It sucks that Xbox fans have to beg for sequels

One of the biggest and most valid criticisms of Xbox in recent years is the quality of its first-party IP. Cancellations, similar Scalebound, Fable Legends, and Phantom Dust, to over-marketed, under-realized games similar ReCore and Crackdown 3 — disappointment is rampant among Microsoft'south efforts in the space.

Microsoft has had some success stories also, of form. Publishing wins like Cuphead and Ori and the Blind Forest have been huge, and pillar games like Forza, Halo, Gears, and Minecraft take continued to do well. Fifty-fifty games that launched in a relatively disappointing state similar Sea of Thieves and State of Decay ii turned it effectually to some caste with strong mail-launch support.

Microsoft has and then many incredible worlds and characters in its portfolio and has built upward huge fan bases to that end. Why doesn't Microsoft seem to notice this?

The battle for sequels

Serving millions of players, in what universe doesn't Killer Instinct go a sequel?

I of the biggest sources of frustration with the Xbox make is the lack of consistency in its franchise curation. Microsoft is oftentimes viewed as the HaloForzaGears visitor because those seem to be the only franchises you tin depend on for frequent back up. Other franchises similar Killer Instinct and Halo Wars, despite huge amounts of concurrent users, feel virtually abased past the big Seattle company. Can you imagine Capcom being done with Street Fighter, or Nintendo abandoning Super Smash Bros? The possibility doesn't even register.

Killer Instinct YouTuber Maximillian_ recently acquired #BringBackKI to trend on Twitter globally, as fans got fed up with Microsoft'south apparent apathy towards the franchise. In 2022, Microsoft revealed Killer Instinct had served 10 million players, and that was before the full game striking Steam or Xbox Game Pass. Although we heard rumblings that Killer Instinct might exist getting a sequel, it never materialized in reality. Serving millions of players, in what universe doesn't Killer Instinct get a sequel?

Halo Wars, abased?

On top of that, you have games similar Halo Wars 2, which enjoys a surprisingly salubrious actor base of operations according to stats APIs. Fans are petitioning for bug fixes and rest updates, along with Steam support. Microsoft reportedly rejected Creative Assembly plans for an additional Halo Wars two DLC, which may accept included space combat. Yesterday, Microsoft noted that support for Halo Wars has ended for the "foreseeable futurity."

There are countless other examples where Microsoft has congenital up games, bragged near their success, then allow them die. Quantum Break is another such example. The game ends on an excruciating cliffhanger, Microsoft bragged that it was their fastest-selling new IP always when information technology launched back in 2022. So why is Microsoft refusing pitches for a sequel, according to Remedy?

As frustrating as some of this stuff is, there are business realities to consider, and Microsoft has been going through a huge period of disruption and upheaval practically throughout the unabridged generation.

Overmarketing, undermarketing, and business realities

Recore typifies overblown expectations created by expensive marketing.

I think one of the principal things creating this air of frustration is how over-approaching some of Microsoft's marketing for Xbox games is. Some of these older pre-rendered trailers for the likes of Recore, Scalebound, and Phantom Dust are utterly stunning, creating piles of hype from the starting time.

Nintendo has been particularly transparent about its roadmap, I wish Microsoft could do the aforementioned

The gorgeous ReCore reveal trailer has almost 1 one thousand thousand views on YouTube, and information technology created the impression of something truly "AAA," a far cry from the crude (albeit fun) platformer we eventually received.

Microsoft generally doesn't practice this sort of stuff anymore, swinging in the completely opposite direction. Microsoft is aggressively hiding its upcoming portfolio, ironically creating frustration in other ways. Microsoft was criticized across the board for its lack of Gears 5 campaign footage at E3, and has kept details on upcoming games like Halo Infinite extremely close to its chest. Practically everything else Xbox Game Studios is working on remains a mystery.

We know aught about Historic period of Empires 4. We don't know anything about the RPG (probably Fable) Playground Games is working on. And we don't know annihilation nearly what The Initiative is working on. By comparing, Sony and Nintendo accept a large slate of announced upcoming platform-exclusive content and have built upwardly a reputation for supporting a broader range of "tentpole" franchises and delivering on expectations, catering fans with sequels. Nintendo has been particularly transparent about its roadmap, offering a good spread of info for upcoming exclusive games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Pokemon Sword and Shield. I wish Microsoft could do the same.

Matt Booty, leader of Xbox Game Studios

As I mentioned, there are business realities to consider, of course. Microsoft's new leader of Xbox Game Studios, Matt Booty, is leading the accuse for Microsoft's efforts to re-energize its portfolio. Xbox head Phil Spencer besides commented in a contempo interview, conceding that Microsoft hasn't "washed its best work" with games in this generation.

As it pertains to sequels, it could exist argued that non-service type games like Quantum Interruption simply don't make sense for investment in 2022. Without a service component for post-launch monetization, the upfront cost creates a risk that few publishers are willing to tummy present. It could also exist argued that they very much do make sense for Microsoft, for whom Xbox is utterly core to its platform. Upcoming device-agnostic streaming service Project xCloud is powered by Xbox consoles too. If the streaming war between Amazon Prime number and Netflix is whatsoever indication, exclusive content will exist gospel in the fight confronting Google Stadia. Stadia is rumored to exist splashing the greenbacks on big exclusives of its own. In a world where switching platform is every bit simple as canceling a subscription, what happens if fans cannot trust you to deliver consistent quality for franchises they dear? They'll begin to expect elsewhere.

Please stop letting us downward

RYSE, abased.

There are piles of reasons to look frontward to the future of Xbox, from xCloud streaming to more investment in exclusive content than ever. But plenty of reasons to doubt besides. Phil Spencer recently noted to Gamespot that Satya Nadella tasked him to justify Xbox's existence, which accentuates my perception that Nadella doesn't care virtually the consumer-oriented parts of Microsoft's business.

There are piles of reasons to wait forward to the future of Xbox. But enough of reasons to doubt as well.

Spencer eventually did convince Nadella to give Xbox some other shot after the Xbox One'due south dismal reveal in 2022. But every bit with anything in Microsoft'south utterly vast, various business, no single thing is and so disquisitional to the megacorp that Microsoft would permit a failing division stick around. Xbox has to justify its existence not just from a philosophical level, but from a business level, which is why I experience Spencer has put a lot of emphasis on global services like Mixer, Game Pass, Minecraft itself, and Projection xCloud, to requite Xbox a risk to grow across the confines of a flat panel market.

These future-facing decisions for growth, nonetheless, don't necessarily benefit today's Xbox Game Studios fan. Those fan's investment is responsible for keeping the business concern afloat in the now. Sometimes I worry that Microsoft is looking so far ahead that it might lose sight of what it has today. The truth is, Microsoft has heard of all of these criticisms, acknowledged them, and responded to them by bolstering its internal studio headcount by several hundred people. Turning effectually a ship this big will simply take fourth dimension.

Will we ever get Killer Instinct two?

My effect here is less to do with the number of games coming. We know games are coming. It'due south more to do with how Microsoft seems to perceive franchise success. Information technology's inconsistent for Microsoft to gloat that Quantum Intermission bankrupt sales records or boast that Killer Instinct has served millions of players, while seemingly abandoning the fanbases it has built up around those games. Rather than ditching an entire world when Microsoft feels a single game underperformed, Xbox Game Studios should take it as feedback rather than failure. Unless it makes zip sense whatsoever, fight dorsum with a sequel, come back bigger and bolder. Exist undecayed.

In that location's merely a finite amount of times the Xbox brand can cut and run before people will begin tuning out and mistrusting anything and everything the visitor announces, games-wise. Xbox fans shouldn't have to beg and petition for sequels and support. It should be a given.

Related: Is Microsoft doing plenty to nurture its game franchises?

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