Sony has placed a heavy emphasis on the development of PS5 live service games over the past year or so, announcing that it has at least ten live service games in the works. Fan response to the news has been largely negative given the stigma attached to these games, and it looks like the company has taken note. In a new interview, PlayStation Studios boss Hermen Hulst has attempted to assuage concerns.
PS5 games will have a variety of live service models
Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Hulst acknowledged that the mere mention of “live service” can be misconstrued, but reassured that the upcoming PS5 games will respect players’ time. He went on to confirm that the PS5 games in development aren’t all generic live service games, and will target different genres and business models.
“PlayStation Studios are making a variety of games that could be referred to as ‘live services,’ targeting different genres, different release schedules, and at different scales,” Hulst explained. “We are also creating games for different audiences, and I take confidence from our track record in creating worlds and stories that PlayStation fans love.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Hulst explained why Sony has been acquiring studios – like Haven and Firewalk – that have yet to release a game. According to him, such decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, and it all comes down to what each studio needs to “grow and succeed.”
