1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:01,204 Welcome to Prankers. 2 00:00:01,204 --> 00:00:05,486 Today I'm gonna prank my dad into funding a God of War Game-as-a-Service. 3 00:00:11,732 --> 00:00:14,244 KYLE: This week, we were graced and inconvenienced 4 00:00:14,244 --> 00:00:17,831 by a brand-new Xbox Developer Direct. 5 00:00:17,831 --> 00:00:19,681 Last year I thought it was funny 6 00:00:19,681 --> 00:00:23,240 that they used the exact same opening song 2 years in a row. 7 00:00:23,240 --> 00:00:24,925 [bright music] 8 00:00:24,925 --> 00:00:29,288 Now, this year it would be silly to assume they'd try anything new. 9 00:00:29,288 --> 00:00:30,748 It's copy and paste at this point. 10 00:00:30,748 --> 00:00:37,163 [same bright music] 11 00:00:37,163 --> 00:00:44,550 Why that's weird is that Xbox's whole business has changed dramatically since January of 2023 12 00:00:44,550 --> 00:00:45,891 and so has its marketing. 13 00:00:45,891 --> 00:00:50,647 But for some reason, the Developer Direct remains unchanged. 14 00:00:50,647 --> 00:00:54,222 Someone at Microsoft likes these exactly the way they are. 15 00:00:54,222 --> 00:00:54,918 But you know what? 16 00:00:54,918 --> 00:00:58,774 That makes the small ways in which they are different stand out even more. 17 00:00:58,774 --> 00:00:59,590 Here are: 18 00:01:02,889 --> 00:01:03,564 Firstly: 19 00:01:05,865 --> 00:01:09,013 For some reason, there was a brand-new warning 20 00:01:09,013 --> 00:01:11,147 at the beginning of this year's presentation. 21 00:01:16,218 --> 00:01:18,153 I'm not sure that would stand out to anyone, right? 22 00:01:18,153 --> 00:01:22,770 That doesn't seem unusual. But Xbox has never done that before. 23 00:01:22,770 --> 00:01:24,887 Even looking at their most recent game showcase, 24 00:01:24,887 --> 00:01:27,118 all they had was this Mature Content warning. 25 00:01:27,118 --> 00:01:30,516 But the Developer Direct warning doesn't stop there. 26 00:01:30,516 --> 00:01:33,604 Turns out, it's not really a warning. It says: 27 00:01:37,180 --> 00:01:40,234 Oh, got it! So this is just commercial time. 28 00:01:40,234 --> 00:01:45,057 Back when Xbox deleted Day 1 benefits from the regular Game Pass tier, 29 00:01:45,057 --> 00:01:48,774 I was making light of the fact they couldn't say their favorite phrase anymore, 30 00:01:49,357 --> 00:01:50,695 "Day 1 with Game Pass." 31 00:01:50,695 --> 00:01:54,017 Look, Game Pass Ultimate is the one that has Day 1 games. 32 00:01:54,017 --> 00:01:56,468 Core and Standard do not. 33 00:01:56,468 --> 00:02:00,547 How silly of you to think Standard Game Pass would have Day 1. 34 00:02:00,547 --> 00:02:04,144 But they just keep saying it. Nothing's actually changed. 35 00:02:04,144 --> 00:02:08,150 You gotta read between the lines. PC and Ultimate is implied here. 36 00:02:08,150 --> 00:02:08,444 [HONK] 37 00:02:08,444 --> 00:02:10,317 You know what, you'll figure it out when you get to the website. 38 00:02:10,317 --> 00:02:12,384 The good news warning continues: 39 00:02:23,059 --> 00:02:26,481 It sits in the same portion of a presentation 40 00:02:26,481 --> 00:02:29,990 where you would typically have some sort of disclaimer. 41 00:02:29,990 --> 00:02:33,405 However, at this point, it is purely commercial speech. 42 00:02:33,405 --> 00:02:37,822 And this, to me, IS Xbox right now. 43 00:02:37,822 --> 00:02:41,785 This is the current mission statement of the Xbox brand. 44 00:02:41,785 --> 00:02:42,906 Finally: 45 00:02:44,225 --> 00:02:47,488 appears and then a silly little animation for it. 46 00:02:47,488 --> 00:02:51,372 And that's really what they give you. They give you a little show. 47 00:02:51,372 --> 00:02:55,928 Less than ever, this feels like developers directly talking to you 48 00:02:55,928 --> 00:02:59,632 and more like they're just putting on a little play for us 49 00:02:59,632 --> 00:03:03,608 that was written by their PR managers who are grinding their teeth backstage. 50 00:03:03,608 --> 00:03:04,839 Consider this moment here. 51 00:03:04,839 --> 00:03:07,515 MARTY STRATTON: --at our most ambitious game yet. 52 00:03:07,515 --> 00:03:10,217 This is Doom: The Dark Ages. 53 00:03:10,217 --> 00:03:12,180 HUGO MARTIN: That was so stupid I mouthed the words. 54 00:03:12,180 --> 00:03:15,026 [everyone laughs] 55 00:03:15,026 --> 00:03:19,229 KYLE: I think that's a fun, honest, humorous moment. 56 00:03:19,229 --> 00:03:22,999 However, it is only funny, it can only exist, 57 00:03:22,999 --> 00:03:27,359 because everything up to that point WAS rehearsed, WAS scripted. 58 00:03:27,359 --> 00:03:30,091 It's funny because of how weird everything else feels. 59 00:03:30,091 --> 00:03:31,379 This could be filled with developers 60 00:03:31,379 --> 00:03:34,268 genuinely talking off-the-cuff about what they've been working on, 61 00:03:34,268 --> 00:03:37,641 but for the most part, it's fluffy, meaningless mission statements. 62 00:03:37,641 --> 00:03:41,285 JASMIN ROY: At Compulsion Games, we love to craft around central themes. 63 00:03:42,616 --> 00:03:46,555 Another big difference between Developer Directs in previous years is: 64 00:03:48,207 --> 00:03:56,161 The very indignity of seeing PS5 advertised in an Xbox showcase. 65 00:03:56,161 --> 00:03:58,698 Now, one might think, "Obviously in previous years 66 00:03:58,698 --> 00:04:02,566 they were all Xbox exclusives. There was no opportunity to put PS5 in here." 67 00:04:02,566 --> 00:04:05,983 But no, look at Visions of Mana and Minecraft Legends here, 68 00:04:05,983 --> 00:04:08,957 free from the blight of PlayStation references. 69 00:04:08,957 --> 00:04:12,151 By the way, they only did these funny doodles Year 1. 70 00:04:13,267 --> 00:04:14,658 They stopped that immediately. 71 00:04:14,658 --> 00:04:17,705 But yeah, even as recently as last year's Xbox Showcase, 72 00:04:17,705 --> 00:04:19,663 they didn't mention the PS5. 73 00:04:19,663 --> 00:04:21,860 But why would you? You don't do that kind of thing. 74 00:04:21,860 --> 00:04:23,706 Nintendo doesn't do that. Sony doesn't do that. 75 00:04:23,706 --> 00:04:27,419 You don't talk about-- You don't advertise other people's consoles. 76 00:04:27,419 --> 00:04:28,421 That's ridiculous. 77 00:04:28,421 --> 00:04:31,015 [drawl] Well, lookee here. 78 00:04:31,015 --> 00:04:33,979 While this may not seem like a big deal at first glance, 79 00:04:33,979 --> 00:04:37,793 it is the indubitable flag representing the pivot. 80 00:04:37,793 --> 00:04:42,433 "From this day forth," says Xbox, "We do not fear the PS5. 81 00:04:42,433 --> 00:04:44,299 'Cause remember, all this stuff is on Game Pass. 82 00:04:44,299 --> 00:04:47,869 You could buy once, you could play it all on your Xbox and Xbox PC app. 83 00:04:47,869 --> 00:04:53,937 So really, if you buy this on PS5, you're only hurtin' yourself. 84 00:04:53,937 --> 00:04:56,994 Really, it's kinda stupid if you don't give us $20 a month. 85 00:04:57,757 --> 00:04:59,927 Kinda just wasting your income. 86 00:04:59,927 --> 00:05:01,677 Kinda think you're bad at economics." 87 00:05:01,677 --> 00:05:04,130 Last big change, for the first time in one of these: 88 00:05:06,929 --> 00:05:09,553 Remember, the beauty of a Developer Direct 89 00:05:09,553 --> 00:05:13,652 is that there are no manipulative, hotshot trailers, 90 00:05:13,652 --> 00:05:16,147 no fancy editing. Give me sloppy editing. 91 00:05:16,147 --> 00:05:17,402 HAZEL'S MOM: As long as you didn't forget the-- 92 00:05:17,402 --> 00:05:19,105 HAZEL: --flashlights and batteries. 93 00:05:19,105 --> 00:05:21,003 HAZEL'S MOM: Oh, shoot, we've got 5 minutes. 94 00:05:21,003 --> 00:05:23,642 KYLE: Yeah, that hits the spot. And you know what else? 95 00:05:23,642 --> 00:05:25,489 I like it when developers are talking, 96 00:05:25,489 --> 00:05:27,942 not reading off of some teleprompter somewhere. 97 00:05:28,052 --> 00:05:31,943 STRATTON: A lot has changed since then but our team is as passionate as ever. 98 00:05:31,943 --> 00:05:35,439 KYLE: That's what I'm talkin' about. Trailers are for other shows. 99 00:05:35,439 --> 00:05:38,822 Developer Directs, 50 minutes of authenticity. 100 00:05:38,822 --> 00:05:42,388 But really, the most exciting portion of this Developer Direct 101 00:05:42,388 --> 00:05:46,219 was not just the revelation that a pretty nice Ninja Gaiden 4 102 00:05:46,219 --> 00:05:49,773 is in development from Team Ninja and Platinum Games, 103 00:05:49,773 --> 00:05:56,362 but also that Ninja Gaiden 2 Black exists and it looks better than this new game. And: 104 00:06:01,393 --> 00:06:05,100 Kind of confusing sentence. I see now why they're typing out PS5. 105 00:06:05,100 --> 00:06:08,990 But what I mean to say is, after all this, I do wonder if 106 00:06:08,990 --> 00:06:15,748 the tried and true Nintendo Direct method of trailer, explanation, information 107 00:06:15,748 --> 00:06:18,292 is still the best way to do this kind of thing. 108 00:06:18,663 --> 00:06:21,164 Look at how they introduced Expedition 33. 109 00:06:23,864 --> 00:06:31,739 [somber piano plays] 110 00:06:31,739 --> 00:06:38,259 [French singing] 111 00:06:38,259 --> 00:06:39,670 GUILLAUME BROCHE: Bonjour, everyone. 112 00:06:39,670 --> 00:06:42,695 KYLE: Yeah, they were in no rush to show you that video game. 113 00:06:42,695 --> 00:06:44,677 "First things first, look at these tall ceilings." 114 00:06:44,677 --> 00:06:46,810 To be clear, though, I do think Expedition 33 115 00:06:46,810 --> 00:06:49,282 brought the best presentation of the entire direct, 116 00:06:49,282 --> 00:06:53,921 demonstrating clearly how it's both similar and different to your expectations, 117 00:06:53,921 --> 00:06:58,061 unafraid to expose its pointlessly complicated passive effect system, 118 00:06:58,061 --> 00:07:01,388 and a true enthusiasm to introduce the world map. 119 00:07:01,388 --> 00:07:04,170 Okay, almost true enthusiasm. 120 00:07:04,696 --> 00:07:08,612 Try to tell me when this developer reiterates that there's a world map, 121 00:07:08,612 --> 00:07:10,366 that it comes off as unscripted. 122 00:07:10,366 --> 00:07:13,549 TOM GUILLERMAN: --a completely 3D and navigatable world map. 123 00:07:13,549 --> 00:07:15,057 Yes, we've got a world map. 124 00:07:15,057 --> 00:07:19,337 KYLE: To me, it's just incredibly off-putting how seemingly afraid they are 125 00:07:19,337 --> 00:07:25,156 to just let developers speak freely in a potentially sub-optimal manner. 126 00:07:25,536 --> 00:07:29,604 "What if it's not entertaining enough? We could lose viewers." 127 00:07:30,795 --> 00:07:35,151 But, in fairness, they never promised a documentary. 128 00:07:35,151 --> 00:07:37,007 In fact, I wonder if that WAS a warning. 129 00:07:39,974 --> 00:07:42,920 MENACING VOICE: Enjoy the show. 130 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:45,685 KYLE: Despite that, despite the abundance of artifice, 131 00:07:45,685 --> 00:07:48,603 I do think that Developer Directs 132 00:07:48,603 --> 00:07:53,843 are one of the most interesting ways to present a showcase. 133 00:07:53,843 --> 00:07:56,836 That they really-- They spend a lot of time on the games themselves. 134 00:07:56,836 --> 00:07:59,627 50 minutes for 4 games is actually pretty crazy. 135 00:07:59,627 --> 00:08:03,001 And I really, really like that someone at Xbox recognizes 136 00:08:03,001 --> 00:08:07,460 that some of these mid-budget games are truly interesting 137 00:08:07,460 --> 00:08:09,539 and deserve the full spotlight. 138 00:08:09,539 --> 00:08:12,857 I don't think it was a better presentation than last year's 139 00:08:12,857 --> 00:08:14,991 but I'm going to give it a better grade 140 00:08:14,991 --> 00:08:19,164 because my expectations are just generally sinking across the board. 141 00:08:19,164 --> 00:08:20,183 Therefore: 142 00:08:21,330 --> 00:08:23,699 And that's Delayed Input. I'll be back next week. 143 00:08:23,699 --> 00:08:24,697 Thanks for watching. 144 00:08:35,141 --> 00:08:37,698 Alright, so one of the things that actually stands out to me the most 145 00:08:37,698 --> 00:08:39,398 from the entire presentation 146 00:08:41,603 --> 00:08:45,122 is how soft and silly the new Doom looks. 147 00:08:45,832 --> 00:08:49,324 That's right, I'm officially putting Doom: The Dark Ages 148 00:08:49,324 --> 00:08:50,675 on Dum-Dum Watch. 149 00:08:51,620 --> 00:08:57,142 Doom is dangerously close to transitioning from 150 00:08:57,142 --> 00:09:02,190 this absolutely unassailable, cool guy franchise to 151 00:09:02,804 --> 00:09:07,198 an absolute dorkfest, at least how it's presented. 152 00:09:07,198 --> 00:09:11,377 Doom somehow became this some sort of Do What the Circle Tells You To Do game. 153 00:09:11,377 --> 00:09:15,413 Hit an enemy until a purple circle appears and then walk over and kill it. 154 00:09:15,413 --> 00:09:18,641 It's made clear, just looking at it, that the Doom team 155 00:09:18,641 --> 00:09:25,809 is trying to take this franchise in a more broad, wide market direction. 156 00:09:25,809 --> 00:09:27,259 And they'll even tell you that. 157 00:09:27,259 --> 00:09:29,639 STRATTON: So in 2016, we asked you to run and gun. 158 00:09:30,089 --> 00:09:32,162 In Doom Eternal it was jump and shoot. 159 00:09:33,052 --> 00:09:36,275 And in Doom: The Dark Ages you're gonna stand and fight. 160 00:09:36,275 --> 00:09:38,932 KYLE: And remember, that's the pre-approved PR. 161 00:09:38,932 --> 00:09:41,166 They're proud of that. And what's-- It's-- 162 00:09:41,166 --> 00:09:44,595 What's so funny about it, to me, is that "stand and fight" 163 00:09:44,595 --> 00:09:47,899 is the least interesting option of those 3 things. 164 00:09:47,899 --> 00:09:50,441 And it's not like we weren't fighting before. 165 00:09:50,441 --> 00:09:54,650 And the accompanying clip that demonstrates this is indeed boring. 166 00:09:54,650 --> 00:09:56,713 Looks like the player's just pressing the buttons 167 00:09:56,713 --> 00:09:59,950 that game is explicitly asking them to press. 168 00:09:59,950 --> 00:10:01,588 I'm not even sure you have to aim. 169 00:10:01,588 --> 00:10:05,730 Look at this example of one of their big, new, expansive levels. 170 00:10:05,730 --> 00:10:09,184 It's so weird to me. It's so weird that the demons are just organized. 171 00:10:09,184 --> 00:10:12,145 They're just lined up waiting for you to come kill them. 172 00:10:12,145 --> 00:10:14,275 Look at these 5 shield guys. 173 00:10:14,275 --> 00:10:17,383 I guess that should be an intimidating obstacle. 174 00:10:17,383 --> 00:10:20,584 Ideally, you'd look at 5 shield guys and you think, 175 00:10:20,584 --> 00:10:23,368 "Oh, okay. How am I gonna flank them? 176 00:10:23,368 --> 00:10:25,909 I gotta figure out what angle to hit this from." 177 00:10:25,909 --> 00:10:29,980 When, no, we all know you're gonna hit 'em with the shield and they all die in one hit. 178 00:10:29,980 --> 00:10:31,814 I don't care how much you jack up the speed. 179 00:10:31,814 --> 00:10:34,031 It's gonna look stupid at any difficulty. 180 00:10:34,031 --> 00:10:39,035 And again, stupid is not necessarily bad. I've been known to enjoy some stupid games. 181 00:10:39,675 --> 00:10:41,862 But Doom presents itself as cool. 182 00:10:41,862 --> 00:10:44,313 Let me ask you something: Do you buy this? 183 00:10:44,313 --> 00:10:46,984 Do you believe those buildings have occupants in them? 184 00:10:47,465 --> 00:10:50,756 Do you feel huge? You feel like you're a big robot? 185 00:10:50,756 --> 00:10:54,052 'Cause to me, it looks airy. It looks weightless. 186 00:10:54,052 --> 00:10:58,222 Epic on paper, cartoonish in practice. 187 00:10:58,222 --> 00:11:00,212 "Oh good, another purple circle." 188 00:11:00,212 --> 00:11:03,875 And look, I know I'm just basing this off of the presentation I watched today, 189 00:11:03,875 --> 00:11:06,382 which was made for a mass market. 190 00:11:06,382 --> 00:11:12,291 I'm not saying for certain the game will be dumb and silly and Disney XD-level drama. 191 00:11:12,291 --> 00:11:13,630 But 192 00:11:13,630 --> 00:11:15,946 it is officially on Dum-Dum Watch. 193 00:11:17,683 --> 00:11:20,091 STRATTON: And if that wasn't enough, we also have for you 194 00:11:20,091 --> 00:11:24,468 your very own fire-breathing, gatling gun-toting cybernetic dragon.