Microsoft - Acquires Obsidian and InXile

Form both Obsidian and Inxile I've expected building upon their legacy. What I got? Decadence.
Endless trashmob respawns, checkpointonly and mmos. What's the purpose of having xth studio that uses all the same outdated designs? Oh, maybe because it's not yet another irrelevant/anonymous/generic chinese studio although makes same shit so that's positive?
Sure, good games we did get, Eternity and WL2 for example are good. But I've expected more than good. Great, awsome and fantastic. Not just good. I can find good anywhere.

I have no idea what is M$ planning, is it isometric RPG revival of a sort, is it M$ store DRM locked RPGs or it's XBone RPG exclusives.
But honestly, with CDpr choicebased stories and accepting modern PC technologies, with Ubi transforming action franchises to RPG, with Larian upgrading old systems with both crazyness and richness, with Spiders infusing charm in otherwise "B movie" style games, with Sega porting their best RPGs to the platform those actually belong to, etc.
I'm kinda not caring about studios that, in my case, didn't deliver what I've expected.

Originally Posted by joxer
I'm kinda not caring about studios that, in my case, didn't deliver what I've expected.

SO, what you expected was, in essence, 50+ million USD budget games out of a Kickstarter. Ok.

What are you even talking about.
I don't want GTA5.
In case this sounds confusing answer yourself what's the difference between GTA5 and Stardew Valley. Then answer what's the difference between singleplayer game and mmo. Finally you might answer why is Wild Wasteland optional and not default.

If Bioware is any example, we may see a few good products before decay sets in. The first Mass Effect and Dragon Age were pretty good games, even if they were not the style of rpg I prefer, but as the original members and creative directors flee, so sinks the quality of the games.
Microsoft can for sure transform the Wasteland IP into a competitor for Fallout, I'm not quite as sure what Obsidian has to offer if Microsoft doesn't acquire the Pillars IP.
If they combine both studios they'd almost have an AAA strength team for making games.

Thoughts on MS acquisition of InXile and Obsidian.
With Playground doing Fable and the new acquisitions they have 4 RPG engines: Open world FP, Blobber (YAY), Isometric, and Wasteland (which is a branch of the isometric). If I were them, I would centralize an engine team and editor team that really pushes all of those engines to the max and embeds its best senior devs into each studio. I would have each company have 3. InXile Wasteland, Bard’s Tale (push more towards Blobber), and New Blobber. I would do bad things for a wasteland blobber! Obsidian could make 1 isometric, 1 Open worldish (alpha protocol), and 1 aRPG (Dungeon Siege / Aliens style).

I think that they could release 30ish hour RPGs yearly from each studio at a low price point ($29) with a 15 hour expanse (15) 6 months later. Put those on Game Pass for all to enjoy!

I'm not sure what to make of this.

Obsidian is generally at their best when they're focused on producing content instead of technology, such as FNV and PoE2. Also, they're hopeless at marketing, which MS could very easily fix. So far, so good.

It's also worth keeping in mind that Microsoft changed their gaming approach a few years ago to the whole "all Microsoft games will be available on all Microsoft platforms" thing, which means we're likely to get a lot of XB + PC exclusives (as in, they won't be available for Nintendo, Playstation, iOS, OSX etc). I don't mind that at all.

However, Microsoft is difficult to predict. Their approaches to gaming changes every few years. They've released some excellent games over the years, such as Starlancer and Freelancer, but then they suddenly decide to go in a completely different direction. That's problematic, as they're such a massive company they have no interest in even supporting old products when their focus shifts, which is probably why Starlancer and Freelancer aren't even available on GOG - the potential amount of money to be gained from it is insignificant to a company like MS.

In short, Obsidian and inXile are only worth something to MS as long as they're building brands that help them with whatever goals they currently have. Once those goals shift, it's over. And not in the "EA" kind of over either, as MS generally doesn't care one whiff about the chump change that EA is dealing with, since they're so much bigger. If something doesn't work out, MS generally just sells off whatever's left and leaves it at that, which could mean various IP's in limbo and so on.

Anyway, time will tell!

Originally Posted by forgottenlor
If Bioware is any example, we may see a few good products before decay sets in. The first Mass Effect and Dragon Age were pretty good games, even if they were not the style of rpg I prefer, but as the original members and creative directors flee, so sinks the quality of the games.

Bear in mind, though, that Mass Effect 1 was really a pre-EA Bioware game - the takeover was only a couple of months before release. DA:O was also in production for a long time, and was probably much more of an untainted Bioware production at heart. I think the difference between DA 1 and 2 is the best illustration of the EA effect.

Originally Posted by Maylander
(…) Microsoft is difficult to predict.(…)

This single sentence summarizes all this the whole thread.

And though I haven't quoted your whole posting here, I have to agree with it. Sadly.

Originally Posted by Darkheart
InXile came as a surprise, since no rumors I know of were leaked.

I must confess the InXile's buyout also came as surpise to me. Rumours did spread the Obsidian buyout, but InXile's….

Originally Posted by Darkheart
So who is making BG III now? Fargo said he knows, but it isn't him…

Wait, is BG III really being developed at this moment? Is this confirmed news or just a joke?

I looked up the locations of their HQs, which are Irvine, CA (Obsidian), and Newport Beach, CA (InXile). These locations are less than 10 miles apart! Literally in the same neighbourhood. So it makes sense to me that they would try to merge them, put the best people from both in charge, and try to build something together that they wouldn't have been able to achieve on their own, with a much higher budget courtesy of M$. That need not be a bad thing…

Great news. I look forward to InXile RPGs with a much higher budget as they seem to me like the most old-school yet innovative Kickstarter Era developers aside from Owlcat (if you can call Owlcat a KS era dev.)

Originally Posted by Perko
I looked up the locations of their HQs, which are Irvine, CA (Obsidian), and Newport Beach, CA (InXile). These locations are less than 10 miles apart! Literally in the same neighbourhood. So it makes sense to me that they would try to merge them, put the best people from both in charge, and try to build something together that they wouldn't have been able to achieve on their own, with a much higher budget courtesy of M$. That need not be a bad thing…

-> California Sun

Originally Posted by henriquejr
Wait, is BG III really being developed at this moment? Is this confirmed news or just a joke?

It's another rumor that started on the Codex,and at first everyone assumed that Larian would make it, but then Fargo posted a Tweet saying he knows who is developing it.

Link - https://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/show…t=Baldurs+Gate
Link - https://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/show…t=Baldurs+Gate

Stir in one ounce of Microsoft along with a half gallon of water and presto… PhoneGames!

They're obviously doing this to increase their first-party exclusive lineup for the next console generation in the works. Basically what that means for us is that their next games will be console focused, so forget having lots of spells and abilities to pick, there will be 3-4 per character.

Originally Posted by Ripper
Bear in mind, though, that Mass Effect 1 was really a pre-EA Bioware game - the takeover was only a couple of months before release. DA:O was also in production for a long time, and was probably much more of an untainted Bioware production at heart. I think the difference between DA 1 and 2 is the best illustration of the EA effect.

Indeed. I am sure both Obsidian and InXile have projects underway at some stage or another (even if its only pre-production) that Microsoft can help them finish. Its once Microsoft gets into project planning that problems may start.

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
It's another rumor that started on the Codex,and at first everyone assumed that Larian would make it, but then Fargo posted a Tweet saying he knows who is developing it.

Link - https://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/show…t=Baldurs+Gate
Link - https://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/show…t=Baldurs+Gate

Well CouchPotato, if nobody is doing BG III at this moment, then Fargo also knows the answer

Please keep Microsoft far away from any new iteration of Baldur's Gate. That would just be a horror show.

Originally Posted by Carnifex
Please keep Microsoft far away from any new iteration of Baldur's Gate. That would just be a horror show.

I'm afraid I'll have to earmark this quote of yours for further use in just a few months…

Originally Posted by henriquejr
Well CouchPotato, if nobody is doing BG III at this moment, then Fargo also knows the answer

Well this Microsoft buyout was just a rumor as well at one point. So who knows.