Microsoft Studios VP "Respects" Sony's Focus on First-Party IPs

[StewShearerOld]

Microsoft Studios VP "Respects" Sony's Focus on First-Party IPs

Microsoft Studios' Phil Spencer recently came out with some kind words for Sony and Nintendo.

When I think of competition between consoles my mind tends to wander to the things like <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7nsBoqJ6s8>"Genesis Does What Nintendon't" or <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTi5EaocGaY>Crash Bandicoot yelling at a building through a blow horn. That being the case, besides some early sniping, the competition between the Xbox One and PS4 has arguably been kind of cordial. Sony described Microsoft as <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/128400-Sony-Admires-Microsofts-Decision-to-Change-Xbox-One>being "smart", the <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/129687-Microsoft-Congratulates-Sony-on-the-PS4s-Launch>Xbox team congratulated Sony on the successful launch of the PS4; it almost feels like we're just a few compliments short of a bonfire-lit Kumbaya session.

That said, Phil Spencer, the corporate vice-president for Microsoft Studios, has come out with yet more inter-console praise. "I really respect [Sony's] focus on investing in new things and creative things, what they've done with David Cage and Quantic Dream around Beyond [Two Souls] and Heavy Rain; they stay committed to franchises even if they don't sell 10 million units, they'll stay committed to things," he said. He also offered praise to his competitors for the way they handled the reveal and launch of the PS4. "When I think about their announcement, their clear focus on a customer, leading with the value proposition of what they're trying to do, staying true to a vision, I think they've done a nice job in how they defined the PS4."

Spencer's commendations weren't just limited to Sony however, he also had some kind words for Nintendo. "Their first-party is such an amazing asset," he said. "Their first party studios and IP can lead what they do as a company and the platforms are almost in service to the IP - not in a bad way." While we can't pretend to say what's driving this wave of warm-and-fuzzy dealings between the big game hardware makers, we will say that we like it and hope it continues. Maybe if we're lucky the fans will follow suit.

Source: OXM


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[Grimh]

Yeah, it is great.
I just wish they were committed to someone other than David Cage.

Seriously, when he brought up David Cage and his games it felt more like a backhanded compliment rather than a sincere one.

 

[WeepingAngels]

See, now this is so much better than slamming each other. I especially appreciate what he said about Nintendo.

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

Translation:"We wish we had more exclusive IPs that identified our brand since Halo and Gears of War are losing steam, and our buy 3rd party exclusivity rights policy might not give us the advantage this generation."

 

[Vivi22]

Don't let him fool you.

Anyone who would mention Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls (two games which are so heavily controversial and divisive in the gaming community) as part of their praise for Sony is not trying to complement them, they're trying to make a clever jab at them.

It'd be like Sony coming out and praising the XBox 360's "clever use of the Kinect to achieve unprecedented interactive functionality, like it did in Sonic Free Riders and Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor". It sounds nice, until you consider the games they're talking about.

I don't see how commending Sony's long standing commitment to titles that would almost certainly never be published by anyone else by mentioning two games that would almost certainly have never been published by anyone else because of how out of the mainstream they were is a backhanded compliment. You may not like those games, but they are examples of exactly what he's talking about. And if you need some better ones that don't leave a bad taste in your mouth it shouldn't take more than a minute or two to think of plenty.

You're reading way too much into this. No one who is actually familiar with the incredible titles Sony has published over the years is going to read this and think that Sony must suck because those games sucked. Hell, anyone who actually would think that has probably never played them and barely paid attention to them and won't get it anyway even if that was his intention.

As for what's driving his warm and fuzzies, what's he supposed to say? Microsoft managed to shit the bed hard and made a lot of people hate them in 2013. They're the last people who can afford to start taking cheap shots at the other two. By paying them actual compliments they get to look like they welcome the competition and respect what they're doing which doesn't make them look bad. If anything, it indicates a level of maturity I'm not convinced they aren't faking.

 

[Kapol]

Alright, this has been bugging me whenever it happens. Why is only one word of the story given quotation marks? In some cases, like the recent story on Pachter saying PS4 would "win" the next console generation, it makes some sense. That's a subjective idea mostly brought on by fans more than a real decision made. And you could argue that this is because it's a quote. But in that case, why not use "Respects Sony's focus on first-person IPs." Or why are they necessary at all?

Likely for the same reason that Nintendo isn't mentioned in the title. Because it gets more clicks this way. Having it quotes honestly makes it feel like it's meant to be sarcastic more than anything. I don't know, maybe stuff like this has just been bothering me.


As for the story itself, that's a nice enough thing to say. I think that Microsoft need to actually come up with some more IPs themselves, and most gaming companies need to learn not to give up on something that doesn't sell Call Of Duty levels with it's first outing. There needs to be a stronger trend towards new IPs rather than rehashed old ones in AAA gaming. But I suppose nobody here needs me to tell them that.

 

[jackpipsam]

Everything Phil Spencer says is wonderful.

 

[RicoADF]

Don't let him fool you.

Anyone who would mention Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls (two games which are so heavily controversial and divisive in the gaming community) as part of their praise for Sony is not trying to complement them, they're trying to make a clever jab at them.

It'd be like Sony coming out and praising the XBox 360's "clever use of the Kinect to achieve unprecedented interactive functionality, like it did in Sonic Free Riders and Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor". It sounds nice, until you consider the games they're talking about.

The problem, of course, is that some gamers actually LIKE David Cage's games....so it seems to the outsider viewer like they're offering high praise. But it's not meant to be praise at all.

If he'd come out praising some of the PS3 or PS4's other less controversial exclusives, like Uncharted, then I'd have called it praise. But that's not the case here. He's trying to slide a clever jab in between sweet words.

How's commending them for having diversity in their games a bad thing? I have Beyond Two Souls and have enjoyed it and love that Sony gives a good variety of games not just the Halo and CoD competitors. Weather it's your taste or not Sony should be respected for putting their money to support games that sit outside the standard fare of games.

OT: I tip my hat to you Mr Spencer, if only you controlled the Xbox division I might have gotten the XBO on day one along side my PS4, ah well best of luck to you.