DF Direct Weekly #162: Xbox Studio Shutdown Crisis, Switch 2 Confirmed, ROG Ally X Specs Reaction

There's anger, bafflement and frustration this week as John, Rich and Alex discuss Microsoft's decision to close one studio that created one of the greatest immersive games ever made and another studio that's just delivered a BAFTA-winning, critically acclaimed rhythm action game... so what is going on at Xbox right now? Beyond that, the team discuss the latest Switch 2 revelations, the new Asus ROG - or R.O.G. - Ally, Hellblade 2 PC specs and Sony's massive Helldivers 2 own-goal.

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0:00:00 Introduction
0:01:38 News 01: Microsoft shutters Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin
0:44:37 News 02: Nintendo confirms Switch sequel, potential components uncovered
1:03:42 News 03: Asus announces new ROG Ally
1:16:13 News 04: Sony backtracks on Helldivers 2 PC PSN requirements
1:25:25 News 05: Ninja Theory reveal Hellblade 2 PC specs
1:36:15 News 06: Sand Land released!
1:44:17 Supporter Q1: Could the Switch 2 connect to a TV wirelessly?
1:46:52 Supporter Q2: How much longevity will video cards with 8-10 GB of VRAM have?
1:53:41 Supporter Q3: Should next gen consoles have much larger RAM allotments?
1:57:40 Supporter Q4: Do you think mouse and keyboard support will become more common on consoles?
2:00:49 Supporter Q5: How feasible is it to update an older UE5 game to UE 5.4?
2:03:50 Supporter Q6: Could Intel beat AMD in discrete GPU sales by 2029?
2:06:40 Supporter Q7: What’s your favourite immersive sim, and why is it Prey (2017)?

[kennethbergan]

The trio back together again to discuss some depressing-ass shit

[KBroly]

Microsoft closing Tango Gameworks proves why Spencer's email spinning the idea of Nintendo being acquired by Microsoft as a good thing would be so insanely terrible for Nintendo and gaming in general.

[Erlaxis]

Ninja Theory is safe for a while. They have to complete the Hellblade PS5 port before getting fired, just like what happened with Hi Fi and Tango.

[kpsk]

So Phil Spencer's "hands-off" approach was basically "We have no clue what we're doing. Now let's buy more stuff!".

[chorfle]

It's kinda wild to think that Phil Spencer was talking about trying to buy Nintendo at one point

[SITSIndustries]

2:04:40 Alex suggesting Rich be found naked in a parking lot. Bookmarking timestamp for posterity.

[babble]

Richard has a dead pixel on his right shoulder.

[BradJohannsen]

Double Fine, Ninja Theory and inexile must be terrified right now

[Polyhdron]

Are we seriously in “Wait for E3” mode again for Xbox? Ugh they are so done and I am so done with them. Cancelled my Game Pass and won’t be an active Xbox Live subscriber for the first time since it launched. The Xbox execs have lost control of their own strategy and higher level execs are destroying their division. Ninja Theory is definitely next, Tameem has already left. Xbox is cooked.

[lyserberg]

John got his stubble back on cuz he knows the gravity of the situation.

[russmiddleton]

Added problem for XBox is why would anyone want to work for a studio owned by MS.

[Sambrowski]

I cancelled my Game Pass subscription this week. This isn't the way.

[captiosus]

“Have somewhat stagnated in recent months”? Boy that’s a generous take, John. From the now-redacted FTC leak documents last year, we know they had a combined 34m subscribers across Game Pass and Gold as of April 2022. Just this last February, they proudly announced they had 34M “Game Pass subscribers” which now includes Game Pass Core, formerly known as Gold. Exact same number, they just shuffled the deck chairs. Growth stalled *two years ago*.

[Fit_Dad_Bod_]

I’d have to imagine the industry-wide morale is crushed right now. If you’re bought and think you’re protected with MS/Sony money, you lose your job. If you’re indie and can’t find ways to secure funding, you lose your job/paycheck. If you make failed games, you lose your job. If you make successful games, you also lose your job.

How can people commit to making great games (or even any) when there’s this Sword of Damocles constantly hanging over them? We can’t keep living like this man

[kingmanic]

On institutional knowledge: Their internal studios were all on 18 month non-rewable contracts that forbade working at any MS subsidiary for 9 months. They actively sought to crush any institutional knowledge. That policy hollows out all MS studios of any staff below snr management to have any institutional knowledge. They want their staff to be interchangeable and not have anything that relies on specific talent. They have been heavily focused on not having institutional knowledge which might be why their products are fairly generic.

[autoscopy]

Hi-Fi Rush was shadow dropped after Ghost Wire Toyko flopped. Microsoft probably had every intention to to shut down the studio after that. That's the reason for no marketing for Hi-Fi Rush prerelease.

[RealDaveTheFreak]

I actually hope that a lot of the closed studios make their own small companies (NOT publicly traded) and show them big corps what it's actually like long term to get rid of the people creating the actual value.

[ogto]

john is one eyepatch away from a Punished Linneman look.

heartbreaking xbox studio closures, fuck the system.

[Kapono]

On a positive note, Microsoft shouldn’t be allowed to buy anymore studios just to close them

[asmodeusml]

The most baffling thing about the closure of Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks is that they get axed while 343 Industries with half a thousand people gets 15 years and counting of creating games, all of which failed to live to their promises.