Did PS4's focus on gaming prove to make a difference between it and Xbox One?
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JimiNutz
Banned
I do find it ironic that, at the moment, the PS4 has so few games that I want to play (Resogun is the only exclusive game that I'm interested in trying).
Considering the whole 'for the gamer' campaign I'm so surprised at the lack of quality software at launch.
Now I'm not for one second suggesting that it'll stay this way, or that Xbox One is gonna have a better line up, but at the moment 'for the gamer' is nothing but an empty corporate statement.
Considering the whole 'for the gamer' campaign I'm so surprised at the lack of quality software at launch.
Now I'm not for one second suggesting that it'll stay this way, or that Xbox One is gonna have a better line up, but at the moment 'for the gamer' is nothing but an empty corporate statement.
NullPointer
Member
This is the question I internally ask of each post I read on GAF.
If there's any sides in this hobby/industry/medium its not about Xbone or PS4 or Wii or PC fanboyism, its about ShareholderGAF and GamerGAF, and rarely do the two see eye to eye.
And while we're talking launch titles, shouldn't PS+ "free" games Resogun + Contrast and free Killzone map pack DLC support + actually free support of free-to-play games like Warframe and DC Universe and Blacklight count for something?
Yeah. I don't get the "MS has shown to be about games with 2 more launch titles and one big exclusive". It's like saying Nintendo was clearly focused on the puzzle game market with Tetris.
Propping up aunch titles and TitanFall at this point are a justification for dropping $500. They don't indicate shit going forward, nor guarantee any sort of commitment.
And honestly same thing with Sony and their launch titles.
If you need to justify to yourself or anyone else spending the money.. Go ahead and tell yourself how committed these companies are because of launch crap. I'm going to judge each of them on what titles are on shelves next summer, next holiday season, and 2015, 2016 and later.
As for the messages MS and Sony sent IMHO, looking ahead MS' message was on features that have little meaning to me and will mean even less going forward (cable cutter and tablet owner). Sony's message was on features that will mean more to me as time goes on (stronger hardware, bigger investment in first parties, etc)
It's hard to know right now, as it depands on the developers. If enough developers loved Sony's "games first" attitude, they might develop more exclusives for the Ps4, which will prove to make a difference.
In reality, I believe it won't really happen. Since the 180 Microsoft are really trying to improve their reputation in the eyes of gamers and developers, so it might diminish some of Sony's lead on the matter. We'll wait and see.
The power of the consoles could also make a difference, but again it depands on the developers really.
In reality, I believe it won't really happen. Since the 180 Microsoft are really trying to improve their reputation in the eyes of gamers and developers, so it might diminish some of Sony's lead on the matter. We'll wait and see.
The power of the consoles could also make a difference, but again it depands on the developers really.
You aren't the only person in the world ya know.
For someone who doesn't own a gaming PC and can only afford one console this gen, I am sure the extra fidelity will give them reason to think about buying a PS4.
BLACK AMERICAN PSYCHO
Junior Member
I disagree
I agree
We'll have to wait for reviews but I don't think this will be the case(in terms of critical acclaim and fan acclaim, outside of the art the game looks fun.)
Ah, so you're a fanboy then.
I disagree at the bolded and you you left out KI(and Crimson Dragon), which I think is the funnest looking next gen game right now. I also think Forza will out score Resogun. XB1 is no dreamcast or Vita and I won't be paying 500$ for hardware that's weaker than the 400$ one but I saying there is nothing wrong with saying that XB1 has a better lineup than PS4's. It certainly isn't laughable.
Agreed. Too early.
Anticitizen One
Banned
What the fuck do sales have to do with anything and why are you turning my statement into some childish ps4 vs. xbox debate. My original complaint is that Sony marketed the console as "being focused on games and gamers" and yet couldn't even muster a standout title at launch. PS1 at least had Ridge Racer and Battle Arena Toshinden, PS2 had SSX and several "8 score" games like DOA 2, tekken tag tournament and Timesplitters. PS3 had Resistance. Not a single retail PS4 game has cracked into the 9s, I think killzone's highest score is in the low 8s and its averaging in the 7s, Knack totally bombed despite mismarketing Cerny as some Shigeru Miyamoto level genius (Off topic but I'd even go as far to argue that someone like Vin Diesel knows more about making a great game than Cerny does despite being in the industry for 30+ years). Quite frankly I'm concerned DriveClub and Infamous Second Son may not be all they are cracked up to be at this point either.
Since you brought up Xbox I am quite confident MS made sure that at least Forza will be AAA and a great standout title so at least they have that going for it. The rest of there lineup was met with low expectations and DR 3 and Killer Instinct have been doing well to surpass them. I have been there for both Sony and MS since day one and I've been rooting for Sony for awhile now but we have to face reality and admit despite hype and marketing MS's launch lineup is more focused on gamers rather than Sony's "Checking off a list" style (Having a graphically impressive FPS, having a kids game, etc.)
I agree to a certain extent that Sony went a bit too far with the gaming only philosophy. It was what the industry desperately needed but in the process, they went about chopping features that are par of the course now by the very same standards that Sony themselves and MS set during this gen.
Imperfected
Member
My tinfoil hat conspiracy for the day: Sony has hired a reputation management company to provide reverse-shills who go on forums and argue really ineffectually with Thruway to paint X-Box fans in a negative light, with such draconic stipulations as "must not use capital letters under any circumstances".
I'm kidding. Seriously though, could you guys go grab SenjutsuSage or statham or something? We need a more equitable representation of positions, here.
So the Xbox 360's slow start foretold all that was to come?
yitdadee08
Neo Member
I don't think Sony went too heavy with their gaming-only philosophy. There is a larger context around this console war, it being hardcore vs casual gamers.
This is present in the titles announced in the launch windows for the respective consoles. The XBOne is aimed more towards the casual crowd, and the PS4 obviously for the hardcore crowd.
A lot of genres that hardcore gamers have grown up on have been either simplified or downright ignored due to the appeal of casual games. Video games as we have known and loved is being changed before our eyes, and PS4 adopters believe that Sony will bring the variety and depth that we want.
I believe hardcore vs casual is in some ways the reason why the WiiU isn't given much of a chance right now. It doesn't appeal to the casuals as much as the Wii did and it is suffering for it.
If I sound like a Sony fanboy, I'm sorry because I'm trying to be as objective as possible, only stating facts. The proof is in the lineups of the consoles. We could even see Microsoft's move toward casual gaming in their most hardcore gaming titles in Halo, with Halo 4 adopting a more COD-like gameplay.
GeorgioCostanzaX
Member
I really hope these all get up ported. Obviously sales wise releasing Beyond and the Last of US to PS3 gamers made sense but they would have easily been among the best console launch titles in history as PS4 exclusives. That sizzle trailer for the DLC made me hopeful!
Shrennin
Didn't get the memo regarding the 14th Amendment
Really. Microsoft has definitely turned a lot of their negative press around, and is even looking pretty good, but the price is holding them back. Kinect is not worth the $100 price increase - at most, it should have been a $50 price increase.
Shrennin
Didn't get the memo regarding the 14th Amendment
TitanFall may honestly be all Microsoft needs for next year. It could very well be the next CoD. They won't have TitanFall exclusivity forever though.
I actually think Ryse could be a very surprise hit launch title. Each new video I see looks better and better.
looks interesting but I was really disappointed that respawn just made cod with robots.
For what it's worth, I think Sony wanted and expected a couple more launch games and are acutely aware that they're not here. They still dropped the ball but their gaming focus in marketing has been so strong that it saved them.
But yes, if last generation taught us anything it's that while media features accentuate the value of a console, it's games (or the promise of games) that sell systems. The PS3 and 360 may have been very popular for Netflix but no one bought one for the promise of Netflix.
Dismissing the $100 as just being $100 isn't right either. I think gamers would find value in $100 worth of extra gaming features (like more horsepower). Kinect is a tried accessory and right now is not convincing as a gaming feature.
Especially at launch it's gamers, informed gamers, that buy consoles and they want an investment in the future of gaming, not multimedia services.
But yes, if last generation taught us anything it's that while media features accentuate the value of a console, it's games (or the promise of games) that sell systems. The PS3 and 360 may have been very popular for Netflix but no one bought one for the promise of Netflix.
Dismissing the $100 as just being $100 isn't right either. I think gamers would find value in $100 worth of extra gaming features (like more horsepower). Kinect is a tried accessory and right now is not convincing as a gaming feature.
Especially at launch it's gamers, informed gamers, that buy consoles and they want an investment in the future of gaming, not multimedia services.
Shrennin
Didn't get the memo regarding the 14th Amendment
I don't really see that. Gameplay looks pretty different, honestly. I'm not too thrilled about no real offline campaign though.
RocketSurgeryTV
Member
According to sales data, it is. The original Kinect launched at $150 and sold really well.
R3TRO
Member
Yep
Shrennin
Didn't get the memo regarding the 14th Amendment
That was when it was new and exciting and people could choose to buy it. There is no such choice with the Xbox One. On one hand though, I find it very smart of Microsoft to include the Kinect with every console. On the other, I'm not sure if a lot of people will be willing to spend $500 on a console when the competition is $100 lower. We'll see though. I could be wrong and Microsoft may get away with that price point.
ArkkAngel007
Member
It's too early to tell. The most it did was help push the positive PR through the customers that .
We'll see in a years time what the landscape will look like for a while, but I doubt the messaging is going to really matter by then. What will matter will be the price and how those exclusive titles (The Order, Uncharted, Halo, Quantum Break) shape up and represent their respective platforms.
By that time, developers shouldn't be having as many growing pains in transitioning to the new hardware, and the OSs should be on par in their offerings or nearing so.
Then again, maybe Sony will demonstrate more through the Indie titles and other elements. Or Microsoft will pull something to upset that messaging to favor their end. Again, it's too early to tell.
Edit: While Kinect is my greatest purchase regret, I do wish the Playstation 4 camera was included with the system. Probably wouldn't have bought it at launch since I barely afforded the system as it is, but I want to see people do interesting things with it. Namely Media Molecule.
We'll see in a years time what the landscape will look like for a while, but I doubt the messaging is going to really matter by then. What will matter will be the price and how those exclusive titles (The Order, Uncharted, Halo, Quantum Break) shape up and represent their respective platforms.
By that time, developers shouldn't be having as many growing pains in transitioning to the new hardware, and the OSs should be on par in their offerings or nearing so.
Then again, maybe Sony will demonstrate more through the Indie titles and other elements. Or Microsoft will pull something to upset that messaging to favor their end. Again, it's too early to tell.
Edit: While Kinect is my greatest purchase regret, I do wish the Playstation 4 camera was included with the system. Probably wouldn't have bought it at launch since I barely afforded the system as it is, but I want to see people do interesting things with it. Namely Media Molecule.
guess have to wait and try it when it comes out.
maabus1999
Member
GAF....GAF never changes. *needs guy from fallout 3 voicing this*
Dreams-Visions
Member
Sony can only build the hardware. Developers have to deliver on the software products.
Sony's big exclusive releases have only been acceptable. Good games missing features, but good games. They aren't "great" games, as people were hoping for (but will now pretend they weren't hoping for).
XOne's games are also merely acceptable. But I must say it has the more "interesting" OS. Better? Not sure yet. But it's certainly doing some industry-first things and putting out new ideas and experiments where the PS4 is only more and better of the same. I'm still not sure the PS4 has reached Xbox 360 LIVE in terms of features. I'd assume it hasn't, tbh.
No risks taken means no chance at additional rewards. As such, I fully expect the One to receive higher console reviews. I expect 360 owners to be hungrier to upgrade than PS3 owners might have been because the 360 feels like its being abandoned just like the Xbox was at this time in its lifespan so sales will be solid. Especially with all these trade-in programs going on.
matty2Dfraud
Banned
I dunno... for Sony pushing the PS4 as a games first machine the launch lineup is really really bad. Right now the only games I have are the free PS+ games (Resogun, Contrast etc). At least Resogun is a ton of fun. Infamous needs to hurry and get here.
yitdadee08
Neo Member
Titanfall does look really good. But I doubt people are going to spend $500 for one game. Especially on a console that currently has no real software support for the foreseeable future.
I agree in that there is a lack of games for the moment, but personally I bought a PS4 the future in mind. I continue to allude to the lineup of announced games for each console in their launch windows, but it can't be ignored. There is much more support for the PS4 in its launch window versus the Xbox One's.
RocketSurgeryTV
Member
What do you mean by this?
uncledonnie
Banned
Completely agree with this. Sony had the first battle in this war won as soon as they announced the price. Most people could give a crap about this level of power difference and the focus on games isn't necessarily as much of an advantage as many here make it out to be.
But the price difference is apparent to everyone and more than significant enough to matter.
ArkkAngel007
Member
What? There's not much of a difference from what I recall. Maybe some more Indie titles for Playstation 4, but they aren't necessarily exclusives. Both have equal third party support and the first party titles outside of Infamous and Titanfall we know nothing about regarding release.
matty2Dfraud
Banned
Weird because the PS4 is selling out and there really isn't anything worthwhile until Infamous. The same can be said about Xbox One and Titanfall I guess, but I still feel the Xbox launch lineup is leagues better. So yeah, apparently people will spend $400-500 on a console for one game. Or in my case $900.
I enjoy the media features of the 360, I really do. They were nice little bonus features, and they didn't take anything away from the games.
The XB1 s doing it wrong in that regard. Everything about the XB1 OS, Kinect, and media features has had a detrimental effect on the hardware and games performance.
The XB1 s doing it wrong in that regard. Everything about the XB1 OS, Kinect, and media features has had a detrimental effect on the hardware and games performance.
Shrennin
Didn't get the memo regarding the 14th Amendment
We will. It could turn out to play like CoD, but it just looks like the gameplay is centered more around movement and there are two different gameplay styles between the Pilots and Titans.
Even under the assumption that Xbox One has no software support for the foreseeable future (which I don't think is the case), if TitanFall becomes popular like CoD then it could easily sell consoles.
With that said, I think Microsoft is really pushing exclusive software support regardless. There's Quantum Break, Ryse, Forza 5, Dead Rising 3, Killer Instinct, TitanFall, Halo 5, the Black Tusk Studios game, etc.
Some of those Microsoft is really pushing through marketing too - I think, for instance, Microsoft has a lot of confidence in Ryse. That doesn't mean that it'll be a good game, but it just very well could be based on how much marketing it has gotten by Microsoft and will get. I don't think Microsoft would put so much money into it if they didn't think it couldn't be a success.
With that said, I think Microsoft really dropped the ball when it came to letting Sony get exclusives with Destiny. I think Destiny is going to be a huge, huge game.
RocketSurgeryTV
Member
It's DLC-timed exclusives though, right?
Shrennin
Didn't get the memo regarding the 14th Amendment
They could be. I wasn't sure about it, but I guess that would make the most sense. It would probably be really expensive for Sony to get a totally exclusive piece of DLC content from Destiny with Activision being involved.
Oh! so you can double jump and wall run in COD?
Dragonborn
Member
Limiting Titanfall to Xbox and PC pretty much means it won't be the next CoD. After all, CoD games have sold 10 million+ unit on Ps3, I think EA pretty made a pretty big mistake there. And even then, MS should have just paid make it X1/PC only. Keeping it on 360 will prevent it from being a real system seller since the average CoD bro won't dish out $500 when they can just get it on their 360s
Shmuely Bully
Member
Ask us in another week or whenever initial XBONE sales figures are released.
yitdadee08
Neo Member
I'm sorry about that. "Foreseeable" is a pretty strong word. I meant near future, or within the launch window. I was going off of the IGN launch window lineup.
ArkkAngel007 said:
The PS4 and Xbox One are direct competitors, and although many of the indie titles that appear on the PS4 also appear on the PC, they are "exclusive" in the sense that they appear on the PS4 and not the Xbox One. Also, indie games are no longer a trifling matter. They are very important nowadays, with Sony showing strong support, and even Nintendo getting involved in the indies, too.
matty2Dfraud said:
PS4 owners are buying into the console because of the future, not the immediate present.
matty2Dfraud said:
I don't know about "leagues better." The Xbox One certainly has more games, but as far as the overall quality of the games being "leagues better," that's still yet to be seen. As far as the reviews go, these games are around the same in terms of quality, being "solid" and "good" games.
And again, I believe PS4 owners are buying in for the potential future support, especially coming off of a strong finish to the PS3. I don't think Sony is completely focused on the PS4 yet, given that they were willing to release TLOU and Gran Turismo 6 and GoW: Ascension for the PS3 even though we were near to the release of the PS4. So in a sense (although not completely inexcusable) it is understandable that there is a lack of exclusive titles for the PS4 at launch. I expect the PS4 to do well in first party support once they begin to move away more from the PS3 toward the PS4.
Shrinnan said:
TitanFall very well could become very popular. The gameplay looks to have much more depth to it compared to COD, something I believe may turn people away. Many potential TitanFall buyers may expect something similar to CoD, but the wall jumping and other gameplay elements could alienate the casuals who TitanFall needs to be as popular as CoD. This is similar to why Gears of War never became quite as popular, that game is very difficult to play.
Yup. And more launch games / Indy games could be added somewhere to the list.
Edit: And gameplay broadcasting isn't coming to Xbone at launch I believe. Another example of Sony's game centric focus being a good thing for gamers.
ArkkAngel007
Member
Not trying to make indies sound trivial, but the vast majority don't quite have the same traction, and more importantly the marketing, to have a significant impact to the greater public. For us on dedicated gaming boards it's great because we have the constant exposure. Most people looking to pick up a system or just look at maybe some of the major sites tend to not know. We just aren't at quite the point where Indies are the major driving force outside of the core gaming community, with only a few titles making names for themselves in the wider public.
By the time the game(s) picks up steam and travels by word of mouth similar to Minecraft, that launch window will probably have passed and then the bigger picture will be in play regarding the big publishers and the exclusive titles.
By all means, if Sony can bring run that out there and make that a huge selling point to the public, that will be awesome (throw in some strong Vita support while they're at it too). But if they don't, it really is sort of an out of sight, out of mind situation that doesn't mean much to anyone buying the system. But hey, at least they'll be pleasantly surprised when they access the PS Store.
The price and the presence of the usual big franchises seems to be what is creating demand among people who don't follow games as closely as forum readers. The "system sellers" this time are on every platform. I doubt a significant portion of the people who bought one since Friday know about the memory speed differences or what impact a system O/S could have on performance.
Panajev2001a
GAF's Pleasant Genius
It is the fact that Sony generally does not do exactly that, that is the fact that they support their current-generation platforms well even after their next-generation platform has come out... that I like a lot in Sony.
yitdadee08
Neo Member
I definitely agree with you about the wider public and indie games pretty much being nonexistent to them. But I believe what could tip the scale in favor of one console over the other is whether one company can attract the core gamers from the other. There will be PS4 and Xbox One adopters, who are core gamers, buying their respective console because of brand loyalty. These players do keep up with the happenings in the gaming industry, and if they see the software support for one console is greater than the other, they will be inclined to buy the other console.
As far as the wider public who just want a system to play games on, there may be a split between the two, give or take. But when the honeymoon period of each console leaves, when the UI and the services no longer have the same charm, and software support becomes the major motivating factor driving purchases, I believe (based on these early lineups) the PS4 will be stronger.
I'm a junior, so can someone create a new thread for this article?:
Sony's Video and Music Entertainment chief wants the PS4 to be your everything
BY MICHAEL GORMAN 3 hours ago
The reviews are out, and the PlayStation 4 is, in fact, much of what we'd hoped it'd be: a fabulous gaming machine with a social personality. It has lived up to it's next-gen label, thus far. But there's another aspect to the PS4 that may prove to be equally as important to the console's long-term success against its main rival from Microsoft. I'm talking about video and music services.
Yes, the PS4 was very much designed as a gaming machine first, a point made clear by Shuhei Yoshida and reiterated to us when we recently spoke with Michael Aragon, Sony's VP and GM of Global Digital Video and Music services. That said, Aragon's job is to make Sony's gaming rig a video and music streamer, too, and he thinks that a key to giving Video Unlimited an advantage over its competitors is speed. Folks can get new releases (both movies and TV shows) earlier from VU than from, say Netflix or Amazon. Additionally, Aragon's fanatical about making his offering the fastest streaming experience possible. "I want it to be instantaneous," he said when asked about buffering times, and with that as the goal, he's constantly searching for ways to shave another second or two off of the load time -- including working with studios to get the rights to tweak the movie feeds for optimal streaming speed.
Another asset is Sony's forthcoming original video content that'll be produced by Sony Pictures Entertainment for PS4. Aragon couldn't give us any specifics about the shows in production, but he did explain how his team is approaching programming for the console. "We're going after 18-35 year old males hard core," he said. No surprise there, but how he finds out what those gaming dudes want to watch is more involved than you might think.
"I've built out my analytics team," says Aragon, "so what we do, especially on the PS4, is we pull a whole bunch of data and we run regressions on things to find out what characteristics and features resonate." It's not all based upon numbers, of course, as Aragon's relationship with the folks from Sony Pictures has grown into one of mutual trust and respect the point that show development is a collaborative effort. According to him, "we think about what things worked in the past, because we have five to six years of PS3 data to draw from, then we work with the studios to combine the math and the art."
And, what works can be surprising. Aragon's team also gets data from every Blu-ray that's been played in a PlayStation, and they found that Jillian Michaels ab workout was the third most played disc on PS3. Based on that information, a fitness section was created and displayed prominently on the PS3's video storefront. Proof that Sony is paying very close attention to what users watch on its consoles, and is hell-bent on giving its users what they want... to a point.
We asked Aragon if the originals, when they arrive, will be available on Video Unlimited or will be offered as a part of a separate service, and whether they'll be free to PS Plus members. Unfortunately, he couldn't say, as his team is still wrestling with the economics of this new content. Neither would he commit to providing every episode of original shows at once -- to best serve the binge-watching crowd. Instead, Aragon said "we'd probably do some sort of hybrid, so have some binge viewing, but portion it out some way to build momentum." Naturally, these plans are still being ironed out, so further details were nowhere to be found.
Video is, of course, only one half of Aragon's responsibility, the other half is music. We all know that the PS4 will, eventually, get MP3 and CD playback, and when asked why that function wasn't on the console at launch, Aragon echoed Yoshida's earlier statements about Sony prioritizing gaming features over all else. As for music options outside of Music Unlimited? Aragon's included in the decision making process about allowing competing services like Spotify and Rhapsody on PS4, but it's not solely his call -- the PlayStation device and business development teams have a say in the matter as well.
We get the impression that the business end, unsurprisingly, is steering the ship on the issue and that team favors music services proffered by Sony's retail partners over other Music Unlimited competitors. "Walmart and Amazon are key retail partners that are important to us," according to Aragon, "so you have to balance that with the fact that they have competitor services." As for other services, well, they would have to pony up a price high enough to outweigh the resulting cannibalization of Music Unlimited's user base in the eyes of business development. In other words, retailers with competing services seem to have a distinct edge over their service-exclusive counterparts at Sony's PS4 negotiating table. Aragon wouldn't foreclose the possibility of Spotify showing up on the console, of course, but it's safe to say we don't expect to see such an app any time soon.
What we can expect is for Music Unlimited to worm its way into more and more parts of the PS4 experience, gaming or otherwise, in the future. "My focus is on new business models and how to get our 22 million-song catalog to our customers in new ways," according to Aragon. "I want to be different from what's already out there and leverage our strengths." Whether Music Unlimited proves to be a strength or a pain point on the PS4 remains to be seen.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/20/sony-ps4-video-music-michael-aragon/