The second most common criticism of Sony’s conference was the lack of titles on show with 2017 release dates. The Uncharted spin-off Lost Legacy and Horizon Zero Dawn expansion aside, everything was set to release next year. Bizarrely, one of the few major titles Sony is releasing between now and Christmas, racing sim GT Sport, didn’t even make the cut.
“To be honest, we’re already halfway through 2017…” Layden counters - and he has a point. It’s been an unusually front-loaded year for Sony thanks to successful Spring releases like Horizon Zero Dawn and Nioh.
“And that's the nature of game development. No, I feel the lineup we have coming into the holidays this year - and GT will launch in the fall - I don't know if you got to go to the pre-show [hands on event for media]? Well GT was heavily represented there on the floor. We think there is a lot of attention around that title from our company. And the stuff coming in 2018, all of that is coming in the first half of the year, so. Is it in the next 12 to 13 months? Most likely. So.”
Also, a bit on Death Stranding:
“No, no - its up and running,” Layden confirms. “It’s been aided tremendously after Kojima-San decided to co-opt the Decima [graphics] engine from Guerrilla [that powered Horizon Zero Dawn]. And, gosh, that really gave him a leg up to get up and running and test it and have some prototype levels running. I couldn’t explain to you what the game is…”
Does that mean you’ve actually played some of it?
“I have actually played some of it.”
And is it as revolutionary as Kojima-San is promising?
“[After a thoughtful pause] All that and more!”
So it actually exists?
“It actually exists.”
So anything announced already with 2018 date seems to be planned for the first half. God of War, Spiderman and Detroit. But not Days Gone?
