PlayStation Will "Never" Abandon Single-Player Story Driven Games
PlayStation Studios' Hermen Hulst seeks to sate fans following Haven Studios acquisition.
Sometimes it feels like the world is against us friendless folk, with the number of big multiplayer titles which take the gaming world by storm.
Whether that's the latest Call Of Duty, or how battle royales like Fortnite have gone global, gamers who prefer a solitary adventure have been feeling the pressure to make friends. Even experiences like Elden Ring which can be played solo, have elements such as messages and invaders which offer more to players who interact online.
Not sure what we mean? Read some of the best Elden Ring messages in the video below.
PlayStation is well known for its single player experiences. Whether that's axe swinging big Daddy action in God Of War, or playing as a nippy little rodent in Ratchet And Clank, the platform leant heavily into its single player MO since the release of the PlayStation 5. However, a number of recent acquisitions such as Destiny developer Bungie, and most recently Jade Raymond's Haven Studios, have called the future into question.
While Raymond is best known for creating Assassin's Creed, her company Haven is reportedly working on something more online. In an interview with GIBiz, head of PlayStation Studios Hermen Hulst confirmed that PlayStation were looking to diversify its gaming output.
"It's really exciting for our central services and technology groups. For these to be working with a world class outfit like Haven... that's great. And it is aligned with the strategy of diversifying the kinds of games we are offering to our fanbase."
However, despite PlayStation's statement that it's looking to increase the number of online and live service games on the platform, Hulst reports that he wants individual studios to retain their creative visions no matter what direction that leads.
"We want the team to be fiercely autonomous from a creative perspective. I know from experience that that leads to the best possible games. We want that culture that she's (Raymond) nurtured, which is all about creating really positive and very fun connections between people. We want them to carry on doing that. We are here to help and we have created a really healthy organisation to enable that. [This acquisition] shouldn't take anything away, quite the opposite. What we are taking away are distractions, so that they can optimise that creative independence. That's what we're here to do."
All sounds like lip service at the moment, but it's nice to know that I might not have to go out and interact with people any time soon.
Featured Image Credit: Sony Santa Monica / Guerilla Games