Striking Distance CEO claims gamepass model is tough to sell single player games in
- Thread starter remember_spinal
- Start date
- Drama Business Game Dev
Bernd Lauert
Banned
I give the game six months tops until it comes to Gamepass 
StealthGoblin
Banned
That's his point though. It needs to make its money in the launch window. It's exactly what Sony, Take 2 etc have been saying. It's effective for catalogue games and indies that can have their costs covered by the GP money.I give the game six months tops until it comes to Gamepass
remember_spinal
Banned
I give the game six months tops until it comes to Gamepass
Thats not really a 'gotcha' thats usually what happens when a game hit sales saturation. He's talking about releasing a game day 1 on the service as a 3rd party AAA developer
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adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
I'm sure it's tough.
www.pushsquare.com
Very tough with the weight of the marketing deals.
The Callisto Protocol Will Have Exclusive PlayStation Content at Launch
Biophage are all the rage
www.pushsquare.com
Very tough with the weight of the marketing deals.
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Kiraly
Member
LmaoI'm sure it's tough.
The Callisto Protocol Will Have Exclusive PlayStation Content at Launch
Biophage are all the rage
Very tough with the weight of the marketing deals.
Bernd Lauert
Banned
There are dozens of counter-examples though. I guess he just wasn't satisfied with Microsoft's offer.
Men_in_Boxes
Banned
This game is ****ed.
skit_data
Member
Bernd Lauert
Banned
It's gonna need really good reviews to sell well at full price.
Punished Miku
Gaslighter Pro: 16.7 Fireflops
Doesn't really say much. GP gets games like Wo Long, so it can be done. They apparently asked for a price higher than MS was willing to pay I guess? He doesn't really explain.
I don't typically expect a ton of third party AAA games on GP. It's usually going to be first party, AA, indies, and a couple notable third party games per year (Scarlet Nexus, Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Wo Long, etc). The bulk of the service isn't third party games like Callisto Protocol. I wasn't expecting it on GP at all.
I don't typically expect a ton of third party AAA games on GP. It's usually going to be first party, AA, indies, and a couple notable third party games per year (Scarlet Nexus, Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Wo Long, etc). The bulk of the service isn't third party games like Callisto Protocol. I wasn't expecting it on GP at all.
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adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
MS's offer wasn't probably even a thing in this case. They announced PS exclusive content a while ago, i-e it has a marketing agreement with Sony. No doubt this has first right of refusal to Sony ala the leaked Village contract for sub services as well.
Meanwhile another studio like I/O is happy to praise and talk about the revenue, performance bonuses and minimum guarantees they got from game pass in their earnings call for Hitman, another single player franchise.
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Sosokrates
Report me if I continue to console war
I dont get it, I mean if he want Callisto to be on gamepass they negotiate a good deal.
Like $100 million.
Like $100 million.
MiguelItUp
Member
Honestly, I think that model does more for single player experiences, than multiplayer ones. I just feel like there are "other reasons" at play here. Much like the mentioned exclusive PS content. Feels more like an excuse than anything. But, who knows, maybe it is his opinion, lol.
AmuroChan
Member
For 3rd party games to release on a sub service day 1, it comes down to what the internal projections are for sales vs what the offer is from the sub provider. Let's say Callisto Protocol is projected to make $250m revenue in the first 6 months of release. If MS or Sony wants the game on their service day 1, they have to offer an amount satisfactory to the developer to offset the losses from selling less copies.
There are two ways you can look at the CEO's comments:
1. Striking Distance does not want to put CP on Gamepass day 1 period.
2. Striking Distance is open to putting CP on Gamepass day 1, and the CEO is saying this in order to increase the asking price.
There are two ways you can look at the CEO's comments:
1. Striking Distance does not want to put CP on Gamepass day 1 period.
2. Striking Distance is open to putting CP on Gamepass day 1, and the CEO is saying this in order to increase the asking price.
Bernd Lauert
Banned
I imagine he went fishing for marketing deals at both Sony and MS, and Gamepass might've even been on the table. Who knows.
Many such cases!
ChorizoPicozo
Member
Coercion.I give the game six months tops until it comes to Gamepass
ChorizoPicozo
Member
You don't need to be a fucking genius.
Game Pass is designed to kill Pure Single Player experiences.
Game Pass is designed to kill Pure Single Player experiences.
timmyp53
Member
Interesting but Hitman is essentially a running service game so maybe a real real bad example.
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Leyasu
Banned
Basically, Microsoft has not asked him how much he wanted to put it on gamepass.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Mr Moose
Member
Wait, did Hitman launch day one on Game Pass? The only thing I found after a quick search was Hitman 3 (trilogy) a year after launch.
https://www.polygon.com/22881790/hitman-3-trilogy-xbox-pc-game-pass-steam-vr-release-date
MiguelItUp
Member
I know the Guardians of the Galaxy devs were applauding it as well. Because the game didn't sell/do well, but on Game Pass it got a lot more exposure and attention.
fart town usa
Banned
I see no issue with this.
Just because Gamepass exists, it doesn't mean that every game has to be on there. Too much self-entitlement. Get the game if you want it, or don't. No sense getting worked up if something isn't offered at an exorbitant discount.
Just because Gamepass exists, it doesn't mean that every game has to be on there. Too much self-entitlement. Get the game if you want it, or don't. No sense getting worked up if something isn't offered at an exorbitant discount.
Nah it will do numbers on Playstation and PC.
timmyp53
Member
Didn't Sony buy insomniac for like 250 million.
Salty Popsicle
Banned
Eh, if all Microsoft first party games release on GamePass day one while 50%-75% of larger 3rd party games come to the service 6+ months after launch, that is still significant value.
Leyasu
Banned
Yes, and then he could have set his own figures like….
"We can put our game on gamepass day one for 6 months. If we do that though, we estimate losing 3 million full price sales". "So for this to happen, you need to pay us 120m dollars"
Which A, probably cost more than the game cost to make.
B, Microsoft are not the publisher
C, are not getting it exclusively.
So why would they? And are you really trying to say that that amount of money would not be enough ? Considering that it is still for sale on Xbox, PlayStation and pc!
It's nothing to do with single player games not being viable, and everything to do with getting the offer that they want.
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adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Right, not day 1 but the entire trilogy came at the start of this year and seems to have had a big bump in their revenue stream.
I expect Calisto to be on a sub service either Plus or GP by mid 2023 as well.
Leyasu
Banned
Exactly. Hammer meet nail.
That should throw into perspective why Microsoft are buying studios and I.Ps
Men_in_Boxes
Banned
Correction: Pure single player experiences are past their expiration date. That model gets ****ed no matter where you release on.
Not if they don't solve the issue of what killed Dead Space.
ChorizoPicozo
Member
No and Yes.
Roman Empire
Member
The game will sell well enough when the original team behind the success of Dead Space is behind its wheel. I will pick this over Dead Space Remake.
phil_t98
#SonyToo
I'm sure it's tough.
The Callisto Protocol Will Have Exclusive PlayStation Content at Launch
Biophage are all the rage
Very tough with the weight of the marketing deals.
that nails it right there, it probably has a clause in it to stop it coming to gamepass for a period of time to
Salty Popsicle
Banned
For a smaller up-and-coming studio like Striking Distance, the goal of the first game in their portfolio should probably be to recoup enough money to continue existing as a feasible company. I'm almost certain Calisto Protocol will make it to GamePass before the end of 2023 anyway.
The_Mike
I cry about SonyGaf from my chair in Redmond, WA
No one is forcing to put their games on game pass.
Cooking Simulator got 600.000 usd for day one. Sounds like he is bitter over he didn't get that offer.
I don't know what his crying over.
Ah, blue money does the talking.
Pretty pathetic to cry about a service when you at the same time gets a delicious dinner from the opposing platform.
Cooking Simulator got 600.000 usd for day one. Sounds like he is bitter over he didn't get that offer.
I don't know what his crying over.
Ah, blue money does the talking.
Pretty pathetic to cry about a service when you at the same time gets a delicious dinner from the opposing platform.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Ghost of Caelid
Banned
Up front money and more eyes on your game? Did well for Psychonauts 2, hades, Outerworlds etc. don't think this comment has much merit. This applies to PS + as well. I'm sure stray did much better than it would have otherwise.
Neofire
Member
I give it half that time for MS's check to clear and give this developer some straightening about telling the truth about GPI give the game six months tops until it comes to Gamepass
nothing that a NDA won't take care of lol.
Sosokrates
Report me if I continue to console war
I should of said that would be for a day1 release, the deal has to be at least equal to projected sales of the game.
It seems high, but thats what these kind of deals would cost.
Sony got a great deal for insomniac, insomniac could of got way more, at least double.
NickFire
Member
Whether a 3rd party single player game makes financial sense for day 1 subscription will vary game by game. If the game is highly desired and looking like it will review well, it makes much less sense unless a subscription service is willing to offset projected losses from not selling day 1. If either of those things are not true, it probably makes more sense to take money upfront (plus potential word of mouth of course) in lieu of day 1 sales. That word of mouth can be a big revenue driver, but think about a game like Elden Ring. Great word of mouth, but would it really have sold as many 60 copies if it had been part of a sub for a major service? And would a major service have even considered paying an amount equal to 70% of the revenue lost by every person who played it day 1 on a sub? Both seem unlikely to me.
timmyp53
Member
It's a very intriguing time. For reference MS paid 100 million for rise of the tomb raider timed exclusivity and that game would go on to retail at full price.
We might not understand the effects of subscription service models on games industry for awhile especially because MS in particular doesnt have to release financial breakdowns
We might not understand the effects of subscription service models on games industry for awhile especially because MS in particular doesnt have to release financial breakdowns
Shut0wen
Banned
Really? Hitman 3 developers IO said the complete opposite though hitman trilogy does have a huge amount of dlc available, maybe it would be tough without dlc but if hitman 3 was to leave gamepass tomorrow id buy it rn
