That Insomniac Leaks spoiler filled discussion

[Ash.Uchiha]

@Hue

It’s interesting that they are considering this approach but it seems flawed to me. Die hards will buy upfront but I think it will just cause fatigue where people will get into the mindset of waiting for the ‘bundle’ or complete edition.

Breaking your games up into parts might be successful for something like GamePass to retain subscribers over periods of time but not as $50-$70 standalone releases.

Would be an interesting approach, this will raise their 1st Party Games to 100Usd price tag without anyone criticizing them.

[Freed]

@SheepDip

I hope TLOU2 made money, since I want more games like it from Naughty Dog. But if it didn’t, and apparently GAAS is not a path forward for them either… like, what is the alternative for them? Something has to change.

Maybe the individual TLOU2 balance sheet isn’t great, but the studio is most likely in decent profit from sales of collections and remasters and remake, their two IPs having a decent and a great success in movie and TV, as well as their overall importance & support across the PS studios org.

[CallMeCraig]

@EPC

Another approach is Nintendo where being a gen behind, even 2, limits the budget until the tech are mastered. Of course, Nintendo strategy only works because other companies bleed money to develop and amortize the techs. Without Sony and MS, Nintendo strategy would be futile, still in the current market they are quite clever, like a parasite surviving on the back of its host.

Nintendo is not limiting their budget because of some tech. They are limiting their budgets for business reasons. And they are right in this aproach. The end result is clear - they develop highly polished and successful titles (both sales, profit and metacritic prove that). More publishers should follow their lead. There is no reason chest hair or horse testicles have to be modeled in detail.

[Andodalf]

@clashfan

When do we get the articles from “journalist” saying these leaks are good for gamers?

As soon as Sony puts out the order.

slightly OT but LOOOL Neogaf, That forum is legit going to die soon.

[Hue]

@SheepDip

I hope TLOU2 made money, since I want more games like it from Naughty Dog. But if it didn’t, and apparently GAAS is not a path forward for them either… like, what is the alternative for them? Something has to change.

Personally I hope it’s more TLOU1 than TLOU2.

I absolutely adored TLOU1 it’s one of my favourite games of all time but they ruined it with TLOU2 IMO. Too slow, meh story, meh characters and pointless gimmicks (e.g. being forced to strum a guitar).

[Freed]

@CallMeCraig

There is no reason chest hair or horse testicles have to be modeled in detail.

You get me.

[Akosii]

Doesn’t this whole situation just highlight the fact Sony’s position is untenable?

When the generation started, PS tried to front load their generation by getting every timed exclusive they can get. (Even trying to lock down Starfield before MS bought Bethesda.)

Their plan was predicated on their competitors failing. What kind of business strategy is that?

Also, I saw some online chatter that, based on the Sony scared of MS slide, Sony would skip giving a Dev kit to Cod because it would tip off MS about the PS6 specs. You think there’s any credence to this?

[Freed]

@Freed

Maybe the individual TLOU2 balance sheet isn’t great, but the studio is most likely in decent profit from sales of collections and remasters and remake, their two IPs having a decent and a great success in movie and TV, as well as their overall importance & support across the PS studios org.

As to what’s the change forward? They have already made obvious that they’re toning down their cinematic/cutscenes dependant storytelling, so maybe that saves some time and resources (mocap, actors, animation).

[EPC]

@CallMeCraig

Nintendo is not limiting their budget because of some tech. They are limiting their budgets for business reasons. And they are right in this aproach. The end result is clear - they develop highly polished and successful titles (both sales, profit and metacritic prove that). More publishers should follow their lead. There is no reason chest hair or horse testicles have to be modeled in detail.

They develop their games on 2 gen old hardware. You are right that not everything need to be well modelised but a newer tech raises the level of expectation.

Sony could release switch tech-level on ps5 as well, but this is not what their customers expect, they were not raised like that.

[clashfan]

@Akosii

Sony would skip giving a Dev kit to Cod because it would tip off MS about the PS6 specs. You think there’s any credence to this?

I think that would be called “cutting off your nose to spite your face”.

[Akosii]

@EPC

This is a great perspective for Marvel game fans, do not game me wrong, but the whole financials behind it is quite embarassing. I would propose that to my company, I would be probably be “retired”.

imo, I don’t think Sony’s new plan to churn out Marvel games will be a good one. Their GAAS push seems more likely to succeed, and they already canceled half…

[Sparda3g]

I shouldn’t ask but how is other site taking it and I don’t mean something “iconic.” I’m a little scared to check.

[KakkaKarrotKake]

@Freed

Lower pricing, not budget. Game is already on a lower budget to AAA.

I read your comment wrong, my bad

Yeah, a more sensible starting price might have helped

[SheepDip]

@Freed

As to what’s the change forward?

What I would like to see, and it seems like maybe Insomniac and Sony Santa Monica are doing this already to some extent, is more asset re-use. Let every game have its own Fallout New Vegas and Final Fantasy XIII-2. Tell a new story without having to develop new assets.

If reining in development budgets isn’t an option, than at least get more bang for the same buck.

[Staffy]

@Sparda3g

I shouldn’t ask but how is other site taking it and I don’t mean something “iconic.” I’m a little scared to check.

Haven’t checked myself either. I wasn’t in the mood for bad energy today.

[BadNews]

Seeing their profit margins in these games made me realize PS5 Pro ain’t going to be cheap. I don’t think Sony can afford to sell niche pro consoles at a loss.

[CallMeCraig]

@EPC

They develop their games on 2 gen old hardware. You are right that not everything need to be well modelised but a newer tech raises the level of expectation.

Some of Nintendos games have more advanced systems than any Sony game. The hardware is fine. They just dont blow the budget on chest hairs for Link or horse tenticles for Epona

@EPC

Sony could release switch tech-level on ps5 as well, but this is not what their customers expect, they were not raised like that.

Well thats a problem of their own doing. They could just make a Spider-Man 3 game on a 200 million budget. Why has it to be 380 million+ ?

[CryOn]

Insomniac even tried to make a Spiderman MP game. “Spiderman meets GTA online”.

PSN 2011 hack, Capcom 2020 hack and now this.

[EPC]

@CallMeCraig

Well thats a problem of their own doing. They could just make a Spider-Man 3 game on a 200 million budget. Why has it to be 380 million+ ?

That is the big question.

Halo took 500M millions to make, but it took years to make. Insomniac is known to be fast, where the money went ?

[Sparda3g]

@EPC

That is the big question.

Them web swinging animation don’t pay itself.