450°

Media Molecule invests millions to stop relying on LittleBigPlanet

Media Molecule spent £4.1 million ($6.3 million) on research and development in its last fiscal year, as the Sony studio seeks to mitigate its risks from relying solely on the LittleBigPlanet franchise.

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gamasutra.com
RXL4585d ago

afraid of relying on a great/fun franchise?

most developers wish they were so lucky lol..

it's good that they don't want to rely on just one title..

Forbidden_Darkness4585d ago

We can thank Sony for that. A lot of Sony developers are diversifying and working on more then one project now. Naughty Dog is has two teams now, Guerrilla games is working on a new IP, Santa Monica is working on a new IP (and possibly GoW4, plus they are helping out other developers on projects) and so many more. There are so many upcoming games I can't wait to see.

RememberThe3574585d ago (Edited 4585d ago )

I'm assuming that this has multiple motivations. When Naughty Dog announced The Last of Us they said that there were people on the team they really wanted to keep so they felt obligated to let them go do whatever they wanted just to keep them around. It seem like it's just one more step on the path Sony has been taking with it's developers. They're all growing as Sony gives them more responsibility, it's like watching a teenager become a man.

But I can also see this new multi-game development being due to them wanting a smoother transition into next gen than they had into this gen. Vita has been a good indication of how Sony wants to put software at the forefront. And having they're best studios working on multiple games will allow them to transition from PS3 to PS4 more seamlessly.

MsclMexican4584d ago

This article actually reminds of a stupid critisism Nintendo fanboys have with Sony.

They complain that they "ditch" old franchises in order to make new ones.

Hey I enjoy Zelda and Mario as much as the next guy... but new IP's do progress the industry...

It does not matter if you are a classic franchise... new franchise are needed in this market dominated by FPS games

metsgaming4585d ago

Whenever they make LBP3 they need to do two thing.

1 - make it a 3d space and not just a side scoller.
2 - get rid of floaty controls

Thats really all they need to do imo. Making it in 3d would make so many more levels possible more interesting things can be done with it. People can remake more game and it will be so much more interesting and fun. Just think someone can remake make from all your favorite shooters etc.

Ducky4585d ago

3D space would be a bit too complicated to work with when you consider the creation tools.
... but it could work.

The floaty controls are kind of the by-product of everything being physics based. That's the price you pay, but I prefer it the way it is right now.

xflo3604585d ago

That is what I was hopeing they were going to do with lbp 2 but alas no!
Imagine the levels you could come up with a 3d space to work with, it would be massive!!

kaozgamer4584d ago

Lbp should just remain a side scroller. But I don't mind if they have it so that you can go into 3d mode to find hidden treasure behind objects.

princejb1344584d ago

like fatoldman said 3d space would be to complicated and would take double the time to make a level
the only problem i had was the floaty controls, i bought lb1 but didnt bother with lb2 cause of that

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4584d ago
mugoldeneagle034584d ago

With the economy the way it's been the past few years I can see why devs wouldn't want to take risks, but why not?

Worst case scenario you make a bad game that's completely different, your first successful franchise gets 2-3 years to breathe then you go back for a sequel.

negroguy4585d ago

lol the comment on the site "Hope Rovio is taking notes."

AtomicGerbil4585d ago

Didn't we already know that MM were working on a new IP and they'd left LBP Vita to another studio.

Forbidden_Darkness4585d ago (Edited 4585d ago )

Yes, but did you know they were employing 50 more decay or spending that much on R&D? No.

AtomicGerbil4585d ago

This kind of behaviour is normal for game development, maybe I should have a lobotomy so I could be more surprised at normal things.

badz1494585d ago

I don't think so when the likes of CoDs are dominating the market at the moment. Devs are more reliant to their familiar franchise and always try to release them as frequently as possible to garner sales from the existing fan base. fresh new ideas are far and between these days, sadly!

AtomicGerbil4585d ago (Edited 4585d ago )

What the chuff has CoD got to do with it? If you want to go there though, it costs $40m to $50m to produce a CoD title apparently, and we'd all agree that probably doesn't include R&D so £4.1m isn't all that. Additionally, every year we get the usual Treyarch or IW staffing up for the next CoD.

I'm not knocking MM, I'm a massive fan, just thought this news was a little underwhelming. You should visit their website and read some of their history, that's newsworthy.

sikbeta4585d ago

Vita games, as every PSP game are handled to second tier developers, never the original devs that actually create that IP, always second parties or Sony Bend, which was the best PSP developer and we'll never see another Syphon Filter game ever...

Forbidden_Darkness4585d ago

I can't wait to see what Media Molecule comes up with next. I expect wonderful things from them.

krontaar4585d ago (Edited 4585d ago )

I was getting tired of LBP, can't see what they unleash next.

EDIT: disagreeing with an opinion? Nice.

Blastoise4585d ago

How can you get tired of Little big planet there are loads of great levels online.

I do look forward to seeing what else they`re coming up with though

ShoryukenII4585d ago

I disagree with your opinion. I am not tired of LittleBigPlanet. So it is fair to disagree with an opinion. Disagreeing with a fact, however, is something else entirely.

Forbidden_Darkness4585d ago

Is it wrong for people to disagree with an opinion because they don't agree with your opinion? From my experience, that's called an opinion. Dah.

kaveti66164585d ago

"disagreeing with an opinion? Nice."

What's wrong with disagreeing with an opinion? That's precisely what the disagree button is for.

krontaar4585d ago

Yeah I kind of realized that after I edited it.

I think i need some sleep.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4585d ago
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210°

Microsoft once tried to nab LittleBigPlanet from Sony after a few drinks

It turns out that many moons ago, Microsoft once had its eye on the Sony published LittleBigPlanet series.

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eurogamer.net
XiNatsuDragnel78d ago

Microsoft had a good idea but fumbled it again.

Cacabunga77d ago (Edited 77d ago )

Project Spark idea was decent but they quickly gave up ..
LBP was wonderful

ApocalypseShadow77d ago

Microsoft in a nutshell. Always tried to poach Sony employees, games, 3rd party games and devices like the depth camera that was turned into Kinect but was running on PS2 before Xbox 360. Wouldn't be surprised they wanted LBP. Just like they worked behind the scenes pushing the MLB to bring Sony's baseball game to Xbox instead of making their own.
https://www.playstationlife...

They didn't spend years trying to develop their own baseball game. They wanted Sony's game.

They're scum.

Zachmo18277d ago

Microsoft didn't force MLB on Xbox. MLB gave Sony 2 options either go multiplat or risk losing the license.

Rynxie76d ago

And why do you think MLB said that? I believe Ms approached MLB.

ApocalypseShadow76d ago (Edited 76d ago )

Totally ridiculous comment.

The only exclusivity Sony had was to their own creation of The Show. Microsoft could have paid the MLB for the license just like Sony did and made their own baseball game.

Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox. They're worth 3 TRILLION dollars. You think that's not enough money to make their own baseball game? Don't be delusional.

Microsoft spun it like they always do and told the media that they had to trust Sony with their hardware. After they put Sony in that position of not having a choice. Either go multiplatform or stop making one of their successful games. That's a no win scenario.

And what did Microsoft do? They didn't try to sell the game to the Xbox community. They put it on game pass to hurt Sony. Pushing the idea of why buy games that are $70 when you can play them in their cheap service for $10. It was a dirty tactic.

You fell for the Kool aid drink Microsoft served you instead of spitting it out. Hope it tasted good because you were fooled by Phil and the gang.

76d ago
Hereandthere76d ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

Bond revealed that MLB The Show “always came up” in conversations between Microsoft and the Major League Baseball organization. “We always said, ‘We love this game. It would be a huge opportunity to bring it to Xbox.'” she recalled. However, when Microsoft’s efforts materialized, it put the company in an awkward situation where it had to send in pre-release consoles to a rival company.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 76d ago
Notellin76d ago

"Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox."

Take a nap, conspiracies are rotting your brain.

76d ago
Hereandthere76d ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

ApocalypseShadow75d ago

Lying to yourself is unbecoming.

Article link tells you all you need to know in Sarah Bond's own words.

Hereandthere76d ago

They were too cheap/inept/lazy to develop their own mlb game, so they port begged for years and bribed the mlb to make the show multiplatform. Like i said many times, xbox brought nothing to the table their 24 years, ZERO.

ApocalypseShadow75d ago

At least you and others get it. Note drank the Kool aid and asked for seconds thinking it was refreshing.

Most don't even know how it all played out but it's there in black and white for all to see. Microsoft brought it up for years until the MLB forced Sony's hand. It was a win win for Microsoft. Kill one reason to buy a PlayStation or kill the game by dropping it in a cheap service to kill Sony's sales numbers on PlayStation.

OtterX77d ago

"However, Healey said Media Molecule wouldn't have felt right doing that, adding it would have been "morally corrupt"."

Major kudos to Media Molecule for being an upright studio with principles.

Cockney75d ago

They chose well, Sony gave them the backing to pursue their dreams with no restrictions even tho their games especially dreams have very niche appeal. Media molecule and Sony deserve respect for this in an age of risk averse publishing.

RNTody77d ago (Edited 77d ago )

Great, more stories like this please. Show the last of the zombies holding the line what we've been saying for years: Microsoft is anti competition, anti industry and has no interest in making games at all.

But hey, at least there's an Xbox Games Showcase to look forward to, right?

Inverno77d ago

Well considering SONY just killed the series, LBP would've been dead by now either way. Though MM probably wouldn't exist by now either, so I'm glad they stayed with SONY, hopefully they don't get shut down any time soon or ever honestly.

Inverno77d ago

They shut down the servers, that's millions of user created levels gone. That and dead are pretty much the same, it's also been years since 3 and they cancelled HUB soooo.

76d ago
fsfsxii76d ago

They shutdown the servers because no one was playing, no one in the community cared about the user created levels so why keep them up? Wtf you guys would never succeed in running a business.

Inverno76d ago

Yea dood no one was playing so they shut off the servers. Cause people with enough common sense can't just Google why they were actually shut of, right?

Show all comments (29)
100°

Media Molecule’s Next Game is Going to be a New IP

A job listing published by the UK studio reveals that its next project will be another entirely new IP.

Read Full Story >>
gamingbolt.com
Inverno91d ago

The only PlayStation dev I care about tbh.

Inverno90d ago

Dayum did I hit a nerve. Sorry for not liking most of this gens games coming from PS, not really doe.

Cacabunga91d ago

Hopefully doesn’t take them a complete gen to release it

TheColbertinator90d ago

Good. Something not boring, not one of those "make your own game" crap and also on Steam would be nice.

Stopac90d ago

I too like to look for things in the wrong places.

60°

Dreams Dev Media Molecule Says Layoffs Impact Planned Community and Curation Support

IGN writes: "Media Molecule has said the layoffs at the Sony-owned studio have affected plans for ongoing community and curation support in Dreams."

Inverno125d ago

How self sustained can DREAM be when it's basically stuck on PS4? I don't think it's even gotten a PS5 upgrade. Ending support for what is essentially a game making engine is basically death. SONY did DREAMS dirty.