Could The Last Guardian End Up Being A PS4 Launch Title?

It might be absolutely essential for the PlayStation 4 to have at least one hugely anticipated title on store shelves for the hardware launch.

Might one extremely long-awaited game fit the bill...?

Sony continues to maintain that The Last Guardian, first unveiled over three years ago, is still in development. The saga surrounding this game is lengthy and troublesome, as creator Fumito Ueda left Sony to go freelance, Sony president Shuhei Yoshida cited "technical difficulties" multiple times, and we've seen next to nothing in terms of new information and media. Basically zip.

Now, Amazon.com has sent out emails to those who pre-ordered the game, saying the title has been delayed to "January 2, 2014," which sounds like just another placeholder date. A few things to consider: Firstly, most all of Sony's internal studios are currently working on next-gen projects; this has been well documented, and the company has even talked about the juggling required for such teams to produce PS3, Vita, and PS4 games. Secondly, there's a very good chance the PS4 will be out by the time The Last Guardian finally arrives.

Thirdly and lastly, it's always important to consider the original vision for the project. Ueda has never been anything less than ambitious, and I wouldn't be surprised to learn that current hardware wasn't capable of achieving that lofty vision. Ubisoft just said that Assassin's Creed III almost didn't make it this generation due to the sheer size and scope of the game. Perhaps another element that comes into play is Sony's acknowledgement that a new piece of hardware requires a great launch lineup; they delayed the Vita release for the express purpose of having the "biggest launch software lineup" in the PlayStation brand's history.

If you put all this together, I don't think anybody should be shocked if find out that The Last Guardian has become a next-gen project.

Related Game(s): The Last Guardian

Tags: the last guardian, last guardian, the last guardian ps4, the last guardian release date

10/18/2012 12:55:37 PM Ben Dutka

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Comments (31 posts)

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WorldEndsWithMe
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 1:17:53 PM
Reply

I kind of doubt it because it would require all the work so far to get a visual upgrade, but it would probably be a good move for sales. Imagine a lineup with Last Guardian, Uncharted 4, inFamous 3, Final Fantasy Versus, Gran Turismo 6, Killzone 4 and God of War IV. I think that would blow 720 out of the water.

5 up, 0 down

Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 4:00:42 PM

That's the thing, World. I don't think Guardian got very far at all; the last design update had them talking about STARTING the combat section. And the decision to turn this into a next-gen title may have happened quite some time ago as well, when they could easily rework with that in mind.

Also, remember when Yoshida said the team was forced to go back and "redo" a lot of the stuff they had already done? That gets me thinking. That almost never happens unless the work is horrendous and I don't believe that was the case...

5 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 4:26:46 PM

You certainly have a point, but they would have had to make that decision at the time the game got taken over and redone. It seems a little risky for an artistic title that needs the PS3 install base to sell a decent amount.

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daus26
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 4:46:35 PM

Those are great points Ben, but it still doesn't seem right. If Sony have truly made that decision quiet some time ago, I think they would've said something about it. For them to keep it a secret is like a big crime of a lie. Many people were intrigued by the game and it made them purchase the PS3. When you announce an anticipated game, that gets people to buy a console, you can't just abandon it and say that it won't release for it.

If this is true, Sony's doing it wrong. It'd be better if they just spill the beans, especially some time ago, instead of secretly delaying this game for the PS4.

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Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 9:15:41 PM

Why would they say something about it? All they'd do is say the game is still in development and if you hadn't noticed, they're not in the business of announcing PS4 launch titles right now. They don't even like talking about the new PlayStation. :)

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Rogueagent01
Friday, October 19, 2012 @ 2:36:16 AM

I think that if you look at the situation that it may very well be a PS4 game now. Ueda most likely brought them the concept and Sony said yeah your other games have become cult classics, go for it. Then after Ueda started development he started coming across a couple of hurdles that would have demanded a larger budget. So Sony probably said OK sign this NDA and we'll show you what the PS4 will have to offer. After seeing that he probably said OK I am going to go freelance so I can bring in a small trust worthy team to work on this while use prepare the PS4 for launch. If you think about it he has been unbelievably silent about everything that has gone down, hence the reasoning behind why I think you may be right about this Ben.

Ueda is a artist true & true so if they gave him a look at the PS4 early, which is also very possible, being that he was first party at the time then him choosing to go with the better system wouldn't be out of the norm(for an artist anyways). I am with you Ben thinking that this will be at minimum a PS4 title if not maybe, just maybe a multi generational title (PS3 & PS4).

@Daus26
Why in the world would they have said something about it? That would be marketing suicide! That would end up becoming the official announcement of the PS4 and also the admission that the PS3 couldn't handle his current project. I don't see anyway that they would have said a thing about it.

Last edited by Rogueagent01 on 10/19/2012 2:40:48 AM

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Crabba
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 2:01:14 PM
Reply

Well we don't know how different the PS4 will be to the PS3 hardware wise, but if the rumors are true and the PS4 is not Cell based, that switch from PS3 to PS$ game would probably be next to impossible, without redoing the entire game.

It would also be kind of sad if they can't get a game to work on the PS3 started that early in the generation...

3 up, 0 down

telly
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 2:26:54 PM
Reply

I don't have any evidence to back it up, but I really think so, yes. My strong suspicion is that the game, as it was being constructed, just didn't work, and they made the call to rebuild it from the ground up with PS4 tech, which is supposedly going to be VERY developer-friendly and easy to handle (not to mention way more powerful than current gen.) Some PS3 owners might get upset but at this point, Sony needs to worry about positioning PS4 WAY more than a few upset fans. And if the game turns out HALF as good as we're hoping it will, I think the upset fans would get over it pretty quick...

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WorldEndsWithMe
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 2:31:28 PM

I don't mind it being developer friendly, I don't even mind if they want to leave Cell behind (thought that doesn't bode well for PS3 BC) as long as it is still a system that doesn't get easily tapped out in terms of power. That's not how Playstation rolls.

3 up, 0 down

telly
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 2:48:59 PM

@World definitely. That's not the PlayStation way. I'm keeping a very open mind simply because I think Sony has earned the benefit of the doubt. For all the problems they've faced during the PS3 cycle, it's an amazing machine, one of my absolute favorite consoles ever. I'm very confident that the next system will be, at minimum, excellent, at most, a classic.

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daus26
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 4:52:28 PM

Well, yeah. Sony is now known to set the bar, not defer to the lowest common denominator. If they switch to X86, that's basically what they would be doing. Yes, it'll be powerful, but it won't be as groundbreaking of a potential versus an improved cell processor. It would be like them playing along with the Xbox, rather than pushing to innovate. Next thing we know we have two perfectly identical console where the only difference is probably the amount of RAM or GPU.

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sawao_yamanaka
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 2:42:02 PM
Reply

Not sure why ubisoft would say that. The graphics look kind of poor when compared to 1st party offerings. Even red dead had better detail on the characters when compared to ac3.

2 up, 1 down

daus26
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 4:54:56 PM

Wow, I forgot about RDR. That game is probably as massive, or more compared to ACIII. On top of that, it does look way better, especially some of the landscape. Then again, I never considered Ubisoft to be elite in that regards.

Last edited by daus26 on 10/18/2012 4:58:51 PM

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Knightzane
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 4:57:19 PM

I agree but i think they meant like gameplay wise. Even then it looks like an updated Assasins creed. Regardless it looks awesome, but unless your fighting a thousand enemies on screen at the same time with cannons zooming by and guns being shot all around, i bet their over exaggerating.

1 up, 0 down

jimmyhandsome
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 7:39:45 PM

AC3 recreated a ton of real buildings in Boston and other towns in New England. RDR was mostly just open desert with small towns.

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gumbi
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 2:43:33 PM
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I try not to think of The Last Guardian anymore. I was so excited about it for so long, but it's impossible to keep hype alive with no new info or signs of progress for years. I've taken it off my radar. I'm more excited for Ni no Kuni now anyway.

Although, entertaining the idea that The Last Guardian could be a launch title for PS4... Well, I'd have to break my vow to never buy another launch console.

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telly
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 2:51:35 PM

Definitely don't worry about Last Guardian too much, it clearly hit some huge development hurdles so who knows when/if we'll see it. But it sure seems increasingly likely like Sony is going to get the base fired up with a Last Guardian PS4 exclusive that looks and plays even better than the demo. I mean, I'M pretty fired up thinking about that :)

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Temjin001
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 2:53:41 PM
Reply

While it would seem like a potential for PS4 I sort of wonder just how long Sony will tolerate the game to sit in development for so long gobbling up corporate resources. Before long, if it hadn't happened already, is there any way Sony could actually profit from this project if it wasn't already operating on a slim production budget? For me to think that they'd uproot and move all the assets over to PS4, upgrade them all significantly while they're at it, the amount of dollars invested in this multiple year, on going project just wouldn't seem to pay off with a single sku release. The team needs to get the game done and out, otherwise I'd say there's a chance the whole thing will be scrapped or very much changed.

Last edited by Temjin001 on 10/18/2012 2:54:32 PM

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Lawless SXE
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 3:07:52 PM
Reply

At this point, it wouldn't surprise me anymore. If it's not, then it'll be the God of War II of the PS3. Its ultimate swansong that proves that the console could have been held as cross generational. Can't say for certain though.

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Ignitus
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 10:02:59 PM

Yeah, that would be sweet.

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CrusaderForever
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 4:06:45 PM
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Would be a truly epic launch line up like World said!!

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Mr_Sterg
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 6:12:33 PM
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Yea could be like Twilight Princess for Wii and GameCube. Good game btw. :-)

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xnonsuchx
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 7:21:00 PM
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The only thing that might be bothersome about it being switched to PS4 is that it was touted 3 years ago as a "Wow! Look what the PS3 can do!" example, and if they did give up on it for PS3, that would end up being a "Well, OK, the PS3 COULDN'T do it." admission.

1 up, 0 down

Ignitus
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 9:57:51 PM

I know what you mean but that's how it has been with the PS3.

On paper and some people still claim is the most powerful games console yet but in the real world we all see how it strugles.

It is a shame, that game was very hyped and I was very excited about it. Anyway if it is realeased on PS4 it probably will be for the best.

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xnonsuchx
Friday, October 19, 2012 @ 12:28:23 AM

Except that in some places where it struggles, some devs don't seem to have the troubles that others (e.g. Bethesda) do who end up blaming it on hardware limitations rather than their own lack of being able to do it right.

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Crabba
Friday, October 19, 2012 @ 7:16:39 PM

I guess that would be the first ad campaign for the PS4... 'It only does Everything! Really, we mean it this time, including The Last Guardian!'

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Ignitus
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 9:53:30 PM
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I wouldn't be surprized if it is. We will find out in a few years.

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___________
Friday, October 19, 2012 @ 4:15:03 AM
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to be honest i would be more surprised to see this as a ps3 title than a ps4 title.
there seems to be so little work done on the game, theres so many key developers leaving, every sign points to it going to next gen.
plus it wont be out next year, and if rumours are true and the ps4 is releasing late next year early year after then it would put this at the ps4s launch.
$ony would be facing the same decision they faced with GOW2, did they make the right decision with that?
im not so sure.
and they know that.

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THEVERDIN
Friday, October 19, 2012 @ 6:38:15 PM
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This is like DNF it's talked about but never shows, wouldn't be surprised when it does that anyone will care.

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drooleybob
Sunday, October 21, 2012 @ 3:05:07 PM
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I guess it's still going to be a PS3 game, but it'd be the 'swan song of the PS3'; like how God of War 2 was for the PS2. Besides Team Ico games have been about utilizing the power of the console to great proportions. It would suck that it's a launch title to a new console. "Not fully done right" or "Doesn't take advantage of the platform" - if this criticism is levied on the game I just wouldn't be able to stand it...

Last edited by drooleybob on 10/21/2012 3:08:49 PM

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saintaqua
Monday, October 22, 2012 @ 12:21:20 PM
Reply

That may be for the best now.
I think hype for this game is dead.
They had it early, they had it again around the Ico collection.
But if it released now I just don't think it would sell.
At this point both this game and Versus would probably be best saved for launch titles on PS4.

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