In some ways, it’s kind of understandable that huge companies would want to go where the money is. After all, it’s a very competitive world out there and everyone is vying for a slice. No more is this true than withSony, who recently announced it had struck a deal wherebynew movies the company makes will be exclusive to Netflix. Now it looks as though it may be making some changes when it comes to video games.
A recent report indicates thatSonymay be looking to focus solely on blockbuster games made by its most successful studios. The news unfolds after Visual Arts Service Group, which was founded in 2007 and recruited around thirty developers to work in partnership with Sony, felt the tech conglomerate were not able to give the team the support or funding it needed, and instead seemed to barely acknowledge Visual Arts Service’s existence.
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With the group disbanding, a “complex hierarchy” that exists in Sony is being highlighted, with the company putting more focus into its bigger studios, such asNaughty Dog, with whom Sony have a better chance of regaining return on investments with. This leaves its more independent arm at a bit of a loss, with some indie studios experiencing high turnovers. Just last week, Sony made some changes in offices in Japan, which forced some developers out with the company saying it no longer wants to work on smaller games, or games that are only successful in Japan.
This shift into a focus on bigger, more successful game franchises not only affects indie studios who are seemingly being pushed out, but may also have an impact on game choices for customers overall. The likes ofGravity RushandDays Gonehave been successful hits, but if Sony does turn away from independent studios with independent IPs, this will likely reduce the choice for players.
It’s also been noted that companies which neglect smaller games may even be doing themselves a disservice in the long run. Some indie games, such asMinecraftalthough it’s not associated with Sony, go on to become huge successes. This also means that studios looking to pitch new ideas may be hesitant to propose a game from scratch that has no financial certainty. Instead, some may opt to pitch remakes instead, such as Mumbauer who recently approachedSonywith theidea of developing aThe Last of Usremake, before the project was taken from them and handed to the game’s original team Naughty Dog instead.
