summit the President of Xbox, Sarah Bond, was asked about the Xbox studio closures of Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog, and Roundhouse Studios
Of course she did. She's part of the problem and will just tow the company line.
I always wondered why xbox had multiple leaders with similar titles like Phil Spencer, Matt Booty, and Sarah Bond, like, how many heads do you actually need?
Seems to me it would be more cost efficient to cut 2 of them instead of all those studios.
While many gaming layoffs are cruel, Tango Gameworks being culled after Hi-Fi Rush doesn't even make sense.
Good read. I think the point is important. Cuz the message it sends is, make a bad game? Well shut you down. Make a good game? We still might shut you down. How the fuck are you supposed to feel any sense of job security under those conditions. The level of core incompetence at play in the upper levels of this industry is staggering. This is common sense shit. You can’t chase trends on a 2 year cycle when games take fucking 6-8 years to make. Just let artists fucking art for gods sake. They don’t understand the basic principle that they’re all haggling for the same slice of fucking pie and the market will not bear it. Find a different fucking pie.
"The sudden closure of several video-game studios at Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox division was the result of a widespread cost-cutting initiative that still isn’t finished.
This week, Xbox began offering voluntary severance agreements to producers, quality assurance testers and other staff at ZeniMax, which it purchased in 2020 for $7.5 billion, according to people familiar with the company’s plans. Others across the Xbox organization have been told that more cuts are on the way.
Speaking about the closures more broadly, Booty said that the company’s studios had been spread too thin — like “peanut butter on bread” — and that leaders across the division had felt understaffed. They decided to close these studios to free up resources elsewhere, he said.
Game Pass has not seen the massive growth that Xbox boss Phil Spencer may have been hoping for."
"Speaking about the closures more broadly, Booty said that the company’s studios had been spread too thin — like “peanut butter on bread” — and that leaders across the division had felt understaffed. They decided to close these studios to free up resources elsewhere, he said"
So what you're saying is...you bought all these studios and you guys can't run them.
Jesus.
Reports are suggesting that Game Pass will be getting a price hike soon and that Call of Duty may not be added to the day one offering. I honestly have a hard time believing this but it does beg the question why exactly did GP fail? I think the answer is that it just didn't get the growth that it anticipated. Jim was right but I wish he wasn't because at the end of the day, its gamers, devs and other front-line workers who have to absorb the blow for Spencer and team's miscalculations.
For all the armchair executives who were calling for Sony to release its big-budget AAA games on PS+, the same exact thing would have happened at PlayStation. Game Pass has killed Xbox. Congrats.
No Microsoft are the problem.
This is a great article. I had not seen the video he references from Total Biscuit so I watched that before reading this post and he makes some valid points. Game and in the US here GameStop are being too aggressive when it comes to used games. However the used game market is not just about buying, its about selling. Many people only buy new games however they still SELL old games to get those new ones. A point TB overlooked in his video.
Used games aren't the problem. A short campaign is. I don't want to spend $60 pre tax on a game with 7 hours of gameplay, sure there's multiplayer but i prefer single player even in FPS. I would never buy BF4, Killzone SF, COD if they were only multiplayer games. The campaign is what get's you interested in the game for the most part. Besides it's not like Gamestop is selling used games at a steal. They are crooks and never understood how people are willing to pay 54.99 for the used copy and not 59.99 for the new one. Used should always be under $50.
The article makes a mistake... Disk based games will not be an option. They were going to be an option, but Microsofts efforts to limit used game sales failed.
What you will see in the coming generation is that only Triple A block busters get released on disk. Everything else will be download only.
Another thing that you will see is games that are download timed exclusives. They will be available for download a couple of months before the disk release, seriously blunting the value of used games.
And yes, you will also see downloads with a discount over their physical copy counterparts.
This will start to happen immediately.
What these publishers/developers need to do if they want to sell more games is, COD for example is heavily focused on Multiplayer. So they should make the campaign about 7 hrs or so and release 2 copies of the game. One with limited online play less maps, weapons, upgrades so on and charge $44.99. And a full version at $59.99 with download code inside to unlock all maps and what not missing in stripped down version.