Tag: Industry - Page 34
News Globalising PlayStation Doesn't Mean Americanisation, Says Sony
PlayStation to remain a multinational brand
PlayStation is going through some pretty hefty changes as it prepares for the dawn of PS5 next year. It's been shuffling around its executives -- just today, it was announced Hermen Hulst is the new head of Worldwide Studios, while Shuhei Yoshida will be looking after indies. But the changes go beyond
News Getting Games Running on PS5 Sounds Even Easier Than on PS4
Sony's next-gen console is developer friendly
The PlayStation 3 was notoriously tricky to work with, thanks to its complicated hardware infrastructure. It had lots of potential, but many studios struggled with the convoluted nature of the CELL processor. Learning from this unfortunate developer experience, Sony made the PS4 dramatically easier to...
News Sony Is Always Looking at Studio Acquisitions, But the Dev Has to Fit Into the Portfolio
"We are careful about who we look at and talk to"
We've spoken time and time again about how studio acquisitions are all the rage nowadays -- kickstarted by Microsoft after it announced the purchase of five different studios during its E3 2018 press conference. Sony followed that up by buying Insomniac Games, but while the hardware manufacturer is...
News 'We've Always Been There with Indies' Says PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan
Refutes claims Sony's indie focus has slipped
At the beginning of PlayStation 4's life, Sony earned itself a reputation as a huge supporter of indie games and developers. This focus seems to have shifted somewhat over the course of the generation, as the platform holder pours more and more resources into its own blockbuster exclusives. We've seen...
News Sony's Shu Yoshida Will 'Look After and Nurture' Indie Studios in New Role for PS5
Made to celebrate independent devs
PlayStation 4 was all about indie in its earlier years -- with various developers having the chance to get up on Sony's E3 stage and show off their titles to the masses. No Man's Sky was a perfect example of that, an experience that gained huge exposure from its conference success. Some would argue that the...
News Hermen Hulst of Guerrilla Games Becomes Head of PlayStation's Worldwide Studios
Shuhei Yoshida to take on smaller role
News of more change to PlayStation's top brass comes today, as we learn that Hermen Hulst has been promoted to head of Worldwide Studios. This follows on from the departure of Shawn Layden, who unceremoniously left the company just over a month ago. Hulst was previously managing director of Guerrilla Games, but...
News Yooka-Laylee Dev Not Being Bought By Xbox, Clarifies Continued Independence
Games will keep coming to PS4
Over the past couple of days, Xbox fans have somehow gotten it into their heads that Microsoft was about to purchase Yooka-Laylee developer Playtonic Games. Piecing together vague "evidence" in order to form the narrative, internet message boards seemed convinced they were onto something ahead of the hardware...
News Square Enix Planning Next-Generation Action Game Experience
A cut above
Looks like Square Enix has received its PlayStation 5 devkits, as the company’s First Development Division is currently busy beavering away on a new intellectual property for console. The studio – which is also behind the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake – claims that it’s working with an “international team of creators” to...
News Blacksad: Under the Skin Accidentally Releases Early, Publisher Advises Not Playing
Feline frustrated
Blacksad: Under the Skin is available on the PlayStation 4 in Europe right now – except it’s, er, not supposed to be. Microids recently delayed the title to 14th November, but a “technical malfunction” means that it’s currently available from the PlayStation Store – even if the publisher recommends you don’t play it...
Soapbox The Most Frustrating Thing About Enthusiast Gamers
Sammy's tired of those who reject new ideas
When you spend as much time in and around real and virtual gaming communities as I do, there are always going to be things that get on your nerves. I used to get really irritated by some of the stuff I read in enthusiast forums. I’m a bit older these days, and my priorities have changed; I’m not going...
News PS Vita Advocate Gio Corsi Leaves PlayStation After Six Years of Service
And now the Vita is dead
The PlayStation Vita has already been dead for quite some time, but this feels like the last nail in the coffin. Gio Corsi, a vocal and loyal supporter of Sony's second handheld device, has left the company with last week being his final one. Taking to Twitter, Gio said: "A hearty thank you to all the great devs, pubs,...
News EA Sports Would Bring Back NCAA Football in a Heartbeat
Heisman hopes
There’s been measurable pent-up demand for new NCAA Football titles ever since the series ceased in 2013, but new legislation in California leading to revised rules may finally make it a possibility. EA Sports was forced to end the popular Madden alternative due to legal disputes surrounding player likenesses, but with the new Fair...
News PS5 Devkits Are Being Handed Out to More and More Developers
Techland gets them
The PlayStation 5 devkit is probably the hottest piece of hardware within the video game industry right now as developers start to put together plans for the next generation. We assume that every member of PlayStation's Worldwide Studios is working towards a PS5 title now as the PlayStation 4 is left behind, but it looks like...
News PlayStation Sees Revenues Slip as Sony Paints a Steady Picture Overall
Summer slump
While the PlayStation 4 may have secured its status as the second best-selling home system ever made, Sony’s gaming division is starting to see slides as its current-gen console gets a little long in the tooth. The business saw revenues decrease 17 per cent year-over-year in the three month period ending 30th September, with operating...
News Sony: PS5 Game Lineup Will 'Satisfy Fans', Console Set to Be a Success
Naturally
Breaking news: Sony thinks its next console will be a success. Speaking during the company's latest financial briefing, recently appointed CFO Hiroki Totoki commented on the PlayStation 5. Naturally, the firm's expecting the next-gen system to be a hit once it launches late next year. Totoki's juicier comment is about the PS5's software...
News Sony Is Looking to Make Even More Studio Acquisitions Ahead of PS5
Insomniac was just the start
Studio acquisitions are all the rage nowadays. Microsoft can't put on a conference without announcing a handful, and Sony got in on the act a few months back when it revealed that it had purchased Marvel's Spider-Man developer Insomniac Games. It looks like that's just the beginning for the PlayStation brand, however, as...
News PS4 Is Now the Second Best Selling Home Console Ever
Now only behind PS2
It wasn't too long ago that the PlayStation 4 became the fastest console to reach 100 million units sold, already pushing the machine into the all-timers list. However, new information has just surfaced from Sony, shedding new light on the sales performance of the current gen box. The platform holder's latest financial report...
News EA Gives Mass Effect Fans Hope with Confirmation of 'Exciting Remasters' Coming Soon
Mass Effect Trilogy Remaster, is that you?
Praise the lord: EA just gave hope to every Mass Effect fan currently in hibernation. The publisher plans on releasing some "exciting remasters of fan favourites" in the coming year, and that means just one thing to us. Our hopes and dreams of a Mass Effect Trilogy remaster are alive and kicking. In its...
News EA Will Double Down on Live Services in Core Franchises
Card collecting
Are you a big fan of Ultimate Team? You better be, because EA has said that it’s “doubling down on live services combined with our core franchises”. This is on the back of increased FIFA Ultimate Team and Madden Ultimate Team engagement, as well as the long-tail success of Apex Legends and The Sims 4. “We’re investing in...
Random Sony Trademarks PlayStation 10 in Japan
And others
Sony may be preparing for the release of the PlayStation 5 in Holiday 2020, but that’s not stopped it from thinking about the future. Over in Japan, the manufacturer has filed trademarks for the PS6, PS7, PS8, PS9, and PS10. This is obviously just security, but it’s still rather amusing to see; realistically, we wouldn’t expect a...
News PS Plus and Subscription Services Have Indie Publisher Devolver Digital Worried
"The world of subscription is a worry"
PS Plus and PlayStation Now subscriptions are great deals when it comes to video game acquisition. PlayStation Plus serves up two free PlayStation 4 games a month as long as you stay subscribed to the service, while PS Now has come on leaps and bounds since it launched a few years back. Being able to download...
News Sony Job Listing Describes PS5 as 'Upcoming World's Fastest Console'
Gotta go fast
Now would be an interesting time to begin working at PlayStation. As the focus shifts from PS4 to PS5, we imagine there must be a great deal of excitement among all the teams at SIE. Handily, there are currently plenty of jobs going across all kinds of sectors, and we'd wager most of them are turning their attention to the next-gen...
News No News on NBA Live 20 Days Before Basketball Season Gets Underway
Don't got next
NBA 2K20 is already the best-selling game of 2019 in the United States – despite it launching less than two months ago. 2K Sports’ stranglehold on the interactive basketball market is pretty much unparalleled, but for the past few years EA Sports has been making strides with its own underperforming NBA Live franchise. Earlier...
News Days Gone Developer in Pre-Production on Next Title
Next-gen beckons
Days Gone was a huge hit for first-party developer Sony Bend, and now the Oregon-based outfit is beginning pre-production on its next project. Senior Staff Lighting Lead Jeremy Vickery – who led the lighting team on Deacon St John’s debut – revealed on his LinkedIn profile that he’s “now involved in the pre-production...
News Insomniac Games Celebrates Sony Acquisition By Partying the Night Away
Shu Yoshida with the goodies
It's been exactly two months since Sony acquired Marvel's Spider-Man developer Insomniac Games, but it appears that the team at the Burbank campus has only just gotten around to celebrating the purchase properly. The studio has put on a special team lunch for all employees, with the likes of PlayStation's Mark Cerny and...
News Fans Want Ex-Ghostwire: Tokyo Director Ikumi Nakamura to Join Sony
Sound the Siren
Ex-Ghostwire: Tokyo creative director Ikumi Nakamura captured the attention (and hearts) of gamers around the world when she revealed Tango Gameworks’ next project at E3 2018 earlier in the year. Unfortunately, she’s since parted ways with the Tokyo-based studio, and fans are hoping that she may have a future with Sony’s...
News Google Stadia Brings PS Now's First Real Competitor on 19th November
The streaming wars start now
PlayStation Now may have been discarded from the conversation, but it’s still the only game streaming service currently on the market. That changes on 19th November, as Google gears up the release of its Stadia initiative. The launch will be limited to begin with, as the search engine giant sells off its Founder’s...
News 'Dozens' of PlayStation Employees Laid Off in Europe as Sony Continues Company Restructure
More changes as PS5 looms
Ahead of the PlayStation 5's full reveal and release in 2020, Sony is clearly busy behind the scenes. The company has been restructuring for a while now, with the likes of former PlayStation Europe boss Jim Ryan taking on the role of Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO back in February of this year, and much more recently,
News PS5 Rumours About Poor Communication Between Sony and Devs Were a Load of Rubbish
Reliable source says otherwise
If you've been keeping a close eye on social media and various forums over the last couple of weeks, then you may have noticed some rumours popping up with regards to Sony supposedly being stubborn with developers. More specifically, these rumours said that Sony's communication with various studios has been poor,...
News Start Saving! Nintendo PlayStation Prototype to Go on Sale
Going once, going twice
Do you think if we have a whip around we can afford this? Cedric Biscay – the founder of Magic Monaco and a key player in the production of Shenmue III – has revealed on social media that Terry Diebold intends to sell the only known Nintendo PlayStation prototype in existence. He happened upon the mythological machine...
News Head of PlayStation Japan Asia Atsushi Morita Retires at 60
All change
Hot off the heels of Shawn Layden's abruptly announced departure from PlayStation, another major player is leaving the company. Atsushi Morita may not be as familiar, but he's been corporate director of Sony Interactive Entertainment and president of SIE Japan Asia for a long time. It's been announced that he'll be retiring from both...
News Sony Worldwide Studios Chairman Shawn Layden Leaving PlayStation
He'll be greatly missed
In an unexpected post on Twitter this evening, PlayStation has announced the departure of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios Chairman, Shawn Layden. Those of you who have been following the platform holder over the past five or so years will recognise the executive from various E3 press conferences – including...
News Bungie Plans to Release At Least One New IP by 2025
"One of the world's best entertainment companies"
Ever since leaving Microsoft's first-party line-up, Bungie has been committed to the multi-platform world of Destiny. It entered the looter shooter genre in partnership with Activision, but since splitting ties with the publisher, the team has been talking a big game in regards to its current sci-fi...
News Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishment to Be Taken Off the PSN Store Following Publisher Dispute
Leaves on Sunday
If you're at all interested in owning Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishment digitally on PlayStation 4, you might want to purchase a copy as soon as possible. The game is about to removed from the PlayStation Store because publisher Focus Home Interactive is refusing to revert the game's rights back to developer Frogwares after...
News PlayStation Partners with UN Environment to Help Combat Climate Change
Going green
Sony has announced a new partnership with the United Nations to help prevent environmental issues. Playing for the Planet is a new initiative formed by the UN Environment committee and leading games industry figures, and it's all in aid of sustainability. As PlayStation president Jim Ryan writes, the company itself has been making...
News Days Gone Rides Off with Three Nominations in This Year's Golden Joystick Awards
Voting is open now
The 37th annual Golden Joystick Awards is on the horizon, and the nominees have been revealed. Unlike other award ceremonies, where the winners are picked by a committee, the Golden Joysticks are decided by public voting, and you can now have your say over on GamesRadar. This year has an interesting mix of titles all vying for...
News Sunset Overdrive Is Now Owned by PlayStation, Sony Confirms
Xbox One exclusive now PlayStation property
As previously expected, Sony now owns the Sunset Overdrive brand. Despite the game first launching as an Xbox One exclusive, Insomniac Games famously retained the rights to the intellectual property. PlayStation has since purchased the Marvel’s Spider-Man and Ratchet & Clank developer, but
News E3 as We Know It Is Dead, E3 2020 Set to Be a 'Fan, Media, and Influencer Festival'
ESA outlines E3 rebranding
E3 has changed a lot over the years. What started out as a relatively formal, business-oriented get-together was soon transformed into one giant, hype-fuelled advert for the industry and its biggest players. Over the last decade or so, E3 has established itself as the most important annual event in gaming, but it's no...
News North America Accounts for Nearly a Third of All PS4s with Over 30 Million Units Sold
PlayStation Nation
Not that long ago, Sony reached an important milestone in the PlayStation 4's life -- it reached 100 million units sold through to stores, and it did so faster than any other console. The machine has been a monster in terms of sales throughout its lifespan, starting very strong and somehow going up year on year. Industry analyst...
News Chaotic Dreamcast Puzzler ChuChu Rocket! Makes a Comeback, But on Mobile
Mouse trap
Look, we’ve spent the past 20 years pondering why SEGA appears to have given up on the ChuChu Rocket! franchise, so forgive us one article on what appears to be a smartphone exclusive. Set to release as part of the new Apple Arcade initiative, ChuChu Rocket! Universe is a bonafide spiritual successor to the cult Dreamcast classic, with...
News NBA 2K20 Fans in Frenzy as Title Gets Off to Shaky Start
Pick and damage control
It’s by far the best basketball game in town, but 2K Sports has flown far too close to the hoop with NBA 2K20, and fans are calling for public firings following the release of the simulation last week. Tempers frayed a few weeks ago, when a trailer for the title’s MyTeam mode – essentially Ultimate Team with more New...
News Controversial NBA 2K20 Trailer Prompts Internal PEGI Review
It's a basketball game, apparently
2K Sports' flagship basketball sim franchise is renowned for its flagrant use of microtransactions and gambling-esque mechanics, but NBA 2K20 could be the straw that broke the camel's back. While the latest entry is looking to up the ante in all areas, from character creation all the way through to Hollywood...
News Telltale Games Is Coming Back Under New Management
The Wolf Among Us 2, please
Telltale Games was shut down last year, and with the studio's closure, numerous projects were supposedly cast into the void. The Walking Dead's final season was spared limbo when it was revived under Skybound Games,
Reaction Gamescom 2019 Reminds Us That Studios Are Focused on PS5 Right Now
Calm before the storm
It was fitting for the PlayStation 5 devkit to leak this week, as Gamescom 2019 served as an extension of E3 2019 in so many ways. Geoff Keighley huffed and puffed during his Opening Night Live presentation, but once the curtain came down, it was clear that the two-hour stage show was mostly conceived as a screen to get auteur...
Reaction Sony Swagger on Display with Insomniac Games Acquisition
Just like that
Sony working the hype cycle would seriously benefit us at Push Square, but we can’t help but appreciate the organisation’s swagger these days. Case in point: it announced its acquisition of Insomniac Games during Geoff Keighley’s prominently promoted Opening Night Live press conference. Alas, it didn’t confirm the news live on...
News Sony: PlayStation Exclusives May Need to Lean into Wider Install Base
Multiformat moves
Sony has acquired Marvel’s Spider-Man and Ratchet & Clank developer Insomniac Games and added the famous studio to its portfolio of first-party teams. This will, unquestionably, strengthen the exclusive library of software on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, but speaking with
News Sony Buys Spider-Man PS4, Ratchet & Clank Developer Insomniac Games
Excelsior
Oh wow, it's finally happened. Insomniac Games -- the developer behind the Ratchet & Clank series as well as Marvel's Spider-Man -- has long maintained a close relationship with Sony, but the studio has always valued its independence. As such, the thought of Sony snapping the developer up has been a consistent talking point, but actual...
News THQ Nordic Acquires Darksiders Dev Gunfire Games, Milestone S.R.L, and a Third Team
One for the future
THQ Nordic is back to doing what it does best - snapping up smaller studios and bringing them under its now gigantic umbrella of developers. The latest acquisitions include Gunfire Games, who developed Darksiders III and are currently working on this month's Remnant: From the Ashes, alongside the likes of Milestone S.R.L and...
News Quantic Dream Reiterates Multiplatform Pledge, Will Publish Other Dev's Games
"All our games will be released on all platforms at launch"
We've known for a while now that French developer Quantic Dream, best known for its work on former PS4 exclusive Detroit: Become Human, wants to release its future titles across all platforms. Following investment from Chinese company NetEase in January, the studio headed by David Cage has...
Probability will no longer be hidden
The ESA - Entertainment Software Association - is the organisation that represents the games industry in the United States. It's a pretty big deal; its members include top brass from PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and many others. Not only is it responsible for E3 every year, it also tackles broader issues...
