Topic: XboxOne ~News/Rumor/Speculation~ Biggest Console Released This Gen!!

[Ceric]

Minecraft feels to me to be in its Wrath of the Lich King phase.  I don't really see it growing much more in popularity.  In fact I see it being more and more niche.

[Ian Sane]

So they're effectively spending 2 billion on ONE IP.  That means for this to be worth it it needs to make them more than 2 billion and this IP hasn't even had one sequel yet so there is no evidence that it has legs.

MS paid $375 million for Rare, a company with multiple hits, not just one, and what has that actually been worth to the Xbox brand?  It seems that taking away an asset from a competitor was the greater benefit than what they actually got out of Rare themselves.  So they're going to pay over five times that amount for a company with only one hit?

Of course I want MS out of the console industry by yesterday so I welcome any boneheaded decisions on their part.  Ignore what I wrote, MS.  2 billion is a steal!  Go for it!

[broodwars]

Microsoft seems to have a love of investing huge amounts of money into dead companies and IPs (see also: Rare & the Gears of War franchise). Considering Microsoft outright refuses to invest money into developing their own studios, and instead just throws money at their problems, I'm quite content to see them become even more irrelevant by throwing even more money at a franchise doomed to die without its creator (Notch has been rumored as saying he's leaving the studio if Microsoft purchases them).

One of these days, Microsoft, you'll actually learn how to be a competent 1st party developer. Or you'll be forced to sell off the Xbox division. Whichever comes first.

[NWR_insanolord]

Rare has been one of Microsoft's best sources of shitty Kinect games and avatar accessories.

One of these days, Microsoft, you'll actually learn how to be a competent 1st party developer. Or you'll be forced to sell off the Xbox division. Whichever comes first.

Sony was a pretty shitty first party on the PS1, but they'd turned it around in much less time than Microsoft's had.

[Ceric]

From what I've read Notch went to MS with $2 Billion.  I really doubt that in its prime Minecraft be worth that much.

[Shaymin]

If Don Mattrick will answer anyone's calls, they should call up and ask how OMGPOP did for Zynga.

Badly.

[shingi_70]

Microsoft seems to have a love of investing huge amounts of money into dead companies and IPs (see also: Rare & the Gears of War franchise). Considering Microsoft outright refuses to invest money into developing their own studios, and instead just throws money at their problems, I'm quite content to see them become even more irrelevant by throwing even more money at a franchise doomed to die without its creator (Notch has been rumored as saying he's leaving the studio if Microsoft purchases them).

One of these days, Microsoft, you'll actually learn how to be a competent 1st party developer. Or you'll be forced to sell off the Xbox division. Whichever comes first.

What makes Rare a dead company and Gears of War a dead IP.


Anyway your wrong on both counts, first off my friend as for new studios


Team Dakota- founded in 2012
Kids and life style entertainment - founded in 2012
Soho productions- founded in 2010
Black Tusk Studios- founded 2012
Lift London - founded last year
(Fun)ction studios - founded this year
Sota Studios- founded this year
LXP Studios - founded this year
Platform next- founded this year
Np studios- founded this year


Twisted Pixel acquired in 2011
Press Play was acquired in 2012
Gears of War was acquired earlier this year, it made sense for both parties, the IP is still popular and has life in it, but Epic has gotten out of traditional game development.


Microsoft announced a mulit year partnership with undead labs over the state of decay IP which microsoft owns. The first one was the fastest selling xbox live arcade game of all time and was pretty rad.


If Microsoft wouldn't have stepped in to fund Titanfall EA was going to cancel the game since the project had went over bugdet according to the post mortem EA and Gametrailers did.


Microsoft was also ready to fund Ryse 2 after being happy with the sales of the first but neogations shut down when Crytek despite being on its deathbed didn't want to give up the IP in exchange for a way to pay its employees.


On may 31st Microsoft aquired the Rise of IP.


First party games on the xbox one that are new or revived IP
Killer Instinct
Zoo Tycoon
Project Spark
Sunset Overdrive
Phantom Dust
Quantum Break
Scalebound
Screamride
Crimson Dragon
Lococycle
Powerstar Gold
Xbox Fitness
D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die
Ori and the Blind Forest




But yes no investments at all. Minecraft is a big get becuase no matter what a potential Minecraft 2 would sale gangbusters and probably put the xbox one into second place in console sales. Not only that but the licensing and merchandising revenue are unparalleled as well as getting the IP rights to interesting looks games like scrolls and cobalt.


Remember microsoft has over 90 billion in untaxed money sitting off shores that can be spent, and buying Mojang as cynical as it is gives them another off shore company to fill with cash.


http://www.ibtimes.com/microsoft-admits-keeping-92-billion-offshore-avoid-paying-29-billion-us-taxes-1665938

[azeke]

Even if i am one of the people who doesn't "get" Minecraft, i think people here are shortchanging it.

Even at my workplace i see people playing it on their lunchbreaks. Minecraft is probably #1 game with kids, by very, very, very far. They even play it in schools as a form of educational activity.

[broodwars]

Even if i am one of the people who doesn't "get" Minecraft, i think people here are shortchanging it.

Even at my workplace i see people playing it on their lunchbreaks. Minecraft is probably #1 game with kids, by very, very, very far. They even play it in schools as a form of educational activity.

My issue with Minecraft as a property to acquire is that it has no future as an exploitable IP. You can't do a Minecraft 2 and capture the same audience, let alone expand it. It's a game fueled by the imagination and creativity of the player, not a narrative; goal; or visual aesthetic. It's not the type of game to allow a sequel. Unlike something like Angry Birds, which is a concept that could be spun out in different directions, what really do you do to expand Minecraft beyond allowing larger worlds?  I suppose if Minecraft could best be compared to LEGOs, you could sell other world tilesets, but that's kind of the extent.  I just don't see how you recoup $2 billion on that IP, let alone make a profit.

[shingi_70]

Even if i am one of the people who doesn't "get" Minecraft, i think people here are shortchanging it.

Even at my workplace i see people playing it on their lunchbreaks. Minecraft is probably #1 game with kids, by very, very, very far. They even play it in schools as a form of educational activity.

My issue with Minecraft as a property to acquire is that it has no future as an exploitable IP. You can't do a Minecraft 2 and capture the same audience, let alone expand it. It's a game fueled by the imagination and creativity of the player, not a narrative; goal; or visual aesthetic. It's not the type of game to allow a sequel. Unlike something like Angry Birds, which is a concept that could be spun out in different directions, what really do you do to expand Minecraft beyond allowing larger worlds?  I suppose if Minecraft could best be compared to LEGOs, you could sell other world tilesets, but that's kind of the extent.  I just don't see how you recoup $2 billion on that IP, let alone make a profit.

I work at a big box retailer and minecraft merchandise sells gangbusters.

[Ceric]

Even if i am one of the people who doesn't "get" Minecraft, i think people here are shortchanging it.

Even at my workplace i see people playing it on their lunchbreaks. Minecraft is probably #1 game with kids, by very, very, very far. They even play it in schools as a form of educational activity.

My issue with Minecraft as a property to acquire is that it has no future as an exploitable IP. You can't do a Minecraft 2 and capture the same audience, let alone expand it. It's a game fueled by the imagination and creativity of the player, not a narrative; goal; or visual aesthetic. It's not the type of game to allow a sequel. Unlike something like Angry Birds, which is a concept that could be spun out in different directions, what really do you do to expand Minecraft beyond allowing larger worlds?  I suppose if Minecraft could best be compared to LEGOs, you could sell other world tilesets, but that's kind of the extent.  I just don't see how you recoup $2 billion on that IP, let alone make a profit.

I work at a big box retailer and minecraft merchandise sells gangbusters.

But $2 Billion dollars worth of Gangbusters?

[shingi_70]

Even if i am one of the people who doesn't "get" Minecraft, i think people here are shortchanging it.

Even at my workplace i see people playing it on their lunchbreaks. Minecraft is probably #1 game with kids, by very, very, very far. They even play it in schools as a form of educational activity.

My issue with Minecraft as a property to acquire is that it has no future as an exploitable IP. You can't do a Minecraft 2 and capture the same audience, let alone expand it. It's a game fueled by the imagination and creativity of the player, not a narrative; goal; or visual aesthetic. It's not the type of game to allow a sequel. Unlike something like Angry Birds, which is a concept that could be spun out in different directions, what really do you do to expand Minecraft beyond allowing larger worlds?  I suppose if Minecraft could best be compared to LEGOs, you could sell other world tilesets, but that's kind of the extent.  I just don't see how you recoup $2 billion on that IP, let alone make a profit.

I work at a big box retailer and minecraft merchandise sells gangbusters.

But $2 Billion dollars worth of Gangbusters?

Probably not, but once again 2 billion isn't much for a comapny with 90 billion stored off shore to escape taxes.

[NWR_insanolord]

If they keep making decisions based on that kind of logic they're not going to have $90 billion for very long.

[pokepal148]

So notch should probably delete his twitter for about a month, those fanboys are going to be vicious.

[BranDonk Kong]

They would never pay $2 billion, they'd pay $2.5 billion.

[Ceric]

What in the world were they thinking?  Seriously... Jeez...  No wonder companies form with the express purpose to be bought by MS or Google.  They Way over paid.

[Triforce Hermit]

Notch left. He doesn't want to be on a sinking ship and I don't blame him.

[Ceric]

Notch left. He doesn't want to be on a sinking ship and I don't blame him.

[broodwars]

Once again, Microsoft adds nothing creative to the industry, but merely takes from it. At least Microsoft's shown that they'll never learn from their mistakes, as they once again buy a company after the creative staff has left, ensuring that the developer's worth is extremely limited (see also: Rare).  *sigh* I don't care about Minecraft, but I just think of all the new and creative software Microsoft could be developing with $2.5 billion that they've instead thrown away on a single property they'll never recoup their costs on.

[shingi_70]

Once again, Microsoft adds nothing creative to the industry, but merely takes from it. At least Microsoft's shown that they'll never learn from their mistakes, as they once again buy a company after the creative staff has left, ensuring that the developer's worth is extremely limited (see also: Rare).  *sigh* I don't care about Minecraft, but I just think of all the new and creative software Microsoft could be developing with $2.5 billion that they've instead thrown away on a single property they'll never recoup their costs on.

isn't that the tech industry in a nutshell, startups making awesome **** to get aquired by bigger companies.




Also Rare's staff exodus started a tad bit before the buy off. Microsoft even let Rare make a ton of newer crap and none of it sold, but than their kinect work sold well. So gamers are onlt to blame.




Also Notch was the only one who left and anyone who actual follows the development of minecraft would know that he hasn't been involved in the development in any meaningful way since he started making prototypes, and was more of a spokesperson at this point.

[Shaymin]

Things Microsoft could have done with $2.5bn:

- 5 Destinies
- 10 GTA Vs
- 100 AAA games
- Enough id@xbox stuff to choke the entire Kentucky Derby field
- Shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders

Any questions?

[NWR_insanolord]

This whole thing really shows the value of Nintendo's current tactic of partnering with studios but not out and out buying them. If a studio loses its top creative talent Nintendo can just move on and not be stuck with expensive shells of those companies former selves.

[Soren]

Are microtransactions and the highly unlikely potential that Minecraft becomes as big as LEGO enough to warrant a 2.5 Billion price tag?


Hell no!

[azeke]

the highly unlikely potential that Minecraft becomes as big as LEGO enough to warrant a 2.5 Billion price tag?...

Minecraft has become bigger than LEGO a long time ago, my friend.

Best selling PC game of all time. One of the best selling console games. It's the ONLY game that has Nintendo-like evergreen status on not-Nintendo consoles: Xbox (and now PS3) Minecraft is in European and American sales Top 10 chart every single week since it was released.

[Luigi Dude]

Best selling PC game of all time. One of the best selling console games. It's the ONLY game that has Nintendo-like evergreen status on not-Nintendo consoles: Xbox (and now PS3) Minecraft is in European and American sales Top 10 chart every single week since it was released.

The thing is there's no evidence yet that Minecraft will remain this big in the future.  Look at how big Wii Sports, Guitar Hero, Wii Fit, Nintendogs, and Angry Birds were last gen, and then look at them now.  A lot of Minecraft's current popularity is because of the same kids and casuals that helped make a lot of these series popular, but as these show, this audience has a low attention span and will move on when something new gets their attention.

Now yes there's a strong core audience to Minecraft that can still help it keep selling millions, but enough to make up 2.5 billion dollars worth?  That's going to big the big question which I don't see happening.  Especially with Microsoft in charge of it now, who has a history of gutting the studio's they buy and making the quality suffer as a result, which will make even the core audience of Minecraft eventually got sick of it as well.