At least we will get another Fallout from the hands of Obsidian right? Right?
“I wonder what will happen if we put all of our eggs in the same basket?” - Famous basket-dropper.
closing down the division. seems like the head of xbox is there to do just that.
I’m keeping this one
Activision in charge of Halo? That’s a deathblow if ever I heard one.
Post bungie halo has been like watching a train wreck in slow motion, the series has survived the last 16 years on reputation alone.
Post Halo Bungie hasn’t fared much better…
I enjoyed destiny and destiny 2 but you could definitely feel them slipping, especially the fumble where they straight up removed parts of destiny 2.
Tried marathon on a free weekend and it was fine but there are so many other games that are better than fine and doing similar things. The only thing it had going for it was the bungie gunplay which is still as solid as ever.
Them removing stuff from Destiny 2 is why I stopped playing… Took me awhile to get the expansion and by the time I did they removed the content that expansion added, making it impossible for me to catch up with the lore and wasting my money.
Halo infinite was pretty huge though, wasn’t it? Granted one being the only stand out isn’t saying much.
Infinite was a solid base that they just didn’t do anything with. The campaign felt incomplete and the multiplayer took years to get to the number of features that Halo 3 launched with, but the bones were good. If it had launched in a more complete state and the new campaigns were actually developed, it probably would have been great. However, Microsoft’s stubborn insistence on only using contractors and only for six months at a time made the whole concept untenable. For that matter, it’s driving the entire company into the ground.
This is what I was thinking. The short term contactor thing is also why the new Forza had the exact same issues during development and launch. Anyone with any real working knowledge is kicked to the curb as they are hitting their stride so no wonder why features are broken or missing and everything feels disconnected. The fact that they are managing ‘important’ IP with temps shows how much they care and if that isn’t changing, the corporate restructure is for nothing.
It was…ok. it had a good reception but no staying power because it was ok at best. They stopped working on updates too, i think a year into the 10 year project or whatever it was supposed to be.
I haven’t beat the story because a well-known bug with a door not opening near the end of a mission fucked me and my co-op friend, and we didn’t want to do the last 30 minutes all over again.
There are a lot of bugs in infinite - enemies not spawning (breaking missions), doors, the LOD being the minimum even though I am standing on the ground (so in addition to it looking like crayola ass, physical objects like walls don’t align with the visual representation… during a shootout… or a mission…)… and this was a year or so after launch. There are other issues too but it’s been a couple years and I’m just angry at this point. Half-assed if I’ve ever seen it.
I spent thousands of hours in CE and around a thousand in 2, on pc. MCC was exciting, since I finally got to play 3, ODST, and Reach. 4 is awful, and with the state of Infinite (and apparently 5), it’s no wonder they are recycling the good games. But it’s definitely over, like a washed-up rock band or a one-hit-wonder singer. And it’s all Microsoft’s fault.
It literally doesnt matter. Halo died with Bungie and Bungie died with Halo.
On the bright side, Activision is quite capable of making the exact same game over and over again and consistently. Their knowledge of beating the dead horse is borderline necromancy. Can’t say the same for 343.
Tbf if you were to give Halo back to Bungie they too would fuck it up nowadays.
Yeah Bungie today is a shell of their former selves. They just did a whole video basically saying “We know we suck, we’re sorry. We’ll get better and make better games.” but I ain’t holding my breath.
CODification here it comes. Couldn’t be worse than the current state of Halo though?
Activision doesn’t only publish Call of Duty though. They publish all kinds of games: Sekiro, the Tony Hawk games, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, etc.
Way more potential than what 343 had. I mean, 343 was purposefully NOT hiring former Bungie-era Halo employees. The important ones, like Marcus Lehto, Marty ODonnell, heck they only brought Joe Staten to get Infinite “back on track” and then promptly kicked him to the curb too. 343 definitely deserved this earlier, I am gonna be honest.
The games you mentioned ring in my head as mid-2000s highlights, with nothing more than blatant money grabs published in the last decade. Not very indicative of a healthy studio imo. They may have once been capable of turning out good games, but that was roughly in the era
343 was turning out good games toogood Halo games were being released as wellbut that was roughly in the era 343 was turning out good games too
What, HALO 4?
Halo 1-3 were 2001-2007, which counts as early- to mid-2000s. Halo 4 was 2012, in the early 2010s
Bungie made 1 2 3 ODST Reach, 343 made 4 5 Infinite. 343 is established to handle the IP when bungie separated from microsoft.
Appreciate the correction; I got lost in the publisher shell game. Updated my original statement to the intent behind it, not me being wrong about who published the games lol
Sekiro is the exception to that, but that’s more on FromSoft than it is on Activision, to the extent that it actually hadn’t registered in my mind that Activision was involved with that game at all.
Yeah exactly FromSoft is turning out bangers, and somehow Activision is involved? Maybe just to the extent that they aren’t involved so can’t fuck anything up?
My point is that Activision isn’t a studio. It’s a publisher. I read Activision said they are forming a new studio for Halo.
I mean, I didn’t bring up all of Activisions classic games like Pitfall, just the most recent games they have published since those are most relevant to the topic.
“the era 343 was turning out good games too”
Ok but that never really happened. Ensemble made Halo Wars and Creative Assembly made the sequel which were decent IMO (the first being better IMO). Every other game with the Halo brand under 343 was garbage. Forget about Spartan Strike and Spartan Assault? 343s first game was Halo CE Anniversary, which was horrendously bad, so I suppose it is poetic in a way that Halo Studios, which only survived long enough to drop a single game, would die with yet another rehash of Halo CE.
Except for maybe Fireteam Raven, only because I never had the chance to play it, 343 never had an “era of making good games.” Halo 2A was pretty good but it launched in the very broken MCC which took them years to fix.
4,5, and Infinite were the absolute low points of Halo, with Infinite being the best of the three only because of the art direction. But they are all far below Bungie-era Halo games.
At this point a deathblow would be a kindness for the Halo franchise.
Microsoft Is the worst thing that ever happened to computers
Ehhhhh, if we could see into the multiverse ball, maybe. I’d fucking hate to see a timeline where Apple was the dominant consumer-grade OS producer through the 90s and 2000s.
It’s more a matter of practices rather than product. Microsoft killed the competition with every underhanded tactic they could use, they atrophied the PC ecosystem, the damage they’ve done is incalculable, and now that they don’t have the same power anymore, it seems that doing damage is still their main objective, dedicating even more resource to achieve it
Notch no longer being involved in it is also a plus
Apple wouldn’t have survived the 90’s because, ironically, Microsoft saved them from bankruptcy.
With Apple right behind it.
Fallout with ads from Obsidian.
There’s no saving these IPs now.
As I remember, back in the 90s, the CEO of Activision hated video games.
So of course that zombie of a company is still fucking up gaming.
From what I’ve heard, Bethesda and Obsidian have always been great places to work. I hope Microsoft isn’t ruining that for the devs. Hopefully the increasing union presence in Microsoft will bring worker interests back into consideration.
I imagine Bethesda hasn’t been fun to work for for a good 10 years now.
Companies that make “boring” games are often great workplaces, while those that make bestsellers (such as CD project red, rockstar, etc) are shitholes putting workers through hell and constant crunch.
There’s also an argument that smaller evolutionary releases every year or two are better for consumers too.
Word is that NOBODY wanted to make starfield other than Todd Howard. Apparently once whispers of being bought happened, he wanted that game out because he knew Microsoft would never allow them waste time on something that isn’t elder scrolls or fallout.
bethesda has only ever had layoffs twice in their history, i think one was before morrowind and the other was after asha took over xbox
Woefully wrong. Pre-Microsoft Bethesda was probably okay. But Microsoft Bethesda layoff waves were:
- January 2023
- January 2024
- May 2024
- September 2024
- possibly July 2025
- (despite ZeniMax Online Studios != Bethesda, they create Elder Scrolls Online, so also July 2026 , where thay cut nearly half of the team responsible for ESO, including the community manager)
- this new one now
I am probably missing some. So honestly, the only thing save to assume that the only thing working at Microslop is their CoPilot.
What is Zenimax’s relationship to Bethesda?
ZeniMax Media is the parent company for Weaver’s video game publisher Bethesda Softworks. The company additionally owns the development studios Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, Arkane Studios, MachineGames, and ZeniMax Online Studios.
Thanks!
damn, not sure how i missed these
Makes sense, they were in dire straits before Morrowind, and well, Microsoft is Microsoft.
Really? Isnt it just Todd going around demanding things? Id never want to work under that narcissitic dick.
I can only go off of what I’ve heard directly from Bethesda devs, who from what I’ve seen generally have the attitude of ''he is a great boss who has been given too much to handle as the studio got bigger." You’re probably referring to the ‘seagulling’ post which, afaik, was a 4chan post without a source.
Seen many things, him in interviews and Q&As, and have no idea what you are talking about with 4chan. Guy is full of himself.
It was an assumption based on the only similar staff perspective I have heard of, my apologies.
Guys, let’s bring Skyrim to (insert random platform). - Todd
Lmao
“Guys, I know you are making the next Elder Scrolls right now, but I have this really cool space game I want you all to work on instead! It wont be shit I promise!”
Well, hate it love it, at least they’re trying something instead of making the same ip over and over again. I thought people whine about AAA being sequel prequel sidequel
Bruh, we haven’t had a real Fallout game in 11 years!
Godamn your username is still vile, well done again
It’ll still be what it is next time you run across my posts lol
And no Elder Scrolls since almost 15
Not my cup of tea but I will side with you.these are 2 of the most popular IPs in the industry and they detoured for that shit? It makes no sense for fans and even less financially.
They need a massive engine upgrade/overhaul instead of a new IP right now.
this guy 100% lost to todd in high school chess 😂 all over the thread hating on him and shit
With all the bullshit you’re spouting off I’m surprised you haven’t pulled the “Todd hates Obsidian/New Vegas” card yet.
Why would Todd hate what made his franchise what it is?
I’m sure Microsoft firing everyone isn’t helping…
deleted by creator
A good time to mention that Xbox (and boycotting Game Pass especially) is one of a dozen or so priority targets chosen by the Palestinian BDS Movement beecause they’re vulnerable and Microsoft’s cloud computing services are so vital for “Israel’s” military and prison system
What exactly is their plan? Just collect IPs so they aren’t being released on other platforms?
Don’t worry: their CEO was answering support calls. I’m sure things will be fine.
(Doomed.)
Yeah so historically PlayStation has had a lot of exclusives (Shadow of the Colossus, God of War, The Last of Us) that would be the deciding factor for a lot of players. So Microsoft wanted to ensure that Xbox/PC could synergize and compete against Sony by buying a stake in a ton of game studios, either to have their own exlusives or at least delayed release for PlayStation. But between bitcoin, AI and enshittification the gaming industry is in shambles so they’re cutting overhead.
Deck chairs on the Titanic.
I honestly believe that Xbox will stop existing as a company in a few years.
Yeah, Asha Sharma seems to be set up as an example of the glass cliff. She’s clearly trying to bail out a sinking ship rather than revitalize a stale brand. Giving Halo to Activision shows a misunderstanding of what Halo players want, but the other things she’s doing are things that probably could have helped five or more years ago, but are just too late now. We’re probably heading toward a repeat of the 1983 crash. Xbox and PlayStation might still be around after, but they’ll be in the position that Atari and Sega were after the crash, with their remaining market share evaporating the instant a new competitor arrives.
Meanwhile, so long as Nintendo just keeps doing what they’ve been doing they should be fine. I could see them phasing out game key cards as an option for devs if the digital only backlash on the next generation is bad enough, but they might not have to given that the publishers that have been using them are the ones most likely to implode.
Honestly, Nintendo is in such a good position to pick up serious market share from Sony and Xbox. It’s insane that just making actual games that aren’t riddled with crap and not insta firing everyone who works for you is enough to be the clear front runner.
I wonder if, like Sega and Atari, there will be someone to swoop in and take market share here. I worry it’s a Meta or someone with a terrible spyware product.
meanwhile Valve just building platform after platform that in long term will draw people into Steam
Yeah, I mean I’m waitlisted on both the machine and the frame. I love valve’s hardware and ecosystem. It’s not perfect of course, but it’s infinitely better than what Xbox or playstation has going on
I think what makes everyone look so stupid isn’t the hardware Valve is making, it’s the translation layer they help improve and OS they forked. Proton allow Linux to play windows based game, SteamOS allow people to build their own console-like experience, FEX(used on steam frame) allow translation between x86 and ARM which mean pc gaming on mobile phone, and Lepton allow translation between android and linux. And all of those for free! Meanwhile every console maker is crawling back to their own cave.
Gonna still be steam.
I’m honestly astonished they haven’t even attempted being decent yet
Unless Nintendo starts to make new kinds of games i don’t see how they will pick up market share, everyone interested in a switch already has a switch.
They have solid “family” games but I don’t see them making the next Arc Raiders or League, they have their segment and are good at selling products to it.
This might change with The Duskbloods. They have an actual capable piece of hardware to run things on now.
they make simple games , as its mostly for children, they will be fine as long as the children can convince thier parents to buy thier slop. as long as they can produce pokemon games they wont lose a cent.
they often hire women to take the PR nightmare, and flak from the public when a company is failing, and looks like the plan is to close down xbox eventually.
Yeah that’s what the glass cliff is
Sony still has good IPs to fall back on, despite all the goodwill they’ve lost lately. The PS6 will sell just fine as long they launch it with a couple recognizeable titles.
Xbox is in deep shit because first of all, they’re competing with themselves. There’s no reason to get an Xbox if you have a PC. Secondly their IPs are trash. They ruined Halo and people don’t trust Bethesda anymore. Although I do think a new ES game would still print money.
Halo to become Call of Duty In Space in 3…
Where have you been for the last 14 years? Halo has been call of duty in space since 343 took over.
The only people in the world left that understand the lineage of Halo, and that Halo is all about the combat dance, and elaborate encounters, and that every enemy in the level is a chess piece that needs to be placed with utmost care, is Id Software.
Id, freshly equipped with everything they learned from resurrecting DOOM, is the only studio skilled enough to possibly save the Halo franchise.
Too bad Microsoft obliterated them last month, too.
Oops!
Wait until they give Doom to Activision, to create Call of Doom - UAC Mercenaries, a game where the hellspawn are replaced with striking UAC workers gone too far and dressing up as imps and such.
Halo of Duty?
Can’t wait for Halo Infinite 2
Implying it wasn’t already that
They all ready did that 14 years ago when Halo 4 came out. It had kill streaks and creat-a-class with custom skins.
Wow. This is what happens when you put someone without game industry experience in charge of your game division. Incredibly stupid decisions all around.
Activision is also overseeing Age of Empires as well… Couldn’t let Sony outshine you in “who can shoot themselves in the foot hardest” could you?
Even as an RTS fan I can admit the genre is basically dead anyway.
While I can’t say that you’re wrong, Age of Empires 2 has a solid and extremely loyal community, and they just released a new expansion that everyone is super happy with (especially compared to the last two.)
Xbox is dead
The red ring of death wasn’t your final straw, lmao?
I never had an Xbox lol. I’ve always been on PC. I loved my PS2 as a kid tho.
well, R.I.P. Elder Scrolls 6.
