Text/Uncle Li of Po County [www.gamermarch.com of the Pleasure Machine Club (please indicate the source for reprinting)]
In the changing world of gaming, Microsoft's Xbox 360 used big-budget games as its differentiating trump card. However, with the recent layoffs, this strategy seems to have come to an end. The wave of layoffs in the gaming industry is not only a collective reflection on the huge and unsustainable budget strategy, but also a profound discussion of the future development path of the entire industry.
In the '80s and '90s, games were produced with short production cycles and unlimited creativity, but today's development cycles for large-scale games can often be several years, with an average cycle of 7-8 years, which is undoubtedly a huge test for game production teams and investors. In 2015, when the alarm bells rang for big-budget games, many hoped that the next gaming cycle would return to rationality and sustainability, but the reality didn't seem to be as it should be, and the game development scene now appears sparsely populated and resource-intensive.
A recent remark by Matt Booty, director of Microsoft's Xbox Game Studios, seems to kick off this change: "We need small games that can bring us prestige and rewards. "This not only marks a re-examination of Microsoft's strategy, but also a major shift in the gaming industry.
（图，Matt Booty）
But the price it came at a great price, with several rounds of layoffs following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard and recent rumors of the closure of four first-party studios, and the number of closures could be even more.
This change is long overdue, but it is undoubtedly the right direction. Not only will it bring a more diverse and sustainable development model to the gaming industry, but it will also open up new opportunities for developers who are marginalized in big-budget game production. Just as the glory of the PlayStation 2 era proved that no game can fit everyone, but there is something for everyone, and this diversity is the most valuable asset of the gaming industry.
The social impact of this event is also reflected in the focus on social hotspots. Games are closely related to our low-level cognition, different people have different cognitive needs, and the centralized production model of large-budget games not only limits players' choices, but also ignores the creativity of developers. Now, with Microsoft's transition, small, diverse game production models are expected to take center stage, not only as a salvation for the gaming industry, but also as a reward for the majority of players.
With this new trend in the game industry, the game world will be more colorful in the future. And for developers, this is undoubtedly the beginning of a new era, a new era full of opportunities and challenges.
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Microsoft Game Studios
Introduction: Microsoft Game Studios (MGS), formerly known as Microsoft Game Division, has been using its current trademark and name since 2002 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft that develops and publishes games for Windows-based PCs and Xbox and Xbox 360 consoles. MGS publishes games for several Microsoft-owned first-party developers, including Bungie Studios and Rare, as well as games made by third-party developers such as Bioware and Bizarre Creations.
Founded: 2002
Headquarters: Redmond, Washington, USA
代表作品：Xbox 360，Xbox One，Xbox One Serious
The first release of Microsoft's first-party studio titles will be added to the XGP subscription list.