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More Powerhouse Designers on Next-Gen Xbox

Posted by Zonk on from the throw-a-stick,-hit-a-genius dept.

Just a few days after the announcement that the creator of the Final Fantasy series was joining Microsoft Games Studio, Voodoo Express has the news that more venerable designers will be joining the company. Yoshiki Okamoto and Tetsuya Mizuguchi will be teaming up with Microsoft Games to produce titles for the next generation Xbox. From the article: "Microsoft is now happy to announce that the driving creative minds behind the likes of Resident Evil, Rez, Street Fighter and Space Channel 5 have joined forces with the company to create exciting new titles for the Xbox Next, primarily designed to attract Japanese gamers to the system:"

8 of 83 comments (clear)

  1. Microsoft meddling? by MilenCent · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Will MS let them work and make the games they want to make, which are not always commercially successful, even in Japan?

    Bungie may seem to be instructive, but they're making Halo, arguably the system's saving grace -- it's easier to keep hands off of something which is extremely popular. Even so, I've seen people complain about Halo 2 that the story looks stretched out in order to make a Halo 3 possible. Also remember Rare, who's only released ONE, fairly lackluster, Xbox game since getting bought by Microsoft.

    The temptation to meddle will be great for Microsoft's managers, but if they can overcome that then this is probably excellent news for their new system.

  2. What is MS offering that Sony isn't? by MBraynard · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Why isn't Sony or Nintendo going after these guys? Or are they and did they get out-bid?

    Note that these are individuals that were lured or companies that were wholly the support staff of an individual.

    Also, it isn't clear what is meant by 'aligned' or 'teamed up.' Are they now on staff of MS Games? Are they agreeing to exclusive titles? Or are they just agreeing that anything they make will come out on Xbox along with PS2/3/Nintendo R?

    The only thing to conclude from this is that MS is serious about knocking down the paper door to the Japanese market.

    1. Re:What is MS offering that Sony isn't? by king-manic · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Seems like the spin doctors have spun "Ted and rob are going to make a game for xbox2" to "Ted and Rob have signedon to make an amazing new project for the xbox2".

      --
      "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
  3. Hold off... by grub · · Score: 4, Funny


    Sounds good, but I won't be buying one until Team Xecuter is designing product for the xbox2.

    --
    Trolling is a art,
  4. Huge article mistakes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    First, just like others pointed out in the original /. story, Sakaguchi Hironobu-san didn't "join" Microsoft Game Studios, the same way he didn't "join" Nintendo. His studio, Mistwalker, simply announced that they were developing two games for the Xbox's successor, just as they are also working on Nintendo DS software.

    Second, these two venerable designers will not be "joining the company." Zonk's very next sentence almost corrects this, but it is in no way accurate to describe any of these three men as being employed by Microsoft. That would imply things that are not true, such as development exclusivity (which itself implies absolute faith on the part of these men in Microsoft's business model, which has yet to be determined beyond just making games for the Xbox's successor).

    Really guys, you have to be more careful with the way you read Microsoft press releases. "Joined forces with" != "joined." This is the second time /. has made this implication, the first being in the original write-up of similar circumstances with Sakaguchi.

    Finally, meh. It just means that the Xbox's successor will finally offer at least a few more Japanese-style games like those that have been available on PS2 and GameCube for years. These announcements are "hey, us too" affairs, not "booya, in your face Sony and Nintendo" kinds of announcements. After all, both Sony and Nintendo have had/still have good working relationships with all three of these fine developers as I type this. This is about MS catching up, akin to Peter Molyneux saying to Nintendo, "I want to make a GBA game, and you can use my name in your PR." Boring. Next story.

    1. Re:Huge article mistakes by Babbster · · Score: 5, Informative
      Obviously, the posted article is weak, especially in its links, though also for being regurgitated press release material. That being said, this particular article isn't factually incorrect at all. Of course, the link that SHOULD have been used is this one which points at the press release right on Microsoft's own website. (This one provides a similar release for the announcement about Sakaguchi referenced by others' comments.)

      While none of the mentioned people are now actually working FOR Microsoft, the fact that they are now being published (and, presumably, at least partially funded) by Microsoft is significant. Smaller developers have only so many resources to devote to projects and the fact that they're developing Xbox Next exclusives is a big deal in that it will be a lot more difficult to simultaneously develop other games for the other various platforms (ask Lionhead about "B.C." and trying to keep too many balls in the air).

  5. Wow! I bet they make as many games by the_skywise · · Score: 4, Funny

    for the XBox as Rare has!

    Although Conker should be out just in time before the XBox 2 gets released...

  6. Designed to Attract Japanese Gamers... by GaryPatterson · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Wow. Games designed primarily to attract certain people.

    I bet we'll see anime-style characters, with huge eyes, tiny mouths and weird icons appearing next to them to indicate emotions. Maybe they'll have special moves like flying or fireballs. Who can tell?

    But what's next? When we're targeting specific groups with games, why not design games for other groups? How about a game set in the US 'hoods with streetwise urban R&B African Americans vying for top spot on a rap chart. Or maybe target that lucrative Hispanic market with a game based around getting out of Cuba or from South America into the good old US of A.

    I can see it now. Commitees set up to determine the makeup of focus groups, who in turn will be asked for all the features they want in a game. And then the designer will collate those features and pump out code and artwork, and hey presto! Another demographic added to the score.

    Heaven forfend that a designer might have their own ideas or goals. They are subservient to their masters now - the focus groups, the demographic, the marketing people.

    I can't wait to see more gaming ideas put up by marketing people. After all - we all know they have the best ideas, and they'll make the best games.

    Remember Poochy from The Simpsons?