Sony has done something very interesting, and some would say strange, with some of their older games.
As revealed in yesterday’s Nintendo Direct, the Hot Shots Golf/Everybody’s Golf and Patapon franchises are debuting on Nintendo platforms for the first time. Sony has licensed these games to Bandai Namco, to come to the Nintendo Switch alongside the PC and PlayStation 5.
The very first Everybody’s Golf game was made by Camelot Software and released in 1997 for the original PlayStation. In the US, it would be released as Hot Shots Golf. Camelot would of course go on to be known for the Mario Golf and Mario Tennis franchises, and subsequent games in the franchise would be made by Clap Hanz, and then Japan Studio.
As reported by Gematsu, Everybody’s Golf: Hot Shots is a completely new game in the franchise. It seems that Bandai Namco and Sony have commissioned HYDE to make this new game, but it seems to be more or less classic Everybody’s Golf, updated for modern consoles. Bandai Namco promises Challenge Mode, Solo Rounds, and multiplayer. For local multiplayer, four players can take turns on a single controller. There’s also a new Wacky Golf mode, which looks like a combination party game/golf game.
Patapon is a rhythm game franchise that originally released on the PlayStation Portable. For these games, you command a small army of eyeball creatures. Your button presses match certain drum beats to command your soldiers, and the longer you can keep a combo going, the more powerful their attacks are and the more bonuses you earn.
Once again, Gematsu reports that Bandai Namco didn’t get the original developer, Pyramid Inc, to bring these games back. Pyramid Inc is very much still around and recently remastered their game El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron to PC and Nintendo Switch. Instead, a new company called HYDE is making the remake, and for some reason it’s only for the first two of the three games. Patapon 1 + 2 Replay is releasing on Nintendo Switch, PC, and PlayStation 5, this July 11, 2025.
Sony already released a game to Nintendo Switch, in the form of Lego Horizon Adventures. While they partnered with The Lego Group, Sony is the officially listed publisher. While a lot of attention has gone to Microsoft for their increasing role as the biggest third-party video game publisher, it’s clear that Sony was taking the same road. They haven’t crossed the bar Microsoft did yet, but we don’t expect anyone will be surprised if Sony starts publishing their games to Xbox.
But until then, it’s Nintendo, the only remaining true 1st party console company, who benefits from everyone else. In a way, we imagine Sony and Microsoft wouldn’t want it any other way.
You can watch the trailers for Everybody’s Golf: Hot Shots and Patapon 1 + 2 Replay below.
