Two months in 2024 and the video game industry is facing another round of major layoffs. This time, Sony has announced that it is laying off about 8% or about 900 people across its global PlayStation workforce. This affects PlayStation studios such as Insomniac, Naughty Dog and Guerrilla,. Most significantly, PlayStation Studios’ London Studio will close in its entirety.

As a result of those lay-offs, it is not surprising that projects that were in development have been cancelled. According to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, this includes a Twisted Metal live-service game that was in development at UK-based studio Firesprite.

SOURCE

 

[tech3475]

The week so far in a nutshell:

 

[AdenTheThird]

Jesus Christ, what now?! Nintendo's suing people again, Amazon's ducking for cover, and now this?

 

[LeyendaV]

Sony fanboys: "OMFG! NINTENDO DOOMED... Wait..."

 

[AdenTheThird]

Sony fanboys: "OMFG! NINTENDO DOOMED... Wait..."

Waiting for the inevitable announcement that Microsoft stock prices have fallen by like 75% or something. Honestly this is like Armageddon Week for video game companies.

 

[The Catboy]

Good!
Fuck Sony and fuck live service games! This is what you get for fucking over both Crunchyroll and Funamation!
I hope we see the Big N and M$ suffering next

 

[DTApple]

Less live service is a good thing. 'Hope those people will be alright, though. ＞﹏＜

 

[LeyendaV]

Waiting for the inevitable announcement that Microsoft stock prices have fallen by like 75% or something. Honestly this is like Armageddon Week for video game companies.

Well...
https://www.gematsu.com/2024/02/electronic-arts-to-lay-off-five-percent-of-workforce

 

[RedColoredStars]

Good!
Fuck Sony and fuck live service games! This is what you get for fucking over both Crunchyroll and Funamation!
I hope we see the Big N and M$ suffering next

Some blowhard shit right there. Are you even a gamer? How about wishing all three the best and hoping they can all change some of their ways, rather than wishing them suffering? With that crummy attitude, if I didn't know better I'd swear you wore red hats that say "Make America Great Again" on them. Not sure what you mean by "next" either, MS laid off almost 2k last month. Also Epic Games 16% towards the end of last year. The majority also use their consoles as gaming machines. Not as anime streaming boxes.

 

[Marc_LFD]

Make a Twisted Metal game, but built to last, not live service shit.

 

[Xzi]

I'm gonna go against the grain here and suggest a live-service Twisted Metal game could've been great with the right monetization and continued support. It's a rarity, yes, but it does happen occasionally, Helldivers 2 being a good example. Further I'd posit that there are far too few AA games in any form being released now, leaving gaps of months or even years between major releases. The hardware is more powerful than ever, and yet it's mostly indies that have to carry the industry now.

 

[osaka35]

I'm assuming there's some sort of quartely or yearling earnings deadline coming up? Is it kinda throw the people who make you money under the bus for some nonsense projection of profits based on the current (unsustainable) structure situation? Wonder how much they'll rehire after.

 

[RedColoredStars]

I'm gonna go against the grain here and suggest a live-service Twisted Metal game could've been great with the right monetization and continued support. It's a rarity, yes, but it does happen occasionally, Helldivers 2 being a good example. Further I'd posit that there are far too few AA games in any form being released now, leaving gaps of months or even years between major releases. The hardware is more powerful than ever, and yet it's mostly indies that have to carry the industry now.

This. There are already not enough current gen AA-AAA games and I don't see how wishing suffering on Sony. MS, and Nintendo is going to help anything. There needs to be less suffering. Not more. Most gamers want more quality games. Not less.

 

[Axido]

Let's focus on the positives:
One live service game less.

 

[Kioku]

Don't forget to blame Microsoft for this one..

 

[Flame]

......bloody F-ing Microsoft

 

[AttackOtter]

Good!
Fuck Sony and fuck live service games! This is what you get for fucking over both Crunchyroll and Funamation!
I hope we see the Big N and M$ suffering next

it's not going to hurt the company as a whole at all. it's just regular people getting fucked over by the execs who'll still make millions while their employees struggle to pay rent.
This is just another scheme to attempt to make ~line go up~ because infinite profitability is the goal of all companies now, despite that goal being detrimental to all industries, and leading to creatively bankrupt products.
But the execs don't care because they'll profit either way.

 

[The Catboy]

it's not going to hurt the company as a whole at all. it's just regular people getting fucked over by the execs who'll still make millions while their employees struggle to pay rent.
This is just another scheme to attempt to make ~line go up~ because infinite profitability is the goal of all companies now, despite that goal being detrimental to all industries, and leading to creatively bankrupt products.
But the execs don't care because they'll profit either way.

True and that sucks. What I am celebrating is that these actions might result in short term gains but almost guaranteed to result in future losses. Sony is constantly making stupid decisions, this is just another stupid move by Sony

 

[Marc_LFD]

I'm gonna go against the grain here and suggest a live-service Twisted Metal game could've been great with the right monetization and continued support. It's a rarity, yes, but it does happen occasionally, Helldivers 2 being a good example. Further I'd posit that there are far too few AA games in any form being released now, leaving gaps of months or even years between major releases. The hardware is more powerful than ever, and yet it's mostly indies that have to carry the industry now.

Can live service games be played offline for a single player mode?

Maybe it is, but online-only games are eventually going to become unplayable just like MAG was.

 

[Maximo101]

Some blowhard shit right there. Are you even a gamer? How about wishing all three the best and hoping they can all change some of their ways, rather than wishing them suffering? With that crummy attitude, if I didn't know better I'd swear you wore red hats that say "Make America Great Again" on them. Not sure what you mean by "next" either, MS laid off almost 2k last month. Also Epic Games 16% towards the end of last year. The majority also use their consoles as gaming machines. Not as anime streaming boxes.

People who wear MAGA hats are pro business and do not wish any business to fail... From the people that brought you 'Strange Brew'.