Sony has today confirmed a new PlayStation overlay that will ship on its PC ports, with next month's Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut being the first to use it. You'll be able to access it from Windows PCs from either the in-game menu or by pressing «Shift + F1», which will pull up a new screen housing your PSN profile, friends list, and Trophies.
Game Pass Woes for Indie Devs as Microsoft, Epic Funding Reportedly Drying Up | Push Square
31.03.2024 - 01:13 / pushsquare.com / Mega Crit / Sony
It looks as though the plump pockets of big corporations like Epic and Microsoft are beginning to empty, and it's putting some smaller studios in an awkward position. After offering funds in exchange for exclusivity or availability on Game Pass, many indie devs have come to rely on these deals to finance their projects. However, it seems those deals are becoming harder to lock down, and they're worth less than they used to be.
Speaking in an interview at GDC, Casey Yano, co-founder of Slay the Spire studio Mega Crit, says he's heard the same story over and over. «I talked to at least five small teams, like 35 [members] and under, during GDC, and they're like: Cuts, cuts, cuts, funding canceled, talks that were going on for a year, canceled,» he said. «It sounds like it's sh*t. We're definitely very privileged to be able to self-fund. [Otherwise] I'd be very, very, very scared right now.»
Chris Bourassa, co-founder of Red Hook Studios, the team behind Darkest Dungeon, pointed out that Microsoft's deals for putting a game on Game Pass have «come down in scope», and that it's a similar story with Epic and the Epic Games Store. Previously, these deals have allowed some teams to break even on their games before they've been released, offering a lot of security even if sales were lower than expected. Now, this is becoming a less and less reliable safety net as the purse strings are tightening.
It's an unfortunate, if not surprising, situation. Looking at Game Pass, it's always pushed for day-one releases, and Microsoft's bottomless coffers have bankrolled countless small titles to ensure they're part of the package. However, as subscriber numbers plateau and growth slows, we're not surprised Phil is having to be a little more conservative here.
You have to assume this also applies to Sony and PS Plus, as it'll also be offering deals to various teams to get them onto the Extra catalogue. While there have been some rare examples of day-one releases, the platform holder's decision to largely sidestep this perk of Game Pass may prove to be the smarter long-term play after all.
Anyway, it's an interesting topic — you have to wonder what things are going to look like in five, 10 years. What do you make of all this? Discuss in the comments section below.
Stephen has been part of the Push Square team for over six years, bringing boundless enthusiasm and a deep knowledge of video games to his role as Assistant Editor. Having grown up playing every PlayStation console to date, he's developed an eclectic taste, with particular passion for indie games, arcade racers, and puzzlers. He's also our go-to guy for Sonic-related matters, much to his delight/chagrin.
let's be real here. The funds are there, these
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19.04.2024 / 05:34
Fresh PS5 Pro Report Reiterates Sony Demands for Upgraded Games | Push Square
Building on an article published overnight, The Verge has another post that largely reiterates past reporting from Insider Gaming covering what Sony has planned for its PS5 Pro and the upgrades it will bring to current games. Reported first at the start of April but now confirmed through more sources, Sony is reportedly allowing developers to tag their titles as «PS5 Pro Enhanced» after applying one of a few different upgrades.
pushsquare.com
19.04.2024 / 05:34
PS Plus Premium Brings Back Classic Alone in the Dark Horror for PS5, PS4 | Push Square
If the new Alone in the Dark PS5 reboot has given you a classic survival horror itch, then Sony's subscription service PS Plus Premium is looking to scratch it. Available from Tuesday, 16th April 2024, the old PS1 terror Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare will be available to members on the top tier, complete with all the bells and whistles that come with the re-releases Sony accepts on the service. It's joined by MediEvil and Star Wars: Rebel Assault II: The Hidden Empire on the same day.
pushsquare.com
19.04.2024 / 05:32
Darkest Dungeon 2 Revealed for PS5, PS4 with a 15th July Release Date | Push Square
Red Hook Studios has today confirmed Darkest Dungeon 2 will be releasing for PS5 and PS4 on 15th July 2024. Its DLC, The Binding Blade, is also being ported across to Sony systems, though you'll need to buy it on top of the base game. A discount is being offered to PS Plus members, and there'll also be an Oblivion Bundle containing all content available to pre-order. Check out the announcement trailer above.
pushsquare.com
19.04.2024 / 05:32
Sony Reportedly in Talks to Team Up for Paramount Bid | Push Square
News has been quiet on the acquisition front in recent days, at least when it comes to video game IP. However, according to a new report, Sony is currently in talks with a monied ally to acquire storied picture-house Paramount and all the cross-media potential such an addition would bring.
pushsquare.com
19.04.2024 / 05:32
Prepare for Fallout 4 PS5 with the PS Store Sale Live Now | Push Square
Fallout 4 launches its native PS5 version on 25th April 2024, but if you want to make that upgrade as cheap as possible, you might want to take a look at the current PS Store spring sale. Both the base PS4 game and all of its DLC are on sale at the cheapest prices they've ever been, and the offers expire the day before the PS5 version releases. As such, paying now will ensure you get the most amount of content for the cheapest price.
pushsquare.com
19.04.2024 / 05:31
New PS5 Pro Leak Points to Significant Graphics Push from Sony | Push Square
Although we're still waiting on Sony's official announcement, the PS5 Pro seems to be all systems go behind the scenes. Following on from several leaks over the last few months, a new report from The Verge says that Sony is really starting to push its supercharged console, as it's currently asking development teams to make sure that their games are compatible with the new hardware — presumably ahead of its launch later in the year.
pushsquare.com
05.04.2024 / 09:19
Bloodborne Kart Rebrands as Nightmare Kart, Out for Free on PC This May | Push Square
After Sony forced one-man developer Lilith Walther to rebrand their PC kart racer inspired by Bloodborne, the game has reappeared as Nightmare Kart. A new trailer can be viewed above, which confirms the title will release on PC platforms like Steam and Itch.io for free on 31st May 2024.
pushsquare.com
05.04.2024 / 09:19
Rumour: Sony to Host Big PlayStation Event Next Month | Push Square
Sony likes to put on major State of Play livestreams and host its PlayStation Showcase during the month of May, and it appears the company is gearing up to do so once again in 2024. Giant Bomb journalist Jeff Grubb reports he's heard «a bunch of times» from sources that Sony is planning an event for May, and it sounds more like another big PlayStation Showcase rather than a more subdued State of Play.
pushsquare.com
05.04.2024 / 09:18
Google Engineers Responsibly Report PS Portal Exploit, Ending Potential PSP Emulation | Push Square
In February, we brought you word of a group of Google engineers who, apparently just for fun, managed to hack Sony's streaming PS Portal to run emulated PSP games offline. Being courageous White Hat types, the group «responsibly reported» the issues to Sony. The exploit was quietly fixed in patch 2.0.6, which also seems to have improved video quality significantly, despite neither being listed in the patch notes.
gameranx.com
03.04.2024 / 10:57
Indie Devs Clarify: Funding Didn’t End From Xbox, “Gold Rush” Is Over For The Whole Industry
Last week, a small set of interviews went viral over claims that the proverbial ‘gold rush’ for indie game funding had ended. Today, we get some clarification about those interviews.
pushsquare.com
03.04.2024 / 00:20
Dave the Diver Will Launch on PS Plus Extra, Free for Members on 16th April | Push Square
Dave the Diver team Mintrocket has today announced the PS5 and PS4 versions of its 2023 indie hit will release on 16th April 2024, and they'll be available straight away via PS Plus Extra also. Current members of Sony's subscription service will be able to download and play the game without charge, granting them access to the original experience and a bit of Godzilla-themed DLC in May.