CliffyB: Microsoft Tried to "Have it Both Ways"

[Something Amyss]

Talking about the closing of studios part.

And the thing is, studios closing because they're too "niche" is a load of crap, still. There may be some, but they are not the issue here. I would think anyone with the awareness to follow context would pick up on this. We're having studios closing left and right despite releasing games with good aggregates (which matter to publishers) and good sales, because they weren't good enough.

Contextually, this is what Cliff's been talking about with his rants about how we can't expect high budget games to survive if we allow used game sales. Cliff wasn't alluding to niche titles, he was alluding to the big ones Gamestop tries to get you to trade in/for. He's repeatedly brought up huge budgets. He's referenced some of the biggest freaking franchises on the freaking planet. Can you see why saying "maybe it's because they're too niche" is ridiculous?

In short, you're ranting at me because you didn't pay attention to the subject at hand. Not cool, man, not cool.

 

[Something Amyss]

HELLO, FLIP-FLOP!

Wow, can you believe this guy? He's already a certified politician and everything!

Quick! Someone ask him about the war on terror! The WORLD must know his well-considered opinion!

(So much funnyness...)

He even contradicts himself in his blog, talking about messaging, then giving an example of a thinly-veiled "fuck off" to the consumer...And then acknowledges it. I'm not sure if he's serious anymore.

 

[spartandude]

If i may misquote Marcus Fenix

"Its a giant budget! They're sinking AAA games with a giant budget!"

 

[hooksashands]

I'm still trying to figure what exactly Cliffy B. does to make his money. His marketing strategy sucks, his attitude towards the consumer sucks and his main franchise (GoW) has lost any appeal to mainstream audiences. The only people I know who bought Judgement were diehard fans already; everyone else could care less.

So I guess my question is, does this guy ever stop and consider reality before opening his mouth to talk about how much we love giving Microsoft money?

 

[AwesomeDave]

internet pitchfork mob who can only see 6 inches in front of their face

said by a guy who predominately develops games for the meathead MP masses.

 

[FalloutJack]

HELLO, FLIP-FLOP!

Wow, can you believe this guy? He's already a certified politician and everything!

Quick! Someone ask him about the war on terror! The WORLD must know his well-considered opinion!

(So much funnyness...)

He even contradicts himself in his blog, talking about messaging, then giving an example of a thinly-veiled "fuck off" to the consumer...And then acknowledges it. I'm not sure if he's serious anymore.

I'm not sure he was EVER serious.

 

[Atmos Duality]

Am I the only one left on the planet who likes physical media? I'm proud to look at my bookshelves full of games dating all the way back to the NES and when my friends bring their kindles over and say "look I've got like 100 books on this thing" it seems so lame.

One of the only remaining benefits of consoles over PC was the simplicity and familiarity with physical media.
Making the consumer jump through all those hoops to play games (and all the prior restrictions of the Xbone pertained only to games) seems counter-intuitive to me.

So yeah...if they're going to do that, why not just get or build a decent gaming PC?

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

...this all still being based on the premise that used games have a significant impact on sales.

Yes, digital is the future, but that doesn't mean Microsoft can jump the gun and subject consumers to a shitty infrastructure they shouldn't have to deal with. And it doesn't mean the end of used sales. And I resent that there are people in the industry who want to put more of the game into DLC to restrict resale when the game isn't going to get any cheaper.

But as for games failing and studios being closed, I put that down to publishers having input into the actual game despite not knowing anything about games, ridiculous production costs, and $60 a game.

 

[Madman123456]

...warning gamers that they were being "played" and affirming his belief that the changes the Xbox One would bring to used games might be a necessity for AAA titles to survive.

I love some of the big titles. But if that is what it would take to have them survive i say let them die.

It is about enough. I have slugged my way through enough DRM and i have paid for enough mismanagement. This market is quite oversaturated and many of the games aren't worth much two months after launch.

There is a certain kind of triple A games that will most definitely survive, the really big ones. The Fallouts, the Elderscrolls, the GTAs, the big giant open world games. Maybe the aforementioned franchises will go the way of everything but the big fat titles that are the definitive game in their genre and will stay there for quite some time will stay with us and so i'm perfectly fine with letting most of the industry shrivel and die.


Frankly, with some of the working conditions seen in some companies it would be better for just about everyone if most of the industry where to die. If some guy from team bondi for example can not find a job in the industry again and has no other choice but to flip burgers to support himself he could work on tiny little games in his freetime and it would probably be more fulfilling then working with team bondi, where you don't make games but rather a tiny part of a game.

In Shifts that would have to be shortened by 50% so they could be called "brutal".

People at team bondi where apparently threatened that they will never find any work in the industry if they can't keep up with the workload.
Well, if the industry is like that, i'd haul ass.
Sure, maybe working on garagegames is merely a flimsy shadow of what my dream would be but if i get crushed under workload i might as well stop dreaming.


Apparently a month of crunchtime is perfectly normal. I'm getting the feeling that my money would be used to keep these disagreeable circumstances around.


Even if i'm wrong and *all* the triple A titles go away, this is something i wouldn't want to support even if the bosses of the ridiculously hard working people wouldn't treat me like a criminal. I'd rather crush dreams then people.

Maybe there will be a market for the really big games, the giant projects of passion but if there isn't, i can live with it.

 

[Something Amyss]

HELLO, FLIP-FLOP!

Wow, can you believe this guy? He's already a certified politician and everything!

Quick! Someone ask him about the war on terror! The WORLD must know his well-considered opinion!

(So much funnyness...)

He even contradicts himself in his blog, talking about messaging, then giving an example of a thinly-veiled "fuck off" to the consumer...And then acknowledges it. I'm not sure if he's serious anymore.

I'm not sure he was EVER serious.

Bad wording. I meant "I'm no longer certain he's serious," not "I think he has ceased being serious."

IF he goes to the next Gamestop con dealie, I'm pretty sure we can assume he's a troll.

(Especially since he's no longer active in Epic and the development of games)

 

[FalloutJack]

Zoop zoop

Yes, to which I make the joke "Well, I most-assuredly believe that this man has never had a serious bone in his body insofar as people have known him" or words to that effect.

 

[Xarathox]

Why is this asshole still allowed to talk, or breath?

 

[Vylox]

I'm just going to say...
Skyim


It had a relatively low development budget, a small marketing budget, and sold extremely well.

To the developers and publishers. It isn't the customer's job to fix problems you create, its your jobs to fix your business models to make the company a success. Stop blaming others for your damn mistakes and problems, and fix them already. I mean... most of you corporate bums have degrees in business management and administration, so use that information and be a real business leader or administrator. You can't blame the people who spent $60 on your games for it not making enough profit when it sold 3-5 million copies, its not their fault, its YOURS for not doing your damn job to ensure profitability, by reducing development and marketing costs.

 

[mokes310]

I don't agree with his opinion that things have to change, specifically in regards to AAA titles. If you make a solid game, I won't need to sell it. Guess where my copies of Fallout 3/NV (both first release and GOTY editions), Skyrim, Battlefield 2 & 3, and Forza 3 & 4 are?

However, I do agree with his opinion that digital distribution is the way we are heading, whether it comes sooner rather than later is the really hard question to predict...

 

[JLink]

Am I the only one left on the planet who likes physical media? I'm proud to look at my bookshelves full of games dating all the way back to the NES and when my friends bring their kindles over and say "look I've got like 100 books on this thing" it seems so lame.

No, you are not the only one. It's why I am using what little expendable income I have right now buying up current and last gen games I passed on that look good so I have plenty to play when I skip the next gen due to all this bullcrap.

 

[Ayay]

Would be fun to see for once how and where the spending goes when a developer makes a AAA title . So far i have only heard of how much money they spend on a title in total , and if it fails the only word is pirate or if there is 2 or 3 parties involved they start pointing fingers. And i am all for digital media but we are not there yet , and forcing it ...well did not go over well did it.

 

[cikame]

You could sell your games to PC owners aswell... just sayin.

 

[Something Amyss]

Zoop zoop

Yes, to which I make the joke "Well, I most-assuredly believe that this man has never had a serious bone in his body insofar as people have known him" or words to that effect.

Works for me. I was just clarifying.

Considering how rampantly people are misconstruing me right now in at least two other threads, I prefer to be safe rather than sorry.

...Err...Carry on....