I know there was a discussion a while back that I initiated about Sony targeting the "niche market" gamer with the PS3 and a discussion of what being a hardcore gamer meant, but I'd like to reiterate that to some extent.
I just saw this, which is a "game" called Linger In-Shadow, and, I'm sorry. This just further cements in my mind that Sony is going for a completely different thing with their Playstation Store offerings than what Microsoft is doing with XBLA. I'll grant you, I'm glad I have both systems, because both offer downloadable games that are right up my alley (Rez, E4, Ikaruga, Lumines Live, Space Giraffe, etc, on XBLA; Everyday Shooter, Pixel Junk Monsters, flOw, Echochrome, etc, from the Playstation Store). But Sony, for some reason, seems to be making a conscious effort to consistently release games (or, in a lot of cases, "non-games") that seem to skew FAR to the left of the mainstream gamer. Everyone always praises (or, as one deleted emote references, belittles) Nintendo for "innovation," whatever that is. But I'm thinking that before too long, Sony will have to be praised for the same, but in this case, the quotation marks I've placed around the word "innovation" can safely be removed, as it seems they truly ARE innovating.
Sure, the Wii pulled non gamers and "casual" gamers into the fold, but with Sony's downloadable offerings, they seem deadset on releasing as many games as they can that truly challenge one's concept of exactly what a game is, and what it's capable of doing. Sure, the Wii implemented "innovative" control, but to the effect of every publisher and its brother releasing heap after heap of shovelware, just because they knew/know that naive gamers would eat it up. Excepting perhaps Lair, and its "innovative" use of the Sixaxis controller, Sony seems, with its downloadable offerings, to use its exclusive peripherals as something more than a gimmick. See flOw and the Loco Roco remake for examples of using the Sixaxis effectively, and Eye of Judgment and the numerous "interactive art" offerings doing the same for the Playstation Eye. Contrast this with the type and quality of the games that incorporated or required the EyeToy last gen on the PS2.
I guess I just find it interesting that, Sony obviously has a desire to make money, and to do this, they need to sell more consoles (well, that's assuming every console sold is still not a loss for them...I've not read up on the profitability of the console lately), which, in turn, SHOULD earn them more money on their licensing rights (this is, of course, where the REAL money comes from), assuming everyone is not just buying them as a top-rated Blu-Ray player (well, Sony makes money on Blu-Ray sales, too, but attach rate is still the most important factor). Yet, by positioning their console as bleeding-edge, and then populating it with SO MANY esoteric games, what type of message is this sending?
To boil it down, to me, it's the message that if you want to play prettied-up versions of last gen's games, buy a 360. If you want to play games that inherently revolve around a gimmick (but are too naive to see it as such), buy a Wii. But if you want a TRULY next-gen experience (inclusive of input mechanics, gameplay, social interaction (Home), and user-generated content (LittleBigPlanet)), the PS3 IS the system to own.
I was on the phone with one of the Sony tech support guys once, and I told him that he probably didn't really care, but I felt compelled to tell him how I despised the PS1 (I was always a Nintendo fan), how I disliked the PS2 (and only bought it late in its lifecycle, mainly to play the Nippon Ichi games, and RPGM), and how I once again despised the PS3 before and upon initial release. Then I bought the system, and immediately fell in love with it, relegating my 360 to being a machine that allowed me to play Rock Band on occasion. He laughed, and told me that I had embraced the dark side.
The dark side indeed. If the PS3 is indicative of the future of the gaming industry, let me forever be enveloped in shadows.
I just saw this, which is a "game" called Linger In-Shadow, and, I'm sorry. This just further cements in my mind that Sony is going for a completely different thing with their Playstation Store offerings than what Microsoft is doing with XBLA. I'll grant you, I'm glad I have both systems, because both offer downloadable games that are right up my alley (Rez, E4, Ikaruga, Lumines Live, Space Giraffe, etc, on XBLA; Everyday Shooter, Pixel Junk Monsters, flOw, Echochrome, etc, from the Playstation Store). But Sony, for some reason, seems to be making a conscious effort to consistently release games (or, in a lot of cases, "non-games") that seem to skew FAR to the left of the mainstream gamer. Everyone always praises (or, as one deleted emote references, belittles) Nintendo for "innovation," whatever that is. But I'm thinking that before too long, Sony will have to be praised for the same, but in this case, the quotation marks I've placed around the word "innovation" can safely be removed, as it seems they truly ARE innovating.
Sure, the Wii pulled non gamers and "casual" gamers into the fold, but with Sony's downloadable offerings, they seem deadset on releasing as many games as they can that truly challenge one's concept of exactly what a game is, and what it's capable of doing. Sure, the Wii implemented "innovative" control, but to the effect of every publisher and its brother releasing heap after heap of shovelware, just because they knew/know that naive gamers would eat it up. Excepting perhaps Lair, and its "innovative" use of the Sixaxis controller, Sony seems, with its downloadable offerings, to use its exclusive peripherals as something more than a gimmick. See flOw and the Loco Roco remake for examples of using the Sixaxis effectively, and Eye of Judgment and the numerous "interactive art" offerings doing the same for the Playstation Eye. Contrast this with the type and quality of the games that incorporated or required the EyeToy last gen on the PS2.
I guess I just find it interesting that, Sony obviously has a desire to make money, and to do this, they need to sell more consoles (well, that's assuming every console sold is still not a loss for them...I've not read up on the profitability of the console lately), which, in turn, SHOULD earn them more money on their licensing rights (this is, of course, where the REAL money comes from), assuming everyone is not just buying them as a top-rated Blu-Ray player (well, Sony makes money on Blu-Ray sales, too, but attach rate is still the most important factor). Yet, by positioning their console as bleeding-edge, and then populating it with SO MANY esoteric games, what type of message is this sending?
To boil it down, to me, it's the message that if you want to play prettied-up versions of last gen's games, buy a 360. If you want to play games that inherently revolve around a gimmick (but are too naive to see it as such), buy a Wii. But if you want a TRULY next-gen experience (inclusive of input mechanics, gameplay, social interaction (Home), and user-generated content (LittleBigPlanet)), the PS3 IS the system to own.
I was on the phone with one of the Sony tech support guys once, and I told him that he probably didn't really care, but I felt compelled to tell him how I despised the PS1 (I was always a Nintendo fan), how I disliked the PS2 (and only bought it late in its lifecycle, mainly to play the Nippon Ichi games, and RPGM), and how I once again despised the PS3 before and upon initial release. Then I bought the system, and immediately fell in love with it, relegating my 360 to being a machine that allowed me to play Rock Band on occasion. He laughed, and told me that I had embraced the dark side.
The dark side indeed. If the PS3 is indicative of the future of the gaming industry, let me forever be enveloped in shadows.
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