Indie author lashes out at PlayStation with criticism of game promotion policy – Igromania

Garner did not name specific names, but said it was a “successful X platform” that “does not have a Games Pass.” He also mentions in a positive way Nintendo Switch, so there are few options left.

Garner noted that his criticism would surely “burn bridges,” but added that he saw no point in “a bridge that you can’t even cross.”

Among the author’s complaints about the PlayStation was the following:

• Developers have no way to manage the promotion of their own games
• To get a promo you need to literally “jump over yourself” and “beg”
• Blog posts are not as good as the firm thinks
• If the game is not liked by the representatives of the PlayStation, there is little chance of promotion
• It is impossible to correct the situation
• Adding to the wishlist does not affect the promotion of the platform in any way
• Only the assessment of the representatives of the PlayStation is important, but its criteria are unknown
• Before launching, you need to go through an incredibly difficult check through three generations of the backend, create a trailer, leave a post on a blog and social networks
• For the last point, you need to contact the manager, whom you cannot find yourself.
• You can’t enable a launch discount without top approval, which is rare
• To guarantee the promotion, you need to pay a minimum rate of about 25 thousand dollars and later deduct 30% of the proceeds
• You can make a discount for PlayStation and other platforms at the same time only with a special invitation
• It took more than one year to create a discount on their Neon Doctrine project – many popular developers face the same problem.

Finally, Garner noted that although the console is successful and its technical content is impressive, the processes of organizing its authors are as if “the beginning of the 2000s is in the yard.” He himself has no idea how to break out into the leaders on the platform – and no one gives an answer.

The next time a game you are interested in does not have a discount on the X platform or does not launch it on the X platform, please complain to them!

Ian Garner

Some industry representatives later also expressed support for the author, noting the difficulties in working with the “X platform”.