Summary
Xbox Game Studioswas recently praised by a prominentBaldur’s Gate 3developer for the high quality of its published titles. Microsoft has been branching out to platforms outside ofXboxas of late, and this indiscriminate attitude has big implications for the future of the industry.
Baldur’s Gate 3is one of the most successful RPGs in recent memory, a critical darling that also sold millions of copies upon release. Despite the popularity of the title, or perhaps because of it,BG3was deconfirmed for subscription serviceslike Microsoft’s own Game Pass. Even still, the title has a special relationship with the Xbox brand. When the physical version ofBaldur’s Gate 3 - Deluxe Editionwas released for Xbox Series X/S, developer and publisher Larian Studios chose to spread the game across four entire discs rather than cut any content and leave players with a subpar experience.
In response to a Twitter post promoting the upcoming release ofGears of War: Reloaded, Larian’s Director of Publishing, Michael Douse, shared his excitement for Xbox Games Studios' recent slate of titles, saying it is “spitting pure fire.” After a decades-long string of acquisitions, there are many large developers now owned by Microsoft, including Bethesda, Mojang Studios, and Obsidian Entertainment. Considering this impressive lineup, there is likely something for everyone in Xbox’s publishing portfolio.
Douse Impressed by Xbox Game Studios Model
This is not the first time that Douse has publicly shared his thoughts on the games industry. Due to his outspoken nature and public-facing position, he is not only an official spokesperson for Larian Studios as a company but also an unofficial spokesperson for the countercultural philosophy that Larian often represents. A year after the release ofBaldur’s Gate 3, for example, he weighed in onthe debate over rising prices in the AAA space.
In an era where console exclusivity is emphasized less and less, Microsoft has been leading the charge in removing barriers between the major console manufacturers. Unlike Nintendo and Sony, Microsoft’s biggest source of revenue does not come from its video game department. Instead, its main preoccupation is increasing the visibility of the Microsoft brand, even if that visibility is increased separately from the Xbox console itself. This is why its industry-leading subscription serviceXbox Game Pass is available on PC.
Another consequence of this open-borders policy is that contemporary Xbox Game Studios games are often published for PlayStation and Nintendo consoles, where they have seen dramatically high levels of success. In fact, Sony recently revealed thatmany of the PS5’s most downloaded titles are actually first-party Xbox games. As such, it seems that Michael Douse is not alone in enthusiastically anticipating Microsoft’s future in the game publishing world.
