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Sony Funding 'About 40' Downloadable Games
Eurogamer is reporting on comments by Sony's Phil Harrison about the e-Distribution Initiative for the PlayStation 3. Apparently they already have 40-some games in development, above and beyond the titles they'll have ready for the console launch. Harrison: "My strategy was to encourage developers to push the machine technically, creatively, artistically — to innovate in lots of different ways. But don't be restricted by ghettoising games into a particular genre, or a particular display mechanic, because what we've seen on other systems tend to be retro 2D games, and we're pushing the 3D capabilities of the PlayStation 3. Plus, the fact that every PS3 has a hard disk drive means that we're not restricted by the size of the download, and that has a huge impact on the kind of game design that you can do,"
"above and beyond the titles they'll have ready for the console launch."
;)
If their titles' release dates follow the same typecast as their platforms release date, then 40 titles will probably be more like, 10 now, 20 in 6 months and another few over time.
Above and Beyond and Sony, lately, should never find themselves in the same article.
Is it just me, or does Sony hate 2D games?
I remember reading somewhere (unfortunately can't find it now), that Sony always preferred to have 3D games on its systems. Now, there are a number of 2D games (platformers, traditional fighters, etc.) on the PS2, but it seems like Sony was resistant to those types of games. Why do you have to push the 3D capabilities of anything? I just want to have a good experience, and there are plenty of 2D titles that do just that.
-- jchenx
LOL!
:D
How true... I can just see that now...
- "So, we've released the system, now, what's the network's status?"
- "Well, sir, it would seem we underestimated the download speeds..."
- "What? Are you saying the T1's aren't holding up?"
- "Uhhh no..."
- "So what about the OC-192 we ordered?"
- "It seems they're delaying the delivery - again - until next January..."
- "What kind of company would delay delivery on their product so many times?"
- "..."
- "Right."
Hehehehe...
You mean the Nintendo with the proprietary ATI chip? OK.
1) Make idiot out of Company at E3
2) Offer downloadable content after competitors have already done it
3) ???
4) PROFIT!!!
Ok maybe that's a bit unfair... This sounds like a good distribution channel for Sony - one that I think Microsoft should use a lot more.
What is interesting and what I would like to know more of, is how this "Sony will fund the development and distribution" works.. As a game designer if someone is funding your costs, they probably have an ownership stake in the finished product. So when they deliver the finished software to Sony for distribution, what is the profit share? If they make a huge blockbuster, does Sony keep all the cash flow and pay them a small 'development fee' and go about their business, or do they allow these developers to reap in a modest portion of profits?
I have a hard time beliving Sony will put up all the development costs and then share the profits... maybe that's just me. So if it's just a Cost Plus type contract with the developers, it sounds like a 'decent' way for Sony to get great games developed by smaller studios without the financial means to produce a larger scale project. It provides an advantage over the XNA Kit that MS is releasing since the financial backing should hopefully translate into higher quality games.
But then again, the XNA Kit will have a wider reach which may offset the advantage of Sony financing a 'select few.'
Oh.. By the way.. Sony, I still won't be buying a console at launch.
Its Deluxe, son. Deluxe!
"About 40" sounds suspiciously like it's trying to be greater than 30, which is known to be the current number of Virtual Console titles available at the Wii's launch. Naturally, this quote is also designed to demean the Wii by decrying some of our old favorite games as "ghetto'ed". And it is released "coincidentally" right after Nintendo's announcement of said titles.
Quit promising the moon, Sony, and just deliver a fucking console already.
"Mod, mod, mod...and another troll bites the dust."
The GP post seems to have totally omitted the fact that Nintendo hardware has been the worst black box of them all ever since the NES was released. Unlike MS and Sony who have actually _invited_ people to run homebrew code on their hardware.
Get Rooted!
Lik-Sang Must Die!
Lithium Ion Inferno!
Fire All Batteries!
Where's UMD?
Consider one of the few games we know of, flow, is very much a old-school kind of game played on a 2D field. That said, the graphics themselves are all 3-D - they just move in a plane. Nothing about 3D says the camera cannot be fixed and overhead or to the side.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
I very nearly bought a 360. The game that almost did it for me was a launch title, but not in stores - it was (and is) geometry wars.
Having a really large lineup of original but smaller games that are also cheaper to buy is of more interest to me as a gamer today than a lot of large monolithic titles that take a larger investmnet of time to play. People (including myself) are moaning about next-gen titles costing more and more, but forget there is this whole other category of software you can buy much cheaper (even Lumines for the 360 is cheap compared to a boxed game, and people have been thinking that was too much).
Basically now the quality of a systems launch lineup needs to include a serious look at the online games you can purchase on day 1 even if you never buy a physical game.
I'm honestly surprised Microsoft has not done more in this space, they have released developer tools which is a good step but I thought we'd see more small, compelling games like Geometry Wars on the 360 by now.
Nintendo obviously has a great grasp on this as well with the ability to buy a lot of classics to play either again, or for the first time. For newcomers it will be just like a DS game on a large screen...
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Unfortunately almost every major ISP now throttles torrent traffic, making it's use as a legitimate distribution technology less appealing.
On the other hand, clients that encrypt torrent traffic are now common.. would encryption simply become the norm?
DJ kRYPT's Free MP3s!
Mod parent -1(grumpy-old-man)
So far, Sony seems to be the most open of the 3 consoles.
However, until I know what things that PS3 linux wont let you do, I will reserve final judgement.
Okay, so we're Slashdot and lately we hate Sony. But let's recognize good news when we get it. The Xbox Live Arcade has been awesome, but it's firmly rooted in retro-style casual games. If the Sony can stand on Microsoft's shoulders and offer short games with higher production values, they could have something special on their hands.
Since the NES, console games have pretty much been "one size fits all," a distribution model that led to lower budget games often feeling empty or artificially padded. With downloadable games, the price is scaleable so you can make the game whatever length "feels right," then charge for the actual value. We've already seen it work well for retro and casual games; now let's see what it can do for timely movie tie-ins and episodic games.
I rolled my eyes when I heard about David Jaffe's "John Lennon" aspirations, but maybe he's on to something...
You're totally missing the point. Sony discourages 2D games and stops some 2D games from being published outside of Japan by not approving them. Nintendo, on the other hand, creates 2D games for its own 3D consoles (look at GC games like Four Swords, Animal Crossing, Paper Mario (which is kind of a mix of 2D and 3D) or Wario Ware).
You hardly ever see new 2D games because Sony doesn't want them on its consoles, not because developers don't want to make them or gamers don't want to buy them.
"ghettoising"?!
Those are all retro-games, they are kind of an exception. The number of originally created 2D games on the other side is very very low, however not only on Sony consoles, but on all of them.