Sony will pay for Indie Developers

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

SCE is covering exhibition costs for the Indie Game Area at TGS 2014

 

Sony Computer Entertainment is footing the bill for any exhibition costs at the Tokyo Game Show's Indie Game Area this year, regardless of whichever platform each exhibitor is targeting.

 

The company does not have a say in which games are selected, nor will it only cover PlayStation-bound games. "We don?t care if the game is on a PlayStation platform or not," noted SCE's Brad Douglas. "The more indie games, the better! Just bring cool stuff!"

 

Good Guy Sony Will Pay For Indie Developers? Booths at Tokyo Game Show Regardless of Platform

 

Today the CESA announced with a press release that Sony Computer Entertainment will be the special sponsor of the ?Sense of Wonder Night 2014? workshop at Tokyo Game Show, dedicated to the development of new ideas in the gaming industry.

 

In addition to that, good guy Sony will favor indie developers in a very practical way: The house of PlayStation will sponsor those that will exhibit their games at the indie corner of the show this year.

 

The press release also specifies that the sponsorship is unrelated to the platforms for the games on show, and Sony will pay whether they are on PlayStation platforms or not.

The move is not that surprising considering that Sony has been supporting indie developers very actively since the unveiling of the PlayStation 4, but it?s quite interesting, because we might very well get to see Xbox titles on show at Tokyo Game Show sponsored by the house of PlayStation.

 

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[timster]

good for public relations and great for independent developers that otherwise may have been unable to make it to Tokyo to display their work.

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

Major kudos to Sony once again and their commitment to indies (Y)

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

Nice, looking forward to most of those games making there way to my girl Vita. Been awhile since I have played with her.

[trooper11]

Great move for Sony.

Hopefully we get to see some cool games as a result.

[neoadorable]

This is a nice gesture but does feel a bit off...paying for a booth is not 100% cool, if you want to help them, pay for development. Guess it's the same thing though.

[Shiranui]

I don't think the TGS is worth going to these days anyway.

It was fun when I went in 2006, but I don't think I could be bothered to go again.

[neoadorable]

I don't think the TGS is worth going to these days anyway.

It was fun when I went in 2006, but I don't think I could be bothered to go again.

 

Why do you say that? Never been to TGS myself, but game shows are always fun. You get to bicker with developers in person and all, always good :devil:

[Shiranui]

Japan is gradually losing significance in the gaming world.

[neoadorable]

Japan is gradually losing significance in the gaming world.

 

I know what you mean and that there is this perception, but my Dark Souls 2 habit begs to differ :)

Anyway, i think Japan is as vital to gaming as ever. There is no gaming without developers and publishers from Japan, not on my watch!

[Luc2k]

Seeing what passes indie games these days on Steam, I hope they use some quality control at least.

[GotBored]

This is a nice gesture but does feel a bit off...paying for a booth is not 100% cool, if you want to help them, pay for development. Guess it's the same thing though.

 

True, they should really be paying for my utility bills also.

[neoadorable]

True, they should really be paying for my utility bills also.

 

If you're developing a pixelated super hard "roguelike" indie that can be sold for ten bucks while taking up less than 200MB on a hard drive and looking like something that was cutting edge in 1988, perhaps they will!

[Alwaysonacoffebreak]

This is a nice gesture but does feel a bit off...paying for a booth is not 100% cool, if you want to help them, pay for development. Guess it's the same thing though.

 

There's just no pleasing some people. Paying for something in the first place for indie games is already a start.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

If you're developing a pixelated super hard "roguelike" indie that can be sold for ten bucks while taking up less than 200MB on a hard drive and looking like something that was cutting edge in 1988, perhaps they will!

 

I laughed at this  :laugh:

 

But realistically the Sony pub fund and their indie spending in general is massive, this is just the cherry on top to reach out to indie devs who may be exclusive to other platforms/PC. It's a marketing gesture for sure, but still a good move to help expose indies in general, without them having to foot the bill.

[neoadorable]

There's just no pleasing some people. Paying for something in the first place for indie games is already a start.

 

It wasn't a major complaint, just saying it's a little fishy. If Sony or anyone else pays for software development and the developers take the funding, that's fine - but there has to be motive. Even charity is a motive. Motive doesn't mean bad. But this isn't paying for development, it's paying for booth space? Weird. I understand Sony are being kind and do not have any clause that says those games can't go on Xbox devices and others, but still weird. If i were a developer i'd politely decline. I'd only take money if they wanted to buy the game i was developing.

 

 

I laughed at this  :laugh:

 

But realistically the Sony pub fund and their indie spending in general is massive, this is just the cherry on top to reach out to indie devs who may be exclusive to other platforms/PC. It's a marketing gesture for sure, but still a good move to help expose indies in general, without them having to foot the bill.

 

Would gladly take a sip of that! Hmmm Sony pub fund...it must be huge considering their workforce! That's a lot of amber daters :beer:

[Skiver Veteran]

Surely though paying for the booth space is firstly giving the company free marketing and secondly, if that dev was thinking of going its allowing them to take that budget back into their pocket and spend it on other area's whether that be development or marketing etc.

 

This is only a good thing imo.

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

This is a nice gesture but does feel a bit off...paying for a booth is not 100% cool, if you want to help them, pay for development. Guess it's the same thing though.

 

I doubt they're on the same level $ wise.

 

And providing PR or things like booth space is arguably just as valuable when it comes to indies. Not like they have the cashflow to compete with the loud/flashy booths of E3.

 

If I was fronting the cost of the development, I'd be expecting exclusivity too, which many indies wouldn't agree to either.

[trooper11]

If I was fronting the cost of the development, I'd be expecting exclusivity too, which many indies wouldn't agree to either.

Sony is willing to support developers directly and not ask for exclusivity, so that wouldn't be a problem for them.

[neoadorable]

I doubt they're on the same level $ wise.

 

And providing PR or things like booth space is arguably just as valuable when it comes to indies. Not like they have the cashflow to compete with the loud/flashy booths of E3.

 

If I was fronting the cost of the development, I'd be expecting exclusivity too, which many indies wouldn't agree to either.

 

Were i an indie developer i'd insist on no freebies - unless you want to buy my game, in which case fair is fair, and even if you ask for exclusivity then i'd be fine with it because it's all above board and you paid for it.

 

What Sony is doing is great, but it's like buying customers gifts, taking them out to dinner...where i work we have very strict rules for that. Technically taking a customer to the Starbucks is a violation, though of course in reality no one will say anything.

 

I understand Sony is being totally benevolent and have no strings attached, but surely there is some pressure? If Sony said "we're paying for your booth on the condition that you also do a Wii U and Xbox version" i'd be VERY impressed, but guessing that is not the case.

 

This is not corruption per se, for sure, but sort of borderline