470°

Xbox head Phil Spencer confirms there will no longer be platform-exclusive beta for CoD

Xbox head honcho Phil Spencer has revealed that there will no longer be a platform-exclusive beta for CoD following the Activision deal.

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Jin_Sakai229d ago (Edited 229d ago )

But early access was ok during the entire Xbox 360/PS3 generation when you had it right Phil?

SyntheticForm229d ago

Nobody said they weren't hypocrites.

1Victor229d ago

@Jin:” But early access was ok during the entire Xbox 360/PS3 generation when you had it right Phil?”

We all know there’s a PlayStation before the platform in that statement 🤦🏿

Profchaos229d ago (Edited 229d ago )

Those deals were brokered under Peter Moore to be fair. And they were winning at that time

Rdeal229d ago (Edited 229d ago )

He wasn't in control can't blame him for things he had no control over

sean1987229d ago

Wait so you're complaining that now everyone has the opportunity to participate in the early access regardless of platform? Isn't this a good thing?

Would you prefer it if they removed early access off the PlayStation and went exclusive early access to Xbox. I think having it multiplatform early access is a great result out of the buyout. Only means more players at launch.

Jin_Sakai229d ago (Edited 229d ago )

“Wait so you're complaining that now everyone has the opportunity to participate in the early access regardless of platform? Isn't this a good thing?“

No I’m calling out the hypocrisy that it was all good when they had the beta first all throughout the Xbox 360 generation but now it’s not that they don’t have it first.

Petebloodyonion229d ago

@Jin_sakai
Care to remind us what version of COD on 360 got an exclusive public beta?
Actually what version of COD on 360 got a public Beta in 1st place?

porkChop229d ago

COD didn't get exclusive betas on Xbox 360. They got the map packs 30 days early. IIRC the exclusive betas started when PS got the marketing deal. Also, whereas Xbox got maps 30 days early PS got entire modes exclusive for a full year. Both are terrible for consumers but they're hardly the same thing.

Neonridr229d ago

so he's making the right choice this time, you should be applauding that.

Michiel1989228d ago

@jin except he wasn't head of xbox then. You're trying too hard buddy, at least I got a good laugh out of it

itsmebryan228d ago

@jin

I don't get your point. Your talking about something from almost 18 years ago. That's the best you got? Both companies were doing the same thing now they say they will stop it. What's the problem? Isn't that learning from past mistakes or are you just salty because the ABK deal went through?

228d ago
+ Show (9) more repliesLast reply 228d ago
neutralgamer1992229d ago

Good beta should be played by as many as possible so the devs could get the feedback and test the server’s capabilities

Christopher229d ago

I mean, Game Pass isn't a platform. No lie.

229d ago
Jin_Sakai229d ago

Christopher, what’s going on with the site? N4G is almost unusable. It’s incredibly slow.

Vengeance1138229d ago

Seriously it's just endless server issues with this garbage site.
What incompetent apes are running it??

Jin_Sakai229d ago (Edited 229d ago )

@Vengeance1138

N4G being acquired by BGFG was the biggest mistake ever. The site has went downhill ever since and barely works as of late.

outsider1624229d ago

Too slow sakai. I can't even open a single article without that runtime error. And this is the only site i check for everything gaming. And Reddit.

gold_drake229d ago

right? omfg its a nightmare. i ejther cant get access due to a server error or it takes a long time ha

ErcsYou229d ago

I tried to view this story yesterday the lag was unbearable, but those ads load perfect every time

anast229d ago

I've been having the same issue.

228d ago
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rippermcrip229d ago

Are you going to delete this duplicate of an article? No shame at all, bypassing rules and how this site is supposed to work.

darthv72229d ago

hmm... this is a duplicate of another article: https://n4g.com/news/257118...

Does videogamer get special treatment regardless of the rules?

-Foxtrot229d ago

Yes

Happened a dozen times now

It’s hypocritical yet you could get a warning for some of the smallest things

AdonisIsBeast229d ago

Yup, and there’s now only one mod on this platform correct? Surprised people haven’t sent in formal complaints to their new ownership.

-Foxtrot229d ago

It’s insane to me

A mod gave me a warning recently because I thought (being on the mobile site) that a submission I approved had actually fixed their report, they hadn’t

Ohhhhh but a duplicate article, it’s fine, no sweat.

The rules feel made up these days

Jin_Sakai228d ago (Edited 228d ago )

“Yup, and there’s now only one mod on this platform correct? Surprised people haven’t sent in formal complaints to their new ownership.“

From my knowledge BGFG are pushing Christopher to submit videogamer.com articles since they own both sites. At least that is what I was told. I miss the old N4G.

Terry_B229d ago

Yup....silly articles from them about random people saying something on reddit as well as duplicates from videogame seem to be okay.

Thank Christopher for that.

Vits229d ago

Yes, take a look at who submits their articles and you will understand.

purple101229d ago

n4g is ment to be an aggregator website, it cannot function as such if a creator / people / sites get preferential treatment,.. that's not how a natural organic aggregator works,

so most people know now, which articles get most heat and bubble up, are fixed.,

any alternatives to n4g that allow article voting>?

Christopher228d ago

I'll address this, even though I know people aren't going to be happy.

First, this isn't a duplicate, it's a SWAS. I embedded the video, but the article is about a very specific and buried part of the podcast. This is in our guidelines.

Second, it does break one guideline in that it is allowed earlier than usual (6 hours after approval). But, people, this is how content works sometimes for people who control the site. If I'm told to push it, that's how it goes. But I do my best to make sure it at least follows the guidelines otherwise. I have not put content I was asked to put here many times because it is truly duplicate. This is not one of those times.

Third, yes, VideoGamer, WePC, and N4G Unlocked do get some preferential treatment at times. I'm sending your feedback to them, but that doesn't mean that they are going to stop promoting their content at times. That's what happens when you own N4G and other sites. Your feedback resulted in not using pinned content, for example. Thank you for voicing your concerns.

Fourth, the mass majority, almost all submissions from VideoGamer, are approved by the community. It's not me pushing the majority of content you complain about, it's your fellow N4Gers. I just submit them.

Fifth, I have a job to do and I'm trying my best to keep to the spirit of what N4G is, but we all understand how the market works and N4G is now more than just an aggregate site but a portfolio of gaming sites that rely on clicks, views, and ad revenue. If you have an issue with how it is being handled, please continue to communicate it.

Thank you.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 228d ago
Elda229d ago

He meant to say it'll be exclusive on the platform he works for.

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250°

Take-Two CEO Doesn’t Think AI Will Reduce Employment or Dev Costs; “Stupidest Thing” He’s Heard

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick doesn't think AI will reduce employment or lower development costs, and calls it "stupidest thing" he's ever heard.

lodossrage1d 1h ago (Edited 1d 1h ago )

They already have AI trained to do coding.......

How he thinks it's stupid is beyond me, Especially since we see it happening in real time.

CS723h ago

Company A has 300 employees and lays of 200 to replace them with AI to release the same quality game.

Company B has 300 employees and keeps all 300 but instead uses AI to release a game with dramatically larger scale, scope, complexity, short dev cycle etc.

Company B would release a dramatically better product by using humans + AI and consumers would buy the better game.

I actually agree with this concept.

Huey_My_D_Long22h ago(Edited 22h ago)

This is key facet. Its how the AI is used. It's actually is impressive as is and really would make an amazing addition to alot of people in their jobs, not just tech. It also has the potential for businesses to use to lay off large amounts of people, as much as they could to save money on labor. I hope too many companies don't go with the latter. But since usually companies are worried about bottom line over people...we will see some try and hopefully fail. But yeah, if its to help workers like in your company B scenario I'm totally down...Just scared Company A may be too enticing to some ceos and businesses.

Darkegg22h ago

Value of AI and value of humans will both be increased with human-AI complex. Each, by themselves, will not be independently better than the other. Whether AI will ever be independent from humans is the fear question of humans, ironically because of our doing. At this stage, most of the doing is because of humans, not because of AI. AI is doing exactly that by our design, until we have failed ourselves with an AI development that went awry. The biggest take is that humans have only ourselves to blame when things become wrong, and we have to decide what is the ultimate goal with AI we want to accomplish. It would take a person with high morals and high ethics to make right of AI. I would not want businessman to decide what AI should do or what capabilities it can have. AI should be in the hands of people with high moral fiber, or those operating on love, kindness, and compassion.

BlackOni22h ago

AI is SUPPOSED to be used as a tool, not a replacement. It's designed to do two important things artists can take advantage of immediately.

- Make the ideation/reference imaging process much quicker and easier (basically using it as a google search)
- Make mundane and time consuming tasks faster and easier so more time is spent on creation.

Unfortunately, what many have done is used it as a way to replace rather than supplement.

Einhander197219h ago(Edited 18h ago)

CS7

In the ideal world yes.

In the real world where companies have shown little desire to innovate and spent every effort to maximize profits the end result will be the same quality games (if were lucky) made by less people and more AI.

Company Real World: Fires 200 people and makes the same game cheaper using AI and the executives get record bonuses.

Edit:

Lets look at history, specifically auto manufacturing.

In the 70's and 80's the auto unions tried to oppose automation of jobs (robots) stating that they would take peoples jobs. And the people in charge who wanted to make more money said the exact same types of things that are being said about AI. But we can look at history and see that countless types of jobs were in fact replaced by automation, that was of course even compounded upon by computers.

The net effect was that the rich got richer less jobs were needed so wages were forced down by competition for the jobs that were left.

hombreacabado40m ago

that concept works in the initial beginning phase of AI but once AI learns and surpasses the knowledge and coding expertise of even the best human employee than this CEO will no longer need competent humans in that line of work.

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Number1TailzFan23h ago

You can already make your own SFX with text prompts now as well, of course it will lower development cost and time

1Victor22h ago(Edited 22h ago)

WARNING WARNING ‼️ SARCASM AHEAD
Sure Strauss and robots didn’t take jobs from car factories.
Edit:Sad thing is he believes it and unfortunately he won’t be replaced for a long time by AI

senorfartcushion21h ago(Edited 21h ago)

He doesn't, he's just lying. These people lay people off so they can get bonuses. If AI takes jobs, their bonus goes bigger and the workforce goes smaller.

porkChop19h ago

Because he sees AI as a tool to aid development. He wants to use AI to help make bigger and better games in the same timeframe. Other CEOs want to replace devs with AI to cut costs and make lifeless games faster for a quick buck. Strauss has the right idea, this is how AI should be used. To extend and expand the capabilities of devs.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 40m ago
jambola1d 1h ago

Ceo says stupid thing
Part 5837384

Zeref23h ago(Edited 23h ago)

I think maybe sometimes we give people in these positions too much credit when it comes to intelligence.

DarXyde3h ago

I think you mean candor, not intelligence.

If you take him to mean what he's saying at face value, sure.

I don't. And I think he's clearly lying.

romulus2323h ago

As long as it doesn't effect his inflated executive salary or his ridiculous bonuses I'm sure he's fine with it.

RNTody23h ago

Hahaha yeah trust the CEO suit over the actual developers making the games. Good one.

Show all comments (32)
340°

Trying to push players over from PC to console is a terrible idea, PlayStation

As PlayStation announces its new strategy to encourage PC users to choose PS5 it is a bitter-sweet moment for PC gamers.

Christopher2d ago

I mean, it's a business based on hardware market. Do we expect them to not even try? It's not like Nintendo doesn't do the same by not putting any games on PC and Microsoft until recently did the same. I don't care what they attempt, as long as they don't abuse the community or lie about their goals/requirements.

Will it work? Not likely. Should we care? No. Let them waste their time, it doesn't affect anything.

RaidenBlack2d ago

let them try ... at the end of the day, we get few extra PC games ... yay ... and also promotes game preservation via PC ... so double yay.

LordoftheCritics2d ago

If only Playstation games provided the ease of pc gaming features.

Primary being very few PS games support m/kb.

Christopher1d 21h ago

If only PC games supported controllers more. Main reason I play primarily on console. So many games have shit support on PC. Playing Dark Envoy now, and it's quite frustrating since I have to switch to keyboard during cut scenes just to make sure advancing conversation doesn't also auto-select a decision. Let alone it's quite rough to select between characters and inventory screens are bad bad bad.

Anywho, similar complaints for both I find. But, I 100% agree that both PC and consoles should support both as best as possible.

crazyCoconuts1d 16h ago

PS may push more kb support in the future to get more PC converts, we'll see.

Flewid6381d 15h ago

As someone with a high end PC, I feel like the ease is on PS5. Too many PC games are a troubleshooting nightmare, which few people have the time for when all you want to do is pop in a game & play it.

Yui_Suzumiya1d 7h ago (Edited 1d 7h ago )

I just use an Xbox controller on my laptop for everything 😆 .. I haven't used a keyboard / mouse combo for PC gaming since 1996

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LordoftheCritics1d 19h ago (Edited 1d 19h ago )

I don't think you understand what I mean by the lack of m/kb support on PS.

Over a thousand titles have PS controller support on PC.

Not even 30 titles have m/kb support on PS5.

Once you are done with the single player title, you'll go back to playing your daily shooter/looter/mmo etc which the pc gamer has mastered with their mouse and keyboard.
Why would any pc gamer make the switch?

jznrpg1d 11h ago (Edited 1d 11h ago )

PC is secondary to PlayStation for them. Mouse and keyboard would affect development. Live service will have it but most single player games aren’t going to have it as PC is not the focus

Christopher38m ago

I didn't miss it. I explained why I, a former PC only gamer, now play primarily on consoles. I don't play MP games, and the games I tend to play are better supported with controllers on console. Let alone some games aren't even supported with controller at all on PC. On console you are guaranteed the best support since it's the primary input. The fact is, PC isn't the best choice for every gamer just like consoles aren't the best choice for every gamer.

If you wanted to only disparage consoles and ignore any benefit of console, cool. But that's not how it is. There is no perfect platform for everyone. It's why we have the hardware market that we have.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 38m ago
Fishy Fingers2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

I wish them the best of luck.

But PC players are often a patient bunch, many will even wait for Epic launcher exclusivity to end until a game comes to Steam.

If they didnt buy the console when its games were exclusive, why would they do it now theyre not?

MrNinosan2d ago

Way more do than you probably think.

ravens522d ago

All you need is that one game that'll make a few switch at a time. Like a game a PC player REALLY wants.

porkChop1d 17h ago

It just doesn't work that way though. Plenty of the best games ever made were never available on PC. That didn't make PC gamers buy consoles to play them. This kind of strategy has never worked in the past and it won't work now. It's fine for PS to hold their games back and release on PC later, but to think that will boost console sales is wishful thinking. All this will accomplish is some double dipping, which is obviously good for business.

JackBNimble1d 16h ago (Edited 1d 16h ago )

People aren't going to switch from pc to ps5, why would anyone do that for a game?
Most sony exclusives aren't all that to begin with, and pc has the option to upgrade what they want when they want it. Having access to some ps5 games, gamepass and steam.

Thinking this would happen is naive

outsider16242d ago

I mean if there's 10 million pc gamers out there...getting atleast just 1 million from there is probably a good thing..right?

romulus231d 23h ago

PC players are not a monolith, I don't know why people keep thinking they speak for the entirety of all PC gamers like they all know each other personally. You think out of the millions of PC gamers not one single person will be impatient?Well Sony is willing to bet there will be. Why would they do it now? People's feelings change and new PC gamers come along all the time that may also feel different about waiting, that's why.

Yui_Suzumiya1d 7h ago

Just like how I'm waiting for Alan Wake II to hit Steam 😆

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-Foxtrot2d ago

PC gamers are just too patient and loyal to their gaming set ups, something they've spent a lot of money on to perfect. They have backlogs of games which many never get round to finishing or get round to at all and will always have other multiplatform releases to keep them going.

Over the many years Sony has published so many awesome titles such as The Last of Us, Uncharted, Heavenly Sword, Infamous, Killzone, LittleBigPlanet, Dreams, Puppeteer, Resistance, Heavy Rain, Gran Turismo, Motor Storm, God of War, Horizon, Ratchet and Clank, Spiderman, Ghost of Tsushima, Bloodborne

If none of those games BEFORE all these PC ports convinced a hardcore PC gamer to get a PS5 console then why on Earth would porting them them to PC now make any difference? All PC gamers now know 100% is that they just have to be patient, which they are good at anyway to get a PS5 game 2 years later.

I get GaaS games or multiplayer focused titles but if people really want to play these games they'd have gotten a PS console years ago.

Crows902d ago

Not sure they're aiming to convince the hardcore PC gamer.

Not sure why people are obsessing over his comment...it seems pretty simple to me.

He will do all he can to entice gamers to move to his ecosystem. As you say....exclusives existing hasn't moved many gamers over. But if they get to try them and love the games then they might change their mind about waiting 2 years.

We're in an echo chamber on this site...I've Personally seen people with Xbox and PC setups but no PlayStation. I've also seen people with small PC setups but no console. Not every pc gamer invests thousands and many may decide to put one in the living room.

They're not looking to convince all of players to buy a PlayStation...just a few...and really it is just a PR statement after all...they have to give a reason why single player won't release day 1....not to mention they also have to ensure current PlayStation gamers don't jump ship to PC. It goes both ways and they're ignoring the big L by putting any of their games off their platform.

anast2d ago

"Not sure they're aiming to convince the hardcore PC gamer."

Right here

Kakashi Hatake2d ago

PC gamers think tomorrow is promised. Sorry, don't have time for that.

Michiel19892d ago

it's not just about loyalty or sunk cost, pc is an open platform while consoles are closed platforms. If you for example want to mod, you will play on pc, no question about it. Also if you like indie games, steam is a fucking goldmine for that. I've been playing a lot of indie games over the last years and there just seems to be an endless amount of them on steam. Also not having games locked to a certain fps is a prettty big deal for me and I assume a lot of other pc players.

Walalon1d 23h ago

And don't forget steam sales, you can get a ton of games on an awesome price.

badz1491d 15h ago

@Walalon

Sony has been doing sales constantly on the PS Store nowadays.

jznrpg1d 11h ago (Edited 1d 11h ago )

@Walalon Steam sales are basically the same as PS sales. I was going to buy a Steam Deck and I heard about these Steam sales but the games I was interested in were not any cheaper. Indie games were cheap and older AAA were cheap but the same can be said for PS store sales. I didn’t end up getting the Steam Deck as there weren’t any games that I wanted to play that wasn’t already on PS and prices aren’t much different

romulus231d 23h ago

And how do you know out of the millions of PC gamers that not one single person ever went ahead and bought a PlayStation console for one or more of those games? People keep speaking for the entirety of millions of PC gamers like they know them all personally. Here's one example for you, I'm currently typing on a recently purchased PC that cost me over twenty five hundred dollars and is more than capable of running any game including Sony exclusives that come to PC and yet I still bought a PS5 so apparently I'm not patient or loyal enough to my set up, hope it's not mad at me for not being loyal.

jznrpg1d 11h ago

Some of those people will consider getting a PS5 some wont. I was a PC gamer for a long time and I’m a console only gamer now. Everyone’s different.

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helicoptergirl2d ago

Who cares? Then just stay on PC and play the waiting game. No big deal. Sony wins in the end anyway.

Melankolis14h ago

Yup. If the strategy doesnt work, all they have to do is to change their mind, publish the games on PC, and they still win anyway.

Number1TailzFan2d ago

I mean if there's any single player Sony games that I actually want that aren't on PC then I would buy said console to play them on. But the ones that I like that aren't on PC are few and far between anyway so no loss for me.

If I game, it's usually multiplayer titles, otherwise I like playing around with some other software.

Amplitude1d 21h ago (Edited 1d 21h ago )

Astro Bot is the game that just did it for me. I'm gonna have to grab a PS5 again for that.

I did this for Ratchet Rift Apart too but ended up selling the PS5 after getting my plat. Rebought it on PC and other than GoW Ragnarok and Horizon FW (which eventually I could get anyway), I haven't had a reason to downgrade my graphics, controller features, ease of recording, and increase my game costs and monthly subscriptions throughout this entire generation.

I play on a TV with a controller but this has been the absolute worst console gen for both consoles. Never in my life thought I'd be a PC gamer but I've been spoiled by the cheap costs, cross-platform controllers and mostly the unbelievably useful Steam controller config.

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50°

ARK: Survival Ascended Premium Mods on Consoles Q&A - By 2030, Time Spent on UGC Will Be Way Bigger

ARK: Survival Ascended has introduced Premium Mods on consoles. Wccftech talked to Studio Wildcard and their partner Overwolf about the rising importance of user-generated content, especially for live service games.

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