Ninja Gaiden 2 was also published by microsoft in a similar fashion. Much like Spencer admitted hey had no answer for uncharted so they published tomb raider. Ninja gaiden was supposed to be their hack slash for the Xbox (only to lose exclusivity of it a year later).

They really need to learn how to make their own ips. I will enjoy tomb raider but this is twice now. A third time and they are making it blindly obvious that they can't make aaa ips on their own. Next year sony has the momentum...and their first party generally starts picking up during this third year. Time to get moving ms. When the third, second and first parties start to mount the natural ability to create ips will become noticable. This time it will be even more noticable since sony has vowed to make less ips this gen.

They seem to be supporting new IPs, in regards to their recent announcements. Hopefully they work out because I'd like to see Microsoft's name in gaming expand far beyond Halo and Gears.

Halo and gears are IPs that were bought from outside developers. If you look at the list of IP created or spawned from Microsoft owned studios the list Is rather paltry.

While I have no issue in the slightest with what you say S.T.A.G.E. because I mean it's a true statement about those 2 games, I find it so strange that 50%+ of the topics on the front page are related to Tomb Raider, the last game had super new technology hair and people didn't really give that much of a rats ass about it.

The fact of the platform this is or isn't coming out on day 1 shouldn't cause so much attention for the title I think, good or bad, think there has been maybe 1 thread about the actual gameplay or graphics in the game lol.

It's because people are attracted  to controversy. Tomb raider by name is mostly associated with playstation. Phil Spencer knew what he was doing when the deal was made for Tomb Raider. Phil admitted his reasoning for funding tomb raider because as a fan of uncharted he had no answer for he game even though he was invested in projects like uncharted and they weren't on level. Hell even EA has ripped off sonys god of war. Can't blame people but microsoft is a console  manufacturer. In this day and age being able to pump out your own  games tells your consumers about your character .  So far third get in and they still have no identity outside of superior online.

So what is it that you have a problem with? Is it that MS buys timed exclusives (which Sony has done many times) or that they release a game to counter a successful franchise? (which Sony has done numerous times as well)

Oh yes..they are big fans of third party work. Even killer instinct got third party love. Lol

Exactly. That spells a lack of longevity. While sony can fire from all angles eventually microsoft will run out of ammo.

Name two games that were timed exclusive that Sony has published to keep away from Microsoft. I can add mass effect to he ms list. That's three now.

Well, they have plenty own IPs but all that cash lying around needs to be spend somewhere.