What Will The Sale Of Bethesda Mean For Console Exclusives?

TGA says, “Forums are awash with discussions surrounding possible exclusivity options for future releases. Games currently announced as multi-platform will remain that way, and games such as Deathloop with timed PS5 exclusivity will have these arrangements honoured. Where the waters become muddied is when we look at games known to be in development but without official release details yet.”

[MrDead]

If MS has taken a multiplatform publisher to make multiplatform games and ip's exclusive then MS has taken the biggest steaming dump on gaming and gamers.

[enkiduxiv]

It’s what Microsoft always does. If you can’t build a nice user friendly GUI, just copy Apple OS. If you can’t compete with Skype, buy them.

This is trillion dollar company that has made every single penny by copying the competition’s homework.

[dcbronco]

Playstation fans made exclusives soooooo important. Microsoft responded. People have unfairly dumped on Microsoft because of exclusives for years. So they developed a new business model. Ultimately it will be a huge win for them and gamers. We pay less but play everything. Developers don't have to worry about going out of business for a bad game because the risk is spread out over hundreds of games and paid beforehand by subscribers. Talent can relax knowing they aren't going to be layed off after every project. Imagine having a pool of 30 studios. There will be 10 major projects going. Thirty small and medium sized projects. R&D. Less crunch because you can pull from less busy teams to get projects done and save on OT. Developers will love the stability for their families. And there will be 50 to a 100 little experimental projects going on from teams within developers. Game Pass is the future of gaming. Especially after Microsoft reveals the full capabilities of the Series platform. It will be around for years. They used server chips for a reason.

[enkiduxiv]

What on earth about this model makes you think this is good for third party developers? If Game Pass succeeds it basically turns the market into one gigantic customer. If Microsoft doesn’t like what you are selling you won’t succeed. I don’t really see this medium improving as an art form when Philip Spencer is the only opinion that matters.

[dcbronco]

But he isn't the only voice that matters. Sony and Nintendo will adjust to the new business model. This type of system allows anyone with enough capital to do the same thing. Just like Netflix showed the way to streaming services they are one of 30 now.

As far as third parties go they can sign a deal with a streaming service for financial support. Just like you negotiated a deal to get on a platform you negotiate a deal for financial support in exchange for being on a gaming service. They need content and you need money. You present a promising game and exchange exclusivity for money. Just like now. If you are consistently successful you can make high enough demands to grow. If you aren't that successful you are at least not in debt and under threat of going out of business. I believe Microsoft understands not to interfere with talent and to be patient with it. Sony definitely understands that and will start a Game Pass type service. So will Nintendo. Amazon and Google will probably do the same. Stadia isn't dead. Apple will join. And probably Nvidia. That's 8 services. Several phone gaming companies will join. This is the coming golden age of games.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

@Enkiduxiv

Well just all the dozens of interviews from the 3rd parties themselves saying it's good for business.

[enkiduxiv]

@343_Guilty_Spark What's good for business now won't be in the future if we let monopolies and large trusts dictate how the industry produces games. That's the entire point I have been trying to make. Of course Microsoft is going to pay a ton of money to third party developers to put their product up for free on Game Pass right now. It needs to corner the market and it has the resources available to do so.

Once Game Pass becomes the only platform out there, they will stop doing that. I mean, why wouldn't they!? The entire reason Microsoft is funneling all of this money into this bs service is they want a cut of every microtransaction that every publisher will have to force into their games when that becomes the only possible way to make a profit. Take the mobile game market now and that's where the AAA market will be in ten years.

[dcbronco]

Because they don't have to. Being a digital service and acting as the publisher allows them to make plenty of money from the Game Pass version without looking to gouge. People don't understand how gaming usually works so they don't realize all the cost GP saves. Even for 3rd party studios the the licensing fee can be waived, disc making doesn't exist, transportation costs are gone and Microsoft stores a copy. Microsoft gets subscribers and publishers fees. For the occasional major 3rd party release you're giving up a little while eventually getting 3.5 billion a year in subscription fees at 20 million. Plus as a business you write off a lot of your cost in taxes.

[Jericho1337]

Apparently they’ve been taking big steaming dump on gamers for not producing enough exclusives though. Which way do you want it?

[CaptainObvious878]

It's very simple.

They create their own exclusives, instead of stealing them.

When we said MS needed more exclusives, it was obvious that's what we meant.

[Jericho1337]

Right but they had like 5 first party studios at one point last gen. Gone are the days of full 3rd party exclusives, so they knew they had to acquire some developers.

So sorry if that’s “not what you meant”. Why not write a letter to MS on behalf of the n4g community seeing if they will reverse the acquisition?

[coolbeans]

@CaptainObvious878

"When we said MS needed more exclusives, it was obvious that's what we meant."

You're basically covering up for previously imprecise language though. If you see a mass of... low-info, hypocritical people spouting the same "N0 Gam3zz" lines over and over then it's quite obvious to expect a wealthy company to respond in what THEY believe is the most effective way. And considering the avg. timeline today of getting a new IP (AA or AAA) out the door that may or may not be a success, why would any reasonable person EXPECT that kind of rose-tinted fantasy? "Yes, MS built up 8 new studios whose games are roughly 4 years out, but they did this the RIGHT way." Not how real life works.

It's like too many on here get into this playground mindset as though companies need to be super-close friends before they can be purchased, which isn't how the lion's share of business, trade, etc. really works.

[enkiduxiv]

I actually don't mind the acquisition all that much. Just about any publisher can make better decisions than Bethesda has the last few years so I see it as a plus for Bethesda developers. What bothers me is that they are using their new toy to force people to adopt GamePass. I want console exclusives not GamePass exclusives.

[Jin_Sakai]

If it were Sony who bought a big publisher I guarantee everyone would be jumping in joy. People wanted Xbox to strengthen their first party studios and this was the fastest way of doing it.

[CaptainObvious878]

Nope.

If Sony wasted billions of dollars on games that were going to be created and released to the ps4/5 regardless I would be absolutely livid. And I do mean absolutely livid.

This is why I find all the ms apologists bragging about this to be pathetic.

[enkiduxiv]

Well yeah. If Sony had bought Bethesda the games would actually improve. I guess you probably missed this because you haven't played on PlayStation but there is a quality threshold for first party titles and Bethesda is definitely below that with its releases. If I'm not mistaken, the worst title to release from a technical standpoint was Days Gone, and even that was light years ahead of Fallout 4 in terms of bugginess. I am actually hoping that Microsoft will have a similar effect, but I have had the unfortunate luck to play Crackdown 3, so I'm gonna wait and see how this all plays out first.

[dcbronco]

I always get a lot of disagrees but then what I say happens. Some people never learn.

[Obscure_Observer]

Xbox Games Studios is on a whole new level, thanks to Phil Spencer.

TES 6, Fallout 5 and Starfield exclusive to Xbox and Gamepass supported platforms, will greatly benefit Xbox as a brand among RPG fans, worldwide.

Exciting times ahead.

[Imalwaysright]

Don't forget Obsidian and inXile. Xbox is the go to console for western RPG fans.

[RazzerRedux]

Fable too. Between TES 6, Avowed, Fable, Starfield, and Fallout....that's already a ton of RPGs. Gotta be a record number in development from a single company.

[Father__Merrin]

They are already behind 2.1 compared to ps5 that gap will grow

[Jin_Sakai]

Sales aren’t the be all. The Wii sold 102 million but I wouldn’t touch it that console. PS Vita didn’t sell well but it was a great device. You get the point?

Microsoft acquiring Zenimax will greatly help their first party lineup. Especially considering all these games will be on Gamepass day 1.

[Father__Merrin]

Wii sold more because it was priced like a toy and software support was cut short.

Ps5 will bring the games constantly and will far outstrip xbox series s and x

[enkiduxiv]

Obsidian went from making some of the best indie rpgs of all time as an independent studio to making Grounded, a survival sandbox Rust clone, as a subsidiary of Microsoft.

Can't wait to see Todd Howard give us another Destiny style looter-shooter.

Exciting times are ahead.

[Atticus_finch]

Ms couldn't compete so they bought the competition.
How noble of them.
Buying a big, well established 3rd party dev to make rental games games is probably the worst thing to ever happen in gaming.
But luckily no one has to buy an xbox game anymore.
Be prepared for google, apple and amazon to begin doing the same.

[darthv72]

buying the competition would be akin to MS buying Sony or Nintendo. That's not what they did.

They bought studios to help bolster their portfolio. Something Nintendo and Sony have done as well.

[Atticus_finch]

Funny because If xbox could buy PS or Ninty they would had done it already.
Bethesda was the competition because they competed for the time and money of consumers. And Ms could not compete.

Buying a studio like Insomniac, with no publisher, that has worked exclusively for PS since Ps2 (after xbox tried buying them) Is not the same as buying a well funded publisher to make games to your rental service.
MS is not the good guy xboys want them to be. And now the gaming industry will suffer for it.

[darthv72]

^I believe they tried years ago but there is some stipulation that they cannot buy a JP company (or something to that effect).

And technically all companies with a product are competing for the same thing which is $$ and customers. Plus, MS didnt try buying Insomniac. They only paid for a game of theirs. IG wanted to retain ownership of the game when they approached Sony (Sony wanted to own it) and IG decided to go to MS and they agreed to fund its development while IG kept the game. And now Sony owns it by virtue of owning IG. Business is business.

[ApocalypseShadow]

No. More like EA buying Criterion and Dice, and Code Masters. Either they work with you or they buy them. Then they own the hot game or game engine. Sounds like Microsoft. Zenimax has the properties and the game engines. Sounds just like EA.

[Chevalier]

They actually did try to buy Nintendo decades ago.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

They did compete they just weren't #1.

It's not a zero sum game.

It's not the Super Bowl or WorldCup where only one team is the winner. Reframe your console war mindset.

[sactownlawyer916]

Their games will 100% be on PlayStation. 3-4 years from now when the newness has worn off and ps5 is closing in on 100 million consoles sold and Xbox is way behind they will announce the definitive edition for PlayStation with all dlc. Book it. Now will PlayStation players even care by then? Who knows.

[Risky_24]

I don't see any scenario where this will happen.

[enkiduxiv]

I mean, all PlayStation has to do is allow Game Pass onto their system right? That's why Phil phrased it that way. Once that happens, Phil can stop making consoles and Microsoft can do what it feels it is entitled to do as a tech giant. Collect royalties while everyone else does all the work.

[Atticus_finch]

You're probably right. Given how many times Xbox has flip-flopped on their decisions. Either way Sony studios are better than ever and releasing games more frequently. I play very few 3rd party games and buy even fewer. But Ps exclusives are way too appealing for me not to buy.

[Tedakin]

Phil Spencer said they won't be, yet somehow people still keep speculating.

[Sidewinder-]

I'd like to think it will push the other sides to make more / better exclusives.

[Mrgamesalot]

The hate is all a bit absurd. Sony have done the exact same thing in the past. I jumped ship from PS to Xbox myself so I've been in both camps. The fans are the ones pushing the need for exclusives. Good on MS for buying Bethesda if you ask me. It's simply a response to Sony and their fanboyism. The response from the opposing community is laughable and speaks to the toxic nature of parts of the community. Can't wait to see what exclusive content we get. :)

[Atticus_finch]

When has Sony bought 8 studios at once to make rental games. Never.
Infact Sony has only bought studios working closely or exclusively with them. Unlike Xbox trying to buy insomniac and buying Ninja Theory.
There's a big difference.

[PraxxtorCruel]

Better get used to it. Natella CEO of Microsoft said they're not done yet. Lmao @ rental games. Try to be less obvious.

[Atticus_finch]

Yea I agree, it will get worst and you won't like it when anyone other than MS starts doing it.
So GP is not a rental service? Haha.

[DiRtY]

You can still buy those games, you know that right?

[StarLink]

There is no difference both bought studios to bulster their portafolio of games end of story.

[Chevalier]

Sony's never bought a whole company like Ubisoft, Activision, EA etc. A studio at a time yeah. But even then the studios they bought mostly did exclusives for Sony

[CaptainObvious878]

No, what's laughable is the actual toxicity coming from ms fanboys. You're bragging about ms acquiring games that were going to be coming to their platforms regardless. You're essentially gloating that sony fans miss out on games now. Do you know how pathetic that is?

You know what's even worse than that? You not being angry about ms wasted billions of dollars that could have gone to creating good, new exclusives for you to enjoy. You're just glad you get to enjoy something and someone else doesn't. It's a very childish mentality.

Oh, and please stop equating this disgusting purchase with what sony does. It's not even close, let alone the "exact same".

[PraxxtorCruel]

Hey dont take it personally, it's just business. Oh and btw they didn't acquire games. They acquired talented studios that can go on to develop whatever they want. If they wanna make more sequels to established IP or start something new it's up to them. Phil said they have creative freedom.

Got a problem with that, then I suggest you pile pressure on Sony to accept Game pass.

[StarLink]

"You're bragging about ms acquiring games that were going to be coming to their platforms regardless. You're essentially gloating that sony fans miss out on games now."

Hmm sounds like something Sony would do... o wait a minute they are and do it a lot. But hut they are timed exclusive, you just have to wait a year or so to play them so it's not the same? Get out of here with that BS.

Its the exact same thing and once you come to terms with it you will be less angry, salty and hypocritical.

Sony went for the little fish, MS went for the big fish and you are just angry Sony didn't.

[enkiduxiv]

This is actually the hilarious part. I have never seen people take so much pride in not getting anything new, Like Ninja theory, Obsidian and Bethesda were going to exclude Xbox. Microsoft has spent 7.5 billion dollars to add literally nothing to its own catalog.

Don't get me wrong, it's good business to take away from the competition, but it doesn't make any sense for their fanboys to get all excited about it. They are so bored of playing Ori (the only game they ever seem to mention) over and over again that all they can think of to do is pick on PlayStation fans. It's all good though. We can always throw on some Bloodborne or Demons Souls to work off the stress.

[CaptainObvious878]

@Dirty

Well done for proving my point spectacularly...

[ApocalypseShadow]

It means no more Bethesda games for me now that they are owned by Microsoft. Just like when EA bought up all the football licenses. I didn't go out and buy Madden. I boycotted Madden for decades. Well, it and the rest of their games for years. Still do. But I did buy Battlefront for $5 because of VR. And Squadrons for $15 instead of $40 because of VR.

I never bought a Bethesda game until VR with Skyrim VR. It's a good game. Great in VR. Unless Microsoft pushed them to make more VR games for PSVR 2 or a future Xbox headset, my interest in them is done. And I'm not buying an Xbox or upgrading to a new PC to play their games. The OG Xbox was the last console I buy from Microsoft.

[darthv72]

I felt 2K sports did a better job with the NFL series than Madden anyways. I remember the first time seeing NFL2K on the DC, it was at a Software ETC and it looked so real (at the time).

[Ausbo]

So if Microsoft release all the games on PlayStation, people like you would be saying Microsoft still has no games, but make them exclusive and they are the devil.

[Chevalier]

So hypothetically say Google bought Activision tomorrow but you need to own a Google phone to play on the go and now have to purchase a Google console or PC or Amazon made a console bought Ubisoft and you need a Amazon tablet to play streaming and Amazon console for all Ubisoft games for example you guys would be okay with locking out everyone to join their platform? This isn't a single studio I mean the whole company and all their respective studios?!

[ApocalypseShadow]

What games? They haven't made a new IP in years.

Get back to me when they make a new Crimson Skies or Mech Assault. You support a company that's worth a Trillion but makes less games than Sony and Nintendo. How ridiculous is that? How ridiculous is your support for a rich, last place company?

I don't give money to lazy effort but spends millions pushing services. And you lap it up like they are making games. But You'll push how much money they're making like it means something. It only shows how lazy they are.

[coolbeans]

-"I boycotted Madden for decades. Well, it and the rest of their games for years. Still do. But I did buy Battlefront for $5 because of VR. And Squadrons for $15 instead of $40 because of VR."

Reminder: if you say you're "boycotting" EA and then subsequently admit to buying some of their titles at discount then you're not actually boycotting them.

[enkiduxiv]

I always upvote someone who boycotts EA. If there is one thing I would love to see is Sony fans and Microsoft fans coming together to never buy EA games again.

[Phantom68]

Legacy titles like ES Online and Fallout 76 will continue to been supported. The rest will exclusives to Xbox and PC. I am a PlayStation supporter but I can play those games on PC if I want to.

[Positivelypositive]

MS wants to become the new EA!