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Sony Reveals Categories/Focus for First Party Studios

Topher

Gold Member
This was the most important thing I saw during the presentation today. A clear, concise layout of where the focus of each PlayStation studio (for the most part).

Love seeing the "Single-Player, Narrative Focus" here. I don't know this, but I believe that after the failure with Naughty Dog's Factions, it became clear that Sony's single player studios need to focus on making single player games.

Think it is interesting that Guerrila and Bend Studio are in the "Evolving/Multi-genre" section. Any guesses to what "Evolving/Multi-genre" means?

egJBkFO.png
 
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Dr. Claus

Vincit qui se vincit
Will they almost all be the same poorly written third person "cinematic" narrative-focused titles with slow walking segments, rpg-lite systems, lack depth, and be boring as shite?

Oh, but now half of them will be blatantly unfinished with promises of "updates" to finish the game.
 

simpatico

Member
Naughty Dog firmly back into the SP camp after spending years on an MP game. Guerilla however, graduated to the 50 yard line. Horizon themed third person Destiny clone incoming? Gonna be raining bespoke tribal bows with all kinds of small attribute boosts. I'm about half way through Ghost of Tsushima, and for my money Sucker Punch is the premier studio on that graphic and they're right where they belong. Game just snuck right in to my potential GOTY tier out of nowhere. As a Days Gone enthusiast, kinda sad seeing Bend where they are.
 

Flabagast

Member
Think it is interesting that Guerrila and Bend Studio are in the "Evolving/Multi-genre" section. Any guesses to what "Evolving/Multi-genre" means?
It means single player focused studios « evolving » into GaaS focused studios
 
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bitbydeath

Gold Member
I believe this is the genre blending both Bend and Naughty Dog have talked about before, where what you’re playing is a single player game but the world is an alive MP world.

I’m interested to see how it works but I imagine it would be similar to Helldivers 2 but with more narrative/SP elements, or better yet, like Days Gone but the gangs you meet on the road are real player’s, while everything else remains story focused.
 
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Guerilla Games has a case with Horizon as a type of multiplayer Monster Hunter game.

Unsure about Bend but I hope they got something good cooking.

Naughty Dog should stick to AAAA single player games.
 

Represent.

Represent(ative) of bad opinions
Naughty Dog, Santa Monica, Insomniac, Sucker Punch, Bluepoint, all making Single Player narrative focused games. Music to my ears. Disaster averted.

Guerilla is in the "we do both" category.

Good news all around.

(FINALLY SOME GOOD SONY NEWS WOW)
 
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StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Wouldnt Insomniac being Evolving?

I thought the leaks showed they got tons of plans for Superhero MP gaming coming later on which all melded together into one universe. I think that was a 2027-2030 kind of thing.
 

nial

Gold Member
Funny how Firesprite was developing live service games not long ago, and now they're only making SP stuff.
 

nial

Gold Member
Wouldnt Insomniac being Evolving?

I thought the leaks showed they got tons of plans for Superhero MP gaming coming later on which all melded together into one universe. I think that was a 2027-2030 kind of thing.
Just pieces of concept that never went anywhere. They were actually making a GAAS Spider-Verse project, but it got canned.
 

Topher

Gold Member
Wouldnt Insomniac being Evolving?

I thought the leaks showed they got tons of plans for Superhero MP gaming coming later on which all melded together into one universe. I think that was a 2027-2030 kind of thing.

Very well could be that they went the same route as Naughty Dog and is focusing on single player now.
 

Buggy Loop

Member
Funny how Firesprite was developing live service games not long ago, and now they're only making SP stuff.

KyoZz KyoZz

Just came to mind that Firesprite was the studio behind SC’s Theater of war. They had work also on arena commander and star marine. Their work is transferred to CIG but a loss of a satellite studio for them.
 

Loomy

Thinks Microaggressions are Real
Why TF Is Bluepoint a "Partner" studio?

Give them their independent projects idiots
They're working on their own project. Their last credit was assisting with Ragnarok, and they're more than likely providing support with something else.

Funny how Firesprite was developing live service games not long ago, and now they're only making SP stuff.
Only the one that was cancelled. Sounds like studio has been a mess since the acquisition though.
 
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I just really want to see what a post-Kruger Housemarque will be able to do. Seeing him leave after Returnal was probably the biggest NOOOOO! moment in gaming for me that I can remember but I'd give anything they do a try.
 

Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
Wouldnt Insomniac being Evolving?

I thought the leaks showed they got tons of plans for Superhero MP gaming coming later on which all melded together into one universe. I think that was a 2027-2030 kind of thing.
Focus probably doesn't mean exclusively.

If Naughty Dog has 2 big single player games and a small multiplayer project being worked on right now (which I suspect is the case), they could still be "single player focused" for the time being.
 

yurinka

Member
Think it is interesting that Guerrila and Bend Studio are in the "Evolving/Multi-genre" section. Any guesses to what "Evolving/Multi-genre" means?
So guerrilla and bend are both working on GAAS titles?

That "Evolving/multi-genre" means both "single player, narrative focus" and "live service focus", like Gran Turismo or Little Big Planet.

Meaning, in the past Hermen said Guerrilla is working in Horizon 3 (SP, narrative focus) and Horizon Online (live service MP).

Bend's new IP apparently is an open world like Days Gone, but apparently also includes MP / GaaS stuff.

The founders of Bend left in frustration at Sony for not greenlighting a sequel, if I remember correctly. Sad to see them get sent to the GAAS mines for no fault of their own.
Not true, they said that never pitched the sequel to Sony because a Bend internal boss, the studio manager, blocked it. Both said that Sony always was very supportive and patient with them, even during huge delays or after the Days Gone 1 reviews. Sony made the PC port, included it as one of their best PS4 games which was the PS Plus Collection and are making a movie adatation. Plus also approved the first pitch Bend sent them, the new IP they are working on.

If Naughty Dog has 2 big single player games and a small multiplayer project being worked on right now (which I suspect is the case), they could still be "single player focused" for the time being.
No, they said that after having cancelled TLOU Online will do single player games only, and that they are working on multiple of them. Minimum two, one apparently started around early 2021 and other early 2023. None of them being TLOU3, which maybe started after cancelling TLOU Online.

They don't have any multiplayer game.

Wouldnt Insomniac being Evolving?

I thought the leaks showed they got tons of plans for Superhero MP gaming coming later on which all melded together into one universe. I think that was a 2027-2030 kind of thing.
No. The leaked docs shown iptches of MP ideas, but the roadmap only featured single player games. Meaning, these MP concepts never got greenlighted by Hermen and Jimbo or got scrappped in super early stages.

Something very common in games, devs have a ton of ideas but only a small portion of them end being included in final games.

Naughty Dog, Santa Monica, Insomniac, Sucker Punch, Bluepoint, all making Single Player narrative focused games. Music to my ears. Disaster averted.
They're working on their own project. Their last credit was assisting with Ragnarok, and they're more than likely providing support with something else.
Why TF Is Bluepoint a "Partner" studio?

Give them their independent projects idiots

Bluepoint is not working on their "own" game, a new game leaded by them. After Demon's Souls became a support studio to codevelop new games. The first one was GoWR, after it they now must be in support role again helping out some other studio, as shown in the slide because their whole team worked on GoWR (as seen on its game credits) and they don't have enough peopke in certain areas (mostly design) to lead their own AAA game.

I assume that after they get used to work in brand new AAA games in a support role, over time they'll grow the studio hiring the people they need to lead their own games.


AHHHHHH!!! There really is gonna be a new Astro Bot game, isn’t there???

Proud Emma Stone GIF
Yes. It will be called "Astro Bot", same logo than Rescue Mission but without any subtitle. They trademarked it back in August.
 
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Means both "single player, narrative focus" and "live service focus", like Gran Turismo or Little Big Planet.

Meaning, in the past Hermen said Guerrilla is working in Horizon 3 (SP, narrative focus) and Horizon Online (live service MP).

Bend's new IP apparently is an open world like Days Gone, but apparently also includes MP / GaaS stuff.
I was wondering how Bend fit in that category. I was super down on their next game being a gaas. Much more positive at the notion of them developing a single player game with MP elements. Hopefully it is Co-op related, which would have worked perfectly for a game like Days Gone
 

yurinka

Member
I was wondering how Bend fit in that category. I was super down on their next game being a gaas. Much more positive at the notion of them developing a single player game with MP elements. Hopefully it is Co-op related, which would have worked perfectly for a game like Days Gone
I assume they fit there like Gran Turismo or Little Big Planet. Or Ghost of Tsushima.

Their current project seem to be the typical single player narrative open world game like Days Gone. But also with a -I assume secondary, optional- MP mode and long post launch support.

I remember they said to have the concept of bike gangs that couldn't include in Days Gone because its scope was already too huge, so was one of the things that were kept for hopefully the sequel. They could implement it in this game.
 
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Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
No, they said that after having cancelled TLOU Online will do single player games only, and that they are working on multiple of them. Minimum two, one apparently started around early 2021 and other early 2023. None of them being TLOU3, which maybe started after cancelling TLOU Online.

They don't have any multiplayer game.
Nope. They never said that. Go reread their statement about Factions cancellation.
 

Loomy

Thinks Microaggressions are Real
Bluepoint is not working on their own game. After Demon's Souls became a support studio to codevelop new games. The first one was GoWR, now they must be in another support role as shown in the slide because their whole team worked on GoWR and they don't have enough peolpe in certain areas (mostly design) to lead their own AAA game.

I assume that after they get used to work in brand new AAA games in a support role, over time they'll grow the studio hiring the people they need to lead their own games.
Until they come out and say "we're a support studio only" we can only go by what they've actually told us. Their founder/president said at the time they were acquired that they were in the process of making their own original game.

“It finally gives us the ability to work on original content, which is what we’re actually currently doing,” Thrush said. “There’s no other party we would want to partner with. It’s kind of like Sony is, has and always will be the perfect partner.”

- Marco Thrush, Bluepoint founder
 

yurinka

Member
Nope. They never said that. Go reread their statement about Factions cancellation.
Yes, they said what I said. They cancelled TLOU Online to work only in single player games, of which they had at that point they had multiple ones under development.

They absolutely never announced or even hinted to have any other MP game other than TLOU Online. If you think that is the case, please provide any legit source from Sony or ND saying that.

Until they come out and say "we're a support studio only" we can only go by what they've actually told us. Their founder/president said at the time they were acquired that they were in the process of making their own original game.
He absolutely never said they were going to lead their own new game. He said they were going to work on "new content" or "new games", which doesn't imply to lead the game and is perfectly compatible with what this slide says and what the role they had in GoWR: they now codevelop new games working in a support studio role.

They don't have the people needed to lead their own AAA game and they don't have enough people to have a "secret 2nd team". The GowR game credits and their LinkedIn show that their whole team was working on GoWR.

They only have 1 game designer, 2 level designers and 1 combat designer. That's ok for a support team that focuses on art or programming, or to make remakes or remasters, but not to lead a AAA game.
 
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Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
Yes, they said what I said. They cancelled TLOU Online to work only in single player games, of which they had at that point they had multiple ones under development.

They absolutely never announced or even hinted to have any other MP game other than TLOU Online. If you think that is the case, please provide any legit source from Sony or ND saying that.

Nope. They never said "only". Your brain added that edit in for some reason.

"The learnings and investments in technology from this game will carry into how we develop our projects and will be invaluable in the direction we are headed as a studio. We have more than one ambitious, brand new single player game that we're working on here at Naughty Dog, and we cannot wait to share more about what comes next when we’re ready."

The brain trust that worked on Factions 2 is still there. I wonder what they're working on now...
 

Loomy

Thinks Microaggressions are Real
He absolutely never said they were going to lead their own new game. He said they were going to work on "new content" or "new games", which doesn't imply to lead the game and is perfectly compatible with what this slide says and what the role they had in GoWR: they now codevelop new games working in a support studio role.

They don't have the people needed to lead their own AAA game and they don't have enough people to have a "secret 2nd team". The GowR game credits and their LinkedIn show that their whole team was working on GoWR.
You are splitting the thinnest of hairs here. If a cover band says "we got signed to this new label, so we're going to start making original content now", it means they're recording original music. If a video game developer who has been working on remakes says "we're making original content now", it means they're making an original game. Not necessarily a new IP, but an original game nonetheless. What does original content mean to you?

Also, Housemarque is not that much bigger than Bluepoint and they made Returnal. You don't need 250 people to make a good AAA game.

Additional quote from Thrush:
"Our team is a very highly experienced team, the average experience among most people is about 15 years, and all of them come from original development. It's not like we're a bunch of developers that got trained up on making remasters and remakes. We have that original game development mindset in our hearts, and that's what we're now ready, finally ready with the support of Sony to push forward and show what we can do, and show what PlayStation can do,"

Once upon a time, they made a single player game called Halo.
They've been making Destiny for as long as they made Halo so it's a toss up at this point.
 

Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
Single player, narrative teams releasing on one platform. Then we have Live Service teams releasing on two platforms...in the Live Service era.

Gee...I wonder how this will go?
 

Loomy

Thinks Microaggressions are Real
Single player, narrative teams releasing on one platform. Then we have Live Service teams releasing on two platforms...in the Live Service era.

Gee...I wonder how this will go?
Live service games which require continued engagement both in play time and money spent to generate revenue will be made available to more players, thus generating more continued and predictable revenue.

Single player games that are meant as a showcase of the platform and its capabilities will be used as a way to sell the console and ecosystem to new and existing customers.

Hulst needs to go. A S A P
What has he done now?
 
So guerrilla and bend are both working on GAAS titles?

House Party Dancing GIF by Amazon Prime Video

If they go back to making Killzone MP instead of Horizon MP I'm all for it....

Bend? I dunno....why are they trying to force them to be live service? Especially after a successful Days Gone? That studio seems to be completely mismanaged and will end up with a massive flop. What a waste.
 
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Loomy

Thinks Microaggressions are Real
If they go back to making Killzone MP instead of Horizon MP I'm all for it....

Bend? I dunno....why are they trying to force them to be live service? Especially after a successful Days Gone? That studio seems to be completely mismanaged and will end up with a massive flop. What a waste.
Bend really is the weirdest situation of the last few years. To the point where most people consider Days Gone a flop, which it wasn't. From how they last described it, seems like the new IP is an open world game with both single player and multiplayer.
 
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