As a seasoned gamer who has witnessed the evolution of gaming since the days of pixelated graphics and cassette tapes, I must say, the state of modern-day releases leaves me scratching my head. I remember eagerly awaiting the launch of games like Final Fantasy VII or Super Mario 64, knowing that they would be polished masterpieces that would provide countless hours of entertainment.
For fans such as myself, the lack of exclusive titles from Xbox has been an ongoing frustration. Unlike PlayStation, which also struggles to offer compelling reasons to buy its pricier consoles, Xbox seems to be at a greater disadvantage in this regard. Not only is there little incentive to purchase an Xbox Series X/S, but the games released under the Xbox label often suffer from numerous bugs and incomplete gameplay experiences.
While it’s important to note that not every game Xbox releases is terrible, and even buggy ones can improve over time. In fact, Xbox Game Pass remains a smart investment for a variety of games, including some exceptional RPGs. However, as Xbox persistently launches games prematurely and increasingly relies on post-launch support, their reputation may gradually decrease.
Xbox Exclusives Keep Being Broken At Launch
Starfield & Redfall Gave The Publisher A Bad Reputation
Starfield, despite being touted as Bethesda’s least buggy release ever, still faced a multitude of issues at launch, continuing the company’s tradition of delivering games with bugs. Worse yet, it failed to live up to its full potential, lacking essential features that remain absent even today. Although I have made efforts to justify the game’s initial flaws as something Bethesda could rectify over time, it grows increasingly challenging to persuade players to give Starfield a chance when the game continues to grapple with delivering not only its intended experience but also the enchantment that Bethesda seemed to effortlessly wield in the mid-2000s.
In much the same way, the game Redfall, developed by the highly esteemed Arkane Austin, unexpectedly burst onto the scene riddled with bugs. The launch was so poorly executed that even Phil Spencer expressed dissatisfaction. For numerous individuals, like myself, Redfall offered the long-awaited promise of quality exclusives for Xbox enthusiasts. Regrettably, years after its release, Redfall continues to feel incomplete, a game that will forever blemish the Series X/S legacy and serve as a persistent reminder of the unfortunate layoffs leading to the shutdown of Arkane Austin.
I am not saying that had Redfall come out in a polished and complete state, Arkane Austin would still be a studio today, as there is simply no way of knowing. However, it certainly wouldn’t have hurt Xbox to have had an exclusive that wasn’t broken at launch, garnering media attention simply for being bad and buggy. STALKER 2 has also suffered a similar fate, launching with a slew of bugs rendering it unplayable to some. It has led to it feeling like Xbox simply cannot release an exclusive in a good state.
Xbox Needs To Avoid Rushing Out Games Like Redfall & Starfield
It’s Hurting The Brand
Of course, I recognize that the situation is far more nuanced than Xbox deciding it will ensure every game it releases is a buggy mess. For one, STALKER 2 was being developed – and still is – in the midst of a terrible war that slowed down production enormously. It is also getting a constant stream of updates that are fixing the majority of minor issues, with bigger updates intended to address the larger problems coming at a later date. I am extremely grateful for the work that GSC Game World is putting into making STALKER 2 the game it should be.
Contrarily, neither Starfield nor Redfall received the same level of ongoing support. Although there were several patches for Redfall that enabled playability, major updates ceased following the shutdown of Arkane Austin, leaving many fans disappointed. In contrast, Starfield has seen a few updates but nothing particularly noteworthy beyond an entertaining vehicle I must admit I enjoy driving across its multitude of deserted planets. Even its DLC stirred controversy, disappointing those who expected its handcrafted content would transform Starfield into the game it was intended to be.
It’s intriguing to ponder why Xbox seems so hasty to release games and push out content, even when they have shown they can delay titles at the last minute. One possible reason could be the high demand for fresh releases on Xbox Game Pass, as Microsoft might be trying to increase the number of first-party games available on the service to attract new subscribers. This hypothesis could also account for why PlayStation exclusives often appear polished or feature-complete at launch, as they tend not to release them on PS Plus immediately.
Xbox may be pushing boundaries in their game releases, but it’s crucial to understand that they will eventually need to address the issue. In simpler terms, there has to be a turning point. Major game developers like Ubisoft are starting to recognize that releasing incomplete games is negatively impacting their profits and are making adjustments to meet consumer expectations. Instead, it appears that Xbox is potentially damaging both itself and its brand by associating with subpar gaming experiences and, more importantly, broken promises.
There Is Hope For Xbox Exclusives
Future Exclusives Could Restore Xbox’s Name
Fortunately, I’m not just about pessimism and I genuinely feel optimistic about Xbox’s exclusive titles. The upcoming title, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, appears to be a well-crafted adventure with an unmatched cinematic experience. Although it will eventually arrive on PlayStation, it will initially be exclusive to Xbox for some time, and its initial reception will significantly influence its sales on the PS5 as well. Furthermore, Avowed, a lesser-known fantasy RPG from Obsidian Entertainment, has garnered very positive previews that suggest it could be the standout game of 2025.
Despite the fact that Starfield may seem like the breaking point for Bethesda and Xbox overall – it definitely has felt that way for me on numerous occasions – it’s evident that Xbox is brimming with upcoming titles that will eventually enhance its exclusive content. Xbox has a golden opportunity to leverage these forthcoming games as a means of demonstrating just how much it has progressed since the early days of the Series X/S. I truly hope it does, as I long for my seldom-used Game Pass machine to find its purpose once again.
I acknowledge that the gaming world has significantly evolved since my younger days, with games often being launched in an unpolished state. It’s clear that this trend isn’t new, and there are solid reasons for it. Nevertheless, I believe when a publisher consistently fails in this aspect, they should focus on rectifying the root issues in their game production process, which often involves releasing games prematurely.
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2024-12-05 04:38