Mon, Sep 01, 2008 | 14:00 BST

Yoshida: ” LittleBigPlanet will be the biggest title for Sony in all markets this year”

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Speaking to VG247, Sony worldwide studios boss Shuhei Yoshida has predicted that Media Molecule blue-sky platformer LittleBigPlanet will be the biggest PS3 game this year on a global level.

“LittleBigPlanet is going to be the biggest title for Sony in all markets this year,” he said.

Yep. That includes Japan.

“History tells us how difficult it is for games developed in Europe or in the US to be successful in Japan, and with this generation we see Japanese consumer supporting more and more games coming from western Europe,” Yoshida added.

Not only will the game be the biggest PlayStation 3 game this year, said the exec, but it will show the way forward for games in general.

“It’s massively important, because it has so many things that it’s doing right in our minds,” he told us.

“That really shows the way the whole industry will be heading. Giving power to the consumers to express their creativity by creating something that’s fun for others to play. So we really want to make it a global success, including the Japanese market.”

Black and white. The biggest PS3 game this year, or your money back. Sony’s already said it expects Sackboy to become the new mascot for PS3, and now you know why: the farm’s been bet.

The game’s out in October. And you’re all buying it, right?

24 comments

#1

Blerk
01/09/08, 2:01 pm

I’d love to agree with him, but I just can’t see it. Even if it does really well, stuff like Resistance 2 is going to kick its arse.

#2

Psychotext
01/09/08, 2:02 pm

In terms of sales… I don’t think so. As a system seller? Possibly.

#3

patlike
01/09/08, 2:03 pm

He told me they’d done testing in Japan and reckons it was “supported”. That statement about it being the “biggest” was very deliberate.

#4

Psychotext
01/09/08, 2:06 pm

Where is it on Famitsu’s most wanted chart? Anyone know? I only have July’s numbers and it wasn’t in the top 15 there.

#5

patlike
01/09/08, 2:08 pm

I’m not sure, I’m afraid. I haven’t seen a game polarise opinion so much for years. It’s either “It’s amazing!” or “It’s going to completely bomb.”

#6

Blerk
01/09/08, 2:11 pm

It’s amazing AND it’s going to completely bomb. :-)

Well… maybe not ‘completely bomb’, but I’m not sure it can ever be the success it ought to be.

#7

No_PUDding
01/09/08, 2:11 pm

Works either way for me. Because I will be getting it.

Resistance 2 looks totally lacklustre to me. To be honest EVERY game this fall apart from LittleBigPlanet and Spore look pretty lacklustre.

I don’t even know if Spore is coming this fall. My PC probabaly won’t run it.

But for LittleBigPlanet the involvemement with great developers and licensed content seems even better than just the custom content.

#8

OrphanageExplosion
01/09/08, 2:12 pm

I really want to embrace this game but I just have no burning desire to play it whatsoever. And ‘Sackboy’ is anything but an iconic games character.

#9

Blerk
01/09/08, 2:16 pm

I seriously doubt Japan’s even heard of it, by the way. Western-o-philes aside, that is. I can’t imagine it being a big-seller over there.

#10

No_PUDding
01/09/08, 2:16 pm

To be totally honest it doesn’t sound like you want to embrace it at all.

It’s a shame.

I really have no clue about sales. It could bomb or it could sell. Might bomb, until word of mouth spreads.

#11

morriss
01/09/08, 2:20 pm

Gears of War wil most likely outsell LBP and Resistance 2 combined, I reckon. Although for Sony, Motor and Resistance 2 will definitely sell more.

#12

OrphanageExplosion
01/09/08, 2:24 pm

I want to embrace it because of its innovation, physics and the notion that it will continually expand – limited only by the imagination of the userbase, but in terms of what I’m seeing in terms of actual gameplay – what I’m seeing on the screen – I just can’t find the enthusiam to really want to spend a lot of time with it.

Then again it was the same with Uncharted and that’s still my joint-favourite PS3 game along with Super Stardust HD.

#13

No_PUDding
01/09/08, 2:37 pm

It appeals to me in the way that line-rider, copter, phun etc etc etc appeal to me.

Except you can essentially create your own aims, your own objectives.

I just want to experiment with it, and it will be reminiscent of an old 2D platformer at the same time.

#14

patlike
01/09/08, 3:45 pm

I’m going to play it. The single-player stuff’s about 12 hours long, apparently, and hopefully after that I’ll be inspired enough to try putting a level together. If it “works” it’s going to be amazing. Big “if,” mind.

#15

pjmaybe
01/09/08, 4:04 pm

I can’t see the problem with the single player stuff being 12 hours long. In fact I’m surprised it’s that long at all..

I can’t wait for this, but more to the point – I can’t wait to see what people do with the tools and the level creation toys.

#16

morriss
01/09/08, 4:13 pm

I’d like to know what there is in the single player to keep me engaged for 12 hours.

#17

Blerk
01/09/08, 4:15 pm

There are 50-60 ‘story mode’ levels included. With a narrative and stuff.

#18

Panipal2005
01/09/08, 4:21 pm

‘Sackboy’ is anything but an iconic games character? C’mon now, it’s the closest Sony’s ever come to having an honest-to-goodness ‘mascot’, ironically that’s because Sackboy doesn’t seem designed to be a Mario/Sonic style mascot like, say, Spyro the dragon seemed to be.

#19

No_PUDding
01/09/08, 4:25 pm

The closest Sony ever had to a mascot was the Ape’s from Ape Escape.

Talking of Ape Escape…..

Anyway, I agree Sackboy is a great and iconic mascot, but we’ll have to see it take off first.

Blerk is right though.

What I have accumulated is the game has a 12 hour signle player with 50 levels. The Narrative is based on a gig (perhaps organisisng a gig – hence the extensive sound track). And it’s narrated by Stephen Fry.

Win.

#20

pjmaybe
01/09/08, 4:29 pm

Fry does the voiceovers for the tutorials / tool bits too.

As anyone with kids will tell you, this is greatness (Pocoyo said so)

Pat / Moz, shut up carping on about the single player and learn to drawn y’damned feebs! :)

#21

No_PUDding
01/09/08, 4:34 pm

Awesome premise, mixed with awesome storyline of a gig mixed with Stephen Fry mixed with Play Create Share, mixed with customisable Sackboy.

I don’t really care about gameplay. It’s actually that stage. It’s a cool physics game where you can create a game if you want. But you can also create an equivelnt of a webpage.

I will do more, but some will just do that.

#22

Mr.Cheats
17/09/08, 6:30 pm

I’m really into platformer games and this just takes it to a new new level with all the customization. Can’t wait for this game.

#23

patlike
17/09/08, 6:43 pm

Not long to go. About six weeks now?

#24

No_PUDding
17/09/08, 6:45 pm

Especially minus the 6 weeks ago this was posted :|

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