Topic: PS3: gaming takes a backseat

[Spak-Spang]

I think you people are making too much of these quotes.  I think what Sony and Microsoft are doing is creating systems that are gaming machines, and will be used first and foremost as gaming machines, but they are hoping that use will get them into the homes to make sell their other products and services with the hardware.  Like Sony wants the PS3 to be your next generation DVD player...but that won't prevent you from playing games or Sony from making great games on it.  Sony is just multi-tasking.

The same is true with Microsoft and the Xbox 360.  They are adding features that can be used, but once again the system is mainly a gaming device.  But with each generation that buys the hardware and gets comfortable with the new features available to them Microsoft and Sony hook a buyer for life.  

I also don't think Nintendo not including an ethernet port is that big of a deal.  Next year all around large cities will become completely wifi enabled and supported.  Hot Spots are popping up everywhere.  Wireless hubs are also becoming cheaper, and in many situations FREE when you order DSL or Cable internet.  Nintendo is noticing this trend and is saving money by just going with where technology will be in a year.  

Besides those gamers that are purchasing for online gaming, are not average gamers, they are hardcore gamers that will buy or already have this equipment ready for gaming...and truth be told probably perfer it.  I know I don't want to have cables all over my house, and my game system and computer will always be located in different rooms.

Basically both these issues are really NONISSUES.

[nemo_83]

If the new 32MBPPU rumor is true, Nintendo must be making a wild new controller which means the REV is the ultimate gaming machine.  Sony and MS are making their controllers more like VCR remotes, trying to bridge the PC and console markets through the accessories their other more profitable sectors within their companies make.  Nintendo is trying to bridge the PC and console markets through the controller.  We will see how this all works out.  Nintendo might be able to succeed while the rest of the market, Sony and MS experience a major crash.  Sony is headed towards being the next Enron with major debt.  Sony and MS are making mediocre computers that are going to look like mediocre gaming consoles next to the REV.  

Nintendo could **** this up by releasing a horrible controller.  I can see the faces of gamers as the curtain is lifted and there is nothing about the controller especially special other than missing parts.  Gaming may be over for five to ten years as we know it.  The industry could crash.  I've been saying this for a long time though, and am glad I am not alone in this fear.  Once I offered three ways to survive a crash.  Making the next system able to download games.  Making the next system with a revolutionary controller.  Making the next system able to make games as well as play them.

If Nintendo doesn't deliver a revolution, then the market is doomed to Sony's and MS' stale future.  I have yet to see a single cel shaded game on either of their next generation systems.  All their games have the same look and they all look plastic.  The 360's character models don't impress, same graphics as RE4 with more characters on screen does not wow me.

[Don'tHate742]

Quote
Originally posted by: Spak-Spang
I think you people are making too much of these quotes.  I think what Sony and Microsoft are doing is creating systems that are gaming machines, and will be used first and foremost as gaming machines, but they are hoping that use will get them into the homes to make sell their other products and services with the hardware.  Like Sony wants the PS3 to be your next generation DVD player...but that won't prevent you from playing games or Sony from making great games on it.  Sony is just multi-tasking.

The same is true with Microsoft and the Xbox 360.  They are adding features that can be used, but once again the system is mainly a gaming device.  But with each generation that buys the hardware and gets comfortable with the new features available to them Microsoft and Sony hook a buyer for life.  

I also don't think Nintendo not including an ethernet port is that big of a deal.  Next year all around large cities will become completely wifi enabled and supported.  Hot Spots are popping up everywhere.  Wireless hubs are also becoming cheaper, and in many situations FREE when you order DSL or Cable internet.  Nintendo is noticing this trend and is saving money by just going with where technology will be in a year.  

Besides those gamers that are purchasing for online gaming, are not average gamers, they are hardcore gamers that will buy or already have this equipment ready for gaming...and truth be told probably perfer it.  I know I don't want to have cables all over my house, and my game system and computer will always be located in different rooms.

Basically both these issues are really NONISSUES.

Ken, in reference to gaming in general, said the PS3 was not a computer for children.

We're not "making too much" of these qoutes, we're just reading them.

[KDR_11k]

nemo: What "32MBPPU" rumour and why does that have anythig to do with the controller?

[Dasmos]

Quote
Originally posted by: Deguello
WTF?  You type too much, man.

Agreed.....remember KISS (Keep It Super Simple) Nemo........

BTW, The PS3 is definately not a childrens computer, It's a fancy online-enalbled sandwich press

[Spak-Spang]

All I am saying is just because people want to provide a system that has a grander scale than just video games, doesn't mean we won't get quality and plentiful games.  And it doesn't mean that a horrible crash is emminent.  I really don't understand this crash.  Yes the cost of gaming is going up, but the popularity of gaming is rising too.  What is going to happen is that gaming will become alot like hollywood movies unfortunately.  Only the big production studios will survive, but they will swollow up the little developers.  Sometimes that actquistion will be good and leave the developer alone to create awesome games...other times it won't.  But it isn't something that will lead to a crash.

[KDR_11k]

Hollywood produces only a few decent titles a year, Nintendo alone could supply the market with more games.

[Galford]

MS and Sony's vision of an all-in-box is the vision of the entire computer/consumer elecetronics industry.  If you have been following the computer industry for the last 20 years, Ken's statements shouldn't be surprising to anyone.

Also, Ken brought network/grid computing again, I guess Sony is serious about it.  Maybe that's what the 1 redundant SPE on Cell is used for...

[denjet78]

When the market leader of the video games industry is making hardware that "isn't designed to lean towards games" then there's really only one thing left to say:

...

OH HELL NO! THIS MEANS WAR!

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Quote
Originally posted by: Dasmos

Quote
Originally posted by: Deguello
WTF?  You type too much, man.

Agreed.....remember KISS (Keep It Super Simple) Nemo........

BTW, The PS3 is definately not a childrens computer, It's a fancy online-enalbled sandwich press

By U.S. Navy SEAL definitions, it can mean "Keep it Simple, Stupid".

[ThePerm]

ps3  PS3

[vudu]

I don't get it.

[TMW]

...I think Ken is the "Anti-Reggie"

Reggie's all about the customer and fan base, "I'm here to kick ass and we're here to make games." and all that...and Ken is all "The PSP is perfect if you don't like it you're stupid." and "The PS3 is not for children, stupid."  

Seriously.  Is he -trying- to piss off consumers?  It's freakin stupid sounding to me.  "Lets piss off the people that held us afloat while we were selling inferior hardware at a loss.  That will make money!"  

[Arbok]

Quote
Originally posted by: TMW
Seriously.  Is he -trying- to piss off consumers?  It's freakin stupid sounding to me.  "Lets piss off the people that held us afloat while we were selling inferior hardware at a loss.  That will make money!"

Makes one wonder why Sony isn't generating a surplus each year, instead of going further into debt...

[nickmitch]

I really just wnat to walk up to him and say, "So if the PS3 is not a gaming machine, then as a gamer, why the hell should I want to buy it?"  

[darknight06]

Because it's sexy, and it's a work of art, and it plays HDGAMEZ, and you can watch HDMOVIEZ and play mp3s with our new medium, and it'll be the NEW cool "IN" product that everyone will have and if you don't have it you're a kid who hasn't grown up out of video games yet!  

OMG, screw you Kutaragi.    

[Robotor]

Anything that can play Mp3s is awesome. And I've always wanted another DVD player.  I hope the PS3 can play VHS and cassette tapes.  Screw Videogames, I want a media system.  I mean isn't that like the pinnicle, isn't it what we've been striving for?  Multimedia centers?  No more gaming centers but an "everything center"  you know jack of all trades master of none.  Oh man next generation sounds awesome.

F Sony.

[jasonditz]

if the PS3 doesn't support both 8-tracks and laser discs, the terrorists have already won.  

[PaLaDiN]

Somebody tell me I'm not misinterpreting this:

Kutaragi considers gamers to be a niche market, as opposed to technogeeks who want to have an all-in-one center, which constitutes the majority.

I wish there was some way to flatter him into printing some of his quotes on every PS3 box.

[Spak-Spang]

Paladin:  

I think what he is saying is that gamers are a single market consumer.  They are buying your product to play games and that is it.  They are a large market, but not as large as we like to think.  Think about it...if a game sells a million copies it is said to be huge...but in the grand scheme of things a million units is peanuts.

Techno Geeks are a larger market that includes gamers, but also includes technophiles that want the latest and greatest.  When you add features like DVD playback, TIVO, MP3 playback, and such the logic is you are broading your potential consumers exponentially.  And you know what...usually that logic is CORRECT.

The statement isn't a disregard of gamers, as much as a realization that to broad the market, and to grow to become bigger than the PS2 is currently you have to make your product appeal to even larger amounts of people.  

In this case make a product (PS3, PSP) that appeals to the gamer, but also appeals to other markets.  (Portable MP3 player, Portable movies, Portable mini-computer, High Defination movies, ect.)

These statements might be alarming and offensive to pure gamers, but it isn't as bad as people make it out to be.  Everyone is really blowing it out of proportion and taking it out of context and kinda personally as well.

[OptimusPrime]

The problem with technogeeks is that they want the best. And i mean that if they buy a DVD-player it needs to be the best DVD-player at the moment. And the PS3 is NOT a master in anything, it's a jack of all trades and master in none. Technogeeks want masters not jack all trades.
And there are allready multmediacenters but there more like multimediacontrolcenters. You can hook up a DVD-player, a tv, your superall-surround set, a VCR, a CD-player, even bloody 50-year old cassete players on it and all that stuff is connected with each other.

That's what technogeeks want, a lot of masters and then hook it up with the master of "hooking-everything-up". The PS3 is none of that. Ken, go get a reality-shot really.

[Spak-Spang]

OptimusPrime:  That may be true.  I think that is definately panning out so far with PSP sales...however, there is another market.  the casual technogeek.  The person that wants a MP3 player, game console, portable DVD movies and such but doesn't want the best.  They want something simple and affordable.  In that regard the PSP really answers that issue.  

Another thing is that the PS3 will be the best at playing HD-DVDs when it comes out.  It will be one of the few players out on the market, and will probably only be marginally more expensive than other HD-DVD players.

We will see how it happens.  

Sony and Nintendo are both trying to broaden the market, but they are both using completely different philosophies to reach the goal.  It will be interesting to see which wins.

Oh, and it appears Microsoft is actually taking a middle ground approach to Sony and Nintendo's.

[Arbok]

Quote
Originally posted by: Spak-Spang
In this case make a product (PS3, PSP) that appeals to the gamer, but also appeals to other markets.  (Portable MP3 player, Portable movies, Portable mini-computer, High Defination movies, ect.)

These statements might be alarming and offensive to pure gamers, but it isn't as bad as people make it out to be.  Everyone is really blowing it out of proportion and taking it out of context and kinda personally as well.

I think we all just realize how the gaming market works. Sony doesn't make money off selling the system, they lose a good deal actually. Selling to a consumer who really isn't interested in playing games, hence not really interested in buying many games, doesn't seem like a strategy of success... unless Sony just wants to tout the number of systems sold compared to the others, or actually plans to profit off the sales of the console itself.

Catering to people who are quick to adopt new technology, and will likely only buy a couple games for a console, while not focusing on those who tend to go out and purchase a new video game every month or so seems to be a pretty poor strategy, unless I'm missing something.

[Ian Sane]

"Catering to people who are quick to adopt new technology, and will likely only buy a couple games for a console, while not focusing on those who tend to go out and purchase a new video game every month or so seems to be a pretty poor strategy, unless I'm missing something."

That makes sense to me.  Hell that's my whole arguement on why I don't think Nintendo should focus that much on non-gamers.  But Sony does have something Nintendo doesn't.  They make money from other things besides games  They also make movies and have their own record label.  So they in theory they can benefit from someone buying a PS3 and just using it for movies and music.  It's still a pretty dumb strategy though since Sony doesn't make money from every CD, MP3, or DVD sold like they do with every Playstation game sold.

I think Sony just doesn't get games.  Their success in the console industry is largely due to what Nintendo and Sega have done wrong as opposed to what they themselves have done right.  Sony got where they are largely by simply not screwing up.  MS is the first competitor Sony has faced that isn't tripping on their own dick every five minutes and sure enough the Xbox brand is growing and is eating into the Playstation market share and Sony seems legitmately scared of a competitor for once.

[SgtShiversBen]

I honestly don't get what you're saying.  You want Nintendo do not focus that much on non-gamers yet the PSone and PS2 got where they were by doing exactly that.  Sure it was a different way in getting them (horrible sports games and violence) but last I heard, that only really worked in America.  Nintendo on the other hand is using something that could work in all territories with it's Nintendogs (I probably won't get this game) just like it did with Pokemon.

The non-gamers are the people all the game companies are trying to go for now becuase they know that they already have buyers, just they want more.  The type of non gamers is what differentiates them.

Nintendo's are people who just want to have fun
Sony's are competitive jerks who want to poo on everyone
Microsoft's are the PC gamers who hate console gaming (and Frodo)