Sony PR team reportedly laid-off, ex-staffer mourns ‘titles sent out to die’

#51 Well Doc i meant in not using the gaming department to coupe with the losses of the other departments, more than being their main focus, because i think that holds back their gaming division, and affects their gaming strategy, like they cannot cut prices on vita and the new super slim model, expand their catalog, etc., among other things, sorry for not putting in the right way, i think.

If a videogame I don’t like for the reasons such as I can’t aim, it’s too popular, or because it’s on a console I can’t afford, it must be that the video game I like (or can afford) is just as good, if not better.

Why? Simple: marketing.

…
..
. What’s marketing? It’s a word which sounds well enough to insult people playing videogames I ‘despise’, as well as make myself look intelligent and insightful.

Usher advertised a videogame? It sold over 8 million? Marketing and stupid Usher did it.

A videogame regularly tops most played charts? Dumb marketing victims.

Japanese can’t keep up with american devs? Marketing, obv.

And what a treat! more wisdom from Da Man – “Their marketing is just fine, the games are shit.”
I want to like you. I feel we could become great friends. Lovers even. But shit like this makes it difficult.

Was Crash shit compared to Mario? Yes.

Was Killzone/Resistance shit compared to Halo? Yes.

Was Primal shit compared to Zelda? Yes.

If you genuinely believe games sell disguised as something appealing and continously trick their fanbase, I don’t know what to say aside from that perhaps you should just try and deal with the fact that your fav ones aren’t the best.

@52
Short of dumping other sides of their business altogether I’m not sure no influence is possible. However putting gaming as one of the main businesses should give decisions which benefit that part greater impetus – at least you’d hope that.

I agree with you there boss. When held up to such greats, they could easily be deemed ‘shit’.

‘THE BEST’ is something nobody anywhere can ever confirm to be true.

Yes, you can. For instance, even without going into balance/depth comparison, it ‘s obvious that an fps with superior amount and selection of playlists, a bult-in level editor and a theatre is better.

The fact is, Sony’s ‘cool’ train ran out of steam with the PS2.

The PS3 was / has:

Too expensive at launch

taken an age to reach profitablity

Underperormed in critical cross-platform titles

Continued with Sony’s fool hardy obsession with linking it too other Sony Products or media (Bluray, 3D etc…)

Awful marketing of key titles

If Sony don’t address these issues next gen, they are toast.

Next PS needs to be basically a PC (Xbox) in construction and subs based.

If they don’t follow that model, i can’t see many happy shareholders in a few years time.

#57 – some people value such things. Others don’t. So no.

Game (A) has 150 levels and 50 guns.

Game (B) has 25 levels and 12 guns.

GAME A IS THE BEST!!!!! – according to Da Man logic

That wasn’t even remotely what I said, silly.

some people value such things. Others don’t. So no.
That makes no sense. If I have two shooters, which one of those I go for? The one offering more content and one which can occupy me for months.

That’s why games top the most played charts, and others don’t.

I can buy a CoD and I can buy several other shooters, why purchase several inferior games when I can just buy one, seeing as how much content it comes with.

Unless of course you think space nazis are artistic and refreshing.

@61, That’s the point isn’t it? Some people do. Arguing over subjective values is just passing in the wind.

Guys, I think we can all agree, Sony makes better games than Nintendo. At least Sony’s games as for adults.

So that I can play everything from Living Dead through Snipers and Team Doubles in one sci-fi omp fps while the other one has a couple of half decent modes is apparently subjective?

Why do you play omp fps then? Oh wait, #60 doesn’t.

Oh well then, that makes sense.

Yes, I ‘m fully convinced it’s the mysterious marketing or whatever stands behind that buzz word rather than the diversity and depth of the game..

@64
It doesn’t matter if you have 60 different modes and 30 maps, if you don’t like the core gameplay then it’s not the best game for you is it?

So, more content equals a better game. Regardless if that content might be completely uninteresting to some. Except games are rarely just a sum of their parts.

Maybe all that marketing has gotten to you.

This was fun. And I see we both have some bigotry in us. It feels right. Please let me be your girl <3

It’s not merely ‘more content’, it’s the diversity, replay value and the amount of fun yoy can get out of the same game.

Hardly any bigotry. I was just pointing out how it’s funny to try and link it all with some undefined marketing forces.

if you don’t like the core gameplay then it’s not the best game for you is it?
Yes, which is why people usually don’t compare fps with racing games.

Sure Fin, sure.

On topic: If the strong yen, and Sony’s other divisions financial troubles force the PS4 to be delayed and give MS another headstart… Well I guess I’ll be going back to the Xbox :-/

@OM, this is kind of what I am thinking will happen.

Sometimes when your running a race, you realize your not going to win, then you need to shift focus on just doing what is best for you and finishing the race. I think Sony is doing that. And if they aren’t, shame, because they could really use some focus right now. IMO.

Ok, now let’s lose this crowd and go sit by the river with a picnic and some Lambrini.

@67
Do you really think all shooters have the same core gameplay? There is massive variety and diversity out there. Halo plays very differently to CoD. Yes it’s about shooting each other but there are still plenty of differences to forge preference based on more than diversity of content.

@69 I don’t know, I think Sony Computer Entertainment’s corporate PR has been very strong.

I essentially wrote Sony off for most of this generation, because I felt like they were arrogant and completely unwilling to face the fact that they had made some huge mistakes launching the PS3.

But now they’re actually publicly owning those mistakes, on the highest level, and that makes me think they’re actually willing to do better.

Not in a million years would that ever happen from Microsoft. They’re completely willing to not only ignore their mistakes, but also to make them even worse, before they ever cop to anything. Microsoft are never wrong. The world may be wrong, but Microsoft, not possible.

That’s really what’s taken me from someone who preferred the 360 to someone who thinks that Sony are a lot more keyed up for the next generation.

If nothing else, whoever runs their corporate PR is smarter than most.

No I don’t, which is why I don’t play CoD.. I was just giving an extreme example.

But then CoD wouldn’t be a top played one if it didn’t have the diversity and replay value. If it was just another military omp with a few modes, nobody would keep playing it.

Surely there’s more to base it on, but when you have a sci-fi fps which has been perfecting it’s formula for years and a newcomer clone with less value, it’s not surprising the latter doesn’t sell the same numbers.

@74
Oh ok got you. Obviously you can compare elements. For example I think some of the success of CoD and Halo are down to the fantastic party/group features both have. If you make it as easy as possible for people to play and stay together they will keep playing your game. Make it tricky or obscure and people won’t stay. I continue to be amazed how games continue to get this aspect wrong when there are clear examples out there of how it should and does work.

Its times like these I miss Theevilaires, where he would try and stick up for sony and how they are the best.I wonder if he is still on this site as someone else. Now that the generation is pretty much over, he has to be unhappy at how it played out.

I agree with manu, bring back Sega consoles, but that isnt going to happen sadly. (I loved my Dreamcast)

Sony got so arrogant and I got disgusted with Kaz and Kuturagi’s statements. I’m glad they had some humble pie. However, MS is going directions that Im not sure im happy about, and i went from PC to console, and might go back to mainly PC, depending on how awesome the new consoles are. One thing I have learned after many console generations is that most of the time, no one stays on top too long, and Sony could come back, and MS be in the pits, you just never know. MS isnt the MS that started the 360′s generation, They were hungry, they were aggressive, and now they seem like they have been in a relationship too long, and arent trying as hard. If sony comes back with that same fever that MS had at the start of this gen, dont count them out.