210°

Microsoft or Sony — Who’s Better for Indies?

OnlySP: It’s no secret that indie gaming has been a huge talking point during this year’s console war. Sony hit the indie ground running back in February when they announced a PlayStation 4 port of Jonathan Blow’s The Witness during their original console reveal event. The company made a big deal from the beginning that the PS4 supported self-publishing. Sony then followed up in a big way, presenting an armada of indie titles that are making their console debuts on PS4 or Vita during E3 and again at Gamescom.

Wingsfan243866d ago (Edited 3866d ago )

Why even post that comment? Why not start a discussion so a flame war doesn't start?

@Thepharaoh

I've been on this site long enough to know that. But it doesn't help posting a comment like that, if you don't want a flame war to start, or whatever you like to call it, start a discussion. Easy as that.

Personally, Sony's my go to console for indies at the moment until Microsoft takes a warmer embrace to indies.

Really looking forward to seeing how people use the debug portion of the Xbox One though since every console is essentially available as a development kit.

Thepharaoh3866d ago (Edited 3866d ago )

It's inevitable this site is going to have a large flame battle over this article don't bother trying to have anything close to a logical discussion over the state of both companies and their stance on the idea of indies .You want a different gaming site most users only come here to laugh at the fanboy fights anyway. And he is right it is going to begin rather soon.
I for one think they will both do equally well for the indie industry although currently Sony looks to be doing the very best However not every ps4 is a dev kit something the Xbox one has over the ps4 in terms of the indies so they both seem to have great stances from the get go. t That's me trying to start this off logically can't wait for it to go more south than a Redneck convention.
@edit that #1 comment is more productive and reasonable than about 90% of what is usually thrown on this site and since really it's already begun i don't really see a big problem
@

xHeavYx3866d ago

I believe Sony is the only one of the two who lets Indies decide the final price of the game, so I'd go with Sony

P0werVR3866d ago (Edited 3866d ago )

Well, Microsoft has more experience with indie developers so might provide a better service for them to facilitate sells. History says so, but at the end of it...their indies!

Either way they'll be on PCs and any accessible device, at least a significant amount of indie games.

EDIT:
@xHeavYx

Microsoft offers the same option.

darthv723866d ago (Edited 3866d ago )

honestly, i dont understand where the MS is not keen on indies came from.

Especially since the 360 brought the idea of indie gaming to consoles. Ms made dev kits very reasonably priced. They even went so far as to create an indie section in the live marketplace.

Sony may deserve some credit for embracing indies as the 'new thing' for next gen but they should give credit where its due and that is to Ms for starting the movement.

tokugawa3866d ago

lol @ pockyking

this article was wrote especially for n4g, and the flamewar and hits that it is guaranteed to create. smh

Regis3866d ago

Well its also a no brainer for a flame war when you put Microsoft vs. Sony discussion.

Hatsune-Miku3866d ago (Edited 3866d ago )

Microsoft or Sony who's better for gaming In general?

We should compare positives and negatives.
One company online service was down for three weeks, another had almost half of their consoles breaking for years.one constantly released AAA exclusives that are highly regarded while the other had a handful of exclusives and sequels to them the whole of this generation. One charged for online gaming while one didnt.

Games are the most important thing and one company constantly provided new exclusives and games the whole gen while the other companies ip listing is meager

ABizzel13866d ago (Edited 3866d ago )

Based on potential sales for their games (excluding PC)

1. MS / Sony
3. Nintendo

Based on ease of dealing with

1. Nintendo
2. Sony
3. MS

Based on experience with Indies

1. MS
2. Sony / Nintendo

Based on developer response of support

1. Sony
2. Nintendo
3. MS

Overall

1. Sony
2. MS / Nintendo (MS if you want to sell well, Nintendo if you want complete freedom)

AceBlazer133866d ago

Dude a flame war is inevitable.The topic could be your favourite ice cream flavour and then *boom* it becomes sony vs micro

Army_of_Darkness3866d ago (Edited 3866d ago )

Hmmmm.. . According to my very basic, n4g, YouTube, not even trying to hard unextensive research, I would say the ps4 has the upper toe.

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 3866d ago
come_bom3866d ago (Edited 3866d ago )

No console can beat the PC in indies... that's the platform where i get most my indies.

If i can choose to get a indie on pc or consoles, i will go with the PC version without second thought. I only purchase exclusives for consoles.

Relientk773866d ago

I think its clear from all the press conferences and announcments

"PS <3 Indies"

there are so many indie games coming to PS4 its unbelievable

Goro3866d ago

Obviously Sony, thought i'm not sure if that's a good thing considering most indies suck...Keep in mind i said "most".

PlayStation_43866d ago

depends on your tastes, what indie games have you played anyways?

Goro3866d ago

Journey, Thomas Was Alone, The Unfinished Swan, Sound Shapes etc...

Jughead34163866d ago (Edited 3866d ago )

Sony knows that most Indie titles won't be worth much. But every now and then, an Indie Dev will create an amazing game. For instance, Media Molecule (an indie studio) created Little Big Planet. That game became a blockbuster title and Media Molecule became one of the top devs for Sony. Sackboy even bacame one of the mascots for playstation. I'm pretty sure with their indie support, they're looking for that diamond in the rough again, and they'll find it.

Goro3866d ago

You know they mostly suck your just trying to get agrees from people who think exactly like you...which for some reason is most of this site.

JackStraw3866d ago

lol. yeah, let's go with that. still calling you on your bs. doubt you've played any of those games.

PlayStation_43866d ago

I loved all those games but I guess indies are purposely not for everyone, they usually just find a niche and capitalize on that.

I'm sure that there'll be an indie for everyone though!

adventureghost1243865d ago

Well think of when postseason cost started, like crash bandicoot, a 3 man team it was an indie game, now known as naughty dog they are one of the most known respected and liked first party developers of all time. a lot of big companies/developers got started with indie games,

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 3865d ago
Golden_Mud3866d ago

From a perspective of "Who's better" , I have to say Microsoft and I know a lot of people will disagree with me but hear me out , Microsoft is giving out 2 free dev kits for every developer and they are also making the console be a dev kit it self meaning the it's a future proof for any developer to have the console between there hands and easy to access to certain features without the need of payment .
But when it comes to the perspective of who have the better support , I'd say Sony for supporting the indie development from the whole beginning .

GiantEnemyCrab3866d ago

Not only that but MS has been on the indie bandwagon all last gen. XNA and the Indie developer contests and even having a whole section of the Marketplace dedicated to Indie developers.

Sony seems to have the indie buzz right now but MS are making a lot of moves as you mentioned.

Death3866d ago

It's amazing you are getting disagrees on this. Not many know what XNA was mainly due to the fact indies weren't a big thing until people thought Sony invented the idea with the PS4. Microsoft did it first and no one really cared. Sony announces it and it's a revolution in gaming. Funny how this place works at times.

Bathyj3866d ago

You lost me at MS did it first. Its like Net Yaroze never existed.

Death3866d ago

If you want to include "hobbyist" you will have to go back further to the original Famicon. XNA was the first to take indie developed games and have them published. Net Yaroze didn't have the ability for indies to get their games out to the masses or have a business model around it. It was simply for people programming as a hobby.

isarai3866d ago

Sony "DevNet" has dev kit loaner programs(that are completely free) and a "Pub Fund" which is a direct funding program for any indie dev that might need some extra funding but it does not carry the contractual burden of publishing funds.

adventureghost1243865d ago

Sony has also lent out dev kits and those X1 dev kits can only run direct x and if you need a dev kit that can run other codes for the one, I believe it costs around 5000 where as purchasing a ps4 dev kit costs around half that.

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110°

Microsoft’s Surface and Xbox hardware revenues take a big hit in Q3

Microsoft just posted the third quarter of its 2024 fiscal financial results. The software maker made $61.9 billion in revenue and a net income of $21.9 billion during Q3. Revenue is up 17 percent, and net income has increased by 20 percent.

Read Full Story >>
theverge.com
darthv7212h ago

Xbox content + services up 62% while hardware down 31%... seems about right with the way they tout you don't need the hardware to play. People can play on their phones or smart tv or other means. I don't hardly play on my consoles directly since getting devices like the logitech g-cloud and ps portal. Which is to also say I have been playing more digital than physical because of these devices.

purple1011h ago

Xbox hardware revenue tanks to lowest point of Xbox Series generation

Profchaos1h ago

I'm not surprised surface is struggling they aren't relevant anymore

XBManiac27m ago

Too expensive hardware when others offer the same or more for less? Good work, Green Team.

SimpleDad12m ago(Edited 11m ago)

"Despite some early successes for Xbox games on rival platforms, Xbox hardware is down by a massive 31 percent this quarter."
"Without Activision Blizzard, Microsoft’s overall gaming revenue would have actually declined this quarter."
"Xbox content and services would have only been up a single percent without Activision Blizzard..."
"It looks like next quarter is going to be a similar story for gaming at Microsoft, too."

That is crazy... so A/B/K is carrying the whole Xbox gaming.
Oh and Microsoft will be fine. Windows, Office and Cloud are growing with each pc purchase.

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.

Profchaos1d 1h ago (Edited 1d 1h 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.

exputers21h ago

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

Profchaos6h ago(Edited 6h 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_looken8h 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.

z2g18h ago

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

phoenixwing17h ago

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

H917h ago

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

jambola14h 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

SegaSaturn66916h ago

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

Popsicle16h 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.

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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 8h ago

Microsoft should have left them stay 3rd party

GamerRN1d 6h ago

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

Barlos1d 3h ago

Yeah, they're also jobless.

GamerRN20h ago

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

peppeaccardo22h ago

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

ChasterMies18h 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 8h ago (Edited 1d 8h 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 6h ago

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

Mr Logic16h ago

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

Crows9015h ago

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

Profchaos1d 8h ago (Edited 1d 8h 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 8h ago

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

Profchaos1d 7h ago

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

Yi-Long1d 4h ago

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

XiNatsuDragnel1d 7h ago

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

Profchaos1d 5h ago (Edited 1d 5h ago )

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

TheColbertinator1d 6h ago

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

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