The MLB games are first party for Sony or PS. MLB games are third party for Xbox or Switch.
No, they are first party (and second party) games using an IP licensed by Sega.
This is another dumb bullshit you made out.
The "Spider-Man game IP" doesn't exist, so Sony can't own it. The Spider-Man IP exists and it's owned by Marvel/Disney. And Marvel/Disney licenses it to different companies to use it in different kinds of products. In case of games, Marvel licenses it to game publishers to use it in different kind of deals.
You can see that this is the case in the non-Sony games that feature Spider-Man (Marvel's Avengers, Marvel vs Capcom, Fortnite, Midnight Suns...) because they have the Marvel copyright and not the Sony one.
Here you have some details of the Marvel -> Sony licensing leaked in the Insomniac docs:
https://imgur.com/gallery/marvel-deal-restrictions-royalties-SxmjClK
And here some leaked details of the Marvel -> X-Men/Wolverine IP licensing deal:
Notice it says in the title "LICENSE TERMS", not "IP acquisition terms" or something like that. Marvel licensed the Spider-Man and X-Men/Wolverine IPs to Sony to make and sell some games during a period of time, didn't sold these IPs to Sony.
Then according to you MLB or Spider-Man are not first party games on PS because Sony doesn't own these IPs.
The Death Stranding games continues being first party games for Sony and PS because Sony is both the publisher and platform holder there.
Here you have it, this is a legal document for the government, regulators and investors saying that Stellar Blade is a 2nd party game (so first party game and
NOT A THIRD PARTY GAME):
Sony is saying in that document the same I'm saying: MLB is a first party game for them and PS. Nothing written there says that these games aren't third party games on rival consoles and PC.
Everybody knows that Switch games not published by Nintendo are 3rd party Switch games, Xbox games not published by MS are Xbox 3rd party games, PS games not published by Sony on PS are 3rd party games. Except apparently you.
Did you read the own prints you post?
Because no place it says the Stellar Balde game is first-party or even second-party.
Same for the Insomniac print... it doesn't even talk about the Game IP... just the licensed Marvel material.
Just look at EA.
EA have a football game IP that used the licensed FIFA material (BTW they didn't use it in the past but that is another example).
EA broke the license FIFA material deal.
EA just used the same game, removed the FIFA references and names and released it as FC Football Club (or whatever).
Do you understand why?
Because they own all the game assets, the game code, the game build... they own the game IP they build.
FIFA can do nothing against that... because they only licensed their IP to be used in a game.
Same for Spider-man... it was not the first game IP to use the licensed Spider-man material... but it is the first create by Sony.
They own Spider-man game assets, code, etc... Sony owns the Game IP.
If they break the contract with Marvel about the licensed material they just need to remove all the Spider-man references call it Super Hero and release it.
Marvel can do nothing about that because Sony owns the Game IP.
And no matter what if some other publisher releases that Sony's owned game in another platform it is still a Sony's first-party title.
Sony's owns... it doesn't matter who Sony choose to give the publishing rights... Sony still own the game.
That company that got the publishing rights can't do anything... can't change the game... can't create another game... they can only publish following the publishing rights contract.
Only who owns the game can change, create sequel, etc... it can delegate it to a external studio or do themselves with a first-party studio.
Nothing of that matters because the game will continue being first-party.
Until Sony sells it to somebody else.
Do you understand what means to own the game (first-party)?
Sony doesn't own Stellar Blade... they have the publishing rights.
Marvel doesn't own Spider-man game... they own the licensed material used to create the game.
It doesn't matter who is publishing it or in what platform it is being published.
Or which licensed material you are using to theme the game.
If you own a game it is yours until you sell it to another party.... AKA first-party.
I'm a Sony's fanboy... I should be the first to want to call all these games on PlayStation like Stellar Blade, Rise of the Ronin, etc as first-party... but they aren't.
Just like most of games of PS1 where 3rd-party and just become 1st-party after Sony brought the Studio that owned the games IPs.
Sadly a lot of 3rd-party published games by Sony as exclusive, some even considered PS1 mascot, were lost.
Just think about Crash Bandicoot.
A game developed by Naught Dogs (that where independent at time), published by Sony that never become 1st-party.... because when Sony brought Naught Dog the game IP was already gone to another party.
A first-party games can't be taken from you unless you choose to sell it.
A published game can be taken from you because you only have that... the publishing rights.
Imagine how bad at time to have it own PS1's mascot not being first-party lol
Sony could do nothing about that instead to try to buy the game IP (they tried).
