What do you want to know
- Matt Booty, President of Gaming Content and Studios at Microsoft Gaming, spoke with Variety in a new interview.
- Booty covered a number of topics, including reactions to the recent Xbox Games Showcase, the closure of Tango Gameworks, and the arrival of Sea of Thieves on PlayStation 5.
- Speaking on the latter, Booty says that “We’ve been very pleased,” while noting that games continue to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
A new interview gives a little more insight into the Xbox business.
Matt Booty, president of games and studio content at Microsoft Gaming, spoke with Variety on Thursday for the “Strictly Business” podcast. Booty covered a wide range of topics, including reactions to the recent Xbox Games Showcase, the introduction of some Xbox games to PlayStation 5, and the closure of some studios.
“We’re starting to hit the pace that we’ve always aspired to, and that’s really our commitment to our players, to be able to deliver a much more consistent cadence of games at a more predictable pace,” Booty said, noting that fan and press reaction to the showcase was overwhelmingly positive, with praise for the number and variety of first-party games featured and planned for the next two years.
At the showcase, first-party titles DOOM: The Dark Ages, Fable, and South of Midnight were all scheduled for 2025, while Gears of War: E-Day, Perfect Dark, and State of Decay 3 didn’t have a release at all. years of release. . According to Booty, this is due to wanting to find the exact right time to launch a game, while also making sure it doesn’t conflict with another first-party or third-party title, naming Grand Theft Auto 6 as a game that the entire industry wants. avoid.
“We definitely want to make sure that every game has a space and an opportunity to shine and that we don’t end up overshadowing one game by launching it too close to another,” says Booty, adding that planning for portfolio is to ensure that the teams do not conflict with other companies’ securities, but also “so that we don’t get in our own way.”
Booty also notes that there is interest among teams at different studios in sharing ideas and technologies, and that preliminary discussions are taking place as Microsoft determines what that looks like.
Will Microsoft continue games and TV or cinema synergies, like with Fallout?
When asked about the synergy of games with other media like television and movies, such as with the recent resurgence of Fallout, due in large part to the success of the Fallout Prime series, Booty praises the series, but indicates that Microsoft isn’t explicitly trying to create this kind of success by forcing it.
Booty points out the very different production schedules of games, movies, and TV shows, and notes that trying to sync them up years in advance can be extremely difficult and risky, and that it’s best to just produce this type of “linear media” and leverage it into an existing franchise.
Why did Microsoft close Bethesda Studios like Tango Gameworks?
Earlier this year, the shocking news broke that Microsoft was shutting down Bethesda’s Arkane Austin, Alpha Dog Games, and Tango Gameworks. The latter came as a particular shock, as the now-shuttered Japanese developer had delivered Hi-Fi Rush in 2023 to critical acclaim.
“These decisions are never made lightly, they are never made quickly, and there are a lot of people and processes and oversight to make sure we make a good decision,” Booty said when asked. ‘asked about the closures, adding that he had not made a decision. I don’t want to share “essential” details, but mention that Microsoft is looking at studio leadership and whether teams are prepared to succeed in the future, not just whether they have been successful in the past.
Booty also points out that Microsoft has been willing to allow teams to become independent in the past if it was clear things weren’t a good fit, including recently with former Activision subsidiary Toys for Bob, which is now a studio independent, although the first of the team. The game is a project published by Xbox.
Sea of Thieves on PlayStation 5 and future Xbox exclusives
In 2024, Microsoft launched four Xbox console-exclusive titles on other consoles. Discussing all the games, Booty notes that Microsoft’s main focus and success has been Sea of Thieves, a shared global pirate adventure developed by Rare.
“We were very pleased,” says Booty, noting that when Sea of Thieves launched on PlayStation 5, the teams also saw an increase in engagement from Xbox and PC players, while sharing that a big Many PlayStation players enjoyed cross-play play. This success grows the franchise as a whole, according to Booty, allowing the teams at Rare and Xbox to continue investing in the game.
When asked what this means for future Xbox exclusives, Booty reiterates that teams are evaluating games on other consoles on a “case-by-case” basis, adding that Xbox players can absolutely continue to expect many games launch as exclusives, and that the “Xbox Promise” that all first-party Xbox games will be available on Xbox Game Pass will continue to hold true.
Analysis: some interesting information
This was a really good interview to listen to, and overall I think Booty’s answers made a lot of sense. I’m especially glad that Microsoft isn’t seeing the success of the Fallout TV series (which was renewed for a second season) and not immediately seeking that success elsewhere or trying to force some sort of synergy.
I’m also happy to hear that Xbox teams are interested in sharing technology and ideas. While this already happens within each publisher, sharing it across divisions could lead to crazy things. If an Xbox Game Studios or Activision team wants to use id Tech or Creation Kit, what does that look like?
While I know that hearing “case by case” doesn’t make hardcore Xbox fans happy, I still see the logic behind carefully evaluating each title. The next DOOM will be cross-platform at launch, and I certainly think that makes a lot of sense, just like Sea of Thieves. On the other hand, having games like Gears of War: E-Day and Perfect Dark coming to Xbox hardware and PCs also makes perfect sense.
The continued non-answers regarding the closure of Tango Gameworks, however, continue to leave a sour taste in my mouth. I’m fully aware that teams change over time, but with a ridiculously successful parent company and a profitable business, Microsoft could have easily afforded to take a small hit by allowing these teams to build or rebuild themselves in order to be able to succeed in the future. future.