1010°

Sony Talks Shift From Hardware to Monthly Active Users; Plans to Explore Microtransactions

Sony Executives talk about the shift of the business model from hardware units to monthly active users, and the possible exploration of microtransactions.

Read Full Story >>
dualshockers.com
2362d ago Replies(9)
ninsigma2362d ago

So are they going to stop reporting units sold or report both??

Please don't ruin the developers good work with badly implemented DLC. Especially the single player stuff!

UCForce2362d ago (Edited 2362d ago )

Yeah, I agree. Like my previous comments , microtransaction is only work in Free to Play game. Just don't put it in AAA games. Hopefully, Sony report both Hardware and Software.

freshslicepizza2362d ago

They are already in place in their AAA games, what are you talking about? You can buy items in Uncharted like pirate hats. One of the worst offenders ever was Little Big Planet and all the items you could buy.

@ninsigma
"So are they going to stop reporting units sold or report both??
Please don't ruin the developers good work with badly implemented DLC. Especially the single player stuff!"

Those NPD numbers stop being public because of Sony last generation. You guys think they are always transparent? We still don't have any idea how well Playstation Now is doing, how many people use that per month?

http://controversy.typepad....

NoPeace_Walker2362d ago (Edited 2362d ago )

SOE, the former Free to Play developers that made games like Planetside, are sold off to another company by Sony. So what other type of games does Sony make besides games like TLOU 2 and GOW4? It is coming people, and I surely hope the people that hold their own standard on their opinion of MC in games will feel the same for Sony when that time comes . I, myself have no issue with it if it doesn't affect gameplay and are optional.

Knushwood Butt2362d ago (Edited 2362d ago )

You can buy pirate hats, that add nothing to the game, or you can get them simply by playing the game.

I think I have all pirate hats unlocked, and not a single one equipped.

Ittoittosai2362d ago (Edited 2362d ago )

Nopeace_walker- your part of the problem. MT always effect game play and more and more are not optional. You know why people love that word or phrase "optional" because it alloes them to say "oh well the free market blah blah blah" when all they really mean is "we know people are lazy and stupid and casuals will just fork over money for stuff". Look at Forza, Shadow of War hell Ac orginis. In AC Origins its an unlockable Skill, in the damn skill tree, to purchase crafting materials from venders and unlockable skill to use a vender how a vender has always been used before, then venders carry very small amounts of the crafting materials requiring you to travel across the map, which is very big, to get enough to upgrade you health, arrow ammo and other things or you can spend 20$ on a "time saver" to get enough to max out you gear. Thats BS. Your additude leads to an eventual colapse of the gaming industry or market as people will get tired of paying 60$ then getting nickled an dimed to death while paying. Its so bad now there are advertizements in the damn game menus for these game telling you "hey we have MT".

Jinger2361d ago

@Knushwood

Yeah and the majority of other MT's are optional also and only cosmetic, but that doesn't stop people from bitching about them.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 2361d ago
andrewsquall2362d ago

Of course they didn't say that "Hardware sales are still important", I don't see anything that throws this question up.

rainslacker2361d ago

I can understand why any company that has services to offer would want to look at MAU's. It's a good metric for measuring potential. However, selling more hardware will also increase MAU's, particularly for a company like Sony which doesn't have as many outlets to bolster their numbers like MS does in Windows.

As far as MT go, it's not like it's new ground for Sony. They've had them in quite a few of their games to date. The important thing is how they're implemented, and overall, I don't feel that Sony exploits MT as much as some of the other publishers do, and if they kept doing what they're already doing, I don't really see the problem.

Overall, all I care about is if Sony keeps providing me with the kind of content that I already get on the system. If they shift to more GaaS to push this shift more, then I'll be upset and say something then. It's hard to say if they're doing that now, because they only have one major game right now which I consider to be a GaaS type game, and that's GT:S.

TankCrossing2362d ago

Yes yes, that's it. Follow Microsoft into the abyss. I hear it is wonderful.

Give it another ~20 years and we'll start hearing how Nintendo are beginning to track monthly active users over hardware sales as well.

UCForce2362d ago

Like my previous comments, every publishers like Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo and others will follow the suit.

Death2362d ago

Hardware sales are important to fans that want to feel better about their purchase. Active users generate more profit and is the metric platform holders use to better measure success since it’s a stream of constant revenue.

UCForce2362d ago

@Death Hardware sales are very important, too. But I'm just concerned about Sony maybe ignores it in the future which I'm not okay with it.

TankCrossing2362d ago (Edited 2362d ago )

Of course hardware is important to Sony. What else will their "Active Users" be playing on? PSNow? I don't think Sony are going to throw all their eggs in that basket just yet so you've got nothing to worry about.

By the same logic, you can understand why hardware might be a less important metric to Microsoft.

Cobra9512362d ago

TankCrossing, you're missing the point. If active users are the only metric they go by, then the hardware gets marginalized. If the service side of the business trumps the hardware side, then they start doing things real gamers don't want, like publishing on other platforms, including mobile, or streaming games to any number of devices, and charging you piecemeal for every little thing they can--games as a service. *Shudder* The PS4, PS5 etc won't be their main focus anymore.

TankCrossing2361d ago

@Cobra they aren't gonna take down the walls around the playsration garden. Not unless the money they'd make would be greater than the money they make as a platform holder, taking their cut of everything published to the platform.

darthv722361d ago

If I may interject. Hardware sales are no longer a proper way to measure the actual number of people who game. I will explain it like this. Since the last few generations it has become rather popular to double and triple dip when it comes to the hardware. Either people want the newer design or they are replacing a unit that has issues or they just want to have a 2nd or 3rd in the house (one for them, one for the kids).

They have to look at game sales and MAU's to understand the size of the user base (and even that is not 100% accurate). I'm pretty sure everyone knows this but hardware is usually sold at a loss because the real $$ makes is from software (and now GaaS and MT's and subscriptions)

TankCrossing2361d ago (Edited 2361d ago )

Console hardware hasn't been sold at a loss for at least a decade, and multi-console owners/homes is nothing new really.

Active (online) users is a better indication of the more lucrative and valuable audience, and the tools to measure it are there so it it makes sense to track the metric they care about.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 2361d ago
PunisherRevenge2361d ago (Edited 2361d ago )

Yes we all know Microsoft is the only company that implemented microtransactions when other company's have been doing this for years especially on the mobile side of gaming. Microsoft is to blame for everything negative in gaming. Sony and Nintendo has never used microtransactions or online passes in their games.

2361d ago
2361d ago
RememberThe3572361d ago

Is it too early to say "fuck Kodera-san"?

I already bought the god damn game I don't want to pay more to unlock the rest of it!

2361d ago
Zeref2361d ago (Edited 2361d ago )

it's because hardware sales do not bring profit. Monthly active users say more about profitability than hardware sales.

Microsoft is a business it was just a business decision, A smart one seeing that Sony Is going to do the same now.

People on N4G think they know business better than these companies.

rainslacker2361d ago

I'm sure they all track it in some way. In fact, it's a regularly published metric within their quarterly publisher reports which give out stats like software sold, number of active users, number of online user, engagement numbers, and tons of other metrics which may be used by publishers to decide to release a game on the system. It's important information for publishers.

The problem comes in when the MAU is the primary and only metric which seems to be focused on, and many of the services and games seem to be centered around increasing those numbers by making software which is directly related to increasing said numbers, as opposed to making software which just lets them grow more naturally by increasing user base by providing more for more people.

I felt MS shift to MAU's was more due to the fact they were trying to make Windows into a service over an OS. XBL helped bolster those numbers, and eventually, making XBL part of windows bolsters XBL numbers thus potential revenue.

Ultimately, it all comes down to what happens to the software as a whole.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 2361d ago
Edito2362d ago

Let's see how this turns out, i really like the House approach he seemed like a very kind and soft guy.

TripleCs2362d ago

House is the type of guy you don't really care for when he's there but miss once he's gone and someone worse takes his place.

Cobra9512362d ago

Yes. And if this story isn't just a one-off fluke, that's exactly what I fear may have happened.

goken2362d ago Show
AspiringProGenji2361d ago

I feared they would do this in a matter of time just like they followed MS with MP paywall. Hopefully they don't include MTs in SP games. maybe Nintendo is getting back up for a reason...maybe it is time to go back to them. I am not supporting MTs from anyone

rainslacker2361d ago

I could understand the following the paywall because that was shown to be successful, and make a ton of profit.

So far, services, which is really the only reason to track MAU to be able to gauge potential as well as just make more money because the more you have the more chance to make money, has not really been shown to be successful to gaming.

Overall, It's easy to track software sales and pure revenue from what services they do have, and ultimately, that's going to be the most important. but when a company talks about shifting focus to MAU's, it implies that they're going to focus on ways to increase that, which may cause concern that they're going to start doing things which push this idea beyond simply providing what people have come to expect from them. I can understand why that is concerning, however, at the present time, there isn't a whole lot there to show that Sony is doing something different from what we've come to expect from them, so it's hard to have some knee-jerk reaction like when MS says SP games have less impact when the last two big games they're marketing are both GaaS type games.

Obscure_Observer2361d ago

@rainslacker

"I can understand why that is concerning, however, at the present time, there isn't a whole lot there to show that Sony is doing something different from what we've come to expect from them, so it's hard to have some knee-jerk reaction like when MS says SP games have less impact when the last two big games they're marketing are both GaaS type games."

Because Sony is not marketing CoD, Destiny and Battlefront. Smdh. Never lose you chance to throw some rocks at MS and sugarcoating Sony´s crap even when you know you´re screw! Go on! Suck it up! Sony is pleased.

Majin-vegeta2362d ago

Well time to hit them where it hurts...used games here I come.

threefootwang2362d ago

Been doing that since the start of this gen. Regardless of Sony or MS's policies, I love gaming but paying $80 CAD per game is insane.

Chaosdreams2362d ago

As a fellow Canadian, I've come to ignore games in their initial release window. The initial price is a complete joke (especially considering it arguably gives you 3/4 of a game if you're lucky).

TankCrossing2361d ago (Edited 2361d ago )

That is certainly a good way to push them further along the GaaS path.

Majin-vegeta2361d ago

Remember at the end of the day they need us (Consumers)to survive.We dont need them.

Show all comments (237)
40°

Sony's Stellar Inzone Gaming Earbuds Are On Sale For The First Time

The premium Sony Inzone earbuds are designed for PC and PS5, and they're finally getting a discount after launching in late 2023.

Read Full Story >>
gamespot.com
70°

Tomb Raider is coming to Evercade!

The first three Tomb Raider games are coming to an Evercade Cartridge!

Read Full Story >>
evercade.co.uk
darthv721d 22h ago

Their newer giga cart tech should make for even bigger games coming to the platform. I'm hoping for a Resident Evil collection with the first 3 games.

150°

With Larian Out Of The Picture, Will The Baldur's Gate IP Be In Safe Hands?

Huzaifah from eXputer: "With Larian Studios washing their hands of the IP, what is the ultimate fate of the legendary Baldur's Gate series?"

RaidenBlack23h ago

If anybody's gonna mention BioWare, then look at Archetype Entertainment, they're the new BioWare
or else
Obsidian is still a good choice but not independent anymore.

anast23h ago(Edited 23h ago)

No, WoTC is pivoting to mobile. They can use Larian's work to justify DnD Go and everyone will accept it.

RiseNShine22h ago

Short answer, nope. Long answer, f*ck nope.

robtion5h ago

Correct answer. Most people don't realise that the companies that are still making good games using common sense and a customer focus are generally not American. They are from Poland, Belgium, Japan, or other countries that have not yet become completely corrupted by 'extreme capitalism'.

Before you down vote me into oblivion I am not anti-american. I just don't like greed and corruption which unfortunately seems to correlate with power.

I would guess the next Baldurs gate will probably be filled with GaaS.

Christopher22h ago

Honestly, we're talking completely new engine and none of Larian's built-in stuff with regard to environments and the like that they had from their past divinity game. No one is going to have that just ready to go. So, they need to shop for a dev studio that has a past game that shows what they want.

Obsidian doesn't have that, maybe the closest being Dungeon Siege 3 or Pillars of Eternity, but those are very basic, not as open, very little environment related and altering capabilities. So, we're talking a step way back on what Larian delivered. Zero scene experience to line up with what was done in BG3. Okay conversation tree designs, but still needs more complexity.

inXile has Wasteland 3 as a base model engine, and I think that's better than Pillars of Eternity from Obsidian. But, still needs to be more open world, more environmental effects, and a much heavier rules set adaptation. But, not a bad overall engine as a base, but still a ton of work. Zero scene experience to line up with what was done in BG3. Needs a ton of work on that entirely.

Tactical Adventure did the Solasta game. Really good and more accurate as far as 5e rules than BG3. But, again, if the expectation is similar to what made BG3 a big hit, engine isn't designed for moving the camera, is a bit outdated in graphics, doesn't have in-game scene elements, and needs much better writers/voice actors.

Owlcat of pathfinder games is another choice, even though they've recently moved on to WH40k licensed games. Again, though, the engine is the biggest issue here to match up, but it's a much better option overall than Tactical Adventure. Another question is writers/story telling, as much of their overall story telling bits are very limited with a lot of random worldbuilding elements that are just +\- of some attributes.

TBH, no matter who takes over, it's just not going to be like BG3 much like how BG3 isn't at all like BG1/2. And BG3 was so successful because of how much Larian was able to put in with their engine and how focused they were on players having ridiculous control over the story being told. I just don't see the next BG being the same and depending on what it is, it might be good but I'm not as big of a reach as BG3. It's way more likely players are going to go into BG4 (or its spiritual successor if it moves away from Baldur's Gate and into Neverwinter or something like Plansescape) expecting much of what is in BG3 with more options, new and older characters, and the same level of control over what they're doing. If it doesn't have that, regardless of who makes it, it won't be as successful, IMHO.

exputers6h ago

Yes, I completely concur.

As good and talented as inXile and Obsidian are in their own specific way of making their particular games, none of them have Larian's attention to detail, dynamic worlds, and reactivity, so even if they end up making a new Baldur's Gate, it's going to be a significant step-down in terms of gameplay if not narrative.

CrimsonWing6921h ago

Probably not, but maybe… just maybe…

Show all comments (8)