Microsoft Discusses Xbox E3 No-Shows

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Microsoft Discusses Xbox E3 No-Shows

Posted by simoniker on Tuesday June 1, 2004 @11:43PM from the bye-bye-gamie dept.

Thanks to GameSpy for its 'Sole Food' column discussing why certain Xbox games were missing from Microsoft's line-up at last month's E3 show in Los Angeles. Titles mentioned, with included late-breaking Microsoft response, include "part action, part collectible-card game" Phantom Dust ("Microsoft Game Studios has decided to not publish Phantom Dust for North America"), action title and "everyone's favorite goggle-wearing, vacuum-wielding, time-shifting cat" Blinx 2 (We plan to make an official announcement after E3"), and "console massively multiplayer online RPG" True Fantasy Live Online ("The Level 5 team is focusing on developing and polishing the game for the Japanese release this winter, and as a result the timing of the U.S. release of the game is still undetermined.")

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HL2 by quecojones · 2004-06-01 23:51 · Score: 2, Interesting

What about Half Life 2 for the XBox?

--
"PROFANITY is the inevitable literary crutch of the inarticulate MOTHER FUCKER." -- some PC user
1. Re:HL2 by Wuukie · 2004-06-02 00:37 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  I think Valve said in an interview (couldn't find it, though, sorry) that they'll first finish HL2 on PC before they make anything with the ports.
  
  So maybe that's why. There just isn't anything to tell about.
2. Re:HL2 by *weasel · 2004-06-02 03:36 · Score: 1
  
  So we can expect HL2 on the XBox2 then?
  
  --
  // "Can't clowns and pirates just -try- to get along?"
3. Re:HL2 by Wuukie · 2004-06-02 04:19 · Score: 1
  
  Well, at least it is promised for XBox in here.
4. Re:HL2 by quecojones · 2004-06-02 07:14 · Score: 1
  
  I'm not a huge HL fan. I'm more of a Doom/Quake fan, but since everybody is talking about D3 and HL2, I hope to get them both and see for myself what all the hype is about.
  I took the plunge and switched to Macs so, aside from STVEF2, there isn't much for me to look forward to anytime soon (never got into the UT games).
  I get my FPS fix on the XBox and I hear that both D3 and HL2 will eventually make it to the XBox because I hate playing FPS games with the KB+mouse... I just wish someone would make an improvement to the aiming with a controler, but as far as buttons go, controlers are better (for me).
  
  --
  "PROFANITY is the inevitable literary crutch of the inarticulate MOTHER FUCKER." -- some PC user
japan? by raffe · 2004-06-01 23:52 · Score: 1

Why is Japan a so important market? I dont understand why. Do they buy more games in japan than in europe or the us?
1. Re:japan? by csumk · 2004-06-02 00:00 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  Whilst the eastern market may not be massive, it is reasonably significant. With the japanese market comes the japanese developers - if your console isn't popular in japan the these developers are less likely to produce games on it. You are only going to get lazy ports at best. MS needs developers like Square producing games for the XBox if it is to really challenge Sony.
2. Re:japan? by Mandoric · 2004-06-02 00:14 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  There're both historical and economic reasons.
  
  1) When the US game market crashed in the '80s due to saturation and shovelware, the Japanese market didn't. Until the release of the XBox, every console that received mass acceptance was created by a Japanese company---the Americans had mostly given up on the market, their efforts limited to the 3D0 (backed mainly by Matsushita/Panasonic) and various attempts at reviving the Atari name.
  
  2) Due to this, Japanese designers of hardware had a financial head-start, which transformed into a technical proficiency head start for Japanese devs, who began work on most consoles months to years before American ones.
  
  3) While Japanese population is only half that of the US, PC gaming is less common, console gaming is more, and in any case the population of Japan is at least on an approximate level with that of natively-English-speaking Europe---and, in addition, the large Southeast Asian market traditionally uses Japanese hardware and software, increasing numbers.
  
  4) Due to the realities of Japanese population density, niche games are somewhat easier to promote---distribute and advertise in a few key cities, and you can sell to a majority of the population. This means a greater variety of games, from a greater variety of developers; in general, the huge publisher overheads in the US (massive land area) and Europe (5 or 6 languages necessary) are reduced.
3. Re:japan? by Babbster · 2004-06-02 00:24 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  Those are all good reasons, generally speaking. In the case of Xbox, though, Microsoft is simply trying to find the must-have game that will attract large numbers of Japanese gamers - Halo did this for MS in the US and the hope is that TFLO will be their breakthrough game in Japan.
  I would note, too, that it's pretty rare these days for US publishers to focus on the Japanese market at all. Microsoft has to do it because, apart from Team Ninja at Tecmo, there is a dearth of Japanese developers willing to develop Xbox exclusives.
4. Re:japan? by BlueCodeWarrior · 2004-06-02 00:29 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  This, imho, is one of the greatest weaknesses of the XBox, and part of the reason that it'll be so hard for it to catch up to the Sony / NIntendo console of the moment...
  
  This lack of Japanese publishers making Japanese games is a bigger deal than it seems at first look. Imagine if all of our (I speak for those who live in the US, home of Microsoft and the XBox) games were made by someone from a foreign country, and only a few by Americans...
  
  I wonder how many Zero Wings they have over there.
5. Re:japan? by DLWormwood · 2004-06-02 01:45 · Score: 1
  
  4) Due to the realities of Japanese population density, niche games are somewhat easier to promote---distribute and advertise in a few key cities, and you can sell to a majority of the population. This means a greater variety of games, from a greater variety of developers; in general, the huge publisher overheads in the US (massive land area) and Europe (5 or 6 languages necessary) are reduced.
  
  Wow, I never thought of population densitiy being a factor quite like that... I've always assumed that the USian market was damaged due to an inate "monolithic" tendency in our corporate culture.
  It's kind of ironic. Japan is a so-called "collectivist" culture socially, but this social cohesion permits higher population densities, allowing for more "individualistic" marketing. While the individualistic tendencies of the average USian pull us apart, making it harder for marketers and distributors to serve niche markets... The fact that a country of people who believe that "fences make good neighbors" was able to export a conformist culture like Microsoft's now makes much more sense.
  
  --
  Those who complain about affect & effect on /. should be disemvoweled
6. Re:japan? by Lynxara · 2004-06-02 02:34 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  I recall an anecdote my Japanese-major friend told me about the Japanese dub of big American sitcom "Laverne & Shirley"... the premise and dialogue made so little sense to the Japanese that the translators felt the need to add a little change that would help the show conform more to Japanese tastes.
  
  They added, as a subtitle at the beginning of the title sequence, "These women were just released from an institution for the insane."
7. Re:japan? by shadowcabbit · 2004-06-02 03:07 · Score: 1
  
  Halo did this for MS in the US and the hope is that TFLO will be their breakthrough game in Japan.
  
  OK, stop me when I say something phenomenally stupid here, but why bother at this late stage in the XBox's life cycle? PS3, XB2, and (Nintendo's big thing) are on the way (though they are far enough off that releasing for current consoles is still viable; I'm working towards a point). If TFLO takes off, which I have no doubt it will (I was pretty excited for it while I still had an XBox, but coverage of it was so spotty that I gave up hope and sold the XB), then what? Will the Japanese developers see that the American console has some merits and start developing for it (doubtful), or will they lap up dev kits for the XB2 (equally doubtful)?
  
  My point is, MS is banking on the fact that TFLO will get Japanese to buy XBoxes just for that game, which is patently absurd. I bought my XBox for Panzer Dragoon Orta, Halo, and KOTOR; I sold it because IMO those were the only real reasons to own the system, and there wasn't anythig exciting coming up within the time I was willing to wait for a good game. If MS wanted to encourage XB sales in Japan, they'd do best to favor Japanese developers (say, maybe with lower licensing costs or offering some other incentives like subsidizing publishing costs?) who are more likely to build games that the Japanese actually want to play.
  
  --
  "Why Subscribe?" Good question...
8. Re:japan? by bigman2003 · 2004-06-02 03:23 · Score: 1
  
  Well, let's not forget about Ubisoft.
  
  And DICE..
  
  --
  No reason to lie.
9. Re:japan? by Ayaress · 2004-06-02 04:38 · Score: 1
  
  Getting the Xbox any kind of success in Japan is like Nintendo wanting to get their next console out before Sony for a change. It very well won't get them anything, and could end up costing them more in the long run, but it's a major psychological victory.
  
  In Nintendo's case, being first to the market carries a long-running history of being the best seller. The exception to that history is the Dreamcast, which was killed as much by its own failures as by Sony's victories.
  
  In Microsoft's case, it's something even more important, but less tangible. Just getting a US-built console sold in Japan will threaten Sony and Nintendo on their home turf. Nintendo especially should take note if Microsoft succeeds in this, since the Xbox is already beating the Gamecube in the US.
  
  Think of it like putting your campaign sign on your oppontent's front lawn the Sunday before the election. It probably won't win you the election, but it'll certainly shake your opponent up a bit.
10. Re:japan? by MBraynard · 2004-06-02 06:20 · Score: 1
  
  I wonder why they don't just buy popular Jap developers and have them produce games exclusivly for the Xbox.
11. Re:japan? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-02 06:38 · Score: 0
  
  Maybe they've been trying to buy some Japanese companies, but they keep referring to the Japanese as "Japs," and their games as "sushi RPGs."
  
  (Inside reference.)
12. Re:japan? by bigman2003 · 2004-06-02 08:16 · Score: 1
  
  Getting new games out for the current console can change the public opinon from "the Xbox was a horrible console" to "Hey- it wasn't real popular, but it had some good games".
  
  This could affect the next generation greatly.
  
  --
  No reason to lie.
13. Re:japan? by MBraynard · 2004-06-02 08:28 · Score: 1
  
  HAhahahahahahah. Seems political correctness has infected the other side of the ring of fire.
14. Re:japan? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-02 11:27 · Score: 0
  
  Agreed. It's their last slim chance to influence the next generation from the present.
  
  But MS is going to have to haul ass if they're going to try this in Japan before the next generation arrives. It's their ante and the cards they have so far recommend a fold as opposed to an extended bluff, especially against the strength of their domestic competitors. If Smilebit and Team Ninja can't bootstrap Xbox sales despite their best efforts, MS's chances with an unproven new online RPG are slim to nil (especially now that the FFXI nuke has been dropped on both PS2 and Windows in both Japan and the U.S.). No E3 showing shows probable lack of confidence, but I'm keeping my eyes open.
15. Re:japan? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-03 00:22 · Score: 0
  
  No E3 showing shows probable lack of confidence, but I'm keeping my eyes open.
  
  Heh. Not anymore, you're not.
Not the most surprising news by csumk · 2004-06-01 23:54 · Score: 1

Shock as Microsoft doesn't show games that aren't ready or aren't marketed at the western audience!
I'm more concerned with Psychonauts by Slyght · 2004-06-02 00:09 · Score: 1

Although I was hoping to see True Fantasy at E3, I was more disappointed at Microsoft dropping Psychonauts and Stranger. Tim Schaeffer is a legendary game designer, and it will be a travesty if another publisher doesn't pick Psychonauts up.
1. Re:I'm more concerned with Psychonauts by ViolentGreen · 2004-06-02 02:36 · Score: 1
  
  Although I was hoping to see True Fantasy at E3...
  
  I have issues with all of the online games that charge a subscription. The way I see it, they should either give the software for free and then charge a subscription or you purchase the software and play without a subscription.
  
  I don't buy games unless I am confidant that I'll play it for at least a year. If I pay $50 for the software and then another $10/month for a year, that's $170 for a game. Apparently some people are willing to pay that. I am not.
  
  --
  Not everything is analogous to cars. Car analogies rarely work.
2. Re:I'm more concerned with Psychonauts by *weasel · 2004-06-02 03:38 · Score: 1
  
  Leave money on the table? Provide reasonable pricing in the absence of crushing market pressure?
  You must be new here.
  
  --
  // "Can't clowns and pirates just -try- to get along?"
3. Re:I'm more concerned with Psychonauts by Twister002 · 2004-06-02 07:27 · Score: 1
  
  I have issues with online games that require you to be subscribed to XBox live AND pay a subscription fee to play their game (*cough* Phantasy Star Online for the XBox *cough*). I'm not paying twice to play the same game, it's either or for me. Either I subscribe to Xbox live and can play the game online OR I can play it separate from Xbox live.
  
  --
  "For a successful technology, honesty must take precedence over public relations for nature cannot be fooled." -Feynman
4. Re:I'm more concerned with Psychonauts by bigman2003 · 2004-06-02 08:21 · Score: 1
  
  A lot of people assume that Microsoft is a bunch of idiots for dropping Psychonauts.
  
  Hell, we the public have seen screenshots and know the premise of the game. What the hell do those morons at Microsoft know about it that we haven't been able to surmise from a few previews on gaming sites?
  
  Well- I'm sure they've see everything the game has to offer at this point. And possibly, the game just isn't what they want to sell. Maybe it isn't good enough. Maybe the concept just didn't work as well as it should have.
  
  I'd rather they drop a game, than decide to just send it out there, and market the crap out of it before we find out that it is garbage.
  
  --
  No reason to lie.
Aptly enough by Dachannien · 2004-06-02 00:52 · Score: 3, Funny

With a name like Phantom Dust, it pretty much had to be vaporware.
1. Re:Aptly enough by MrScience · 2004-06-02 02:55 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  This was one game that I was reeealy looking forward to. With 4-person gameplay, each person with a unique mixture of skills (from a pool of over 300), and fully deformable environments (use telekenisis to grab a piller to bash one oponent, while causing the walkway to collapse on another oponent), it looked extremely fun.
  
  --
  You quitting proves that the karma kap worked. The most annoying of the whores shut up. --CmdrTaco
Blinx 2? by Tuvai · 2004-06-02 01:57 · Score: 1

Why even bother Microsoft? The original was nothing more than a miserable failiure in terms of quality and sales, and in a Platform market containing the Jak and Daxter series and Super Mario Sunshine a poor mans Crash Bandicoot is not going to serve you well. Especially on a console whos main userbase comprises of fans of Driving Games, First Person Shooters, and half decent PC ports.

The market east of the English Channel is/has been long lost, give up, and pray that Halo 2 is good enough to cancel out the Killzone/Snake Eater and Realistic Zelda hype. Gamestats shows them neck and neck, and when all that exists of Zelda is a near month old 1 minute trailer, that's bad news for Microsoft.
1. Re:Blinx 2? by VividU · 2004-06-02 05:02 · Score: 0
  
  "Especially on a console whos main userbase comprises of fans of Driving Games, First Person Shooters, and half decent PC ports."
  
  Xbox Top Sellers:
  - MechAssault
  - Crimson Skies
  - Ninja Gaiden
  - Knights of the Old Republic
  
  No driving game, FPS or PC port in the bunch.
2. Re:Blinx 2? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-02 06:19 · Score: 0
  
  Crimson Skies
  
  Also availiable on the PC.
  
  Knights of the Old Republic
  
  Why would I buy the Xbox version when the PC version is cheaper, better, and able to run well on relatively low spec machines?
3. Re:Blinx 2? by VividU · 2004-06-02 06:30 · Score: 1
  
  Why would I buy the Xbox version when the PC version is cheaper, better, and able to run well on relatively low spec machines?
  
  So you could play it while lounging on your couch, big screen HDTV, 5.1 sound, cool glass of iced tea.
4. Re:Blinx 2? by DarkZero · 2004-06-02 07:23 · Score: 1
  
  Xbox Top Sellers:
  - MechAssault
  - Crimson Skies
  - Ninja Gaiden
  - Knights of the Old Republic
  
  No driving game, FPS or PC port in the bunch.
  
  Did you really think that no one would catch you in this obvious lie? Halo, Splinter Cell, and Project Gotham Racing are the best-selling XBox games ever (search for "XB"), selling at least 3.18, 1.42, and 1.14 million copies each, along with the Xbox port of Grand Theft Auto (1.02 million). Ninja Gaiden may have recently surpassed this, as the numbers may be as much as a few months old, but I doubt that anything has recently raced past Halo and Splinter Cell.
5. Re:Blinx 2? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-02 15:46 · Score: 0
  
  I do this now with my HTPC. Personally, the fact that most games on the XBox are also available on the PC is the main reason I went with a GameCube. My only regret is that the local retailers have a horrible selection of games... guess that's just another reason to do my shopping online.
Wait for it... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-02 02:05 · Score: 0

It's coming out September 30 2005.
True Fantasy Live Online by superpulpsicle · 2004-06-02 02:25 · Score: 0, Redundant

That game sounds like a complete FF rip off. I am still trying to decide which title is worse.... this or phantom dust.
1. Re:True Fantasy Live Online by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-02 11:48 · Score: 0
  
  They should change the name from True Fantasy to Loser's Fantasy.
  
  As in, "Loser's Fantasy: Live Online!"
So who's buying the games? by fanfriggintastic · 2004-06-02 02:29 · Score: 1

If they're not producing Phantom Dust and True Fantasy Live Online for the US market, who's going to get them?? It's common knowledge that Xbox sales in Japan are piss poor. Anyone know how they make out in the European market?

--
This is not the greatest sig in the world, no. This is a tribute.
1. Re:So who's buying the games? by Lynxara · 2004-06-02 02:48 · Score: 1
  
  As the article stated, TFLO is already being primed for Japanese release. What I imagine is that Microsoft hopes TFLO can be the game that makes Japan desperately want an X-Box. I personally imagine they'll find themselves unable to compete with Ragnarok Online. Phantom Dust, as the article also stated, is going to the Japanese market, probably also to try and convince Japan to buy X-Boxes. I also imagine it'll be marketed heavily at the general Southeast Asian area, which often uses R2 hardware but is generally more open to using an American-made system. I'm thinking Korea and Hong Kong in particular would probably like Phantom Dust.
MS laid off games staff by tclark · 2004-06-02 03:18 · Score: 1

My understanding is that MS recently laid off about 60 people from their games division. Maybe they are scaling back their plans.
1. Re:MS laid off games staff by Twister002 · 2004-06-02 07:24 · Score: 1
  
  I read an interview with one of the Xbox heads who explained the layoffs (the link escapes me right now though).
  
  He said in effect that they needed to produce for in-house titles during the launch and first few years of the XBox to draw in the third-party developers. Now that the third party developers are creating more games for the Xbox, Microsoft doesn't need all the extra staff.
  
  --
  "For a successful technology, honesty must take precedence over public relations for nature cannot be fooled." -Feynman
Killzone? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-02 03:42 · Score: 0

Killzone?

Snake eater and Zelda have legitimate hype and momentum, but Killzone looks like a joke.
Shenmue 3 by steeef · 2004-06-02 04:46 · Score: 1

I'm more concerned about Shenmue 3. 1 and 2 were excellent, but it's obvious they left enough plot for a third game. Many fans were convinced that this would be the "sega-ton" announcement at E3, but no such luck.
More fantasies? by ChibiOne · 2004-06-02 05:38 · Score: 2, Funny

What's the deal with profiting on the "Fantasy" games? Not satisfied with the "Final" one and the "Star", now we get the "True" one? And don't forget the "Tales of", too.
Still waiting for "The Tales of the True Ultimate Final Phantasy Star EX"
1. Re:More fantasies? by dancingmad · 2004-06-02 12:50 · Score: 1
  
  You hit the nail on the head without realizing it: True Fantasy Online is a stab at Final Fantasy, since Factor 5 think Final Fantasy is no longer really fantasy (and arguably, it hasn't been since 7).
  
  It's a delibrate stab at Final Fantasy, hence the title.
  
  --
  "There is no time, sir, at which ties do not matter," Jeeves, (Jeeves and the Impending Doom)
2. Re:More fantasies? by talaphid · 2004-06-05 22:02 · Score: 1
  
  Pfft. "The Ultra Taleful Fantastic and Truthful Fantasty Tales of the True Ultimate Final Phantasy Star EX3 Alpha" game is due out with Duke Nukem: Forever.
Update needed by M3wThr33 · 2004-06-02 18:33 · Score: 1

True Fantasy Live Online just got cancelled altogether. Gamespot has stuff on it.