Sony: Our game line-up is 'far from safe'

[Kuro]

Sony has insisted its PS3 line-up showcased at E3 last week is "far from safe," insisting it's "taking a lot of risks" with new IPs Beyond and The Last of Us.

The Last of Us Screenshot
Speaking in an interview with Gamespot, software product development head Scott Rohde said other game publishers would be "scared" to embrace innovations like Wonderbook and Sound Shapes.

"If you can find another publisher in this industry who would build Beyond, I'd like to meet that publisher," he said. "I really think that [Beyond] is as far from 'safe' as it gets.

"Heavy Rain, by itself was not a 'safe' title. And to do it again with a totally different story, a larger investment, and to bring Hollywood in, to really enhance that genre that really isn't touched by many folks in our industry, I think is anything but 'safe.'"

On the subject of Last of Us, Rohde noted it would be a far safer bet for Naughty Dog to work on "Uncharted 4, Uncharted 5, Uncharted 6 [and] Uncharted 7."

He said: "For a developer of that caliber, this late in the cycle of the platform, to introduce a totally new IP for a different audience--meaning going from T-rated to M-rated--I think is anything but "safe." I really feel like we're taking a lot of risks with both of those titles."

The exec claimed that innovation is still "top of the charts" for the PlayStation company.

"The fact that we can have The Unfinished Swan, and we can have Beyond, and we can have The Last of Us, and God of War. Of course with some titles you're going to iterate; a sports title is a great example. But to have that wide range and to offer something new, like Wonderbook.

"I say this every time like a broken record; our press conference could have been twice as long because we have that much content that we could show, we just didn't have time to show it all. Sound Shapes is another perfect example.

"These are all innovations that other companies would be a little scared to embrace, I believe. So innovation is top of the charts at PlayStation."

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...far-from-safe/

[Xelis]

The Last of Us is the safest thing that can come from a new IP, they just need to slap "From the makers of Uncharted" on the box.

[Cuguy]

The Last of Us is the safest thing that can come from a new IP, they just need to slap "From the makers of Uncharted" on the box.

I was thinkin that same thing LOL

[Two4DaMoney]

I definitely agree that they take more risk.

[Xelis]

I definitely agree that they take more risk.

Undisputable. Microsoft has been giving us Halo, GoW, Forza & Fable for the last 6-7 years... Nintendo has been giving us Mario, Zelda & Metroid for 20+ years!

I honestly can't think of a new IP that either company has brought out in the last 5 years.

[Cuguy]

I definitely agree that they take more risk.

One can easily make the argument though, does it pay to be safe or edgy? It is a hard call. Plus, Sony isn't really the "edgy" one in this situation, it is the dev houses going out on their own asses if the games tank for some reason.

I am not saying HR and Uncharted tanked, so don't go there. I am just saying, the riskiest road isn't always the one that keeps the traveler alive.

[Ghost-Rhayne]

My respect goes to risk takers. People who play it safe aren't interested in broadening the horizons of gameplay experiences, they are just looking after their own interests and protecting themselves from failure by sticking with tried and tested formulas. Looking the possibility of failure face to face and forging ahead with new ideas regardless is something really commendable in my books, and it's one of the qualities of Sony that have helped keep me on board for so long.

[daLa]

The Last Of Us is the safest choice, not so sure about Wonderbook although I gotta say it does look quite interesting.

[Soldier 95B]

Right, because Alan Wake, Kinect Star Wars and Horizon are not risks? LOL

MS and Sony have the PR teams working overtime these days it seems.

[Ghost-Rhayne]

Right, because Alan Wake, Kinect Star Wars and Horizon are not risks? LOL

MS and Sony have the PR teams working overtime these days it seems.

I don't really think a Star Wars game with Kinect and an open road variation of 360s flagship racer are risky endeavours. They both have brand power on their side. Alan Wake also wasn't really a risk, it has a lot of things going for it.

I don't consider TLOU a risk either, Beyond though, that is, especially as it seems there is more money going into this one and there is a lot of negativity among the masses regarding quick time events in general. I think the risk factor for these 2 titles is that they are very much mature titles that seem to address themes and ideas that would resonate more with the older generation of gamers.

[Sub-stance1]

With the increasing cost of development every game is a risk but its always nice to see new games coming. Its just too bad all good games don't get the credit they deserve.

[Nitey]

Definitely agree, 100%. Long may it continue!

[YoungMullah88]

One can easily make the argument though, does it pay to be safe or edgy? It is a hard call. Plus, Sony isn't really the "edgy" one in this situation, it is the dev houses going out on their own asses if the games tank for some reason.

I am not saying HR and Uncharted tanked, so don't go there. I am just saying, the riskiest road isn't always the one that keeps the traveler alive.

arent those dev houses under sony (naughty dog)? isnt it sony that gave them the green light to make the game...sony could have easily told naughty dog to keep developing more uncharted games because its safe to assume it'll sell well. i enjoy new games, so kudos to sony and there 1st party studios for giving me something new and different to play (this late in the consoles life cycle)

im pretty sure when bungie was with MS they wanted to work on other titles that had nothing to do with halo but MS didnt let them

[Soldier 95B]

I don't really think a Star Wars game with Kinect and an open road variation of 360s flagship racer are risky endeavours. They both have brand power on their side. Alan Wake also wasn't really a risk, it has a lot of things going for it.

We will just agree to disagree

[JackC]

Well, they're pretty moderate risks - I think The Last of Us is almost a guaranteed blockbuster, and all the interest in Quantic Dream and Heavy Rain make Beyond a fairly safe bet.

Still it's always fantastic to see any new IP's come out, and both of these look terrific.

[Two4DaMoney]

One can easily make the argument though, does it pay to be safe or edgy? It is a hard call. Plus, Sony isn't really the "edgy" one in this situation, it is the dev houses going out on their own asses if the games tank for some reason.

I am not saying HR and Uncharted tanked, so don't go there. I am just saying, the riskiest road isn't always the one that keeps the traveler alive.

Oh, I know. MS took a few risk earlier in this gen and I think they have decided to just drive the profit home. It is a working strategy business-wise now that Kinect is on the market. Before Kinect and this current business strategy, their sales started to decline while Sony's was on the rise. That's a fact.

And I don't agree about it being just the developer talking all the risk. They do have to find a publisher and these days, if it's not a fps, you probably won't get it funded. Unlike MS, Sony owns the i.p to these exclusives and therefore they are taking just as much risk imo.

As a business, I understand it. As a gamer, especially with the company profiting as much as MS, I freakin hate it. I want some of that money to fund a new I.P. here and there.

Undisputable. Microsoft has been giving us Halo, GoW, Forza & Fable for the last 6-7 years... Nintendo has been giving us Mario, Zelda & Metroid for 20+ years!

I honestly can't think of a new IP that either company has brought out in the last 5 years.

Exactly my thoughts about those 2 as far as not caring about the business.

MS took a few risk earlier in the 360 life and none of those titles have managed to get a sequel outside of crackdown as far as I remember. Alan wake will only be seeing a sequel due to the success its had on the pc. MS considered it a flop along with crackdown and didn't really want to take a risk on it(there's an interview where MS talks about this)

And for you others that will want to jump in the convo, I'm not just pointing out "flops" for the competition. Sony has taken risk with certain titles and those titles just didn't do well at all BUT it didn't scare them away from still wanting to put out a new i.p. and take risk. MS and nintendo seem to be scared of their flops(which is my main point) and won't fund a new i.p even when they have the money. And I'm talking about something outside of the casual crowed(kinect;wii exercise game)

[Soldier 95B]

I honestly can't think of a new IP that either company has brought out in the last 5 years.

I can't tell you what Nintendo has brought out. But I assume you don't have an Xbox? New IP's (published by Microsoft Studios) for the last 5 years on the Xbox have been:

Forza Horizon
Matter
Ascend
Gunstringer
Splosion Man/Ms. Splosion Man
Kinect Adventures
Kinect Sports
IloMilo
LocoCycle
The Maw
Minecraft
Ryse
Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor
South Park Let's Go Tower Defense
Limbo
Dishwasher: Samuri
Crimson Dragon
Shadow Complex
Kinectimals
Kinect Disney
Kinect Star Wars
Wreckateer
World of Keflings
Cloning Clyde
Torchlight
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
Dead Light
Hydro

[Sub-stance1]

I can't tell you what Nintendo has brought out. But I assume you don't have an Xbox? New IP's (published by Microsoft Studios) for the last 5 years on the Xbox have been:

Forza Horizon
Matter
Ascend
Gunstringer
Splosion Man/Ms. Splosion Man
Kinect Adventures
Kinect Sports
IloMilo
LocoCycle
The Maw
Minecraft
Ryse
Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor
South Park Let's Go Tower Defense
Limbo
Dishwasher: Samuri
Crimson Dragon
Shadow Complex
Kinectimals
Kinect Disney
Kinect Star Wars
Wreckateer
World of Keflings
Cloning Clyde
Torchlight
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
Dead Light
Hydro

Holy shit...lol I guess there are plenty of risks being taken throughout the industry, but for MS their biggest one had to be jumping into the console industry, especially when it was dominated by Sony and Nintendo at the time. As for the the last of us, it is definitely a risk, but attaching ND to it will definitely increase its chances of it being a success. That IP in the hands of any other of sony's studio's probably wouldn't be as exciting.

[AaronSOLDIER]

Naughty Dog games always sell well so there's no worries there. BEYOND should do more than Heavy Rain, people know what to expect from Quantic Dream now.

[mooninites]

Right now it doesn't seem like Sony is taking as big of a risk because they already have done it. Games like LittleBig Planet, Ico/ Shadow (which was ps2) Heavy Rain... Were all big risks. Now that they are successful, the sequels aren't as risky. A lot of psn games that they're doing are risks but not very big ones. Things like all of the TGC games, Unfinished Swan, Popo & Yo...are risky because they aren't ordinary.

As for The Last Of Us, they are taking somewhat of a risk. It's risky because it is a new IP and it's a bit different. But on the other hand it's with ND. They have a big fan base and should be fine.

Just my opinion tho.

Sent from my HTC VLE_U using Tapatalk 2

[LfCpS3]

I can't tell you what Nintendo has brought out. But I assume you don't have an Xbox? New IP's (published by Microsoft Studios) for the last 5 years on the Xbox have been:

Forza Horizon
Matter
Ascend
Gunstringer
Splosion Man/Ms. Splosion Man
Kinect Adventures
Kinect Sports
IloMilo
LocoCycle
The Maw
Minecraft
Ryse
Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor
South Park Let's Go Tower Defense
Limbo
Dishwasher: Samuri
Crimson Dragon
Shadow Complex
Kinectimals
Kinect Disney
Kinect Star Wars
Wreckateer
World of Keflings
Cloning Clyde
Torchlight
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
Dead Light
Hydro

Most are aimed towards causal players, some dont even have any info at all ( just 1 picture) and the rest, although new, are pretty much identical to games already released.

Horizon and Limbo IMO were the only real risky games IMO, and the latter was a arcade game( like most of the titles you listed haha and not anywhere near as risky as the SONY titles)


NONE of those games are on the same scale as the last of us, Beyond and the last guardian. If you go through the whole of the PS3 games form SONY, you really do understand how many risks with new IPs they took.

[Sub-stance1]

Most are aimed towards causal players, some dont even have any info at all ( just 1 picture) and the rest, although new, are pretty much identical to games already released.

Horizon and Limbo IMO were the only real risky games IMO, and the latter was a arcade game( like most of the titles you listed haha and not anywhere near as risky as the SONY titles)


NONE of those games are on the same scale as the last of us, Beyond and the last guardian. If you go through the whole of the PS3 games form SONY, you really do understand how many risks with new IPs they took.

true, but they are still IP's which was the point.

[Abdou23]

Most are aimed towards causal players, some dont even have any info at all ( just 1 picture) and the rest, although new, are pretty much identical to games already released.

Horizon and Limbo IMO were the only real risky games IMO, and the latter was a arcade game( like most of the titles you listed haha and not anywhere near as risky as the SONY titles)


NONE of those games are on the same scale as the last of us, Beyond and the last guardian. If you go through the whole of the PS3 games form SONY, you really do understand how many risks with new IPs they took.

Exactly.SONY talking about some AAA high budget titles,not just some casual games 80% are downloadable that 80% of gamers never even heard about.

[Joe Zombie]

TLoU doesn't seem like much of a risk to me. Post-apocalyptic zombie-esque AAA game from Naughty Dog? It will be a hit.

And I'm sure anyone familiar with QD or Heavy Rain will check out Beyond. That whole quick-time/interactive thing they got going on may still put some gamers off.

[TDbank24]

That's what Sony does and that's why we love them. They're risk takers. They always try to bring the next innovation to gaming and aren't afraid to have a let down.

With that said i think it's safe to say The Last of Us won't be much of a risk with Naughty Dog running the show.