Is the arms race between Microsoft and Sony to buy up mid-sized and large indie devs good or bad for the industry?

[crazillo]

For devs, it's good news because the bills will be paid and job security should be higher. For the quality of the games, it should be good because of additional funding. This is especially true if the publisher gives creative freedom and doesn't go down the EA/Bioware route. For gamers, it's good and bad. Good because their favourite games can now make bigger and better games (look at Wasteland 3, for instance), and bad because they might have to buy a specific platform to play the now exclusive titles.

 

[Azerth]

so far i prefer ms approach they went and got companies that were having a hard time funding there games as independent and now they dont have to worry about that. i think the industry needs independent studios but it think game dev is getting to costly and to big for them to be able to get money unless they follow what ever the big trend is (br, autochess, etc)

 

[Imitation Of Life]

I think it's fine SO FAR. I'd rather see a high level product from a studio that is acquired than budget level just so they could stay independent. I don't want publishers like Capcom being bought though.

 

[DocH1X1]

Is it really an arms race if Sony bought one studio? Especially one that had been second party for them forever?

 

[martincrimson87]

As a PC gamer I am totally against this.

 

[NCR Ranger]

Time will tell. Take Obsidian, for example, I think they will be able to do great things with the stable financial backing of Microsoft, but there is also the chance that things could go very wrong and they end up making random spinoffs until they end up in a MS version of that popular "Papa EA" comic or whatever it is called.

 

[MistahS]

How MS has done it recently I think it's good since they've mainly acquired studios that relied on crowdfunding or studios that were at one point close to shutting down. I'd rather studios that are in that position be bought than having them close their doors forever.

 

[Dega]

I don't think that's something Sony really wants to get into with MS of all companies.

 

[Imitation Of Life]

I don't think that's something Sony really wants to get into with MS of all companies.

Click to shrink...

It's not a matter of want. Also this will not be and has not been limited to just Microsoft and Sony.

 

[MilesQ]

Not only Sony and MS are acquiring studios.

THQ Nordic acquired more studios than MS
Epic Games started with Psyonix
BigBen Interactive bought 2 studios

Click to shrink...

Nordic has been studios like there's no tomorrow. I doubt they'll stop anytime soon either.

The question is what their end goal is. A service similar to GP and PSNow or perhaps they just want to own the AA gaming space.

 

[Nameless]

More resources, security, and room for growth for talented studios in an increasingly volatile and unpredictable games industry is a net positive.

 

[Dega]

It's not a matter of want. Also I don't this will be limited to just Microsoft and Sony.

Click to shrink...

True, If Apple, Amazon, and Google get into this it'll get nasty.

 

[Rogue Kiwi]

I'm going with mostly good, mainly on Microsoft's side as I'm not sure what Sony's intentions are for their Devs. Having all those devs free to make what they want and the games going into gamepass is an amazing deal not just for consumers but for the developers as well. Microsoft stated multiple times those devs have as much freedom as they want, and the devs are guaranteed income.

 

[Imitation Of Life]

I'm going with mostly good, mainly on Microsoft's side as I'm not sure what Sony's intentions are for their Devs. Having all those devs free to make what they want and the games going into gamepass is an amazing deal not just for consumers but for the developers as well. Microsoft stated multiple times those devs have as much freedom as they want, and the devs are guaranteed income.

Click to shrink...

Sony gives their devs plenty of creative freedom. I don't expect that to change. It has worked out great so far.

 

[Sydle]

I'm good with the approach of acquisitions that help provide financial stability and let's creative studios focus on doing what they love. I just hope they get to retain creative freedom.

I also don't see the harm in the Insomniac acquisition since they were effectively a first party studio of Sony for over 20 years with many exclusives. Losing Insomniac would have hurt Sony's bottom line.

 

[Governergrimm]

It's hard to tell.

One one hand, it means a publisher can shut them down at any time for any reason.

On the other hand, AA/AAA indie developers are dancing in death's doorway these days, so having security is good for the 100s of people working at said companies.

Click to shrink...

This. It isn't entirely good or bad. It seems like a necessity unfortunately.

 

[Rogue Kiwi]

Sony gives their devs plenty of creative freedom. I don't expect that to change. It has worked out great so far.

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Sorry I didn't expand that thought fully. If Sony doesn't end up making their own gamepass and their devs are beholden to sales data then they might have less freedom than with Microsoft who are letting devs do whatever they want in order to increase gamepass content.

 

[Apathy]

When Sony picks up a studio, knowing how integral gaming is to them even existing as a company now, I know they're in it for the long haul.

 

[Governergrimm]

Is it really an arms race if Sony bought one studio? Especially one that had been second party for them forever?

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This too. Only MS has bought a bunch of studios so far but they have a hands off approach so far. So net good but who knows where things go from here. At least none of the acquisitions have been malicious yet.

 

[thevid]

Sorry I didn't expand that thought fully. If Sony doesn't end up making their own gamepass and their devs are beholden to sales data then they might have less freedom than with Microsoft who are letting devs do whatever they want in order to increase gamepass content.

Click to shrink...

I get what you mean, but let's not act like Microsoft's studios have zero pressure. Netflix cancels shows all the time if they aren't pulling in views. And there's a reason why Netflix ordered so many Adam Sandler movies. Subscription services don't become artistic wonderlands.

 

[Deleted member 1839]

Not only Sony and MS are acquiring studios.

THQ Nordic acquired more studios than MS
Epic Games started with Psyonix
BigBen Interactive bought 2 studios

Click to shrink...

I really want to know what THQ Nordic's goal is with acquiring all these studios since it seems they get a couple new ones every year. It does make one of the most diverse lineup if anything.