Hudson Soft thinks PS3 development costs are too high

by Alan Tsang { Jul 4th 2008 at 8:00PM }

In an interview with Yahoo Japan, Hudson Soft president Michihiro Ishizuka has cited high development costs and "associated risks of developing for the format" as reasons why they will not be making any full-fledged PS3 games. However, this doesn't come as too much of a surprise; Hudson Soft, publisher of classic franchises such as Bomberman and Adventure Island, has only developed two titles on Sony's gaming devices (both Bomberman titles on PSP) this generation.

Nevertheless, Ishizuka did called the PSN "attractive" as a means to deliver games. With original games coming out on Wiiware, does that mean we'll see some of these games ported over onto the PSN? Or will Wii and DS owners have all the fun?

[Via Gamer]

Tags: hudson

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Cody Gray @ Jul 4th 2008 8:13PM

Hopefully they'll have all the "fun".
Hudson Soft games suck.
I mean, how many times can you remake Bomberman?
Really?

finelicker @ Jul 4th 2008 8:15PM

I concur. The wii can keep them.

Averna @ Jul 4th 2008 9:54PM

Wii developer... Of course its more expensive to dev on the ps3. Thats why the Wii is loaded with shovelware, because everyone and their dog can make a wii game.

Dan @ Jul 6th 2008 2:40PM

Its good to know the PS3 has such devoted fans :')

I agree, the wii is getting bombarded with shovelware kaka and and a few crappy games because companies feel they dont have to put in so much effor due to cost and they can sell a bundle and make a quick profit.

Pixel Junk Monsters & Stardust FTW!!!! >_

-.- @ Jul 4th 2008 8:29PM

AHHAHA true. :D I say shove it.

ArtemisBane @ Jul 4th 2008 8:29PM

this is why Ps3 has the best rated games... crappy devs can't afford to work with the system.

ruibing @ Jul 4th 2008 8:30PM

No risks, no gain. I never even heard of this developer until now.

adolson @ Jul 4th 2008 9:38PM

When did you start gaming, 2006?

Marztype @ Jul 4th 2008 11:17PM

To be honest, they stopped being relevant a little over a year ago.

Marztype @ Jul 4th 2008 11:18PM

I mean a decade, lol

Ayrkain @ Jul 4th 2008 8:33PM

May also have to do with the fact that they've been involved with Mario Party. They probably weren't going to make any PS3 games anyway, but are acting as a proxy for Nintendo in taking a potshot at Sony.

Popfrogs @ Jul 4th 2008 10:13PM

That potshot shouldn't be too large, since they can still afford to code for the PS2 and PSP. Hudson Soft always has been a jank little junky company, if it weren't for Bomberman nobody would even know who they were.

Sure, in their home Japanese market they have a few long-running franchises, but in the world market, they're 100% irrelevant.

Riley Freeman @ Jul 4th 2008 8:33PM

i know the name but the 2 games u guys name tell me nothing. if this is their claim to fame why are they still in business?

Nick @ Jul 4th 2008 8:37PM

Who cares about Hudson Soft? Keep developing games for Wii and DS and stay the hell away from PS3.

adolson @ Jul 4th 2008 9:42PM

I do. But really, all I want is some vertical-scrolling, top-down shooters from them. One or two PSN Star Soldier games is all I ask for. The rest of their stuff is pretty much junk nowadays.. Seriously, how come there isn't ONE of these games on the PSN? From any developer? 1942 is the first one for PS3, but the Wii has Star Soldier games out the wazoo, and the 360 has Ikaruga (probably more, but when you have Ikaruga, not much else matters). PS3 has nothing that I'm aware of, yet an abundance of twin-stick shooters. (Bonk, Neutopia, and Military Madness sequels would be nice too, but I doubt they'd hit the PS3 anyway).

GridloQ @ Jul 4th 2008 8:49PM

I wonder how much Nintendo paid them to say this.

mixel @ Jul 4th 2008 9:09PM

Re the comments: Hudson, have - at times - been a great developer. Just because some of you are too young or console-blinkered to not know about their previous titles doesn't mean they suck.

(they've occasionally made terrible stuff too, but pretty much every publisher is guilty of that!)

Re article: Fair enough, its a shame its so expensive to develop full blown titles. I'd really like a PSN version of Bomberman Live though.. That would be niiice. Inviting people from the XMB to have a little bombing duel occasionally is a lot more friendly than inviting people into something epic like MGO with the loading, setup, faffing around..

I don't mind them remaking bomberman, at least it's good. :D

Mo @ Jul 4th 2008 9:15PM

hudsonsoft...

tell me how my ass tastes!

hudsonsoft...

tell me how my ass tastes!

when i want crap-tastic games, ill fire up the wii... oh wait i sold that cuz i didnt want crappy games anyways...

Riley Freeman @ Jul 4th 2008 9:23PM

lol the shaq song lol

Mo @ Jul 4th 2008 9:17PM

moreover, if they *invest* in good development and actually make a really good game, then they should *profit* from its sales...

or am I missing something?

Mike McCrary @ Jul 4th 2008 9:34PM

Hudson Soft = this generation's LJN.

Keep your crap.

Mike McCrary @ Jul 4th 2008 9:37PM

Hudson Soft = this generation's LJN.

Keep your crap.

Dopple Boppler @ Jul 4th 2008 9:39PM

Wow, are all the people dissing Hudson in here 12 year olds with their first game console or something? Hudson may not be a triple-A powerhouse, but go and play Bomberman Online for the Dreamcast and tell me you didn't have a blast, then you'll have room to talk.

Haohmaru @ Jul 5th 2008 1:57PM

lol, +1. But then, this IS a Fanboy site - not being a 12-year old doesn't preclude them from behaving like it.

OddyOh @ Jul 4th 2008 10:04PM

I'm just trying to figure out the bee pic...nope, no clue. :)

Popfrogs @ Jul 4th 2008 10:13PM

http://www.hudson.co.jp/index.html

OddyOh @ Jul 4th 2008 11:16PM

Ahh...I see now. I thought maybe they were just 'busy bees' cranking out Wii titles...thanks for schooling me.

bayn @ Jul 4th 2008 10:07PM

Some of you have to think before you type. If it's too expensive for Hudson, it's too expensive for other developers. What makes a console successful? SOFTWARE
The more the better. Its a BAD thing if its too expensive for developers to make games.

mixel @ Jul 5th 2008 12:08AM

100% agree.. For teams looking to break into the industry Sony, even with the PSN, aren't looking like they're the most approachable company.

They used to try harder (with the official PS2 Linux and PS1 Net Yaroze), but how exactly is a learner supposed to get into PS3 programming now? Anyone with a Windows machine and a tiny budget can start making 360 games, and the wii devkit is supposed to be nice and easy.. Sony need to take some serious strides toward making the PS3 accessible to studios of *all* sizes.

Saying that - Housemarque can't be all that big.. I love what people have been able to do with the hardware, i just wish more people were given a chance to play with it. :D

Arnon @ Jul 5th 2008 5:54AM

I completely agree, bayn. If Hudson Soft is able to make games, make a profit, still be in the business, and STILL say that it's expensive to program for the PS3, then any company would agree that it's expensive. When someone says it's expensive, they don't mean they're broke, they mean just that.. it costs a lot.

Yoo jin @ Jul 4th 2008 10:35PM

>>>Dopple Boppler & bayn

I agree with the both of you 100 percent. The kiddie gamers don't understand anything. Just ignore them. I have to deal with this kind of thing all the time, due to my little brother and his friends.

darkstar5555 @ Jul 4th 2008 11:21PM

Hudson Soft is responsible for the amazing Bloody Roar series, and Dungeon Explorer, but other then that they are shitty.

adolson @ Jul 4th 2008 11:35PM

Uh, Neutopia, Faxandu, Nectaris (Military Madness), Bonk, Adventure Island, Bomberman, and Star Soldier all say hi.

Popfrogs @ Jul 6th 2008 12:10PM

@adolson: Yeah, we know, they USED to make great games. What we're saying, and especially the really young gamers here, (myself not included) is that Hudson hasn't done anything good besides Bomberman in a really long time. It'd be like if Capcom was still famous for 1942. In this industry you have to keep producing.

theclaw @ Jul 5th 2008 12:21AM

How can anyone NOT know the name at least? It's on virtually every noteworthy Bomberman or Mario Party game...

Geez.

Haohmaru @ Jul 5th 2008 11:02AM

When the kids go into Fanboy Defense Mode, they forget the name of every decent game made by the company who dared(!) to criticize their beloved console/idol.

matahtak @ Jul 5th 2008 12:52AM

Kiddies shut the hell up and remove yourself from using my internet. Yes there a lot of Bomberman games out there and some were developed really bad for consoles (Act Zero).

However, a Bomberman over PSN would be great, especially taking advantage of the number of controllers being able to connect to a PS3. Could even do one the likes of Saturn Bomberman.

Now kids put down the GTA crap and do your homework by playing Super Bomberman 5 or Bomberman Online. If you can get a Sega Saturn with two multitaps and ten controllers to play Saturn Bomberman: You will have the best multiplayer fun in your life.

That is if you whelps can find nine friends.

hedpe @ Jul 5th 2008 8:11AM

wait, wth would i do with a wii port for ps3? no thanks.

The Clunge @ Jul 5th 2008 9:22AM

What was the last Hudson Soft game I actually enjoyed?

....

....

...I'll get back to you if I think of anything.

MakaiOokami @ Jul 5th 2008 1:59PM

Well it's a good thing that the PS3 is so expensive. Do you really want to see "The Bible Game" on the PS3? I THINK NOT lol. I'd much rather see umm... GOOD games than a bunch of crap games. Of course games like Flow and Everyday Shooter were made by college students right? So... obviously it's not terribly impossible. That does explain why so many flash game designers haven't made any DLC for PSN network even though they'd make a killing.

Aozora @ Jul 5th 2008 10:22AM

Ishizuka basically says that it would be too expensive for them to create "games with high quality graphics" and that they can't compete with major companies. It's not really surprising that they are focusing on DS and Wii.

ajiezer @ Jul 5th 2008 1:57PM

Well if you are going to make a crappy game I agree because you are not going to make profit

ScottH @ Jul 5th 2008 12:04PM

I think Hudson Soft is a cheap A$$!

mike @ Jul 5th 2008 1:55PM

don't you just love the ps3? by default it shuts down these small developers who are looking to make crap games for a quick buck. maybe they can make games for psn? their games are not worthy of my 60.

chris.westermann @ Jul 5th 2008 1:52PM

When Hudsonsoft makes a game I care about, then I wll care about their opinion.
A game is only expensive to make when it is junk and nobody wants to buy it, something Hudsonsoft has way too much experience with.
Investing little time and money in a game and then selling it to the idiot masses (aka Wii users) is not what the PS3 is all about. I would rather see only 6 games a year developed for the PS3, if every one of them had the attention to detail and investment of time, money and talent to make them worthwhile to buy and play, instead of seeing a platform full of whored out overplayed franchise games that took 4 months to develop and look like it did too (aka the entire Wii game library).
I applaud every developer that attempts to create a title for the PS3, even those that are not enjoying much success. But having some cheap ass company complaing about PS3 development costs when they have no intention of developing for the platform is the epitome of the lazy, greedy, and lackluster game company whom are plaguing this industry.
Hudsonsoft don't fear, Nintendo welcomes you into their weak fat pudgy arms wholeheartedly with their cheap console and cheap game development costs (if you made a Gamecube game, you're already halfway there). The entire PS3 market will not grieve for not having you as a game developer. And don't bother plaguing the PSN with your sh*t either.

favian @ Jul 5th 2008 7:48PM

what? who are these 12 year old's dismissing bomberman?
shoot yourselves.

bomberman for ps3 please, with all the modes from the dreamcast version.

don't get mad at hudson soft for stating the truth
sony's development costs are high, sony, listen to them.
it is a common complaint and it will only bite you in the ass when you see less and less games come out for your platform

Aozora @ Jul 5th 2008 10:07PM

Hudson soft can only create same old cheep, crappy games and even Japanese don't want to buy them anymore. That's the truth.

Popfrogs @ Jul 6th 2008 12:22PM

There's nothing stopping them from releasing Bomberman using the little Phyre Engine kit which they can probably afford. They'll even save money on marketing by releasing it on the PSN. Remember, back in November, Sony slashed the dev kits price in half.

Honestly, there's not much of an excuse anymore. $10k and a free game engine from Sony...what more do you need.

Simstim @ Jul 6th 2008 12:01AM

According to wikipedia Hudson Soft released 1 game for the PS1, 1 game for the PS2, and three games for the PSP.

The vast majority of their releases have been on Nintendo systems.

I good transfer of Bomberman for the PSN is really the only thing worthwhile from them.