280°

Sea of Thieves "one of top-performing titles in Game Pass"

Xbox GM of Marketing Aaron Greenberg reflected on the ability for the service to grow a game's audience. "Sea of Thieves has been one of our top-performing titles in Game Pass. It was one of our first titles that we launched day one into the service, and you're right, it's built a huge community both on the PC and console, and I think Game Pass has been a big part of that."

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gamereactor.eu
lxeasy1720d ago

I discovered so many games thanks to Xbox GamePass. Sea of Thieves is definitely one of those games. Watching and experiencing that game grow via free dlc has been really fun. Rare has done a great job supporting that game.

Obscure_Observer1720d ago

Yes, we heard that Microsoft wouldn´t support this game. SOT would flop and blah blah blah.

And here we are; fast foward from March 2018 to August 2019 and we have a winner! RARE has been doing a remarkable work with SOT and I´m glad that people are enjoying the game.

Can´t wait for their new IP to be revealed!

Automatic791720d ago

I dont understand the disagrees. Sea of thieves and Xbox gamepass are fantastic.

yomfweeee1720d ago

But the game did flop. It got terrible reviews at release. Sales have not been spectacular. Twitch streams peaked during the beta and have been terrible ever since.

Maybe the game is better now, but they blew it at the beginning and that isn't acceptable.

Concertoine1720d ago

@yomfweeee

Reviews were lukewarm at launch but its a totally different game now. As for sales, this is complicated as the game was gamepass day 1, but evidently it has proven profitable enough for MS to continue to support the game over a year later.

It has been the #1 game on twitch multiple times since release, during cursed sails and the anniversary update.

Sea of Thieves has molded into the best thing Rare has done since Bad Fur Day.

Godmars2901720d ago

@Automatic79:
The disagrees likely come from this being MS bubble. They can say whatever they want, and though it likely is doing well in the closed echo system that is Game Pass, there's nothing to suggest SOT is a success in regards to getting people to buy Xboxs.

bishup251720d ago (Edited 1720d ago )

yomfweeee -
"But the game did flop. It got terrible reviews at release. Sales have not been spectacular."
"Maybe the game is better now, but they blew it at the beginning and that isn't acceptable."

everything you said about no man's sky I agree with.

bishup251720d ago (Edited 1720d ago )

dup post

Godmars2901720d ago

@bishup25:
"everything you said about no man's sky I agree with."

What does this have to do with NMS?

Yes that's another example of releasing a game far too early and getting fixed later only because of continued interest, a bad practice that's only getting worse, but why bring it up? Unlike TOS, its not an exclusive title. It only released as one.

TheSaint1719d ago

Because releasing unfinished games is something to champion......

leoms1719d ago

But it did flop. Why are you still in denial?

lxeasy1719d ago

Sea of Thieves made a fantastic comeback @obscure! I remember I wasn't the biggest fan when the game came out and fast forward now I love it. Rare has added so many fantastic Expansions to the ever growing game. Best of all they are not done yet.

darthv721719d ago (Edited 1719d ago )

@saint (and anyone else), do you understand what episodic games are? This game (and NMS) were never going to be "finished" unless the final bit of content is released and there will be no more. These games are episodic, evolving and meant to start out small and build up to something bigger over time. I guess people just arent ready for this type of game.

It's like a tv series. You dont show the series finale in the first episode. It has to build over time (and hope it doesnt get canceled). This is not the same type of game like a stand alone SP experience. This is meant to keep you coming back for more as it is always changing with new additions.

This game grows from the user interactions and never plays the same way twice. Like WoW, that game didnt start out huge, it grew over time.

Haaliax1715d ago

So much haters in every xbox post, even when is all good news

+ Show (9) more repliesLast reply 1715d ago
xX-oldboy-Xx1720d ago

Ixeasy - How did you 'discover' SoT with gamepass? It was the big release for ms at the time, advertised everywhere, pushed by YouTube streamers.

Seems you didn't have faith in the product and didn't buy it at launch, tsk, tsk - no wonder ms is reluctant to give it's fans new ips.

spicelicka1720d ago (Edited 1720d ago )

?? you want fans to blindly support anything the publisher puts out? You must have a really stupid understanding of what being a fan means. Maybe you're just applying your own blind fanboy loyalty to other non-ignorant people.

xX-oldboy-Xx1720d ago

Whoa - using words like blindly, stupid, fanboy - I do see which fan base that truly applies to?

RARE - is one of ms premier devs, they have a long history of successful ips - yh, I would buy their games.

Especially how enthusiastically it was pushed by Phil and co. Seems more of the same old lines from ms - over promise and under deliver.

TK-661720d ago (Edited 1720d ago )

"Seems you didn't have faith in the product and didn't buy it at launch"

This is the sort of approach to spending that makes you a fanboy. If everyone stopped "having faith" then we wouldn't see high sub-par releases from big name developers. If you honestly wrote that as an indication of having faith in any developer, and purchasing every game they put out without question then you're part of the problem.

"Whoa - using words like blindly, stupid, fanboy - I do see which fan base that truly applies to?"

You can't deflect that easily buddy. You advocated a mindset that used faith as a decision maker for purchasing, but now want to claim your not a fanboy? Not having faith in a product at launch is a 100% responsible thing to do at launch. You trying to spin it into a negative reveals what sort of mindset you actually have.

Specter2291720d ago

Lol dude has gamepass tries SOT enjoys SOT but because he didnt buy a game that's available with his monthly subscription it means he didnt support the title? You're logic hurts my head ... why would they need to buy a title that isnt leaving gamepass anytime soon? For other titles your argument could be valid but for this ... for this you're just reaching.

xX-oldboy-Xx1720d ago

TK - Specter - But it seems my blind purchase would've been justified, apparently SoT is an amazing game.

And by supporting devs and new ideas - it grows confidence in other devs to try new things.

I say all this - but truth be told, SoT looked like a dumpster fire. No matter how much spin came from ms.

TK-661720d ago (Edited 1720d ago )

@xX-oldboy-Xx

"But it seems my blind purchase would've been justified, apparently SoT is an amazing game."

Stop. You're not at all representing what was said honestly. No one said it was an amazing game at launch, but that it has become an amazing game. What we're seeing is actually good because people exercised caution and held off on purchasing until additional content was added. This is an example of consumers making the right decision and the reward being that they actually got a good game in the end.

"And by supporting devs and new ideas - it grows confidence in other devs to try new things."

Gtfo with your moral grandstanding. This is completely irrelevant to the topic at hand and a game doesn't need to offer new ideas to be worth purchasing. I could write paragraphs about how what you've just said is stupid but it'd likely go right over your head so I'll settle for this. Buying a game that builds itself on old ideas but does nothing new does not hinder innovation in the industry. We've know this for generations. You're just complaining for the sake of it at this point.

xX-oldboy-Xx1720d ago

TK-66 - This is just more PR puff from Greenberg - no numbers, just positive spin.

At launch I remember more defending and saying what it will eventually, instead of calling me and RARE out.

I would've loved if Sony had released this garbage - could you imagine the heat they would've got?

TK-661720d ago (Edited 1720d ago )

@xX-oldboy-Xx

"I would've loved if Sony had released this garbage - could you imagine the heat they would've got?"

And there it is. Your favourite company is on the receiving end of unjust criticism, but for their competitors it's clear sailing and media bias? Gtfo with your victim mentality and grow up.

xX-oldboy-Xx1720d ago

TK-66 - Nice selective nitpicking of a comment, you're a spud mate. Absolute glutton for punishment, enjoy your games that get better 1 yr after release.

Reap what you sow.

TK-661720d ago (Edited 1720d ago )

@xX-oldboy-Xx

Enjoy your victim mentality and Self-flagellation while you play your bug riddled games at launch <3

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 1720d ago
Azurite1720d ago

"Free DLC" = game updates for a game that sorely lacked content and in some capacity still does.

King_Noctis1720d ago Show
BLizardXD1720d ago Show
1720d ago
TK-661720d ago

@SolidGamerX

Someone on the internet was a hypocrite so you're going to be a hypocrite? Cry me a river lol.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 1718d ago
DaDrunkenJester1720d ago

Sea of Thieves has made fantastic progress since launch and they aren't stopping anytime soon. Whether you care for the game or not, you gotta give props to Rare for the massive amounts of support they provided the title. They also did it all without any MT's or lootboxes.

Imalwaysright1720d ago

No I don't. I give them as many props as I give to Hello Games and polyphony digital: zero, nada, zilch.

DaDrunkenJester1720d ago

So in your eyes a game cant get better after launch?

harmny1720d ago

hey. if you are a failure in life it's not our fault.

1720d ago Replies(3)
Imalwaysright1720d ago (Edited 1720d ago )

Games can get better but If I have to wait years after I paid full price for a game for it to be better then the only thing that the devs that I mentioned deserve from me is https://media3.giphy.com/me...

scoot_n_loot1720d ago

That's great to hear. It's a unique and beautiful game and I can see the appeal. I spent a month or so playing it, the game makes for some amazing emergent moments.

Tried Arena about a week ago but just wasn't really feeling it unfortunately.

DaDrunkenJester1720d ago

Did you try the new story mode?

sprinterboy1720d ago

I wouldn't go celebrating if SoT is one of the top performers clearly doesn't bode well with the rest of gamepass.

pinkcrocodile751720d ago

How does it "NOT bode well for gamepass?" Please be specific!

xX-oldboy-Xx1719d ago

sprinterboy - is probably referring to the fact an above game is apparently (no numbers given) one of the more popular titles on the service. Seems gamepass is on course to be a cesspool of mediocrity.

sprinterboy1719d ago

I think my comment is clear enough.

pinkcrocodile751718d ago

No, it's half a point coupled with half guessing.

It's like saying hitler only killed 6 million jews in 6 years, doesn't bode well for genocide in russia now does it

lxeasy1719d ago

you don't bode well enough for gamepass

KeenBean3451720d ago

Great game, more of this Microsoft for next gen please

lxeasy1719d ago

As long as it has a much better launch. Honestly the game is in a great place right now. But when it launched there wasn't much variety.

Show all comments (76)
90°

Microsoft's Absurd Antics Have Me Scared For Dishonored And Arkane Lyon's Future

With Arkane Austin no more and Lyon living for who knows how long, the superb Dishonored is in serious danger; Microsoft cannot be trusted.

Relientk775h ago

I love the Dishonored series so much and really want Dishonored 3. Microsoft better not screw this up.

JEECE2h ago

I mean, I think the fans will probably kill Arkane Lyon by cooking up reasons to hate whatever they do next without playing it. I've never seen a game so artificially disliked as Deathloop.

thesoftware7302h ago

Lol, why don't we just say, we are worried about all studios owned by MS now. They will keep closing studios until they have none left ...🙄

190°

Rumored PlayStation May 2024 showcase could happen this week per industry insider

A renowned industry insider has suggested the rumored PlayStation May 2024 showcase featuring Silent Hill 2 could happen this week.

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videogamer.com
Petebloodyonion4h ago

Bogus!
Why would Sony do that and how would this benefit them?
1) It would piss off their media partners (IGN, Gamespot, Edge, etc.) since they would have to allocate resources fast to cover the event.
2) Risk of not having great coverage or proper coverage from the various source
3) It could give the impression that they are not confident in their own stuff.
4) They would miss the chance to hype the event losing viewers and losing free marketing time.

Again I'm calling it bogus unless it's a small showcase before the big one or because they want to announce that Hellbalde 2 is also coming on PS5.

SlothLordPootus4h ago

As far as I can remember, they typically give a week heads up for these sorts of things.

Lightning773h ago

I was about to say Sony always gives a week in advance for their show.

VersusDMC3h ago(Edited 3h ago)

Last year it was a weeks notice.

https://blog.playstation.co...

May 17th announcement for may 24th show.

VersusDMC3h ago

Nintendo always tweets that a direct is happening tomorrow but no one cares.

Sony gives a week or days of notice and we get anti sony type fake outrage like this.

But good luck trying trying to get some Sony hate going...

Petebloodyonion2h ago

You just mention it!
Sony gives a week in advance NOT just a couple of days.
So I fail to see what Sony's hate movement I'm trying to start when it's a basic business strategy to not piss off your partners (ask Sega).
And I doubt it's hate to ask how it would benefit Sony in doing so.

thesoftware7302h ago(Edited 2h ago)

@Versus
Huh? What?

Bro you really should relax, if what you read was some kinda negative against Sony.... seriously, is that what you got from the comments?

Bro, he was debunking the rumor, and gave perfectly good reasons why it would be unlikely, and your Nintendo Direct comparison is different, as this is supposed to be a BIG Sony showcase, not a surprise 20 min direct, and Sony 's pattern has been one week.

Slow down warmonger.

VersusDMC1h ago(Edited 1h ago)

@thesoftware730

"1) It would piss off their media partners (IGN, Gamespot, Edge, etc.) since they would have to allocate resources fast to cover the event."

That is implying Sony is preventing them from doing their job properly therefore negatively affecting their business...but i guess that's a reach in your mind?

And it's not like they need that many resources to cover the stream. They just need 3 people to react to the stream live and make some easy articles made up mostly of summaries of Sony provided press releases. They would have enough time to "prepare" if it was announced with one days notice.

Petebloodyonion10m ago

@Versus
" That is implying Sony is preventing them from doing their job properly therefore negatively affecting their business...but i guess that's a reach in your mind"

No, it simply implies that some media all over the world might (keyword MIGHT) not properly cover the event like having proper articles for each game announced, or having a proper preshow. maybe some popular YouTubers won't have time to prepare or simply your local newspaper doing an article on tech and game.

So why would Sony take a chance?
What benefit would that give them?

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 10m ago
Petebloodyonion2h ago

Before I get tons of replies for Sony given a week in advance, my initial comments are related to the notion that the Show could happen this week as the title mentions.
Now to be fair the complete article mentions that Jeff said the Show could happen later in May giving time for Sony to give the normal 7-day notice.

Again not trying to start a negative thing here just thinking that it's bogus that Sony will have a show this week

notachance1h ago

Yeah as much as I’d like to hear what sony’s 1st parties have cooked, it’s not their style to shadow drop a showcase.

Still waiting for ghost of tsushima 2, I’m ready whenever man..

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 10m ago
2h ago
Hofstaderman1h ago

Going in with no expectations but likely will see something that resonates with me.

90°

MultiVersus Joker Trailer With Mark Hamill

Here is a look at the new Joker Trailer. Warner Bros. Games today released a new MultiVersus trailer revealing the first look at gameplay for The Joker, who will join the roster as a playable character when the upcoming free-to-play platform fighter videogame launches on May 28th.