Platform-antagonistic
Regarding PS3, I have no interest in the platform but I’m not going to be foolish and say “it’s done” like many others are now starting to do. At this point, all I could consider Sony guilty of is piss-poor management, a completely stupid hardware iteration cycle and the fact they’ve failed to fill the software library as quickly as their competitors. Just look at Wii, drowning in shovelware and selling by the truckload regardless. Xbox 360 certainly doesn’t have the volume, but it still has a comparable – if not arguably superior – range of titles to Wii.
In my opinion, PS3 doesn’t need Home – that’s not going to save it. Home was originally intended to be a ‘day zero’ novelty, an immediate and clear differentiator between what came before and the rest of the next-gen competition. We’re now almost 3 (yes, three) years down the line from that point and, to all intents and purposes, Home’s true purpose and impact on the platform is almost entirely moot. Especially given that someone like Microsoft can so effortlessly integrate a similar novelty into their platform.
But even more fundamental that this, I believe that Sony releasing quirky titles, such as LittleBIGPlanet, while the PS3’s library is depressingly overwhelmed by multi-platform games, does nothing to bolster the PS3’s perception. In fact, if anything, I’d say Sony are alienating potential customers, because their approach seems to be “loads of games you can play on something else, then something novel once in a blue moon.”
Three years ago, when debating which next-generation console to buy, I fully anticipated regretting my subsequent purchase of an Xbox 360 by Christmas 2008. But Sony haven’t gotten their act together. They need to focus on turning out good-to-great games for their platform alone, not the occaisional super-hyped epic. No-one in their right mind plops down roughly £300 (in the UK) just to play Metal Gear Solid and/or LittleBIGPlanet several months later. Especially when I can buy a competitor system with all those cross-platform titles for a little over a third of that price.
I’ve just brought a PS3 for my Sister and her Husband, more as a media streamer and blu-ray player to go with their new HDTV than for gaming, which is good as the lack of games really stuck me when I was looking around for deals.
I’m just sort of amazed that Sony haven’t got a proper Gran Turismo out yet, basically the flagship 1st party series. That just seems a bad move, given they launched last in this generation.
They still have nice hardware and maybe they have a bunch of interesting titles penciled in for easter but for me the most interesting stuff is going on in handhelds, DS, iPhone and N-Gage’s with the Wii behind that mostly with 1st party titles. Also nice to see some good indie stuff on the PC.
I’m not discounting them, but they do seem to be lacking the wow factor, hopefully they are taking steps to correct that.
Zoe
5 December 2008 at 4:04 pm
“No-one in their right mind plops down roughly £300 (in the UK) just to play Metal Gear Solid and/or LittleBIGPlanet several months later. ”
I dunno. I bought a PS3 specifically for LBP and WipeOut HD. But then again, I am definitely NOT in my right mind.
“I’m just sort of amazed that Sony haven’t got a proper Gran Turismo out yet, basically the flagship 1st party series”
I’m still waiting for Gran Turismo Mobile. Remember that? It was supposed to come near the PSP’s launch. Lot of good that did.
n0wak
7 December 2008 at 5:27 am
Well, broadly speaking I was making reference to your more average consumer than hardened gamer. Granted, there’s enough to justify buying a PS3 if you have either a Blu-ray requirement or a burgeoning PS2 library. But approaching the platform cold, it’s very difficult to justify above either the Wii or the Xbox 360.
And you’re right about Gran Tourismo; this has been one of my personal bug bears with Sony for a while now. Not only do they still not have the PS3 version ready, but the long-promised PSP version – first officially announced way back in 2004, when the portable itself was first revealed – still won’t be complete until Christmas 2009 at the earliest.
Wrestlevania
7 December 2008 at 6:18 pm
I agree with most of what you say, but I still always come back to the conclusion I don’t care. Home isn’t draining their resources, and by all accounts is actually making them money. They have a catalogue of exclusives that, to me anyway is more attractive than the 360’s offerings, and it also offers access to multi-platform titles and impressive media playback capabilities.
As for Gran Turismo. If you liked the previous iterations then GT5p is more than enough to tide you over. The racing engine is extremely good, and anyone interested in racecraft will get something out of it. It’s not the tour de force the casuals wanted, and there are obviously valid criticisms that can be levelled at it – but its still one of the best, if not the best console sim-racers. For around £17 you can’t go wrong, really.
Cigol
12 January 2009 at 10:00 pm