With Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda, they seem to have a monopoly on sandbox RPGs. Is it time for Sony to make a first party sandbox RPG game?

[wiggler]

My definition of a sandbox RPG is an open world RPG where the player character is a blank slate for the player to shape into whatever kind of character they want to play. Said world is filled with various side-quests, activities, and factions for the player to interact, and many of the quests have different outcomes depending on the choices of the player. The most well known and mainstream sandbox RPG is Skyrim, and as such, Bethesda Game Studios is known for their sandbox RPG series, Elder Scrolls and Fallout. Some other examples are Microsoft's own Fable series, Obsidian's The Outer Worlds, and their entry into the Fallout series.

I'm not sure if I would consider The Witcher 3 to be a sandbox RPG with it's previously established main character, but it certainly shares some similarities, and Cyberpunk 2077 definitely seems to be what I would consider a sandbox RPG. Now these examples I've given are all what I'd consider "big budget" sandbox RPGs, I know that smaller budget sandbox RPGs exist. The various "Eurojank" sandbox RPGs, but, admittedly, I haven't tried any of them. Perhaps they satisfy the same itch.

But now, with today's announcement of Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda/Zenimax, Microsoft will own almost ALL of the big budget sandbox RPG series. If Microsoft prevents Bethesda's future releases from coming to PlayStation, Sony may have a decent sized void in their game lineup. A lot of people criticize Sony's first party output of being very uniform, or samey, with most games being third person, narrative driven, action adventure games.

Mainly what I'm wondering: Does anyone else believe it's time for one of Sony's studios to pivot toward a more sandbox RPG style game, or that Sony should start a studio with the specific aim to be this style of game? Or do you think Cyberpunk 2077 will be enough?

 

[vestan]

No chance Sony could ever compete with behemoths like Fallout and Elder Scrolls. No point in trying.

What they're doing right now with third-person open-world action-adventure games developed by WWS is working and they should stick with it. They could always just snag timed exclusivity deals for big JRPG franchises like what they're doing with FF but at this point, WRPGs is a lost cause. Microsoft have that locked down.

 

[Xando]

Sure we can never have enough RPGs

 

[Scottoest]

All they need to do is buy Larian, and I think they basically own the RPG genre at that point, lol.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

It's been time for them to support RPGs for like five fucking years. They just don't care about the genre at all.

 

[Deleted member 46804]

Sony needs to diversify, that's for sure. Having mostly third person action/adventure games isn't going to cut it.

 

[Deleted member 46804]

All they need to do is buy Larian, and I think they basically own the RPG genre at that point, lol.

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They should do this.

 

[digitalrelic]

No chance Sony could ever compete with behemoths like Fallout and Elder Scrolls. No point in trying.

What they're doing right now with third-person open-world action adventure games is working and they should stick with it.

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What? Why not? They certainly have given 1st party studios comparable budgets. Imagine them acquiring Blue Point and Blue Point's first new IP is some grandiose open world game.

 

[Deleted member 721]

It would be important for Sony to create a Studio for that, imo

 

[PlanetSmasher]

What? Why not? They certainly have given 1st party studios comparable budgets. Imagine them acquiring Blue Point and Blue Point's first new IP is some grandiose open world game.

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Bluepoint doesn't have the chops to compete with Elder Scrolls, are you kidding me? You don't drop a company that's spent over a decade making prettied-up ports of PS2 games into the deep end and ask them to make an Elder Scrolls competitor as their first real project.

 

[Akelisrain]

Sony has been sitting on their hands when compared to others. I like Souls like, but they need to branch out. Return to Jrpg's such as Rogue Galaxy, also commit to some Western types. Such as Pillars of Eternity, to true open world. (Although I am not a fan of true open world.)

 

[Shark]

No. I hate the idea that Sony needs to have its hand in every pot instead of just playing to its strengths.

 

[Tibarn]

They won't, Sony doesn't care about RPGs that much, they will pay for some timed exclusives like FF games (VIIR or XVI) or some exclusive deals like Persona, but I don't think they'll create a full studio or buy an expensive one. Their top priority right now is western-developed narrative-focused games or some timed deals with japanese developers, and so far this has worked for them.

 

[Hippopuncher12]

They need to do something that is for sure.

 

[Raigor]

They can't beat InXile, Obsidian AND BGS in the RPG space even if they try

 

[Redcrayon]

Please avoid reaction threads