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Phil Spencer gets honest about Redfall

KXVXII9X

Member
Neogaf in a nutshell

I take full responsibility - Fuck him
Not my fault - Fuck him
Stays silent - Fuck him
Maybe don't put people on extremely high pedestals prematurely. For a guy who won a bunch of awards and made a bunch of apology statements that went nowhere, I think it is fair people are ragging on him. I think people just want results. No more bs. From some of the comments before, it looked like people thought it was smarter if he stayed silent and I agree.
 
Damn straight. The starving xbros should be a priority.
Starving in some ways more than others...
8Rskkkp.png
 

mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
When discussing the creative freedom they give to devs and what outcomes that might come about because of that - "maybe I'll undeliver for some of our fans out there"

This guy is lost. Floundering.

Nadella needs to put him out of his misery.

This is perfectly said. He's lost now. He doesn't seem to know when to tell teams NO when they want to go in a certain direction.
 

mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
Not a fan of Phil but it takes so fucking balls to go on a podcast and talk about this shit the week it happens. I don't see the heads of Sony or Nintendo ever doing something like this. So props there at the very least.

Shouldn't you want MS to be "MORE" like Sony and Nintendo given everyone's track record at this point?

Are you sure?

Thats Good Jada Pinkett Smith GIF by Red Table Talk
 
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This is perfectly said. He's lost now. He doesn't seem to know when to tell teams NO when they want to go in a certain direction.

I don't get it. He was fine cancelling games left right and centre last gen but now he's too much of a pussy to slap directors when they're doing a shit job? Maybe Scalebound gave him PTSD
 
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I love Snow Bike Mike's attitude 100% of the time, but why did he have to say to Phil Spencer "the CMA blocked OUR acquisition of ABK"? Mike you DO NOT work for Microsoft bro!!!
He's an Xbox fan and personality. He's not advertising himself as some hardcore journalist. I'm guessing he feels part of the Xbox community, so he says, "we." I don't see a problem with that. Sports team fans do the same exact thing. It's not exactly frowned upon.
 

Luigi Mario

Member
He really dropped all pretense with his comments on building great games not improving the market share for the Xbox platform but not in a good way.
And to think that he was around during the 360 generation in a high leadership position at Microsoft Games Studios makes this all the more inexplicable.
 
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Stare-Bear

Banned
He really dropped all pretense with his comments on building great games not improving the market share for the Xbox platform but not in a good way.
And to think that he was around during the 360 generation in a high leadership position at Microsoft Games Studios makes this all the more inexplicable.
High leadership towards the END of that era. When it all went Kinect Kinect Kinect...
 

Shut0wen

Member
How long is it going to take for this man to learn how to run Xbox? Excuses after excuses for the last 10 years. He's not a novice either. He was under Peter Moore and Don Mattrick for 10 years until he took over the Xbox division. This guy has to have blackmail on Satya Nadella and/or Brad Smith.

Some of his failures this generation.

1. Promising power and the most powerful console because the PS4's power hurt his ego.

2. Then splitting the Xbox SKU into 2 SKU. One being an all digital weak console called Series S. And the other being the powerful Series X.

3. Locking down parity between the 2 SKUs. Whatever games that came to the Series X has to be able to run on the series S. Thus the Series S holding back the Series X causing delays and performance issues for both consoles.

4. Letting Halo die, letting Gears die, letting Rare die forcing them to make sea of thieves forever. A once prominent studio.

So much more but I don't have time to type it all.
Out of all those failures he definitely hasnt let gears die, tactics is good game, 4 was great while 5s campaign was pretty meh mp is the best its been plus the expansion was better then 5s campaign as a whole
 
My biggest problem with the video is seeing that smug cunt Tim Gettys appear. The annoyance of Spencer underperforming shrunk as a result.

Also what crack was Parris smoking to claim that he was drained from that interview? Maybe nodding in agreement for 40 minutes might do that to you.
I feel like they were just scared to really go for the throat. While they still asked "hard" questions in regards to CMA/Redfall if it was me I would go even further and ask more detailed things. Like "Have you not seen how bad the game was running before it launched?" Or "why did you not just delay the game till August or something so you don't have to compete with X Y Z in June?"

Then I would ask something hypothetical "If the Activision deal doesn't happen after the appeal, what's your next move?" Granted, he'd probably just dodge all of these questions, but at least I'd ask them. I think these guys are trying to be overly professional for the sake of not upsetting him and making sure he comes back to the show. But truth be told, he should be able to take the criticism and take it. Part of being a leader is sucking it up and answering people's tough questions. Anyway, this is just my opinion.
 
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Even if the game was mid way through development? Lets be honest the game should of been cancelled just for how medicore the idea of the game is but phil would of got shit from that to

They should have cancelled the game the moment they laid eyes on it, and then leak gameplay footage. Harvey gets the blame and Phil the axe man saves the day
 

Ansphn

Member
Out of all those failures he definitely hasnt let gears die, tactics is good game, 4 was great while 5s campaign was pretty meh mp is the best its been plus the expansion was better then 5s campaign as a whole
So then where is the new Gears? It's already 3 years into the console generation and one of their biggest in Halo failed and no signs of Gears while PlayStation already dropped GOW and Horizon and soon Spiderman and Final Fantasy (I know FF is 3rd party but it's always exclusive to PS).
 

Dick Jones

Gold Member
I feel like they were just scared to really go for the throat. While they still asked "hard" questions in regards to CMA/Redfall if it was me I would go even further and ask more detailed things. Like "Have you not seen how bad the game was running before it launched?" Or "why did you not just delay the gane till August or something so you don't have to compete with X Y Z in June?"

Then I would ask something hypothetical "If the Activision deal doesn't happen after the appeal, what's your next move?" Granted, he'd probably just dodge all of these questions, but at least I'd ask them. I think these guys are trying to be overly professional for the sake of not upsetting him and making sure he comes back to the show. But truth be told, he should be able to take the criticism and take it. Part of being a leader is sucking it up and answering people's tough questions. Anyway, this is just my opinion.
The way they danced around the 30/60fps for Starfield question for Phil at the end was just embarrassing. Just ask is it 30 or 60 on console. The worst is Phil says you'll find out at not-E3. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take, Wayne Gretzky, Michael Scott
 

gothmog

Gold Member
You know, I also though that if the game hadn't been hyped to hell as the next big AAA shooter experience with an asking price of 70 usd/pound/eu, then the uproar may have not been justified and could still be a decent co-op experience. But after watching piles of footage, this game is no state to be released at all, let alone asking 70 or even 30 bucks. The game is de facto in an unfinished state, in beta state if you want to be charitable. The only expectation here would be to actually finish the game or cancel it.
Agreed. I'd say slapping an early access tag on it would have been helpful, but after playing it the game feels so shallow that I'm not sure it could be fixed. They really should have cancelled it and moved on.
 

Sorcerer

Member
He blamed the team in the end. Its your fucking call Phil. Your call! You are the boss. Jesus fucking christ.

"Team didn't hit their internal goals." my ass, Phil.
I bet Microsoft screwed Arkane around and pushed them to put it out because Microsoft would be embarrassed by another delay. I bet Arkane is not very happy being under Microsoft at the moment, but they have to be the fall guys I guess.
 
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Im stunned honestly. I have to admit i seen this game being a 7 at worst. Arkane is so good. When i scrolled down to see ign’s score i legit gasped when i seen a 4. Wow. Baffled. MS with this attitude and this leadership should really just stop manufacturing consoles and just focus on their cloud gaming/gamepass. Sad. And i think this guy is totally wrong. Good games would make a difference. But them waiting two console generations to do it is the problem. Ridiculous. I have no clue how Phil Spencer is staying employed.
 

DeepEnigma

Gold Member
Maybe don't put people on extremely high pedestals prematurely. For a guy who won a bunch of awards and made a bunch of apology statements that went nowhere, I think it is fair people are ragging on him. I think people just want results. No more bs. From some of the comments before, it looked like people thought it was smarter if he stayed silent and I agree.
Curb Your Enthusiasm Bingo GIF by Jason Clarke
 

Shrap

Member
He could be helping starving kids and people would still go after him right now.

He's being honest about how bugs are judged in the industry and people can't take it. Playstation operates exactly the same.

Good on Phil for being upfront, this is why he's the leader, I couldn't see any of the other studio heads doing this.
Jesus christ. Here is why Xbox is currently a miserable failure in first party games and a distant third place in console install base.

Stop eating the crap that Phil spews. Every time there is a bad release or xbox has a bad year he is 'honest', apologizes and promises to make things better going forward. It never happens.

Ironically he's usually super honest within the constraints that PR allows, and everyone insists he's a liar. Wonder if that meme will ever die.
The guy who has said every year after the last shitty year that it will be the best ever for xbox is super honest? He's so full of it.

Get rid of this clown, Microsoft. Ironically the one CEO that is apparently a gamer is the one that couldn't release a great game to save his life, or in this case his brand.

I'm so sick of Phil Spencer. 9 years since he took over and here we are listening to him apologise for the same crap he did for Halo and Crackdown and whatever else. Xbox can be better, so much better, under someone who knows how to manage studios and produce great games.
 
The way they danced around the 30/60fps for Starfield question for Phil at the end was just embarrassing. Just ask is it 30 or 60 on console. The worst is Phil says you'll find out at not-E3. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take, Wayne Gretzky, Michael Scott
It won't be 60 FPS imo. It's a Bethesda game and they tend to be much slower paced which makes 60 FPS more acceptable. But yes, I personally WOULD HAVE preffered 60 fps in the year 2023. PC with a 4000 series will be the only way to play it at 60 FPS or higher on Ultra assuming it's well optimized

Phil always says find out at X or Y event, it's an easy way out. I love Xbox, but they need to shut the fuck up and start showing me content that I've been waiting for eons now like Everwild, State of Decay 3, Awoved, Fable etc... all of these games sound absolutely great, but can you please start showing?

It's getting old. I want both console manfucuatures to do good and right now Xbox is not doing too hot and it sad for gamers.
 
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Dr_Ifto

Member
I bet Microsoft screwed Arkane around and pushed them to put it out because Microsoft would be embarrassed by another delay. I bet Arkane is not very happy being under Microsoft at the moment, but they have to be the fall guys I guess.
Most likely needed a AAA game to come out this quarter and this one was the closest to it. Couldnt risk another delay due to already being delayed before. Cant put it out at the same time as Starfield.
 

saintjules

Member
How is it that Nintendo games launch mostly bug free and almost certainly crash free?

It's wild isn't it? They probably have a very grounded system and the right testers, etc. to make sure everything that comes out meets all the guidelines.

What we see with games outside Nintendo just looks like bypassing all of that. No crossing T's and dotting I's. It's like rushing last minute to study a chapter for a quiz that's going to start in 30 minutes and then failing because you didn't take the time necessary to prepare.
 
Neogaf in a nutshell

I take full responsibility - Fuck him
Not my fault - Fuck him
Stays silent - Fuck him
So then maybe if he, oh I don't know, actually delivered on his damn promises, we wouldn't be having this discussion. I loved my OG Xbox and my 360 (despite having the RRoD and E74 brick problems three or four times). The reason I jumped ship to Sony the last two generations? Games. Pure and simple.
 
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Bragr

Banned
Jesus christ. Here is why Xbox is currently a miserable failure in first party games and a distant third place in console install base.

Stop eating the crap that Phil spews. Every time there is a bad release or xbox has a bad year he is 'honest', apologizes and promises to make things better going forward. It never happens.
It did happen. It's called Game Pass.
 

KXVXII9X

Member
I'm with you on that for sure...So yea, nothing innovative about Redfall. It took me 5 seconds to see that it's nothing special and something I knew I wasn't playing at launch (or ever for that matter).

It's really like trying to make a hit record. I write dance music and each time I try to think of what can be different about what I'm writing that hasn't been done before? It's why I give Kudos to Kojima for Death Stranding because while it wasn't 100% received with open arms by everyone, he did something different, to which I haven't really played before (at least for me).

I don't know if we'll ever see a constant stream of innovative ideas with each release. So as long as developers are doing their due diligence with the story telling, mechanics, etc. and making sure that those bits are executed collectively, then they should have a decent launch and favorable reviews thereafter. That should be the bare minimum for any game quite honestly.

What I struggle to understand sometimes is, what is happening behind the scenes to where a game is delayed with a new date, only for that to not help in the final retail build of a title? Delaying is fine, but don't provide a release date until x, y and z are spot on. Are investors really saying they don't give a fuck and say push the game out right now despite it being broken? I want to know what's happening there. Maybe the budget to pay Employees gets exhausted well before release? It's happening too often across multiple studios, so it's interesting to me.

Coming up with something unique or 'game' changing isn't easy at all, which is why most people keep doing the same thing. And most won't take the risk specifically because their budget, investors, resources etc. simply don't allow it.
It really sucks being creative and looking at the state of mainstream gaming. I am right with you on praising games like Death Stranding despite it not hitting fully. It is what I really liked about Japan Studios. It is why I'm excited for Level 5's return and excited for Zelda TotK and FFXVI.

I don't expect innovation every time or all games to be Avant Garde, but I do expect games to still hold some artistic merit. One thing I noticed this gen is how things like metrics and specs are talked about more than the actual product and the impact and feeling a game creates.
 

Sethbacca

Member
Even if the game was mid way through development? Lets be honest the game should of been cancelled just for how medicore the idea of the game is but phil would of got shit from that to
The cost of cancellation would probably have been less catastrophic than the loss of value to the brand that this release caused.
 

DosGamer

Member
Like another post on here... I can see the game being fixed with a ton of patches and what not. My bigger concern is that MS doesnt seem to understand the bigger picture. Almost every single game they have sworn to be the must have app for the xbox is just not hitting the marks.
Forza will quickly see the same fate as its just the same thing time after time.
also, I know this will get a lot of flack, but im not sold on Gamepass like MS seems to be. I cant see how its a money maker. Im sure it does make them money, but how much? It cant be a better model than having the consumer buy the games. I would love to see real numbers on it.
 

Cyberpunkd

Member
Not a fan of Phil but it takes so fucking balls to go on a podcast and talk about this shit the week it happens. I don't see the heads of Sony or Nintendo ever doing something like this. So props there at the very least.
No, it does not. The fact this is considered as something extraordinary is sad.

Sony and Nintendo do not fuck up time after time after time. Also Nintendo raised the pay of their developers. Once again, actions not words.
 

Nicktendo86

Member
I thought the quotes couldn’t be as bad as stated, watched the clip and wow. Never seen the head of a console manufacturer concede like that and essentially say there is no point in trying to make better games. What’s the point of the Xbox?
 

nemiroff

Gold Member
"I take full responsibility"
But Jez said MS had nothing to do with Redfall!

Americas Got Talent Reaction GIF by Got Talent Global
Well, that's kinda exactly the point; he/Xbox/Arkane management should've had some oversight in place to catch situations like this and mend it in good time, but didn't. He is at the top of Xbox and should take full responsibility for that.
 
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Well, that's kinda exactly the point; he/Xbox/Arkane management should've had some oversight in place to catch situations like this and mend it in good time, but didn't. He is at the top of Xbox and should take full responsibility for that.
Both of you are right. Think about it this way, the word about the game's status would have to go through multiple departments at Bethesda, then multiple departments at MS in order to reach Phil. Phil is trusting the heads of Bethesda(as a publisher) to keep their end of a monetary agreement, which means Bethesda should be watching over their properties to make sure that they are shipping good products.

Needing Phil of all people to intervene at Bethesda shouldn't be seen as a good thing. Now all of the blame goes to his shoulders and not the leads at Bethesda who knew this wasn't ready to go. It's embarrassing for any boss, let alone a boss of a boss, to experience this and I'm sure internally heads will roll.
 
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