B3yond the Report 12.16.08
Posted by Derek Robbins on 12.16.2008
Sony's alleged trouble, GoW 3 unveiled, your weekly PSN update and more this week on B3yond the Report!
Hello and welcome to B3yond the Report. As always, this is Derek Robbins…so let's talk about the latest in Sony news, shall we?
B3yond the News of the Week
CNN: The PS3 is dead
I figured that I needed to address this in some way, because I know if I didn't…someone would say in the comments: "OH!? TOO AFRAID TO MENTION THE X-BOX 360'S SUPERIORITY NOW?" So, yeah, here we go:
It's no secret that the Playstation 3 is the number three console at this point. As much as I would love to throw numbers in your face and proclaim Sony as the number two brand in the world right now, fact is that they aren't. In my hometown, I literally only know one other person who owns a PS3. That person really isn't even much of a gamer and just bought it for its BLU-ray technology, when it was the cheapest BLU-ray player around (it's not anymore). My assumption for this is because of the two libraries, between the 360 and PS3 that is, the PS3's is slightly more hardcore and features games less accessible to the casual gamer. That's not to say the 360 doesn't have hardcore titles, but I think if you're a "hardcore gamer" (here's a hint, if you are…this market doesn't want you anymore. Just ask Nintendo), I think you probably play more PS3 than anything.
I would not say that the PS3 is dead, or doomed, or even in that much trouble. I figure there's about no chance we'll see them drop out of the console race. CNN on the other hand does not agree as Eric Krangle wrote kind of a scathing piece on Sony's sale numbers and why they are so behind. Krangle pointed out that November sales were down 19% (Despite Sony spinning that November sales were up from the year before), and said that PS3's were dieing on the shelves. Here are some of the reasons Krangle out-lined for this:
1-) It's the most expensive console on the market, $150 - $200 more than its rivals. Even if you believe the video game industry is "recession-proof" (it isn't), a tanking economy makes consumers more price-conscious.
2-)The PS3's big bonus is its ability to double as a Blu-Ray player. Too bad no one seems to care about hi-def DVDs. The differences between Blu-Ray and DVD are hard to see on a TV less than 50".
3-)The PS3 just doesn't have any must-have titles exclusive to the console. "LittleBigPlanet" has generated decent buzz but isn't a game-changer, and neither is Sony's new virtual world "Home."
He also added:
Tell yourself the PS3 has superior graphics if it makes you feel better, but a $400 console with a mediocre game library simply cannot compete against an Xbox 360 priced at $200 in this economy.
First of all, the 360 and PS3 have practically an identical library with a limited number of exclusive titles on each system. So to call it a mediocre game library is a bit of a stretch, but I suppose I'll get into that here in a minute. Your other points though are certainly worthy of a look.
Sol, allow me to address each one of these points. The first point that he makes is pretty much in-defensible. The PS3 costs too much money. Couldn't they take a Microsoft approach and sell a model with a detachable hard-drive (and allow you to buy PS3 HDDs separately?) so they could market the console at a lower price? I think many consumers are quite ignorant when they go into purchasing their 360's. That's not to say that they are stupid, but they just haven't researched the system. In order to get the most out of it, you NEED a hard-drive, and the $200 Arcade model doesn't come with one. You'll have to pay a hundred bones if you want the extra stuff, raising your price to a nice $300. This is about 50 dollars less than the 40 GB PS3 (in some places, even the same price) and a hundred less than the 100 GB. The 360 is STILL cheaper, but not by so much where people would change their minds about which to purchase. So Sony needs to copy this strategy. They need to give off the image that they are cheaper, even if they really aren't. In this economy, people are looking for the best value, and if you can make them perceive that value (even if it's not there), you've done a good job.
As for the BLU-ray technology, I mean…yeah, it's failed to sell well. So what though? Was the DVD so quick to catch on? I remember when people were just first picking up DVDs and my parents absolutely refused to, they wanted to stick by their VHSes because that's what they were used to. People probably aren't ready to upgrade to BLU-ray because they don't really know the difference, or even care about it. I say that if you wait a couple of years, more ‘trendy' people will catch on to it and it'll become a big deal. Whether Sony's system will be purchased (since you can also game on it, which is a nice little feature) due to this boom is anyone's guess, but I'd say give it a couple of years before sailing it down the river.
3-) This is where I just flat-out disagree. Sony DOES have exclusive titles that I consider to be must-have. They have games that everyone can enjoy, such as Resistance, but I think the problem with Sony is that their library (and marketing) is too focused on the hardcore gamer. I love Valkyria Chronicles, I think it's one of the best games this year. Could you ever see a frat boy playing it though? No, and that's the problem. Hardcore gamers make up a very small percentage of the gamers out there. While people like me who are dragged kicking and screaming into this generation of shovelware can appreciate this approach, financially it's the wrong thing to do. Sony needs to market their more casual titles (Like, I found the new Buzz TV commercials to do something like that), and try to appeal to other demographics. We HAVE exclusive titles that are good. We really do. The problem is, most people out there won't want to play them because they aren't accessible. This can be changed…but is it too late?
Also, anyone who seriously thought HOME would be anything special must be mentally deficient.
I think the PS3 will continue to live because it has a lot of fans. It cannot draw in more fans until it makes some changes. This generation is not a financial failure for Sony yet, but I do think that it's getting dangerously close to that point.
So how many of you watched the VGAs last night, just to see some of the neato new trailers that they'd unveil? I didn't, I was watching Survivor. I saw everybody's favorite Smash Brothers tournament player, the practitioner of MIND GAMES Kenny, bow out in 5th place. Of course, I also knew I could just hop online and probably see these trailers at my leisure and I did just that. I sat down, watched God of War III, and…I mean, it looks good. As for it being a work of art though? C'mon Mr. Jaffe. Let's be real here. (Though Mr. Jaffe says the trailer looked meh and wasn't the one he saw. Interesting.) If you haven't seen it yet, just scroll on down to the cinema section of this column. I have that and Uncharted 2 for ya, aren't I nice?
Anyhow, the game has quadrupled in scale since the previous games. This pretty much means that there is four-times the texture resolution than what we saw in God of War II. That is why the game looks so nice. Of course, look Sony…this is the Playstation 3. A graphic increase is pretty much expected. The game is a very beautiful one, but I don't think it'll rend our world asunder. It looks pretty fun for what is supposedly "real-time play", I admit. What else do we know about it though?
Apparently the game's engine has been built from the ground up since God of War II with all new tech. I like the sound of that…I suppose that means we can expect God of War III as opposed to God of War 2.5. That's always nice. I really am not a big fan of the series, so I am curious to see how these changes will make me view the franchise. Will it be more accessible (as if that was possible) than the previous two games? Will it make things harder for the player? I really don't know. At least it's something a little different though.
There was also some information released on the story of the game. Apparently the game has Kratos scaling the heights of Mt. Olympus and scouring through the depths of hell to get revenge on all of those that have wronged him. Well, I'm sure fans of the franchise will love to tango on Mt. Olympus since one of the main draws is its mythology. GoW 2 may have had a dumb-as-bricks plot, but at least you got to see Zeus and company. So it seems that they are unleashing more fan-service. That's cool.
What's this about Hell though? I'm wondering if this means you'll get to fight against GoW I and II bosses who are now dead and in hell? Or will this simply mean a showdown with Hades – who best be voiced by James Woods – featuring the God versus Devil gameplay everybody loves so much. This has me pretty interested, and I'd be curious to hear your speculation on it as well.
It certainly appears that GoW 3 is shaping up to be one of the Playstation 3's must-have titles. Let's just hope that it can deliver!
World to music games: MILK THIS
In probably the most refreshing bit of news this bitter heart has heard in a long while, it appears that sales on the new Guitar Hero and Rock Band games are way down. If you absolutely must know the winner, Guitar Hero out-sold Rock Band in November 3-to-1. This may seem like a pretty vast victory, but according to UBS analyst Ben Schachter the success is kind of hollow:
The biggest concern around Guitar Hero has to be the fact that Guitar Hero World Tour (12 SKUs) declined 48% in units and 31% in dollars from Guitar Hero III (6 SKUs) on a year-over-year basis.
This will fuel concerns that the genre is past its peak. With Activision and others sure to bring new innovation to the genre next year we can't count it out, but it almost certainly won't be the growth driver it has been over the past two years.
31% is a pretty hefty difference. Now, I may blame this on the fact that Guitar Hero III fucking sucked and brought the franchise to its knees (though that'd be wrong, since GH: World Tour outsold Rock Band 2. We all know how good Rock Band 1 was)…but I think the cause of this shift is much different than simply the last iteration of a franchise sucking.
Ever since Guitar Hero came out in November of 2005, there has been a constant onslaught of Guitar titles being flung at us. We have guitar games based on bands like Aerosmith and Metalica, we have portable guitar games, we have expansion packs, and we have literal horde of Downloadable content that would probably run you hundreds of dollars if you wished to own every song. I think I read somewhere that in the next year Activision has eight different Guitar Hero titles on the horizon, while Rock Band has two (The Beatles game and Rock Band 3, though I don't think the latter has been announced yet).
Now you may be thinking to yourself: "THAT'S A LOT." Damn right that's a lot. I'm all for the proliferation of a genre. Do you ever see eight different Zelda games released in a year? How about eight different Final Fantasies? No? Ahhh, I see…perhaps people are getting tired of buying a ton of versions of the same un-changing game every year? It's pretty reasonable that the market could get over-saturated and people wouldn't want to buy a game where you essentially did the same thing as the game you played like two months ago.
Seriously, WHAT IS THE POINT OF RELEASING A BILLION GAMES ACTIVISION!? You release several songs a week at $1.99 and new games every two or so months. I'm pretty damn sure that people were tiring of these actions. Of course, you could also blame America's economy. People may go back to buying new GH's, but since they have less money now they don't feel like buying the same shit. That's a less fun excuse, because I can't blame them milking the same stupid product over and over again that way.
IF this trend continues though, Activision will have to make a serious innovation. No, I don't mean releasing Guitar Hero: That one band that Barry Zito plays for…I mean, they need to find out how to make their game feel fresh again. Right now, frankly, it isn't. If I want to experience Guitar Hero, I just play Guitar Hero 2. I know that even though the songs are different, the whole game is just the same damn thing…and I am comfortable with sticking with my old guns.
Sony has had pretty good PSN updates the past couple of weeks. Let's see if they can make it three straight in an otherwise negative week:
Price Update
• Resistance: Fall of Man Map Packs (free) Downloadable Games
• PowerUp Forever (US$ 9.99) Add-on Game Content
• LittleBigPlanet
o Santa Coat and Trousers (free)
o Zangief of Street Fighter II costume (US$ 1.99)
o Guile of Street Fighter II costume (US$ 1.99)
o Chun-Li of Street Fighter II costume (US$ 1.99)
o Ryu of Street Fighter II costume (US$ 1.99)
o Street Fighter II costume kit (US$ 5.99)
• High Velocity Bowling
o Tiff's Big Zero Trick Shot Pack (free)
o Gearhead Ball Pack (US$ 0.99)
• Tom Clancy's EndWar Escalation Expansion Pack (US$ 9.99)
• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
o Apprentice Mission Pack (US$ 9.99)
o Character Pack 2 (US$ 4.99)
• Age of Booty
o Map Pack 4 (free)
o Map Pack 5 (free)
• Guitar Hero World Tour
o "You Know You're Right" by Nirvana (US$ 1.99)
o "Sliver" by Nirvana (US$ 1.99)
o "Negative Creep" by Nirvana (US$ 1.99)
o Nirvana Track Pack (US$ 5.49) - Downloadable Track Pack for Guitar Hero World Tour featuring "You Know You're Right", "Negative Creep", and "Sliver" by Nirvana.
o "Mama Mae" by Negrita (US$ 1.99)
o "Dis-Moi" by BB Brunes (US$ 1.99)
o "'54, '74, '90, 2010" by Sportfreunde Stiller (US$ 1.99)
o European Track Pack 01 (US$ 5.49) - Downloadable Track Pack for Guitar Hero World Tour featuring "Mama Mae" by Negrita, "‘54, ‘74, ‘90, 2010″ by Sportfreunde Stiller, and "Dis-Moi" by BB Brunes.
• Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore 2
o Over The Rainbow (US$ 1.49)
o How To Save A Life (US$ 1.49)
o Waiting For Tonight (US$ 1.49)
o Heart of Glass (US$ 1.49)
• Rock Band
o "Bathwater" - No Doubt (US$ 1.99)
o "Don't Speak" - No Doubt (US$ 1.99)
o "Excuse Me Mr." - No Doubt (US$ 1.99)
o "Ex-Girlfriend" - No Doubt (US$ 1.99)
o "Hella Good" - No Doubt (US$ 1.99)
o "Hey Baby" - No Doubt (US$ 1.99)
o "It's My Life" - No Doubt (US$ 1.99)
o "Just a Girl" - No Doubt (US$ 1.99)
o "Running" - No Doubt (US$ 1.99)
o "Simple Kind of Life" - No Doubt (US$ 1.99)
o "Spiderwebs" - No Doubt (US$ 1.99)
o "Underneath it All" - No Doubt (US$ 1.99)
o "Sunday Morning" - No Doubt (US$ 1.99)
o "The Singles 1992–2003″ (Album) - No Doubt (US$ 19.99) - This track pack includes 13 tracks: all of the songs from The Singles 1992–2003 (Album), except "New," and "Trapped in a Box."
• Mercenaries 2 Blow It Up Again Content Pack (free) Game Videos (free)
• Resistance 2 Accolades Trailer
• Xam'd: Lost Memories Release Announcement Video
• Xam'd: Lost Memories Exclusive Interviews
• LOTR: Conquest Good to be Bad Trailer Movie and Blu-ray Disc Trailers (free)
• Batman Tech Video
• Not Easily Broken
• Paul Blart: Mall Cop Trailer
• Step Brothers Blu-ray Trailer
• The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc Blu-ray Trailer PS3 Themes
• Resistance 2 Americana Theme (free)
• Resistance 2 Man vs. Chimera Theme (free)
• Resistance 2 SRPA Team Theme (free)
• Xam'd Lost Memories Theme (free) PS3 Wallpaper (free)
• Mountain Dew Wallpaper PlayStation Store for PSP Game Videos (free)
• Resistance 2 Accolades Trailer
• Xam'd: Lost Memories Exclusive Interviews Video
• Xam'd: Lost Memories Release Announcement Video
• BRAIN CHALLENGE video
Okay, it was nice of you to release bunch of stuff for the PSP LAST week, but this week it's just a bunch of game videos. I'm going to give you a pass this week on it because you released some pretty solid games last week that I'm sure not everyone bought on day one. I better be seeing some new stuff next week though! I was starting to believed a small shred of you cared about your silly PSP.
I have never heard of PowerUp Forever before, but IGN says: A mix of Schizoid, flow, and Geometry Wars So I guess that sounds alright? The score for it wasn't too hot, but I'm sure if you have nine dollars to waste, you could do much worse than this. Of course, you could also get Megaman 9. That seems good to me.
The Add-on game content REALLY upset me this week. I love Street Fighter II, I love Little Big Planet, but I will NOT pay for costumes in a game. It's so stupid to pay for cosmetic features that don't affect the gameplay in any way. Unless it creates a naked Ayane from Dead or Alive doing the jitterbug across my screen, I'm NOT paying for it. And even then, I would have to contemplate it for a while. On the other hand, I'm glad the Santa costume is free. It's such a shame, because I would so love to have my Sackboy look like Guile.
One of you will have to tell me if the EndWar expansion pack is worth it. I am…kind of shy on commenting on it due to the wording "expansion pack". Is this a true expansion pack that would normally land in stores for like thirty dollars? Or is it just a bunch of new guns and a couple of multiplayer maps? I actually think DLC expansion packs would be an awesome idea that I would have no second thoughts paying for. Of course, the proper content would have to be there, but I certainly would be on board.
I read up on the Apprentice Mission Pack and found out that it is pretty darn short and not really worth your money. Fans of the game seem to enjoy it, so if you like it there's that…but do you really want to pay nine bucks for something that'll take you an hour? I don't know…for that SAME $9.99 you could be buying Megaman 9 and have a world of fun. A world I says! Also, Character Pack 2 is pretty much just a bunch of skins for your character. Don't bother.
It's nice to see that Age of Booty DLC is still nice and free. I have now forgiven them for delaying the PS3 release for so long.
Ugh, now we're at the music stuff. You wonder why people are burned out on music games? For God's sake, look at this! There's really nothing I can do about it, but I think the most egregious error would be Rock Band's No Doubt CD pack. You get all thirteen tracks for $19.99. So wait, now in order to get a whole CD worth of music it's going to cost me MORE on Rock Band than in real life? No, fuck that. For $19.99 you can buy Street Fighter II: Turbo HD Remix and it'll be worth more of your time than this fucking scam.
It's nice to see that Mercs 2 has some Free DLC, and it's also VERY nice that the original Resistance Map Packs are now free. I really hope this trend continues, because it would encourage people like me to not just simply get rid of their old games, but try them out again with the new, free content. Generally speaking, I don't buy map packs unless I am 100% confident I will be playing the game for at least two more months. So…if a map pack is free, of course I'll be all over it. So good job here.
I am skipping the videos section, since you've all heard my opinion on how pointless that is, so let's discuss the themes. They're all free, yay! Lots of Resistance 2 themes, but I'm not sure it'll top my new combination theme. You see, I have the SF IV summer theme up, and a Valkyria Chronicles wallpaper up in front of that. Nothing can beat it! You're welcome to try though…
Well, all in all that was a pretty bad week with a lot of things that kind of got on my nerves. That said, I have seen worse weeks and I am inclined to give Sony some slack here because the two weeks before this, in my opinion, were the best two PSN weeks since I took over for B3yond the Report. I will give them a couple more weeks of slack (it's the holidays!), but after that grace period I'll come down on them something fierce!
B3yond the Tabloids
Did you know that one of the Playstation 2's best RPGs ever came out this December? I know, something that comes along this late in the cycle being great is shocking…but Persona 4 is worth your time and money. I got this sucker during Finals Week (Which is why there was no 10th hour, if you were wondering. Sadly, finals take precedent over the 10th hour) and hadn't been able to play it as much as I would like. That said, I've put about 16 hours into it since I got it on Tuesday (I had to take breaks from studying SOMEHOW!) and since I am on break I see that playtime increasing. The story is awesome, the gameplay is improved, and so far I like it better than P3. Not sure about Nocturne though…
I know nobody here thinks the Spike VGAs are worth a damn, but last night's announced GOTY was not a system exclusive, but one that was released simultaneously on the 360 and PS3. Grand Theft Auto 4. It's a game that I think is particularly cool to hate right now, but in my opinion it's one of the best games of this generation. Give it a couple of years, and I'm sure you'll smile on it fondly once more.
Apparently there are Soulja Boy and MC Hammer videogames coming. Oh golly, that sure is great. Soulja Boy's youtube videos regarding the X-Box 360 were HILARIOUS though. Like, jeesh, high comedy. Maybe I've got a weird sense of humor. If you want his exact quote regarding this, well, let the man speak for himself!
Soulja Boy video game is coming for Xbox 360 in 2009. After I put the Xbox 360 challenge up on the Internet, it was over all these video game sites. And a couple video game companies hit me up on my email because I put the email on there too. And hit me up like, "Blah, blah, blah, blah." So I was like, "Oh snaps!" So I forwarded to my management, and they forwarded to my label. And now we're doing the video game
Let's just hope this baby gets confirmed for multiplatform! GOTY 2009!
If you read the Penny-Arcade for today, which I know you have (or watched the VGA's last night, which I know you didn't), you would know that the long-rumored but never confirmed Dante's Inferno game has been announced and is being developed by EA, specifically the guys behind Dead Space. Well, golly, EA just keeps trying to get into my good graces. It's so amazing how attitudes can shift. A couple of years ago, I felt EA was the scurge of the gaming world, but today I actually feel they are doing GOOD. Gosh...I'm so finicky.
Apparently the Blow it Up Again Merc 2 DLC is free until the new year. This is pretty cool, especially considering it offers a lot of neat stuff. It has four new game modes: Urban Rampage, Death Race, Arms Race and Mercs Blitz. It also has new "patriotic" characters. I'm not sure how any of these modes plays (except probably the two ones ending in race), but that seems like a neat assortment of stuff to add. I wonder if it would be worth $9.99? Well, judge for yourself now because it's free.
Chris Bateman of "Only a Game" says that games can't make us cry, but the stories do. In a way, he is correct…but often times the gameplay can make you cry. My example is Metal Gear Solid 3. (Obvious spoilers, so if you are a slacker you may want to scroll) You, the player, had to pull the trigger on The Boss. Not Big Boss, not anyone else. You did it. When you found out what you had done, it was natural to be over-come with grief. Yes, in most games the story (like in FF IX. I cried.) is what makes us emotional, but there are SOME cases where your actions are the ones that cause emotion. Beat MGS 3 and tell me otherwise. Play ICO and tell me you weren't emotionally involved.
Randy Stude of the PC-Gaming Alliance feels that all console makers will just fall back and develop for the PC soon. Yeah, okay.
Midnight Club Los Angeles is apparently going to be getting some DLC next year. There will be two different packs. First you get the South Central Upgrade map which is basically a third of the size of the game's default map. This is free. Of course, to do much in this area you'll need the content pack which costs money. It has new character competitions, races, and music. I knew they'd find a way to stick me with the bill! Well, it's nice that the map is free.
So were you wondering why the Metal Gear Solid theme was absent from Metal Gear Solid 4? Well, apparently Konami got into trouble with some Russian composers who accused them of ripping off a classical composition written by Georgy Sviridov. I really don't think Konami is guilty in anything. Very often songs will sound similar to other songs. Listen to Robo's theme and the infamous "Rick Roll", if you don't believe me. I don't really think these things are intentional, but they just happen. Konami said they did nothing wrong, but thought since it was a sensitive issue that they shouldn't include it in the game. Okay then.
The big magazine release for FF XIII came with trailers and artwork for the game. It's really shaping up, but is probably a long ways from coming out. It looks like Square is poised to release a blockbuster with this one. It's no wonder they wanted to release it on the 360 in the States as well…got to maximize US profit. Here you can see the artwork and videos. Of course, if you don't feel like navigating away, you can always just scroll down to the cinema section.
A two-page ad in the most recent Famitsu confirms that beloved Resident Evil star Jill Valentine has indeed bitten the dust. Anyone who was hoping that the trailer was just pulling their legs is surely saddened now, because it looks like Jill's death will play a large part in the fifth game. Such a shame…
In case you had any doubts, EA plans to work with their new IPs. Dead Space and Mirror's Edge will both be receiving sequels.
B3yond the Cinema
This is the VGA trailer for God of War III. Check it and be under-whelmed!
Here is the VGA trailer from Uncharted. It looks beautiful. If you want to learn more about Uncharted, pick up this month's Game Informer. It has a lot of neat information on it. I don't even LIKE Game Informer (I only subscribe because of the EB game card), so this has to be high praise indeed.
Dante's Inferno world premiere. AYUP, VGA's premiered a lot.
ANOTHER VGA trailer, this time on Brutal Legend.
Here is that FF XIII trailer I mentioned earlier.
Your weekly SF IV video (thought I forgot?). KEN v. ZANGIEF.
The One Man Watercooler
My Christmas present for you is keeping this shit going, heh.
I was out Christmas shopping yesterday, buying a game for my brother David. I know, I have ANOTHER brother. Three Robbins boys are two many for this world. Yes, yes, yes. Really though, he's 8, and I bought him a game I know he enjoys. Virtua Fighter 5. When we owned a 360, it was one of this favorite games and I figured that he would enjoy playing it again on the PS3. Of course, that isn't the real story (My brother having a good taste in fighters is shocking though). It's what I noticed when I was there.
This shouldn't be news to anyone, and if it IS news to you, you probably haven't been following the game industry very closely this past year. Pretty much everybody was looking for something Wii related. Whether it be Excite Truck – or Exciting Truck as the elderly woman called it – Ninja Reflexes, or whatever game they were looking for…the Wii was the system they absolutely wanted to get stuff for. EB games was having problems keeping balance boards in, they absolutely had no Wiis available (SHOCKING!), and it was essentially just Nintendo "The Store".
In the past, I probably would have been more embracing of this. I have had a long love for Nintendo. I think the Gamecube was a GOOD system that many people over-look because it just didn't appeal to everyone. I felt that Nintendo as a company always had the hardcore gamer's back. Obviously, this is different today given the company's focus. Everything they do is to appeal to the new gamer, the guy who has never picked up a game before. It's depressing, but that's how the Wii is. I am embarrassed to have one in this household, but…I mean, how else would I play Smash Bros?
This isn't what this little rant is about though. I am more than tolerant of the Wii's market domination. I may not appreciate the stream of casuals that they bring in, but I do appreciate that stuff like Mario and Zelda still comes out for the console. My problem is, what does this mean for the next generation of consoles? Obviously, in order to be successful what many people do is copy the leader. For instance, look at the non-megaten JRPGs. More often than not, they try to copy the success of the front-runner – Final Fantasy – and always fall flat on their face.
The clear front-runner of this generation is the Nintendo Wii. The Nintendo Wii with its limited library (though it does have some great exclusives), its horrible online play, and its emphasis on gimmicks over gameplay. What reason do Microsoft and Sony have to go back to a traditional gaming platform? Yes, they are making money. They aren't hemorrhaging it. The problem is, when you look at the NPD's every month, Nintendo is ALWAYS number one. Anything with the word Wii in it is going to sell by the bucket-load. Wii Fit, Wii Play, Wii Waggle, it's pretty much a license to print money.
Why would Microsoft and Sony bother to stay the course? It's very clear what people want. As Reggie said, the people have spoken with their wallets, and what people want is more of Nintendo's sub-par product. That's why I fear for the next console generation. Will Sony and Microsoft forego making a more powerful console capable of greater feets in gaming and plunge into a more family friendly counterpart? Will they make normal consoles that somehow find a balance between the obscenely casual and the hardcore? It's hard to say…
I do think whatever the next gen brings, it won't be a traditional console. I think the PS4 will not be named the "Playstation 4", but instead go by a different, more radical name. This would be to garner attention such as the Wii did when they changed their system name from the Revolution. It would signify a change in direction, and would probably feature more in depth motion control and interactivity. If this is done RIGHT and does not come off as a gimmick – such as in Super Mario Galaxy, which is one of the best games of this generation – motion control can be a GREAT thing. The problem is, developers get lazy and just throw together simplified products or minigame collections for the sake of profit.
There would still be a market for the hardcore gamer. I honestly think companies would still release a game to snare our interest every once in a while. Even though Nintendo's main focus is no longer on the gamer, they still like to throw their audience a bone. (No, I'm not talking about Animal Crossing. That game belongs with the rest of the Wii's money grubbing trash) The problem is, I think these bones will come further and further apart. As things stand right now, I'm not sure the next generation will be worth visiting. It's just going to be a land of sequels, shooters, and gimmicks.
I hope that I am wrong. I hope that Sony or Microsoft will put their foot down and say: "No." I hope they will say screw profits and keep games where they belong, in the hands of people who actually enjoy playing them. Right now, in this generation, we're okay. We still have plenty of things to play, but the coming years could be dark times. Whichever company decides to not follow Nintendo's focus will have my dollar. I don't care if it's not Sony. It could be fucking Atari for all I care, I just want games to be one thing again: Games. I don't want mini-game collections, I don't want gimmicks, I don't want something that treats me like a child…I want a game that takes me seriously. I worry for the next generation. I may be irrational, I may seem like someone who is un-willing to share his industry (which isn't true. I am more than happy to share with casual gamers, as long as they don't over-whelm my content), but it's hard for me not to feel this way. Then again…No More Heroes 2 was announced recently, so there is STILL HOPE!
Let's just hope it's not like that. Otherwise I may just quit playing games altogether.
- I do say, they'll make a minigame out of us!
B3yond the Mail!
Well, let's see what you had to say about me last week.
Antonio Damasio agreed with my brother's stance on 10/10 review scores
I agree with Drew that a 10 out of 10 should be perfect. That is the highest score that one game can achieve, and that means perfection in my eyes. Perfection is the highest point for anyone, or anything. Since I do not see perfection in any game, I would never agree with a 10 out of 10 review. That is especially true if you mention ANY flaw in the game.
This is a valid point, but if that's the case…doesn't that make every essay in the history of school impossible to give a 10/10 to? I believe that a perfect score doesn't necessarily mean that a game has to be PERFECT, just that it has to be damn near incredible and worthy of that "A". I could see how people might feel this way though. If something isn't perfect, why should it get a perfect score? Good point.
Our good friend Rod Oracheski filled me in on other financial issues:
670,000 units seems low for the all-time sales lead, but I guess that's another indicator of how the Japanese console market has contracted in recent years. I wonder what their handheld sales rates are like.
The financial crunch isn't just hitting Midway. Sony's cutting 8,000 jobs and $1.1 billion in costs, with the bulk of it coming from their electronics division. A Factor Five developer also recently blogged (and then removed it and claimed it was misquoted even though it wasn't) about that company also having cash issues. The credit crunch is hitting a lot of developers, who need to secure funding from somewhere.
Gosh…for an industry that many though was un-crashable, the gaming industry sure is suffering a bit, isn't it? I heard that CBS was cutting several CNet and Gamespot workers recently, which is a drag. It's sad that this is happening, but it's happening to a lot of other industries as well, so I guess we'll just have to deal with it. I actually didn't know about the Sony story, but that makes sense. I can see it.
Also, you're right about that. Console sales in Japan have been declining since the last generation. It's sad, but it happens. I wonder what the 360 Japanese lead is since the 360 isn't as popular over seas? I bet the leading DS title is a Pokemon. We'll have to see though.
spacefight wants to address my perfect score ideas as well:
Pretty decent column this week, although I take exception to the Braid hate, as it was the best game of the year by far in my opinion.
Oh, and the fake ending to Chrono Cross is what killed it for me. Boss dies, credits roll, my teenager brain explodes at lack of ending.
I don't hate Braid, I think people are just trying to bill it as the "next portal" (i.e. a game that came out of nowhere). It is a REALLY good game, but I don't think that it's the next great thing. It WILL be in my top-20 games of the year list. It definitely won't be number two though.
Also, that's understandable. If you don't know what you're doing against Time Devourer, you will get PISSED OFF. Luckily I bought a strategy guide for the game, because I wanted to experience all the content (I was in love), and was aware there was some pattern needed to use the Chrono Cross. I got the true ending and enjoyed the game even more. I think if I had gone in un-prepared and seen the "ROLL THE CREDITS" end, I would have been pissed too.
Toddo has some nice words about Midway
Midway dying does make me sad... I've always been a fan of most of their games. It just seems like they fell off base. Aside from MK, I always felt Midway was at it's best when doing easy to play arcade type games. I thought Psi-Ops was great, as was The Suffering. Midway needs to return to what got them here. Make an old school NBA Jam type game, make Blitz 7 on 7 like it used to be. There are things Midway can do to get back on track, unfortunately, it may be to late for them.
Oh well, here's to hoping Capcom picks up the rights to Mortal Kombat, so mine and Derek's heads can explode at the same time with the announcement of MK vs. DCU vs. Capcom vs. Marvel.
Oh... and no worries, again that sounds like a collectors edition that might actually be worth the extra $10.
Okay, MK v. DCU v. Capcom v. Marvel would make my head explode. As long as it plays like MvC 2 or something. Oh God, that would be so awesome. Megaman vs. Subzero PLEEEEEASE.
I actually think you make a good point regarding Midway. Any "more complicated" game that Midway has tried to release, I never have been that big of a fan of. I remember when they re-made NBA Jam for the PS2. I just thought it lacked all the charm of the original. TNA Impact was pure garbage. If they try too much, it just seems like they can't do it. For arcadey fun though, Midway is hard to beat.
AND YES IT WILL BE WORTH MY EXTRA 10! FUCK YEAH! All they need to do now to have me forever is release a SF III Third Strike HD remix and I'll be happy.
Weng brings us home with some SF 3 related commenting.
Good to see some love for SF3. I remember when it first came out I had some really intense battles in the arcades, the only problem was Ken is a bit too powerful, especially with this 20 hit super dragon punch finish. I remember knocking out 50 hit combo finishes by using it twice...aaah
Hahaha, gosh…that is a bit over-powered. I do think that by the time Third Strike came out, he was weakened a bit. Actually, correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't Sean the highest tier in the second release of Street Fighter III? It's so weird, because in third strike he was pretty much Dan 2.0.
I think SF III has the most potential for an amazing fight in the series. If you get two fighters who can master parries, you can have quite the epic showdown. Again, if you need further proof just go to youtube and look up Daigo. His comeback is something special.
Well, as always, I appreciate your feedback. It helps me become better at what I do. If you wish to leave something below, you can do so. Or you can e-mail me at Dragonmaster_Alex_158@hotmail.com. It's your choice.
John de Large is our NEWEST news writer, and this week he writes The Once in a Lifetime Games News Report. Good rookie work there, John! You also did a good job filling in for the Ogre this week.
Chris Vicari writes The PC-Spotlight. He also apparently writes news for the games section, which made it harder for me to find this article so I could link to it!
What a surprise, the third Robbins brother's first name also begins with a D. What a coincidence, so when is "this" brother going to start writing for 411?
Posted By: Mark Salmela (Registered) on December 16, 2008 at 12:13 AM
He's 8. So probably in two years when he is the proper age to start writing for this site. Like Drew.
Posted By: Derek Robbins (Guest) on December 16, 2008 at 01:38 AM
Take PS2 off the shelves and I think Sony's ship will take a nose dive
Posted By: Guest#3166 (Guest) on December 16, 2008 at 01:52 AM
Personally, I think CNN has been starting to turn into FOX News in recent years, where they overdo a certain story and skew results to make things look worse than they really are. 2 examples: Remember when they interviewed John Cena, and then took a certain snippet of the interview which made it sound like he could have been taking steroids even though he flat out said he didn't in the full interview? I also work at a well-known healthcare facility that CNN decided to do a story on, and, despite a simple mistake being made, made it seem like the place should be closed down, when other, lesser-known, hospitals make worse mistakes, yet people still come to us because they know we still do a damn excellent job.
Even CNN still struggles for their news, and will sometimes beat on our favorite past-times like wrestling and videogames just for a story.
Saying that, I do agree that the PS3 could have done a lot better this console generation. To me, they are kinda like Verizon, and AT&T and the Apple iPhone are like the 360 and the Nintendo Wii. Verizon has the better network, partly because of the better CDMA technology, but because AT&T got Apple's iPhone (a good phone BTW, but really not the end-all be-all that everyone acts like it is) people buy the phone and have to flock to AT&T to get it. Nintendo's Wii and MS's 360 are the system's to own and the one developers put more focus on, respectively, despite by the numbers, the PS3 is the better system, with the better hardware, more hardcore games, etc. But because of it's price points, the Wii (FTW!), and people being cows being led to the 360 just for Halo (which isn't that great of an FPS anyways), there has to be a "loser" and that is the PS3.
I think part of Sony's problem was that they decided to keep selling their last bread-and-butter, the PS2, which someone ranted about in another column. If you want more people to buy your new item, stop selling the old one, but keep the damn backwards compatibility. Me - I got a PS3, Wii, DS, and PSP, and my Atari, NES, SNES, Genesis, PSX, PS2, Gameboy, and GBA are in the garage because times change, and I can at least play old games that have been revised for the current gen, or ones I haven't played on PSN or Virtual Console. I am a hardcore gamer, and although Sony and the PS3 aren't going to die like the ignorant CNN says, Sony does need to market better, ditch their old tech, and get more out of what they say their system is capable of doing, especially if they really do plan on keeping it around for a while.
Posted By: Johnny Polo (Guest) on December 16, 2008 at 07:35 AM
First, Derek, if you are going to quote the elderly people I saw at EBgames you have to do it right! "What does Jimmy like? They have exciting trucks and...guys fighting."
Secondly, "He's 8. So probably in two years when he is the proper age to start writing for this site. Like Drew."
I see what you did there...and I don't like it. 16 is a lot different than 10...
Posted By: Drew Robbins (Registered) on December 16, 2008 at 07:54 AM
"He's 8. So probably in two years when he is the proper age to start writing for this site. Like Drew."
So at what age are you gonna cut the umbilical cord and let him start dating?
Posted By: Mark Salmela (Guest) on December 16, 2008 at 10:03 AM
(the artist formerly known as Toddo)
Wait... there is a third Robbins brother? And his name just happens to be David R? Interesting... Lucky you said he was 8.
On GoW3: I don't think you will fight the bosses of the first two games again. I can see it be a possibility, but as you said I see it being more of a journey to battle Hades.
*Spoiler*
At the end of GOW2, Kratos is storming Mount Olympus with the Titans in tow, so I think this game is going to cover how the Greek Gods fell, and apparently in game it will be at the hands of Kratos
*end Spoiler*
Posted By: Todd Vote (Registered) on December 16, 2008 at 10:43 AM
I agree with you on the SF2 add-on for Little Big Planet. I think it is ridiculous to charge for add-ons that do nothing. Next, they will start charging us for the user created content on game. That will tell you that things are VERY bad.
Posted By: Antonio Damasio (Guest) on December 16, 2008 at 10:51 AM
Did they ever reveal what that whole "A Next Metal Gear" thing was?
Posted By: ScottieD (Guest) on December 16, 2008 at 12:19 PM
"Next, they will start charging us for the user created content on game. That will tell you that things are VERY bad."
Activision already talked about that idea, a subscription for Guitar Hero to access the user created songs. I don't think the talks got very far.
Posted By: Rod Oracheski (Registered) on December 16, 2008 at 03:20 PM
Polo, I own a 360 and original Xbox, yet have not a single copy of Halo.
The Bioware games hooked me personally. People seem to forget about KOTOR and Mass Effect. Whatever.
Posted By: spacefight (Guest) on December 16, 2008 at 05:41 PM
I think that should be people being led to the PS3 just for MGS4. That's the only game I've seen worth having a PS3 for but I can't see myself spending $500 just for one game. I need at least 3-4 more to catch my eye before I even think about getting one. I own a 360 and getting Halo has never crossed my mind. I hate those first person shooters.
Posted By: TWilliams (Guest) on December 17, 2008 at 12:11 AM
Just my opinion here BUT...
1- Blu Ray is picking up. Walk into any FYE and you will see that the number of blu rays on the shelves is increasing exponentially every month. It won the format war partly *BECAUSE* of PS3, and all the people who are no-selling Blu Ray obviously don't have one.
The numbers for The Dark Knight are looking VERY promising for the format.
2- You are absolutely RIGHT ON about Casual gamers. Wii has done this very well (Sports, Warioware etc), and 360 with games like Rock Star (admittedly started w/Guitar Hero on PS2)... PS3 gives us what? MORE SHOOTERS!!!
They really need to wake up and realize we need more variety & quality of games which brings me to point #3:
WE NEED A QUALITY JRPG... and we need one YESTERDAY. Yes, they may not sell like Madden but they're great for building word of mouth.
Posted By: M:-X (Guest) on December 17, 2008 at 12:06 PM
truth is i want to buy a PS3 but its' no feasible because of price. i would love to get a 60GB due to the backwards compatibility and being able to revisit classics like MGS3 or FF XII or even the recent Persona 4 on the system with improved graphics would be nice and I want Dark Knight on Blu-Ray there still is not enough for me to buy a PS3 for.
What Little Big Planet? Amazing game. MGS4? Haven't played it but I am sure it's great.
But all in all a PS3 will set me back by $400....sorry but truthfully speaking I don't live in my parents basement and have to eat, pay bills and student loans. Sorry Sony. Price matters for REAL people.
Posted By: zedian (Guest) on December 17, 2008 at 02:29 PM
Sony bet the farm on this console cycle on an untested format, Blu Ray. What if HD-DVD had become the dominant format? By placing such an emphasis on BR for a GAME console, I think this may be a costly mistake. Putting it into a PS3.5 post launch release would make more sense and allow them to keep the console cost down, competing with the Wii and 360.
DVD was launched over 25 years after VHS, while Blu Ray was launched a little over 10. You can't tell me that besides obvious sound and picture improvements, blu ray is vastly different than DVD, not at least the same way that DVD is different than VHS.
Blu Ray was a huge gamble and it might not pay off. Typically formats need 5 years to become the norm, replace the previous format, and have enough players in the market to support the software sales projections. The also means that BR will have to become the standard on computers, portables, game consoles, as well as stand alone players to truly "win" the format war. BR knocked off HD-DVD, but until I can put a BR disk in my work issued laptop and hit play, then things will remain up for grabs.
The biggest problem is time. If BR is to succeed, then web deliver of HD content will need to slow dramatically. Given that you can get HD content on demand from cable, iTunes, and now Netflix, this works against Sony. Launching a format in the face of web delivery of content is a bold move and probably not the brightest either.
The biggest problem is the collective shrug from the marketplace. BR looks great, no doubt about it, but most people won't pay for it. Is it that much better than DVD? Didn't Sony learn anything from Laser Disc? Superior formats don't often win the war, price and convenience will always rule the marketplace. If BR can crack the PC market and displace DVD drives, then we have something. Until then, BR is on shaky ground.
One final thought, Sony put BR inside the PS3 out of sheer arrogance. They felt that they would dominate the console war, treating the consumer as mindless sheep, just slap PlayStation on it and it will sell. If you think that Sony cares about gamers, then you are nuts. They care about BR being the format of choice and thought that the install base of the PS2 would fall right in line. If it pays off, Sony will be making money that Nintendo can only dream of, with BR going into every type of consumer good where DVD is today. If it doesn't get there, then Sony won't win this round.
But overall does anyone think that Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo will ever drop out of the "war" and one of the three platforms will "win"? Not with all that money at stake.
Eventually they will all lose to another platform. He who can be named, one ring to unite them all, The Internet. Ever heard of it?
Posted By: Wii60 (Guest) on December 18, 2008 at 02:44 PM
- I do say, they'll make a minigame out of us! 
