Why is Stellar Blade missing the PS Studios branding?

[Orangee]

This is something that I noticed for a while now. Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe is publishing the game, yet It lacks the PS Studios branding. It's not significant in any way, but It Is something interesting that I have noticed.
All "second party" SIE published games, like Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Helldivers 2, Rise Of The Ronin, Destruction all stars, (and even demon souls and returnal, before these studios were bought) had that branding attached to it. Even when you launch the demo, it starts with the typical "SIE Presents", but no intro to follow it.

It feels like Sony is ashamed of the game in some way, or maybe it's a part of their publishing agreement.

What do you guys think? Maybe there's something I dont know about, but I couldnt seem to find anyone even mentioning it.

 

[Yurinka]

This is something that I noticed for a while now. Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe is publishing the game, yet It lacks the PS Studios branding. It's not significant in any way, but It Is something interesting that I have noticed.
All "second party" SIE published games, like Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Helldivers 2, Rise Of The Ronin, Destruction all stars, (and even demon souls and returnal, before these studios were bought) had that branding attached to it. Even when you launch the demo, it starts with the typical "SIE Presents", but no intro to follow it.

It feels like Sony is ashamed of the game in some way, or maybe it's a part of their publishing agreement.

What do you guys think? Maybe there's something I dont know about, but I couldnt seem to find anyone even mentioning it.

In addition to PS Studios and Bungie, there's a SIE Publishing division. They normally use it when Sony publishes certain 3rd party games in some regions, or smaller Asian specific games.

As an example, SIE publishing published CoD Vanguard or CoD BOCW in Japan while ABK published in the rest of the world. Also published Destiny 2 in Japan. Or in the case of Nioh 2 or the Nioh Collection, Koei Tecmo published it in Japan and SIE in the rest of the world. And also some Japan specific games.

In case of PlayStation Indies, Yoshida's division helps some indies in different ways depending on the case: helping them with marketing, featuring them in their store or website, with funding, helping with localization, testing or porting, or in this unique case, also with publishing.

In all these cases, with SIE as publishing label and not the PS Studios one. Other than that, who knows. Maybe are scared to be too involved because of being scared of the woke gang reaction because the game features beautiful and attractive women with suggestive clothes.

 

[Kokoloko]

Its weird that Studios that arent owned by Sony have an intro saying PS studios when they arent, so good, no need for it

 

[Gediminas]

Its weird that Studios that arent owned by Sony have an intro saying PS studios when they arent, so good, no need for it

Ronin has it.

also, this game was size of Indie game, and now, maybe it isn't AAA but looks like one because direct input of Playstation, from funding to using Xdevs to develop it.

 

[Orangee]

In addition to PS Studios and Bungie, there's a SIE Publishing division. They normally use it when Sony publishes certain 3rd party games in some regions, or smaller Asian specific games.

As an example, SIE publishing published CoD Vanguard or CoD BOCW in Japan while ABK published in the rest of the world. Also published Destiny 2 in Japan. Or in the case of Nioh 2 or the Nioh Collection, Koei Tecmo published it in Japan and SIE in the rest of the world. And also some Japan specific games.

In case of PlayStation Indies, Yoshida's division helps some indies in different ways depending on the case: helping them with marketing, featuring them in their store or website, with funding, helping with localization, testing or porting, or in this unique case, also with publishing.

In all these cases, with SIE as publishing label and not the PS Studios one. Other than that, who knows. Maybe are scared to be too involved because of being scared of the woke gang reaction because the game features beautiful and attractive women with suggestive clothes.

That's probably it. They own the IP Im pretty sure, so might aswell attach the ps studios brand onto it. Strange choice, but I guess It doesnt matter that much.

 

[KvallyX]

I guess It doesnt matter that much.

I can play it on my PS5, that’s all the branding I need.

 

[Kokoloko]

Ronin has it.

also, this game was size of Indie game, and now, maybe it isn't AAA but looks like one because direct input of Playstation, from funding to using Xdevs to develop it.

Tbh, Unless the game is made by a studio owned by PS, or on there ps studios website, then its really not a PS studio game. Saying published is enough
Sea of Thieves had PS staff help bring the game over, I just dont know where the line is with PS studio game or not lol.

It reminds me of the whole published by Microsoft and then a couple years later that certain game would move over to other platforms like Dead Rising, Mass Effect, Tomb Raider etc. Its just meh.

PS studio games = GOW, TLOU, GOT etc. But who knows and I guess Ive lost interest. The lines between PS Studio, 1st Party, 2nd Party, 3rd party exclusives are all getting blurred now

 

[Nhomnhom]

Wasn't originally a Sony game and is now likelly just a publishing deal for the PS5 version.

 

[Yurinka]

Its weird that Studios that arent owned by Sony have an intro saying PS studios when they arent, so good, no need for it

Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe is publishing the game, yet It lacks the PS Studios branding.

The things is that PS Studios, in addition to having their publishing arm and internal development lead game development team, has a lot of support teams.

Starting with XDEV, who provide to internal 1st or 2nd party games the kind of support they need for each game. They contact and with internal or external support teams who would support tthese 1st party games, and manage the relationship with them overviewing the kind of support they'll need: funding/finances/legal, marketing, PR, community management, publishing, production, design, engine programmers, server programmers, artists, in-game animators, motion capture, cutscene animation, visual effects, localization, voice over, music, sound effects, porting, testing, IT, technology & services, user research or customer support to name a few areas.

PS Studios has internal support teams dedicated to these and other areas -most of them in the PS Creative Arts teams- and all the PS Studios published games normally use all or most of them, in addition to multiple external outsourcing teams.

In the average case of a PS Studios published game, there's way more people working in the game from these PS Studios support teams than in the lead game dev studio. And quite often PS Studios owns the IP of the game.

But in cases where SIE publishes a 3rd party game in some region, as was the case of CoD or Destiny 2 in Japan, or Nioh in the west, SIE barely helps them with publishing and I assume some related local PR & marketing for that specific region. And I assume that other publisher handles the rest with their own internal or external support teams.

Each case is different, pretty much a per case scenario, so it's difficult to throw a line. As another example, now I remember that for No Man's Sky SIE only published the physical version of the game in PS (Hello Games published the digital version everywhere) and supported them with marketing.

In SIE published games, independently if they also include the PS Studios label or not, they always show at the start the "Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe presents" text quote or similar at the start of the game for the PAL/EMEA and Oceania regions/versions. Or for America "Sony Interactive Entertainment America presents", in Japan (and maybe the rest of Asia) "Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan presents".

 

[Vertigo]

I was kinda very much surprised to the see PS Studios banner when booting up Rise of Ronin. So I guess Sony own’s the IP eh?

 

[Kokoloko]

The things is that PS Studios, in addition to having their publishing arm and internal development lead game development team, has a lot of support teams.

Starting with XDEV, who provide to internal 1st or 2nd party games the kind of support they need for each game. They contact and with internal or external support teams who would support tthese 1st party games, and manage the relationship with them overviewing the kind of support they'll need: funding/finances/legal, marketing, PR, community management, publishing, production, design, engine programmers, server programmers, artists, in-game animators, motion capture, cutscene animation, visual effects, localization, voice over, music, sound effects, porting, testing, IT, technology & services, user research or customer support to name a few areas.

PS Studios has internal support teams dedicated to these and other areas -most of them in the PS Creative Arts teams- and all the PS Studios published games normally use all or most of them, in addition to multiple external outsourcing teams.

In the average case of a PS Studios published game, there's way more people working in the game from these PS Studios support teams than in the lead game dev studio. And quite often PS Studios owns the IP of the game.

But in cases where SIE publishes a 3rd party game in some region, as was the case of CoD or Destiny 2 in Japan, or Nioh in the west, SIE barely helps them with publishing and I assume some related local PR & marketing for that specific region. And I assume that other publisher handles the rest with their own internal or external support teams.

Each case is different, pretty much a per case scenario, so it's difficult to throw a line. As another example, now I remember that for No Man's Sky SIE only published the physical version of the game in PS (Hello Games published the digital version everywhere) and supported them with marketing.

In SIE published games, independently if they also include the PS Studios label or not, they always show at the start the "Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe presents" text quote or similar at the start of the game for the PAL/EMEA and Oceania regions/versions. Or for America "Sony Interactive Entertainment America presents", in Japan (and maybe the rest of Asia) "Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan presents".

I guess with Xdev etc. I still just think it blurs the lines too much, between games made by actual PS studios and ones who are assisted by PS studios.
Was Bloodborne a PS studio game? It was produced by a Japan Studios guy, and alot of the Japan Studios Team. But that game wouldnt be possible FromSoft and Miyazaki etc

 

[Wing84]

Sony is somewhat a cautious corporation. They're probably playing it safe just in case an uproar with this game over sexual objection towards women happens. I think they'll be safe from it.

We can expect a percentage of the prudes and the performative individuals to get upset about it while the horny basement dwellers and the men who don't care about women issues to take up arms over the topic.

 

[Yurinka]

I guess with Xdev etc. I still just think it blurs the lines too much, between games made by actual PS studios and ones who are assisted by PS studios.
Was Bloodborne a PS studio game? It was produced by a Japan Studios guy, and alot of the Japan Studios Team. But that game wouldnt be possible FromSoft and Miyazaki etc

Yes, Bloodborne was a PS Studios game.

In this case Sony, specifically their Japanese XDEV (XDEV means "external development") team when still was inside Japan Studio) managed both the lead dev team (in this case an external team, From Soft) and the support teams.

Normally their XDEV teams (which are part of PS Studios), as in the case of Bloodborne, manage both the publishing and production of 2nd party games, and also searching, managing and overviewing the work of support teams for almost all their 1st and 2nd party games in the areas each specific game needs.

But well, there are always exceptions since their teams have a wide range of freedom and some teams prefer to do certain stuff on their own handling themselves certain extrnal support stuff.

In case of Stellar Blade, maybe they were handling themselves everything including outsourcing and stupport stuff, and only needed publishing (including funding, PR and marketing) from Sony so didn't need PS Studios/XDEV help. Or maybe with these Asian games like Stellar Blade, Convallaria or Lost Soul Aside will be published via SIE publishing but not instead of by PS Studios because they may be too busy with their own projects.

I have no idea, they may detail the case later in the road.

 

[Remember_Spinal]

If XDev co-develops a game it’s a playstation studios game. I dont think XDev did any development work on Stellar Blade

 

[Muddasar]

I was kinda very much surprised to the see PS Studios banner when booting up Rise of Ronin. So I guess Sony own’s the IP eh?

No Koei Tecmo own the IP.

 

[Remember_Spinal]

it probably doesn’t matter who owns the IP, SIE probably have permanent publishing rights for it like Nioh.

 

[Danja]

Assuming they don't own the IP and probably only have an extended contract duration in place?