Sony Computer Entertainment has been stepping on the gas of content for its platforms lately, and looks like more is coming as teased by Strategic Content Division Producer Ben Andac and Shahid Ahmad.
Shahid Ahmad spent a decade at Sony Interactive Entertainment, most recently in the role of director for strategic content, where he played a large part in the indie push on PS Vita and PS4, ahead of his departure in 2015.
Thankfully PS4 turned out to be a major success. If my only choice was Xbox I’d give up gaming.
Sony and PlayStation made the right choices and moves, and provided the console and its users with plenty of excellent content. That's the best we can hope and ask for.
I don't see the people turning away from that, and I anticipate even more excitement for PS5. From PS1 to PS4, it's only gotten better.
Sahid Ahmad talkes nonsense no matter if he is ex executive ...PS3 no matter the difficulties was nowere near failure /or failure of Playstation brand .... exceptional games released on it under Sony s guidance (MGS4 absolute love there ) ....the problems was nt Sony s , but Japanese devs should take the blame for , as they bored to exploit the system and collectively jumped the wagon to develop games for X360 or Mobile
PS3 is my favorite PlayStation console. I won't call it a failure.. It's also an insult to the company that came in third place last gen who actually had its best gen ever🤣
This generation will be so much tougher for them though. PS5 will sell most likely at loss, and they will face stiff competition from Xbox.
Walk in the park is over.
@ Marquinho
I don’t know... that ramping up production of PS5’s and that 84% of survey takers wanting PS5s tells me otherwise. Oh and that terrible Xbox showcase too.
but I wanna play those AAA Game of the Year Sony exclusive.
The downvotes on this are outrageous. Lol. The idea, that the choice is Sony or no one is equally outrageous.
Why?
Sony releases only a very small amount of overall games released.
Unless you play only Sony titles, that's a fairly questionable statement to make.
Yeah no its not. Never has been until this generation when the world has gone upside down.
@s2k
Yeah. No. It really is.
To say "I'm a gamer, but I'd stop gaming of it was only Xbox".
You know, the thing that plays the vast majority of games released.
It really is a dumb take. Then again, it was only meant as a flame comment, being it refrains from mentioning the several other ways of playing games, so.
I'm a PC and Playstation guy. If I woke up tomorrow, and the only hardware allowed to run games was the Switch, I'd play the freaking Switch.
MS dominating the console market would mean that they'd do whatever they want, and probably not care what people say about it. Moving to always on, potentially shutting down the used market like they wanted to. Focusing more on services while they don't care about the actual games output. You know....all the things they did when they had equal market share with their closest competitor. when people had a choice, they choose not to accept MS. take away that choice, and people just follow like sheep.
MS has improved on a lot of things this gen, but I have no doubt that if you let MS dominate a market, they will do whatever they want, and probably get away with it. Their entire history is about trying to, or actually dominating markets.
That said, Sony has had some of the best games this gen. Not because they had to compete with MS, but because that's what they built their brand on. MS hasn't done that, and without competition, there is nothing that suggest they would have done all they did this gen. Sony's games have also made up a lot of the lack of the big SP games that seem to have dropped off this gen as almost all publishers chase after the next big MP GaaS game to make billions, instead of taking more risks on the SP stuff that was over-saturated last gen.
If Sony left the market, I'd hope someone would step in to replace them. I wouldn't want MS to be my only choice, or best choice. i just don't think they'd be good for the industry for the long run.
"Sony releases only a very small amount of overall games released."
Frankly, still more than MS has put out. That what comes out is often better received, gains attention from outside the gaming community, is especially why the PS4 has done so well.
"You know, the thing that plays the vast majority of games released."
No. it doesn't play VR titles. Xbox also doesn't play the ones I just mentioned that get more honest attention and are better received.
I'm also with Jin, as far as consoles go, if Xbox were the only game in town that would be it for me and consoles. They may say they're "For the Gamers" yet they cater to a specific type of gamer while expecting everyone else to just come along. As if those other types of gamers had no other choices, yet we do - and why the Xbox is where it is.
Some people prefer mainstream muliplatform titles like COD, FIFA, or GTA.
Some prefers Battle Royale, MMO, Indies or even Mobile Games.
While it's true Sony's titles only small amount compared to all games released, they are on the top list when it comes to action-cinematic genre, which i (and maybe many people) prefer most. My most favourite games on PS3 and PS4 belong to Sony. It's not a fanboyism, it's a preference.
"Sony releases only a very small amount of overall games released."
And their games are awesome. There is no question about that.
Agreed. I love video games & if there was no PS I may have just started gaming on PC only.
Saying if Xbox was your only choice you'd give up gaming...
Jesus Christ you are a melodramatic person lol...
Also, no you wouldn't
Lol if you can't find something to like on Xbox then you're not really a gamer, and you wouldn't be missed. Games are made by developers, and they wouldn't disappear with Sony. Xbox has focused on multiplayer and existing franchises up till now because Sony had majority market share for single player story games. If Sony wasn't there, Xbox would take over that role along with their current role. And we know that for a fact because they are investing in studios like Obsidian and Ninja Theory.
Great games would continue to exist and you would be stupid to give it up because of your ignorance.
I probably wouldn't give up gaming. There is too much there to be worried about the console one plays on, and there is always PC which saw a huge increase in the kinds of games that consoles get.
But a MS dominated console market doesn't sound like it would be a good thing. Seeing what they'd do when they had equal success to their main competitor, and then how much they want to do when they are last in the current console market, doesn't make me think that they'd be the best company to guide the market in the kind of growth that it's been seeing since last gen.
That’s such an arrogant statement. Why can’t you just be happy for Playstation without crapping all over Xbox?
I don't believe anyone who says they would give up gaming if PS wasn't around unless they're aren't really a gamer.
This blows my mind. This is a gaming web site not PS lifestyle.
Y'know your right if xbox and pc were my only options I would never be a gamer. My hobby for 40 years would all of a sudden disappear. Only sony studios and popularity make me visit this site. I stand corrected. Look at all of our upvotes, we are right
I ditched PS4 when Sony gave up on backwards compatibility E3 2013. I bought an Xbox one early on in the gen, played mostly multiplats. Eventually bought a PS4 slim and loved that console. Don't care about Xbox one any more. I'm off put by PS5 design. Not buying it at launch. Will try the Series S most likely early this gen, couple of sweet games I want to play. Will wait for eminent PS5 slim. I'm in no hurry to buy PlayStation 5 at launch.
Thank god and the universe the ps4 was a super successful console gaming would probably be dead or almost dead if Microsoft was the only ones making traditional consoles.
Of course, it didn't hurt the PS4 that Xbox shot itself in the foot leading up to launch. Also, this just confirms that Sony had alot of trouble in the beginning with the PS3. Which also helped them to change for the better.
rlow1@ yeah ps3 600$ price tag almost killed the PlayStation brand. I don’t think Sony would ever release a 600$ console again at least not in the foreseeable future.
I look at it as growth and maturity.
PS1- Gawl
Sony had the gawl to challenge Nintendo and Sega. No one thought an electronics giant could be a videogame company. Or even threaten Nintendo's grip. Crash was outside the gate ready to crash the party. The child was born.
PS2- Confidence
With the success of PS1, Sony was confident that they could make lighting strike twice. Turned into a thunder storm with PS2. The preteen becomes big headed.
PS3- Arrogance
With Ken Kutaragi at the helm, and although a genius engineer, he lead with that idea that nothing can top a Sony console or his technical prowess. They became arrogant. Cocky. Like a teenager.
PS4 - Humility
Returning to the confidence they had with a successful rebrand of the console, and the shedding of the old guard that became arrogant, their humility even with a powerful console and advanced game engines, Sony with PS4 dominated in all areas from games, awards, sales and add-ons like with VR. It was a return to form. When many thought their competitor would run away with the win. Like Pachter.
Sony matured. Grew up. They have the hardware know how. They have the software. And, they have the humility of a console maker with 25 years of experience in the industry.
Just as a boy becomes a man. So did Sony.
And so be it with Xbox...
Xbox - Gaul
360 - Confidence
One - Arrogance
...the saga continues. (Wu-Tang, Wu-Tang.) lol
We'll have to see how it turns out for them. Even Nintendo followed the pattern.
Challenged companies like Atari, Magnavox, Mattel, etc. Then became confident with SNES. Then arrogant with N64 and those expensive cartridges. Then hit and miss onwards.
Sega had gall with the master system. Then confidence with Genesis. Then arrogance with Sega Saturn. Then floundered afterwards.
Microsoft could make a hit with Series X. Or miss. We won't know until it happens. Either They mature or flounder next. It's an interesting pattern.
More like:
OG Xbox - Arrogance: Came into the industry expecting to own it, only to get outsold 20-1.
360 - Gile: Used every trick possible to look like they won. Dominated US market though competing sells were 1-1
One - Overconfidence: Bought into own hype. That is all
@ApocalypseShadow:
"Challenged companies like Atari, Magnavox, Mattel, etc."
???
Atari was what passed for the industry back then, and it was pretty much dead when Nintendo came in to both revive and expand it.
And there was no - absolutely no - arrogance where the Sega Saturn was concerned. Dumped on the market shortly after being announced there was far more desperation and panic there than anything resembling something positive. Nevermind all the BS surrounding Genesis add-ons or them letting everyone know the Dreamcast was coming.
The PS1 was "Nintendo f**ked us on the CD add-on, lets f**k them", where the PS2 was, "Wait, it did HOW WELL?! But we were just f**king w/Nintendo! Guess we need to do it right this - WHAT DO YOU MEAN MS WANTS SOME?!?"
PS3 was, "WHOA! You see that - WE F**KED UP MS!! MOTHERF**KIN' MS!!! Boys, we own this sh-WE DO NOT OWN! WE DO NOT OWN!!! UNF**K OUR S**t--*NOW*"
Your first comment was funny and on the money god mars.
Your second comment looks like a pill wasn't taken. Or a joint laced with something.
Anyway, Nintendo came into a market previously owned by others. Even if they helped bring gaming back after the crash, one of the other companies would have built a home console again anyway even if Nintendo didn't enter the market. They still entered a market others were in before them. I was there when it all happened. And bought many bargain bin Atari games at the time. Intellivision was still there. Colecovision was still there. Amiga too.
@ApocalypseShadow:
Atari literally built several consoles after the 2600. None of the older console makers had the traction Nintendo, and later Sega, had.
But to say Nintendo a confident? They were an old fashioned arcade cabinet making who took a shot at home electronics, made something that was popular in Japan that attracted popularity in the US. There was never an outlining plan to become what they were.
@ Apocalypse
Nintendo had no challenge, everyone world wide was gaming on PCs. Nintendo actually brought back consoles.
But the 3rd console curse does exist
For me, I would mark PSVR as a sidestep gen. Its own platform and Im very glad Sony did it. And they did it right. I would already buy a PC VR headset if there is no PSVR. Its these little things like not great but greatest games, psvr, nice and sleak ui that made me stay with ps4 whole gen and made me decide to buy ps5. I simply liked Sony decisions this gen.
And if may I choice between BC or VR features that distincts the brands, I would always choose VR.
Thankfully, PS5 is giving us backward compatibility for PSVR! Can't wait to play Iron Man again without the load screens - for me it was the only real drawback to that game, as it broke immersion. With those loads gone, it will be up there with the best!
Say what you want about the PS3 but the PS3 is the best console of the 4. The piano finish, the HDMI, the Blu-ray, the wireless controllers, internal HD, media player, free online play.
Best 600 bucks I spent on a device.
Then the games. Uncharted 2, Warhawk, Motorstorm, RFOM, KZ2, MAG, Demon Souls, Infamous 2, LBP, TLOU
PS2 is the undisputed champion, best console ever ever made, the library was superb, dynamic and had all kinds of genres.
Same. I bought the launch PS3. Which had features PS4 doesn't. I filled my HDD with movies, music, photos. I miss that.
I feel like Microsoft is really trying to get rid of the $60 games upfront model which is why I’m glad PlayStation continues to be successful. If PlayStation fails Microsoft will be raping us with mt’s
Very true, Microsoft is trying to lure people in with free Halo multiplayer and gamepass, but I can guarantee they will increase the prices of their subscription models when everyone is in their net. I'm just glad that people still prefer to old model that Sony and Nintendo represent. Full games on day one, not half baked games that improve over time. Gaas is not for me.
Imagine how much more monetized and restricted Console gaming would have been if Microsoft were the only Console maker in it's market demographic? going back to the PC would be the only sane option.
I agree, Competition is a good thing. a company unchallenged in the market will definitely exploit their position. Microsoft tends to be a special case though, They are ready and willing to destroy all the things that make console gaming fun and a good value. If there was no Sony to push back on what MS was trying to do at the start of this current generation, physical copies would have died 7 years ago, and the average gamer would need their own Rosetta stone just to translate all the convoluted "rules" of what you could and couldn't do with the games you purchased.
I think if Microsoft was the only traditional console maker on the market. I think a lot of the Japanese game market would be screwed because they games will lose a lot of their marketing and potential western sales.
Also helped that MS kicked themselves in their own balls and fell to the ground writhing which pretty much describes how they started out the gen. PS just walked over the comatose body and never looked back.
Sony gets a lot of flak, but they're honestly the only ones that seem to be putting actual work in. There are hardcore Playstation fans for a reason, and that's because Sony usually deliver.
No offense to the other two, but I have no interest in anything they're doing anymore. I think I've outgrown Nintendo. I don't even check what they're up to anymore, and MS just wants to shove live services and subscriptions down our throat. That's just my opinion, though.
After all the 3rd party exclusives didn't show up from PS2 to PS3 ( it was the selling point for PS2 ) they did pit in the work
I still like Nintendo because they just do what they do. They do have their things worth criticizing of course, but when they stopped trying to compete directly they just seemed to get better with their games output. Wouldnt mind if they competed a bit more on their online stuff though.
I don't really agree. I agree the arrogance was bad and hard to dev for was bad. However everything else were good.
Ken gave us the best ever console hardware in the PS3. Still my fav PS console.
It was also in the PS3 era that Sony really went high gear regarding their talent and give them more freedom.
Resistance, folklore, Warhawk,Motorstorm, HS, Uncharted, MAG, LBP, Heavy Rain, Demon Souls, Mod Nation Racers, Infamous and TLOU to name a few.
PS4 with a few tweaks like focusing on devs and keeping the message simple is mostly built on the great foundation the PS3 build.
Best ever console hardware??? You mean the Hell I mean the Cell? Pure hype like the Emotion Engine (PS2).
Games were great
Cell was ahead of its time. Modern gpu compute is essentially CELL technologies without the ability to program the processes directly, and with lower relative bandwidth. The ps3 cell could still spit out data faster than modern GPUs or CPUs. Modern cpus and GPUs can process more data though
So no...it wasnt hyped, just under utilized, and developers who wanted things to be easier complained, even though they ended up using most of that stuff anyways in newer processors.
I swear there must be a curse on the third console a company releases. I think that’s just when companies get cocky. Sony had it with PS3, Microsoft had it with Xbox One, and even Nintendo got arrogant and went with cartridges on the N64 when every developer was telling them to use CD ROM. Squaresoft even left Nintendo for Sony over that issue.
I think the PS4 helped save Sony as a corp. They almost went bankrupt. There were even talks about spinning Play Station off.
Sony's arrogance will always bring their collapse. Thankfully on PC and Switch I lack for nothing.
You lack for a lot actually. 70+ real exclusive games for one thing, just this current gen alone. You've missed out on a boat load of them. But what you don't know, won't hurt you right?
More like the PS3 could have been the end after a dodgy launch and it being difficult to develop for (apparently, I wouldn't have a clue).
I'm grateful to Ahmad if he was part of the push towards a focus on indies because that was a great move. Most of what I play nowadays.
What's the point of watching the documentary if they spoiled all its contents already
Frankly, every company became arrogant at one time or another. Sega did so with Saturn, Nintendo with N64 and finally Microsoft after the relative success of the 360. Had the Cell been easier to develop for, the PS3 might actually have succeeded sooner despite the hubris of Kutaragi and his chums. As it was it was Sony that came out with some of the best looking games and allowed the PS3 to eventually beat the 360. Microsoft's hubris was there for all to see in 2013 and during the months before the launch of the present generation. If difficulties with the PS3 made Sony stand up and listen, good. I hope the situation with the X box this gen makes Microsoft more gamer friendly but I doubt it.
Would’ve could’ve yeah whatever. Moving along.
No PlayStation and Sony would’ve folded by now.
just so everyone knows, a french website listed the
PS5 at 400 without diskdrive and 500 with diskdrive.
n4g is always slow when it comes to overseas news.
The culture change to ensure consoles were less cryptic to develop for was crucial but also bringing on board Mark Cerny. That was an absolute win for Sony.
PS3 is still my fave console it could have killed the PS4 but Sony kept going on with the black eye. The PS3 serves as a lesson to Sony about what to do what not to do how to act and how not to act. Sony learned their lesson like a big boy from the PS3 and pushed on with the PS4 which is a great system the DRM was a nail biting wait after Microsoft announced it. But when Sony said no DRM the nail biting was done. Sony also learned a lesson from the mistakes that Microsoft made with their announcement of the XB1 listen to the gamer don't add features people don't want like Kinnect or always on and allow used games. Pretty sure if Playstation as a brand died after the PS3 pretty sure I would either go pc or just stick to something like a SNES. It wasn't only Sony that saved the Playstation as a brand but it was also their in house studios who built solid first party titles that defined the Playstation as a brand PS4 has some really great first party games. I can't wait to see what the in house studios push out for the PS5.
It's funny because in that other topic I tried to explain a similar situation.
People don't understand Sony needs PlayStation to earn every penny it can to keep providing this service. Meanwhile Microsoft can sell less consoles total have 40% of them (at peak) 25% average over lifetime) be RROD and it doesn't even matter because they have so much money.
That's why Microsoft is trying to offer games and consoles for less than Sony can even if it means they aren't profitable. They know that they can just wear Sony down with a price war until their gaming business isn't even profitable. Meanwhile Microsoft wages a PR war trying to make themselves seem consumer and Sony anti consumer by simply trying to keep things profitable.
keep telling yourself that... I applaud your effort but it just doesnt work that way. Keep fighting the good fight though.
You do realize that the "have so much money" doesn't really matter when they still earn a profit on their decisions, right?
I mean, I'm right there on debating the profit potential and what is acceptable to Microsoft as a company to maintain their current business plans versus moving to more software and service-oriented models to try and grow profit from those rather than just hardware, but this idea that they only exist because they have tons of money isn't how it works.
Windows phone no longer exists because it wasn't profitable.
Mixer no longer exists because it wasn't profitable.
Xbox exists because it is profitable.
Just the facts.
Windows Phone had how many competitors compared to gaming? There was no way Microsoft could eliminate all the different competitors and and the money they had. Even if you only look at it as Google and Apple how much capitol do they have versus Sony? What was Microsoft's market share? Less than 10% and what was their growth potential? If they had stuck it out how many years do you think it would take for them to gain a controlling share of the mobile phone industry?
When you answer those question perhaps you can understand why it's a completely different situation.
Mixer again they only had one competitor but that competitor was Amazon what is Amazon's level of capitol versus Sony. And what percent of the market did they have. Twitch has 95%+ of the gaming market versus Mixer. And it had shown zero growth.
Now look at the picture versus Sony this article is telling you that after one failed PS3 generation where Sony still sold reasonably well yet they were extremely close to being forced out of gaming. Now compare that with the the companies that you just listed, do you think that in either case after 10 years Google Apple or Amazon would be close to having to close their respective business?
You people clearly don't understand and lack the ability for long term planning, this isn't a short term game plan. Microsoft only needs to weather the storm for a generation or two to potentially eliminate Sony. By offering their products cheaper than Sony can they both bleed them of money and users, the two things they hope will cause a snowball effect on decreasing profitability.
And don't call your short sighted opinions fact.
Re: Windows Phone
Two. Android and iOS. Windows Phone was about the OS, not the phone. Otherwise, are you telling me that a small, nothing company like OnePlus can be successful but not Microsoft? No, it was about OS, not the phone. The phone quality was actually one of the best reviewed phones for its time, but no one wanted the OS.
Re: Eliminating competition
Again, you're confusing how businesses operate on profit and not just buying out a competitor. Microsoft doesn't buy competitors, they buy businesses that enhance their current portfolio. Mixer was a streaming option to get them to compete against Twitch and Google. It failed. TikTok is to compete against similar.
They're not buying OS alternatives, Office alternatives, or the like. That's not how it works.
---
You honestly don't understand the business well. What I presented are facts. Don't oversell your ignorance of how businesses operate.
Key word here is "former". There is a reason. I'm sure mr 'content' (stay within you job description dude) was all up in that. You have any idea how many labeled Executives there are in large scale companies like this? Seriously Ahmad, eat one.
When you think of John Wick, a couple of things come to mind: The tragic loss of a wife, the dog, the pencil and some of the most impressive fight choreography in modern action films. No wonder fans wanted to have a John Wick experience in a game, but Bithell Games came with a much different approach than one might expect.
Chimea Zero “is not you daddy’s Chimera”.
Sounds like another ex-employee of a large company who wants to get back to his roots. So many get tired and burnt out in the AAA game development.
Well I look forward to the announcement. I assume its another indie title considering Shadid is involved.
But that is fine, I love the current software lineup of the PSV and use mine ever day.
Guys, February 22th.
The Order: 1886 gameplay :D
Is Crash Bandicoot coming back home?
Welp its yet another indie. Like we don't have enough already. I'm not dissing indies. But where is the Triple A that I bought a PS4 for ?
Damn that Sony and games that what i like.