re: Microsoft Closing Multiple Studios

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Was the Enclave specifically a East Coast faction?

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They were the Big Bad of Fallout 2, in Cali

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Can you imagine The Enclave and the Legion in the same game?

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I really missed the Enclave in NV and 4. I'll never forget the feeling of them pulling up in 3 and thinking "holy shite, this just got real"

So Phil Spencer plays 76, and a bunch of players found his camp in game and ended up nuking it

I remember buying the DLC's simply because they upped your level cap by 10 with each one. Broken Steel is the only one I ever did. Just saw there were 5 total. I accidentally started Mothership Zeta, getting abducted by aliens. so I guess that will be 2 I've played.

I'm here

I have Series X, PS5, PC, Switch, Quest 3

Love them all.

Based on time spent on each:

PC
Series X


PS5


Quest 3

















Switch

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Rocksteady is probably next.

I honestly think the closing of these studios makes sense. I feel like people are only making a big deal about this because of the name "Tango Gameworks." I'd be interested in meeting someone who is a huge fan of the other three studios that were closed/absorbed.

The Roundhouse team being absorbed into Zenimax Studios doesn't seem like much of a change at all tbh. I'm having a difficult time finding any potential impact from this change. I can't figure out what they were/are working on as a studio beyond assisting other Bethesda studios with their games. I can't find any games released under the Roundhouse label. If someone is aware of one I'd love to see it because looking into this studio has honestly just left me confused about why it wasn't shut down completely. They must do great work in their support roles.

Arkane Austin was behind Redfall. Not sure much needs to be said about that one. When Phil Spencer has to come out and publicly apologize for your game, that's probably not a great sign. Arkane Lyon was not affected. Arcane Lyon is working on Blade, and was also behind pretty much every successful/decent Arkane game (Deathloop, Dishonored series, etc).

Alpha Dog Games made mobile games, and of their entire "catalogue" (4 games), the only game I've heard of is "Mighty DOOM" because I see it advertised on Game Pass. Microsoft wants to increase its mobile presence so this closure makes the least sense to me, but I'm betting it had something to do with the much larger mobile gaming presence the ABK purchase brought to Microsoft.

Shinji Mikami left Tango Gameworks right after Hi-Fi RUSH was released. I wasn't sure how that studio was going to survive without him, so I don't find this closure to be incredibly shocking. Microsoft wants more of a gaming presence in Japan, so I thought maybe that would be enough to keep the studio open. However, Tango apparently hasn't been working on any new games in the year since Hi-Fi RUSH was released, according to this article that puts a decidedly positive spin on that news like taking a year off from making anything should be expected:

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Schreier writes that the studio closures "included Tokyo-based Tango Gameworks, which last year released the critically acclaimed action game Hi-Fi Rush. Tango was in the process of pitching a sequel, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing nonpublic information."

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I'd be interested in meeting someone who is a huge fan of the other three studios that were closed/absorbed.

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Arcane Lyon is working on Blade, and was also behind pretty much every successful/decent Arkane game (Deathloop, Dishonored series, etc).

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Between both studios, Arkane has the distinction of making the most underrated title (Prey) AND the most overrated title (Deathloop) of the past 10 years. Prey is the best or 2nd best game that Arkane has made. They have Zenimax to thank for it underperforming - their meddling was so bad that Arkane's founder quit after its release.

Deathloop was not good, and that's coming from an Arkane simp who was delighted over the concept. One of the most overrated games of all time based on its critic reviews - after the initial release with all those 10/10s, that game was never talked about again. Just came out during a weak stretch of games. I never played Redfall, but I've played and 100%'d all their other games and it's easily the next worst.

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Arkane Austin was behind Redfall. Not sure much needs to be said about that one. When Phil Spencer has to come out and publicly apologize for your game, that's probably not a great sign. Arkane Lyon was not affected. Arcane Lyon is working on Blade, and was also behind pretty much every successful/decent Arkane game (Deathloop, Dishonored series, etc).

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They have Zenimax to thank for that as well. Arkane Austin lost 70% of their staff once Redfall development began because they hated everything about it and it was diametrically opposed to studio's output in the past. The staff that stuck around were hopeful that MS would cancel it after the acquisition. With a ton of new staff and disgruntled existing staff, it's no surprise Redfall was dogshit.

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Shinji Mikami left Tango Gameworks right after Hi-Fi RUSH was released. I wasn't sure how that studio was going to survive without him, so I don't find this closure to be incredibly shocking.

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Then you just don't know anything about the studio

Mikami has largely stepped away from game direction and production. He hasn't directed a game since 2014 and his only other credits since then are Exec Producer credits (not to be confused with a real Producer credit, which is more akin to a project manager in the gamedev world). He had no substantial roles with the developments of Ghostwire and Hifi Rush

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Rocksteady is probably next.

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Rocksteady is done.

Ninja Theory is done (Founder already left and Hellblade 2 took like 5 years to make and is shaping up to be another 6hr gamepass game. Also getting 0 marketing from MS. Game comes out in 2 weeks and I had no idea).

Avowed better be an Elder Scrolls level hit or Obsidian will be absorbed into a BethSoft support studio

343 and Coalition should be done with how they butchered their franchises, but they're somehow still around




We're seeing the same contraction that the movie industry has been going through. Games are insanely expensive to make, so publishers are consolidating resources into the development of blockbuster, guaranteed hits.

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Exploration and trying new IP ideas is a good thing but it should always come as an addition to what you know are guaranteed blockbuster hits. I feel like the gaming industry for far too long (outside of Nintendo) has been 80% “new ideas” and trying new things and 20% successful and proven IPs. It should not take over a decade for Bethesda to release an Elder Scrolls or Fallout games.

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It's literally the exact opposite

The gaming industry relies too much on existing IPs and/or licensed properties along with the same ideas (every game is either an online FPS or open world action 'RPG')