Microsoft Games Are Going Third Party (Hi-Fi Rush/Pentiment/Sea of Thieves/Grounded release dates confirmed)

[Rozalia1]

Went exactly as I thought it'd go. Microsoft always has to play these pointless PR games to feed online toxicity that does 0 to help their business. I'll be updating the OP with the news and some thoughts.

 

The army online is already on the march and attacking the leaks and people who have been saying that everything was going to come. Considering how hard Microsoft is into PR it would not surprise me if they purposely let that stuff leak, didn't deny anything for a week, and then dropped this 'it is only 4 games' business. What does that do? People who were panicking before will now be relieved that it isn't all of them and just 4, the worse case scenario is avoided and so they're back on board. Naturally when it is clear that it is all of them later the time for outrage has passed.

 

https://www.pcgamesn.com/gears-of-war/phil-spencer-says-not-every-xbox-game-will-come-to-pc

 

As I said before, it is the boiling frog. Spencer played this exact game with day 1 on PC. The reason? Simple. Take that Indiana Jones game for example. They say it is going to PS5 then some people will simply wait for it. If however it is unknown if it'll come to PS5 when it releases then there is the chance that they'll buy an Xbox. Deceit, but what else can you expect from Microsoft.

 

It'll go unnoticed but there are other real gems from Spencer. First of all he straight up is port-begging now. The boss of a platform... is port-begging like some random forum poster. He doesn't understand why Helldivers 2 is not on Xbox, who does that help? This relates to the whole 'multiplayer games should be on all platforms' which I have been seeing a lot online for a while now, with Xbox people all certainly being onboard. Another related gem was a call back to when he said that Starfield being a 11/10 wouldn't make a difference, that being that exclusive games don't sell consoles (!!!). Many might say the man is an imbecile for saying these things, but for those who pay attention it is clear it is just putting out a PR narrative as they love to do. First off, don't worry about exclusives leaving Xbox because they don't sell consoles anyway, no one cares. Secondly, it would not shock me if the astroturfing starts presenting exclusives as being 'anti-consumer'.

 

As for consoles. They're putting out there that they both 'want' to put forward a powerful console (biggest leap ever) and also a portable. That will no doubt get used to keep people online busy, but as always, it should be taken as empty talk due to who it is coming from. Xbox has been power obsessed so a powerful console is certainly possible. The surface team has also apparently taken over Xbox hardware so a portable is also certainly possible. All that said, they can also say all these things and then not put out another console.

 

Game pass. We got a number, 34 million. Up from 25 million around 2-3 years ago. Naturally this number is getting pushed as being a positive one, but in reality isn't. This number includes Game Pass core, which used to be Xbox Gold. Once you take both the numbers we had for Game Pass and Gold into account it shows that Game Pass has certainly declined. It hasn't been simply not growing, but instead been straight up losing numbers. Keep in mind that Microsoft's goal was to have 100 (!!!) million by 2027 was it? So they have 3 years to triple their current subscription count.

 

17 minutes ago, boaly2008 said:

I have a lot of thoughts coming out of that podcast.

 

Firstly, I dont understand this business strategy at all. Theyre going to be eating the cost of putting ABK (and most importantly COD) on GamePass but they NEED to make some ROI on Hi-Fi Rush and Pentiment of all things? I dont believe that. That makes no sense. Something is mucked up in the works here, so to speak. These are totally contradictory business decisions. My assumption is that theyre going to greenlight more based on the sales of these or that whatever future plans theyve got are totally dependent on how these 4 smaller titles sell (which is a poor business plan in of itself).

 

Secondly, 34M GamePass subs is actually a lot better than I thought it would be based on them refusing to ever say the number. It's still not good but theyve been giving the impression that it was hard stuck in the 20s or something. However, it's still not great assuming this is a post Live Gold integration number (which I suppose we shouldve guessed from Sony's move to a tiered system earlier not changing the overall total number of subs at all).

 

Finally, Microsoft continues to have no idea how to present themselves. They spent like 75B dollars and theyre doing a week late podcast to announce nothing. If they wanted the teams to announce them, then bring the devs into the studio for five minutes and have them announce it. This whole situation reeks of some marketing exec seething that his perfect little trailer rollout got blown up. Console is sinking but yeah lets just let this fester for a week, brilliant idea. People complain about Sony never saying anything, well youve just seen why because it's better to say nothing ever than to look like an idiot by trying to say things. They shouldve wrapped this up a week ago with a press release.

 

It doesn't make sense because they're playing PR games and lying. 

 

Refer to my writing above this quote. 34 million as far as I know is actually a bad number. The 20s you're thinking of only was a thing because 25 million 2-3 years ago was the last announced number and Xbox, as they always do when numbers start looking bad, stopped providing them.

 

The whole thing was very controlled and a bunch of articles clearly already ready just launched. They're trying to fool people into this being no big deal so the smaller presentation helps towards that.

 

18 minutes ago, sepheroithisgod said:

This is all a  PR plan. They knew perfectly well what the reaction would be if they announced their games coming out on PlayStation and how their die-hard fans would react. No rational company would allow rumors to go unchecked for this long. This was a calculated tactic to let the rumors flood for a week and let everyone speculate on how bad it is, then come out and say, oh it's just 4 small games, no big deal. We'll see if there is demand for more, when they know full well there will be demand for more.

 

It just softens the blow.

 

Exactly. The one thing I'll add though is that if the order is coming from above Spencer then how the games do will actually be irrelevant. If they sell then that shows they need to port more. If they don't then they were the wrong games for whatever reason so port more.

[jtmart59]

3 hours ago, MAUSZX said:

They leaved the door opened, they say we will see this more in the future 

Will there be demand for Starfield game looks so mid.

remember that game cuphead that was xbox exclusive for ages until released on playstation?  i always want that game so badly until playstation released and guess what i owned that best game.

10 minutes ago, Rozalia1 said:

Went exactly as I thought it'd go. Microsoft always has to play these pointless PR games to feed online toxicity that does 0 to help their business. I'll be updating the OP with the news and some thoughts.

 

The army online is already on the march and attacking the leaks and people who have been saying that everything was going to come. Considering how hard Microsoft is into PR it would not surprise me if they purposely let that stuff leak, didn't deny anything for a week, and then dropped this 'it is only 4 games' business. What does that do? People who were panicking before will now be relieved that it isn't all of them and just 4, the worse case scenario is avoided and so they're back on board. Naturally when it is clear that it is all of them later the time for outrage has passed.

 

https://www.pcgamesn.com/gears-of-war/phil-spencer-says-not-every-xbox-game-will-come-to-pc

 

As I said before, it is the boiling frog. Spencer played this exact game with day 1 on PC. The reason? Simple. Take that Indiana Jones game for example. They say it is going to PS5 then some people will simply wait for it. If however it is unknown if it'll come to PS5 when it releases then there is the chance that they'll buy an Xbox. Deceit, but what else can you expect from Microsoft.

 

It'll go unnoticed but there are other real gems from Spencer. First of all he straight up is port-begging now. The boss of a platform... is port-begging like some random forum poster. He doesn't understand why Helldivers 2 is not on Xbox, who does that help? This relates to the whole 'multiplayer games should be on all platforms' which I have been seeing a lot online for a while now, with Xbox people all certainly being onboard. Another related gem was a call back to when he said that Starfield being a 11/10 wouldn't make a difference, that being that exclusive games don't sell consoles (!!!). Many might say the man is an imbecile for saying these things, but for those who pay attention it is clear it is just putting out a PR narrative as they love to do. First off, don't worry about exclusives leaving Xbox because they don't sell consoles anyway, no one cares. Secondly, it would not shock me if the astroturfing starts presenting exclusives as being 'anti-consumer'.

 

As for consoles. They're putting out there that they both 'want' to put forward a powerful console (biggest leap ever) and also a portable. That will no doubt get used to keep people online busy, but as always, it should be taken as empty talk due to who it is coming from. Xbox has been power obsessed so a powerful console is certainly possible. The surface team has also apparently taken over Xbox hardware so a portable is also certainly possible. All that said, they can also say all these things and then not put out another console.

 

Game pass. We got a number, 34 million. Up from 25 million around 2-3 years ago. Naturally this number is getting pushed as being a positive one, but in reality isn't. This number includes Game Pass core, which used to be Xbox Gold. Once you take both the numbers we had for Game Pass and Gold into account it shows that Game Pass has certainly declined. It hasn't been simply not growing, but instead been straight up losing numbers. Keep in mind that Microsoft's goal was to have 100 (!!!) million by 2027 was it? So they have 3 years to triple their current subscription count.

 

 

It doesn't make sense because they're playing PR games and lying. 

 

Refer to my writing above this quote. 34 million as far as I know is actually a bad number. The 20s you're thinking of only was a thing because 25 million 2-3 years ago was the last announced number and Xbox, as they always do when numbers start looking bad, stopped providing them.

 

The whole thing was very controlled and a bunch of articles clearly already ready just launched. They're trying to fool people into this being no big deal so the smaller presentation helps towards that.

 

 

Exactly. The one thing I'll add though is that if the order is coming from above Spencer then how the games do will actually be irrelevant. If they sell then that shows they need to port more. If they don't then they were the wrong games for whatever reason so port more.

honesly mlb the show that was playstation exclusive until release on xbox every year

[Rozalia1]

Updated the OP with the recent information.

 

19 minutes ago, jtmart59 said:

honesly mlb the show that was playstation exclusive until release on xbox every year

 

I've seen that game brought up by Xbox people to try and push some narratives. If it had been up to PlayStation that game wouldn't have been on Xbox, but the owner of the license told them to make it multiplatform or they'd find someone else.

[mcnichoj]

  

5 hours ago, majob said:

Exclusives drive the ecosystem of consoles

Wrong.

 

3 hours ago, Rozalia1 said:

They say it is going to PS5 then some people will simply wait for it. If however it is unknown if it'll come to PS5 when it releases then there is the chance that they'll buy an Xbox. Deceit, but what else can you expect from Microsoft.

"Deceit", like they owe you anything. Cringe.

Isn't this the same exact thing that Sony did with suppressing the info that Spider-Man: Miles Morales would also be on PS4?

[Peaches]

Sea of Thieves is awesome. Legit the only exclusive I miss from getting rid of my Xbox. Can't wait to jump back into it.

[D-E-U-S-X]

Hi-Fi Rush, Sea of Thieves, Pentiment and Grounded are apart from perhaps SoT, games that I generally find interesting and worth playing. Could have been worse(Redfail)

Edited February 16 by D-E-U-S-X

[fbdbh]

2 minutes ago, D-E-U-S-X said:

Hi-Fi Rush, Sea of Thieves, Pentiment and Grounded are apart from perhaps SoT, games that I generally find interesting and worth playing. Could have been worse(Redfail)

 

Still could be, as none of this is confirmed.

[ASMODAIOS344]

14 hours ago, EightBitArtist said:

id play hifi rush if it goes on sale for 9.99

 

Most likely 79.99$ or 89.99$ for the PS6 version for that privilege 😉

14 hours ago, majob said:

Exclusives drive the ecosystem of consoles regardless of how upset it makes people they can't play a certain game on their platform of choice, it's important to make the hardware worthwhile in comparison to the competition

 

Sony and Microsoft disagree with that it seems, only Nintendo will continue with the traditional close ecosystem model.

 

Pay close attention to the recent Sony financial results, the break their profit record but is not  translated to a increase in profit.

 

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/sony-wants-to-improve-playstation-profit-margins-with-more-aggressive-pc-release-strategy/

 

And from S.I.E itself , read the first and second file

 

https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/IR/library/presen/er/archive.html

 

Edited February 16 by ASMODAIOS344

[Rozalia1]

8 hours ago, mcnichoj said:

 Wrong.

"Deceit", like they owe you anything. Cringe.

Isn't this the same exact thing that Sony did with suppressing the info that Spider-Man: Miles Morales would also be on PS4?

 

Did you look at what you linked? 5/20 of the games on that particular list are exclusives. Are you aware what the multiplatform to exclusive rate is? Just because Spencer says that nonsense now due to their failures, doesn't make it true. Exclusives have and still do drive console adoption. If you don't believe it with PlayStation then look at Nintendo who is completely undeniable. What exclusives do is generate talk, buzz, so forth. It puts the console/brand in people's minds. One of the reasons Xbox has ultimately failed is that they have been cold for so long, only coming up negatively to anybody not already inside their 'ecosystem'.

 

You're right, they don't owe me anything. Who they do owe however is what remains of their fans, who they once again are messing around. As for cringe, I'd say defending lying PR/corporate double speak is more cringe, well I'd use a different word, but we'll go with yours.

 

#SonyToo, always. No. The closest would be Herman Hulst's PR around the time of Horizon getting a PC port, but even that isn't quite there because even today some PlayStation exclusives aren't getting PC ports. Regardless however, if Sony were to have done something similar or not is irrelevant. Two wrongs don't make a right.

[BloodyRutz]

9 hours ago, mcnichoj said:

  

Wrong.

 

"Deceit", like they owe you anything. Cringe.

Isn't this the same exact thing that Sony did with suppressing the info that Spider-Man: Miles Morales would also be on PS4?

 

You owe it to the people here to at least read the shit you post and make an effort to conduct a minimum amount of research before labeling someone who actually posts factual information as 'cringe'.

[PalaceOfLove706]

Looks like the people predicting Xbox’s collapse will be disappointed. This isn’t even exciting news. Nothing is changing. Xbox will continue to put games on other consoles just like Sony puts games on Xbox. Like nobody freaked out when MLB made Sony go multiplatform or the fact Bungie will continue to be multiplatform. 

[Teh_DDgamez]

10 hours ago, mcnichoj said:

  

Wrong.

 

"Deceit", like they owe you anything. Cringe.

Isn't this the same exact thing that Sony did with suppressing the info that Spider-Man: Miles Morales would also be on PS4?

Can anyone elaborate on this list? i'm missin something or no way that this is accurate. It's missing Baldur's Gate 3 which topped every chart ever for weeks, armored core 6 which was steam top selling number 6, alan wake 2 which was a banger. I don't think this can be accurate.

[PalaceOfLove706]

16 minutes ago, Teh_DDgamez said:

Can anyone elaborate on this list? i'm missin something or no way that this is accurate. It's missing Baldur's Gate 3 which topped every chart ever for weeks, armored core 6 which was steam top selling number 6, alan wake 2 which was a banger. I don't think this can be accurate.

Looks like the same list here. The article I link says it’s not perfect as not everybody announces digital sales. 
 

https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/the-20-best-selling-games-of-2023-in-the-us/2900-4951/#google_vignette

[HugoA-El]

I hope someday I get a chance to have a platinum for Quantum Break 🤞

[Doodlebawp]

3 hours ago, PalaceOfLove706 said:

Looks like the people predicting Xbox’s collapse will be disappointed. This isn’t even exciting news. Nothing is changing. Xbox will continue to put games on other consoles just like Sony puts games on Xbox. Like nobody freaked out when MLB made Sony go multiplatform or the fact Bungie will continue to be multiplatform. 

 

Yeah, nothing is changing. Just a major console developer putting their single player games on their competitor's console with more to come. This is totally fine and completely normal.

[willmill97]

Halo? 😔

[PIOTREK27-1982]

Microsoft Flight Simulator will be available on PS5 too. You can try to plat this badboy next month.
 

 

[Titanomachy_75]

15 minutes ago, Doodlebawp said:

 

Yeah, nothing is changing. Just a major console developer putting their single player games on their competitor's console with more to come. This is totally fine and completely normal.

MLB was a licenses thing OH BROTEHR!!! people are soooo not informed!!! To help you understand MLB told SONY if you dont put this game on all consoles we are going to take it away! DUH!!!!! The xbox one is pubs by a different Pubs so what you saying is foolish! ANd live services games should be on all consoles or platforms! Sony X games will never go to other consoles you understand now >>> WOW PEOPLE!!!  Saying that in 15 years this may all change and to be honest will I be gaming like I do today NAW so by then who cares lol 

3 hours ago, PalaceOfLove706 said:

Looks like the people predicting Xbox’s collapse will be disappointed. This isn’t even exciting news. Nothing is changing. Xbox will continue to put games on other consoles just like Sony puts games on Xbox. Like nobody freaked out when MLB made Sony go multiplatform or the fact Bungie will continue to be multiplatform. 

MLB was a licenses thing OH BROTEHR!!! people are soooo not informed!!! To help you understand MLB told SONY if you dont put this game on all consoles we are going to take it away! DUH!!!!! The xbox one is pubs by a different Pubs so what you saying is foolish! ANd live services games should be on all consoles or platforms! Sony X games will never go to other consoles you understand now >>> WOW PEOPLE!!!  Saying that in 15 years this may all change and to be honest will I be gaming like I do today NAW so by then who cares lol 

[PalaceOfLove706]

4 minutes ago, Titanomachy_75 said:

MLB was a licenses thing OH BROTEHR!!! people are soooo not informed!!! To help you understand MLB told SONY if you dont put this game on all consoles we are going to take it away! DUH!!!!! The xbox one is pubs by a different Pubs so what you saying is foolish! ANd live services games should be on all consoles or platforms! Sony X games will never go to other consoles you understand now >>> WOW PEOPLE!!!  Saying that in 15 years this may all change and to be honest will I be gaming like I do today NAW so by then who cares lol 

MLB was a licenses thing OH BROTEHR!!! people are soooo not informed!!! To help you understand MLB told SONY if you dont put this game on all consoles we are going to take it away! DUH!!!!! The xbox one is pubs by a different Pubs so what you saying is foolish! ANd live services games should be on all consoles or platforms! Sony X games will never go to other consoles you understand now >>> WOW PEOPLE!!!  Saying that in 15 years this may all change and to be honest will I be gaming like I do today NAW so by then who cares lol 

I literally said the MLB made Sony go multiplatform. Like I said, nobody freaked out when Sony put a game on day one Xbox Game Pass. 

[Titanomachy_75]

3 minutes ago, PalaceOfLove706 said:

I literally said the MLB made Sony go multiplatform. Like I said, nobody freaked out when Sony put a game on day one Xbox Game Pass. 

Because it was NOT SONY CALLLLLLLL!!!!! WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THis is XBOX Microsoft call iyts a little different DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dinniestar]

12 minutes ago, PalaceOfLove706 said:

I literally said the MLB made Sony go multiplatform. Like I said, nobody freaked out when Sony put a game on day one Xbox Game Pass. 

PlayStation just creates the game and publishes it I'm sure it was MLB who gives Sony the rights to use MLB who demanded it goes multiplatform I may be wrong  

[AJ_-_808]

42 minutes ago, PalaceOfLove706 said:

I literally said the MLB made Sony go multiplatform. Like I said, nobody freaked out when Sony put a game on day one Xbox Game Pass. 

What is your prediction on Disney telling MS to make Indiana Jones multiplatform after a potential sales-missing-the-mark launch?

[Rozalia1]

3 hours ago, PalaceOfLove706 said:

Looks like the people predicting Xbox’s collapse will be disappointed. This isn’t even exciting news. Nothing is changing. Xbox will continue to put games on other consoles just like Sony puts games on Xbox. Like nobody freaked out when MLB made Sony go multiplatform or the fact Bungie will continue to be multiplatform. 

 

Games Microsoft have on PlayStation are in three flavours. 1: They brought the developers and kept their games already on PlayStation on the platform, because to take them away at that point would only earn them scorn. 2: The developers before being bought had a contract with Sony, or in the case of Double Fine had people down on Kickstarter for a PlayStation version of their game, which meant that the game had to release on PlayStation. 3: CoD is contractually forced to be on other platforms. Minecraft it is thought, considering we have evidence of Spencer wanting to make it exclusive but being unable to even though he is the boss, that it is also a case where a contract exists that has been forcing the games on other platforms.

 

As for PlayStation. MLB was forced from the license holder. Bungie has independence to put their future games on other platforms per the deal they signed with PlayStation, though if they don't manage their business well enough that can be cut and then the power will be in PlayStation's hands.

 

So yes, something has changed. No contract exists to force Microsoft to put these coming games on PlayStation, and yet they're doing it. That is a departure compared to what they have been doing. Have you forgotten that Spencer's first act on buying ABK was going in and ordering the cancelation of the PlayStation versions of Starfield, Redfall, and no doubt other games we didn't hear about (Hi-Fi Rush for example).

 

3 hours ago, Teh_DDgamez said:

Can anyone elaborate on this list? i'm missin something or no way that this is accurate. It's missing Baldur's Gate 3 which topped every chart ever for weeks, armored core 6 which was steam top selling number 6, alan wake 2 which was a banger. I don't think this can be accurate.

 

Certain companies don't provide data for the list and Larian Studios is such a company so they never show up on these lists. Remedy Entertainment I believe is another. Nintendo meanwhile only provides physical data, so if digital was counted then their games would rise up the list and you'd no doubt see more Nintendo exclusives on it.

 

Were you to add Baldur's Gate 3 as an exclusive as it was one for 3 months (due to Xbox incompetence) and no doubt sold enough to be on the list in the 1st month, and factor in Nintendo digital, then I'm confident that the list would certainly be more than 50% exclusives.

 

2 minutes ago, AJ_-_808 said:

What is your prediction on Disney telling MS to make Indiana Jones multiplatform after a potential sales-missing-the-mark launch?

 

If Indiana Jones is one of the first big ones to come then certainly expect that to be the angle pushed online. The contract for that game was actually originally for a multiplatform release, but Microsoft then got it amended after talking to Disney. Considering Disney has no reason to amend it in Microsoft's favour for no gain, Microsoft likely made some manner of payment to get the game exclusive, be it upfront or in more money from the game going to Disney. If money has changed hands like that then I would think Disney would not have the power to force the matter.

[mcnichoj]

4 hours ago, BloodyRutz said:

 

You owe it to the people here to at least read the shit you post and make an effort to conduct a minimum amount of research before labeling someone who actually posts factual information as 'cringe'.

People are buying PS5 for brand recognition, exclusives are just extra software that happens to be available to them.

I call someone cringe when they're being cringe. I believe I acknowledged this person was smart in the past but it's so insanely off putting that they have to follow up anything smart they say with toddler level comments. It's constant. I know people on here that have zero interest in the Xbox brand also are put off by that.

 

3 hours ago, Teh_DDgamez said:

Can anyone elaborate on this list? i'm missin something or no way that this is accurate. It's missing Baldur's Gate 3 which topped every chart ever for weeks, armored core 6 which was steam top selling number 6, alan wake 2 which was a banger. I don't think this can be accurate.

Alan Wake 2 sold 1.3 million according to some sources. It's an okay amount of sales considering everything that was going on with the game.

As for BG3 it's anyone's guess what the sales are. Probably in the 10+ million range. The vast majority of those being on PC since it was out much longer and is generally the best version.

[Teh_DDgamez]

2 hours ago, Rozalia1 said:

Certain companies don't provide data for the list and Larian Studios is such a company so they never show up on these lists. Remedy Entertainment I believe is another. Nintendo meanwhile only provides physical data, so if digital was counted then their games would rise up the list and you'd no doubt see more Nintendo exclusives on it.

 

Were you to add Baldur's Gate 3 as an exclusive as it was one for 3 months (due to Xbox incompetence) and no doubt sold enough to be on the list in the 1st month, and factor in Nintendo digital, then I'm confident that the list would certainly be more than 50% exclusives.

Ok, that makes sense!