Just last week, a rumor began to do the rounds that game developers were preparing for the PlayStation Network name change feature. While some were skeptical of the comments from anonymous sources, others were delighted to hear that the feature was on its way. The ability to edit names on PSN has been a highly requested feature for years. Following that report, Sony has now made the PSN name change feature official. The PS4 platform holder announced its plans today, explaining that it will “soon” begin the PSN Online ID Change feature beta. The beta will be open to members of the PlayStation Preview Program (which also helps test PS4 system updates) and select users who have pre-registered to test out system software in previous betas.The beta will end in November 2018, indicating that it will start very soon. A full release of the feature, for all PS4 players, is planned for “early 2019,” says Sony, but no specific release date or even a specific month for the … [Read more...] about PSN Name Change Announced by Sony, Here’s How It Works
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Sony Boss Confident PS4 Will Offer Crossplay Solution
Sony has had a rough time quelling fans’ anger since the launch of Fortnite on the Switch, which lacks crossplay support with the PS4 due to Sony’s policies. The issue isn’t necessarily that gamers can’t play with their friends on certain platforms, though that is another complaint, but that Epic accounts linked to PSN accounts can’t be used on the Switch, blocking progress for players that wish to use both. Now, Sony boss Shawn Layden has commented on the issue, instilling hope that Sony may find a solution in time. During the Gamelab conference in Spain, Shawn Layden was questioned by Robert Purchese, a reporter from Eurogamer, if Sony is listening to fan’s feedback and if there were any plans to open up the platform for crossplay. While unable to go into detail, Layden did offer a brief statement:“We’re hearing it. We’re looking at a lot of the possibilities. You can imagine that the circumstances around that affect a … [Read more...] about Sony Boss Confident PS4 Will Offer Crossplay Solution
Days Gone has driven Sony Bend to more than double in size
Oregon newspaper The Bulletin reported last week that Sony Interactive Entertainment's Bend Studio is moving into a bigger office building later this year as it continues to work on its post-apocalyptic PlayStation 4 game Days Gone. It's common for game development teams to swell as a big project nears completion, then shrink once the game has shipped. The fact that Sony Bend seems to be laying down stakes in a big, roomy new building suggests the studio's recent increase in size is expected to be somewhat permanent. That impression is backed up by a conversation Sony Bend's Chris Reese had with The Bulletin last July, when he said Days Gone had pushed the studio to more than double its ranks -- from 45 to over 103 -- and that the studio had no plans to cut that number back down after the game ships. "We have a longer term plan," Reese told The Bulletin. … [Read more...] about Days Gone has driven Sony Bend to more than double in size
Study the AI and ‘Freak-O-System’ of Sony’s Days Gone at GDC 2018
As you plan out what to do and see at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco next month, be sure not to overlook Sony Bend's intriguing talk on the open-world AI of its upcoming post-apocalyptic game Days Gone. Under the aegis of the AI Summit, Sony Bend Studio's Darren Chisum and Tobias Karlsson will be giving a great talk with a gret title: "The "Freak-O-System": The Dynamic Open World of Sony's 'Days Gone'." Their talk looks at the AI and gameplay components used to create the dynamic and interactive open world of Days Gone. They'll cover some of the different AI units, and how they interact with one another in the Freak-O-System. They'll also describe some of the methods used to spawn units and content into the world in a way that improves the player's experience. In addition, they'll will go into detail on how the human AI units form squads, and calculate a Front Line to help define the combat area, and choose tactical locations. … [Read more...] about Study the AI and ‘Freak-O-System’ of Sony’s Days Gone at GDC 2018
Sony’s New CEO Talks PlayStation Plus, PSN, Recurring Revenues, and PS4 Production Costs Reduction
During Sony Corporation’s quarterly investor conference call Chief Financial Officer (and future CEO) Kenichiro Yoshida talked about the state of the PlayStation Business. We hear that while the current console cycle has reached the profitability peak, bringing forth the necessity to stabilize the earnings base, but there are several differences in the business structure compared to previous cycles. First of all, the subscription service PlayStation Plus is contributing to profitability with its recurring revenue mitigating the “waves of the cycle.” On top of that, after buying games users can purchase downloadable add-on content and in-game currency, and Sony can expect revenue from this as well. This also has mitigated the issues involved in the traditional console cycle. The PlayStation gaming business saw positive sales, profits, and a large positive impact of foreign exchange during the first three quarters (from March to December 2017). In the fourth quarter … [Read more...] about Sony’s New CEO Talks PlayStation Plus, PSN, Recurring Revenues, and PS4 Production Costs Reduction