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Sony Playstation: First Party Studios & their Current Projects

Their hands are full? The only announced thing is Knack 2 as The Last Guardian and Gravity Rush 2 released in recent months, and hundreds of people work at the studio. They're not all working on Knack 2. =P

I also wonder if Insomniac is working on another Ratchet in this new universe. They're always working on multiple projects.

Those hundreds of employees is how Japan Studio can have three major projects in development simultaneously, expecting any more than that is pretty silly. I highly doubt we'll see anything major from Japan Studio for a year or two.

The only game we know Insomniac's working on at the moment is Spider-Man, so that's not a bad guess though. I'd expect there's a couple of other games in the works there (and hopefully none of them are with Oculus).

The only one that is 100% impossible on that list is DMC5 LOL.

Uh, what? DMC5 is almost certainly in development. It's one of my E3 predictions too.

Bloodborne 2 is the least likely from that list IMO, seeing as that would require Miyazaki to have deliberately lied about it.
 
Those hundreds of employees is how Japan Studio can have three major projects in development simultaneously, expecting any more than that is pretty silly. I highly doubt we'll see anything major from Japan Studio for a year or two.

The only game we know Insomniac's working on at the moment is Spider-Man, so that's not a bad guess though. I'd expect there's a couple of other games in the works there (and hopefully none of them are with Oculus).



Uh, what? DMC5 is almost certainly in development. It's one of my E3 predictions too.

Bloodborne 2 is the least likely from that list IMO, seeing as that would require Miyazaki to have deliberately lied about it.

Insomniac said that every one was working on Spider-Man and there were no teams. Not sure if that will be the case the entirety of the development cycle, but that was what was stated after the reveal.

Miyazaki lying about plans for a sequel would not be that big of a deal.
 

RPGamer92

Banned
I wonder if we'll see thatgamecompany's game announced here or if MS will maybe try to partner with them now that they're multi-plat.
 
Those hundreds of employees is how Japan Studio can have three major projects in development simultaneously, expecting any more than that is pretty silly. I highly doubt we'll see anything major from Japan Studio for a year or two.

Knack, Puppeteer and Rain were all in the works for 2013, plus collaborations with From Software/Q-Games and The Last Guardian/Gravity Rush 2 in the background, plus several Vita games, plus The Playroom. Their hands aren't full; it's just a matter of whether or not they have something else to show this E3 besides Knack 2. Actual details on the co-development project with Deep Down, assuming it still exists? A new IP that's been worked on in the background? A smaller game on PSN? I dunno. They're certainly a busy studio, and they very well could have something else to show.
 
Insomniac said that every one was working on Spider-Man and there were no teams. Not sure if that will be the case the entirety of the development cycle, but that was what was stated after the reveal.

Miyazaki lying about plans for a sequel would not be that big of a deal.

I disagree. Miyazaki's not just a game director any more, he's the President of the company. There's no point hurting his credibility over a dumb lie like that.

Did Insomniac say the entire studio was working on Spider-Man? Cause they already had 2-3 other games in development at E3 last year, so I don't see how that could've been true at the time.

Knack, Puppeteer and Rain were all in the works for 2013, plus collaborations with From Software/Q-Games and The Last Guardian/Gravity Rush 2 in the background, plus several Vita games, plus The Playroom. Their hands aren't full; it's just a matter of whether or not they have something else to show this E3 besides Knack 2. Actual details on the co-development project with Deep Down, assuming it still exists? A new IP that's been worked on in the background? A smaller game on PSN? I dunno. They're certainly a busy studio, and they very well could have something else to show.

Rain was developed by Acquire, Asobi Team (Playroom) has a whooping 13 team members, Japan Studio only developed two Vita games internally (Gravity Rush and Open Me!) and what do their collaborations/externally developed games have to do with anything?

If you look at Japan Studio's actual internal output, they clearly only have 2-3 major games in full production at a time (Knack + Puppeteer -> TLG, Gravity Rush 2 + Knack 2), so the idea another major project will suddenly be announced at E3 is pretty unlikely IMO. I think that's another year or two away. More small titles like Playroom VR or No Heroes Allowed! DASH! (their mobile game via ForwardWorks) are possibilities though.
 
Rain was developed by Acquire, Asobi Team (Playroom) has a whooping 13 team members, Japan Studio only developed two Vita games internally (Gravity Rush and Open Me!) and what do their collaborations/externally developed games have to do with anything?

Collaborations require manpower. The idea that they don't, or that somehow they don't "count," will forever remain a GAF mystery. Rain was co-developed by Japan and Acquire. So you're talking about a 300+ team spread between more than half a dozen projects.

If you look at Japan Studio's actual internal output, they clearly only have 2-3 major games in full production at a time (Knack + Puppeteer -> TLG, Gravity Rush 2 + Knack 2), so the idea another major project will suddenly be announced at E3 is pretty unlikely IMO. I think that's another year or two away. More small titles like Playroom VR or No Heroes Allowed! DASH! (their mobile game via ForwardWorks) are possibilities though.

Gravity Rush 2 and The Last Guardian were in development at the same time Knack and Puppeteer were. That's four. And "actual internal output" is a distinction without a difference since it doesn't matter to me whether or not it's solely made by Sony Japan; they very well could be collaborating with other developers on games TBA at E3 or working on something else as they've shown they can. "Sony Japan" is going to pop up on a game whether or not it's big, small, collaborated or developed solely by them.
 

scoobs

Member
I really hope sucker punch hasn't been taking all of this time just to reveal yet another infamous. If it is indeed that Western game then I'll flip my shit, Red Dead is a top 5 all time for me. I just love westerns in movies and games, feels like a really under utilized setting.
 

FelipeMGM

Member
I really hope sucker punch hasn't been taking all of this time just to reveal yet another infamous. If it is indeed that Western game then I'll flip my shit, Red Dead is a top 5 all time for me. I just love westerns in movies and games, feels like a really under utilized setting.

I dont think those concept arts have anything to do with Sucker Punch
 

I-hate-u

Member
I really hope sucker punch hasn't been taking all of this time just to reveal yet another infamous. If it is indeed that Western game then I'll flip my shit, Red Dead is a top 5 all time for me. I just love westerns in movies and games, feels like a really under utilized setting.

No thanks. If there is one thing SP nails is its open world traversal and speed in their games. I don't want another boring riding a mount game, we had plenty of those.

Ideally, their new game is a new super hero game where their imaginations are not limited to boring horse riding, or traversing using a lame vehicle.
 
Did Insomniac say the entire studio was working on Spider-Man? Cause they already had 2-3 other games in development at E3 last year, so I don't see how that could've been true at the time.
I think they said they have their largest team ever working on the game. It wasn't that everyone was hands on deck.
 
I really hope sucker punch hasn't been taking all of this time just to reveal yet another infamous. If it is indeed that Western game then I'll flip my shit, Red Dead is a top 5 all time for me. I just love westerns in movies and games, feels like a really under utilized setting.

Shinobi has said it's a new IP and we have no reason to doubt him, so I think it's a fair bet that this will be something new. Although the Infamous games are good I'd be much more excited at the prospect of a new IP from them than another Infamous sequel. Sci-fi or western would be cool as both genres are pretty under-represented in gaming, even though personally I don't have a lot of interest in western stuff.
 
Collaborations require manpower. The idea that they don't, or that somehow they don't "count," will forever remain a GAF mystery. Rain was co-developed by Japan and Acquire. So you're talking about a 300+ team spread between more than half a dozen projects.

No, the mystery is that some people still think Japan Studio actually co-develops those games. They don't, a quick look at the credits would tell you that. Japan Studio acts in a supporting role, as producers, same as Xdev and Sony Foster City do and SSM used to. And while yes, that does require manpower, it's not like they pull people off TLG or GR2 to work on these games, they're separate teams (just like SSM's old external team).

So no, they don't "count" as Japan Studio games and those collaborations aren't taking away staff from internal projects.

Gravity Rush 2 and The Last Guardian were in development at the same time Knack and Puppeteer were. That's four. And "actual internal output" is a distinction without a difference since it doesn't matter to me whether or not it's solely made by Sony Japan; they very well could be collaborating with other developers on games TBA at E3 or working on something else as they've shown they can. "Sony Japan" is going to pop up on a game whether or not it's big, small, collaborated or developed solely by them.

No, that's still two in full production. Come on, at least read what I typed. Gravity Rush 2 and The Last Guardian would've been in pre-production at the time, then once Knack and Puppeteer were finished, staff would've been moved over to them and they would've entered full production. It's the same way Naughty Dog is structured (and SSM/Guerrilla used to), just on a larger scale, which is no big surprise when Japan Studio has SSM's founder heading up the studio.

And I'm not sure what "distinction without a difference" even means but the difference between internal and external matters whether you like it or not. When you say "Japan Studio is developing X", it means they're actually developing it, not just supporting it.

I think they said they have their largest team ever working on the game. It wasn't that everyone was hands on deck.

Cool, thanks. I thought that was the case but I could've easily missed it.
 

FelipeMGM

Member
Did Insomniac say the entire studio was working on Spider-Man? Cause they already had 2-3 other games in development at E3 last year, so I don't see how that could've been true at the time.

I think they said they have their largest team ever working on the game. It wasn't that everyone was hands on deck.

This is what James said about the project back at E3

jstevenson said:
Our teams don't really work like that.

The large majority of Insomniac is working on it
 
I really hope sucker punch hasn't been taking all of this time just to reveal yet another infamous. If it is indeed that Western game then I'll flip my shit, Red Dead is a top 5 all time for me. I just love westerns in movies and games, feels like a really under utilized setting.
It is practically guaranteed to be a new IP for various reasons. Infamous would have been out (or at least announced) by now.
 
No, the mystery is that some people still think Japan Studio actually co-develops those games. They don't, a quick look at the credits would tell you that. Japan Studio acts in a supporting role, as producers, same as Xdev and Sony Foster City do and SSM used to. And while yes, that does require manpower, it's not like they pull people off TLG or GR2 to work on these games, they're separate teams (just like SSM's old external team).

So no, they don't "count" as Japan Studio games and those collaborations aren't taking away staff from internal projects.



No, that's still two in full production. Come on, at least read what I typed. Gravity Rush 2 and The Last Guardian would've been in pre-production at the time, then once Knack and Puppeteer were finished, staff would've been moved over to them and they would've entered full production. It's the same way Naughty Dog is structured (and SSM/Guerrilla used to), just on a larger scale, which is no big surprise when Japan Studio has SSM's founder heading up the studio.

And I'm not sure what "distinction without a difference" even means but the difference between internal and external matters whether you like it or not. When you say "Japan Studio is developing X", it means they're actually developing it, not just supporting it.

Distinction without a difference.

A distinction without a difference is a type of logical fallacy where an author or speaker attempts to describe a distinction between two things where no discernible difference exists.

It just doesn't matter. Whether they're pulling someone from another team, whether they're collaborating with another team or developing it internally, whether they're putting something into full production from pre-production, Sony Japan could show something other than Knack 2 at E3. That's it. Belaboring these other points is arguing for the sake of arguing.
 

Turkoop

Banned
Even it is not a First-Party game, I am so *thrilled* to see this
giphy.gif
 

FelipeMGM

Member
Guerrilla already on that recruiting phase for the future!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyxvPG4M7qU

Our studio is located in the cultural heart of Amsterdam, on one of the original 17th century canals.

The city is a daily source of inspiration for our developers. Easy to navigate on foot and by bike, many of the city's attractions are a stone's throw from the studio. And as one of the most multicultural cities in the world, you don't need to speak Dutch to get by in Amsterdam.

For the latest job listings please check: https://www.guerrilla-games.com/join
 

Wozman23

Member
Is Jonathan still making games? I loved both Everyday Shooter and Sound Shapes, but can't even find the guy on Twitter. Anyone know what he's up to more generally?

I just did some searching as well, and all that turned up is that he had a 'thank you' nod in the N++ credits. He has disappeared from the net. He must be working for the CIA.

I was hoping, like some of the other Sony Santa Monica indie collaborations, there was a contract for a three game deal, but those deals seem to have fell through anyway. I know Giant Sparrow signed that deal with The Unfinished Swan, but What Remains of Edith Finch is now being published elsewhere and coming to PC as well.

To me, that's a big loss for indie Sony. I thought they had a pretty good thing going in the middle of the PS3 cycle with exclusives from Queasy, Q Games, thatgamecompany, Giant Sparrow, Housemarque, Drinkbox, FuturLab... Then at the beginning of the PS4 cycle they shifted focus, dropping RiME, Hunger (now Little Nightmares), What Remains of Edith Finch - all of which still look to be competent products poised for success. Housemarque is releasing Nex Machina on PC, while the exclusive Matterfall is still nothing more than a conceptual teaser trailer. Most of the remaining studios projects, or revealed partnerships like WiLD, haven't been talked about in a while.

It's concerning to say the least.
 
You know what's been bothering me? Some people were so adamant that horizon was going to bomb both critically and commercially and a few weeks later with the results saying otherwise, they are now saying horizon was the safest open world video game ever made. Talk about goalpost moving
 
You know what's been bothering me? Some people were so adamant that horizon was going to bomb both critically and commercially and a few weeks later with the results saying otherwise, they are now saying horizon was the safest open world video game ever made. Talk about goalpost moving

Yeah I noticed a bit of that going on as well. Probably not the same posters, but there was definitely a sentiment of "bomba" before release and "well duh of course it did great" afterwards.
 
I just did some searching as well, and all that turned up is that he had a 'thank you' nod in the N++ credits. He has disappeared from the net. He must be working for the CIA.

I was hoping, like some of the other Sony Santa Monica indie collaborations, there was a contract for a three game deal, but those deals seem to have fell through anyway. I know Giant Sparrow signed that deal with The Unfinished Swan, but What Remains of Edith Finch is now being published elsewhere and coming to PC as well.

To me, that's a big loss for indie Sony. I thought they had a pretty good thing going in the middle of the PS3 cycle with exclusives from Queasy, Q Games, thatgamecompany, Giant Sparrow, Housemarque, Drinkbox, FuturLab... Then at the beginning of the PS4 cycle they shifted focus, dropping RiME, Hunger (now Little Nightmares), What Remains of Edith Finch - all of which still look to be competent products poised for success. Housemarque is releasing Nex Machina on PC, while the exclusive Matterfall is still nothing more than a conceptual teaser trailer. Most of the remaining studios projects, or revealed partnerships like WiLD, haven't been talked about in a while.

It's concerning to say the least.

Isn't What remains of Edith finch apart of the new PSN promotion? Nex Machina releasing on PC is a great thing no matter how you slice it. The fact that Sony will promote the game and HM can still get some PC money is not only a great deal, it's a superb one. PS4 gets the console exclusive and HM gets extra sales. That's a partnership that will be unlikely to divide, and a win-win for the developer.

That game really doesn't need to be total console only exclusive. That's the quickest way to burn a relationship. I see no reason or cause for concern.
 

Wozman23

Member
Isn't What remains of Edith finch apart of the new PSN promotion? Nex Machina releasing on PC is a great thing no matter how you slice it. The fact that Sony will promote the game and HM can still get some PC money is not only a great deal, it's a superb one. PS4 gets the console exclusive and HM gets extra sales. That's a partnership that will be unlikely to divide, and a win-win for the developer.

That game really doesn't need to be total console only exclusive. That's the quickest way to burn a relationship. I see no reason or cause for concern.

As a consumer and lover of indie games, I certainly don't mind the relaxation of pure exclusivity. It's definitely great for us and the developers. However, years back it seemed like Sony was very interested in indie games. I think a lot of the stuff they were incubating/collaborating on was great - some are my favorite experiences from last generation. I think a lot of those developers represent the future of gaming. I think that variety was giving Sony's first party/owned IP portfolio far more depth than it has anytime before or since, and was providing a steadier pipeline of quality content.

The apparent abandonment of the Giant Sparrow contract is definitely concerning. I get the feeling that post-Journey, Sony wanted everything to be equally as critically/financially success level, and decided the majority of indies were no longer worth the risk. Either that or rising development cost kind of pushed the little guys out. Sony also lost a few employees - both in terms of acquisition and marketing - who were indie enthusiasts.

So with stuff going multiplatform after being dropped by Sony, it is easy to simply say, 'Great for us!' But if Sony isn't focused on their own indies or willing to take some chances, the next wave of Journeys, Resoguns, Guacamelee!s, and Velocity 2Xs may never exist. And if those risks aren't worth taking that mentality could trickle over into some of the smaller budget games like Ratchet & Clank, Tearaway, and Sly Cooper. Variety, quantity, and quality all suffer.
 
What a weird distinction. They collaborated on the games so of course ppl are going to give both teams of the development some props.

Weird distinction? Because I think there's a difference between Japan Studio actually developing a game and Japan Studio producing a game? I don't mean to downplay Japan Studio's role as a producer, I'm sure they're great at their jobs as I doubt studios like FromSoft would keep working with them if they weren't. But this thread is about developers and Japan Studio did not develop Bloodborne, Rain, Everybody's Golf, etc.

It's like that weird thread we had a few weeks back where the OP gave SSM the credit for The Order: 1886 just because they had their logo on it, never mind the fact that Ready at Dawn were the ones who actually developed it.

A little help here... What am I looking at?

Pretty sure that's Cyberpunk.
 

Turkoop

Banned
Small pre-pre E3 prediction:
  • Sony will start the show with UC DLC or either Sucker Punch new IP
  • Third Trailer of Death Stranding, featuring another actor. Ryan Gosling? still no in-game gameplay but more infos of plot/core of the game. New Screenshots
  • We will see Bloodborne 2. Yoshida will do this
  • GoW full, new gameplay with Release Q1 2018 / March 18'
  • Detroit will introduce a new gameplay with a holiday 2017 release. Probably october-ish
  • Destiny 2 will be introduced, bigger, better. Release in September with exclusive content.
  • CoD - yeah, the same sh*t.
  • First Gameplay of Red Dead Redemption 2, they're gonna show us a lot. R* doing the same strategy as Bethesda has done with Fallout 4. Release in October.
  • GT: Sport will launch in September
  • No TLOU 2 news. Preparing more stuff for PSX.
  • More indies as like WiLD, that minecraft-style game and more.
  • New VR Games.
  • R* will also have another project. I am sure there will be a teaser for next year. Could be Bully 2 or
    Agent
    .
  • First Trailer of Horizon Zero Dawn DLC. Coming in Q1 2018
  • Spiderman Gameplay, also new stuff to see in Days Gone. Both in 2018
 

Shin-Ra

Junior Member
Hunger was never SCEE's to drop, both Matterfall and WiLD are still coming.

Santa Monica Studio dropping indie incubation isn't indicative of some wider SIE policy shift.
 
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