Phil Spencer has gone to twitter to speak directly with gamers once again, saying "We are always listening and learning. Lot's of people have suggested we find some connection between XGPU and Mixer subs which makes a ton of sense, good ideas."
Since popular video game streamer Ninja made the switch from market leader Twitch to Microsoft’s Mixer service, the video games industry is starting to look at the underdog quite differently. Mixer can certainly attract new users with its industry-leading Faster than Light (FTL) streaming protocol, interactive “Mixplay” features, and deep integrations on Windows 10 and Xbox One.
Nirav from GL writes: "If the makers of a GOTY competitor that outdid sales and Game Pass expectations and owned by the richest company in the world cannot stay open - what hope is there for everyone else?"
***If the makers of a GOTY competitor that outdid sales and Game Pass expectations and owned by the richest company in the world cannot stay open - what hope is there for everyone else?***
None if you stay in an arena of corporate driven metrics. And this is what happens when you allow publishers to buy up massive amounts of studios and IPs. There's only so much internal competition and the focus in the end will remain on those who look best on a spreadsheet.
Players can be so driven by what is best for them and only see what is put right in front of them. But that's not what is best for them. They are being lied to constantly, as seen by Microsoft's ridiculous praise for Hi-Fi Rush and Phil's lies about Redfall prior to release and how big of a supporter of both studios he has been. But, instead of thinking "wait, this corporation wants me to think this way, should I be listening to them and believing them?" players eat it up and go "OMG, did you hear what they said! They're just like us and they know what's best for the industry."
And because of this single-mindedness of the majority of gamers, we are where we are now. Massive layoffs. Massive studio closures. Games that we were told were representative of the core values of said corporations shelved and studios behind them shuttered. The truth is coming to bear because the truth all along was only what the numbers in an excel spreadsheet told the corporate suits.
If you truly want what is best for the industry, what is best for developers, then you need to support Indie games, support developers that maintain control over their IPs and direction, support boutique publishers who only exist to help Indies make it out the door and don't own the IP. Stop supporting major corporations with your money or you devotion. Stop playing their games, and I don't mean video games, but their marketing, their double speak, their guy without a tie who says things you want to hear PR, their future of video gaming concepts as if we were hurting for new ways to play games other than installing/downloading and playing them, and especially any slogan from them that gives the impression that they are for you, the consumer. They are not. You're merely a value on a spreadsheet.
Sure, I'm the one drinking the koolaid. Keep believing in the corporations. They definitely have your best interests in mind. All hail the Big Green, For You Blue, and Nostalgia Red! All praise big corporations buying up other publishers. All praise the inevitable spreadsheet adjustments. For greed, not the players.
This should not be surprising to any of you. We have been saying for MONTHS that Game Pass is not sustainable and that these acquisitions will come at a massive cost to the industry. People refused to grasp the difference between buying and investing in a developer like Insomniac or Housemarque, and buying the entire publisher. People refused to accept that spending billions to acquire the biggest publishers in gaming means you have to RECOUP those costs, and you aren't going to do it without consolidation, focusing on core IP that sells, creating revenue streams via ownership and releasing on other platforms, and closing down studios that are superfluous to the budget requirements. You will not recoup those costs by investing in risky new IP or creative new games and studios.
No, people cheered Microsoft on like they were delivering GOTY titles to their door and pouring money into the industry to grow Indies and triple A projects.
You are getting what you deserve. You take the consequences of the practices you supported.
Layoffs happen. Some games don't succeed. Everyone has seen it happen. Happens even to the winners.
This, however, is goddamn shambolic and if you can't see it now then there's no helping you and you should keep enjoying the "value" of Game Pass while contributing nothing to this industry.
I've never seen the developer of one of the best games of the year get axed before.
Ninja Theory is next after Hellblade 2, I can see them going independent again. There's more to come from MS.
The former president of Blizzard Mike Ybarra in a statement on Twitter says Microsoft Gaming CEO is hurting just as much as anyone else following the closure of three studios under Bethesda - Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, and Alpha Dog Studios. Roundhouse Games is also joining ZeniMax Online Studios.
Yeahhh I doubt it's hurting a millionaire as much as it's hurting fans and people who lost their jobs
At this moment, even Xbox fanboys are starting to hate Microsoft. It's fu**up, after fu**up, after fu**up... that's the state of Microsoft gaming.
Purchasing developers left and right, then killing them off...
Phil was the worst thing that happend to Xbox. Might as well just shut down their gaming division and fu** off
I'm sure he'll be upset that those cheques contain a small percentage of money MS is still making from the closed studios games too. Next time someone purchases High-fi Rush or Evil within all that money is now just Microsofts, just think the former devs at Tango who made Hi-fi Rush MS's most highly acclaimed game in years will get nothing more.
MS are buying these publishers for the big IP's like Elder Scrolls and Call of Duty they have little interest in the ones that don't make huge profits... and firing thousands and closing studios looks good on the next quarterly shareholder report. Gotta protect the share price.
This is all coming from the executive who thinks we should have the option to tip devs... apparently so publishers can pay devs minimum wage. Will someone think of the C-suite executives!!!
That was from a former Blizzard exec. Did Phil make a comment on that also?
edit: Oh, it wasn't Phil who said this himself.
Yeah, the guy making $10m a year is hurting as much as those who have lost their jobs and are worrying about their future and supporting their family. /s
It takes a real lack of shame to even try put the Good Guy Phil™ spin on this. It's not going to work this time.
He's sitting around feeling sorry when he should of been doing everything in his power to get people jobs in other studios you're telling me after toys for Bob split from Activision there wasn't a opening in the call of duty mines for arkane it's just woah is me.
After the whole fiasco with Sony and Helldivers 2 Community has neded, players report that they are unable to delete their PSN accounts.
can't delete account due to security reasons o_O
That sounds about right lol
Inb4 people mention it explicitly states it somewhere in the EULA, next up everybody pull out ya wands and make the unbreakable vow for eternal corporate servitude.
I really wish gamers would also step up against every other 3rd party app/sign in required game out there. Sigining in to psn is no different than gta, ubi and ea games.
I'll take some more Xbox Gamepass perks. Why not, its already an amazing service.
"Since popular video game streamer Ninja made the switch from market leader Twitch to Microsoft’s Mixer service, the video games industry is starting to look at the underdog quite differently"
Yea... I'm going to have to say no. The only thing we learned is Microsoft has to pay to get people to use Mixer.
True story about a youtube community that I know, When Microsoft started Mixer they were offering all the people from this community lucrative monetary agreements to switch to Mixer. After a year they were all back on Twitch. I'm not going to say that Microsoft will let that happen with Ninja, but I am just saying Microsoft used those people then let them go when they either didn't bring enough users in or Microsoft just wasn't interested anymore.
If your a streamer and you want to grow a community Twitch is the place to be.
How about liking the idea of having great exclusive games on your console? XBOne exclusives, as rare as they are, are sub par at best, and all the other games (Multiplatform) on it, can be played on other/better platforms. One of the most disappointing consoles ever.
I get it, the “PlayStation” brand is huge, but the reason the PS4 has been so successful is because of GAMES. Hopefully Microsoft get their shit together next gen.
1 free sub would be nice like amazon prime
I also like this idea. This instantly gives Mixer more gamers with benefits, whats not to like. Keep making good consumer/gamer friendly decisions Microsoft...doing a great job.