Will Activision spoil Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, or perhaps play nice?

[hanselthecaretaker]

With the recent news about Bethesda and now Rockstar being accused of bringing GTAV Online?s pay-to-win aspects to RDR2, what will be in store for a lil old single player game like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice? Will the game be ?all FROM? start to finish as Activision claims, or will they ultimately weasel in micro transactions and the other usual dastardly $henanigan$?

I think it will be an interesting litmus test for the industry; both to see if a big publisher is capable of respecting a cherished developer, and possibly even how resistant that developer is from their oft tainted practices.

I?m tempted to preorder based on FROM?s history, but can?t help wait it out at least until more info is released about the actual release.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Terminal Blue]

Well, a lot depends on the strength of the respective bargaining positions between Activision and FROM, which depends a lot on the specifics of the agreement between them.

One thing that gives me a degree of hope is that apparently Sekiro is entirely single player. While it's not impossible to monetize a single player game, it's much more difficult. People don't tend to buy cosmetic items and incremental upgrades when there's noone to see them or compete with.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

From what I've seen the game seems like a mix between soulsborn and tenchu, it's one of my most looked forward to games. It looks absolutely amazing.

 

[Lufia Erim]

I honestly doubt that From Software would accept Activision's Publishing if there was any chance that they would interfere with their creative integrity.

I say this because From is no longer a small unknown company. They have a reputation and staying power. Their fans are loyal and their games make money and buzz.If Activisions deal was too invasive they'd just say no.

 

[Catfood220]

Ha ha, its Activision. They would create in game oxygen and then charge you for 'Premium Oxygen' if they could get away with it. I am trying to think of the last game they didn't try to put microtransactions or loot boxes into.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I honestly doubt that From Software would accept Activision's Publishing if there was any chance that they would interfere with their creative integrity.

I say this because From is no longer a small unknown company. They have a reputation and staying power. Their fans are loyal and their games make money and buzz.If Activisions deal was too invasive they'd just say no.

This is basically my line of thinking too. I believe that From and Miyazaki have a reputation earned by making consistently brilliant games that players enjoy and can replay over and over. My understanding is that ActiBlizz was brought on board purely for distribution and they shouldn't have any influence over the game's creative development.

I just finished Bloodborne, first playthru. I'm a bit sad Sekiro won't be a Souls-like, but From have a deserved reputation for quality games, so I'm definitely keeping an eye on this one. DS3 was the only one of theirs that I got to play at release, I came to the others very late, but that isn't an issue here since Sekiro is strictly single player. The verticality and the cool looking weapons are really interesting and I can't wait to see how the melee combat looks in gameplay.

I don't know if it will be a Day 1 purchase since there's no online stuff, but it will get played.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I?m tempted to preorder based on FROM?s history, but can?t help wait it out at least until more info is released about the actual release.

Unless you're getting a physical/collectors edition, there's no real benefit to pre-ordering period. I get what you're saying tho.

As I mentioned above, I believe From are the sole driving force behind this game's development and ActiBlizz are purely distribution. We'll find out more as we get closer to release but it can't hurt to wait for some gameplay reveals, previews, reviews or the like. There's no online functionality this time so excepting for bugs/exploits/skips/etc, there's no urgency to playing on Day 1 if that makes sense. With Souls/BB, the online functionality meant the community was at its peak in those early days.

The one advantage there is to getting in on day 1 is that you'll get to play through without the benefit of pages and pages of wikis and forum threads, having to explore and figure things out the old fashioned way.

One other thing, there's zero chance in Hell that From will ever offer a pre-order bonus or a retailer bonus in one of their games. Every player who buys it, preorder, at release or on sale will get the exact same game. As such, there's no benefit to you for preordering unless it's a limited edition that might be sold out. I don't think ActiBlizz will have any creative input over this one but you never know and you can always buy it on day 1.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

It's Activision. There is no reason to believe they wouldn't, assuming they haven't already.

The customers must be served, after all.

 

[Lufia Erim]

It's Activision. There is no reason to believe they wouldn't, assuming they haven't already.

The customers must be served, after all.

From Software doesn't belong to Activision though. From has more clout that most developers with Activisions backing.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

From Software doesn't belong to Activision though. From has more clout that most developers with Activisions backing.

Maybe. When it comes to this industry, my stance is 'wait and see', doesn't matter who is involved. Although it's honestly not really all that far from 'guilty until proven innocent'. And Activision is rarely innocent.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Keep your expectations low. Low as you possibly can. Fathoms deep. Bury them in the southern end of the Mariana trench.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

It's Activision. Like EA their very name is poison. They will invariably ruin it just like they ruin everything else they touch.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

I think FROM is in a position to maintain full creative control, but I would still never pre-order a game published by Activision. It's a definite wait-and-see.

 

[Aerosteam]

FromSoftware has worked with lots of other publishers, no doubt they chose what they think is the best option. And publishers have never affected their creativity before, I don't think they're going to let that happen now.

Ha ha, its Activision. They would create in game oxygen and then charge you for 'Premium Oxygen' if they could get away with it. I am trying to think of the last game they didn't try to put microtransactions or loot boxes into.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy?

 

[CaitSeith]

When you said "spoil", I thought immediately on plot spoilers or something similar.

 

[Kerg3927]

I honestly doubt that From Software would accept Activision's Publishing if there was any chance that they would interfere with their creative integrity.

I say this because From is no longer a small unknown company. They have a reputation and staying power. Their fans are loyal and their games make money and buzz.If Activisions deal was too invasive they'd just say no.

From Software doesn't belong to Activision though. From has more clout that most developers with Activisions backing.

I'm hoping this is the case. It's a different relationship than say EA and Bioware, which is owner and subsidiary. And I would think that not many developers out there have as much clout right now as Hidetaka Miyazaki, who is considered a genius in the industry. If he says no to something that he believes might piss off his loyal fans or compromise his artistic integrity, I doubt Activision will force it on him.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

"Miyazaki says Activision hasn?t changed Sekiro"

Miyazaki told Famitsu that ?all decisions about game development are made by us. Activision respects the game that we are making, and that we desire to make, and offers play impressions as well as advice about what we could do to improve the game. As always, we ask that all decisions after the title screen be left to us, and we?ve been successful in collaborating under this framework.?

"?No Plans? for Microtransactions in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice"
"Why From Software chose Activision to publish Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice"

While ActiBlizz are a slimy corporate entity, I think this relationship is as good as it can be. This is a Miyazaki game, they're just helping and bringing it to western audiences. Since it will be so removed from the Souls formula, it'll be interesting to see how it fares, but I don't doubt it will succeed.

I still don't think there's any need to preorder anything, ever, unless you know for certainty you'll be playing no matter how it turns out. There's no benefit to preordering for us, only for the company. Says the guy who preordered DS3! But I played it at release and have replayed it multiple times since. In fairness, From make quality games without the garbage of the western "AAA" studios, so if one were to preorder a game, they could do a lot worse. This game will be AAA in the old-school definition of high production value, quality game, highly polished, instead of the new meaning of over-inflated budget, regurgitated, creatively-bankrupt franchise.

I preordered X4: Foundations in Oct (and just installed it) and I will be preordering Cyberpunk 2077 the instant it goes on sale, hopefully Q2/Q3 2019. But I know I'll be playing both no matter what any reviewer/player has to say.

 

[BrawlMan]

snip

Thanks, for the articles. I just wish Activision offered the same fucking courtesy to Platinum games. The Korra game was mediocre, Transformers Devasation was great, but rushed and should have been $30m and the less said about the TMNT game, the better.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

snip

Thanks, for the articles. I just wish Activision offered the same fucking courtesy to Platinum games. The Korra game was mediocre, Transformers Devasation was great, but rushed and should have been $30m and the less said about the TMNT game, the better.

I think a distinct factor to keep in mind is that all those examples are of licensed games that they hired Platinum to develop and not of Platinum having a vision for a game and going to activision to have them publish it like how Sekiro is being approached here.

 

[BrawlMan]

snip

Thanks, for the articles. I just wish Activision offered the same fucking courtesy to Platinum games. The Korra game was mediocre, Transformers Devasation was great, but rushed and should have been $30m and the less said about the TMNT game, the better.

I think a distinct factor to keep in mind is that all those examples are of licensed games that they hired Platinum to develop and not of Platinum having a vision for a game and going to activision to have them publish it like how Sekiro is being approached here.

Licensed game or not, it doesn't excuse the quality or lack thereof. Activision had done or hired other developers to do licensed games and turn out a great, good, or decent product. It was them making a quick buck or charging more than they should for a budget game.