Feature: How Sony's First-Party Turned Critical Success into Commercial Success - Push Square

Started by the-pi-guy, Jul 23, 2018, 01:21 AM

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the-pi-guy

Feature: How Sony's First-Party Turned Critical Success into Commercial Success - Push Square

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It's almost been ten years since LittleBigPlanet released, a PlayStation 3 exclusive that would record a 95 on Metacritic and eventually go on to sell around 4.5 million units as of 2010. It was a success, but like so many of Sony's games at the time, its numbers didn't really match its reception. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves would follow in 2009, winning a string of Game of the Year awards and cementing Naughty Dog's status as one of the world's best developers. It took almost a year to sell 3.8 million units.

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Sony has turned critical success into commercial success this generation, and its first-party franchises are bigger than they've ever been. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, the latest edition in a franchise that had been routinely outsold by the likes of Halo and Gears of War, sold 8.7 million units in six months; Horizon: Zero Dawn, a brand new IP, eclipsed 7.6 million units in a year, and; God of War amassed five million units in a month. These are staggering statistics.

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The PS4's popularity has surely played a part in this stunning transition, but we reckon Sony's track-record is also starting to pay. The company, as a publisher, has spent ten years building its first-party brand as a signal of quality, and while there have been misses like The Order: 1886 along the way, it's largely been consistent for a decade now. That pays off, and when the good review scores almost inevitably roll in, it creates consumer confidence.

But the company's also vastly improved its marketing approach. One of the chief criticisms of the firm in the PS3 days was that, even when it had scrapped its David Lynch-esque marketing campaigns, it still never really put enough weight behind its games. But it's been borderline perfect this generation: look back at how Horizon: Zero Dawn was expertly introduced, and how Sony would go on to canvas television, magazines, and conventions with the franchise to ensure people knew about the game.


BananaKing

Sony has done a marvelous job with UC4, Horizon and GoW. The marketing behind them was huge and it payed off. Spiderman will most likely do similar numbers and be added to that list.

The question is if they can continue being this big. Days Gone is the next game coming and I feel it has the potential. But I feel Sony basically ignoring it this E3 wasn't a smart move. I don't think Ghost of Tutshima will be as big, heck I feel that game night not even be successful. Death stranding on the other hand can join the list of mega successes since it has huge hype behind it.

DerNebel

I'll repeat what I said on reddit (in short form):

They are doing a fantastic job with their western studios, now if only they tried doing something similar for the japanese market and people who enjoy japanese games.

They should imo really start focusing on creating a couple franchises inhouse that are actually popular in Japan (or anywhere really) instead of having Japan Studios waste away doing things like Knack 2 or games like Gravity Rush 2 (at least if they are not willing to give it the budget an open world Adventure game needs in todays market).

Gives me a proper AAA JRPG goddammit. Why does this market have to only be served by one slow dog hit-or-miss company?  :'( >:(

Xevross

Sony has done a marvelous job with UC4, Horizon and GoW. The marketing behind them was huge and it payed off. Spiderman will most likely do similar numbers and be added to that list.

The question is if they can continue being this big. Days Gone is the next game coming and I feel it has the potential. But I feel Sony basically ignoring it this E3 wasn't a smart move. I don't think Ghost of Tutshima will be as big, heck I feel that game night not even be successful. Death stranding on the other hand can join the list of mega successes since it has huge hype behind it.
Days Gone won't be as big, it just doesn't have the appeal and doesn't look good enough. People have moved on from zombie games and this one doesn't stand out.

Infamous didn't sell that much compared to the others either and I can see that being the same for Ghost, Sucker Punch just don't have as big an appeal.

Spiderman will obviously be huge.

DerNebel

Days Gone won't be as big, it just doesn't have the appeal and doesn't look good enough. People have moved on from zombie games and this one doesn't stand out.

Infamous didn't sell that much compared to the others either and I can see that being the same for Ghost, Sucker Punch just don't have as big an appeal.

Spiderman will obviously be huge.
The bolded is just not true. That's just something gaming forums are trying to convince themselves of.

Days Gone is pretty much the only Sony first party game, that I've ever heard random people in real life talk about anticipating. Of course that's not scientific or anything, but believe me that game has massive mass market appeal.

Also the counter to your Sucker Punch point would simply be Guerrilla Games.

Xevross

The bolded is just not true. That's just something gaming forums are trying to convince themselves of.

Days Gone is pretty much the only Sony first party game, that I've ever heard random people in real life talking about anticipating. Of course that's not scientific or anything, but believe me that game has massive mass market appeal.

Also the counter to your Sucker Punch point would simply be Guerrilla Games.
Yeah I saw that when it was announced too but now not many people seem to care. People have gone off zombies, BR games are the new big thing. Plus there's way too many games releasing around then, not to mention Anthem and Metro are launching the same day as it. Anthem will take all the headlines and mind share and it'll hurt Days Gone. I think it will fall way short of Horizon/ U4/ GOW figures.

Exactly, I really want it to do better but Ghost could fall short if Sony don't handle it well.

Cute Pikachu

Ratchet and Clank
Until Dawn
Uncharted 4
Infamous SS
Horizon Zero Dawn
God of War

Only mehs this gen are Knack 1/2 and LBP3
The Vizioneck Nintendo Fanboy!

Switch Software Sales Guide:
http://vizioneck.com/forum/index.php?topic=5895.msg218699#new

Dr. Pezus

Ratchet and Clank
Until Dawn
Uncharted 4
Infamous SS
Horizon Zero Dawn
God of War

Only mehs this gen are Knack 1/2 and LBP3
Knack 1 was a huge sales success! Also won multiple GOTY awards*