Future of Bethesda

@rockstargamer48:

I'm just worried EA will shut down BioWare if Anthem fails to meet sale expectations next year, but with EA's stock going down they might try to make an effort at some point.

I have absolutely no love for Bioware, I've played two games from them and found that I wasted my money. However part of me wants Anthem to succeed, because I think EA kills enough developers and Bioware has a clear fanbase, despite how I view the games they've made. No reason to add more corpses on the pile_

I think the idea of Bioware essentially trying to make Monster Hunter with an Iron-man skin is commendable (though clearly an idea centred around micro-transactions), but also something alien to the developer.

Bioware, if we all be honest, make flashy story heavy games that lack substance or mechanical depth. And Bioware is developing a game with the aim of substance and mechanical depth, out Biowares element if you ask me. . Chances of it succeeding is exceedingly slim.

Then again I'm surprised Destiny worked out, so who knows.

BioWare is alive in a Weekend at Bernie's sense only. The last RPG they were working on had to become a crowdfunding project (Breach) and now they're creating an obvious Destiny clone, which certainly isn't what fans of BioWare became fans of BioWare for. So given the departure of BW's founders and the way EA is in general scrapping single player projects (like the Star Wars game they were working on, which there's some great behind the scenes info about on the web and how EA isn't interested in things that they can't monetize beyond the initial sale), the BioWare logo is something EA will be trotting out to get people to buy new IPs. CD Projekt is the RPG world's only hope now.

It's not really BioWare's fault to be honest. Look at what happened to Dead Space since EA fucked it up. EA just killed off the Dead Space series and that's unacceptable. They'll shove as much of their shitty micro-transactions in Anthem, because they know that they won't last forever. I think EA knows that their company is in danger so they'll milk all of their customers high and dry before they go out of business.

Plus EA put in Day-One DLC in Mass Effect 3, and they screwed up the ending.

Hmm I disagree with this statement. Plenty are doing the RPG/ SRPG/ and ARPG genres justice.

yeah, I'm done with isometrics. Gaming like it's 1999 is not my thing. I want a compelling, fully explorable world with modern gameplay, not turn based, fixed camera angled, spreadsheet combat. I appreciate the quest design in games like Divinity but have been there so many times before when it comes down to combat. So CD Projekt is all there is right now until Beth can figure out that a 20 year old game engine needs to be retired...or more appropriately, taken out to the woods and shot.

by my main point is that Bioware is effectively dead. People will realize that in a couple years when it becomes obvious, but they are just a banner for EA to release new IPs under, hoping the name recognition will confuse people into thinking more effort/quality went into the product than actually did.

will partially ammend, because I didn't see this until a few minutes ago:

Fallout 76 is already a No man´s sky

Which is no surprise its a horrid mess and if Bethesda doesn´t start to pick up they will go the way of the dodo, since they will not live forever on Skyrim reboots and cheap sequels like Rage 2

@Ish_basic:

Gaming like it's 1999 is not my thing. I want a compelling, fully explorable world with modern gameplay, not turn based, fixed camera angled, spreadsheet combat. So CD Projekt is all there is right now until Beth can figure out that a 20 year old game engine needs to be retired...

And again, that's one kind of RPG, if you don't enjoy turn-base or Strategy RPGs that's perfectly ok. But that's again, just a small sum.

Just seems to me you only like Openworld RPGs, which frankly are not modern what-so-ever. Morrowind was 2002 (close to seventeen years ago), which is basically the guideline for all these sandbox RPGs. And well crafted linear maps focus more on deep gameplay mechanics and options, openworld usually creates worse overall gameplay as a result. And has been shown countless times_

That's why Action RPG games like Monster Hunter and Dark Souls have far more up-to-date and modern systems in place. The Witcher IIIs combat is for many, the most behind the times system, seeing as it handles and has been compared with to Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (an Action game from 2003) and was not considered good combat even in 2003 and mostly loved as a platformer.

I will spare The Witcher III any further criticism because honestly I do commend it as a well made game, it's a complete package. But fans such as yourself really do view genres with a very narrow view to the point it's illogical_

I appreciate the quest design in games like Divinity but have been there so many times before when it comes down to combat.

I think this quote makes it very clear you haven't looked into Divinity: Original Sin II very well. Because its take on turn-base combat is very unique with a lot of layers and options, you won't find a game that is similar to it honestly. And would say it makes the game feel very modern, despite on-paper it seeming retro.

If you only play Fallout or The Witcher? That's perfectly a'ok, that doesn't however mean the RPG genre ends with them. And with games like Monster Hunter: World already winning best RPG of 2018 awards and selling over 13 million units since January makes it a RPG hit. Whether you like that take on RPGs or not.

@Ish_basic: Yeah it's sad how Obsidian isn't even that big of a team and their RPG looks a lot better than any of Bethesda's games.

Also the baffling thing about all of this is that it's running on Unreal Engine 4 and not an in-house engine. Bethesda doesn't need to make a new engine even, and this so surprising. This game will beat Starfield night and day to be honest.

Have we seen or heard anything* about Starfield yet?

*anything relative to Outer Planets

@mrbojangles25: Well Sorry Dad

It was a genuine question. I just assumed by your comment that some footage of Starfield was released is all, and was curious about it.

Well if Obsidian's Outer World's game is going to be a good RPG(which it probably will be) then Bethesda has to really bring people back with The Elder Scrolls VI. I'm just so impressed what Obsidian produced after they were acquired by Microsoft. It makes me glad that Microsoft acquired the studio and helped it them with all their funding to make a true RPG.

It just makes me mad at Bethesda for trying to streamline their games instead of fully focusing on the RPG aspect. Obsidian probably looked at the complaints from Fallout 4 as things not to do and this game is "The Fallout game we never got." Instead we got a game with a voiced protagonist, 4-wheel dialouge, barely any player choice and a lackluster story and characters. The graphics is what amazes me the most. I mean this is with the Unreal Engine and not an in-house engine. Bethesda on the other hand isn't listening to the consumers and is using their dated engine while Obsidian here is using Unreal 4.

You see you can't just screw someone over and not expect anything to happen. Bethesda screwed over Obsidian because it was "1 point off of an 85 metacritic score" and look how hyped Obsidian's new game is. I just want this game to be a sucess, because if it is then it shows Bethesda that they have to make all of their future games big.

Just saw The Outer World gameplay demo for a few minutes, it looks interesting. Does it have a release window?

You're right about Fallout 4. The voiced protagonist really didn't work because it's more fun to imagine responses with your own inner voice. Especially given how cheery he sounded the whole time! They stripped away dialogue options, took away karma, and got rid of weapon/armor degradation - making inventory management more tedious than ever before!!! I also agree that the characters and story were super dull.

They seemed to think "listening" to the fans meant improving combat - and that alone. But in the process they took away many of the valuable things in Fallout 3 and made a soulless murder simulator.

Anyway, I haven't heard about this "Outer World's". Sounds good.

Um what? Their games emphasized story but they all clearly had more 'substance' and depth to them than what Anthem is letting on, especially the pre 2010 games. Ever played Kotor? Anthem looks like their shallowest outing to date.

@hyperbertha: I don't consider romance options and conversation wheels as depth but to each his or her own. I'm not here to tell people what to enjoy, just breaking down what people enjoy from the developer_

Regardless this isn't the intent of my post above.

My posts intent was despite its flaws, it has a core audience that enjoy Bioware for what they deliver.

especially the pre 2010 games

Yeah I've played and finished Dragon Age: Origins, depth doesn't come to mind when I think back on my time with that game.

they only acquired them last month lol. outer worlds has nothing to do with microsoft, it's take two that are publishing it.

but i agree with the general sentiment and that the reveal of outer worlds is yet another wake up call to bethesda who must be reeling at the minute. obsidian seem intent to distance themselves from anything bethesda have done too judging by the video

@Macutchi: This is welcome information, the game looks interesting but my natural assumption was I would need to buy The Outer Worlds on Windows Games or grab an Xbox considering many have stated Microsoft have taken on Obsidian.

With that, I'm not against Microsoft grabbing developers. But this may be fun to grab on my PS4 if it delivers.

Will wait regardless, if they made FO: New Vegas I'm not convinced it'll be a great game for me. All I would want is a Fallout game without all the fluff, bad design/ and coding in it.

Not too long ago Bethesda campaigned to save single-player games. Today they are embracing this multiplayer craps with Fallout 76 and newly announced Fallout MMO.

Yeah all I want is a decent RPG without a voiced protagonist.

@RSM-HQ: So you've never played kotor? It was by far their best game. I was talking about gameplay depth and a story that exists. Even mass effect 3 seem to have anthem beat in every area.

Just give me a new elder scrolls and we'll take it from there.

No I haven't but not really interested. If I've learned one thing from Bioware fans, is that they over claim how good the games actually are, just checking Steam this is reviews for the game Knights of the Old Republic-

disney says its not lore, but it'll always be my lore <3

If you love Star Wars, buy this.

If you love damn good stories with damn good companions, buy this.

If you love and exalt the glory days of Bioware (RIP, sweet prince), buy this.

Cool if people like over bloated talkative NPCs, and Star Wars I guess (even Kinect Star Wars sold millions). But it's just not my style.

Games that relies on storytelling and a brand to sell a game to me is the definition of shallow, though I base this more on my opinion with Origins and Inquisition; and these reviews almost entirely praising story and lore above. Origins is at least a Bioware game fans claim is amazing, and I heavily disagree. Divinity: OSII>>>> entire Dragon Age franchise. Have no opinion on Mass Effect, will not try it after my experience with DA. Though it doesn't seem like a lose, more like dodging a bullet. If I try a new IP, it goes without saying Bioware is off my list of chances.

But back on KotOR. Star War fans are clearly the ones claiming it's great, because they like the IP, and even if it's ok they'll assume it's a masterpiece. As they'll compare it more to other Star War games than anything outside that bubble.

@Ish_basic: CD Projekt is the RPG world's only hope now.

That's good because I only like bewbs and bros'! *fist bump*

Aaaarrriiiite!

Alot of people are arguing that the AAA market is on the verge of collapse, and while I would agree to an extent, I don't think we'll see the same catastrophe of the crash in the 80s. That said, a lot of big companies who have been searching for profitability have ended up alienating their customers through endless microtransactions and 'games as a service' type models (not to say that GaaS is all bad). EA and Activision are great examples of this with recent events concerning BF5 and Bungie respectively. In Bethesda's case though, I have high hopes for them as they seem to be bucking the trend (for the most part) with a lineup of fantastic-looking games in development.

@rockstargamer48: I worry that Bethesda begins to finish its high-quality work. and she will soon turn into a forgotten company, releasing a couple of bad sequels to the series. Or will be cool again, releasing the same Skyrim 6.

@herrinha: Very pessimistic, I think the results of the game should open their eyes!

Gamers are very reactionary.

We might hate them now but if the next game is good then we will love them again.