Deathloop is undoubtedly one of my most anticipated games – or, at least, it should be. Despite being rightly acclaimed, I still feel the Dishonored series is a little underrated: Arkane’s stealth sandboxes pack masterful level design, providing a real sense of freedom allowing you to tackle problems however you see fit. The Lyon-based outfit’s upcoming PlayStation 5 timed console exclusive looks to be an evolution of that, blending Hitman-esque assassination puzzles with its penchant for emergent gameplay scenarios.
It should be the jewel in the PS5’s crown this year, an unmissable emblem situated to the side of Guerrilla’s anticipated sequel Horizon Forbidden West – but as Sony prepares a State of Play dedicated to the first-person shooter this week, I must admit even I’ve found myself rolling my eyes. Why, then, is a game that sounds so promising on paper not exciting me quite like it should?
Well, I think first of all, it’s worth remembering that Deathloop was originally intended as a PS5 launch title. Coronavirus, understandably, affected project schedules enormously, and it was ultimately delayed until May – before being delayed again. It means, between Game Informer covers and practically every PS5 livestream over the past year, we’ve seen an abundance of the title – too much, really, as its marketing cycle has been dragged out to accommodate the delays.
The other problem is that, since the game’s announcement, Microsoft bought publisher Bethesda and all of its developers, including Arkane. Sony has been putting a brave face on this – it still will have spent significant sums of money on Deathloop’s timed exclusivity, which the Redmond firm is honouring – but as a PS5 owner I can’t help but feel like this has really affected my relationship with the release.
It shouldn’t matter, but herein lies the problem: The Outer Worlds – a game my colleague Robert Ramsey really enjoyed – will see its recently revealed sequel exclusively tied to Xbox and PC. After buying developer Obsidian, that’s Microsoft’s prerogative of course, but given we now know this is the precedent, it’s hard to get too invested in Deathloop when you know its sequel won’t ever see the light of day on the PS5 if it turns out to be a success.
Furthermore, regular readers will hate to read this – I’m well aware I’ve been beating this drum a few too many times of late – but what’s the point in paying full-price for the game this September when you know it’s going to be included with Xbox Game Pass in approximately a year? It completely devalues the product for me; if nothing else, the price of the PS5 version will inevitably plummet, both at retail and on the PS Store, when that eventually happens.
It’s not that the project is tainted, because I’m very confident it’s still going to be an excellent experience – and that’s ultimately the most important part. But all of the circumstances and sub-plots surrounding it have really dampened my enthusiasm, and while I appreciate Sony has to march on and continue marketing the shooter like it’s a big title in the PS5’s portfolio – it just doesn’t sit quite right.
As I said at the start of the article, despite everything this is still one of my most anticipated PS5 games – and yet every time I let myself get excited about it, I remember all of the drawbacks unrelated to the release itself. Deathloop deserves better, but it is what it is.
Are you excited for Deathloop, or do you have similarly mixed feelings about it? Start the cycle over in the comments section below.
Comments 141
I think it looks excellent and the state of play will be a great showcase for it.
I don't quite understand why feel put off because a nonexistent sequel might arrive on another platform in a few years.
Let's enjoy the current one first.
@Xenomorph_79
Where you hear that?
How about a companion piece saying why you are excited for Deathloop please Sammy?
Perhaps after the state of play.
Exited to play it, but not going to be day one for me. Think I will wait for reviews first if it gets great scores might get it early, if not will wait for sales.
@Xenomorph_79
Same. If the game turns out to be good, I'll play it on Game Pass whenever it becomes available. Got too much to play already.
I kinda would prefer to play it on PS5 over PC just due to 4K and stuff. I think that’s where the whole Game Pass thing is getting interesting for me, certain games I’ll probably fork out for the PS5 version if I’d rather play it with haptics, 4K etc even though it’s ‘free’ with Game Pass. Whereas games like Octopath, Dragon Quest XI etc I’ll just play with my subscription.
This site discusses Game Pass more than any other enthusiast site I visit and it's Sony-centric. What are y'all gonna complain about when Sony puts together a contending service? Half your output is gonna vanish.
A lot of Playstation gamers are not stupid and know Deathloop is made by a Microsoft studio and will most likely be one of the last Bethesda games coming to Sonys platform. No way am I going to support this and then see it go free to gamepass eventually.
I feel like they might be pushing the game so hard because the preorders are not doing the numbers they hope they were.
I think it’ll be really cool, but it seems very short (even shorter than Hitman). I’m absolutely going to buy it, but once it’s on sale.
Having both a PS5 and a Series X, I am on the fence on what I will do regarding this game.
I might buy it just to have another PS5 game to play. Once I finish Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart, it's going to be dry season on the console until Horizon Forbidden West comes out.
I don’t care about any of those things mentioned. I’m not interested because of what I see of the gameplay.
Probably depends on the player but for me Game pass is great but not a runaway leader in value for my money. That may change later given their heavy investment. But right now most of the games are not exactly stellar in my opinion. So when I run the long term costs of my subscription against the games I actually play on the service, I'm not seeing an astronomical difference versus what I spend on ps5 games. Especially given how cheap half my physical purchases are. Might change if their heavy investments pays off eventually perhaps.
I suppose in case of Deathloop, if you have game pass it could be cheaper but I would also consider owning it versus long term costs of gamepass
To be completely honest before this article I had no idea that this game even existed or that it was even a time exclusive. I may have clicked on an article sometime ago but I have forgotten about it.
Removed - inappropriate
I don’t care which studio is making it, it just looks a bit naff. I think people are turning against it because it feels like it’s being shoved down our throats. How many times has this featured in the State of Play now? It’s too much. It was bad enough seeing it once.
@CynicalGamer
Same here. I don’t have enough time to play enough games to make a subscription service like Game Pass worthwhile anyway. Considering all the physical games I get are around £10 or less (I got Judgment for £4 for example), and I care nothing about playing games at release (in fact I’d rather not), I just wouldn’t get value out of it.
@Xenomorph_79 doesnt really interest me this one but you are talking absolute nonsense. Its that same game that will be released on both platforms. Your source literally amounts to the fact you possibly read it on the internet somewhere, once.
I'm sick of it already, they should not mention the game till right before release day. Also all your points are valid, at least for Hellblade we played it thinking we would eventually play part 2 but now we know before hand that a Deathloop 2 won't ever come to Playstation.
Yea like the I said the other day, MS buying Bethesda has killed my interest in their games a bit. I mean imagine falling in love with this game and then PT2 is announced exclusively for Xbox. Now don't even know if I'm getting a PS5 or XSX, and these fights for exclusivity is making PC win it all. Silly!
Wasn’t interested in this game when it was first announced, and nothing State of Play shows will make me interested. Never played Dishonored or Prey franchises and never intend to. Really, the only Bethesda published games I’ve played are DOOM. Personally, I find the new DOOM games to not be as good as DOOM 3 because I prefer the horror atmosphere.
I wish Sony would have spent the money from these timed exclusive deals on some good Japanese game content, exclusive or timed, but preferably supporting a creative smaller studio for an exclusive unique experience.
So your excitement is dampened because:
-it was delayed due to covid (and not forcing crunch)
-there has been too much coverage/content shown (none of which you had to watch)
-there won't be a playstation sequel (could say that about every single game released)
I think the big aspect this game has in it's favour is the price.
It's not £70. It's £60 RRP and you a quick Google shows many retailers have it listed for as low as £49 for the physical version.
Great price for a next gen only game on a Sony console.
The issue for some people will be it's technically an Xbox game now, and it depends if that bothers them.
@MatthewJP "there has been too much coverage/content shown (none of which you had to watch) "
Dude what? It's literally his job. Do a little better if you want to be bad faith.
I don't care if it'll be on gamepass in a year. Also, why would I ever want to play the inferior Xbox version? This game is primed to make excellent use of the dualsense and as such will be lacking a big next-gen feature on Xbox. That alone makes the PC and Xbox versions a total pass for me. Might ruin a sequel if it's not on PS5. the dualsense is such a gamechanger when a game has a great use of it I can't pretend I'm not getting gimped by playing another version.
I just dont need another multiplayer shooter in my gaming life
thats the problem these days is people are too worried about stuff that hasn't happened yet , then enjoying what is going on now. all we have to worry about is enjoying deathloop right now , instead of looking ahead to any possible sequel or not that is years and years away.
Number 1 reasons im not excited is this game if theyre a sequel will not come to PlayStation.word up son
The trailers have been funky and stylish but this game just doesn’t look like it’s for me. I won’t be getting it.
@Xenomorph_79 i own an xbox so my butt is perfectly fine thanks. And before you give it the 'of course you do' speach feel free to go have a look. Love my xbox and gamepass as well as my PS5.
This game will play and run around the same across ps5 and series X except for the usual differences. Microsodt dont need to release enhanced versions as the fact it will be on gamepass does the job for them, as people are already saying.
I wont be playing it on either console as its not my thing but spouting nonsense with your d'ude seriously' sources is just that. Nonsense.
It seems like you've really bought in to Game Pass, and I can appreciate that. It's not my cup of tea, but for a lot of people it's an affordable option that offers a good variety of games. That being said, it's not available on Playstation consoles, and barring some paradigm shift in the industry, never will be. So while I appreciate getting to hear the perspective of a Game Pass fan on PushSquare, I don't know that having it become one of the dominant themes of the site is the direction you want to go in. It would be like an editor for Nintendo Life droning on about how much better 4k gaming is in every article about a new Switch release, or a contributor constantly mentioning Sony's unbroken string of excellent first party releases on Pure Xbox.
I feel this way about all the wasted money Sony spends on timed exclusives. Its a move purely to make the casuals think its exclusive to Playstation, but will be released in six months to a year everywhere else.
The game looks alright..smooth but a bit meh..is this really a ps5 game because it looks like a really smooth ps4 game tbh..you are probably not as excited as you think you should be because it dosnt really look amazing does it? Yeah free on bloody game pass untill its removed but its not as if you have to pay for your review copy is it eh?
The pre-orders are probably abysmal ever since the news that Bethesday was bought, and most likely by the reasons that Sammy Wrote. I mean, the game is already discounted and hasn't even come out yet!
Perhaps they could do a swap with the sunset overdrive sequel. Release it on Xbox and we get deathloop 2?
I feel like this is a bit of a silly take honestly. Don't have a PS5 but Deathloop is certainly my most anticipated title to play on it when I do!
@Amnesiac I got an Xbox series s about a month ago and I’ve been really impressed with game pass. It’s my first Xbox experience and truth be told it’s head and shoulders over the PlayStation offering. The store itself is great as well.
I think this article points out why a service like Game Pass may not be healthy for the industry. Product devaluation. Games like these being on a subscription service will have a trickle-down effect to all other platforms. Imagine when xCloud becomes available on other devices than Xbox, and you no longer have to pay for dedicated hardware. Hell, nobody will buy those games and people will just pay a month of Game Pass to play a game then drop the subscription.
I think as publishers and developers experiment with the financial ramifications of Game Pass I think we'll see less of them want to put their games on the service day and date of release and opt to wait for sales to dry up before putting games on Game Pass.
I understand the value of Game Pass for consumers but can't see how there won't be problems when sales of games are not meeting expectations across the board on the publisher and developers side. Obviously, this is a Microsoft game so more subs doesn't affect the bottom line, but won't be true for 3rd party games.
In my opinion Game pass is devaluing the whole industry. No one wants to pay for anything anymore because they think they get everything for free, forever with the service. Look at the way Battlefield was treated by the media and fans for having a price tag attached to it. We’re already seeing studios, including Ubisoft changing the way they make games with more evidence with today’s announcement.
I know exactly what you mean. I don't like the idea of having multiple entries of a series on different platforms. I don't know why but having Deathloop on PS5 and a sequel on Xbox just doesn't appeal so I know I'll wait until it's available on Xbox.
I was bought DMC 5 on Xbox as a birthday present but sold it immediately and paid the difference to get it on PS4 where I own the rest of the series.
Thankfully, because I've known for a while that I'll get Deathloop on Xbox, I haven't played a huge amount of attention to it and it will seem quite fresh to me by the time I play it.
I'll wait for gamepass launch. I like the look and art style of the game but don't know how they will keep the loops fresh between runs. Hard truth, even if this wasn't coming to gamepass I wouldn't buy at launch. Bethesda games are typically the price of a couple of decent pints within 12-18 months of launch second hand. They also tend to be buggy out the gate too and need you to be patient.
No offense, but I find it kind of insane to worry about missing out on a sequel that does not exist for a game that is not even out and that you can't even know if it'll be your thing.
Why get invested in a series that won’t have its sequel on your system? Was gonna be a buy from me, but instantly turned into a ‘nope’ after the buyout.
I've got my eye on this one! I like roguelikes now, but not to the point of playing 2D games (I'm done with that), so this is right up my alley...
You can't cry about Bethesda games not coming to playstation one week and then cry you're not buying a game cause it's from a Microsoft owned Bethesda the next. No longer looking forward to something because it now has ties with Microsoft rather than being the precious Sony exclusive you once thought it was is fanboy craziness. It's one step from starting a petition to get hideo Kajima cancelled if he dares make an Xbox game.
Arkane are a quality studio. This has every chance to be an amazing game. And a timed exclusive all the same is a decent get for the ps5 right now. It's a new IP. There's no saying it has a sequel planned...or will be a continuing story if it does. I think it's pretty sad not giving a game a chance because Microsoft own it. They already own one of the best selling games on PS4.
But I totally get the whole weighing up whether to get it now or wait a year and get it with all the bells and whistles on gamepass if you've both a ps5 and Xbox series.
If you really like the games Arkane make, then I can’t see any reason not to support the studio with your purchase. Except if you’re a poser…
@Boucho11 I'm glad you're enjoying it. My first and only Xbox experience was the original. That thing was huge! I've never been compelled to hop back into their ecosystem, and I feel like too many of the things I enjoy have already turned into subscriptions. It's like my bank account is dying from a thousand tiny cuts each month. I'm happy with my PS5, and my Switch that remains tucked away until the occasional siren song of Mario draws me back to it.
@The_New_Butler not straight away..of course but it will eventually..
I am very interested in the game. Prey is bloody fantastic! But agree with what Sammy's saying. We've seen quite a bit of this game already. Isn't Kena also out in August? But, I guess we've seen quite a bit of that too.
I just hope it turns out well but I have no interest in watching more as it feels like at this point watching more is spoiling yourself of the experience.
Comparing the very first prerendered trailers and the game in it's current state makes it clear that production has been troubled, but from a directional aspect rather than due to the pandemic. Arcanes releases are mainly Deus ex and Thief knock offs with a swapped aesthetic anyways.
I think Sony Should pay for a full console exclusivity, in that way it would make sense to play this game on PS5, also if the sequel turns good is a reason for Xbox players to visit the previous game on PS5. But I get what you're saying, the prospect of this game arriving GP on day one devaluates this PS5 release. I think Sony should allow GP on playstation only if it has only Xbox Game Studios games alongside Bethesda's.
I can understand the crux of this piece, it is hard to get excited about this game considering that any future games won't come to PS.
If you also own a PC and/or Xbox you'll probably shrug, buy the game on PS and, if you enjoy it, look forward to sequels. Maybe you will laugh at the idea of paying full price and wait until it appears on Game Pass. You have options.
PS only players, not so much. It looks like a real marmite game to me anyway and one I'm okay waiting until maybe next year before buying it for a much reduced price it at all. No fault of the developers but I can't help but hope it's a flop.
again with the Gamepass whining lol. Srsly, just re-purpose this site to a GP Ad. Im glad that you dont read this on Nintendo enthusiast sites
They showed us the game too many times already. Also, when you show so much but MONTHS or YEARS before it releases you just kinda forget about the game...
I don't have interest at all in Deathloop from the start, don't care if it's time exclusive or the last Bethesda game on PS. It simply didn't click me..
I just hope they will show something nice about some 3rd party titles, like for example Forspoken, FF16, Elden Ring, Atomic Heart (I don't ask too much )
Indies like Stray, Sifu, Season would be nice to see
The 70’s vibe never appealed to me for Deathloop. The dialog I’ve heard has been cheesy to me personally. Those were my feelings from the beginning before any acquisition took place. The gunplay does look solid though.
I agree we have been shown more than enough of this game already and a further 9 minutes of it in the next SoP feels like too much already.
Also, while we can assume a sequel would be exclusive to Xbox/PC, I don’t think it’s a guarantee that Deathloop will even receive a sequel. It will likely depend on how Deathloop does commercially and also whether Arkane has envisioned a sequel for this game or not.
I thought Phil said if IP has legacy on other platforms then it will still see support in the future . If this is true then a possible sequel should be in the works for PlayStation. If not, write an article holding M’softs feet to the fire.
But my god, I’ve been coming to this site since 2011, and it currently feels like PlayStation is circling the drain. And that the PS5 has no value. It’s the only console that has released new games and it’s a joy to play on. But this site has become so blinded by Xbox’s marketing, which has almost always been better, and almost always underdelivered. I feel zero desire for another sub service. A service, btw, that Sony could never be profitable in and could bankrupt them into oblivion.
These corps are playing different games but I’m not intrigued by another sub service. I’ve had GP for a month btw and do not miss it. I understand it’s perceived value, but only a company that has a deep wallet can afford the losses that service is enduring. I hope that Sony can come up with a plan to calm your nerves about Gamepass and we can get back to what’s good about PlayStation.
BTW- holding Sony’s feet to the fire is good when deserved. Complaining about a company that does not have the money to compete in a service that would kill them is bad. IMO:)
Gamepass baby 👍
What really makes me sad is knowing that this is the last game Arkane would make for the PlayStation
If the game is good I'll get it...a year is not a small amount of time lol. For future support, yeah it sucks. Perhaps the media should stop parading MS around like the good guys when this is not something pro-consumer at all. But in the end, it's video-games. I'll play whatever is good.
@playstation1995 But what if the game you do get is actually really fun and worth every penny?
I have literally been snapping up Bethesda and MS games on PS so that I can enjoy the ones that are there. Doom Eternal Deluxe has just dropped to £26 and I'm really tempted to pick it up and blast through the entire series on the console.
There's somethingwrong about not being able to enjoy an experience because other titles, even none existent ones, are not going to be available on the same console.
@The_New_Butler sssshh infidel...theres a footie match on..
This site is getting weird with some of these articles.
Trust in the platform, have they not earned any faith with the PS4 era?
My goodness man give it a rest. We know you wish PlayStation had game pass. But every other article! It’s over kill, it’s like you can’t help yourself. I’m done with the site.
I did like the look of it.. but knowing PS5 will not get the best version of the game and knowing when it’s on xbox it’ll have more content I’m not gonna bother I’d rather spend my money on Kena, SIFU, Horizon FW than this game.
I've been aware of this game but it's not even on my radar. I won't even play this on gamepass as my membership will have lapsed by then.
Can we drop the gamepass stuff please. I have a PS5, if I wanted gamepass news I would go to an Xbox website.
@MFTWrecks I think that's what people want. It's kind of the point. We want a compelling and competitive service to rival the great value that is Gamepass. PS Now is doing pretty well but it still hasn't matched what Gamepass offers.
I totally agree with Sammy. Not a pot-shot towards Microsoft, Arkane, or Bethesda, but some of us choose to only play one of the two new consoles. Quite frankly, knowing that a franchise will start on one console with timed exclusivity, but ultimately will be locked into another console's ecosystem as the franchise potentially grows is a bit inconvenient. Maybe if I didn't have a gaming PC, I'd also get a Series X, and with that said, I will luckily have means to play any sequels; but I can see why this doesn't sit well with some people.
I’ll pass on this, I don’t want to pay for a games that will be “free” on another console or pc soon (after the exclusivity end).
The concept of Deathloop has not interested me in the slightest, only interest I have in the game is based on whom is making it, but as stated in the article, I feel I’m more likely to just wait for it and play it on Xbox GamePass when it comes out a year later (if Sony didn’t manage to make it a permanent exclusive somehow.)
As a launch title I feel this game would had strengthened the launch lineup of the console, especially against XSX Halo-less launch. But as the only game releasing in the later half of 2021? If Horozon 2 does not launch this year, and this is all that ends up carrying 21’s Christmas… well, it’s going to be a very 3rd party Christmas for PS5.
Lots of people talking about no longer buying games because it will either launch on Game Pass or will be on Game Pass eventually (which can be said of almost any game not made by Sony or Nintendo). Microsoft has the capital to weather the storm they are bringing about by completely bastardizing the value proposition of games, but will the other companies that contribute to the hobby we love be able to do the same? I don't think so, sadly.
@Richnj thats true but if you buy a bethesda games they wont be any sequel for ps5 if you dont own a x box.a waste of time and money.word up son
@Xenomorph_79 I don't believe that for a second. The quality will be the same, DLC? Well, that's possible but that same DLC could come to PS. Look at Doom Eternal. Sequel? Yeah, probably MS exclusive. Tbh, not all games need a sequel, I'd rather see new IP.
@The_New_Butler I agree that there’s a comparable sub in Now but Sony is not pushing it and likely for monetary reasons.
Sony is not M’soft. They would absolutely need it to be profitable from the jump. How does Sony make 30 percent on a game that was played on a sub service? How many people are going to purchase games they already beat on a sub service. They make 30 percent on a 3rd party sale and 100 percent on a first party sale on PSN. Whatever pennies they make off a sub service will not sustain their business model. Xbox can and will wipe the floor with Sony if this model becomes industry standard. No way to compete unless Sony starts making a lot of service games. 100 million dollar plus budgets on games that can be finished inside a month can’t survive at launch on sub service. That’s not why fans love PlayStation. I’d prefer they stay the course and wait and see if it’s ever profitable for Xbox. Seeing as no developers are allowed to speak about it any meaningful makes me very skeptical.
On the bright side it doesn't appear to suffer from the PS5 tax
@Futureshark Exactly. I knew this was coming from some fans. I highly doubt the game is going to be left with a gigantic cliffhanger at the end when it's a new IP from a studio that hasn't exactly gotten to the point where they are guaranteed to be able to do a sequel. In other words, I'd be surprised if the story itself wasn't pretty much wrapped up, meaning this will work just fine as a one off experience. Games should be judged on the games themselves, not a petty reason that the developer is now owned by the competition or that you have to actually pay for it. Who cares if people that have nothing to do with you get to play it for "free"? If you don't have a Series X, you were going to have to pay for it regardless.
Not knocking them or this game. Just saying their games generally aren't huge hits, which makes things less certain than a new IP from somebody like Naughty Dog. Still, as long as I'm not busy with other games, I'll happily play this on PS5 first even though I have a Series X as well. Enjoy the games...
@CynicalGamer what did i just read
With all the negative PlayStation articles Push Square are posting on Facebook recently, I'm surprised they're not changing their name to Pure Xbox... Wait a minute... 🤔
I agree with the article, playstation players should avoid buying this as future sequels won't be on playstation and then xbox will get a better version or exclusive story dlc.
On a side note......
ITS COMING HOME!
@Brydontk which surely renders that point pointless then
@UltimateOtaku91
Hell yeah! 😆
I was going to hold off to play on PC, but only because I mostly hate playing shooters with a controller. But having beat the final boss in Returnal last night, I’m feeling a little more spicy about my controller skills, so I’ll take advantage of the exclusivity if the reviews are good.
People are crazy in regards to it being an “Xbox” game. I don’t see Xbox owners not playing The Show 21 because it’s a “PlayStation” game. I don’t care who publishes a game.
"I’m well aware I’ve been beating this drum a few too many times of late" ... then continues to beat said drum.
It's really boring now dude, if I wanted Xbox news I'd go to an Xbox site
The whole situation around this game is exactly what happens when two companies go out of their way to keep a third party game away from a competing platform, only for each of them to succeed in a way, and the game and devs potentially pay the price for that.
We’ll see I guess, I’ll be playing this one on Game pass in a year.
@UltimateOtaku91 Or we make the main market on PlayStation and have sales drop when if the sequel doesn't come to PlayStation?
Same thoughts exactly. It just feels weird to see Sony make a state of play dedicated for this game. A game that is, at the end of the day, a Microsoft game, whose sequel, if succesful, would end up being an Xbox exclusive, making this all the more ironic.
So you don't want to play it because the sequel might be an xbox exclusive if there ever is a sequel, but then you claim you are hoping that this one appears on xbox in a year anyway so you can play it there?
Hypocrisy aside, the ps5 version will likely be available super cheap by the time it (theoretically) appears on gamepass anyway.
@LegacyRXT Fine I'll summarise my wall of text. There is little difference between the cost of my game pass subscription vs my physical ps5 games. In deathloops case I will be able to get a dirt cheap physical copy on ps5 by the time it comes to gamepass. You may have also noticed I mentioned other players may have different experiences. Cheers.
I pretty much agree with the sentiment in this article. I wasn’t sure why I couldn’t get myself hyped for this game, and now I understand why.
I think Sammy can see inside my soul.
There is such a thing as too much information. You would be happier about playing this game of you weren't caught up with information about industry gossip, business deals, etc. Enthusiastic gamers sometimes ruin things for themselves by being too active in online communities.
If Microsoft hadn't bought Bethesda, this game still would have been on Game Pass in a year or two, as Bethesda was putting a lot of their games there even before the buyout talks. Nothing is really changed for this game, that always would have been a timed exclusive only, other than that any sequel won't be on PS. But we also now know Arcane had already moved on to Redfall, so a Death loop sequel may have been a long long time away, or never, anyway.
If anything is like Sunset Overdrive is on Xbox.
As a PS, Xbox, and Arcane fan...... This game always just felt kind of "meh" to me from the start, somehow, though.
“But the sequel won’t be on PlayStation!”
Why do we need sequels? Maybe this is a one and done kind of experience. Are we so accustomed to sequels now that every game has to be a series?
Just an interesting observation from the comment section. Also good commentary on the gaming industry as a whole. We need more one-off experiences in this world. It might actually breed a little more creativity!
The game has some neat ideas and the premise sounds promising, but I really don't feel anything either when I see gameplay, or even when the game is mentioned at all.
I'll probably just wait for a sale for the PS5 version or play it on PC.
@GamingFan4Lyf Quiet! What we need is one single assassin's Creed game with dlc in the news cycle all year forever and ever! Why have series when we can have one game that never ever ends (or fully releases)
It's like every game is trying to hybridize Fortnite, genshin, and animal crossing.
I think people are blowing the coverage of this game way out of proportion. It's appeared in what, 3 streams over the course of 8 months? Maybe we have seen more of the game than we should have, but I'd argue as a time loop game with rogue-like elements and player invasions (right?), it's not a game that explains itself. People have also rightly noted that Arkane has never had a breakout commercial hit, so Sony needs to explain to players why this should be most players' first Arkane experience - plus, it's mostly crickets for PS5 exclusives in the near future otherwise.
I won't be getting this at release because I don't have a PS5 and don't buy games at launch. But I think it's kind of silly to give up on Deathloop because there won't be a Deathloop 2 on Sony hardware. It's akin to saying we can't still enjoy Skyrim or Fallout 4 because the inevitable numbered sequels of each likely also won't be on Sony hardware.
Wah wah wah wah wah. I guess the only reason we see so many negative articles these days is that is what drives clicks and ad revenue.
Over 100 comments here and only 17 on the 8/10 review of Procession to Calvary. Maybe you should have given that a 2/10 so people can get all hot and bothered about it even though they have no intent of playing it.
I take on board all your comments but at the end of the day if its a good game worth playing thats all that really matters.......to me anyway and I will purchase it on that basis.
This article is dead on. As much as I want this , I'm scared that I'll like it so much that when a part 2 is announced MS will be like," Oh ....I see you like this game .... 2years later.... DeathLoop 2 Xbox exclusive as coming to PC.
I have no interest in this title whatsoever, but as a person who chooses to go where the games I like go instead of swearing fealty to a chosen multinational corporation, I do find the viewpoint in this article to be fairly alien.
Also, who cares what system future games appear on? If the game never received a sequel, would that make this one retroactively not worth playing?
@get2sammyb I agree, I will not buy a game like Deathloop, I also didn't buy Outriders because Xbox was getting it for next to nothing.
PlayStation gamers should all do the same and boycott games that go day 1 to gamepass, we are not here to subsidize Xbox gamers.
I am so disappointed with PlayStations response to Zenimax, it's been really limp. I can understand not getting Square Enix, that's a lot of money. But why not buy Arc System Works, Bungie and up the stake in Kadokawa to 51% or more so they control From Soft????
Sony have plenty of money but it's all going to the Music and Anime divisions. Time to reinvest in gaming I think....
I was never gonna buy this day one, will wait for a future $20 sale.
I'm not so sure "the price of the PS5 version will inevitably plummet" when it releases on Game Pass. A good way to draw people to Game Pass is to keep the price high.
Wow I finally came up to read this article (quickly) but damn.
'as a PS5 owner I can’t help but feel like this has really affected my relationship with the release.'
And then Push Gamepass again.
Really ?
If anything, Ms first party to release a game for ages and that's on PS5 exclusivity? I know on which company its not a good look.
I'd be pissed if it was the other way around.
How about you care about the game instead of politics and economics?
Edit
Article is also hypocritical because I have no doubt, even if there is a sequel or GP later or whatever.. I have no doubt you are able to play games on any platform unlike most gamers who game on a budget.
It's the first time I've seen so much talk about a sequel before a game is even reviewed.
Completely ridiculous. Not my type of game but its like any game you'd want and think about the sequel. Doesn't make any sense.
Not every game needs a sequel!
@Xenomorph_79 Well. Since it comes one year after it's kinda expected that it will include all post launch content and it will be made better with patches...
I'm interested in Deathloop as it has shades of timesplitters about it in terms of the atmosphere it invokes.
Im not worried about buying the game despite it coming to game pass in a year, but i'll probably wait a little bit as i am increasingly of the realisation that my backlog is too big and i dont have enough time to play what i already have.
Still find it funny seeing comments from Microsoft about honouring the exclusivity contract and behaving like they are some kind of philanthropists. There is literally nothing they could do without being sued by Sony.
The broader point here, as mentioned by others, is that i am worried about how game pass is increasingly devaluing games. Even on non-microsoft platforms people are saying they won't buy games on the off chance it will come to game pass in the future. This will have a long term deteimental impact on the game industry in the long term
I'm not really excited for Deathloop but then I never was. I'm not that fussed on Dishonored - it's okay, but that's about it for me. I think people go way overboard with how good those games are. And this looks fine but I'm sick of seeing it. We need a new rule for upcoming games - one trailer, one gameplay breakdown, release the thing.
I'll pick this up in a sale one day probably.
I still do not believe in full exclusivity.
I believe MS will let all those games go to PS5, just a few years later.
Something about the art style doesn't turn me on for this but will pick it up if the reviews are outstanding or it's on sale.
Yet another article with no actual new/interesting information for the reader other than talk about Game Pass again.
Maybe not interested because it doesn't really look like a good game, probably gonna be irritating, get tired looking at it after awhile the way it's designed, and if those fps' dint stay stable it will be a visual assault
As said above the only reason I've looked at it, for some reason I get a weird Timesplitters feel from it not sure why
Who cares. IT'S COMING HOME!!!!
I think the buyout of Bethesda killed this game...
If you are a Playstation + PC/XBox gamer you'll wait for it to come to GamePass
If you are an Playstation only gamer (as it is my case) it'll fall in one of these 3 options
or as it is my case
So... sales will not even justify the money Sony expended on getting the timed exclusivity. The one move they can make to save the game is launch it on PSPlus or PSNow
I find the whole, ‘I won’t buy it because a sequel won’t come to playstation’ or ‘I won’t buy it because MS own them now’ comments bizarre. If the games good and you want to play on PS5 with no other option, neither of those things should matter, buy the game and enjoy it for what it is on its own merits whenever you want.
This State of Play will help me decide if this game is for me or not.
@tomassi yeah it is baby 🏆🏆🏆as a utd fan I'm finding it strange how much I love sterling at the minute though...
Yeah, this will be a Gamepass game for me. I've never been enamoured with Arkane games anyway and although this looks cool enough I think I'll be able to wait
Why is everyone so hung up on GamePass? Yeah in a year it'll be on there and you can get it for the cost of GamePass rather than full launch price. Also in a year it'll likely be in regular sales for £20-30 or less. A year after that it could drop to £10-15. It might also appear on PS+ at some point.
GamePass is presented like some wonderful magic money saver but games like this always get crazy discounts a year or so since release anyway. The GamePass element seems moot to me.
I get some of the points made, but to not buy a game on principal because the sequel wont come out on your system is just plain daft.
If it's your type of game you're missing out. The crux of it is if the game really appeals to you and/or reviews well then support the Devs and buy it on release, regardless of who owns them. Fair enough if you're not really interested in it then wait until it's on sale/PS Now or on Gamepass if you're fortunate to have access to both.
I guess it's a bit like waiting for a movie to come out on a streaming service and not seeing it at the cinema, not that it's a long wait for most major release at the moment but that's another can of worms!
Because it’s a game by Arkane, most people are probably not going to buy it anyway, whatever it’s shown during one or ten State of Play shows, because their games never seem to catch the mainstream interest, despite glowing reviews.
Something like Dark Alliance was a no-brainer to try on GP first, since it came out at same time as on PS5 and PC. Deathloop I’ve been looking forwards to for years (or over a year? What is time anymore?), so spending 70€ now in september to play a game I want to play at launch, instead of waiting for a whole year to play it on another platform isn’t a deciding factor for me.
While a sequel that might not ever happen (read the first part) would be nice to play on the same platform, I can play it elsewhere too.
...and herein lies the problem that will become more of an issue.
Gamepass devalues games. I'm on board for the great give away of course on a PC, but if I were a 3rd party developer trying to sell a full price game, I'd avoid releasing it on Microsoft's systems.
In this particular case its a non issue as the dev has now been bought by MS, but the reason no one is prepared to pay full price for this game despite its likely excellence, is likely to become a much bigger issue for dev houses as this cycle unfolds.
@Stragen8 I had the same thing with a few other games why waste money if you will not be able to play the next entry. But im impressed that every article is about gamepass now. And it also shows a big issue with the gamepass nobody want to pay for a full release anymore even if its quality.
@Gooseman42 I think that is a personal thing everyone has his own reasons. If i dont feel like getting a game because i wont be able to play the sequal on the system of my choice i think that sounds like a reasonable thing.
Just buy an Xbox or PC and play the sequel there. Not sure why many think they should only own one console. 🤣
@kingv84
Or if they can't afford a second or third console, worst case scenario you could play a potential sequel through Game Pass xCloud streaming. Not ideal, but good option if on a budget.
Knowing its coming to Gamepass at some point in the distant future is an odd one to bother about. You can almost say the similar things about any title.
"Ohh it'll be 20 quid in a years time at black Friday sales, ill better not buy it day 1"
You either want it or you dont.
If you can afford it and really want it, buy it day 1. If not then hold off till sales. Odd to be put off by a game going free in a years time. Clearly must not be that bothered about it in the first place.
Id understand if it were a simultaneous release but its far from it.
man...can we just be excited for a game that we're initially excited for because of what the game actually is (gameplay, story, or whatever it was that piqued your interest in the first place) and not what everything else around it is?
> let's not forget what makes us (want to) play video games; the game itself.
@Northern_munkey any and all Xbox first-party games it never leaves the Xbox Game Pass, maybe one day it will happen with games that have licensed content, but at that point the game will also cease to be sold.
Or... just hear me out... not everyone has to be hyped for everything (or anything). There is no "right" level of hype for something. No matter what it is.
@Shepard93n7 Sony no longer has that choice, Microsoft would never agree to sell an IP exclusivity, there's no way to turn this into something positive, they've said the pre-established contracts will be honored but after that the games will only be released on platforms that support Xbox Game Pass
@MaikonCSGarcia yes I know that perfectly, maybe I forgot to say they could made this deal between September 2020 and February 2021 when MS announced the acquisition intention but Bethesda was still independent and was still releasing games for PS5 (they released Doom 3 VR during that period), and I'm not talking about them buying the IP, I'm talking about buying the publishing rights for the first game just like MS did with Sunset Overdrive, in the end this is just a whish/speculation for my part so you don't need to take what I said as a fact.
I was never excited for this game it’s the type of game to get and play at a lower price when I’ve got nothing else to play and then maybe find out it was brilliant or terrible all along but not interested in a full price day one buy to find out, also I feel ive heard to much about this game just want to see reviews now to know what it’s actually like not what the developers say it’s like.
@The_New_Butler buying a publisher with decades of history of being on everything now only on Xbox/PC.
@The_New_Butler whatever the hell that means I'm not moving any goals it's how I'm judging what MS did. Buying a publisher and taking games away from the majority of the console gaming market is not pro-consumer. No studio was struggling, no one was running out of funds like Ninja Theory or Housemarquee, MS just bought them to boost Xbox and take away titles from the gigantic PS userbase. its bad business is my point for everyone that doesn't own your platform, and it's the very definition of anti-consumer. They are taking away titles from the actual majority of where people play games on consoles.
@The_New_Butler fair enough, but anti-playstation and anti-Nintendo when they make up the majority of the console space is lame to me. I don't have any issues with getting all the consoles myself, but this comes across as forcing your way into the industry instead of earning it. Without bethesda MS actual first party lineup has been terrible with Halo being delayed an entire year. I just don't have respect for it, and yeah, Sony has done same thing with situations like SFV and current FF16, it all sucks, but scale does matter. For the record, I'm not particularly bothered by this because I don't care for any Bethesda games, I just don't like the idea of the richest company in the world buying publishers up.
You need to add a 5th option on the poll for "Yeah right like I have a PS5"
I’ve not been following this game as much of late. I’m all for new IP, but in a way I’d rather this was Dishonored 3. Such a wonderfully realised series, it’s a shame we’ve not heard as to whether there will be further entries.
While I love me some Arkane (Dishonored, Dishonored 2, Death of the Outsider, and Prey), Deathloop isn't for me. Just not a fan of the concept. Having a specific time frame to kill everyone, which means having to play areas multiple times to get the "puzzle" right, just doesn't sound that fun to me.
@Shepard93n7 It would well depend on the contract, most of the time the company continues to act independently, but with restrictions on negotiations with third parties, after all, without this, they could sell the assets and the buyer would lose.
IP and/or publishing rights are assets and it has value, selling them would reduce the value of the company being bought even after it was agreed that their value was 7.5 billion.
Microsoft was buying X assets for Y dollars, if Bethesda sold publishing rights they would be trying to sell X-1 at the previously agreed value
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