Grumblevolcano

@Kaloudz Depends on how long the Starfield Direct is, if it's 30 minutes then the main show is around the same length as last year.

@BrilliantBill Plenty of times Microsoft has chose to kill off their own stuff so they can acquire their bigger competitors in that space. Like that time they killed off Mixer so they could try and acquire TikTok.

Killing off Halo to be able to own CoD seems very much a Microsoft-esque decision.

@NEStalgia Maybe it has something to do with Game Pass deals blocking PS. Octopath was no doubt blocked from releasing on PS4 because of the 2 year Game Pass deal. It's possible that skipping Xbox completely and releasing a PS4 version in 2021 instead would've been more successful for Square Enix.

Meanwhile other games may have been blocked from releasing on PS+ Extra/Premium because of a Game Pass deal that was made at a time when PS+ Extra/Premium didn't exist. See how PS+ Extra/Premium have been getting lots of Square Enix games recently when the 1-2 year Game Pass deals have expired.

@NEStalgia There's also the patent from last week:

https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2023/03/uh-oh-sony-patents-nft-trading-framework-for-gaming-platforms

@themightyant @NEStalgia Judging by Jim Ryan's recent actions, I have a bad feeling Playstation will follow Square Enix down that route. People already were worried about PS Stars and GT7's adjusting car prices in line with real world car prices becoming that kind of thing.

@Wakkawipeout It's rare but sometimes backlash works with Nintendo. They delisted Pikmin 3 and its DLC on the Wii U eshop the day they announced Pikmin 3 Deluxe for Switch (the Wii U version was a lot cheaper as part of the Nintendo Selects line). Backlash resulted in them re-adding the game and DLC to the Wii U eshop.

Hopefully IV + Apocalypse get a Switch physical version if this rumour is true (the others are already on Switch with physical versions). Next week's eshop shutdowns showcase further why Nintendo's the most unreliable when it comes to digital. While Jim Ryan did try to shutdown the PS3 and Vita stores in 2021, the backlash reversed the decision meanwhile the backlash over the 3DS/Wii U eshop shutdown did absolutely nothing.

I played through the Gears games in the lead up to Gears 5 launch. As the online was completely inactive, I was only able to play the single player content of Judgment which I liked though preferred the original trilogy.

@Tharsman @NEStalgia Sony doing the opposite of Microsoft was an important part of Mattrick's vision flopping. I think a lot of people would've reluctantly accepted Mattrick's vision if Sony were doing the same thing just so they could play the full CoD experience (2013 was the end of Nintendo getting CoD and Nintendo platforms never got all the DLC so Wii U wasn't a suitable alternative for CoD players).

@Fenbops Delay is definitely the right option when more time is needed but I do think Microsoft need to do better at messaging. Look at how Nintendo announced the February 2023 Nintendo Direct:

"Tune in at 2 p.m. PST tomorrow, Feb. 8, for a Nintendo Direct livestream featuring roughly 40 minutes of information mostly focused on Nintendo Switch games launching in the first half of 2023."

There was some stuff announced outside that window like Pikmin 4 launching on July 21st but the wording accounts for that.

It being September makes me wonder what's happening with Forza Motorsport, will that end up being the big November release?

"games available in different services" makes me think more Rare games being added to NSO.

3 possible outcomes come to mind regarding there being 2 at the beginning of the month:
1. Just a simple error and these aren't the GWG games
2. Microsoft are increasing the number of games, perhaps returning to 4 like they did before 360 GWG ended
3. Gold is ending in April and this is the sendoff

@NEStalgia Well you can't play Octopath 1 or the FFXIII trilogy on PS4/PS5, not even a situation where the FFXIII trilogy ends up on PS+ Premium via streaming. They all are playable on XB1/Series X|S and were on Game Pass for a year.

If you see Square Enix putting the FFXIII trilogy on PS+ Premium or announcing a remaster for PS/Switch after February 28th, you know that Microsoft's being blocking it from happening earlier via the Game Pass deal. Same regarding a PS4 Octopath 1 port.

That kind of situation is why Sony would want to acquire Square Enix. Pretty much the exact same reason Microsoft acquired Bethesda.

@PeteyPiranha @Would_you_kindly Barely 2 years into the generation and Series S is already causing big problems. That's a shame, I do feel a discless Series X would've been a better option than Series S.

Haven't experienced much rally before but It looks a lot of fun from what I can tell. It's also exciting that they brought back Epitaph for the music, that was one of the best FH radio stations.

Release date seems to pretty much further confirm that Motorsport is no earlier than September.

@Kaloudz They would object, doesn't mean the attempt to get concessions would be successful. Microsoft used Sony's exclusives library to justify owning Activision (CoD is the only concession, everything else can be exclusive) so Sony would use Nintendo's exclusives library to justify owning Square Enix (Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, etc. is much bigger than Horizon, TLoU, GoW, etc.). Also I doubt Microsoft would have a valid argument against Sony acquiring Square Enix after having acquired Activision and Bethesda.

@Kaloudz It's safe to assume if the Activision acquisition goes through, both Xbox and Nintendo will no longer be getting Square Enix games outside of what's already announced for those platforms because Sony will be allowed to acquire Square Enix with no concessions.

Like Square Enix usually has a big presence in Nintendo Directs yet the February 2023 Direct only had 2 games (demo announcement for Octopath Traveler 2 of which the full game releases tomorrow and 1 game that was only in the Japanese version of the Direct).

Gaining CoD and losing out on Square Enix games would definitely be a net loss for Nintendo fans.

@Stoned_Patrol @themightyant Legal reasons for example Nintendo would probably sue if 343 put forge remakes of the Metroid Prime 2 multiplayer maps into matchmaking.

Remakes of XGS maps are safe though, I think all 4 maps are remakes of old Halo maps (top right is a remake of Damnation from CE, bottom right is a remake of Midship from Halo 2 and while I couldn't identify the other 2 they felt familiar).

@mousieone I think Microsoft not being at E3 is just them wanting to be flexible regarding when they can do their summer showcase. Tying themselves to E3 limits room to manoeuvre if something changes from their expectations like the status of the Activision acquisition.

@mousieone Zelda releases a month before E3 and E3 focuses on the future lineups, not the past. Though I don't believe that Nintendo has a very limited 2nd half of the year.

@Kaloudz The Square Enix approach is so weird that I think there's a chance FFVII Remake could come to a more powerful Switch (doubt the current Switch is powerful enough for a native port) and that Sony was only fully blocking a Xbox release.

Looks like we're coming to the end of Square Enix RPG franchises on Game Pass.

• FF lasted a year for each game so Lightning Returns gone in March
• Octopath Traveler II isn't coming to Xbox so first game is likely gone in March
• DQXIS got removed in December suggesting that DQ lasts 2 years so DQ Builders 2 gone in May

@IOI With Microsoft only deconfirming 360 marketplace shutdown for May (not deconfirming the "over the next year" part), it looks like sometime over the next year the 360 versions of the Gears games will be gone unless you already own them which I don't really see happening without remasters for the newer systems. The Halo 360 games were shutdown after they arrived on PC via MCC.

Leaning towards 2024. I think Microsoft will cap off 2023 with Forza Motorsport (September), Gears collection (October) and Starfield (November).

@shoeses Looking at the big 360 XGS backwards compatible games on XB1/Series X|S that have online multiplayer but don't have a XB1 or Series X|S specific port/remaster, it looks like Microsoft's probably going to reveal/release the rumoured Gears collection and then shut down the 360 afterwards.

This is really bad, even more so given Xbox's preservation stance since 2015's addition of the backwards compatibility program to XB1. Hopefully the backlash at Microsoft is at least as big as it was towards Sony back in 2021 regarding the attempted shutdown of the PS3/Vita stores. Jim Ryan should also make a statement re-committing to keeping PS3/Vita stores open.

@Fenbops I think it would be interesting if they pulled a Mass Effect and had your decision from Gears 5 influence the story of Gears 6.

@NEStalgia The Bethesda account requirement happened with DOOM Eternal as well.

@shoeses

• Blood of the Werewolf
• Counter-Strike: GO
• DAYTONA USA
• Defense Grid
• Final Fight: DBImpact (360 version is only purchasable on 360 though it's available in the Capcom Beat 'Em Up Bundle for XB1/Series X|S)
• Iron Brigade
• Jeremy McGrath's Offroad
• Jet Set Radio
• Left 4 Dead
• Left 4 Dead 2
• Mutant Blobs Attack
• Prince of Persia
• R.U.S.E.
• SEGA Vintage Collection: Alex Kidd & Co.
• Skate 2
• Spelunky
• The Orange Box

That's more like it. So it seems they waited to announce the batch because Hi-Fi Rush was a shadow drop in the Direct.

@BBB The previous release window (Spring 2023) covers most of June so it no longer saying Spring suggests a delay beyond the 12 month window.

I'd give it a C, the structure was well done and Hi-Fi Rush was an interesting surprise though no release date for Forza Motorsport and the upcoming Game Pass lineup is still very unknown.

@Jark The types of Nintendo Direct:

• Nintendo Direct - The big showcase which usually happens 3 times a year (last time was September 2022)
• Nintendo Direct Mini - Smaller showcase where there’s fewer 1st party announcements (last time happened in March 2020)
• Nintendo Direct Mini Partner Showcase - 3rd party games only but can include games using Nintendo IP that are developed by 3rd parties like Mario + Rabbids (last time was June 2022)
• Indie World - Indie games only, can include indie games featuring Nintendo IP and indie games published by big 3rd parties like Ori (last time was November 2022)
• [insert product] Direct - Focused on a specific thing. Game specific like Splatoon 3, franchise specific like Mario or specifically on something outside gaming like Super Nintendo World/Mario movie (last time was a Direct for the Mario movie in December 2022)

Treehouse Live is about live extended gameplay demonstrations, each segment being shown is for around 30 minutes and its main use was after the E3 Nintendo Directs. The closest Xbox has to that is Xbox Game Showcase Extended.

Sounds like this event isn’t the reason the Game Pass announcements have been very odd since early December.

I think modern gaming would be better for the most part if live service in general was scrapped and we went back to the 360 era approach (with Halo that was base game being campaign + multiplayer with post launch support being DLC map packs). Studios trying to chase Fortnite riches by going all in on live service mostly results in damaged reputations.

Not interested in ESO or Redfall. Minecraft Legends looks interesting but probably releases too close to Pikmin 4 which looks a lot more interesting. So I picked Forza Motorsport in the poll.

@Grippie It would be surprising for them to be very close together given while Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon 5 are different, wouldn't it make most sense to give FH5 Expansion 2 some space?

Probably a long way off as I think if it's real, they'll release it a year before Gears 6 releases. MCC (2014) -> Halo 5 (2015), GoW Ultimate Edition (2015) -> GoW4 (2016), etc.

With games taking longer to make with each more powerful console, I'd guess Gears 6 would be a 2026/2027 release.

@eduscxbox If Forza Motorsport does stay on track for Spring 2023 this'll be the shortest gap ever between a Forza Horizon expansion and a Forza Motorsport given FH5 Expansion 2 hasn't even been revealed yet.

@ParsnipHero "When is the next Xbox Direct?"

@Dezzy70 I think 2023 will look like:
1. Switch 2
2. PS5
3. Series X|S
4. Switch

Where 2-4 move up a place if Switch 2 doesn't release in 2023 but is announced in 2023.

I think if Nintendo doesn't announce a different game for NSO Expansion Pack (e.g. Mario Party 3) for January before the Xbox Direct then Goldeneye is likely to appear.

Goldeneye and FH5 Expansion 2 release dates would be the biggest hopes. I doubt the games they mentioned are the only ones in the Direct given that AoE 2 is still not available for preorder in the Xbox store.

@IOI I think it's best to be skeptical of the comment at the moment and if the Direct delivers then you know it's not overhyping.

So it was true in the end, at least they set expectations before the event that Starfield wouldn't be present.

@MaxC Forza Motorsport 7 was the first though all Forza games prior to Forza Horizon 4 were removed from the Microsoft Store 4 years after their launch so its removal from Game Pass in 2021 was to be expected.

Nintendo has the right idea, have 3 main Directs (1 in February, 1 in June, 1 in September) and each one's main focus is on the next 6 months with a few games outside that window. Meanwhile have single game Directs about a month before launch where suitable.

@mousieone It's more about setting expectations. If Starfield is having its own event and the game's still on track for releasing by June, it would make sense to announce the Starfield event before or during the more general event.

@MattWithoutFear The current release timings for those in the 1st half of 2023 release window are:

• Age of Empires 2 - January 31st 2023
• Ghostwire Tokyo - Sometime after March 25th 2023 (PS exclusivity is 1 year)
• Minecraft Legends - Spring 2023
• Forza Motorsport - Spring 2023
• Redfall - 1st half of 2023
• Starfield - 1st half of 2023
• ARA History Unbound - 1st half of 2023

So if nothing gets delayed, almost all of the games would be bunched together in April - June unless they released Starfield in March which I don't see happening.

Honestly, I see delays as more likely. Something like this for 2023:

• January - AoE 2
• February - FH5 Expansion 2
• March - Ghostwire Tokyo
• April - Minecraft Legends
• May - Redfall
• June - ARA History Untold
• July - Goldeneye
• August - AoE 4
• September - Forza Motorsport
• October - Hellblade 2 or an unannounced game
• November - Starfield