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[Banjo64]

It would have been better for them to have left Japan Studio as is and to have acquired a couple of small AA studios and leave them to it. Third party partnerships are a tried and proven failed venture, because they’re unsustainable.

The issue with having their 5 main AAA studios being locked in to these 6 year cycles is that if their next round ‘blockbusters’ ever end up missing the mark like InFamous, KillZone or Resistance (all good games in their own right, but not close to being GOTY contenders) then all of sudden Sony is going to have a pretty shoddy line up.

 

[megreotsugua]

Then again, these aren't the games (or movies) I really remember and make me come back to gaming. Ori, Hellblade, Persona, Outer Worlds, Greedfall - these are just a few of the games I recently fell in love with, just like I prefer Hongkong cinema or a lot of the independent cinema from the southern states in the US to Hollywood movies.

They will be made as long as Sony is willing to put up the money. It doesn't have to be made internally. Being 3rd party developer (like that studio built by former Japan Studio devs) will have more leeway and far greater potential audience resulting in a less risky business venture.

I'm actually saying Sony will buy or fund more AA games for PSNow or PS+ Premium or whatever they want to call it. But those games don't have to be exclusive because it doesn't make business sense to make an exclusive AA games. They will be made, just not exclusive.

I really don't understand how somebody who played games for decades can support Sony in erasing this crucial part of the gaming experience.

I'm not erasing them. I even want Sony to buy/fund them and release them on their "gamepass-counterpunch". Sony's approach will be bunch of creative games month after month on their subscription service instead of high budget AAA games. This will ensure that the subscription service will not be the $15/month proposition of gamepass, but remain in that $60/year realm. The service will be supplemental to how we can consume games as opposed to the primary way to game.

 

[ZywyPL]

I agree with OP, this is what's already been proven to work the best for them, with either 10/15/20MLN copies sold or games that barely break even, so just keep pumping up those huge AAA titles every now and then, and outsource the smaller games to fill the portfolio.

OR - simply price the games accordingly, like they did with UC:Lost Legacy or Miles Morales, as no one with a sane mind will pay the same 70-80€ for a 6-8h title like for a full-fat AAA blockbuster game, let alone for something like Destruction AllStars or the upcoming Returnal. Be humble/realistic and drop the prices somewhere within 25-45€ range accordingly and the games will sell like crazy.

I think the pricing factor is what will single-handedly kill many franchises or even studios in this generation. If you decide to make a smaller a.k.a. cheaper game then don't ask for it like it's something made by a 100+ devs studio with 5+ years development time, because those production values simply won't be there. I expect many many games to almost immediately drop their initial price, and then sooner or later show up on GamePass once they fail with the traditional distribution model.

 

[Closer]

Oh FFS. Can we get a single "I'm larping as a Sony executive"-thread and keep it all there?

Be the one or shut it. Cheers.

 

[dDoc]

The sad thing is Sony puts so much effort, years and money into AAA games and they only make a fraction of the profit service games and mobile games do. Compare what God of War made to what Fortnite made the last years... I think we can be lucky if we still get AAA story-driven games. I am sure they will try to emulate what Rockstar is doing with GTA

And how many successful Fortnite wannabes are out there?

Not every MP game can be as big or successful as Fortnite.

There is a market for single player games, Sony seems to be feeding that market well and earning good money from it.

 

[SSfox]

Games like Gravity Rush, Street Of Rage 4, Ori, or Plague Tales are X100000000 better games than TLOU2. AAA logo doesn't mean better than AA games, it just mean that it's more expensive to make, Any Tarantino movie is better than any Michael Bay movie for example.

Sure it's great to have AAA, most Sony AAA games of this gen were super great or masterpiece, like GOW and GOT, but if Sony will only bet on AAA games their exclusive games can become stale, having variety is always essential.

 

[Aion002]

So less games and more moneyhatting, just like Microsoft on the Xbox One launch...

 

[kikii]

Well, they want 80 Euros for their AA game Returnal so i don't think that's gonna happen.

u love to make up stories ? i dont see it anywhere over 69€... i pre-ordered RE8 for same price, and lowest price for RE8 is 60€, so i rly dunno where that 80€ came from =)

 

[turtlepowa]

u love to make up stories ? i dont see it anywhere over 69€... i pre-ordered RE8 for same price, and lowest price for RE8 is 60€, so i rly dunno where that 80€ came from =)

We are taklking about official prices and so perhaps you should look up the official PlayStation Store and not some reatailers. More than 50% of the games are sold digitally anyways. Whatever country that gibberish is supposed to be, i bet the It's PS Store wants 79,99.

 

[SSfox]

We are taklking about official prices and so perhaps you should look up the official PlayStation Store and not some reatailers. More than 50% of the games are sold digitally anyways. Whatever country that gibberish is supposed to be, i bet the It's PS Store wants 79,99.

I feel empathy already for future great games new IP that will release with this price.

 

[megreotsugua]

So less games and more moneyhatting, just like Microsoft on the Xbox One launch...

It actually means more AA creative games if you're only paying attention.

 

[Banjo64]

u love to make up stories ? i dont see it anywhere over 69€... i pre-ordered RE8 for same price, and lowest price for RE8 is 60€, so i rly dunno where that 80€ came from =)

GAF: tHe pS5 dIGitaL IS tHE bEsT deal In GAMiNg

Also GAF: wHo PAYs £7o FOr gAmES?

 

[jroc74]

Sony AA Returnal has gamers like...

The funny thing is that game is considered AAA.

I dont think they should stop making AA. It helps balance out a library.

 

[nowhat]

Be the one or shut it. Cheers.

I'm not among the people spamming the forum with these threads? Was more like a suggestion towards them and/or the mods.

 

[supernova8]

Returnal looks AAA to me though. We will know it's true quality when released. For now I will suspend my judgment.

I can't help but think it looks like a shitter version of Vanquish

 

[megreotsugua]

Games like Gravity Rush, Street Of Rage 4, Ori, or Plague Tales are X100000000 better games than TLOU2.

There will be more of them as long as Sony put up the money. The only difference is that they're not exclusive anymore. It doesn't make business sense to make exclusive AA games. Sony is right.

AAA logo doesn't mean better than AA games, it just mean that it's more expensive to make,

True. But Sony's brand recognition is anchored on those AAA games. The proof is in the sales.

Sony should double down on AAA games. Expand or even create new studios to make AAA games internally. Outsource, buy, or fund AA games externally or to third parties.

Nobody is suggesting that AA games should be made less. Don't be fooled by the thread title. Read what I actually wrote in the first post.

 

[megreotsugua]

I dont think they should stop making AA. It helps balance out a library.

Those games should be made but not internally. Outsource them, pay for them, fund them, buy them, put them on PSNow or PS+ Premium or whatever they want to call it. AA creative games month after month on a $60/year subscription service. It will be supplemental to how we consume games considering the low price.

 

[Aion002]

It actually means more AA creative games if you're only paying attention.

Nope... Buying exclusives means less games on other platforms.

And the funding part, unless it is a Final Fantasy or other major IP, Playstation likes to own the IP, that's why Insomniac made Sunset Overdrive for the Xbox One and not the PS4 at the time:

"Wasn’t about money, was about our controlling and owning the IP, and their belief and desire to execute our vision with us."

Insomniac Explains why 'Sunset Overdrive' is an Xbox One Exclusive

Insomniac Games explains why 'Sunset Overdrive' is an Xbox One exclusive, and what it means for the developer's future projects.

gamerant.com

That's why Demon's Souls and Death Stranding are Playstation IPs, so Sony is already doing that.


AA games were always present on Playstation studios history, games like Siren, Gravity Rush, Puppeteer, Concrete Genie, Demon's Souls, Wipeout, White Knight Chronicles, Tokyo Jungle, Warhawk, Alienation, Resogun, Until Dawn and many, many others, all Sony IPs, many made by 3rds, but they had to agree in giving the IP to Sony and received help from Playstation Studios.


What you are asking is basically to Sony to drop the original new content and moneyhat 3rd party games to fill this void. Just like Microsoft tried to do on the Xbox One..... Well... It failed.

 

[TheGodfather07]

i agree. the talent sony have should be used for those big blockbuster games we all love. how often do we even get such games these days? they take years to make and sony are very good at them. so they should focus on them. we have so many indie developers now to scratch that AA game itch. sony should do what they're good at. nintendo what they're good at and micrsosoft what they're good at. we have a good variety and unique style to all three. its only fanboys who for whatever reason cant own all of them that complain. why would you complain and moan about variety and a unique style to making games? its more option and choice for you!

 

[ShinraMiddleMananger]

I guess you have a point. But it is counter-balanced by the fact that their games will now have wider reach by releasing on all platforms.

Gamepass day 1 for free! Thats win/win+

 

[LisaMariaMartin]

u love to make up stories ? i dont see it anywhere over 69€... i pre-ordered RE8 for same price, and lowest price for RE8 is 60€, so i rly dunno where that 80€ came from =)

Retailers taking a loss. MSRP is 80€.

 

[megreotsugua]

Nope... Buying exclusives means less games on other platforms.

Nope. You're really not paying attention. These AA games made by 3rd parties will fill the $60 PSNow (or PS+ Premium or whatever they want to call it) with AA creative games month after month.

 

[megreotsugua]

Gamepass day 1 for free! Thats win/win+

Or day 1 on a $60 PSNow (or a PS+ Premium higher tier however they want to approach it).

 

[Zeroing]

so you want PlayStation to end up like Xbox?

I prefer PlayStation to keep taking changes with AA games. That’s one lesson MS never learned... until now.

I prefer a healthy balance between new creative games and big AAA games. Because Sony historically been producing games that aim to a lot of different tastes. I like when a company takes chances, even if it fails it shows that they are trying to evolve

 

[PropellerEar]

u love to make up stories ? i dont see it anywhere over 69€... i pre-ordered RE8 for same price, and lowest price for RE8 is 60€, so i rly dunno where that 80€ came from =)

Exactly this never buy Digital if you can get the Physical.
This is still pre-release price, some of the bigger chains might have even better prices for launch.


On Topic:
GOTY AAA's are PlayStation bread and Butter.
Still funding AA makes a lot of sense, you can tie closer relations to upcoming studios and create more casual oriented and experimental games

 

[Banjo64]

so you want PlayStation to end up like Xbox?

I prefer PlayStation to keep taking changes with AA games. That’s one lesson MS never learned... until now.

I prefer a healthy balance between new creative games and big AAA games. Because Sony historically been producing games that aim to a lot of different tastes. I like when a company takes chances, even if it fails it shows that they are trying to evolve

At the moment with games like Grounded, Minecraft Dungeons and Ori; Xbox are beating Sony in the AA area and it’s not even close.

 

[megreotsugua]

so you want PlayStation to end up like Xbox?

No. They will be made, just not internally, just not exclusive. Sony will buy them or fund them with a condition for either: (a) time exclusivity (Sony way), (b) Day 1 on PSNow or PS+ Premium or whatever they have planned (my preferred way).

I prefer a healthy balance between new creative games and big AAA games. Because Sony historically been producing games that aim to a lot of different tastes. I like when a company takes chances, even if it fails it shows that they are trying to evolve

Exclusive AA games don't make much business sense. Just let the 3rd party developers do this creative games. Let them release on all platforms to mitigate the risk.

Playstation's brand recognition and reputation are made by the AAA games. You may or may not like them but the proof is in the sales.

 

[MagnesG]

Even safe AAA games could flop by their standards.

 

[megreotsugua]

At the moment with games like Grounded, Minecraft Dungeons and Ori; Xbox are beating Sony in the AA area and it’s not even close.

Exactly. And MS is still in the last place.

The game to sway perception and brand recognition is in the AAA games. It is only wise to double down on these games. Restructuring Japan Studio to make AAA game is the right call. Pulling out all AA games from internal development and giving them to 3rd party devs is a genius move.

 

[NahaNago]

There will be more of them as long as Sony put up the money. The only difference is that they're not exclusive anymore. It doesn't make business sense to make exclusive AA games. Sony is right.

Sony hasn't made anything of the quality in the smaller budget realm to compare to Ori or even Streets of Rage for that matter on the ps4. I also doubt that Gravity Rush had even a AA budget. If they had made anything like Ori or that Cuphead game they would have sold at least a million copies.

 

[Radical_3d]

so you want PlayStation to end up like Xbox?

I prefer PlayStation to keep taking changes with AA games. That’s one lesson MS never learned... until now.

I prefer a healthy balance between new creative games and big AAA games. Because Sony historically been producing games that aim to a lot of different tastes. I like when a company takes chances, even if it fails it shows that they are trying to evolve

This.

None of the business models that MS had ever produced an Ico, a Demons Souls, a Gravity Rush, nor a WipEout. Sony has been gambling since 1994 and sure, we had failures like PaRappa and other insufferable things, but you have to try to get to the gems.

 

[megreotsugua]

Sony hasn't made anything of the quality in the smaller budget realm to compare to Ori or even Streets of Rage for that matter on the ps4.

Exactly. 3rd party devs will have more creative ideas. Sony will have more variety of AA games to shop around.

They could also fund for a creative game pitch. The only difference is that these games will release on all platforms to mitigate the risk. Sony could make a condition of either time exclusivity or day1 PSNow (or PS+ Premium).

 

[Senua]

As a Sony fan, if it aint a third person shooter, cinematic, have middling gameplay and be 30fps then I aint interested!

but rly Astro is the best damn thing on PS5 lmao

 

[Aion002]

Nope. You're really not paying attention. These AA games made by 3rd parties will fill the $60 PSNow (or PS+ Premium or whatever they want to call it) with AA creative games month after month.

So you want Sony to use 3rds AA games as fillers to sell a subscription service...


Your whole premisse is that Sony should just stop making smaller projects and moneyhat AA games, while completely losing one aspect that is present on Playstation since launch, which is a diversified array of exclusive Playstation made games.

If you don't see the similarities between Microsoft approach and your line of thought.... I just don't know what to say.

 

[megreotsugua]

but rly Astro is the best damn thing on PS5 lmao

That game could have been made by a 3rd party developer and it wouldn't make a difference.

 

[kikii]

We are taklking about official prices and so perhaps you should look up the official PlayStation Store and not some reatailers. More than 50% of the games are sold digitally anyways. Whatever country that gibberish is supposed to be, i bet the It's PS Store wants 79,99.

Finland where that game is from and in the end who buy digital versions ? and not gona buy that game ^^

 

[turtlepowa]

Finland where that game is from and in the end who buy digital versions ? and not gona buy that game ^^

Finland is 79,99 Euros as well and the majoritiy is already buying digital games and it will become more and more.

 

[NahaNago]

That game could have been made by a 3rd party developer and it wouldn't make a difference.

The disrespect to the studio that made that game

 

[kikii]

Finland is 79,99 Euros as well and the majoritiy is already buying digital games and it will become more and more.

i never even check prices on store, physical always cuz if u dun have monies to buy beer, u can sell some games to get that beerrr ^^

 

[Derktron]

Here we go with another doom and gloom of Sony, I swear this is far worse than Nintendo Switch posts back in 2017. It gets tiring.

 

[PropellerEar]

i never even check prices on store, physical always cuz if u dun have monies to buy beer, u can sell some games to get that beerrr ^^

Don't be silly one needs both Beer and Games.

 

[megreotsugua]

Here we go with another doom and gloom of Sony, I swear this is far worse than Nintendo Switch posts back in 2017. It gets tiring.

And how is it doom and gloom may I ask?

 

[AJUMP23]

I don't think Sony is intentionally funding a AA title. I don't even know that Returnal is one. I think some games come out and fail to meet all the expectations.

 

[MrSarcastic]

Someone Said that is more profitable to make one huge 100M game than five smaller 20M games.

 

[ReBurn]

So you're basically arguing for less games.

Sounds like less but more expensive games.

Is there a consistent definition of AA? Ostensibly it's not quite AAA, but how is it measured?

 

[Alright]

Clickbait headline, notsureifserious op

AAA blockbusters on main console, funding AA games on VR.

Convenient how people forget that Sony are the only console maker to offer VR.

 

[megreotsugua]

Sounds like less but more expensive games.

Is there a consistent definition of AA? Ostensibly it's not quite AAA, but how is it measured?

I would say budget? $100+ million budget (maybe more) with 150+ developers would qualify as AAA in my book.

 

[NahaNago]

I don't think Sony is intentionally funding a AA title. I don't even know that Returnal is one. I think some games come out and fail to meet all the expectations.

I seriously doubt that Returnal has anywhere near the same budget of Ghost of Tsushima or Spiderman.

Someone Said that is more profitable to make one huge 100M game than five smaller 20M games.

Pretty much this. As long as the budget is large enough you can convince folks to buy your game for the most part. I will say that I doubt any of Sony's video games development budget has hit 100m. 100m could fund a lot of small indie devs though, enough for possibly the whole generation.

They could also fund for a creative game pitch. The only difference is that these games will release on all platforms to mitigate the risk. Sony could make a condition of either time exclusivity or day1 PSNow (or PS+ Premium).

If not for that last sentence this would be no different than a third party publisher. This honestly sounds like something Yoshida would be handling since he is over Indies.

 

[AJUMP23]

I seriously doubt that Returnal has anywhere near the same budget of Ghost of Tsushima or Spiderman.

Maybe not, but I assume it is still a tentpole for them as they seem to have nothing else coming soon.

 

[ShinraMiddleMananger]

Or day 1 on a $60 PSNow (or a PS+ Premium higher tier however they want to approach it).

I think their service will be closer to what Nintendo offers. Streaming classics from the vault with games being sold full price but will be free eventually with PS+.