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Jim Ryan GQ Interview, More games coming to PC, Console Supply, VR and more

Evangelion Unit-01

Master Chief
PlayStation’s Jim Ryan: ‘We’re making a completely new VR format for PS5’ | British GQ (gq-magazine.co.uk)

Really good read. Excerpts below and more at the link.


Intro, Days Gone and more games coming to PC:
Jim Ryan has a lot to get off his chest. If we’re honest, it’s a lot more than we’d prepared for. You see, usually when you interview someone – not least the president and chief executive officer of Sony Interactive Entertainment – you go into that conversation with some semblance of what’s to come. So when we got offered 20 minutes with the PlayStation boss out of the blue last week, it did seem a bit too easy-going to be true. “A follow-up to our PS5-related chat last November,” we thought, “should be a breeze.”

Then the affable Geordie started dropping bombs. A follow-up to PlayStation VR? Confirmed with dev kits out in the wild and an “easy single-cord setup”. More free games for those stuck at home during the pandemic? Yep, Play At Home is back starting with 2016’s Ratchet & Clank and a three-month trial to anime subscription service Funimation with “some cool stuff with indie games” to follow. What about PlayStation games on PC? A whole slate of them is on the way starting with Days Gone this spring. And as for Sony’s publishing timetable for the year? Well, Covid has been up to no good again and booted Gran Turismo 7 back to 2022. Don’t worry, plans for the Uncharted movie and Last Of Us TV series are very much on track.


On PS5 supply:
GQ: Since we’ve got you here, when is everyone who wants to buy a PS5 going to be able to easily buy one?

Jim Ryan:
All I can say is we’re working as hard as we possibly can. You may have read that we sold 4.5 million PS5s at the end of December – that’s more than we did PS4s in 2013 and that was the high watermark for the PlayStation generation. So, with everything in the world throughout last year, we feel like that was fairly decent. One in four of those who have bought a PlayStation 5 do not have a PS4 and those around about half are new to the PlayStation Network. So it’s really nice that we’re able to bring in people from outside.

I know there were people who wanted a PS5 and couldn’t find one. We’re very sorry about that and obviously grateful that demand has been as strong as it is.

On PS5 2021 Lineup:
Fair enough. We imagine you’ve got a roadmap for 2021 in terms of the games that you want to release. How fixed is that given the disruptions Covid-19 has caused to development? Returnal recently got pushed back a month.

Yeah, we’re feeling pretty good about Returnal, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Horizon Forbidden West. And, you know, there are two approaches to this: you can either hold the date and put out the game irrespective of quality or you can ship it when it’s right. We have always taken the latter approach. There have been some fairly high-profile instances of publishers trying the former approach.

That’s one way of putting it...

It never works at the best of times. But I think in this world, where creative people are working remotely, you’ve just got to respect the fact that that development needs to take what it needs to take and to get the games right.

GT7 Delayed to 2022:
So one game you didn’t mention there that had been dated for 2021 is Gran Turismo 7. What’s going on with that one?

At this point a PR representative for Sony jumped into the call promising a statement on GT7 – probably in the hope that we’d actually ask about some of the many new announcements. You can read that statement below...

“GT7
has been impacted by Covid-related production challenges and therefore will shift from 2021 to 2022. With the ongoing pandemic, it’s a dynamic and changing situation and some critical aspects of game production have been slowed over the past several months. We’ll share more specifics on GT7’s release date when available.”

On the new PS VR headset:
So the obvious question is what’s changed from the first headset?

So this will be a completely new VR format for PS5. PlayStation has considered VR as a strategic opportunity and a big innovation story. We think there are two themes that you’re going to see: us capturing the technological progress that has taken place since the present VR system came to market and a considerable amount of lessons learned. Because the present system was our first one. [Changes will be] things like moving to a very easy single-cord setup with this one and many other similar learnings. Dev kits are about to go out.

VR is getting a lot more traction now, but it’s still a nascent market. Why make a follow-up to the first headset?

We believe in VR and have been extremely happy with the results with the present PlayStation VR and think that we will do good business with our new VR system for PlayStation 5. More importantly, we see it as something beyond this coming iteration that really could be really big and really important. We like to innovate; we think our community likes us to innovate. I’d turn around the question and say, “Why not?” For us, it’s a very logical step to take. We’re very excited by it and we think that people who are going to make VR games for our new VR system are going to be very excited too.

On PS games coming to PC:
Fair enough. So releasing PlayStation games on PC was something that Sony PlayStation held back on for a long time. Now it sounds like you’re very much on that bandwagon. What changed?

I think a few things changed. We find ourselves now in early 2021 with our development studios and the games that they make in better shape than they’ve ever been before. Particularly from the latter half of the PS4 cycle our studios made some wonderful, great games. There’s an opportunity to expose those great games to a wider audience and recognise the economics of game development, which are not always straightforward. The cost of making games goes up with each cycle, as the calibre of the IP has improved. Also, our ease of making it available to non-console owners has grown. So it’s a fairly straightforward decision for us to make.

This is following on from your publishing Horizon Zero Dawn on PC in August last year. How did that go?

We assessed the exercise in two ways. Firstly, in terms of the straightforward success of the activity of publishing the game on PC, people liked it and they bought it. We also looked at it through the lens of what the PlayStation community thought about it. There was no massive adverse reaction to it. So we will continue to take mission steps in this direction.
 
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Perrott

Gold Member
About Sony games coming to PC, there's one leaker that mentioned that Days Gone would be coming to the platform (seems to have gotten it right), alongside with The Last Guardian, God of War and down the line The Last Of Us: Part II and Ghost of Tsushima as well.

I also reached out to him privately and mentioned a september/october release window for Elden Ring along with the fact that there's only one Silent Hill game in development and that it is being worked on in Japan - so bury those baseless Bloober Team rumors, they're probably doing Alone in the Dark with THQ.
 

sn0man

Member
“What about PlayStation games on PC? A whole slate of them is on the way starting with Days Gone this spring.”
Thanks Sony. Destroy your brand a little bit more. I can nab this one on PC

“And as for Sony’s publishing timetable for the year? Well, Covid has been up to no good again and booted Gran Turismo 7 back to 2022.”

bwahahaha. Of course. The sequel to GT6 was definitely hampered by COVID19. That studio needs some help. Too bad Sony killed of their other racing studio.
 
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Perrott

Gold Member
Interesting fact: Ryan doesn't include the new God of War among the games coming to PS5 in 2021 as he neither did with GT7.
 
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sn0man

Member
bout Sony games coming to PC, there's one leaker that mentioned that Days Gone would be coming to the platform (seems to have gotten it right), alongside with The Last Guardian, God of War and down the line The Last Of Us: Part II and Ghost of Tsushima as well
Wow really?!?!? What’s the point in getting a PS5 if you’re a PC gamer then? That’s a lions share of the library.
 

Evangelion Unit-01

Master Chief
Having all this in one thread instead of 4 is a good idea, hope this thread stays
I think the other threads popped up while I had the create thread window open and was reading the article. Weren't there when I started. Wanted to make sure I captured everything but apparently went too slow. Oh well.
 
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jroc74

Phone reception is more important to me than human rights
Interesting fact: Ryan doesn't include the new God of War among the games coming to PS5 in 2021 as he neither did with GT7.
I think with the showcase last year, and just info overall since...GT7 was more realistic than God of War for 2021.

God of War was always a long shot.
 

sn0man

Member
Playing new releases I assume as it doesn't seem that Sony will launch their games Day 1 on both console and PC.
Yeah that’s fair. I just don’t see them competing with Microsoft if they’re trying to pivot to a software/services company. I’m probably wrong but I still see value in platform exclusives. I’ve got a large back catalog so this may change some of my buying habits: GoT and Days Gone on PC namely.
 

Astorian

Member
Yeah, we’re feeling pretty good about Returnal, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Horizon Forbidden West. And, you know, there are two approaches to this: you can either hold the date and put out the game irrespective of quality or you can ship it when it’s right. We have always taken the latter approach. There have been some fairly high-profile instances of publishers trying the former approach.
Guess the game lol.
 

jroc74

Phone reception is more important to me than human rights
Playing new releases I assume as it doesn't seem that Sony will launch their games Day 1 on both console and PC.
Yup, Sony will go with a mixed strategy that damn near everyone else is doing and having success with. Day one isnt something they are interested in right now.

Wanda Vision is an amazing show for Disney Plus, but once Covid is under control I doubt the next Avenger movie will be there Day One. Right now it can be expected, and even then it might be another Mulan situation where you pay theatre prices to see it at home.
 
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ACESHIGH

Banned
Good to know! Although I am not hyped at all by Days Gone. Bloodborne is the one the PC gaming community wants the most. Just confirm its on track and take your time to ensure the port is great.

BTW I don't think that a day one strategy makes sense for Sony or PC gamers. PS5 games should be really demanding on the HW, most gaming PCs are not as capable as a ps5 for the time being. Releasing well optimized PS4 games is the safest bet, specially after HZD PC was a clusterfuck of a launch.
 
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Evangelion Unit-01

Master Chief
Considering that PC gaming sales are now greater than console gaming sales, it would be foolish not to release games on PC unless their functionality is not compatible with PC games.
Absolutely. We are at a stage where the three console companies are really leaning into their strengths. Both Sony and Microsoft see the opportunity in the PC space. PC and console are largely different markets. While some folks on GAF on both for the overwhelming majority of people it is an either or situation. Those PC owners will never be PS customers unless Sony begins selling PS games on PC. It is absolutely the right move to expand the business and it doesn't cannibalize sales. Not only that but as they add more features like cross save it might incentivize some of those PC only people to compliment their PC with a PS5. They can move from the desk to the living room and vice versa as they please. They will be more likely to further invest in Sony's ecosystem.
 

Interfectum

Member
Sony need to find someone to replace him before he destroy the brand
ray liotta laughing GIF
 

Perrott

Gold Member
From what was showed in Sony last conference, exclusive games will release on PC the same date as PS5, so what's the point owning consoles when you have a PC.
Emmm... no? Those "PlayStation Console Exclusives" that launched Day 1 on both PS5 and PC were the third-party moneyhats (Deathloop or Ghostwire for instance).
 
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sloppyjoe_gamer

Gold Member
Other than the PS5 supply question, and finding out a bit about PS5 VR and hearing GT7 slipped, that was a pretty weak interview, tbh
 

KAL2006

Banned
Seems like 2022 will be a big year for Sony

Meet demand with more supply
God of War 2
Gran Turismo 7
Final Fantasy 16
Last of Us Multiplayer?
PSVR2 and lineup of VR games

I guess it makes sense to go all out once you have enough supply would be wasted to sell alot of exclusives where people can't get a PS5.
 

YuLY

Member
Really interested in Days Gone. I hope more of their games come to PC. They realized they can make some quick bucks if they release them on PC 2-3 years later and also get free marketing for that francize, without losing any actual consoles sales. I imagine its good for the devs also, who wouldnt want more people to experience your creation, the thing you've put so much in for years and years. Only some super minority of salty fanbois wont like this, good riddance.

People need to understand, Xbox vs PS exists. Xbox/PS vs PC doesnt...its a different culture.
 

Andodalf

Banned
Seems like 2022 will be a big year for Sony

Meet demand with more supply
God of War 2
Gran Turismo 7
Final Fantasy 16
Last of Us Multiplayer?
PSVR2 and lineup of VR games

I guess it makes sense to go all out once you have enough supply would be wasted to sell alot of exclusives where people can't get a PS5.

Lamo, posts like this were made, almost word for word, about 2021 last year.
 
From what was showed in Sony last conference, exclusive games will release on PC the same date as PS5, so what's the point owning consoles when you have a PC.
No.....it will be mostley on PC around two years after they have been "exclusive" for the PS platform, they will not release on the same date on PS and PC.
 
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Lethal01

Member
About Sony games coming to PC, there's one leaker that mentioned that Days Gone would be coming to the platform (seems to have gotten it right), alongside with The Last Guardian, God of War and down the line The Last Of Us: Part II and Ghost of Tsushima as well.

I also reached out to him privately and mentioned a september/october release window for Elden Ring along with the fact that there's only one Silent Hill game in development and that it is being worked on in Japan - so bury those baseless Bloober Team rumors, they're probably doing Alone in the Dark with THQ.

"This guy got one thing right, this means that every he's said is confirmed and deconfirms all other rumore"
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Why Sony fans care about PC getting old games is a huge mystery to me. Really happy I will be able to play all of those games at 100+ fps.
Because if they play it only in their console ecosystem it makes them feel good. Somehow there's a giant importance on knowing random PC gamers half way around the world doesn't get to play it.

I've always played EA NHL games a lot. Only the last few I didn't because they are so same. But I started from the first one on Genesis in 1991.

Depending on the annual game or platform, some games come to some platforms, while sometimes they don;t. There hasn't been a PC version of EA hockey for around 10 years. Even though the PC versions were always awesome, I have never felt "YAY! I get to play NHL on console while PC gamers have to back to NHL 08(?). My console brand is saved with better sports games! Woo-hoo! I now know PC gamers in Sweden don't get to play EA hockey!"

It's actually pretty stupid EA gimped all their sports games on PC as the hardware can do wonders. Other EA Sports games are hit and miss on PC for the past 10 years too.
 
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I think the other threads popped up while I had the create thread window open and was reading the article. Weren't there when I started. Wanted to make sure I captured everything but apparently went too slow. Oh well.
Your thread is neutral aside from the positive opening, hopefully fruitful discussion stays here. Kudos to you.

There's another thread based on the same article which is an intentional honeypot for drama.

Maybe this thread should be tagged "News" and that other one tagged "Drama".
 

Bo_Hazem

Banned
Fair enough. So releasing PlayStation games on PC was something that Sony PlayStation held back on for a long time. Now it sounds like you’re very much on that bandwagon. What changed?

I think a few things changed. We find ourselves now in early 2021 with our development studios and the games that they make in better shape than they’ve ever been before. Particularly from the latter half of the PS4 cycle our studios made some wonderful, great games. There’s an opportunity to expose those great games to a wider audience and recognise the economics of game development, which are not always straightforward. The cost of making games goes up with each cycle, as the calibre of the IP has improved. Also, our ease of making it available to non-console owners has grown. So it’s a fairly straightforward decision for us to make.


---------------

Pretty straight forward and smart. And he literally said PS4 games but no one will read. It's smart to use PS4 games as they are already last gen and squeeze more money out of them to fund the sequel, which this move assures.
 
Well duh. They need to make money and got basically almost nothing for more than half a year for the PS5 exclusively. At least on PC, millions will gladly take BB, DS, etc.
 

begotten

Member
Sonys' original roadmap has been retconned due to COVID related issues & insufficient supply of the PS5.

It's why Returnal and R&C have been pushed back. Nothing to do with each games' respective development.

Expect a good E3 from Sony, but an average 2021. Kena will probably be the next and only console exclusive of note to round out 2021 in Q4, not Horizon.
 
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rofif

Can’t Git Gud
So psvr on usb c front of console. That connection is not as strong to hold whole cable....

I was hoping for wireless since ps5 has wifi6
 
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Perrott

Gold Member
"This guy got one thing right, this means that every he's said is confirmed and deconfirms all other rumore"
He actually got more than that right, but the Days Gone and PS games on PC bits were the only things pertinent to this thread's news.

In any case, believe what you want, time will prove who was right all along.
 
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Krisprolls

Banned
I have no problem with PS4 games coming to PC a few years later like that. It won't ever be day one anyway for technical reasons, so it won't change anything for console owners, at least I know I couldn't wait for years to play them on my PC... More people enjoying those games is great. We'd partly get rid of those Fear Of Missing Out comments too like "those are walking simulators" or "those are movies" once people actually get access to those games on their platform.

What I don't like is the idea of a wired PSVR 2, even if it's a lot simpler. I really hoped it would be wireless like Oculus Quest 2... VR must be freed from cables, playing Batman VR made me a believer. I was constantly being hindered by cables.
 
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KAL2006

Banned
Lamo, posts like this were made, almost word for word, about 2021 last year.

Very true I'm looking at a business aspect, how can a game sell when people cannot get the system to play said game. It makes perfect sense to holdout of releasing games until they sort out their supply issues. Miles Morales and Demons Souls have had sales boost as more PS5 have sold, however let's say there are supply issues all the way until Horizon 2 comes out once people get a PS5 would they bother with the older PS5 games when there were supply issues or would they simply get Horizon 2. Unless the game is a ever green seller like Zelda BotW. I have 3 friends who want a PS5 now when I finally they didn't care, they have joined discord groups and PS5 is sold out within a minute if you are lucky the website didn't crash.
 

Lethal01

Member
He actually got more than that right, but the Days Gone and PS games on PC bits were the only things pertinent to this thread's news.

In any case, believe what you want, in the end time will prove who was right all along.

In the end we are just betting on pretty baseless rumors who care if we flip the coin right and one of them ends up being correct.
 

Interfectum

Member
Eh?
It's more like how Xbox fanboys will try to spin it.

In any case he was pretty straight forward about what he said so it's impossible to spin it anyway.
Why would Xbox fans need to spin it? MS has been pretty clear they want you to play their games across PC, console and mobile. They have an ecosystem built in and ready to rock (XBL, Xbox App, xcloud, Game Pass). Wherever they port their game they only add value to their ecosystem.

Sony PC ports on the other hand do nothing for the PS ecosystem as there are no tethers there and could arguably weaken the PS brand as they have no way to retain those PC gamers. They are basically a third party seller on PC, not a platform holder.
 
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