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[xanaum]

Pros: Bigger investment, a new engine that finally brings graphic and performance upgrades for current/future gen, Bloodborne 2, Armored Core and a Helldivers crossover.

Cons: Risk of interference from Sony’s woke Western policies. Potential mismanagement under Hermen Hulst.

 

[BennyBlanco]

If PS studios are hiring DEI consultants on their own volition, that might actually be worse than their bosses telling them to.

 

[Aenima]

You must missed Spider-Man 2.

Thats Insomniac Agenda, just like the agendas each studios have. And thats a western epidemy not a Sony agenda. You cant even select a female avatar in GT7, meanwhile in forza you can choose pronouns. The only thing GT7 has close to something woke, is a Pontiac Trans AM.

 

[solidus12]

These shills have no shame.

 

[Topher]

You're probably right.

My main point is it's a California problem and thinking From Software is going to be woke now because of Playstation is ridiculous.

There is definitely some woke shit going on in some areas of Playstation, but is kind of disingenuous to center them out like it's not going on other places.

Recently since Concord (which is crazy woke) they shut the game down, shut the studio down and haven't talked about it or accused people of being bigots (to my knowledge, Im sure FW studio employees have). So give them some credit and let's hope that phase is over.

Unfortunately, "woke" has been the bogey man for gaming for a while now. Sometimes it is warranted, but many times it is thrown for effect. I'm against Sony getting a hold of From, but "woke" has nothing to do with it.

 

[jburdick7]

While I do see some pros (mostly regarding funding & technical assistance) that’s massively overshadowed by Hermen Hulst potentially having any influence on FromSoft.

I can mod out or ignore wokeshit so I’m not worried about the western/California side of Sony ruining From. Hulst is a moron and everything he touches seemingly turns to shit. His “leadership” pushed me out of Sony’s ecosystem over to PC and I could totally see him completely mismanaging & sabotaging FromSoft.

 

[yogaflame]

Yes, so they can face the giant Activision and Bethesda of MS xbox. I hope Sony purchase a trifecta namely, From Software, Squaresoft and Konami. That will consolidate and unify Japanese giants against MS giant acquisition. I just hope they will not turn woke.

 

[mdkirby]

Miyazaki would literally be buried in money with a multi-year talent retention bonus of likely tens of millions of dollars.

If he were to turn down all that generational wealth, he'd be instantly murdered by his own family.

Is he not already stinking rich? Like he’s surely at that point in life and creative career where he pretty much only does what he wants to do.

 

[RyRy93]

They are one of the most consistently excellent developers in the business if not the most, if Sony acquire them they need to let Fromsoftware do their thing.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

The anime community aint happy.

 

[Hohenheim]

Please god, no.
I need my anti-stuttering and unlimited fps-mods.

Also, FromSoft seems to be one of the best in the business behind the scenes too.
Would be awful if they should fall into the upside down-claws of Herman Holst. It would probably be the sad end of their awesome streak of greatness since 2009.

 

[Danjin44]

I simply don’t trust current Sony….zero trust.

 

[ap_puff]

Philosophically I'm opposed to market consolidation so I voted no.

But I think it's inevitable since we really have no guard rails in this economy or in our political system. I'd rather Fromsoft go to Sony than Tencent, EA, or Microsoft... So I guess that's the best of a bunch of bad options.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

The anime community aint happy.

Why?

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

While I do see some pros (mostly regarding funding & technical assistance) that’s massively overshadowed by Hermen Hulst potentially having any influence on FromSoft.

I can mod out or ignore wokeshit so I’m not worried about the western/California side of Sony ruining From. Hulst is a moron and everything he touches seemingly turns to shit. His “leadership” pushed me out of Sony’s ecosystem over to PC and I could totally see him completely mismanaging & sabotaging FromSoft.

Hermen Hulst the perpetual scapegoat despite building a massively successful studio

I’m sure he kicked your ass on the way out to PC too while he was at everything else he’s allegedly responsible for

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Why?

Sony will control a lot of anime, manga distribution and publishing. Crunchy Roll is not great, censorship and agenda pushing.

 

[realcool]

These shills have no shame.

bias aside, his concern troll grinds my gears:

PlayStation is in talks to acquire the parent company of From Software. That means that they could soon own massive titles like Bloodborne and Armored Core. My concern lies with what does the future hold for titles like, uh, a Bloodborne remake or Bloodborne 2 or, uh, Armored core in the future. You know, this is one situation where it seems like most people online are left feeling a little bit uneasy about the idea of From Software being acquired.

I think them purchasing someplace like From Software would likely mean that they make those titles exclusive. Xbox is more about having an open ecosystem. PlayStation is largely about having a closed ecosystem. So if there was ever another Elden Ring or another armored core, there is a higher potential that PlayStation would make those at least exclusive to PlayStation and PC.

But time would tell it absolutely would have a PlayStation requirement, a PSN requirement locking hundreds of thousands of people, at least, at least hundreds of thousands, if not millions of players, out of being able to purchase and interact with these games.

well, it used to be that NOT OWNING A PLAYSTATION locked people out of being able to play exclusive playstation games. oh the horror.

 

[Pasta la Vista]

Ultimately, if they are selling and Sony is buying, I think that is the best case scenario. The games will remain multi- platform. I have no doubt about that.

There is too much to gain from this acquisition to try to make the games exclusive.

 

[mayham2199]

Ultimately, if they are selling and Sony is buying, I think that is the best case scenario. The games will remain multi- platform. I have no doubt about that.

There is too much to gain from this acquisition to try to make the games exclusive.

But couldn’t that logic be applied to all Sony games? Spider-Man and helldivers would do massive on other platforms but they aren’t there.

Way too many people are positive they will stay multiplat and I don’t get why. The arguments people use could be applied to all Sony games.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

But couldn’t that logic be applied to all Sony games? Spider-Man and helldivers would do massive on other platforms but they aren’t there.

Way too many people are positive they will stay multiplat and I don’t get why. The arguments people use could be applied to all Sony games.

Sony already is multiplatform, just on PC mainly

They aren’t on ALL platforms, mainly because Sony sees MS as their biggest competitor…but it wouldn’t surprise me if even that changes in the future

Losing out on Xbox sales also isnt a huge missed opportunity in comparison to pc

 

[Crayon]

I am oddly concerned about consolidation in anime now. I didn't really care yesterday, but for a lot of people that is a major, passionate hobby and it sucks to see a company apparently trying to become "The Company" in anything you care a lot about.

 

[March Climber]

So centering out Playstation for being so woke to the point they're going to ruin Fromsoft is strange.

I’m still trying to figure out how Californian developers would even have an effect on a Japanese developer who is known for putting storytelling in the backseat.

I need someone from the concerned party to draw out a roadmap.

 

[StereoVsn]

There are no Pros here, only Cons, which is almost always the case with corporate M&A.

And especially considering what Kadokawa as a whole produces and mixer Sony’s direction, this isn’t a good thing.

 

[bitbydeath]

I am oddly concerned about consolidation in anime now. I didn't really care yesterday, but for a lot of people that is a major, passionate hobby and it sucks to see a company apparently trying to become "The Company" in anything you care a lot about.

Isn’t a lot of the big anime companies like Toei (DBZ) not owned by Sony/Kadokawa?

Think they’re still a small fry in comparison, that said I don’t watch a lot of anime.

Pokemon is probably made somewhere else as well.

 

[alphachino]

Obviously, it is a great idea because they can then modernise From Soft by getting Bungie to tell them how to make a live service hero shooter. Drag them out of the stone age.

Had to check whether this was a typical unironic post of boob_in_boxes

 

[Kurimao]

Pros: triple A Armored Core game. Think RDR2/MGSV plus Armored Core.

 

[Saturn Dragon]

Great. Druckmann should be the new director of From.

Give us The Souls of Us.

 

[nial]

No, Sony is closing down studios that they encouraged to do the most egregious DEI initiative GAAS push.

All of their games are DEI hell in the last 5 years. Even Astro Bot pushes Aloy as the most important sony mascot today.

Plus, I do not know what you are talking about? lol

This was written by an adult.

 

[Perrott]

We’ve seen how long Sony’s games take to make, 6 years plus. For extra graphical fidelity and smoother frame rate, less frame tears etc I’d rather we just got From games as they are now (a new amazing release every 2-3 years).

From's games also take around around half a decade - if not more years - to be made this generation:

• Elden Ring started in early 2016, was announced in 2019, came out early 2022.
• Armored Core VI started in early 2016, was announced in 2022, came out mid 2023.

The difference is that, unlike some of Sony's studios such as Sucker Punch or Bend, From actually has a multi-team structure, similar to that of Insomniac Games, which allows them to release new games every few years.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 took five years to be made and Marvel's Wolverine is going to have taken six years by the time it comes out in late 2026, but thanks to their multi-team structure, the studio was able come up with all these ultra polished AAA games in the span of a decade:

• Ratchet & Clank (2016)
• Marvel's Spider-Man (2018)
• Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered (2020)
• Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales (2020)
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (2021)
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (2023)
• Marvel's Venom (2025 target)
• Marvel's Wolverine (2026 target)

Which is all to say that Sony's focus on great production values and sophisticated tech doesn't mean that From's output would start to suffer because of it.

 

[Perrott]

Is he not already stinking rich? Like he’s surely at that point in life and creative career where he pretty much only does what he wants to do.

I'm sure he's wealthy, but not tens of millions of dollars wealthy as the Bungie board of directors are following the deal.

Also, why are starting from the base of assuming he'd be dissatisfied with this deal? After all, the external development producers from PS Studios have been close business partners of him for over 15 years now across three FromSoftware-developed first-party PlayStation games now, with a likely fourth one already on the way. Chances are that he's actually in very good terms with Sony, as there's nothing that has suggested the contrary.

 

[nial]

Man, why would you even bother with threads like these filled with the biggest of retards? From Druckmann suddenly becoming head of the studio, to them employing blue hairs from California for some fucking reason, and their next game starring transgender BIPOC.
How can you even discuss shit here?

 

[Crayon]

Isn’t a lot of the big anime companies like Toei (DBZ) not owned by Sony/Kadokawa?

Think they’re still a small fry in comparison, that said I don’t watch a lot of anime.

Pokemon is probably made somewhere else as well.

Nah idk what the landscape looks like in anime. Have no idea where Sony stands in it.

 

[Gojiira]

I *really* don't want it to happen

Plausible pros:
1. Increased technical performance support for future FROM games

2. Increased (and consistent) funding for development, marketing, etc

3. Operational stability means any potential experimental games would more likely be approved

4. Creative interference+ (cinematic presentation support, accessibility/ui support, etc)

5. Spinoff media ventures (more adaptations (even though elden ring adaptations are already in talks), toys)

6. Job security (assuming no concord-level failures, most FROM developers would be more secure in their jobs)



Plausible cons:
1. Limited userbase/exclusivity (far fewer people in the games industry would get to play FROM software games just to push hardware sales for one section of the industry)

2. Job loss (Firing of FROM staff deemed superfluous during consolidation)

3. Simplification of graphical options and loss of choice in presentation preference

4. Creative interference-/Potential conflict of interest (narrative style adjustments, development workflow mandates, etc)

5. Studio direction ultimately becomes tied to console venture's success (i.e. a bad set of years for the console and FROM might be disbanded, broken apart, or forced to develop a more 'strategically relevant' game in a different genre, regardless of their own studio's success)

6. Loss of ip ownership (FROM could eventually have to give up the soulsborne games to be developed by a different studio if there are strong enough disagreements)

7. Worse experience for non-PS users (unnecessary PSN login, limiting sales regions, loss of PC/steam specific features like refunds and slightly better customer support)

What other pros or cons can you think of?

None of those Cons would be a thing.
From would gain greater technical support, would have higher budgets and a publisher who WONT interfere. Playstation really isnt known for meddling with its devs and they are incredibly patient with them as well.
Exclusivity on the other hand is another win, Froms history up to Dark Souls was with Playstation and they have a strong relationship already.
PC would likely still get whatever comes out and whining about PSN accounts is one of the stupidest, most retarded concerns out there given how many games demand third party accounts. Legit dont see PC ‘bros’ going apeshit over it when its a EGS account, or Ubisoft account, or Rockstar account, or Microsoft account etc its DUMB. And if the concern is a performance hit..Fuck off, pc is riddled with anti cheat software, steams overlays, your goddamn discord, who knows what else, any ‘hit’ is so minimal….

No cons, only pros, Playstation gets a no brainer RPG studio. From gets best support and budget its ever had.

 

[Danjin44]

For me biggest con is Sony wouldn’t let FROM make Armored Core because its not “high seller”.

I dont want FROM be owned none of the companies, they doing better than ever on their own.

 

[8BiTw0LF]

 

[Three]

I don't know about anyone else, but I sure as hell do not want Sony to turn From Soft into a blue haired activist dev group like Bungie. No thank you.

You really think they turned Bungie into blue hair activists? Bungie was always what it was, Bungie. As is every studio. These takes, along with that racism post with demon's souls is crazy.

What next, Valve is pushing woke shit because their latest half life game is about an afro-asian female instead of Gordan? A woke trifecta? I bet there would be disagreement with that for some inexplicable reason though where this dumb logic is applied elsewhere.

 

[T-0800]

Funny how people on Resetera are freaking out about this. Didn't see this outrage when MS were buying Activision. Yes Activision stuff is third party now but lets not forget that wasn't the plan initially.

 

[TheRaidenPT]

I just want someone help them technically.

Enough is enough with frame pacing issues and outdated engine

 

[IAmAnAgnostic]

No benefits at all (unless you're a Sony shareholder?) and only potential negatives. Will Sony force DEI on FromSoft? Will Sony leave out Xbox as a platform? Will Sony meddle in general in any way during the development, like now randomly wanting a "Live Service Elden Ring" or whatever else stupid an Exec would come up with?

Probably one or all of those will take place, so only bad things could happen.

 

[Knightime_X]

If souls games were console exclusive, then GGs
Elden Ring got 25+m in sales hugely thanks to being on pc and xbox.
Remove that, and its probably more like 7-8 million tops

 

[Exede]

I see just cons....

 

[Windom Earle]

40% want this? SonyGAF is still strong, yikes.

 

[Robb]

Biggest con for me would be that they’d get Acquire who just reinvigorated the Mario & Luigi RPG series.. And did an amazing job at that.

Can’t this series catch a break?

 

[MonkD]

From's games also take around around half a decade - if not more years - to be made this generation:

• Elden Ring started in early 2016, was announced in 2019, came out early 2022.
• Armored Core VI started in early 2016, was announced in 2022, came out mid 2023.

The difference is that, unlike some of Sony's studios such as Sucker Punch or Bend, From actually has a multi-team structure, similar to that of Insomniac Games, which allows them to release new games every few years.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 took five years to be made and Marvel's Wolverine is going to have taken six years by the time it comes out in late 2026, but thanks to their multi-team structure, the studio was able come up with all these ultra polished AAA games in the span of a decade:

• Ratchet & Clank (2016)
• Marvel's Spider-Man (2018)
• Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered (2020)
• Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales (2020)
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (2021)
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (2023)
• Marvel's Venom (2025 target)
• Marvel's Wolverine (2026 target)

Which is all to say that Sony's focus on great production values and sophisticated tech doesn't mean that From's output would start to suffer because of it.

Are we seriously expecting Venom?

I'd assume it went to shit along with the Spider-Man 2 DLC and their GAAS. A Venom game is inventible, but I doubt it's coming out before Wolverine. Or did I miss something other than the leaked powerpoint?

 

[Lucifers Beard]

I don't really give a shit, I own a playstation and PC.

 

[Cyborg]

If this happens and they dont use this logo/design I will be so dissapointed.

 

[Doctor Hades]

I think the pros might be that FromSoftware games might finally be better optimised at launch because, let's face it, superb as they are at designing games, technical prowess is not FromSoftware's strong suit!

Cons are that it may mean exclusivity to the PS5 with a PC version following 12-18 months later instead of at the same time. Xbox owners may not get the games at all.

 

[cireza]

Might have been a good thing when Shuhei Yoshida was still around, but now this would probably be a pretty bad development long term for From Software, especially when they are successful as a third party.

 

[Robb]

Are we seriously expecting Venom?

I'd assume it went to shit along with the Spider-Man 2 DLC and their GAAS. A Venom game is inventible, but I doubt it's coming out before Wolverine. Or did I miss something other than the leaked powerpoint?

It was slated before Wolverine in the Insomniac leak, but things can always change.

Edit: saw now that I misread your post as “did I miss something in the PowerPoint”.

 

[DJ12]

Plausible cons:
1. Limited userbase/exclusivity (far fewer people in the games industry would get to play FROM software games just to push hardware sales for one section of the industry)

Lol imagine putting this drivel at number 1.

Those 5 Xbox users still loyal to the brand that shafts them on a daily basis, that don't actual buy games anymore will surely be up in arms over this.