160°

PlayStation Funded Deviation Games Was Working On Two Projects For PC & PS5

PlayStation funded Deviation Games had been working on two projects for PC and PS5 prior to being shut down.

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twistedvoxel.com
xHeavYx22d ago

How is it cool that a developer working in 2 projects were shut down?

Jingsing22d ago

He is being sarcastic because this is clearly another battle for N4G propaganda news article to try and filter out the bad Microsoft articles. It is ancient news.

XiNatsuDragnel22d ago

@jingsing
Exactly mate I just wanted to be sarcastic.

shinoff218322d ago

We went over this month's ago. Great timing though considering all things going on these last few days.

Shts cute

RNTody22d ago (Edited 22d ago )

This is the Microsoft defense force. They can't spin the current bad press in any coherent way, so all they can do is normalise the idea of studio shutdowns so that what Microsoft is doing seems completely normal as opposed to shambolic and a direct effect of bad decisions for the gaming industry. But hey, it's a cute attempt indeed.

Wake me up when Sony axes Housemarque after Returnal.

Then we'll talk.

RNTody21d ago (Edited 21d ago )

If you don't know your facts, Tacoboto, maybe don't stand up to the podium. Deviation Games closing is a story from MONTHS ago:

https://www.ign.com/article...

All this article is, is some little clarity on what they were working on.

Lay offs happen. Games fail. Shutdowns happen. They're sad. But it's life. Even Naughty Dog endured it with The Last of Us Online. It hardly points to an industry collapse. The industry isn't imploding, it's going through a transitional period where big brand publishers are facing the reality that bloated budgets, GAAS, five different subscription services, unrealistic sales expectations and budgets, gamers playing habits, poor quality and incomplete games, mismanagement of studios and excessively delayed development times etc. are real problems affecting triple A development. If the industry was imploding, we'd be hearing that God of War Ragnarok was the best selling game in PlayStation history but it's a commercial failure and the studio needs to be downsized. We'd be hearing that Forza didn't turn a profit. That Nintendo can't sustain new Marios and Zeldas. That game and console sales are at record lows.

Deviation Games closing, for whatever reasons they did, is NOT the same as the utterly abnormal and shambolic situation of Hi Fi Rush, where the game and its studio were a massive success but were closed as a casualty of Microsoft's acquisitions and the need to recoup those costs and cease risky investment in new IP or niche studios that don't sell millions.

My cynicism at this story is because there is an emerging opinion like yours that the industry is falling apart, and it's going to lead to the terrible opinion that games need to be more expensive or have more monetisation options to be sustainable.

Yet, who are the ones responsible? The losers like Microsoft, Warner Bros, EA etc. But because lay offs are happening we feel the need to lump all in the same basket and call a crisis. Gaming has been growing for a very long time, but it cannot grow indefinitely, the market is at a point where it's adapting to new trends like mobile and handheld gaming making a return and subscription services and consumer buying habits changing.

Yet publishers still make Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League, watch it burn and fail and then say sales are "disappointing" and triple A games are unsustainable.

Michiel198921d ago

the desperation of making your favorite company look better by comparing it to garbage, if that's what keeps you asleep at night, good for you, doesn't change the fact that Sony also axes studios. Every negative thing Sony does gets swept under the rug cause boogieman xbox and it's pathetic. Everytime the sony camp says: we don't want gamepass it's bad for the industry because we wanna pay more, but when Sony shuts down a studio, which is also detrimental to the gaming industry, it's all cool.

RNTody21d ago (Edited 21d ago )

@Michiel1989 Um, yes Sony does? What's your point? They're a large corporate business and not our best pals. Take Days Gone. It sold five or so million copies, but it took six years to make and had mixed critical reception and Sony wasn't confident that a sequel was worth the investment. I EXPECT decisions like this in business. But you also have to respect that Sony funds and supports games like Days Gone and Dreams or Death Stranding or Ghosts of Tsushima or Helldivers 2 in this era, and invests in risky new IP.

If you've been alive for longer than five minutes you'd have seen Sony come under fire for Stellar Blade's backtracking on censorship, the Helldivers 2 fiasco, the silence on their first party studios. Their practices get attacked, but they have a loyal fanbase because they DELIVER WHAT THE FANBASE WANTS. Which is quality new games, passionate creativity and console innovations each generation. They haven't done this for a couple of months, they've done this for over 20 years since the PS1 era. Take Nintendo. People constantly criticise their practices, but they know their audience so well and cater to them in the gaming space and with innovative consoles.

But the issue I have is lumping ordinary business happenings like studio departures, or studio closures or layoffs, with the astronomically different scenarios of Hi Fi Rush, which is the death of a great studio that made an awesome game for no other reason than Microsoft's hubris and Game Pass canabalising sales, and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, where Warner Bros and Rocksteady did everything in their power to destroy their own success and bloat the development time and disrespect their fans, and then cried that the game didn't sell. I'm sure Rocksteady will have layoffs now.

Shutting down a studio isn't detrimental to the industry on its own. Context matters. Sometimes it's necessary because at the end of the day making money is essential if we want to keep enjoying our hobby. I will have a big problem if Sony shut down Sucker Punch after Ghosts of Tsushima, or declared Spider-Man 2 a commercial failure despite being the best selling PlayStation game in history, or any of the other hyper alarming things that point to terrible management and anti-industry.

Let's be clear here. If Sony was like Microsoft or Warner Bros, I'd have ditched them ages ago and kept to my gaming PC. And yet, Sony delivers the games I want. So why shouldn't I support their developers?

Tacoboto21d ago

RNTody,

Not only is Stellar Blade not censored, but Sony also stopped a Days Gone 2, and prevented Dreams from being bigger by locking it to PS4. Helldivers 2 is restricted from sale on Steam post-release and Ghost of Tsushima PC is receiving those same restrictions.

The length of your responses are absolutely unhinged but LOL at still trying to push that Stellar Blade incel narrative. So pathetic, actually play the game and you'll see how obviously it isn't censored.

RNTody20d ago (Edited 20d ago )

@Tacoboto I'll keep this one short for you, dear. Sorry, you lost me at the use of the word "incel". Now I know this is a worthless conversation, based on how your mind works.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 20d ago
Tacoboto22d ago

The industry is imploding and you people are obsessing over everything revolving around Microsoft.

Microsoft spent like 100bn on studios and all that proved is that the industry will *never* revolve around them.

Stop your obsession. Xbox is falling apart. EA is ushering in AI. Sony is restricting game sales to a few dozen countries. Square can't manage poop going down a clockwise toilet. Switch 2 is as close today as it was in 2020.

There are bigger things to worry about than "How can I spin this to be about Microsoft?" especially when now you're deflecting the first place platform maker's problems to still be related to those of a platform that hasn't been relevant in a positive light since 2021.

shinoff218321d ago

The difference being Sony didn't just spend 80 billion plus on studios and publishers.

Traecy22d ago

LOL! No comparison when it comes down to the big picture.

notachance22d ago (Edited 22d ago )

sh*ts so bad at MS the paid shill had to dug up old news just to find something to distract people lmao

21d ago Replies(1)
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90°

Every PlayStation Studios game available now on Windows PC

Windows Central writes: "Many PlayStation Studios games that are ported to PC get dedicated PS5 DualSense support, which allows users to experience haptic feedback and adaptive trigger support without actually having to own a PS5.

According to Hermen Hulst, head of PlayStation Studios, it's still the company's intent to launch the bigger single-player games on PS5 first, before later bringing the games to PC. This might not be the case for multiplayer games however, which are considered okay to launch simultaneously on console and PC."

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windowscentral.com
ocelot0716h ago

My guess is after god of war. Probably last of us 2 that's a almost 4 year old game now and by the time it's released on pc it will be more than 4 years old or close to 5.

Elda10h ago

Every old Playstation game that is now on PC.

shinoff218351m ago

Right. I definitely see what a headlined from a website named windows central was trying to do though. It's cute little wordplay to help out the green box

XiNatsuDragnel9h ago

Good at least they can sell hardware

220°

Former Activision studio Toys for Bob partners with Xbox to publish its first game as an indie

Former Activision studio Toys for Bob partners with Xbox to publish its first game as an indie. This is something of a homecoming, as Microsoft owns Activision.

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engadget.com
Obscure_Observer1d 2h ago

Very very early in development. Still, fantastic news!

Let´s GO!!!

Lightning771d ago

I guess.

How come they didnt either let them go or sell Tango and others to another publisher? Not saying Ubisoft, EA would be any better. (Capcome would of treated them right )

At least it wouldn't be MS of all ppl destroying them.

MS really should let go Tango go like they did TFB here.

darthv721d ago (Edited 1d ago )

one was under Bethesda (Tango) the other under Activision (TFB). Clearly each one handled the separations of their subordinates differently.

Obscure_Observer23h ago(Edited 23h ago)

"How come they didnt either let them go or sell Tango and others to another publisher? Not saying Ubisoft, EA would be any better. (Capcome would of treated them right )"

Perhaps because Zenimax and ABK handles such matters differently based on their own internal policies as "independent" publishers.

Whoever, chances are it´s simply because MS didn´t wanted Tango or Austin to be acquired by competitors and develop new bangers for them, giving MS a bad rep in a possible future. Which could also be the reason why they ensured an exclusive partnership with TFB and its new game, before anyone else.

Sad and disgusting. But it is what it is.

Lightning7720h ago(Edited 20h ago)

"Whoever, chances are it´s simply because MS didn´t wanted Tango or Austin to be acquired by competitors and develop new bangers for them, giving MS a bad rep in a possible future."

MS has a bad rep now because those studios are no more. I rather them sell the studio continue to make multiplatform releases, while MS continues to focus on whatever they're doing. If they didn't want Tango around they should separated from them or sell them to, like they did TFB.

It's inexcusable, they have options on how to handle studios they don't want anymore with killing jobs. Not just MS but the rest of the industry also.

Sad and disgusting sure how many will get shut down next year or this year even?

I don't trust MS decisions and motivations at this point. You have to admit they make one dumb move after another.

Obscure_Observer12h ago(Edited 12h ago)

"MS has a bad rep now because those studios are no more. I rather them sell the studio continue to make multiplatform releases, while MS continues to focus on whatever they're doing. If they didn't want Tango around they should separated from them or sell them to, like they did TFB."

Imo, MS separated from TFB because they didn´t had a game associated with Xbox yet, unlike Tango.

"I don't trust MS decisions and motivations at this point. You have to admit they make one dumb move after another."

Fair enough. It was indeed an epic dumb move from them to close Tango.

Still, all to be forgotten, like always have. This is not the first time a big publisher shuts down a beloved and/or successful studio out of nowhere and certainly won´t be the last. Do you remember Lionhead? Do you remember Evolution Studios? Yeah... both were beloved studios and yet, those companies kill those studios in q blink of an eye and got away with it.

anast10h ago(Edited 10h ago)

The studio boss made some money from this transaction. Once the game releases, the studio will get chopped up.

-Foxtrot1d 2h ago

Manages to buy their freedom especially after all the shit Microsoft has been doing with its studios lately

...

Goes right back to them as partners.

Okaaaaaay...

darthv721d ago

Id venture a guess that TFB working directly with MS was a better outcome than working through Activision to get to MS.

VersusDMC22h ago

From the article...

"Toys for Bob spun out as an indie back in February after Microsoft instituted sweeping layoffs that impacted 86 employees, which was more than half of the staff"

I doubt those 86 employees enjoyed the Microsoft experience over Activisions.

Inverno22h ago

MS shuts down studios because of lack of resources and then helps these guys by giving em resources. Also MS is what forced them to buy their freedom in the first place? What kind of logic 😂

Chevalier19h ago

The best thing is that the company that is worth $3 trillion and owns the company instead of Xbox lacks resources. How the hell does a company worth $3 trillion making a measly $70 billion purchase they 'can't' support. Lol

BlindMango1h ago

The reason they would need to "partner with Microsoft" is simply to make a game that's part of a franchise that Microsoft owns. Meaning they're probably going to make a new Spyro game - they're still an independent studio, but are making a game in a franchise that Microsoft owns. It's kind of like Remedy partnering with Rockstar to be able to make the Max Payne remakes.

shinoff218347m ago

It was probably the deal to get released from Ms

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 47m ago
Sciurus_vulgaris1d ago (Edited 1d ago )

Xbox’s gaming division seems to still function as 3 semi-autonomous sub-divisions, Xbox Studios, Bethesda and ABK. The three main sub-divisions can seemingly shut down or build studios and set up partnerships independently. This would explain why Bethesda can recently shutdown studios, while ABK spins off one studio, while building a new one. Plus, Toys for Bob could be spun off by ABK, only to immediately re-partner with Microsoft.

Chevalier19h ago

That's absolutely 💯 BS. Any sane 'autonomous' company would NOT put their games on Gamepass day 1 like COD will lose probably billions.

Also they're all under Xbox game studios so any autonomy is an illusion.

PhillyDonJawn6h ago

No, I'm sure MS can and does step in when they want something done specifically but I'm also sure they let them also work independently

shinoff218346m ago

I highly highly doubt this. Ms controls all. The guys aren't gonna be allowed to just shut something down like that without approval. No way

Elda19h ago

Either a kiddie game or something uninteresting.

Obscure_Observer12h ago

Don´t worry. You won´t be playing it anyway since their next game will possible be a next gen Xbox console game.

PhillyDonJawn6h ago

Right probably something like astrobot

romulus236h ago

Nah he said "uninteresting", lots of people are interested in Astro Bot.

Elda4h ago

Never Astro Bot. Astro Bot looks better than any exclusive released on XB this entire generation & believe there hasn't been much.

Asplundh3h ago

Crash 4 was good, so I'm hopeful.

PhillyDonJawn2h ago

Hey you said that about SOT and looks like many ppl on PS is playing it. You also found bugsnax interesting ffs your opinion hold no weight lol.

Elda1h ago(Edited 1h ago)

Bugsnax is BS, tried it & quickly deleted it. It's a game that fits right on Gamepass. PS5 owners that are probably playing the boring SOT you could count on one hand. LMAO!!...don't try to come for me.

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130°

What Happens to Your Steam Account When You Die?

The Outerhaven writes: While Steam has come out recently, stating that Steam accounts can't be transferred, we need to think about it since we all will eventually kick the bucket. But if Valve is denying transferring accounts, what can be done? Plenty, actually.

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theouterhaven.net
thorstein2d ago

It goes to my kids because I gave them the passwords.

To Steam: Missio has a song that conveys my feelings about you stealing my purchase after I die. It's called "Middle Fingers"

shinoff21831d 8h ago

Pretty much. My son knows my info.

Abear211d 8h ago

Yeah worrying about digital ownership when you’re on the other side of the grass seems a little strange, but also on brand for these millennial journalists to worry about.

qalpha17h ago

I'm sure Keith will be happy to hear he's a millennial journalist.

Goodguy011d 12h ago

I suppose if I have kids, I'd just give em my account details by retirement age. If I die young then...idk lol.

CrimsonWing691d 10h ago

Yea, I mean just give someone the password to your account. Is that difficult to do or something? Like, I’m legit asking because I don’t know.

anast1d 8h ago (Edited 1d 8h ago )

It's not difficult but It's against the policy. If they find out, they will lock the account permanently.

CrimsonWing691d 7h ago

Ah ok, I had a feeling there was something like that. It seems kind of weird that you can’t just hand your account over to a family member or friend and let them take over the account.

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