It seems the console maker who’s trailing in sales typically says how great competition is and how it’s great for the consumer. Sony’s not leading the console race, as of now, and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president David Reeves stated in a recent interview:
The winner, he said, is the consumer. “That’s why we are not going to slag off Microsoft or Nintendo at all,” he said, “because again it’s rather like the trainer market: one year it’s Reebok, next year it’s Nike, and then suddenly it’s Adidas; it’s cyclical, but in the end everyone wins in five to ten years.”
Sony continues to speak towards their “10 year plan” and how they’re increasing momentum in the market. They’re not winning in sales but with a ten years to go, this is just the beginning. Had this statement come from Microsoft it would be a chance to worry, but Sony has proof to backup their statements.
The PlayStation 2 is going strong as a nine year-old and doesn’t seem to be letting up in game releases. Sony’s press conferences always cover the PlayStation 2 in their talks with the PSP and PlayStation 3 for three big reasons: it’s worth bragging about, it distracts from lower PS3 sales and it separates them from the competition.
Where is the GameCube or classic Xbox in Nintendo and Microsoft’s press conferences and number crunch reports? The fact is, the companies have given up on both products retiring them as “last generation” (translation: poor sales). What better reason to buy a PlayStation 3 than knowing the company is in the game for the long haul?
It might be bit cheaper to buy an Xbox 360 but who’s to say Microsoft isn’t going to announce their next generation console tomorrow and kill off the Xbox 360? Obviously, Microsoft will deny those claims but there will always be doubt without a proven track record.
On the other hand, Microsoft hasn’t seen the success in the classic Xbox and Nintendo hasn’t seen nearly the fervor over the GameCube as compared to their current generation consoles. So, that begs the question, why would they halt all that for new console announcements?
Until they’ve had more time in the market, we cannot be 100% certain what Nintendo and Microsoft are going to do when it comes to next-generation announcements while Sony’s been very clear in each press conference. As Kaz Hirai said to Eurogamer earlier:
“We certainly don’t do the consumer the disservice of basically saying that the consoles have gone by the wayside because we have a new one. Right now, a prime example? PS2 is nine years into it. Where’s the Xbox? Where’s the GameCube?”
If one console maker is looking for a way to stand out and explain their slow sales figures, Sony’s got the PS2 and its long history in their back pocket.
Now, if we could only get those game designers to continue to take it seriously and not put all their eggs into the PS3 basket.
Xbox 360
@Kinect: I’m glad this gimmick seems to be fading I rather use a remote or get up if I have to. The whole system felt clumsy and as Jonah demonstrated annoying when doing things that have nothing to do with the system. I’m quite content with using controllers, it just feels quicker and more precise.
@Windows open source: It seems to be little more then speculation if they are actually going to do this or if all that has happened is they talked about it. There are people that barely seem to be able to even use a computer let alone meddle with it under the hood.
@Kickstarter: I think this would be a great topic for an episode, I know Paul feels burned out on it but there are successes. Pillar’s of Eternity is just one of many, their’s is probably the best example of it being done right. I looked for games that I wanted to play and this was one of them, and yes I also looked at who was making it so yes choosing “famous” or those already previously successful is exactly what one should take into consideration.
Also a game’s difficulty rating I don’t think deters from the fact that a company that said they would deliver a game did so. I found it hard too but that doesn’t make it a failure of a game or a kickstarter investment. Like with this topic and the previous Windows open source people need to exercise some common sense with these things. Kickstater or crowd funding isn’t a bad idea when it is helping those with good ideas, and knowledge on how to do make it happen but just lack the funds to execute it.
You don’t have to back anything but I don’t think it deserves condemnation as a failure either.
QotW: Back to a topic Paul does like, I think I mentioned that Abadonware would be a good policy to help preserve these old games. You guys are right that we do more to preserve records and history than we have before and it’s a shame that games are facing trouble because of outdated software, license holders, hardware advancements, copyright laws etc.
I love you guys. I listen to you. But I work like a horse for the good of the public. Being an adult sucks.
@QOTW
Not sure. I didn’t get into heavy gaming until 2005 sadly. Eastern Europe had limited access to video games. So a lot of the classics I am playing first time. People fuelled with nostalgia tell me how good Goldenye, Zelda and WoW were. But when I play them I feel they are dated and clunky and not half as fun as modern games. Playing Twilight Princess ruined Ocarina of Time for me. Ocarina didn’t have a lot of modern features that I would expect from a modern game. And I won’t even start on Kingdom Hearts.
Only a few games contain a formula that endures over time. Smash Bros, Mario Kart, Halo are all still good games. But because of that they are re-released a lot, and I would rather play their modern descendants. So I would say on the future, Retro gaming will become a niche part of gaming, much like a genre. You will play it if you like it. Wider gaming public will ignore it and those games that have good gameplay would be updated every other year. Wait up for Mario Kart 15 and Ultimate Super Smash Bros Tussle.