What do you need to know
- Matt Booty, president of game content and studies at Microsoft Gaming, spoke with Variety in a new interview.
- Booty touched on a number of topics, including reactions to the recent Xbox Games Showcase, the closing of Tango Gameworks, and the launch of Sea of ​​Thieves on PlayStation 5.
- Speaking of the latter point, Booty says “we’re really pleased,” noting that games continue to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
A new interview provides a little more insight into Xbox’s business.
Matt Booty, president of game content and studies at Microsoft Gaming, spoke with Variety on Thursday for the “Strictly Business” podcast. Booty touched on a wide variety of topics, including reactions to the recent Xbox Games Showcase, the launch of some Xbox games on the PlayStation 5, and the closing of some studios.
“We’re starting to hit the rhythm that we’ve always strived for and that’s really our commitment to our players to be able to deliver a much more steady cadence of games in a more predictable rhythm,” Booty said, noting that fan and press reaction to the showcase has been extremely positive , praising the amount and variety of first-party games that were shown and planned for the next few years.
During the show, first-party titles DOOM: The Dark Ages, Fable, and South of Midnight were all slated for 2025, while Gears of War: E-Day, Perfect Dark, and State of Decay 3 didn’t get release years at all. . At Booty, this is due to trying to find the exact right time to launch the game while ensuring it doesn’t conflict with another first-party or third-party title, making Grand Theft Auto 6 the game the industry wants. avoid.
“We definitely want to make sure that each game gets a space and a chance to shine, and that we don’t end up overshadowing a game by launching it too close to another,” explains Booty, adding that portfolio planning revolves around making sure the teams don’t conflict with other companies’ titles , but also “so that we don’t get in our own way”.
Booty also notes that there is interest in sharing ideas and technology between teams at different studios, and there are some initial discussions as Microsoft figures out what that facilitation looks like.
Will Microsoft pursue games and TV or film synergy like Fallout?
When asked about the game’s synergy with other media such as TV and movies, such as the recent Fallout resurgence that has happened in large part due to the success of the show Fallout Prime, Booty praises the series but suggests that Microsoft is not explicitly trying to make that kind of game . success happens through coercion.
Pointing to the vastly different production schedules of games, movies, and TV shows, Booty notes that trying to synchronize them years in advance can be extremely difficult and risky, and that it’s better to simply produce this kind of “linear media” and benefit from the existing franchise.
Why did Microsoft close Bethesda studios like Tango Gameworks?
At the beginning of the year, there was the shocking news that Microsoft was shutting down Arkane Austin from Bethesda, Alpha Dog Games and Tango Gameworks. The latter was a particular shock, as the now-defunct Japanese first-party developer delivered Hi-Fi Rush in 2023 to critical acclaim.
“These decisions are never made lightly, they’re never made quickly, and there’s a lot of people and processes and oversight to make sure we’re making good decisions,” Booty says when asked about the closure, adding that he did. I don’t want to share the “gross” details with you, but he mentions that Microsoft is looking across studio leadership and whether teams are set up for future success, not just if they’ve been successful in the past.
Booty also points out that Microsoft has in the past been open to allowing teams to go independent if it was clear things weren’t a good fit, including recently with former Activision subsidiary Toys for Bob, which is now an independent studio despite being the first team . the game is a project published by Xbox.
Sea of ​​Thieves for PlayStation 5 and future Xbox exclusives
In 2024, Microsoft ported four Xbox exclusive titles to other consoles. As for all games, Booty notes that Microsoft’s main focus and success is Sea of ​​Thieves, a shared world pirate adventure game developed by Rare.
“We were really pleased,” says Booty, noting that when Sea of ​​Thieves launched on PlayStation 5, the teams saw an increase in player engagement on Xbox and PC, while also sharing that a large number of PlayStation players enjoyed the game. cross-play. This success boosts the overall franchise to Booty, allowing the teams at Rare and Xbox to continue investing in the game.
When asked what this means for future Xbox exclusives, Booty reiterates that teams are evaluating games that make it to other consoles “on a case-by-case basis,” adding that Xbox players can absolutely continue to expect many games to launched as an exclusive. that “Xbox’s promise” that all first-party Xbox games will come to Xbox Game Pass will continue.
Analysis: Interesting findings
This was a very good interview to listen to and overall I think Booty’s answers make a lot of sense. I’m especially glad that Microsoft doesn’t see the success of the Fallout TV series (which was renewed for a second season) and immediately chase that success elsewhere or try to force some sort of synergy.
I’m also glad that the teams at Xbox are interested in sharing technology and ideas. While this already happens within individual publishers, sharing across divisions could lead to wild things. If the Xbox Game Studios or Activision team wants to use id Tech or the Creation Kit, what does that look like?
While I know hearing it “case by case” won’t make die-hard Xbox fans happy, I can still see the logic behind carefully evaluating each title. The next DOOM will be cross-platform at launch, and I certainly think that makes a lot of sense, just like Sea of ​​Thieves. On the other hand, having games like Gears of War: E-Day and Perfect Dark aimed at Xbox hardware and PC also makes a lot of sense.
However, the continued non-response regarding the closure of Tango Gameworks continues to leave a sour taste in my mouth. I’m fully aware that teams change over time, but with a ridiculously successful parent company and a profitable business, Microsoft could easily afford to take a small hit and allow these teams to build or rebuild to be successful in the future.