@notnert427: I'm a big Xbox supporter (I own all consoles), but exclusives aren't something they can just forget about. What is this console launching with? And if it's not a console launch, why have they spent 90 percent of E3 and 90 percent of their media narrative talking about it? They've completely botched their first-party portfolio in the last several years, no matter what their strategy is there.
I wrote many posts defending their first couple of years of exclusives, like you have here. But since then? Studio closures, game cancellations, GaaS, change in scope, etc. Their list of meaningful exclusives grows thin. They basically have delayed stuff like Crackdown and Sea of Thieves into oblivion, so you wonder what their plan really even is there. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad for a brand I like.
Now, to be fair, I like their Live infrastructure and many service offerings. Their indie space is totally solid, as is third-party support.
But the PC/Xbox vision has been botched so far, and that's an area they could always leverage over Sony. Why aren't they doing this more? It's incredibly weak.
At the end of the day, people want a reason to buy this console. Gears, Halo and Forza are all mid-tier tentpoles now. They either maintain the needle or slightly nudge it; they don't meaningful move it like they once did.
Where do they go from here other than just being a way station for third-party "best" versions?
I get your point that the One X isn't launching with a "system-seller" type of game, but that was going to be a go-to criticism regardless of what they did. It's pretty clear to me that MS tried to push the PUBG team to make the One X's launch, but the devs couldn't quite make it happen. Also, MS could have delayed Forza 7 and/or Cuphead to November if they wanted to, but I respect their choice to release both games when ready rather than unnecessarily delaying them to try to bolster the One X launch.
Let's say they hypothetically did launch PUBG, Forza 7, and Cuphead day and date with the X, though. I'd bet my bottom dollar the refrain would be "PUBG's been on PC for a while", people would gleefully run with Jeff's arguably already-too-nitpicky critique of the loot crates in Forza that are ancillary to an otherwise terrific game, and Cuphead would suddenly be a "too short, niche-y" game. Oh, and there's also the tried-and-true "these games don't really count as exclusives because they're also on PC" that gets tossed out every time there's an undeniably good first-party Xbox game. I'm fairly certain those who don't want to like the One X weren't changing their minds over a few games launching with it.
As for "meaningful exclusives", what are these amazing upcoming games on PS4? Apart from The Last of Us 2, which sounds like late 2018 at best (probably 2019), they seem to be pretty much in the same boat. I'm not really interested in trying to trash the PS4, but I cannot fucking stand that it seems to play by different rules. I didn't hear a peep about its extremely lacking first-party lineup during the first three years of this generation, up until that finally changed about this time last year. They admittedly had a pretty great 2017, but got way too much of a pass for the three years prior of Bloodborne and little else. It was enough for people to play "the best" version of third-party games, despite that this never really came to fruition for meaningful differences.
Now, here comes the X and its producing actual 4K (instead of the intentionally deceptive fauxK), which is a meaningful difference. Conveniently, playing the best version of third-party games no longer matters, apparently. So let's all just pretend that the enhanced versions of 100+ games on the One X don't really exist. That whole "most powerful console, best version of games" refrain that sold countless PS4s is no longer of importance. It's all about first-party content now, because that's what Sony has done lately (finally, I might add). All the good Xbox One exclusives, some of which are getting One X patches even now? That's old shit; doesn't count.
FWIW, I'm not trying to single you out here because I know what you're getting at; I'm more criticizing the general shitty attitude people seem to have towards all things Xbox. It has gotten utterly absurd with people talking in circles trying to justify not buying a One X for the reason they bought a PS4. Even if there actually weren't a bunch of good Xbox One first-party offerings (which there are), the One X should get roughly a three-year grace period to come up with some based on the treatment the PS4 enjoyed for much of this generation. That, or be lauded for being able to offer actually superior versions of third-party games. Except it's an Xbox, so it won't.
Thank you for this post... it sums up perfectly my own observations, puzzlement and gradual frustration at how "the conversation" has been developing over the past few years.
For a site that doesn't generally trade too much in written content, that's a truly top class review... I couldn't care less for Destiny, but was compelled to read the whole piece. Bravo, sir.
I really love the look of this... makes me sad for only owning an Xbox One... their take up of indies just isn't where it needs to be. Been considering a PS4 just for all the smaller, unique stuff they have available. Happy to continue with xbox for the juggernauts.
Like some others, I appreciate that they're trying something new here, but it's not for me. The whole "improv comedy" thing has been a bit much for my tastes on what still remains one of the top two podcasts in the world, and this is just kinda that distilled. I REALLY like what Ben and Abby bring when they're featured as part of the broader team though! : )
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