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Naughty Dog hiring for senior monetization designer (multiplayer)

cormack12

Gold Member
The role will focus on in-game initiatives to increase revenue and conversion while maintaining a strong player-first value system.

Source: https://www.naughtydog.com/greenhouse/job/2937118?gh_jid=2937118

Embark on Naughty Dog’s newest adventure – the studio’s first standalone multiplayer game! We’re seeking to bring the same level of ambition and quality of our signature, story-driven games to this unique multiplayer project, so we are looking for an experienced, creative, and collaborative Monetization Designer to help us build an incredible, player-friendly economy. This position will have the opportunity to be highly innovative and make their mark by developing a best-in-class economy system from the ground up.

Responsibilities:
  • Design sustainable monetization systems in line with the game’s vision, collaborating with key stakeholders to ensure these systems are integrated into the core gameplay features
  • Promote a holistic monetization strategy with the goal of improving retention, increasing in-game revenue and lifetime value, while respecting the player experience
  • Coordinate with the Design and Art teams to develop a strategic and opportunistic plan for the creation of in-game items and driving regular updates to the in-game store
  • Collaborate across the broader development team to maintain the game economy for the life of the game
  • Stay up to date and provide competitive analysis on current and emerging monetization trends, taking a primary role in raising the overall knowledge level in the design team for monetization best practices
  • Collaborate with in- and out-of-house Analytics teams to collect and analyze economic, engagement, and monetization data; build reports on performance, then suggest and implement new strategies and optimize existing offerings
  • Develop taxonomy, guidelines, and best practices for monetization for others to follow based on studio and game values, ethical and legal standards, and industry best practices
  • Collaborate with operational teams to maximize post-launch/live campaign and content efforts
  • Analyze gameplay mechanics to identify opportunities that will have a positive impact on monetization
  • Create game economy simulations and evaluate their performance & their impact on player experience

Think we can assume it's going to be a live service game from this. I'm not realyl sure what is currently monetised in Uncharted, is it just like emotes and dances and stuff. I know the original factions had weapon packs/bundles that people thought were pay 2 win. Happy to see the first sentence (bolded) though. I assume game mechanics are going to be things like intro/outro emotes, maybe assassination animations, skins etc. Still not sure whether this will be a free to play game either.

They also recruited back in March for similar
 

M1chl

Currently Gif and Meme Champion
I thought they are pretty far at this game already, monetization of the TLoU 1 MP was even in 2013 very progressive in terms of how much money they could possibly lift from your wallet...
 
We already know Sony wants a piece of that market.

I seriously just hope they don't release this for PS5 only...and an full price. Imagine killing a multiplayer game like that...

That said...these news might mean they aren't doing that. The full-price part at least.
 
We already know Sony wants a piece of that market.

I seriously just hope they don't release this for PS5 only...and an full price. Imagine killing a multiplayer game like that...

That said...these news might mean they aren't doing that. The full-price part at least.
I highly doubt this will be a PS5 only title. And it will be free.

EDIT: Actually this will depend on when the game releases. If they don't release it by next year, then yeah, PS5 only (and maybe PC).
 
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Elios83

Member
I think this has turned into a full standalone multiplayer game.
It won't be a free to play online mode for TLOU2.
And given that it's full multiplayer a simultaneous release on PS5/PC(PS4?) might happen.
Sadly it won't be for me, don't care about multiplayer only games but there's obviously a huge market for that.
 
I think this has turned into a full standalone multiplayer game.
It won't be a free to play online mode for TLOU2.
This has been the case ever since 2019:



"you will eventually experience the fruits of our team's online ambition, but not as part of The Last of Us Part II".

You can tell it's a lot more than just an online mode.

That said...i'm picturing a kick ass bundle that includes TLOU Remake + TLOU2 Remaster + Factions for PS5.
Can't wait to be depressed all over again...this time twice as much!
 
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Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
It makes sense for Sony to set up TLOU multiplayer in a similar manner to how MS have with Halo, so can't say I'm surprised by this.
 

Bryank75

Banned
What did I say...... the minute PS games started going to PC it became about making money directly from 1st party, say good bye to any artistic integrity.
Exclusives are centerpieces to attract gamers to a platform but now they are just products like any 3rd party game...

You can see how things are pivoting under Ryan....paid upgrades, demos in PS+, multiplayer and online only games (GT7) and now here come the MTX in everything.

As in Hamlet, when the King is poison, he poisons all below him.
 
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Putonahappyface

Gold Member
This thread will expose every user who can't read.
More like TLDR rather than illiterate.

faLwJ4k.gif
 

bender

What time is it?
What did I say...... the minute PS games started going to PC it became about making money directly, say good bye to any artistic integrity.
Exclusives are centerpieces to attract gamers to a platform but now they are just products like any 3rd party game...

You can see how things are pivoting under Ryan....paid upgrades, demos in PS+, multiplayer and online only games (GT7) and now here come the MTX in everything.

As in Hamlet, when the King is poison, he poisons all below him.

TLOU had a bunch of microtransactions for multi-player too so this is just a natural evolution.
 

Mattyp

Gold Member
I have no issue with cosmetic mtx, the issue is Naughty Dog even with their minuscule online player base compared to everyone else is one of if not the worst out of the lot with straight pay to win mtx on the original TLoU and Uncharted titles.

How they never get called out for this cancerous shit I don’t know.

Also get ready for a PAID multiplayer title that would be free elsewhere, and yet still includes MTX.
 
What did I say...... the minute PS games started going to PC it became about making money directly, say good bye to any artistic integrity.
Exclusives are centerpieces to attract gamers to a platform but now they are just products like any 3rd party game...

You can see how things are pivoting under Ryan....paid upgrades, demos in PS+, multiplayer and online only games (GT7) and now here come the MTX in everything.

As in Hamlet, when the King is poison, he poisons all below him.
In the future It will make no sense to need one specific piece of hardware to run a videogame. In 10 years that line of thinking will be completely in the past and it's clear with how much videogame production costs are increasing this is the only way for Sony to do business.

About Sony being "about making money directly" lol...it's been like that since day one. You guys ask for smaller quirky games but i wonder how many people played stuff like Concrete Genie, Astrobot, Dreams creations, etc...
These companies go where the demand is. That's it.
 

Three

Member
The future of games:
Graphics that run on a mobile GPU/CPU
F2P/GaaS
Microtransactions

Some are pushing it towards this future more than others but eventually everyone will cave into it as they are now.
 
“Analyze gameplay mechanics to identify opportunities that will have a positive impact on monetization”

Really curious to know what this means…. Seems like they want to have mtx that impact direct gameplay…
 
TLOU had a bunch of microtransactions for multi-player too so this is just a natural evolution.
Yeah, and the MP suffered becaused of it. It was actually pretty decent prior to that.

If its going to be anywhere near as unbalanced and disruptive as it was back then, then its not looking good.
 
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yurinka

Member
Seems the Factions 2 game is going to be GaaS.

“Analyze gameplay mechanics to identify opportunities that will have a positive impact on monetization”

Really curious to know what this means…. Seems like they want to have mtx that impact direct gameplay…
Means that as it happens in basically any other gamedev area, the designers in charge of monetization also learn and take note from what it works in other games.

You can tell it's a lot more than just an online mode.
They said it started as the TLOU2 MP mode, but went way beyond scope and ended becoming a whole separated game. It won't be just a MP mode, it will be a whole separate game.

That said...i'm picturing a kick ass bundle that includes TLOU Remake + TLOU2 Remaster + Factions for PS5.
Can't wait to be depressed all over again...this time twice as much!
They could call this bundle TLOU2 Director's Cut.
 
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Chukhopops

Member
“Analyze gameplay mechanics to identify opportunities that will have a positive impact on monetization”

Really curious to know what this means…. Seems like they want to have mtx that impact direct gameplay…
The first TLOU factions had gameplay-impacting MTX that were considered P2W the last time I checked. So it wouldn’t be the first time.

Im really curious if this will be PC day one and/or F2P. Even for a dev like ND it’s a big gamble to have a platform exclusive, paid MP game.
 

Orpheum

Member
Factions is gonna be huge isn't it? crazy how long it's taking them.

If it's filled with enough content to be considered its own f2p economy, i wouldn't mind cosmetic mtx. However in general i'm not a fan of it...
 
The first TLOU factions had gameplay-impacting MTX that were considered P2W the last time I checked. So it wouldn’t be the first time.

Im really curious if this will be PC day one and/or F2P. Even for a dev like ND it’s a big gamble to have a platform exclusive, paid MP game.

Oh man I didn’t know as I didn’t play the first game’s multiplayer. In my opinion this isn’t the best direction to go in. MP is really competitive now a days and there will only be more options for players in the coming years.

P2W mechanics in a smaller ecosystem is the recipe for DOA. That said it has to launch on PC.
 

reksveks

Member
“Analyze gameplay mechanics to identify opportunities that will have a positive impact on monetization”

Really curious to know what this means…. Seems like they want to have mtx that impact direct gameplay…
As other mention the TLoU multiplayer had these issues.

Unfortunately there isn't a way to introduce mtx that implement gameplay changes without it becoming pay to win so don't know why companies try.

Is this a second role or the same one?
 
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Bryank75

Banned
In the future It will make no sense to need one specific piece of hardware to run a videogame. In 10 years that line of thinking will be completely in the past and it's clear with how much videogame production costs are increasing this is the only way for Sony to do business.

About Sony being "about making money directly" lol...it's been like that since day one. You guys ask for smaller quirky games but i wonder how many people played stuff like Concrete Genie, Astrobot, Dreams creations, etc...
These companies go where the demand is. That's it.

Yes.... it makes sense to forgo the billions they make from 3rd party, mtx and subscriptions.... not to mention hardware and accessories, just to make a measly few hundred million on the few 1st party games they make....

Do you have any idea how stupid that is?

Then add to that the fact they are now making the games progressively more online only and filled with MTX and expansions.....the quality just turns to shit and they are not worth buying anyway.

Might as well shut PlayStation down if that is that plan...
 
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They can’t be as bad as the first one, pay to win bullshit that literally changed the core gameplay of the MP. Plus they had boatloads of MTX.
 
Not surprised at all. Naughty Dog was there on the front of monetization with Uncharted 3 map packs, co-op DLC, skins, character themed weapons, and hats with passive bonuses affecting gameplay. The Last of did the same, and so did Uncharted 4. It's not hard to see this would happen with a new Last of Us multiplayer. Really, nothing new at all.
 
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Yes.... it makes sense to forgo the billions they make from 3rd party, mtx and subscriptions.... not to mention hardware and accessories, just to make a measly few hundred million on the few 1st party games they make....

Do you have any idea how stupid that is?

Then add to that the fact they are now making the games progressively more online only and filled with MTX and expansions.....the quality just turns to shit and they are not worth buying anyway.

Might as well shut PlayStation down if that is that plan...
Yes let's shut down PlayStation right when it's at its most successful phase ever lmao.
 

Bryank75

Banned
Yes let's shut down PlayStation right when it's at its most successful phase ever lmao.

Well, that is what you are basically suggesting by saying it would just be PS Studios in the future...

It would turn PS from a 25 Billion dollar company into a sub 1 billion dollar company.

It is successful due to them having hardware.... it is not successful because they make a few great games, the games were to attract people into the money making ecosystem.
How many times do I have to repeat these things?

Those games make no economic sense without the model that surrounds it.... why make more expensive games than everyone else for a razor thin profit?
 
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MikeM

Member
Gross. But I understand the reasoning (aka money). I’m most likely out- Warzone is enough GaaS for me.
 

Bryank75

Banned
Gross. But I understand the reasoning (aka money). I’m most likely out- Warzone is enough GaaS for me.

Yup, most people only have time for one of these online games.... Destiny was mine for a long time.

It will be interesting to see PlayStation try to compete against other major 3rd party multiplayer games and try to maintain an audience in the longterm. Especially with an IP such as TLOU...which has divided its audience.
 

Winter John

Member
"the minute PS games started going to PC it became about making money directly."

I've been playing Sony games since the PS1 and I can't remember a time when Sony, the multi national corporation, were ever about anything else other than making a profit. You got any examples of Sony, the multi national corporation, sacrificing profit for tegridy?
 

Bragr

Banned
"the minute PS games started going to PC it became about making money directly."

I've been playing Sony games since the PS1 and I can't remember a time when Sony, the multi national corporation, were ever about anything else other than making a profit. You got any examples of Sony, the multi national corporation, sacrificing profit for tegridy?
PS Vita.
 
Not surprised at all. Naughty Dog was there on the front of monetization with Uncharted 3 map packs, co-op DLC, skins, character themed weapons, and hats with passive bonuses affecting gameplay. The Last of did the same, and so did Uncharted 4. It's not hard to see this would happen with a new Last of Us multiplayer. Really, nothing new at all.
Pretty much.
 

Hari Seldon

Member
Yeah this seems like Sony’s attempt to chase the big money f2p market. It will have to be f2p and on PC for it to stand a chance. I have a PS5 but don’t use it for multiplayer because I’m not paying the multiplayer tax.
 
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