I think at some point looking back at your history or legacy is usually one of the most insightful and humble things a publisher can do. In recent years, many companies that lost touch have done the same. CAPCOM, Ubisoft, Microsoft and even Konami are doing it now.
(This is where I considered using Nintendo as an example of a company doing this well, but Nintendo is so incredibly inconsistent with their decisions that it seems almost pointless to put them in a definitive category..)
Now you have already read the title. Hopefully that’s why you clicked on it in the first place. You know where I stand, so I’ll tear off the band-aid right away. I think Sony’s current trajectory feels incredibly driven to encourage profit more than any real respect for their past.
Before I go any further, I think it’s important to mention a few exceptions, because I really believe Sony cares, just not as much as they should. Astro’s Playroom is the largest and most passionate celebration of a company’s legacy I have ever seen.
No one can deny the sheer pride and joy that radiates from every second of that game. (Which I still think deserves to be made in its own full game).
Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart from last year is also one of the best games on the PlayStation 5. But that doesn’t make the exceptions any less frustrating, in fact it makes them even more confusing, frankly.
Up to the present day any way to play legendary franchises like Jak and Daxter, Ratchet and Clank, Metal Gear Solid or Infamous from the past is either inconsistent PS2 emulation or just buy a ps3 as Sony has done very little to make these games accessible to a modern audience. Although in the case of MGS we can reasonably assume that one is on Konami.
Plus, the only way to play a masterpiece Bloodborne is still at an extremely poor and inconsistent 30FPS cap, along with terrible frame pacing and low resolution. Even after years of constant community feedback, Sony has yet to release any information regarding a potential patch for Bloodborne.
What can only be considered a slap in the face to the many fans who are asking to bring these franchises to modern systems, it seems Sony is determined to sell $70 remasters of already widely available titles like The Last of Us or and I still can’t believe this is real, Horizon Zero Dawn.
What’s worse is to see Sony having a tantrum to lose Call of Duty to Microsoft, knowing that Sony itself is on plenty of FPS franchises that can be dusted off and become a competitive entry for Microsoft’s own Halo and Call of Duty. An opportunity full of potential given the current state of one of these franchises.
Sony’s current direction under new CEO Jim Ryan has taken a different turn. With a greater focus on creating games that can further monetize TV series and movie adaptations. While I don’t think that’s a bad thing per se, it obviously affects game output, honestly what? Bit bummed.
Obviously Sony’s latest release is The Last of Us Part 1 and the upcoming Horizon Zero Dawn Remaster meant to cash in on the hype of their upcoming TV shows.
One of them got a new trailer just over a week ago. It clearly influences Sony’s decisions when it comes to game development, which is personally very disappointing as it very likely sets a trend for what’s to come.
That’s not to say Sony doesn’t make great games. Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart, Returnal, Horizon Forbidden West and Demon’s Souls Remake are all excellent games that show just how great their games can be. Damn I would consider Returnal as one of their boldest and most successful original titles to date.
We can also be sure that Ragnarok is going to be a huge hit. Still, it would be short-sighted to ignore the obvious signs we’ve seen so far. Sony aims for the big money here and it’s understandable, why wouldn’t they? It’s just sad to see it lead to decisions that can only be described as artistic bankruptcy.
Ultimately, this may amount to a passionate rant from someone who loves the content Sony has provided and produced over many decades. They will still produce great games for everyone, despite what jaded people like me might say.
Many people say that gaming is dying out or that games are getting worse. There could be some credit to this argument, but ultimately I find it unfair. Gaming isn’t dying out, and games aren’t getting any worse either. In fact, we’ve had some incredibly exciting and maybe even some of the best years in gaming over the past 5 years.
While I agree that $70 games suck, especially for third world countries and companies like Sony are certainly responsible for that.
So is the increasing focus on live service games. It’s still the best time to game than ever before. If you have a PC, you already have easy access to hundreds of thousands of cheap games.
Don’t have a PC? Get a Steam Deck that will just get you a portable gaming PC without the hassle of actually building a PC. Want to try something out before paying money for it?
Try it out on Xbox Game Pass, which gets new titles the day they release. The options are almost limitless for someone just discovering the depth of the game medium.
Back to where we started. I still stand by my argument. Sony isn’t, and never has been, in bad shape, but its current condition is still disappointing to consider.
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