During Microsoft’s quarterly financial conference call, Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella and Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood talked about the performance of the Xbox and gaming business. Nadella started the call by mentioning that Xbox is reaching new customers with new offers. He explained that the Xbox One X was the top-selling premium console in the Holiday season in the United States (which means that Microsoft’s new console beat the PS4 Pro), paired with “strong sales” of the Xbox One S. He also pledged that Microsoft will “continue to innovate in consoles to attract high-value gamers” who want immersive 4K experiences, to build a broader subscription service with Game Pass and to extend its gaming services to all devices in the customers’ lives across the console, PC, and mobile. He continued explaining that the decision to release exclusive content on Game Pass simultaneously with global release increases the value of the … [Read more...] about Xbox One X Was Top-Selling Premium Console in US Holidays; Microsoft Promises Console Innovation
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Microsoft acquires cloud-based gaming platform PlayFab
Microsoft announced today that it acquired PlayFab, a provider of services for cloud-connected games. The terms of the acquisition are not known, but a statement from Kareem Choudhry, corporate vice president of gaming at Microsoft, said that the company is now part of the Microsoft family. PlayFab describes itself as “the most complete back end platform built exclusively for live games” and touts its ability to support mobile, PC and console platforms. Choudhry said that the acquisition would extend “the investments and work [Microsoft] has done on Microsoft Azure to provide a world-class cloud platform for the gaming industry.” Azure is a global, cloud-based computing platform that relies on physical data centers to support operations in 42 regions around the world. It’s particularly attractive to gaming companies because of its raw power as well as its scalability. You might remember that it was also used to power technologies related to the … [Read more...] about Microsoft acquires cloud-based gaming platform PlayFab
Sources: Microsoft plots Fable return
Work is underway on a brand new, big-budget Fable game, Eurogamer can reveal. Fable franchise owner Microsoft has tasked UK developer Playground, which makes the Forza Horizon racing games for Xbox and PC, with creating this new Fable, sources close to the project have told Eurogamer. Microsoft said in a statement it does not comment on rumour or speculation. We've heard the new Fable is planned as a story and character-focussed open-world action RPG. A significant investment in its development is also planned, with some 200 people set to work on the game at Playground's newly-established second office in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. The fantasy world of Albion is set to live once again. Don't expect to play this new Fable any time soon, however. We've heard it's early days in terms of development, with Playground currently staffing up the team from double digits to its triple digit target. Microsoft's decision to return to the much-loved fantasy world of Albion comes less than two … [Read more...] about Sources: Microsoft plots Fable return
Report: Microsoft wants Forza Horizon developer to resurrect Fable
Microsoft intends to resurrect the Fable franchise less than two years after shutting down its creator, Lionhead Studios. According to a Eurogamer report, the company has asked Forza Horizon developer Playground Studios to work on a new game in the popular fantasy series. "Sources close to the project" are said to have leaked the news, though Microsoft has predictably refused to confirm or comment on the rumor. It's suggested the new Fable will be an open-world, story and character-driven affair featuring RPG elements, with Microsoft rekindling its interest in the genre after seeing the success Sony had with Horizon Zero Dawn. Such a move would mark a return to form for the series after it entered free-to-play, 'games-as-a-service' territory with the canceled Fable Legends. Around 200 people are apparently being tasked with bringing the new game to life, and development will begin at Playground's newly-opened office in Leamington … [Read more...] about Report: Microsoft wants Forza Horizon developer to resurrect Fable
Holy shit, is that open world RPG the Forza Horizon team is working on actually Fable 4?
Fable 4 – from a studio previously dedicated to car games? Hell, why not. Fable 4 may be in the works at Forza Horizon developer Playground Games, according to a trail of Internet sleuthing that caused me to bite through my teacup in excitement. Let’s start with some established facts: Playground Games is working on an open world RPG, and has expanded its office space and poached a bunch of UK talent to do so. Now let’s look at something less concrete: according to a user on ResetEra, the quasi-successor to NeoGAF, a bunch of upcoming Xbox One titles were leaked to developers via the Xbox Live API. As reported by WCCFTech, the alleged former Xbox game developer did not share the full details of the leak, they hinted at imminent Sea of Thieves and Crackdown 3 betas, a third-person Perfect Dark game developed by The Coalition and another team, four-player campaign co-op for Crackdown 3, a Forza Horizon game set in Japan, Age of Empires 4, a Halo mode with a really … [Read more...] about Holy shit, is that open world RPG the Forza Horizon team is working on actually Fable 4?