210°

PS3 and Vita Cross Buy potential is 'limited', Sony admits

Separate development environments mean little chance of easy porting

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computerandvideogames.com
Whitefeather4897d ago

I remember Sega said it took them only 4 months to port Yakuza Dead Souls to Vita, Hideo Kojima said the same when his team ported MGS4 to it.

PimpDaddy4897d ago

Were those ports free? That is the problem with cross buy. It's one thing for Sony to do cross buy and not charge for the Vita version of the game. Their interest is in both the sale of hardware and software and they have been bundling games since the PS3 launched in order to help sell hardware.

Where is the incentive for 3rd party publishers to do cross buy? Especially with the low install base of the Vita...

LAZL0-Panaflex4897d ago

Cross buy good with PS all stars, little big planet, and mod nation racers. That's a hell of an investment.

yoshiroaka4897d ago

Another problem is see is that if sony keeps giving away its vita ports for free it would set the standard and in a way and make games feel entitled to the vita version free from 3rd parties. They would end up refusing to buy the vita version causing poor 3rd party sales.
Ive already seen people on forums claiming they would do that if NFS: Most wanted did not have cross buy.

While this could encourage 3rd parties to develop more original titles instead of ports (which would be great), it can also make them abandon the platform altogether.

Im still happy about cross buy tho. Hope sony cant make it work for everyone.

shadow27974897d ago

The incentive is more players will spend $60 instead of $40. The developers know that very few are likely to buy both versions of a game. Instead, they can convince the consumer to spend $60 on the PS3+Vita version rather than $40 on just the Vita version, increasing their net profit.

There's even a good chance that someone who wasn't going to buy the game at all will now shell out $60 to get both versions. There's quite a bit of upside, especially considering the Vita version didn't cost them much to make.

Of course, Sony benefits the most. Cross buy means more sales of their proprietary memory cards. It's a win-win for them.

OC_MurphysLaw4897d ago

@shadow2797 or the developer could just make a PS3 version and not support the Vita version at all. Costs are lower than making both versions, price point is higher and the install base is huge in comparison. This is the big dilema Sony is facing with the Vita.

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hkgamer4897d ago

Those devs lie. Look back at before the launch of the PS2, PSP or PS3. They all say that it is easy to program/port games onto it, only takes x amount of hours. Actually when the PS3 came out with all those CG tech demos, I remember alot of devs speaking about how powerful and easy it is to develop on the PS3. They were blatantly lying.

/rant

FragGen4897d ago (Edited 4897d ago )

FWIW, a free (or voucher for a significantly discounted, say 50% or something) Vita version of a console title would likely sway me to buy the $60 console version of a particular game if I were on the fence. $60 > $0. It's strategic type thinking... which admittedly does not appeal to many American companies who are measured on direct quarter to quarter revenues and profits.

But really, the bottom line is, if I spend $60 on a console version, I much less likely to spend another $40 in a Vita Version (and Vice Versa) of the exact same game unless I'm a HUGE fanboy of that particular IP or the portable version adds significant value. I don't see many consumers in this economy busting out $100 per game.

I'm convinced the the high cost of PSP titles contributed heavily to its piracy problem. There was only a limited selection of games that were worth the the original $30+ asking prices on PSP titles.

I'm not spending $100 on Madden per year, for example.

I'd rather Sony spent money subsidizing this than on advertising, for example. I think it'd do the Vita more good in the long run.

Mike_Tha_Hero4897d ago

The question is, is that what people want? Do we want to play the same games from the PS3 on a portable handheld?

I personally prefer more intriguing experiences with gameplay that make sense for the Vita, not the same console experience.

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josephps34897d ago

PC already have crossplay and crossbuy.

For me it would have been great if crossplay and crossbuy was widely adopted by both 1st and 3rd party. I don't know why people have a hard time understanding why this would add value to the Vita and PS3. I play starcraft2 and civilization on my desktop at home and when I'm away on my laptop on a regular basis. Did the same with Rage.

hkgamer4897d ago

PC crossbuy is different. That's just like saying all my PS3 games are crossbuy because I can share my PSN games to any PS3 with my account.

Problem is with getting 3rd party devs on board, maybe they need to charge a little extra like £/$5 and both has to be purchased on digital format. I am guessing devs/publishers get more money from digital downloads since no retailers are involved, if they don't get make more money from digital sales then Sony could possibly give devs a little more money from digital sales.

4897d ago Replies(2)
joeorc4897d ago

the new CEO's of Sony are more than willing to talk about the challenges they are facing right now, vs' the old way of doing it. At least Jim is being Open and upfront about the challenges that Sony is facing on the PSVita instead of glossing it over!!

GribbleGrunger4897d ago

Clearly negotiations with 3rd parties isn't going that well. It's a shame, but not the worse thing that could have happened

joeorc4897d ago

"Clearly negotiations with 3rd parties isn't going that well. It's a shame, but not the worse thing that could have happened"

100% agreement, But remember Yoshida had talked about this very problem before Games comm

Yoshida: Sony Having Trouble Recruiting Third Party Support for PS Vita

"Were having a more difficult time than we had anticipated in terms of getting support from third-party publishers, but thats our job,Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studio President Shuhei Yoshida told PlayStation: The Official Magazine in a recent interview."

and Yosshida went on to say

"We will continue to talk to development communities and publishing partners and tell them why Vita can provide a great experience for the IPs they have and I hope the Assassins Creed game will prove that."

With Playstation Mobile being also moved to the forefront for Sony as a Prime Platform with added Trophy support on the Way, the PSVita will benefit by such software also even though the PSVita is not the main target for the Playstation Mobile, but can run the software for it. So it's another way for developer's small and large to leverage their development ideas to make some income, for them and provide entertainment to the consumer's.

Morpheuzpr4897d ago

Devs this gen have become a greedy pile of crap. All this DLC nonsense and releasing games in beta like state to "fix" them later, if at all (COD) makes me want to quit gaming all together. I understand they're in it for the money but you have to give your costumer some respect and in some cases appreciation even.

Why not look at it as an added reason to buy their games instead? I know that if i'm on the fence about buying a game and they announce that by doing so i get the vita version free or at say 50% price i would buy it right away.

GribbleGrunger4897d ago (Edited 4897d ago )

@joeorc

Yeah, I remember reading what Shuhei Yoshida had to say a while back, but I'm assuming this interview is more recent? Didn't check the date. It's also not clear what aspect of the Vita/PS3 cross buy policy he's referring to. Clearly, because he suggests that porting isn't that easy, he is probably only talking about the 'full' game... but what of PS3/Vita integration? Perhaps turning the Vita into a virtual menu screen for a PS3 game would be easier. We have to wait and see on that one.

You are right of course. There ARE lots of incentives for a future Vita market. But even with these incentives (which are plentiful) I don't see the Vita flying off the shelves. I definitely see spikes, especially with games like LBPVita and Assassins Creed, but I'm not convinced that the averages will increase significantly after those spikes, and it's the averages that matter.

To give an example: Currently the Vita is around 11,000 average in Japan (although it looks like it could fall below that). I would say that after the spike that average could rise to 14,000 and hopefully stay there for the foreseeable future. It's a difficult one to call so late in the year though because Christmas is upon us soon and numbers inflate naturally. I know that Japanese people don't celebrate Christmas in the same way that we do, but they get their bonuses around the Christmas period, which amounts to the same thing really.

I think that services that will help sustain that average will be PSMobile and PS1 games, but without marketing, they will have little impact. This is the area Sony really need to improve. A price cut would be the biggest factor in sustaining that average but it's not going to happen this year. Sony will depend entirely on their software line up, bundles and PS+... I think that's a reasonable strategy myself.

I think the Vita is going to be outsold this Christmas by at least 3/1 by the 3DS but come April/May next year that gap will have been reduced. I doubt we'll see a week of the Vita outselling the 3DS until 2014 if I'm being completely honest, and even then it will be sporadic.

I say that purely from a support perspective and not because I want the Vita to beat the 3DS; it doesn't have to. But for it to get the support it deserves, it has to at least mirror sales of the 3Ds occasionally. It's not doom and gloom though. The Vita will continue to sell and the support WILL come.

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80°

RAM Price Increases Could See Next-Generation Console Releases Delayed

Insider Gaming has learned that the ongoing price increases in RAM due to the rise in AI could delay the next generation of console releases.

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insider-gaming.com
17d ago
slate9117d ago

What is even the incentive of upgrading to the next-gen after this console generation we've had? Graphics are plateauing, prices at an all time high, studios skipping entire generations or simply releasing just one game for it...
Its a mess

Jin_Sakai17d ago

Been gaming all my life. This is the worst generation ever.

jznrpg17d ago

How do you gauge each generation? There has been a lot of really good games this gen. I only care about the games. First party hasn’t been the best but the generation isn’t over yet

DarXyde17d ago (Edited 17d ago )

jznrpg,

Thing is, every generation before this one has had something that defined console identity. Very little beyond bigger/more detailed games and performance modes are really there.

I feel the last generation that cared very much was gen 7; Capcom's darkest era, but I have to give them props for being really experimental at the time. We saw plenty of new games that still tried to do something new. Outside of Metaphor and Clair Obscur, this gen has been pretty forgettable if you ask me. I'm sure a lot of it is the corporatization of the industry and the creative talent has to keep making sequels and spiritual successors because the cost of development is out of control. But even then, plenty of these experiences are experiences we've had already. And the thing is. Switch 2 and PSVR2 could really be doing incredible things, but it's just not there. Xbox I just don't see the value or point anymore but that's just me.

anast17d ago

Why has is been the worst? I've been gaming all my life and this gen. has been one of the best.

Vits17d ago

Not to mention that just like this generation, the next one will also be shared between the current and next gen console at least for a couple of years. So the few titles that it will had, just like this one, will run on the console you already have.

franwex16d ago

We will be getting games on PS4, PS5, and PS6, haha.

Extermin8or3_16d ago

I think people have to remember the pandemic at start of this gen and how it effected game development. This next gen we will see the PS4 etc support dropped and truly see the full utilisation of SSD's improvements to ray and path tracing and the impact of AI upscaling etc will be where the biggest improvements will come from.

isarai_lee16d ago

My sentiments exactly, next gen has got to prove it's worth before i buy into it this time. This has been the weakest generation in my 30yrs of gaming. From the drawn out cross gen garbage, to so many games getting stuck in development hell or canceled, to the ABSURD levels of trend chasing to the point of self destruction, this gen just wasn't worth it

thorstein16d ago

I'm pretty sure I've already read a story that said Playstation is only halfway through this console's generation and that PS6 is a way off.

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darthv7217d ago

Im good with next gen being pushed back to 27/28. It feels like this gen has only just begun.

Melankolis17d ago

Covid-19 held back everything at least 2 years worth. Although many people disliked, i think only UE5 can generally distinguish this gen from the previous one.

DarXyde16d ago

UE5 is definitely impressive, but I would also give the nod to the current version of Decima, at least the way it looks for Death Stranding 2.

CornholioX16d ago

That's normal how you think. Time goes faster when you're older and i bought my PS5 since day 1 release and now it's 5 years old. I don't mind a year delay to release PS6 in holiday 2028.

DoubleYourDose16d ago

Tomorrow isn't promised to any of us.

Eonjay16d ago

I was under the impression that next gen wasn't coming till 2027.z u9gsq

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victorMaje17d ago

Regardless of RAM price increases, I strongly believe there’s still a lot of potential left for the current gen. I’d be fine with at least 3 more years.

jznrpg17d ago

Whenever it comes out is fine with me. I still have backlog for the next year at least

Show all comments (38)
120°

Bad Robot Games Teams With Sony

This is interesting and unexpected news as Sony and Bad Robot Games are partnering.

-Foxtrot43d ago

Was excited until I saw “an unannounced four-player, cooperative shooter”

Christopher43d ago

It's from the same guy who made L4D. Wouldn't expect anything otherwise.

-Foxtrot43d ago

I just thought since Back 4 Blood didn’t set the world on fire and died pretty quickly support wise he might have done something a little different.

StoneTitan42d ago

awesome, cooperative games are great

Scissorman42d ago (Edited 42d ago )

@Foxtrot The creator of L4D, Mike Booth, didn't have anything to do with Back for Blood, and that's probably why it didn't set the world on fire. This new project just might be the successor we've been waiting for.

JEECE42d ago (Edited 42d ago )

Gosh it would be so nice to have a true successor to L4D 2. Back 4 Blood introduced nearly every annoying, unnecessary aspect of multiplayer game design from the last ten-ish years, while simultaneously making the gameplay and world less interesting than L4D. Ironically I think it didn't actually have MTs, despite feeling like it was designed to sell them.

Sadly, I just can't see a true successor coming out now. I'd happily be wrong, but I bet this will have a hub world, multiple progression systems, multiple currency systems, skins, heros/operators/specialists, and battle passes, and the speed of the game will be toned down from L4D2, just like B4B was.

Whitey2k42d ago

I shall keep an eye on this. Expecially if Mike booth is involved Left for dead 1 & 2 was amazing on pc.

Should be left for dead 3

More enemies and boss battles
More maps and missions
Also bring back like the witch and tank and other nasty top dogs

JEECE42d ago

The "PC" feel is one of the key reasons B4B doesn't match up to L4D. L4D is clearly designed for mouse and keyboard, and the speed of the game reflects that (this is why it never felt quite right on 360 and the devs had to add in that "quick turn" feature to compensate). Meanwhile B4B is slowed down to better suit playing with controllers. Unfortunately this game will likely be the same, given the PS5 version.

And yes you are right the specials were so lame in B4B compared to L4D.

Whitey2k40d ago

That's because the 360 didnt support mouse and keyboard. Now we're in that era ps5 or ps6 and magnus should easily support mouse and keyboard to play with pc players

JEECE38d ago

@Whitey2k

Technically consoles support m/k now, but practically speaking most console users still just play with a controller, so this game is likely to be designed primarily with controller players in mind. I'd be happy to be proven wrong, but I doubt I will be.

160°

Sony: PS5 Is “Only in the Middle of Its Journey;” Multiplatform Helldivers 2 Doing “Extremely Well”

During Sony’s quarterly financial conference call CFO Lin Tao provided relevant information on the performance of the PlayStation business.

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simulationdaily.com
Pedantic9166d ago

Kinda figured the lifecycle for this gen and for Sony in particular will be longer, stronger hardware with better graphical enhancements is not going to show immediate jump in quality for games anymore like in the 90's, graphics have since plateaued and what they should be pushing for is art design, physics handling and locking down framerates to 60fps as the absolute minimum required. Sony will always have their 1st party with their heavy hitters but i would also personally want to see them invest more into AA, bring in younger talents, incorporate more experimental ideas to game design and prototyping like the early days with PS and PS2, maybe instead of investing 200-300+ million in bombastic cinematic experiences, invest atleast half of that into creating new teams for other genres you're currently lacking in to diversify your portfolio such as platfomers, jrpgs, horror, rythm, arcade racer, FPS, hell, maybe even a strategy game or two.

thorstein66d ago

What I've learned from this generation is that smaller studios are where I'm finding the best games.

The big boys just aren't cutting it.

This is great news for PS owners.

But what's the advantage to new hardware anymore? It's like cell phones. There's noting new or innovative. All the future tech isn't arriving any time soon: quantum computers and internet.

Profchaos66d ago

What I've learnt from this gen is to go retro until you get those big games like GTA Vi

Lightning7766d ago

People seem to complain whenever Sony does something different. If it's not the cinematic story driven games then most don't seem to care.

I forgot what game it was but We remember when Shawn Layden said some game didn't sell all that well but it was ok because they wanted to take chances with new types of games. That was a different times different generation now. What applies then certainly doesn't apply now.

PhillyDonJawn66d ago

Not necessarily. Ps5 could still be supported for years after ps6 release. I still would expect ps6 around 2027

MetroidFREAK2166d ago

As long as proper physical games keep coming out for PS5, I'll keep supporting it

Eonjay65d ago

At this point, going back and seeing just how incredible and soawling the PS4 library is, its nice to see that the PS5 will wind up just as good with continued physical support into the next decade and the full PS4 physical catalog as well.

MetroidFREAK2164d ago

I agree. I'm still picking up PS4 games I missed back in the day as well.

MIDGETonSTILTS1766d ago

New hardware is meant to expand possibilities for developers when their ambitions are constrained.

Looking at Death Stranding 2 and Yotei, and anticipating GTA6 and Wolverine will also blow away graphics expectations, I don’t think devs are constrained by the ps5 yet.

The longer they wait to release the ps6, the stronger it will be. People can wait. Just let Kojima finish Physint as a ps6 launch title. That should take at least another 4 years. That would be the lifecycle at 9 years, which would be the longest lifecycle yet, but not by much.

Eonjay65d ago

So I totally see what you are saying but I suspect that one of the effects of introducing stronger hardware is the older generations are then maxed by necessity.

But thats just my opinion. The real reason why Sony won't wait to release a next Gen console is because they are seeking to directly influence the next Gen of graphics hardware on an industry wide scale.. To them, they are making developers lives easier if they are developing for hardware that ubiquitous support features across platforms including PC.

This would literally lift everyone up at the same time. And for this reason the Next Playstation will debut as part of UDNAs debut. PS5 will continue to be optimized and supported for another 5 at least.

MIDGETonSTILTS1763d ago

If I’m following you, you are saying introducing a ps6 would be a way to immediately hit the PS5’s hardware ceiling. That would make sense, but I hope they force Xbox to release their console first, and they then counter with a slightly stronger ps6 a year later. I don’t expect Xbox to launch with a strong initial exclusives roster that would necessitate Sony being first to market.

Dexterio66d ago

Sony: PS5 Is “Only in the Middle of Its Journey;”
Nice to know. I wouldn't worry about PS6 for another 5-6 years, I guess.

monkey60266d ago

I wouldnt count on that. A console life cycle doesn't end with the announcement and release of a new gen.
We'll see a PS6 announcement in 2027 and release in 2028. I could bet on it

Eonjay65d ago

It could come out in 2027 and thats fine. It is quite common for people to upgrade their TV, phone or PC within that time period. As long as it is backwards compatible it makes total sense to upgrade and its justified on its merit alone. There is no reason why this can apply to consoles too.

jznrpg66d ago

I doubt it will be that long until PS6. My guess is around 2028 but who knows. Could be as early as holiday 27’ and as late as 29 but I can’t see it being any farther than that. I somewhat doubt as late as 29. Half way through PS5 life can also mean crossgen titles for a year or 2 into PS6

Lightning7766d ago

The rumor is 2027. Cerny said it's only a few years away. Possibly of 2028 but it definitely won't be 5, 6 years away.

isarai66d ago

With this statement, while Mark Cerby us teasing the basis of the next gen tech, it sounds like we're probably going to have another dragged out cross gen overlap 😒 ugh. I miss the days when launch ganes marked the starting line of new beginnings, games built from the ground up to take full advantage of whats new and exciting, instead of just upresed/remastered last gen games

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