thicc_girls_are_teh_best
Member
I don't mind SIE pursuing GAAS to some degree, or MP games in general, because truth is that has always been part of their DNA to some extent even as far back as PS1. Motor Toon GP, Wipeout, Gran Turismo...those were games with SP components but also MP features like link-play support.
Thing is, SIE's best "GAAS" games, aside Helldivers 2, are basically single-player games with online MP components, and I don't know why they moved away from that with the GAAS initiative. I mean just look at the many examples: GT series, SOCOM, Warhawk PS3, Motorstorm, MLB The Show, Uncharted 4,Twisted Metal Black, Ghosts of Tsushima....IMO those are among their best attempts in live service, they just happen to be tied to games with meaty single-player stories and campaigns.
I think that's the best way for SIE to pursue GAAS going forward...by actively NOT pursuing GAAS as the industry knows of it today. Focus back on the single-player games, but add online multiplayer modes to them that feel like natural extensions (basically, do what Nintendo does). You can make those modes as robust as you want, monetize them how you want...but at least they aren't resulting in less single-player content that way. It's a model most of the industry seemed to move away from at the start of last gen and especially once PUBG & Fortnite took off, but I think that was a mistake.
Ironically, integrating MP content into a SP experience gives both components a better chance to succeed in the market. If the SP side doesn't appeal to someone, they might get hooked on the MP, and if the MP falters, you still sold copies due to the SP. It also probably gives more breathing room for the MP content to get produced at a more sensible pace, rather than needing shittons of expensive content several seasons a year churned out by outsourced contractors, or needing predatory pricing schemes to sustain what would've been a MP-only experience.
Just, you know, also make sure the SP content is playable offline. And at some point ,if the official servers for the MP features go offline, have a way to let the community set up private servers so they can keep playing the MP stuff online. Not only would that do a lot towards goodwill, but there's also probably ways to monetize that to some degree, at least in terms of enabling & activating the feature.
Yeah, they should have just refined what they did during the PS3 era, in that respect. SP-focused, with more robust MP modes & features that, if they wanted, could be expanded upon in terms of MTX, storefronts, etc.
Companies in general divorcing the MP from the SP has been leading to a lot of worst GAAS titles that have to wholly rely on their MP component. But when you look at a lot of the most successful (creatively and/or commercially) MP games historically, most of them have some type of SP component to them. Even titles like Smash Bros., Mario Kart and Destiny 1 have robust SP content in them alongside MP with online functionality (which could classify them as pseudo-live service or maybe "quasi" GAAS).
Thing is, SIE's best "GAAS" games, aside Helldivers 2, are basically single-player games with online MP components, and I don't know why they moved away from that with the GAAS initiative. I mean just look at the many examples: GT series, SOCOM, Warhawk PS3, Motorstorm, MLB The Show, Uncharted 4,Twisted Metal Black, Ghosts of Tsushima....IMO those are among their best attempts in live service, they just happen to be tied to games with meaty single-player stories and campaigns.
I think that's the best way for SIE to pursue GAAS going forward...by actively NOT pursuing GAAS as the industry knows of it today. Focus back on the single-player games, but add online multiplayer modes to them that feel like natural extensions (basically, do what Nintendo does). You can make those modes as robust as you want, monetize them how you want...but at least they aren't resulting in less single-player content that way. It's a model most of the industry seemed to move away from at the start of last gen and especially once PUBG & Fortnite took off, but I think that was a mistake.
Ironically, integrating MP content into a SP experience gives both components a better chance to succeed in the market. If the SP side doesn't appeal to someone, they might get hooked on the MP, and if the MP falters, you still sold copies due to the SP. It also probably gives more breathing room for the MP content to get produced at a more sensible pace, rather than needing shittons of expensive content several seasons a year churned out by outsourced contractors, or needing predatory pricing schemes to sustain what would've been a MP-only experience.
Just, you know, also make sure the SP content is playable offline. And at some point ,if the official servers for the MP features go offline, have a way to let the community set up private servers so they can keep playing the MP stuff online. Not only would that do a lot towards goodwill, but there's also probably ways to monetize that to some degree, at least in terms of enabling & activating the feature.
What they really should have done is just make all these games have a single player campaign from the jump and just tack on a bare bones multiplayer mode like they used to. THEN If they noticed any of the multiplayer modes from any of the games really popping, they could spin that off into something bigger.
All the wasted asset creation and dialogue/cutscenes they made for Concord was such a fucking waste of money. Classic case cart-before-the-horse.
Yeah, they should have just refined what they did during the PS3 era, in that respect. SP-focused, with more robust MP modes & features that, if they wanted, could be expanded upon in terms of MTX, storefronts, etc.
Companies in general divorcing the MP from the SP has been leading to a lot of worst GAAS titles that have to wholly rely on their MP component. But when you look at a lot of the most successful (creatively and/or commercially) MP games historically, most of them have some type of SP component to them. Even titles like Smash Bros., Mario Kart and Destiny 1 have robust SP content in them alongside MP with online functionality (which could classify them as pseudo-live service or maybe "quasi" GAAS).
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