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PlayStation buys Firewalk Studios

reksveks

Member
You need several GaaS in order for one to succeed.
I was going to make an ubisoft joke but they do have a couple of successes.

According to Sony's slide last year, I think they had 10 GAAS in development. And pretty sure that excluded Bungie because they werent even bought yet. Out of that 10, it's logical MLB, Factions and GT are GAAS.

So that leaves 7 unknown GAAS games.
Yeah, just alot of FPS. I also know that most arent likely to be successful and it's a probability game.

So curious about the pricing strategy
 
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Poltz

Member
I was going to make an ubisoft joke but they do have a couple of successes.


Yeah, just alot of FPS. I also know that most arent likely to be successful and it's a probability game.

So curious about the pricing strategy
F2P i'd guess.
 
GIF by CBC
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
I was going to make an ubisoft joke but they do have a couple of successes.


Yeah, just alot of FPS. I also know that most arent likely to be successful and it's a probability game.

So curious about the pricing strategy
Yup. One of the execs (not sure if it was Jim Ryan or not) even said all they need is one of them to be successful.
 
I like that they’ve purchased an MP focused team with some great team member pedigree. This doesn’t take games or IP away from other platforms and it means that their single player teams can keep on making single player games if they so wish.

Having a good blend of studios is good for PlayStation. I haven’t yet heard about whether it’s an FPS or whatever other genre, but it’s one to watch given that it is led by a lot of former Bungie developers. The cross pollination between the two should bear some good fruit.
 

saintjules

Gold Member
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SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
Yup. One of the execs (not sure if it was Jim Ryan or not) even said all they need is one of them to be successful.
1 in 12 are good odds, but at the same time they would be saturating the market with this trash, and people will likely tune them all out.

Right now, COD, PubG, Fortnite and Apex are successful. Can the industry handle even more of these games? There are only so many of these players to go around. Halo came and went. They made it F2P, got 20 million users, and then everyone left after a week. I suspect the same thing to happen to all of these games especially if they launch at $70. If I was Sony, id be sweating bullets at the Suicide Squad reception because thats exactly what their games are going to look like lol. Not to mention looking at the insane sales of Hogwarts, GOW and RE4, and wondering why they invested so heavily in GaaS instead of traditional single player games. Spiderman 2 will literally be their only first party game this year. they shouldve had like 4 of these SP games out this year. they wouldve cleaned up.

My guess is that this is insurance policy in case MS takes CoD exclusive. they want to be ready with their own CoD or Fortnite clone.

P.S It's 12 games and there is factions, horizon mp, bend's new IP, insomniac was also hiring mp devs, Jade Raymond's new studio is doing GaaS, and their other manchester studio is also making a GaaS game. Deviation games, firewalk studios were 2nd party and likely were not included in Jim's 12 GaaS game declaration. MLB wasnt either. GT7 possibly, yes.

I wouldnt be surprised if GG, Insomniac, and other Sony devs are making multiple GaaS games.
 
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DrFigs

Member
1 in 12 are good odds, but at the same time they would be saturating the market with this trash, and people will likely tune them all out.

Right now, COD, PubG, Fortnite and Apex are successful. Can the industry handle even more of these games? There are only so many of these players to go around. Halo came and went. They made it F2P, got 20 million users, and then everyone left after a week. I suspect the same thing to happen to all of these games especially if they launch at $70.

My guess is that this is insurance policy in case MS takes CoD exclusive. they want to be ready with their own CoD or Fortnite clone.

P.S It's 12 games and there is factions, horizon mp, bend's new IP, insomniac was also hiring mp devs, Jade Raymond's new studio is doing GaaS, and their other manchester studio is also making a GaaS game. Deviation games, firewalk studios were 2nd party and likely were not included in Jim's 12 GaaS game declaration. MLB wasnt either. GT7 possibly, yes.

I wouldnt be surprised if GG, Insomniac, and other Sony devs are making multiple GaaS games.
One would hope these games are sufficiently different from each other, that they won't be competing. Because yeah, it would be a shame if sony were sending out Factions and Twisted Metal out there, knowing they're making 8 other games that will kill them off.
 

Ar¢tos

Member
CALL THE FUCKING SENATE!
AND THE POLICE!
Theycantkeepgettingawaywithit.gif

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So it will be a support studio or the MP game is theirs alone?
 
Organically building up the studios is the right move by Sony. They don't have to risk watering down their top tier support network with unwanted baggage that comes with any big publisher acquisition. And obviously Sony seems confident in whatever Firewalk is working on. A much likelier chance we'll see their new game at the big showcase next month with this announcement
 

tmlDan

Member
so what happens to probably monsters now? do they have any other studios under their belt?

I only see "Coming Soon: Battle Barge and Cauldron"

Feels like Harold Ryan and his group haven't made anything since 2016
 

MikeM

Gold Member
They must like what they see. Honestly refreshing to see no-name studios being bought instead of these massive ones. Very curious what they have being developed there.
 

Varteras

Member
so what happens to probably monsters now? do they have any other studios under their belt?

I only see "Coming Soon: Battle Barge and Cauldron"

Feels like Harold Ryan and his group haven't made anything since 2016

A while back someone commented that they think Probably Monsters is like an incubation company. Build up studios and then sell them off. I'm not sure how accurate that is but clearly it worked out that way with Firewalk. I'm sure we'll hear more from them. It's just that Firewalk's partnership with Sony was the only notable thing to come out of them so far.
 

reksveks

Member
Are they? For the amount staff they have, their market cap and revenue is quite small.
The two games (R6 Seige and For Honor) are successes in the sense of lasting and clearly at some level of profits. I wouldn't put them in the level of success that Sony/ABK/EA probably wants.
 

begotten

Member
They must like what they see. Honestly refreshing to see no-name studios being bought instead of these massive ones. Very curious what they have being developed there.

Arguably more exciting to see the IP of the new teams in Haven, Deviation and Firewalk compared to what we can expect from their existing first party.
 

sono

Gold Member
How long firewalk been a company before this

if it has no gamez why buy it maybe they were abiut to release somut gud
 

Heisenberg007

Gold Journalism
so what happens to probably monsters now? do they have any other studios under their belt?

I only see "Coming Soon: Battle Barge and Cauldron"

Feels like Harold Ryan and his group haven't made anything since 2016
They have 2 more companies still. One of them is working on an RPG; the other (IIRC) on an action-adventure game.
 
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