Xbox Is Hiring Production Manager To 'Work With Partners In Japan'

I’ve applied as I fancy a change from stacking shelves at Asda but I’m not holding my breath that I’ll get the job, I’ve probably got more chance winning the Euro Lottery.

So job summary will be: offer japan partners lots of daddy microsoft money to put games on xbox to make it viable. Also needing games because they cant get their own 100 something studios to make 1 complete finished game

@Kooky_Daisuke Wait until the June showcase before claiming there will be no exclusives for a year. I can almost guarantee that we’ll see Forza Motorsport this year and there may be other surprises we don’t know about.

And again, PlayStation didn’t have any exclusives last holiday season because they were all delayed to 2022. I guess Sony has mismanagement as well then. I don’t understand this mentality that seems to think delays aren’t happening EVERYWHERE.

I’d rather have a delay for Starfield and get a great game instead of one pushed out the door too early.

Wonder if the position sort of ties in with the gamepass streaming stick/smart TV app, space is quite limited in Japan especially for those that live in apartments, could imagine the stick/app doing well there and perhaps the space problem is why the series s is selling well

@Kooky_Daisuke this is basically like ID@Xbox program.

That said they are hiring for another project which I think is in house. That came about a month ago. They announced it via Twitter.

@Kooky_Daisuke Serious question. Why are people so obsessed with exclusives?

I have an idea and Microsoft could pull it off due to their resources, why no open their own localisation branch in Japan? They would dub and sub the games themselves instead of relying on NIS, marvelous and others. Then they could ask the players games they would like to come West.

Good to see they try to get good bonds with Japanese developers again. Xbox is missing a lot of jrpgs and I really hope they pave the way for more Japanese games to come to Xbox.

@Kooky_Daisuke getting a manager to get games out is a valid reason and I agree. Microsoft has so much money though, I think they can do both? Maybe getting a Production Manager to work with Japanese developers might help fill in some of the gaps while Xbox straightens out their studios to start pumping out some games.

@Richnj because its what sells consoles? Exclusives have always been incredibly important in the 'console wars' and no matter what any executive implys the war is still going on. I'm a series x owner (along with the rest) but it's clear that Microsoft is still aways away from the other 2. The acquisitions are a great start but I think they need to go for a sega or square to really resonate with the proper gamer...

@Deljo But we aren't part of the wars (exceptions for the fanboys). The PS5 and Xbox Series have lots of games to play outside of exclusives, especially considering the backwards compatibility.

I've long said MS should buy Sega, but that's only to round out their studios, for their portfolio. For the xbox gamer, MS buying Sega does very little to make an xbox more appealing. The Sonic games are still coming to xbox either way. PSO 2 is on xbox. Yakuza is still on xbox. For xbox gamers, the appeal stays exactly the same.

In terms of actual value and content for Xbox owners, there's plenty there. With or without a brand new AAA exclusive.

@Richnj to be fair you're right but isn't that where the appeal is? You say xbox has plenty of games which is true but your talking about the multi platform games so when your factor in their exclusives they become more attractive don't they? Don't get me wrong I'm an xbox fan but I must admit only with gamepass as I haven't bought a game so far and tend to play multi plat games on ps5

@Rural-Bandit I do agree with what you say although the ps1 & ps2 had huge exclusives from 3rd party developers like Namco and Konami that shifted systems like nobody's business. I fell for the ps1 after seeing ridge racer play in the window of my local dixons and queued in line for the launch 😀

To me, this reads more like a job for someone to work for MS in Japan/Asia to work with ANY Japanese developer to support them in whatever way they can to help with releasing games on the Xbox family.

It can't be easy to help a developer port their game to another platform, understand any tips/tricks to make it a smoother or more optimal experience etc if 'Language' is a barrier. To me it makes sense to want to set up similar Support services in Japan aimed primarily at Japanese speaking Developers to 'help' them, if they want/need help, to port and release their games on Xbox platforms.

First Party Devs (like Tango for example) will have the support and no doubt access SDKs etc, but many 3rd party devs, especially independent and/or 'smaller' studios may not. They may not know how to get their games out on Xbox, what options are available etc so having a Support team based in supporting Japanese Devs in particular makes sense...

It may well lead to more 'exclusives' (timed or otherwise) as MS may well get an 'earlier' look at 3rd Party games in development and decide to offer more than just 'technical' support in return for some Exclusivity, maybe even fund the development and/or be the Publisher for the Developer. But I think it primarily a Support service to 'help' Japanese developers port and release their games on Xbox...

@Deljo I couldn't agree more with @Rural-Bandit about Sony and MS.

Right now, it really doesn't make sense for Sony to release Day 1 to a Service or 'other' platform(s) as that 'could' impact on their Sales based Business model (the important aspect here). Games tend to sell best in the first few months, also when they are most expensive, so their most 'profitable' for a Sales Based Model. Exclusives (ONLY on that Platform) drives sales of that Platform because you can ONLY play it there - so again plays into that Sales Business Model. The 'Premium' Price also maximises Sales Profit and 'harder' to justify if others are paying 'less' on PC for 'better' performance/frame rates on Day 1 or playing for a 'small' monthly fee...

Point is Day 1 Service doesn't currently fit Sony's Business Model and its 'not' flexible enough to be more 'service' based like MS. MS still has 'Sales' in its Business model, but its more 'Service' driven. You don't 'need' an Xbox Console, don't need to buy Games - you can play 'anywhere' (Except PS/Switch).

Every game is a developer Store front - first of all trying to sell you its 'experience' (Game-play, story etc) and if they succeed, you'll spend 'money' on that - whether its paying the Money upfront to be able to actually play to see if they delivered what you believed they were selling, or paying money after to support devs, keep the game, buy DLC/MTX etc.

MS games are more obviously a 'store' in general - most have some MP/Online component to buy extra cosmetics, cars, maps, gear etc so each first needs to get you in and enjoying their 'Store' so that you will spend time and money in it. That's perhaps another example that MS are more service driven in their 'view'.

Its no secret (by now) that Sony are investing in more Service driven projects and acquiring the 'expertise' to also make multi-platform easier/quicker. PS+ is about what I expected for where Sony is at right now and what works with their Business Plan. In 5yrs, they could move to a more Service driven model and be offering all their 1st Party games Day 1 on a service, no need to buy PS6. It may start with them giving away MP/online service games away day 1 to PS+ Premium subs (like Destruction All Starz was on PS+) and then when they are 'ready', whatever determines that, all 1st Party games will be Day 1.