hellblade 2 will do very poorly on xbox. the demographic is simply not there for auteur projects such as this. it is a bit surreal that a playstation focused website will begin covering xbox games, knowing that a ps release is an inevitability.
currently playing the first game... yes, it is a walking simulator with light puzzle solving (i need to add that the puzzles are very repetitive and frustrating) and occassional combat. the core is the narrative and it excels in that area above all else. hellblade is definitely not for everyone, but it is probably worth a look if you are in the mood for a dark, psychological, mythological themed experience. why some people are giving hellblade 2 scathing reviews is beyond me — were they asleep when the first game released and expected a different genre this time around?
all that being said, i am very concerned for ninja theory's future. they are a talented studio that needs a little guidance and support to truly fulfill their potential. microsoft is terrible at project managment and developing its studios so unless ninja theory can deliver a hugely successful game, their time is limited.
never ceases to amaze me that a single game can exceed an entire franchise in copies sold. take resident evil for example... the franchise spans 30 games, including spinoffs and remakes and the total sales for the franchise is only 157m copies. final fantasy franchise has sold 185m copies. then you have assassins creed franchise which spans close to 30 games, including spinoffs and has sold the same amount as gta v at 200m copies. it just boggles the mind.
@dskatter you probably shouldn't dismiss one of the greatest sales milestones in gaming history like that. skyrim has been re-released just as many times as gta v and has less than a third of its sales. average games can be re-released 50 times and they wouldn't get anywhere near 200m copies sold. on the contrary, there has to be market demand for a game to warrant a re-release in the first place and gta v has that in spades.
@Bentleyma in its current iteration, no. but if it was planned with ps4 in mind, they would have made concessions where necessary. it was not an impossible port.
xbox should make future COD EXCLUSIVE to gamepass with no retail release of any kind on xbox. that would be an interesting experiment that i would like to observe
@breakneck it is not so much that people literally cannot afford one (although that is sometimes the case as well). it is more that the cost vs perceived "value" is not there yet due to a lackluster (for some people) library of "current gen" games at this point in time.
@Savage_Joe i said the same thing. a fidelity and resolution downgrade would be fine for most people. i mean, rebirth isn't exactly cutting edge as it is still running on unreal engine 4 just like remake.
@ChrisDeku depending on one's taste, only a handful of those games are actually worth playing. the latter half of your list is especially forgettable. many more are just copy and paste sequels that people likely don't feel pressured to play. the industry is not in a good place in the grand scheme of things. we are nearing the 4 year mark of the ps5 and sony still has a lot of work to do to entice people to purchase one. that is uncalled for and unique from past console generations.
@Rodimusprime1313 agreed 100%. sony peaked with ps4. it is the culmination of everything that it learned from the ps3 era and is desined to be the greatest HD era console of all time depending on who you talk to. the ps5 is a regression in many ways and the ps6 will likely be no different unless the industry gets back to making good, innovative and creative games again.
hey, that's me! i have not upgraded to ps5 for so many reasons. the price isn't right and there are not enough games on the platform to entice me to make the purchase. i'm not just referring to ps exclusive games — across the board including 3rd party publishers, the software lineup has been a major disappointment (as far as "current gen-only games" are concerned). i can get MOST of the games i am interested in on ps4 in 2024, so why would i upgrade just for a small resolution and fidelity bump? the industry is in a slump when it comes to innovation and creativity and that is why people are content sticking to their ps4.
let me frame this in another way: playstation PEAKED with the ps4 as far as the output and quality of games. sony is now having a hard time replicating this success on its new console, creating further disappointment for gamers. that is my experience anyway. oh, and i still haven't gotten over the ugly design and size of the ps5 so that doesn't help
@wildcat_kickz interesting take. there could be something to it. hence why the last of us 2 performed much worse than last of us 1 (in sales). it could be attributed to people generally not liking abby as a personality and character. now, what does this mean for last of us 3? i have no idea. i don't think sony is prepared to go all in on a $300m sequel if it is destined to further decline in sales (which means changes may need to be made in some areas related to the story). imagine if nathan drake wasn't as likeable as he is — perhpas the uncharted series wouldn't have taken off in the way it did. character attachment is an important factor as you have pointed out. and yes, i agree that an oversaturation of spinoffs in a franchise takes away the focus from the core experience which will likely lead to fatigue and cheapen the brand. i think persona 5 is the worst case example of this in recent memory. i'm not very excited about persona 6 due to the fact that there has not been a break in between persona 5 releases leading up to the inevitable release of persona 6. part of the excitement is the build up of anticipation, but that is lost when a publisher is constantly trying to keep its franchise in the headlines at all times.
@wildcat_kickz you might be surprised to know, but horizon zero dawn sold over 24m copies, whereas the sequel, forbidden west, only sold 8m copies (as of 2023). so at one point, it did look like sony had found a massive new IP, but the poor sales of the sequel have put this into question. all these spinoffs of late (including an MMO and tv series) come across as desperate and may be a way to recoup their losses from fobideen west.
i can only assume they will hand over the assets to Traveller's Tales and let them handle the development. they will recycle the entire map of zero dawn/forbidden west and redesign all the characters and enemies to look like lego. a souless cash grab to be sure but could net sony some easy dough which is what the gaming industry is all about these days.
@NEStalgia definitely. we are also seeing a great emphasis on focus testing and curation with many hollwood movies (take superhero movies for example). i'm sure that always existed, but it is just that much more prevelant now and it is hurting all media across the board (you know it when you see it). the brightside is, we as gamers have a plethora of games to go back to from a bygone era. there is enough to keep us occupied for a liftime, including the indie space, so things could be worse all things considered.
i hope you are right about graphical downgrades in the future. something needs to give so that the industry can rebound and get back to what really matters. that said, i can already feel the 8k marketing spiel gathering momentum. most people already have their 4k sets, so it is time that we throw them in the garbage and upgrade for those extra pixels that won't be noticeable by 99% of the population
at the end of the day, none of the data even matters. people cherry pick which data to use to prove their point, even though you can make valid arguments for either side of the debate. most would agree that this gen has been at the very least underwhelming if not incredibly disappointing. i have never seen so many people claiming that their current gen machine is collecting dust or that they are still waiting for the generation to truly begin and (hopefully) justify their purchase. i'm seeing more people than ever before fatigued on modern gaming and falling back to the retro scene or going back a few console generations to play far more interesting games on ps2/ps3/wii/ds/3ds etc. or simply catching up on the superior backlog of the ps4. (i am referring to the AAA space of course as indi gaming is doing quite well by comparison).
traditionally it can take as long as 24 months for a console cycle to truly kick into gear (the ps3 was a late starter), but certainly not 42 months (and counting) as we are witnessing with the ps5. at this point, i don't think we should expect the ps5 to get even close to the ps4 as far as total game output, including new IPs, from first party studios. i would argue that we peaked with the ps4 and will need to settle with very different expectations going forward.
we were bombarded with so much marketing and hype to kick off this generation and it has not delivered on any front. even from a hardware perspective, devs are still failing to prioritize or reach smooth framerates in many cases which is embarassing when you consider the power they have to work with now. more power is meaningless if they keep moving the goal posts and strive for fidelity and arbitrary resolutions above all else. the same problem will present itself when the ps6 launches and the new gimmick is 8k resolution. let's not even get into the lack of "current gen-only" software or how stale AAA gaming has become, generally speaking. people are losing interest in the status quo and safe sequels. seems like publishers are as well judging by the uninspired games they are putting out, but they are at a loss on how to course correct. they no longer know how to innovate while pleasing their shareholders at the same time. even with gta 6 looming in the not so distant future, i would be surprised if ps5 manages to overtake ps4 in lifetime hardware sales, despite the market being larger now than what it was 10 years ago.
as head of ps studios for over 4 years, hulst has not delivered. i'll give him a break and assume that the fruits of his labour have yet to be fully delivered (not to mention ryan's online service strategy likely ruined his plans to a great extent), but it is concerning just how far behind sony is with the ps5 cycle. if things don't dramatically improve in the next 4 years and sony doesn't match the output of the ps4 cycle, then hulst will need to be replaced at the beginning of the ps6 cycle. the clock is ticking. we need to see results.
and for the love of god, hulst needs to put his bias away and tone down the horizon projects. people are generally underwhelmed and fatigued already. cancelling the mmo and tv production would be a good start.
this studio will likely amount to nothing anytime soon. no reason to get excited. maybe in the middle of the ps6 cycle we will hear from them again. not going to get hyped over a hypotehtical, unproven studio. this is barely worth talking about.
@Shinnok789 to add insult to injury, horizon forbidden west didn't even perform that well. it sold 8.4m copies a year after launch. even if it is now at 10m+ copies, that is less than half of what zero dawn sold. in other words, forbidden west is never catching up to zero dawn and the IP isn't as strong as people think it is.
@Wilforce agreed, although i assumne sega intends to annualize the franchise with spinoffs as well. so it might only be one mainline persona game every 4 years or so with spinoffs filling in the gaps. i believe the spinoffs will cheapen the brand and will be of uneven quality (as we have already seen), not to mention, pull resources away from development of the mainline games... so i am not a fan of that strategy either but it seems like we have already arrived at this scenario.
huh? since 2006 there have been 21 persona releases — yes, 21. this includes mainline entries as well as enhanced releases and spinoffs. so... in other words, sega is already nearly there with annualizing the franchise. and no, it has done it no favours.
2006 - Persona 3
2007 - Persona 3 FES
2008 - Persona 4
2009 - Shin Megami Tensei: Persona (PSP), Persona 3 Portable
2011 - Persona 2: Innocent Sin (PSP)
2012 - Persona 4 Arena, Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (PSP), Persona 4 Golden
2013 - Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
2014 - Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth
2015 - Persona 4: Dancing All Night
2016 - Persona 5
2018 - Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight, Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight, Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth
2019 - Persona 5 Royal
2020 - Persona 5 Strikers
2023 - Persona 5 Tactica
2024 - Persona 3 Reload, Persona 5: The Phantom X
@BeenGamingSince_83 i finished death stranding a few weeks ago. an interesting experience but i'm in no rush to return to the beach unless the game is fundamentally different from the first. very curious how the sequel will differentiate itself. all i know is, it cannot rely on delivering packages as its core mechanic again.
@Ravix i have a strong suspicion that gta vi was supposed to be the game that launches with the pro. that's no longer in the cards now and i very much doubt sony will be able to fill that void. they already confirmed that there won't be anything from sony studios until next year so it rules out most wishful thinking possibilities. a bloodborne remaster would be pretty awesome if they could pull that off (since it isn't technically a new game and might be an exception to their statement) but that is just more wishful thinking haha.
learned from past showcases to expect very little. we won't see any major sony releases until summer-fall 2025 in all liklihood. this year is a wash for sony. so if you want to see a trailer for a game releasing 12-18 months from now, sure.
talk about crazy timing. i have been playing the game for the first time this past week and nearing the end now. don't think i'll get into these game modes, but nice gesture i guess? that said, i have to wonder why it has taken 5 years to release this update? overall, it is a solid game. not quite symphony of the night tier, but then again, i never expected it to be.
aren't pc gamers used to all the account requirements they have to put up with yet? i would expect the same outcry with rockstar, epic, ubisoft, ea, etc accounts but have yet to see it with this level of viciousness. having a hard time understanding why this particular game at this particular time resulted in such a backlash while other publishers got a free pass?
@BAMozzy true. WB likely got a nice payday from zuckerberg. in which case, the sales performance of these "experiments" are inconsequential for the publisher. meta will obviously take a loss on it in exchage for a tiny bump to their market share of headsets.
@nomither6 you have a point. i was being generous. personally, i would score it a 7 based on what i have watched online. the moment to moment gameplay looks engaging enough but everything around it is just lacking one way or another.
terrible writing, voice acting, environmental design and side content prevent this game from being more than a true 7-8 score at best. anything beyond that is fanboy inflation. no different than the inflation you tend to see with various marvel properties.
@Flaming_Kaiser relax. i already clarrified that i don't own a ps5 and don't care about the content of the censorship. i do care about accountability, however. sony never should have promised a censor-free game if they didn't mean it. that is my concern here. people don't like being lied to.
@DennisReynolds why was the blood spray reduced then? unless you have a good reason other than protecting sony every chance you can get, i don't think we will be able to deny the possibility that censorship is in fact a thing here.
@DennisReynolds that is clearly up for debate. there were also changes made to the blood spray on eve when comparing the demo to the day 1 patch. at this point, there are far too many changes post patch for me to believe the game isn't censored.
well, pushsquare wrote up a story (prior to launch) congratulating sony for not censoring the game. yet, the game has been censored several times over since then. why is pushsquare not critical of sony for not keeping to its word? i don't own a ps5 and don't care about the content of the censorship, but i do care about accountability. if sony had always intended to censor the game and flat out lied about it prior to launch, that requires an explanation. people do not like being lied to.
@Foxhound unfortunately, i believe they are skipping ps4 physical editions in the west. we again have no choice but to import the asian (multi-language) version from play asia at a much higher cost if we desire a physical copy (if there is one. currently, there is no multi-language option available for pre-order). strangely enough, the asian (multi-language) ps4 physical of unicorn overlord isn't even in stock on play asia — not sure if it is permanently sold out or what.
still no confirmation of a western ps4 physical release? looks great. might be the last notable game to release on the ps4 in fact, but i think i'll wait it out to see what atlus has in store with dlc and the inevitable complete edition first. i can wait until mid 2026 if i have to. got enough to catch up on in the meantime
i'm a bit surprised this game isn't getting more attention. perhaps many people are not aware that key members of persona 3/4/5 are behind it? or are people so attached to the persona trappings that they are less willing to try something a little different? it is refreshing not having to play as yet another high school protagonist in my opinion.
@LarsVerb noted. the number is probably higher than 2m but 3m would be a stretch based on this data which does have some merit. either way, i understand that there are assumptions being made, however, s-e (and most publishers) are usually more than happy to brag about sales when there is something supposedly worth "celebrating". i.e. s-e made an announcement about ffxvi a week after launch when it reached 3m in sales. it has been 6 weeks since ff7 rebirth launched without as much as a whisper. it is not looking good.
@LarsVerb it's a fair point, but i think people were expecting the sales to match ffxvi at the very least (3m copies). so whether or not ffvii rebirth sold 2m or 2.2m or even 2.5m isn't the concern — it should have been in the 3m ballpark on launch week since we are talking about what is arguably the most popular entry in the entire final fantasy franchise. if this is the best they can do in the current marketplace (and with various external factors at play), it is a concern for the gaming industry at large in my opinion. also, it is doubtful that any publisher that poured this amount of resources into a release of this magnitude would be satisfied with these early sales numbers from a simple business perspective.
"But, it's important to remember that direct sequels often struggle to keep pace — especially when prior instalments have proven to be popular. After all, not everyone who bought Remake will have enjoyed it, and so a decline in sequel sales would naturally make sense."
is the article suggesting that a critically well received sequel to an immensely popular franchise usually fares worse than the previous installment? i don't think that is true by most metrics. usually when a sequel sells worse than the previous entry, it is due to 3 possibilities.
1 - the game was not well received critically (not the case with rebirth)
2 - smaller install base and therefore less interest for the game on the platform (applies to rebirth)
3 - general lack of interest or external forces that are limiting demand (AAA gaming fatigue, lack of time and money by various demographics).
i don't think there is any way to sugarcoat this. sony should be very concerned by the performance of rebirth on the ps5. this data is a clear indication that AAA gaming is in a rut and fatigue has set in, among other factors such as higher cost of living and people generally not spening as much on gaming. how ff7 rebirth didn't reach sales that are at least on par with ffxvi is quite shocking to me considering the fandom behind ff7 in particular.
it is not a test. every xbox published game will find its way to ps4/ps5 out of necessity and in order to turn a profit. their own install base alone won't cut it for them.
it was either confirmed or highly speculated that the next entry will forgoe the turn-based battle system in favour of an action combat.
to be fair, this is a series that has not evolved an inch in nearly 40 years and needs a major shakeup. i would prefer that they kept the turn-based battle system, but i don't know what else they can do to freshen things up.
also, as iconic as the old music was, it is time that they moved away from composer sugiyama's past work and go with an original score. maybe an unpopular opinion, but i can only handle the same soundtrack from game to game so many times before it drives me insane. they have recycled the majority of the score at least 20 times (including spinoffs) and that is not acceptable. it was charming the first 3 times but enough already.
@Oriion without question it is better on every level. keep in mind that front mission 2 and left alive are completely different genres of games made by different studios and they essentially have nothing in common. front mission 2 is a grid-based strategy game while left alive was a really bad action/stealth game that had no reason to exist in the first place.
well, this is the first time that an english language option is available for front mission 2. not even the fan translation was completed all the way through so this is an exciting release. i don't expect the presentation to be great, but more front mission is only a good thing.
what is odd, however, is that s-e had nothing to do with the front mission remakes. not even as publisher. forever entertainment and storm tridant did the publishing/development duties here which makes me wonder if s-e still controls the IP or not.
another potential problem that many people don't seem to be discussing is the fact that not all "AAA" games fit neatly into the "AAA" price point, yet many are in that bracket, undeservingly so. i don't believe all "AAA" games should be entitled to the $90CAD price point for obvious reasons. it is up to the discretion of the publisher of course, but it is quite easy for us to tell which full-priced games are pushing the scope and technical capabilities of the hardware (and had budgets to justify their cost) and which are not. more publishers should be less afraid to price their games accordingly and not be resorting to the highest ceiling just for the sake of exploiting its customer base.
for example, many would agree that a sony first party title such as the last of us 3 will warrant a $90CAD price point due to the industry leading presentation and graphical fidelity it is striving for. but what about persona 3 reload? i would say absolutely not and should have launched at $60CAD at most. funny enough, despite the game releasing less than 2 months ago, sega has put the game on sale for $50CAD here in canada. not sure if this is attributed to lower than expected sales (likely) or if they are just pricing it closer to what it was always worth now that they made a few sales from the most hardcore fans at the full price (likely as well).
as for rise of the ronin, i think it would fare better as a game that is priced in the $70CAD range to better reflect what it actually is. it is not a tentpole release with impeccable production values that is pushing the hardware closer to its potential (despite the marketing and media outlets trying to convince us otherwise!). that is OK, but an honest price point would temper expectations as to what people are getting. the review scores would likely reflect that as well and be more favourable within that context.
until publishers value their products what they are actually worth, they are going to contend with unrealistic expectations and scrutiny that otherwise could have been alleviated to some extent. and yes, i would be perfectly fine if more developers came to their senses and acknowledged that they simply do not have the resources to compete with a true gen 9 game and will instead aim for a high quality gen 8 experience. i believe this will be necessary going forward or else we are going to see more publishers closing shop while competing with unrealistic expectations.
Comments 2,277
Re: Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 Dev Ninja Theory's Next Game Has Reportedly Been Greenlit
hellblade 2 will do very poorly on xbox. the demographic is simply not there for auteur projects such as this. it is a bit surreal that a playstation focused website will begin covering xbox games, knowing that a ps release is an inevitability.
currently playing the first game... yes, it is a walking simulator with light puzzle solving (i need to add that the puzzles are very repetitive and frustrating) and occassional combat. the core is the narrative and it excels in that area above all else. hellblade is definitely not for everyone, but it is probably worth a look if you are in the mood for a dark, psychological, mythological themed experience. why some people are giving hellblade 2 scathing reviews is beyond me — were they asleep when the first game released and expected a different genre this time around?
all that being said, i am very concerned for ninja theory's future. they are a talented studio that needs a little guidance and support to truly fulfill their potential. microsoft is terrible at project managment and developing its studios so unless ninja theory can deliver a hugely successful game, their time is limited.
Re: GTA 5 Makes Up Almost Half of Series' Sales, 200 Million Copies Sold
never ceases to amaze me that a single game can exceed an entire franchise in copies sold. take resident evil for example... the franchise spans 30 games, including spinoffs and remakes and the total sales for the franchise is only 157m copies. final fantasy franchise has sold 185m copies. then you have assassins creed franchise which spans close to 30 games, including spinoffs and has sold the same amount as gta v at 200m copies. it just boggles the mind.
Re: GTA 5 Makes Up Almost Half of Series' Sales, 200 Million Copies Sold
@dskatter you probably shouldn't dismiss one of the greatest sales milestones in gaming history like that. skyrim has been re-released just as many times as gta v and has less than a third of its sales. average games can be re-released 50 times and they wouldn't get anywhere near 200m copies sold. on the contrary, there has to be market demand for a game to warrant a re-release in the first place and gta v has that in spades.
Re: A Lot of PS4 Owners Have Yet to Upgrade to PS5
@Bentleyma in its current iteration, no. but if it was planned with ps4 in mind, they would have made concessions where necessary. it was not an impossible port.
Re: Microsoft Commits to Next Call of Duty Game on Xbox Game Pass, New Report Says
xbox should make future COD EXCLUSIVE to gamepass with no retail release of any kind on xbox. that would be an interesting experiment that i would like to observe
Re: A Lot of PS4 Owners Have Yet to Upgrade to PS5
@breakneck it is not so much that people literally cannot afford one (although that is sometimes the case as well). it is more that the cost vs perceived "value" is not there yet due to a lackluster (for some people) library of "current gen" games at this point in time.
Re: A Lot of PS4 Owners Have Yet to Upgrade to PS5
@Savage_Joe i said the same thing. a fidelity and resolution downgrade would be fine for most people. i mean, rebirth isn't exactly cutting edge as it is still running on unreal engine 4 just like remake.
Re: A Lot of PS4 Owners Have Yet to Upgrade to PS5
@ChrisDeku depending on one's taste, only a handful of those games are actually worth playing. the latter half of your list is especially forgettable. many more are just copy and paste sequels that people likely don't feel pressured to play. the industry is not in a good place in the grand scheme of things. we are nearing the 4 year mark of the ps5 and sony still has a lot of work to do to entice people to purchase one. that is uncalled for and unique from past console generations.
Re: A Lot of PS4 Owners Have Yet to Upgrade to PS5
@Rodimusprime1313 agreed 100%. sony peaked with ps4. it is the culmination of everything that it learned from the ps3 era and is desined to be the greatest HD era console of all time depending on who you talk to. the ps5 is a regression in many ways and the ps6 will likely be no different unless the industry gets back to making good, innovative and creative games again.
Re: A Lot of PS4 Owners Have Yet to Upgrade to PS5
hey, that's me! i have not upgraded to ps5 for so many reasons. the price isn't right and there are not enough games on the platform to entice me to make the purchase. i'm not just referring to ps exclusive games — across the board including 3rd party publishers, the software lineup has been a major disappointment (as far as "current gen-only games" are concerned). i can get MOST of the games i am interested in on ps4 in 2024, so why would i upgrade just for a small resolution and fidelity bump? the industry is in a slump when it comes to innovation and creativity and that is why people are content sticking to their ps4.
let me frame this in another way: playstation PEAKED with the ps4 as far as the output and quality of games. sony is now having a hard time replicating this success on its new console, creating further disappointment for gamers. that is my experience anyway. oh, and i still haven't gotten over the ugly design and size of the ps5 so that doesn't help
Re: Rumour: LEGO Horizon Adventures Is Reportedly Real, a 'Realistic' Horizon Game But with LEGO
@wildcat_kickz interesting take. there could be something to it. hence why the last of us 2 performed much worse than last of us 1 (in sales). it could be attributed to people generally not liking abby as a personality and character. now, what does this mean for last of us 3? i have no idea. i don't think sony is prepared to go all in on a $300m sequel if it is destined to further decline in sales (which means changes may need to be made in some areas related to the story). imagine if nathan drake wasn't as likeable as he is — perhpas the uncharted series wouldn't have taken off in the way it did. character attachment is an important factor as you have pointed out. and yes, i agree that an oversaturation of spinoffs in a franchise takes away the focus from the core experience which will likely lead to fatigue and cheapen the brand. i think persona 5 is the worst case example of this in recent memory. i'm not very excited about persona 6 due to the fact that there has not been a break in between persona 5 releases leading up to the inevitable release of persona 6. part of the excitement is the build up of anticipation, but that is lost when a publisher is constantly trying to keep its franchise in the headlines at all times.
Re: Rumour: LEGO Horizon Adventures Is Reportedly Real, a 'Realistic' Horizon Game But with LEGO
@wildcat_kickz you might be surprised to know, but horizon zero dawn sold over 24m copies, whereas the sequel, forbidden west, only sold 8m copies (as of 2023). so at one point, it did look like sony had found a massive new IP, but the poor sales of the sequel have put this into question. all these spinoffs of late (including an MMO and tv series) come across as desperate and may be a way to recoup their losses from fobideen west.
Re: Rumour: LEGO Horizon Adventures Is Reportedly Real, a 'Realistic' Horizon Game But with LEGO
i can only assume they will hand over the assets to Traveller's Tales and let them handle the development. they will recycle the entire map of zero dawn/forbidden west and redesign all the characters and enemies to look like lego. a souless cash grab to be sure but could net sony some easy dough which is what the gaming industry is all about these days.
Re: Reaction: Why You Shouldn't Worry Too Much About PS5's Year-on-Year Decline
@NEStalgia definitely. we are also seeing a great emphasis on focus testing and curation with many hollwood movies (take superhero movies for example). i'm sure that always existed, but it is just that much more prevelant now and it is hurting all media across the board (you know it when you see it). the brightside is, we as gamers have a plethora of games to go back to from a bygone era. there is enough to keep us occupied for a liftime, including the indie space, so things could be worse all things considered.
i hope you are right about graphical downgrades in the future. something needs to give so that the industry can rebound and get back to what really matters. that said, i can already feel the 8k marketing spiel gathering momentum. most people already have their 4k sets, so it is time that we throw them in the garbage and upgrade for those extra pixels that won't be noticeable by 99% of the population
Re: Reaction: Why You Shouldn't Worry Too Much About PS5's Year-on-Year Decline
at the end of the day, none of the data even matters. people cherry pick which data to use to prove their point, even though you can make valid arguments for either side of the debate. most would agree that this gen has been at the very least underwhelming if not incredibly disappointing. i have never seen so many people claiming that their current gen machine is collecting dust or that they are still waiting for the generation to truly begin and (hopefully) justify their purchase. i'm seeing more people than ever before fatigued on modern gaming and falling back to the retro scene or going back a few console generations to play far more interesting games on ps2/ps3/wii/ds/3ds etc. or simply catching up on the superior backlog of the ps4. (i am referring to the AAA space of course as indi gaming is doing quite well by comparison).
traditionally it can take as long as 24 months for a console cycle to truly kick into gear (the ps3 was a late starter), but certainly not 42 months (and counting) as we are witnessing with the ps5. at this point, i don't think we should expect the ps5 to get even close to the ps4 as far as total game output, including new IPs, from first party studios. i would argue that we peaked with the ps4 and will need to settle with very different expectations going forward.
we were bombarded with so much marketing and hype to kick off this generation and it has not delivered on any front. even from a hardware perspective, devs are still failing to prioritize or reach smooth framerates in many cases which is embarassing when you consider the power they have to work with now. more power is meaningless if they keep moving the goal posts and strive for fidelity and arbitrary resolutions above all else. the same problem will present itself when the ps6 launches and the new gimmick is 8k resolution. let's not even get into the lack of "current gen-only" software or how stale AAA gaming has become, generally speaking. people are losing interest in the status quo and safe sequels. seems like publishers are as well judging by the uninspired games they are putting out, but they are at a loss on how to course correct. they no longer know how to innovate while pleasing their shareholders at the same time. even with gta 6 looming in the not so distant future, i would be surprised if ps5 manages to overtake ps4 in lifetime hardware sales, despite the market being larger now than what it was 10 years ago.
Re: Hermen Hulst, Hideaki Nishino Replace Jim Ryan As PlayStation CEOs
as head of ps studios for over 4 years, hulst has not delivered. i'll give him a break and assume that the fruits of his labour have yet to be fully delivered (not to mention ryan's online service strategy likely ruined his plans to a great extent), but it is concerning just how far behind sony is with the ps5 cycle. if things don't dramatically improve in the next 4 years and sony doesn't match the output of the ps4 cycle, then hulst will need to be replaced at the beginning of the ps6 cycle. the clock is ticking. we need to see results.
and for the love of god, hulst needs to put his bias away and tone down the horizon projects. people are generally underwhelmed and fatigued already. cancelling the mmo and tv production would be a good start.
Re: Fresh Sony Studio Reportedly Staffed by Former Deviation Games Devs
this studio will likely amount to nothing anytime soon. no reason to get excited. maybe in the middle of the ps6 cycle we will hear from them again. not going to get hyped over a hypotehtical, unproven studio. this is barely worth talking about.
Re: Rumour: Is LEGO Horizon Aloy's Next Big PS5 Adventure?
@Shinnok789 to add insult to injury, horizon forbidden west didn't even perform that well. it sold 8.4m copies a year after launch. even if it is now at 10m+ copies, that is less than half of what zero dawn sold. in other words, forbidden west is never catching up to zero dawn and the IP isn't as strong as people think it is.
Re: Rumour: SEGA Wants Persona to Be an Annual Franchise Alongside Like a Dragon, Sonic
@Keyblade-Dan indeed
Re: Rumour: SEGA Wants Persona to Be an Annual Franchise Alongside Like a Dragon, Sonic
@Wilforce agreed, although i assumne sega intends to annualize the franchise with spinoffs as well. so it might only be one mainline persona game every 4 years or so with spinoffs filling in the gaps. i believe the spinoffs will cheapen the brand and will be of uneven quality (as we have already seen), not to mention, pull resources away from development of the mainline games... so i am not a fan of that strategy either but it seems like we have already arrived at this scenario.
Re: Rumour: SEGA Wants Persona to Be an Annual Franchise Alongside Like a Dragon, Sonic
huh? since 2006 there have been 21 persona releases — yes, 21. this includes mainline entries as well as enhanced releases and spinoffs. so... in other words, sega is already nearly there with annualizing the franchise. and no, it has done it no favours.
2006 - Persona 3
2007 - Persona 3 FES
2008 - Persona 4
2009 - Shin Megami Tensei: Persona (PSP), Persona 3 Portable
2011 - Persona 2: Innocent Sin (PSP)
2012 - Persona 4 Arena, Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (PSP), Persona 4 Golden
2013 - Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
2014 - Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth
2015 - Persona 4: Dancing All Night
2016 - Persona 5
2018 - Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight, Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight, Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth
2019 - Persona 5 Royal
2020 - Persona 5 Strikers
2023 - Persona 5 Tactica
2024 - Persona 3 Reload, Persona 5: The Phantom X
Re: Xbox Pondering PS5 Port of Ninja Theory's Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2
nothing is being pondered. the decision has already been made. what is there to ponder at this point? whether microsoft likes money or not? haha
Re: It Really Sounds Like the Next Glut of Big PS5 Reveals Is Coming Soon
@BeenGamingSince_83 i finished death stranding a few weeks ago. an interesting experience but i'm in no rush to return to the beach unless the game is fundamentally different from the first. very curious how the sequel will differentiate itself. all i know is, it cannot rely on delivering packages as its core mechanic again.
Re: It Really Sounds Like the Next Glut of Big PS5 Reveals Is Coming Soon
@Ravix i have a strong suspicion that gta vi was supposed to be the game that launches with the pro. that's no longer in the cards now and i very much doubt sony will be able to fill that void. they already confirmed that there won't be anything from sony studios until next year so it rules out most wishful thinking possibilities. a bloodborne remaster would be pretty awesome if they could pull that off (since it isn't technically a new game and might be an exception to their statement) but that is just more wishful thinking haha.
Re: It Really Sounds Like the Next Glut of Big PS5 Reveals Is Coming Soon
learned from past showcases to expect very little. we won't see any major sony releases until summer-fall 2025 in all liklihood. this year is a wash for sony. so if you want to see a trailer for a game releasing 12-18 months from now, sure.
Re: Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin, More Closed in Brutal Bethesda Restructure
i'll give it 10 years before there is nothing left other than the three cod teams from their recently purchased studios.
Re: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Gets Two New Game Modes, Cosmetics in Final Update
talk about crazy timing. i have been playing the game for the first time this past week and nearing the end now. don't think i'll get into these game modes, but nice gesture i guess? that said, i have to wonder why it has taken 5 years to release this update? overall, it is a solid game. not quite symphony of the night tier, but then again, i never expected it to be.
Re: Helldivers 2 PSN Requirement Backtracked on PC After Brutal Review Bombing Campaign
aren't pc gamers used to all the account requirements they have to put up with yet? i would expect the same outcry with rockstar, epic, ubisoft, ea, etc accounts but have yet to see it with this level of viciousness. having a hard time understanding why this particular game at this particular time resulted in such a backlash while other publishers got a free pass?
Re: Brand New Batman: Arkham Game Is a VR Exclusive on Meta Quest 3
@BAMozzy true. WB likely got a nice payday from zuckerberg. in which case, the sales performance of these "experiments" are inconsequential for the publisher. meta will obviously take a loss on it in exchage for a tiny bump to their market share of headsets.
Re: Brand New Batman: Arkham Game Is a VR Exclusive on Meta Quest 3
dead.on.arrival.
Re: Stellar Blade's PS5 User Score Keeps Getting Higher and Higher
@nomither6 you have a point. i was being generous. personally, i would score it a 7 based on what i have watched online. the moment to moment gameplay looks engaging enough but everything around it is just lacking one way or another.
Re: Stellar Blade's PS5 User Score Keeps Getting Higher and Higher
terrible writing, voice acting, environmental design and side content prevent this game from being more than a true 7-8 score at best. anything beyond that is fanboy inflation. no different than the inflation you tend to see with various marvel properties.
Re: Rumour: Kingdom Hearts 4 Slated for 2025 Release
@Optimus i really enjoyed that
Re: Stellar Blade PS5 Fans Irate Over Alleged Censorship
@Flaming_Kaiser relax. i already clarrified that i don't own a ps5 and don't care about the content of the censorship. i do care about accountability, however. sony never should have promised a censor-free game if they didn't mean it. that is my concern here. people don't like being lied to.
Re: Stellar Blade PS5 Fans Irate Over Alleged Censorship
@DennisReynolds why was the blood spray reduced then? unless you have a good reason other than protecting sony every chance you can get, i don't think we will be able to deny the possibility that censorship is in fact a thing here.
Re: Stellar Blade PS5 Fans Irate Over Alleged Censorship
@DennisReynolds that is clearly up for debate. there were also changes made to the blood spray on eve when comparing the demo to the day 1 patch. at this point, there are far too many changes post patch for me to believe the game isn't censored.
Re: Stellar Blade PS5 Fans Irate Over Alleged Censorship
well, pushsquare wrote up a story (prior to launch) congratulating sony for not censoring the game. yet, the game has been censored several times over since then. why is pushsquare not critical of sony for not keeping to its word? i don't own a ps5 and don't care about the content of the censorship, but i do care about accountability. if sony had always intended to censor the game and flat out lied about it prior to launch, that requires an explanation. people do not like being lied to.
Re: Stellar Blade Half-Second Input Delay Due to 'Game's Style of Animation', Says Director
he justified input delay as a purposeful choice? get out of here with that nonsense
Re: Random: We're In Awe of Metaphor: ReFantazio's Box Art
@Foxhound unfortunately, i believe they are skipping ps4 physical editions in the west. we again have no choice but to import the asian (multi-language) version from play asia at a much higher cost if we desire a physical copy (if there is one. currently, there is no multi-language option available for pre-order). strangely enough, the asian (multi-language) ps4 physical of unicorn overlord isn't even in stock on play asia — not sure if it is permanently sold out or what.
https://www.play-asia.com/unicorn-overlord-multi-language/13/70gs15
Re: Persona Dev's Metaphor: ReFantazio Releases For PS5, PS4 in October, New Gameplay Is Glorious
still no confirmation of a western ps4 physical release? looks great. might be the last notable game to release on the ps4 in fact, but i think i'll wait it out to see what atlus has in store with dlc and the inevitable complete edition first. i can wait until mid 2026 if i have to. got enough to catch up on in the meantime
Re: Silent Hill 2 Remake Protagonist James Seemingly Got a Quiet Makeover
@Loamy but it isn't konami's style to succeed at anything other than failure.
Re: Prepare Yourself for Incoming Metaphor: ReFantazio Livestreams
i'm a bit surprised this game isn't getting more attention. perhaps many people are not aware that key members of persona 3/4/5 are behind it? or are people so attached to the persona trappings that they are less willing to try something a little different? it is refreshing not having to play as yet another high school protagonist in my opinion.
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Has Sold Around 2 Million Copies, PS5 Player Data Suggests
@LarsVerb noted. the number is probably higher than 2m but 3m would be a stretch based on this data which does have some merit. either way, i understand that there are assumptions being made, however, s-e (and most publishers) are usually more than happy to brag about sales when there is something supposedly worth "celebrating". i.e. s-e made an announcement about ffxvi a week after launch when it reached 3m in sales. it has been 6 weeks since ff7 rebirth launched without as much as a whisper. it is not looking good.
https://www.eurogamer.net/final-fantasy-7-rebirth-is-underperforming-says-industry-analyst
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Has Sold Around 2 Million Copies, PS5 Player Data Suggests
@LarsVerb it's a fair point, but i think people were expecting the sales to match ffxvi at the very least (3m copies). so whether or not ffvii rebirth sold 2m or 2.2m or even 2.5m isn't the concern — it should have been in the 3m ballpark on launch week since we are talking about what is arguably the most popular entry in the entire final fantasy franchise. if this is the best they can do in the current marketplace (and with various external factors at play), it is a concern for the gaming industry at large in my opinion. also, it is doubtful that any publisher that poured this amount of resources into a release of this magnitude would be satisfied with these early sales numbers from a simple business perspective.
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Has Sold Around 2 Million Copies, PS5 Player Data Suggests
"But, it's important to remember that direct sequels often struggle to keep pace — especially when prior instalments have proven to be popular. After all, not everyone who bought Remake will have enjoyed it, and so a decline in sequel sales would naturally make sense."
is the article suggesting that a critically well received sequel to an immensely popular franchise usually fares worse than the previous installment? i don't think that is true by most metrics. usually when a sequel sells worse than the previous entry, it is due to 3 possibilities.
1 - the game was not well received critically (not the case with rebirth)
2 - smaller install base and therefore less interest for the game on the platform (applies to rebirth)
3 - general lack of interest or external forces that are limiting demand (AAA gaming fatigue, lack of time and money by various demographics).
i don't think there is any way to sugarcoat this. sony should be very concerned by the performance of rebirth on the ps5. this data is a clear indication that AAA gaming is in a rut and fatigue has set in, among other factors such as higher cost of living and people generally not spening as much on gaming. how ff7 rebirth didn't reach sales that are at least on par with ffxvi is quite shocking to me considering the fandom behind ff7 in particular.
Re: Sea of Thieves Reportedly a 'Key Test' for More Xbox Games on PS5
it is not a test. every xbox published game will find its way to ps4/ps5 out of necessity and in order to turn a profit. their own install base alone won't cut it for them.
Re: Dragon Quest 12 Still MIA as Series Producer Is Reassigned at Square Enix
it was either confirmed or highly speculated that the next entry will forgoe the turn-based battle system in favour of an action combat.
to be fair, this is a series that has not evolved an inch in nearly 40 years and needs a major shakeup. i would prefer that they kept the turn-based battle system, but i don't know what else they can do to freshen things up.
also, as iconic as the old music was, it is time that they moved away from composer sugiyama's past work and go with an original score. maybe an unpopular opinion, but i can only handle the same soundtrack from game to game so many times before it drives me insane. they have recycled the majority of the score at least 20 times (including spinoffs) and that is not acceptable. it was charming the first 3 times but enough already.
Re: Front Mission 2 Remake Drops More Mech Action on PS5, PS4 This Month
@Oriion without question it is better on every level. keep in mind that front mission 2 and left alive are completely different genres of games made by different studios and they essentially have nothing in common. front mission 2 is a grid-based strategy game while left alive was a really bad action/stealth game that had no reason to exist in the first place.
Re: Front Mission 2 Remake Drops More Mech Action on PS5, PS4 This Month
well, this is the first time that an english language option is available for front mission 2. not even the fan translation was completed all the way through so this is an exciting release. i don't expect the presentation to be great, but more front mission is only a good thing.
what is odd, however, is that s-e had nothing to do with the front mission remakes. not even as publisher. forever entertainment and storm tridant did the publishing/development duties here which makes me wonder if s-e still controls the IP or not.
Re: Rise of the Ronin (PS5) - A Safe, Outdated Open World Game
@NEStalgia agreed.
another potential problem that many people don't seem to be discussing is the fact that not all "AAA" games fit neatly into the "AAA" price point, yet many are in that bracket, undeservingly so. i don't believe all "AAA" games should be entitled to the $90CAD price point for obvious reasons. it is up to the discretion of the publisher of course, but it is quite easy for us to tell which full-priced games are pushing the scope and technical capabilities of the hardware (and had budgets to justify their cost) and which are not. more publishers should be less afraid to price their games accordingly and not be resorting to the highest ceiling just for the sake of exploiting its customer base.
for example, many would agree that a sony first party title such as the last of us 3 will warrant a $90CAD price point due to the industry leading presentation and graphical fidelity it is striving for. but what about persona 3 reload? i would say absolutely not and should have launched at $60CAD at most. funny enough, despite the game releasing less than 2 months ago, sega has put the game on sale for $50CAD here in canada. not sure if this is attributed to lower than expected sales (likely) or if they are just pricing it closer to what it was always worth now that they made a few sales from the most hardcore fans at the full price (likely as well).
as for rise of the ronin, i think it would fare better as a game that is priced in the $70CAD range to better reflect what it actually is. it is not a tentpole release with impeccable production values that is pushing the hardware closer to its potential (despite the marketing and media outlets trying to convince us otherwise!). that is OK, but an honest price point would temper expectations as to what people are getting. the review scores would likely reflect that as well and be more favourable within that context.
until publishers value their products what they are actually worth, they are going to contend with unrealistic expectations and scrutiny that otherwise could have been alleviated to some extent. and yes, i would be perfectly fine if more developers came to their senses and acknowledged that they simply do not have the resources to compete with a true gen 9 game and will instead aim for a high quality gen 8 experience. i believe this will be necessary going forward or else we are going to see more publishers closing shop while competing with unrealistic expectations.