Have you heard about? Guardiana surreal puzzle game from Double Fine in which you wordlessly play the role of a lighthouse? It’s weird and a bit brief, but Guardian it’s also a unique experience for fans and critics alike they seem to be enjoyable.
Despite a toasty critical reception, the ambitious adventure game is currently enjoying great popularity approximately 100 concurrent players on Steam. He has this number sparked a discussion on social media about the game’s success and the role marketing played in ensuring that result. For every fan you speak highly of Guardianis clearly a surprised fan who didn’t realize Double Fine was working on a novel game – much less that it was released last week. But does this mean the game failed?
Double Fine is owned by Microsoft, which immediately complicates the circumstances surrounding the game. Especially, Guardian was released simultaneously on Windows PC and Xbox Game Pass, and the number of players on Microsoft’s subscription service is not public. Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but shared, among other things: Guardian are typical of the company. Game Pass may showcase big-ticket releases as a reason to pay for the service, but on a monthly basis, it’s the smaller games that make things tick. It’s not uncommon for fans to say they tried something simply because it was available on Game Pass, or that they’ll wait to try something when it becomes available on Game Pass.
And while Microsoft insists it’s already thinking about the next generation of Xbox devices, the tech company has repeatedly signaled that it’s moving far beyond the boundaries of proprietary hardware. That’s why you can utilize Game Pass on a wide range of products, and why Xbox games are increasingly being released on PlayStation and Nintendo consoles. Hardware exclusivity seems to be a thing of the past. By proxy, Game Pass could be a true flagship for the Xbox brand. And what “success” looks like on Game Pass is very different from what it looks like on Steam.
The most vital thing on Steam is the number of players. A good player count ensures visibility in places like the Popular Releases tab, and if not, attracts media attention. In the case of Game Pass, things are not that elementary. If the Netflix model is the most appropriate comparison, then huge hits are not everything. Netflix needs series like Squid Game catch on, but for users to stick around, they need things to watch between seasons of high-profile shows. To that end, Netflix offers a buffet of shows that can appeal to almost every type of viewer imaginable, regardless of niche. These shows or movies may not attract the same audience Squid game Or Stranger things yes, but they are also cheaper and faster to make. Where Call of Duty reportedly costs $700 million and has multiple studios, Guardian’the budget and scope are probably much more modest.
Historically, Double Fine has never been a studio with huge mainstream appeal. His games are loved by the people who play thembut it seems unlikely that Microsoft would buy the studio expecting a huge return on its investment. Much like when Netflix uses eminent actors and directors, Microsoft’s interest in Double Fine likely reflects a desire for prestige. That’s not to say that Microsoft wouldn’t welcome commercial success wherever it can achieve it, but what it expects from Double Fine is probably very different from what it expects from, say, Minecraft. You don’t fund a game about being a lighthouse thinking it’s going to be the next one Fortnite.
You Down fund the odd game about being a lighthouse if you intend to create a service that offers consistent and reliable production of desired games. Such a regular cadence cannot be fully supported by high-budget games that require thousands of people, many years and many millions of dollars. Instead, Game Pass’s value proposition is enhanced by astute investments in mid-market games from developers with a proven track record like Double Fine. The value these games provide may be immediate, but by its nature the subscription model is a long-term game. Any forceful product that Microsoft can create and own in-house is a valuable asset compared to games available on other platforms that may only be available on Game Pass for a constrained time.
Microsoft is in a weird place right now. It’s raising prices on Game Pass and Xbox hardware, which would mean it’s offering premium exclusives… except those experiences also do well on competitor platforms. All the time, Microsoft constantly reminds us about the novel generation of the console, which gives the impression that the company is already abandoning its current system. However, Microsoft still owns many of the biggest gaming studios, from Activision to Mojang. Many of these developers are in the process of creating or releasing games for the current generation, e.g Outer worlds 2 AND Forza Horizon 6.
Inevitably, anything Microsoft does or publishes these days will be viewed critically and skeptically. Double Fine just gets caught in the crossfire.
