‘Starfield’: How a new RPG could change the gaming market – 09/06/2023 – Tech

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Few games in 2023 should have as big an impact for the future of the market as “Starfield”. The launch of the long-awaited action RPG developed by Bethesda this Wednesday (6) represents the first major test of the strategy designed by Microsoft to overcome Sony in the console market.

rewinding

In January 2018, Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, announced that “Sea of ​​Thieves” would be coming to the subscription gaming service Xbox Game Pass alongside its launch, and that the same would happen for all games released by Microsoft studios.

In this way, the company presented to the market its bet on a revolution in the way people consume electronic games. Instead of selling separate games for the highest possible price, Microsoft began to focus its efforts on selling subscriptions to its service.

In order to make it attractive to players, the company began to carry out a series of acquisitions in 2018 of prominent studios such as Playground Games (from “Forza Horizon”), Ninja Theory (from “DmC: Devil May Cry” and “Hellblade : Senua’s Sacrifice”) and Obsidian (“Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords” and “Fallout: New Vegas”).

But it did not stop there. In 2021, in a single move that cost US$ 7.8 billion, the company acquired ZeniMax Media, controller of studios such as id Software (from the “Doom” and “Quake” series), Arkane Studios (from “Dishonored” and ” Prey”) and, the crown jewel, Bethesda (from the famous RPG series “The Elder Scrolls” and “Fallout”).

growth and competition

With a good offer of own releases and third-party games, the number of Xbox Game Pass users has grown, reaching 120 million active monthly users at the beginning of this year, according to Microsoft’s balance sheet.

Even so, the company suffers from the constant comparison with its competitor Sony, which adopts a more traditional strategy in the games sector.

While the PlayStation was receiving critically acclaimed blockbusters like “God of War”, “Marvel’s Spider-Man” and “Death Stranding”, the Xbox consoles only achieved success with titles of smaller scope (for example, “Hi-Fi Rush”, ” Psychonauts 2″ and “Pentiment”). In addition, they saw some top-tier games falling short of expectations (such as “Halo Infinite”) and others becoming true disappointments (such as “Redfall”).

The result of this is that the company has been losing the current generation console war. Sony announced in July that it had sold 40 million PlayStation 5 units. At the end of June, Microsoft said it had sold around 21 million Xbox Series S and X consoles.

According to the consultancy Newzoo, Sony is now the second largest company in the world in the games sector, with annual revenues of US$ 4.38 billion in this area. Microsoft appears in fourth place, with US$ 3.152 billion.

heavy bet

For all that, “Starfield” is launched under huge expectations. Not just from the fans, as you’d expect, but from Microsoft itself.

“[‘Starfield’] it will definitely boost Game Pass subscriptions and a lot of people will buy the game too”, said Jerret West, director of marketing at Xbox, in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz. “Games like ‘Starfield’ pop up every now and then and capture attention not only from the games industry, but from word of mouth, spilling over into consumer conversations in general.”

From this perspective, a failure along the lines of what happened with “Redfall” could jeopardize Microsoft’s entire strategy for the games industry. Luckily for the company, it doesn’t look like the game is headed for a complete disaster.

Front desk

Early published reviews are generally complimentary of Bethesda’s RPG. Reception from fans who purchased the game in early access has also been reasonable. Still, the game is far from unanimity.

Many of the critics who liked the title weighed in on the delay for the game to gear up. At Sheet, the game was described as vast and unattractive, getting to be repetitive at times. The rating of just regular falls far below the expectations created around it.

If the game is a commercial success, it will encourage Microsoft —even more powerful after the probable completion of the acquisition of Activision Blizzard— to continue with its strategy of revolutionizing the way people consume games. Otherwise, many doubts will arise about the long-term viability of subscription services.

As in good RPG games, the players’ response will be decisive in defining the end of this story.

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play

game tip, new or old, for you to test

Neon Noodles

(PRAÇA)

If you’re a fan of puzzles involving programming and finding the most efficient way to accomplish a mission, you can’t go unnoticed by this indie game from the Canadian studio Vivid Helix. In the game, you have to automate an industrial kitchen with robots and conveyor belts while unraveling a mysterious conspiracy. It’s a true puzzle that encourages the player to improve their creations more and more.

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update

news, launches, business and what matters most

• Voice actors and actors who work with video games are expected to join the Hollywood actors and writers’ strike, which has been going on since July. Last Friday (1st), the category’s union announced a unanimous decision by its management for a strike indication, to be corroborated by the workers in a vote on September 25th.

• Sony’s game subscription service, PlayStation Plus, will increase in price worldwide. In Brazil, the annual subscription will increase by around 40%, from R$199.90 to R$278.90 for the cheapest version. In the Extra level it goes from R$ 339.90 to R$ 475.90 and in the Deluxe, from R$ 389.90 to R$ 539.90.

• Preliminary data from the 2nd National Survey of the Games Industry, coordinated by Abragames (Brazilian Association of Digital Game Developers), reveal a growth of 3.27% in the number of electronic game development studios in Brazil. The number increased from 1,009 in 2021 to 1,042 last year.

• Google and the Government of São Paulo are negotiating a partnership to implement a project that will help young people from peripheral regions of the state to develop their own games. Through the project, the company will make content from Google Play Academy and Favela Gaming available to students of Fábricas de Cultura, maintained by the Secretariat for Culture, Economy and Creative Industry.

• The studio Volition Games, responsible for the series “Saints Row”, announced the closure of its activities after 30 years of operation. The measure was taken by the Embracer Group, the conglomerate that owned the studio and is undergoing a downsizing and reformulation process.

• Shortly after the launch of its latest title, “Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew”, the German indie studio Mimimi Games announced that it will not release new games and will move towards the closure of its activities. According to the developers, the decision was made for them to prioritize their personal life and the well-being of their families.

• The looter-shooter “Relic Hunters Legend”, developed by Brazilian company Rogue Snail and published by Gearbox, will be released in early access for PCs on September 25th. The basic version of the game will cost R$46.99.

• Nintendo announced the launch of a special edition Switch Oled version all red, in honor of Mario. There is no prediction of arrival of the new edition of the console in Brazil.

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download

games that will be released in the next few days and promotions that are worthwhile

6.set

“Starfield”*: BRL 299 (PC), BRL 349.95 (Xbox X/S)

“Baldur’s Gate 3”: BRL 299.90 (PS 5)

7.set

“Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis”: Free (iOS, Android)

8.set

“Fae Farm”: BRL 149.99 (PC), BRL 299 (Switch)

“NBA 2K24”: BRL 299.90 (PC, PS 4, Xbox One), BRL 349.90 (PS 5, Xbox X/S)

September 12

“Eternities”: BRL 98.91 (PC), BRL 149.50 (PS 4/5)

“Nour: Play With Your Food”: price not available (PC, PS 4/5)

“Super Bomberman R 2”: BRL 249.90 (Switch, Xbox One/X/S), price not available (PC, PS 4/5)

*Available on Xbox Game Pass

promotion of the week

Nintendo is running a hit game sale on the Nintendo Switch webstore with titles up to 85% off. Among the reduced price games are “BioShock: The Collection” for BRL 49.99 (-80%), “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2” for BRL 79 (-60%), “Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope” for BRL 149.99 (-50%) and “The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles” for BRL 84.50 (-50%). Offers last until the early hours of September 11th.