A year after the launch some high profile moves by M$ to bolster it’s overarching internal studio, I’ve got to say it’s been slow going on pushing ahead with exclusive titles.  I don’t believe that M$ needs to money-hat a lot of 1^st party studios, but with the increasing budgets to create and market games, the case could certainly be made about the value of leveling the risk of exclusive games.  It takes about 3-4 years to develop and launch a new IP, so at this current stage, anything started within the last year will see possibly one iteration for the 360…maybe two…depending on how well NATAL is received.  

Looking at MGS, my thoughts harkens back to the Marvel Studios.  I use to follow that stock very close in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s on a daily basis, so I really saw how they shifted from saying they aren’t interested in making movies, to now delivering hits movies.  MGS of course has Halo, and that’s as big as it can get, but I’m puzzled as to why they aren’t doing more. 

I don’t think it’s smart to get more full-up in-house studios, but as I said, look towards more exclusives with 3^rd party developers, along the lines of Gears of War.  MGS basically could use the Legendary/WB movie model to launch games, since that calls for splitting developmental cost and risk, well ensuring exclusivity, not just with the individual game title, but also with the IP.  You might get one TDK to balance out everything you’ve every done.

Even without new IP, MGS has so many freaking in-house IP’s that are simply just sitting with cobwebs on them, and nothing in sight:

-          Killer Instinct

-          Freelancer

-          Brute Force

-          Mech Warrior

With nearly 4 years under the belt for the 360, I can’t believe that MGS hasn’t moved on having projects in the works for these IP.  Mech Warrior especially comes to mind, given how rich that universe is developed and all of the source material to pull together a title in any genre of gaming, be it RPG, Strategy or Simulator.  I guess that was my disappointment from E3, since last year, we had been promised that MGS would be more forthcoming with projects in the works.  Anyway, time will tell how the new MGS model works…

You forget these:
BREAKDOWN (3rd party)
CRIMSON SKIES
KAMEO


First party titles have been slow the past couple years. 2007 was a landmark year.

MS have been downsizing their 1st paty studios to give them more money for other things such as paying for exclusive games, dlc or timed exclusives, advertising 3rd party games, price cuts, R&D and not getting messed up too badly by the financial crisis

It is inevitable that some of their franchises will not see new iterations, at least not in the near future

A new Crimson Skies or Mechassault would be very nice and welcomed in my book.

Holy crap, you've been tracked Marvel Studios since the 1090s? Isn't that when the First Crusade started? That's freakin' awesome! Did you meet Godefroy de Bouillon?!!

Anyways, I don't think Microsoft should continue Brute Force. Wasn't the original game one of the biggest jokes on the Xbox?

The total lack of anything new in the Mech Warrior IP is especially confusing, given how well received those games were for the original xbox.  I'm not sure why M$ didn't go out to 3rd parties to "hired gun" the development of a new game for the 360...kinda like Crackdown.

Kameo needs a sequel.

ROFLOL...damn my secret is out!

I agree. Mechasaault 2 was one the most fun games I had for my Xbox. I imagine they sold well enough, I don't understand why a new Mech game has come out this gen.

Who knows...I think M4 has done some good stuff this generation, but htey have had their share of absolute bone-head moves...you have the freaking IP's...get developers to develop games...