The Current State of Every Xbox Franchise

[@Legend-of-Kai]

Sorry guys, really needed to hit that 8min mark. In all seriousness by the time this video is out, it'll most likely be inaccurate...I wonder which company Microsoft will buy next?

[@CyberneticHype]

Hopefully we’ll get some positive updates at Sunday’s showcase.

[@maximoperez4750]

I hope Sony Buy Activision Blizzard and Microsoft Buy interplay in 2025

[@madmaster0015]

If you take a shot every time he talks about a franchise Microsoft originally owned, created, or published, you're going to be sober.

[@velar25]

You know, its weird saying "Microsoft franchisees" when a bunch of the studios in this video were their own thing just a few years ago. Great video btw.

[@BenHDR]

Yeah, it's genuinely crazy. A history of Microsoft's acquisitions in gaming: Aces Game Studio (1995) - [Closed] Access Software (1999) - [Sold to Take-2] FASA Studio (1999) - [Closed] Digital Anvil (2000) - [Closed] Bungie (2000) - [Spun-Off] Ensemble Studios (2001) - [Closed] Rare (2002) Lionhead Studios (2006) - [Closed] BigPark (2009) - [Closed] Twisted Pixel (2011) - [Spun-Off] Press Play (2012) - [Closed] Mojang Studios (2014) Undead Labs (2018) Playground Games (2018) Ninja Theory (2018) Compulsion Games (2018) InXile Entertainment (2018) Obsidian Entertainment (2018) Double Fine Productions (2019) Bethesda Game Studios (2020) ZeniMax Online Studios (2020) id Software (2020) Arkane Studios (2020) Tango Gameworks (2020) - [Closed] Machine Games (2020) Alpha Dog Games (2020) - [Closed] Roundhouse Studio (2020) - [Closed] Raven Software (2021) Infinity Ward (2021) Treyarch Studios (2021) Radical Entertainment (2021) Beenox (2021) Toys for Bob (2021) - [Spun-Off] High Moon Studios (2021) Demonware (2021) Sledgehammer Games (2021) Shanghai Studio (2021) Solid State Studios (2021) Digital Legends (2021) Blizzard Entertainment (2021) Proletariat (2021) Incubation (2021) King Digital Entertainment (2021)

[@Bombman297]

@@BenHDR Tango Gameworks was reopened by Krafton

[@BenHDR]

@@Bombman297 You're replying to a comment that is a month old, lol

[@FTChomp9980]

Banjo Kazooie hasn't seen a new entry since Nuts and Bolts but man I want the Bear and Bird to return! And Conker well I want him back to despite being dead.

[@maximoperez4750]

Banjo kazooie conker killer instinct sabre wulf rc pro am and rare ltd games are flagship not dead idiot

[@maximoperez4750]

Banjo is dead

[@TheDr502]

Rareware did announce a new game, but it's not one of their old franchises. It's a brand-new one. Honestly, I think Perfect Dark should've been listed in the Zombie or Dead tier along with BK and Conker. They've talked about this PD sequel for years, and nothing's come of it. It's like Beyond Good & Evil 2 at this point. "Oh, it'll come out someday, guys! Just be patient! Any day now...".

[@FTChomp9980]

@@TheDr502 I know it is EverWild I would like to know more details on it but the game is in production hell.

[@maximoperez4750]

Thats rare not rareware

[@luske2]

Finally! I've been so hyped for your next "state of" video. Cool to see you finally tackle a non-Japanese company.

[@alfredocoronado712]

Good job, SNK and Ubisoft are worth their own video

[@gustyko8668]

As well as: EA, Arc System Works, WB Games and ugh.... Embracer Group 🤢. That's all I can think of.

[@alfredocoronado712]

Lots of content, good for the viewers

[@BenHDR]

@@gustyko8668 I'd add Take-Two Interactive and potentially Tencent to that list. Valve would be interesting but they don't have a particularly large amount of IP compared to other developers

[@A_kh669]

Crash Bandicoot in a Microsoft franchises video, that's still insane to me

[@maximoperez4750]

But crash bandicoot is mascot of Sony not xbox

[@kdr_roxas]

​@@maximoperez4750 he used to be anyway

[@maximoperez4750]

You right

[@BenHDR]

​@@maximoperez4750 To be fair, Crash Bandicoot hasn't been a PlayStation mascot for decades at this point. IIRC, the last PlayStation-exclusive Crash game was released in 2001. Even the original trilogy is now playable on Xbox, Nintendo and PC. Not to mention there was a handful of Nintendo-exclusive Crash Bandicoot games throughout the 2000's. Same goes for Spyro. Sony shot themselves in the foot by using three characters they didn't actually own (Tomb Raider, Crash Bandicoot & Spyro) as their console mascots during the 90's. The companies that owned those franchises realised they could make more money by selling the games on other platforms rather than taking whatever amount of money Sony was trying to offer them It's why during the following console generations, Sony had Insomniac Games (the original developers of Spyro) make Ratchet & Clank, an IP that is fully owned by Sony. Same goes for Naughty Dog (the original developers of Crash Bandicoot) going on to make Jak & Daxter + Uncharted as Sony-owned replacements for Crash Bandicoot & Tomb Raider

[@maximoperez4750]

Stut up

[@KoalaSpace360]

You forgot Fusion frenzy, Ori, Doritos crash course, Splosion Man, Jetpac and Snake Rattle N Roll

[@backupschmliff1156]

Ori is an indie game. Xbox doesn't own it.

[@KoalaSpace360]

@@backupschmliff1156Yeah, but Microsoft owns the ip

[@kingofgames2992]

​@@backupschmliff1156Microsoft does own it lol

[@backupschmliff1156]

@@BenHDR Do you guys just not read the very next comment?

[@X2011racer]

Jetpac would be part of the Jetman series, which consists of Jetpac, Lunar Jetman, Solar Jetman, and Jetpac Refueled.

[@HarukoPlease]

I was about to go to gym and didn't have anything to listen to This is just what I needed

[@Shadow-Joop-157]

The fact that hi-fi rush will never get a sequel because the developers are killed by Microsoft is so stupid that I understand that Microsoft is falling apart

[@Bombman297]

We're now getting a sequel since Tango Gameworks was reopened by Krafton

[@Shadow-Joop-157]

@@Bombman297 I know I am very happy with this, which I did not expect 2 months ago. Although that doesn't change the fact that Microsoft is falling apart and it's even gotten worse because the price of game pass has gone up and is confirmed to get even higher in the future

[@williamcarmon1018]

Dreamcast guy ahh comment🤣

[@Renas_Is_My_King]

Ubisoft and Warner Bros. Games, are good options. So make them please. your channel is the best!

[@danielclemente1253]

Both Bethesda and Activision are already covered in this video.

[@CyberneticHype]

This is the video about Bethesda and Activision lol

[@Renas_Is_My_King]

@@danielclemente1253 so that means Ubisoft and WB Games only

[@danielclemente1253]

​@@Renas_Is_My_King there also snk, take two and ugh, ea too.

[@Renas_Is_My_King]

@@danielclemente1253 True. There are alot of companies out there but the ones I mentioned are the ones I want him to make lol

[@joechapot]

Doom & Diablo are Flagships and Flight Simulator is a mainstay

[@irishguy167]

Been waiting on this one. Gg bro

[@Bassvolt]

Xbox really needs to get their shit together.

[@DanielSanchez-fs1nv]

Still waiting on that new Banjo-Kazooie adventure that's as big as Super Mario Galaxy/Odyssey... One can dream.

[@BenHDR]

An "insider / leaker" called Nate the Hate claims that a new Banjo-Kazooie game was greenlit back in 2022. If those claims are true (and that's a big "if"), I'd wager it would be Playtonic Games developing it. They're a studio headed up by former Rare developers who worked on the original Banjo-Kazooie games. They've been making the Yooka-Laylee franchise for a while now, which is supposed to be a spiritual successor to those games. They feel like the perfect fit

[@orangeslash1667]

@@BenHDRyooka laylee is getting a remake.

[@Vashkey]

I loved Nuts and Bolts. Way too hated. I get wanting a proper sequel but Nuts and Bolts was a fantastic game in its own right

[@Bassvolt]

It might be silly or unnecessary, but for games like Zorc, that might be dead but had great importance in gaming history you could make a tier and call it “honored dead” to really set it apart from the series’ that just didn’t stack up historically

[@Thewhateverchannel-z5y]

Good idea

[@junohchoi8618]

I've been waiting for this video! Thanks to you, I really enjoyed watching it. It's worth waiting for a few months lol. It's a lot of fun to watch. I actually needed to organize franchises by company, but now I can distinguish them easily. Take-Two, EA, Ubisoft, and SNK would be good options, too!

[@greatchase8889]

Looking forward to the current state of every Falcom franchise.

[@gustyko8668]

47:06 "in a similar vein to Sega's Twisted Metal".... dude, Twister Metal is Sony's. 😂

[@autobotstarscream765]

"Congratulations, you have won the tournament of Twisted Metal! Now, what is your wish?" "I want a snazzy new hat worthy of my genius...made from that speedy blue hedgehog, Sonic!"

[@Abhinav-jy8pd]

Let's go I've been waiting for this a long time

[@Vashkey]

1:19:45 the original Call of Duty supported 20 player matches. Its the crappy console port 'Call of Duty Classic' from 2009 thats stuck with the 8 player cap. The miltiplayer was a substantial part of the original Call of Duty.

[@hoseinbmr3449]

i know crash bandicoot was never owned by PlayStation ... but it is still so weird to see crash on THIS list

[@KaizokuGaeru]

Well the Summer Games Fest is here and the Xbox Showcase is next week. Let’s see how poorly this video ages. But nice video as always.

[@RioluJH]

After the showcase the only changes I would do are Age of Empires in mainstay and Doom in flagship.

[@lumirairazbyte9697]

Seems pessimistic about Overwatch being in the life support tier. Although the competitive scene is crippled out and the PvE officially dead, the game as it is, is doing “fine”. By fine, I mean that the playerbase will slowly recover as more updates focuses more on its core gameplay. EDIT: By the way, the death of the OWL, also killed the exclusivity Blizzard had on overwatch as an esport, as once again, independent and third party tournaments is being held place.

[@sharkeatingleeks4042]

Updates: State of Decay 3 got another trailer, yay Age of Mythology Retold exists, maybe it gets to move up a tier? They're still working on Perfect Dark! And Fable as well!

[@silkdust8069]

I know officially speaking it doesnt have many games in the franchise but Doom not being in flagship just feels...wrong

[@vent3942]

Just saying and maybe I'm wrong, already with big one so what about small one like Falcom or Idea Factory

[@backupschmliff1156]

Falcom and ATLUS have low key been the goats of the JRPG industry for the last 20 years. They do not miss.

[@rezara9510]

I think no other company can reach this size in gaming ever They are not even comparable with other publishers

[@BenHDR]

Tencent has entered the chat

[@Bombman297]

Just because Microsoft buys game studios, doesn't guarantee quality games

[@luske2]

Embracer Group next? Or maybe EA? 👀

[@walkingmarshmallow6895]

Didn't kinect sports release a third game recently?

[@Maiermahmood5682]

Thank you so much Kai

[@bozodluffy1818]

Falcom when 🗣️ great video as usual love when these come out

[@zaksharman]

You missed The Outer Worlds, Obsidian's latest franchise

[@Bombman297]

That franchise only had one game but will probably be updated when the sequel comes out.

[@jacobs.9661]

I will never forgive Microsoft for killing Tango and Hi-Fi Rush. I'm sorry but I don't think I can recover from that.

[@stormtalksgames]

I think we need to analyze the current state of Xbox and Microsoft right now rather than their franchises lol

[@felipesantos-er4kk]

Fine then

[@vitilio]

Blue Dragon was developed by Mistwalker Corporation, not Rare

[@X2011racer]

Nope. It's actually Artoon, believe it or not. The same Artoon responsible for Yoshi's Island DS and The King of Fighters EX: Neoblood.

[@maximoperez4750]

The same company Made blinx and blinx 2

[@tirex3673]

I would put AoE in mainstay. AoEII,III&IV have all gotten new expansions recently or are getting them soon and AoM has a remake coming out.

[@jonathanespinosa5286]

Great video been waiting on this one 🤩

[@Maiermahmood5682]

well i've already requested that video so your welcome 😉

[@calendavis5151]

Forgot the Hellblade and ‘Splosion Man duology games Also do these state of franchises videos for more of these Game Studios Warner Bros Games SNK Ubisoft EA Arc System Works Epic Games Tencent/Epic Games/Remedy Take-Two Interactive Embracer Group Devolver Digital Cd Projekt “Etc.”

[@TuckerswordsINC]

What about every Atari franchise? Pong, Breakout, Asteroids, Centipede, Tempest, Yars, Berzerk, Missile Command, Warlords, RollerCoaster Tycoon, Bubsy, Backyard Sports, and Haunted House for example.

[@silkdust8069]

Funny how whenever people talk about halo they forget about spartan strike and spartan assault which were a twin stick shooter take on halo, I'd probably call them the only good games 343 made

[@X2011racer]

I have a few corrections regarding your placements: 1. Skylanders should be on the Dead catagory, as Activision has since been doing whatever they can to get consumers to forget Skylanders ever existed. No Skylanders mobile games are still in operation officially, with Ring of Heroes ending service in 2022. Skylanders Academy was immediately denied the Green Light by Activision once season 3 premiered, which ended with Spyro leaving Skylands to find his own Dragonkind. No more Skylanders merchandise has been produced after Superchargers. However, references to Skylanders have been made, such as the Dark Spyro skin and boss in Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled and Crash on the Run respectively, the Eruptor balloon in Crash 4, and an announcer line for Spyro in a KO streak in Crash Team Rumble. 2. Banjo-Kazooie would be in the Zombie tier, as the series has recently received new merchandise since Banjo & Kazooie have appeared as a DLC fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, alongside a rerelease on Nintendo 64 - Nintendo Switch Online, but there's no plans nor indication for a new game on the Horizon. 3. In light of the news that Toys for Bob has gone indie, Crash would be on the It Exists tier now that there are no more developers left to work on Crash. Beenox has been mentioned several times in such discussions, but they are currently working as a support developer for Call of Duty. Also a small info update, R.C. Pro-AM did have another game planned after R.C. Pro-AM 2, which was for the Nintendo 64. It was originally Pro-AM 64, but it was later reworked into Diddy Kong Racing.

[@yellowvespagts300]

You forgot about Obsidian's Other Worlds. Sequel was announced few years ago so i assume we can put it in it exist tier

[@sirekumasutra7022]

Not sure if you're doing any more companies, but I'd love to see 2K, Ubisoft, and of course EA lol. Good video!

[@kingofgames2992]

So who is next 👀

[@BensyBens]

took me 2 days to watch it all but i glad i manage to finish this video. i don't hate microsoft but i really not a fan of them buying publishers, i guess this is why it took me days to finish watching it. i don't care about sierra/vivendi/universal games and really think an activision-blizzard separated video could work better than the entire microsoft ip ownership vortex. by the way i would say banjo is a zombie tier than dead (banjo is in smash bros and still getting merchandise). i wrote it in the other videos but i still think you need to do a video on snk or arc system works or ubisoft or even wb games.

[@jamesross5724]

Great work as always! I just noticed one franchise missing from this listing, but I'm guessing that Wizards & Warriors would just be one more entry into the dead tier. Seriously, why are there always so few flagships and mainstays and so many dead franchises in these videos? Anyway, keep up the good work! P.S. I'd love to see SNK be the next publisher up.

[@BenHDR]

Wizards and Warriors isn't owned by Microsoft, which is why it isn't included in this video. While it was developed by Rare, it was published by Acclaim Entertainment, who went bankrupt and sold a boatload of their franchises (including W&W) to a company called Throwback Entertainment. While Rare themselves own the publishing rights to the original NES/GameBoy titles, they do not actually own the franchise, branding, trademarks, etc.

[@jamesross5724]

@@BenHDR Ahh, I see. Thanks for the clarification!

[@Bombman297]

Forgot to mention Doritos' Crash Course

[@TheCarloalberto95]

The first Prey Is such a good game!

[@TheDr502]

Lord Almighty, look at that graveyard of Rareware franchises. It's horrible. Microsoft's mismanagement of this once-sterling studio is on full display in this video.

[@BenHDR]

The only small upside is they are (finally, if rumours are to be believed) showing interest in bringing some of that IP back GoldenEye just got a remasterd port for Xbox and Switch. Perfect Dark is being developed at The Initiative, a new Killer Instinct is reportedly in the works (rumours indicate Bandai-Namco are involved, although Iron Galaxy studios have also expressed interest in making their own sequel to the 2013 reboot since taking over as support developers for it in 2017). Plus there are reports that Xbox greenlit a new Banjo-Kazooie game in late 2022 The Battletoads IP got given to Dlala Studio back in 2020 for that reboot, but it didn't exactly review well, so who knows whether Microsoft will greenlight another game in the franchise. I don't think it particularly sold well Plus Rare themselves are working on a new IP alongside Sea of Thieves called Everwild, which supposedly takes inspiration from Viva Piñata

[@TheDr502]

@@BenHDR Hmm, interesting. I wasn't aware that Initiative was developing a new PD game. I also had no idea MS had greenlit a new BK or a new KI. The only concern now is that these are reports, not official statements from MS's top management. I fell out of the Rareware loop after BK Nuts & Bolts bombed. With that said, Sea of Thieves is a great game, and it shows that the Rareware magic isn't completely gone. At the same time, however, I remember how some Nintendo "insider" claimed there was a new Star Fox racing game in development after Star Fox Zero bombed. As a result, I only listen to new game announcements from company management and actual gameplay trailers, two things that happened with the new PD announcement. That's why I believe a new PD game will be coming out. Once MS's top management announces a new BK and/or KI (aka not rumors from "insiders" who are oftentimes internet trolls), I'll have more faith in this studio.

[@BenHDR]

@@TheDr502 Completely understandable, and a sensible stance to take. Yeah, Perfect Dark's gameplay reveal was at the Xbox Showcase a few weeks back, so you may not have caught it due to so many trailers releasing at once While it's not an official confirmation by any means, Phil Spencer did an interview with Windows Central in December of last year where he said: "You've seen from our history that we haven't touched every franchise people would love us to touch - Banjo fans, we hear you - but it is true that when we find the right team and the right opportunity, we love going back to revisit stories and characters that we've seen previously." One can only hope!

[@maximoperez4750]

Rare not rareware

[@BrabyTheCool177]

it still blows my mind that cod is a microsoft game when back then halo and cod were competing with eachother back in the day

[@joser1853]

Christ these videos are amazing. When you run out of gaming companies maybe try other things.

[@nicholasapodaca9886]

Imagine being bought out by Microsoft and having all of your hardworking, passionate developers replaced by H1B visa temps.

[@scorpionkiller8881]

I’m surprised you went with Microsoft first out of all the western publishers lol now you just gotta do Ea, Ubisoft, WB, Valve, and Take-Two (Yes I know there are other publishers shut up lol)

[@Thewhateverchannel-z5y]

I think out of all of those Xbox is definitely the biggest

[@victorivanrodriguezgonzale4689]

When I discovered Geometry wars in PGR I spent more time driving that small spaceship rather than cars 😂

[@mrpurplejeans]

Take-two Embracer Group Electronic Arts Warner Bros Games Ubisoft Would be dope videos

[@Jumpman-64]

Id love to see you do Atari next for Current states of Franchises.

[@RespectTheLogos3]

Videos on Atari, WB Games, SNK, EA, Embracer Group, Take-Two and Ubisoft would be great.

[@GreatRaijin]

Probably should have waited a few more days for the xbox showcase

[@topatoman]

Overwatch has an absolutely massive active player base. Bigger than everything outside of top tier, and bigger than some of those too. Despite your personal experience, the series is very much not on life support

[@giganticmoon]

instead of franchises we gotta go by studios next time closing them down one by one

[@gmwes]

man I loved playing the pitfall mobile game on my ipad way back when

[@maximoperez4750]

It's the endless runner just like crash bandicoot on the run

[@Maiermahmood5682]

Now can you do the current state of every Ubisoft franchise

[@battle2554]

Microsoft they don’t care about gaming they just want another monopoly

[@Thewhateverchannel-z5y]

Does anyone else remember the costume quest tv show?

[@maximoperez4750]

Conker was developed By rare not angel studios

[@NintendoSegaGuys]

Xbox really doesn't have a lot going for it. I enjoyed a few titles on 360 a while back but I guess they were all either one-offs or 3rd party.

[@mattboy2389]

Wolfenstein is a mainstay and Doom is a flagship fight me

[@AlejandroGonzalez-tn8hi]

R.I.P banjo kazooie 😞

[@maximoperez4750]

Thank god

[@liammcnicholas918]

1:06 It’s pronounced id, as in Sigmund Freud

[@SolarGold2007]

alternate title: Soft-voiced Australian Zelda fanboy lists games no-one has played in 30 years for two hours

[@SquadHunta117]

Almost 2 hours Microsoft a big dog they must gotta lot of ips

[@linkvagar2336]

Sea of Thieves?

[@gustyko8668]

It's just one game.

[@RJS2003]

An apt time to upload this video since XBox is in the toilet right now lmao. Phil Spencer has failed us.

[@felipesantos-er4kk]

Source: Trust me bro

[@gustyko8668]

It's not entirely his fault, there's the fact that Microsoft's higher-ups (the whole company, not just Xbox), want to see what they spended back to them and doubled or even tripled.

[@RJS2003]

@@felipesantos-er4kk Source: Having eyes

[@carlbman]

worse thing that happen 0.04

[@ritzkola2302]

DEAD

[@NetBattler]

Absolute dead.

[@felipesantos-er4kk]

Stop crying dude