Talking Point: Will This Lost Xbox Game Studios Title Appear At Microsoft's 2025 Showcase?

Xbox and management issues go hand in hand. I hope it's still coming, but this almost seems the norm for them.

The thing is 4 years is a long time to have seen nothing of the game but at the same time it could only be 2/3 of the development time. The announcing of Video games doesn't seem to caught up with how long it takes to make them.

Couldn't care less about this. I just want to see SoD 3, Fable, and a few others - as well as new announcements and some Game Pass love (which as I've said elsewhere I think we get FF7R day one).

@Kaloudz

Are there any rumours about FF? I'm more interested in XVI, but I wouldn't complain.
There are rumours about Persona 4 Remake, but that's a game that's not oficially confirmed though.

If we’re making wishes then I’ll throw in my coin and add Clockwork Revolution

@Lup I've never played a Persona game. Are they any good? I hear they're wayyyyy too long which is the put off for me. Same as that other one that's just come to Game Pass, the Atlas-developed game. I hear that's too long too.

I think rumours are that FF16 is coming to Xbox at some point, but FF7R rumours suggest that FF7R is definitely coming, and this year. I personally think though, a years old game, will come straight to GP day one - as Xbox have done that for a few high hitting SE games so far at summer shows.

We can celebrate in the live chat together if it happens in 8 days time

Mad Max has a special place in my heart. I really hope Avalanche have something special cooking as I don't think they've released anything since Rage 2 in 2019.

@16BitHero The combat in that was some of my favorite. It was so smooth.

@Kaloudz

Persona 4 is one of my favorite games of all time but I did play it when i was in highschool.

4 and 5 are amazing but I didn't like 3 or its remake that much. They're long games yeah. 80+ hours haha.

And yeah, I'll watch it live if I can! But I'll keep my expectations in check.

This sounded interesting, I enjoyed mad max so had some hopes for this. This announcement came at a time when Xbox management had run xbox into the ground because they forgot they need an actual USP for people to buy their console, games were usually that for most platform holders but MS said F it to that and then when they were getting decimated in sales they bought a handful of indies and B tier studios and announced a lot of games to make it look like they remembered how to run a console business. Contraband was on of the vaporware titles announced

Hollow Knight … mic drops and walks away….

When the premise of the game was revealed, I lost any interest I may have started to gain. Of course I don't write anything off until I have at least some idea of what the released product offers but I don't expect it to appeal if/when we get some actual game-play to look at.

@Kaloudz I'd actually be surprised if FF7R is a day one gamepass add. It's very possible but I just remember Sony making demands of third parties to not release games like RE8 on Gamepass. I would be surprised if they've relaxed on this, even if FF7R is "old news" to them.

Edit: Not a demand but a "payment blockage" so basically a bribe, and I'd be shocked if they didn't try that with FF7R

Also I've only played Persona 4 but it's a killer game. It's very much all the strengths of a JRPG, and the cast being high-schoolers (roughly) doesn't actually hurt it. They're just likable students caught up in a crazy situation trying their best to help put a stop to it. Also the music is SICK. I'd recommend at least giving 4 (maybe 5, have heard great things there too) a shot. I played P4 in my late 20s and still connected with the cast. They're not any longer than FF games.

Always down for more co-op games

@Lup So would you say, for someone like me, that enjoys something more the length of Expedition 33 or Ni No Kuni (30-40 hours / 50 at an absolute push) that those games are perhaps not ideal for me? I don't mind games that are story heavy but games where there is just nonstop text and chatter (where a cutscene with text can take more than 20 minutes and hit fast and often) tend to put me right off.

@Elbow Ah god damnit! I totally forgot about that O_o man, I hate that. I hate that a company can throw money at another company for that sort of outcome. Anyone that does that (Sony, Square, Capcom, Microsoft) is scummy as hell IMO. It's a crying shame that that sort of practice is allowed - shouldn't there be like a fair competition rule that applies :/ To all of them I mean, inc Microsoft.

I bet you're right though, I bet they couldn't even if they wanted to - unless they only purchased exclusivity and assumed that by the time that window ended, it wouldn't matter to them that the game was on GP? I guess only time will tell.

Persona games are not longer than FF games? Does that include the other one that just hit Game Pass (Metaphor or whatever it's called?). I thought they were like 80-100 hour long games - just for the story. :/

@themightyant Exactly. No reason to be hyped about... basically, just a title.

@Kaloudz

As I said, Persona 4 is one of my favorite games of all time, but if you say that... No, I can't recommend it. 🤣

4 and 5 are GREAT. But if you can't see yourself making an exception for that kind of stuff, you're not gonna enjoy it.
Nothing wrong with that, not every game is for everyone, even if it's one of the most popular in its genre.
You mentioned Expedition 33 which I'm sure is great too, but I literally dropped it because the lack of maps in dungeons.
We all have those things we are really particular about.

And just to clarify, Persona 4 is like 80 hours (more or less depending of how much you grind) and Persona 5 is like 90-100 hours. Definitely big games.

Who knows. To me anything is more exciting than Contraband/any other games by PS/Xbox that were logos or odd trailers. They are all boring, forgettable and will be boring games anyway in execution.

State of Decay 3 while not my type of game I think would be great to see here. Among any other interesting IPs that don't get as much and prove themselves. Everwild needs to prove itself too, it's still unclear what angle they are going for besides what they have shown which only gives so much of a hint.

Fable/Perfect Dark, etc. seem 'fine' we will see. If the gameplay is dumbed down easy pass, not that I could play them much as originals but they are still good series, so they better live up to them. As these current ones are hit and miss of ideas so far.

Xbox variety has a chance but eh, I'm always not any more moving the needle of interest and Sony has been bland for years of their current strategy anyway.

If it proves me wrong sure but I'm usually not impressed by the eh setting/themes and gameplay being modern era garbage anyway. So 99% of the time it makes no different they always disappoint.

This Future Games/Summer Game Fest will have just as bad marketing none have learnt from since last year, to convince audiences will purchasing and only their current audiences or annoy them and drop in number of interested in the game that time around.

None of them will be exciting and all studios IPs, trends and more will highlight the more 20+ isometric games, zombie games and other slop with not even interesting IDEAS with those trends. I am fine with trends, when they are boringly use that's why I am so annoyed. It just so happens the latter is what ends up happening because devs ideas Indie or AA/AAA are weak, inspirationally (bad not good as too close and not enough of it's own ideas/execution, comfort food garbage) boring and need more random prototyping but they don't so we get formulaic comfort food garbage.

@Lup Agh man that is definitely not something I can hit. Even Expedition 33 would kill me if it spilled close to 100 hours. I'm not sure if it's my attention span or what not, but I get fatigued at around the 50 hour mark 😅

I assume the Metaphor game or whatever it's called that hit GP (Atlus) is also quite a lengthy game too?

Yeah the lack of maps for Expedition 33 put a few people off and I won't lie, it took some getting used to for me too 😅 it reminded me of FF13 for its linearity (though I recall FF13 had a map).

@chesheer @themightyant @BAMozzy @Pac_Bot Contraband is just another example of why I continue to stress, over and over, again, any developer not follow The Six Month Rule are foolish and damaging their reputation and throwing sales away.

@Kaloudz Persona is JRPG. If I remember correctly, in one conversations we had together on here, shared have issues with flashing/strobe effect in games?

If that was you, I'd recommend really researching or stay away from that game. JRPGs usually have, exaggerated, unnecessary light patterns in ones, I've played.

@GuyinPA75 Thanks so much for the heads up. I really, really appreciate that my man. Yeah you're right epileptic here so that's a big no no. I assume you mean like Anime cartoon style flashing like Pokemon? Lot's of different colours and bright flashes etc...?

@Kaloudz Welcome. Just looking out for you.

My guess the game would have some thing going with lights and flashing. I could be very wrong about Persona since not played it. Pretty sure is JRPG. I can't stand them for all the annoying... voice work... visuals... characters carrying around 8 ton, 50 swords with ease when they're like 5'2". Don't get me started on how their mouths open large enough swallow a truck in one bite for no reason.

Pretty sure you figured out by now, I can't stand anime and JRPGs. Lol

@GuyinPA75 No you're absolutely right mate. I got the Mrs to watch some gameplay footage and it's certainly not for me. It's not soft flashes (as I call them) like classic FF games - it's proper in your face - lights up the room you're playing in - sorts of flashes, which would almost certainly put me in A&E lol.

I only get to play at night time, so it's hard for me to play in a well lit room - hence why I have to be fairly selective. DOOM, for instance, is fine. There's a lot of flashing but it's very dull flashes and doesn't tend to light up the room. Flashing like some anime, and anime-like games, are a big no no - so thanks again mate - I appreciate you taking the time to point that out