Sony leaving behind games.

[The Hectamancer]

I know this title sounds very cynical, I feel like Sony or specifically the Playstation branch of Sony doesn't seem to want to make games anymore.

What I mean by this, is mechanically driven games. Like Ape Escape, Bloodborne, or even games like Oddworld (remember those games?).

Games that put gameplay mechanics at the front, and story in the back. But all Playstation wants to do now is movies.

Horizon Zero Dawn film announced

PlayStation Productions and Columbia Pictures have announced a movie adaptation of the Guerrilla Games-developed PlayStation game Horizon Zero Dawn. It is currently in the early stages of developme…

www.gematsu.com

Helldivers film announced

PlayStation Productions and Sony Pictures have announced a movie based on the Arrowhead Game Studios-developed PlayStation series Helldivers. It is currently in production.

www.gematsu.com

Oh and this I guess.

Ghost of Tsushima: Legends anime by Aniplex announced

Aniplex has announced an anime series based on the Sucker Punch Productions-developed PlayStation game Ghost of Tsushima: Legends. It will premiere on Crunchyroll in 2027.

www.gematsu.com

It's just ugh. I just want games not movies. I don't want to begin a game cutting down a tree, I want to begin a game cutting down a Hydra (God of War).

I don't to play a slow sequence riding a bicycle in a Superhero game, I want to go on new planets and blast robots and space aliens (Spider Man 2, Ratchet & Clank)

To cut a very long rant short, I want to play games, not watch movies. If want a movie, I'll watch a movie. If however I'm playing a game, I want to play a game, not watch a movie by playing a game.

Ugh. This PS5 generation has been hard to watch. It's one of the reasons why I play mostly retro games now, and now ramble like a mental patient on this nice place on the internet.

And I know there is a few games that are more mechanically driven, Helldivers (which now has a movie) is one of them. I just don't think there is nearly enough like it.

If anyone has read this far too big post. Am I being too harsh? Or do you think they have lost the play part of Playstation?

 

[Stingy Perry]

I know this title sounds very cynical, I feel like Sony or specifically the Playstation branch of Sony doesn't seem to want to make games anymore.

What I mean by this, is mechanically driven games. Like Ape Escape, Bloodborne, or even games like Oddworld (remember those games?).

Games that put gameplay mechanics at the front, and story in the back. But all Playstation wants to do now is movies.

Horizon Zero Dawn film announced

PlayStation Productions and Columbia Pictures have announced a movie adaptation of the Guerrilla Games-developed PlayStation game Horizon Zero Dawn. It is currently in the early stages of developme…

www.gematsu.com

Helldivers film announced

PlayStation Productions and Sony Pictures have announced a movie based on the Arrowhead Game Studios-developed PlayStation series Helldivers. It is currently in production.

www.gematsu.com

Oh and this I guess.

Ghost of Tsushima: Legends anime by Aniplex announced

Aniplex has announced an anime series based on the Sucker Punch Productions-developed PlayStation game Ghost of Tsushima: Legends. It will premiere on Crunchyroll in 2027.

www.gematsu.com

It's just ugh. I just want games not movies. I don't want to begin a game cutting down a tree, I want to begin a game cutting down a Hydra (God of War).

I don't to play a slow sequence riding a bicycle in a Superhero game, I want to go on new planets and blast robots and space aliens (Spider Man 2, Ratchet & Clank)

To cut a very long rant short, I want to play games, not watch movies. If want a movie, I'll watch a movie. If however I'm playing a game, I want to play a game, not watch a movie by playing a game.

Ugh. This PS5 generation has been hard to watch. It's one of the reasons why I play mostly retro games now, and now ramble like a mental patient on this nice place on the internet.

And I know there is a few games that are more mechanically driven, Helldivers (which now has a movie) is one of them. I just don't think there is nearly enough like it.

If anyone has read this far too big post. Am I being too harsh? Or do you think they have lost the play part of Playstation?

I dunno but it seems that Sony is more on pushing for the sales of their hardware rather than giving us consumers the experience they gave with their games. They’re probably like many developers are using so they’re in no rush make those games.

 

[ATenderLad]

Spoiler: Inaccurate political off-topic

PlayStation of America may go under soon if they keep focus on DEI slop because so of Japan is very pissed because Concord was a joke and Spider-man 2 and God of war Ragnarok both sold poorly.

So if your lucky your wish may come true soon because Sony of japan wan´t to focus more on games with game play and games more story driven. They just need to tighten the reins on Sony of America.

What numbers are you looking at for Spider-Man 2 and God of War? They both sold over 10 million copies in a year, higher than their predecessors and faster than any other first party titles Sony has made to date.

 

[SwordBreaker39]

What numbers are you looking at for Spider-Man 2 and God of War? They both sold over 10 million copies in a year, higher than their predecessors and faster than any other first party titles Sony has made to date.

Spoiler: Inaccurate political off-topic

Well I don´g go by numbers I go on what Sony of Japan says and they are not happy about the sale figure and especially about Raganrok´s PC sale figures which is an issue if the PC sales are worse than console it could mean Sony don´t wan´t to put games on PC that much if the sales are bad.

And if that is the case we will never see bloodborn on PC because Sony scared about sales being bad.
So yeah im worried of Sony of Japan is worried because that could mean we could kiss any chance of bloodborn on PC goodbye.

So 10million units and best selling on PS5 be damned. One thing for sure Sony of Japan is not happy with Sony of America and their continues fumbles.

 

[Muklas]

Big companies in general have given up on creating anything that involves even a modicum of imagination.

 

[SwordBreaker39]

Big companies in general have given up on creating anything that involves even a modicum of imagination.

for sure Indie games is where you wanna go if you want new and imaginative. In 2024 I bought 3 times more indie games and the only big titles I got was Space marine 2 and FF16.

 

[Leifang]

You say you want games focused on gameplay not trying to be movies, and one of your two examples is Oddworld, a cinematic platformer LITERALLY trying to be a movie? It's a fantasy remake of Soylent Green.

If you think games started to be movies NOW, boy I have news for you about FMV games on original PlayStation, even outside of them, EVERYTHING tried to be a movie back then... Medal of Honor was marketed as "Steven Spielberg game"!

Of you mean specifically game focusing on specific mechanics like Ape Escape, wasn't it developed to showcase dual analog controls? With every new gimmick, from motion controls to sixaxis, Sony made games specifically to tech demo those too.

 

[Aziamuth]

I feel like the reason Sony focuses on those types of games now is because they feel is the only way they can differentiate themselves from the market in a way that also brings them business.

Let's say a new Ape Escape is announced. While a lot of people might be excited, there's a chance that it might not sell as much as Sony wants, because now people buy a PlayStation for the graphics. If there's even a small chance of the product failing ON THEIR FORECASTS, then it's not worth it. And they can't think of a way of bringing those old, more arcadey games into the current market.

Frankly, the fact that Ratchet and Clank still exists and is GOOD (even if I am not of a fan of its writing from PS4 onwards) is a miracle to me. Hoping they reboot Jak and Daxter at some point and do something that pleases somewhat every person on the market.

 

[The Hectamancer]

You say you want games focused on gameplay not trying to be movies, and one of your two examples is Oddworld, a cinematic platformer LITERALLY trying to be a movie? It's a fantasy remake of Soylent Green.

If you think games started to be movies NOW, boy I have news for you about FMV games on original PlayStation, even outside of them, EVERYTHING tried to be a movie back then... Medal of Honor was marketed as "Steven Spielberg game"!

Of you mean specifically game focusing on specific mechanics like Ape Escape, wasn't it developed to showcase dual analog controls? With every new gimmick, from motion controls to sixaxis, Sony made games specifically to tech demo those too.

And pray tell, how much of the game is stopping to watch cutscenes? Or having the control taken away from you to walk and talk for five minutes?

Did you just look at the name of the genre it's attached to and think "it says cinematic in the title I can use this as a got ya"

And Medal of Honor? You do realize you can make a game look like a movie, but actually, you know play it.

Maybe actually play said games, you would be susprise how much both of those games are actually games.

Not great examples.

Post automatically merged: Yesterday at 10:43 AM

I feel like the reason Sony focuses on those types of games now is because they feel is the only way they can differentiate themselves from the market in a way that also brings them business.

Let's say a new Ape Escape is announced. While a lot of people might be excited, there's a chance that it might not sell as much as Sony wants, because now people buy a PlayStation for the graphics. If there's even a small chance of the product failing ON THEIR FORECASTS, then it's not worth it. And they can't think of a way of bringing those old, more arcadey games into the current market.

Frankly, the fact that Ratchet and Clank still exists and is GOOD (even if I am not of a fan of its writing from PS4 onwards) is a miracle to me. Hoping they reboot Jak and Daxter at some point and do something that pleases somewhat every person on the market.

While true Ape Escape would more then likely not do as well as Sony Movie Game #233.

The costs of the movie games are also far higher, which Ape Escape wouldn't need to sell nearly as much as the movie games would need to sell just to break even.

That, and game variety helps a game company like Playstation grow as not everyone wants to play what they offer.

Not every game Nintendo makes sells like Pokemon, but they still make them anyway. And it does seem to help them.

 

[SkunkyBeaumont]

https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/diversity/program/japan/

What were you saying about DEI again?

 

[Leon]

I haven't had time to read the thread yet so this might have been said but when sony moved it's headquarters to california (aka a borderline communist oligarchy and the butt of jokes of the united states) they started killing their japanese development studios, the only one left made astrobot, which should say something about the current state of sony.
To put it another way, the sony that made the ps2 is at best a shell of it's former self and at worse a different creature wearing the skin of the company that made stuff like ape escape.

Spoiler: Inaccurate political off-topic

What numbers are you looking at for Spider-Man 2 and God of War? They both sold over 10 million copies in a year, higher than their predecessors and faster than any other first party titles Sony has made to date.

Spider man 2 was going to sell no matter what, because the DEI backlash hadn't really started hitting yet and it was a spider man game add to that the fact that ps5 had literally no games at that point and i'd have been surprised if it didn't sell, even concord might have sold in that environment, that being said so far spider man 2 has sold below expectations apparently even if it sold well, which means it has been effected some.

Dad of war sold well as it was basically a new franchise using a old franchise's name for most people and tended to avoid alot of the political preaching.
God of war ragnarok however under-performed or so i hear but i'm no expert on that.

Spider man 2 hasn't come to pc yet so we can't get official numbers on it but how it sells on pc will tell us more than ps5 sales, same with last of us part 2, which even though it did sell, it sold around half of what part 1 sold.

DEI definitely does negatively effect sales, whether you think DEI is a good thing or bad thing is irrelevant, it's all about the numbers and companies at least ones that aren't literally ideological are more worried about money at the top end than they are politics.

 

[Leon]

Spoiler: Inaccurate political off-topic

DEI only affects sales with ignorant assholes. Seriously, get a fucking grip.

Post automatically merged: Yesterday at 11:45 AM

And if it was me, I wouldn't want their money.

As i said what you or i think means jack, DEI effects sales negatively, and businesses care about money, remember these companies are not your friend.

I'm against DEI being pushed so heavily but if it was selling games i'd point that out, as i tend to keep my opinions on such matters separate from the discussion.

 

[DanVzare]

If anyone has read this far too big post. Am I being too harsh? Or do you think they have lost the play part of Playstation?

Too harsh? Probably.
But it doesn't make it any less true.

But that's just how the game industry is now in general.
Developers are more interested in making "cinematic" experiences, because mainstream audiences see movies as being "better" than games. More artistic, better made, higher quality. If you can't make it in the film industry, just become a game developer instead.
Unfortunately such games completely ignore what makes games so great. Player involvement.

But the people who liked playing games because they were games, have always been a relatively niche audience. We are the losers who like things that aren't popular. But we aren't being catered to anymore, because now that games are no longer considered to only be for losers and children, there's now a huge mainstream audience to cater to instead. Why make a gamey game which sells only 100,000 units, when you can make a cinematic game that sells over 1,000,000 units.

Alternatively, there's also the Games As A Service model, which is also geared towards that same mainstream audience. I mean just look at the original Rainbow Six compared to Rainbow Six Siege. The former is so niche, that there literally isn't any other game like it even now (not even Ready or Not compares). A tactical shooter with squad mechanics that allow you to literally just make a plan and sit back while the game plays it out for you? No one would ever play a game like that... except they would. The audience that bought it back then still exists, it just isn't a number that's grown significantly, and so now pales in comparison to the new normal.

But hey, there's still games out there. Just from more of the small time developers. The B games and the Indie games.
Now if you don't mind, I'm going to continue hyping myself up for the next mainline Neptunia release.

 

[beefbowl]

But there is also games like Rift Apart, being a movie-like experience with great gameplay. They can still follow that route but those games wouldn't sell well because they're harder to play than a Uncharted or new GoWs.

 

[otogirisou]

When i read the thread's title, my thought was "oh this must be another complain about cutscenes or about old franchise not getting sequel", but turns out people just want to justify racism.

 

[Leon]

Spoiler: Political Off-topic

When i read the thread's title, my thought was "oh this must be another complain about cutscenes or about old franchise not getting sequel", but turns out people just want to justify racism.

Meritocracy and racism are 2 different things, no one here has discussed racism in the industry (that's a different topic).

As i said i don't care what gender or race you are, as long as your getting the job because your the best choice for it, i wouldn't want a white guy who's blind driving a school bus just because of some racial quota for example.

But this of course, means i'm racist, because i think people should be hired on the ability and not their race or gender, i think yoko shimomura is a amazing and legendary musician but obviously the person they picked because of some checkbox should get the job instead.

Also i still haven't attacked any of you, yet you keep throwing attacks at me, if your going to attack me, how about refuting what i have to say?
Well whatever, i'll just leave the topic as i've proven my point, it's pretty obvious this discussion is going off mark from it's original intent so @op, sorry for derailing the topic.

 

[MasterEn]

What numbers are you looking at for Spider-Man 2 and God of War? They both sold over 10 million copies in a year, higher than their predecessors and faster than any other first party titles Sony has made to date.

Square Enix considers those failure numbers. The Tomb Raider reboot games and another franchise [i can't remember it off the top of my head] sold about 4 million copies each and were quite well received by both players and critics. square wanted each game to sell 10 million each. that's why the reboot games stopped being made.

this is also kind of hilarious/sad, because FFXIII took three games with each one selling half as much each instalment and needing over half a decade to reach hat number. and they considered it a full success.

 

[SkunkyBeaumont]

Square Enix considers those failure numbers. The Tomb Raider reboot games and another franchise [i can't remember it off the top of my head] sold about 4 million copies each and were quite well received by both players and critics. square wanted each game to sell 10 million each. that's why the reboot games stopped being made.

this is also kind of hilarious/sad, because FFXIII took three games with each one selling half as much each instalment and needing over half a decade to reach hat number. and they considered it a full success.

Maybe stop spending so much on development so that you don't have to sell 10 million units to recoup your costs?

 

[Clippy]

Maybe stop spending so much on development so that you don't have to sell 10 million units to recoup your costs?

These days marketing budgets are larger than development budgets. I wonder why. I mean, I know who Squeenix are. If I want to see what they're up to all I need to do is visit their website or their socials. Do they need to do anything more for anyone interested to learn that the next Final Fantasy is in the making?

The Tomb Raider reboot games and another franchise [i can't remember it off the top of my head]

Iirc the other franchise was Deus Ex.

 

[Stookymalarkey]

Square Enix considers those failure numbers. The Tomb Raider reboot games and another franchise [i can't remember it off the top of my head] sold about 4 million copies each and were quite well received by both players and critics. square wanted each game to sell 10 million each. that's why the reboot games stopped being made.

this is also kind of hilarious/sad, because FFXIII took three games with each one selling half as much each instalment and needing over half a decade to reach hat number. and they considered it a full success.

It's because Final Fantasy is their crown jewel so of course they'll give it more chances. Hell, Final Fantasy 14 was such a disaster at the start that they had to literally rework it from the ground up to make it successful. To do otherwise would be to admit defeat.

They weren't as patient with their western developed games and had stupidly high expectations on what they deem profitable. It's why Deus Ex died even though it succeeded despite SE's meddling in development and shady DLC practices.

 

[MasterEn]

These days marketing budgets are larger than development budgets. I wonder why. I mean, I know who Squeenix are. If I want to see what they're up to all I need to do is visit their website or their socials. Do they need to do anything more for anyone interested to learn that the next Final Fantasy is in the making?


Iirc the other franchise was Deus Ex.

i think that was the one. i don't hear much about it, so i forgot. both tomb raider and Deus Ex, well liked and received: failures. one of the two worst final fantasy games disliked by most people and shoehorned into everything: success.

 

[Leon]

Square Enix considers those failure numbers. The Tomb Raider reboot games and another franchise [i can't remember it off the top of my head] sold about 4 million copies each and were quite well received by both players and critics. square wanted each game to sell 10 million each. that's why the reboot games stopped being made.

this is also kind of hilarious/sad, because FFXIII took three games with each one selling half as much each instalment and needing over half a decade to reach hat number. and they considered it a full success.

One thing that cannot be understated is how inflated both development crews are getting and more importantly, engine costs, FFXIII used the crystal engine, which was developed in-house by S-E which cost significantly less than unreal engine 5 did, because the licensing fees for engines can get insane at times.

Iirc the other franchise was Deus Ex.

Man i miss deus ex, last great western game s-e made imo (was never a fan of tomb raider).

 

[Teone]

Moderation note: Locked the thread according to our rules asking for discussions without a political focus.

Politics are complicated and directly affect our lives in a deep level, so unless we could discuss it from verifiable sources and in an appropriate space (which is not the case with RetroGameTalk), this only serves to make people angry in an idiotic and endless discussion of "this is the fact" and "no, actually this is the fact", when everything is nothing more than a mere opinion inspired by personal feelings.

Cut the "DEI is the industry's problem" vibes or whatever thing similar in our future discussions please, or it will keep being locked.