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[Tweaktown] Outriders didn't turn profit as of December 31st 2021

Barely managing? I guess them being the highest rated games publisher last year was just pure luck.

we literally just got reports about how hands off they are with all their studios which is why some of them have been in disarray. Why would i believe they are more active with the already well oiled indepdent machine Bethesda games is more so than a studio like Undead Labs?

Microsoft is not stepping foot into BGS office and telling them how to make games. If theres one thing im certain of its that Todd Howard is captain of that ship and Todd Howard only
 
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we literally just got reports about how hands off they are with all their studios which is why some of them have been in disarray. Why would i believe they are more active with the already well oiled indepdent machine Bethesda games is more so than a studio like Undead Labs?

Microsoft is not stepping foot into BGS office and telling them how to make games. If theres one thing im certain of its that Todd Howard is captain of that ship and Todd Howard only
Letting someone who has done an exemplary job in the past continue to lead and not encroach on their creativity, that is a management decision unto itself.
 

Aion002

Member
Shallow, bland game in a competitive market...


Im Not Surprised Nate Diaz GIF by UFC
 

Sleepwalker

Member
The game isn't very good tbh, it was a pass for me after a few hours, even for free. It also had a multitude of issues at launch like deleting people's saves.
 

Jaybe

Member
The Campaign gameplay was fun, skipped most cut scenes. They did the third person action well.

The post game grind was a massive screw up with people getting their loot grinded inventories (stored server side) wiped if they joined coop matches.
 

Krappadizzle

Gold Member
It wasn't a bad game, it was just fine, it just do enough to stand out in a crowded market and I played it for a short bit, enjoyed it enough, but it didn't do enough to make me feel that urge to come back and play it, especially with randoms. That's the type of game, that if my buddies aren't interested in continuing to play it, regardless of how much I may or may not like it, I don't like playing co-op games by myself or with more often than not, awful, shitty random strangers so I just won't play it.
 
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adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
The Gamepass effect.

This is the kind of nonsensical hyperbole that comes out when you feel the need to rush a first post in.

a/ Square already got paid for the deal they made with MS. They can choose to continue or renew the deal whenever it comes up.
b/ The game being on game pass does not stop it from selling on PS4, PS5, PC or even Xbox at retail.

Are you implying the game being on game pass made people who own PS4 and PS5 want to switch to a device with game pass and subscribe to it to play instead ?




Microsoft is barely managing their own studios much less redirecting the entire titantic that Bethesda and their games are in only a short year


barely managing their studios ?


38f0cdca-db73-4a19-bdf1-b72435879071_text.gif
 
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MacReady13

Member
Why? One of the biggest cases of day 1 release no?
The amount of back bending to try justify why Gamepass wasn't a major part of the reason this game didn't make a profit is astounding! It was hyped beyond belief at launch! I remember the threads going on about what a coup it was! So many people played it on Gamepass yet, how many purchased it? I just wish people would realize that this is not the way gaming should be heading. Buying games/DLC is where companies make their most profits. It keeps them afloat.

I'm not here to piss on Gamepass as many get offended in here but suffice it to say, this game shows it's not the cash cow for companies many would like to believe.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
The amount of back bending to try justify why Gamepass wasn't a major part of the reason this game didn't make a profit is astounding! It was hyped beyond belief at launch! I remember the threads going on about what a coup it was! So many people played it on Gamepass yet, how many purchased it? I just wish people would realize that this is not the way gaming should be heading. Buying games/DLC is where companies make their most profits. It keeps them afloat.

I'm not here to piss on Gamepass as many get offended in here but suffice it to say, this game shows it's not the cash cow for companies many would like to believe.

This is a game developed for 5 different console and PC iterations. Game Pass is not going to offset the development for the entire games development alone.

I swear every time a news item like this comes up, some of you start salivating floods to get some digs in at game pass, whether accurate or justified or not. :messenger_tears_of_joy:
 

elliot5

Member
Reads to me like Outriders cost lets say $150M to make.

Let’s just say they garnered $149M in sales revenue.

Let’s say Square Enix also took $50M from Microsoft to put it on Game Pass.

Then Square can turn around and say “Look sales havent covered the cost of development no royalties for you fuckers” even though Square has taken in profit from the game as a whole.

But gAmePaSs eFfecT

I can understand People Can Fly not wanting to continue to work on the game for Square anymore.
 
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The amount of back bending to try justify why Gamepass wasn't a major part of the reason this game didn't make a profit is astounding! It was hyped beyond belief at launch! I remember the threads going on about what a coup it was! So many people played it on Gamepass yet, how many purchased it? I just wish people would realize that this is not the way gaming should be heading. Buying games/DLC is where companies make their most profits. It keeps them afloat.

I'm not here to piss on Gamepass as many get offended in here but suffice it to say, this game shows it's not the cash cow for companies many would like to believe.
All the explanations of additional sales sound like BS to me. Where are all these additional sales coming from? The game ends up selling less than it would've otherwise, simple as that and that why devs need to be compensated for their games to be on Gamepass, it's insane that some people try to push a different narrative.
 
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adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
I can understand People Can Fly not wanting to continue to work on the game for Square anymore.

Trying to spin this as a game pass issue after seeing exactly how bad Square has managed their studios and constantly keep throwing them under the bus is just plain weird.

Game Pass also wouldn't have any bearing on sales on other platforms. Even on Xbox and PC you can still buy this at retail separately as well.
 
I guess gamepass also killed the profits for the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy.
Avengers was ass and Guardians was a generic Hero game both flops sales wise and both sold off to Embracer
I don't think it has anything to do with gamepass the games just suck
 
The Gamepass effect.

Man you really can’t help yourself when it comes to shit posting in every Microsoft thread 😆

Please, tell me more about how an average game from a publisher known to lose money on recent games, didn’t make a profit because it was on Xbox GamePass. Meanwhile it was still available at retail for PC, Xbox One/X|S, and PS4/5. All of which have a higher player base than console GamePass.

Outriders slowed down because it launched with horrible glitches and server issues. Plus it had the “problem” of not being GaaS at all. Once you finish it there’s no reason to keep playing and keep spending money. It’s only just recently about to get its first taste of new content, over a year after release.
 
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Mattyp

Gold Member
Starfield and Hellblade 2 haven't even released.

Gears, Halo, Forza all their main franchises are GaaS already. Nothing wrong with that, it just is what it is and I think people need to stop denying that.
How is Forza or Gears GaaS? Or Halo single player.

Explain.

You mean the free multiplayer Halo?
 

Mattyp

Gold Member
Forza and Gears are 100% GaaS. They are seasonal games with continued content and updates. Its like nobody understands what GaaS means other than F2P/Gacha

No because he’s implying Gears, Forza & Halo are pay to enjoy titles aimed directly at making money. Not in the slightest at all, can you purchase DLC for the multiplayer aspects? Yes.

Are the single player games driven by GaaS in a play through? Or to enjoy? At all? No.

TLoU and Uncharted are GaaS then if this is what we’re going with.
 

MacReady13

Member
This is a game developed for 5 different console and PC iterations. Game Pass is not going to offset the development for the entire games development alone.

I swear every time a news item like this comes up, some of you start salivating floods to get some digs in at game pass, whether accurate or justified or not. :messenger_tears_of_joy:
And every time some form of criticism comes at Game Pass, some of you are quick to defend it at all costs.

This game was released to 4 different Xbox console via game pass. If you think sales of ANY game would not match what game pass offers, then I don't know what to tell you.
 
No because he’s implying Gears, Forza & Halo are pay to enjoy titles aimed directly at making money. Not in the slightest at all, can you purchase DLC for the multiplayer aspects? Yes.

Are the single player games driven by GaaS in a play through? Or to enjoy? At all? No.

TLoU and Uncharted are GaaS then if this is what we’re going with.
I never implied this, what are you talking about? I just said they were GaaS and they are.

Stop trying to guess what I meant to say and dont put words in my mouth please.
 
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adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
And every time some form of criticism comes at Game Pass, some of you are quick to defend it at all costs.

This game was released to 4 different Xbox console via game pass. If you think sales of ANY game would not match what game pass offers, then I don't know what to tell you.

Simply pointing out that folks coming out of the woodwork to blame Game Pass / MS for any time a game doesn't meet its publishers sales target is not defending, it's pointing that it's a frankly dumb point to make. You're confusing what 'defending' it means here.

You're also making the assumption that this being on game pass somehow directly effected the sales of all other platforms the game is on that don't have Game Pass. There are a lot more PS4s and PS5s compared to Xbox Ones and Series consoles. Game Pass is a further subset of the Xbox user base. It would have no bearing on the purchasing decisions of PlayStation gamers, or going by what I've read most PC gamers who would rather play on Steam over EGS or Windows Store.

Finally, we're talking about Square Enix, a publisher that's very well known to be terrible at managing/handling and setting sales goals for their western IP. It's the same company that declared Tomb Raider, Hitman, Sleeping Dogs etc all failures regardless of their budgets and/or sales, all of them went on to sell million(s) of units.

The publisher's already been paid a hefty check for the game being on game pass, likely one in the double digit millions. If Guardians for a roughly $10 million payout a half a year after its release and once it had finished its sales cycle, I imagine a day 1 game published by Square would have been a bigger check than that. So they're not at a loss of making money off the Xbox platforms regardless of retail sales.
 
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D

Deleted member 471617

Unconfirmed Member
Really wish Square Enix would have included the Outriders IP with Crystal Dynamics and Eidos when selling to Embracer Group. Square Enix continues to screw over People Can Fly. They didn't give them any money from the Game Pass deal. Fuck Square Enix. Really happy they sold off CD/Eidos so I don't have to deal with SE's games anymore.
 

ANDS

King of Gaslighting
Game is far better than the upturned-nose-turners would have you believe. Story is trash, but the gameplay loot and shoot is quite good as is the class system. Definitely enjoyed my playthrough and time in the endgame.

No because he’s implying Gears, Forza & Halo are pay to enjoy titles aimed directly at making money. Not in the slightest at all, can you purchase DLC for the multiplayer aspects? Yes.

Are the single player games driven by GaaS in a play through? Or to enjoy? At all? No.

TLoU and Uncharted are GaaS then if this is what we’re going with.

No they aren't. TLOU and UC are single player experiences with zero reason to return to them. Forza is ABSOLUTELY a GaaS: it is designed for you, with it's constant content updates, to return to the game in the hopes that you'll return to the game and maybe pick up some new (or old) DLC.
 

FritzJ92

Member
In all the arguments I’ve ever seen. How come no one ever says that maybe SE is over budgeting their games and that’s why they aren’t ever satisfied with their profits and revenue. If every game is under performing maybe you need to budget better and hire business analyst that can identify cost saving areas within the development process.
 
In all the arguments I’ve ever seen. How come no one ever says that maybe SE is over budgeting their games and that’s why they aren’t ever satisfied with their profits and revenue. If every game is under performing maybe you need to budget better and hire business analyst that can identify cost saving areas within the development process.

Because thats what people want, expensive looking games

Thats why a lot of triple A third party devs are struggling
 
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StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
In all the arguments I’ve ever seen. How come no one ever says that maybe SE is over budgeting their games and that’s why they aren’t ever satisfied with their profits and revenue. If every game is under performing maybe you need to budget better and hire business analyst that can identify cost saving areas within the development process.
Funny thing is the most popular games which surely rake in the most unit sales or recurring GAAS revenue arent always the best looking games. The games typically have AAA budgets, but graphics arent always even the best. Most Activision/Blizzard games arent lookers unless it's a COD game which that year's version is better looking than usual.... then the next game made by one of their other studios looks so-so at best.

What top sellers do well involves scope, content, replayability, competitive MP.

SE games seem to skew to lots of cinematics, voice actors, cut scenes and shit like that. It's the kind of stuff game studios focused on in the 90s when CDs were the medium which allowed tons of FMV and digital speech.

Then when SE does try to make lower budget games, it's something like those card games or Balan Wonderland which do a 180 and are indie quality or outright shit.
 
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DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
The Gamepass effect.

Explain why it didn't sell well on ps5?

Since gamepass people act like their weren't commercial failures in gaming and every game made money. News flash, there were tons of failed games sales wise and beloved cult games that sold like shit but people enjoyed them.

I completed this game thanks to game pass and I wouldn't have touched it with a barge pole other wise....looks like plenty of console owners and PC gamers didn't go anywhere near it which is somewhat of a shame because the gameplay loop was pretty cool.

The reality is square Enix don't know their arse from their elbow.
 
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Square Enix is cursed when it comes to western devs they work with. Management either sets expectations too high or they pour too much money into the wrong things... and then sets expectations too high.
 

MaKTaiL

Member
I bought the bundle last week and I already platinued it on PS5. I absolutely LOVED Outriders. Awesome gameplay and very interesting story (the world building was amazing if you take the time to read the logs). I can't wait to play the new expansion.
 

Chukhopops

Member
Same people with no business knowledge shitting up every thread and blaming Microsoft for everything. Weirdos man, Nuff insecure weirdos everywhere.

Go take pictures of Aloy or something.
If a Square Enix game falls short of expectations, it’s because of Square Enix.

But if a Square Enix game falls short of expectations and was available on GP, it’s because of GP.

Simple logic.
 

Leyasu

Banned
I think it’s gonna be tough for third party AAA games to really make a profit from being on the service day one if they don’t have MTX or some kind of extra DLC/seasons attached to it.

I think it works for indies because of the low cost of development, but big games need bigger checks to make up for loss of all those sales. I also think people on other platforms will probably be turned off from the fact that its being offered free on another
I'm shocked that you are concerned and are jumping to conclusions regarding viability etc.

Of course 3rd parties are not profiting from going day one on Gamepass. Profiting day one would imply that Microsoft is covering the dev costs and marketing etc. Like, paying for the game itself. That is not happening unless Microsoft is publishing the game and it is exclusive.

Like, you are either the stupidest person on this forum or just an idiotic troll.
 

DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
First post...

Yeah, because going day one on Gamepass, Microsoft is going to cover all of the dev costs for third parties? lol Just look at the list of people that gave you a thumbs up too.

It's the same people every time. Super concern.

What is it the kids say.

"Game pass is living rent free in these peoples heads"..or should I say Microsoft.
 
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The thing about GamePass and PS+ Extra is that I’d sure as hell try more games, but I wouldn’t buy more. I’d buy less if I had a catalogue of games I could turn to at any point and I’d be more likely to wait for games to enter the service. If there are too many people like me then that causes an issue for developers (not Microsoft).
 

Roberts

Member
The only reason we even talk about this game is because it was on Gamepass. I enjoyed the campaign with my friends, but let's be honest, it would have been forgotten by now if not for GP.
 

arvfab

Banned
EDITED: this game is not GaaS, but online only....

..., the more GaaS and online only titles fail, the less devs will waste resources on them.
 
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dcmk7

Banned
I think this game would have been a failure regardless of it being day one on GamePass or not.

And I think everyone understood at the time that SE was testing the waters with GP.

The only way we would know whether the move backfired or not is seeing how SE uses GP in the future I guess.
 
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