Is there any word on how many units helldivers 2 has sold on xbox? It probably hasn't sold the numbers expected.
The last reported estimate by Alinea Analytics is "Helldivers 2 shifted 926k copies on Xbox six days after its release". Take it with a grain of salt, Alinea Analytics had some inaccurate estimates before. On the other hand if it's true, Helldivers 2 could potentially be trending towards 2m sold units on Xbox by now. Hopefully we'll get an official statement from Sony/PlayStation.
The issue of the game being able to launch on day one on all platforms worries me a bit, to be honest... in terms of performance/polish.
It depends on your expectations. In general a multiplatform release shouldn't be a big issue. The first 2 parts are built on Unreal Engine 4, an engine purpose made for multi-platform development. If the dev team at Square Enix chooses to develop the 3rd part on UE4 instead of UE5 then it will run fine on current gen hardware.
On the other hand, FF7 Rebirth is quite blurry in "performance mode" on base PS5, even though PS5 was the target platform during it's development. So if you weren't happy with the performance of FF7 Rebirth then don't expect the 3rd part to perform much better.
In most cases a multi-platform release would benefit all platforms. For example Larian Studio mannaged to improve the performance significantly in Baldur's Gate 3 on all systems while they were working on optimizing for Xbox Series S hardware.
@Reyzore I wouldn't put too much thought into it. Square Enix still cares a lot about PlayStation players. The only difference is that they want to expand their business to other platforms as well, because their big-budget RPG games are too expensive to keep on a single platform and maybe Sony/PlayStation exclusivity deals don't pay enough anymore to justify the practice.
Nowhere does it say that Part 3 will be multiplatform on day one... what it says is that the trilogy will be on all platforms, which is slightly different and LOGICAL! From the moment FF7 Remake is announced for other platforms, it's obvious that the other games in the trilogy will also arrive on all platforms sooner or later. I think Square could communicate more clearly about this so that all doubts are cleared up...
I assume Square Enix' Twitter message is about assuring those on Nintendo and Xbox that the 3rd game is definitely coming to those platforms as well, with the hope that FF7 Remake does well next year on those platforms. If there's a time exclusivity deal still active for part 3 then Square Enix is contractually forces to stay silent, so in that case we won't get any communication to "clear up all doubts".
Now there's something that confuses me... a new game mode that is exclusive to the Switch and Xbox versions? Will Square offer the original FF7 to those who purchase the digital version of the game? ...
Okay, PlayStation players got the game earlier... but here we're talking about game content.
You mean that "streamlined progression" feature? I would hardly call it content, seems actually like it's breaking the whole RPG aspect of the game. It could be the case that it will be added to the PS5 version as well via a patch, but hardly a loss to PlayStation players who already finished the game. The intention is to build up hype for the upcoming Switch 2 and Xbox releases.
I don't know if Switch 2 and Xbox players would also get the original FF7 when buying Remake, probably not. But I guess most who are interested in Remake might already have it.
Something doesn't feel right to me here.
Is Square treating PlayStation players like beta testers? And the game director thanked PC players (a peak of 40,000 players on Steam... incredible), wears Xbox clothing... it seems like they don't even care about us (PlayStation players) and forget that we supported the game.
I don't think there is any ill will from Square Enix towards the PlayStation players. They already received Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth, 2 complete games. FF7 Remake has been given away "for free" via PS Plus Essential for a month so millions of PlayStation players could play it at no extra cost. PlayStation players got the special treatment by being the priority.
Now Square Enix tries their best to promote and sell the games on other platforms including PC, Xbox and Switch 2, without making them feel like 2nd class players. When the FF director thanks the PC players, he actually wants to sell more on PC. If he wears an Xbox shirt it's because he wants people on Xbox to buy the game - wearing a PlayStation shirt to a Final Fantasy Xbox launch event would be dumb. To them it's a given that Final Fantasy sells best on PlayStation.
You would be correct that Square Enix doesn't care about PlayStation players if they stopped releasing their games on PlayStation - but that is not the case. They are just expanding on other platforms.
@PuppetMaster You are correct, but Sony/PlayStation are still pursuing additional live-service games, even after Jim Ryan's departure, though they are more careful.
Additionally to Helldivers 2, MLB The Show and Gran Turismo 7 are also successful live services, despite having less predatory monetization models.
In case of Genshin Impact, Sony probably would wish to own the game outright and profit from the revenue on all platforms, not just the 30% on PlayStation. That's why I think it might be wiser for them to either invest in internal projects or acquire a potential live service before it becomes a large success (like Microsoft did with Minecraft in 2014).
@PuppetMaster Additionally to your points, why should Sony invest in Square Enix' live-service games (Babylon's Fall, Foamstars) when they are trying to have their own expensive live service games? After losing money on Concord and numerous unreleased, cancelled projects, Sony/PlayStation is hopefully more conservative with spending money on high-risk 3rd party projects.
Nevertheless Square Enix and Sony PlayStation have been strong partners for over 25 years, and the Final Fantasy franchise is heavily associated with PlayStation. While console exclusives of Square Enix games will be rarer, I think we will still see some form of marketing, like State of Plays.
And that pisses SE off. That's why they go public and badmouth Sony and the PS5, saying that the exclusivity is the reason why Final Fantasy XVI and 7 Rebirth failed...
I don't remember Square Enix "badmouthing" Sony. Do you have a link where they might have said something negative about Sony? I think Sony has been one of their most important partner for over 25 years now. But the development costs of their games are way too expensive to keep them exclusive to one platform.
Sony probably realized that all their games are garbage and it's not worth paying hundreds of millions for exclusive deals.
I wonder if Sony/PlayStation nowadays is paying less for exclusivity than what they used to, now that Xbox is not so relevant anymore. Usually these deals would need to cover the "lost sales" on other platforms, but it's a lot less these days on Xbox. Maybe only a dozen millions instead of hundreds? 🤔
@Th3solution All good, the article is actually about part 3. Square Enix basically confirmed the entire trilogy will release on all platforms (PlayStation, PC, Xbox, Switch), though it doesn't clarify if it will be time-exclusive to PlayStation like the previous 2 parts, nor when it will release. What is currently know is the release date of part 1 for Switch 2 and Xbox consoles.
It blows my mind that this game is coming out in less than 6 months. It feels like Rebirth just came out! It was just a year and a half ago!
Unless I missed something, the release date of the 3rd part has not been announced yet. It's the 1st part which releases on Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series S|X in January 2026. Though Square Enix did state some time ago that they aim to keep the wait shorter for part 3 than it was between part 1 and 2.
but also at the same time disgusted that its actually costing like what €200 for "one" game
Square Enix could continue to go on and remaster older Final Fantasy games in such a scope, where 1 game is split up over multiple releases over a timespan of a decade, until eternity. By the time they are through with all, they can restart again and no one will remember what came before.
Square Enix would never have to write a new Final Fantasy story. 😄
@AdamNovice On the other hand, if the developers target lower powered systems, like the Switch 2, Xbox Series S and Steam Deck, chances are high that the next Final Fantasy will run at a smooth 60fps on PS5. 😉
I do wonder what Square will deem a success or flop (everything is a flop) as XVI reportedly did 22k at launch on Xbox, is that as you say if you want that list of games do you already on NS or PS, is it because wasn't day one like PS5 (But Helldivers 2 had done 900k) or other reasons smallinstallbase (Mafia numbers for instance) etc
There's no easy answer to that, as there are many factors all adding up to the success of a game. Hype, positive reviews, good word of mouth, the novelty factor of the game other games releasing at the same time.
There are examples like Elden Ring, Baldur's Gate 3 being successful on Xbox as well. Death Stranding Director's Cut and Helldivers 2 apparently did pretty well on Xbox. Not sure how well a multiplatform Final Fantasy will do in the future, but unless it released at the same time as GTA6, it could be fairly successful with a strong marketing and strong reviews.
Not sure if that report of "22K sold FF16 units on Xbox" is accurate (personally I suspect more like 220K), but the release was incredibly terrible. It was shadow dropped with no hype, released next to some of the biggest releases of the year (Oblivion Remastered, Clair Obscur Expedition 33, DOOM The Dark Ages) and at full price (where it was discounted on the PSN store during the same time). Those who waited 2 years for Final Fantasy 16 on Xbox, probably could wait another few months for a discount. Hopefully Square Enix learned something from this situation.
@UltimateOtaku91 Yes, Xbox lost their touch/partnerships with Japanese developers after the Xbox 360 era. I think Final Fantasy 13 did much better on Xbox 360.
Also 9% of FF15 sales being on Xbox isn't terrible, given that at that point the PS4 already had double the install base of the Xbox One.
Anyways, hopefully the multiplatform release of Final Fantasy helps the series to become popular and relevant again, which then hopefully results in new good Final Fantasy games.
@Lowdefal Final Fantasy 15 released in 2016. Final Fantasy 14 and 16 were released only this year. That means 8 years without a Final Fantasy game, in my book that counts as "almost a decade without Final Fantasy". 😄
But it wasn't just Final Fantasy, the Shin Megami Tensei/Persona series, Ni No Kuni and many more JRPGs which are popular on PlayStation, only started releasing in recent years. So without the content JRPG players will naturally choose to play on other platforms, mainly PlayStation.
I just don’t think the Xbox platform is home to where the people who are genuinely interested in these remakes are.
Might be because for almost a decade no mainline Final Fantasy game was released on Xbox. Those who care about these games had the choice to switch either to PS5 or PC.
Now Square Enix has the challenge to gain the interest of players who aren't familiar with the franchise.
Well, color me surprised. I expected Square Enix to have some PlayStation exclusivity deal for the whole remake trilogy signed, before they decide to release their games multiplatform. Though the wording in the Twitter message is very awkward.
Now I wonder how successful they will be in convincing players on Nintendo and Xbox to buy the final part of the trilogy. 🤔
@Ricky-Spanish I agree with you and stated here, that "Microsoft insisted that Call of Duty will continue to release on PlayStation".
... that's some hoops you're jumping through to explain why cod is popular on playstation!!
I was merely commenting on the message that "playstation is now the dude-bro shooter ***** box". A sentiment previously associated with Xbox 360 due to countless successful online shooters. But as many players switched platforms, especially from Xbox 360 to PlayStation 4, the player bases on each platform are now very diverse. And I find it amusing when people try to paint a picture that "Xbox players only play Call of Duty and Madden" and "PlayStation players only buy JRPGs and sad-dad games". The presented list proves the opposite. Call of Duty is successful on evey platform, and can only continue to remain successful as long as it's a multi-platform game. Sorry if my messages were misleading.
Don't take things I write seriously... Except when I am actually serious. 😉
This list definitely shows why during Microsoft's Activision-Blizzard-King acquisition, Sony/PlayStation were "fighting" to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation, and Microsoft insisted that Call of Duty will continue to release on PlayStation:
Call of Duty's PlayStation revenue is so high, it's basically a killstreak against Xbox exclusivity hopes. Even Master Chief is considering switching sides.
Does this mean that playstation is now the dude-bro shooter ***** box?
I have this theory that a lot of gamers switched from Xbox 360 to PS4. You see them getting excited when previous Xbox exclusive games are released on PlayStation, like Gears of War and Forza Horizon.
Basically, there are many previous Xbox gamers now gaming on PlayStation. Which means, when people argue online "us vs. them", the "us" part isn't too different from "them". And "us" are apparently buying a lot of Call of Duty. 😄
I enjoyed the 2020 released Panzer Dragoon: Remake, it's a short & fun arcade game for a few hours, and it's fairly often available for about $3 on sale.
@TrollOfWar you are entitled to your view, though I'm a little unsure what your opinion is (maybe you explained elsewhere). I think what you're saying is that games seeking monetisation (especially games at no extra cost) are the biggest problems. I think we might all agree - that studios that aren't able to generate sales outright (as they are at no extra cost), are increasingly changing their games to promote post-sales monetisation in order to make money. That's right isn't it? Just checking....
I think GamePass and PS+ are nearly identical subscription services, except that PS+ doesn't include first-party day 1 releases. Both subscriptions have their pros and cons: they give access to a large library of games, which helps for certain games with visibility and marketing, especially indie games, and offer players a rental option which otherwised disappeared for physical media in many locations. But these services can also reduce the sales numbers of heavily marketed, big budget games, which can hurt them. I don't think game design is affected by GamePass, as certain trends have already existed before GamePass, but I think some day 1 releases are unpolished, as if the day 1 quality doesn't matter for the subscribers.
I don't think GamePass is the worst thing in the industry. Most free-to-play and live-service games (eg. Robolox, Candy Crush, FIFA/FC, Fortnite, GTA Online, Call of Duty Warzone, Genshin Impact, League of Legends, Apex Legends, Marvel Rivals, Overwatch 2) are way worse. As those games incentives players to not try any new games. I'd rather prefer a future where you can rent different games on a subscription service than a free-to-play future where games are design to be played forever and have you pay regularly to enjoy them.
If people are critical of GamePass they should be critical to the same degree of PS+.
... for GamePass, not because it's inherently dangerous, but because it's inherently dangerous in a red dress. By that I mean, it's years of subsidising to build up a core subscriber-base (who were literally paying next to nothing - and apparently a lot of people are still paying next to nothing)..
The option to unlock GamePass via Microsoft Rewards is limited to 20 countries and many Xbox users don't know about.
PS+ Extra/Premium isn't something Sony wanted to do - they were forced to do in response.
Who forced them? Sony/PlayStation introduced PS+ Extra/Premium because they did a financial analysis and decided that it will pay off for them. They already had PS+ Essentials which was giving away AAA titles "for free", PS+ Collection containing 20 games and PS Now for streaming of 700+ games. It made sense to streamline their offering into 3 PS+ subscription tiers and it has been a success for Sony, as more PS+ subscribers upgraded to higher tiers over the past 3 years and PlayStation's financial numbers show a boost in operational income. Nobody forced Sony, they just followed the money.
No one said, it was the best thing for the game industry however. I'm sure it has benefitted many developers before (perhaps less so now), and has given many first games excellent exposure... but what's the good of exposure if people aren't going to buy your second or third game? Yes, those developers get to keep making new games, but the reason becomes to feed the subscription beast.
I would agree with you if GamePass or PS+ were the only way of game distribution, but as of now even on Xbox you can still buy games via the store. Even without a GamePass and PS+, chances are that people would not buy the 2nd or 3rd game of a developer, if the 1st one didn't impress. How many people chose not to buy FF7 Rebirth as they didn't like FF7 Remake?
I believe free-to-play and live-service games with predatory monetization are a much bigger problem for the industry than GamePass and PS+.
...it's just to pander to it's diehards and get a load of comments and people arguing over it.
It is what it is nobody is doing here anything wrong but it's obvious 🤷✌️
So by replying here in the comments section, you became part of the issue. Sorry to put like that, hope you don't feel offended.
No one comes to PushSquare for unbiased, fact-based, well researched articles (though sometimes they do have some good articles on rare occasios). They offer what the hardcore fanbase here wants to read, even if those are biased, polarizing opinions. Sometimes the news articles are some random Reddit threads and Twitter/X user posts.
It's just like people in the US watching Fox News because it caters to their political views. Can you blame them for not presenting an unbiased/balanced reporting? They only offer what their viewers demand.
@Rodster Welcome to the community! And thanks for taking the time to share your view. 🙂
The option to unlock GamePass Ultimate with Microsoft reward points is actually limited to certain countries. In my location the best I can get are Sea of Thieves ancient coins and Amazon credit.
I wonder what Microsoft gains from people earning reward points. There must be some form of analytics data selling or advertisment revenue, otherwise they wouldn't offer it.
@BleedingDreamer At first I was interested in playing Redfall, but I lost it all as soon as I saw the reviews and read first impressions. A shame it didn't get the time it needed to be complete on release.
There could have been a PS5 version if it had performed better. Same case with Forspoken, it won't release on Xbox anymore.
@TrollOfWar you are completely mis-representing what was said there.
Lorne Lanning said it was a devastating deal for them because they grossly underestimated the number of projected ps5 owners that would download the game primarily due to a delay on release and Covid.
To be honest, I was mostly sarcastic with that comment, using rhetoric often used by others here to paint a negative image of Xbox or GamePass.
The Oddworld Soulstorm case is more of an exception rather than the rule, as many other developers were pretty successful with their games on PS Plus. On GamePass you'll find many cases were developers praise it and others being more critical about it.
Often times these articles only focus on the negative cases related to GamePass, any postive point is mentioned only as a side note. In my honest opinion, GamePass and PS Plus aren't too different. Both services have positives and negatives to the same degree and you'll find examples for every case. Curiously people started caring about the sustainability of GamePass once it became popular, yet no one questions the sustainability of PS Plus Extra, even though it also often features high profile day 1 releases (just none PlayStation published), and some big games "given away" as part of PS Plus Essential. 😉
There's a part in the interview right before Pete Hines' comment, which PushSquare left out in this article, which would have given more context to his thoughts:
That’s part of the reason Tango Gameworks’ Hi-Fi Rush was announced and launched on the same day. Bethesda didn’t want to waste its energy explaining why the survival horror game studio was making a rhythm action game. Here’s the game, play it and judge it for yourself. If we believe what Xbox says, it was another success, reaching three million players. But what does success even mean in the age of subscriptions? After all, three million players is a totally different metric to three million sales. A year after that success, Microsoft closed the studio down (fortunately, Tango was later revived by Krafton), alongside Dishonored developer Arkane Austin, which also had an Xbox Game Pass launch with its vampire co-op shooter, Redfall.
“I'm not working in any of these companies anymore, and so I don't assume that everything I knew while I was in the industry still holds true today....
So basically he's referring to the Tango Works and Arkane Austin closures somehow being related to GamePass.
Microsoft acquired Bethesda/ZeniMax at the peak of the COVID pandemic, where gaming business had an explosive growth and demand for Xbox (and PlayStation) hardware was high. 2 years later and suddenly the business stopped growing, demand for Xbox consoles disappeared and GamePass subscribers growth stagnanted. Every company started reducing their staff. Question is, is GamePass to blame?
I think he might be hinting at games (products) having to be designed that never ends that keeps people subscribed for longer because plenty of game's on Xbox are just that these days except from the likes of Gears of War and whatever else.
Similar things were said about GamePass many times in the past, alluding that "GamePass is about never ending live-service" games.
From my personal experience where I've been subscribed to GamePass for a couple of years now, I would say in most cases the opposite is true. The majority of the games on GamePass are smaller indie titles. Any game which is designed to be played over a long period (including rogue-likes, souls-likes) would have been designed that way even without GamePass. The trend for longer, bloated and live-service games has been growing since the 2010s.
There are no "GamePass exclusive" games, they all release on PC, Nintendo and/or PlayStation. GamePass is just an alternative option on how to play those games. So games need to be designed for and perform well on all platforms. I'd say for people who play a few unending / live-service game, it's better not to subscribe to GamePass or PS Plus Extra, as buying the game is cheaper in the long run. There are a few exceptions to the norm of course like Capcom's Exoprimal or Pocketpair's Palworld, 2 live-service games which benefited from being on GamePass where more people could try it, as both were new IPs.
Maybe one thing which is true about GamePass (but bot mentioned here) is the quality of games at launch. Many games launch on GamePass which feel unfinished and by the time they launch on PlayStation those games feel more complete, like for example STALKER 2, Palworld or The Last Case of Benedict Fox. Redfall was the worst offender, but that one probably won't come to PS5.
@Ricky-Spanish I don't know, there is something exciting and refreshing about PushSquare. It reminds me a lot of some boulevard newspaper like the Daily Express or the Sun, but it's focusing on gaming. Its content is anti everything which is not PlayStation for the sake of being "anti". Like politics, it polarizes people and drives engagement (and online revenue). I love it! 😍
I want more. I want to know who Jim Ryan had an affair with, how does Hermen Hulst stay in shape, what did Bobby Kotick wear on the beach last summer. No one comes here for the "games". 😉
On the other hand subscriptions at least provide the option to "rent games". Sony and the other big publishers have been trying to get rid of rental and selling used games for ages.
There is a war in almost every product. If you have nothing different from your rivals then why push the envelope to innovate? Then you have a fixed market working like i cartel. Even worse for the consumer. Look at cellular companies for example. They are literally the same service/product hurting the consumer.
If all consoles had the same games available, wouldn't that force the hardware manufacturers to actually be more innovative and to help their products stand out, rather than relying on exclusive content? Those exclusive games rarely ever drive innovation. You're more likely to see innovation in indie games.
Nintendo had some of the most successful consoles when they were innovating on the hardware side with the Wii, Nintendo DS and Switch.
Not sure if the cellular companies example is fitting. How are they supposed to innovate? They all offer mostly the same service, because that's what people want.
Maybe the problem is that Monster Hunters' novelty for many casual players wore off and they had their fair share of Monster Hunters experience. Monster Hunters World was a streamlined AAA fresh new experience. Monster Hunters Wild is the same experience with some changes. Not sure if it's realistic to expect more sales, just because it's a sequel.
I enjoyed the more linear Metal Gear Solid games, so MGS5 wasn't appealing for me personally. Also with the way how Peace Walker felt somehow so bloated, I didn't care to experience the same again in MGS5.
Instead I watched all cutscenes on YouTube to see the story. Doing so it's clear that the game is unfinished with the last chapter's conclusion being a slideshow on a bonus DVD.
@LifeGirl I would assume more anticipation for MGS4 as it has been only on PS3 while the others have been re-released/remastered on the PS3/X360. But I think MGS4 might also be the hardest one to port to modern consoles as its so heavily tied to the PS3 quirky architecture.
I remember how Otacon is promoting the power of the blu-ray disc and not having to switch discs, but you still have to wait several minutes between chapters for them to get installed on the HDD. Not sure if that logic is easy to emulate and translate to modern hardware without breaking the game.
There are also many references to branded devices like the PS3, DualShock controller, Apple iPod and Somy Ericsson phones. Getting licenses renewed could be a nightmare, unless the porting team has access to the game's code and can remove/replace those.
Obligatory "maybe give Factions to Haven" comment.
That's exactly what I thought of as I read this article. Haven Studios might have a fun heist/extraction game, but artistically "Fairgame$" looks so unattractive it might as well get cancelled right away and most people wouldn't care.
I bet this team could create the sort of Last Of Us Factions multiplayer game that the fanbase is asking for and Naughty Dog didn't want to commit to. But the question is, would PlayStation be willing to fund another 1-2 years of expensive development to have the team rework the game from "Fairgame$" into "FactionS".
But this is business, whether you like it or not there is a rivalry between these companies. There is always a winner and there is always a loser.
...
Playstation vs Xbox.
So, what happens if one of them "wins" and the other "loses"? What does the winner get? What happens to the loser? The Xbox CEO already admitted that they lost the console wars. Congratulations to Sony PlayStation. That rivalry is coming to an end.
Xbox has lost and its in a desperate situation to make all their loses and purchases profitable. That is the reason why they are now releasing their firdt party on to playstation. Not because they believe their games should be played everywhere, its because xbox has failed as a console.
From a player's perspective, does it really matter why Xbox is releasing their games on PlayStation? Shouldn't they be happy instead that they have more games to play now?
Now Playstation the reason why they probably will.never put their first party gsmes onto xbox is because
1 - its not really that cost effective because of the sheer lack of sales of xbox. Why waste resources with such a small pool of players.
This article is literally saying that PlayStation just put a first plarty game on Xbox and it paid off. That "small pool" has an estimated 33 million of Xbox Series S|X console owners. Even a small number of let's say 100k is profitable for PlayStation.
2 - like you said yourself why would people move from an eco system?
Its not about getting people to move, playstation are in the business of making money. You dont make money from already existing owners your always trying to entice new owners.
And what's the best way to entice people in buying your hardware, by offering people things they can't get anywhere else. A more easy plug in play system with games you can't play anywhere else.
PlayStation has become such a dominant brand that people new to console gaming will choose PlayStation by default. Xbox as a console is losing relevance. No matter if PlayStation releases their games on other platforms or keeps them exclusive to their own console, most will choose a PlayStation over an Xbox. In that sense, they don't have to rely on exclusives as much as they did in the past. Plus as the development costs are skyrocketing, it also makes more sense to make the games available on as many platforms as feasibly possible to maximize the potential sales numbers while there is hype for the games.
If you start putting your exclusive games onto another system which is similar to your own, then this gives the consumer more choice of which system to buy.
You don't like being able to choose?
Every system has to have a reason to buy.
And there's no reason other than exclusives why someone would buy a certain console?
My question to you is why did you buy a playstation?
I got a PlayStation only because my best friends are on PlayStation and I wanted to play online with them.
Whether first party has delivered or not, majority of people who own a playstation are there for 1st party because we know they will come.
If you remove the whole exclusive then no one really has much reasons to buy into 1 eco system than another, making console sales weaker.
But if hypothetically Sony would release their 1st party games on other platforms like Steam, Nintendo and Xbox, where would the player base go? And why would they choose other platforms over PlayStation (where many already have a large game library and online friends)?
They've been releasing their major 1st party games on Steam and Epic Games Store for the past 5 years, but the PS5 has been selling just as well as the PS4.
We reported recently how the late port of Final Fantasy 16 – which wasn’t included in Xbox Game Pass – had flopped on the Microsoft machine, so all eyes have been on Helldivers 2 to see whether it would resonate on the green machine.
It seems like that estimate by Alinea Analytics of the Final Fantasy 16 sales on Xbox is always brought up on this website despite it being proven incorrect by other sites. This also impacts your credibility.
Aside from MLB The Show, which is not technically published by PlayStation on competing consoles, this represents the first Sony game to be released on a rival format.
Have you tried to find any estimates for the sales numbers of Death Stranding Director's Cut on Xbox? The game literally starts with the "Sony Interactive Entertainment presents" screen, while it's not published by PlayStation it is still heavily associated with PlayStation. Kojima reported 19 million players at the launch of the Xbox version and 20 million at the end of March on all platforms.
@Bluemoon2008 You need to understand that it's kind of a re-release of a 10-year old remaster, similar to The Last of Us Part1 PS5 release, but with a free upgrade for previous owners. It's only "totally new" on PS5. So even for those on Xbox, PC and GamePass there is little incentive to play it, as many already had the chance to do so over the past 10 years. So chances are that a good chunk of the player base is playing on PlayStation.
From what I can tell Gears of War Reloaded on Xbox is currently almost as popular as Helldivers 2.
I can imagine that those 1 million players has a good mix of PlayStation, PC and Xbox players.
While on PC and Xbox owners of the Ultimate Edition got a free upgrade and it's also on GamePass, Gears of War Reloaded is still essentially Ultimate Edition, a game which has been played by many millions of players over the past 10 years.
It also released the same day as Helldivers 2 on Xbox which targets the same "3rd person online shooter" audience.
Maybe the message about " ending the console wars" refers to Gears of War releasing on PlayStation on the same day as Helldivers 2 on Xbox. But in that case they should have been more clear. The "console wars" between PlayStation and Xbox ended years ago, that's especially true since Microsoft acquired ABK. It only continues on these forums...
@Fiendish-Beaver The Ninja Gaiden series might be tricky for you then, because you need to block enemy attacks with the left trigger. Also from the blocking stance you can do dodge rolls.
The current Ninja Gaiden series (not to be confused with the old NES series) comes from the Dead or Alive fighting series, so there is a bit of a fighting game DNA in there.
You can watch some videos online to get a better impression. Though what is written here sounds like it will be more accessible in NG4.
@Fiendish-Beaver It's a bit hard to say I guess, because the new game is developed by Platinum Games rather than the original team directly, but based on previous games in the series, you have a light and a heavy attack which you can combine into combos. Certain combos in the older games are quite essential to defeat certain enemies.
Comments 347
Re: Sony Removes Multiformat Revenue from Strategic Indicators
Remember when former Sony executive Yoshida Shuhei said in an interview that "porting to PC is way cheaper than creating an original title. So it's almost like printing money."? Didn't read like it's hurting Sony in any way. 😄
Re: Sony Removes Multiformat Revenue from Strategic Indicators
From the report/screenshot:
... Are they talking about multiple future PlayStation devices or something else? 🤷🏼
Re: Sony Removes Multiformat Revenue from Strategic Indicators
@Nexozi
The last reported estimate by Alinea Analytics is "Helldivers 2 shifted 926k copies on Xbox six days after its release". Take it with a grain of salt, Alinea Analytics had some inaccurate estimates before. On the other hand if it's true, Helldivers 2 could potentially be trending towards 2m sold units on Xbox by now. Hopefully we'll get an official statement from Sony/PlayStation.
Re: 'More People Will Experience Our World': Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy Sheds PS5 Exclusivity
@Reyzore
In case you really care, the preorder page is up for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Integrade Digital Deluxe Edition on the Xbox store, which includes the original FF7 for both Xbox and Windows, for the price of $59.99. The same price as it is on the PSN store.
But it's frequently discounted on the PSN store to as low as $34.79. So Xbox and Switch 2 players get no special treatment. 😉
Re: 'More People Will Experience Our World': Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy Sheds PS5 Exclusivity
@Reyzore
It depends on your expectations. In general a multiplatform release shouldn't be a big issue. The first 2 parts are built on Unreal Engine 4, an engine purpose made for multi-platform development. If the dev team at Square Enix chooses to develop the 3rd part on UE4 instead of UE5 then it will run fine on current gen hardware.
On the other hand, FF7 Rebirth is quite blurry in "performance mode" on base PS5, even though PS5 was the target platform during it's development. So if you weren't happy with the performance of FF7 Rebirth then don't expect the 3rd part to perform much better.
In most cases a multi-platform release would benefit all platforms. For example Larian Studio mannaged to improve the performance significantly in Baldur's Gate 3 on all systems while they were working on optimizing for Xbox Series S hardware.
Re: 'More People Will Experience Our World': Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy Sheds PS5 Exclusivity
@Reyzore I wouldn't put too much thought into it. Square Enix still cares a lot about PlayStation players. The only difference is that they want to expand their business to other platforms as well, because their big-budget RPG games are too expensive to keep on a single platform and maybe Sony/PlayStation exclusivity deals don't pay enough anymore to justify the practice.
I assume Square Enix' Twitter message is about assuring those on Nintendo and Xbox that the 3rd game is definitely coming to those platforms as well, with the hope that FF7 Remake does well next year on those platforms. If there's a time exclusivity deal still active for part 3 then Square Enix is contractually forces to stay silent, so in that case we won't get any communication to "clear up all doubts".
You mean that "streamlined progression" feature? I would hardly call it content, seems actually like it's breaking the whole RPG aspect of the game. It could be the case that it will be added to the PS5 version as well via a patch, but hardly a loss to PlayStation players who already finished the game. The intention is to build up hype for the upcoming Switch 2 and Xbox releases.
I don't know if Switch 2 and Xbox players would also get the original FF7 when buying Remake, probably not. But I guess most who are interested in Remake might already have it.
I don't think there is any ill will from Square Enix towards the PlayStation players. They already received Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth, 2 complete games. FF7 Remake has been given away "for free" via PS Plus Essential for a month so millions of PlayStation players could play it at no extra cost. PlayStation players got the special treatment by being the priority.
Now Square Enix tries their best to promote and sell the games on other platforms including PC, Xbox and Switch 2, without making them feel like 2nd class players. When the FF director thanks the PC players, he actually wants to sell more on PC. If he wears an Xbox shirt it's because he wants people on Xbox to buy the game - wearing a PlayStation shirt to a Final Fantasy Xbox launch event would be dumb. To them it's a given that Final Fantasy sells best on PlayStation.
You would be correct that Square Enix doesn't care about PlayStation players if they stopped releasing their games on PlayStation - but that is not the case. They are just expanding on other platforms.
Re: 'More People Will Experience Our World': Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy Sheds PS5 Exclusivity
@PuppetMaster You are correct, but Sony/PlayStation are still pursuing additional live-service games, even after Jim Ryan's departure, though they are more careful.
Additionally to Helldivers 2, MLB The Show and Gran Turismo 7 are also successful live services, despite having less predatory monetization models.
In case of Genshin Impact, Sony probably would wish to own the game outright and profit from the revenue on all platforms, not just the 30% on PlayStation. That's why I think it might be wiser for them to either invest in internal projects or acquire a potential live service before it becomes a large success (like Microsoft did with Minecraft in 2014).
Re: 'More People Will Experience Our World': Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy Sheds PS5 Exclusivity
@PuppetMaster Additionally to your points, why should Sony invest in Square Enix' live-service games (Babylon's Fall, Foamstars) when they are trying to have their own expensive live service games? After losing money on Concord and numerous unreleased, cancelled projects, Sony/PlayStation is hopefully more conservative with spending money on high-risk 3rd party projects.
Nevertheless Square Enix and Sony PlayStation have been strong partners for over 25 years, and the Final Fantasy franchise is heavily associated with PlayStation. While console exclusives of Square Enix games will be rarer, I think we will still see some form of marketing, like State of Plays.
Re: 'More People Will Experience Our World': Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy Sheds PS5 Exclusivity
@KawakiisaFraud
I don't remember Square Enix "badmouthing" Sony. Do you have a link where they might have said something negative about Sony? I think Sony has been one of their most important partner for over 25 years now. But the development costs of their games are way too expensive to keep them exclusive to one platform.
I wonder if Sony/PlayStation nowadays is paying less for exclusivity than what they used to, now that Xbox is not so relevant anymore. Usually these deals would need to cover the "lost sales" on other platforms, but it's a lot less these days on Xbox. Maybe only a dozen millions instead of hundreds? 🤔
Re: 'More People Will Experience Our World': Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy Sheds PS5 Exclusivity
@Th3solution All good, the article is actually about part 3. Square Enix basically confirmed the entire trilogy will release on all platforms (PlayStation, PC, Xbox, Switch), though it doesn't clarify if it will be time-exclusive to PlayStation like the previous 2 parts, nor when it will release. What is currently know is the release date of part 1 for Switch 2 and Xbox consoles.
Re: 'More People Will Experience Our World': Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy Sheds PS5 Exclusivity
@Th3solution
Unless I missed something, the release date of the 3rd part has not been announced yet. It's the 1st part which releases on Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series S|X in January 2026. Though Square Enix did state some time ago that they aim to keep the wait shorter for part 3 than it was between part 1 and 2.
Re: 'More People Will Experience Our World': Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy Sheds PS5 Exclusivity
@Uromastryx
Square Enix could continue to go on and remaster older Final Fantasy games in such a scope, where 1 game is split up over multiple releases over a timespan of a decade, until eternity. By the time they are through with all, they can restart again and no one will remember what came before.
Square Enix would never have to write a new Final Fantasy story. 😄
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy's Conclusion Will Not Be PS5 Exclusive
@AdamNovice On the other hand, if the developers target lower powered systems, like the Switch 2, Xbox Series S and Steam Deck, chances are high that the next Final Fantasy will run at a smooth 60fps on PS5. 😉
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy's Conclusion Will Not Be PS5 Exclusive
@masofdas
There's no easy answer to that, as there are many factors all adding up to the success of a game. Hype, positive reviews, good word of mouth, the novelty factor of the game other games releasing at the same time.
There are examples like Elden Ring, Baldur's Gate 3 being successful on Xbox as well. Death Stranding Director's Cut and Helldivers 2 apparently did pretty well on Xbox. Not sure how well a multiplatform Final Fantasy will do in the future, but unless it released at the same time as GTA6, it could be fairly successful with a strong marketing and strong reviews.
Not sure if that report of "22K sold FF16 units on Xbox" is accurate (personally I suspect more like 220K), but the release was incredibly terrible. It was shadow dropped with no hype, released next to some of the biggest releases of the year (Oblivion Remastered, Clair Obscur Expedition 33, DOOM The Dark Ages) and at full price (where it was discounted on the PSN store during the same time). Those who waited 2 years for Final Fantasy 16 on Xbox, probably could wait another few months for a discount. Hopefully Square Enix learned something from this situation.
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy's Conclusion Will Not Be PS5 Exclusive
@UltimateOtaku91 Yes, Xbox lost their touch/partnerships with Japanese developers after the Xbox 360 era. I think Final Fantasy 13 did much better on Xbox 360.
Also 9% of FF15 sales being on Xbox isn't terrible, given that at that point the PS4 already had double the install base of the Xbox One.
Anyways, hopefully the multiplatform release of Final Fantasy helps the series to become popular and relevant again, which then hopefully results in new good Final Fantasy games.
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy's Conclusion Will Not Be PS5 Exclusive
@Lowdefal Final Fantasy 15 released in 2016. Final Fantasy 14 and 16 were released only this year. That means 8 years without a Final Fantasy game, in my book that counts as "almost a decade without Final Fantasy". 😄
But it wasn't just Final Fantasy, the Shin Megami Tensei/Persona series, Ni No Kuni and many more JRPGs which are popular on PlayStation, only started releasing in recent years. So without the content JRPG players will naturally choose to play on other platforms, mainly PlayStation.
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy's Conclusion Will Not Be PS5 Exclusive
@ShadowRJ
Might be because for almost a decade no mainline Final Fantasy game was released on Xbox. Those who care about these games had the choice to switch either to PS5 or PC.
Now Square Enix has the challenge to gain the interest of players who aren't familiar with the franchise.
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy's Conclusion Will Not Be PS5 Exclusive
Well, color me surprised. I expected Square Enix to have some PlayStation exclusivity deal for the whole remake trilogy signed, before they decide to release their games multiplatform. Though the wording in the Twitter message is very awkward.
Now I wonder how successful they will be in convincing players on Nintendo and Xbox to buy the final part of the trilogy. 🤔
Re: 'It Saved the Game': Sword of the Sea Dev Praises Sony, Explains PS Plus Deal
PlayStation is doing the Lord's work and saving poor indie developers from going under with the power of PS Plus. 🙏🏼
Now if an indie developer takes such a deal from a platform holder, should we continue calling them independent? 🤔
Re: USA's Top 20 PlayStation Games of All Time May Surprise You
@Ricky-Spanish I agree with you and stated here, that "Microsoft insisted that Call of Duty will continue to release on PlayStation".
I was merely commenting on the message that "playstation is now the dude-bro shooter ***** box". A sentiment previously associated with Xbox 360 due to countless successful online shooters. But as many players switched platforms, especially from Xbox 360 to PlayStation 4, the player bases on each platform are now very diverse. And I find it amusing when people try to paint a picture that "Xbox players only play Call of Duty and Madden" and "PlayStation players only buy JRPGs and sad-dad games". The presented list proves the opposite. Call of Duty is successful on evey platform, and can only continue to remain successful as long as it's a multi-platform game. Sorry if my messages were misleading.
Don't take things I write seriously... Except when I am actually serious. 😉
Re: USA's Top 20 PlayStation Games of All Time May Surprise You
This list definitely shows why during Microsoft's Activision-Blizzard-King acquisition, Sony/PlayStation were "fighting" to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation, and Microsoft insisted that Call of Duty will continue to release on PlayStation:
Call of Duty's PlayStation revenue is so high, it's basically a killstreak against Xbox exclusivity hopes. Even Master Chief is considering switching sides.
Re: USA's Top 20 PlayStation Games of All Time May Surprise You
@Ichiban
I have this theory that a lot of gamers switched from Xbox 360 to PS4. You see them getting excited when previous Xbox exclusive games are released on PlayStation, like Gears of War and Forza Horizon.
Basically, there are many previous Xbox gamers now gaming on PlayStation. Which means, when people argue online "us vs. them", the "us" part isn't too different from "them". And "us" are apparently buying a lot of Call of Duty. 😄
Re: USA's Top 20 PlayStation Games of All Time May Surprise You
@SilentC
Minecraft in that list sticks out like Voldemort in a shampoo commercial.
Re: Remake of Iconic SEGA Saturn Shooter Panzer Dragoon II Zwei Confirmed for PS5, PS4
I enjoyed the 2020 released Panzer Dragoon: Remake, it's a short & fun arcade game for a few hours, and it's fairly often available for about $3 on sale.
Re: Even More Ex-Xbox Executives Speak Out About 'Tension' of Game Pass
@Oz_Who_Dat_Dare
I think GamePass and PS+ are nearly identical subscription services, except that PS+ doesn't include first-party day 1 releases. Both subscriptions have their pros and cons: they give access to a large library of games, which helps for certain games with visibility and marketing, especially indie games, and offer players a rental option which otherwised disappeared for physical media in many locations. But these services can also reduce the sales numbers of heavily marketed, big budget games, which can hurt them. I don't think game design is affected by GamePass, as certain trends have already existed before GamePass, but I think some day 1 releases are unpolished, as if the day 1 quality doesn't matter for the subscribers.
I don't think GamePass is the worst thing in the industry. Most free-to-play and live-service games (eg. Robolox, Candy Crush, FIFA/FC, Fortnite, GTA Online, Call of Duty Warzone, Genshin Impact, League of Legends, Apex Legends, Marvel Rivals, Overwatch 2) are way worse. As those games incentives players to not try any new games. I'd rather prefer a future where you can rent different games on a subscription service than a free-to-play future where games are design to be played forever and have you pay regularly to enjoy them.
If people are critical of GamePass they should be critical to the same degree of PS+.
Re: Even More Ex-Xbox Executives Speak Out About 'Tension' of Game Pass
@Oz_Who_Dat_Dare
True, at the beginning GamePass might have been subsidized (happens often when companies invest in building up a new business or market), but apparently in 2021 it was already generating $ 2 billion per year and as of 2024 it's generating $ 5 billion in revenue per year. It has also been reported last year, that Microsoft spends $ 1 billion per year to bring third-party titles to GamePass. So there's $ 4 billion left for first-party games, operational costs, infrastructure, marketing, etc. It's not as much subsidized nowadays as people like to think.
The option to unlock GamePass via Microsoft Rewards is limited to 20 countries and many Xbox users don't know about.
Who forced them? Sony/PlayStation introduced PS+ Extra/Premium because they did a financial analysis and decided that it will pay off for them. They already had PS+ Essentials which was giving away AAA titles "for free", PS+ Collection containing 20 games and PS Now for streaming of 700+ games. It made sense to streamline their offering into 3 PS+ subscription tiers and it has been a success for Sony, as more PS+ subscribers upgraded to higher tiers over the past 3 years and PlayStation's financial numbers show a boost in operational income. Nobody forced Sony, they just followed the money.
I would agree with you if GamePass or PS+ were the only way of game distribution, but as of now even on Xbox you can still buy games via the store. Even without a GamePass and PS+, chances are that people would not buy the 2nd or 3rd game of a developer, if the 1st one didn't impress. How many people chose not to buy FF7 Rebirth as they didn't like FF7 Remake?
I believe free-to-play and live-service games with predatory monetization are a much bigger problem for the industry than GamePass and PS+.
Re: Even More Ex-Xbox Executives Speak Out About 'Tension' of Game Pass
@Ricky-Spanish
So by replying here in the comments section, you became part of the issue. Sorry to put like that, hope you don't feel offended.
No one comes to PushSquare for unbiased, fact-based, well researched articles (though sometimes they do have some good articles on rare occasios). They offer what the hardcore fanbase here wants to read, even if those are biased, polarizing opinions. Sometimes the news articles are some random Reddit threads and Twitter/X user posts.
It's just like people in the US watching Fox News because it caters to their political views. Can you blame them for not presenting an unbiased/balanced reporting? They only offer what their viewers demand.
Hope you all have a good weekend by the way. 😉
Re: Even More Ex-Xbox Executives Speak Out About 'Tension' of Game Pass
@Rodster Welcome to the community! And thanks for taking the time to share your view. 🙂
The option to unlock GamePass Ultimate with Microsoft reward points is actually limited to certain countries. In my location the best I can get are Sea of Thieves ancient coins and Amazon credit.
I wonder what Microsoft gains from people earning reward points. There must be some form of analytics data selling or advertisment revenue, otherwise they wouldn't offer it.
Re: Amazon's God of War TV Adaptation to Start Filming in Six Months
Wonder if it will be faithful to the first games and offer a lot of nudity and gore? 😁
Re: Amazon's God of War TV Adaptation to Start Filming in Six Months
Hopefully Chris Pratt will play the role of Kratos and Jack Black can play Zeus.
Re: 'The Tension Is Hurting a Lot of People': Ex-Bethesda Boss Speaks Out on Subs Like Xbox Game Pass
@BleedingDreamer At first I was interested in playing Redfall, but I lost it all as soon as I saw the reviews and read first impressions. A shame it didn't get the time it needed to be complete on release.
There could have been a PS5 version if it had performed better. Same case with Forspoken, it won't release on Xbox anymore.
Re: 'The Tension Is Hurting a Lot of People': Ex-Bethesda Boss Speaks Out on Subs Like Xbox Game Pass
@Bluemoon2008
To be honest, I was mostly sarcastic with that comment, using rhetoric often used by others here to paint a negative image of Xbox or GamePass.
The Oddworld Soulstorm case is more of an exception rather than the rule, as many other developers were pretty successful with their games on PS Plus. On GamePass you'll find many cases were developers praise it and others being more critical about it.
Often times these articles only focus on the negative cases related to GamePass, any postive point is mentioned only as a side note. In my honest opinion, GamePass and PS Plus aren't too different. Both services have positives and negatives to the same degree and you'll find examples for every case. Curiously people started caring about the sustainability of GamePass once it became popular, yet no one questions the sustainability of PS Plus Extra, even though it also often features high profile day 1 releases (just none PlayStation published), and some big games "given away" as part of PS Plus Essential. 😉
Re: 'The Tension Is Hurting a Lot of People': Ex-Bethesda Boss Speaks Out on Subs Like Xbox Game Pass
There's a part in the interview right before Pete Hines' comment, which PushSquare left out in this article, which would have given more context to his thoughts:
Source: https://www.dbltap.com/features/24-years-bethesda-with-pete-hines
So basically he's referring to the Tango Works and Arkane Austin closures somehow being related to GamePass.
Microsoft acquired Bethesda/ZeniMax at the peak of the COVID pandemic, where gaming business had an explosive growth and demand for Xbox (and PlayStation) hardware was high. 2 years later and suddenly the business stopped growing, demand for Xbox consoles disappeared and GamePass subscribers growth stagnanted. Every company started reducing their staff. Question is, is GamePass to blame?
Re: 'The Tension Is Hurting a Lot of People': Ex-Bethesda Boss Speaks Out on Subs Like Xbox Game Pass
@EYEBALL
Similar things were said about GamePass many times in the past, alluding that "GamePass is about never ending live-service" games.
From my personal experience where I've been subscribed to GamePass for a couple of years now, I would say in most cases the opposite is true. The majority of the games on GamePass are smaller indie titles. Any game which is designed to be played over a long period (including rogue-likes, souls-likes) would have been designed that way even without GamePass. The trend for longer, bloated and live-service games has been growing since the 2010s.
There are no "GamePass exclusive" games, they all release on PC, Nintendo and/or PlayStation. GamePass is just an alternative option on how to play those games. So games need to be designed for and perform well on all platforms. I'd say for people who play a few unending / live-service game, it's better not to subscribe to GamePass or PS Plus Extra, as buying the game is cheaper in the long run. There are a few exceptions to the norm of course like Capcom's Exoprimal or Pocketpair's Palworld, 2 live-service games which benefited from being on GamePass where more people could try it, as both were new IPs.
Maybe one thing which is true about GamePass (but bot mentioned here) is the quality of games at launch. Many games launch on GamePass which feel unfinished and by the time they launch on PlayStation those games feel more complete, like for example STALKER 2, Palworld or The Last Case of Benedict Fox. Redfall was the worst offender, but that one probably won't come to PS5.
Re: 'The Tension Is Hurting a Lot of People': Ex-Bethesda Boss Speaks Out on Subs Like Xbox Game Pass
@Ricky-Spanish I don't know, there is something exciting and refreshing about PushSquare. It reminds me a lot of some boulevard newspaper like the Daily Express or the Sun, but it's focusing on gaming. Its content is anti everything which is not PlayStation for the sake of being "anti". Like politics, it polarizes people and drives engagement (and online revenue). I love it! 😍
I want more. I want to know who Jim Ryan had an affair with, how does Hermen Hulst stay in shape, what did Bobby Kotick wear on the beach last summer. No one comes here for the "games". 😉
Re: 'The Tension Is Hurting a Lot of People': Ex-Bethesda Boss Speaks Out on Subs Like Xbox Game Pass
This is true about all subscription services.
Remember when Lorne Lanning from Oddworld said how devastating the PS Plus deal was for Oddworld Soulstorm. PlayStation conditioned it's subscribers to stop buying indie games and expect them on the subscription.
On the other hand subscriptions at least provide the option to "rent games". Sony and the other big publishers have been trying to get rid of rental and selling used games for ages.
Re: Sony's Helldivers 2 on Xbox Gamble Is Absolutely Paying Off
@zebric21
If all consoles had the same games available, wouldn't that force the hardware manufacturers to actually be more innovative and to help their products stand out, rather than relying on exclusive content? Those exclusive games rarely ever drive innovation. You're more likely to see innovation in indie games.
Nintendo had some of the most successful consoles when they were innovating on the hardware side with the Wii, Nintendo DS and Switch.
Not sure if the cellular companies example is fitting. How are they supposed to innovate? They all offer mostly the same service, because that's what people want.
Re: PS5's High Price Becoming a Serious Headache for Publishers
Maybe the problem is that Monster Hunters' novelty for many casual players wore off and they had their fair share of Monster Hunters experience. Monster Hunters World was a streamlined AAA fresh new experience. Monster Hunters Wild is the same experience with some changes. Not sure if it's realistic to expect more sales, just because it's a sequel.
Re: Poll: What Are Your Thoughts on Metal Gear Solid 5, 10 Years Later?
I enjoyed the more linear Metal Gear Solid games, so MGS5 wasn't appealing for me personally. Also with the way how Peace Walker felt somehow so bloated, I didn't care to experience the same again in MGS5.
Instead I watched all cutscenes on YouTube to see the story. Doing so it's clear that the game is unfinished with the last chapter's conclusion being a slideshow on a bonus DVD.
Re: Physint, OD Are Potential Reveals at Kojima Productions 10th Anniversary Show
@LifeGirl I would assume more anticipation for MGS4 as it has been only on PS3 while the others have been re-released/remastered on the PS3/X360. But I think MGS4 might also be the hardest one to port to modern consoles as its so heavily tied to the PS3 quirky architecture.
I remember how Otacon is promoting the power of the blu-ray disc and not having to switch discs, but you still have to wait several minutes between chapters for them to get installed on the HDD. Not sure if that logic is easy to emulate and translate to modern hardware without breaking the game.
There are also many references to branded devices like the PS3, DualShock controller, Apple iPod and Somy Ericsson phones. Getting licenses renewed could be a nightmare, unless the porting team has access to the game's code and can remove/replace those.
Re: Sony's Troubled Live Service Game Fairgames Just Can't Catch a Break
@Shepherd_Tallon
That's exactly what I thought of as I read this article. Haven Studios might have a fun heist/extraction game, but artistically "Fairgame$" looks so unattractive it might as well get cancelled right away and most people wouldn't care.
I bet this team could create the sort of Last Of Us Factions multiplayer game that the fanbase is asking for and Naughty Dog didn't want to commit to. But the question is, would PlayStation be willing to fund another 1-2 years of expensive development to have the team rework the game from "Fairgame$" into "FactionS".
Re: Helldivers 2 Xbox Sales Estimates Predict a Helluva Start for Sony's Live Service
@Bez87
So, what happens if one of them "wins" and the other "loses"? What does the winner get? What happens to the loser? The Xbox CEO already admitted that they lost the console wars. Congratulations to Sony PlayStation. That rivalry is coming to an end.
From a player's perspective, does it really matter why Xbox is releasing their games on PlayStation? Shouldn't they be happy instead that they have more games to play now?
This article is literally saying that PlayStation just put a first plarty game on Xbox and it paid off. That "small pool" has an estimated 33 million of Xbox Series S|X console owners. Even a small number of let's say 100k is profitable for PlayStation.
PlayStation has become such a dominant brand that people new to console gaming will choose PlayStation by default. Xbox as a console is losing relevance. No matter if PlayStation releases their games on other platforms or keeps them exclusive to their own console, most will choose a PlayStation over an Xbox. In that sense, they don't have to rely on exclusives as much as they did in the past. Plus as the development costs are skyrocketing, it also makes more sense to make the games available on as many platforms as feasibly possible to maximize the potential sales numbers while there is hype for the games.
You don't like being able to choose?
And there's no reason other than exclusives why someone would buy a certain console?
I got a PlayStation only because my best friends are on PlayStation and I wanted to play online with them.
Re: Helldivers 2 Xbox Sales Estimates Predict a Helluva Start for Sony's Live Service
@Bez87
But if hypothetically Sony would release their 1st party games on other platforms like Steam, Nintendo and Xbox, where would the player base go? And why would they choose other platforms over PlayStation (where many already have a large game library and online friends)?
They've been releasing their major 1st party games on Steam and Epic Games Store for the past 5 years, but the PS5 has been selling just as well as the PS4.
Re: Helldivers 2 Xbox Sales Estimates Predict a Helluva Start for Sony's Live Service
@get2sammyb
It seems like that estimate by Alinea Analytics of the Final Fantasy 16 sales on Xbox is always brought up on this website despite it being proven incorrect by other sites. This also impacts your credibility.
Have you tried to find any estimates for the sales numbers of Death Stranding Director's Cut on Xbox? The game literally starts with the "Sony Interactive Entertainment presents" screen, while it's not published by PlayStation it is still heavily associated with PlayStation. Kojima reported 19 million players at the launch of the Xbox version and 20 million at the end of March on all platforms.
Re: Helldivers 2 Xbox Sales Estimates Predict a Helluva Start for Sony's Live Service
Happy to see that a good game is doing well on all platforms, including on Xbox.
Though I wouldn't quite trust what Alinea Analytics is estimating. They've been proven wrong in the past.
Hopefully more games will follow. 😉
Re: Gears of War Reckons It's Ended the Console War as Reloaded Tops 1 Million Players
@Bluemoon2008 You need to understand that it's kind of a re-release of a 10-year old remaster, similar to The Last of Us Part1 PS5 release, but with a free upgrade for previous owners. It's only "totally new" on PS5. So even for those on Xbox, PC and GamePass there is little incentive to play it, as many already had the chance to do so over the past 10 years. So chances are that a good chunk of the player base is playing on PlayStation.
From what I can tell Gears of War Reloaded on Xbox is currently almost as popular as Helldivers 2.
Re: Gears of War Reckons It's Ended the Console War as Reloaded Tops 1 Million Players
I can imagine that those 1 million players has a good mix of PlayStation, PC and Xbox players.
While on PC and Xbox owners of the Ultimate Edition got a free upgrade and it's also on GamePass, Gears of War Reloaded is still essentially Ultimate Edition, a game which has been played by many millions of players over the past 10 years.
It also released the same day as Helldivers 2 on Xbox which targets the same "3rd person online shooter" audience.
Maybe the message about " ending the console wars" refers to Gears of War releasing on PlayStation on the same day as Helldivers 2 on Xbox. But in that case they should have been more clear. The "console wars" between PlayStation and Xbox ended years ago, that's especially true since Microsoft acquired ABK. It only continues on these forums...
Re: Preview: Lumines Arise on PS5 Is the Eye-Popping Glow-Up the Series Deserves
Lumines is great, and I also enjoyed Tetris Effect Connect with my family and friends. Hopefully this will be just as good
Re: Ninja Gaiden 4 Is Doing Difficulty Settings Right, Especially If You're a Beginner
@Fiendish-Beaver The Ninja Gaiden series might be tricky for you then, because you need to block enemy attacks with the left trigger. Also from the blocking stance you can do dodge rolls.
The current Ninja Gaiden series (not to be confused with the old NES series) comes from the Dead or Alive fighting series, so there is a bit of a fighting game DNA in there.
You can watch some videos online to get a better impression. Though what is written here sounds like it will be more accessible in NG4.
Re: Ninja Gaiden 4 Is Doing Difficulty Settings Right, Especially If You're a Beginner
@Fiendish-Beaver It's a bit hard to say I guess, because the new game is developed by Platinum Games rather than the original team directly, but based on previous games in the series, you have a light and a heavy attack which you can combine into combos. Certain combos in the older games are quite essential to defeat certain enemies.