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[Camreezie]

I think they want to avoid what MS did, where they announced a bunch of games and then we saw nothing for years.

I think we could see Sucker Punch and Bluepoint announce something in 2024, but I wouldn't be surprised if we have to wait until 2025 to see something from SSM, GG or ND.

2025 to see something from ND is absurd

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Is it a fact that Death Stranding was considered a failure? I am pretty sure it was well recieved among critics. Sony gave my publication a review copy of the Director's Cut and I gave it a 10/10. I was going in with the expectation that I would dislike the game but it turned out better than I thought. Although, I can see how some people might not like it. Dunno, for me it was one of my most favorite games I've played in recent years.

I don't believe Sony considers Death Stranding a failure. Otherwise, there would not have been seen a sequel lol. So I am not sure where you are getting that idea from. Here is my/our review of the game if you are interested in what I had to say about it. https://www.gaminginstincts.com/review/death-stranding-directors-cut-review-a-masterpiece/

Death Stranding 2 is one of my most anticipated games along with Wolverine for the PS5.

I think the world failure is thrown around too easily around here as if it's a binary outcome. Ultimately, there are degrees of success and degrees of failure.

I don't think Death Stranding did well enough that everyone in Sony was like, we have to give Kojima 200+ million dollars for any game he wants to do in the future, but it did do well enough that Sony is up for a sequel, which they aren't always (although again, we don't have all the details, they might have a deal with Kojima for a certain number of games or maybe a sequel was already part of the bargain).

You look at Quantic Dream and I think it's pretty clear Sony could have bought them if they wanted to, but ultimately David Cage wasn't worth it to them to be in business with long term beyond the 3-game deal. So were the games successful? Not enough for them to continue the partnership. Again, degrees right?

What separates Death Stranding from Day's Gone? They both seem to have sold very similarly. Is it zombie fatigue, critical acclaim, studio relationship, or franchise potential?

After The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, they'd be crazy to come out with a Day's Gone tv show. I haven't seen the show, but I'm sure at some point he'll get his trademark motorcycle right? Think that's just a bit too on the nose for Sony.

Ironically Norman Reedus is also involved in Death Stranding, which probably has more potential than Day's Gone as cross-media, but Detroit Become Human also had a lot of cross-media potential and maybe so did Heavy Rain.

 

[TGO]

3rd Party support is literally the PS5 at the moment, their 1st Party has been neglect for the entirety of his reign so far.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

I think they want to avoid what MS did, where they announced a bunch of games and then we saw nothing for years.

I think we could see Sucker Punch and Bluepoint announce something in 2024, but I wouldn't be surprised if we have to wait until 2025 to see something from SSM, GG or ND.

I think Sony understands that they have a pretty good understand of how to produce blockbuster titles, but one of the biggest things impacting them was the media narrative around crunch culture and so to easily avoid the issues of crunch culture, they've decided to announce games relatively close to their release window to advertise them relatively close to their release window.

Keep in mind that they announced Spider-Man 2 via teaser in 2021 and since then they haven't really been announcing games at all.

I think they've quietly delayed a slew of games to ensure that they come out at the quality Sony 1P games are expected to release at.

The only games essentially confirmed for next year are MLB and Wolverine and there is no guarantee Wolverine comes out next year. Hard to believe for Sony that in a two year period they'd only release Spider-Man 2. No shade to Microsoft, but Sony isn't Microsoft. They've consistently come out with big games annually for nearly two decades without missing.

I think now that this business with Activision is coming to a close and we're getting closer to 2024, we'll likely see some more game announcements from Sony between now and early 2024.

 

[Elder Legend]

I think Sony understands that they have a pretty good understand of how to produce blockbuster titles, but one of the biggest things impacting them was the media narrative around crunch culture and so to easily avoid the issues of crunch culture, they've decided to announce games relatively close to their release window to advertise them relatively close to their release window.

Keep in mind that they announced Spider-Man 2 via teaser in 2021 and since then they haven't really been announcing games at all.

I think they've quietly delayed a slew of games to ensure that they come out at the quality Sony 1P games are expected to release at.

The only games essentially confirmed for next year are MLB and Wolverine and there is no guarantee Wolverine comes out next year. Hard to believe for Sony that in a two year period they'd only release Spider-Man 2. No shade to Microsoft, but Sony isn't Microsoft. They've consistently come out with big games annually for nearly two decades without missing.

I think now that this business with Activision is coming to a close and we're getting closer to 2024, we'll likely see some more game announcements from Sony between now and early 2024.

I agree with you for the most part but i also believe one thing you are missing from this piece of the puzzle is the fact that the entire world was also going through an apocalypse for a few years. I don't believe people realize how much that has affected the human race, society and work ethics as a whole.

Another piece is the insane rampage of studio acquisitions, both MS and Sony went on a variety of shopping sprees. I am sure acquiring a slew of new studios has caused a big ruckus within the internal schedule of content releases.

I woked in the industry since 2013 and I have never seen so much craze, change and adaption in such small time frame in my career until now. The last 2 to 3 years have been crazy. Video game industry is about to become a whole different beast and a brand new landscape. Also, do not forget the AI craze, that is coming in quicker than you think. As an industry professional who works with a lot of big named publishers I am both excited and fucking terrified.

 

[vivftp]

3rd Party support is literally the PS5 at the moment, their 1st Party has been neglect for the entirety of his reign so far.

I've seen the figure tossed about that first party accounted for 19.7% of software sold on PlayStation last FY. That's not an insignificant amount of content when you consider just how much third party content is on the platform as well. They are aiming to increase that percentage through all the growth they've done and their new initiatives.

First party has definitely been there this gen. The only way to have a shot at saying it's been lacking is with the silly argument that "cross gen games don't count!" Of course cross-gen games do very much count, so their output hasn't been lacking. I'd say it's slowed down, but that can be attributed to pandemic delays pushing everything back around a year or so, there isn't much they could have done about that. Just to illustrate SIE published games since the PS5 launch:

Spider-Man Remastered
Spider-Man Miles Morales
Demon's Souls
Sackboy A Big Adventure
Destruction All-Stars
Astro's Playroom
Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart
MLB21
MLB22
MLB23
Returnal
Death Stranding Director's Cut
Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut
The Last of Us Part 1
Gran Turismo 7
Horizon Forbidden West
God of War Ragnarok
Horizon Call of the Mountain
Horizon Burning Shores
Destiny 2 Lightfall
Firewall Ultra
Spider-Man 2 releasing this October

That's an average of just over 7 games a year and that was almost entirely during the pandemic. We should see things pick up massively now that we're in a post-pandemic situation and from my own estimates I think we're looking at 10+ games published by SIE each year starting in 2024.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

I agree with you for the most part but i also believe one thing you are missing from this piece of the puzzle is the fact that the entire world was also going through an apocalypse for a few years. I don't believe people realize how much that has affected the human race, society and work ethics as a whole.

Another piece is the insane rampage of studio acquisitions, both MS and Sony went on a variety of shopping sprees. I am sure acquiring a slew of new studios has caused a big ruckus within the internal schedule of content releases.

I woked in the industry since 2013 and I have never seen so much craze, change and adaption in such small time frame in my career until now. The last 2 to 3 years have been crazy. Video game industry is about to become a whole different beast and a brand new landscape. Also, do not forget the AI craze, that is coming in quicker than you think. As an industry professional who works with a lot of big named publishers I am both excited and fucking terrified.

Not missing it, but I do agree that is a factor.

I think that's why so many games have been cross-gen, why TLOUP1 remake had updated graphics but not updated gameplay and why so many of Sony's big franchise sequels reutilized a lot of old assets and animations.

But if you break it down studio by studio, they should have a lot slated for 2024, if we assume a 4-5 year development cycle.

Day's Gone came out in 2019 yet Bend Studios doesn't even have a game announced. We're already 4 years post release. Same for London Studio.

Death Stranding 2 should be likely for next year as well.

Dreams came out in 2020 and assuming Media Molecule doesn't close, they should have a game coming out relatively soon either next year or the year after.

Naughty Dog will have been on a 4 year cycle excluding remakes and remasters.

Bluepoint will be at 4 years next year as well.

Housemarque will be at 3 years.

That's not even accounting for Team Asobi and other recent acquisitions, deals or multi-game studio development.

I think ultimately, they believe they can control the narrative better by announcing when they want to, but ultimately we'll have a good idea of what they're thinking when they release their forecast for the next fiscal year in April.

 

[Elder Legend]

I've seen the figure tossed about that first party accounted for 19.7% of software sold on PlayStation last FY. That's not an insignificant amount of content when you consider just how much third party content is on the platform as well. They are aiming to increase that percentage through all the growth they've done and their new initiatives.

First party has definitely been there this gen. The only way to have a shot at saying it's been lacking is with the silly argument that "cross gen games don't count!" Of course cross-gen games do very much count, so their output hasn't been lacking. I'd say it's slowed down, but that can be attributed to pandemic delays pushing everything back around a year or so, there isn't much they could have done about that. Just to illustrate SIE published games since the PS5 launch:

Spider-Man Remastered
Spider-Man Miles Morales
Demon's Souls
Sackboy A Big Adventure
Destruction All-Stars
Astro's Playroom
Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart
MLB21
MLB22
MLB23
Returnal
Death Stranding Director's Cut
Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut
The Last of Us Part 1
Gran Turismo 7
Horizon Forbidden West
God of War Ragnarok
Horizon Call of the Mountain
Horizon Burning Shores
Destiny 2 Lightfall
Firewall Ultra
Spider-Man 2 releasing this October

That's an average of just over 7 games a year and that was almost entirely during the pandemic. We should see things pick up massively now that we're in a post-pandemic situation and from my own estimates I think we're looking at 10+ games published by SIE each year starting in 2024.

Not trying to be a Debbie downer, but let's be super blunt and honest here. Most of those releases have been re-releases of existing PS4 titles ported over to PS5 with some additional visual features and bonus content.

Spiderman Remastered and Miles Morales are not new games or brand new releases for PS5. They are additions of existing games for those who want the best possible experience. This is not a full new AAA 1st party release. Sorry, but that's just a fact. Same with Death Stranding and Ghost of Tshusima.

MLB the show is available on a different platform. Wouldn't count this either. Death Stranding is on PC Game Pass.

God of War Ragnarok, GT7 and Horizon Forbidden West while are fantastic games in their own right are cross-gen titles that have been in development since original games came out in their respect years for PS4. The PS5 version is just a better experience, that's it. They are not new exclusive titles to the portfolio of the PS5 generation.

Horizon Burning Shores is a weird one, because it's a DLC that's only available on PS5 but is not a full fledged game since it has less content.l than a full sequel wouldm Call of the Mountain is a VR exclusive and very few people are in the VR niche.

The only true exclusive releases PS5 has under its new generation portfolio is Demon's Souls, Ratchet and Clank A Rift Apart and Returnal. Spiderman 2 is the next one and that is going to be a total of 4 and we are about mark the 3rd year anniversary here in November. Yes, there is also The Last of Us Part 1 that is a remake of a decade old game. Nothing new again.

Destiny 2 Lightfall is available on all platforms despite it being a first party game. It's still not an exclusive to Sony. They just own the right to it and let bungie release it everywhere else. If Destiny 2 went purely exclusive for Sony, the game would die. GAAS titles rely on high player retention and as many players as possible, they cannot afford not to multi release.

After Spiderman, the next big exclusive is Wolverine that we know off and Death Stranding 2. But again Death Stranding is also in a weird situation due to how Kojima and Sony handled the PC version/game pass with that game.

Of course there is ND, SSM but we haven't see anything and we have to wait.

 

[vivftp]

Not trying to be a Debbie downer, but let's be super blunt and honest here. Most of those releases have been re-releases of existing PS4 titles ported over to PS5 with some additional visual features and bonus content.

Spiderman Remastered and Miles Morales are not new games or brand new releases for PS5. They are additions of existing games for those who want the best possible experience. This is not a full new AAA 1st party release. Sorry, but that's just a fact. Same with Death Stranding and Ghost of Tshusima.

MLB the show is available on a different platform. Wouldn't count this either. Death Stranding is on PC Game Pass.

God of War Ragnarok, GT7 and Horizon Forbidden West while are fantastic games in their own right are cross general titles that have been in development since original games came out in their respect years for PS4. The PS5 version is just a better experience, that's it. They are not new exclusive titles to the portfolio of the PS5 generation.

Horizon Burning Shores is a weird one, because it's a DLC that's only available on PS5 but is not a full fledged game since it has less content.l than a full sequel wouldm Call of the Mountain is a VR exclusive and very few people are in the VR niche.

The only true exclusive releases PS5 has under its new generation portfolio is Demon's Souls, Ratchet and Clank A Rift Apart and Returnal. Spiderman 2 is the next one and that is going to be a total of 4 and we are about mark the 3rd year anniversary here in November. Yes, there is also The Last of Us Part 1 that is a remake of a decade old game. Nothing new again.

Destiny 2 Lightfall is available on all platforms despite it being a first party game. It's still not an exclusive to Sony. They just own the right to it and let bungie release it everywhere else. If Destiny 2 went purely exclusive for Sony, the game would die. GAAS titles rely on high player retention and as many players as possible, they cannot afford not to multi release.

After Spiderman, the next big exclusive is Wolverine that we know off and Death Stranding 2. But again Death Stranding is also in a weird situation due to how Kojima and Sony handled the PC version/game pass with that game.

Of course there is ND, SSM but we haven't see anything and we have to wait.

You can do you and pretend that cross gen and multi-plat releases don't count, I reject that assertation. If we're talking about their first party output then we talk about their first party output. We don't hem and haw over nonsensical qualifiers to suit whatever agenda or point you're trying to push. What I listed is a list of the SIE published content since launch, it all counts and they most definitely have shown up.

We saw the sort of output they had in 2020 and we know the sort of output they wanted to have in 2021 before the pandemic smashed their plans apart. There were forces beyond their control that caused delays, but they were still able to provide a solid amount of content for the first 3 years. Things should pick up considerably towards the latter half of the gen given the sheer amount of content we're aware of.

 

[LavitzSlambert]

What would really be nice is more variety, not just a focus on cinematic third person game-movies. Sony has a rich history with platformers, RPGs, FPS, strategy, adventures, puzzle, etc. Plenty of other genres to cover and smaller games to fill in gaps in the PS5 library, but it seems like Jim Ryan's Sony is doubling and tripling down on the Uncharted/TLOU/GoW formula.

 

[RedC]

stole alot of multiplatform IPs from Playstation players

Entitlement much?

 

[nial]

Bullshit. There's a single global XDEV team, part of PS Studios. They aren't part of any other SIE part and don't report and aren't part of any studio, they report to PS Studios (Hermen).

You fall too much on that stuff. SIE studios aren't actually under PS Studios, it's just an unit dedicated to oversee development on all of their game subsidiaries/divisions.

XDEV global has 3 offices/teams

So there isn't actually a single global team? You gotta repeat with me, XDEV is just a brand. The Shanghai and Korean branches have produced their own games before yet you think the Japanese branch will be doing all that work for them, come on.

 

[nosoynadie22]

Not missing it, but I do agree that is a factor.

I think that's why so many games have been cross-gen, why TLOUP1 remake had updated graphics but not updated gameplay and why so many of Sony's big franchise sequels reutilized a lot of old assets and animations.

But if you break it down studio by studio, they should have a lot slated for 2024, if we assume a 4-5 year development cycle.

Day's Gone came out in 2019 yet Bend Studios doesn't even have a game announced. We're already 4 years post release. Same for London Studio.

Death Stranding 2 should be likely for next year as well.

Dreams came out in 2020 and assuming Media Molecule doesn't close, they should have a game coming out relatively soon either next year or the year after.

Naughty Dog will have been on a 4 year cycle excluding remakes and remasters.

Bluepoint will be at 4 years next year as well.

Housemarque will be at 3 years.

That's not even accounting for Team Asobi and other recent acquisitions, deals or multi-game studio development.

I think ultimately, they believe they can control the narrative better by announcing when they want to, but ultimately we'll have a good idea of what they're thinking when they release their forecast for the next fiscal year in April.

I'm worried about MediaMolecule... their latest games Tearaway unfolded and Dreams didn't sell well

 

[Elder Legend]

You can do you and pretend that cross gen and multi-plat releases don't count, I reject that assertation. If we're talking about their first party output then we talk about their first party output. We don't hem and haw over nonsensical qualifiers to suit whatever agenda or point you're trying to push. What I listed is a list of the SIE published content since launch, it all counts and they most definitely have shown up.

We saw the sort of output they had in 2020 and we know the sort of output they wanted to have in 2021 before the pandemic smashed their plans apart. There were forces beyond their control that caused delays, but they were still able to provide a solid amount of content for the first 3 years. Things should pick up considerably towards the latter half of the gen given the sheer amount of content we're aware of.

lol. Of course you would go there. There is no agenda pushing here or trying to make someone else look bad. I am simply stating facts, if you do not like the facts that's your personal problem. Xbox is absolutely not an exception to this rule, they are also in the same boat. Halo Infinite, Forza Horizon 5, Grounded and Sea of Thieves are also titles that are tied to previous gen systems and are not true new gen releases by any means whatsoever. Redfall, Starfield and the upcoming Forza Motorsport are the first true 1st party releases for Microsoft of this generation so I am not sure what you are trying to discredit here. Both console manufactures are running really low in the amount of true 1st party AAA games that have come out.

If you want to consider Spiderman Remastered and Miles Morales as completely brand new 1st party releases on the PS5 then go ahead and continue to feed on your delusions.

 

[vivftp]

lol. Of course you would go there. There is no agenda pushing here or trying to make someone else look bad. I am simply stating facts, if you do not like the facts that's your personal problem. Xbox is absolutely not an exception to this rule, they are also in the same boat. Halo Infinite, Forza Horizon 5, Grounded and Sea of Thieves are also titles that are tied to previous gen systems and are not true new gen releases by any means whatsoever. Redfall, Starfield and the upcoming Forza Motorsport are the first true 1st party releases for Microsoft of this generation so I am not sure what you are trying to discredit here. Both console manufactures are running really low in the amount of true 1st party AAA games that have come out.

If you want to consider Spiderman Remastered and Miles Morales as completely brand new 1st party releases on the PS5 then go ahead and continue to feed on your delusions.

Yeah, not worth my time. Good day.

 

[Heisenberg007]

Let’s hope you’re right because I look at the whole publishing situation of DS and movie adaptation as a massive sucker moment from PlayStation.

Isn’t he even using Decima for the Xbox game?

I don't think so - at least there hasn't been any confirmation about the use of engine, unless I missed it.

 

[MrTroubleMaker]

so there going to buy up more studios

 

[Stooky]

Not trying to be a Debbie downer, but let's be super blunt and honest here. Most of those releases have been re-releases of existing PS4 titles ported over to PS5 with some additional visual features and bonus content.

Spiderman Remastered and Miles Morales are not new games or brand new releases for PS5. They are additions of existing games for those who want the best possible experience. This is not a full new AAA 1st party release. Sorry, but that's just a fact. Same with Death Stranding and Ghost of Tshusima.

MLB the show is available on a different platform. Wouldn't count this either. Death Stranding is on PC Game Pass.

God of War Ragnarok, GT7 and Horizon Forbidden West while are fantastic games in their own right are cross-gen titles that have been in development since original games came out in their respect years for PS4. The PS5 version is just a better experience, that's it. They are not new exclusive titles to the portfolio of the PS5 generation.

Horizon Burning Shores is a weird one, because it's a DLC that's only available on PS5 but is not a full fledged game since it has less content.l than a full sequel wouldm Call of the Mountain is a VR exclusive and very few people are in the VR niche.

The only true exclusive releases PS5 has under its new generation portfolio is Demon's Souls, Ratchet and Clank A Rift Apart and Returnal. Spiderman 2 is the next one and that is going to be a total of 4 and we are about mark the 3rd year anniversary here in November. Yes, there is also The Last of Us Part 1 that is a remake of a decade old game. Nothing new again.

Destiny 2 Lightfall is available on all platforms despite it being a first party game. It's still not an exclusive to Sony. They just own the right to it and let bungie release it everywhere else. If Destiny 2 went purely exclusive for Sony, the game would die. GAAS titles rely on high player retention and as many players as possible, they cannot afford not to multi release.

After Spiderman, the next big exclusive is Wolverine that we know off and Death Stranding 2. But again Death Stranding is also in a weird situation due to how Kojima and Sony handled the PC version/game pass with that game.

Of course there is ND, SSM but we haven't see anything and we have to wait.

those titles probably started production on PS4 and ended in PS5 dev because there weren’t enough dev units. So cherry picking which ones you think aren’t PS5 dev is bs. they all take advantage of PS5 tech. ps4 and ps5 dev is virtually the same, it was done on purpose to make production easier these ports are a by product of that. still require some work tho. if ps5 hardware was more exotic probably wouldn’t see as many ports at that quality. also it just takes longer to make these games. for single game devs it’s going to take 4-5 years to finish a project. a lot of sony studios will have to become multi game studios to have constant 2 year output like ps3 era or sony acquires more studios.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

I'm worried about MediaMolecule... their latest games Tearaway unfolded and Dreams didn't sell well

They have 5% reduction in headcount over the last 6 months and are essentially flat year over year.

That isn't a good sign at all. That I believe two of the founders have left the studio is also not a good sign.

That we haven't seen a push to deliver Dreams on PC is also not a great sign.

I'd be stunned if they survive the generation.

 

[Heisenberg007]

They have 5% reduction in headcount over the last 6 months and are essentially flat year over year.

That isn't a good sign at all. That I believe two of the founders have left the studio is also not a good sign.

That we haven't seen a push to deliver Dreams on PC is also not a great sign.

I'd be stunned if they survive the generation.

Yeah, as adorable Media Molecule is and their games are, I do think it'd be better to fund another team/studio instead of them.

Give them one more opportunity to make a proper full-fledged game. If that doesn't work, cut them and instead use that money to set up a new team/studio or fund another studio for a PS-exclusive game.

 

[Maxwell Jacob Friedman]

Okkkkk.....but we havent had a proper first party showcase in how long, so how about fucking showing those first party games.

 

[yurinka]

You fall too much on that stuff. SIE studios aren't actually under PS Studios, it's just an unit dedicated to oversee development on all of their game subsidiaries/divisions.

"SIE studios" doesn't exist. XDEV is one of the PS Studios teams, and PS Studios is a subsidiary of SIE.

So there isn't actually a single global team? You gotta repeat with me, XDEV is just a brand. The Shanghai and Korean branches have produced their own games before yet you think the Japanese branch will be doing all that work for them, come on.

XDEV is a single global team, with offices in USA, UK and Japan to cover these continents. There aren't Shangai or Korean XDEV publishing teams, but maybe they may have someone there to overview the productions developed on these countries.

Or Sony/SIE pretty likely has offices/peoplr there to handle the distribution of all their PS hardware and software in these countries, not only the XDEV projects.

All the Asian XDEV projects are handled from their Japanese team who previously was inside Japan Studio, Hermen Hulst mentioned it when he did talk about the restructuring in an interview.

 

[nial]

"SIE studios" doesn't exist. XDEV is one of the PS Studios teams, and PS Studios is a subsidiary of SIE.

Come on, man... I'm talking about studios owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment...
You're wrong in the rest, not gonna bother to quote.

 

[Coulomb_Barrier]

The only games essentially confirmed for next year are MLB and Wolverine and there is no guarantee Wolverine comes out next year. Hard to believe for Sony that in a two year period they'd only release Spider-Man 2. No shade to Microsoft, but Sony isn't Microsoft. They've consistently come out with big games annually for nearly two decades without missing.

Helldivers 2 is 2024 too. And they are publishing the Japanese AAA title Rise of the Ronin for next year as an exclusive too. They prob need something else which I'm sure they'll have.

Focusing on the console space, long term, with AAA games taking 4-5 years, it's clear they need each of their big studios to have two teams (which they've done) and they need more AAA studios (buying a publisher, likely CD Project or Kadokawa).

They need to move to be more profitable like Nintendo who make crazy profits from their first party.

 

[Zok310]

How about some fucking Japanese first party games Jimbo?

Shame they made a fuckton of them during the PS3 and PS4 era and yall never bought them.
Some of ya just dont start missing shit til its gone.

 

[Tiago Rodrigues]

Oh great, more Third Person Cinematic Experiences With Important Stories And Quick-Time Events.

The Last of Us being as successful as it was killed PlayStation's first party variety.

Loved those quick time events on The Last of Us 2. The game was filled with them /s (you had like what...4 or 5 in a 40 hour adventure?)

About variety...sure... Astrobot, Demon's Souls, Returnal, Gran Turismo 7, Forbidden West, etc...Helldivers 2 also looks to be exactly like these games. All the same game and template. /s

 

[Roronoa Zoro]

They have 5% reduction in headcount over the last 6 months and are essentially flat year over year.

That isn't a good sign at all. That I believe two of the founders have left the studio is also not a good sign.

That we haven't seen a push to deliver Dreams on PC is also not a great sign.

I'd be stunned if they survive the generation.

They should make a 3d platformer. Seems like they're the kinda team that can do it

 

[Roronoa Zoro]

Helldivers 2 is 2024 too. And they are publishing the Japanese AAA title Rise of the Ronin for next year as an exclusive too. They prob need something else which I'm sure they'll have.

Focusing on the console space, long term, with AAA games taking 4-5 years, it's clear they need each of their big studios to have two teams (which they've done) and they need more AAA studios (buying a publisher, likely CD Project or Kadokawa).

They need to move to be more profitable like Nintendo who make crazy profits from their first party.

On the publisher front I'd think if volume was the problem SE or capcom is best. Gotta think ip

 

[fart town usa]

And what type of game do you think you'll get out of a new Japanese studio?

There needs to be a massive Astrobot game with a flat mode and VR mode. It's Sony's mascot even if not officially so at this point. Playroom was a celebration of PS history and comes with every PS5. Rescue Mission for PSVR is legit one of the best platformers ever made.

I think the days of ICO, SOTC, TLG are over but Team Asobi could easily be the studio that makes charming/quirky games that gamers of all stripes want to play.

 

[Trogdor1123]

This the Nintendo route I guess. Works pretty good for them but they also don’t make hyper expensive cutting edge games

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

But if you break it down studio by studio, they should have a lot slated for 2024, if we assume a 4-5 year development cycle.

I don't understand this "4 - 5 year dev cycle" comment.

We see that very safe, formulaic sequels take 5 years to pump out. God of War Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden West, Spiderman 2...all took 5 years. New games, where developers have to unearth a new formula frequently take ~7+ years.

I don't see how Death Stranding 2, Media Molecules next game, Wolverine etc are hitting before 2025 at the absolute earliest.

This idea is brought up a lot on NeoGAF but I don't see the evidence of 4 - 5 years dev cycles anymore.

 

[crackajack]

In theory I agree, but so far the output of games especially games truly feeling next gen is abysmal from everyone.
I seemingly would want more PS4 budgeted games, with some fresh ideas mixed in, than proper PS5/XSX stuff that seems to not arrive until end of gen.

I'd rather have Sony put those 3bn into just making games than acquiring Bungie for some GaaS expertise, just poach the responsible dude for far less if anything.
I'd rather have MS put those 7+70bn into making games instead of excluding Sony (and promising Nintendo support for CoD as a token of we are the nice losers BS narrative)

Instead of doing the Disney route which is currently in trouble , and similar to Amazon and Netlix struggling with quality, all that money could have been used to offer some bored game sequel directors the golden oppurtunity to make their dream game, and or even better invest heavily in the Kojimas, Druckmans, Carmacks of tomorrow.
Starfield is at least a reskinned Bethesda game similar to what Fallout3 was, Returnal exists, Forspoken kinda tried, Callisto kinda tried, but beyond that the risk aversion is disappointing. PS4 gen already was showing a decline in that regard, but I guess Sony's gen defining games usually come at its ends, so we might still see some properly amazing games.

 

[Varteras]

They have 5% reduction in headcount over the last 6 months and are essentially flat year over year.

That isn't a good sign at all. That I believe two of the founders have left the studio is also not a good sign.

That we haven't seen a push to deliver Dreams on PC is also not a great sign.

I'd be stunned if they survive the generation.

I think there are two things that saved them from being axed with Pixelopus. One, their games are high quality and greatly regarded by critics. Two, they have a BAFTA fellowship. Which is what Colin Moriarty thinks may be a big factor. They're an award winning studio and not just any kind of awards.

The founders are pretty much all gone at this point if I recall correctly. Which happened after Dreams released. I'm inclined to believe that Dreams was the product of their artistic pretentiousness. Spending an entire generation to launch a creation tool, as if Xbox hadn't tried and utterly failed to do the same thing earlier that gen.

Dreams, I feel, would have been much better off as a passion project on the side while they made actual games that might have sold. Honestly, Media Molecule might actually be better off without the founders waving their cocks around. Might actually make something that sells this time.

But I do feel as you do. That the axe is being sharpened as we speak. If they fail a yearly review before their next game, or if their next game doesn't sell, that head is coming off.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

...as if Xbox hadn't tried and utterly failed to do the same thing earlier that gen.

But a company by the name of Roblox tried and utterly succeeded so...

 

[Varteras]

But a company by the name of Roblox tried and utterly succeeded so...

A slow burn that started back in 2006 on PC. Something MM ignored despite everyone and their brother saying they shouldn't.

 

[Bo_Hazem]

You fall too much on that stuff. SIE studios aren't actually under PS Studios, it's just an unit dedicated to oversee development on all of their game subsidiaries/divisions.

So there isn't actually a single global team? You gotta repeat with me, XDEV is just a brand. The Shanghai and Korean branches have produced their own games before yet you think the Japanese branch will be doing all that work for them, come on.

XDev is part of PS Studios though, and Bungie is under SIE:

PlayStation Studios | PlayStation

PlayStation Studios defined gaming for generations. Our collective of studios and teams span the globe – and together – advance gaming and the positive impact it has on people’s lives.

www.playstation.com

 

[DeadOblivion78]

Shame they made a fuckton of them during the PS3 and PS4 era and yall never bought them.
Some just dont miss shit til its gone.

Ain’t that the truth. The people complaining the most are the same people who didn’t buy jack shit from Japan Studios.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

A slow burn that started back in 2006 on PC. Something MM ignored despite everyone and their brother saying they shouldn't.

It's literally the most successful game on planet earth. I think you have to take your hat off to MM for recognizing the potential even if they didn't execute on their version well enough.

More companies should take big swings like that.

 

[nial]

XDev is part of PS Studios though, and Bungie is under SIE:

PlayStation Studios | PlayStation

PlayStation Studios defined gaming for generations. Our collective of studios and teams span the globe – and together – advance gaming and the positive impact it has on people’s lives.

www.playstation.com

PS Studios isn't a company, but rather a segment of SIE, a brand. Every studio is under the different branches of SIE (Japan, America and Europe), all PS Studios does is overseeing the work of them (with the exception of Bungie).

 

[Varteras]

It's literally the most successful game on planet earth. I think you have to take your hat off to MM for recognizing the potential even if they didn't execute on their version well enough.

More companies should take big swings like that.

They spent 8 years developing it, ignored the one market they really shouldn't have, and had no real examples of great success until their project was pretty much finished. That's not commendable. That's a sloppy swing at a tricky pitch.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

They spent 8 years developing it

Ambition ALWAYS requires more time and iteration.

ignored the one market they really shouldn't have.

Well, they're a PlayStation Studio so... In 2013, when their project got greenlit, PlayStation was still years away from embracing PC.

and had no real examples of great success until their project was pretty much finished.

So recognizing a high potential design before they saw market success is less impressive than recognizing it after seeing a market success? How does that work?

That's not commendable. That's a sloppy swing at a tricky pitch.

At least they're swinging and not sitting in the stands.

 

[Varteras]

Ambition ALWAYS requires more time and iteration.

Well, they're a PlayStation Studio so... In 2013, when their project got greenlit, PlayStation was still years away from embracing PC.

So recognizing a high potential design before they saw market success is less impressive than recognizing it after seeing a market success? How does that work?

At least they're swinging and not sitting in the stands.

If Dreams was a 4-year project or developed alongside actual games that brought in some money, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

If you're going to have vision, it can't be half-assed and excuses made for why you failed to see where this project had a chance to succeed. If you were going to be hamstrung by a platform, probably better to not do it until you get the greenlight and make something else in the meantime.

This is a business. Simply having a vision isn't worth anything if you take too long to fail at its execution. Cool. They saw potential. Good for them. They wasted time and money and could end up ultimately costing the whole studio their jobs because they went all hands on deck for a big gamble. They work for Sony. Hire more people to work on something safer while you try something risky. No reason not to other than some kind of stubborn pride.

 

[nial]

There needs to be a massive Astrobot game with a flat mode and VR mode. It's Sony's mascot even if not officially so at this point.

I'd say it's officially been that way for quite a long time. This is from Tokyo Game Show 2018.

I mean...

To put it in context, Toro Inoue and Pipo Monkey have historically been Sony's mascots (unlike Kratos, Nathan Drake and others).

 

[Mibu no ookami]

If Dreams was a 4-year project or developed alongside actual games that brought in some money, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

If you're going to have vision, it can't be half-assed and excuses made for why you failed to see where this project had a chance to succeed. If you were going to be hamstrung by a platform, probably better to not do it until you get the greenlight and make something else in the meantime.

This is a business. Simply having a vision isn't worth anything if you take too long to fail at its execution. Cool. They saw potential. Good for them. They wasted time and money and could end up ultimately costing the whole studio their jobs because they went all hands on deck for a big gamble. They work for Sony. Hire more people to work on something safer while you try something risky. No reason not to other than some kind of stubborn pride.

I mean timing is kind of hard to get down. The game reviewed very well and was well received, but I don't think Sony and MM had the means to properly monetize it, which lead to its failure.

No reason it couldn't have been in the ballpark of the success of say Roblox.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

They should make a 3d platformer. Seems like they're the kinda team that can do it

3d platformers don't generally sell well and honestly, their success was more limited to 2d platformers.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Helldivers 2 is 2024 too. And they are publishing the Japanese AAA title Rise of the Ronin for next year as an exclusive too. They prob need something else which I'm sure they'll have.

Focusing on the console space, long term, with AAA games taking 4-5 years, it's clear they need each of their big studios to have two teams (which they've done) and they need more AAA studios (buying a publisher, likely CD Project or Kadokawa).

They need to move to be more profitable like Nintendo who make crazy profits from their first party.

I think both CDPR and Kadokawa/FromSoftware make a lot of sense, but they should probably look at studios like Larian, Sabotage, Supergiant Games, Nordisk Film/Supermassive Games, and Level-5.

Nintendo works because they have major brands as well as high-quality and cross-media. Sony is getting there but they're not there yet.

 

[Roronoa Zoro]

3d platformers don't generally sell well and honestly, their success was more limited to 2d platformers.

Dammit I like 3d ones so much more tho

 

[xiskza]

Considering how scarce the first party output has been, they better step it up then...

 

[Bo_Hazem]

They spent 8 years developing it, ignored the one market they really shouldn't have, and had no real examples of great success until their project was pretty much finished. That's not commendable. That's a sloppy swing at a tricky pitch.

It's just really hard to make games on Dreams to the point that you feel like working for free. LBP system was accessible and there are people who made wonders and I enjoyed making things in it. I made an uphill drag race with the engine exposed, spitting fire, and managed to make the pipes glow red gradually! It was a mind twist but managed to make it work.

 

[bitbydeath]

Ain’t that the truth. The people complaining the most are the same people who didn’t buy jack shit from Japan Studios.

I bought both Knack 1 and Knack 2, most ripped on that series and are now wondering why Japan Studio is gone.