PlayStation Sony President Hiroki Totoki Wants To Go Aggressive In Growth With 1st party Multi-Platform Releases

[kasparov77]

And it will happen to them too, is my point

unlike sony and microsoft, nintendo has way too much intellectual property to stop now
maybe by the time switch 4 drops, nintendo transitions from a software based on specialized hardware company to a software based on subscription/streaming service company

cursed, i know. but the NSO game library imo kinda hints towards this

 

[Lugia667]

Also the fact that there biggest franchise atm requires a pretty big scalp from marvel on profits probably doesn’t help

 

[Brofield]

What a year for gaming, huh?

Maybe I've been too illiterate to see the writing on the wall, but what a clusterfuck from Sony's end. Clearly the whole industry is in need of a shakedown and reorganization to move away from unsustainable practices, but lord it is not gonna get any better nor easier. Especially so if these C-suite exec boards keep staying the course.

 

[AceBandage]

Also, this really shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.
Both Sony and MS's output has absolutely plummeted this gen.
It's hard to sell consoles with no reasons to buy them.

 

[biglo25]

unlike sony and microsoft, nintendo has way too much intellectual property to stop now
maybe by the time switch 4 drops, nintendo transitions from a software based on specialized hardware company to a software based on subscription/streaming service company

cursed, i know. but the NSO game library imo kinda hints towards this

would that be a MS approach except nintendo has the ip and the better selling system

 

[robertman2]

Feel like a good way to lower budgets would be moving studios like Naughty Dog, Santa Monica and Insomniac out of ludicrously expensive areas like Los Angeles

 

[Hailinel]

cursed, i know. but the NSO game library imo kinda hints towards this

I mean, not really?

All it is at this point is a subscription that gives you digital access to games that are decades out of print, and it doesn't extend beyond the Nintendo 64.

Also, Quest for Camelot is there for some reason.

 

[Evilnemesis8]

so Ps5 isn't in the "mid-stage"?

Back half implies a front half, he's not cutting things in 3.
PS6 probably in 2028 and the console launched in 2020, we're going into 2024, so yeah entering latter half.

Feel like a good way to lower budgets would be moving studios like Naughty Dog, Santa Monica and Insomniac out of ludicrously expensive areas like Los Angeles

Not too sure on the feasibility of that.

 

[ngpdrew]

I hope Sony and Microsoft learn some valuable lessons from all of this.

I mean, I don't think they will, but I hope they do because I do like my PlayStation pretty well, even if its list of major releases is relatively paltry.

 

[kasparov77]

I mean, not really?

All it is at this point is a subscription that gives you digital access to games that are decades out of print, and it doesn't extend beyond the Nintendo 64.

Also, Quest for Camelot is there for some reason.

it's a library that they're not expanding only with more games, but also platforms. and everything there is emulated.
keyword here being emulation, nintendo could easily port their emulators to other platforms and tie them into a subscription service

people WOULD pay for a cheap, convenient subscription on pc/android/ios/a tv app that lets you play old nintendo games but doesn't require a 300-400$+ console. just a controller. any bluetooth controller. that allows for easy mapping to nintendo console's.
or even a cheap, nintendo-made controller to be used with that service (with third parties being allowed to make their own versions).

keep in mind, this is not something i'd want nintendo to become though

 

[Sadist]

Huh.

So that’s how it will continue eh.

 

[ohlawd]

lol

I do get that he doesn't wanna commit and limit himself to saying PC to fulfill the "multiplatform" aspect

 

[AngryAlchemist]

man Switch aside this has been such an underhwhelmng gen

Actually, in terms of games this generation, I think we're finally getting to a good point? Tekken 8, Yakuza 8 and Persona 3 Reloaded is a pretty good lineup to start the year, then you had stuff like Armored Core VI, Baldur's Gate 3, Alan Wake 2, Resident Evil 4 last year etc etc. Maybe a bit too remake heavy but still.

The problem is, I'm err ... playing all these on games on my PC and not on my PS5 ... lmao. I think the generation has gotten better, but consoles have just been getting worse.

 

[Leica]

This will translate to some games just launching on Steam a bit earlier (or day and date if it's games like Helldivers), strongly doubt their singleplayer output will start dropping on PC day 1 even if they probably should.

Hope third parties get the message and stop taking shit exclusivity deals that stop their games from reaching bigger audiences though.

 

[Mr Swine]

I would love if Microsoft and Sony could slow down or skip a gen like Nintendo did with Wii and Switch.

Not everyone has an unlimited budget and/or unlimited customers like Rockstar that sells 20 million GTAV every year

 

[AngryAlchemist]

I think it's really interesting just how much Sony is struggling to grow. Is the PS5 ahead of the PS4? It seems like it was always fluctuating a few months ago but I haven't checked recently. Regardless, it does go to show that their business model doesn't do a great job of expanding their console business. Only big budget AAA games that always take forever to come out and a big reliance on third party you can get elsewhere. They're appealing to the exact same audience, which is fine, but it really shows how limited their game scope is.

 

[AxkilAvenger]

And it will happen to them too, is my point

How so?
Nintendo doesn’t rely on triple A budget titles that could sink their business if they fail.
They are the only sane console manufacturer who has been insulating themselves against such a thing for since, ever.

 

[Josh5890]

Day and date on PC is probably the end goal, but Sony is not set up to handle that.

• So far, only Helldivers 2 has launched on PS5 and PC at the same time with Concord scheduled to do the same. All of the other PC ports (for games that even release) are generally 1-2 years out. Even remasters like TLOU Part 2 didn't get a PC port announcement.
• PC ports that have launched have been either average at launch or down right terrible. See TLOU Remake.
• Sony still relies on support studios like Nixxes to handle PC ports. That studio only has so much bandwidth. That puts more pressure on the studios themselves, most of whom don't handle the PC stuff. Which leads to my next point.
• Sony is trying to cut costs. Increasing their PC production goes the other way. It only makes sense if the ROI is worth it.
• Lastly, Sony is still in weird spot where they have not released PS ports for recent games. Would it make sense for Ghost of Tsushima 2 to get released on PC before Ghost 1? Obviously Sony could announce that between now and (possibly) 2025's Ghost 2 launch, but that remains to be seen.

Feel like a good way to lower budgets would be moving studios like Naughty Dog, Santa Monica and Insomniac out of ludicrously expensive areas like Los Angeles

Sony can't just tell everyone at Naughty Dog that they are moving the studio. "Come to Milwaukee. We will pay you $30k less a year, but you get to experience winter!" Not the greatest sales pitch. Chapek tried something similar with moving a ton of jobs from California to Florida and it resulted in a huge company brain drain that Disney still has not recovered from.

It will be interesting to see how Sony tries to fix costs long term it's gonna be layoffs.

 

[Ricimer]

And people doubted me when I said this was the end point for all console manufacturers. It’s a question of when, not if

Nintendo won't do it. It would cannibalize their hardware sales.

PC is competition and shares the same audience as Xbox/PS.

 

[Josh5890]

I think it's really interesting just how much Sony is struggling to grow. Is the PS5 ahead of the PS4? It seems like it was always fluctuating a few months ago but I haven't checked recently. Regardless, it does go to show that their business model doesn't do a great job of expanding their console business. Only big budget AAA games that always take forever to come out and a big reliance on third party you can get elsewhere. They're appealing to the exact same audience, which is fine, but it really shows how limited their game scope is.

The PS5 was only 0.9m behind the PS4 last quarter, but that gap is slowly increasing now.

 

[Horror Kid]

Latter stage of the PS5?
I wasn't inclined to buy one yet at all...how should that change?

If this continues, I will own a PS5 just for playing GTA VI with friends who are exlusivily in the PS-ecosystem.
The small rest I am interested in, I will buy on PC.


Nintendo's focus on good artstyle, unique functionality of the console and innovative gameplay experiences really pays off to keep development budgets down.

 

[Machrider]

The Spider-Man games would sell an awful lot on the Switch 2, Mr. Sony President.

Just sayin' ...

 

[Earthbounder]

This, plus the Microsoft news, and the upcoming reveal of the Switch 2 are likely to make these first three months of the year into some of the most pivotal days in the history of the industry.

Buckle up, everyone, this will be fun to watch.

 

[Lugia667]

Actually, in terms of games this generation, I think we're finally getting to a good point? Tekken 8, Yakuza 8 and Persona 3 Reloaded is a pretty good lineup to start the year, then you had stuff like Armored Core VI, Baldur's Gate 3, Alan Wake 2, Resident Evil 4 last year etc etc. Maybe a bit too remake heavy but still.

The problem is, I'm err ... playing all these on games on my PC and not on my PS5 ... lmao. I think the generation has gotten better, but consoles have just been getting worse.

I feel like the fact that two of those games are remakes is pretty telling though

 

[GPKs3]

Nintendo: "You know, we really are the last of us."

 

[AngryAlchemist]

I feel like the fact that two of those games are remakes is pretty telling though

Weren't two of Nintendo's games last year remakes? Those are just the games that interested me personally. Tons of other stuff I could have mentioned on top of that. Not denying it's a mid gen for consoles but there's actually been a ton of good third party releases.

Edit: Actually, 4 of Nintendo's releases last year were remakes.

 

[Machrider]

This, plus the Microsoft news, and the upcoming reveal of the Switch 2 are likely to make these first three months of the year into some of the most pivotal days in the history of the industry.

Buckle up, everyone, this will be fun to watch.

I think the writing is on the wall, MS and Sony games are going to be playable everywhere

After all the "Nintendo should go 3rd party" demands over the years they will be the last ones standing

lol it really is funny.

 

[Earthbounder]

I think the writing is on the wall, MS and Sony games are going to be playable everywhere

It seems like it.

Ratchet & Clank and Horizon seem right up my alley. I'll take them for the Switch 2, thank you, Sony.

EDIT: Holy shit! I just remembered Bloodborne. Now I'm excited.

 

[Hocot8]

The PS5 was only 0.9m behind the PS4 last quarter, but that gap is slowly increasing now.

Yeah I mean costs are out of control and the system still is $500. That should go down later this year when the pro comes in at that price but still.

People are getting their wallets rinsed with $7 bags of doritos and $18 dollar big mac meals...a $500 console is a hard pill to swallow. Even with the manufactured inflation.

 

[Mer.Saloon]

it's a library that they're not expanding only with more games, but also platforms. and everything there is emulated.
keyword here being emulation, nintendo could easily port their emulators to other platforms and tie them into a subscription service

people WOULD pay for a cheap, convenient subscription on pc/android/ios/a tv app that lets you play old nintendo games but doesn't require a 300-400$+ console. just a controller. any bluetooth controller. that allows for easy mapping to nintendo console's.
or even a cheap, nintendo-made controller to be used with that service (with third parties being allowed to make their own versions).

keep in mind, this is not something i'd want nintendo to become though

I can personally see this being talked about in parts of Nintendo. But I don't know if they'll even get close to that this gen.

 

[Yavga]

And it will happen to them too, is my point

They cannot afford to, they'll lose their entire core business. Unless they find a different way to gain their console profits elsewhere.

 

[AceBandage]

It seems like it.

Ratchet & Clank and Horizon seem right up my alley. I'll take them for the Switch 2, thank you, Sony.

EDIT: Holy shit! I just remembered Bloodborne. Now I'm excited.

Sorry. Bloodborne is trapped forever on the PS4

 

[Earthbounder]

Sorry. Bloodborne is trapped forever on the PS4

 

[Machrider]

Would be something if Switch 2 ends up with Halo, Starfield, Forza, Call of Duty, Spider-Man, Ratchet & Clank, God of War, lol.

How could a company like Take 2 really even sit there with a straight face and still say no to GTA6.

 

[Machrider]

Yeah I mean costs are out of control and the system still is $500. That should go down later this year when the pro comes in at that price but still.

People are getting their wallets rinsed with $7 bags of doritos and $18 dollar big mac meals...a $500 console is a hard pill to swallow. Even with the manufactured inflation.

lol the Pro is probably going to be a lot more than $500.

I wouldn't actually be counting on a whole lot of price drops, maybe a $50 cut if we're lucky. If they were planning huge price drops, their hardware forecast should be showing an increase, instead they are talking about declining hardware sales this year even with a Pro apparently coming.

That tells you big price drops are likely not happening and PS5 Pro is going to be a margin product, not a sales driver product, meaning it's going to be expensive and not do a lot to actually increase hardware sales.

 

[Josh5890]

Yeah I mean costs are out of control and the system still is $500. That should go down later this year when the pro comes in at that price but still.

People are getting their wallets rinsed with $7 bags of doritos and $18 dollar big mac meals...a $500 console is a hard pill to swallow. Even with the manufactured inflation.

The problem is that the cost of making the system is still very high. Sony mentioned this morning that there isn't much wiggle room for a permanent price cut. If anything, the PS5 MSRP has only increased in the last three years. I am fully expecting the PS5 Pro to cost $549 or even $599.

I am skeptical about the PS5 matching PS4 console sales when it is all said and done. If Sony's plan is to hold the PS5 at $449/499 for all of 2024, then it will likely fall farther behind the PS4.

 

[AceBandage]

Would be something if Switch 2 ends up with Halo, Starfield, Forza, Call of Duty, Spider-Man, Ratchet & Clank, God of War, lol.

How could a company like Take 2 really even sit there with a straight face and still say no to GTA6.

Easy. Nintendo systems are baby consoles for babies. Not big kid consoles for GTA

 

[ProteusRidley]

Next gen is gonna be crazy different. Maybe we'll finally get upgradable consoles in a gen or two

 

[Linkstrikesback]

And people doubted me when I said this was the end point for all console manufacturers. It’s a question of when, not if

It's not for Nintendo, because they took steps to ensure this problem wouldn't be theirs, and they took those steps more than two decades ago when they realized checking out of the power race was the only sane option. In addition, Nintendo made sure to grow a healthy audience for low-mid budget first party content that sells in the low millions (or even below that) while Sony made moves to cut everything that wasn't AAA blockbuster.

It's no accident that Nintendo is constantly keeping titles like that in active development, they're the meat on the bones of any sane modern developer. Because as Sony are discovering, being able to put out a BOTW tier game every five or six years eating up a studio that entire time, isn't enough output to be the sole focus.

 

[Sunshinemario]

And it will happen to them too, is my point

Nintendo will go bankrupt before they go third party

 

[Sunshinemario]

Can I just say, I really really hate the word "growth" being surrounded by tech news has really soured me on that word.

I’ll tell you why you hate it

It’s just tech speak for “WE WANT EVEN MORE MONEY”.

 

[RochHoch]

This, plus the Microsoft news, and the upcoming reveal of the Switch 2 are likely to make these first three months of the year into some of the most pivotal days in the history of the industry.

Buckle up, everyone, this will be fun to watch.

Yep. This gen was Nintendo settling into their own niche and preparing it to thrive for years to come, while Sony and Microsoft, who share the same niche, are realizing that its unsustainable

Wild times

 

[ohlawd]

this seems like good news then you realize Steam is the final boss and they look undefeatable.

I hope to an unholy god that if even Nintendo needs to do multiplat on PC they do so under their own store and they keep 100% of the money made instead of losing 20-30% of it to Valve

 

[menx64]

Tbh, with news like this I dont feel any confidence to get a ps5. I know the pro is coming, but are we going to start talking about ps6 already?

If anything it shows how much backward compatibility makes you new console shines.

 

[Leica]

Tbh, with news like this I dont feel any confidence to get a ps5. I know the pro is coming, but are we going to start talking about ps6 already?

If anything it shows how much backward compatibility makes you new console shines.

It's in the latter half of it's life, a 7ish year cycle (will probably end up being a bit longer if I had to guess) isn't that crazy.

 

[palemire]

Remember when clueless parents would refer to any game console as "a Nintendo"..?

They might've been on to something

 

[Kartina]

Actually, in terms of games this generation, I think we're finally getting to a good point? Tekken 8, Yakuza 8 and Persona 3 Reloaded is a pretty good lineup to start the year, then you had stuff like Armored Core VI, Baldur's Gate 3, Alan Wake 2, Resident Evil 4 last year etc etc. Maybe a bit too remake heavy but still.

The problem is, I'm err ... playing all these on games on my PC and not on my PS5 ... lmao. I think the generation has gotten better, but consoles have just been getting worse.

The biggest point to me is that even in 2024, 3 of the 5 main releases of a pretty busy month have been crossgen titles (yakuza, grandblue fantasy and persona 3 reload) and we are already at the "latter half" of the console lifespan, it really does feel like we're still on the beginning of the ps5 and xbox series even 4 year after launch.

 

[Famicrono]

Apparently they are not happy with their overall direction?
It is not selling hardware and software as good as this new guy wants?

 

[Machrider]

Easy. Nintendo systems are baby consoles for babies. Not big kid consoles for GTA

Until Nintendo dominates Hollywood with their game to feature films IP and has the best selling console too. And yeah I'm calling it, that Zelda movie is gonna dominate the box office if it's even half way decent. Gonna be hard to keep playing that "kiddie" card, it's definitely not 2002 anymore. It's going to become more and more like when some people kept trying to say "comic book heroes are for children!" 15-25 years ago ... lol.

 

[Supreme Overlord]

Would be something if Switch 2 ends up with Halo, Starfield, Forza, Call of Duty, Spider-Man, Ratchet & Clank, God of War, lol.

How could a company like Take 2 really even sit there with a straight face and still say no to GTA6.

Just think about what this would mean for Like a Dragon / Yakuza.

It would make this the least underground Nintendo console ever. There's no way that series would deign grace it either its presence.