More layoffs and a studio closure coming to SIE

[Remember_Spinal]

According to this documentation from Insomniac that leaked

What Hacked Files Tell Us About The Studio Behind Spider-Man 2

Internal documents show how a big PlayStation studio plans its future

kotaku.com

This is dated from this november

Business plans change, and Sony would not confirm if the discussed cuts are still on the table or already completed. But a notes file referencing a November 9 PlayStation off-site meeting reiterates the 50-75 number of cuts. The notes suggest the cuts are being asked of other PlayStation studios as well, including the line "there will be one studio closure." Sony did not respond when asked to clarify.

 

[Gods&Monsters]

Cancel all digital deluxe editions? Why?

They always sell more than the regular edition when preorders start. It's free money.

 

[Satoru]

According to this documentation from Insomniac that leaked

What Hacked Files Tell Us About The Studio Behind Spider-Man 2

Internal documents show how a big PlayStation studio plans its future

kotaku.com

This is dated from this november

They are for sure cutting on their Grass strategy, you can't make and sustain those games at the level they want with even fewer people. It is weird though as to why they are cutting so much when they are profitable. IMO are they expecting some huge drop in sales?

 

[Luffy123]

Daredevil HUH?

 

[Remember_Spinal]

They are for sure cutting on their Grass strategy, you can't make and sustain those games at the level they want with even fewer people. It is weird though as to why they are cutting so much when they are profitable. IMO are they expecting some huge drop in sales?

I do wonder which studio will be axed. Bend, London, Media Molecule or one of the new ones like Haven or Firewalk….

I could see one of their planned games not working out and getting canned and the studio shuttering. None of them really produced anything worth while last generation

 

[Johnic]

One more GaaS clusterfuck to the gallows, I hope. Just absorb the manpower into other studios.

 

[Nhomnhom]

Cancel all digital deluxe editions? Why?

They always sell more than the regular edition when preorders start. It's free money.

It's money that could be put to better use, like more PC ports.

 

[Eternal_Wings]

It’s probably Haven or Media Molecule. Tbh Haven can preferably go to hell.

 

[Satoru]

I do wonder which studio will be axed. Bend, London, Media Molecule or one of the new ones like Haven or Firewalk….

I could see one of their planned games not working out and getting canned and the studio shuttering. None of them really produced anything worth while last generation

I have a bad feeling about Bend after reading this. Dunno why.

 

[On Demand]

That Kotaku article is so dumb.

It reads so forced. Getting tired of everybody playing off these “leaks” while the people suffer at Insomniac.

 

[Dabaus]

Probably Media Molecule. Didnt another head leave there not that long ago?

Wonder what "actions over seas, legally tough" is talking about?

 

[gokuss4]

That Kotaku article is so dumb.

It's just damage control for the 50 million sells + xbox sells in 2023

 

[Satoru]

Probably Media Molecule. Didnt another head leave there not that long ago?

Wonder what "actions over seas, legally tough" is talking about?

Good point. Could it be that the studio is overseas? They have a few, and I dont think Guerrilla or Housemarque are in danger

 

[Killer_Sakoman]

This is not good

 

[Evilnemesis8]

Looking forward to more outlets diving a bit deeper into the weeds and giving us some industry food to ponder. This is a great read.

I'm drawn to this quote in particular :

These and other presentations provide a clear sense that Insomniac, despite its successes and the seeming resources of its parent company, is grappling with how to reverse the trend of ballooning blockbuster development costs. "We have to make future AAA franchise games for $350 million or less," reads one slide from a "sustainable budgets" presentation earlier this year. "In today's dollars, that's like making [Spider-Man 2] for $215 million. That's $65 million less than our [Spider-Man 2] budget." Another slide puts the problem more starkly: "...is 3x the investment in [Spider-Man 2] evident to anyone who plays the game?"

The costs have ballooned so much compared to pre-pandemic. I'm sure a big part of this is due to the COVID boom and how prospective employees were, rightfully so, able to secure the bag. But this has meant that the budgets that were already high, to be so MUCH higher.

Like the quote says, the budget isn't totally reflected into the final product, because it's dictated by much increased employee salary and not actual manhours and increased headcount.

Spider-Man, etc, are going to be fine.
But like the slide said, making a new IP in the future at such great cost is an a monumental risk at this point in time and will only get riskier.


Honestly when it comes to AAA gaming, I don't see the "fix" to the industry's woes coming any time soon.

 

[AshHunter216]

There's been so much out of context stuff being pushed like this. Do we even know if this is still the case?

 

[Dabaus]

Good point. Could it be that the studio is overseas? They have a few, and I dont think Guerrilla or Housemarque are in danger

When they say "over seas" are they talking from Sony Japan perspective or from the US? Either way i still think its Media Molecule thats next for the chopping block.

Or even Studio London seeing as how Sony is backing off live service. Heck could be both of them?

 

[Satoru]

There's been so much out of context stuff being pushed like this. When was this message sent? Do we even know if this is still the case?

Even better, I wonder if this was pushed back when they closed pixelopus.

 

[AshHunter216]

Even better, I wonder if this was pushed back when they closed pixelopus.

Also, if it's dated from November and it mentions a press hit at the end of the month, that's already passed and we didn't hear anything like that. Won't stop the usual suspects from spreading vile hate and FUD though.

 

[Etifilio]

it's clearly MediaMolecule