QJ Interview: Sony Online Entertainment

 

We were recently able to talk to Nick Beliaeff, the Exec Director of Development for Sony Online Entertainment (SOE), who graciously made time to answer a few questions for us. He let us in on some of the company’s plans varied plans – from PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable titles to the advent of MMO 2.0.

Without further ado, here’s QJ.NET’s interview with Nick Beliaeff.

QJ: How do you approach game development on the different platforms that you make games for? What are the big differences between, say, making a PSN title and making a PSP or PC title? Particularly from a budgetary, gameplay, and target audience perspective?

Beliaeff: For us, I think one of the key tenets we try and follow would be is the title platform appropriate and does it leverage our core competencies? For a PSP title, does it involve short play sessions, does it support WiFi and infrastructure modes, and will it load fast off of an UMD?

For PSN, is it something that is a palatable download with a broadband connection, does it help validate the PS3 purchase, and is it online multiplayer? For PC, we are pretty established and tend to focus on will it be a kick ass, large subscriber base game a few years from now? PSN and PSP title for us are relatively quick. MMOs take a long time to build properly 🙂

Click the Full Article link for the rest of the interview!

 

We were recently able to talk to Nick Beliaeff, the Exec Director of Development for Sony Online Entertainment (SOE), who graciously made time to answer a few questions for us. He let us in on some of the company’s plans varied plans – from PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable titles to the advent of MMO 2.0.

Without further ado, here’s QJ.NET’s interview with Nick Beliaeff.

QJ: How do you approach game development on the different platforms that you make games for? What are the big differences between, say, making a PSN title and making a PSP or PC title? Particularly from a budgetary, gameplay, and target audience perspective?

Beliaeff: For us, I think one of the key tenets we try and follow would be is the title platform appropriate and does it leverage our core competencies? For a PSP title, does it involve short play sessions, does it support WiFi and infrastructure modes, and will it load fast off of an UMD?

For PSN, is it something that is a palatable download with a broadband connection, does it help validate the PS3 purchase, and is it online multiplayer? For PC, we are pretty established and tend to focus on will it be a kick ass, large subscriber base game a few years from now? PSN and PSP title for us are relatively quick. MMOs take a long time to build properly 🙂

QJ: What about your publishing strategy? How do you decide which titles to publish on the PlayStation Network? There’s a responsibility that lies with a big publisher like SOE on such a virgin platform as you’re essentially laying the groundwork and setting an example so to speak. Are there certain genres or games that you’re more inclined to publish?

Beliaeff: I like to think that in the MMO-universe we hold similar or larger sway than you attribute to us for downloadable games. For us, we are fairly conservative in the space and want to learn a lot about what the market expectations are for the platforms and the PS3 is still a young platform.

We tend to go broad across many genres rather than deep in one or two genres. One of the things I love about working here is that we get to experiment a bit and see what sticks. So we take titles like the Midway classics that have proven successful across many platforms, titles we thought did well on Sony platforms like GripShift and some yet to be announced titles, and exploiting some good ol’ Sony IP that has a long history of success across many platforms.

QJ: The PSN has a pretty varied lineup of available games right now. What kinds of games do you want to bring to the PSN? Do you intend to continue publishing original IPs such as Gripshift or will you be shifting your focus onto classic titles such as Q*bert?

Beliaeff: I think for us we are pursuing a more conservative strategy on PSN as the platform matures. So you will see a mix from us of titles like the Midway classics that have a solid pedigree, original IPs that do a good job of exploiting the hardware capabilities like GripShift, and other titles and Sony IPs that make a ton of sense as downloads.

QJ: The PSN is obviously still a young platform in its formative stages, but as a developer and a publisher, what are the services and features would you like to see offered and supported more aggressively on the PSN?

Beliaeff:  We have been very happy with PSN to date. We have released ~9 titles so far and have many more in the development queue. For us, we want to see them finish a lot of what they have already put in motion. Constant storefront improvements, the release of Home, and the release of the PS3 Eye Toy would make me ecstatic.

QJ: How do you see the PSN, say, ten years from now, and what space does SOE occupy with regards to the service?

Beliaeff: PSN 10 years from now should be the dominant console service on the planet. Once Sony brings to bear all it has to offer, it will be hard for other services to compete with its depth of games, television properties, movies, and music offerings. It should define what a full featured download service is. For SOE, I hope that we continue to find a way to innovate and be at the forefront of what is next for the future of the service.

QJ: Home is nearing its official launch. What kind of support do you have planned for it, not only for the launch, but in the future as well? Will there be a SOE pavillion in home? Perhaps some specific themed areas, developer interviews, that sort of thing?

Beliaeff: We are tremendously excited by what Phil Harrison and the Home team are evangelizing. Home is a very powerful metaphor that excites us greatly. There have been no formal announcements about how deep our support is for it, but we love it to death. We hope to be there at day one like we were for PSP, PS3, and PSN and continue with long-term unified plans.

QJ: While Home does have game-like features, many would argue that it isn’t in itself a game. That said, there’s been some speculation about possibly using your Home avatars in certain games. MMOs lend themselves especially well to this idea. Do you see merit in it or is it something that you don’t consider feasible?

Beliaeff: That is a good question. Like I mentioned earlier, MMOs take a long time to make well and I think time has to pass a tad before I can answer this in depth. It is most certainly an exciting proposition for us.

QJ: And then there’s the PSP, which seems to be finding a new lease on life of late with a slew of AAA titles under it belt, a ton more on the horizon, and long-awaited multimedia functionality finally going live. SOE was there at the birth of the platform and we sort of feel we haven’t seen the last of you. Can you give us some hints as to what we can expect from you in the future?

Beliaeff: We really, really look forward to its future as a downloadable commerce platform.

QJ: SOE has a rich pedigree when it comes to MMORPGs. What is the future vision of the MMO in your eyes, will they continue to get more and more massive, or will we see developers focus more on smaller groups of people with more intimate experiences that cater to their individual needs?

Beliaeff: I think a lot of people forget that MMOs are also still somewhere in their adolescence. There has not been a huge quantity of titles, nor have they been around for a long time. I do not think anyone has defined what the future of MMOs will be. I do think WoW has defined MMO 1.0, but MMO 2.0 is out there for the taking and it will take a true visionary to own that – I work with a few teams on solving that in SOE San Diego. As we learn more and more about what people want, I think that the ease of socialization will continue as will the ability to control your own destiny.

QJ: SOE is starting to move into the rapidly growing Asian video game market. What are your plans regarding this move and will the PS3 and PSP be involved as well?

Beliaeff: We have a studio in Taiwan that we are very proud of called SOGA. It is spearheaded by my colleague John Laurence for the last few years. You should probably give him a call…

QJ: Further on that subject, the idea of the “free-to-play” MMO seems to be gaining traction. In the Asian market it’s especially popular. What are your thoughts on this model and can you seem someone creating a product that truly sells the concept to the Western market? Do you plan to be in this space?

Beliaeff: Going back to the concept of MMO 2.0, I do think Asia is ahead of us when it comes to how to think about the business model of MMOs. In the West, we are very subscription-or-die oriented with few exceptions. This is all going to change in the future and Asia will define the initial impetus for change.

QJ: So I suppose we might as well address the cowled, pointy-eared elephant in the room, *cough*DC Comics-based MMO*cough*… How’s that coming along?

Beliaeff:  *cough* Maybe I am a n00b, but I did not realize there was a pointy-eared elephant character in the DC universe.

QJ: When Sony unveiled the PS3 at E3 2005, there was a short video that showed some technology SOE was working on at the time, a quick fly-through over a wooded forest area with a little stream running through it and some grass and flowers blooming at an accelerated rate. How has technology been built upon since then, and can you give us an idea of what advancements this technology will bring to MMOs?

Beliaeff: Ahh. A-life. Pretty cool, huh? Water your garden, and it will grow over time. That is very powerful.

QJ: What can you tell us about SOE’s acquisition of Vanguard and Sigil? How does this affect the game and the players who subscribe to it? will there be any visible changes or is the transition entirely transparent?

Beliaeff: We acquired the rights to Vanguard. Sigil was not a part of that. I think for players we are a net positive. A big net positive. Sigil was very focused on building the most feature intense MMO ever seen. We are very into making sure that the game is fun, stable, and polished and are very willing to spend time making sure what is currently there is truly an enjoyable experience for all of its players. I have the pleasure of working directly with the Vanguard team and they are so passionate about making the game great, that I think the players already see the change for the better that has occurred.

QJ: (Off-handedly) – So what’s your next big, original PSN title and um, tell us all about it?

Beliaeff: (On-handedly) I love my job. Our lawyers are intense. I want to keep my job. Did I mention how cool Andy, Rick, Steve, and Kelly are? They are so cool that I kind of need to end the interview now.