Sony has never been afraid to try new things. Perhaps more than any other publisher, the platform holder is constantly re-inventing its lineup, ditching old brands and allowing new ones to take their place. And speaking in an interview with VG247, Worldwide Studios bigwig Michael Denny acknowledged that while new intellectual property is challenging, it’s something the organisation will always support.
"We’ll always back new IP," he started. "But what we’ll say is well, we’re going to be smart about how we develop those games and make sure we have a strong pre-production process and really prove out the key elements of those games along the way. But doing new IPs and trying to create new genres is something we’ll always back."
Denny touched briefly upon Horizon: Zero Dawn, and how pre-production on that project dating all the way back to the Killzone: Shadow Fall days allowed Guerrilla to come up with a very convincing pitch. "We could tell once we had it playable, once we had a solid vision for the open world, that it was going to be stunning and spectacular," he said.
[source vg247.com]
Comments 40
They nailed it on HZD being 'stunning and spectacular'. I'm only looking forward to more of what they have up their sleeve. 2018 is already looking incredible for games!
Edit: and looking forward to new ideas like ghosts of tsushima and death stranding. With Sony backing them, I doubt they'll disappoint
I've always been impressed by the way Sony will just leave franchises in the past. Like, Horizon is a good example because, while it wasn't everyone's cup of tea, Killzone was a really safe bet for them — a consistent money spinner and a constant two or three million seller.
But now it's unfathomable to think of Guerrilla making more Killzone. This has been a theme throughout Sony's history, with perhaps the exception of Gran Turismo and Everybody's Golf.
@get2sammyb
True, but perhaps for the better?? It is a business after all. But maybe the ' out with the old, in with the new' mentality generates more sales?
@NYJetsfan123 Clearly it does. It refreshes the image of the brand, too, I think. Like, a few years ago we had the Helghast and Drake as a couple of the key characters in all of the marketing materials; now we've got Aloy and (after an extended break) a refreshed Kratos.
I personally think it's cool.
PlayStation is the best.I knew they was going to be the best console ever next to the Sega genesis.when I was a fan since day one.every PlayStation console always has a new ip.mixed with legendary ip.
word up son
I love that Sony is willing to refresh its brand this way. While other companies rely heavily on the Nostalgia factor for sales, Sony pushes forward with new characters and genres. Mostly for the better. Its risky though (The Order 1886 & Knack) but overall it pays off and it just plain awesome to me.
there is no perhaps with Sony.Sammy.it's a fact.Sony is the best ever.believe the hype.PlayStation is the best.word up son
@YummyHappyPills
I both agree and disagree with you at the same time.
There have been so many titles I wish they kept up with, too many to list in fact, but at the same time I look at other titles that had a sequel or numerous, and they were absolutely terrible, and probably should have stopped with the original. But you can't argue with success right?
@YummyHappyPills I see your point. I personally loved the Sly Cooper series and was thrilled when They announced Thieves in Time but its clear they wont do Sly 5 even tho they hinted at it. That makes me sad. But being stuck in the past is a problem too. Some genres are generational and trying to force them into the future is just as risky as trying new things. In a world where we cant have both im ok with the approach Sony is taking.
@YummyHappyPills I think the sales numbers of Thieves in Time had alot to do with that unfortunately.
Even thought they arent making a new game with some of these IPs it would be foolish for them to sell them. They still make money off of the releases games and from the characters if they use them in a game like PS all-stars or a movie like Rachet & Clank or the rumored Sly tv show. And they can alway bring them back in the future.
@YummyHappyPills Also its not just about what Sony World wide studios wants. Clearly the developers want to move on as well. Im sure Sony might have prefered Infamous 4 instead of Ghost of Tsushima but SuckerPunch wanted to try something different. Same with GG and Horizon or Media Molecule and Dreams. Otherswise we'd have LBP4 and Killzone 5.
@YummyHappyPills what the he'll you talking about playa.sly Cooper is coming back.this year or next year or ps5.but I believe it's coming next year.word up son
@YummyHappyPills Well thats what they did with Sly 4 and Sanzaruu. And with the GoW PSP games an with LBP3. Its possible that thy dont want to run their ips into the groubd like Nintendo has. Im sick of Mario games at this point and im sure im not the only one.
@YummyHappyPills Yes idk who was calling for Bubsy. That was a wierd choice. I agree that bringing back older ip after a decent break works outs well. I just dont know if it works with multiple games. A 1 game revival seems to be fine but say a trilogy? Im just not sure. I wouldn't be mad if they tried it though.
@YummyHappyPills
Your opinion isn't wrong, opinions can't be wrong.
Backing it up, to your reply, but crash 1 was my favorite of the series. (Not counting ctr). That's not to say 2 & 3 we're bad at all. I loved them all. But crash 1 was just amazing.
I have alot to say but I'll keep it short.
When it comes to selling your game to a new developer, I feel like that is purely a financial and awful decision. Your original game is now in the hands of completely different people that can take it in any direction they want. And to the consumer, that's probably not at all what they want or how they saw the series expanding. But I'm an all or nothing kind of guy!
In an age where everything seems to be a sequel or a rehash, it's nice to see Sony continuously working to foster an environment where new ideas can receive funding and support. So often, it seems like there's so much money mixed up in the AAA gaming scene that most companies simply don't want to risk such a large investment in anything but a proven property. Sony's approach is refreshingly different.
The bigger problem for me is that I only really care about what JapanStudio creates. TLOU, Uncharted, Days Gone, God of War, Infamous, Dreams, LittleBigPlanet, etc. simply don't appeal to me.
@Ralizah
Oh man, then what do you play?....
What I like about Sony is there willingness to make new IP's every generation, but it's also what I kind of hate about Sony, there semi-disinterest to non-blockbuster status of some IP's from the previous generation and sometimes the current generation.
It's good that there not always playing the nostalgia card like the Big N, but it would be nice to see more past IP's of Sony being given a little more attention then what they have now. With that being said, it's not like they haven't tried. Remastering the LocoRoco and Patapon series for the PS4 is definitely a step in the right direction and so is the PS2 classics on PS4 (when they remember to release any that is). And there's also the factor that some of those games aren't done in-house, but outsourced to other Studios who are either busy with other games or have closed down completely leaving the future of said IP in limbo.
Personally I think its great that Sony allows its Studio's to have creative freedom to explore new directions. H:ZD is just one example and Ghost of Tsushima another. H:ZD at least shows that GG are more than just 'Killzone' developers although I do recall many having doubts that a studio known for linear (and not always compelling) story telling and a first person 'Halo, CoD' type clone would deliver a 3rd person Action RPG with a very strong character and compelling story.
Personally I hope that isn't the end for Killzone but I am more interested in seeing more Horizon at the moment as there is a plethora of FPS games. Ghost of Tsushima could help Sucker Punch too move away from being seen as 'just' Infamous developers. Both GG and SP though could use both H:ZD and GoT in some ways to re-invent or at least improve their other franchises - turn Killzone into something more than the 'typical' FPS games we see for example - an action RPG in the Killzone universe perhaps. Uncharted 4 certainly had a number of elements from Last of Us....
No one wants to see the 'end' of a beloved franchise but after a while, they can seem 'stale' or lack that something special that a 'new' IP can bring. A change is as good as a rest - they say.
@YummyHappyPills why not try structuring your argument in a way that is not so obviously anti-Sony? You use a lot of language like "Sony doesn't care", "leaving old franchises dead", "Sony discarded it" and "Sony is stubborn". It's no wonder, on a site that is PlayStation-centric, people will become defensive (especially when these statements are all based on opinion and not on fact). You make a lot of great, valid points but maybe just give some consideration to the way you present them.
@NYJetsfan123 Japanese exclusives. Persona 5, The Last Guardian, Gravity Rush 2, Yakuza 0, Gal Gun: Double Peace, Ni no Kuni 2, etc.
If a multiplat is available on the Switch, I'll buy it there. Otherwise, I'll buy it on either PC or PS4: whichever is cheaper. Pretty much the only multiplats I buy are either indies or Capcom games, though.
I just... don't like Western AAA games, so I largely ignore their existence.
@Ralizah I loved the GR games. I still need to finish TLG tho.
@3Above It's really sad that GR2 is having its multiplayer features yanked when it isn't even a year old yet. I love the games, but for some reason they've just never been popular. Which is sad. I'll fully admit Gravity Rush 2 was one of my big motivating factors for buying a PS4 (my others were Persona 5 and... sigh... Silent Hills)
@Ralizah
Hah! I've met my complete gaming opposite! I've never been interested or even looked twice at any of the aforementioned games... But, that is the plus side of the PS4 and other PlayStation games. There are so many games for everyone to choose from.
Original ip is great, it's one of the reason playstation is my favorite console on all gen, I do hope sony remastered more of their old ip for the new generations though, like what they do with wipeout, parappa, sotc and others.
I want colony wars remaster (with vr), twisted metal 1-4, and of course ape escape 1-3, all 4k & 60 fps
It does make every Playstation console unique. While I don't like any of the PS4's exclusives. I really like what the PS1, PS2 and PSP offered. Completely different experiences.
That's the whole reason I'm a Sony fan.
That's why i really like to play on PlayStation, great exclusives and fresh new ips. Of course that It's great to play another Ratchet & Clank or Uncharted, also It's normal to ask for revivals like Spyro or Medievil, but we should always embrace new ideas, look at games like Horizon Zero Dawn, Tearaway, Gravity Rush, The Last Guardian and Until Dawn.
The discussion above: I still think that it was a terrible mistake when Sony sold the rights of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro, they really should keep both series.
it is a good thing,the industry needs more,and sony will give us more.
also i want horizon too already,and i still didnt complete the first one
This is the difference between Sony and it's competitors & it's probably the reason PlayStation was always my go-to console. I know what I'm going to get with Nintendo and Microsoft.
I'm a massive inFamous fan, nothing would've made me happier than seeing inFamous 3.
Then at PGW...Ghost of Tsushima trailer...SuckerPunch logo...I lose my sh##.
Sony provides me with games that I never thought I wanted. Tearaway is another example. I could never imagine playing a game like that, but it intrigued me enough to buy it and I really enjoyed it.
I thought KZ Shadowfall was pretty mediocre, but then GG go on to make GOTY candidate Horizon: Zero Dawn. It's crazy really.
A company always has to move forward, if that means leaving behind old ideas, then so be it. They could always come back to it. Just look at Crash & WipEout. They've been left dormant and now they are back with a bang.
My only issue in regards to how Sony uses their IP is Gravity Rush. If the original Gravity Rush had been a PS4 launch title instead of Vita, Kat would now be the face of PlayStation.
Poor Kat .
@YummyHappyPills
SONY has lack of first party studios? You seen to think a developer will want to be stuck developing one IP for the rest of their career, that's just not true developers want to make new IP's no matter how good their last IP was.
@NYJetsfan123 Indeed. The diversity of the Playstation library means that a pretty wide assortment of people and tastes are catered to on the system. Before 2017, I would have said fans of Japanese games were largely left behind by the system, but this year has changed that for me in a big way, and, honestly, next year is looking to be a pretty good follow-up.
I still find it strange that after all these years PS doesn't have their immediately recognisable mascot like their rivals. XBox has Master Chief, Sega has Sonic, Nintendo has the mascot of all gaming Mario, but PS has yet to have that character that is unmistably the flag bearer. Even Nathan Drake is a little beige in that sense.
i didn't own a PS1 or PS2.. and generally most of those IPs i've played either through backwards compatibilty or remastered versions, i've always wondered what the fuss was about. time and a place i guess.. i really enjoyed tools of destruction and a crack time from the ratchet & clank series on PS3, but none of the other entries, so it's possible to over/mis-use an IP.. i tried the original PS2 game as part of the remastered trilogy and thought it was clunky - the remake on PS4 is vastly superior imo.
i'm glad that sucker punch isn't making another infamous, personally i thought second son and first light were easily the weakest of the bunch. ghost of tsushima has me much more intrigued than an infamous 4 would have. i'm sure it will still have an indelible sucker punch touch.
it's like ico , shadow of the colossus, and the last guardian - three entirely different IPs, but all having a common DNA. or heavy rain - beyond two souls - detroit: become human - all distinctively david cage games, yet all new IPs. he's gone on record as saying that it would have been easier to make heavy rain 2, given how successful it was, but he wasn't pressurised by sony to make it. some IPs just don't need sequels. i would have been happy if naughty dog had made the last of us a one and done deal. typically the studio has one game in early pre-production whilst another is in full development mode, so i wouldn't be surprised if they're working on ideas for new IP for PS5.
one sequel that is highly likely (apart from GT7) is H:ZD 2, as i think it has got more to tell, and improvements to make to it's RPGness, so i suspect GG will be working on it for PS5, but like @BAMozzy i hope it's not the end for Killzone. ShadowFall was quite a disappointment, largely for me because I was a huge fan of both KZ2 and KZ3's multiplayer and played each for hundreds of hours - SF's was terrible though - it didn't feel like KZ at all - the shooting, the atmosphere, the cramped rat-maze maps, had little in common with the previous two MPs. the campaign had early promise with open areas and branching objectives and then fizzled out quickly - plus the characters were dull and insipid. the 'villain' was no scolari, and whilst sev and rico had pretty naff dialogue, at least they had character, as a protagonist kellan was a total dullard in SF. i'd like GG to reboot KZ if i'm honest, taking what they've learned with HZ:D and turn it into a more open guerrilla-warfare based game.. sort of like a cross between what homefront tried to be, the division (ie. a vektan city representation on the scale of new york), and horizon.
with some IP, such as LittleBigPlanet, there's only so far you can take them. LBP3 didn't achieve anything like the success of LBP2.. the second game had such a vast suite of tools for making levels/games that the third game wasn't really necessary. it had 8m levels, and if even only 0.0001% were any good, that's still 800 levels worth playing which is more than enough for anybody.
the one IP that seems to have been abandoned that i'd really like to see more of is resistance, but since resistance 3 didn't sell well (even though it was far superior to the previous games), i can't see another happening even though ted price has said insomniac would love to do it. sony seems content to partner with 3rd parties on advertising deals for the biggest FPS games (CoD, destiny, BF, Far Cry) rather than compete with them, which is a shame because i don't really like any of the big FPS multiplayers this gen, and would really like an alternative.
@MrGawain maybe kratos? sony has a lot of iconic characters but they are all not as iconic as lets say master chief (tho i only like his design,halo is pretty bland)
I think this is clever and gives long term dividends as opposed to short term gain. Did the world need a Gears of War 4 or Halo 5? Now Microsoft is in a predicament where they have not invested in a new IP from many of their studios.
Plus, it means that Sony can play the nostalgia card in the future, a little like they did with Ratchet and Clank and then reboot in the future if they want to revisit.
why I love Playstation
@Fight_Teza_Fight That trailer summed up the developers name well. The last thing on my mind was that it was a Sucker Punch game.
@YummyHappyPills What about F-Zero, or Mother 3? Golden Sun? Advance Wars? A good Star Fox game? Heck, I've been asking for a new Murasame Castle since forever.
It happens with ever company.
People always say that new IPs are a good thing. And if you don't increase your dev teams every time you make a new IP, there will be a point where you simply don't have the manpower and/or resources to keep up with all your IP. Catch 22.
If you're asking for J&D and R&C. Well, I think the latter will get a new entry at some point, just give it some time. I never saw the appeal of J&D to be honest.
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