Do you think Microsoft will need some new exclusives to make their new console survive? They don't have a lot of those, while Nintendo and Sony do. Microsoft only has 3. So, would new exclusive IPs help Microsoft?
The murmurs I was hearing is that Microsoft is trying to wrap up third parties in exclusivity contracts. Sort of like what they’re doing now - Microsoft gives Activision a cut of Xbox Live Gold Sub revenue, and Activision gives Microsoft timed exclusivity on Call of Duty DLC. So I would expect a greater amount of deals like that going forward.
The thing is, Microsoft is sitting on a lot of IP its not using. In addition to obvious stuff like Halo and Forza (and maybe even Gears of War 4), you have Age of Empires, Shadowrun, whatever the shambles of Rare is holding on to (Kameo, Banjo, Perfect Dark), Mech Assault, Fable…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Game_Studios#Owned_franchises_and_properties
The problem is, all of that stuff came in to Microsoft’s posession because they bought out the original developers and then subsequently shut down or disbanded the teams behind these franchises.
I mean, c’mon. You want a great demonstration of new hardware? Blast Corps. Smash down buildings with reckless abandon using realistic destruction physics. I am also one of eight people who thought the Shadowrun FPS was pretty cool - it was like Counter-Strike, but in addition to buying guns, you were spending EXP on spells and stuff, too. Teleporting through walls was cool.
But, I mean, new generations like this are typically when you see the new franchises get trotted out. Consumers are more willing to take purchasing risks with software, which means developers are more willing to express a bit of freedom in what types of games they put out. Microsoft undoubtedly has something up their sleeve. Sony did!
