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MCV’s bumper E3 issue is out, featuring an exclusive interview with Microsoft’s Matt Booty

Also featuring our E3 guide, interviews with EA Motive’s Jade Raymond and Eidos Montreal’s David Anfossi, an investigation into why top talent is jumping ship for a life as indies, and much more.

Nyxus2913d ago

"It’s really difficult for anybody to think about making a large scale triple-A game these days without having
in mind a content and service plan that goes one to two years into the future out of the gate."

“Games really have become much more social, much more mainstream, much more widespread. We know that the games industry is growing, and that’s taking nothing away from what you call the ‘single-player, narrative, cinematic game’ but we
see a lot of interest from our players in more community-driven ongoing franchises. I think that is in alignment with a lot of the trends we see in gaming overall.”

I do not like the sound of this. It sounds exactly like what Phil Spencer was saying a while ago about singleplayer games.

UCForce2912d ago

I think Phil Spencer doesn’t understand what gaming is. He only see it as a social gaming experience. I think it’s more about modernization. This make me upset a lot.

Gazondaily2912d ago

"This make me upset a lot."

Really?

" There will always be single-player games with maybe 20 to 30 hours of gameplay, we love those kinds of games"

Don't be so upset.

UCForce2912d ago

@Septic Really ? He quoted this : “Games really have become much more social, much more mainstream, much more widespread. We know that the games industry is growing, and that’s taking nothing away from what you call the ‘single-player, narrative, cinematic game’ but we
see a lot of interest from our players in more community-driven ongoing franchises. I think that is in alignment with a lot of the trends we see in gaming overall.” That’s sound more like MS want to focus on MP and more modernization.

ShottyatLaw2912d ago

@UCForce

Gaming is a social experience for millions of people. For example, didn't I recently see you celebrating that rumored leak of SOCOM? Hmmm...

The word I think you keep trying to use is "monetization," not modernization.

gangsta_red2912d ago

"This make me upset a lot."

Why? You don't own a Xbox and you're a self admitted "Sony loyalist". With that, anything Xbox does won't affect you.

@Shotryatlaw
Yes, he was super hyped at the rumor of a new Socom too...a MP game that requires team work and social interaction.

Cheriu922912d ago

@UCForce isn't exactly bright, in fact he's the embodiment of an average Sony fanboy, uneducated, hatefuly, jealous and toxic.

bigmalky2911d ago

@Shotty

SOCOM had a great single player experience with voice command input...

Don't see what you're getting at here.

Lamboomington2911d ago (Edited 2911d ago )

@UCForce

Yes, he said that, and he is 100% right.

Games are more social, widespread and mainstream, and there is a growing interest in community driven online stuff. Just look at the last few years, they prove his point. I know this community likes to bash games like Overwatch and PUBG etc etc, but the fact is people love this stuff. Besides, you have examples like Warframe, which this community likes I think.

You'd have to be dishonest or ignorant to not accept that fact. I get that you're judging this in the context of that whole "SP games are dead" (complete) nonsense, but what he's saying is true and makes perfect sense. It's an obvious consequence of the internet becoming more powerful and widespread a normal part of everyone's lives. It's inevitable that there will be an overall shift toward that side, as developers can start doing things they previously wouldn't have been able to do. If it doesn't happen now, it will happen later.

Ofcourse, none of this means that there won't be SP games. As long as there is demand (which there is and will always be), there will be SP games. If EA wants to focus on games as a service, then let them do that. Someone else will fill the void. There's a lot of great games to be made on the online service front, and a lot of new and fun experiences to be had.

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Liqu1d2912d ago

You would think they would see the success Sony and Nintendo are having and try to learn from them, but I guess not. They would push services on people. I wouldn't be surprised if they go full multiplat at some point in the future.

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yellowgerbil2912d ago

You have to make games to go multiplat

MuddyWaters2912d ago

Nintendo's success has a lot to do with the current hardware, Microsoft can't follow that right now. Nintendo always had compelling software but that didn't help them with the Wii U did it or the Gamecube. The Wii was also successful due to its hardware and look at what happened when Microsoft tried to follow that fad.

Sony is the one who is more aligned with what Microsoft could follow more of, diversity in its software but again you will have two very similar hardware and how exactly are you going to change the status of the Xbox One now to that of the PS4 if they are very similar? This me too way of thinking is too late, they are better off preparing themselves up for next generation because no amount of software is really going to change statistics with the current pace of the PS4.

Suggesting they go third party clearly shows you don't have any faith in them so it doesn't seem to matter what they do, you just want to continue to put them down any chance you get. You can build software that offers both, Forza proves you can have significant content for solo players while also catering to the online masses. This is also the bigger picture Sony sees with Uncharted by adding multiplayer to a franchise that was once just campaign. GT Sport is another sign Sony sees more lasting appeal in today's market. Halo needs to regroup and have a stellar campaign but it too will have multiplayer which is not the problem. Deus Ex and Wolfenstein are other examples where single player games have done poorly too so to just assume single player driven games is the answer is not really showing the true story.

Sharky2312912d ago

Microsoft will never have the first party studios or games that Nintendo and Sony have!

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Zeref2912d ago (Edited 2912d ago )

@UCforce I don't think you understand what gaming is. All he's saying is that there is a lot more interest(and money to be made) in games with a community driven aspect.

Overwatch, GTA Online,CSGO, LOL,Star Craft,World of Warcraft. These all launched years ago but are still the most played games today. Fortnite and PUBG will probably continue to dominate gaming for years as well.

We can sit here and deny it all we want but the truth is. Multiplayer/Community driven games are MUCH much more popular/successful than single player games. Nobody will be thinking about god of war in the next 2 months. Heck, even Sea of Thieves is being streamed a lot more(and I mean A LOT, like it's not even close) than god of war RIGHT NOW, not even 2 months after it launched. Even with all the crazy good reception and press it got, it's relevancy has already faded, like most single player games. Sure it will probably go on to sell 10 million copies which is great. But a game like Sea of Thieves, will reach that and surpass it over time and make much more money while still providing great experiences for us.

I'm not against single player games. My favorite game in recent times is Zelda BOTW. Singleplayer games will always have a place in gaming. But yall are acting like multiplayer games are a bad thing, yet we're all playing them and that's for a good reason, they are more fun over a longer period of time and we can play with our friends.

LabRat2912d ago

@zeref - sea of thieves won't sell 10 million copies in its lifetime.

OG_TK_Cole2911d ago (Edited 2911d ago )

Im a Microsoft guy and even I have to ask, are you on drugs???? Did you really just type that Sea Of Thieves in its life time will sell more than 10 Million copies?? See you and guys like you are the problem. You apologists have The Xbox Division thinking its ok to put a game out where all you do is chase chickens and pigs all day, while paying a AAA price. Lastly Sea Of Thieves wont even sell 2 Million copies, because most of the supporting base play the game through Xbox Game Pass. And people wonder why I purchased a PS4 Pro. #FactsOnly

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BlaqMagiq12911d ago

If you think Sea of Thieves is going to sell 10 million copies with barebones content you need to seek help immediately.

rainslacker2911d ago

MS is making it out like MP has supplanted SP, and that the interest in SP games has waned in the face of the rise of MP. MP became a thing due to technology becoming ready for such a thing. SP games have always been popular, and SP games are still selling well.

It'd be fine if MS chased after MP, and in a way they always have, but they tend to take the approach of doing over the pursuit of anything else. MS is trying to justify it's current track, and if they just had variety, then they wouldn't have to.

This is the same kind of talk that EA got raked over the coals for last gen. EA isn't a console maker, so people's console preference didn't take precedence over people's disdain for the kind of talk or industry practices which try to tell gamers what it is they want, as opposed to just making products and letting the market decide.

Also, in the past two years, there have been more new successful SP games than there have been new successful MP games this gen. The successful MP games do make more money due to their nature, but that's about all they have going for them. It's not that one thing has taken over, it's that the market has expanded.

Whenever MS, or EA talks about this, they act like SP has declined. It hasn't.

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Sharky2312912d ago

That statement was obviously PR spin. They should have said... we’re going to start making games. Then after we release a half made game we’re going to add content for 2 years. Then we’ll beat our customers to death with micro transactions and loot boxes! That’s what makes us the most money! That seems to be the plan for most social and online games these days! I don’t mind these games but companies can’t get rid of single player story driven games!!

Srhalo2912d ago

I don't see why anyone would think Microsoft's plans would have changed. They have said and said again that GaaS is the future of xbox.

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Automatic792912d ago

@Nyxus

I want to encourage dialogue/comments. Please explain in details why and I quote "I do not like the sound of this".

butchertroll2911d ago

We love social games. Give me GAAS games, MS. We love it! That's why Xbone in today's market is where it is.

DiRtY2911d ago

I still prefer multiplayer games over single player games. So I hope they continue to push in that direction.

The most successful games today have their main focus on the multiplayer... Fortnite, PUBG, CS GO, Minecraft, League of legends, Dota2, Halo, Call of duty...

Twitch wouldn't be where it is without multiplayer and eSports.

You guys only celebrate your single player games, because Sony has a focus on single player games.

Jinger2911d ago (Edited 2911d ago )

Why not have both? There is a reason my PS4 lays dormant until the next big exclusive game.. because I have no reason to go back other than replaying the same story I just played.

Sony really needs to have an MP exclusive game or at least have an IP with both SP and a compelling MP. Uncharted is fun, but extremely casual. TLoU had a fun MP for a bit as well, probably ND's best MP attempt. Killzone is just meh for MP.

But there is a reason no one even mentions the MP much in these games... because it's just a tacked on mode. A good SP and MP mode can co-exist under one IP.

rainslacker2911d ago

Apparently its so hard that Nintendo and Sony are doing mostly only that, and having really good sales from it. In the mean time, a few of the largest publishers in the world are chasing after a single market, and there are only a few new IP's this gen which have hit it big, along with the legacy IP's which have always done well. So, those looking at the SP market still, like Square Enix, 2K, Ubisoft in some cases, Sony, and Nintendo are seeing pretty decent sales on a lot of their better games.

MS just needs to stop acting like it's so difficult to make these kinds of games, by which I guess they mean justifying it to investors, and just say they can't get the funding, won't fund them, or just aren't interested in making them. Everything they say about it is being proved wrong by quite a few notable examples. It's not like there are just one or two anecdotal instances to point towards, but more successful SP games in the past two years, than there have been successful MP games in the past 2 years. Go figure.

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2913d ago Replies(4)
TheColbertinator2913d ago

Booty is blowing this out of his ass. Single player games are here to stay.

We did fine in gaming for decades with single player experiences and will continue to do so after Booty and his swines leave the gaming industry.

If you want to make "social interactions" or "friendship activities",put the controller down and go outside. Get some fresh air,join a sport or social movement.

Cheriu922912d ago (Edited 2912d ago )

" There will always be single-player games with maybe 20 to 30 hours of gameplay, we love those kinds of games"

Reading comprehension is a good skill to have, you should try it sometime.

Yeah man, they should shut down World of Warcraft, Minecraft, Fortnite, Hearthstone, DOTA 2, League and all of the biggest games on Earth because some nobody on N4G said so

Lamboomington2911d ago

reading comprehension on n4g lol

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60°

Take-Two CEO Once Again Side Steps Grand Theft Auto 6 Price Point

Strauss Zelnick says price of GTA 6 is being carefully considered and that Rockstar is focused on "making the most spectacular piece of entertainment on Earth."

Kuma25d ago

If GTA 6 abandons everything that made GTA 5 great, it will crash and burn right out of the gate. GTA 5 was funny and not at all PC. My worry is that they will cave to the PC crowd and ruin the vibes.

Eonjay25d ago

They got freaking BBLs twerking on the top of trucks for the gram, the freaking Flordia joker, and dude running down the stree in their undies and you are worried about it being 'too PC'? The internet has runied gamers. It doesn't matter how non-PC they make the game, you will all listen to the grifters telling you not to believe your lying eyes lol.

gigoran824d ago

"Rockstar Games’ co-founder and former VP of Development Jamie King said he envisions GTA 6 as a game that’s “maybe not quite as edgy or quite as funny” as its satirical predecessors."

oh yeah, totally internet grifters spreading rumors...

blacktiger24d ago

That's part of the plan, they destroyed you but they need to destroy the shareholders? Only 1 shre holder is the true elite that don't care

1nsomniac25d ago (Edited 25d ago )

Meh.., if it’s above £55 I ain’t buying it.

Rockstar are genuinely not half the company they used to be. I was a die hard GTA fan I’ve purchased every game and expansion and spin off day 1.

My opinion of GTA6 is that I can take it or leave it. Not bothered. They burnt too many bridges.

DaReapa25d ago (Edited 25d ago )

So they're actually leaving the door open for an L.A. Noire sequel? Nice!

VaNdAl24d ago (Edited 24d ago )

He should just come out and say it already it's getting stupid it's going to be a 100 bucks $200 for the special edition🤡🤡; 29315;🤣♿

Storm2324d ago

I won't be getting this game until I can get it for $70. SHoot, I could wait for it to be even lower. I don't need the game that badly as my backlog is still huge and I am enjoying playing other things.

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40°

Talking Aliens: The Video Games With Author Mike Diver

Skewed and Reviewed have posted an interview with Author Mike Diver about his pending book on Aliens video games.

70°

Xbox boss: Memory crisis could impact next-gen hardware pricing

Xbox boss Asha Sharma has discussed how component shortages will impact the company's plans for Project Helix.

Read Full Story >>
gamedeveloper.com
Eonjay26d ago

When does this end? Its killing everyone. Consoles and PC. And for what? AI? The benefits of AI are completely outweighed by the negatives. And the government should have never allowed one company to buy up all the RAM.

Lexreborn227d ago

This kind of proves this is an after thought product, most products like this are in r&d 5 years before they start mass producing. So they typically have the cost of components and things worked out long before assembly starts.

This is an assumption still, but I wouldn’t be surprised if project helix is similar to Scalebound,perfect dark and sod3. They had an idea but no actual execution other than concept stage. Being impacted by the ram shortage likely would also put this device 3-4 years out.

I’m not even sure MS has that endurance with Xbox yet

Fishy Fingers27d ago (Edited 27d ago )

I mean.... what?

We're at a point that Samsung wont even provide their own phone department ram because they can sell it at higher prices to 3rd parties (AI). Its more profitable to sell the ram than make their own devices with it.

You think because R&D starts 5 years ago the 3rd party component manufacturers will honour that price? They'll sell it to whomever is paying the most today, not some gentlemens agreement they made years ago. AI farms will buy more volume at higher prices than any console manufacturer will. It'll be the same for Playstation.

Lexreborn226d ago

Contractual agreements are not the same as “gentlemen” agreements. If you think that they work with their distributors a month before production then their entire business model is trash. They work with companies like nvidia constantly for building the graphics cards they need. They work with companies that build motherboards years in advance. This is what proper business planning does.

They are not buying components on a whim like a consumer. So again, considering the ram isn’t a singular module and is integrated into the motherboard I highly doubt they wouldn’t have a final schematic that they are supposed to be building around.

If they are delaying production another 3 years then it’s obvious again this is an after though project and is just trying to be responsive to their bad execution they had the last 14 years.

It also isn’t far fetched to use their failure to produce first party titles the last 7 years including the highly anticipated games I mentioned all being cancelled. That they would continue to you know… lie

Sitdown26d ago

You don't really know how this works huh?

Profchaos26d ago (Edited 26d ago )

Helix is going to be stupidly expensive

Instead of leaning into smarter upscaling techniques they're brute forcing hardware that will cost them dearly and it remains to be seen if it's genuinely going to provide a meaningful differential

I know in the oc.doace people like to brag about not using frame gen or dlss to get to high on a game but for the majority of players they happily use those technologies without a second thought

That's going to be ps6 vs Helix

Eonjay26d ago

Yeah with FSR 5 they should be able to offer a much cheaper version of Helix.

Eonjay26d ago

While this does seem to be the case, I am encouraged by the statement from Microsoft about wanting to provide affordable options. If this means a Series S style Helix, at least there will be something affordable being offered.

XBManiac26d ago

Series S is what has killed Xbox Series so... Will they dare?

blacktiger26d ago

It's called systematic inflationary. Yes we get it Microsoft, keep raising in the name ofall kinds of stuffs

pwnmaster300026d ago

Honestly if there was thing I learned from this generation is that new consoles arnt day one anymore.
I can wait 1-3 years.

DarXyde26d ago

Another important lesson from this generation: while Nintendo showed us that prices don't necessarily need to ever drop, we've now learned that waiting 1-3 years does carry some risk that prices increase. This generation is just bizarre in all the wrong ways.

LucasRuinedChildhood26d ago (Edited 26d ago )

The factors are largely external. Covid and Russia-Ukraine war causing inflation led to the first price increase in 2022.

Then we get Trump's tariffs increasing hardware prices, AI boom causing a RAM crisis, war on Iran causing a worldwide fuel crisis which impacts the cost of everything.

Gaming doesn't exist in a vacuum. The last few years have been a shitshow and lot of it was definitely avoidable.

DarXyde26d ago

LucasRuinedChildhood,

For sure. No disagreement on the external factors doing a lot of this. Where I have to gently push back however is on two fronts:

1. The pandemic definitely caused some issues: asynchronous development was a big issue and really complicated timelines and affected game quality. At the same time, when it comes to price hikes, it's really difficult to know what was genuine necessity and what was taking consumers for a ride. The pandemic brought about "stag-flation" which was increasing prices and stagnant wages, which was a problem caused by supply chain constraints. There was also "Greed-flation", where companies that were slightly affected or had no issues took advantage of the situation and squeezed everyone citing supply chain issues when there were none.

2. It's definitely true that the tariffs, AI boom, and RAM crisis were all things enabled by tech broligarchs throwing money at this caricature of a world leader, one of them being Satya Nadella. I don't think Sony and Nintendo have contributed much to this problem if at all, but Microsoft's Nadella I feel was instrumental in causing every one of those issues. Microsoft as a company contributed to both candidates (though they gave Harris 4x as much if I recall), but Nadella was all in on letting AI run wild. He paid for unregulated AI, and got a war that's not a war (even though Trump called it that at least five times on television) that screwed up helium access. So for me, I feel that one of the players in the gaming industry is a key architect of these issues, and for that reason I struggle a bit to think of it as "external".

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