digoutyoursoul
Member
Just make great games and be consistent with that as best you can.
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PlayStation names Hermen Hulst and Hideaki Nishino as its new CEOs
bitbydeath
Gold Member
He wasn’t involved with the second one, and the first one fits neither description.
rofif
Banned
First one was good. I am now talking about forbidden men game. Sbi boogaloo
bitbydeath
Gold Member
He didn’t make that game.
Jim was so powerful that a Dragon Ball fusion was needed 
Totoki stated that he could last up to a year, he run away to find the money to fund the Paramount acquisition in a few weeks loool
Btw it's a really interesting approach that maximizes the different skills needed ( game development+contents vs hardware and platforms). I like it.
Totoki stated that he could last up to a year, he run away to find the money to fund the Paramount acquisition in a few weeks loool
Btw it's a really interesting approach that maximizes the different skills needed ( game development+contents vs hardware and platforms). I like it.
thicc_girls_are_teh_best
Member
I don't dislike him, personally. But I did find his idea of wanting shorter porting windows of 1P games to PC really perplexing. In fact it was Jim Ryan who later clarified and gave the wider stagger window after that interview Hulst had (this was probably back in early 2022, maybe even earlier).
Others seem to dislike him for Horizon, which is also perplexing. Because I quite liked HFW, even if they could've done a few things differently (3rd game definitely needs a dedicated block/parry/shield button).
Shits_McGiggles
Member
Isn’t Hulst the dipshit that pushed for Japan Studios to be closed?
feynoob
Member
A great quote about 2 headed snake. It might be nice for now, but soon there will be a problem in the future.
It was better to have 1 CEO managing everything. Now these 2 would have different directions that they will go.
MrMephistoX
Member
It’s either a really good idea or a really bad one to have co-CEOs. If they can work together great but if it’s just a political clusterfuck I fully expect whoever’s strategy doesn’t pan out to announce their departure in a year or so.
nial
Member
But for real, I never understood the big hate on Hermen Hulst, I think most of the reasons people would cite (PC ports and GAAS) obviously came from Jim Ryan.
Given his previous role as head of WWS, he was very involved in the PS Studios restructuring that, among a lot of things, expanded production into the the rest of East Asia, which includes games like Stellar Blade.
ChiefDada
Gold Member
Hulst is very close with my favorite my favorite Sony studio, Nixxes
And Housemarqe!
RETURNAL 2 IS BACK ON THE MENU, BOYS!!
cash_longfellow
Member
The sheer amount of people here who think they can make better hiring decisions for multibillion dollar corporations, is staggering to me 
rofif
Banned
OK then maybe I was wrong
bitbydeath
Gold Member
That move only really canned Knack, they weren’t doing much else. We still got Stellar Blade, Rise of Ronin and a dedicated Astrobot Team from them.
Wastelander92
Member
Horizonstation
Loomy
Thinks Microaggressions are Real
Hulst has never been in charge of creative at Guerilla. He was the studio manager. Saying he's responsible for the creative decisions you dislike about the game would be like saying Shannon Studstill is responsible for Kratos being a Dad to an angsty Atreus. That was all Cory and his writers.
Yes, he most likely gave his feedback and some of them were probably incorporated, but he was not the primary creative driver of anything at Guerilla.
He's been around for a while, and this is a natural progression for him, which is important, because you want continuity here. Last thing Playstation needs is someone to go up to Mark Cerny and ask him "so what exactly do you do here?"
Ass of Can Whooping
Gold Member
Oddvintagechap
Member
that sounds silly. and is the complete opposite of what will and has to happen.
TrebleShot
Member
I have altered the deal, pray I don't alter it further.
What an incredible moment for sony and Thier millions of fans.
As one of them I stand in solute of our new overlords may their reign bring FIRE down upon their enemies.
We worship at the altar of playstation. God bless
What an incredible moment for sony and Thier millions of fans.
As one of them I stand in solute of our new overlords may their reign bring FIRE down upon their enemies.
We worship at the altar of playstation. God bless
nial
Member
It was a reorganization in the truest sense of the word, WWS had a global structure that had 3 branches across the world; WWS Europe, WWS America and WWS Japan Studio.
When it all became PS Studios, the structure was like this; PS Studios Europe, PS Studios (located in America), and PS Studios (located in Japan). Notice how both the American and Japanese branches share the same name? That has to do with the fact that it's the same case for each SIE company; you have SIE Europe Ltd., SIE LLC (located in America) and SIE Inc. (located in Japan).
If you people still can't understand how it all works, I can't help you anymore.
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KaiserBecks
Member
Never thought I‘d miss Jim Ryan. What a disaster.
splattered
Member
And people thought just Microsoft was screwed...
LiquidMetal14
hide your water-based mammals
To a new era.
Mibu no ookami
Member
It actually makes a lot of sense.
They've essentially decided that the software and IP business has become too much to handle internally in addition to the hardware business.
Sony has essentially split their company into two, software and IP and hardware and services.
It let's you put tremendous pressure and attention on both avenues as each man will be laser focused on each reporting directly to totoki and they'll have to have their deliverables or be replaced.
It also ensures that an engineer is in charge of hardware and services while a creative is involved in software and IP.
It's too complex of a business for someone at least internally to take over both.
Great albeit lazy choice from Totoki who probably didn't want to go outside the business to find leadership. Both are long term Sony veterans, albeit not PS1 era. Wonder if this means someone is really impressed with PS5 Pro.
They've essentially decided that the software and IP business has become too much to handle internally in addition to the hardware business.
Sony has essentially split their company into two, software and IP and hardware and services.
It let's you put tremendous pressure and attention on both avenues as each man will be laser focused on each reporting directly to totoki and they'll have to have their deliverables or be replaced.
It also ensures that an engineer is in charge of hardware and services while a creative is involved in software and IP.
It's too complex of a business for someone at least internally to take over both.
Great albeit lazy choice from Totoki who probably didn't want to go outside the business to find leadership. Both are long term Sony veterans, albeit not PS1 era. Wonder if this means someone is really impressed with PS5 Pro.
James Sawyer Ford
Gold Member
SlimySnake
won't be happy, he blames everything on Herman lolCongrats to Herman. I've always liked the guy. Founder of Guerrilla and built it up to where it is today as a premier studio. Takes a lot of work doing that and he knows the needs of developers and is highly capable in his role, unlike somebody named Booty.
This is good news. We were all expecting some accountant to take over SIE, but everything is in its right place.
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nial
Member
Over stuff like PC ports and GAAS which were choices made by Jim Ryan. I'm not saying that he is perfect at his job or anything, but it's not like Shuhei Yoshida was any better (many studios being closed under his watch), and look at how loved he is.
feynoob
Member
Leave booty alone man. That is a sacred
Congrats to Herman. I've always liked the guy. Founder of Guerrilla and built it up to where it is today as a premier studio. Takes a lot of work doing that and he knows the needs of developers and is highly capable in his role, unlike somebody named Booty.
.
Loomy
Thinks Microaggressions are Real
That is not at all what happened. Playstation is still 1 company, with two people leading two parallel tracks in the company that aligns with their speciality.
James Sawyer Ford
Gold Member
Yep it's a great decision and should avoid BAD decisions being made from someone outside of their wheelhouse of expertise. Obviously there will be cross collaboration between the two.
Shits_McGiggles
Member
Uh, no. Japan Studio had way more than just the “Knack” team. Stellar Blade is Korean, and Rise of the Ronin wasn’t made with supplemental staff like Bloodborne was. A lot of staff were laid off and a lot of talent was let go.
James Sawyer Ford
Gold Member
If Herman brings back Killzone multiplayer GaaS.....I will forever be in his favor again. Killzone 2 MP was magical. It can work again in today's environment like Helldivers 2
nial
Member
Yes, it was.
Rise of the Rōnin credits (PlayStation 5, 2024) - MobyGames
The official game credits for Rise of the Rōnin released on PlayStation 5 in 2024. The credits include 1,603 people.
www.mobygames.com
Topher
Gold Member
Lets see what happens.
Pretty much how I feel about it. Hulst has a chance to kick off his co-tenure with awesome games starting with the rumored showcase. Now that they have this announcement completed, perhaps we will get a date for the show.
Really hope this one is heavy on single player and light on the Gaas. Time will tell if these are good hires or not.
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nial
Member
Also, there weren't layoffs, you can't just do that in Japan. They were just external contractors that were never called again after their contracts expired, which was something they ALWAYS used to do, that arguably affected a lot of their development process over the course of the years.
Gambit2483
Member
Ass of Can Whooping
Gold Member
turning on sound makes it funnier lol
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Tiago Rodrigues
Member
Im surprised about most reactions here.
At least the guy ahead of the studios is someone that used to be a game developer and knows his way around the industry and isn’t a corporate suit only.
The way they split the business is actually interesting. Herman gets the software and the other guy the hardware (which is developed in japan anyway) snd the more burocratic side of the business it seems, like deals, etc
At least the guy ahead of the studios is someone that used to be a game developer and knows his way around the industry and isn’t a corporate suit only.
The way they split the business is actually interesting. Herman gets the software and the other guy the hardware (which is developed in japan anyway) snd the more burocratic side of the business it seems, like deals, etc
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Loomy
Thinks Microaggressions are Real
Killzone 2 MP was indeed magical. That series is primed for GaaS.
mortal
Gold Member
It seems like no one is perfect enough for some PS fans. Considering how expensive AAA game development has become, I like the PC ports as they give their 1st party titles and opportunity to sell even more copies and find a greater audience.
Their initial all-in approach to GaaS was foolish, and they seemed to have pulled back thankfully, although it would be just as foolish of them to not pursue GaaS whatsoever imo.
I don't know the man personally, but he seems like an alright guy from his public appearances, and having someone with actual game dev experience and perspective at the executive level is more reassuring than some bean counter type.
TheAmazingSpiderMan
Member
Hulst's done really well for himself, hopefully he doesn't fuck shit up.