Phil Spencer is taking responsibility for Xbox's latest first-party game launch. Redfall, a game developed by Arkane, was released on May 2nd, to atrocious critical reviews, and even worse player reception. Billed as an open-world co-op first-person shooter, players overwhelmingly found it to be repetitive, glitchy, and bland. The game also promised to run at 60fps prior to its launch, but drew controversy when it was walked back, and the developers instead planned to have a 60fps update made available sometime post-launch.

When appearing as a guest on the Kindy Funny Games podcast, Xbox's CEO Phil Spencer bluntly stated, "There’s nothing that’s more difficult for me than disappointing the Xbox community, and just to watch the community lose confidence, be disappointed, I’m disappointed, I’m upset with myself," adding that, "we let a lot of people down this week with the launch of the game, but we will continue to strive on." In a response to fans asking why the game wasn't just further delayed, Spencer claimed, "I think there’s a fundamental piece of feedback that we get that the game isn’t realizing the creative vision that it had for its players. That doesn’t feel like a 'hey, just delay it' [situation]--that feels like the game had a goal to do one thing, and when players are actually playing they’re not feeling that thing, that creative execution of the team."

Furthermore, Spencer was questioned about the current state of affairs with Xbox, following this, on top of the CMA's refusal to allow Microsoft to acquire Activision. His response focused on how losing the Xbox One generation was "the worst generation to lose", and that great games aren't enough to draw customers in anymore, saying, "this idea that if we just focused more on great games on our console that somehow we’re going to win the console race doesn’t really lay into the reality of most people. There is no world where Starfield is an 11 out of 10 and people start selling their PS5s, that’s not going to happen." His plans for Xbox's future is to, "stay focused on making sure that console experience is awesome, but I know some people want to hold us up as being a better green version of what the blue guys do, and I’m just going to say there’s not a win for Xbox by staying in the wake of somebody else. We have to go off and do our own thing with Game Pass, the stuff we do with xCloud, and the way we build our games."

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[wolf-snake]

"Great Games Alone aren't enough to win a Console Generation"
Oh no, they 100% are... its just that Microsoft hasn't made a single great game since like the 360

 

[GammaPhonic]

"Great Games Alone aren't enough to win a Console Generation"
Oh no, they 100% are... its just that Microsoft hasn't made a single great game since like the 360

Agreed. Nintendo Switch is years behind the competition in terms of technology, connectivity and services. But it has an incredible line up of games that has helped it sell more units than the Xbox S|X and/or PS5 will probably ever sell.

Microsoft have been coasting on the success of the 360 for over a decade at this point. They haven't had a true system selling exclusive in two console generations now. I want the old Microsoft back. The one that had loads of great exclusive games on the OG Xbox and 360. The one that made me actually want to buy their console.

 

[FAKEdemicBioPYSCHONANOWAR]

This guy doesnt know what he is talking about

 

[Veho]

"Great Games Alone aren't enough to win a Console Generation"
Oh no, they 100% are... its just that Microsoft hasn't made a single great game since like the 360

360 AD.

 

[MikaDubbz]

Agreed. Nintendo Switch is years behind the competition in terms of technology, connectivity and services. But it has an incredible line up of games that has helped it sell more units than the Xbox S|X and/or PS5 will probably ever sell.

Microsoft have been coasting on the success of the 360 for over a decade at this point. They haven't had a true system selling exclusive in two console generations now. I want the old Microsoft back. The one that had loads of great exclusive games on the OG Xbox and 360. The one that made me actually want to buy their console.

Indeed, there is a reason Nintendo has grown and maintained a massive and loyal fanbase, and it sure ain't because of their processing power or for keeping up with all the latest and greatest online infrastructures. Exclusive great games are everything for each gen's console war.

 

[pedro702]

All he wants is to turn xbox into a service, he doesnt really care if you are using a console or not, he is destroying the xbox consoles by making it be a service, i can see their consoles being a side thing now, all they want is to sell subscriptions and they only do consoles now just to say they still have one in the market.
in afew years all of the xbox revenuue will come from xcloud/pc gamepass subscriptions and their xbox physical releases or digital downloads will just be an afterthought imo.

 

[RAHelllord]

Redfall is what happens when you let executives make games, not the game designers.

Years behind on trends and the result will always be some bland slurry of mismatched shit that feels like some dude desperately trying to fit in with the kids and failing.

"How do you do fellow gamers" indeed.

 

[TomSwitch]

View attachment 369340​

Phil Spencer is taking "this idea that if we just focused more on great games on our console that somehow we’re going to win the console race doesn’t really lay into the reality of most people. There is no world where Starfield is an 11 out of 10 and people start selling their PS5s, that’s not going to happen."

Source

Hey Spencer, you are aware of a company call Nintendo right? They kick you ass with great games alone.

Try launching a Xbox series N and see what happens. You don't need to lift a finger to beat the Switch HW. Just make Switch game load a hell lot faster on Xbox series N and you will finally beat PS5.

 

[LightBeam]

We have to go off and do our own thing with Game Pass, the stuff we do with xCloud, and the way we build our games.

Yeah then, build great games with the gamepass. People just love great games.

Post automatically merged: May 6, 2023

Redfall is what happens when you let executives make games, not the game designers.

Years behind on trends and the result will always be some bland slurry of mismatched shit that feels like some dude desperately trying to fit in with the kids and failing.

"How do you do fellow gamers" indeed.

The opposite happened with Redfall. Microsoft was mostly hands-off. I think they should take an approach like Nintendo, and be more involved

 

[pedro702]

Redfall is what happens when you let executives make games, not the game designers.

Years behind on trends and the result will always be some bland slurry of mismatched shit that feels like some dude desperately trying to fit in with the kids and failing.

"How do you do fellow gamers" indeed.

redfall is what happens when you dont even check on the teams, phill in the interview said they should have helped sonner but they just letted them do their own thing, when they arrived it was too late and it would take months to get everything into shape.

 

[CoolMe]

and that great games aren't enough to draw customers in anymore

"this idea that if we just focused more on great games on our console that somehow we’re going to win the console race.."

Somehow i both understand where he's coming from, and somewhat disagree with that statement. I understand that he's disappointed that the Halo franchise, Forza games and even new IPs like HiFi Rush is not "drawing customers" as much as he'd hoped, he expects the same kind of desirability akin to the competition with their games. but the reality is that having a couple of *above average* games isn't enough to make people want to jump into their ecosystem, and i'm talking about the hardware side of things specifically, which in this case is important (just look at the competition), also the fact those very games are present on their GP service from day one, and can be played as well on pc, it doesn't help their brand or sales figures either.. So yea, i think they need to dial those 2 down a bit, like when they release an new Xbox exclusive game, they shouldn't add it to GP (or on PC) for at least 2 or 3 months to incentivize customers, or something like that..

 

[ZeroT21]

There's absolutely no hype when it comes to xbox game releases

 

[chr0m]

"Great games alone aren't good enough, so let's make bad games instead"

 

[mrdude]

When you sell games that need an internet connection to install and play - that's when I lost interest in the console. Who want's to buy a DVD/Blueray version of a game only to find you need the internet to play it. When that online service ends in a few years time, all that money you spent on the game you bought is then wasted. No thanks, that's just not for me.

 

[pedro702]

When you sell games that need an internet connection to install and play - that's when I lost interest in the console. Who want's to buy a DVD/Blueray version of a game only to find you need the internet to play it. When that online service ends in a few years time, all that money you spent on the game you bought is then wasted. No thanks, that's just not for me.

yeah besides online only multiplayer games i really hate games that you can play solo but somehow need a persistent internet connection... because the developer in like 3 or 4 years shuts the servers off and the game is now unplayable for everyone, it makes zero sense to me, unless is some sort of drm they want to push.

 

[CoolMe]

Other than that, "Redfall" looks dreadful from what I've seen, even apart from the glitches and technical issues.. I sure would've felt ripped off if i paid $70 for it.

 

[MorningBlunt]

360 AD.

Waheyyy

 

[ZeroT21]

Other than that, "Redfall" looks dreadful from what I've seen, even apart from the glitches and technical issues.. I sure would've felt ripped off if i paid $70 for it.

We're not really buying games anymore, we're basically ''renting'' them

 

[mrdude]

yeah besides online only multiplayer games i really hate games that you can play solo but somehow need a persistent internet connection... because the developer in like 3 or 4 years shuts the servers off and the game is now unplayable for everyone, it makes zero sense to me, unless is some sort of drm they want to push.

I hate games that you can't play solo, especially a solo game when there's no need for an internet connection, but you are forced to have one to prove your game disc is legit and without that check in place your game fails to run and when the server is offline, your game may as well be scrap.