Bend Studio’s Next Game, linkedin job advertisement. Definitely looks to be "Live Service".

[Gamernyc78]

Lead Project Manager, Game Development

United States, Bend, OR

boards.greenhouse.io

Originally announced as an open world single player game with multiplayer elements

Now it is thought to have transformed into a full on AAA live service game. Live service in mentioned in the job posting.

The update comes from a job posting asking for “hands-on game development experience in leadership roles shipping AAA live service games”

• Experience redefining studios from traditional “boxed product” focused game development into live service development studios in a key leadership role.
• Scrum Master and Product Owner training/certification.
• Technical, database, and customization knowledge and experience in working with Jira software for agile development.
• Experience utilizing data and data visualization to create a development methodology based on data-informed decision making.

Lead Project Manager, Game Development​

at PlayStation Global
United States, Bend, OR
Why PlayStation?
PlayStation isn’t just the Best Place to Play — it’s also the Best Place to Work. Today, we’re recognized as a global leader in entertainment producing The PlayStation family of products and services including PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®VR, PlayStation®Plus, acclaimed PlayStation software titles from PlayStation Studios, and more.
PlayStation also strives to create an inclusive environment that empowers employees and embraces diversity. We welcome and encourage everyone who has a passion and curiosity for innovation, technology, and play to explore our open positions and join our growing global team.
The PlayStation brand falls under Sony Interactive Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation.

THERE IS A STRONG PREFERENCE FOR THE PERSON FILLING THIS ROLE TO SIT IN-STUDIO IN BEND, OR.
Lead Project Manager
Sony Bend Studio, world-class creator of Days Gone, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, and Syphon Filter, is seeking outstanding talent to join our passionate and creative family in crafting our next high-profile AAA title.
The Lead Project Manager will operate in an extensive leadership role with the studio, responsible for coordinating activities in a Scaled Agile environment, working with multiple stakeholders, product owners, craft leads, producers, and cross-discipline Scrum Teams to develop potentially shippable product increments/deliverables each sprint.
Responsibilities
Project Management:

• Lead others across all levels of the studio with the implementation of Scrum and other key Agile systems for an effective delivery of the project, including Milestone, Release, & Sprint Planning.
• Plan and track release schedules against the defined live roadmap.
• Help ensure cross discipline team communication, alignment, collaboration, and execution of core features based on priorities and defined deliverables.
• Manage project scope based on current team velocities and milestone schedules.
• Key role in identifying studio development risks and creating on-going mitigation strategies to address them.

Agile Coaching:

• Lead our agile strategy and processes in alignment with our studio goals, the specific needs of our teams, and key phases of development (pre-production, production, live services).
• Foster collaboration and mentor others on the implementation of Scrum for an effective delivery of the project, including Milestone, Release, & Sprint Planning.
• Train and coach our studio leadership, development teams and individuals on agile methodologies such as Scrum and Kanban; tailoring the approach to best fit our environment, including the creation of internal agile training and reference materials such as documentation and videos.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement; encouraging teams to inspect and adapt their methods to optimize efficiency and product quality.
• Act as a change agent to resolve conflicts, remove obstacles, and champion the adoption of agile methodologies throughout the organization.
• Lead in the creation of development systems and tools for analyzing, measuring, and reporting our development throughput, with the goal of improving our overall efficacy. Measure and report on the progress and success of our studio’s agile transformation, adjusting strategies, as necessary.
• Refine our supporting production tools such as Jira to better support our agile processes.
• Act as the studio’s Chief Scrum Master, helping all teams within the organization adhere to agile principles and work to improve our processes over time.

Requirements:

• Proven experience (5+ years) in project management within the gaming industry, a deep understanding of game development cycles, processes, and latest trends with an emphasis on live operations.
• Considerable experience (5+ years) leading game development teams and game development groups.
• Deep knowledge of various agile methodologies, including Scrum and Kanban and scaling these over large teams.
• Significant experience with coaching teams in agile development and methodologies.
• Familiarity with different project management tools and methodologies (e.g. Jira, Trello), with a focus on Agile/Scrum/Kanban.
• Exceptional leadership, team management, communication, and problem-solving with strong interpersonal skills.
• Hands-on game development experience in leadership roles shipping AAA live service games.
• Experience in a leadership role dealing with change management at an organizational level and managing cross-functional and remote teams.

Additional / Plus:

• Experience redefining “AAA” game development studios from waterfall to agile development and production in a hands-on leadership role.
• Experience redefining studios from traditional “boxed product” focused game development into live service development studios in a key leadership role.
• Scrum Master and Product Owner training/certification.
• Technical, database, and customization knowledge and experience in working with Jira software for agile development.
• Experience utilizing data and data visualization to create a development methodology based on data-informed decision making.

#LI-DL2
Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about how we process your personal information, and your data protection rights.

At SIE, we consider several factors when setting each role’s base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location.

Please note that the base pay range may vary in line with our hybrid working policy and individual base pay will be determined based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location.

In addition, this role is eligible for SIE’s top-tier benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, matching 401(k), paid time off, wellness program and coveted employee discounts for Sony products. This role also may be eligible for a bonus package. Click here to learn more.

The estimated base pay range for this role is listed below.
$116,300—$174,500 USD
Equal Opportunity Statement:
Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity, gender expression and gender reassignment), race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category.
We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond.
PlayStation is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.

 

[Sircaw]

Equal Opportunity Statement:
Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity, gender expression and gender reassignment), race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category.
We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond.
PlayStation is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.

No disrespect to Birthing people(giggles), but if a six-month pregnant woman walked into a job interview, would you employ her?

PlayStation is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.

So, I did a Ted Bundy and snuck into a sorority house and massacred half a dozen female residents, do i get the job?

You're hired.

 

[Gamernyc78]

No disrespect to Birthing people(giggles), but if a six-month pregnant woman walked into a job interview, would you employ her?



So, I did a Ted Bundy and snuck into a sorority house and massacred half a dozen female residents, do i get the job?

You're hired.

Funny enough in NYC they are passing bills to exclude convictions, period

 

[Sircaw]

Funny enough in NYC they are passing bills to exclude convictions, period

That's probably half the population now, lol.

 

[Gamernyc78]

That's probably half the population now, lol.

Seriously, everyone here has some family member tht has had a conviction.

 

[Would_you_kindly]

No disrespect to Birthing people(giggles), but if a six-month pregnant woman walked into a job interview, would you employ her?



So, I did a Ted Bundy and snuck into a sorority house and massacred half a dozen female residents, do i get the job?

You're hired.

Yeah that would be so stupid like you hire them & then they immediately go on a year of maternity leave

 

[Darth Vader]

Oh, what is that? Is it the sound of thunderous crow being eaten?

From last year

Covid of course had an impact, but when you have all your main studios tied to kiddie live service games, excuses will only take you so far. And I mean sony, not you you.

Next year will be even worse than this year, all because Jim Ryan is an incompetent dickwad that had/has Bend, Guerrilla, Naughty Dog, Sucker Punch, all working on live service games concurrent with their main SP offerings.

Live-service games take a lot more development time and hands, especially to maintain, than SP games. It's no wonder this gen is so fucked.

February

I'm VERY concerned about Bend's future, since they are working in a MP game. Also, it's possible that Sucker Punch's multiplayer game has also been canned, but so far this would be pure speculation.

Can't wait for the expert shill opinions on this. You know the one, the dissertationmeister that's always wrong.

 

[Gamernyc78]

Oh, what is that? Is it the sound of thunderous crow being eaten?

From last year


February


Can't wait for the expert shill opinions on this. You know the one, the dissertationmeister that's always wrong.

Incoming in.... 5,4,3,2,1

 

[Darth Vader]

Incoming in.... 5,4,3,2,1

I even conceded that their game could have been SP with MP, but fuck if I wasn't right again.

People will keep denying it but the LS + PC pivot killed PlayStation like many of us predicted. It's now a slow descent.

 

[Gamernyc78]

Damn now I'm not excited for this. BTW I lovedddddd Days Gone.

 

[Danja1187]

Well this is a shame. Again Days Gone should have had multiplayer from 2019. There's no reasons a studio like Bend should be making any form of live service game their tech is too good to be wasted like that but... This is Playstation now.

Nothing makes sense anymore, fuckin Hermen Hulst

 

[xollowsob]

Hopefully this turns out to be a game like PUBG. Hopefully.

Over/under on this game launching day 1 on PC?

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

So all those "rumors" about Days Gone 2 were just BS?

Hopefully this turns out to be a game like PUBG. Hopefully.

Over/under on this game launching day 1 on PC?

80% likely Day 1.

 

[Puff]

The PS5 will most probably be my last console. PC & Switch is the best combo going forward.

 

[Danja1187]

So all those "rumors" about Days Gone 2 were just BS?



80% likely Day 1.

There were Days Gone 2 rumors? I thought it was known the studio wanted to move on from Days Gone. But, they did say they'd take influence and hat they learnt from Days Gone and move forward?

 

[Yurinka]

The job offer talks about "Plan and track release schedules against the defined live roadmap.", "key phases of development (pre-production, production, live services)", "live operations", "Experience redefining studios from traditional “boxed product” focused game development into live service development studios in a key leadership role".

It's true that it sounds like a GaaS, but also fits with what we already knew about their current game: an open wold game similar to Days Gone but with multiplayer elements. Instead of the common MP focused GaaS, it could be like Ghost of Tsushima, mostly a SP game but also considering its MP mode and DLC stuff like Ikki Island and a few small things.

Whenthey talk about the live stuff they may just mean maintenance and fixes of the servers plus that it may have some planned dlc, including some planned to be developed post-launch. Think the Assassin's Creed or Far Cry games, where they are mostly SP games but with some DLCs.

The PS5 will most probably be my last console. PC & Switch is the best combo going forward.

This doesn't make sense at all, with PS5 they are more successful than they ever have been, plus with MS moving away they'll have more console market for them. And we know they plan to release a PS6.

So all those "rumors" about Days Gone 2 were just BS?

Just after shipping DG1 some devs wanted to make DG2 but the studio manager within Bend didn't want to make DG2 and instead wanted to make a new IP. So Bend never sent to the PS Studios HQ a pitch regarding DG2. The first one they sent was their current new IP, which got greenlighted.

They never had DG2 under production.

 

[Nhomnhom]

The studio will likely be closed before even revealing the game.

 

[Umar]

That sucks then.

 

[xollowsob]

So all those "rumors" about Days Gone 2 were just BS?

Take with a massive grain of salt but there's some disagreement with Bend and Sony over Days Gone not hitting the correct quotas, if you know what I mean.

Bend went ahead with it anyway and it pissed Sony off so no more sequel. Apparently, the LS is a punishment and there will never be a DG2.

80% likely Day 1.

+20%/-0% chance of error.

 

[Danja1187]

This doesn't make sense at all, with PS5 they are more successful than they ever have been, plus with MS moving away they'll have more console market for them. And we know they plan to release a PS6.

What doesn't make sense is Sony's insistence on spitting on their base for a few shillings from the PC market? PC game development is negatively affecting the now timed Exclusivess Day One PlayStation launch games.

If someone now leaves Playstation for PC, guess what? The only thing they lose is a PlayStation Network account (for now) as I'm sure that's coming eventually to PC and that will be the deathblow whenever it happens. A PC player now gets the definitive edition of every PlayStation game and prices drop faster on PC than PS5... No one loses her except Sony handing out 30% profit cuts and watching their games devalue in a month or two or simply cracked lol.

While I will never fully switch to PC gaming. I can't fault anyone if they wanna switch. At this stage Playstation gamers are beta testing first party games while paying to fund PC development.