Tag: Industry - Page 34
News Sony's Doing Pretty Darn Well at the Moment
Company smashes earnings expectations
For a huge chunk of this site's life, we've reported on Sony's financial losses. You could guarantee that each quarter without fail, the firm would be in the red. But ever since Kaz Hirai took the helm, the company's trajectory has started to change. And, while it's nowhere near the juggernaut that it once was,...
News Sony's Dropped a Clanger with This Let's Play Lark
Company tries to trademark YouTube term
Sony, why?! The early success of the PlayStation 4 can be assigned to the feel-good factor that the Japanese giant built around the format: the gamer-centric marketing, the agreeable policies, the Jack Tretton smackdown – so why the heck is the company jeapordising that by trying to trademark the popular...
News Bungie Has a New CEO Who Promises Great Games and More Destiny
Harold Ryan steps down
There's some reshuffling going on at Bungie - one of the gaming industry's most renowned development studios. Harold Ryan, who has been been at the company for 15 years, has stepped down as CEO, and former COO Pete Parsons has replaced him at the top. Of course, many of you will know that Bungie is the developer behind...
News EA Withdraws from E3 2016 Showfloor
Opts for its own event instead
This week has been packed to the rafters with unexpected announcements, and here's another headline that we weren't anticipating: Electronic Arts will not be present on the show floor at E3 2016. The mega publisher is instead opting to invite fans to a new PlayStation Experience-esque public showcase, which will run...
Reaction What Does the Death of Sony Computer Entertainment Mean?
Going through changes
Sony Computer Entertainment, the iconic company that gave birth to the billion dollar PlayStation brand, is dead – or, at least, it will be when the new financial year begins on 1st April. The Japanese giant has announced its intention today to merge the PlayStation maker with Sony Network Entertainment, a companion...
News Say Goodbye to Sony Computer Entertainment
PlayStation now operates under Sony Interactive Entertainment
This is not the news that we expected to wake up to on a chilly Tuesday morning: Sony Computer Entertainment is no more. Don't panic, PlayStation is very much alive – but the iconic organisation housing the billion dollar brand has been renamed Sony Interactive Entertainment. It's very...
News Sony Attempts and Fails to Trademark Let's Play
What's up, it's your boy...
YouTubers need no longer fidget frantically, as Sony's request to trademark the term 'Let's Play' has been denied by the United States Patent and Trademark Office – but not because it's a popular phrase among gamers. Instead, it was denied use because of a similar trademark held since 2013 by Let'z Play of America, a...
News Grand Theft Auto Veteran Exits Rockstar North
Leslie Benzies departs Scottish studio
Rockstar North, the uber-secretive Edinburgh-based developer behind the Grand Theft Auto franchise, is going through a bit of a shake-up at the minute. Leslie Benzies, one of the key figures behind the aforementioned sandbox series, has departed the company after over 15 years of service. He originally joined...
News Remember to Give Media Molecule Ten Birthday Bashings
British dev turns ten-years-old
Sony's experimental outfit Media Molecule is celebrating its tenth anniversary today – which must be a significant landmark when your cut your teeth on out-there titles like Dreams. The studio's first slam dunk was LittleBigPlanet, of course, which won a slew of awards following its release in 2008 – and spawned...
News Star Wars Games May Have Made Too Much Money in 2015
Analyst predicts Battlefront raked in $660 million
The launch of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was certainly a big deal, with the film's opening weekend income totalling almost $250 million worldwide, smashing many box office sales records in the process. And, according to a Fortune interview with multiple financial analysts, the many Star Wars games...
News GAME's Share Prices Plunge as UK Retailer Is Struck by Pre-Christmas Slump
Bah humbug
Upper-management at UK retailer GAME will be enjoying Christmas about as much as Louis Van Gaal, as the company's share prices have plummeted by a disastrous 34 per cent today. The decline comes after the chain announced that its UK revenue was down 11.4 per cent compared to the same 21 week period leading up to 19th December in 2014 –...
News PS4 Can Leverage the Power of the Cloud, Says Microsoft
Yay?
News at eleven: Microsoft has a product and it doesn't care who it sells it to. While the so-called "power of the cloud" was a big buzz word when the Xbox One was announced, the Redmond firm has been a little less forthcoming about the bullet point of late. And now a Twitter exchange with gaffer Phil Spencer has revealed that the company's open...
News Rocket League Rakes in Over $50 Million for Psyonix
Wow! Nice shot!
Psyonix will be celebrating Christmas with a three bird roast and those cool crackers that have gags inside them, because Rocket League's success has earned the indie outfit a whopping $50 million since launching in July. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the game only cost around $2 million to make, so the studio's...
News Sony: Taking Creative Risks Is What PlayStation Is All About
"It's something I encourage," says House
We often get asked why we decided to make a PlayStation website, and as the founder of Push Square, your humble host often points to the breadth of unique and interesting ideas that are birthed on Sony's systems. Not every game that the platform holder publishes is a slam dunk, but for every Lair there's a...
News PS4's Success Is Good for the Games Industry, Suggests Sony
Confidence among developers has returned
Watch out, arrogant Sony is about. At least, that's what the armchair analysts will type on message boards in response to this headline – but that would be missing the point. In an interview with The Guardian, PlayStation boss Andrew House has suggested that the PlayStation 4's runaway success is good for...
News Sony: Our First-Party PS4 Lineup Looks Incredible Next Year
Platform holder not entirely satisfied with 2015
We can probably all agree that it's been a solid but unspectacular year for PlayStation 4 exclusives, with titles like Bloodborne, Tearaway Unfolded, and Until Dawn on offer. Fortunately, Sony's the first to admit that 2015 hasn't been its strongest year from a first-party perspective – but it's...
News Sony's Open to Acquiring Additional First-Party Studios
But who should join the fold?
Sony's vaunted Worldwide Studios network is already very strong, spanning a dozen or so developers across the globe. However, in an interview with Kinda Funny Games, executive Scott Rohde has admitted that the organisation's always open to the idea of adding more teams – assuming that the alliance makes sense for all...
News Sony: We're Not Just Going to Reveal Everything We're Doing
Yoshida weighs in on top-secret titles
The expectation from PlayStation press conferences is wild at times – and websites like ours probably don't help, even though we always endeavour to keep our predictions as level headed as possible. Speaking as part of an interview with Kinda Funny Games, Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida has...
PSX 2015 God of War Director Describes Game Development as Soul Crushing
Like trying to hurt kittens
Despite what we predicted, Sony Santa Monica didn't show its new God of War game at PlayStation Experience this weekend. While we know that the title is in development, the studio has remained schtum for another year, opting to keep the project a closely guarded secret. Cory Barlog, who previously worked on God of War II,...
News Bloodborne, The Witcher 3, and Fallout 4 All Nominated for Game Awards 2015 Game of the Year
That's a tough one
Yep, Geoff Keighley is back in early December with the Game Awards 2015, and today, the event has gone ahead and announced which games will be competing for the grand prize: Game of the Year. The five nominees include PlayStation 4 exclusive Bloodborne, critically lauded The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, franchise finale Metal Gear Solid...
News Ridiculous Fallout 4 Numbers Point to Bethesda's Most Successful Launch Ever
It certainly didn't bomb
Bethesda seems to have really knocked it out with Fallout 4. The post-apocalyptic role-playing game has been headlining every major gaming website all week now, so it's safe to say that it's popular – but even its most optimistic fans wouldn't have thought that it'd be this popular. The studio has stated that the title...
News PS4 Is Reeling in First-Person Shooter Fans, Says Sony
Switching sides
While games like Call of Duty always sold well on the PlayStation 3, it was never truly considered the home of the franchise. A combination of the controller and PlayStation Network really prevented Sony from making any meaningful in-roads in the first-person shooter space. The platform holder has made it a mission to change that...
News Sony Ain't Shying Away from Third-Party Partnerships on PS4
Stronger first-party offering won't change tactics
Sony's made up for a less than impressive first-party showing in 2015 by partnering with third-party publishers, and the strategy's worked a treat. This month alone the platform holder's threatening to run away with the holidays, thanks to exclusive PlayStation 4 bundles for Call of Duty: Black Ops...
Soapbox Why the Industry Is Getting Greedy (And How to Stop It)
Sam Brooke hashes out his views on gaming greed
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. Rainbow Six: Siege. Street Fighter V. Payday 2. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Destiny. Rise of the Tomb Raider. Assassin's Creed Syndicate. All of these games are full-pric
News Koei Tecmo Teases Warriors Crossover with 'Very Big' Western Property
Star Warriors?
It's time for some absolutely rampant speculation - even if you're not a Warriors fan. Koei Tecmo's hack and slash titles have always split opinion, but you have to admit that the formula is a pretty good one - which is why it's been adopted by numerous properties over the years. Gundam, One Piece, Dragon Quest, The Legend of Zelda -...
News Just Cause 3 Studio Suffers Job Cuts
Game went gold last week
It's always quite saddening to hear about developers losing their jobs. A reasonably grim reminder that video games aren't just fun and, er, games, layoffs tend to happen after a title's been completed - and that's what's happened with Avalanche Studios. The developer has two offices - one in Sweden, and one in New York...
Here we go again
Bloody Hell, is it that time again? Recently, UK internet provider TalkTalk had its website taken down and its stored customer information accessed by supposed hackers. Panic ensued as the media got its grubby hands of the news, and then the whole thing turned out to not be quite as bad as anticipated. Of course, you can't have a...
News Surprise! Sony Isn't Working on First-Party Titles for PS Vita
Wow, no way
In what many sites appear to think is a shocking revelation, it turns out that Sony isn't making any first-party games for PlayStation Vita. Of course, if you've been paying attention, then you'll already know that the company's commented on its support of the handheld before. Last year, Sony Europe boss Jim Ryan followed up on comments...
News Konami Claims That Hideo Kojima Is Just on Holiday
But photo of leaving party emerges
This story gets crazier. A report on the New Yorker last night revealed that Hideo Kojima left Konami on 9th October, but the publisher has denied that thi
News Apparently, Hideo Kojima Has Already Left Konami
End of an era
Hideo Kojima is no longer a Konami employee. That's according to award-winning journalist Simon Parkin, writing for the New Yorker. While the report hones in on the mechanisms behind the auteur's departure from Konami – mobile games, exploding console budgets, and so on – it states that the Metal Gear Solid maker left his wor
News XSEED: We Love the Vita and Will Continue to Support It
Get a room
Sony's slowly dropping support for the PlayStation Vita, but it remains flush with Japanese titles and indie ports. This puts the portable in a unique position: it remains incredibly relevant – but only among a very specific niche. Fortunately, publisher XSEED – the organisation responsible for bringing the likes of Akiba's Trip:...
News Everybody's Gone to the Rapture Boss Departs Dev Due to Illness, Industry Issues
The mourning tree
Everybody's Gone to the Rapture was an acquired taste, and it was also a nightmare for The Chinese Room's co-head Jessica Curry to make. As part of a frank and eye-opening blog post, the luminary announced that she will be stepping down from her current position, and cited illness, sour publisher relations, and sexism as the...
News Microsoft Just Bought the Tech Powering a Ton of PS4 Games
But there's nothing to worry about
We're going to assume that the majority of you reading this article have heard of Havok. Even if you don't know what the mysterious technology does, its logo has appeared during the boot sequence of so many titles that we'd be shocked if you haven't seen it before. In the simplest of terms, the engine essentially...
News Konami: Metal Gear Solid Can Continue without Kojima
Company's not ditching consoles, apparently
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is very likely the last game in the series from Hideo Kojima, and it could be the final entry in the franchise full stop. However, speaking with Game On Daily at EGX 2015 last week, community manager Graham Day stressed that the company's committed to continuing the...
News Even Xbox's Boss Is Planning for a PS4 Price Drop in North America
But how low will Sony go?
We always thought that the PlayStation 4 would get a price drop this year, and it seems to be happening. Sony revealed at TGS 2015 this week that it will be reducing the device's cost right across Asia, with the UK also seemingly getting in on the action. However, nothing has been announced for North America just yet –...
News PS4 Censorship to Blame for Sucky Chinese Sales, Says Sony
Bans proving problematic
Sony's struggles with the PlayStation 4 in parts of Asia are well documented, but TGS 2015 proved this week that the system's Japanese sales are sure to soar eventually. It'll now be turning its attention to China, then – a brave new world that seemed incredibly lucrative when a lengthy ban on dedicated gaming boxes was...
Interview Bandai Namco on Bringing Its Japanese Properties West
Journey to the West
It's no secret that Bandai Namco has been on a localisation spree since the PlayStation 4 launched almost two years ago. It's been busy pumping out translated titles right, left, and centre for months, so we thought that it'd be interesting to get a little more insight into the publisher's strategy. If you cast your mind back to...
Rumour There Are No Plans for Another Major Metal Gear Solid
Konami's ditching AAA titles entirely
Konami's all but done with consoles, a report has revealed. According to French website Gameblog – with backup from Eurogamer.net – the Japanese company currently has no plans to make another Metal Gear Solid game. This
News The Witcher 3 Developer CD Projekt Red Slices Rumours of Being Bought to Pieces
Done and dusted
Rumours surfaced yesterday that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's developer, CD Projekt Red, was in the process of signing some sort of contract with EA - presumably to sell itself off to the publisher. This lead to outbursts around the internet, but these virtual riots only lasted around half an hour before they were calmed by the studio,...
News EA Wants More Diversity in Game Development
"It can't all be white males"
EA's Peter Moore is back again with some more highly quotable, er, quotes. This time, in an interview with Fortune, the likeable exec states that the publisher is actively seeking diversity when it comes to its employees, ensuring that both men and women are well represented within the company. "We've gone from the...
News Koei Tecmo Is Switching Its Attention to Unannounced PlayStation 4 Exclusives
Will the rest of Japan follow?
According to Yosuke Hayashi, the producer of Dead or Alive, Japanese publisher Koei Tecmo is working on several PlayStation 4 exclusive titles. In other words, the company may be starting to switch its attention to Sony's newest console rather than holding games back so that they can be released on the PlayStation 3 as...
News EA Boss Peter Moore Compares Kojima and Konami to a Rocky Marriage
"They’ll kiss and make up"
Ah, good old Peter Moore. The EA executive is always throwing out some great quotes, and speaking with GameSpot, he's now commented on the supposedly sour relationship between Hideo Kojima and Konami. "I just think both of them should kiss and make up," he joked. In a more serious manner, Moore goes on to say that "from...
News Oh Dear, British Industry Head Tries to Promote Games and Gets It Horribly Wrong
"Nobody is going to play a game designed by a spotty nerd"
Here in the UK, the government's promoting various subjects in education in order to supposedly entice young people into studying them. These subjects include Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths, but since the current government seems hell-bent on phasing out more artistic pursuits,...
News 345,000 People Made It to Gamescom 2015
Annual show's popularity increases
It was a successful Gamescom this year if these newly released figures are anything to go by. According to official numbers, 345,000 people attended to German event, which is 10,000 more than 2014's total. Apparently, attendees came from 96 different countries - which is a particularly impressive statistic. We...
News Microsoft: Sony's Buying Lots of Third-Party Exclusives for PS4
Xbox focusing on first-party, apparently
If there's one thing that Xbox chief Phil Spencer likes to do it's chat about the competition – although, to be fair, he was asked on this occasion. In a fairly wide-ranging interview with GameSpot, the ex-Microsoft Game Studios head insinuated that Sony's buying up plenty of third-party exclusives for the...
News Nikkei Report Paints a Dark Picture of Konami
Metal Gear Solid V budget over $80 million
You may hate your job, but at least you don't work for Konami. An article published by respected Japanese newspaper Nikkei has shed a little light on conditions at the Japanese company of late, and there's some mind blowing stuff in here. This follows the news that Kojima Productions has been disbanded and
News SCEUK Gaffer Fergal Gara Says Ta-Ra to PlayStation
Off to pursue a new professional venture
Since taking charge of SCEUK in 2011, Fergal Gara has successfully steered PlayStation back to the top of the gaming pile in the notoriously competitive nation. It's perhaps fitting that the former Asda executive has decided to bow out while the company's very much on top, then, with the popular honcho...
News PS4 Prints Money as System Shipments Surpass 25 Million Units
Sales over double those of Xbox during the same period
How's the PlayStation 4 doing now that the dust has settled on the device's launch hype? The answer: outrageously good. Sony has released its financial report for the first quarter of its financial year which ended on 30th June, and the results are pretty darn staggering. Indeed, the console has...
News After Attacks From Hackers, Daybreak's CEO Steps Down
Will be taking another job in the company
Daybreak Game Company, formerly Sony Online Entertainment, will be getting a new president. John Smedley, who was head of the firm for over a decade, is stepping down as president and chief executive officer, and taking on a new role in the company. Smedley's future position has not yet been made public, but...
Talking Point Should More AAA Titles Adopt a Service Approach?
Increasing engagement
Once upon a time, gaming was quite a disposable pastime. You'd shell out for the latest blockbuster from your nearest store, run through it a couple of times, and then trade it back in – often in exchange for the next best thing. And so the cycle would repeat. However, the PlayStation 3 generation mixed things up, with the...
