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

[Kokoloko]

Haven
Firewalk
Bungie (massive studio).
London Studio
Huge multiplayer project cancel inside ND (your of development down the drain)
Likely canceled project inside Insomniac
Multiple project involving Guerrilla.

To me it seem crazy that you assume Bend would be able to create something like FF14 or Destiny

Haven, Firewalk, Bungie are kinda new to PS studios, so nothing is lost. But I do think, they need to buy some more studios to increase there single player and multiplayer games, AA, smaller games and old franchises.
London Studio was s shame, but so was Evolution and the others.

Not saying they can make something like FF14 and Destiny size wise, but they might be able to get a good formula and do something with it. Its kinda not different to them making a single player game, just it will have to be supported and expanded.

Ill pitch you this.
I can see them doing Syphon Filter. Has a main single player story, that you can also play coop, and has a PVP mode. You finish the main sttory/game and then it keeps getting expanding with more missions, raids and more story. You build on your team and characters. And has a PVP, PVE mode.
Wishful thinking probably but theres no reason why a team who isnt greedy and has decent ability cant make a good game out of a it.

TBH I wasnt the biggest Days Gone fan, the combat just wasnt there for me quality wise like the other studios. Its the gameplay/combat they need to get down most. The production value, animations, graphics, open world elements they are pretty good at. If the nail the Melee,combat, mission variety then it doesnt matter if its “gaas” or one off story for me.

 

[Kokoloko]

Just waiting for people to remember that Sucker Punch is also working on what sounds like a live service game.

Ghost of Tsushima developer Sucker Punch is hiring for a “spectacular multiplayer game”

Hopefully Ghost of Tsushima isn't the last samurai game we see from them

www.gamesradar.com

Well they made a great multiplayer mode for GOT 1. I hope they do the same with GOT2. Are multiplayer games the same as gaas?

Sony needs some multiplayer games. While I personally prefer single player games and want more, we need some multiplayer games too.

 

[Kokoloko]

I can see this, the investment vs. the return is going to make them greatly rethink the importance of what they create. Wouldn't surprise me if single player games are less prominent or at the very least will have service based aspects to them to prolong community and engagement.

Yall are starting to act like all Sony releases is service games lol. How many have they released?
We know ND, Santa Monica, Sucker Punch, Guerilla and Insomniac are all working on single player games.

They have plenty of single player games coming, and have barely released any “service games”

TBH I dont even know what a service game or Gaas is? GT7? Helldivers 2? Destiny? FF14? Im fan of all of those ( havent player Helldivers 2 yet lol )

 

[Vertigo]

Yall are starting to act like all Sony releases is service games lol. How many have they released?
We know ND, Santa Monica, Sucker Punch, Guerilla and Insomniac are all working on single player games.

They have plenty of single player games coming, and have barely released any “service games”

TBH I dont even know what a service game or Gaas is? GT7? Helldivers 2? Destiny? FF14? Im fan of all of those ( havent player Helldivers 2 yet lol )

All their games could be live service including single player games. Unfortunately many are clueless and think live service = PvP and battlepasses.

There is nothing in that job listing that mentions experience with online multiplayer or networking etc.

Hitman is live service. Asscreed has been live service since Origins. Starfield will be live service with future content planned. Is it much different that buying Mass Effect 2 deluxe edition with all DLC… not really.

Most devs are looking to ditch “boxed” releases. Hell… Baldur’s Gate is a huge success in that regard too.

 

[Kokoloko]

All their games could be live service including single player games. Unfortunately many are clueless and think live service = PvP and battlepasses.

There is nothing in that job listing that mentions experience with online multiplayer or networking etc.

Hitman is live service. Asscreed has been live service since Origins. Starfield will be live service with future content planned. Is it much different that buying Mass Effect 2 deluxe edition with all DLC… not really.

Most devs are looking to ditch “boxed” releases. Hell… Baldur’s Gate is a huge success in that regard too.

Hitman was also great, forgot about that.

Yeah Im confused to what I think Gaas is, and what others think it is.
I really enjoy games that keep giving more content like FF14, Destiny, Hitman, Rocket League etc. I use to love MMO’s. If a game is bad, its bad, if its good and it keeps giving me content. Hell yeah Im down for more

 

[rinzler]

Yall are starting to act like all Sony releases is service games lol. How many have they released?
We know ND, Santa Monica, Sucker Punch, Guerilla and Insomniac are all working on single player games.

They have plenty of single player games coming, and have barely released any “service games”

TBH I dont even know what a service game or Gaas is? GT7? Helldivers 2? Destiny? FF14? Im fan of all of those ( havent player Helldivers 2 yet lol )

And Helldivers 2 took what to develop? Maybe $50 million max? And the game has already brought in Sony at least $250 million in their pocket.

Do you really think they're not going to push that angle a hell of a lot more now that they know they can do it successfully?

$300 million budget games are incredibly risky, one game doesn't perform as it should and it's a whole shit show.

 

[Vertigo]

Hitman was also great, forgot about that.

Yeah Im confused to what I think Gaas is, and what others think it is.
I really enjoy games that keep giving more content like FF14, Destiny, Hitman, Rocket League etc. I use to love MMO’s. If a game is bad, its bad, if its good and it keeps giving me content. Hell yeah Im down for more

It’s semantics and I kinda have an issue with it. Any game with online features can be mistakenly called live service.

Fortnite is now a platform itself. So that’s beyond anything else.

Then you have false claims like Outriders or Remnant 2 aren’t live service when their content and dlc delivery is exactly what Destiny 1 did. Right whatever… the games most like it aren’t the same kind of game when it caters to the same demographics…. Right whatever… lol

The only thing that truly makes something is a service is life and support post launch. Which means Suicide Squad never even made it to service phase.

And you can debatingly take a game into service… GranBlue is primed for this if they decide to make a legit expansion.

Then you have stuff like Helldivers, an Extraction Shooters and BRs… they completely different kinds of games with different content and distribution models. To assume that they’re all the same is soooooo ridiculous.

 

[Kokoloko]

And Helldivers 2 took what to develop? Maybe $50 million max? And the game has already brought in Sony at least $250 million in their pocket.

Do you really think they're not going to push that angle a hell of a lot more now that they know they can do it successfully?

$300 million budget games are incredibly risky, one game doesn't perform as it should and it's a whole shit show.

Maybe worry about it when they are actually doing what everyone is scared of.
ND said they are carrying on with single player games. Santa Monica and Insomniac too. So Im good. Im looking forward to playing GOT2 and Wolverine. Horizon 3, I would of rather they made a new ip and took a break from the story for now

 

[Nhomnhom]

Haven, Firewalk, Bungie are kinda new to PS studios, so nothing is lost. But I do think, they need to buy some more studios to increase there single player and multiplayer games, AA, smaller games and old franchises.
London Studio was s shame, but so was Evolution and the others.

Not saying they can make something like FF14 and Destiny size wise, but they might be able to get a good formula and do something with it. Its kinda not different to them making a single player game, just it will have to be supported and expanded.

Ill pitch you this.
I can see them doing Syphon Filter. Has a main single player story, that you can also play coop, and has a PVP mode. You finish the main sttory/game and then it keeps getting expanding with more missions, raids and more story. You build on your team and characters. And has a PVP, PVE mode.
Wishful thinking probably but theres no reason why a team who isnt greedy and has decent ability cant make a good game out of a it.

TBH I wasnt the biggest Days Gone fan, the combat just wasnt there for me quality wise like the other studios. Its the gameplay/combat they need to get down most. The production value, animations, graphics, open world elements they are pretty good at. If the nail the Melee,combat, mission variety then it doesnt matter if its “gaas” or one off story for me.

There is just such a long and bad history inside Sony of studios being shut down after they struggle with GaaS/multiplayer releases.

- London Studios was allegedly working on a live service game before being shut down.
- Driveclub online issues killed Evolution Studios.
- Guerrilla Cambridge was shut down after RIGS.
- Incognito Entertainment.
- SOE.
- Zipper Interactive.
- Psygnosis/Studio Liverpool
- Dreams was completely held back and pretty much sabotaged by Sony and Media Molecule now does not seem long for this world.

Sony pivot to live services seems way too reactionary and goes against all their previous moves.

 

[Yurinka]

I think it's a crime it hasn't had a ps5 native upgrade when they've released it on pc

Well, the PS4 version got a patch that to allows you remove the 30fps cap and achieve steady 60fps in PS5: https://www.eurogamer.net/digitalfoundry-2021-days-gone-ps5-the-60fps-difference

So a PS5 version probably would only add DualSense support, better native resolution and maybe shorter loadings. I'd still prefer a PS5 SKU, but I think it's ok what we already have.

 

[Gamernyc78]

There is just such a long and bad history inside Sony of studios being shut down after they struggle with GaaS/multiplayer releases.

- London Studios was allegedly working on a live service game before being shut down.
- Driveclub online issues killed Evolution Studios.
- Guerrilla Cambridge was shut down after RIGS.
- Incognito Entertainment.
- SOE.
- Zipper Interactive.
- Psygnosis/Studio Liverpool
- Dreams was completely held back and pretty much sabotaged by Sony and Media Molecule now does not seem long for this world.

Sony pivot to live services seems way too reactionary and goes against all their previous moves.

In Sony's defense thyve had tht in their mind since PS3 days they started adding mp to alot of staple sps with the intention of going bigger and gaas. They had other shit like LBP, Home, etc tht could have thrived and continued as a GaaS if done right but they were just trying to find the best and most succesful way.

 

[Yurinka]

So far Gran Turismo & Hell Divers only 2 successes.

MLB and Destiny 2 are active (very successful) Sony GaaS titles too.

Marathon's teaser broke Sony's record on youtube.

PlayStation now has the bulk of their workforce working on GaaS at this point

Not true. Not long ago Hermen said that had more than 25 games under development, being a dozen of them (so less than half) GaaS.

They apparently cancelled 3 of these 12 (assuming that the Deviation game was cancelled and not moved to the new SIE team made with ex-Deviation employees). Four in case Jason Shredder was wrong saying that the rejected/cancelled Twisted Metal game wasn't still greenlighted but instead in early stages, and instead of that the cancelled Twisted Metal would be the Firesprite MP title we know they have been working on during years.

The majority of games under development at Sony aren't GaaS.

 

[Nhomnhom]

In Sony's defense thyve had tht in their mind since PS3 days they started adding mp to alot of staple sps with the intention of going bigger and gaas. They had other shit like LBP, Home, etc tht could have thrived and continued as a GaaS if done right but they were just trying to find the best and most succesful way.

Then they threw it all away and close most those studios or moved on to single player only AAA games.

It's not an easy transition, ND couldn't pull it off and likely neither can Bend.

I have no problem with multiplayer/GaaS when they makes sense, things like Gran Turismo and Factions made complete sense to me.

Pretty much every ND game since Uncharted 2 had multiplayer modes then now of all times they didn't include a multiplayer mode in TLoU Part 2 and when remaking TLoU Part I they removed the multiplayer. None of these decisions makes any sense.

 

[Gamernyc78]

Then they threw it all away and close most those studios or moved on to single player only AAA games.

It's not an easy transition, ND couldn't pull it off and likely neither can Bend.

It did but I don't necessarily think these studios weren't good at it. Take for example LBP tht made alot of money for Sony with DLC. ND could have easily spun their dope mps tht had long lives into more of a money making machine. I mean thy all made good dlc money. There was something more.

 

[Nhomnhom]

It did but I don't necessarily think these studios weren't good at it. Take for example LBP tht made alot of money for Sony with DLC. ND could have easily spun their dope mps tht had long lives into more of a money making machine. I mean thy all made good dlc money. There was something more.

But Sony vision of what a Live Service is requires it to be a lot more ambitious than just a multipalyer mode, that is the root of the problem. They put long term monetization plans above anything else.

Not every game needs to be a time sink with constant support, micro transactions, season passes, etc.

I can't keep up with Helldivers 2 content pace at all, I have 34h played (with at least 4 hours waiting to log in) and I'm not level 25 yet to unlock the Mech for example. To me it still feels like I could keep playing the game as it is for a long time.

 

[Darth Vader]

Horizon 3, I would of rather they made a new ip and took a break from the story for now

It doesn't make sense to leave 2 with a massive cliffhanger and then just stop, but Bend did the same with Days Gone so who am I to judge.

 

[Polyh3dron]

Yup this has been in development for quite a while at this point.

I wouldn't be shocked if it got cancelled at the end of the day.

 

[Gamernyc78]

But Sony vision of what a Live Service is requires it to be a lot more ambitious than just a multipalyer mode, that is the root of the problem. They put long term monetization plans above anything else.

Not every game needs to be a time sink with constant support, micro transactions, season passes, etc.

I can't keep up with Helldivers 2 content pace at all, I have 34h played (with at least 4 hours waiting to log in) and I'm not level 25 yet to unlock the Mech for example. To me it still feels like I could keep playing the game as it is for a long time.

We know the semantics and definition of gaas but alot of mp games can become gaas or are borderline gaas. Shit GT many don't even think of it as gaas. This notion tht devs like ND can't make gaas for me is not grounded in reality thts just my opinion. Tlou mp easy enough could have recieved a rotation of new levels and influx of dlc and it would have been gaas. Who here remembers Uncharted 2/3 mp? They would add new dlc levels later on, they even had a level with no real assets but just like the 3 D blocks etc tht everyone loved. I'll keep saying this was a push Sony wanted and devs like ND just weren't with all tht and I'm sure had a nice mp lined up for us tht didn't fulfill Sony's plans of grandeur but not because thy couldn't do it. These devs have worked on expanding their campaign, to making each mp bigger no way in the world I'll believe they couldn't do gaas.

 

[rinzler]

It doesn't make sense to leave 2 with a massive cliffhanger and then just stop, but Bend did the same with Days Gone so who am I to judge.

Here is yet another great example of why two year late ports are not purchased at the rate a new game would be. Haven't had the opportunity to play the game yet and you've already told me it ends on a cliffhanger.

 

[Nhomnhom]

We know the semantics and definition of gaas but alot of mp games can become gaas or are borderline gaas. Shit GT many don't even think of it as gaas. This notion tht devs like ND can't make gaas for me is not grounded in reality thts just my opinion. Tlou mp easy enough could have recieved a rotation of new levels and influx of dlc and it would have been gaas. Who here remembers Uncharted 2/3 mp? They would add new dlc levels later on, they even had a level with no real assets but just like the 3 D blocks etc tht everyone loved.

But Sony doesn't agree with you. To them Live Service is Fortnite and Destiny type games. ND couldn't just release a multiplayer mode and build from there, they had to make an entire separate AAA games with multi year support plans for monetization.

There is no creative drive just some accountants wanting to make that Fortnite-type money.