Sony Gaming Unit Adds Uber Antitrust Lawyer Amid Expansion Plans

[BloodMod]

CDPR for 3-4 billion for some western rpgs, namley the withcher series and an already established store front might be worth it? Any idea how complicated or difficult it is to start your own store launcher ?

I'm certain it would be a fruitious buy for Sony, for sure, but I'm also certain CDPR would never sell to them.

As for the PC storefront, I don't know how complicated it actually is, but one thing I'm sure of: Sony wouldn't be able to do it properly by themselves .

 

[DynamiteCop]

Steam IMO is too messy for Sony...has too little control over their users etc.

Epic Store had 194 million users in 2021....... which are the types of numbers they would want at Sony to show growth....

We all know Epic' number is total BS, it's just basically fortnite users and the platform is a massive money loser because people don't buy games there.

 

[Remember_Spinal]

I doubt sony would need an anti-trust lawyer to acquire CDPR yall lol

They are a 900 person publisher that has licensing (not full ownership) of two IP. Sony could buy them with straight up cash tomorrow and no one would blink an eye

 

[Gods&Monsters]

Prediction: Valve Index will be discontinued and Steam will sell PSVR2 officially.

Sony will merge with Valve and make all their hardware (Deck2 and VR headsets).

 

[Remember_Spinal]

As for the PC storefront, I don't know how complicated it actually is, but one thing I'm sure of: Sony wouldn't be able to do it properly by themselves

Which is why I think sony would really want them. It’s clear they are investing hard into PC, with hardware and software…and I just feel like it would be cheaper and more worth their dollar to just straight up buy GOG. CDPR has been losing money on it for a while, they don’t really have any clue how to make it profitable competing against steam and epic. Sony could easily repurpose it to get into the pc space without all the fumbling around they usually do.

Like, they literally just bought Nixxes, they aren’t beating around the bush with the multiplatform push. Sony could buy them probably for less than they paid for Bungie right now.

CDPR also just recently bought a mobile developer

I think getting Witcher and Cyberpunk would just be a bonus. Microsoft has no use for GOG or another WRPG studio

They bought Bungie for their GAAS expertise and they bought Haven for their Cloud expertise. I see sony investing in SIE as a whole more than just getting more games.

 

[Hobbygaming]

Sony getting ready for some more Organic Growth™

It's gonna be okay

 

[Bernd Lauert]

It's gonna be okay

inb4 the antitrust guy is getting hired because Sony is sensing an incoming shitstorm regarding their digital sales walled garden approach and it has nothing to do with Organic Growth™

 

[Remember_Spinal]

inb4 the antitrust guy is getting hired because Sony is sensing an incoming shitstorm regarding their digital sales walled garden approach and it has nothing to do with Organic Growth™

inb4 xbox fans commit seppuku when they find out the game they’ve been using to troll sony is gonna be owned by sony

 

[Bernd Lauert]

inb4 xbox fans commit seppuku when they find out the game they’ve been using to troll sony is gonna be owned by sony

 

[Hobbygaming]

inb4 the antitrust guy is getting hired because Sony is sensing an incoming shitstorm regarding their digital sales walled garden approach and it has nothing to do with Organic Growth™

Whatever it is, I hope it keeps you from harming your Xbox

 

[IntentionalPun]

Which is why I think sony would really want them. It’s clear they are investing hard into PC, with hardware and software…and I just feel like it would be cheaper and more worth their dollar to just straight up buy GOG. CDPR has been losing money on it for a while, they don’t really have any clue how to make it profitable competing against steam and epic. Sony could easily repurpose it to get into the pc space without all the fumbling around they usually do.

Like, they literally just bought Nixxes, they aren’t beating around the bush with the multiplatform push. Sony could buy them probably for less than they paid for Bungie right now.

CDPR also just recently bought a mobile developer

I think getting Witcher and Cyberpunk would just be a bonus. Microsoft has no use for GOG or another WRPG studio

They bought Bungie for their GAAS expertise and they bought Haven for their Cloud expertise. I see sony investing in SIE as a whole more than just getting more games.

GOG completely missing any sort of DRM is a pretty big thing to have to "fix" though.

 

[Yurinka]

I could see Steam, Epic or CDPR / GOG

They paid $3.7B for Bungie, CD Project should be way under that, probably for around $1.5B or $2B. They are super over valued. They made two hit games but don't own these IPs and were released creating big controversies, to the point Sony even retired Cyberpunk from their store, on top of more controversies they had.

CD Project did ~$207.3M in revenue in 2021. As reference, at Ubisoft the AC series, the Far Cry series and the Rainbow Six generated each one over $300M in revenue only during the last fiscal year. The best year for the FC series on its history.

GoG also has a very small market share and it's DRM free, so Sony may not be interested on it.

I think their best option for Poland would be to create a new studio with a few top well know (for Polish) Polish devs mixed with some top Polish staff from other PS Studios and to aggressively hire a ton of current and past top Polish talent from CD Project, Techland, Flying Wild Hog, Bloober, 11 Bit Studios and any top Polish studio I may forget, to move there some Polish talent PS Studios (and any other top AAA studio) may have around the world who may want to go back home. Offer them no crunch and a way better salary and working conditions than in any other Polish studio with a proper studio and project management and production following the PS Studios standards.

It would take a year or two to build it, but they'd get the best Polish talent, they'd be way more productive, would release way more polished games and for a portion of what it would cost to buy CD Project.

 

[BloodMod]

GOG completely missing any sort of DRM is a pretty big thing to have to "fix" though.

GOG already features some games with DRM, such as Hitman. It's not completely missing DRM, unfortunately.

 

[IntentionalPun]

GOG already features some games with DRM, such as Hitman. It's not completely missing DRM, unfortunately.

The platform itself does not have any DRM though built in, and there's little chance that would fly for Sony in the long run.

I'm not saying it needs some intensive stuff, but just basic file and "ownership" verification like all Steam games get automatically.

(games then have lots of other DRM on top of that, but that's not what I'm talking about)

Either way GOG is also just small time compared to anything Sony would put out.. it's a barely used service really. If Sony wants a PC store/launcher they need something that can handle millions wanting to buy/download at once.

 

[arvfab]

GOG already features some games with DRM, such as Hitman. It's not completely missing DRM, unfortunately.

Wasn't Hitman removed because of the backlash?

 

[LightBolt]

I'm disappointed in every single one of you.... Not one of you has talked about Knack Productions!

 

[Dabaus]

If they are hiring anti-monopoly lawyers / experts, that means it is a move that in some minds would breach the balance in the industry... which is only a few moves.

They also hired an acquisitions guy recently who oversaw a merger for approximately 20-25 billion, so I imagine this acquisition they are looking at is in that kinda valuation.... 15-30 billion. (Sony just expanded their budget for acquisition and capital investments to 30 billion last FYE)

I could see Steam, Epic or CDPR / GOG

I would still like to see Square but from all the moves being made, that seems too small in scope. (Unless they do it as part of an overall jigsaw piece.

Overall I think Epic makes the most sense....with Sony basically gifting them developers of Fallout guys, Rocket League and contracts for games with many past PC studios.
Along with Unreal Engine being more and more important to Sony and Fortnite making so much money for them....then add in the recently PC ambitions.

Steam IMO is too messy for Sony...has too little control over their users etc.

Epic Store had 194 million users in 2021....... which are the types of numbers they would want at Sony to show growth....

A console install base of 120-140 million each generation along with 200 million PC users, making it 320-340 million users and then a longterm aim to grow to half a billion long term (10 year plan)

Thats really big picture stuff that might happen. I wouldnt be surprised if it was cd project red, take 2, square or capcom. I think 1 of those 4 will be acquired by sony. Cd project red and sony may not have th best relationship though.

 

[LightBolt]

Thats really big picture stuff that might happen. I wouldnt be surprised if it was cd project red, take 2, square or capcom. I think 1 of those 4 will be acquired by sony. Cd project red and sony may not have th best relationship though.

The question is would Sony have future big studio buys exclusive or be like bungie?

 

[Remember_Spinal]

The question is would Sony have future big studio buys exclusive or be like bungie?

If its publisher acquisitions it would be like Bungie. I don’t think there is a reality where sony buys a publisher and cuts off major revenue streams from them to boost just playstation hardware that already cannot meet demand. Sony wants to increase playstation revenue, if they buy a big company they want them to become more profitable not less.

Square, capcom, take two , or whoever would stay multiplatform (if that were to ever happen) with some caveats, CDPR could go either way.

I dont think Bethesda and Activision games will end up exclusive either, outside some select new stuff. I think Starfield and Redfall are the sacrificial lambs to get gamepass numbers up. I don’t think Microsoft continue to cut off nintendo or playstation revenue going forward for their major IP

PC sales and Gamepass alone cannot sustain AAA gaming

 

[Yurinka]

The question is would Sony have future big studio buys exclusive or be like bungie?

If it's a single (console+PC) game developer studio I think they'll put it inside PS Studios to focus on making exclusive games for PlayStation.

If it's a (console+PC) publisher with different studios I think they'll do like with Bungie: to put it under SIE but not under PS Studios and would continue doing multiplatform games as usual, and limiting their exclusives to PlayStation. If they do them, Sony would get all their full, timed or console game exclusives (I mean not for all their games, only part of them), and I assume all acquired publishers -being Bungie one of the- will give Sony exclusivity for demos/betas/console bundles/marketing/game subs/vr content.

If it's a mobile only gamedev or publisher that may help bring PS IPs to mobile then I assume they'll put inside PS Studios.

I think their main idea is to keep PS Studios focused on PS exclusive games but also release (years later) PC ports or mobile adaptations of some of them. And for the console publishers they may acquire to get some game exclusive from time to time from some of them but mostly let them publish day one on all platforms to monetize players from rival consoles and PC while keeping their PS Studios games exclusive.