Why PlayStation Fans Are Cheering CEO’s Departure

Jim Ryan oversaw the successful launch of the PlayStation 5. His four-year tenure was also marred by several flubs.

[Battlestar23]

I understand why Sony is trying to develop gaas titles as even if only 1 or 2 are a hit that means a nice stream of revenue for them and a foundation for further gaas games to build on. Their single player games sell great but with gaming budgets getting bigger and bigger the more the games need to sell. So if they develop gaas games and get a hit that will help migrate some of the cost.

[Jin_Sakai]

Bye Jim. You won’t be missed.

“But over the last two years, Ryan has overseen a PlayStation shift toward “games as a service,” a popular industry buzzword referring to video games, usually multiplayer, that can be monetized over long periods of time. It’s been an uncomfortable pivot for some of Sony’s studios, which have spent the last decade building out teams of experienced developers to make big, cinematic adventure games that are played solo."

[-Foxtrot]

If anyone has an idea what's going on atmosphere wise within gaming studios it's Jason Schreier

It's clear some of these studios just don't want to do it but are probably being forced

Look at NaughtyDog, a full on multiplayer game of Factions, I mean really? I highly doubt ND wanted to do that when it was probably going to be bundled in with TLOU2 or released a few months after like what Sucker Punch did with their co-op mode.

If you have two teams within a studio where they'd cycle between franchises then now one of them is most likely stuck doing a shitty GaaS game. We won't cycle, we'll be relying on the same team to do a single player game and it means we'll probably get more fatigued with a franchise as both teams will be working on something within that Universe like GG Horizon, their second team is apparently working on a multiplayer styled GaaS game when they could have most likely been working on a new IP. Cycling between franchises kept things fresh where the other team could probably afford to spend a bit longer on their game while the other releases theres but now we won't get that as they might feel more pressured to get a single player game out to feed an audience who's growing hungry for something they haven't had in a while.

It's messing with the flow of their studios and it's more annoying people who defend GaaS games don't see that.

It's different with people like Bungie being brought in as they were always doing GaaS games with Destiny but forcing your already first party studios to do it? That's just bullshit.

[VersusDMC]

What developers are being made to make multiplayer modes for games now that weren't before Jim Ryan?

They made naughty dog make multiplayer modes since Uncharted 2. Socom team made MAG, guerilla was making Killzones, ghost of tsushima was made to have a multiplayer mode and was before his time...i just don't see the Jim Ryan era as the making single player developers make multiplayer games era.

Let's remember he became CEO in 2019. So let me know what developers he forced to make multiplayer games that hadn't been doing them before.

[Redemption-64]

@Foxtrot

What evidence do you have to even suggest Sony is forcing Naughty Dog to work on Factions?

Seriously, I get that you have to make up lies to fit whatever narrative you have cooked up in your, but reality isn't for you. Is Naughty Dog also being forced to work on their New IP, rumored to be a single-player gamer, as well as the recent news of them moving forward with TLOU part 3? Were they forced to add online to the 1st game? To uncharted 2, 3 or 4? Plus, Factions is actually loved by many fans, so again, what evidence do you have to even suggest they are forced to work on it? Most of their major old studios are rumored to be working on single-player games, from Sucker Punch, Insomniac, Santa Monica, Naughty Dog to guerilla games. The new studios they purchased from Bungie to Haven Studios are the ones working on online games.

[S2Killinit]

These are misinformation by articles that jumped the gun upon hearing “live service”. If Ryan was guilty of anything was that he wasn’t careful with choice of words at times, and didn’t explain where an explanation was necessary.

Here is what Sony has said when the question of live service focus was brought up:

“We will continue to publish the games that have served us so well over the years. These single player, graphically beautiful, narrative rich games will continue to be the bedrock of our first party publishing business”

Why is making live-service on top of wjat they were already doing an issue, when MS is only doing live service at the moment?

Starfield is live service, redfall is live service. They just aren’t calling it that. Ryan simply went out and use the word “live service”, so Sony gets the shit for it.

[Northpoint]

Under Jim F***ing Ryan:

Raises PS Plus from $60 to $80. So what improvements were made to make it worth $80???
Introduces 3 tiers to PS Plus. Does anybody actually subscribes to the Premium tier???

I didn't like the guy back when the PS4 launch was doing well and majority of the PS CEOs from the around the world were humbled by the consumer response but uncle Jimmy was arrogant AF when answering the media.

[umair_s51]

Indeed, PlayStation believes in generations

[Jin_Sakai]

@VersusDMC

“What developers are being made to make multiplayer modes for games now that weren't before Jim Ryan?”

“They made naughty dog make multiplayer modes since Uncharted 2“

You know that was just a simple MP addition to the main game. Factions 2 was a full blown GaaS game large as their entire single player projects. Big difference.

Jim Ryan acquired Bungie to oversee their first party studio GaaS plans from what I understand in which they told Naughty Dog that Factions 2 wasn’t going to work as a GaaS revenue stream. It was then put in the back burner and they pulled the majority of the team off the project to work on their single player game.

[S2Killinit]

@Northpoint
Sony raise and MS raised. MS selling point is monthly subscription to gamepass. Sony needed to compete and offer something of equal value, MS currently charging more for gamepass. PSPlus is also offering day one games from 3rd party publishers.

[-Foxtrot]

I don't believe this "will help them make single player games better" bullshit

Knowing what happens to any other company that gets a taste of that sweet GaaS money, the single player output will either be the same or fall behind and any extra revenue will go straight into making more GaaS games or high up executives pockets as bonuses.

We know how this works

Sony is no different that any other company, I think people need to take off those fanboy "console wars" glasses to see that.

It's better to be cautious now than reap the consequences later because we didn't act sooner, what's the worse that will happen? We're all wrong and everything turns out fine? It's a win / win.

[Lightning77]

What will you do? Don't Buy the gaas titles and risk job cuts and lay offs or buy it and support the studio growth and have more games out?

Sony's bread and butter isn't gaas games everyone knows that. Buying said gaas games helps everyone involved and yes that does help their single player output. You act like theyll see the gaas money and only do that.

Sony isn't turning into epic games just a one trick pony they've been in this buissness long enough and adapted. Hell Sony was even ahead of the curve allot of the times.

You're definitely overreacting.

[Tacoboto]

"Don't Buy the gaas titles and risk job cuts and lay offs or buy it and support the studio growth and have more games out?"

So to show [publisher] we want more single player core titles from them, you're saying we should support their GaaS?

That is the absolute complete opposite to the concept of "vote with your wallet"

[-Foxtrot]

Lightning

That is such a bad argument if I’ve ever seen one

Overreacting? Lmao

Yeah people said the same about horse armour and loot boxes

Guess what happened…

[Lightning77]

@Taco and Fox
Btw this is SONY we're talking about they're not like the other publishers. They make some of the best SP games out there. Again there bread and butter is SP.

But sure you're right don't buy into Sony's LS and watch jobs get cut Sony will just sweep that 2.1b$ LS investment under the rug and Sony will pretend it never happened and hire SP programmers again like it's nothing.

They'll be ok with losing all those funds and make it all back by scrapping everything and doing Single player stuff again, like it never happened.....

Because that's how buissness works right?

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

@lightning77,

How about no and we send a message by not buying the games and letting the games fail? If it succeeds, they just make more and we never get what we really want. Have you ever heard of supply and demand? Isn't that how things are supposed to work?

[shadowknight203]

@foxtrot

This community clearly is divided on such issues, they think you make stuff up, but really your just intelligent enough to see between the lines, and have witnessed what this industry does with new Initiatives. My best guess is the internal studios at playstation have enough say as a whole to make other higher ups see that Jim direction wasn't the right one, combined with the fans like you who as a whole also, do hold sway over such things to a company that listens.

For those who disagree, well, your either too young to understand this business still, or not enough street smart, either way, those of us who know, see this move as the best possible solution to what was most likely a terrible outcome for playstation had nothing been stopped. I sure hope what's been done is done, and whatever in development released, but apart from that, let the studios continue delivering that can deliver. But allow them to do that by whatever they deem fit through choice and freedom. That's what art is for, expression of freedom of ideas. And without that choice or freedom, you may still get art, but it won't be very good. And video games are still an art.

As others have already commented this, but it is because of the loss of freedom, we do not have naughty dogs next big title. Its taken forever now for Factions to release? Why. Because the devlopers never wanted it in the first place. I'm sure thats the case for many other developer projects as well. It's 1 thing to ask a studio to incorporate a multiplayer component and have it be successful when they want to do it, thats what happened with the last of us 1 multiplayer, but then to do what they've done with Factions, and it still not here, speaks all the facts anyone needs to hear.

[Tapani]

@Lightning77 You are spot on.

[OptimusDK]

And it will then propel new gaas games. This is not what I want at all. And it does not seem to be what the market want. They are too late for the party. Even Fortnite is scaling back. It will take resources from single player games no matter what

[Redemption-64]

Let's ne honest, Gaas is doing well, it just nothing but greed. Most gamers can't see pass what they want. Fortnite is literally a cash cow, however Epic expecting it to make enough money to cover all their expenses is beyond stupid.

[Michiel1989]

They are gonna use the profit to make more gaas games.....don't act that because it's sony they use all the gaas profits to please the single player crowd, they make them to get as much money as they can, nothing more nothing less. Don't come with this noble bs, they're a company, not a charity.

[Godmars290]

Thing is they need to back off AAA. Give attention to middle IPs which, once/if they become popular among that small created audience, could get tuned up to AAA.

It should be about creating an environment of creative risk instead of all the algorithmic money sink BS everything's become.

[Redgrave]

Wow, I think this is the first time I have seen you in a Sony related article not saying something laced with sheer Xbox fanboy filtered nonsense. Congratulations, you're making progress in talking like a regular person.

[DogJosha]

There are games from the 90's in the top 20 most expensive games to produce. Yes select titles have gotten noticeably more expensive to produce, but compare GTA4 to Spider-man. Both cost about $100m to produce. On 3 systems after 5 years, it got 25m sales, which is not bad. In 1.5 years, Spider-Man sold 33m on a single system. Costs have been outpaced by sales and companies have been making record profits before any costs increased for customers so don't even pretend they are seeing increased costs...

[sparky77]

I don't see why everyone is cheering him going at least until we know who replaces him. It could be someone far worse.

[Jin_Sakai]

The guy literally pushed their 1st party studios the GaaS route. Some of the most talented single player story driving studios in the industry. Take Naughty Dog for example, they been focusing on making a GaaS game that is currently in production hell for ages. We would’ve likely been playing their next big game if not for that.

[Seraphim]

you say that like you have inside knowledge. The simple truth is we don't know what is going on inside, at all of PS studios. Let's not forget how many people were crying and clamoring for Last of Us MP. Sometimes all it takes is that vocal minority. Now I don't necessarily agree with the focus toward GaaS, but the fact of the matter is that we know absolutely nothing about which studio is working on what.

Having said that it's been evident under Ryan that he is business first. That he wanted to tap into that honey pot of mts from GaaS titles. What PS needs is a gamer who can see the value in games from indie to AAA. Not every game is going to perform well, but taking those chances has always lead to some solid experiences and games. The Order, LocoRoco, Patapon, PaRapa, Ico, Shadow, etc. I'd like to say Last Guardian but the fact they made Trico so disobedient really wrecked that game. I get what they wanted to do, but from a gameplay/experience perspective it was terrible. Anyway, some of the best years of PS were under leaders who recognized and loved games. Like Shu, Trenton, etc. Less focus on industry trends and more focus on allowing developers to create what they want assuming the pitch is good enough to green light. If they want to push some GaaS fine, but everything needs to be done in moderation. Putting too many eggs into one basket is destructive. 2 cents

[Lightning77]

How many times do I have to tell you? It took TLOUS 7 years to develop. Why do you think you'll see their next mainline game in 2023 or 2024?

Games don't take 3 to 4 years to make anymore. So kill that false narrative once and for all and forever.

[Extermin8or3_]

No he hasn't you are all full of shit. The vast majority if GAAS titles are from new partnerships and new studios they acquired specifically to make them. Sony considers the term GAAS to apply more broadly than most other companies anyway.ghost of Tsushima counted as one with its multiplayer mode, gram turismo counted. Both were excellent games that could be played solo and without spending a penny on anything after purchase.

[raWfodog]

@Lightning77

“Games don't take 3 to 4 years to make anymore. So kill that false narrative once and for all and forever.”

There was a four year gap between the Horizon games, the God of War games, FFVII Remake / Rebirth, and about 2-3 years between Spider-Man, Miles Morales, and Spider-Man 2. How come you think devs can no longer make games within those time periods anymore?

[Redemption-64]

Seriously, you guys should stop spreading lies. Am not a fan of him, but just seeing how easily you guys lie to coup with reality is beyond sad. That game was in development long before Jim was even CEO, yet you and your ilk blame him for that?

[Jin_Sakai]

@Extermin8or3_

“No he hasn't you are all full of shit. The vast majority if GAAS titles are from new partnerships and new studios they acquired specifically to make them.“

“But over the last two years, Ryan has overseen a PlayStation shift toward “games as a service,” a popular industry buzzword referring to video games, usually multiplayer, that can be monetized over long periods of time. “IT’S BEEN AN UNCOMFORTABLE PIVOT FOR SOME OF SONY’s STUDIOS.”

Literally says it right there in the article.

[__SteakDeck__]

@Jim_Sakai ND decided to make their MP project into a full blown GAAS game. Jim Ryan had nothing to do with that.

[Lightning77]

@Raw. Miles Morales is also 7 hour game and a game launched in between SM1 and 2 to introduce Miles in the universe.
FF7 rebirth is remakes are just that remake so of course those won't take 7 years to make.

FW took 5 years not 4. Newer Ips like Ghosts took 6 years while the TLOUS2 took 7 years from the first one. ND game won't be some existing game or universe it'll be something new. That won't take 3 to 4 years to make unless we want to play some half done game. Yeah no thank you and ND won't ever have it that way.

[Jin_Sakai]

“ND decided to make their MP project into a full blown GAAS game. Jim Ryan had nothing to do with that.“

Yea I’m sure Jim Ryan didn’t have anything to do with it just like he didn’t acquire Bungie for their GaaS expertise and in which they supposedly told Naughty Dog that Factions wasn’t going to work as a GaaS game.

[-Foxtrot]

You have a point...but until the new person is announced and we see what they do, we'll just have to take it as it is for now.

You might be right, it might be that its better the devil you know but we'll see.

[SeTTriP]

Herman hulst might be next in line.

[Lightning77]

As of the past 4 years we only know Jim Ryan and Herman Hulst as leads and faces these days. Everyone else is just blacked out buissness ppl with who's motives are unknown.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

I already listed my reasons why I'm okay with him leaving (just look at my post history, it's not far from the top). As for who replaces him, hopefully someone who can course correct so that we get better games.

[__SteakDeck__]

The only time I ever agreed with Sparky. Lol

[Yui_Suzumiya]

Bring back Jack Tretton!

[Fishy Fingers]

Seems fickle to me, had you criticised Sonys direction or leadership a month (or anytime over the last few years) ago on here, you'd get slammed. Now its a celebration time the guy resonsible is leaving.

[lodossrage]

Not true,

Even here on this site, Sony fans (myself included) has made their dislike of Jim Ryan known. It's not ALL of leadership people take issue with. It's mainly HIM

[lodossrage]

For anyone that thinks I'm BSing on how I feel about Jim Ryan,

Go look at the blog post I made on this very site years ago:

https://n4g.com/user/blogpo...

So yes, some are us ARE in favor of this.

[Armaggedon]

People are fickle. It depends on where they focus their attention, the response you will get. Right now, you get downvoted to hell for saying good things about starfield for example. Lets say dragon age dreadwolf gets released, and its a non functional s***show, you will get a free pass to say good stuff about starfield during that window of time.

[XiNatsuDragnel]

I'm happy he's gone as a fan of playstation I want my Japanese and sp games with a couple of experimental titles here and there.

[Stanjara]

Truth be told, Sony has board of members with a CEO... so things would not be much different with another CEO in position.

That being said, we need to throw someone under the bus... and Jimbo leaving feels so good.

He will probably be replaced by a FCO... or someone in global marketing and sales dep.

Not much will change... pushing stream, VR quest little games, gaas, and probably 1 aaa a year.

Oh and shorter PC releases.

[DeadlyFire]

I disagree. Having multiple games per year is better, but Sony always has a gap between them. Sony can bring more games out on a better schedule. They have too many development teams to not occasionally have multiple game years. Problem is they all release them at about the same time. We get a big year of games then nothing but one-two per year for a bit. It's been like that for awhile.

[Stanjara]

It was two games before, now one with one gaas. Don't except miracles.

[Brazz]

Jim Ryam administration is marked by huge investment on GAAS games and increase in Playstation prices for consumers, so yeah... no surprise.

[CappyBlack]

Don't see why you're getting disagrees. Sony showed themselves really greedy under Ryan's reign. Something tells me it really isn't going to change going forward; just they won't have the negative stigma his name holds as of this generation.

[derek]

Jason Schrier is a hack, who posts hit pieces concerning Sony consistently as if Microsoft and or Nintendo don't exist. This article in particular is fact free, just a bunch of unsupported random claims. I'd venture to say that upwards of 99% of playstation gamers don't know who Jim Ryan is.

[gold_drake]

i personally didnt like the gaas approach he had. but other than that he wasnt that bad.

charismatic? no. but i believe bosses dont need to be. but i guess theya re public figures after all.

but im probably alone with this opinion.

[TheCaptainKuchiki]

What gaas approach????
Y'all commenting things that don't exist yet.
NO gaas game has released yet and he's been CEO for 4 years already.
So stop the narrative that he only want Gaas games when that's not true.

[gold_drake]

it was in their annual report that they will also focus on gaas, while having the usual 1st party experience.

so im not sure why you are so triggered by people telling what they've officially said.

[ocelot07]

He came off as another Phill Spencer to me. Just not as bad as Phill him self.

He was the one who said "we believe in generations" as they showed off spider man miles Moralas, gran turismo 7, Horizon Forbidden West, God Of War Ragnarok. Only to them silently announce that these games where also releasing on PS4.

[gold_drake]

yeh
but they didnt have alot of choice on the ps4 front.i understand why they did it, but yeh. covid was definitely in the way

[ApocalypseShadow]

It's crazy. Now you got PlayStation fans just making shit up to fit their narratives. Since they don't know what Sony is making behind the scenes, they're just coming up with nonsense.

Many single player games also released under Jim. But the narrative is that he's only concentrating on online GaaS games. Games that haven't even released yet. Sony buys Bungie and the narrative is that Jim is forcing all the developers to make GaaS games and turning away from single player games before he retires . Can't make this shit up.

When PlayStation fans start making up lies, then you know there's a problem when they start acting like Xbox fans who will lie without having any facts to back them up.

[__SteakDeck__]

Yeah, making about lies and disinformation is not something PS fans should do. That’s some that Xbox fans like to do, just as you said. People forget that Jim bought SP studios such as Housemarque and Bluepoint. He also resurrected Sony Liverpool who used to be Psygnosis, who are now working on a SP horror game. He also expanded studios and paid for many 2nd and 3rd party SP games like FF 16. PS fans gave him too much hate.

[Father__Merrin]

Good Riddance. Although it can't be reversed now I've never agreed to jungle-jim pc ports releases

[__SteakDeck__]

Whisper, PC ports were Shawn Layden’s idea.

[Father__Merrin]

Jim pushed this idea forward much bigger. I'm glad he's gone

[anast]

I heard Konami needs a slot machine manager.

[dnawesum]

Justified jubilation or not, it's always a bad look when even the fans of a brand are cheering the departure of the CEO.

[Einhander1972]

Because they don't know anything about business and they fell for the smear campaign and just repeated what the press told them to say.

[Godmars290]

Want to know why Xbox fanboys were/are insisting that PS fanboys were as fanatical about Ryan as they are about Phil.

if anyone even comes close to such a level of devotion its Ken Kutaragi.

[il-JumperMT]

unfortunately the next person will have to fix Jim left when his GaaS start coming out.

With Jim sony went back to arrogant early ps3 games. He was only successful because xbox keeps shooting itself in the foot

[P_Bomb]

Price increases during drought years are a sure fire way to lose popularity.

[XBManiac]

Jim Ryan has been good for western investors. He has also made good alliances with western companies, something East companies are struggling with. Sony is now a more western company than never, with central offices in US, more than Japan.
But, in the bad side... PlayStation AAA+ games have not been launched at the rate that users wanted, with less first party and second party titles than expected. It is like if Sony has been controlling money expending because Microsoft is not at the same level (less consoles sold, more money expended, bad image...) and Nintendo does not interfere with PlayStation success. Another problem for users is PSVR2, because it is not as cheap and modern as expected... it needs PS5 for everything, with cables and games are not yet at the same level as Half-Life Alyx.

Things that the new CEO can do in the next two years:
- More AAA+ Games per year.
- Far cheaper to produce, smaller PS5 and, if possible, with more TFLOPs than Xbox Series X (do not limit it to a Slim model, maintain the "only one PS5" idea on market, so buyers don't get confused).
- Maintain income levels of PlayStation.
- Fix PSVR2 with a Wireless adapter, more AAA+ titles and a new better but cheaper model in 2024.
- Put everything in place for PS6 launch in 2027.

[RhinoGamer88]

But Jim has the last laugh... He is probably worth $25-50 million and is assuredly getting $$$ to leave early.
The is how the C-suite game works - you get paid regardless of performance and public perception.

[RaiderNation]

Because they're stupid.

[cammers1995]

My beef with him is he had a vendetta against the classic games, and wanted to shut down the ps3 And vita stores. Thankfully we got our way and ps3 and Vita remain running normally for now.

[Markusb33]

most sony fans i see are not interested in CEOs or businessmen, they want 1st party games and better communications, i certainly dont want to see execs playing games or pushing any more lies than they have to. I do not worship corps or their bosses its a weird behaviour

[gaffyh]

Hopefully they go back to E3 and do the classic epic presentations again.

[cammers1995]

I hated him. He wanted to close the PS3 and vita stores, get rid of backwards compatibility, and promote live service games. Good riddance.

[melmacj]

I never cared for Jim Ryan as CEO. Some good things happen under his watch like Playstation games on pc which I really have to give a nod to Microsoft for that one. I hope the next CEO continue that trend with even better release windows. But what I don't understand is that Sony has had some great CEOs Jack, Shawn and more I'm missing. Heck even Kevin was a good fake one. Why are CEOs departing when Playstation is riding on a high wave of success. Even now gamers may not care for Jim but PS5 is successful right now. No other gaming company shift CEOs as much as Sony. Microsoft did for a while but Xbox was trailing behind. And now Phil is their guy. I hope the next CEO is open minded and keep things progressing forward but don't forget what made Playstation a success.