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

[Bryank75]

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.

But what did they do to elevate PS Studios?

VR is not selling, great product but it isnt doing enough to sell PS5 and they are not making money on them either...so it's busy work and the game likely made no money or lost.

PC ports make PS studio game more accessible and therefore less special, less desired and the only reason to havefirst party studios is either to make large profits or to attract people to the PS5.... Nixxes and Firesprite both do not meet these criteria and should be shut down or repurposed.

Sony need to cut costs badly and need to look at the necessity and effectiveness of each studio, as well as their efficiency after that.

There are studios in Korea, Japan, Finland and other lower cost locations making games that are more fun and a comparable level of quality to Insomniac and ND for a fraction of the cost.... that could be fully exclusive.

3rd party timed exclusives also do the same as these first party timed exclusives but cost a fraction of first party...so why continue having a first party at all if they are not fully exclusive?

Porting actually increased costs.... requires more developers and more oversight and more patches and support over the longterm. Cut it all.

Lean. They need to be lean and completely focused on the console and maximizing sales and profits.

 

[Satoru]

So basically their live service strategy as it was is gone.

PlayStation is “Reevaluating how we operate” in light of the recent layoffs. Also Twisted Metal Canceled!

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/playstation-studios-says-its-reevaluating-how-we-operate-confirms-cancelled-games/ PlayStation Studios boss Hermen Hulst has said the platform holder is “reevaluating how we operate” as part of its decision to lay off 900 employees worldwide. On...

icon-era.com

Also... Fuck me, it's like this guy can't be right EVER:

No, go and read the original source to listen his real words. He said that they were working in the 12 GaaS (denying rumors of cancellations).

Totoki said that they had 6 of them locked to be released before their previous March 2026 deadline, but they still were reviewing the other 6 and at least some of them may not going to make it and would be released after March 2026, which no longer is their goal date.

Some months later ND killed TLOU Online, so there are 11 alive. Out of them MLB, GT7, Firewall Ultra and Helldivers 2 already have been released. So 7 to be released. 6 if we count Destiny as one of the 12 IPs. Concord will be released this year, and Fairgame$ maybe next year. That would mean 4 or 5 left (Deviation new IP, London new IP, Firesprite MP game, Horizon Online and maybe something else as could be the Neon Koi game if they also release it in console+PC, or Bungie's unannounced new IP).

 

[AshHunter216]

What the fuck did MS do to you. So much hate. I just only skimed the first few pages. edit: twitter is always a cesspool.

Their fanbase and their acquisition spree to begin with.

 

[Satoru]

My suspicion:

• One of the Horizon Online games has been canned;
• Spider-Man 2 multiplayer component was canned (never announced, we learned from the leaks);
• The Last of Us Online has been canned;
• Twisted Metal has been canned;
• London Studio's game has been canned;

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.

 

[AshHunter216]

My suspicion:

• One of the Horizon Online games has been canned;
• Spider-Man 2 multiplayer component was canned (never announced, we learned from the leaks);
• The Last of Us Online has been canned;
• Twisted Metal has been canned;
• London Studio's game has been canned;

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.

Bend isn't making a MP only game. they're making a game that has a multiplayer element/mode but seems to be primarily singleplayer based on job listings.

 

[Nix]

Sucks to hear, corporations will do anything to make more money.

 

[JAHGamer]

So basically their live service strategy as it was is gone.

Yep!

Firesprite was working on a Twisted metal GAAS
London Studio was working on a fantasy co op GAAS
Factions 2, deviation games gaas, and other gaas were cancelled

Pretty much Sony's entire gaas and PC port strategies were objectively massive failures, like we said they would be years ago....

 

[flaccidsnake]

An underrated feature of many recent breakout hits is Early Access. Sony is a bit conservative on opening Playstation to early access games, and they're missing out on dollars because of it.

 

[Satoru]

Bend isn't making a MP only game. they're making a game that has a multiplayer element/mode but seems to be primarily singleplayer based on job listings.

Noted.

5th gaas game cancelled. Jimbo burned a lot of money on this gaas strategy

And gets a nice parachute payment + early retirement. Meanwhile those actually putting in work lose their jobs.

Yep!

Firesprite was working on a Twisted metal GAAS
London Studio was working on a fantasy co op GAAS
Factions 2, deviation games gaas, and other gaas were cancelled

Pretty much Sony's entire gaas and PC port strategies were objectively massive failures, like we said they would be years ago....

Shut it, doomer!!!!

 

[Zzero]

Seems like hair-cutting to me, sorry to see them go. That said, if one Studio were to go (and it wasn't the mobile team, which we all knew it wasn't going to be) then I am glad its London and not Bend or MM.

 

[Nhomnhom]

But what did they do to elevate PS Studios?

VR is not selling, great product but it isnt doing enough to sell PS5 and they are not making money on them either...so it's busy work and the game likely made no money or lost.

PC ports make PS studio game more accessible and therefore less special, less desired and the only reason to havefirst party studios is either to make large profits or to attract people to the PS5.... Nixxes and Firesprite both do not meet these criteria and should be shut down or repurposed.

Sony need to cut costs badly and need to look at the necessity and effectiveness of each studio, as well as their efficiency after that.

There are studios in Korea, Japan, Finland and other lower cost locations making games that are more fun and a comparable level of quality to Insomniac and ND for a fraction of the cost.... that could be fully exclusive.

3rd party timed exclusives also do the same as these first party timed exclusives but cost a fraction of first party...so why continue having a first party at all if they are not fully exclusive?

Porting actually increased costs.... requires more developers and more oversight and more patches and support over the longterm. Cut it all.

Lean. They need to be lean and completely focused on the console and maximizing sales and profits.

Way too late for that, games take 8+ years to develop now. We are already talking about PS6 or even PS7 crossgen games (if consoles even exists by then).

Sony is all in on PC, mobile, GaaS at this point. It will either work or it won't, PlayStation studios as we know are already dead.

 

[Would_you_kindly]

An underrated feature of many recent breakout hits is Early Access. Sony is a bit conservative on opening Playstation to early access games, and they're missing out on dollars because of it.

No thanks I'm not paying to beta test

 

[flaccidsnake]

Way too late for that, games take 8+ years to develop now. We are already talking about PS6 or even PS7 crossgen games (if consoles even exists by then).

seems like we're really running wild with the games-take-forever-to-make kool aide now.

according to Phil Spencer in the kinda funny interview, Starfield was not as far along as Redfall when Bethesda was acquired. It came out 2 years after the acquisition. Say what you want about that game, it's not lacking for content. Insomniac has been able to turn around a new game every 2-3 years.

the very biggest games like GTA might take 8 years to make. anything else taking that long is probably in some kind of troubled development cycle.

 

[flaccidsnake]

No thanks I'm not paying to beta test

we've been beta testing helldivers for a month, they just didn't tell us ahead of time.

 

[kuzon]

Uncharted may be cancelled and Sunset overdrive to ps5?

 

[Nhomnhom]

seems like we're really running wild with the games-take-forever-to-make kool aide now.

according to Phil Spencer in the kinda funny interview, Starfield was not as far along as Redfall when Bethesda was acquired. It came out 2 years after the acquisition. Say what you want about that game, it's not lacking for content. Insomniac has been able to turn around a new game every 2-3 years.

the very biggest games like GTA might take 8 years to make. anything else taking that long is probably in some kind of troubled development cycle.

Starfield fucking sucks, maybe that is why it didn't took long to make.

You are naive if you think a AAA game that starts development now doesn't have a high chance of taking 8+ years to make. Specially after GTA6 hits the market.

What do you think ND has been doing since 2020? When do you expect their next game to release?

 

[AshHunter216]

It's crazy that out of the GAAS initiative games, the only one that Sony has released so far is actually a success at the moment (Helldivers 2)

 

[Satoru]

Uncharted may be cancelled and Sunset overdrive to ps5?

That guy is the most unreliable leaker of all time.

 

[AshHunter216]

Uncharted may be cancelled and Sunset overdrive to ps5?

Robert Serrano doesn't know shit, lol. Reddit even has him banned as a source.

 

[kuzon]

That guy is the most unreliable leaker of all time.

Ok thanks