Home Gaming The PlayStation 5 will double down on “strong, narrative-driven single-player games”

The PlayStation 5 will double down on “strong, narrative-driven single-player games”

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When the final whistle blows and the numbers are tallied up, the current console generation is definitely going to end with Sony’s hand being raised as the PlayStation 4 is declared the victor. While every brand had something to offer, from Nintendo’s out of nowhere top-rope splash with the Nintendo Switch to Microsoft pumping up in the waning years of this generation with pure Games Pass-O-Mania power, it was Sony who dominated this decade with a selection of games that were simply exquisite.

The PlayStation 4 kicked off its era of excellence with the likes of Knack and Killzone: Shadowfall, moving swiftly to corner the competition with InFAMOUS: Second Son, Bloodborne and Street Fighter V. In the final round, Sony is still punching harder than ever, following up with heavy hooks in the form of God of War and Tetris Effect to dish out a finisher built on upcoming releases such as Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us Part 2.

What a fantastic generation of games we’ve had so far. So what’s the plan for the PlayStation 5 era? More of the same, with an even stronger focus on single-player than ever before. “We’re very committed to dedicated hardware, as we were before. We’re going to continue to do that. And we’re very committed to quality exclusives,” PlayStation Worldwide Studios boss Hermen Hulst said to the PS Blog.

And to strong narrative-driven, single-player games. At the same time, we’re going to be very open to experimentation, to new ideas. Just trying things out to see what works. I think that’s also very much part of the DNA of Worldwide Studios.

While all eyes are on Sony and what the PlayStation 5 will bring to the table, it’s only hardware at the end of the day. A platform that will be supported by the games that come out of the various PlayStation first party studios that help put some meat on the bones of that brand. Fortunately, it looks like Sony’s plan to double down on its approach to crafting games will be fortified with some fresh blood that’ll help steer the platform into a brighter tomorrow.

“I think Worldwide Studios is in a really good spot. We have been, and we are still, very much a quality-oriented group of developers. We’re storytellers, and we like to create new experiences” Hulst added.

And those are values that for a long time have been part of Worldwide Studios. And they’re going to continue to be part of Worldwide Studios. But we’re always looking to how we can improve things, how we work together, how we’re organized.

We’ve had a couple really great appointments of new leaders at the studios recently. You probably heard about Nicolas Doucet as the new head of Japan Studio… Alan Becker, who I’ve worked with for many, many years recently retired from Sony Interactive Entertainment. So Nick is a great appointment, he’s been creating innovative showcases for PlayStation since his early days at London Studios. He worked on EyeToy… he’s one of those guys who can tinker with hardware and bring innovation to the platform.

And Yumi Yang has been appointed as the new head of Santa Monica Studio. You know Yumi Yang, she’s been there from the beginning. She knows the people… she’s been such a vital part of establishing all these processes that have generated 20 years of great games coming out of Santa Monica. She’s one of those people that gets creative talent. And I think the creatives love working for her because of that.

Actually, while we’re talking about Santa Monica Studio, I’d like to give a shoutout to Shannon Studstill, whom I’ve partnered with for many, many years. I’m really grateful for her, she left recently. And with her special brand of leadership fostering talent, she’s been so great at succession planning. And that’s exactly why we have Yumi there now, all set up.

There may be talk of the next console generation being delayed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, explaining why Sony is currently hesitant to reveal anything right now regarding PS5 hardware, but when the latest gaming age begins it looks like it’s going to be an absolute banger of quality. Now get Sucker Punch to make a new InFAMOUS already, dammit.

Last Updated: March 12, 2020

4 Comments

  1. Jonah Cash

    March 12, 2020 at 18:06

    And this is exactly why I will be coming along for the ride on the blue side again this coming gen.

    Reply

    • Son of Banana Jim

      March 12, 2020 at 18:28

      Count me in as well –

      Reply

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