130°

Sony, Microsoft going 'heavily' on free-to-play next-gen, says Epic VP Rein

Sony and Microsoft are telling developers they're "going heavily" on free-to-play and in-app purchasing models with their next-gen consoles, according to Epic Games VP Mark Rein. Speaking in a roundtable discussion at the UK's Game Horizon conference, Rein said both companies will take on the kinds of financial models seen on mobile devices.

yesmynameissumo4004d ago

Sony's is actually F2P. Microsoft's is F2PayingGoldSubscribers. Let's be real.

Jek_Porkins4004d ago

You can actually download games and demo's and things like that without being a Gold member, also, we're not sure about the pricing for any of the next generation of consoles online. So I'd hold my tongue a bit when it comes to bashing.

Still, I'd like to see a good mix of everything next gen, I have enjoyed some free to play games, but not as much as fuller retail releases.

jimbobwahey4004d ago

Exactly, until Microsoft reveals the next Xbox and what their Xbox Live strategy will be, silly fanboy bashing such as yesmynameissumo's is foolish.

AngelicIceDiamond4004d ago

I knew MS was going F2P next gen. It's no surprise that Sony will as well.

Still waiting on Ascend New Gods (Anytime now)

shutUpAndTakeMyMoney4004d ago (Edited 4004d ago )

Either way when it comes to console games money grubbing will be worse than on pc.

Average joe Console gamer will change the world for the worse.

Can't wait to see what activition and EA does on console.

Planetside 2 and hawken are great though.

DeadlyFire4003d ago

So does this mean we could see many IPs having a free2play multiplayer mode? Similar to Uncharted 3 going free to play.

This to me spells Planetside 2 coming to PS4.

I see nothing wrong with free to play if the content has a value. I feel like many free to play games I sample have no value to them so I drop them after a week Unless I like them.

yesmynameissumo4004d ago (Edited 4004d ago )

What does downloading demos have to do with F2P games like Happy Wars only being free to Gold members? Oh, that's right...nothing. Set your blind defense to "low".

from the beach4004d ago

Mark Rein's comments refer to next gen.

yesmynameissumo4004d ago

My comments refer to the Micorsoft's current implementation. Don't see it changing with next gen either.

from the beach4004d ago

Me either, but Sony's might.

princejb1344004d ago

I don't see MS changing their strategy either
Xboxlive has been successful for 2 gens, so why would they drop it and lose revenue

Knight_Crawler4004d ago

Simple new gen means new fanbase.

The reason why MS got away with last gen was becuase of Sony messing up with the PS3 pricing and PSN not being up to par with Live.

Sony has learned its leasson wiht the PS4 and are offering a bunch of features like corss game chat and many more that surpass Live.

MS will have to offer allot more than what Sony is offering to justify $60 a year - if they dont they will loose a boat load of fans to SOny.

BLow4004d ago

@Knight

If you think MS is just going to give up a billion dollars a year then you're not really thinking things through. Apparently, people are willing to pay Live and MS knows this so they will continue to charge. I won't hold out for MS to announce free online play as long as people keep opening up their wallets.

princejb1344004d ago

@knight

I disagree
MS got away with it with the original Xbox where they had millions subscribers
And only added millions more on the 360

In my opinion Psn and xlive were on par
I didn't need cross game chat and a few other gimmicks to make me pay 60 a year
Online to me is been able to just play online
Chatting and everything else is just a extra features

4004d ago
nthstew4004d ago

this not new for Sony, they already published F2p games like dust 514 or uncharted 3 multiplayer for free and also not forget about free games for PlayStation plus..

MasterCornholio4004d ago (Edited 4004d ago )

Well it will be free to play for Microsoft if they allow people to play the game online without XBOXgold otherwise i wouldnt consider it a F2P game with an xboxlive gold subscription attached to it.

For example: I can play DC Universe and Dust 514 for free on PSN with no subscriptions attached to it but if i wanted to do the same on XBOXlive....

Wait does the 360 have any FTP multiplayer games? because i cant find any.

Eldyraen4004d ago

Technically isn't Happy Wars or whatever ftp? I never tried it but think it was advertised as FTP when I saw its trailer once. Think Ascend was shown at the same time...

FTP equal to Sony's probably not though.

yesmynameissumo4004d ago

F2P for Gold, 800 moon bucks for Silver.

Eldyraen4004d ago

@yesmtnameissumo: thx, sounds about right as might had been free for gold. Not sure as I said.

Show all comments (32)
140°

Sony Patents To Prevent You From In-Game Harassment By Reading Your Emotions

A new patent recently published by Sony wants to gather biometric data of gamers to track whether one is being harassed using AI tools.

Profchaos21h ago(Edited 21h ago)

I hope this is one of those patents that never comes to fruition.

I already dislike the fact you can pay a significant amount for a online service buy associated games and content on said service and get banned from that service over potentially a misunderstanding the bans are already handed out for flimsy reasons

I'd rather see money invested in a ban that simply removes the offensive players ability to communicate with unknown players allow them to continue party chats with friends but not with Joe blow on cod.

exputers17h ago

Agreed. Blizzard recently banned a college Overwatch 2 player who's dependent for saying "shit." Pretty harsh.

Profchaos2h ago(Edited 2h ago)

How rediculas really. You can't say a word that's allowed in most PG films and prime time TV but the game is based around killing the enemy team using guns, explosives etc.

It's just backwards.

just_looken4h ago

What your talking about is called block list

In 2006 a spaceship dropped of the playstation 3/xbox 360 i say that that generation was the last great gen with game functions/tech that has yet to comeback

Anyhow the playstation 3 if you block listed a id they could not talk to you in chatroom with either text or voice. But that was pre mind fucked 2018 when people were more human than sheep.

But hey gta 6 is coming out billion dollar budget without a single player custom character creator and without singeplayer coop off/online something saints row 1-3 had on the xbox 360.

z2g13h ago

Take my social security and bank account numbers too! Here’s a picture of my wife and our address.

phoenixwing13h ago

Cmon where's the pictures of your children. Don't hold out on them.

H913h ago

At this rate I feel Sony will eventually sell a room to play games in it where they can monitor your every breath

jambola9h ago

I genuinely get a bit worried sometimes when a friend says something that could be offensive In a party
Because I have no trouble believing some bans would happen when in a private party for saying something wrong

SegaSaturn66912h ago

I want them to censor erotic content by measuring my groin temperature so i dont get too distracted while playing black ops 2.

Popsicle12h ago

Terrible idea. Not only do I not consent to providing my biometric data, the potential for mishandling biometric data is almost a certainty. Positive stress and negative stress can produce similar changes in biometrics. Interpreting the precise emotion a person is feeling is not only invasive but could be easily misconstrued. I hope this never comes to fruition.

Show all comments (14)
300°

Microsoft Seemingly Closes Bethesda France

As part of its plans to cut 1,900 jobs, Microsoft has reportedly shut down operations at Bethesda France, letting go roughly 15 people

Read Full Story >>
insider-gaming.com
Hereandthere1d 4h ago

Microsoft should have left them stay 3rd party

GamerRN1d 2h ago

If they are let go, they can be whatever they want. They ARE 3rd party now... 🤦

Barlos23h ago

Yeah, they're also jobless.

GamerRN16h ago

They can form a company if they want, they are just as jobless as if "Microsoft had left them as 3rd party".

peppeaccardo18h ago

"MIcrosoft leaves Bethesda do what they know how to do best" ... close! Oh the irony ....
(Citation from a week old article)

ChasterMies14h ago

I think Microsoft and other game publishers are letting people go because they think ai will replace them. Doesn’t matter how much profit they make. They were always going to be let go.

PassNextquestion1d 4h ago (Edited 1d 4h ago )

Bethesda France was made up of roughly 15 people... they couldn't of being doing much

Bethesda France mainly did publishing and marketing within the region

blacktiger1d 2h ago

that's a shame for you to say that, i'm sure Elite loves hearing what you just said.

Mr Logic12h ago

What a stupid thing to say. The elites give 0 fucks what we say on an obscure website in the comments section.

Crows9011h ago

You can always reach out and give them jobs at your company man. Don't wait

Profchaos1d 4h ago (Edited 1d 4h ago )

Bethesda France focused on publishing and marketing in the region. And 15 people lost their jobs as part of the closure.

I wonder if this is part of Microsoft's strategy to abandoned physical media or possibly gamepass advertising makes their roles redundant you don't need to market a game as hard when the majority of players get the game as part of a sub which already promoted upcoming games

Tacoboto1d 3h ago

It's France too, there's a high likelihood only 1-2 people on the team even had an Xbox.

Profchaos1d 3h ago

Possibly guven all the leaks we know the Xbox brand is really struggling in the region.

Yi-Long1d ago

Well, if your consoles and games are barely found in any stores any more, of course you're gonna struggle finding consumers ...

XiNatsuDragnel1d 2h ago

Tbh Microsoft I think Bethesda being 3rd party same with Activision would probably more competitive than thus scenario imo

Profchaos1d 1h ago (Edited 1d 1h ago )

I think it would have been better for all parties really especially gamers

TheColbertinator1d 2h ago

The recently purchased Activision French offices might take over all the licensing and marketing for Microsoft in France from now on.

Show all comments (21)
130°

Sony Could Increase Your Game's Difficulty If It Sees You Complain About It

Sony has recently published a new patent that wants to dynamically handle the games' difficulty and gameplay based on the player's emotions.

jznrpg1d 5h ago

This is something I might use. Sometimes I play some good games but they don’t have difficulty option and are a little too easy.

Profchaos1d 5h ago

Souls games will be like that players struggling make it harder

PassNextquestion1d 4h ago (Edited 1d 4h ago )

I think if used correctly it could work well

jambola1d ago

cool idea
cool idea for horror games especially
the way it's explained here sounds like it could never be forced hopefully, so that's ok with me

Show all comments (8)