• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

IGN | Starfield Feels like Xbox's Last Chance at Redemption

Ideally if no games got delayed, they would have some of the other long gestating projects ready.

Yeah. And once again it’s another year for a Forza game. Even stopped numbering now.

How many years have we seen fellow Xbox guys say things like “ Forza is coming” “yeah but Forza is out soon”

Don’t mean to be passive aggressive I’m just bored of the same repetitive shite.

Where are the games that blow people away for the next generation system , that sell consoles , get people into the ecosystem on console/PC etc.
 

yazenov

Member
Something tells me MS will have a launch day review embargo on Starfield like Redfall.

If they did it then we will know the reason why even before the reviews are out that they aren't confident in the game's quality.
 
D

Deleted member 471617

Unconfirmed Member
It's amazing that one average rated game in Redfall has completely invalidated the other 11 games that Microsoft has published this generation. 3 games in the 70's and 8 games with an 83 or higher. People are really overdoing it now.

With that said, I will say that Starfield is Microsoft's most important first party game since Gears of War but at the same time, if it somehow is even worse than Redfall, it won't be the end of Xbox or anything close to that. When you have Microsoft spending $100B since 2018, it's pretty obvious that Xbox isn't going anywhere.
 

Kacho

Gold Member
So if the game is a all out banger, they don't get credit then, eh?
Starfield? No they shouldn’t because they inherited the banger. They didn’t green light it and nurture it during production.

Having a great game will be good optics for Xbox, but that doesn’t mean all their internal issues are solved. We will have to use the other games I listed among others to judge that.
 
Last edited:

simpatico

Gold Member
It's amazing that one average rated game in Redfall has completely invalidated the other 11 games that Microsoft has published this generation. 3 games in the 70's and 8 games with an 83 or higher. People are really overdoing it now.

With that said, I will say that Starfield is Microsoft's most important first party game since Gears of War but at the same time, if it somehow is even worse than Redfall, it won't be the end of Xbox or anything close to that. When you have Microsoft spending $100B since 2018, it's pretty obvious that Xbox isn't going anywhere.
They really do need a stud though. Third parties can serve up 70-80 type stuff. Thinking back on all the killer apps Xbox had in the first two gens, it's crazy to see how far they've fallen. OG XBox had no right to exist but Bungie willed them to mainstream appeal. Then Gears in the 360 era. Since then it's just been duds (outside of solid Forza titles)
 
Last edited:

Topher

Gold Member
It's amazing that one average rated game in Redfall has completely invalidated the other 11 games that Microsoft has published this generation. 3 games in the 70's and 8 games with an 83 or higher. People are really overdoing it now.

With that said, I will say that Starfield is Microsoft's most important first party game since Gears of War but at the same time, if it somehow is even worse than Redfall, it won't be the end of Xbox or anything close to that. When you have Microsoft spending $100B since 2018, it's pretty obvious that Xbox isn't going anywhere.

No AAA game since Halo Infinite. Those other games are not invalidated, but they don't make up for the sheer absence in AAA since 2019. This is the same problem that has been repeated for years going back into the Xbox One days.

I agree Xbox isn't going anywhere though. Xbox consoles are the core of the Xbox brand. I really don't see that ever changing.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Something tells me MS will have a launch day review embargo on Starfield like Redfall.

If they did it then we will know the reason why even before the reviews are out that they aren't confident in the game's quality.

So you're saying Nintendo wasn't confident in Tears of the Kingdom? :messenger_tears_of_joy:
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Yeah, I think people put way too much weight into when game embargo's lift. That has never been a reliable indicator of how well a game will review.

Exactly. Just because one or two publishers feel that they're ok with having reviews out 2~ weeks in advance, doesn't mean the rest have to, or need to, follow the same steps.

It's just an arbitrary thing up to each publishers own whim.
 
It's amazing that one average rated game in Redfall has completely invalidated the other 11 games that Microsoft has published this generation. 3 games in the 70's and 8 games with an 83 or higher. People are really overdoing it now.

With that said, I will say that Starfield is Microsoft's most important first party game since Gears of War but at the same time, if it somehow is even worse than Redfall, it won't be the end of Xbox or anything close to that. When you have Microsoft spending $100B since 2018, it's pretty obvious that Xbox isn't going anywhere.

Your post makes too much sense. How many of those eight games that scored 83% or higher are focus group approved AAA slogs? Probably none, so they don’t count and stuff.
 

yazenov

Member
So you're saying Nintendo wasn't confident in Tears of the Kingdom? :messenger_tears_of_joy:
No, im saying that something is fishy if its not a normal behavior.



Also its a false equivalence to equate Nintendo to MS, as Nintendo has a constant release of quality games, unlike MS. Nobody doubts Nintendo quality due to their track record.

So if MS continues the trend of launch day embargos after the dud that is Redfall, then there is a reason to doubt such behavior. MS doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt.
 
It's amazing that one average rated game in Redfall has completely invalidated the other 11 games that Microsoft has published this generation. 3 games in the 70's and 8 games with an 83 or higher. People are really overdoing it now.

With that said, I will say that Starfield is Microsoft's most important first party game since Gears of War but at the same time, if it somehow is even worse than Redfall, it won't be the end of Xbox or anything close to that. When you have Microsoft spending $100B since 2018, it's pretty obvious that Xbox isn't going anywhere.
There is an advert by Avis, the number 2 rental car company. "When you're only No. 2, you try harder,”

People are expecting Xbox to over-deliver because they are number 3 and NEED to over-deliver to improve. Saying "Xbox is not going anywhere" is just "it is fine, Xbox doesn't need to make any money because it can live off Microsoft forever".

You act like it is a good thing that Xbox doesn't need to try. Too bad that means Xbox customers will continue to get less games indefinitely.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
No, im saying that something is fishy if its not a normal behavior.

Also its a false equivalence to equate Nintendo to MS, as Nintendo has a constant release of quality games, unlike MS. Nobody doubts Nintendo quality due to their track record.

So if MS continues the trend of launch day embargos after the dud that is Redfall, then there is a reason to doubt such behavior. MS doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt.

The last new Zenimax game also had its review embargo on release date and that ended up reviewing pretty good. I hope you'll be happier if the review embargo for Starfield is 12 hours before release, since that's seemingly an acceptable difference lol.

Anyway, judging a games perceived quality based on when its review embargo lifts is still a baffling concept.
 

Kacho

Gold Member
If you don't want to discuss something any further then I suggest simply not responding. I apologized if I got under your skin so if that's not enough for you to move on peaceably then well.......I've done all I can do.
It’s not that I don’t want to discuss, I just don’t like feeling like I’m being interrogated. I rarely interact with you but when I do it’s always the same song and dance. You asked me why I was being snarky and answered.
 

yazenov

Member
The last new Zenimax game also had its review embargo on release date and that ended up reviewing pretty good. I hope you'll be happier if the review embargo for Starfield is 12 hours before release, since that's seemingly an acceptable difference lol.

Anyway, judging a games perceived quality based on when its review embargo lifts is still a baffling concept.

After Fallout 76, im sure as hell raising the red flag if Starfield has a launch day review embargo. Im sure you'd agree that this is reasonable, yes? And especially after the game have been delayed with multiple rumors of development hell. Yes, im sceptical and with good reason.
 
Last edited:

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
console? we are talking about an entire brand right here.

ezgif-5-e881424768vif7t.gif
 

Topher

Gold Member
It’s not that I don’t want to discuss, I just don’t like feeling like I’m being interrogated. I rarely interact with you but when I do it’s always the same song and dance. You asked me why I was being snarky and answered.

lol...what do you want, man? Should I say sorry again? Nah....at this point, I think it is clear you are being far too sensitive over nothing.

Tried to be nice about this.
 
Last edited:

ZehDon

Member
I wouldn't say Starfield is their last chance at anything, frankly. It's not like people are going to sell their Xbox consoles, smash their game discs, cancel their subscriptions, and burn Phil Spencer at the stake because Bethesda delivered an 89 instead of a 90, or whatever arbitrary number the Sony Ponys decide is the number that means a game is "actually good" as opposed to "pretend good". The people happily trying to crucify Phil Spencer for Redfall because "it happened on his watch" are now laying the groundwork to dismiss Starfield if it lands well because "it's not really an Xbox game". I would say, however, that Microsoft's showcase next month is their last opportunity to turn this generation around or they'll have to accept being forgotten for nother six years.

Redfall is one of the most damaging releases I have ever seen; that one game caused Microsoft to lose control of their entire brand narrative because it was the worst possible game to release at the worst possible time. Of all the games to break their near-two year AAA drought, Redfall was simply a perfect storm. And its impact is going to be felt for months. Soon, Sony will have their showcase, where we're all expecting to see Sony's first crop of proper next-gen only titles, ready to blow us all away. Sony are in beast mode right now, so I expect that show to deliver the goods. And, with the narrative against them, Microsoft has to follow Sony's show with their own showcase. Based on prior years, there's a very good chance we're going to see mostly AA passion projects from their teams instead of the AAA showcase titles that they desperately need to reverse the narrative Redfall empowered. And if they don't have their AAA games ready to fire next month, then I'd say that's that: their failure will feed the narrative to create a hurricane of bad press they won't escape till their next console. Forza and Starfield look great, but they can't carry the brand - Microsoft need to deliver an undeinably great show or its game over. We're close to half way through this generation, and as far as we can tell, Microsoft's studios are still in pre-production while the studios that provided Sony its PS5 launch games are ready to drop their next heavy hitters. It's now or never, Phil.
 
Last edited:
IGN showing why it's lost relevance.
Firstly, while Starfield might be a MS owned IP now, it was Bethesda who made the game, and did so before MS bought them.
If anything, MS has given them more money and resources to make it better than it would have been.

As for last chance? Lol
In the wings there is Forza MS, the premier car sim, Hellblade 2, one of the first few UE5 games to be released. It will moat likely be a AAA version of the first one, which you would think will be around the same score meta wise.

Then down the line there is Avowed, Fable, Perfect Dark, Wolfenstien 3, Contraband, a AAA State of Decay 3, new RPGs from InXile and Compulsion, The Outer Worlds 2, Next id game, Indiana Jones, Gears 6, new Zenimax online game, etc etc.

There's plenty coming down the line, and Starfield is just one of them.
Put down the pipe IGN.
 
I think it's unfair to place this much pressure on Starfield for the Xbox brand, but Phil has really put Bethesda in this very uncomfortable position where they are supposed to salvage the brand/generation for them.

It shouldn't be all up to Starfield, but years of poor planning decisions has led to this. If Phil truly does have high quality content slated to release in the next year or two, Starfield won't need to be the 11/10 game to salvage the brand. They just need a great release cadence of Hellblade, Avowed, Perfect Dark, Fable, Everwild and something from The Coalition in the mix to keep the brand interesting again. But if most of those games are still vaporware that's years out? I mean, yeah, Starfield is going to be carrying Xbox for years to come and it's sad that they're in that state.

I guess we'll find out with their June showcase.
 

wolffy66

Member
It feels that way to be honest. But in reality they have a lot of people locked in and could survive it no matter how bad it was.

They have other games in the works and a few hits would stabilize everything
 

Kacho

Gold Member
lol...what do you want, man? Should I say sorry again? Nah....at this point, I think it is clear you are being far too sensitive over nothing.

Tried to be nice about this.
If you don't want to discuss something any further then I suggest simply not responding
 

ChorizoPicozo

Gold Member
I wouldn't say Starfield is their last chance at anything, frankly. It's not like people are going to sell their Xbox consoles, smash their game discs, cancel their subscriptions,
some will. there is even audio of "I am done with Xbox".
and burn Phil Spencer at the stake because Bethesda delivered an 89 instead of a 90, or
80 should be the minimum.
less than 79.....yep things are going to get nasty.

whatever arbitrary number the Sony Ponys decide is the number that means a game is "actually good" as opposed to "pretend good"
i bet you are the ones that believes sony buys review scores and the media has bias in favor of sony 🤣😂
. The people happily trying to crucify Phil Spencer for Redfall because "it happened on his watch" are now laying the groundwork to dismiss Starfield if it lands well because "it's not really an Xbox game". I would say, however, that Microsoft's showcase next month is their last opportunity to turn this generation around or they'll have to accept being forgotten for nother six years

Xbox is being attacked by all fronts by "sony ponies" and xbox influencers.... and Sony is behind all of this....someone needs to stop them!!!!

Redfall is one of the most damaging releases I have ever seen; that one game caused Microsoft to lose control of their entire brand narrative
no quite.
because it was the worst possible game to release at the worst possible time. Of all the games to break their near-two year AAA drought, Redfall was simply a perfect storm. And its impact is going to be felt for months.
because it wasn't just about redfall alone.

Soon, Sony will have their showcase, where we're all expecting to see Sony's first crop of proper next-gen only titles, ready to blow us all away. Sony are in beast mode right now, so I expect that show to deliver the goods. And, with the narrative against them, Microsoft has to follow Sony's show with their own showcase. Based on prior years, there's a very good chance we're going to see mostly AA passion projects from their teams instead of the AAA showcase titles that they desperately need to reverse the narrative Redfall empowered. And if they don't have their AAA games ready to fire next month, then I'd say that's that: their failure will feed the narrative to create a hurricane of bad press they won't escape till their next console. Forza and Starfield look great, but they can't carry the brand - Microsoft need to deliver an undeinably great show or its game over.
notice your contradiction?

We're close to half way through this generation, and as far as we can tell, Microsoft's studios are still in pre-production while the studios that provided Sony its PS5 launch games are ready to drop their next heavy hitters. It's now or never, Phil.
so what is is?

A) I wouldn't say Starfield is their last chance at anything, frankly

B) their failure will feed the narrative to create a hurricane of bad press they won't escape till their next console

C) Microsoft need to deliver an undeinably great show or its game over

according to your own words in B and C....the "Last Chance at Redemption" feels pretty damn accurate.

Now. Xbox's situation looks grim... but I refuse to believe that the level of incompetence at Xbox cannot be much worse.

So...I think Xbox's "road to redemption" is quite strong and should be VERY feasible.
 

ZehDon

Member
i bet you are the ones that believes sony buys review scores and the media has bias in favor of sony 🤣😂
No?
Xbox is being attacked by all fronts by "sony ponies" and xbox influencers.... and Sony is behind all of this....someone needs to stop them!!!!
What?
because it wasn't just about redfall alone.
I never said it was? Of course, based on your post, I expect you'll pull half a sentence I wrote and post it out of context as some kind of "gotcha!".
notice your contradiction?
The one you didn't point out, describe, or respond to?
A) I wouldn't say Starfield is their last chance at anything, frankly

B) their failure will feed the narrative to create a hurricane of bad press they won't escape till their next console

C) Microsoft need to deliver an undeinably great show or its game over

according to your own words in B and C....the "Last Chance at Redemption" feels pretty damn accurate.
If you're not going to read my post, please don't waste my time "replying" to it. As I explained - at length - Starfield isn't their last chance at anything, however, their showcase is their last chance to not be relegated to the footnotes of this generation.
 
Last edited:

TransTrender

Gold Member
What do people think?
Better or worse than Super Lucky's Tale?
 

bitbydeath

Member
People are expecting too much from Starfield.
It’s a brand new IP, in a somewhat niche genre (space), and the last we saw of it, it got ridiculed for looking like another space game.

The pressure should be on MS’s showcase, MS need to show polished gameplay segments from their upcoming titles, Fable, Indiana Jones, Avowed etc
 

Kacho

Gold Member
People are expecting too much from Starfield.
It’s a brand new IP, in a somewhat niche genre (space), and the last we saw of it, it got ridiculed for looking like another space game.

The pressure should be on MS’s showcase, MS need to show polished gameplay segments from their upcoming titles, Fable, Indiana Jones, Avowed etc
I don’t think people are expecting too much. It’s the next big Todd Howard game. Good or bad it’s one of those ‘event’ games with built in hype. That would be the case even if Xbox wasn’t in the picture.

Also space isn’t a genre it’s a setting. The genre is sci-fI RPG. Far from niche.
 

GigaBowser

The bear of bad news
Starfield could be great but Bethesdas are prolly rushed before cleans up the bugs

Bethesada deserves better MS already killed Arcane and now Starfiled will prolly get review bombed

Whose idea to launch right after TOTK?

nZwmoGw.gif
 

feynoob

Banned
People are expecting too much from Starfield.
It’s a brand new IP, in a somewhat niche genre (space), and the last we saw of it, it got ridiculed for looking like another space game.

The pressure should be on MS’s showcase, MS need to show polished gameplay segments from their upcoming titles, Fable, Indiana Jones, Avowed etc
I dont think space is niche genre. Its a massive potential game, considering there is no man sky and outer worlds.

Also this is from bethesda. It will contain elements from fallout and elder scrolls, and had years in the oven.

The only issue would be the performance, otherwise a good game.
 

feynoob

Banned
Starfield could be great but Bethesdas are prolly rushed before cleans up the bugs

Bethesada deserves better MS already killed Arcane and now Starfiled will prolly get review bombed

Whose idea to launch right after TOTK?
Blame bethesda who made them make MP game.
Arkane would have made a great game had bethesda not pushed them with this concept.
 

Arsic

Member
Hodd Toward will save ehk bawk.

Really putting out Hellblade and starfield doing great would be the momentum they need. Forza doesn’t miss so it’s an easy dub.

Next year a few other new IPs land, and we are in action.
 

Poltz

Member
I feel sorry for anyone who bought an Xbox Series console and thought Hellblade 2, Fable, Avowed, Perfect Dark and Everwild were close in 2020. The market has spoken on the Xbox brand.
 
Last edited:

bitbydeath

Member
I dont think space is niche genre. Its a massive potential game, considering there is no man sky and outer worlds.

Also this is from bethesda. It will contain elements from fallout and elder scrolls, and had years in the oven.

The only issue would be the performance, otherwise a good game.
I don’t think people are expecting too much. It’s the next big Todd Howard game. Good or bad it’s one of those ‘event’ games with built in hype. That would be the case even if Xbox wasn’t in the picture.

Also space isn’t a genre it’s a setting. The genre is sci-fI RPG. Far from niche.
No Man’s Sky has copped a lot of flack. Starfield did too when we last saw it. Star Citizen as well but for different reasons, and then there’s been a bunch of indie space games that have been neglected. There isn’t a whole lot of others to talk about.

I’d call that niche.
 

Kacho

Gold Member
No Man’s Sky has copped a lot of flack. Starfield did too when we last saw it. Star Citizen as well but for different reasons, and then there’s been a bunch of indie space games that have been neglected. There isn’t a whole lot of others to talk about.

I’d call that niche.
Starfield is an RPG. No Man’s Sky is a survival game.
 
Yes. First party games are held to a higher standard due to the resources provided and focusing on the platform more.


Same. I'm actually stoked for it, and fingers crossed it delivers.

My only disappointment is no take off and landing on planets manually in 2023. Especially with NMS, Elite Dangerous, Scam Citizen, etc..
So true. Game has been in development so long that the rest of the industry has caught up or surpassed their supposed only possible on PC game.
 
Top Bottom