inXile Entertainment joins Microsoft Studios

[shmerl]

Here is something from MS gaming division themselves:

As part of our commitment to bringing a steady stream of new, exclusive games to our fans, I’m excited to announce Microsoft’s intent to acquire two new game development studios – Obsidian Entertainment and inXile Entertainment.
<...>
We’re focused on implementing new Microsoft technologies, delivering content for new platforms and services like Xbox Game Pass, and creating exclusive games that turn players into loyal Xbox fans.

Key parts - "exclusive games" and "Microsoft technologies". So, expect everyone to be excluded, unless they are using MS stores and MS platforms and expect more push for MS only lock-in like UWP and DirectX, instead of collaboration on cross platform technologies. And the goal is not to reach more gamers, but to turn gamers into "loyal Xbox fans"...

[kilobug]

As a long-time inXile backer I'm very disappointed... inXile used to be an indie studio, developing games for a niche audience following more their creative vision than market expectations, being friendly to users (DRM-free, ...) and delivering Linux/Mac versions of the games.

With the recent disappointment on BT4 not yet having a Linux/Mac version nor even an ETA for it, and now this... I fear it's end of the inXile I knew, and that the next games will be more mainstream-oriented, DRM-loaded and Windows/XBox only... I truly hope I'm wrong, but I'm really really afraid.

[ET3D]

One of my favorite developers [bought by Microsoft] was Caligari Corporation... Does anyone here remember them?

Oh, yeah. trueSpace was great.

Yes, there's some worry there that Microsoft will change its strategy and will end up trimming the studios to where they end up dying. There's also the worry about the Activision/EA style erosion that the death of the studios. And I definitely understand the worries of those who are interested in non-Microsoft versions. That's something I would have liked inXile to put in the contract (don't know what's in the contract, but I imagine that's not there). I personally don't mind if Microsoft makes the games exclusive to even Xbox for a short period (say, 3 months), but if Mac and Linux get dropped completely, that would be bad.

On the other hand, as Brian Fargo said, it's also a chance to make good games with more resources and better testing -- something which inXile could sure use.

So I'll remain cautiously optimistic for now.

[Janichsan]

Some of you haven't really been paying attention to Microsoft Studios, E3 2018, etc. Go say all that to Undead Labs. The Coalition. Rare. Mojang. 343.

You may not agree, you might not like some of the games put out by these studios before or after, but the point is, Microsoft has made a concerted effort to support smaller, indie dev houses, and not gotten in their way.

Haven't they? You wouldn't say limiting The Coalition and 343 Studios to do nothing but Gears of War and Halo respectively in all eternity (or the public interest finally dies off) is not "getting in their way"? Do you believe these series have improved after their original creators left? Is having Mojave increasingly put focus on the locked "Xbox/Pocket/Windows 10 Edition" of Minecraft really a good thing? Do you believe "Sea of Thieves" will forever be remembered as Rare's greatest achievement? And lastly, do you really think these studios profit from being locked in Microsoft's ecosystem (Mojang aside)?

… if Mac and Linux get dropped completely, that would be bad.

That's not an "if". Microsoft's press release makes absolutely clear that any forthcoming project from inXile and Obisidian will be Microsoft exclusive.

[ET3D]

That's not an "if". Microsoft's press release makes absolutely clear that any forthcoming project from inXile and Obisidian will be Microsoft exclusive.

Right. Read it now, and it's not promising. Exclusive content is annoying.

By the way, how does one get the backer images alongside the posts? Is that something I need to manually set up, or what? I was a backer of WL2, T:ToN and BT4.

[Gillsing]

You need to log in to the different backer rewards accounts for the games to manually activate your backer badges.

[Spectralshade]

except there isn't one for bards tale 4 anymore, even though it was promised. instad you can get now get a little picture to use instead of your avatar, which sucks.

But doesn't matter much now, really. At some point when inXile is not profitable 'enough' the servers will be shut down anyway. Big companies like microsoft don't work on wanting profit, they work on wanting a >large< profit or it isn't worth their time. Anything that generates too small a profit gets downsized and cut off, so the brand can concetrate on areas only containing 'big' profits.

Game over, InXile. I guess barrows deep really was the deathblow to you.

[gusnan]

I, who game on Linux exclusively, am I SOOL? I'm eagerly awaiting the Linux version of Bard Tale IV, and now these news... Things doesn't look good. Please InXile, give some more information.

[zari]

I'm glad to hear inXile employees will have work in future but otherwise there is no much reasons to be glad about. I'm deeply disappointed.

All I noticed from their gaming division is sickening push for lock-in, DRM and exclusives. MS haven't joined Khronos Vulkan working group, instead they are pushing their DX12 lock-in.

Brian Fargo said that the DNA of inXile will not change so it will be interesting to see how much an open PC platform ever meant to them.

[Dork Mage]

One of my favorite developers [bought by Microsoft] was Caligari Corporation... Does anyone here remember them?

Yes, I have trueSpace....

Mmmh, if I hadn't wittnessed what became of Bioware, Blizzard, and all the others that "joined big families" maybe I would see only the potential here with InXile AND Obsidian under one big flag... but then I saw it. And I fear the worst. I hope I am wrong here.

I've started BTIV... it reminds me of DA:O. Bethesda has been very successful with Elder Scrolls... Bard's Tale looks to be heading in that direction but the 'Hero' with a party rather than the lone "Chosen One."

[Jozape]

Why?! inXile was one of the great studios that supported DRM-free Linux gaming. Now with MS buying you, what will happen? I have zero trust in MS letting developers make games for competing markets. Will they now shut down all your future Linux releases?

And I have even less expectation in preserving the DRM-free stance. It's MS we are talking about. Some comment on that from inXile would be really appreciated. Right now it feels like a major let down for your backers.

If the games can run in WINE it is not a loss, IMO. What is important is that the games run and perform as expected. If they can't release a game without DRM though, I just won't bother.

Mmmh, if I hadn't wittnessed what became of Bioware, Blizzard, and all the others that "joined big families" maybe I would see only the potential here with InXile AND Obsidian under one big flag... but then I saw it. And I fear the worst. I hope I am wrong here.

The one advantage I can think of when comparing Microsoft to other "families" is the company's wealth; it far exceeds any of their competitors or partners. This gives them a lot of room to expand and polish a game with more resources as needed, like what Sony has been doing during the entirety of the PS4's existence. That doesn't really seem like the culture that has been prevailing at Microsoft in the past decade, but they seem to want to copy Sony now so...

[Antart]

I don't know the expectation from Inxile (and Obsidian) when we know what happens when they are forced to make console-friendly an isometric-tactical RPG. You want Path of Exile 3 & Wasteland 3 forced to consoles from scratch like Dungeon Siege 3?

Could be good to have a stable budget but I'm afraid for the entire isometric RPG genre, so unappealing on consoles but so rewarding on PC.

And it is worst if we see how Bioware or Blizzard have systematically ignored their fan-base in their deeper RPG oriented franchises with Dragon Age 2/Inq, and Diablo 3/Immortal. Their words still shinning in our hardcore brains but their actions still oriented to the casual masses.

I really want to keep my hope in that MS understands they are buying the last bastion of the best way to play RPGs ever invented, and not to hire them to make more boring casual action games for a market saturated of them.

[Janichsan]

If the games can run in WINE it is not a loss, IMO.

Expect them not to, due to compulsory proprietary Microsoft technologies and DRM.

[shmerl]

If the games can run in WINE it is not a loss, IMO.

Expect them no to, due to compulsory proprietary Microsoft technologies and DRM.

And I don't think UWP works in Wine either.

[Knightshark]

I love it! MS has a great company culture. More funding, more job security, hopefully better salaries. I would be very surprised if if would force you to dumb down future games. But sure you'll get a bigger budget. I am happy for you guys. And being in one family with Obsidian only means that you can co-develop tools and engine without any issues.

[shmerl]

MS has a great company culture.

Do you mean embrace, extend and extinguish? Some great culture indeed.

[Akachi]

Brian Fargo said that the DNA of inXile will not change so it will be interesting to see how much an open PC platform ever meant to them.

Yes, I'm sure Microsoft, a large, multibilion dollar collosus, bought inXile just to let them make games that flop commercially. And they'll even pay them money to do so.

[grebo]

I hope this will be good news for Wasteland 3.

But does this mean Mage's Tale won't be coming to PSVR after all? (or explain the hold up) And what of inXile's VR MMO?

[edmondo]

As a long-time inXile backer I'm very disappointed... inXile used to be an indie studio, developing games for a niche audience following more their creative vision than market expectations, being friendly to users (DRM-free, ...) and delivering Linux/Mac versions of the games.

This. And I also remember quite well the first inXile kickstarter and the words of Brian Fargo against big publishers not caring for this kind games. I'm quite surprised by this turn of events.

[zari]

Yes, I'm sure Microsoft, a large, multibilion dollar collosus, bought inXile just to let them make games that flop commercially. And they'll even pay them money to do so.

I don't think embracing vendor lock-in tech like DX12, DRM, exclusiveness, etc. would be the only way to make their games commercially successful. If they will go that route I guess openness were never part of inXile's DNA.

Well, we need to wait and see how this will go.