Tag: Sea of Thieves

Team Xbox should focus more on their fans and make more Xbox-exclusive games with the long-term in mind

Team Xbox should focus more on their fans and make more Xbox-exclusive games with the long-term in mind

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In recent times, Team Xbox and their studios officially confirmed that the Xbox-original (read: previously Xbox-exclusive) games Pentiment, Hi-Fi RUSH, Grounded and Sea of Thieves are heading to consoles of Sony and Nintendo. This is the result of what was discussed during the podcast (note: “the four games”) that had top Xbox officials updating people about their business plan and current direction. In case you missed that, watch the podcast right below…

To make things clear for the newcomers reading this, Team Xbox itself has already been publishing games on non-Xbox platforms for several years now. I’m talking about established titles like Minecraft and, in very recent times, the many games of Bethesda. By adding the newly acquired Activision-Blizzard into the Xbox family of companies, you can see Team Xbox’s publishing side has grown even bigger and the business impact should be felt over the next few years.

That being said, I should state that Phil Spencer and his Xbox team leaders should NOT neglect Xbox fans even as the business is moving towards multi-platform publishing and the “console-less” future in the 2030s.

In relation to what Spencer said during the podcast, the single-player games his team heavily invested in such as Starfield, Forza Motorsport (2023), Forza Horizon 5, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Avowed, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are still exclusive on Xbox consoles plus Windows PC and Xbox Game Pass (the popular subscription service itself will not be made available on non-Xbox platforms anytime soon).

There are also more Xbox-exclusive titles that have yet to be released such as Towerborne, South of Midnight, Clockwork Revolution, The Outer Worlds 2, the Fable reboot plus the very delayed ones such as Perfect Dark and Everwild.

While it is true that those are a lot of Xbox-exclusive games that fans and other gamers (who are seeking fun and unique games to play that are NOT available on PlayStation and Nintendo consoles) can look forward to over the next few years, I still say that Team Xbox should invest more to make even more exclusive games and become more aggressive.

In the previous Xbox console generations, there were these exclusive games that had “Only on Xbox” placed on the front covers of their respective boxes. Check out the games below…

The start of something great!
Way back in 2002, this was the exclusive adventure and platform game to enjoy on the original Xbox console! It was flawed but still had fun.
If you are a long-time Xbox fan, were you able to buy this for your Xbox 360 console?
This exclusive game on Xbox 360 is a classic shooter to enjoy!

And, yes, there was a time when Team Xbox invested a lot to make exclusive sports video games under their Xbox Sports Network (XSN) franchise. Even the Top Spin game series actually started on the original Xbox console under the XSN label.

During the weeks leading to the launch of the original Xbox console in late 2001, I played NFL Fever 2002 on an Xbox kiosk. This was Microsoft’s exclusive NFL video game.
An exclusive racing game on the original Xbox that is rarely talked about. This game received many positive reviews at the time of its release.
The exclusive NBA basketball of Team Xbox from 2002.
It is absolutely true that Top Spin started as an Xbox-exclusive tennis video game made to entertain gamers on the console while also serving as a suitable competitor against Sega’s Virtua Tennis and Nintendo’s Mario Tennis.

Indeed, “Only on Xbox” in the old days had a very strong meaning – something fun and unique (if not special) was prepared for gamers and the only platform to play was on the Xbox console!

Going to the present leadership of Team Xbox, they seriously need to refocus on the exclusive games and confirm their dedication to all Xbox fans as well as the gamers seeking something fun and special to play on Xbox consoles or on Windows PC. A lot of people spent so much money to buy an Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S or a new PC for their entertainment needs and having more exclusive games will add even more value into the ecosystem of Microsoft.

I really wish to see Phil Spencer and his team move aggressively to produce even more Xbox-exclusive games not just for this current console generation but also for the next generation and even further. Perhaps Team Xbox should explore making exclusive sports video games (note: challenging 2K and Visual Concepts’ dominance on NBA video games could do good for the gamers and the industry) or make games on genres they have been ignoring.

Whether Team Xbox utilizes its own game studios or make deals with independent studios through their Xbox Game Studios Publishing, making more exclusive games is crucial and when it is well executed, Xbox fans and other gamers will benefit. Seriously, the shift to releasing Xbox-original games to PlayStation and Nintendo consoles should not be the main goal because it clearly does NOT justify betraying Xbox fans around the world.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

My views about Xbox Games Showcase 2023 and Starfield Direct

My views about Xbox Games Showcase 2023 and Starfield Direct

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With their combined might, Team Xbox, Bethesda and their strategic partners successfully pulled off a great Xbox Games Showcase 2023 and Starfield Direct double feature! Great in the sense that they collectively premiered a wide variety of games including several Xbox-exclusive titles (both the announced and the brand new ones) that gamers can look forward to on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Windows PC and via cloud gaming. What was shown was clearly a lot of fun to watch and there several bouts of surprises that I experienced along the way.

To be clear, 27 games were showcased. 21 games are coming to Game Pass (Xbox Game Pass and/or PC Game Pass). 13 of the games were from Xbox game studios. There were also several 3rd party games from different publishers including Capcom, SEGA, Atlus and Ubisoft.

1st Party Games from Xbox Game Studios matter a lot – The Xbox Games Showcase 2023 started with the reveal of the new Xbox-exclusive Fable role-playing game (RPG) from Playground Games which utilized in-game graphics for a cinematic style of presentation emphasizing the British approach on fantasy, comedic tone and style of play the game franchise is known for. There were a few moments of action shown but it is hard to determine if those will indeed be implemented in gameplay form. As I anticipated, Fable was shown without a release date nor an estimated year for release. All we can do now is wait for the developers to complete and polish it.

Also shown early during the showcase was the much-needed update on Avowed, the first-person fantasy RPG from RPG specialists Obsidian Entertainment (The Outer Worlds, Fallout: New Vegas). Compared to Fable, Avowed has progressed so much with its development, actual gameplay footage was shown with some storytelling cutscenes included. Set in the world of Eora (the same setting as established in the Pillars of Eternity series), gamers will play the envoy of Aedyr who is tasked to investigate rumors of a spreading plague with a secret that threatens to destroy everything. While it looks inspired by Bethesda’s Skyrim, Avowed clearly has its own flavor and style to its first-person battles and movement. This game is set for release sometime in 2024 exclusively on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC with Xbox Game Pass inclusion. I am really looking forward to this game.

Still in the realm of fantasy but with a different approach on game design, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II was shown during the showcase with an appearance by Melina Juergens (Senua) preceding it. Compared to the previous pre-release showing of the game, the newest video focuses more on the aspect of Psychosis and how Senua deals with it. Based on what was shown so far, it seems to me that the game has progressed far enough with its development and the it could be in the polishing stage right now. The Xbox-exclusive Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II handled by Ninja Theory will be released sometime in 2024.

Next are three Xbox-exclusive games that really surprised me during the showcase: Clockwork Revolution from InXile, South of Midnight from Compulsion Games and Towerborne from Stoic Studio. I was surprised in the sense that there were no pre-showcase insider reports and the rumor mills did not have anything to anticipate what the above mentioned games would be.

Clockwork Revolution is time-traveling first-person game with a strong steampunk flavor and game design that emphasizes role-playing reactivity. Its visual style reminds me of BioShock Infinite. South of Midnight is a new third-person action-adventure set in a magic realist version of the American South. Towerborne, the product of the partnership between Team Xbox and developer Stoic Studio, is a new adventure game that promises a brand-new take on action RPGs and it will be released sometime in 2024.

At long last, developer Turn 10 announced that Forza Motorsport (2023) will be released worldwide on October 10, 2023 and it will come with more than 500 cars, 20 completely rebuilt international race tracks with multiple layouts and the promised full dynamic time-of-day with weather, living crowds and interactive tracks. For this year, the car customization and tune-ups of Forza Motorsport (2023) was emphasized more. I will definitely play this upcoming racing game on my Xbox Series X this October.

The juggernaut of all Xbox-exclusive games – Starfield – was so huge and detailed, a standalone showcase of it was efficiently done by Todd Howard and his teammates at Bethesda. I will be writing a separate post for Starfield soon but I want to remind you all that the game will be released on September 6, 2023 and it will have a ton of gameplay features! Check out the latest Starfield trailer below plus those from other Xbox exclusives such as Sea of Thieves:  The Legend of Monkey Island and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.

The 3rd party games at the showcase that got my attention – When it comes to games from other game publishers, Japanese RPGs (JRPGs) in the form of Persona 3 Reload (early 2024), Persona 5 Tactica (scheduled for November 17, 2023) and Metaphor: ReFantazio (2024) from Atlus and SEGA made quite a splash during the showcase in relation to the curious absence of the Xbox Game Pass-bound JRPG Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. It seems to me that Team Xbox made serious efforts to reach out to its Japanese partners to secure more JRPGs which will strengthen the Xbox ecosystem as the premiere place for RPGs. With that being said, Team Xbox pulled off the right moves and the Persona games franchise has a dedicated following worldwide.

While my dream scenario of Capcom unveiling a big-budget remake of Dino Crisis at the showcase did not come true at all, the Japanese publisher actually made it and went on to unveil the game Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess. The game has a fantasy setting with strong Japanese aesthetics and action-adventure gameplay. It is will have a Day 1 launch on Xbox Game Pass as well.

Dungeons of Hinterberg looks really fascinating with its game design and play style complete with having a very unique artistic approach for its visuals. It will be released in 2024 with Xbox Game Pass included. Also coming to XGP but within 2023 is Jusant, the new game from French developer Don’t Nod that emphasizes exploration by means of climbing and puzzle solving.

Conclusion – I can say it out loud that the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 – Starfield Direct double feature is not only great on its own but it is also a notable improvement over the previous Xbox showcases of the past two years. The Xbox-exclusives are indeed coming in the 2023-2024 period, and that includes having Starfield and Forza Motorsport (2023) scheduled for release in  September-October this year. 2024 at this stage is looking great as well not only with the Xbox-exclusives but also with the 3rd party games. Xbox Game Pass subscribers also have new games to look forward to in the near future.

As game development can be tricky, unpredictable and complicated, delays of game releases are always possible. As such, we gamers can only hope that the game developers won’t encounter anymore problems with their respective games so that they will be completed, polished and get released as planned.

In ending this piece, posted below is the entire Xbox Games Showcase 2023 – Starfield Direct video from the YouTube channel of Xbox. I highly recommend watching it all in 4K. Enjoy!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Looking good on the way to Xbox Series consoles launch

Looking good on the way to Xbox Series consoles launch

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Things are looking really good for Microsoft’s Team Xbox as far as launching their next-generation machines Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X is concerned. The two upcoming consoles will launch officially on November 10, 2020 in America and some other parts of the world. Xbox Series S in America is priced at $299 and while the premium Xbox Series X (which has a 4K Blu-ray disc drive) is priced at $499.

At this stage, the last thing any company wants to go through is a pre-launch blunder or controversy that would discourage consumers from buying the new products. While the final lineup of launch games for Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X has yet to be declared, there are notable developments that are already delighting Xbox fans and casual gamers. No, it’s not about the megaton Xbox – Bethesda deal that gamers are still talking about. Something else, really.

Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X.

Firstly, there is really good news that the promised backward compatibility feature on Xbox Series X is not only working but also enhanced the games tested. Screen Rant wrote: Games that are locked at 30 frames per second on Xbox One are able to easily hold a locked 60 frames per second on the Xbox Series X, even with upgrades in resolution. They also added: The ability of the Xbox Series X to play older games may end up being a bigger deal now than Microsoft expected. The game industry has been hit with lots of delays this year, mostly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning both next-gen consoles will have lighter than expected launch lineups.

Den of Geek meanwhile reported that Rise of the Tomb Raider, Sekiro, Hitman 2 and even the 12-year-old Grand Theft Auto IV all ran better on Xbox Series X than they ever did in their respective original consoles of release. More on GTA4 (first released on Xbox 360), Den of Geek wrote: Even some older titles are “rescued” by the power of the Xbox Series X. The report highlights Grand Theft Auto 4 as a game that not only infamously struggled on the Xbox 360 (where it was borderline unplayable at times) but even burdened the mighty Xbox One X. On Xbox Series X, though, Rockstar’s sometimes controversial classic hits that fabled 60 FPS benchmark and even does so while offering enhanced visuals and improved load times.

Take note that Den of Geek and Screen Rant took references from Digital Foundry’s video that highlighted their testing of backward compatibility on Xbox Series X which you can watch right below…

Secondly, the load times related to the backward compatibility all showed clear improvements on Xbox Series X. Remember how long it took your Xbox One console to load up Red Dead Redemption 2? Remember what you did during all the times your Xbox 360 or Xbox One console struggled to load up the game? Those times are history!

According to The Verge, massive changes to the load times were the most significant improvements. They wrote: Games like Sea of Thieves, Warframe, and Destiny 2 have their load times cut by up to a minute or more on the Series X. In Destiny 2, for example, I can now load into a planet in the game in around 30 seconds, compared to over a minute later on an Xbox One X and nearly two minutes in total on a standard Xbox One. These improved load times are identical to my custom-built PC that includes a fast NVMe SSD, and they genuinely transform how you play the game — you can get more quests and tasks done instead of sitting and looking at a planet loading.

Warframe and Sea of Thieves are equally impressive with their load times now. I can now open Warframe and the game is ready to play just 25 seconds later. That same load takes literally a minute longer on my Xbox One X. Sea of Thieves now loads to menu screens in around 20 seconds, with another 28 seconds to load into a session. On my Xbox One X, it takes a minute and 21 seconds to even load the game initially, and then another minute and 12 seconds to get into a game session.

None of these games have been fully optimized for the Xbox Series X either. This is simply Microsoft’s backward compatibility support in action.

Thirdly, there is also the issue of game performance. To be specific, it’s about frame rates and consistency related to Destiny 2, Warframe and Sea of Thieves. The Verge wrote: Destiny 2 is a great example of a game that was held back by the weaker CPU and slow HDD in the Xbox One X. It’s a title that hit native 4K previously, but the 6 teraflops of GPU performance in the One X was bottlenecked by a laptop-like CPU and an old spinning hard disk. This meant the game was stuck on 30fps.

While Bungie has committed to enhancing Destiny 2 for the Xbox Series X and PS5 with 60fps support, it already feels faster without the patch. I would regularly notice frame rate drops in Destiny 2 on the Xbox One X when things got a little hectic on screen during a public event or in a raid with mobs of enemies coming at you. I haven’t seen a single stutter running Destiny 2 on the Xbox Series X.

This console has also improved other parts of Destiny 2 that were slow on the Xbox One. Loading into the character menu sometimes takes a few seconds on the Xbox One X, but on the Series X it feels like I’m playing on my PC as it’s near instant.

On the other two games, they wrote: I’ve noticed similar improvements across Warframe and Sea of Thieves, where games just seem to automatically benefit from the CPU, SSD, and GPU improvements to run more smoothly.

When it comes to multiplayer performance and compatibility, The Verge wrote: The other benefit to the Xbox Series X and this next generation is that games aren’t separated out like they were in the shift from Xbox 360 to Xbox One. Back then, you could only match Xbox One players in a lot of games, leaving out friends who still played on the Xbox 360. In every multiplayer game I’ve tested on Series X, I was able to join friends who were using an Xbox One and match against other Xbox One players.

See? Things are really looking good in the run up to November 10 launch of Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X. Backward compatibility ensures that your huge collection of games played (as recorded in your Xbox LIVE account) in previous generations’ Xbox consoles will NOT go to waste and, at the same time, the said feature is a great way of preserving video games from the past. I personally am happy about this not simply because I am nostalgic but because there are some great games from the past that need playing such as Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360), Halo 3 (Xbox 360), Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Xbox 360), Fallout New Vegas (Xbox 360) and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (original Xbox).

In addition, the tests showed that previous generation games are not only playable on the next-generation Xbox but they also perform better, load much faster and will have varying visual enhancements. And then there is also cross-play for multiplayer. Just imagine how that would impact online multiplayer as we know it.

In ending this, posted below are Xbox-related videos for your learning and excitement for the next-generation! Be confident, fellow Xbox fans! This coming new generation of console gaming will be much more fun than the current one! Team Xbox truly cares about us gamers, much more so than Sony’s PlayStation team!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

For more Xbox-related stuff, check out the Xbox Series Philippines Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/XboxOnePH