Microsoft acquires ZeniMax Media (Bethesda, id Software, Arkane + 5 more) [2020-09-21, 2021-03-09]

Perhaps when you look at the press release as an entity by itself but taking the pr as just one of many things said or illustrated by Microsoft lately, parsing the wording of some isn't really conclusive.

Just noting how Microsoft has transformed into a cloud based company, Gamepass fits into this model. That is the gaming platform for Microsoft. The PC, Xbox consoles and xcloud are just different vessels to get to that platform. We don't get console sales anymore but we do get updated Gamepass subscription numbers. Given that growing that number is the focus, it behooves Microsoft to do things that increase the number like offering a lot of exclusive content for the service. Until or unless Gamepass proves to be untenable for Microsoft, there isn't any reason to think, outside of contractual obligation, any game Microsoft makes with the exception of Minecraft and free to play games, will be on any platform outside of their ecosystem.

 

IMO MS is going to make everything as exclusive to the Xbox/PC ecosystem as it legally can.

 

will be interesting to see what is said at the town hall in 10 minutes

 

Phil just said what I said, just his wording but he was pretty clear.

 

I think that settles it then

 

Spoiler: town hall

Town hall Phil

He says games are critical to what we are doing , Sataya got on board with content creators. He feels there is a lot to learn from working with Bethesda. 20 games hit game pass from the partner ship.
Showed a preview of a piece announcing the game pass games. Asks for no screen shots . Great smash up of MS ip interacting through clips with bethesda ip. of course the infamous wagon sceen is shown.

So nothing really new

Nothing really big at the town hall

 

So it sounds like that apart from Deathloop & Ghostwire: Tokyo being Playstation exclusive, if they have any other contracts to release games on non-Microsoft platforms they will still release them on those platforms. Do we know of other games already planning on coming out multiplatform? Any games this year planned?

Tommy McClain

 

Really surprised that ESO is so popular. Played it at launch and it didn't really grab me. Maybe I'll give it another go.

 

Those types of games usually get much better over time. Look at Sea of Thieves.

 

https://www.pushsquare.com/news/202...esnt_know_if_starfields_coming_to_ps5_anymore

So looks like Starfield might be xbox/game pass exclusive. I think we all believe that is before the next Elder Scrolls so we may see exclusives happen much faster than some of us thought

 

I haven't played ESO. I can tell you that MMOs in general are fun because its a shared world with progression. So you and friends can get on and play and feel like you accomplished something.

Shooters are fun too but there really isn't anything to build towards.

Its just different fun but man forget the hours but the literal weeks of my life I spent playing Ultima online , EQ2 and EnB oh and Lineage 2 were vast. I still have friends to this day that I made in those games.

 

ESO had me bouncing of it originally as it felt like a WoW* clone in an Elder Scrolls hat. Still, I'm not an active WoW player like I was then, so might be able to enjoy ESO for its own sake.

A MMO with actual Elder Scrolls combat and physics would be amazing but probably impossible.

* WoW's obvious owes a huge dept to titles you mention, but it bought a lot in terms of colour and fun game loops. Titles arriving after its success barely moved the dial WoW has turned up to 11. Some turned it backwards

 

I gotta disagree. I think wow was a big success but it really destroyed the industry. I've always enjoyed the sandbox approach of UO and Lineage than the theme park approach of wow. It quickly became evident in games like wow that people would play the game for a few months , do all hte content and then stop logging in as much. With UO and LIneage 2 people would constantly be on trying to find new things to do .

But hey I was 16 when UO came out (or 15?) I am almost 40. I don't have the time for an MMO at this point.

 

Eve online is still that sandbox game, but I agree very few left like it.

 

Similar age so me neither, but a dabble is fun!

I don't think WoW killed the sandbox MMO as such. It is a shame that in the late '00, early '10s companies thought more theme park MMOs were a good idea.

Does go back to my surprise at ESO doing so well.

 

Games that are getting fps boost:

1. Pray
2. Dishonored
3. Fallout 4
4. Fallout 76
5. Skyrim

 

I would love to see another skill based mmo come out. I know shroud of the avatar isn't great but I would love to see EA give Garriot another chance at an Ultima Online 2 or another big company give him a go. But I think you need like Garriot with Ralph Koster (but he has a new mmo company playable worlds doing some cloud native sandbox mmo) Joye mcburnnett and then even though it wasn't launch stuff I think Jason Spangler who was the lead programer for UO SA would be good to have.
But hey that was almost 25 years ago now. Who knows that would happen.

I was really interested in the everquest next stuff. That looked really cool with all the destructible stuff.


But yea if i could find something that brought back the feeling of the early days of MMOs i'd be all for it. But like I said maybe its just me thats too different now.

Perhaps I just need to settle for something virtual....

It was just always to much to get into. I tried but just couldn't do it. I love sci fi and fantasy. I grew up reading it all and hell I still listen to lit rpgs and stuff when I have to drive long distances or when i'm out running/ walking (don't need to pay as much attention) but I think the fantasy stuff always translated better to games for me.

 

Hitting your 40's, definately you that's different old man!

An MMO with a world that's more than an entertaining facade is such a challenge on so many levels. You can see why companies play it safe, even if it's turned out as suicide for many.

BOS have a few games in the works, so it's going to be interesting to see what direction they go. Gamepass frees them from requiring a monthly sub or F2P elements to some degree.

If they can find a way to do it, a massively multiplayer game that's true to the systems in the single player Elder Scrolls would be an interesting prospect.

The world would probably devolve into a war fought with giants launching mammoths across the map...

 

I am old but ask my wife , I act like a teenager (and thats on a good day lol)

I think most companies are full with people who just follow including higher ups. Its easy to see the success of wow and hope to grab some of that. But sometimes doing something different gets that pot of gold.

We will have to see what happens. By the time star citizen hits i could be in my 60s and retired. So maybe that will be a game i get into ? My dad says being retired is like being a teenager. he just hangs out and watches soccer all day (although when he was younger he just played it all day) the biggest difference is my mother yells at him to do stuff instead of his mom

 

Business Aspects of GamePass moved to existing thread @ https://forum.beyond3d.com/threads/business-aspects-of-subscription-game-libraries-xgp-psnow.61595/