Which of the big three has the best first party and why?

[Deleted member 249]

Okay guys, the 'why' part is very important. I don't want this thread to become a repository of one word and drive by responses, so please actually explain your answer, whatever your answer is.

As for the question itself, it's simple- between Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft, who do you think has the best first party, and why?

As for me, my answer is Nintendo, and there are multiple reasons why I prefer their output to the other two's (really, to any other publisher in the industry):

• Nintendo's mode of game making and approach to game design aligns very closely with my own preferences for games; I like games with a focus on mechanics and player interactions, and I think Nintendo is the best in the business at consistently delivering games in that vein
• Nintendo's first party output is really very diverse- you basically run the whole gamut of genres from their output. Most of the times, what you get from them is really non standard- Smash isn't a regular fighting game, Splatoon isn't a regular shooter, Pikmin isn't a regular RTS, Zelda isn't a regular... whatever the hell Zelda is supposed to be, and so on- but you get everything from Nintendo (and because of the previously stated point, what you do get from them is likelier to be good than bad in most cases)
• Stepping back to assess and approach this question from a non personal, objective point of view, Nintendo remains to this day the only company that can consistently get people to buy into its platforms for nothing other than its games. A purely first party box by Sony or Microsoft would not sell- Nintendo has sold its systems off the back of nothing but its first party games for over 20 years now.

That's my answer, and those are my reasons: what are yours?

 

[Grim Patron]

Microsoft. Nothing comes close to Forza Horizon and Gears.

 

[Bumrush]

Nintendo has AMAZING 1st party games. With that said, many of them are not for me. Sony's stable of 1st party games are all A++ in my eyes.

 

[Nabbit]

For games that are appealing to me personally, nothing comes close to Nintendo.

 

[Chronology]

I've been a die-hard fan of Sony's IPs for years (GT, Ratchet, Uncharted, Wipeout, etc), only recently branching into Nintendo's stuff on the console side of things. With that said:

It's gotta be Nintendo.

Neither Sony nor MS has the first-party clout to make a console worth buying only for their IPs (even if they can contribute to the decision). I don't regret my Wii-U purchase from a few years back, because the Nintendo games were so high quality that I didn't mind that I played it once every few months when a new first-party game came out. The Switch is a similar story for me, and although both the hardware and third-party support are much better than the Wii-U days, I bought it for Zelda, I'm playing it right now for Splatoon and Mario, and I'll hold onto it for Kirby, Metroid, and everything else yet to come.

 

[xICHIGOx]

For me it's Sony because i like the variety and the quality of their first party titles (and even for the second party one).

I like the story driven and mature games, i absolutely love titles like TLoU and Uncharted, but i also like titles like Gravity Rush, Gran Turismo, Horizon, inFAMOUS and different type of game like Until Dawn. There is a lot of variety and it's difficult to be stuck with the same old brand.

 

[Latvian Hitman]

I think Sony has the best exclusives overall of the three, but as far as straight up first party, it has to be Nintendo.

EDIT: I'm seeing people bringing up Naughty Dog, etc. Are they considered 1st party? I thought they were more of a 2nd party dev. Am I doin' it all wrong, ERA?

 

[bionic77]

This would have been a lot more interesting thread in February.

 

[Deleted member 249]

This would have been a lot more interesting thread in February.

Click to shrink...

February 2017? Why so?

 

[Deleted member 2809]

Nintendo managed to almost make the wii U a reasonable purchase.

 

[plow]

Nintendos 1st party is something else completely, they released two GOTY titles in one year. With that said, Sony has a a lot more games and more variety in their games.

I'd say if we look at the titles itself Nintendo releases the best games, but for me Sony has the strongest 1st party lineup of the big 3.

Single Games -> Nintendo
Lineup -> Sony

 

[MaDKaT]

For me it is Sony. Plain and simple, they just have the games I want to play.

 

[Deleted member 3017]

Nintendo. Mechanically-driven, gameplay-focused experiences and lots of variety from IP to IP.

Both Sony and MS are very hit and miss for me. I greatly preferred the output of both last generation.

 

[FantaSoda]

Come on. Microsoft's first party is microscopic and completely stale. Sony makes incredible set-pieces that raise the bar for cinematic storytelling, but rarely raise the bar on gameplay. Nintendo redefines genres and leaves other developers always playing catch-up in terms of gameplay. Ultimately, the legacy of a game is measured by how fun it is to play and Nintendo is peerless in that regard.

 

[Raijinto]

Yeah Nintendo for me. Don't really care for Microsoft's franchises and whilst Sony has many that I like only like 1/2/3 of their games reach Nintendo's best, The Last of Us, Shadow of the Colossus, Uncharted 2.

 

[hibikase]

Current vote results matches my opinion well.

 

[ThroughtheVoid]

I think Sony's ambition to create brand new IP's and actual chances on games that others wouldn't, while taking in the fact that they also bring back classic well known franchises in interesting ways.

While Nintendo has a good first party, I do see an over reliance on their classic characters/franchises.

 

[Ocarina_117]

2017 sealed it as Nitendo for me.

 

[SpottieO]

I think if you take personal preference out of the equation then it is probably Nintendo.

 

[Landy828]

Microsoft has the best Arcade/Sim Racer/3rd Person Shooter/Online MP Shooter (Forza: Motorsport, F:Horizon, Gears of War, Halo)

Sony has the best Action/Story Driven Games (GoW, UC, Horizon:ZD, TLoU)

Nintendo has the best platforming/purely arcade racer/action RPG (Mario, Mario Kart, Zelda)


So basically.....I buy them all.

 

[Deleted member 1413]

This year it's not even close.
While Nintendo occasionally has some low points, the variety and quality they pump out is unmatched.

To put it another way, Nintendo is the only one that can come close to supporting a platform by themselves even if it's not a sure thing (Wii U)

Sony is second since they actually try. Variety is a bit more limited, but it's quality stuff most of the time.

MS might just not be for me, but it feels like they don't put out much anymore. Even when they do it seems like reception is mixed like with Gears and halo

 

[Tribal_Cult]

Nintendo and it's not even close.
Sony has the best "second-party" / "funded by us but made by other companies" exclusives though.
Microsoft ain't bad but they have no identity in my opinion and that's why they're struggling. It's hard to understand who exactly they're targeting, while Nintendo and Sony have been consistent with their targets since inception.

 

[chandoog]

Nintendo and Sony tied.

Nintendo has the quality while Sony has the quantity (and also some very good quality).

MS needs to invest a lot more into first party support.

 

[Bazinga]

Definitely Sony for me because I am Singleplayer guy. Nobody beats Sony studios when it comes to presentation, graphics, animations, mature stories.

I just freakin' love their games and the risks Sony takes.

Can't wait for

Spiderman
GoW
Days gone
Death Stranding
Tlou2
Concrete genie
Ghost of Tsushima

Second for me would be Nintendo. Very charming games with huge focus on gameplay and fun.

Couldn't care less about MS games.

 

[Currygan]

Nintendo, for me. Their quality control is unparalleled, their talent unmatched, their IPs enormously appealing to a massive variety of people, their games constantly among the best ever made. Nothing like them, and I hope it never changes

 

[mrmickfran]

Is this even a question? Nintendo.

This year alone we got two of the greatest games of all time.

The Wii U was fucking garbage but I still bought the console for the lineup.

 

[Kromeo]

Nintendo redefines genres and leaves other developers always playing catch-up in terms of gameplay. Ultimately, the legacy of a game is measured by how fun it is to play and Nintendo is peerless in that regard.

Click to shrink...

That might as well be the slogan for this forum

 

[Saikar]

OP answered his own question better than I think any of us ever will be. Nintendo first party support sells games. You buy a Nintendo console, you can expect Mario, Kart, Zelda, Metroid, Kirby, Yoshi, Pokemon, whatever. Even if not every one of them comes out on every console, 80% of them will at some point. And even if every one of them isn't a 10/10 masterpiece, the majority of them will be very good, definitely well above average. It's extremely safe money.

 

[Raptomex]

I'm going with Nintendo. They have more IP's that I enjoy.

 

[bionic77]

February 2017? Why so?

Click to shrink...

Because Nintendo released two legitimate GOTY titles in a 7 month period.

 

[N.47H.4N]

Sony and not even close,but I love Pokémon and Mario

 

[Moonchild]

I would say Nintendo for sure. Iwata had the quote that "above all, video games are meant to just be one thing: fun for everyone," and Nintendo has stuck to that. They literally revived the video game industry in the mid-80s and they've developed such a wide variety of games since then. Platforming, adventure, sports, racing, action, shooter, TBS, RTS, you name it. I wish they were more invested in the RPG genre (RIP Paper Mario), but that's a small complaint. Nintendo games are always top-notch in gameplay, imagination and fun.

 

[energon]

Nintendo is far and away the best. They've got numerous wonderful franchises and have by far the best track not just of the big 3, but in the entire games industry.

Sony is a distant second, but still have some fantastic experiences.

Even including Microsoft on the same echelon of quality in comparison to Sony and Nintendo is a good joke.

 

[massoluk]

Uh, the one that just released 2 GOAT candidates in less than 8 months apart.

 

[LightEntite]

• Stepping back to assess and approach this question from a non personal, objective point of view, Nintendo remains to this day the only company that can consistently get people to buy into its platforms for nothing other than its games. A purely first party box by Sony or Microsoft would not sell- Nintendo has sold its systems off the back of nothing but its first party games for over 20 years now.

Click to shrink...

This is definitely not true. At least it hasn't always been.

Xbox has Halo and Gears of War, which have always absolutely been console-driving titles, easily.

Recently Sony has had more than enough developers under its name to push console sales easily.

Companies like Naughty Dog and From Software aren't technically 1st party, but at this point they're more along the lines of Retro Studios in the sense that they drive more than enough big exclusives to push a console, case in point Uncharted and Bloodborne.


The best 1st party would probably be Nintendo, but that's not to say their titles are particularly better than any other company, just that they have so many of them that are well-known that people EXPECT a wealth of them to show up before the console dies.

hence, people buy the consoles in anticipation. If it were ONLY Mario/Zelda every generation, then it wouldn't really be worth it. But there's Mario Party, Kirby, Smash, Mario Kart, Metroid, ect ect ect

 

[Spine Crawler]

Eh its certainly not MS.

Between Nintendo and SOny its a close call but I have to give it to Nintendo

 

[404LinkNotFound]

Nintendo ,their games are amazing and i really like the quality put into them. And as said before ,they have the games that makes people buy thier consoles even when Third parties arent present. And i like especially how they put interesting twists on genres too

That being said i think Sony first parties are great too . Ive never owned a PS console but i really do like games such as Jak and daxter ,rachet and clank and Horizon zero dawn . (Im more of a fan of Sony's cartoonier games tho). I do appreciate how they try and diversify thier portfolio every Gen

MS's Halo and Gears games ive played Most of and loved too. I wish i could play Sunset Overdrive but i dont have Xbox 1 lol

 

[Deleted member 249]

Because Nintendo released two legitimate GOTY titles in a 7 month period.

Click to shrink...

I do think you are right in that the halo around Nintendo's first party was punctured a bit in the wake of the Wii U era; nonetheless, I think the final standings would have been the same, though I do think Nintendo would not have been winning by this ridiculous degree if I had asked this question pre-BotW.

 

[Spine Crawler]

This is definitely not true. At least it hasn't always been.

Xbox has Halo and Gears of War, which have always absolutely been console-driving titles.

Recently Sony has had more than enough developers under its name to push console sales easily.

Companies like Naughty Dog and From Software aren't technically 1st party, but at this point they're more along the lines of Retro Studios in the sense that they drive more than enough big exclusives to push a console, case in point Uncharted and Bloodborne.

Click to shrink...

From Software? Really? Isnt Darksouls multiplatform?

 

[Timeaisis]

I bought a Wii U for like 3 games, so you tell me.

 

[Deleted member 12833]

Sony. I tend to find Nintendo games slight overrated and prefer the themes of Sony games more. Sony also introduces far more new IPs

 

[baudelinog]

The votes reflects exactly the reality.

 

[HeisenbergWW62]

Sony and Nintendo first party are about equal in quality to me, but I went Sony just because they have more that I like. Both are incredible tho

Microsoft has Ori at least...

 

[Deleted member 249]

This is definitely not true. At least it hasn't always been.

Xbox has Halo and Gears of War, which have always absolutely been console-driving titles, easily.

Recently Sony has had more than enough developers under its name to push console sales easily.

Companies like Naughty Dog and From Software aren't technically 1st party, but at this point they're more along the lines of Retro Studios in the sense that they drive more than enough big exclusives to push a console, case in point Uncharted and Bloodborne.


The best 1st party would probably be Nintendo, but that's not to say their titles are particularly better than any other company, just that they have so many of them that are well-known that people EXPECT a wealth of them to show up before the console dies.

Click to shrink...

Halo and Gears of War have not driven console sales this generation; Sony has Naughty Dog as a console driver, but that's been true for roughly a decade. Nintendo has a dozen IP people will buy systems for (at least), and have been doing so for twenty years now.
Also, Naughty Dog is fully first party :)

 

[Clive]

If tallking games they develop internally, Nintendo, although some of their titles receive external help too. If talking games they publish then Sony has been the best for me lately. Between Housemarque's arcade style games (RIP), external titles like Bloodborne and Until Dawn and internal ones like The Last Guardian, Horizon and Gravity Rush, I find plenty of variation to play. They're having a great gen in my opinion. Microsoft is dead last although Xbox is my multiplat device because of their strength in services.

 

[Deleted member 19813]

Nintendo.

 

[ClickyCal']

Nintendo for sure, but all the naughty dog games alone make it higher up in second.

 

[Raijinto]

This is definitely not true. At least it hasn't always been.

Xbox has Halo and Gears of War, which have always absolutely been console-driving titles, easily.

Recently Sony has had more than enough developers under its name to push console sales easily.

Companies like Naughty Dog and From Software aren't technically 1st party, but at this point they're more along the lines of Retro Studios in the sense that they drive more than enough big exclusives to push a console, case in point Uncharted and Bloodborne.


The best 1st party would probably be Nintendo, but that's not to say their titles are particularly better than any other company, just that they have so many of them that are well-known that people EXPECT a wealth of them to show up before the console dies.

Click to shrink...

Retro Studios and Naughty Dog are first party studios though?

I'm confused as to the criteria here TBH. I for one wouldn't classify Bloodborne as first party because it was made by a 3rd party studio, just as I wouldn't classify Mario + Rabbids as Nintendo or Goldeneye/Banjo-Kazooie as Nintendo or Microsoft 1st party games.

There's some grey area here for sure.

 

[Deleted member 4346]

If I'm being objective, it's Nintendo. They can make great games. Not always, and they have a lot of throwaway fluff, but the level of quality is more consistent. Occasionally Sony will make a game that matches or even surpasses Nintendo's best (The Last of Us is better than anything Nintendo has done in the last decade) but that's the exception rather than the rule. Sony becomes more competitive when you include Sony-published but not developed games like Bloodborne but, disregarding my own tastes in an attempt to be objective, it's Nintendo.

But for me personally, Sony, by far. Much of Nintendo's first-party stuff is just not to my taste. Mario Odyssey, while it's been well-received, isn't even on my radar as a Switch owner. And Breath of the Wild, while very good, was IMO not at the level of Horizon: Zero Dawn.

Microsoft isn't even on the same playing field. Which is a shame, they have had some great first-party games in the past.

 

[Saint-14]

Sony because they are one of the few companies that make excellent story driven AAA games.