160°

PlayStation Funded Deviation Games Was Working On Two Projects For PC & PS5

PlayStation funded Deviation Games had been working on two projects for PC and PS5 prior to being shut down.

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xHeavYx389d ago

How is it cool that a developer working in 2 projects were shut down?

Jingsing389d ago

He is being sarcastic because this is clearly another battle for N4G propaganda news article to try and filter out the bad Microsoft articles. It is ancient news.

XiNatsuDragnel389d ago

@jingsing
Exactly mate I just wanted to be sarcastic.

shinoff2183389d ago

We went over this month's ago. Great timing though considering all things going on these last few days.

Shts cute

RNTody389d ago (Edited 389d ago )

This is the Microsoft defense force. They can't spin the current bad press in any coherent way, so all they can do is normalise the idea of studio shutdowns so that what Microsoft is doing seems completely normal as opposed to shambolic and a direct effect of bad decisions for the gaming industry. But hey, it's a cute attempt indeed.

Wake me up when Sony axes Housemarque after Returnal.

Then we'll talk.

RNTody389d ago (Edited 389d ago )

If you don't know your facts, Tacoboto, maybe don't stand up to the podium. Deviation Games closing is a story from MONTHS ago:

https://www.ign.com/article...

All this article is, is some little clarity on what they were working on.

Lay offs happen. Games fail. Shutdowns happen. They're sad. But it's life. Even Naughty Dog endured it with The Last of Us Online. It hardly points to an industry collapse. The industry isn't imploding, it's going through a transitional period where big brand publishers are facing the reality that bloated budgets, GAAS, five different subscription services, unrealistic sales expectations and budgets, gamers playing habits, poor quality and incomplete games, mismanagement of studios and excessively delayed development times etc. are real problems affecting triple A development. If the industry was imploding, we'd be hearing that God of War Ragnarok was the best selling game in PlayStation history but it's a commercial failure and the studio needs to be downsized. We'd be hearing that Forza didn't turn a profit. That Nintendo can't sustain new Marios and Zeldas. That game and console sales are at record lows.

Deviation Games closing, for whatever reasons they did, is NOT the same as the utterly abnormal and shambolic situation of Hi Fi Rush, where the game and its studio were a massive success but were closed as a casualty of Microsoft's acquisitions and the need to recoup those costs and cease risky investment in new IP or niche studios that don't sell millions.

My cynicism at this story is because there is an emerging opinion like yours that the industry is falling apart, and it's going to lead to the terrible opinion that games need to be more expensive or have more monetisation options to be sustainable.

Yet, who are the ones responsible? The losers like Microsoft, Warner Bros, EA etc. But because lay offs are happening we feel the need to lump all in the same basket and call a crisis. Gaming has been growing for a very long time, but it cannot grow indefinitely, the market is at a point where it's adapting to new trends like mobile and handheld gaming making a return and subscription services and consumer buying habits changing.

Yet publishers still make Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League, watch it burn and fail and then say sales are "disappointing" and triple A games are unsustainable.

Michiel1989389d ago

the desperation of making your favorite company look better by comparing it to garbage, if that's what keeps you asleep at night, good for you, doesn't change the fact that Sony also axes studios. Every negative thing Sony does gets swept under the rug cause boogieman xbox and it's pathetic. Everytime the sony camp says: we don't want gamepass it's bad for the industry because we wanna pay more, but when Sony shuts down a studio, which is also detrimental to the gaming industry, it's all cool.

RNTody389d ago (Edited 389d ago )

@Michiel1989 Um, yes Sony does? What's your point? They're a large corporate business and not our best pals. Take Days Gone. It sold five or so million copies, but it took six years to make and had mixed critical reception and Sony wasn't confident that a sequel was worth the investment. I EXPECT decisions like this in business. But you also have to respect that Sony funds and supports games like Days Gone and Dreams or Death Stranding or Ghosts of Tsushima or Helldivers 2 in this era, and invests in risky new IP.

If you've been alive for longer than five minutes you'd have seen Sony come under fire for Stellar Blade's backtracking on censorship, the Helldivers 2 fiasco, the silence on their first party studios. Their practices get attacked, but they have a loyal fanbase because they DELIVER WHAT THE FANBASE WANTS. Which is quality new games, passionate creativity and console innovations each generation. They haven't done this for a couple of months, they've done this for over 20 years since the PS1 era. Take Nintendo. People constantly criticise their practices, but they know their audience so well and cater to them in the gaming space and with innovative consoles.

But the issue I have is lumping ordinary business happenings like studio departures, or studio closures or layoffs, with the astronomically different scenarios of Hi Fi Rush, which is the death of a great studio that made an awesome game for no other reason than Microsoft's hubris and Game Pass canabalising sales, and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, where Warner Bros and Rocksteady did everything in their power to destroy their own success and bloat the development time and disrespect their fans, and then cried that the game didn't sell. I'm sure Rocksteady will have layoffs now.

Shutting down a studio isn't detrimental to the industry on its own. Context matters. Sometimes it's necessary because at the end of the day making money is essential if we want to keep enjoying our hobby. I will have a big problem if Sony shut down Sucker Punch after Ghosts of Tsushima, or declared Spider-Man 2 a commercial failure despite being the best selling PlayStation game in history, or any of the other hyper alarming things that point to terrible management and anti-industry.

Let's be clear here. If Sony was like Microsoft or Warner Bros, I'd have ditched them ages ago and kept to my gaming PC. And yet, Sony delivers the games I want. So why shouldn't I support their developers?

Tacoboto388d ago

RNTody,

Not only is Stellar Blade not censored, but Sony also stopped a Days Gone 2, and prevented Dreams from being bigger by locking it to PS4. Helldivers 2 is restricted from sale on Steam post-release and Ghost of Tsushima PC is receiving those same restrictions.

The length of your responses are absolutely unhinged but LOL at still trying to push that Stellar Blade incel narrative. So pathetic, actually play the game and you'll see how obviously it isn't censored.

RNTody387d ago (Edited 387d ago )

@Tacoboto I'll keep this one short for you, dear. Sorry, you lost me at the use of the word "incel". Now I know this is a worthless conversation, based on how your mind works.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 387d ago
Tacoboto389d ago

The industry is imploding and you people are obsessing over everything revolving around Microsoft.

Microsoft spent like 100bn on studios and all that proved is that the industry will *never* revolve around them.

Stop your obsession. Xbox is falling apart. EA is ushering in AI. Sony is restricting game sales to a few dozen countries. Square can't manage poop going down a clockwise toilet. Switch 2 is as close today as it was in 2020.

There are bigger things to worry about than "How can I spin this to be about Microsoft?" especially when now you're deflecting the first place platform maker's problems to still be related to those of a platform that hasn't been relevant in a positive light since 2021.

shinoff2183389d ago

The difference being Sony didn't just spend 80 billion plus on studios and publishers.

Traecy389d ago

LOL! No comparison when it comes down to the big picture.

notachance389d ago (Edited 389d ago )

sh*ts so bad at MS the paid shill had to dug up old news just to find something to distract people lmao

389d ago Replies(1)
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260°

Your Indie Game Just Sold 2 Million Copies… So Why Are You Still Broke?

Thomas Mahler: "Since it's quite bananas that a lot of players still do not understand the economy behind game development, I thought it'd be best to just break down a real example of a really successful first-time developer who managed to make a deal with a publisher. "

Terry_B2d ago

I wouldnt call a game that costs 10 million to make and had over 30 people from different companies working on it an indie game.

Seriously, no.

StoneTitan1d 2h ago

its an independent studio that is not owned by any big studio or publisher. what else would you call them?

TheCaptainKuchiki19h ago(Edited 19h ago)

Indie means independant PLUS low budget.
Say I'm a billionnaire and decide to fund my own game with a $20M budget, is it an indie game just because I don't call a publisher? Dev costs increase yeah, but $10M is hardly indie

StoneTitan10h ago

@TheCaptainKuchiki I mean there is a word, independent, now look up what independent means.

https://dictionary.cambridg...

If you are a billionaire and fund your own game your game your studio is definately an independent studio xD
Thats what the word means.

TheColbertinator22h ago

Game development expenditures have exploded since the old days, Terry. Office space, hiring computer techs, game development equipment and art direction all have insane costs now.

Terry_B20h ago

Stardew Valley.

a game does not have to cost 10 millions or even 1 million..or even 100k to be successful

thorstein19h ago

Office space is cheap since so many people now work from home.

The only thing exploding is the price to the customer and the CEO's bank account.

TheColbertinator20h ago

Regardless the expenses are still there. If every indie studio had a success like Stardew Valley, they wouldn't be begging big time publishers, crowdfunders and investors to cover development costs. Alas most don't.

Santouryuu1d 5h ago

I don't get it..
He starts with 10M cost for the game excluding marketing and continues to detract "other"costs...
Why are the costs of storefront, engine etc not included in the 10M?

thorstein1d 4h ago (Edited 1d 4h ago )

CEO makes CEO noises.

If he takes a 1 million dollar bonus every year the game is being made and the game took 5 years to be made, the "cost" isn't 10 million, it should be 5 million.

It's just more magical accounting. This industry is replete with it.

staticall1d 4h ago (Edited 1d 4h ago )

@Santouryuu
Yeah, it's weird. On top of that, he subtracts engine, tax from HIS own money, but this should be put on the publisher (or at least be split, 50%/50% or how they agree), because they're benefitting from the sales as well. On top of that, he makes it look like he didn't get a cent, but he (and his team) was paid the salary the whole way through, with bonuses and stuff. Probably rent for the office was taken care of as well and licenses/devices too.

And also, he acts like his games' average price was $10 (by the way, if the game cost $10 million, who decided to sell it for $20?! Sounds idiotic), which is ridiculous, popular indie games don't do 50% discount right after release and the most of the sales are done a few months after release (according to the publishers). As an example, look at Rimworld, Dwarf Fortress, Factorio, Kenshi, they either didn't have 50% discount yet or had it years after the release.

Also, he acts like the game was only sold on Steam, but that's false. And Microsoft, i'm more than sure, didn't take 30% from them (because it's a game published by them on their platform).

The only thing this tells me is that someone is trying to manipulate us and you shouldn't work with Microsoft if you want to remain sane.

StoneTitan1d 2h ago (Edited 1d 2h ago )

because thats what he has to HAVE RIGHT NOW to develop the next game (engine, tax andso on)

Yes xbox of course did not have the 30% tax but then again he is just making a hypothetical, I am pretty sure their game did not sell exactely 20millions ^^

StoneTitan1d 2h ago (Edited 1d 2h ago )

Its not the cost of storefront. Your game made 20million but from those 20million the store takes 30%. Steam took 30% from the 20million you made. got it?
If you make 20million in sales Steam takes 6 million.
So you only get 14millions. Then you have to pay back what you owe the publisher, so 10millions in devcost and 2million in marketing.
So you are left with 2millions.
From the 2millions of pure profit 70% goes to the publisher and 30% to the developer (depending on your contract)
So you are left with 600k to pay for your next game, for now.
lots of numbers but very clearly put

attilayavuzer1d 1h ago

Really enjoy the Ori games, but the studio head has always been an insufferable dickhead. Those costs aren't included cause he's miserable and full of shit.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1d 1h ago
leahcim1d 3h ago

please bring Ori to Playstation!!!!

T_T

franwex12h ago

Where did those $10 million go though? It’s a loan basically, but didn’t those pay through the development? Essentially the developer got paid $10 million upfront to make a game. If the game didn’t hit $12 million in sales-say $8 million. The publisher lost that money. The developer still got $10 million. Sure, maybe their next game may not be funded-but they wouldn’t have to come up with the $4 million missing. That’s a loss from the publisher.

100°

Hi-Fi Rush Developer Tango Gameworks Reveals New Logo, Working On Unannounced Action Game

Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks has revealed a brand new logo/website, and that it is currently working on an unannounced action game.

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robtion1d 9h ago

Hopefully they do a new The Evil Within or something similar to that.

Abnor_Mal1d 2h ago

If I were them, I would not even put my next game on Xbox, the way they were treated . Plus they’d probably need the sales not just yea someone played our game.

170°

IO Interactive Reveals Their IOI Showcase Lineup

IO Interactive is doing their own showcase this Friday and have revealed what is in store.

Obscure_Observer1d 19h ago

Looking forward to 007 and Project Fantasy!

Garethvk1d 19h ago

Hopefully it's good..I still miss E3.

repsahj1d 16h ago

I'm also excited to see Project Fantasy.

Garethvk1d 16h ago (Edited 1d 16h ago )

It may be interesting.
I am curious about their decision to do their own show.

yeastori1d 1h ago

we need a Hitman game that is like the old ones, not too interactive and network based. I want to be able to use every weapon and unlock them for every form of gameplay style. I hate that you get punished in these modern Hitman game for using a rifle rather than your silent pistol.