Can't agree more with this. If dreams was preinstalled, or would come with the next update to eversbody, all their problems could go away. But if nobody plays it at that point, it could prematurely be deemed a lost cause by some higher ups. On the flipside, it almost certainly feels like a lost cause now. Some really cool experiences on dreams, but not much interest.

To bring this back to the thread topic: I hope Sony gets better/more open/more creative with pricing, distribution and promotion.

In hindsight it feels returnal was not priced like that because of its intrinsic value, but because it was a first party ps5 release. My gut feeling is that if the game started at 50 € and not 70, it could have become a way bigger success.

Also, all the trailers up to wayyy to close to release were too short, with too many cuts and you could not get a good feeling for what it truely is. 

Also, ambition is crippling if you spread yourselve too thin. HM could have almost not produce a fully priced AAA game that is returnal. And now they want to go bigger? I'm sceptical. Perhaps they should try another smaller game, before trying to go (in price and therefore in expected scale) toe to toe with Insomniac or SuckerPunch.

I think we are seeing different views from GG and its progression. I am just stating that they moved away from Killzone due to it not hitting its mark anymore, they have found something better. They have moved away from KZ because currently they have no intention on making another one (yet)

Lets hope HM do even better, however i don't have a lot faith in believing companies will guarantee success just because they are owned. Sony definitely doesn't have a perfect record here if history shows. No company is perfect. Sony are doing great as of late however lets not forget the past eg: closures etc. This goes for every company not just Sony.

That is a good point and I generally agree. But let me just add, that I strongly suspect that they were already bought before releasing Returnal.

But again, yes, I also suspect, that they'll be fine. 86 is a really strong number. And honestly, as soon as I can get a PS5, I will buy returnal, looks super cool.

If I recall correctly, Returnal was announced as a franchise (in the first ps5-stream). Perhaps the best marker of Returnals success will be if it actually gets a sequel as intended.

No spoilers please, but what could a Returnal sequel look like? I'd love for HM to go top down and side-scrolling in different parts of a potential second game.

Apparently Sony weren't the only party interested in purchasing Housemarque.

'Usual Suspects, ie major players in the field from China, Sweden and the United States,” Kuittinen said. “I have to say that there is a very special spring behind us and the fact that we have been competing even feels a little surreal. In our discussions, it became clear that Sony wanted to buy us because we are doing something that others are not doing. Their starting point has not been that we would start making games according to the formula defined by Sony.” Source.

Sweden- Embracer Group?

China- Tencent?

United States- Microsoft/EA/Epic?

There seems to almost a goldrush at the moment to buyout developers. So Sony may have had to act quickly and even pre-emptively to secure them.