890°

Indie Developer Jon Olick Backtracks on Incendiary Tweets About Sony’s IP Policies for the PS4

Recently indie developer Jon Olick kicked up a fuse on Twitter about alleged policies Sony had in their contract agreements regarding any independent games the first party company supports, which according to Olick stated that Sony would gain ownership of IPs published on PS4. Today he has updated his Twitter account with a series tweets that rectifies what he had claimed previously.

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dualshockers.com
XboxFun3899d ago

This is why people in the industry (or in life) need to keep their mouths shut. Tweeting on the spot experiences have gotten so many people in trouble it is not even funny.

iamnsuperman3899d ago (Edited 3899d ago )

I agree but I see it as natural selection. Weaning out those people. The guy just made a fool out of himself

NewMonday3899d ago (Edited 3899d ago )

it is very simple, if Indy devs fund it they own it and the platform is available for them to self publish and set the price, date, patch, advertise, Sony only owns it if they fund the game themselves.

so if an Indy dev wants to keep the rights totally he should fund the game independently, like using Kicksatrer, Project Phoenix just recently did this and will be on almost every platform.

the mix up is about the development tools..

"Originally Posted by famousmortimer

Much ado about nothing..Back in the day id used to license their engine for free or very cheap. Their policy was that you could edit it in any way that you want but whatever improvements you came up with id owned and could use on future versions of the engine. This was in place when half life was made..The wording in this sounds similar. What i read is that if you "invent" something in terms of development on a ps4 dev kit that Sony can then incorporate it into their dev kit. I would be shocked if that wasn't true of Microsoft and nintendo also (or the unreal engine for that matter) . I don't believe this has anything to do with controlling IPs. "

and..

"Originally Posted by GoldenHelmet

Seriously?

We're making GAMES for PS4 and not one has a clause about ownership transferring to SCEA OR SCEE.

This is NOT the case, the only thing that IS owned by Sony, which is the same as Microsoft and Nintendo are the SDK' and the hardware, which is why most companies GIVE it away, so developers aren't paying for something they NEVER own."

JC_Denton3899d ago (Edited 3899d ago )

@newmonday

If only people helped Shadow of the Eternals as much. . . 8 days from ending the Kick Starter and only 34% of the way there.

NewMonday3899d ago (Edited 3899d ago )

@JC_Denton

Kicksatrer is dependent on reputation, for SotE the devs have a very bad one, I loved Eternal Darkness but don't trust DennisD, I would rather they have a publisher with experience pushing them.

DigitalRaptor3899d ago (Edited 3899d ago )

@ newmonday

You don't trust the guy to make a great video game, or you don't trust him for his disgusting choices in pornography?

It's a shame so many people's personal feelings about Dyak are getting in the way of a talented and passionate team to make a sequel to a fantastic game that won't see a successor any other way.

I think you're right though, at this stage it would be more favourable for a publisher to snap this up. Looks great.

ohiostatesman3899d ago

Sony reveals to the world who they really are. A snake in disguise. Don't get fooled guys. Sony is the same company that charges 100 dollars for a 32gb memory card.

TheoreticalParticle3898d ago (Edited 3898d ago )

digitalraptor:

"You don't trust the guy to make a great video game, or you don't trust him for his disgusting choices in pornography?"

100% the first part. I don't even know what you're referring to in the 2nd.

But after him yammering on for years about how Too Human was his dream game, it's like, dude... I don't ever need to support anyone who dreams of making games that are THAT awful.

Then, instead of realizing that his vision was poorly executed he starts whining and trying to sue Epic because their engine is too crappy for him to make good games, a problem that manages to stumble nobody else at any level from indie to AAA.

Get lost, Dyack.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 3898d ago
Abriael3899d ago (Edited 3899d ago )

Or at least get legal advice from decent professionals instead of wannabes.

Edit: lol at the disagree. Someone thinks one should get legal advice from his aunt so that he can properly rage at sony over a misconception.

MWong3899d ago

Agreed seek competent and soundly legal advise. Sucks he had to find out the hard way though.

Abriael3899d ago

@MWong: coukd have been worse. He could have started some legal action on the advice from that dude. He just got shamed on the internets. Burns, but it's no big damage.

HammockGames3899d ago (Edited 3899d ago )

^ Agreed fellas

This type of scenario strikes me as a form of professional Darwinism.

Attrition of cretinism through social media.

SchwoererBear3898d ago

When you're in trouble you, "Better call Saul". Idk if you watch Breaking Bad but that just came up in my head...

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3898d ago
ZHZ903899d ago

He shouldn't dare write about this on twitter or he's in big trouble.

die_fiend3898d ago

I know...how do people not yet realise that you shouldn't publish things like this on a social network. You can't just slander people and because it's on your Twitter account, expect to be exempt from the law.

For some-one who must be tech-savvy as a game developer, you really need to engage your brain and think 'Should I publicly slate a private contract I have, to the world'. If he even needs a lawyer to indicate that's not a great idea then he deserves to be panned. And is he moaning about a paralegal giving him bad advice? That's almost slander again

majiebeast3899d ago (Edited 3899d ago )

I think they should have special how not to ruin your carreer on twitter courses for any company employee.

I loved it when other indie devs said he was wrong his reply was, bubububut my Harvard lawyer said.

Abriael3899d ago

Haha i doubt he ruined his career. Mostly his ego

majiebeast3899d ago

Yeah but i mean in general. Also he decided to hand out non existant dirty laundry of a future business partner thats just stupid.

Anon19743899d ago

What's odd to me is how he thought Sony would gain ownership of the IP's in the first place. I've read these contracts. I didn't see anything that would lead me to believe this was the case. In fact, there's a whole section on Acknowledgment of Company’s Ownership Rights that outlines that your company still retains all rights to their products.

So what gave him that idea in the first place, I wonder?

Abriael3899d ago

Even more so, if that was even remotely true how did he not think someone would have raised a storm MUCH before him?

DemiImp3899d ago (Edited 3899d ago )

There was no Acknowledgement of Company's Ownership Rights section.

The contract said:

"All Next Gen Materials, all inventions and developments that utilize or incorporate Next Gen Materials and any derivatives of Next Gen materials are the sole property of SCEA"

Next Gen Materials means the PS4, any software Sony gives him related to the PS4, and any other info Sony give him related to the PS4.

So, unless he doesn't utilize the PS4, any software related to it, or any info about it when making his game...

Kurylo3d3899d ago

Well the problem is next gen could even specify next gen artwork, next gen game engines.. next gen anything... Its all in the eye of the beholder. i dont think sony was clear enough.

Anon19743899d ago

If you develop something using Sony's SDK, they still retain ownership of what they provided to you. Next Gen materials is materials provided to the company from Sony, not the other way around. This doesn't have anything to do with the ownership of your own IP's.

Ownership Rights is in another agreement which they probably would have signed dealing with ownership of IP's. The company still owns all rights to art, source code, music, etc but excludes intellectual property provided to the company by Sony.

Personally, I think a great way to nullify a Confidentiality and Non-disclosure agreement is to go onto twitter and leak details of an agreement that is meant to be confidential.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3899d ago
yeahokchief3899d ago (Edited 3899d ago )

Sooner or later it'll just bite them in the butt. If they are going to have one, it should be managed by a third party.

I don't have time to listen to what they're thinking about anyways. Too... Many... Games...

3-4-53898d ago

Twitter needs an app where it won't actually post what you've typed for 24 hours. That way you get time to delete what you might not want people to read or what you may not even believe yourself anymore once you've calmed down.

I still think Twitter is stupid, but I see it's purpose.

3-4-53898d ago

Moral of the Story:

Think before you talk/type ?

joefrost003898d ago

Didnt sound like he was wrong
Sound more like he didnt know what he was getting into
I can believe that
But anything even implying sony might be a tad bit greedy or unfair is just
Blasphemy on this site

CEOSteveBallmer3896d ago

coming from a pro xbox dude. just saw the comment you made when im reading the other articles and now i saw you again here. heres a quote "Ryse looks better than what the PS4 can offer" a bold statement bro. maybe you didn't look closely at infamous and killzone's environment. and if we are talking about graphics only. The dark sorcerer is the best in visuals. yes its not a game but its running in real time on PS4. and not to mention the order 1888. naughty dog and santa monica haven't even shown what their games are. MS showing "almost" all their big guns already

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 3896d ago
fOrlOnhOpe573899d ago

The worlds gone 180 batsh*t crazy !

yewles13899d ago

Well that idiot screwing over Mr. Olick just gave para legals a bad name...

Kenshin_BATT0USAI3899d ago

Because society knows and respects Olick's opinion?

Trust me, this changes nothing for para legals. LOL

JunioRS1013899d ago

Idk what Olick was trying to say, but I seriously doubt Sony just takes ownership of every game on its platform lol

Clearly he misunderstood part of the contract.

DemiImp3899d ago (Edited 3899d ago )

No, that's what the contract said. It's quite clear when you look at it.

"All Next Gen Materials, all inventions and developments that utilize or incorporate Next Gen Materials and any derivatives of Next Gen materials are the sole property of SCEA"

Next Gen Materials means the PS4, any software Sony gives him related to the PS4, and any other info Sony give him related to the PS4.

So, unless he doesn't utilize the PS4, any software related to it, or any info about it when making his game...

porkChop3899d ago

It just has to do with Sony's SDK and development tools. If you update/modify the tools Sony has the right to use those modifications in the future as the tools belong to them. This has nothing to do with games or IP at all. The guy completely misunderstood what it was saying and made an ass out of himself.

corvusmd3899d ago

Uh, so if you don't utilize or incorporate PS materials...how exactly do you get it on the system? Assuming you can publish it without using any PS Material....do you just throw it out there and hope that it works bug free? Sony is anything but indie friendly, but it's amazing how many fanboys are fighting tooth and nail for PS...if this was MS they'd be on the other side just as aggressively....the favoritism is more ridiculous than ever.

Silly gameAr3899d ago

@corvusmd

I really wish people would give that "poor MS gets ripped unfairly on N4G" crap a rest. Some people actually do give them credit when it's due. This is about an indy dev ranting about something he misunderstood on Twitter anyway. This has nothing to do with poor ol' Microsoft.

dennett3163899d ago

@corvusmd, what on Earth are you talking about? Why are you still talking about something you don't understand, and using that inaccuracy as a basis to stir up a console war conversation?
How can you say that Sony are not indie friendly considering their free rental of dev kits to small indie game makers in an effort to help them get projects off the ground? How can you claim they're not indie friendly when they were allowing self publishing on their network at a time when Microsoft were not? And indeed, it still took a fair amount of negative coverage before MS reversed that dumb policy.
How can you say they're not indie friendly when they prominently featured several indie devs (and their games) on stage at E3?

The guy who made these posts was wrong, as were the idiots giving him advice. It's been clearly set out numerous times on various comments here exactly why he now acknowledges he was wrong....and yet you're still trying to argue a nonsensical position? Why?

rainslacker3899d ago

I think you, as well as some others, are looking at materials in too narrow a way. Materials, in reference to Sony's SDK, which this clause is applicable too, could be anything provided by Sony in their dev kit in order for someone to make their game. Typically software API's, source code, general default features, etc.

So, knowing this lets take an example of something that someone could put in there, that would now belong to Sony.

Sony, in it's dev kit has a set of API's that function to display/interface the save game features for a game. If a developer decides they want their own custom save game screen functionality, they go in, using the original save game API's as a basis(would likely have to for system access), and customizes it to make it more efficient, or to perform additional tasks...like say create a special database entry, or upload that save automatically, contact leader boards, or whatever.

Under this clause, that new custom save interface implementation is now the property of Sony since it was built on top of Sony's original API. They have rights to redistribute it on a future release.

This is in no way connected to any additional material used to actually create the save game screen. Any artwork, or possibly UI interface that is completely designed or made to make this screen without using the Sony SDK is still the property of the developer.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 3899d ago
BABY-JEDI3899d ago

It's the curse of the tweet!
Beware you tweeters out there!

T23899d ago

Im not sure whats more sad - that people feel the need to tweet whenever they take a piss or that people actually care and read it

iceman063899d ago

I'm gonna say...umm...YES!

BABY-JEDI3899d ago

Some people REALLY need to let the world know LoL

Abriael3899d ago

You seem to have cared enough to read AND comment :D

Show all comments (71)
280°

Sony Taps Bungie's Head of Revenue to Lead Live-Service Games

Sony has recruited Bungie's head of revenue Jaremy Rich to head up its live-service gaming division, Rich has announced on social media.

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techraptor.net
ChasterMies14d ago

Please do not put Destiny’s monetization into Sony’s first party games. The monetization is what’s driving players away from Destiny.

just_looken14d ago

The new temp boss is the sony cfo bean counter so i can see this being a thing get every penny.

Cacabunga14d ago

PlayStation officially losing it.. fans will never support gaas games

just_looken14d ago

@car

The new boss did a interview in japan he wants to tap into the mobile market like nintendio so he give 0 fucks about gamers/fans

https://www.pushsquare.com/...

Redemption-6414d ago

@Cacabunga
You only speak for you and those who think like you, but most fans will support what they want. Playstation and PC fans are literally supporting Helldivers 2 and that is a gaas. Maybe you wouldn't, but many more would if they like it.

Huey_My_D_Long13d ago

@Redemption-64
Look, Im not making any judgement calls about this guy, but I will say that Helldivers 2 GaaS model is unique to Helldivers, and legit the only other game I can think of thats similiar was the Avengers game except HD2 pass is still better.
The fact that you can earn in game currency in a way that doesnt make you feel like you have to grind forever, as well you being able work on that pass that you bought...on your own time without a time limit...that right there is fucking huge to me, and I can't name any game other than avengers that avoided trapping players with FOMO logic...I think GaaS on HD2 shouldn't be compared to the rest of the industry...it should be copied.

Einhander197213d ago

Cacabunga

Helldivers 2...

Redemption-64

In Europe it's a 60 40 split favoring PC.
In the US its a 60 40 split favoring PS5.

So PlayStation owners supported the game just fine, it's not getting carried by PC or anything like that.

FinalFantasyFanatic13d ago

@just_looken,
I'm perfectly fine with the way Nintendo entered the mobile market, I never touched their mobile games, meanwhile, the console/handheld stayed the way it is. As for being a bean counter, he's probably going to reel in these massive budgets that Sony's studios have had lately, I haven't played Spiderman 2, but I cannot see how they almost tripled the budget for that game.

@Redemption-64,
That's an exception to the rule, I'm expecting a lot of these GAAS games from Sony to fail, to be fair, they only need a few to succeed, but I would have preferred that they put more of their resources into other types of games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 13d ago
DivineHand12514d ago

True their monetization is driving players away and at the same time, their decision to chop out content and convoluted systems is keeping new players away from the game.

Joe91314d ago

I don't think that will happen based on how things worked out at Naughty Dog now that we know what we do, seems they had the option to fully commit to live service games or stay making single player experences so they gave up on their live service game. We are not sure how things came about with Bend making a live service game but I hope that was not a forced situation. Sony doesnt seem like they are forcing studios to switch up but we will see, Sony's bread and butter is single player games it is how they dominated the console market.

Obscure_Observer14d ago

Yeah, I though Sony learned something from all their failures in the LS segment under Bungie´s disastrous leadership and supervision which led to games been cancelled, studios closed and all the people laid off.

Looks like Bungie still plays a major role in Sony´s LS initiative and Sony is not backtracking on their GaaS plans.

S2Killinit14d ago (Edited 14d ago )

Are we forgetting that Destiny is also a highly successful franchise? I feel like that definitely deserves mention here.

Besides, there is no reason why a person cant learn from past experiences.

Joe91313d ago

I agree, people act as if Destiny flopped when it came out lol it took 9 to 10 years for the numbers to fall yet people are still playing it add the success of Helldivers 2 no wonder Sony is going forward down this path.

S2Killinit13d ago

Personally, I see no problem with Sony also having service games as long as they make good ones, and more importantly they deliver the AAA story driven games that they are known for. So yeah, I agree 100% with you.

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Christopher14d ago

I mean, this person made some pretty bad decisions at Bungie. I hope they've learned from them because I definitely don't see those type of ideas as good for PlaySation in general.

CrimsonWing6913d ago (Edited 13d ago )

Honestly, what’s to learn from? How to make people happily continuously dump money into a single game over its life-time? Buy season passes continuously for several years with a smile on our faces?

GaaS is a design decision that is everything wrong with this industry. The fact that Helldivers 2 did so well and people defend the monetization because it was $40 and is a fun game, scares the sh*t out of me to see that the door is open and all shift will probably be to replicate that in future games. We already know the ROI for traditional game dev cost isn’t doing it for them.

I thought with Jimbo leaving we’d see a change for the better… I’m not so sure now.

S2Killinit13d ago

Service games are being offered by everyone. Sony cannot afford to only create single player AAA games. No one can. They already said they will be doing both.

Abnor_Mal14d ago (Edited 14d ago )

Ps5 gamers in 2023 seemed to play more live service types of games, so regardless to how people feel about them, numbers don’t lie and Sony is going where the money is. I mean look at the excitement around Helldivers2, people are showing that they want live service games.

Christopher14d ago

They play long-time existing live service games like CoD, Fortnite, Apex Legends, Destiny 2, and the like. Mass majority of new live service games are considered failures and aren't moving gamers away from older games.

just_looken14d ago

Yep the huge issue with live service is they need paid players along with a reason to play them.

You forgot mobile market that also taps into that player base as well as the eve online style games there is only a certain amount of krakens/whales blind supporters compared to the amount of live service games we have its not sustainable math wise.

700 restaurants making food for every seat for 1000-3000 eaters just does not work out

Einhander197213d ago (Edited 13d ago )

Christopher

I am not a big live service fan and literally own zero of the games you listed, but that is not true, unless you call games that aren't the top games to be failures.

There are tons of live service games that are profitable.

Games don't have to be the biggest game ever they just need to make more than they cost.

I challenge you to show professionally prepared data that shows that more live service games fail than make enough to keep going.

Because all the data that I have seen shows that live service is less of a gamble than making a big AAA budget game which needs to survive off retail sales.

FinalFantasyFanatic13d ago

I sometimes wonder if we're at saturation point, where it's hard for a new game to join those ranks unless it's particularly exceptional, people only have so much time and money to devote to these types of games.

romulus2314d ago

Correction, they have no issue playing good live service games

shinoff218314d ago

Lol it's not even a quarter of the ps5s sold. Helldivers may have been a hit but let's not say most are enjoying it because truth is most(the real most ) don't care about it.

S2Killinit13d ago (Edited 13d ago )

I play what is fun. If a live service game is good I’ll play it as long as its not a money scheme which Helldivers is not.

And Im a single player gamer.

mastershredder14d ago

How do you kill a franchise that already been killed?
Destiny’s grind, cash-in-on-playbass-cha-Ching, and pop-culture-insertion mainstream-me-too bs totally killed any rep Bungie had. Sony/Bungie, if you are doing this to ward-off players, it’s already working.

crazyCoconuts14d ago

Headline truncated:
"... off a cliff"

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80°

Sony May Soon Let You Decide How Much NPCs Talk In Games

Sony has patented to add multiple dialogue modes to let players switch between how many conversations with NPCs they want in the game.

blackblades20d ago

Sony is like the only ones outta the 3 that has atuff like like this pop up changing thing in ways.

just_looken20d ago

Sony in the past has always been first at bat with new ideas/tech but in the end never fully use it or just toss it away.

blackblades20d ago

I think they did use some but yeah most usually never happened but at least they thought about it. Sony seeks things like this and other, Nintendo seek different ways of playing going by there different controler designs and console designs.

just_looken20d ago (Edited 20d ago )

some of the other stuff sony want's/owns never used
https://gamerant.com/sony-p...
https://gamerant.com/sony-p...
https://www.eurogamer.net/s...
https://metro.co.uk/2023/03...
https://decrypt.co/114754/s...

monitor/adjust game difficultly as you play
https://www.techradar.com/g...

Sony nfts
https://www.theblock.co/pos...

Pay ai to play the game for you
https://thebusinessofesport...

Oh all the above last 12 months

I just imagine a evil scientist with test subjects when it comes down to sony recent patent reports.

Kaii20d ago

Will we get dialogue options that won't spoil puzzles in a matter of seconds? :p

280°

Judge rules in PlayStation's favour in $500m patent infringement lawsuit

Genuine Enabling Technology was seeking damages, claiming the tech allowing PlayStation consoles and controllers to communicate infringes its rights.

Read Full Story >>
gamesindustry.biz
S2Killinit21d ago

Big victory for Sony. And a long time coming.

DarXyde21d ago (Edited 21d ago )

Crazy to think the savings from this lawsuit allows them to develop one AAA game.

Make it Bloodborne 2, please and thank you.

21d ago
Profchaos21d ago

Sounds like patent trolling they tried the same thing against Nintendo with the same pattern.

Motion and control input traversing over higher and lower frequencies seperate from each other allowing the controller to do both

Pyrofire9521d ago

Patents suck. Most of them are complete garbage.

Knightofelemia21d ago

So to recoup the money Genuine is going to take on Nintendo or Microsoft next. I hate patent lawyers they are some of the worst bottom feeders out there.

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