Sony's First-Party Division: As Large As MS And Nintendo Combined
See Full ImageMost everyone will agree that Sony's first-party titles are often amazing and so far this generation, we've seen some groundbreaking projects. And now we have a clue as to why: the first-party development division is big. ...really big.
According to VG247, SCEA hardware marketing boss John Koller has said that the aforementioned division is actually just as big as Nintendo's and Microsoft's combined. What, you didn't think a tiny ragtag team was capable of making games like God of War III, did you? Added Koller:
"We have a tremendously creative group, and a line-up for the next few years that will bring a lot of new IP to the market, but will also being a lot of [tried and tested] franchises and new iterations to the PS3 in particular, but also PSP."
In the ongoing console war, excellent exclusives can - and usually do - translate to better hardware sales. Furthermore, as we see the twilight days of the third-party exclusive enveloping the industry, first-party productions may soon become the only system-exclusive projects left. The good news for Sony fans is that it's tough to argue against the PlayStation 3's lineup of impending exclusives, and it's no surprise at all to learn that many such titles are first-party games.
It takes a lot of intelligent and driven manpower to make awesome stuff in this day and age, so the bigger everything gets, the bigger the teams behind the scenes will get. Makes sense, right?
4/7/2009 Ben Dutka
Put this on your webpage or blog:
Email this to a friend
Follow PSX Extreme on Twitter
Comments (23 posts)
Highlander
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 10:49:45 AM
2 up, 0 down
coverton341
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 11:18:17 AM
0 up, 0 down
Troy Powers
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 11:48:03 AM
I have a sneaking suspicion this is why S-E decided to make a FFXIII and a FFXIII Versus. They wanted to have a multiplat game for the sake of sales, but they also wanted to have a really awesome game that pushed the envelope.
Anywayz, I said this months ago when people were all up-in-arms about MS stealing 3rd party exclusives. With Sony's first party studios, they really don't have much to worry about. I'm sure I could go the entire year only buying Sony exclusives and never miss a thing.
Actually, I have so far. The only game I've bought this year is KZ2, and don't really see anything coming up that I MUST have. I passed on RE5 and SF4.
2 up, 0 down
Highlander
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 10:48:35 AM
Reply
While I agree with you about third party exclusives possibly becoming a thing of the past, what about the middle ground, a 'second party' exclusive? First party is a studio owned by the console maker. Third party is an independent company that does their own thing, but what about development houses not owned by a console maker and yet function almost like a first party developer?
Insomniac is not owned by Sony, yet they produce some AAA exclusive titles for PlayStation. Naughty Dog on the other hand is owned by Sony and so is clearly a first party developer.
From everything I read Insomniac is both proudly independent, and firmly lodged in the fold of Sony developers. Are you considering them to be 'first party'?
0 up, 0 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 10:55:38 AM
0 up, 0 down
Nynja
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 12:00:41 PM
0 up, 0 down
pavlovic
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 10:50:02 AM
Reply
And the future looks bright...
In the other hand, Nintendo sticks with their old Mario and friends franchises and Microsoft is hoping to find something else above Master Chief
0 up, 0 down
coverton341
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 11:30:11 AM
1 up, 0 down
karneli lll
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 11:43:28 AM
0 up, 0 down
Andysw
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 10:51:45 AM
Reply
1 up, 0 down
Robochic
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 11:52:18 AM
Reply
Everyone must remember that Square was orginally working for Nintendo exclusives, so them going to MS for things isin't a surprise it's like they have ants in their pants they can't stay still with one company and they tick all their fans off, not sure if they enjoy that or just don't care about the fans.
0 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 12:43:26 PM
0 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 4:01:56 PM
0 up, 0 down
Nynja
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 11:57:36 AM
Reply
You know having a one console generation was nice (see NES and PS2 era), this pretty much made it possible for all gamers to enjoy the industries best titles of the time. Although, having multiple consoles really shakes things up and makes the console manufacturers fight for consumer support. Meaning, more features for us. It's a Catch 22, I suppose.
Of course, you could just buy all of the consoles.
0 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 12:46:22 PM
Reply
1 up, 0 down
dveisalive
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 1:50:37 PM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
ps92117
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 3:09:51 PM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
jdt1981
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 4:11:47 PM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
godsman
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 6:16:00 PM
Reply
2 up, 0 down
slackernz
Wednesday, April 08, 2009 @ 4:12:01 AM
Reply
Last edited by slackernz on 4/8/2009 4:14:42 AM
0 up, 0 down
OriginalSin
Wednesday, April 08, 2009 @ 5:51:22 AM
Reply
I honestly don't think these developers will ever go exclusively to Xbox but with the current economic situation world wide they might be bought to be non exclusive to Sony. I'm certain that it will never go that route but you can never be 100% sure.
I'm sure these developers won't go that route but Sony better back them and stand by them all the way so they never have the need to "broaden their horizons"....
Sony's exclusive are the best games out there... Sure MS has some great exclusives but just imagine the tables were turned and Gears of War was an exclusive to the PS3 just imagine how great that game would have been?
I mean imagine Gears looking like Metal gear/KZ and with the physics of KZ....
Sony's machine is really starting to gain full momentum and like I said before I honestly don't see ANY machine rival it in the next couple of years. The only real competition it'll have will be the PC. But you'll also have to spend thousand of $ to keep upgrading your PC over the next couple of years where the PS3 can evolve just by using and learning the Cell technology.
I'm not really clued up on PC's so pls enlighten me if I'm wrong.
All Sony has to do is ensure they keep their big development houses under their wing and everything will be fine....
1 up, 0 down
coverton341
Reply
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 @ 10:48:16 AM