Industry must innovate and evolve to thrive, says Sony
By
Eddie Makuch, News Editor
PlayStation Europe boss Jim Ryan says "no entertainment industry can just carry on the way it was," adding the walled garden model is breaking down.
The gaming industry must innovate and evolve if it wants to flourish, according to PlayStation Europe boss Jim Ryan. Speaking to MCV, the executive sounded off on the varied trends in the industry today.
“It is great that the industry evolves and goes in different directions,” Ryan said. “No entertainment industry can just carry on the way it was. For our industry to thrive and prosper it has to evolve and it has to innovate."
Ryan also explained that he believes closed platforms are "breaking down a bit" as a result of the rise of connected devices. He noted that the PlayStation 2 and PSP were not proper connected devices, and the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita are.
“This is new ground for us," he said. "It didn’t seem it at the time but these walled gardens are actually nice, cosy places, and we are now going out into the big bad world where there are no rules. We are trying to set those rules."
The executive said Sony is being forced to "reset" much of its thinking, noting the company has been pushing the original PlayStation, PS2, and PS3 "basically the same way," and this was a mistake.
"And then all of a sudden we are like ‘You have to forget that and think differently,’” he said.
By
Eddie Makuch, News Editor
Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.
288 comments
Developers should focus on their own work rather than telling the industry what to do or which direction to go. They're saying these things only to tilt public conceptions to their business advantage.
I remember the bad old days after the PS3 launch. That was an awful push. Forget the games, it is a media centre of confusion. People were buying it, mainly as a cheaper BluRay player, those first years. What rules are they trying to set, now they are strolling outside the garden walls?
innovation in games design seems to be held back by the rotten economy. Since publishers are not really happy at chancing a brand new IP. When something like Call of Duty is more or less going to make millions. Creativity in the industry cannot thrive in a bad economy. As for the machines the games are played on. It will be interesting to see what Sony does in the future in the 8th Generation. PSvita still has yet to truly catch on. While the PS3 is at its limit.
@Megavideogamer the PS3 hasn't reached a limit. After I saw the Phantom Pain demo and the new MGS I feel the system as well as the 360 can still do more.I remember when the 1st PS' production began to slow games start coming out that showcased its true potential. The Wii in my opinion did reach a limit but the 360 and PS3 have much more that they can do.Its too early to move on
2 Like If they'll only release a new console every five-six years, why don't they build them with upgradeable memory, graphics, and processor slots? You know, like a PC? Don't need to replace the entire system every year or two, but a smaller hardware upgrade would help. BF3 for console could have been packaged with a new graphics card, for example. Even this way, they could still meet a price point below a higher-end gaming PC.
@anvilone they won't make a lot of money like that and some humans can't help if they've got bumbling fingers...
@anvilone graphics was integrated in PS3 btw everything besides the drives are integrated. I love the idea of upgradable consoles, we can buy peripherals but not so much components, maybe someday.
@anvilone I've been thinking the same thing, after 2 years the warranty is up anyway so opening up the system wouldn't be a problem if there were instructions.... also wondering if they will include an Onlive type capability, subscription based separate from PS+ or maybe call it PS++
Wasn't Sony selling their systems at a loss (originally) in the hopes up making up for it in software sales anyways?
2 Like See I disagree with the whole innovate BS... innovative software yes cheap tricks that are used in one or two decent games via some over priced add on device no. They need to take it back to basics quite trying to make a videogame console your central media hub I have a laptop I have a smartphone i dont need my videogame console to do all the same crap those can do. Someone needs to take it back to the day where a videogame system was just a videogame system. Cut out the BS which in turn cuts out costs and put actual $$ into the internals. Also three simple words FIRST PARTY TITLES I know its almost impossible these days to have a developer make an exclusive game because they are losing out on some major $$ if they do but really all this cross platform crap kills individuality of what each system is known for you get only a handful of exclusive games and well that sucks i understand why but it still sucks.
@davsonamission well said... for the last TRUE Video Game System before Playstation took it all to franchise hell see DREAMCAST
3 Like "Industry must innovate and evolve"
-No new hardware for 6+ years-
You can only butter one slice of bread so many ways. More bread! MORE BREAD ALREADY!
Frankly speaking, I think that innovation will happen when the game industry stops churning out shooter after shooter. Innovation in the game industry is part game and part hardware. Every console has some form of new or innovative hardware, for all their faults (like the Kinect, the Move, and to Nintendo's credit, the Wii and Wii U, although the success of the Wii U cannot be determined, for obvious reasons). The issue is that no one has really taken advantage of these accessories/hardware. There's no good reason to buy the Playstation Move, the Kinect, or the Wii for mainstream gamers. Some might argue that the Kinect, the Move, and the Wii are completely useless, but I think that the only reason that this is true is because no one has created a good use for them. Playing Metroid on the Wii is a good example how even a shooter could be turned into something fresh.
As for whether or not the PS Vita PS3 connection thing is innovative, I have yet to see anyone take advantage of it, so who knows?
I am not buying two copies of the same game just so I can cross play what a stupid idea. This is not innovation it is bleeding your customers who ever thought of that crap should get fired, its reasons like this that sony lost all that money in the last year what was it 5 billion or so. Who can loss that kind of money and not clean house there are people in this company who cant do their jobs. Another year like this and it wont matter they will be out of business if they eat another 5 billion.
The comments from Sony/Jim Ryan are kind of ironic.
Sony is saying the game industry needs more innovation, and yet their own customers proudly gloat about how Sony/PS is 'focusing on the games'. At the same time, their direct competition (Microsoft/Xbox) is expanding and is bringing more entertainment and device options on top of their already popular gaming platform.
The irony here, is how the gloating PS3/Sony customers seem to be a bit confused. Jim Ryan states the industry needs more innovation (take a look at MS/Xbox for this) and yet doesn't understand their own customers see PS3/Sony has 'sticking with what they know' (i.e. staying with games as their focus).
There's a disconnect somewhere between what Sony/PS says, what they are actually doing, and what their customers think they are doing.
I wouldn't be surprised if they integrated a more social aspect to the console. Maybe some sort of Android interface where you could use apps. We're still calling out for things like cross game chat and I would assume that development of such things would have been shifted from PS3 onto the PS4.
I would also suspect we'll get more integration with TV services.
It's pretty easy (relatively) to produce a top spec console to play games but the machine needs to be more than just a games machine, in this day and age, where people want an entertainment hub in their homes. The PS3, for it's faults, did a very good job of that and now it has to improve on that.
Its simple the industry has evolved gpu and cpu wise, but it dosen't matter because of the focus on "safe money making games" like halo, call of duty, the grand theft autos and gta rip offs...People treat console gaming these days like everyone is training for the gaming league! nothing wrong with that but games are supposed to be fun, and thats why nintendo will always be top dog! They make fun games! Sony and MS just need to be creative and develop 2d side scrollers, platformers, something different!
3 Like @anomaly3001 LOL you silly little ignorant fan boy. You bash companies for remaking games that "aren't fun" but Nintendo is THE WORRRRST!!! for remaking games. All they ever do is release a new mario or a new zelda and when they claim to release something "NEW" it's a new MARIO game. Give me a break little sackless fanboy.
@NoX5btw i'm no fanboy just a intelligent person! MS and Sony main focus is FPS and Madden! I actually own all 3! but only a idiot can't agree that nintendo makes fun games! Played any Metroid latley...Zelda...Smash Bros?
Dare I say it... The age of consoles are dying. people want more out of their devices. I think sony started to get that ball rolling when they allowed players to watch DVDs and CDs. Then blue ray. Now video games can played on phones as well as watching movies and listening to music. So when a new console is launched people want more out of it. Either turn the next consoles into phones (portable devices) or just make it into a PC and Sony just go the way of M$ and build their own operating system.
Innovation and evolution are important but aren't everything! I even believe they are the same thing. The gaming industry has evolved ENOUGH to become LESS innovative, so, we have a conflict here! Where to evolve now? What to innovate? Technology? New concepts? Just making next-gen consoles isn't a big step on the matter, as well graphically stunning games or gimmicky controllers. Either the industry use more their brain to see not everything is money talk and marketing in the biz or they''ll get stuck for good trying to figure out "the path to the evolution"...
the news I`m waiting for is if I trade my PS3 (to sony) for a brand new PS4 I get a discount or new PS4 games.
...or a new sony PC
1 Like What the hell is up with the huge wave of just about everyone saying this? Must be something to it. If the industry doesn't expand our ideas, it is a bad thing. No kidding. Why are they all saying this now?
4 Like Sony better "reset" their thinking company-wide. They need to stop charging top dollar for their sub-par electronics when Samsung and LG sell better product at a much lower price point. Wake up Sony... it's not 1985 anymore!
1985, you mean when the NES was in it's infinate stage and Atari and the primative PC were the only ones one the market? Or are you just making a point?
3 Like @tightwad34 Hes making the point of how much sony dominated the electronics space in the 80s. 20 to 30% of the price was because it said "SONY" on whatever you bought.
3 Like @liam82517 @tightwad34 So? Apple does it every day (in fact they are the epitome of a company that overcharges) and i don´t see many people complaining, they just Zerg Swarm their stores everytime a new product is launched.
I know Sony's products are overpriced(not immensely but significantly), for me the most flagrant example is their VAIO pc's (or was, since now they are launching more affordable options) but that's what you get when a company once dominated the market...
6 Like In other news this week, Ico/Shadow of the Colossus producer leaves Sony and Sony closes down Studio Liverpool. Vita still collecting dust.
Nice job with the innovation, boys!
Finally, Sony admits they have had no innovation for the last few generations. There may be hope for them yet.
1 Like As far as software goes, I think Sony has the market(except for PC, but that's a whole different animal than X-Box or Nintendo), as far as hardware, where are they behind?
1 Like @tightwad34 I completely agree that their hardware is just as good as an Xbox 360. And they can have a truly creative, new title once in a while. (Tearaway looks amazing) But when I hear innovation, I think more of the hardware and controllers. The Kinect, the Wii U Gamepad, even the Virtual Boy, are what I consider technological innovation. I really haven't seen much of that from Sony, with the possible exception of the Playstation Eye.
4 Like if they want to innovate, then why did those bastaards close down Studio Liverpool...
Reset much of the thinking.... no more walled-off consoles... big changes in connectivity.... And Sony bought out OnLive's competitor (who's name I forgot)....
Could it be?? Naaahhh, they wouldn't throw out the entire hardware model... would they? Folks, the PS4 may only cost $100. I hope you've got really good internet connections.
@Zloth2 "I hope you've got really good internet connections." I HIGHLY, HIGHLY doubt Sony would go completely into the clouds. I can see saves being cloud-enabled such as this gen, and I think maybe backwards compatability for games will be offered via cloud. Sony isn't going to abandon hardware though. The FCC recently released a report that said 1/3 of the U.S. doesn't even have broadband internet access. That in itself is evidence that internet infrastructure isn't near where it needs to be to support cloud gaming. Sony will put out powerful hardware with the cloud to complement it, but the cloud will not be the only way to play Playstation games next gen.
Yeah, I would be exceedingly shocked, too, especially given all the rumors about the graphics chip they are getting. There's not much point in a gigabyte of VRAM if all you're doing is making a dumb terminal. Having a PS4 that's capable of doing cloud sounds vastly more likely.
Though I wonder if they might have some sort of PS4-lite that just does cloud gaming? If they already have a PS4 that can do the cloud then doing a console that just has the cloud part might not be too hard to whip up.
1 Like ?No entertainment industry can just carry on the way it was. For our industry to thrive and prosper it has to evolve and it has to innovate."
From the pages of "No S#$t Sherlock Weekly"
4 Like It's exec-speak for: "We are going to change something. If you are risk averse, take your blood pressure medication immediately."
13 Like Make a Nintendo that can play all games back to the NES and call it a day. That would sell more units than anything else they have dreamed up at this point.
@cid67Hobby PC emulation isn't popular in an average household. If Nintendo released a system that had the cart slots, an all encompassing CD drive, an option for a subscription based game service that included their 25+ year backlog of games (including many third party licenses), and some hardware filters to make the games look better on LCD televisions I can almost promise you the numbers would compete with Sony and Microsoft. Nintendo would sell a LOT less units but they would be a stronger player in a market that will eventually destroy them if they try to keep up with Sony and Microsoft that have more advanced technology potential and a larger budget. At this point NIntendo's past is a LOT stronger than their future. I hate to say it but Nintendo's Wii-U is going to be a flop. I love the company but I just think they have lost the "magic" that they once had.
14 Like If the next xbox and playstation aren't reverse compatible I'll be holding on to my money. I have 7 years worth of games for this gen.
@Defender1978 Personally, I don't care about backwards compatibility, but I still agree with you. People who don't think it's a big deal should work video game retail for five minutes. It is almost always the first thing people ask about any new system.
1 Like @Defender1978 thats ridiculous..not buying an entire generation of consoles because you have to have another console hooked up to play old games..I collect consoles..its not that big of a deal putting a disc into another machine
@obsequies @Defender1978 No whats ridiculous is buying the new gen and haveing it collect dust for 2 years waiting for something that's good to come out. Defender has it right.
6 Like @obsequies @Defender1978 I think his reasoning is that he already has invested in a lot of games this generation which will take him a lot of time (7 years) to get round to playing, and thereby he doesn't feel the need to invest int a new console until he's made use of his current investment.
I'm in the same boat. I've been steadily going through my games collection this generation, and been trading and selling games once done, and i've been avoiding multiplayer and even games that I know I won't want to trade in, and sticking with those that I can run through and play, and I still have several years of gaming to get out of this generation.
And being the tight fisted and time poor gamer that I am, I'm also reluctant at this stage to invest in a new console. That might change as and when we become tempted by new information etc, but at this stage i'm happy to stick with the PS3 until i've wrung value out of my over large collection.
Next time round the smart thing for me to do would be to buy the console once it's significantly reduced in price, towards the end of its cycle, and to only buy a handful of games. This gen i've tried to play a lot of games and it's really tuckered me out.
1 Like Lack of reverse compatibility is like buying a blu ray player that doesn't play dvds.
3 Like @Defender1978 not buying an entire generation of hardware because it doesn't do something you've already done is like not buying a car because it doesn't run on hay and oats..you can have both you know
@Defender1978 so you would boycott all new consoles just because they don't cost more and don't have backwards compatibility? sounds a little over the top considering all the other more atrocious money grabbing schemes the industry has pulled this gen
6 Like No, it's not ridiculous. I just replaced my old pc with a new one recently. It has more power, more speed, more everything and it plays all of the pc games that my other pc did. I've been gaming for over 30 years myself. I may the the only one this matters to, but it's my money and gaming is an expensive hobby.
@Defender1978 you're right it is an expensive hobby so why spend more for backward compatibility?..and why did you mention your pc when we were talking about consoles..its like apples and oranges..everyone knows consoles are for what a console does and pcs are for what a pc does
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