Sony Announces Plan To Publish PlayStation Games On Non-PS Consoles (arstechnica.com) 24
Sony has announced plans to launch PlayStation games on "additional console platforms beyond PlayStation platforms as early as 2021." The first announced series for the change is Sony's long-running baseball sim series MLB The Show. Ars Technica reports: The gazillion-dollar question, of course, is which other console platforms we might expect the series to launch on. Neither Sony nor MLB had any answers to that question as of press time. Sony also didn't hint to doing the same thing for any other current PlayStation-exclusive series. Since the series began life in 1998 on PlayStation 1, simply titled MLB '98, Sony's baseball games have launched exclusively on PlayStation platforms -- and, in fact, they've launched on every PlayStation-branded device. While other multi-platform baseball sim series have fallen by the wayside in the years since, most recently 2K Sports' MLB 2K13, Sony's PlayStation-exclusive take on the American pastime has persisted as an annual release.
"Sony" at large has published games on non-PlayStation consoles in recent years, mostly in the form of Sony Music Entertainment's UNTIES entertainment publishing group. But those games are rarely marked with "Sony" or "PlayStation" branding, let alone temporary exclusivity on PlayStation platforms. Today's news marks the first time a series from Sony Interactive Entertainment with loud ties to the PlayStation brand has been announced for other competing consoles. There are still way more questions than answers: "Might Sony go so far as to launch MLB The Show on Xbox, thus creating a tangled love triangle of who publishes on whose consoles? Or will this become a bizarre move on Sony's part to support Google Stadia, even though Sony has its own complicated sometimes-streaming subscription service? And either way, how far might Sony and the MLB milk this cloud of mystery, assuming that 'as early as 2021' could mean one, two, or even 4,000 years later?"
"Sony" at large has published games on non-PlayStation consoles in recent years, mostly in the form of Sony Music Entertainment's UNTIES entertainment publishing group. But those games are rarely marked with "Sony" or "PlayStation" branding, let alone temporary exclusivity on PlayStation platforms. Today's news marks the first time a series from Sony Interactive Entertainment with loud ties to the PlayStation brand has been announced for other competing consoles. There are still way more questions than answers: "Might Sony go so far as to launch MLB The Show on Xbox, thus creating a tangled love triangle of who publishes on whose consoles? Or will this become a bizarre move on Sony's part to support Google Stadia, even though Sony has its own complicated sometimes-streaming subscription service? And either way, how far might Sony and the MLB milk this cloud of mystery, assuming that 'as early as 2021' could mean one, two, or even 4,000 years later?"
PC is a platform too, just saying (Score:3)
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Environment (Score:2)
The point of multi monitor is not to pretend having a large TV with bigger resolution.
The point is to *surround* your self with the monitors. middle monitor display front camera, side monitors display side views.
This not only helps with immersion, but is actually useful for games that simulates sports where surrounding-awareness is critical such as driving simulations.
The closest to this setup isn't a flat 16:9 2.20m TV screen.
The closest to this would be a 16:3 (48:9) ratio (i.e.: very narrow) *CURVED*-s
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This. If you are using a first person view while driving, the multiple monitor effect fades away as the monitor bezels end up in approximately the same position as the A-pillars would be on the car (unless you're in an open cock-pit vehicle like an F1 car).
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Would you mind telling us what is the state of support for SLI/CrossFire by games nowadays ?
I do use a triple-screen set-up, but lies^H^H^H^H unfulfilled promises of SLI/CrossFire support by some games have dampen my enthusiasm.
what about baning exclusively?? Will cloud force t (Score:2)
what about baning exclusively?? Will cloud force that or will some games become say ATT or comcast only?
Times are changing (Score:2)
Microsoft is planning the "game pass" on the Nintendo handhelds, and Nintendo is publishing (streamlined) Mario games on mobile phones. The older game sale methods do not seem to work, so it is logical for Sony to explore additional options to make money.
I would still expect the "console sellers" like God of War to stay exclusive, however tie-ins like Spiderman could have a chance on other platforms. Given Sony no longer has a active handheld, and their phone marketshare is not large, it might make sense to
Profit margin: "Withered" technology (Score:2)
Both Nintendo and MS have realised the profit margin is all in the software not the hardware, hardware is often done at cost or even a loss.
Not Nintendo.
They have always been champions at refurbishing a well established, well tested, well understood and cheap technology available in reasonable volume : "Lateral Thinking with Withered (“Weathered”) Technology", championed by Gunpei Yukoi.
- The switch is basically a repackaged Nvidia Shield, with most of the originality comming from the creative way devs could use the joycons.
- The Wii-U is just an upgrade from the Wii, with an extra screen hoping to add new creative uses (though that
Re:Times are changing (Score:5, Interesting)
"The older game sale methods do not seem to work..."
Based on what, exactly?
PS4 Fastest Selling Console In History (Score:2)
> "The older game sale methods do not seem to work..."
> Based on what, exactly?
Welcome to the idiotic world of fanboy console market analysis where the fastest selling console in ever, the PS4, sales method 'does not work.'
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As far as cloud is concerned (Score:5, Interesting)
On the client side the thing that matters is the controller and low latency streaming. Beyond that the client could be a computer, a console, a flatscreen TV, it doesn't matter.
I think the last one matters quite a lot. I reckon many "smart" TVs will start acquiring the ability to stream games from the cloud and the age of fat consoles may diminish in favour of cloud subscription services. So there is going to be a lot of deal making going on behind the scenes. The streaming service with the most content is likely to be the one that wins.
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...running on the cloud end.... On the client side the thing that matters is the controller and low latency streaming. Beyond that the client could be....a flatscreen TV....I reckon many "smart" TVs will start acquiring the ability to stream games from the cloud...
I would reckon that too. Also note Sony is the only game console company with a very significant flat screen TV manufacturing business. Sony probably sells TVs for a profit too, whereas game consoles are often sold as loss-leaders. They would probably like to skip that loss-leader step.
Misleading Headline? Slashdot, I am shocked! (Score:4, Informative)
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Well its an erosion of what for a brief time had become a near impenetrable bulwark in terms of certain properties being tied to specific hardware etc.
Things are happening. You have companies like Google and Amazon now experimenting with 'streaming games' in the wider market place, you have companies that have not traditionally been in the games market like facebook leading the VR hardware charge, you have services like steam popularizing PC gaming again and forcing more competition with the 'back catalog'.
Wonderful! (Score:1)
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