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[Windows Central] Microsoft and Xbox announced 'Marvel's Blade' at The Game Awards — but could it also be coming to PlayStation?
- Thread starter 3liteDragon
- Start date
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DeepEnigma
Gold Member
Unless MS offers the lost revenue in a contract restructure like they did with Indy.
Was odd that there was zero platforms at the end.
Was odd that there was zero platforms at the end.
3liteDragon
Member
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
Yeah, I don’t get Phil. It seems like he talks out of both sides of his mouth. I don’t put any stock into what he says about wanting more people to play, etc.
He plays the defeated card, while gobbling up major publishers. I feel as though console growth has to be important for him, because he needs it to increase subscriptions to GP. But that’s a whole other can of worms.
Thirty7ven
Banned
It’s beautiful, they don’t want to taint it with the Xbox brand it’s so crazy. How the fuck have we gotten here?
FrankWza
Member
More manufactured engagement.
Gamer_By_Proxy
Member
The game is probably so far out that MS might be selling all their games on Playstation by then.
kruis
Exposing the sinister cartel of retailers who allow companies to pay for advertising space.
Growing the number of gamepass subscribers is of utmost importance to MS now it has swallowed up two of the biggest third party publishers. MS will be publishing many more 1st party AAA games on Gamepass while at the same time refusing to sell new Bethesda/Activision games on what used to be their most important platform for these two companies. By denying itself a major revenue stream, it makes growing the Xbox platform and increasing the number of Gamepass subscribers their number one goal, but currently Xbox console sales are below internal sales projections and the number of Gamepass subscribers isn't growing fast enough. The Xbox division is in a difficult spot here.
HoodWinked
Member
Isn't there some PS4/PS5 games with the Microsoft game studios logo at startup
Maybe
But my guess is MS has nothing to gain from announcing this will be exclusive yet. It's not like they are saying it won't be. They have to deal with an appeal where I think they suggested everything would be case by case. And recent statements by one guy that Phil kind of refuted (IMO at least) suggest they could start keeping their options open just in case. Probably just delaying the announcement until closer to launch.
Seems like Disney has lost a lot of audience the last few years. So its definitely possible that they are worried about continuing that trend and pushing for cross platform.
But my guess is MS has nothing to gain from announcing this will be exclusive yet. It's not like they are saying it won't be. They have to deal with an appeal where I think they suggested everything would be case by case. And recent statements by one guy that Phil kind of refuted (IMO at least) suggest they could start keeping their options open just in case. Probably just delaying the announcement until closer to launch.
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Del_X
Member
It's probably a negotiating tactic or not finalized or whatever.
PC isn't fringe, tho
PC isn't fringe, tho
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jm89
Member
The more I think about it the more I'm starting to believe that is the case.
Don't associate it with a platform hence more people talk about it.
However let's say that was the objective, it's too early for that and people will forget about it as it's too far out.
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
TrebleShot
Member
But the consoles are PC
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
This type of game would not exist solely on PC without consoles, yes.
ChorizoPicozo
Member
Why is xbox PR is so full of shit?.
TrebleShot
Member
No
I mean they have GPU , CPU , Coolers, Motherboards, PSU, RAM etc they are PCs
If Insomniac just after being acquired announced a new game IP, didn't announce a platform, and didn't respond to requests for information, then sure?
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It is very obvious that MS is having to deal with this judicial situation in each of its advertisements. If you followed the appeal to the 9th Court, the FTC's entire argument centered on what MS is doing with Bethesda games after its acquisition.
Announcing the exclusivity of a new major Bethesda project (another Indiana Jones case) in the middle of deliberations would be a huge mistake even though the FTC's chances are practically nil.
It is also a long-term project and the logical thing would be not to close any doors.
My bet is that the FTC appeal is guilty among other things that Indiana Jones did not have officialy the exclusivity confirmed although it was discovered in the midst of interrogations, private docs and P. Spencer confirmation that It was decided yet.
And it is also the reason that the ABK games are not reaching Gamepass and the date has only been given for "2024" when doing so in the middle of a holidays campaign would have been a great opportunity....
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DenchDeckard
Moderated wildly
Something weird is going on here.
Why not just announce it as multiplatform.
Those ideas that it might be to do with the FTC may hold some water.
Why not just announce it as multiplatform.
Those ideas that it might be to do with the FTC may hold some water.
Probably the game is still far off and they're negotiating stuff.
I doubt they won't try to do everything they can to make it exclusive.
MasterCornholio
Member
I don't think the FTC can do anything IMO.
Iced Arcade
Member
probably a political thing because they are still at it with the FTC.
Ass of Can Whooping
Member
Here we go fucking with definitions again
Topher
Gold Member
That just means they are both computers. A "PC" has a meaning that is distinct from consoles in discussions like these.
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
So do cars and phones now.
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Astray
Gold Member
I kinda disagree, this feels like a licensing dispute of some sort. You can't manufacture engagement that reaches more than 100m people!
If that was the case, then the far smarter way to do it would be to just announce it for Xbox in front of everyone.
I think MS had an easier time negotiating the Indiana Jones exclusivity because back then, it was a much more even race.
Now any license holder would be insane to let their franchise be excluded on Playstation (Nintendo too if the switch can run the game).
They can't use it in this current court proceeding, this is an appeal case, you can't introduce any new evidence that Judge Corley hasn't heard already (which is why they're generally harder to win). If they somehow win the injunction then maybe they can introduce it in their internal court proceedings or something.
But I find it extremely hard to believe this uncertainty is due to the FTC. There's something else at the heart of this imo.
HawarMiran
Banned
it is compared to consoles. Consoles are dedicated gaming hardware. I doubt most PC owners have a computer that is capable to even run modern demanding games
Bumblebeetuna
Member
This isn’t accurate. MLB did force Sony to make the franchise multiplat, it was part of their last license agreement. It was out of Sonys hands. Do you think Sony would ever allow a game they made that they sell for $70 to be on Xbox GamePass day one? Also, other companies can and do make MLB games, it’s not some exclusive license situation.
You’re at least right that it’s not a 1:1 comparison. Also, whenever their current deal is up, I’d expect Sony to stipulate that the Xbox ports can’t launch on GamePass.
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Topher
Gold Member
I agree. There was much more optimism about Xbox consoles early on this gen and many were expecting this to be a much more even race than last gen. Still, a risky move by Disney and one they may end up regretting, a la Titanfall.
According to?
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Mibu no ookami
Member
The reality is that Bethesda had layoffs because their games were underperforming AND weren't multiplatform.
You look at games like Redfall, and I'm confident it wouldn't have launched except Microsoft desperately need it. Same with Starfield. I think both of those games get further delayed if they didn't have to prop up xbox and gamepass.
Both games were supposed to be available for holiday 2022.
Then you see Bethesda question why ABK gets to stay multiplatform while you're literally firing employees due to not selling enough copies of games... Yeah they would be pissed. Bethesda probably wants to be multiplatform and disney probably wants this to be multiplatform.
Microsoft probably wants to wait until the last minute to make that decision. The game isn't coming out for another 2+ years, so they can wait. Not saying anything has no impact on the Xbox brand, saying right now that it is going to be multiplatform puts into question whether Elders Scrolls will be as well. It also puts into question whether Xbox is going 3rd party, which would destroy the Xbox brand as a console platform.
Everyone is starting to realize that GamePass is destroying value and that Xbox doesn't have a large enough userbase to sustain 200 million dollar games.
Bumblebeetuna
Member
Sony, after the first Xbox port was announced.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
This is easily the most intelligent post I have seen all day and demonstrates why Xbox is failing: they were in a slow lane (console sales), saw a fast lane (subscriptions) decided to change lanes but by the time they changed lanes, the new one slowed down.
It's almost like everyone BUT Microsoft saw that as a problem. My main argument against Gamepass sustainability was always the fact that people are tiring out of subscriptions as the market has become saturated with them. The cost of many of them are starting to go up and it's forcing people to cancel as several $15+ a month services adds up REAL fast. When there were few and the cost was less than $10 a month, it was easy to forget about them and just pay the monthly fee.
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Mibu no ookami
Member
I believe they do have an exclusive license. What other MLB baseball games have come out in the last 2-3 years?
I think the deal was release it on Xbox or they would open the license to other developers.
It coming out on GamePass was probably preferable to MLB because it guaranteed the revenue and the revenue was more than they'd expect to sell individually based on the userbase.
The interesting thing is that there is no PC version and thus no PC GamePass version.
I wonder if Sony did make a PC version if it would end up on GamePass and maybe that is the reason why the Switch was included but PC still hasn't been.
Bumblebeetuna
Member
Man, no offense but your head is deep in the sand. Redfall without MS intervening and delaying it not only would have launched sooner than it did, but it would have launched with microtransactions and deep GaaS elements. MS delaying it made it a better game, even if the end result was still a turd.
Starfield is a very good game, idk why you people are even comparing the two
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
Naw dude, your head is he one in the sand. everything he said was pretty accurate. Time will tell what Xbox fate is, but if they can't get some nice sales from the $350 discount and outsell PS5 even a little, then they're in trouble. There is no evidence that Starfield moved the needle in any meaningful way.Man, no offense but your head is deep in the sand. Redfall without MS intervening and delaying it not only would have launched sooner than it did, but it would have launched with microtransactions and deep GaaS elements. MS delaying it made it a better game, even if the end result was still a turd.
Starfield is a very good game, idk why you people are even comparing the two
And yes, Starfield is a good 7/10 game. That's how most people see it.
Mibu no ookami
Member
I mean, Microsoft knows that it is a problem. They are trying to weather the storm in order to grow to a large enough number that they can start to ween off 3rd party content and reduce the operating costs involved with GamePass.
Microsoft is holding off raising the price of GamePass, but it IS coming. I expect GamePass Ultimate to rise to 18-20 dollars by the end of the year., next year.
The problem is Microsoft knows they also don't have content that is driving subscriptions... There isn't a single game coming out next year that is going to drive GamePass subscriptions. 2024 is going to be a much weaker year for gaming than 2023. This decline is going to hit Microsoft harder than Nintendo and Sony.
So how does Microsoft manage the increased operating costs and the decreased revenue? Do they do more layoffs, which will probably delay or worsen the quality of games, do they increase the price of gamepass and reduce the number of subscribers in the process? Or do they double down give XBS a permanent price cut to keep units from gathering dust on shelves?
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
To me, their best course of action is to remove Day 1 AAA, go the EA model/PS+ route and put it on the service months later. Reduce the price back to $99 a year or $10 a month.
Bumblebeetuna
Member
Yeah, I’m stating established facts. Your argument is “no u!!”
That’s GAF these days I guess. You two have fun.
Roxkis_ii
Member
But people aren't talking about Blade, people are talking about whether or not Microsoft is releasing another multiplatform game.
If this part of a marketing plan, it is a poor one to say the least.
Mibu no ookami
Member
Man, no offense but your head is deep in the sand. Redfall without MS intervening and delaying it not only would have launched sooner than it did, but it would have launched with microtransactions and deep GaaS elements. MS delaying it made it a better game, even if the end result was still a turd.
Starfield is a very good game, idk why you people are even comparing the two
Deathloop was originally going to come out May 2021, they delayed it to September 2021.
The big-budget game that got delayed for 11 years
Development hell is real, and it sucks.
mashable.com
Bethesda has never been a stranger to delaying games. Redfall was clearly not in shape to launch, but it launched anyways and that was because Xbox had a major drought of games and Microsoft lost faith that they could fix the game with any additional time.
The same is probably true of Starfield to a lesser degree. They needed the game to come out before Spider-Man and before the holidays, but it definitely needed more time to cook. There was no way Microsoft was going to let them miss a 2nd holiday season and have absolutely nothing for two straight holidays.
Mibu no ookami
Member
I think they can't remove Day 1 AAA.
I think they should create a new premium tier that has the Day 1 AAA games, but is priced appropriately. Kind of in line with EA Play Pro. Maybe like 20 dollars a month.
They should have made a deal with Paramount+ to bundle GamePass and Paramount+ when Halo TV launched.
Their biggest problem is Day 1 PC and Day 1 AAA PC GamePass. That needs to be priced WAY higher.
Bumblebeetuna
Member
Deathloop was originally going to come out May 2021, they delayed it to September 2021.
The big-budget game that got delayed for 11 years
Development hell is real, and it sucks.
Bethesda has never been a stranger to delaying games. Redfall was clearly not in shape to launch, but it launched anyways and that was because Xbox had a major drought of games and Microsoft lost faith that they could fix the game with any additional time.
The same is probably true of Starfield to a lesser degree. They needed the game to come out before Spider-Man and before the holidays, but it definitely needed more time to cook. There was no way Microsoft was going to let them miss a 2nd holiday season and have absolutely nothing for two straight holidays.
Xbox, meanwhile, never ever delays games.
Except of course, for the two Bethesda games you are talking about, and other games this gen (Halo, Forza, etc). But let’s not allow facts to get in the way. Yes yes, if not for MS, Redfall would have been delayed again and would have launched in a great shape. Just ask the devs who didn’t even want to make the game. Not going to bother with the Starfield stuff, you talk like it’s a 4/10 game or something
Astray
Gold Member
I think this game might actually prove to be some sort of exception to something.
Maybe Disney doesn't want it to be an exclusive to Xbox, maybe they are ok with it being an Xbox exclusive provided it's not on GP day 1.. But the one thing we definitely know is that the status of the game's platforms is clearly not set in stone because we would have had them announced already. This is the thing that I see a lot of people dancing around for some unfathomable reason.
The discussion around this issue isn't some calculated ploy from Microsoft either, foregoing a massive surge of confirmed hype for their upcoming slate that's delivered to 100m people for the continued engagement of people like us hardcore gamers who talk in our hardcore gaming forum is pure insanity and goes against Marketing 101!
I rarely agree with Klobrille, but dude is %100 on point when he said this:
I think they were trapped between a rock and a hard place on this one..
On one hand, they need to start staffing up for it, and missing the game awards viewership for a full year just simply isn't an option. But on the other hand they can't just roll over and let Disney bully them into being Sony's 3P dev just so they can push a trailer on time, so they did what we saw to win some time. and we end up with a hype trailer that does basically nothing for their platforms.
squarealex
Member
Tell to Disney / Marvel when they see Spider-Man 2 sales.
Unknown Soldier
Member
I'm fairly certain that within the industry, it's been known for a long time that Gamepass is a value destroyer and Xbox gamers don't buy games anymore and instead wait for them to become available for free. However, no one was really willing to say anything as long as MS was willing to throw money at them to continue releasing on Xbox and putting things on Gamepass Day 1.
The difference now is that every Bethesda title released post-acquisition has conclusively flopped and MS ran into significant regulatory hurdles trying to acquire ABK and were basically forced to keep CoD multiplat even though it was obvious to anyone with a brain the original plan was to take CoD exclusive to drive Xbox sales. There is no way to keep pretending the Emperor has no Clothes, so to speak.
MS now faces an industry that can be openly skeptical that Gamepass is good for gaming and Xbox is good for the industry when it's been obvious that neither are true. As for Bethesda, if they actually completely ignored MS's history of acquisitions and jumped in bed anyways then they got what they had coming. Starfield isn't even a bad game, it's perfectly in-line with recent Todd Howard output, the problem was that it got Titanfall'd, a perfectly good if uninspiring genre title got hyped up by desperate MS marketers as the next Xbox console savior and completely didn't live up to the hype. And none of that is Starfield's fault. I don't doubt that Arkane is being given a last chance with Blade and when Blade releases as Xbox/PC exclusive and on Gamepass Day 1 and flops due to nothing they did wrong either, Arkane will get the axe.
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Bumblebeetuna
Member
Yeah but Blade isn’t Spider-Man or Wolverine
My guess is the game is multiplat since no one has confirmed anything.