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[jm89]

I’ll regret this post, as I don’t want to be involved, but this is really unseemly. But understandable.

Sony have made a number of (alleged) decisions recently that can only have come from hubris. And have backfired.

For example the attempt to make Starfield exclusive. And Knights of the Old Republic remake (both games that would be hugely popular on Xbox). The stories that their new strategy was to use their market position to lock down as many big third party games as possible. Not necessarily bad business moves, but… If you don’t think those things stirred Microsoft into action I don’t know what to tell you.

And then the staggeringly Ill-advised ‘I don’t want a deal, I just want to block your merger’ outburst…

Microsoft have woken up and are fighting back. Of course they are. Sony were much better off when Microsoft were effectively asleep at the wheel. Perhaps they thought they were in a position to force Microsoft to leave the industry (plenty of Sony fans have suggested as much) but it went the other way, and Microsoft responded aggressively buying Bethesda, ABK and now using their massive influence to put the squeeze on Sony’s practises.

If there are marketing deals (not exclusivity deals) that specify ‘can’t be on Xbox’ or ‘can’t be on Gamepass’ which I think we’re all fairly sure there are, then investigation into those will be at best embarrassing, and at worst, sanctionable. Definitely potentially anti trust violations if they are provable. Pass the popcorn.

Scripts for the shills have arrived from HQ.

Make sure to kiss that phil spencer blow up doll before cashing in that ambassador cheque.

 

[Lasha]

So risky buying the highest revenue publisher with the best selling game franchise of the past two decades

So brave of Microsoft

You conflate risk with risky. The producer of a good assumes more risk than the retailer. Microsoft is out a lot of money if interests shift and COD fades. Sony just has to let whatever replaces it be sold on its store to get its 30%.

 

[Varteras]

That's really a completely different topic.



Nah. I just very much miss the Sony of the early PS4 era, when Andrew House was at the helm and an actually demonstrated core gamer (Shuhei Yoshida) was at the top of the studios and beat Bloodborne's bosses at events on his spare time.

It had a completely different vibe, and it was great. Jim Ryan's PlayStation is something I really can't feel good about.

I miss the fun Sony of the PS3 days, honestly. Not the early days. But when they were trying to win people back. When they did Kevin Butler ads. When they had a wide variety of games even if few of them were blockbusters. I'm crossing my fingers that this increase in first-party will yield similar results in diversity. I honestly got tired pretty quickly of the game formula they had for PS4.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Except Sony tried to content starve Microsoft before any publishers were purchased. Sounds like sony was trying to extinguish the last competition. Go on a money hat world tour to end tbe competition this is what happens.

Report: Sony Contacted All Major Third Parties for Exclusivity Deals, Offered More Money Than Microsoft

Report: Sony Contacted All Major Third Parties for Exclusivity Deals, Offered More Money Than Microsoft Kinda Funny’s Imran Khan said: There isn’t a major third party out there Sony failed to approach asking what kind of deals they could work out. Some had content, some had games, some had...

www.neogaf.com

and look at all the people cheerleading this shit.

 

[Nothing1234]

The OG Xbox and Xbox 360 had incredible Japanese exclusive games.

 

[Nothing1234]

 

[Pedro Motta]

LOL what a joke.

 

[DragonNCM]

This is a really strange, backwards argument. Microsoft failed to make a compelling product for the Japanese audience's needs. This is well documented.

With Microsoft's current offerings, that isn't really going to change. I think something like the Steam Deck is a much more compelling product for Japanese audiences given their affinity for the Nintendo Switch.

Is any other company made appealing product for Japanese market ?
They build & drive their own cars & bikes...they have their own entertainment company's like Sony, Sanyo, Toshiba, Nintendo, Sega.
They have been leaders in gaming industry for decade's in software & hardware department.
They revolutionized home entertainment & they successfully implement it in every house in this world.
What will MS offer to them ? GAMEPASS ? Starfield ? Fallout ? Doom ? Halo ?
Their mindset is totally different from the rest of the world & MS will surely not change that.
And this Congress jokers will surely not change that.

 

[Yoboman]

 

[Varteras]

This game gave me a fucking migraine but I stuck it out and beat this bitch the day I got it. This, to me, was the Dark Souls of its time.

 

[Abriael_GN]

I miss the fun Sony of the PS3 days, honestly. Not the early days. But when they were trying to win people back. When they did Kevin Butler ads. When they had a wide variety of games even if few of them were blockbusters. I'm crossing my fingers that this increase in first-party will yield similar results in diversity. I honestly got tired pretty quickly of the game formula they had for PS4.

That too. The market leadership and the radical westernization of the company have instilled a level of arrogance into the current leadership that I find really annoying.

I'm not gonna lie, I wish that a very visible defeat in this antitrust struggle might lead to Ryan being forced to step down (too much dirty laundry has been aired publicly and I can't imagine Sony's board of directors likes that, even more so if it ends up being useless), and PlayStation's decisionmaking being pulled back toward Japan at least a bit.

Not too likely, but a man can dream.

Of course, nothing would make me happier than seeing Shuhei Yoshida reinstated in a much more relevant role than his current exile taking care of the indies. I absolutely loved it when he was basically the face of PlayStation.

 

[Yoboman]

That too. The market leadership and the radical westernization of the company have instilled a level of arrogance into the current leadership that I find really annoying.

I'm not gonna lie, I wish that a very visible defeat on this antitrust struggle might lead to Ryan being forced to step down (too much dirty laundry has been aired publicly and I can't imagine Sony's board of directors likes that, even more so if it ends up being useless), and PlayStation's decisionmaking being pulled back toward Japan at least a bit.

Not too likely, but a man can dream.

Of course, nothing would make me happier than seeing Shuhei Yoshida reinstated in a much more relevant role than his current exile taking care of the indies. I absolutely loved it when he was basically the face of PlayStation.

Shu screwed up too much that's why he was demoted

 

[Nubulax]

Lmao. Imagine if a man went to government to bitch about 98% of the women not finding him attractive enough to date him. I’m entitled to pussy mr. President! What a bizarre argument.

As for the timed exclusives, that nonsense is something everyone does including Microsoft. Remember scalebound? Ms just burned their bridge with Japanese devs after a fantastic start to the 360. They should not be getting outbid when they have $3 billion to spend on Minecraft, $8 billion on zenimax and $75 billion to spend on activision. Absolute nonsense.

Its even dumber than that... it would be like bitching about that because one roomate who is similar in looks/social status is getting a few women he doesnt but ignores the 3rd roomate who is bringing home all the women and dates more women than the 1st two combined and by multiple times more

 

[skit_data]

I really don’t want to go all

But this smells lobbying, big time.

A fast shrinking market in Japan doesn’t come off as a natural thing for american politicians to worry about to the extent that they actively try to make the current administration ”take action”.
What about the fast growing market of PC gaming in Japan? A market that almost solely depends on Windows. I presume they are less worried about that.

 

[Warablo]

Hopefully that puts to rest that Hoeg is a Microsoft shill from all the Sony fans.

 

[Cert.in.Death]

Not anymore than Xbox impedes itself

 

[Abriael_GN]

Shu screwed up too much that's why he was demoted

What did he "screw up" exactly?

That's a very bold claim. You may want to elaborate on it.

Shuhei Yoshida was sidelined exactly when Sony shifted its decisional focus toward San Mateo. It has nothing to do with "screwups" and a ton of great games came out during Shuhei Yoshida's tenure as head of Worldwide Studios.

 

[Nubulax]

Would be funny and ironic if sony inventing this alleged "high-end console market" comes back to bite them.

I dont see them being able to do a damn thing though.

From what I understand ... SONY are not the ones who invented this high end console market... they just agreed with whatever regulator had set that as the condition but they themselves did not introduce it to those regulatory bodies... I am willing to change my stance if Im wrong but I swear it wasnt Sony who came up with it they just merely went along and agreed to it.

 

[Abriael_GN]

But this smells lobbying, big time.

It doesn't just smell like it. That's what it is.

Of course, Sony's been doing it as well, so what goes around comes around.

 

[Varteras]

So from Hoeg's perspective, this is devolving into two squabbling children with little ground to stand on in their complaints about each other.

 

[Three]

Damn Sony, don't you know??? Funding games and signing deals = bad. Buying publishers and making their entire catalogue exclusive = good.

It's even more crazy when you realise that MS are free and able to fund and sign deals with Japanese devs like they did during the 360 where they had all the Japanese exclusives but others are completely unable to pay $70B for Activison, or maybe even struggle to pay $8B for Zenimax or $2B for Mojang etc.

I feel as though congress are on board for blocking Activison but want this tit for tat of Japanese deals not happening either. Fine by me if it means their definition and block gets credibility and more games continue to release everywhere.

 

[Nubulax]

Nintendo also uses their influence to keep Japanese games off both PlayStation and Xbox and/ or timed exclusives.

All of these are just facts.

Those games dont count though. Only the games that are deemed worth enough to be on the "high end consoles". Dont pay attention to Monster Hunter Rise that just came to something other than Nintendo and PC that was over 10 mil copies sold

 

[Topher]

Hopefully that puts to rest that Hoeg is a Microsoft shill from all the Sony fans.

I've never called him shill but if he puts out a video going after this mess with the same energy he did put towards Sony and regulators then I'll be impressed.

 

[GHound]

So from Hoeg's perspective, this is devolving into two squabbling children with little ground to stand on in their complaints about each other.

I guess that makes their respective fanboys lice!

 

[Ozzy Onya A2Z]

Takes like these are kinda funny where Microsoft is a Trillion dollar company that can spend $70 billion in one go with no problem and can outbid Sony with ease.

Way to skew the 20 year history of Xbox investing in gaming like it's all down to one sale.

 

[Varteras]

I've never called him shill but if he puts out a video going after this mess with the same energy he did put towards Sony and regulators then I'll be impressed.

In his defense, I watched a video with him speaking with Colin Moriarty and he did make it clear that while he felt the deal should go through, he also felt that they shouldn't, and probably wouldn't, be allowed any major buys afterwards. Such as EA. He sounded pretty level headed at the time.

 

[Yoboman]

What did he "screw up" exactly?

That's a very bold claim. You may want to elaborate on it.

Shuhei Yoshida was sidelined exactly when Sony shifted its decisional focus toward San Mateo. It has nothing to do with "screwups" and a ton of great games came out during Shuhei Yoshida's tenure as head of Worldwide Studios.

Shu was head of WWS but also head of Japan Studios from 2013 which turned to neglect, losing its biggest talent in Ueda. Japan Studio failed to make anything meaningful until it was shut. All while western studios were firing

He also admits responsibility for the botched handling of Demons Souls which eventually went on to become wildly successful Dark Souls and then the even more successful Elden Ring. Also missed the boat when From Software were bought in 2014 for peanuts at the same time they were making Bloodborne with Sony

That said he is still great and does a ton of good but some of those missteps are pretty big

 

[Varteras]

I guess that makes their respective fanboys lice!

 

[Skifi28]

So from Hoeg's perspective, this is devolving into two squabbling children with little ground to stand on in their complaints about each other.

Sounds like all the platform wars around here, it can't be a coincidence.

 

[RCU005]

I don't understand. Sony is a Japanese company, so why would US congress care? If they care, why would even matter?

 

[Varteras]

Sounds like all the platform wars around here, it can't be a coincidence.

 

[Topher]

In his defense, I watched a video with him speaking with Colin Moriarty and he did make it clear that while he felt the deal should go through, he also felt that they shouldn't, and probably wouldn't, be allowed any major buys afterwards. Such as EA. He sounded pretty level headed at the time.

But then he goes on twitter and says some seriously outlandish stuff. Hard to get a read on him sometimes.

 

[Raonak]

Xbox sucks, japan and europe knows it.

 

[FalsettoVibe]

In his defense, I watched a video with him speaking with Colin Moriarty and he did make it clear that while he felt the deal should go through, he also felt that they shouldn't, and probably wouldn't, be allowed any major buys afterwards. Such as EA. He sounded pretty level headed at the time.

This is my hope. MS has 30+ studios. Time to settle down and build within.

 

[Nubulax]

Its just funny to see people react like its impossible there's any validity.

98%. At least worth some investigation.

Its supposedly 98% between just Sony and Xbox but Sony is also getting their ass handed to them in the more general "video game market" in Japan where users are increasingly investing into mobile platforms such as the switch and mobile

 

[K2D]

If any of the two are impeding Xbox in Japan, it's Microsoft. They've never given a damn about jp

Gotta applaud the Microsoft propaganda effort!

 

[Nothing1234]

Shu was head of WWS but also head of Japan Studios from 2013 which turned to neglect, losing its biggest talent in Ueda. Japan Studio failed to make anything meaningful until it was shut. All while western studios were firing

He also admits responsibility for the botched handling of Demons Souls which eventually went on to become wildly successful Dark Souls and then the even more successful Elden Ring. Also missed the boat when From Software were bought in 2014 for peanuts at the same time they were making Bloodborne with Sony

That said he is still great and does a ton of good but some of those missteps are pretty big

Yeah these are mistakes that can kill a career tbh.

 

[Varteras]

I don't understand. Sony is a Japanese company, so why would US congress care? If they care, why would even matter?

It doesn't. Microsoft is trying to retaliate and weaken the position of Sony and the FTC around the ABK deal. It sounds like what they're complaining about is actually business as usual and dates back to something 4 years ago. The US and Japan are not going to get into a trade war over video games, when they need solidarity against China, and Japan is not going to change its rules to appease a US company.

But then he goes on twitter and says some seriously outlandish stuff. Hard to get a read on him sometimes.

SOURCE?! Sorry. I just never get to say that.

This is my hope. MS has 30+ studios. Time to settle down and build within.

I can see them aiming for smaller private companies but those are the situations Sony has an advantage in. Because those are only going to be offered so much and it really comes down to relationships. Which Sony has many strong ones and a great reputation in the development scene. That's not to say Microsoft won't get some. They clearly already did. But those kind of battles, should Sony choose to fight them, are on terms much more winnable for them.

 

[Topher]

SOURCE?! Sorry. I just never get to say that.

 

[Three]

Except Sony tried to content starve Microsoft before any publishers were purchased. Sounds like sony was trying to extinguish the last competition. Go on a money hat world tour to end tbe competition this is what happens.

http://[URL]https://www.neogaf.com/...ls-offered-more-money-than-microsoft.1560435/

[/URL]

What people fail to read whenever bringing this up: "it's not that MS did not offer, they just weren't willing to pay the price Sony did."

Meanwhile behind the scenes they were offering billions to buy the publishers for permanent exclusivity instead. Wouldn't want devs to get paid for content, only bought out.

 

[In Cold Blood]

So the US government is gonna put pressure on Japan to change their rules about foreign ownership so Microsoft can finally buy Sega on Wednesday? Sounds totally reasonable.

They are bringing up MS not being able to grow in Japan for a reason. Those senators didn't bring up MS without them going to them to get them to do it.

 

[In Cold Blood]

Xbox needs help from America's goverment confirmed.

It will help. Do everything you can I say. Sony can buy US game companies but MS can't buy Japanese.

 

[bender]

Abstracting your competition to the “High-end console market” will never not be funny nor will the woe is me attitude to justify your lack of worldwide success.

 

[Nubulax]

If Sony hadn't started crying, none of this would have been necessary. Sony's behavior makes it impossible for me to feel even the tiniest bit of respect towards them.

They literally have to though, they have a shareholder responsibility. Also COD is literally the ONLY thing they have had a problem with between ALL the IP and now TWO publisher acquisitions and the IP those publishers owned

 

[Varteras]

Oh Jesus Christ. Xbox is very competitive in the UK. They don't need CoD to compete there. They want CoD to tip the scales less in favor of PS in Europe and to hopefully gain the advantage in NA and UK. They're not going anywhere.

They are bringing up MS not being able to grow in Japan for a reason. Those senators didn't bring up MS without them going to them to get them to do it.

Buddy, this is a big Nothing Burger. Because 10 Reps out of 435 and 1 Senator out of 100, most of whom have clear incentives with Microsoft, convincing the rest of the government to put serious pressure on one of their most important allies, so Microsoft can finally buy a big Japanese video game company, is the same fantasy as Microsoft leaving whatever major market tells them no over buying ABK. This is a tactic to weaken the FTC and Sony in the ABK deal. The US and Japan are not going to have a trade battle over video games.

 

[Lasha]

It will help. Do everything you can I say. Sony can buy US game companies but MS can't buy Japanese.

I think most are unfamiliar with the difficulty foreign firms have purchasing Japanese firms. Particularly major ones like Sony and Nintendo which have significant cash reserves. There may be a real trade issue that needs to be resolved.

 

[Yoboman]

They literally have to though, they have a shareholder responsibility. Also COD is literally the ONLY thing they have had a problem with between ALL the IP and now TWO publisher acquisitions and the IP those publishers owned

Exactly. If MS came to the table with COD in perpetuity the whole thing would be over

 

[Abriael_GN]

Shu was head of WWS but also head of Japan Studios from 2013 which turned to neglect, losing its biggest talent in Ueda. Japan Studio failed to make anything meaningful until it was shut. All while western studios were firing

He also admits responsibility for the botched handling of Demons Souls which eventually went on to become wildly successful Dark Souls and then the even more successful Elden Ring. Also missed the boat when From Software were bought in 2014 for peanuts at the same time they were making Bloodborne with Sony

That said he is still great and does a ton of good but some of those missteps are pretty big

Lol. That's very, very, very debatable.

That he's personally responsible for Japan Studios' decline is absolutely unproven, and very unlikely.

 

[tmlDan]

Thats where he worked his whole career. Thats where his contacts and influence are.

He worked at Sony since 1994? since when was he in government?

Please, keep digging this hole.

 

[Yoboman]

Lol. That's very, very, very debatable.

That he's personally responsible for Japan Studios' decline is absolutely unproven, and very unlikely.

He was in charge of Japan Studios, who else's responsibility would it be?