A chunk of console gamers let out a collective groan when Sony, not only acquired Bungie, but confirmed that this will play into the company’s pivot towards the Games as a Service genre going forward. With their plans to release nearly a dozen live-service titles in 2026 and pouring billions more into the initiative, it’s clear PlayStation is all-in on this move. But, while fans aren’t comfortable with this decision, it appears that the other studios under the PlayStation Studios umbrella aren’t huge fans of either.
Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier reported yesterday that “even Bungie’s expertise has not yet been able to turn PlayStation Studios into a service-game factory.”
While it shouldn’t have taken a trusted insider like Schreier to raise awareness of this situation, the report has brought to light the dangers of chasing after what could effectively be fool’s gold when you’re already sitting on an embarrassment of riches.
Make no mistake. Bungie is as trustworthy as can get in the live-service genre. Destiny and Destiny 2 are proven hits, but they’re not without their fair share of controversies. Destiny 2, in particular, might be drawing plenty of praise right now but it didn’t come easy. There was a time when the community saw it as one of the worst games on the market. This ebb and flow is characteristic of every live-service game, it’s just that the lows are far more common in this genre as several other companies have unfortunately found out in recent years.
While Bungie might have produced hits more often than not, the company’s expertise doesn’t guarantee their opinion and/or input will result in another goldmine for Sony.
It’s true, GaaS titles are a potentially lucrative venture, but their formula for success requires getting players to play the game consistently over extended periods – a stark contrast to to the specialty of most first-party PlayStation studios, which, as per Schreier, “big, cinematic adventure games that are played solo.
The gaming industry’s underlying mechanics also speak volumes. A successful live service game demands an immense workforce. For context, while PlayStation Studios boasts about 4,000 employees, a typical GaaS title commands, at any given point, somewhere between 600 to 2,000 professionals ensuring regular content updates. Given this, PlayStation’s aspirations for more than ten new live service games in the near future appear to be stretching its existing resources thin.
This further emphasizes the reality of how GaaS titles are a risky gamble. A single home-run in the world of live service games can be a colossal profit machine, eclipsing several less successful attempts. The reasoning is clear – if Sony can foster even one or two mega-hits in the mold of Fortnite or Genshin Impact, the financial windfall justifies the strategy. Yet, one can’t help but wonder, is the potential reward worth the inherent risk and potential deviation from Sony’s esteemed gaming legacy?
Make no mistake, Sony isn’t taking away from its single-player titles. We’re expecting to see just as many to come out in the next few years, headlined by the likes of the next mainline Horizon entry and Marvel’s Wolverine as well as what else Naughty Dog and Insomniac Games are working on at the moment, on top of the still-to-be-confirmed project by Bluepoint Games, among others. BUT, as video game development costs balloon and timelines grow longer, you can’t help but wonder if Sony is better off investing in what it knows best.
Of course, if we’re Sony, a pivot towards the live-service genre might be necessary if it wants to stay ahead of its main competition, specifically, Microsoft.
The PlayStation 4 might have tripled the consoles of the Xbox One and the PlayStation 5 might be posting a similarly massive lead over the Xbox Series S/X, but Microsoft hasn’t exactly sat on its laurels. The acquisitions of ZeniMax Media and Activision Blizzard give Microsoft roughly a dozen GaaS games that makes billions annually, regardless of public reception. When you combine this with Microsoft’s plans to dial in on single-player narrative titles over the next few years, the situation can get rather dire for Sony really fast if it lets up. This “nightmare” scenario might have been what urged Jim Ryan to pursue such a massive undertaking, regardless of risk.
Regardless of what pushed Sony to take this leap of faith, the man who steered it towards this destination won’t see it come to fruition, for better or for worse. PlayStation’s boss will retire next March after helming Sony Interactive Entertainment since February 2019.
Of course, it remains to be seen if Sony’s commitment to GaaS will persist or if the company will recalibrate its direction under new leadership.
Ultimately, while the allure of the recurring revenue from live service games is difficult if not impossible to resist, Sony’s venture into this domain should be marked with caution. The company’s strength lies in its rich tapestry of storytelling, and as it tiptoes into the GaaS sphere, it should do so without losing its essence.
After all, innovation and nostalgia often dance a delicate waltz. Sony’s challenge will be to ensure neither steps on the other’s toes.
