It’s been a tough week for Xbox. First, there was this past weekend when quite a few players had problems launching their already purchased digital titles due to a malfunction in Microsoft’s systems. This made it clear that there is still quite a bit of DRM hidden in the service of the American giant. To make matters worse, Bethesda announced that both Redfall and Starfield postponed are to next year, as both teams — Arkane Austin and Bethesda Softworks, respectively — need more time to level up their games.
Now it’s not just Microsoft that is having a hard time. Sony started 2022 strong with their own titles like Horizon: Forbidden West in Grand Touring 7, but it remains to be seen what the rest of the year will bring. We shouldn’t be surprised if we later learn that, for example, a God of War: Ragnarök will receive the same treatment as Redfall and Starfield. Anyway, the delay is of course a huge blow to Microsoft, after all they want to grow Game Pass and games like the long-awaited Starfield can give the number of subscribers a big boost.
But the greatest sorrow will be felt by Xbox players, who will have to wait more than a year(!) until they can finally play a game from Microsoft’s stables again. In fact, if we look across the board, we see that Microsoft itself has actually only released two major titles since the release of the Xbox Series X|S: Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite, the latter being in its best state. is questionable. Furthermore, players will have to live on older titles and the deals Microsoft has been able to make for Game Pass, such as a Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxyand I think Square Enix only agreed at the time so that they could earn something back on that game.
The stark reality, however, is that that simply isn’t good enough. We are slowly but surely creeping into the third year of this generation and players who have put down their hard-earned money for an Xbox Series X|S and a Game Pass subscription – according to Microsoft the new way to play games – are currently getting it. little in return. Because for every somewhat decent title on Game Pass, you can just as easily find five pieces of shovelware that you will never play.
And that’s after Microsoft has pulled out almost every big-dick-power move imaginable and spent 80 billion(!) dollars to acquire all kinds of talent and publishers such as ZeniMax, Ninja Theory, Double Fine, Obsidian Games and to top it all off: Activision Blizzard. On top of the roster of developers already in Microsoft’s portfolio, such as The Coalition, The Initiative, and Undead Labs. The Initiative has been working on a reboot of Perfect Dark for nearly five years now, Undead Labs on State of Decay 3, and both studios have come under fire for problematic work environments. Meanwhile, Xbox fans have lighter wallets, huge thirst and the first sip of water in months is now suddenly very far away.
Normally I like to be right, but when I see our first edition of Reflection When you read it back, it does matter to what extent a number of words have become truth:
“Microsoft also has a lot to prove when it comes to running and coaching the studios they own, which also looks pretty bleak. Halo Infinite – the flagship title for the Xbox Series S/X – has been postponed and is rumored to be in ‘development hell’. If they can barely bring their biggest franchise to market, how are they going to do that with newer games? My question is mainly: who within Microsoft is going to take the ‘new kids’ by the hand and set out the vision?’
The irony is that with this delay, Microsoft is shooting itself in the foot with the “Xbox has no games” jokes. They don’t do it on purpose or with pleasure; if the games are simply not up to par, then delay is better than release. But as it looks now, Microsoft will indeed have no games for the year 2022. To put some extra salt in the wounds: do you know who released a game for Xbox this year? Sony.
Well, my story is over. Now we are of course curious what you think of this whole story. Should we be more patient with Microsoft or is the US company starting to lose its improved reputation again? Speak your mind, but of course keep it sweet and polite.
–
