Indie games have become an enormous part of the PlayStation brand. Whether it’s relatively big titles like Outlast or smaller timewasters like OlliOlli, there’s rarely a week that passes where Sony’s suite of systems don’t receive an independently developed release or two. However, a lot of this content stems from Western studios, and as a result, is not often available in the platform holder’s native Japan. Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida wants to change that.
“I’ve always been one to love indie games,” he told Famitsu magazine, as translated by Siliconera. “And I also think that seeing you guys at Famitsu and other media focus on indie games is actually a great thing. Since the past, I’ve always felt that there are so many interesting games out there, and it feels like such a waste that we don’t have them in Japan, too, so I’m looking at it in a different light now.”
The likeable executive continued that he’s considering ways in which these types of releases could be made more readily available overseas. “Of course, due to ratings and other issues, it’s difficult to simply make foreign titles playable in Japan,” he explained. “But I’d like to make some platform adjustments, so that they can be made more available in Japan.” The likes of Terraria have already proved extremely popular in the Land of the Rising Sun, so it makes sense.
The big question is: why hasn’t Japan jumped on the low-budget production bandwagon yet? “I expect that it will increase from this point on,” he responded. “From shooters to 2D action games and Japanese RPGs, there are many creators in Japan with such popular genres that have deep roots around the world. If such people participate more in making indie games, then they will surely get attention, and that would be interesting to see.”
And it may yet prove pivotal to the PlayStation 4, as Yoshida continues to see smaller titles as a great stopgap between the big blockbusters on the next generation system. “If we could add indie games to fill in the gaps between big titles, the market and industry would likely be more active,” he concluded. “This is a crucial part of [our indie push].” But do these kinds of releases really keep you occupied, or do you often find yourself hankering for something a little meatier? Let us know in the comments section below.
[source famitsu.com, via siliconera.com]
Comments 27
Of course, if it's an indie game or port from a previous gen no doubt it'll find a nice home on PS4. Seems this console is good for everything except actual next-gen games. The best announcement this year has been Murdered Soul Suspect, a game made for PS3 and 360, is heading to PS4 and X1. That tells you all you need to know. I'm about out of patience with every company in the industry right now, especially the three console makers.
@Gamer83 have you never experienced a console launch or something? Just imagine the ps4 doesnt exist until 2015 and you will be happy. I bought a retina macbook pro the day it launched and a lot of apples apps were still not optimized for it. Its the downside of being an early adopter. Its completely normal in all industries
Sony needs to do a better job all round in getting west n east games going both ways. Its a massive shame for people to miss out on some amazing titles.
@Gamer83 You must have missed all the next-gen games already available and announcements. And Murdered: Soul Suspect is far from the best game announced this year.
Even if it were, it's only by default because The Order, Uncharted, The Division, Watch Dogs, DriveClub, Destiny, Deep Down, Onigiri and every other good game was announced last year.
@Gamer83 I may be contradicting myself here but porting a game and developing or making a game are too very different things it's not easy to make or develop a game it takes time sometimes a long time would you rather they rush it and put out some half assed piece of crap like Battlefield 4?
@Gamer83 And my opinion you are being very inpatient
@RyoHazuki I agree we need games from both sides
@Gamer83 Well, sir you haven't had the same drought as i had from 2006 till 2008... Ps3 was bashed like no other. I'm not defending any company but you are overreacting. The Wii U gets DK: tropical freeze and there are enough games to be shown... Sony has said they will be investing more in the game department since it's a business which is profitable for them.
On topic: I can understand the rage of Gamer83. Sony is out of control with their Indie love. Please invest in some new RPG's instead of pouring money in a game i play for 5 hours before feeling sick i poured money in a game which could run on a ps1..
@Sanquine
Unfortunately I remember the drought of PS3 from 2006 to 2008 very well, fortunately I also owned a 360 and Wii at that time. Trying to budget things better this time around though so I went with PS4 based on how last gen ended and I still expect when it's all said and done I'll be happy with the system but that's assuming Sony gets the ball rolling like it did with PS3. Right now I'm not happy with the announcements and 'we're working on games,' means nothing to me because that could mean anything from a big budget title to small indie stuff to last-gen ports like The Last of Us: Game of the Year Edition.
@Sanquine i don't think Sony is going out of control with there indie love but if the majority of games they show off and announce at E3 are indies then I'll be pissed and say they out of control with the dang indie love but right now in my opinion sony isn't out of control with indies but if they do go out control I'll be mad as hell
@DaftPlayStation
Oh I'm being more than patient with these companies. The fact that a lot of these next-gen games don't run 1080p native, 60 fps in 2014 is bad enough, to add to that most of the releases are indie games and late last-gen ports. I'd say I'm being more than fair in my bashing of these companies. Truth is, they deserve much more.
@Daftplaystation @Gamer83 Uuuhm i don't know about you two but Sony is out of control with their indie stuff... Shadid ( Guy from Sony third party) is calling olliolli the best vita game ( Bloody indie game) While there are games like Ys, Persona or dangonronpa... This is how much sony has fall in love with indies....
@Sanquine
I'd agree. I don't mind indie games to pad a lineup, but they should not be the lineup, that's my problem with Sony's focus right now. And then when we're talking actual retail releases there's far more talk coming out of Sony and Naughty Dog about a TLoU PS4 port than the next Uncharted or a TLoU sequel or a maybe even a brand new IP from ND and it shouldn't be that way. As I've stated before there's a lot of people who defend these strategies who would be laughing at MS or Nintendo for the same thing. They're not good strategies and if somebody at Sony doesn't wake the heck up it will come back to bite the PS4 in the backside.
@Gamer83 @Sanquine well there are a lot of great indie games out there some better then most AAA games unfortunately most of the really great ones are only on PC really it's only a matter of personal preference and opinion All will be revealed at E3 so just calm down guys no need to be mad over rumors and speculations nothing has been confirmed yet
@Gamer83 but if you want to talk rumors and speculations anyway Naughty Dog have recently started talking about how they are brainstorming for a new property and Last of Us 2 so maybe that news should make you happy
@DaftPlayStation
It's not rumor and speculation that the majority of the lineup is made up of indie games though, and that's the problem.
@Gamer83 It's also not rumor or speculation that the ps4 is a mere 3 months old into a lifespan of about 6 years. Here's a tip - Don't buy a 4K tv this year.
@Gamer83 that's you're problem not mine
@Gamer83 I love indie games and AAA games equally
@DaftPlayStation
That's great, unfortunately I can't say the same. I'm always going to prefer the bigger budget productions.
@Gamer83 I'll admit sometimes I love a AAA game more then a indie game and sometimes vice versa but for the most part i love both equally I think indie games deserve equal love at E3 and every other gaming convention I know you disagree with me though
@DaftPlayStation
I've never said indie games don't deserve equal love, I said they shouldn't be the main focus for a $400 high-powered console, which is what they are right now. If Sony was lining up the AAA exclusives right alongside the indie games I wouldn't say a thing, the problem is that's not happening. And when a game that's not an indie game is talked about, it's a port from the last gen. And yes it's still just the beginning but at a certain point this year, the talk about ports and indies has to shift to big AAA exclusives and multiplats designed specifically for the new consoles. Frankly it already should've shifted. Any talk about The Last of Us, for example, should be about a sequel not a PS4 port of the original.
@Gamer83 I agree there isn't a equal amount of focus on both like there should be I'm not mad about it because I know sony is going to even things out at E3 and announce some awesome games now if there's too much focus on AAA games I'll be mad if there's too much focus on indies I'll be mad I just want a good amount of focus on both then I'll be happy and wen it comes to ports I don't mind them i welcome them to me as long as it doesn't have a significant negative effect on another game then i welcome them But really at the end of the day nothing you say or i say matters because neither you or me knows wot it's like to make develop or port a game so who are we to talk and because it's probably a lot more complicated then we think it is
@DaftPlayStation
I spent $400 on a console that has become, for all intents and purposes, a friggin' indie and last-gen port machine, and it was money I earned not just handed like when I was a kid, so if I'm not pleased about something, I have every right to say it and I'm going to say it. I keep hearing Sony is 'working on games' but everytime one is announced it's the complete opposite of what it should be. And yeah it could be that PS4 may very well be a b*tch to deveop for, that's still not a good excuse for 85% of the lineup to be indie games and PS3 ports. Can't wait to see what excuses people will have for Sony after E3 rolls around and the only 'new' announcements are a relese date for that garbage DriveClub and a TLoU GOTY Edition for PS4. I see no evidence that Sony will announce anything other than that and with the way the fanbase kisses the company's butt unfortunately it may be able to get away with what should be failures of announcements.
@Gamer83 I'm not going to cut sony any slack if they mess up at E3 (which i doubt they will) but unlike you i always try to look for the bright side of things because most of the time there is a bright side if you look for it Not saying there's always a bright side just saying there's one most of the time i guess in you're case you don't see a bright side or you just don't want to try and see one seems like all you want to do is seek out the bad and stick to it you're such an downer and i wasn't saying you don't have the right to complain was just saying maybe you shouldn't complain so much about everything all the time especially things you don't know jack squat about
@Gamer83 also at E3 I con't wait to see wot excuses you find come up with or make up just so you can justify bashing sony or who ever it is and being a negative jerk like you always are
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