PlayStation is laying off around 900 people across the world [Discussion]

[Kx11]

I thought we were talking about Xbox vs PlayStation
They layoffs are for the game divisions and not the whole company.

Yes... MS profits more outside gaming than Sony that have as it base gaming.

The reality of the stupid shitting on Xbox doesn't mean crap because MS is always there to cover their losses, meanwhile PS doesn't have that much money to cover the losses, few more flops like LittleBigPlanet on PC and the 10years in development The Last Guardian and PS will port their games to Switch/Xbox if they have to to make money

 

[Darth Vader]

It all rests on the next CEO, whoever they are, PlayStations future is make or break

Sadly no, that idiot Hulst still mentions bringing games to PC and Mobile in his statement today

An Important Update from PlayStation Studios

Today, Sony Interactive Entertainment initiated a reduction in our workforce – including within PlayStation Studios – and I wanted to talk about the impact that will have. These decisions have been extremely difficult, but they are necessary, and I think it’s important to be transparent: The...

sonyinteractive.com

you're reading that out of context though. I could be reading too much into it, but look at this

PlayStation 5 is in its fourth year, and we are at a stage where we need to step back and look at what our business needs.

At the same time, our industry has experienced continuing and fundamental change which affects how we all create, and play, games.

Delivering the immersive, narrative-driven stories that PlayStation Studios is known for, at the quality bar that we aspire to, requires a re-evaluation of how we operate.

Delivering and sustaining social, online experiences – allowing PlayStation gamers to explore our worlds in different ways – as well as launching games on additional devices such as PC and Mobile, requires a different approach and different resources.

To take on these challenges, PlayStation Studios had to grow. We have brought brilliant and successful Studios into our family. We have invested in new technology and partnerships. We have recruited talent from across our industry and beyond.

But growth itself is not an ambition. PlayStation Studios is committed to continually discovering ways to work together; collaborating and combining our efforts to ensure that we are able to craft games that push the boundaries of play and deliver what you expect from us.

We looked at our studios and our portfolio, evaluating projects in various stages of development, and have decided that some of those projects will not move forward.

I want to be clear that the decision to stop work on these projects is not a reflection on the talent or passion of team members.

I read all that as "our approach didn't work, we have to change". The way I read into it is "we were unable to deliver the immersive, narrative-driven stories that PS studios is known for, and thus we had to reevaluate how we do business"

In the midst of all the shit, this actually makes me hopeful.

 

[BigMclargeHuge]

The reality of the stupid shitting on Xbox doesn't mean crap because MS is always there to cover their losses, meanwhile PS doesn't have that much money to cover the losses, few more flops like LittleBigPlanet on PC and the 10years in development The Last Guardian and PS will port theri games to Switch/Xbox if they have to to make money

Only in your dreams, sleepy.

 

[Yurinka]

Oh yes, I understood his motive... but it was misguided, like many of his ideas.

He pushed UK as a development power and Hermen pushed Holland... now both see cuts.

Firesprite is Liverpool Studio + Evolution Studios + Bizarre Creations and also has many former talent from Lionhead, Supermassive, plus less people from many other AAA studios.

There's a lot of talent there and Sony needed a flexible studio capable of doing both AAA and VR, and so far they did a great job with Horizon CoM. They weren't well known when acquired, so I assume were cheap to acquire. I think it was a good acquisition.

Same goes with acquiring Nixxes. The previous SIE/PS Studio heads before them already started the PC ports stuff, and if they had to make PC ports it was better to keep the devs of he original games focused on doing new console games, and keep the porting to separate dedicated teams. And Nixxes are the best in console to PC port, so I think it was wise to buy them.

I think these decisions were objectively good ones, not personal stuff.

 

[ethomaz]

The reality of the stupid shitting on Xbox doesn't mean crap because MS is always there to cover their losses, meanwhile PS doesn't have that much money to cover the losses, few more flops like LittleBigPlanet on PC and the 10years in development The Last Guardian and PS will port theri games to Switch/Xbox if they have to to make money

MS will rater kill it after some time without return than try to inject money to cover their loses...
That is what multi trillion dollar companies do.
They are not multi trillion dollar because they support lose of money in their divisions

In that case Sony will do everything... go to the lowest point to try to save PlayStation because it is their main business.
Ohhhh that already happened with PS3 to PS4.

Cutting Xbox won't harm MS.
Cutting PlayStation will probably kill Sony in the process.

The importance is way different.

 

[Kx11]

Only in your dreams, sleepy.

Cute reply

 

[BigMclargeHuge]

Cute reply

Your welcome, sleepy.

 

[arvfab]

you're reading that out of context though. I could be reading too much into it, but look at this



I read all that as "our approach didn't work, we have to change". The way I read into it is "we were unable to deliver the immersive, narrative-driven stories that PS studios is known for, and thus we had to reevaluate how we do business"

In the midst of all the shit, this actually makes me hopeful.

Let's hope it is as you say. It makes sense to "trim the fat" regarding GaaS at ND for example, after Factions was put on hold.

Nevertheless, 900 people looking for a new job in an industry where many people are now in a similar situation, is bad news for those involved.

 

[Dabaus]

I also have to say it seems obvious to me that an online Horizon game seemed like a bad idea. I know Horizon 1 was extremely popular but i dont think one popular game immediately can translate to online MMO/whatever they were doing. I think alot of this is from betting on GAAS service horse not working out, wasting 4 billion on bungie whose so far only managed to make 1 DLC in the 2 years sony has owned them, and naughty dog cancelling factions, which was tremendous waste of time and resources.

 

[Nhomnhom]

I also have to say it seems obvious to me that an online Horizon game seemed like a bad idea. I know Horizon 1 was extremely popular but i dont think one popular game immediately can translate to online MMO/whatever they were doing. I think alot of this is from betting on GAAS service horse not working out, wasting 4 billion on bungie whose so far only managed to make 1 DLC in the 2 years sony has owned them, and naughty dog cancelling factions, which was tremendous waste of time and resources.

Sony always relied on devs over IPs and now they seem scared to invest and are trying to spin PlayStation into something it never was.

AI just put Rockstar talent artist hardwork to shame

And this is just the begining

Firing their devs isn't going to change that outcome it's only going to make it worse.

Good luck for Sony fighting MS and NVidia on the AI front.

 

[Kx11]

Blowing $300m on SM2 wasn't a good idea after all, the 1st one was enough like i said and now people lost their jobs

 

[Evilnemesis8]

I also have to say it seems obvious to me that an online Horizon game seemed like a bad idea. I know Horizon 1 was extremely popular but i dont think one popular game immediately can translate to online MMO/whatever they were doing. I think alot of this is betting on GAAS service horse not working out, wasting 4 billion on bungie whose so far only managed to make 1 DLC in the 2 years sony has owned them, and naughty dog cancelling factions, which was tremendous waste of time and resources.

Horizon is literally Monster Hunter, of course it can be translate to a MP focused game within the same universe.
But that is still contingent on development team being able to deliver such a product, which is never a sure thing.

 

[Evilms]

Layoffs since 2022 (%)

- Twitch : 35%
- Perfect World Studio : 25%
- Unity : 25%
- Niantic : 20%
- ByteDance Ltd : 20%
- Epic Games : 16%
- Playtika : 15%
- Sea Group : 15%
- Microsoft : 13%
- Riot Games : 11%
- Embracer Group : 10-12%
- Electronic Arts : 12%
- Sony Interactive Entertainment : 9.5%

Layoffs since 2022 : ~ Devs

- Microsoft : 3.000
- Unity : 3.000
- Embracer Group : 1.500
- Electronic Arts : 1.300
- Amazon : 1.300
- Sony Interactive Entertainment : 1.100
- Perfect World Studio : 1.000
- Epic Games : 830
- Riot Games : 530

 

[Gamernyc78]

I see alot of AI talk there is also a thread for that. Let's not derail.

 

[Nhomnhom]

Layoffs since 2022 (%)

- Twitch : 35%
- Perfect World Studio : 25%
- Unity : 25%
- Niantic : 20%
- ByteDance Ltd : 20%
- Epic Games : 16%
- Playtika : 15%
- Sea Group : 15%
- Microsoft : 13%
- Riot Games : 11%
- Embracer Group : 10-12%
- Electronic Arts : 12%
- Sony Interactive Entertainment : 9.5%

Layoffs since 2022 : ~ Devs

- Microsoft : 3.000
- Unity : 3.000
- Embracer Group : 1.500
- Electronic Arts : 1.300
- Amazon : 1.300
- Sony Interactive Entertainment : 1.100
- Perfect World Studio : 1.000
- Epic Games : 830
- Riot Games : 530

Awesome, games are now going to take 10 years to be made instead of 8. Can't wait.

All this tech and we can't even get a single impressive Unreal 5 AAA game actually released.

 

[Kokoloko]

Some of yall need to chill. PS aint dying because of a studio closure. Shame it had to be London Studios.
New CEO seems cutthroat.

These funds will probably go into a stronger studio in the future

 

[xollowsob]

Honestly, I can't believe how Sony dropped the ball.

Having PSVR2 as a product and not supporting it was very, very dumb. Launching the portal and not a dedicated handheld was very, very dumb.
That's to say nothing of chasing GaaS and always online tripe.

No games (comparatively)
No support for the best vr headset on the market
Ignore core user base
Pushing half-baked product (portal)
Failing to capitalise on a market where they had no competition (vr)
Chasing PC and mobile crowds.

It's simply astonishing how a company that saw dominating success for four generations and for 30 years by doing the same thing, thought it was better a good idea to follow their competitor off of a cliff.

Inb4 it's just 900 people, it's just a few studios, it's just a missed target, it's just a year to wait for games...

One big blow very rarely kills a brand, but a thousand cuts always does.

 

[Yurinka]

Yeah after helldivers 2 crashed and burned they're likely to stop making live service games and stop making PC games.

Lol. Sure, and GaaS too. And shooters and MP games. And why not, to stop making 1st party games xDDD

 

[Gediminas]

First, to make an animation doesn't take weeks or months.

that just not truth. if it would such a short time, animations wouldn't be a problem in most game but it is.

even Ubisoft with 20000 devs still making games with the same broken animations over and over again, not even touching From Software and other smaller AA studios.

 

[Airbus]

So fire your devs because IA is powerful? It makes no sense. Why the need of desperate mass layoffs instead of something more organic?

Well unfortunately and tbh yes thats a very logical business decision to do

why pay hundreds of people when ai tool can do the job for you for free and at a much faster rate?

Maybe now AI are more limited and restrained

But in the future who knows

Just like PC graphic card as technology progress AI will also get better

Even now its already beating talent artist job that used to take weeks or month into just couple hours