540°

Bethesda: 'We Have To Change How We Approach Single-Player Games'

Although Bethesda Softworks continues to be one of the greatest proponents of single-player games in the AAA arena, the publisher believes it needs to adapt its approach to such projects.

Einhander19712152d ago

Single player games still the best experience:)

drpepperdude2152d ago

I used to think that and there has been some great single player games but this gen the games I enjoyed the most were multiplayer with friends or family involved. Sea of Thieves while I think it's a horrible game with a lack of content I enjoyed it the most this gen.

Eidolon2152d ago

You enjoy playing games with your friends and family, others like playing by themselves, you can have fun with the shittiest game if friends and family are there, but doesn't that's not a game experience, that's a social experience.

Jinger2152d ago (Edited 2152d ago )

@Eidolon

Well that's not true. A crap game is a crap game. There has been PLENTY of co-op games or online games that my brother and I stop playing because it just isn't fun

Eidolon2152d ago

No one is saying a multiplayer game can't be great..

drpepperdude2152d ago

@Eidolon I didn't say I only enjoy playing games with friends or family, I said this gen I had better experiences that way mostly because multiplayer games continue to improve while single player experiences are going the opposite direction. Most of them have become shorter with overall bland story telling except for a select few Sony and third party games. I would say microtransactions are multiplayers biggest negative (other than servers) but then again single player games have them now too...

FinalFantasyFanatic2152d ago

Single player has always been my best experience, it's hard to find friends with the same multiplayer games and it's even harder to get the to stick with it. When I think about it, the SOS system in Monster Hunter World works best for me and sometimes I get the same players helping me out on a semi-regular basis.

OB1Biker2152d ago (Edited 2152d ago )

Multiplayer games have become even more popular this gen with free to play and also with kids getting more involved in multiplayer . However I think there is a renewal of single player experience in a more relatable, emotional or realistic approach, closer to the quality of experience you can find in other medium but with the more involving, immersive or fun nature of videogames.

Edit
' single player experiences are going the opposite direction. Most of them have become shorter with overall bland story '
I strongly disagree with that one

Kornholic2152d ago

You ruined your perfectly valid point by mentioning Sea of Thieves. Better luck next time!

joab7772151d ago (Edited 2151d ago )

Not me! Not at all. I do enjoy multiplayer games a lot. I love mmo’s. But some of the very best games made are single player experiences.

Now, what I wouldn’t mind is the option in some great single player games to have a friend play with you. Because often it’s great to experience a grand adventure with a buddy, as an option though! I wouldn’t mind the ability to jump into a friend’s ES6 game and help him tackle missions or build his estate. But not an always online, pervasive world with dozens of ppl.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 2151d ago
Jinger2152d ago

Eh, it's more like 25/75 for me. Most of my game time comes from games that have multiplayer or co-op.

2152d ago
2152d ago
Jinger2151d ago

@Ninja

Monster Hunter
Dark Souls series
Destiny
Warframe
PUBG
Rocket League
Battlefield
Quake Champions

I mean I could go on and on and the list would also include games with SP and MP like Gears, Halo, UC4 I spent more time in MP than the SP....

Kumakai2152d ago

yet some of my best memories of gaming are playing multiplayer with a team of friends.

Why o why2152d ago

Me too, some of my best memories were multiplayer from unreal tournament to modern warfare. . . Couch multiplayer seems to be ignored though. Those local multiplayer games have also been some of my best gaming experiences but sp games have outnumbered the aforementioned.

2151d ago
Bahamut2151d ago

Yes, but, taking a single player game, then just giving the option for a 2nd player to join without changing anything else, is okay in my book. I always wished they would add a player "drop-in/drop-out" feature in Skyrim so me and my wife or kids could play together. Change nothing else. Just allow one other person to join in if they want.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 2151d ago
drpepperdude2152d ago (Edited 2152d ago )

So they have been making good single player games and then they say the way they approach them now shouldn't be the same as before... I can't find any positives in that statement.

2152d ago Replies(1)
rainslacker2152d ago

Well....every dev and pub should always analyze how they approach games. It doesn't mean they have to make drastic changes to what they're doing. Could just mean that they have to make sure to analyze the way they approach the games. If that's the case, then he's not wrong. SP games have to be looked at in a way that can keep them profitable.

-Foxtrot2152d ago

What's with the total 180?

I'll say it again for the 100th time on here

"SAVE PLAYER ONE" - The campaign they did at Christmas last year

Now we have a complete 180 from them with Fallout 76 and statements like these, I mean what the hell is going on from them?

Dark_Knightmare22152d ago (Edited 2152d ago )

It sucks but i can’t entirely blame them since prey,Wolfenstein 2,dishonored 2 and evil within 2 all reviewed well with wolf 2,dishonored 2 and prey being outstanding but they didn’t sell at all so people aren’t putting their money where their mouth is

RememberThe3572152d ago

Their single-player games didn't do as well as they hoped and their advertising campaign hasn't helped. This is what happens when we don't buy the games we say we want.

Kavorklestein2152d ago

I can think of a new way to do single player games... NO dlc. Make it worth my damn 60 bucks. Then maybe a year later... when I KNOW it wasn't simply cut from the game for extra $$$ release a MAJOR DLC instead.

Petebloodyonion2152d ago

And where did games like Wolfenstein 2 and Doom failed to deliver 60$ worth of content?
Or games like Dishonered2, Evil2, etc...?

Kavorklestein2152d ago (Edited 2152d ago )

I never said they failed.
I'm saying making singleplayer games is good, as LONG as it's worth the 60 bucks and not 120 bucks etc.. because of dlc

OB1Biker2152d ago

'That doesn’t mean that we should keep doing things the way we did five or ten years ago—we’ve got to CONTINUE to change how we approach it.”
The statement is rather neutral actually

2152d ago Replies(1)
joab7772151d ago

Me either. The problem is that the profits from mp games r exponentially better than sp. That’s the real issue that I wish publishers/devs and gamers could have, instead of all these BS cloak and dagger excuses.

GTA5 is the single best selling SP game of all time and it’s profits pale in comparison to its online counterpart. When ppl invest money, they want little risk and the greatest return. AAA sp games r expensive and may end up failing miserably. Even if they succeed, they don’t make as much as many mobile games do.

So, we need to work together to make sure that sp games continue to get made b/c so many are soooo good! Most discussions assume that players like sp or mp games and that’s not true. I love both. I don’t know the answer. But the answer isn’t changing or eliminating the sp experience.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 2151d ago
kevnb2152d ago

well you have to think about marketing and release windows, Bethesda has been doing a little poorly in those regards for games they haven't developed themselves.

DrumBeat2152d ago

That single statement worries me. How would you go about changing your approach? What does that really mean? -Worried gamer.

OhReginald2152d ago

Sounds fishy to me as well. Better not be hinting at single player games as a service or some hybrid of singplayer/multiplayer like destiny.

Thomaticus2152d ago

They can make that change if they want their games to end up in the 9.99 / 4.99 bin.

showtimefolks2152d ago

FO76 is proof Bethesda that you weren't happy with sales from(FO4)(which BTW made you billion with launch)

Instead of having to change all you have to do is change the release window for some of the smaller games. Games like dishonored and wolfenstien would have done better if released during better part of the calendar so they didn't have to compete with other games

Show all comments (78)
140°

Xbox Needs to Embrace PlayStation and Nintendo for Sustainability

Ybarra, who spent two decades at Microsoft, acknowledged concerns about the future of Xbox hardware by fans once more first-party games go multiplatform.

Read Full Story >>
playstationlifestyle.net
ThinkThink4h ago

As an xbox guy, If porting some exclusives to sony and nintendo allows MS to continue offering gamepass day one, I'm all for it. Port them all if you need to.

Hofstaderman4h ago(Edited 4h ago)

Your way of thinking is why Microsoft is where they are. All they had to do was hold the line of the 360 circa 2010. Had the continued with thay strategy they would not have had to introduce gamepass which has spectacularly kneecapped them.

ThinkThink3h ago

@hof, but then they would still be in the same position as sony, fighting for those same 150 million customers. As a publicly traded company, they still need to show growth. Once sony is day and date on PC, they will also need to find new customers, likely by embracing 3rd party. What you consider "kneecapping" I consider an incredible customer value in gamepass.

Ironmike3h ago

Kneecapping the xbox and pc owners are loving it I do t think u telise how popular gamepass is

MrBaskerville3h ago

They were faltering in the last year or two of the 360 era. Don't forget that they doubled down on Kinect, which might be part of the reason why they didn't have much to show going into Xbox One.

QuantumMechanic1h ago

But GamePass is not MS' consolation effort; it was always the endgame! MS is all about subscription-based revenue-streams now! They have turned almost all of their businesses into software-as-a-service; only Windows remains. Stay tuned for that one in the next 5 years.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1h ago
KevtheDuff4h ago

As a consumer, I really get that point of view.

As an ex dev seeing what's happened to the industry I have no doubt that GP is harming the industry I love by devaluing games, so my thoughts are little less positive about it.

I can agree with the sentiment that most of their games should be multi platform. Until they swallowed up these devs, most of the titles we are wating for would have been multi platform anyway.

Obscure_Observer3h ago

@ThinkThink

"As an xbox guy, If porting some exclusives to sony and nintendo allows MS to continue offering gamepass day one, I'm all for it. Port them all if you need to."

I won´t say all, but definitely some games I wouldn´t care either as long excellence continues to be delivered to us.

Cockney1h ago

If some then why not all? Think think isn't wrong, his reasoning is quite concise in that yes multi platform brings more funds to develop more games all available day 1 on gamepass, he's happy as Larry.

Lexreborn24h ago

I still find it funny that Microsoft is spinning its obligations that it has to releasing on other systems as if it is some noble decision. Before they bought the companies they did these games were all in development easily the last 3-5 years and had some type of standing agreement they absorbed.

People are acting like this is a dependency when in reality it’s them just trying to avoid major lawsuits. I am willing to bet any game that’s started development in the last year that would release in the next 5 will eventually be Xbox only unless in the next 5 years Xbox just fails hard.

And with the new skus they released I REALLY don’t foresee them having a huge jump. When now the disc version is a HUGE luxury at 600 with them not even having a physical presence anymore it’s them killing their physical market.

CrimsonWing694h ago(Edited 4h ago)

They just need super strong games and consistency. This showcase was the first time since the 360 era where I actually was excited for what Xbox has. I already own a paper weight Xbox Series X, but now it’s looking like it’s time to blow the 3 inch layer of dust off it and give it some loving.

What Xbox needs to do now is be consistent with the releases. Don’t let this be a one time thing and then back the the poultry exclusives and typical Forza, Halo, and whatever else they just release. If they can do that I honestly believe they can rebuild the brand and possibly get it back to how it was when the 360 was alive.

Ironmike3h ago

I agree with article and I believe sony will follow suit budgets to big development times to long none can sustain this forever and sony won't be able to either

ThinkThink3h ago

I also think in 20 years we are going to look back and say "Remember when we used to have to buy a game publishers box to put under your TV in order to play their games?"

620°

Former PlayStation Boss Responds to Phil Spencer's 'Slimy' Comment

The former boss of PlayStation has responded to some recent comments made by Xbox head Phil Spencer in a recent interview. The wide-ranging interview covered a variety of topics, with the conversation at one point leading Spencer to mention that he doesn't want to do "slimy platform things" to force gamers to play games a certain way, which has now prompted a response by PlayStation's former leader.

Jin_Sakai15h ago(Edited 15h ago)

“Phillip W. Spencer III:"Xbox’s aim with Call of Duty is to give players choice, not "do slimy platform things" that make one option more appealing."

Yet Xbox were the ones who started this exclusive crap with CoD during the 360/PS3 era. This guy is something else.

CrashMania9h ago(Edited 9h ago)

Yep, some of their fans also parrot this hypocritical line, MS started and popularised that trend, then spent 80 billion.

Pot kettle black.

Old McGroin1h ago(Edited 1h ago)

"MS started and popularised that trend"

What a load of horse poo. Atari was paying for and securing exclusives back in the '80s. It's been around since the dawn of gaming, they're all at it. The earliest one I actually remember as it played out was Sony hijacking Final Fantasy 7 from Nintendo.

Edit: just read the comments again, are ye only talking about COD exclusive deals? If so then yeah, ye're probably right!

shinoff21831h ago(Edited 1h ago)

Old mcgroin

Just a heads up. Nintendo lost square by staying with cartridge. That's fact. After square pleaded with Nintendo to switch to a larger format. So Sony didn't really hi jack anything.

Last where we're you before Sony even entered cause this was common during Sega vs Nintendo.

Also before that I believe on nes. Developers used to have to sign like a 2 year exclusivity with Nintendo to be on their platform.

Might wanna read up a bit

Old McGroin1h ago(Edited 1h ago)

@shinoff2183

"where we're you before Sony even entered cause this was common during Sega vs Nintendo."

"Might wanna read up a bit"

Might want to take your own advice and maybe read the start of my comment where I said "Atari was paying for and securing exclusives back in the '80s. It's been around since the dawn of gaming".

Gaming didn't start with Nintendo buddy.

S2Killinit4h ago(Edited 4h ago)

Every word out of MS can be flipped on its head to reveal the truth.

ravens524h ago

Don't you get the beta early if you have gamepass, that's what I heard.

Reaper22_4h ago(Edited 4h ago)

"Yet Xbox were the ones who started this exclusive crap with CoD during the 360/PS3 era. This guy is something else."

That's not actually true. Sony paid to keep games off of Nintendo and sega back in day. Plus they payed blocking rights to keep certain games off of gamepass which is probably what Phil may be referring to. Imo that makes them slimey too if we're being honest. At the end of the day it's just business. There is no doubt in my mind that if sony could make huge purchases like Microsoft, they would. You probably won't see sony respond with an official statement because they know they are just as guilty.

Einhander19724h ago

"Sony paid to keep games off of Nintendo and sega back in day."

That's not actually true.

Nintendo (and Sega) had licensing of games exclusive to their system way before PlayStation even existed, and both used 3'rd party developers to make licensed games exclusively for their hardware.

You and Microsoft are literally trying to rewrite history.

fr0sty3h ago

To be fair here, Einhander, Phil didn't mention Sony by name with his comment, it was just implied.
That said, the practice goes all the way back to the "Nintendo Seal of Quality" that not only limited developers to publishing on NES, but also limited the number of games they could make per year to 5.

blackblades3h ago

Nintendo did it, sega did it was business at the end of the day. Y'all people gotta stop rolling on the Sony did it back in the day nonsense. Always blaming someone and back in the day was back in the day stop going that far back in time.

Crows902h ago(Edited 2h ago)

You're creating a strawman here. Nobody claimed Sony didn't do that type of tactic. He specifically singled out CoD since that's what the whole topic and Phil's statement was about.

Don't be dishonest man

Regardless it's not about who done it first....it's about who is doing it now.

shinoff21831h ago

You do know that Xbox does the same thing right. Xbox blocks Sony, Sony blocks Xbox. Please stop crying about gamepass. Thats the root of the problem.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 1h ago
DarkKaine4h ago

The first instance of this crap I remember is Soul Calibur II. GameCube got Link, Xbox had Yoda and PS2 had Darth Vader.

darthv723h ago

you are thinking Soul Calibur 4 for the SW characters. Soul Calibur 2 had Link (GC), Spawn (XB) and Heihachi (PS2). Then Soul Calibur 3 was exclusive to the PS2 while Soul Calibur 4 was on 360/PS3... no Nintendo version until Soul Calibur Legends for Wii.

Skuletor3h ago

Adding on to what darth said, Soulcalibur II HD came out later on PS3 (maybe Xbox 360 too?) and it included the PS2 exclusive character Heihachi and the Xbox exclusive fighter Spawn but unsurprisingly, Link wasn't included

Soul Calibur IV on Xbox had Yoda (hate fighting that short bastard) and PS3 had Darth Vader but each platform had the other fighter as paid DLC.

darthv723h ago

True... and yet the kind of 'exclusivity' MS paid for was usually timed. The same things would still come to the PS but when Sony does it they make it so what they pay for stays exclusive.

I get paying to get something sooner, but paying to keep others from ever getting it too... that shit is slimy AF.

romulus232h ago

"but paying to keep others from ever getting it too... that shit is slimy AF "

So than you agree the Act/Blizz and Zenimax deals are slimy AF becasue there are definitely former multi-plat games PlayStation gamers lost becasue of the aqusitions.

darthv722h ago

@romulus, the entire practice is slimy, no matter who does it. Especially if the games in question were initially mutliplat and then became paid exclusives through acquisitions or contractual obligations.

As far as I know, MS has not removed access to any existing games for PS gamers. You can probably look to ones that were initially announced but never released until after, those likely shouldnt count because they weren't existing games in franchises that were always multiplatform. We can look to games such as Street Fighter V as a good example of a game in a multiplatform series that suddenly became exclusive and other gamers lost out on. Same goes for Dead Rising 3. Both of which were some back alley deal made between Capcom and the platform holder which YES... those are slimy AF.

FlintGREY1h ago

@Darth
"True... and yet the kind of 'exclusivity' MS paid for was usually timed. The same things would still come to the PS but when Sony does it they make it so what they pay for stays exclusive."

Like Dead Rising 3? 🤔

shinoff21831h ago

Can you blame Sony for paying for exclusives. Ms went and bought up 2 major publishers, many studios , alot of the wrpg market.

Are you as upset ps fans don't get to play Ms 3rd party exclusives as well

darthv721h ago

@shin... in the grand timeline of things... Sony paying for exclusives predates anything MS did since joining the club.

Christopher1h ago

***As far as I know, MS has not removed access to any existing games for PS gamers.***

In what time frame? Recently? No. But, you know, they definitely have.

And why do we always goal post with 'removed access to any existing games' as if that's the only slimy thing these companies are doing, specifically the fact that Microsoft is buying up massive publishers to control where those games go just like Sony making agreements with third parties (who can say no, btw).

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 1h ago
Christopher2h ago

Phil says things but it's the actions of the company he runs that just nullifies all of his statements. You can't call a company slimy for using money to buy exclusives when you do the exact same thing by buying out studios and making their new games exclusives. At least up until the point you realize you're not selling enough and need to put them on that other platform to make the game studios stick around and exist.

TheProfessional2h agoShowReplies(1)
Crows902h ago

Yeah...I love how now that's a plus while also limiting IP from other platforms at the same time. What a bullshit slimy car salesman tactic.

Anyone with a brain or memory bigger than a pea can remember who started cod bs

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Terry_B14h ago

Phil was and is the right man for the company he is working for. Slimy..through and through. The Persons as well as the company itself.

TheProfessional2h ago(Edited 2h ago)

Wow so you all really loved corporate scum like Jim Ryan then? All the games as a service projects and no backwards compatibility unless it's an overpriced remaster? And abandoning Twisted metal, resistance, syphon, getaway and all of the other IPs?

And if Phil is so bad why did the xbox showcase/the games he greenlit annihilate PS last presentation?

"You scared bro?"

Aloymetal2h ago

No one is scared, have you seen the hardware/software sales from the most irrelevant gaming brand in the past 15 yrs aka the green brand...???
Their latest show was so ''AmAzInG'' that they'll be able to sell at least 40 more consoles/games and capture the attention of at least 6 more gamers around the planet...

shinoff21831h ago

Phil's a blowhard , and fk Jim Ryan to. I feel Jim's the reason sonys at were their at. Game wise. To say blew the lead is such and overstatement though lol. Ps is still killing Xbox.

Doomeduk38m ago(Edited 37m ago)

Getting moist over a showcase really. ? let's take a short step in time to Redfall and it's epic showcase remembering the part how the AI adapts like never before and CrackDown with the power of " The Cloud "
Young chap it's advertising nothing more nothing less that power mop turbo in the advert will not clean your floor quicker
The fixation on Jim Ryan is a bit creepy I'm not gonna lie pass the phone back to your Dad...foot steps..
Hello you don't know me but that child of yours is showing an unhealthy fascination with an old man please contact child services. Like yesterday

derek28m ago

@The Professional, Jim Ryan never portrayed himself to be the savor of gaming or act as if the company he works for was victimized by the evil competition like that chubby dope Philip Spencer. Lol. Ryan almost never talked yet here you are hating on him because the mindless masses told you to.
You xbox fans never learn, always running your mouth about Sony as soon as anything good happens for xbox. Yet after the games release and the sales results are shown, xbox stays dead last in both. It would be wise for you to hold off on the trash talking.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 28m ago
italiangamer13h ago

POS boss for a POS brand with POS fans, that's what xbox is.
So good to see them begging for Sony and Nintendo money and making all their games multiplatform, they are the ultimate losers and got what they deserve.

TheProfessional2h ago(Edited 2h ago)

What trash you must be. Criticizing every fan of a brand you don't like. You're a great example of PS fans and bias. Anyone you don't agree with is wrong and stupid right? You must be a liberal.

shinoff21831h ago

I mean your a bit wrong to though lol. And of course just like a true repub, gotta resort to politics. Yall some straight crazy in the head mfs

XiNatsuDragnel9h ago

Microsoft are the definition of slimy imo

TheProfessional2h ago(Edited 2h ago)

Jim Ryan is literally corporate scum who doesn't play games. Enjoy Concord.

Crows902h ago

Weren't you just calling out someone else about how demonizing people is bad. Here you are thiugh

MrBeatdown48m ago

Ooh Jim gave the green light to a game you're not interested in. WhAt A sCuMbAg!

I_am_Batman8h ago

Phil Spencer surely must have the world record in the amount of times a CEO can put his foot in his mouth throughout his career. I honestly wonder why Microsoft even lets him do interviews at all at this point.

Show all comments (81)
90°

The Xbox showcase brought the E3 magic

After having to prove itself for years, Xbox doubled down and pulled it off..

Read Full Story >>
videogameschronicle.com
GaboonViper1d 23h ago

Yep Xbox absolutely knocked it out of the park with that stunning show, it was everything a gaming showcase should be, games games and games, well done team Xbox.

CrimsonWing691d 8h ago

It really did. Like I came out of that with the hype for new games I haven’t felt since… well the better years of E3.

monkey6021d 8h ago

It was without a doubt one of the better showcases in years. There was plenty there that excited me. Something has been lacking in years on all platforms

EasilyTheBest1d 6h ago

It was an amazing showcase I loved everything about it. Can't wait to play some of those games.
What's going on. 4 comments & no negatives yet. Wow, what's going on with N4G.

ThinkThink1d 5h ago (Edited 1d 5h ago )

Show was so good, it made me forget about that blue dragon rumor until the next day. Too many games to process.

Show all comments (6)