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Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda believes streaming is the future

Liliana

Liliana

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
3,375
NYC
Didn't see it posted and saw a few people talking about it on Twitter.

In his annual New Years letter, president and representative director Yosuke Matsuda wrote something that sticks out quite a bit:

Against this backdrop of significant change, the current generation of game consoles has entered the late stage, and the next generation of consoles has become a topic of discussion in the digital entertainment industry. Meanwhile, cloud streaming services for gaming have at last begun to show signs of taking off. Streaming is likely to bring a number of new platform operators into the market in addition to the existing console providers, while platform holders are also joining the PC gaming space. These developments produce a growing number of avenues through which game publishers and developers can provide content. In particular, game streaming services will be the ultimate driver of a rapid transition from the sale of games in boxes to digital consumption. Streaming also lends itself to new subscription-based business models, so we believe deciding how to engage with these forthcoming trends will be key to future growth.
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Thoughts/opinions?
 
Dreamboum

Dreamboum

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Oct 28, 2017
22,848
Didn't they gut the Shinra Cloud streaming venture that was put out by the previous CEO ?

Every two years it's the same cycle of self-flagellation.
 
ListeningGarden

ListeningGarden

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Oct 25, 2017
1,495
If the delay from the servers wasn't already enormous, I could see the FFXIV team trying a thin client if they run into issues getting the game to run properly on the Switch.
 
Wolf

Wolf

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Oct 25, 2017
4,846
He's not wrong, but until the internet infrastructure steps up in the US, it's not going to be the dominate thing.
 
thediamondage

thediamondage

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Oct 25, 2017
11,247
Yeah I'm not gonna really put too much stock in the guys who let IO Interactive go because they didn't think the Hitman franchise was worth keeping, put out the worst game of 2018 - The Quiet Man - and seem to have no strategy or planning at all when it comes to what they have done in the last 2 years.
 
TheCrackedJack

TheCrackedJack

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Oct 27, 2017
2,030
As long as it's the future like streaming music is today, I'm fine with that. I can still purchase vinyl or cd's if I desire.
 
Mauricio_Magus

Mauricio_Magus

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Oct 25, 2017
13,004
I also think it will be, I just fear for input delay but we'll see.

Plus, we'll probably have the option of keeping it the way it is now for a long time anyways.
 
Andri

Andri

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Mar 20, 2018
6,017
Switzerland
Vilix said:
Sure. But it's unfortunate for those who have crappy broadband.
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The hope is that in the future internet speeds for more and more people get fast enough to make streaming possible.
It worked for going from dial up and ordering movies from blockbuster to streaming/downloading 4k streams on netflix.
No reason time and innovation cant do the same for game streaming.
 
Foffy

Foffy

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Oct 25, 2017
16,378
Maybe it's the future in parts of Europe and Asia, yes, but certainly not in America.
 
petethepanda

petethepanda

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Oct 25, 2017
6,178
chicago
It's certainly smart for companies like this to look forward and watch closely as streaming continues to develop. The tech and particularly network infrastructure are still a ways off from making streaming an alternative without significant compromises, but it's starting to get there.
 
Merrill

Merrill

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,835
Halifax
If Square thinks it's the future then it surely isn't.

They're like the Micheal Patcher of video game developers.
 
PlanetSmasher

PlanetSmasher

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Oct 25, 2017
115,548
"I believe that forcing consumers into symbiotic relationships that benefit us directly while offering little to no improvement to the customer is the future".

Of course you do.
 
famikon

famikon

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Oct 25, 2017
4,604
ベラルーシ
déjà vu

2014
Square Enix announced the cloud gaming platform at Tokyo Game Show 2014, calling it a "new ecosystem for the games industry" and a new way to deliver AAA games via streaming cloud-based architecture.
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...

2016
Square Enix shutting down cloud gaming business Shinra Technologies. Company to post 'extraordinary' 2 billion yen loss.
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https://www.polygon.com/2016/1/5/10720404/square-enix-shutting-down-shinra-technologies-cloud-gaming
 
Vilix

Vilix

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Oct 25, 2017
6,055
Texas
Andri said:
The hope is that in the future internet speeds for more and more people get fast enough to make streaming possible.
It worked for going from dial up and ordering movies from blockbuster to streaming/downloading 4k streams on netflix.
No reason time and innovation cant do the same for game streaming.
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You make excellent points. I was thinking about those in rural areas. The US is still one of most advanced countries with the slowest broadband adoption rates. I believe we have one of the slowest broadband speeds for the money we pay. I could be wrong though.
 
Riderz1337

Riderz1337

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
3,913
famikon said:
déjà vu

2014


...

2016


https://www.polygon.com/2016/1/5/10720404/square-enix-shutting-down-shinra-technologies-cloud-gaming
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200.gif
 

Deleted member 5491

User requested account closure
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Oct 25, 2017
5,249
And like with everyone wants their own client on PC, everyone wants to have their own streaming service that you have to pay for,
After some time you won't be able to play older games (bandwith and such),
They will limit the amount of deviced that you will use (god forbid, that a friend/family memeber could use your account),
And on Launch Day of games like GTA and COD everything will burn down if they don't provide the server farms to handle this load.
And let's not forget DDOSing and Co.

Yeah, sounds awesome to me
 
thetrin

thetrin

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Oct 26, 2017
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He's absolutely right. Streaming is absolutely the future of gaming. The biggest companies are investing tons into infrastructure for it.

What I've heard through the grapevine is some bananas cool shit.
 
SuikerBrood

SuikerBrood

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Jan 21, 2018
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What people on resetera sometimes forget that streaming doesn't have to be a replacement for the way we consume interactive entertainment today. It could be complementary.
 
asd202

asd202

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Oct 27, 2017
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He says it's the key for growth not a replacement meaning additional revenue maker like MTX is now. Though SE has been saying about subscription based model for some time now = they are probably preparing something for that (Avengers?).
 

Dark1x

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Oct 26, 2017
3,530
It's a future I do not and will never want. It's the end of new games for me.
 
lolilolailo

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Oct 27, 2017
831
thetrin said:
He's absolutely right. Streaming is absolutely the future of gaming. The biggest companies are investing tons into infrastructure for it.

What I've heard through the grapevine is some bananas cool shit.
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Of course it is. Connections are faster everyday and video streaming is already the norm. Gaming is next.
 
MetalBoi

MetalBoi

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Dec 21, 2017
3,176
Not a future I'll be part of. I'll not pay for something I can't own or that will be held hostage by the internet.
 
entremet

entremet

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Oct 26, 2017
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Sounds great. Not limited by hardware will be amazing.
 
daegan

daegan

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Oct 27, 2017
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Streaming is absolutely a piece of how games will be delivered in the future.

Streaming is absolutely not a sole solution for AAA game distribution for as long as the primary market for AAA games has such crappy internet access.
 
SuikerBrood

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Gaia Lanzer

Gaia Lanzer

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Oct 25, 2017
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Not a future I'll be part of. As it is, I'm not subscribing to every Tom, Dick and Harry corporation streaming platform for television and movies. I'm not subscribing to DC Universe, and not subscribing to Disney +. For me, Netflix and Hulu's enough. And I've stated, when physical gaming dies, my place among fellow gaming fans and desire to see what future games are made will die with them. Oh well...
 
ZeroX

ZeroX

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Oct 25, 2017
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I'll never understand people being more concerned with how a game is delivered (physical/digital/streamed) than the quality of the game itself. If streaming works without issue, I don't care.
 
Becks'

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Dec 7, 2017
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Even if they do a streaming service, I think it will be around 2025 with the first game being Final Fantasy VII Remake: Episode 1.

Square Enix takes time to do anything.
 
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No_Face

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Dec 18, 2017
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daegan said:
Streaming is absolutely a piece of how games will be delivered in the future.

Streaming is absolutely not a sole solution for AAA game distribution for as long as the primary market for AAA games has such crappy internet access.
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Yeah, that about covers it I think. Also, if VR continuos to grow, it's going to be interesting to see how latency is gonna affect the streaming market. There is very low tolerance for latency in VR.
 
Illusion

Illusion

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Oct 27, 2017
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I still think we are ages away from it.

If anything I expect gaming as a service to go the Netflix route of things. People paying for monthly subscriptions to a companies catalog of games. Much like Xbox Gamer Pass.

Streaming say, a high fidelity game, that's something I just can't see until countries can roll out fast internet infrastructure in all parts of the country. PlayStation Now sort of does this, but besides the technical problems, I don't see why someone would want to pay and stream a single game. It just doesn't seem cost effective, not to mention the consistent problems people will have with data caps with cable companies.

The only thing I can see working out are free to play games as a service. Can be played on any device that downloads the program/app. It's free so it doesn't cost anything to the person playing except for their internet.

Just my thoughts right on that. And that's not getting into consumer rights aspect of it all. To me I just don't think I'll ever see the value in this technology compared to our current system. I know it will only cost me more in the end and I won't gain any value from it. No matter how they spin the marketing or verbiage.
 
bricewgilbert

bricewgilbert

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Oct 27, 2017
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These massive companies will do their fucking hardest to ensure this works out. They don't want people to own the games. They want a service. There is essentially a 0% chance this stuff will be able to run games at the resolutions, bitrates and refresh rates that consoles and PC's are currently at or headed, and by the time they get these services ready they will be knowhere close. The reason they will push for it through and the reason it may win out is the "good enough and cheap enough" factor. Being able to play game on your phone or cheap little box connected to the TV might be appealing to most people. I mean Netflix isn't perfect and you may be without it if your internet goes out but people are okay with it. I am okay with it. I know I wouldn't with games though but maybe other people will.
 

Deleted member 6215

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Dark1x said:
It's a future I do not and will never want. It's the end of new games for me.
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Likewise - I won't ever "rent" my games in a Netflix streaming format. Not too worried as my interest remains firmly rooted in older games and I have a collection of unplayed titles that will last several lifetimes.
 
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