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Video Games developer criticises Sony |
Listed in: PS3 Tags: EDGE, Howard Stringer, Jeff Minter, Llamasoft, Microsoft, playstation 3 updates, Sony
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Video gaming legend Jeff Minter has criticised Sony for the high price of the PS3 and for them being too 'smug' with it. Minter, creator of the light synthesiser and founder of Llamasoft wrote in his column for popular gaming magazine Edge "They seem absolutely certain that even when they say it's going to be considerably more expensive than existing consoles... nevertheless us eager customers will rush out in droves to buy it because it's, hey, a new PlayStation.". Just in case you haven't noticed, there was a hint of sarcasm on the last line.
Minter also argued that Sony was "incredibly arrogant" with their PS3, hinting that Sony just put the price of the PS3 up because they can, and that they know people will buy it just for the brand name. This comes only days after Sony CEO Howard Stringer defended the PS3's pricing by saying "When you buy into new technology, do you go for a cheaper transitional [product], or do you take a chance on future-proof, higher technology which will keep you going for many, many years?". I'm sure Jeff Minter will have something to say about this statement in his next column for Edge magazine, and lets just hope that his Xbox 360 light synthesiser ties don't keep him too biased!
To be perfectly honest, we are used to this sort of slating by now. It's just usually between an actual Microsoft and Sony representative. It looks like more and more people are being dragged into the argument now. Roll-on next-generation console war!
Via BBC
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I think they should spend more time developing their mediocre titles instead of bashing the competition because it might put them out of a job.
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the PS3 is a very powerful piece of hardware, but it's competition are trying to capitalize on the fact that currently, developers are still learning the complex architecture, and they aren't truly tapping the system's potential in this first year. and of course, little fanboys and girls who don't know any better (and are probably too young to remember the past few console wars), lap that bs up and buy into the hype of the competing console. the proof is indeed in the pudding, i guess, and the PS3 will indeed deliver, and a lot of fanboys will be munching on feet and purchasing a system once it's at a price they can afford. it seems like that's the only thing that's really getting everyone's panties in a bunch. if the PS3 was $400, no one would be complaining.
after E3 2007, we're going to see some truly killer games coming from the PS3, and the issue of price will be moot, as Sony will probably drop the unit by $50 to $100 at some point next year, making it on par with the 360 (Microsoft has stated that the 360 isn't undergoing a price drop anytime soon. and really, they can't afford it right now). Sony, being the manufacturer that they are, have taken into account what they can change and streamline once that initial hurdle of launch ramp up is over, and they start to truly mass produce the little bastards. the $500 PS3 model is still on par with the $400 *premium* version of the 360. the only thing it's missing is the memory stick slots, as it can support 1080p resolutions via component cable. it has practically everything it's $600 brother has, and it matches the $400 360 feature for feature. once it takes a $100 price cut, it'll even match it in price. and if the rumors are true, and game developers can be believed, it's possibly more powerful than the 360, and supports a high capacity Game and Movie format (Blu Ray). it's just a better deal. and it won't be $600 forever. i don't know why that's so hard to understand.
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Microsoft execs and affiliates have a bad habit of critisizing their direct competition (Sony) in every single interview instead of focusing on the positive aspects of there's. But instead of suing for slander or getting angry, Sony seems to be smug assuming that these guys are going to be eating their crow by next year.
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could it be that Sony actually took the criticism's hurled at the PS2 to heart, and are *gasp!* trying to make a better system for their consumers? i think so. and remember, Nintendo was allied with Sony back in the day to create the Nintendo Playstation. do any of you think that Nintendo would get in business with a company that didn't have a genuine love for video games?
at the time before video games became what they are now, entering the market back then wasn't exactly the best business choice, really. making softwafe was a nice source of supplemental income, but it wasn't a major thing (the NES and SNES only sold about 60 million units each. the PS1 sold 100 million). Sony grew the gaming industry by 40 million people, thus allowing games that are very expensive to produce to come about in the following generations(lik e MGS3).
if there wasn't a market for it, we'd still be dealing with low texture, low polygon characters traipsing about. revolutionary games like GTA3 and Spore wouldn't exist, because not enough people would be purchasing games, thus allowing developers to spend more to make a better game. hardware manufacturers are able to invest in better, higher quality technology for their follow up systems, all because Sony managed to do something that Nintendo couldn't: make videogames mainstream. up until the PS1 came out, gamers were between the ages of 5 and 18. now, on top of that demographic, there's the 18-30 age range.
if it wasn't for that market growth, we wouldn't have the X Box 360 or PS3 in their current configurations, because companies wouldn't spend that much to make a games console. Nintendo comes from that era. which is why the Wii is pretty much an upgraded Gamecube. Nintendo comes from a generation of console manufacturers that aren't used to spending millions and millions to develop a console. whereas, Microsoft and Sony are used to spending that much to manufacture their products (like Windows, CD and DVD players, and High Definition TV's). Nintendo comes off as cheap, but only because of their antiquated view of the industry. it's grown, whereas Nintendo has stayed the same. it's like the difference between your parents and grandparents, and you. Nintendo is the old generation. wise and experienced, but Microsoft and Sony are the new generation, full of energy and exhuberance, but lacking guidance in this still young but growing gaming industry.
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anyway, i have read a lot of arguments in different forums. and majority of people says that we should support "GAMES" and not the "BRAND NAME". okay i agree with that in some way. but listen, you also have to know that track record of that company before buying their system right? and you have to consider what will you do on those 30+ ps1 and ps2 games that you have accumulated over the years. so, for me the answer to that is "GAMES AND CONSOLE SYSTEM WORKS HAND IN HAND". if you think of it, its important to SUPPORT THE SYSTEM FIRST for you to get the game you want...isn't it that right? because if that console system sold well a lot of game developers will release their game on that platform. look what happen with SEGA SATURN, they have excellent games but only a few people are bought the system, thats why it failed and eventually discontinued. So it's really important for Playstation fans to support the PS3 this coming launch, if we still want those games that we've grown and love to come out in PS3 and not on the XBOX 360. and besides this is the first time that a console really competed against PC when it comes to graphics, speed, power and functunality regarding gaming. :)
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actually the article is not quite as anti-sony as you are led to believe. he basically describes how each time sony have release a playstation he's been practically salivating at the idea of pre-ordering and then getting hold of it.... but this time, even though he saw some 'ok' stuff at e3 he doesn't feel the urge.
it is a slightly anti-ps3 sentiment, he says he doesn't like ken kutaragi (and that he talks rubbish mainly), and then says that the way sony go about things 'makes their attitude seem incredibly arrogant'.
don't get all mad, he does go on to say things which basically translate as 'i'm going to get a ps3, cos it will have some great games' and 'i reckon it's just cos we've got a big boring summer to wait through before things actually start happening'... and considering 360 is already out, shouldn't it be taking advantage of the last couple of months it still has unopposed? (that last one is my sentiment, not his)
his main point, and one which i actually agree with, is that we really need a Wipeout title for ps3... the wipeout series is class, and it assures people that there's at least one quality title available at launch.
i personally don't think minter is right, and nor is he particularly well placed to criticise, given that he knows about as much as we do, and is on the ms payrole...
i disagree that nintendo are somehow 'behind the times', i think what they're doing with the wii is quite forward thinking, and if they hadn't done well with ds i'd say it was misguided... but given ds worked there's every chance wii will do as they planned - expand the market into the even older or even younger age ranges (old people have been convinced to play that brain training game). it's risky, it's quite a good idea, but i also feel like the way they've deliberately made the wii much less powerful is somehow stupid, they could have done more with it if it had more power, and might have drawn more money from the competition. i don't care what you say, it is a 3 horse race, they're all in direct competition - they all make games consoles, so they ARE in competition!! goddamit stop saying otherwise!
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That's exactly why I agree with Vecha (for the moment), there simply are not enough amazing looking games to convince me the system is worth $600 (I don't give two sh*ts about Blu-Ray). While I could go on and on about amazing looking games coming to 360.
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Not that I don't agree with him. The only version of PS3 to be available in Australia costs AUD$999 (USD$750). I would not be surprised if there will be unsold boxes on the shelves come this christmas.
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It's funny one lists Assasin's creed as one original title....well for one...
1). it's rumored to be non-exclusive...now...i won't count this as an exclusive title(like gta was to sony last quarter)unless it takes a year to come to the 360...if it only has a couple of months exclusive?...then I think one can wait two months.
2.) One title is just one title. It isn't worth 600$. Ps2 wasn't worth the price for just GTA. There were other titles. maybe I haven't seen all the titles for the ps3...but from what i've seen...there aren't many gems...far from what I can say about the wii or 360.
3.)(off topic)...its funny people say the 360 doesn't have japanese dev support...but when i compare the titles coming out from Japan compared to what is coming from the ps3...I'm more excited from what is to show on the wii and 360. Blue Dragon. Lost Oddyssey. Arm Enchant. N3. Dead Rising. for the ps3(now if you want...please...please...show me some titles for the ps3...besides...) Final Fantasy or the rpg that was on the psp. What else is there?
I really really...really...want to be hyped for the ps3...but what reasons are there besides...blu-ray and sequals....(FF, DMC, MGS)...I can wait for a price drop to grab sequals...I want something fresh and exciting.
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I dont recognize his name.
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And, yes, Sony is acting pretty smug about the pricing of the console, as well as a number of other things. Don't get your panties in a knot, Microsoft is just as bad.
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PS3 is going to be the cheapest BD player in the market and, APART FROM THAT, a very powerful machine with HDD IN BOTH VERSIONS,free online service, and a couple of things more. If they can't see that the console is worthy far more than it costs, they are absolutely stupid. A different case are the users who don't give a ***** for BD or the PS3 power or games, but looking at what is inside the machine, it's not expensive.
This is amazing. I've never seen such an insisting and stupid attitude from one company to the opposite EVER. Less having into account that PS3 is not out yet. Microsoft deserves to fly away from the market, they are really dirty bastards and, with this attitude, they have lost any support from me. Totally.
Now, I don't know which company deserves more to get lost from the market: M$ with its insisting and annoying rumors, false information and attacks to the opponents, or Nintendo with its cheap and unworthy 'I-don't-support-HD-nor-HDD-nor-video DVDs-nor-anything' machines.
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Oh please, get off your high horse (and other's here). ;)
Jeff Minter is the founder of Llamasoft, an independant software house, and you can read about Llamasoft and Jeff here;
http://www.llamasoft.co.uk/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Minter
He is not a MS employee, he is not working for MS, he simply created a new version of his Virtual Light Machine for the XBox 360 (called Neon).
He wasn't an Atari employee when he developed the Virual Light Machine for the Jaguar console's CD-ROM add-on, nor was he a Nintendo employee when he worked on a project for the Gamecube (which was cancelled and became Neon on the 360).
Anyway, I'm a subscriber to EDGE magazine and I've read the article from Jeff. As #13 states above, it is not the anti-Sony piece as reported by the BBC (tsk tsk BBC!).
It's just a developer rant, it's his personal take on the industry. He makes some good points, speaks his mind, but not in a serious way. For example he says "Sony could probably have completely had me if there was lovely, sweet HD footage of a new Wipeout for PS3 at E3 - I've make sweet, animal love to each iteration of that series over a succession of Sony consoles, and the thought of spending my Christmas in a comfortably enhanced frame of mind zooming around eye-poppingly beautiful HD circuits at insane speeds with some banging choons on would have had my name at the top of the preorder list in no time".
Here's are some other comments;
"It doesn't help that Ken Kutaragi comes over as a bit of a smeeeee sometimes, too. Some of his talk about the PS3 seemed pretty bizarre and it makes Sony's attitude seem incredibly arrogant".
I believe there are many Sony fans who agree with this observation too! ;)
Finally, "I don't think it's all Sony's fault, of course. I am sure the PS3 is very capable, and eventually it'll take it's place along with the rest in my console pile, and there will be some cracking games to play on it. Part of it's probably due to the homogenisation of games that I talked about last time...
...just give me my Wipeout and I'll be fine"
I could post more, but the point is, this is NOT a MS employee attacking Sony, this is an independant developer giving a rant about Sony and the PS3 in his regular column in EDGE magazine.
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For example, heavenly sword, resistance, motorstorm, lair *drools*, untold legends, warhawk, UT2007 anyone, eye of judgement, and fatal inertia. These games all look to be very great games and are coming out right around launch. Im not worried about graphics right now because devs are only scratching the sruface with what they can do with cell and what blu ray can offer in terms of more stuff they can add. I may sound like a total PS3 fanboy right now but im not. I got a 360 on launch and its a great system. See i person that likes the enjoyment of both worlds. Is that to hard to ask.
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Viva Piñata, to attrack Nintendo kiddie fans, lol pretty low move from MS.
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ps. am not speculating, its a fact that will soon be revealed by the publishers of these games that i just mentioned. but mercenaries will be a timed exclusive maybe assasin creed too, that i dont know.
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Anyways, as for the 'Sony costs too much' arguement, it's getting old. Is that all there is to complain about anymore? Isn't there a half-assed arguement like, "The Playstation 3 can't do -------"?
Or maybe a "The PS3's -------- is a worthless feature because -------"?
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Most people would like a Ferrari. But most people realize that with the money spend on a Ferrari could be better spent on proper necessities
As for the whole price thing being the only complaint about the PS3, I'd like to contest that.
Sony has, for a long time, had quite a big mouth. Recently, their alleged claims that "PS3 is a computer and you no longer need a PC" is utter nonsense, along with their hypocrisy about no gimmicks while introducing the tilt-controller, all the while hiding their lack of rumble behind claims of "tilt-function interference".
Yeah, we'll stop complaining. We'll stop complaining when they stop being dishonest.
Kaz is good for a few laughs, but his ridiculous comments aren't what make me angry. It's that too many people take him seriously, and they shouldn't.
I mean seriously, does anybody remember how the PS2 was practically supposed to "Jack into Matrix"?
Look who's laughing now, Kaz, look who's laughing now.
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people see the price of £425 and go running, but seem to just ignore exactly what the ps3 does and what it comes with. The 360 premium pack came with a dvd player, wireless controller, headset, 20gig hard-drive, all the HD leads and a faceplate, all at a cost of £280.
now ok, that it a decent deal, BUT, for me to give my 360 wireless internet, i had to spend an extra £70 on the wireless adapter, then, if i want to go proper HD with movies, id have to buy the HD-DVD Adapter thing, which is probably going to be £70+, so to take the 360 to the same kind-of package of a ps3, im going to have to spend £400+ anyway.
for that same £400+ i could get a ps3, with the blu-ray BUILT IT, with the wireless Adapter and with 40gig extra hard disk space.
all the sony fanboys and ms fanboys might argue/agree with me, but stats don't lie.
some of the statements on here make me laugh like crazy, like this....
"I mean seriously, does anybody remember how the PS2 was practically supposed to "Jack into Matrix"?
Look who's laughing now, Kaz, look who's laughing now"
no offence dude, but i think sony and kaz are the ones who'll be giggling there heads off, after all, they did sell over 100 million ps2's and that number continues to rise.
people should just stop being so loyal to a particular console, its only a games machine for gods sake! most of the games on 360 will b on ps3, and vice-versa. i already got a 360 (a faulty one at that, but hey i got one
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ps: I'll buy a PS3 core in early 2k7, a wii end of 2k7, and an x360 in the end of 2k8. The only bad point is that I'll have to wait for mistwalker games ( x360: lost odyssey in 2k7 and blue dragon in 2k8 ), but final fantasy 13, versus 13, metal gear solid 4 and GTA4 will be enough to pass the time till more price drop on the x360. =D
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it's like this at the start of every console cycle, but newer fans (i'm guessing the 10 to 15 year olds), were either too young, or don't remember console launches of years past. it's a given that 1st generation titles pale in comparison to later generation titles (especially 4th and 5th generation).
Heavenly Sword, Resistance, Untold Legends, and Warhawk were all very fun games, and i can't wait to get my hands on them again. the fun factor is what matters the most, not just the visuals. and honestly, you have to see these games in motion to truly appreciate how amazing they look (Heavenly Sword was the best looking one out of the bunch i played).
Assassin's Creed is *rumored* to be non-exclusive, but *announced* only for the PS3. since when have unsubstantiated rumor carried more wait than what has been officially announced. i'm in the camp that thinks Assassin's Creed was originally developed for multi-platform, but right now, Sony is in negotiations with Ubisoft to lock down an exclusive contract. since those negotiations are still pending, Ubisoft is keeping their options open by stating that it's only been *announced* for the PS3. until they say otherwise, it's PS3 exclusive, so it should be looked at as a PS3 game.
there has to be at least five games i'm looking forward to playing on a console before i purchase one. from what i've seen and played:
Assassin's Creed
MGS4
FFXIII
Heavenly Sword
Resistance: Fall of Man
Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom
Naughty Dog Game
Heavy Rain
Warhawk
are more than enough to sell me on a PS3, with promises of even *better* games to come in the following software lineups.
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Do we sit on the fence and let only players "play" and regard ourselves as spectators?
Why do we sit idly by, content at only watching the game for our own entertainment, never realizing that we are part of that game?
We are gamers. We are the target audience. We play the games. And whether you believe it or not, we influence the way they are developed. Because developers target our preferences, and our preferences are something that WE control, not them.
And this is why I hate it when people say "That's just the way it is. There's nothing you can do about it." Because there IS something we can do about it. And there IS something we SHOULD do about it.
Too many people are saying "the PS3 is way too expensive, but people are going to buy it anyways. That's just the way it is." No, that's not the way it is, and that's not the way it should be either. If you think it's so expensive, DON'T BUY IT COME LAUNCH DAY. Hell, don't even buy it until the price goes down.
I mean, is Assassin's Creed worth freaking 600$ of your hard earned money? So it'll guarantee you, what, maybe 40 hours of satisfaction out of your ENTIRE LIFE, not even 2 days worth in time?
It's a freaking video game. We play video games for LEISURE, not as a centerfold of our life.
Kaz is an idiot, and he says some irrationally senseless things. Yet WE DO NOTHING and still let him run the show.
Know your limits. Have something to stand for. The moment you believe that there's nothing you can do, is the moment that all you CAN do is nothing.
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