Xbox Studio The Initiative Hires More Top Talent For Its Secret Project

I do believe that Microsoft's first party studios will eventually start releasing great games. I do not believe that it will happen until 2022 at the earliest.

Forza being the outliner. Most Forza games are pretty spot on.

I hope they show what The Initiative is working on soon. Even if it’s just a CGI trailer, at least we’ll know what it is.

This run up to next generation is crazy this time.
Xbox series x reviled first showed power and full breakdown, new controller and loads of information and the tease of Halo.
So much promise and a great start.
Once they started showing cgi some game’s and the Halo shambles, it’s swung the other way as Sony very slowly start to let lose, including games and Gamescom R&C game play demo this Thursday.
Do Microsoft ever learn, I really wanted them to fly out the gate next generation with full force. If it wasn’t for third parties and possibly smart delivery, let’s see what that brings And extremely good backwards compatibility they would have nothing.

@Dezzy70

Have nothing? What are you talking about?

And Sony has one first party exclusive at launch & it’s stand alone DLC that they’ll charge you $60 for.

Xbox has lots of games coming. They may not be at launch, but they are coming. And there are hundreds of games to play on Game Pass.

Microsoft has shown me some great looking games of the future. Sony will have their games too, but I don’t get where you think Sony is so far ahead of Xbox for next-gen.

We have no release dates for any of Sony’s sequels they have coming (except for the Spider-Man DLC) just like Xbox. And at least Xbox showed off some original 1st party games coming with great variety.

It’s not really about Sony, apart from you can see the way they PR and slip the right things in at the right time. Like R&C gameplay this Thursday.
Yes the future not sure when, it’s potentially looking good.
I feel it’s just a big missed opportunity for Xbox to grow and gain new customers at that start of this generation, remember let’s be honest they are the under dog.
They had the chance to to start this next generation with a lot better bang and gain customer ground And consumer confidence and get a big buzz around Xbox from people wanting to join the gang.
I’m in the gang with my one x and series x ready to pre order.

Can't wait for them to finally reveal to us what they're working on.. I have a feeling they are working on more than 1 game..

Microsoft need to get their PR in order for series x and the third party deals advertised for cyberpunk and assassins creed on TV.
I have just seen an advert for the new Avengers game you would have thought it was a Sony exclusive the way it was done.
And don’t forget Microsoft let Fifa and Call of Duty deals slip from under them and Sony will be pushing them this Christmas as they still have both deals for 2020. Those adverts will be aired to TV almost like they are exclusive to PS4 and PS5.
In the Xbox 360 days Microsoft knew how to PR and had all the best deals for third party.

Would Series X have more launch games if it was released next year? Yes but the same is true for PS5. The big games this year are third-party and Microsoft can't give Sony a head start anyway.

This is very good news. I got onto Xbox late. The one s was my first ever Xbox console. IMHO Xbox have been lacking in 1st party games. And apart from forza, Microsoft have not made a great 1st party game. A lot of the games that I’m playing are the 360 games through backwards compatibility. Which has been brilliant for me to play old Xbox games that I have missed. But more competition means better games for us gamers.

@BlueOcean @Dezzy70 Yeah but I think the plan was to PR and market Halo to the moon and back which fell through and they need to get up to speed with CyberPunk and AC.

@BlueOcean I think in the current situation Sony will probably run away with another win anyway. Releasing SX with no major exclusive and no deals on Fifa or CoD. They are legit letting it fend off for itself. Now if Series S has compelling price that is another game.

@Dezzy70 I understand what you mean. Also with Sony, they could make Ps5 patches for last of us 2,Ghosts of tsushima, Horizon Zero Dawn, Bloodbourne etc available on release which would be a fantastic way to get new customers & old to trade up. I was originally looking at getting the series X, but I’m going to hold off till maybe end of next year. But the Ps5 will be on release day one from me. I’m not a fan of game subscriptions, even tho game pass offers amazing value, but as I prefer to own the games outright. Getting a series x now, would be a waste for me personally. As I see the one s being adequate for now, whilst I wait for Xbox new studios to release some bangers next year or after that.

@KelticDevil To be fair Sony had R&C, Demon's Souls, Horizon, GT7 and Spiderman out there with gameplay captured from running them on PS5. While Horizon and DS probably are 2021 games and Spiderman is a launch title.

The only gameplay Microsoft delivered was from Halo looking very poor and not running on Series X and that is shifted to 2021.

I am in no way saying Microsoft sucks or anything. It is just that they need to do a lot better. I think everyone here and me included is buying a Series X for sure but they need to do better. Much better!

It’s a shame because it seems most on here see the flaws and errors in Microsoft’s way coming into next generation overall.
And see Sony have reference Cyrus29 and BlueOcean sort of nicely lead them self’s to a very simple release next generation victory without trying to hard.
The shame is and the point is, we all see this as plain as day and night, and how the biggest most richest company in world let the chance to gain ground with the release of next generation just slip away from them.
They had a massive opportunity that they are not going to get rest of next generation and part of me feels because Microsoft are so big with so much money they don’t really care. If they did care they would have had done it and got it right and released next generation with the most release day AAA first party games and third party deals.

IMO Microsoft have been too relaxed on first party games. I mean the PS3 final big game was last of us. I don’t think Microsoft released anything close to that in the 360 final year. Then onto this gen Sony release last of us 2 & ghosts of tsushima, 2 potential games of the years on the backend of the PS4 final year, before the Ps5 releases. And Microsoft didn’t release anything that came close to them two games either. I was hoping that next gen, Microsoft would come out guns blazing with phenomenal games to purchase day one. But they hav'nt, which is very surprising. It’s also ridiculous if true, about the way Halo infinite was being handled. I mean you wouldn’t see Nintendo do that with Mario or Sony with Nathan drake. Dunno, you want competition when it comes to gaming. I have no doubt that Microsoft will bring some great games next generation, it’s just having to wait longer for them. The only thing that worries me if the new party’s games are just multiplayer types of games, which would fit the game pass model. Multiplayer games are good for the people who enjoy them, but there not for me.

By the way don’t get me wrong I’m not a Sony fanboy. I have had every console from every generation. In fact because of the PS3 and PS4 I am now Sony game style saturated I.e to many similar big adventures it’s all getting a bit to much the same. I mean I’ve played 4 lots of uncharted and lots of ratchet and clanks etc etc. Even the last of us 2 got to much in the end. Perhaps it’s my age but to much rinse and repeat now for me. Probably why I was so angry with the Halo Infinite let down and with Microsoft, it’s been 5 years since the last Halo and I was so looking forward to it.

@Cyrus29
I think you seem like me.
I just don’t get Microsoft with all that money and power and what have they done this generation and total arse they have made and opportunities missed for the start of next generation. The Xbox 360 days were the best, that’s when I really got into Xbox.
The Xbox one has had few good moments but overall poor compared to the 360 days in its best years. Perhaps Microsoft are to big and rich for there own good or for just simple common sense.

@BrilliantBill @Dezzy70 What is the Call of Duty and FIFA deal?

@Dezzy70 Even if Microsoft doesn't have a big first-party game ready for launch they have the remasters and third-party games and Sony only have the Spider-Man brief spinoff confirmed and the third-party games of course but they'll run worse on PS5. I know what you mean but Microsoft (Phil Spencer) have been busy improving everything regarding Xbox but the one thing that takes longer is games; the studios are working on them, though. Even without games, Microsoft can't afford to be one year late and they have the better hardware and services as selling points for launch. They can't release Series X next year because of PS5. Why do you think that Microsoft don't care? They're investing in Xbox more than ever.

@Cyrus29 There will be games with single-player campaigns, even Halo Infinite has a campaign bigger than Halo 4 and 5 combined and then you have Avowed, Fable and potentially Perfect Dark, etc. Not everything's going to be online multiplayer but, to be honest, I'm a bit tired of Sony's games just like Dezzy70. I'm looking forward to seeing what Xbox Game Studios are working on.

This is either going to be a colossal failure from the egos of too much top end talent conflicting, or it’s gonna be legit amazing. Im leaning the second way. I’m very optimistic and excited. It’s gonna be high quality. Might just take a bit longer to get going. I don’t think we see it on shelves til spring 2023. But then they get into a rhythm.

@Cyrus29 Microsoft had this challenge that after 360 era, they had to change developers for their franchises. For gears of war 4 they had to build a studio as Coalition to make Gears games. They had to build 343 from ground up to make Halo games (and they are still very hit and miss and wobbly with it, despite the fact that their start-Halo4- was actually great). Then they had to buy all these smaller teams and turn them into AAA teams to make story-focused games (Ninja Theory being an indie/AA team that now has to focus on making things that compete with AAA Sony output). Finally they have hugely potent studios like Obsidian but games don't materialise out of thin air over night. a massive RPG game more so.

@Dezzy70 I think Micorosoft's strategy and approach for entering this generation was solid and it still is. Gamepass + SX as the most powerful console alongside an economic option like series S. Their big mistake was putting all their eggs in one basket with Halo. They should have contracted some talented studios like Remedy (Quantum Break was amazing IMO) or Crytek (Ryse) to make some exclusives for them. In an ambitious move Control could have become Xbox exclusive cross-gen launch title for example. Even a Crysis remastered with 4k and full raytracing (even if only as a graphics showcase) would have been helpful.

@BlueOcean Basically Sony has marketing rights and some degrees of timed-exclusivity on their content. Selling Fifa and CoD bundles. Alongside having a very strong marketing push overall.

@BrilliantBill I agree. It's ironic that Sony think that they need to rely on third-party marketing tricks. Let's hope that Microsoft does something to counteract Sony's moves. Cyberpunk on Game Pass? I don't know but it should be something big, Sony is paying the two best-sellers already.

@Cyrus29

Unlike Sony, Microsoft actually makes games with a great campaign AND great multiplayer. Sony’s games are all single player, 3rd person action/adventure games with either crap or no multiplayer whatsoever.

Sony offers vary little variety, as well. Microsoft offers lots of games in many different genres. But, to each their own. 👍🏻

@BrilliantBill
I suppose one thing I was getting at is Microsoft could buy Sony ten times over.
And they let Sony take Fifa and COD marketing rights from under them.
Perhaps Microsoft didn’t want the marketing rights to them anymore, who knows.
But if they did and it was a mistake, then whoever is in charge needs to sort Xbox PR marketing teams out and get them firing on all four cylinders.

@KelticDevil imho Microsoft don’t make great games. They make good games & great multiplayer games. For me I would prefer if Microsoft removed multiplayer from there games & hand them off for other people to make & let the studios concentrate on making great campaigns. My feeling with microsoft is that they are ok if a game comes out good, as long as they can prop up a mediocre/good game with multiplayer added on. Which is Microsoft’s thing-multilayer games. For me tho the campaign games end up being shallow experiences. It’s why I enjoyed playing the 360 games on backwards more the I enjoyed playing anything new this gen from Microsoft. May seem like I’m knocking Microsoft, just my opinion really.

We have to be patient about games for the reasons I've explained above. Objectively, there's no need to buy Series X or PS5 in 2020 but for me the reason to buy Series X in 2020 is backwards compatible and Xbox One games improvements and old and new third-party games. There aren't any first-party games that make Series X or PS5 essential in 2020.

@Cyrus29

Then why do you even have an Xbox? Go buy a PlayStation then.

And the games on the 360 were the same way, so I have no idea what you are talking about there. Lol.

@KelticDevil I have a PS4 aswell. That’s why I feel like I’m in a good place to compare both consoles objectively. I don’t understand your why don’t you buy a PlayStation then comment. This is a place to give opinions. It seems like I have offended you with what I said. The games that I play from the 360 era are the original gears games, fable games & crackdown. IMHO Xbox have not released a game this gen that even comes close to the main campaigns from the aforementioned games. Xbox have dropped the ball big time this gen for new 1st party games. Hence why they have been buying new studios. But why were they not brought before or during this gen? But anyway, all I’m saying is that new 1st party games from Xbox Is better for all us gamers.