430°

Sony Doesn't Need To Acquire Studios

Nicholas gives his thoughts on why Sony doesn't need to acquire studios, and that they should shift their focus to their already existing talent.

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Jin_Sakai2428d ago

They don’t but they should to stay competitive.

S2Killinit2428d ago

They can also expand their already existing studios. Or split them off into two. There is no need to expend millions just to acquire a name if you know how to build proper studios from the ground up. The only time its prudent to buy a studio outright is if Sony wants a particular franchise they own or knows they are a studio with unique capabilities. Otherwise, there is no need.

UltraNova2428d ago

I think Sony should hit the 1 game per 3-4 months sweet spot, wether that means buying more studios, expanding existing ones or creating new ones from the ground up.

Sevir2428d ago

Which they have. They've been doubling in size all of their internal studios, and opening up new studios as well. Why should they only continue to focus on the ones they have when they can do both acquire new studios, form new studios from talent they have, and double their team sizes for established first party devs?

They're transitioning to a new generation and want more content delivered.

They're biggest developers are working on multiple projects at once as is. They're already committed to that strategy, they can also bring New talent into the DNA of WWS and which can benefit from the expertise from all the other studios.

Eonjay2428d ago

Microsoft has so much money, they are the last people who need to buy someone. Can can invest the moon and starts into the studios they already have.

Mr_Writer852427d ago

@S2killint

Its not just the name, it's the talent and in some cases already established IPs, or at least the creative minds behind them.

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gangsta_red2428d ago

Purchasing studios shouldn't be the only option.

Build more studios from the ground up instead.

MasterCornholio2428d ago

Sony has built studios in the past and even expanded current ones so they do know that it's an option. But I don't see any issues in taking a small studio and turning them into another Naughty Dog or SSM. That option is a good one as well and it has worked for them in the past.

The Wood2428d ago (Edited 2428d ago )

Do both. Build and acquire.

SpaceRanger2428d ago

Couldn’t agree more. That organic growth is great for new grads, fresh ideas and bringing in diverse talent.

2428d ago
TheColbertinator2428d ago (Edited 2428d ago )

@gamingunited

He can do as he damn well pleases.

2428d ago
NarutoFox2428d ago

@Gamingunited

Facts 😂😁

Chevalier2428d ago

Such a idiotic idea that they should only build uo studio's. They can do both. Pretty obvious your clueless or just playing dumb as usual.

IGiveHugs2NakedWomen2428d ago (Edited 2428d ago )

Sony has more studios than any other gaming company. I have no idea why you said that.

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KillZallthebeast2428d ago

It would be short sighted to grow complacent. Expanding is always good as long as they maintain their quality.

2428d ago
rainslacker2428d ago

I think they're fine, but if they find a studio that helps them be better, or helps them achieve some goal they have, and the price is right, then nothing wrong with acquiring a new studio. They could also just build new teams for their various world wide studio houses, which they do from time to time....most recently for psvr games

SyntheticForm2428d ago

Agreed - one or two more studios that they could nurture and make even greater than they were previously. They've done this before and they can do it again. These studios should also make big games.

This would help fill any 'dry' season PlayStation has, even though I think that's what third parties are for.

DarXyde2428d ago

Guerrilla, Naughty Dog, and Sony Santa Monica alone have done great work. Playstation has beaten Rockstar in receiving BAFTA GOTY for both The Last of Us (against GTA V) and God of War (against RDR2). I think Sony is plenty competitive with their current roster.

Overall, I'm not a fan of acquiring studios. If a studio works exclusively on some hardware and wants to be acquired (e.g., Playground Games), sure, why not. It's acquiring upper crust multiplatform studios that I think is bad. I don't agree at all with Microsoft acquiring Ninja Theory or the rumors of Sony acquiring Remedy. Heck, Nintendo's acquisition of Monolith was upsetting. Mind you, Monolith is the only one of those the studios I care about, but the point still stands: I believe acquiring established higher tier multiplatform studios is a bit of an ugly practice.

Chevalier2428d ago

I think you mean Monolith Soft not Monolith Productions fyi.

Monolith is owned by Warner Bros, they did F.E.A.R, Condemned and most recently Middle Earth games.

I get what your saying though. I was upset when Ninja Theory got bought by MS as talent just goes their to die. Rare for example has done garbage since being acquired for example.

IGiveHugs2NakedWomen2428d ago

@Jin_Sakai

Just curious to know which console maker do you think has studios that compete with Sony's?

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 2427d ago
Double_O_Revan2428d ago

I would agree they don't NEED to, but if only to keep good studios out of the competition's hands. Ninja Theory and Obsidian are disappointing loses.

smashman982428d ago

Sometimes buying a studio isn't about gaining something but rather about making sure that your competition doesn't have that something. It is important that Sony buys stuff or they risk letting MS purchase all the talent.

Atom6662428d ago

I think that would be a really terrible reason to acquire any studio. If I owned a studio and knew I was only purchased for those reasons, I'm not coming anywhere near signing that deal.

Do you have an example where this has ever actually happened?

TheUndertaker852428d ago (Edited 2428d ago )

Yes. Sony is paying Activision for timed exclusivity, allowing rumors to spread about pure exclusivity that doesn't exist, NDA stops Activision from clarifying.

A clear example of this is Crash Bandicoot.

Another example is Quantic Dreams. Their titles were labeled exclusive while true exclusivity was never on the table.

Sony also purchased Naughty Dog from Universal Interactive Studios and praised their titles as exclusive, even calling Spyro and Crash Sony mascots while Sony had zero control of either IP. Sony literally had zero rights to Naughty Dog content.

ShadowWolf7122428d ago

@Undertaker
Quantic Dream was exclusive because Sony was publishing their games. They only went multiplat after NetEase bought a controlling stake in the company and opted to publish said games on other platforms, which they're allowed to do as those are QD IPs. Had nothing to do with "making sure the competition didn't have it".

Sony also never owned Naughty Dog when they made Crash, and Naughty Dog actually WANTED to be bought by Sony to escape a very undesirable working relationship with Universal. Spyro was an Insomniac title, not Naughty Dog, and they were made for PlayStation because PlayStation contracted the games TO be made, they didn't take games already being made for every system and pay for them to only be on theirs.

Maybe do some basic research before spouting off about this. lmao

TheUndertaker852428d ago (Edited 2428d ago )

@ShadowWolf712: Does Willy the Wombat ring any bells? Because it started in 1994 under Universal Studios Interactive. So how do you not contract a game already under development when they supposedly didn't?

Further the competitors at the time were Sega and Nintendo. Both of which had first party mascots where Sony has zero. Thus the choice to publish Crash Bandicoot while the IP remained with Universal Studios Interactive. Further in the future where Activision holds the rights to both Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon Sony already had timed exclusivity with Activision. Thus the one year PS exclusivity that Sony refused to comment on and contractually Activision couldn't either.

"Quantic Dream was exclusive because Sony was publishing their games. They only went multiplat after NetEase bought a controlling stake in the company and opted to publish said games on other platforms, which they're allowed to do as those are QD IPs. Had nothing to do with "making sure the competition didn't have it"." So basically QD and their titles were never exclusive and were behind a Sony contract. Which as you said made them exclusive but not exclusive. Which is exactly what I said. Sony had no real exclusivity and knew it. As their lawyers would be coming up with the contracts & NDAs.

Ah, but all of the above were "exclusive". Without any of the above ever being truly exclusive.

Oh and btw, QD talked about on numerous occasions before going multiplatform that they wanted to be multiplatform. They also want to develop multiplayer titles and have stated they couldn't because of publisher decisions. Sony was their publisher.

Mr_Writer852427d ago

@shadow

Damm son stop with the truth bombs.

@Undertaker

"Yes. Sony is paying Activision for timed exclusivity,"

And? MS paid for timed exclusivity for Rise of the Tomb Raider.

"NDA stops Activision from clarifying."
Same with SE and ROTTR.

"Another example is Quantic Dreams. Their titles were labeled exclusive while true exclusivity was never on the table."

At the time of release the games were published by Sony and remain a console exclusive.

"even calling Spyro and Crash Sony mascots while Sony had zero control of either IP."

Again...And? They would of required Universals permission, which they clearly got so what's the issue?

"So how do you not contract a game already under development when they supposedly didn't?"

Again in English please? You do know that Sony didn't contract all its exclusives at that time? Example FF7 was an exclusive and it wasn't because Sony published the game. It was because Square saw the PS1 was a better fit. That's pretty much the same for MGS and others.

ShadowWolf7122427d ago

Willy the Wombat was an early concept for Crash and had no stated platform. Sony Co-Published the game with Universal which means yes, they had contracted the studio to work with them for the purposes of publication.

QD is, once again, a similar situation. Sony did not force them to not say anything about their IPs being their own, Cage outright said before QD owns the IPs and Sony handled the publishing, hence why they enjoyed working with the company. NetEase then bought a controlling share in QD and opted to self-publish, and the announcement came almost immediately. Which means -gasp- there were no NDA's and the company could talk about it if they chose! Which they already had so...

-shrug-

But by all means, keep pretending you know what you're talking about.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 2427d ago
Juusterey2428d ago

They just need to stop censoring them

AspiringProGenji2428d ago (Edited 2428d ago )

They don’t censor their studios

Silly gameAr2428d ago

What studios has Sony censored? You people will latch on to something, make it bigger than it really is, and will beat that horse into dust.

ThunderGod_Cid2428d ago (Edited 2428d ago )

They censored Devil May Cry 5, the last Senran Kagura Re:Burst and currently Sengan Kagura 7, Omega Labyrinth, Super Neptunia RPG, Dead or Alive Xtreme Scarlet, etc. It’s been all over the internet for a while. And they’re still continuing to censor other upcoming games from other Japanese developers.

AspiringProGenji2428d ago

Wasn’t that scene in Devil May Cry 5 censored in all versions?

BrettAwesome2428d ago

@Thundergod
Nobody except Xbox fans and losers with cartoons for girlfriends cares about those games, well maybe except for DMC5.

The Wood2428d ago

They really do latch onto things don't they. It's weird because so much calories are spent bemoaning Sony's missteps and frailties yet zero calories trying get their preferred to actually provide gaming nutrition. People need to get their priorities in order.

Juusterey2428d ago

what @ThunderGod_Cid said
Also zanki zero, conception, nekopara

Juusterey2428d ago

All right @thewood
put down the bottle

jukins2428d ago

Trish's ass has been uncensored you plebe. . . As for the rest of the censored stuff moatly young anime girls near nude or fondling modes removed.

I for one thank Sony

The Wood2428d ago (Edited 2428d ago )

Jussterey

Don't judge me. . . Drinking in the afternoon is totally normal

DarkZane2428d ago

@ThunderGod_Cid Sony weren't responsible for DMC5 censoring, Capcom was. This was fixed in a later patch and the game no longer has that scene censored.

ShadowWolf7122428d ago

Pretty much anime tiddy games involving characters of questionable age (or designed to appear as such) or items or activities in games that are intentionally made to be of "dubious consent" on the part of the characters in question. (IE a grope mode in SK in which the high school aged characters ask you to stop and you're rewarded for ignoring them, items that snip bikini straps on characters in DoA Xtreme which can have them visibly "distressed", etc.)

BrettAwesome2428d ago

Lol. Look at that 22 sad wankers who dislike the truth 😂 <✊>

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jukins2428d ago

If you wanna see scantily clad young looking anime girls . . . . You have the internet. . .

Juusterey2427d ago

Would you use the same argument if anything else was censored?
blood? language? anything?

2428d ago Replies(1)
Thundercat772428d ago

Let's start by censoring your uninformed comment.

NeoGamer2322428d ago

Censoring is a decision they make and it is about the type of things they are willing to associate with their brand.

For example, Disney does not do R-Rated movies. This was a strategic principled choice for their brand. If Sony does that it is completely up to them and what they want their brand associated with.

Juusterey2427d ago

nobody ever said it wasn't up to them, but we still have the right to criticise them for it
bad comparison by the way
disney doesn't have blood and guts and violence but censor sexual stuff

2427d ago
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bluefox7552428d ago

Sure, they'll still dominate without acquiring studios, but why not? What's the harm in expanding?

jukins2428d ago

The harm? Disgruntled employees unhappy with being bought out worrying if their position is an overlap and will be cut which leads to leaks or performance not up to standards.

On the other hand it could always work out. I know the companies always say they let acquisitions keep their identity but truthfully once you're under a big companies umbrella things change

rainslacker2428d ago

How many people have been let go from their positions with MS recent acquisitions?

The thing about indie studios is that they usually dont have overlap, as most of that kind of thing comes from management positions not required for indie devs to operate. Maybe an hr person would lose their job as the studio transitions to the corporate hr, but they'd like just be changes to whatever liaison position there is.

Not one word had been said about people being disgruntled over being brought. Being brought would generally give more job security than hoping the studio has something lined up after the current project ends, and I'd imagine that both Sony and MS have better benefits than an indie dev can afford. MS especially is known to have a great benefits package

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