Making games from scratch is a long process. My point is that we can't really judge if these is gross mismanagement until we've seen their output of games made from the ground up under Microsoft, and that is still years away sadly. This goes back even as far back as 2018-2019 for Ninja Theory, Double Fine, Compulsion, Undead Labs etc. But the reality is most of their newer studios were taken over while they were still developing their current or last games (Deathloop, Psychonauts 2 etc.) and even then their next games (Starfield, Redfall, etc.) were all likely in either full production or at least pre-production, where you set scope, when Microsoft acquired them. Yes we can talk about potential mismanagement on some of their older acquired and founded studios (Primarily 343, Rare & Lionhead). Yes this year was pretty pants for first party, but I am more confident and optimistic about their trajectory long term. I'm pretty sure there will be other smaller titles too. That even gives them at least an additional 6 months to slip and still hit 2023. Yet we are 99% sure they won't with Starfield, Redfall and Forza all SCHEDULED to release before June 2023. That is their short term strategy.įact is if they repeat this year in 2023 they will be in trouble. Unbelievable value undercutting everyone else. Not least what can they do with 10,000+ ABK staff? What games could they make? Yes it will take a while to change things and for that to bear new fruit, but in the meantime their current 23 game studios should start to produce and dozens of ABK games will be added to GP overnight. Though I don't like the consolidation at all, and personally don't want it to happen, there's no doubt it will MASSIVELY strengthen their portfolio. That will lead them to success long term, and i'm sure the games will come.Įspecially if they get ABK on board too.

Honestly I think all they have to do in the interim, until all their studios start producing more regularly (assuming they ever do of course) is keep doing what they are doing. If Microsoft keep knocking it out the park with Game Pass then I don't think it really matters whether people see them as a 'games subscription service as opposed to publisher.' Tue 20th Dec At the end of the day people just want to play good games at a reasonable cost.Story Of Seasons: Friends Of Mineral Town JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure All-Star Battle RīlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle Special Edition Xbox Game Pass: The Complete 2023 List So Far

Ea play game pass release date