Sony is Unhappy with Bungie and Naughty Dog’s Slow Development Process
While Sony continues to be one of the strongest brands in the gaming world with its large studios on the PlayStation side, the lengthy development processes have recently become a subject of more discussion. In particular, the claim that Destiny 3 was rejected by Bungie due to cost, and Naughty Dog’s failure to release a completely new game in years, have brought Sony’s attempts to strike a balance in studio management back into the spotlight.
Sony Closely Monitors the Costs of Large Studios
According to reports, Sony is concerned not only about Bungie’s budget and project plans, but also about the long development processes of large studios like Naughty Dog. However, it’s not accurate to paint a definitive picture like “Sony is angry at the studio.” Rather, it seems that the high cost of game development has become a serious issue within the company.
Naughty Dog hasn’t released a completely new game in the traditional sense since The Last of Us Part 2. Throughout the PlayStation 5 generation, the studio’s output has been largely limited to remastered versions of existing projects, such as Uncharted 4 and Lost Legacy, a remake of The Last of Us Part 1, and a remaster of The Last of Us Part 2. This has long been a source of humor among PlayStation fans.
The studio’s known new project is Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Announced at The Game Awards, this new IP showed Naughty Dog stepping into a different universe after a long time. However, few new details about the game have been shared since the initial announcement. This raises the question of whether the project will be delayed until the end of the PlayStation 5 generation or possibly the PlayStation 6 era.
The situation doesn’t look so good for Bungie either. While it’s claimed that Destiny 3 isn’t actively developing and hasn’t been approved due to cost, the studio’s focus remains on Marathon. For Sony, the issue is no longer just about producing quality games; The question is how long it will take to develop these games, with what budget, and what kind of return on investment. While PlayStation’s biggest studios have strong brands, the modern AAA development process seems much more expensive and risky than before.
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