Angry Gaming 10.09.06: Sony, Sony, Sony
Posted by Damian Sarcuni on 10.09.2006
If you choose to walk down this dark path, you will never return from it.
Welcome to Angry Gaming where we pimp smack agent Bloodrayne for a hobby. I'm your hate master Damian Sarcuni. You killed my father. Prepare to die.
Sony, Sony, Sony
Oh Sony, Sony, Sony. What are we going to do with you? The launch of the PS3 is such a mess, that even the general public is starting to take notice. How can a company so large be so blind and so stubborn? From clinging onto the Blue-Ray disc formatting system, to holding out on the largest retail price ever on a mass launch, Sony's next entry into the world of video game hardware is looking to be a letdown of massive proportions and even the most diehard of fans have to admit it.
A glance at my small shelf of game titles which I haven't had the heart to part with over the years, literally 16 out of 17 are PS2 games. (The 17th is Capcom vs. Snk 2 for Gamecube because unlike the rest of the world I know how to shut off EO mode.) Yet, as I recall the fond memories I had with each title, and the low, low prices at which I managed to purchase each of them, its painfully clear that these days of cheap DVD goodness are at an end. In fact, by the looks of things, it seems the past 6 years have been nothing but an interim for the suits at Nintendo hardware, who decided to take a long nap while the boys in Pokemon division made the money for awhile. Well, the Super Mario suit dragons have woken, and this time there is no knight in Sony armor to slay them.
Gamer peons of the world cannot stand another betrayal! Our faith is waning enough as it is, ever since the traitors at Sega decided to fly the third party development banner. We need competition, we need drama, and most of all we need a good fight! The next generation war seems to be over long before it even has begun, and the next 3 months will sound the most critical battle cries. Sony is weak and wounded, however, and they are nowhere near ready to put up the fight that is needed. Perhaps its time for a wakeup call eh? Angry Gaming to the rescue!
Rise of the Empire
When Sony first entered the video game market, it shocked the living hell out of me that so many 3rd party developers were quick to jump on the PS bandwagon. 3DO seemed to have the same hardware at half the cost, and Nintendo was the king of video game systems, a king that it would be unwise to anger. Oh what a foolish, silly child I was. While Sony was releasing pretty basic computer hardware, their name itself carried so much weight throughout Japan (the land of the rising sun…) and very quickly most game developers knew which side their bread was buttered on.
Sony has never really invented anything in the history of their entire company. What they are known for is taking previously existing inventions and improving upon them to such a degree that consumers flock over to the new product like goths to a Cruxshadows concert. In the case of the Playstation, Sony not only improved upon the previous generation of video game systems, they did so in a way that was cheap and easy for 3rd party developers to work with. Combine this with Sega's drop from the console race and Nintendo's lackluster cartridge system and you have a recipe for absolute dominance.
The PS2 continued this streak. With DVD as a new, powerful format and backwards compatibility with some peripherals, Sony established itself as a titan amongst mortals even as the Xbox began to rise. Although Microsoft is equally as intimidating in the big name electronics market, Sony was able to keep their prices down on both the hardware and software fronts, and this made all this difference in sales figures.
Things Fall Apart
Looking back at the PS and PS2 legacy, the moves that Sony has made for their next system are rather awkward and clumsy. Gone is the focus on pricing as Sony has upped their costs on just about everything involved with the PS3 system. In addition to paying more, gamers are getting less, and by less I mean less of the same. Sony's games are promising nothing but the basic fare that they have promised in their past two systems, which are dated by today's standards. It's cool if your console plays a hot new kind of media, be it music, movies, etc. However, the PS3 just doesn't do that. Blu-Ray may or may not be prettier than DVD, but it's definitely not an all new form of media. The same thing goes for online play. There is nothing so drastically changed in Sony's new online play services that we haven't seen before. Why then would we as gamers pay top dollar prices for more of the same stuff?
Does Sony feel that gamers are more addicted to games from generation to generation and that we feel the need to pay to keep up? If that's the case, they could use a history lesson, namely from the 32X and the Virtual Boy. Perhaps Sony feels that gamers are simply willing to shell out the extra cash because we know that a Sony product will mean instant quality. If that's the case, then Sony hasn't been doing much marketing research. Gamers talk, and we tend to believe the hype. Sony's recent hardware and manufacturing issues have not fallen on deaf ears. There is also a history lesson to be learned here as Microsoft's Xbox 360 woes have also made a small splash in the news, one that gamers picked up on right away. Do these developments slow production to a halt? Of course not, but if you ignore their impact on sales, you are just as ignorant as Sony's top brass.
It's amazing that Sony has chosen to alienate so many, so long before their newest system is even released. Gone are the HD Cables, the gaijin price drop, and the potential to have national zone-free gaming compatibility. Along with each of these losses there has also been a dip in 3rd party developer loyalty and options. See, 3rd party developers are constantly checking out new coding systems and game engines which show off the best of what they have to offer. Capcom would like nothing more than to allow gamers to play around with an actual reploid arm cannon or talk to actual S.T.A.R.S. members. While Sony has made plenty of technological advances in their hardware, none of these move towards more interactivity or new innovations. Sony has effectively let their dominance go to their heads, and underestimated their competition. As of now, Sony is stagnant and ready to be left in the dust this holiday season.
Belay That Launch Order!
Cease and desist Sony! If you choose to walk down this dark path, you will never return from it! Sony's only hope of surviving a battle with the other next generation video game systems to abort their launch altogether. It seems like such an unlikely move, one that might make stockholders and developers lose even more faith in the PS3, but it is the only way Sony can survive. As of now, Sony is attempting to hock an overpriced product that does not have any of the mainstream appeal or innovation of its competitors. It may seem all important for Sony to earn their holiday money, but this will only be detrimental in the long run. Sony is walking into a fight where they are outgunned and out of time, and they need to rethink their entire strategy.
Delaying the launch of the PS3 will give Sony more time to develop new peripherals similar to those of the Nintendo Wii. I'm not saying there will be a Sony remote and nunchaku, but even something similar to the old VRU unit on the Sega Dreamcast would be more than welcome. On top of this, Sony would also have time to find cheaper ways to create their systems, as well as add in more peripherals in to the package. Finally, and probably most important, Sony would have more time to make more systems overall. The lack of a holiday rush can only mean a much smoother supply and demand transition for Sony, and they will look all the better in the public eye because of it.
Sony's launch is a useless battle and delaying it is not the same thing as admitting defeat. Sony can easily mask their hardware problems by simply saying they want to explore a hot new upgrade for the PS3 which will outdo everything Nintendo and Microsoft have put on display so far. A few colorful cg videos and a little contractual 3rd party hype is all that is needed to keep Sony out of some terribly hot water with their investors. It's true that the gaming public will take notice, but be honest…will anyone of us care? Wouldn't we rather invest in an actual product that gives us confidence in our buy, as opposed to an over-hyped letdown? I know I would, because I owned a Sega Saturn and I am not going there a third time.
The Anger
I honestly wish I had more time to go into my Sony marketing plan, but to be honest it feels futile. Sony is on the fast track to obliteration and with each passing press conference they only seem to become more headstrong. The recent Japanese price drop is a sign of hope that Sony isn't complete deaf, dumb and blind, but it wasn't exactly a huge difference and it only applies to one country out of the hundreds expecting the PS3. Sony is just engaged in some bad business overall, and until they gain some humility I don't see myself purchasing a PS3. The sad thing is I know a lot of you out there are already with me on that point. Until next time, embrace the hatred.
