E3 2018 - Conferences start June 9th - Full Schedule in Post #1

[NyQuil]

Bioware hasn't been the same since Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk retired.

 

[aleshemsky83]

Lets not keep repeating this nonsense that Bioware is do-or-die with Anthem. We already went over this back when someone brought it up months ago. It makes zero business sense to shutter Bioware, given how much money is invested in them, how big a teams they have, and how significant they are to EAs portfolio. The chances of Anthem bombing so hard that it losses hundreds of millions of dollars are virtually nill, even if its a Destiny clone. They are of magnitudes larger than any studio EA has shuttered, and almost certain rather than being closed they would break off and find a new publisher.

There’s offering your opinion on video games then there is making business commentary. There is one that the majority of people on these boards are not qualified to offer.

They shut down pandemic, which was part of BioWare. They also shut down westwood, which they paid over $100 million for.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

They shut down pandemic, which was part of BioWare. They also shut down westwood, which they paid over $100 million for.

And they shutdown Visceral after they made Dead Space 1 and 2. Then since Hardline didn't do as well as they wanted and with their "No one wants to play SP games anymore" shit, they closed the studio while it was in the middle of making a Star Wars single player game.

Honestly, I think the only dev that EA owns that is safe is DICE.

 

[Commander Clueless]

I don't honestly think BioWare or DICE are in immediate danger (EA needs SOME developers after all), but I do think some of their IPs are in danger of disappearing (or being spun exclusively into terrible mobile games).

That's the sort of slow death we could see happen.

 

[Bjorn Le]

They shut down pandemic, which was part of BioWare. They also shut down westwood, which they paid over $100 million for.

Both were significantly smaller than Bioware. Pandemic had just over 200 employees, while Westwood had just over 100. Bioware’s total number is unknown after the restructuring of the Montreal studio but it’s between 1000 and 2000 spread across their various campuses. It’s hard to gauge the worth of the company but if packaged with the IP the studio could sell for over $1 bil.

A far more likely situation than closing the studio would be to sell them to another publisher.

 

[Dick Sledge]

I'm surprised I'm not seeing that many crazy rumors going around. Especially with the conference starting this weekend.

 

[syz]

Is Microsoft just gonna skip this year, orrrr?

 

[syz]

Keighley teasing something, rumours starting to say that the FromSoft thing is a horror game, spiritual successor to Kuon.

 

[aleshemsky83]

Is Microsoft just gonna skip this year, orrrr?

Sheesh how hard is it to make a crackdown game? I get taking your time but it's a pretty established formula. Saints row has made two crackdown games basically

 

[Dick Sledge]

This fall/winter release window is crowded with power houses. I wouldn't blame them if the delay was to increase potential sales in early 2019.

It's a bonus that it gives them an extra 3 to 6 months of development. Although I do understand the frustration.

 

[flyingkiwi]

Was just talking to a mate and his Crackdown theory is that they’re rejigging it into something more Battle Royale-like.

 

[Leafs at Knight]

Don't think I'd buy the From Software game if it was full blown horror tbh.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Crackdown is dead at this point.

Thank god I didn't buy my xbox for exclusives.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Microsoft is just so bad this gen.

 

[Dick Sledge]

As someone who owns an X and a Pro I don't think Xbox has had a bad generation IMO.

They definitely got off to a rocky start with the previous oblivious leadership. And they are lacking in the single player story driven exclusives.

But I'm loving my Xbox. It's what I play online with my friends and play all the 3rd party games on. And I use my Pro for the handful of games to play this generation. So far I've only played UC4, Last of Us remake, God of War, some Bloodborne and Horizon Zero Dawn.

I love my PS4 for those games specifically. To me I don't understand the mentality that you have to hate or wish the console that's not your favorite, or the one you don't own, to fail.

Like my friend who I play online with the most, he had a Pro but literally never used it. He's not a single player guy. So literally everything he plays he can play on the X. He didn't down talk or shit on Playstation because of it. He just sold his Pro because he realized he was never going to use it.

Is it truly all just petty confirmation bias?

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

I think that it's more apparent that Xbox, this generation anyways, is struggling with the quality and quantity of first party games for the system. They had a pretty good start, however, last year and this year is looking pretty grim. While there is a Forza game, possibly a new Halo being annouced and possibly even another GeoW game, they are having a hard time outside of this. State of Decay 2, while people find it to be fun, is still decently buggy and looks down right bad on the Xbox One S (or whichever non-X). They are pushing extremely hard to push PUBG but even after all this time, the game still does not run well, not even on the X. And tack on that something like Crackdown 3, which was revealed years ago, is being delayed again, and possibly even for more than a calendar year (possibly, since it just says 2019). While the X is some impressive hardware, it is really lacking games that pull in people to buy it on the console. And this is especially noticeable with their stance that you can buy most of their 1st party games now on the W10 Store, which negates a real need for the console. While I like that as a PC guy, I'm sure, in a way, it can be a bit struggling for Xbox as it gives less incentive to purchase one.

That's how I see it. The hardware, software and integration are there, just not the games or the patience for in-house/first party game developers.

 

[Oogie Boogie]

 

[Beau Knows]

I think that it's more apparent that Xbox, this generation anyways, is struggling with the quality and quantity of first party games for the system.

Is it truly all just petty confirmation bias?

No I don't think it is, I don't have any consoles this gen and the XBOX 360 was my primary console in the previous gen, but I agree with @SolidSnakeUS .

The first party games just haven't been good enough on the XBOX ONE. The Switch has some great looking exclusives and the PS4 does as well - to a lesser extent imo. But there is almost nothing to sell me on an XBOX ONE right now.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

This needs to be in the OP.

 

[Dick Sledge]

I honestly don't think the previous leadership cared to commission 1st party games. Especially with the lead they had coming off the 360. They tried to drive things like the all in one system and the ridiculous kinect.

I do think that they are on their way back. Hopefully. They do have 1st party games that are good games. But they're all racing and shooters. The good ones at least. Which is something Sony is lacking on the 1st party side. But since they're killing it on single player, which is what Xbox is lacking, they get a pass.

I do agree somewhat on the PC thing. But to their mind on the business side, Microsoft is Microsoft so it can enhance their sales for Microsoft that they may not have gotten for solely PC players. It's a business decision that is better for the consumer as well. It just doesn't fit the exclusive narrative.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

As someone who owns an X and a Pro I don't think Xbox has had a bad generation IMO.

They definitely got off to a rocky start with the previous oblivious leadership. And they are lacking in the single player story driven exclusives.

But I'm loving my Xbox. It's what I play online with my friends and play all the 3rd party games on. And I use my Pro for the handful of games to play this generation. So far I've only played UC4, Last of Us remake, God of War, some Bloodborne and Horizon Zero Dawn.

I love my PS4 for those games specifically. To me I don't understand the mentality that you have to hate or wish the console that's not your favorite, or the one you don't own, to fail.

Like my friend who I play online with the most, he had a Pro but literally never used it. He's not a single player guy. So literally everything he plays he can play on the X. He didn't down talk or **** on Playstation because of it. He just sold his Pro because he realized he was never going to use it.

Is it truly all just petty confirmation bias?

I don’t want Microsoft or the Xbox One to fail. But everytime I turn it on there’s always a problem somewhere.

 

[Gardner McKay]

This needs to be in the OP.

Agreed. Done!

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I don’t want Microsoft or the Xbox One to fail. But everytime I turn it on there’s always a problem somewhere.

They really shot themselves in the foot with their reveal and Sony just piled on.

That along with the weakest exclusives lineup of the three publishers... That's a death knell for this generation.

 

[Commander Clueless]

They really shot themselves in the foot with their reveal and Sony just piled on.

That along with the weakest exclusives lineup of the three publishers... That's a death knell for this generation.

"Weakest" doesn't do it justice right now.

It's practically non-existent.

 

[Dick Sledge]

I don’t want Microsoft or the Xbox One to fail. But everytime I turn it on there’s always a problem somewhere.

I'm not saying you specifically. But there are some out there that do.

They really shot themselves in the foot with their reveal and Sony just piled on.

That along with the weakest exclusives lineup of the three publishers... That's a death knell for this generation.

This was the biggest thing I believe and wholeheartedly agree. With Sony always going after Microsoft with their conference they really had time to hammer that nail in during their show. I'm sure they loved the backlash that MS got and shoehorned in a lot of counters to make them look instantly more appealing. That, the price (because of the kinect) and the kinect itself destroyed any fast start MS could have had. People have to stop acting like Xbox hasn't done anything good since their absolutely garbage 2013 E3.

I don't know if anyone uses this feature but I love the fact that my friend and I can share digital games. Any games he purchases off the Xbox store digitally I can play and vice versa. We just split the cost. Even for Gold, Game Pass and EA access. I'm never paying full price.