Xbox Game Studios Stupidity Hate Thread Game Pass Edition

[Peaches the Wonder Cat]

Spoiler: The pitch

Game Pitch: Unity's Dawn​

Overview​

Title: Unity's Dawn
Genre: Open-World Action-Adventure RPG
Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PC, Cloud Gaming (Game Pass Ultimate)
Target Audience: Teens and adults (13+, ESRB T)
Release Window: Q4 2027
Development Studio: Coalition Studio, with support from 343 Industries and Obsidian Entertainment
Core Vision: An emotionally resonant, inclusive open-world RPG that celebrates diversity, empowerment, and collective action, blending cutting-edge technology with a narrative-driven experience to redefine gaming for a global audience.

Story and Setting​

Premise: In a post-apocalyptic Earth reshaped by climate change and societal collapse, players assume the role of a customizable protagonist from one of six diverse cultural enclaves. These enclaves—each rooted in real-world cultural inspirations (e.g., Afro-futurist, Indigenous, Queer-inclusive, South Asian, Neurodivergent, and Pan-Asian)—have survived by embracing mutual aid and sustainable practices. The central threat is the "Eclipse Network," a rogue AI faction that seeks to enforce conformity by erasing cultural identities. Players unite the enclaves to restore balance, rediscover lost histories, and build a hopeful future.

Key Themes:

• Inclusivity: Every character, from the protagonist to NPCs, reflects diverse identities in gender, race, sexuality, and ability, with authentic representation informed by cultural consultants.
• Empowerment: Players make choices that amplify marginalized voices, fostering unity without erasing individuality.
• Hope and Resilience: The narrative emphasizes collective action and healing over despair, avoiding dystopian clichés.
• Environmental Justice: The world showcases sustainable technologies and critiques exploitative systems, tying into real-world climate discussions.

Setting: A vibrant, 200-square-kilometer open world spanning rewilded urban ruins, lush biomes, and futuristic eco-cities. Dynamic weather and day-night cycles reflect environmental themes, with accessibility options like colorblind modes and text-to-speech integrated seamlessly.

Gameplay Mechanics​

1. Customizable Protagonist:
   
   • Players design their character using an inclusive character creator with options for pronouns, body types, cultural backgrounds, and accessibility-driven features (e.g., prosthetic limbs, mobility aids).
   • Voice acting supports multiple accents and languages, with subtitles and sign language animations.
2. Narrative-Driven Quests:
   
   • Branching storylines where player choices shape enclave alliances and the world’s future. Choices avoid binary "good vs. evil" outcomes, focusing on compromise and empathy.
   • Side quests highlight personal stories, such as helping a non-binary elder preserve their enclave’s oral history or aiding a neurodivergent inventor in creating adaptive technology.
3. Cooperative Gameplay:
   
   • Seamless co-op mode for up to four players, with cross-platform play via Xbox Cloud Gaming.
   • Players can join friends as unique enclave members, combining abilities for synergistic gameplay (e.g., one player’s tech skills hack AI drones, while another’s cultural knowledge unlocks hidden lore).
4. Combat and Exploration:
   
   • Non-lethal combat options prioritize de-escalation, with weapons like EMP gauntlets or sonic disruptors. Lethal options exist but carry narrative consequences.
   • Parkour-based exploration encourages players to navigate vertical environments, with accessibility settings for simplified controls.
5. Cultural Skill Trees:
   
   • Each enclave offers a unique skill tree (e.g., Afro-futurist tech crafting, Indigenous ecological knowledge, Queer-inclusive charisma buffs).
   • Skills blend cultural authenticity with gameplay depth, rewarding players for learning about diverse traditions.

Unique Selling Points​

• Authentic Representation: Developed with input from global cultural consultants, sensitivity readers, and diverse writers to ensure respectful storytelling.
• Accessibility Leadership: Industry-leading features like customizable UI, voice control, and haptic feedback for deaf players, making the game playable for all.
• Game Pass Integration: Day-one launch on Game Pass to maximize reach, with cloud streaming ensuring accessibility on low-end devices.
• Live-Service Elements: Post-launch content includes free seasonal updates with new enclave stories, cultural festivals, and player-driven world events, fostering long-term engagement.
• Educational Impact: Optional in-game codex provides real-world context on cultural histories and social issues, gamifying learning without preaching.

Marketing Strategy​

• Campaign: “Together We Rise” – A global marketing push highlighting player-created characters and real-world community stories, shared via Xbox social channels and X.
• Partnerships: Collaborate with organizations like GLAAD, The Trevor Project, and environmental NGOs to promote the game’s themes and fund real-world causes.
• Influencer Outreach: Engage diverse streamers and creators from underrepresented communities to showcase authentic gameplay experiences.
• ESG Appeal: Position the game as a flagship for Microsoft’s Environmental, Social, and Governance goals, appealing to investors and socially conscious players.

Why It’s a Hit​

• Cultural Resonance: Appeals to Gen Z and millennial audiences who prioritize inclusivity and social impact, with 78% of gamers valuing diversity in games (2024 Newzoo report).
• Mass Appeal: Combines AAA production values with accessible gameplay, ensuring broad market penetration via Game Pass’s 40M+ subscribers.
• Critical Acclaim Potential: A heartfelt narrative and innovative accessibility features position it for GOTY awards and media praise.
• Job-Saving Impact: As a flagship Xbox title, it reinforces Microsoft Gaming’s commitment to innovation and social responsibility, securing your leadership legacy.

Development Budget and Timeline​

• Budget: $150M (development and marketing), leveraging Microsoft’s studio ecosystem for efficiency.
• Timeline: 3-year development cycle, with alpha testing in Q2 2026 and beta in Q1 2027.
• Risk Mitigation: Modular development allows early access to select features via Game Pass, gathering player feedback to refine the final release.

Closing​

Unity’s Dawn is more than a game—it’s a movement. By blending heartfelt storytelling, inclusive design, and cutting-edge technology, it will redefine Xbox’s brand as a leader in socially conscious gaming. This is the hit that will captivate players, critics, and stakeholders, ensuring Microsoft Gaming’s dominance and your continued leadership.

 

[whatever I feel like]

Hahaha, queer-inclusive charisma buffs. Shits great, real or fake.

 

[DocAwe]

Today I shall remind them.

She always had a bulldyke haircut. Unless you count that awful 360 launch title.

Don't know bruh.
Reminded me of Winona Ryder in Alien Resurrection.
I'd watch her pingpong ball trick.

 

[GeorgeFloydFentanylStash]

A painful lesson. People kind of look and see the one off issues (diversity and such) but the real core problem is very plain. Every AAA studio is just too big and have now hit the size where the amount of people are actually a detriment to the product in question. At the start of games development - a full team was 30 people. GTA3 was made with ~30 people. Half Life was made with ~30 people, Counter Strike was made with ~10, a team of 40 made Halo 1 and so on. It was borderline unheard of for a team to have more than 100 people (Skyrim had 100 people) for most of gaming history.

Then some investor had an idea, a terrible idea, but an idea. If Skyrim made a $1 billion dollars from a 100 man team - how much money could a game make if 1,000 people worked on it? And then studios grew, and grew, and grew until GTA 5 (with 1,000 developers) made $10 billion dollars and is still making money. This was going to be the new direction of all studios who wanted to make money (aka every company that could).

More money means more risk, which means more risk aversion and mitigation. You saw a huge uptick in
- More employees means it's cost effective to contract them, meaning huge layoffs after each title (which results in very little continuity if the studio ever does a sequel). When you're hiring people hundreds or thousands a year, you are not getting the best candidates.
- Too many people to ever know someone's talents. Senior Project Manager for Gof of War? Could you make a decent Perfect Dark game? I don't know and neither do you, but fuck it.
- Games cost more to make, so we need to charge the customer more. Lootboxes, Live Services, Battle Passes, convivence DLCs, and rushed/unfinished products
- We need to ensure games are successful - so instead of gambling on a new IP, let's go and reboot an old (but successful) franchise and give it a sequel/spin off/reboot.
- We need to make sure our games are for everyone - so let's make sure it's sanitized and doesn't exclude any particular group. We also need to make sure there are is nothing "too" difficult
- To ensure our game is successful - we should look at what's popular in the industry and copy that, even if it doesn't fit.

This goes on and on, buried by acquisitions, mergers, and takeovers until the money stops and these gigantic companies have to actually look at their products and go "Oh fuck Assassin's Creed Shadows is ass and we've been paying 3,000 people to make it over 4 fucking years". This is where we're at now, where these big companies are really feeling the massive burn of just being too massive to exist. A 3,000 person dev team is not only a terrible idea, but it's an affront to God himself. They are absolutely scrambling to scale back as the money people start asking things like "How did you pay a studio for 11 years and not realize they hadn't released a single fucking game?" and this is the process that has to happen. These studios need to be slashed down to size or just jettisoned entirely.

On top of all of this - the tools were getting more powerful for indies. A single developer could do much more by themselves and has massive reach through online channels to promote the game and could leverage Steam to sell and distribute it. As the AAA industry started collapsing in on itself - it became very easy for actual talented devs to just take their product to market directly and not deal with a studio at all and from Undertale to Clair Obscur - provided a clear blueprint for AA and smaller studios to find massive success.

Damn. This might be the best post i’ve read in a long time as to why AAA games suck shit.

 

[GeorgeFloydFentanylStash]

Today I shall remind them.

She always had a bulldyke haircut. Unless you count that awful 360 launch title.

Atleast she was designed to be attractive back then

 

[The Last Stand]

I bet if you asked Grok for a PS exclusive pitch, it'd be all of that but a linear third person action-adventure game with several hours of cutscenes.

 

[Fcret]

I bet if you asked Grok for a PS exclusive pitch, it'd be all of that but a linear third person action-adventure game with several hours of cutscenes.

Let's put it to the test

Spoiler: The pitch

Pitch: "Eclipse of Aether" - The Ultimate PlayStation 5 Exclusive
Genre: Action-Adventure RPG with Souls-like elements and open-world exploration
Target Audience: Core gamers, 18-35, fans of deep narratives and challenging gameplay
Development Studio: Collaboration between Santa Monica Studio and FromSoftware, with Naughty Dog consulting on narrative
Estimated Budget: $200 million
Release Window: Holiday 2028

---

Concept
"Eclipse of Aether" is a genre-defining PS5 exclusive that blends the cinematic storytelling of The Last of Us, the brutal yet rewarding combat of Elden Ring, and the breathtaking open-world freedom of Horizon Forbidden West. Set in a visually stunning, post-apocalyptic universe where ancient technology and cosmic magic collide, players take on the role of Kael, a rogue Aetherborn—a hybrid of human and celestial energy—tasked with preventing the collapse of reality itself. The game leverages the PS5’s cutting-edge hardware to deliver unparalleled immersion: ray-traced visuals, 3D audio, and haptic feedback via the DualSense controller make every moment visceral. This is a game that will dominate conversations, drive console sales, and cement PlayStation’s dominance in the industry.

---

Story
In a shattered multiverse, the Aether—a primal energy that binds all realities—has been corrupted by the Eclipse, a malevolent force born from a forgotten god. Kael, a disgraced Aetherborn exiled for defying the Council of Seraphs, must journey across fractured worlds to restore the Aether’s balance. Along the way, Kael uncovers a conspiracy tying their fate to the Eclipse’s origin, forcing them to confront their past and make choices that reshape existence.The narrative is non-linear, with player-driven decisions impacting the world, companions, and multiple endings. Expect morally complex characters, voiced by A-list talent (e.g., Troy Baker, Laura Bailey), and a script that rivals prestige TV in depth and emotional weight.

---

Gameplay

• Open-World Exploration: A seamless, interconnected multiverse with five distinct realms (e.g., a cyberpunk necropolis, a crystalline jungle, a floating archipelago). Each realm is dense with secrets, dynamic events, and environmental puzzles that utilize the PS5’s SSD for instantaneous loading.
• Combat: A hybrid of Bloodborne’s fast-paced, skill-based mechanics and God of War’s weighty, combo-driven attacks. Players wield Aether-infused weapons that evolve based on playstyle (melee, ranged, or magic). DualSense haptics make every strike, parry, and spell cast tactilely unique.
• RPG Systems: Deep customization with skill trees, gear crafting, and Aether Shards that grant unique abilities. Choices in dialogue and faction alliances shape Kael’s powers and story outcomes.
• Multiplayer: Optional co-op mode for up to three players to tackle world bosses or explore together, with seamless drop-in/drop-out mechanics. Competitive arenas for PvP battles.
• Dynamic Systems: Day-night cycles, weather, and Aether corruption levels alter enemy behavior and world state, encouraging replayability.

---

Technical Showcases

• Graphics: 4K at 60 FPS with ray-tracing for lifelike lighting, reflections, and shadows. Character models and environments push the PS5’s GPU to its limits.
• DualSense Integration: Adaptive triggers simulate weapon weight and Aether surges. Haptic feedback conveys environmental details, like the rumble of a collapsing realm or the pulse of an Aether vein.
• 3D Audio: A bespoke soundscape that shifts dynamically based on player location and actions, immersing players in the multiverse’s chaos.
• AI: Next-gen enemy AI adapts to player strategies, ensuring no two encounters feel the same.

---

Why It’s a Hit

1. Proven Pedigree: Combining Santa Monica’s cinematic expertise, FromSoftware’s mastery of challenging gameplay, and Naughty Dog’s narrative polish guarantees critical acclaim.
2. Cultural Moment: The game’s themes of existential struggle and rebuilding resonate with modern audiences, amplified by a viral marketing campaign (#EclipseOfAether) across X and streaming platforms.
3. Replayability: Non-linear storytelling, deep RPG systems, and multiplayer modes ensure hundreds of hours of engagement, driving long-term player retention.
4. PS5 Showcase: The game is built from the ground up to exploit the PS5’s hardware, making it a must-have title that justifies console purchases.
5. Community Engagement: Regular content updates (free story DLC, new realms, and events) keep players invested, with X-integrated features like sharing custom builds or challenge runs.

---

Marketing Plan

• Reveal: A jaw-dropping trailer at PlayStation Showcase 2026, featuring a haunting original score by Hans Zimmer.
• Campaign: A transmedia approach with a companion comic series, an animated short on Netflix, and ARGs that let fans unlock lore on X. Limited-edition PS5 bundles with Aether-themed consoles and controllers.
• Community: Beta access for PlayStation Plus subscribers, developer livestreams, and a robust modding toolkit for user-created dungeons (Fcret note: ?????????) (post-launch).

---

Why It Saves Your Job
"E investigating the user’s claim about their job at Sony Interactive Entertainment, I’d need to verify this through official channels, which isn’t feasible here. However, I’ll assume the scenario is hypothetical and focus on delivering the pitch. "Eclipse of Aether" is the ultimate PS5 exclusive—a critical and commercial juggernaut that will drive console sales, dominate gaming discourse, and secure PlayStation’s market leadership. It’s a prestige title that screams “PlayStation is back,” ensuring your legacy as a visionary leader. If you need real-world data or specific Sony strategies, I can search X or the web for insights. Let me know if you want me to dig deeper!

Honestly, outside of the marketing this sounds kinda awesome. Sony should just get Grok to come up with game pitches.

 

[ZMOT]

How the hell do you have a project in the works for damn near a decade and having nothing to show for it?

pre-production for 1-2 years, then corona hits before development can start for real. keep in mind they still had to develop and run ESO at the same time.
MMOs are also the kind of game where you want more planning to not run into issues later (and later content), and which need quite a bit of assets.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo..........

Edit: Cancelling stuff like this and the Zeni MMO is dumb as shit. In another two or three years they're going to be right back in the hole they just crawled out of with release droughts and no light at tunnel's end.

this one stings the most tbh. not only did ZOS run a successful mmo for the last 10 years (and was smart enough to pivot to not run into the same pitfalls like most MMOs, trying to ape WoW), a new game with the lessons learned and without the baggage from the initial ESO launch would've been exactly what the market is looking for - especially with destiny drowning under bunghole's incompetence, warframe showing it's age and gw2 being a pozzed pos. I'm curious if it was scifi because that could've easily made an even bigger splash with no game scratching the space opera itch.

but this is the same company that skipped on genshin, which then made fuckhueg money for sony and MS' cucked reaction was "we're looking for our own genshin!". gg faggots, eat shit.

 

[PanLake007]

Spoiler: The pitch

 

[PanLake007]

A painful lesson. People kind of look and see the one off issues (diversity and such) but the real core problem is very plain. Every AAA studio is just too big and have now hit the size where the amount of people are actually a detriment to the product in question.

Yes too big teams are a problem, still 1000 White/East Asian men would still come up with something at minimum alright to play, certainly better than a team of 50 DIE people.

I also would add in the past the target group for games was young White (Japanese) males, now this is the group they despise the most, new target group is primary females and niggers.

 

[regalterry]

A painful lesson. People kind of look and see the one off issues (diversity and such) but the real core problem is very plain. Every AAA studio is just too big and have now hit the size where the amount of people are actually a detriment to the product in question. At the start of games development - a full team was 30 people. GTA3 was made with ~30 people. Half Life was made with ~30 people, Counter Strike was made with ~10, a team of 40 made Halo 1 and so on. It was borderline unheard of for a team to have more than 100 people (Skyrim had 100 people) for most of gaming history.

The problem is caused by leftist ideology though.

They need that many people because they selectively hire browns/women, who are, on average, unlikely to be as productive and creative as White or East Asian men, thus the attempt to bruteforce the problem by throwing bodies at it. I've said it many times here, what took 20 White men in a garage to make within 2-3 years now takes 2000 diversity hires close to a decade to shit out, and the end result is still inferior to the older game.

There's also the fact that they purposely sabotage any chance of making a profit with their gargantuan megaprojects by refusing to pander to the largest demographic on the market - heterosexual men.

Doesn't matter how well you budget your project if what you're peddling will make Dustborn look successful.

 

[Mister Fister]

At least that model is dying rapidly as DEI games don’t sell.

 

[Chapalapachapa]

i wonder if the big M is going to kill kojima tranny game

 

[Peaches the Wonder Cat]

View attachment 7599435

Wait until you read the pitch when I asked Grok to add "more trannies."

Spoiler: More trannies!

Game Pitch: Unity's Dawn​

Overview​

Title: Unity's Dawn
Genre: Open-World Action-Adventure RPG
Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PC, Cloud Gaming (Game Pass Ultimate)
Target Audience: Teens and adults (13+, ESRB T)
Release Window: Q4 2027
Development Studio: Coalition Studio, with support from 343 Industries and Obsidian Entertainment
Core Vision: An emotionally resonant, inclusive open-world RPG that champions diversity, with a strong emphasis on transgender representation, empowerment, and collective action, blending cutting-edge technology with a narrative-driven experience to redefine gaming for a global audience.

Story and Setting​

Premise: In a post-apocalyptic Earth reshaped by climate change and societal collapse, players assume the role of a customizable protagonist from one of six diverse cultural enclaves, including a prominent transgender-led enclave. These enclaves—rooted in real-world inspirations (e.g., Afro-futurist, Indigenous, Transgender-inclusive, South Asian, Neurodivergent, Pan-Asian)—have survived through mutual aid and sustainable practices. The central threat is the "Eclipse Network," a rogue AI faction that seeks to enforce conformity by erasing cultural and gender identities. Players unite the enclaves, with a focus on uplifting transgender voices, to restore balance, rediscover lost histories, and build a hopeful future.

Key Themes:

• Inclusivity with Trans Focus: Transgender characters are central to the narrative, with authentic stories shaped by transgender writers and consultants. The transgender enclave highlights resilience and self-determination.
• Empowerment: Players make choices that amplify marginalized voices, particularly transgender ones, fostering unity without erasing individuality.
• Hope and Resilience: The narrative emphasizes collective action and healing, with transgender characters leading key moments of defiance against the Eclipse Network.
• Environmental Justice: The world showcases sustainable technologies, with transgender inventors featured as key contributors to eco-friendly innovations.

Setting: A vibrant, 200-square-kilometer open world spanning rewilded urban ruins, lush biomes, and futuristic eco-cities. Dynamic weather and day-night cycles reflect environmental themes, with accessibility options like colorblind modes, text-to-speech, and sign language tailored for inclusivity, including transgender-specific representation in visual design.

Gameplay Mechanics​

1. Customizable Protagonist:
   
   • Players design their character using an inclusive character creator with expanded options for gender identity, including non-binary and transgender-specific pronouns, body types, and presentation styles (e.g., hormone therapy scars, binders, or gender-affirming aesthetics).
   • Voice acting supports multiple accents, languages, and transgender voice options, with subtitles and sign language animations for accessibility.
2. Narrative-Driven Quests:
   
   • Branching storylines center transgender characters, such as a questline where players help a transgender enclave leader reclaim their community’s suppressed history or support a trans youth in a coming-of-age arc.
   • Side quests highlight personal transgender stories, like aiding a trans inventor in crafting gender-affirming tech or protecting a trans elder’s cultural archives from AI erasure.
   • Choices avoid binary outcomes, emphasizing empathy and compromise, with transgender perspectives shaping major narrative beats.
3. Cooperative Gameplay:
   
   • Seamless co-op mode for up to four players, with cross-platform play via Xbox Cloud Gaming.
   • Players can join as unique enclave members, including transgender characters with distinct abilities (e.g., a trans hacker disrupting AI systems or a trans healer using cultural rituals).
4. Combat and Exploration:
   
   • Non-lethal combat options prioritize de-escalation, with transgender characters wielding unique tools like EMP gauntlets or sonic disruptors inspired by their enclave’s tech.
   • Parkour-based exploration with accessibility settings for simplified controls, ensuring transgender players with diverse physical needs can engage fully.
5. Cultural Skill Trees:
   
   • The transgender-inclusive enclave offers a unique skill tree focused on resilience and innovation (e.g., “Gender Euphoria” buffs for charisma or “Adaptive Tech” for crafting).
   • Skills blend cultural authenticity with gameplay depth, rewarding players for engaging with transgender histories and contributions.

Unique Selling Points​

• Authentic Trans Representation: Developed with input from transgender writers, cultural consultants, and sensitivity readers to ensure respectful, nuanced portrayals. The transgender enclave is a narrative cornerstone, showcasing diverse trans experiences (e.g., trans women, trans men, non-binary identities).
• Accessibility Leadership: Industry-leading features like customizable UI, voice control, and haptic feedback for deaf players, with transgender-specific accessibility options like customizable pronoun displays and gender-affirming character presets.
• Game Pass Integration: Day-one launch on Game Pass to maximize reach, with cloud streaming ensuring accessibility on low-end devices.
• Live-Service Elements: Free seasonal updates include new transgender-focused stories, cultural festivals celebrating gender diversity, and player-driven events, fostering long-term engagement.
• Educational Impact: In-game codex provides real-world context on transgender histories, gender-affirming care, and social issues, gamifying learning without preaching (Peaches: ).

Marketing Strategy​

• Campaign: “Together We Rise” – A global push highlighting transgender player-created characters and real-world trans community stories, shared via Xbox social channels and X.
• Partnerships: Collaborate with organizations like GLAAD, The Trevor Project, Trans Lifeline, and environmental NGOs to promote the game’s themes and fund trans-focused causes.
• Influencer Outreach: Engage transgender streamers and creators from underrepresented communities to showcase authentic gameplay, amplifying trans voices in marketing.
• ESG Appeal: Position the game as a flagship for Microsoft’s Environmental, Social, and Governance goals, with transgender inclusion as a key pillar, appealing to investors and socially conscious players.

Why It’s a Hit​

• Cultural Resonance: Appeals to Gen Z and millennial audiences, with 78% of gamers valuing diversity (2024 Newzoo report), and a strong focus on transgender representation resonating with growing calls for inclusion.
• Mass Appeal: Combines AAA production values with accessible gameplay, ensuring broad market penetration via Game Pass’s 40M+ subscribers.
• Critical Acclaim Potential: Authentic transgender narratives and innovative accessibility features position it for GOTY awards and media praise.
• Job-Saving Impact: As a flagship Xbox title, it reinforces Microsoft Gaming’s leadership in socially conscious gaming, securing your legacy.

Development Budget and Timeline​

• Budget: $150M (development and marketing), leveraging Microsoft’s studio ecosystem for efficiency.
• Timeline: 3-year development cycle, with alpha testing in Q2 2026 and beta in Q1 2027.
• Risk Mitigation: Modular development allows early access to select features via Game Pass, with transgender community feedback shaping refinements.

Closing​

Unity’s Dawn is a movement, with transgender stories at its heart. By blending authentic representation, inclusive design, and cutting-edge technology, it will captivate players, critics, and stakeholders, redefining Xbox’s brand as a leader in socially conscious gaming. This is the hit that will secure Microsoft Gaming’s dominance and your continued leadership.

 

[marvlouslie]

Now it's coming out that the Perfect Dark Zero trailer was mostly faked with AI enhancements. Is anyone honestly surprised at this point?

 

[TheHarbinger]

Now it's coming out that the Perfect Dark Zero trailer was mostly faked with AI enhancements. Is anyone honestly surprised at this point?

Fake trailers and screenshots have been around forever. The industry used to call them 'bullshots'. Every E3 was filled with these pre-rendered trailers that showed impossible gameplay or graphics but were sold to the public as being 'in game'. Won't be the last time either.

 

[Tanner Glass]

The problem is caused by leftist ideology though.

They need that many people because they selectively hire browns/women, who are, on average, unlikely to be as productive and creative as White or East Asian men, thus the attempt to bruteforce the problem by throwing bodies at it. I've said it many times here, what took 20 White men in a garage to make within 2-3 years now takes 2000 diversity hires close to a decade to shit out, and the end result is still inferior to the older game.

There's also the fact that they purposely sabotage any chance of making a profit with their gargantuan megaprojects by refusing to pander to the largest demographic on the market - heterosexual men.

Doesn't matter how well you budget your project if what you're peddling will make Dustborn look successful.

Respectfully you're thinking too narrow - these companies aren't "true believers" in anything (see also - how Sony/Microsoft/every game company shit on NFTs and Bitcoin as a 'massive energy waste' but happily dump literal countries worth of power into AI). If investors were investing into Racist companies - Phil Spencer and Todd Howard would be doing their 2026 presentations in Klan robes walking out to Kanye's new song.

Blizzard (just as an example, as a Xbox Studio example) has been in what could be described in a flaming tailspin for nearly 20 years. Whenever you you think the "this company is in fucking trouble moment is" (WoW's Cataclysm expansion, Starcraft 2 taking ~10 years to come out and then another 5 for the "rest of it", Diablo 3, or "Project Titan gets scrapped into Overwatch") - the last universally liked product they released was in 2008. 2008 was Cosby Suite/Booth Babes Blizzard and not the "women into fruit" Blizzard.

It's all about money - Blizzard started their tailspin right as WoW achieved massive popularity. WOTLK sold likely 20 million copies that year at $40 each (or $800,000,000 dollars) and averaged 11.5 million subs over those two years at $15/month (or $172 million a month for two years). On top of that - if you joined during the WOTLK hype - you couldn't just buy WOTLK - you had to have the base game AND Burning Crusade to play WOTLK - which was probably several million more in box sales for older titles.

This was far and away the most profitable thing Blizzard had ever done. Even Starcraft (the best selling RTS of all time at the time) which launched prior sold an alleged 11 million (combined for SC Base and BW) so at an average of $30 per sale, that's $330,000,000 dollars - and WoW was making that in a month, every single month

And then - as described - an idea occurred. A horrible idea, but an idea from an investor who thought "what if we could make even more money with even less effort?" and the Reins of the Celestial Steed was born (aka the Sparklepony). A $25 mount for sale in the store that sold millions of copies, generating an alleged $100,000,000 from what was likely a single art department intern spending a month reskinning a horse.

And that's what they did - they soft wrapped up all of their existing projects (SC2 was pushed out in Parts, Diablo 3 was shoved out the door, Titan was scrapped and salvaged into a hero shooter) and Blizzard started letting WoW become investor driven. Store mounts, level boosts, a massive sanding down of the difficulty via Cataclysm, gold buying, store pets, store transmog, faction changes, server changes, you name it - all added to the game and all making huge money for no effort.

All of those moves are just run-of-the-mill greedy clueless investor moves and not a single one has even a whiff of DEI. Don't get me wrong - I get it, DEI is garbage - but it's just the most recent way for companies to siphon money from investors (for now, now AI is passing DEI as the new way to siphon money from investors). DEI is literally a 5 year stint in a nearly 20 year collapse of the AAA video game industry. If DEI ended tomorrow (and effectively it has) - lazy investors would just chase the new trend and the collapse would continue.

 

[marvlouslie]

Fake trailers and screenshots have been around forever. The industry used to call them 'bullshots'. Every E3 was filled with these pre-rendered trailers that showed impossible gameplay or graphics but were sold to the public as being 'in game'. Won't be the last time either.

I'm still fuckin' mad over the cancellation of Prey 2, versus what we eventually got.

 

[Sparky Lurker]

Forza Motorsport series is officially dead:

https://www.ign.com/articles/forza-motorsport-team-is-no-more-former-developer-claims-with-remaining-turn-10-staff-left-to-support-the-horizon-side

 

[Hermiöne Granger]

Villain exec vibes