Sony tomorrow Oct 29th/2015 if I recall correctly is scheduled to release their earnings report. and it could be interesting to read. Development and production costs I have to believe have been fully recovered for the PS4, hence we got the price cut earlier this month. Some are thinking 25 Million PS4 units SOLD not shipped I think it maybe higher, like 26 Million sold. PS4 is a massive success by any consoles sales standards. It is out pacing everything on the market and even the Legendary PS2 ( The best selling Game console in History ) I do not expect that to change.
While it is true that Sony does not have that blockbuster Holiday exclusive this holiday season they have a solid lineup. If they could have had Uncharted 4: A Thief's End I am sure they would have pressured Naughty Dog to do it, to their credit they did not. They realize it is a legendary franchise and this is probably its last hurrah, so they let Naughty Dog do their thing. Despite not having a Halo Killer, a Tomb Raider rival to offer this holiday the console still sells exceedingly well, even on Xbox home turf.
What scares me is how poorly Sony's other divisions maybe doing, for a few years now Playstation has been the only profitable thing in their stable. You can not maintain a company of Sony's size with only 1 division firing on all cylinders, it is just not sustainable for any organization.
Some have said Sony will at some point spin off Playstation and make it a separate company I don't see it happening anytime soon. Perhaps in the future say 5 yrs from now they make make it a separate Publicly traded company, with Sony being the major shareholder. I just do not see why they would do it unless they shed a lot of divisions under their umbrella and Sony is Playstation. I am sure that day will come if Sony's other divisions continue to bleed money as they have been the past number of years.
This maybe one earnings report even those who are not into business in any form wants to read in detail.
I will leave you as always " Play nice with each other " :)
David
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Showing posts with label Sony. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sony. Show all posts
Wednesday, 28 October 2015
Sony and name changing
Okay I came across this very disheartening post on gamespot website about the ability to change our usernames. I am sorry Yoshida-san this is not acceptable, and just reinforces the idea even Sony does not know how their infrastructure works on PSN. You need to address this and fast it is becoming the number 1 issue fans like me have of Playstation, we don't care how just make it so #1
My thoughts on Sony's press conference at PGW
I am not going to list every game that Sony showed as that would be a 10 page blog post, and nobody wants that, even me. I had to re-watch the press conference as twitch was acting up for me yesterday, so thought it only fair I re-watch it on Sony Playstation Youtube page.
So where to start there was Soooooooooooo many games, most were exclusive to PS4 or Playstation VR, or at the least console first on PS4. Unless I counted wrong there was like 25 games showcased at the event, an amount to rival their E3 2015 show.
Things I did not like, yes I don't drool everything Playstation:)
I am going to start with something Sony had no control over, and that was the audience, my lord I thought I was at a funeral. I don't know what they put in the water there in France, but it had to be Valium, or Xanax or something. Holy crap they were a quiet bunch, it was like they all wished they were anywhere but at this event, it was damn near depressing. I can only imagine how most of the presenters felt having to go up on that stage, it could not have been easy.
Now onto things Sony could control, stop showcasing that hideous Black Ops III PS4 console, it is freaking ugly as sin. I would not even have that thing in my house if Yoshida-san himself gave me one for free, I am serious.
I understand Street Fighter V is a console exclusive, I get it but it did not deserve almost 15 minutes of the show. What was with that awkward exchange between Harada-san and the S.F guys it was cringe worthy to watch. If ya want to have him on stage then bring him out alone to talk Tekken 7, was no need for what transpired. I get the tie in he is a character in Street Fighter 5, but was no real need to have him here.
Now onto things I liked, loved, drooled over.
I am not going to go into great detail on a lot of the games, and there was a lot, you can watch the media briefing for that. They started the show with Black Ops III and Star Wars battlefront, no surprise there, Sony is really tied into those two games. They also are coming out soon so was smart they showcased them right from the get go, that Darth Vader PS4 looks awesome I might add.
The the whole Street fighter 5/ Tekken debacle as I refer to it as, you can see my feelings above so not going to dwell on it in any detail. Battleborn I am not into MOBA like games so it held no interest me for myself, though can see some really digging it. Vector again a game I could care a less about as I am not Rythm game fan, if I was I would own Persona Dancing all night long before Vector. A lingering theme of the show was most are 2016 games and beyond, that will come as no surprise to anyone. Sony has been pretty up front that this holiday season is kind sparse other than Third party partnerships.
Then we come to No Man's Sky, and I have a prediction on this one, it was announced it is a June 2016 release. I predict that at E3 2016 it comes out with Playstation VR after the conference. I would not even be surprised if ya could buy Playstation VR get the game for free or at the least exclusive content.
Matterfall House Marque's new ip intrigued me, would be awesome if it had VR support but who knows time will tell. After was the new Ratchet and Clank PS4 exclusive game March 2016, I am a Jak and Daxter fan so was not interested myself. I think I refilled my Sake cup during it to be honest that is how little it interested me.
Horizon; Zero Dawn ohhhhhhhhhhhhh how do I love thee let me count the ways!!! I adore this game from what has been shown so far this year, I can not wait for this and may have to buy a PS4 for it I am that stoked. The more I see the more I am just fascinated by this world Guerrilla games has created, I can see this being Sony's next huge franchise.
Let's not forget Uncharted is done as we know it, and this as the next big franchise only makes sense, if this has VR support holy crap, that could be a Console and VR seller right there. The only thing that would be right up there on my hype tree is if Hellblade got announced, with VR support, but I don't expect that till 2017.
Bloodborne DLC add on/expansion that was known for ages, Driveclub adding Bikes that was interesting. The game has such a notorious past due to its massive delay, and launch day issues, but glad it is not abandoned. Sony stuck with it and the studio, the game runs excellent now. The fact they are going to expand on the base of the game is welcome news. Was also nice they mentioned it is standalone or who can buy it as an expansion if you own DriveClub. The cherry on top was that it was available to buy right after the show on the Playstation store, that I did not see coming at all.
I will skip Gravity Rush 2 because I am still pissed another Vita title has migrated to PS4 thats all I will say.
Uncharted 4 saw the MP and a Beta will be playable starting Dec 4-13 2015, they say March release date I will believe it when I see it.
Dreams I have to be honest looks cool, it is imaginative and Media Molecule has a lot of Imagination, but it is not a game for me.
Then we got into Playstation VR and boy we got quite a lot of info, surprised most was not saved for PSX in December. Rigs I think sony is banking on becoming MLG Esport game time will tell though but I liked what I saw.
Until Dawn Rush of Blood okay this I probably should have put up top under things I hated, this game makes no sense as named. Colin Moriarty from kindafunnygames said exactly what I was thinking when watching this. The game has NOTHING to do with Until Dawn, why tarnish that games reputation with that title. It just makes no logical sense to me whatsoever but you know they will stick with the name, it has cache.
Crytek showed their new game ( I'll be honest I thought they went under ) and ceased to exist as a studio. It is a VR game so who knows where it goes, VR is still unproven as to being widely adopted my most gamers. I will say this though a demo called " The Walk " looked bloody awesome and showcased the highlights of VR very well.
I also caught a glimpse in a sizzle reel that Final Fantasy XIV: HeavensWard will be Playstation VR compatible.
One of the loudest applause was for Polyphony logo as people new we were going to see Gran Turismo.though it is not called 7. Gran Turismo Sport is the new title, and will have a early Beta out in early 2016,. it also no surprise really will have VR support when the full game is out, be you like racing games or not they are huge in Europe.
Now we come to a game that has me really excited, and divides a lot of the Playstation community, more so the Studio. Detroit: Become Human is Quantic Dreams new game and I have to say I had never heard of Kara before. Now hate on David cage all ya like, I like their games, from heavy rain up to Beyond 2 Souls, yes I liked B2S. They showed actual in engine game capture, so I am assuming the game is pretty far along in development. We did not get a release date I assume Holiday 2016 at the very earliest, but time will tell.
All in all I enjoyed the show and thought Sony showcased one of their strengths, Games, Games and more games. Also they showcased their tight relationship with both their First party studios, Third Party and Indies. All in all even with all the awkward moments of presenters, and the comatose audience I thought the show was well done. Myself I can not wait till PSX in San Francisco come Dec and what will be showcased there.
I will leave you as always Play nice with each other
David
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Saturday, 3 October 2015
Havok and Microsoft buying them out, my thoughts on the issue
So Microsoft just announced they have bought the rights/company Havok for those who do not know what is Havok I shall tell you. Havok is a tool for 3D physics engines, animations suite, and destructible environments. It has other uses in Modelling and the like but is best known to most of us being used in Video Games. Microsoft also paid a pretty penny for it, $500 or so Million USD's, that's right just over half a billion $$$$USD they paid. It has a long and proud past. Games even 10+ yrs old have used the HAVOK tool chest to make some of the most beloved games.
Halo has Havok in it, as have many, many other back to the PS2 era even featured it's logo in the opening credits. Call of Duty, Destiny, Assasins Creed to name a few all use assets from what Intel created and called Havok. Impressive pedigree to say the least, and the list goes on even back to the Gamecube era.
So why the uproar that Microsoft bought the entity from Intel, I for one can not figure out why other then some people just hate the free market and or Microsoft I get it.. While it seems Microsoft is taking the brunt of this hate because " Now they will hog it, and no games can use it except Xbox games. " That is the most ridiculous shite I have ever read next to Minecraft is dead.
A little basic logic people if you please, nobody and I mean no matter how rich spends 1/2 a Billion dollars on something just to not make money of it. In the case of Minecraft Microsoft paid a Billion plus to acquire it and the same diatribe went around back then. You don't pay a Billion USD's plus for a property just to not be able to make money off it, it is poor business and if there's one thing Microsoft understands is Business.
Consumer privacy and rights that's another topic but they know the market very well thank you. I would go so far as to say giving customers what they ask for is not a strong suit of theirs, unless dragged Kicking and Screaming. When it comes to dollars and making a return on their investment they do that extremely well, exactly as they should they are a business for F's sake.
Do I see the logic behind the purchase somewhat it is a widely used Physics engine in a ton of popular games. Minecraft I totally understood it is a license to print money, just search facebook or youtube, etc and use the term Minecraft you will be drowned. There is over a 100,000,00 pages, channels etc dedicated to it on Youtube alone some with millions of pageviews, I can see why they bought it I had the dollars I would have too, it is a no lose purchase.
Now is Havok the only option to Sony, Nintendo, small Indie developers.... hell no, or whoever is buggered, not it is not there is an alternative in Nvidia's PhysX, I am sure there is others I just know PhysX. So for Microsoft to be buttheads with their ownership of Havok is not in their best interest, it would be shooting themselves in the foot. Much like with their acquisition of Mojang and the Minecraft IP, this purchase also will not dictate Microsoft only devices, they have said as much themselves.
This is why I think the vitriol on twitter, and reddit etc is just baseless bullcrap, written by people who just hate X whatever X maybe, you can fill in the X for yourselves. You do not spend in the past year ( it ain't over yet ) $1.5+ Billion USD' making acquisitions to lock it off from the rest of the industry, it's just bad management and fiscal planning to do it.
So just stifle your ranting and raving, most of all save the rest of us having to read your vitriol and look at the big picture and think before you type, HAVOK is going nowhere it will be used by all.
As always I will sign-off saying Be nice to each other
David
If you wish to follow me on Twitter the link is at the top of the page as well as Facebook, have a great weekend all
Tuesday, 22 September 2015
Why you should not buy the New PS4 1tb model
So why am I saying do not buy the new 1tb PS4, after all Playstation when I game on console is my prefered platform the reason is simple. The current 1tb models including the now BO3 bundle is the older version of the PS4, it sounds like a jet engine, gets hot as hades, and it is a electricity pig, like the original Xbox ones.
The newer 500gb bundles are the revised PS4 model, it is 28% quieter, it runs much cooler and uses less electricity, that is why I do not recommend buying the new 1tb bundles at present. Upgrading the hard-drive in a PS4 is so simple that my neighbours 12 yr old did with no help from his parents.
Your best option since most of us own a Laptop or PC is to re-purpose the default drive in the 500gb model and buy yourself a good Hybrid or regular HDD. Even my PS3 the first thing I did when I got my slim was rip out the HDD and install a 1TB hybrid drive, (Hybrid is a mix of physical platters and onboard Sdram.) The thing is quite fast compared to the default drive it shipped with and i just used it in my PC.
If you wish to see a video on how to tell the difference in the models here is a Video for you
So as the old saying goes, being forewarned is being forearmed, you won't regret the advice I assure you.
As always be nice to each other!!!!
You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter
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The newer 500gb bundles are the revised PS4 model, it is 28% quieter, it runs much cooler and uses less electricity, that is why I do not recommend buying the new 1tb bundles at present. Upgrading the hard-drive in a PS4 is so simple that my neighbours 12 yr old did with no help from his parents.
Your best option since most of us own a Laptop or PC is to re-purpose the default drive in the 500gb model and buy yourself a good Hybrid or regular HDD. Even my PS3 the first thing I did when I got my slim was rip out the HDD and install a 1TB hybrid drive, (Hybrid is a mix of physical platters and onboard Sdram.) The thing is quite fast compared to the default drive it shipped with and i just used it in my PC.
If you wish to see a video on how to tell the difference in the models here is a Video for you
So as the old saying goes, being forewarned is being forearmed, you won't regret the advice I assure you.
As always be nice to each other!!!!
You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter
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Monday, 21 September 2015
Just thought I would share
Sometimes I get asked what are some games you have played and replay time and again, I can not show all of them of course but choose a few covering everything from PSP and Dreamcast to 360 and PS3. A lot of my PC and to some extent PS3 and 360 games are digital so kinda hard to show those.
I have switched to buying a lot digital especially when it comes to classics, due to the cost of physical copies. No I do not own a PS4 or Xbox one they are over hyped, overpriced and under powered IMHO, maybe when they hit $200 new I will get one.
Sorry it is not crystal clear I do not have a tripod for my tablet so makes it hard to hold steady.
These are just the tip of some of my favorite games of all time, you may agree with some, say I am nuts for others, but it is my opinion. And why did I choose Mass Effect 2 on 360 simply put at the time it played and looked better on 360. Also why no Final fantasy VII that one is simple it is highly over-rated IMHO, Crisis Core is a far better game and story, albeit for PSP and made a few years later.
Yes Shenmue is on the top for a reason and always will be, I have even tweeted and had favorited by Yu Suzuki himself my desire for a Shenmue 3 Dreamcast version, I backed the kickstarter for PC version, though asked for a Dreamcast version, I want to finish my story where I started my journey and that is on Dreamcast. I do not care if it costs $100 for the Dreamcast version I want it and said as much to him, he owns the IP he can make it happen.
Beyond Two Souls is probably controversial for a lot of people but like the original Mirror's Edge I loved it. I think both games deserve a second look by gamers. Is either one of them perfect a GOTY candidate, heck no that said they are also not as bad as some like to say they are.
As always I will end with be nice to each other.
David
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I have switched to buying a lot digital especially when it comes to classics, due to the cost of physical copies. No I do not own a PS4 or Xbox one they are over hyped, overpriced and under powered IMHO, maybe when they hit $200 new I will get one.
Sorry it is not crystal clear I do not have a tripod for my tablet so makes it hard to hold steady.
These are just the tip of some of my favorite games of all time, you may agree with some, say I am nuts for others, but it is my opinion. And why did I choose Mass Effect 2 on 360 simply put at the time it played and looked better on 360. Also why no Final fantasy VII that one is simple it is highly over-rated IMHO, Crisis Core is a far better game and story, albeit for PSP and made a few years later.
Yes Shenmue is on the top for a reason and always will be, I have even tweeted and had favorited by Yu Suzuki himself my desire for a Shenmue 3 Dreamcast version, I backed the kickstarter for PC version, though asked for a Dreamcast version, I want to finish my story where I started my journey and that is on Dreamcast. I do not care if it costs $100 for the Dreamcast version I want it and said as much to him, he owns the IP he can make it happen.
Beyond Two Souls is probably controversial for a lot of people but like the original Mirror's Edge I loved it. I think both games deserve a second look by gamers. Is either one of them perfect a GOTY candidate, heck no that said they are also not as bad as some like to say they are.
As always I will end with be nice to each other.
David
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Wednesday, 1 July 2015
We need to end this Sony initiative NOW!!!!!!
I mentioned this in my E3 2015 part one, but this is even worse link I will include Sony is starting their own Crowdfunding arm in a sense. I love Sony I really do but this shit has to end and now, your taking advantage of fans loyalties like you did with the initial PS3 release. If you yourselves don't believe in a project for godsake don't ask the consumer to believe in it. The more I see the past week Shenmue III was not a hand up but more a trial balloon to see what Sony fans would do.
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2015/07/01/sony-is-launching-a-crowdfunding-platform-for-internal-owned-projects.aspx
I am not making this stuff up read it for yourself, we need to end this now
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2015/07/01/sony-is-launching-a-crowdfunding-platform-for-internal-owned-projects.aspx
I am not making this stuff up read it for yourself, we need to end this now
My thoughts on E3 2015 Part one
My thoughts and remarks on E3 2015
So another E3 has come and gone and we are left with our own thoughts on what we got offered at this years show, and there is a lot to digest. It is for that reason I have not given my thoughts on the conferences, I really needed to go back and rewatch a few of them, some not so much. So who won E3 before I give my take on it some context is needed as to what each brought to the table. I am not going to cover every conference that was showcased, else this be a 200 page post, nor post every game. That need should you desire it can be easily served by just re-watching the conferences online yourself.
Microsoft's presentation.
I have to say Microsoft did a really good.... lets call it what it was great job this year, I was impressed by it for many reasons. The pacing was fantastic it was game after game after game, it struck me during it can this really be the same company that laid a egg on the exact same stage 2 years earlier? Phil Spencer has really made his mark on the Xbox division, it's primary focus and it is the better for it, like I said hard to believe it's the same company.
What surprised me also was that Bonnie Ross opened the show, I know she is head of 343 but seriously, I would have thought they would have buried her in the background at the show. They try that at Gamescom and if she is not almost booed off the stage I will be surprised, E3 is not a show for consumers. Gamescom is more consumer/gamer focused, open to the public far more than E3. How she did not apologize for the massive screw-up that was the Halo MCC is beyond me, ya screw up that bad you need to apologize.
Another thing again like previous years what the hell is with the cars dropping from the ceiling, get rid of it pleaseeeeeeee!!!!. It serves no purpose, cost a fortune, a person does not buy a racing game because a car descends from the sky. A racing fan is going to buy forza well because they are a racing fan, a Pinto could drop from the ceiling and they would still buy the game. I will mention only briefly that creepy " World premiere" etc etc Voice over guy that preceded the games showing on screen, lose it. I also disliked the ambiguity that was displayed, is it console exclusive, is it also on PC, or just PC feature or game it was hard to tell. Console debut ( Sony was guilty of the same thing) is it on other consoles, on PC or handheld, I did not like that at all?
Now for the good things, some downplayed it but I thought it was great, The " Rare collection" 30 classic xbox and xbox 360 games in one collection for $30.00 USD . I realize it is not for everyone but as a gamer in his late 50's it was great to see them bring them to a new generation of players. Tomb Raider looked bloody awesome, hate all ya want that it is first on Xbox but ya have to admit it looked awesome. I will wait like I did for the last Tomb raider game and get it on PC, but it looked great on Xbox One. I also loved the fact that console gamers would get the chance to experience Fallout 4 with the same mods those on PC can use, yes it will come to PS4 at some point but was announced here.
Cuphead a brand new console exclusive IP if I recall correctly is out next year, I have no idea what the game is about but damn it looked bloody brilliant. it was also a bit of a theme at their conference this year, a focus on Indie games unlike years past. ReCore was a game that just floored me, not sure I will buy a Xbox One to play it but was great to see it get a showcase being a unproven IP. You can say they are just taking a page from "Sony's playbook" (one people ridicule them for by the way) and who cares, it is good for everyone, Microsoft sees that Indies are a big thing and was a welcome change in direction.
Phil spencer was true to his word that Windows 10 will be a integral part of Microsoft's new focus on gaming and Xbox integration, unlike it's TV, TV, TV., Sports, entertainment TV focus of 2 years ago.
So thats about it for Microsoft, no way I could cover everything and keep the article reasonable, to summarize they did a great job and left me impressed.
Sony's presentation
Sony this year was the year of heavy-hitters, and they started right out of the gate with it, I was bloody impressed however like I did with Microsoft I will start with the things I disliked about Sony's conference, fair is fair after all, so lets get this started with a disclaimer.
Outside of my PC, Playstation is my prefered gaming platform, I own the other platforms but those two are my prefered go-to platforms. . Much like at Microsoft's conference the ambiguity of the wording at the end of videos or the start. What the hell does Console premier mean???? seriously is it on xbox, is it on Vita, how about PC or 3ds? what the hell is that Console premiere bullshit supposed to mean? Only Nintendo did not use it of the 3 main showcases and that's only because all games on their platform are exclusive really being First party games. I am going to give to a example of what I mean bet ya thought Firewatch was exclusive to Playstation guess what it ain't, hell it even has a Linux version for PC not to mention Mac and Windows, but you would never know it from that trailer.
That Fiasco that was Shenmue III kickstarter thing what the hell are you thinking it undermines the whole purpose of kickstarter. Yu Suzuki could have easily just sent out a tweet and it would have been covered to death, there was no need for that crap at a press conference, You showcase what you are doing and have coming not promote something you may invest in. We now know they are invested in it) it is not " Their own thing" as Adam stated, flagrant lie if you ask me. It is a gaming showcase not the home shopping network, the game would be funded if you had never said a single word and you know it. Not to mention the fact the originals were not even playstation games they were on Dreamcast and the second also later on Xbox, sorry that just pissed me off that part of the show.
TV, TV, TV did you not learn a single thing from Microsoft's implosion that was E3 2013... Nothing? Nobody cares about bloody TV, or any affiliations your building, GAMES, GAMES GAMES GAMES. You piledrived that into people's heads in 2013 and ripped Microsoft a new one, and rightfully so. Yet here we are 2 yrs in and you're doing the exact same bloody thing, STOP IT, same with PS now as it sits is of no interest to most people, I am not going to pay to play the games I already own.
The complete and utter lack of respect for the PS Vita floored me, I know it is not selling as expected, but that's their own fault. They marketed it poorly, over hyped it then a just over a yr later trash it saying " No 1st party games anymore." The disrespect that device got was quite frankly shocking, I know there is only so much time, but seriously you could not spare 10 mins for it, and lose the bloody tv talk?
The complete and utter lack of respect for the PS Vita floored me, I know it is not selling as expected, but that's their own fault. They marketed it poorly, over hyped it then a just over a yr later trash it saying " No 1st party games anymore." The disrespect that device got was quite frankly shocking, I know there is only so much time, but seriously you could not spare 10 mins for it, and lose the bloody tv talk?
Now for the good stuff, I am going to start off with the one game that gave me Gamescom 2014 shivers (Hellblade, I love you Ninja Theory) and it is not what you think, it was Horizon; Zero Dawn. A brand new game from the same studio best known for the Killzone series so there's a lot of pedigree there and I was gobsmacked, while watching it unfold. Now for the 2 elephants in the room and you know what they are Final Fantasy VII remake not a remaster, and of course The Last Guardian, I still get goosebumps just typing this thinking of that night.
Final Fantasy VII Remake a game Square Enix said they would never do, they had some conditions it could come to pass but basically where not even possible. You can not create lighting in the same bottle twice if that was their criteria. My how things have changed for Sony to have them debut this game at their conference over all others is a Massive win, remember Square Enix also hosted their own conference the next day.
Some people of course were shocked it was not a Playstation exclusive... really you know how much it would cost for that. I know the PS4 is doing damn well, but even the likes of a Microsoft could not afford to have that game as a console exclusive, it has that type of status.
Going into that night people knew Square Enix had their own the next day and when that appeared on the screen during Sony's I actually broke out in tears. Not because it is a game I hold in the same reverence as others do, I actually think VIII is a better game and XII I did love Crisis Core though, but I cried tears of joy for all the people I know who have only dreamed of this. We have since learned there will be some liberties taken with the original games framework, but so long as the story is intact or closes issues, bring it on.
The Last Guardian what can be said that has not been said a million times before, I will say it now I called the game Vaporware until that night, just view my google + comments over the past months. No gameplay, no mention it is vaporware and be done with it, then that magical night happened I got what I wanted. I had a timeframe, I had in engine capture are real gameplay, not a sizzle reel as it is called in the industry. Sony gets a big thumbs up from me because they did not have to do this, they really didn't most had written this game off 3+ yrs ago not like it needed it to boost sales. Playstation 4 is dominating the market and selling faster then any console in History IIRC, last i looked it has over 70% market share in parts of continental Europe etc. So it is not that they had to make this a reality they are doing fine without it, so to me this was for the gamers.
They had showed it ages ago and we never forgot, but it appeared they had, and when they kept seeing us always ask about it they made the decision. We need to make this a reality no matter what it takes we owe it to the fans, and Sony has a STNG moment, "Make it so #1, Engage" and we saw the results. They are to be commended for this because it is not like they had to, they would have got a free pass if they had said look sorry we just can make it how we envisioned, it is cancelled, our eyes where bigger then our abilities.
To wrap up part one I will quick hit a few items, Destiny.... meh Landing COD as the new home is a major coup, I laughed my butt off watching Twitter and Facebook explode in the morning after the Microsoft conference, " WTF where is Call of Duty " so that was a a Kodak moment for Sony being the new home of COD. Dreams looked quirky as Media Molecule games usually are, not my cup of tea but was a new IP from a established studio with a great track record. I also felt so bad for Devolver Digital having to try follow Final Fantasy VII remake, I doubt few even saw that montage.
So thats it for part 1 I will post part two sometime over the weekend or early next week where I will get into Nintendo, and a synopsis of the other main players at the show. till then as I always do..
Final Fantasy VII Remake a game Square Enix said they would never do, they had some conditions it could come to pass but basically where not even possible. You can not create lighting in the same bottle twice if that was their criteria. My how things have changed for Sony to have them debut this game at their conference over all others is a Massive win, remember Square Enix also hosted their own conference the next day.
Some people of course were shocked it was not a Playstation exclusive... really you know how much it would cost for that. I know the PS4 is doing damn well, but even the likes of a Microsoft could not afford to have that game as a console exclusive, it has that type of status.
Going into that night people knew Square Enix had their own the next day and when that appeared on the screen during Sony's I actually broke out in tears. Not because it is a game I hold in the same reverence as others do, I actually think VIII is a better game and XII I did love Crisis Core though, but I cried tears of joy for all the people I know who have only dreamed of this. We have since learned there will be some liberties taken with the original games framework, but so long as the story is intact or closes issues, bring it on.
The Last Guardian what can be said that has not been said a million times before, I will say it now I called the game Vaporware until that night, just view my google + comments over the past months. No gameplay, no mention it is vaporware and be done with it, then that magical night happened I got what I wanted. I had a timeframe, I had in engine capture are real gameplay, not a sizzle reel as it is called in the industry. Sony gets a big thumbs up from me because they did not have to do this, they really didn't most had written this game off 3+ yrs ago not like it needed it to boost sales. Playstation 4 is dominating the market and selling faster then any console in History IIRC, last i looked it has over 70% market share in parts of continental Europe etc. So it is not that they had to make this a reality they are doing fine without it, so to me this was for the gamers.
They had showed it ages ago and we never forgot, but it appeared they had, and when they kept seeing us always ask about it they made the decision. We need to make this a reality no matter what it takes we owe it to the fans, and Sony has a STNG moment, "Make it so #1, Engage" and we saw the results. They are to be commended for this because it is not like they had to, they would have got a free pass if they had said look sorry we just can make it how we envisioned, it is cancelled, our eyes where bigger then our abilities.
To wrap up part one I will quick hit a few items, Destiny.... meh Landing COD as the new home is a major coup, I laughed my butt off watching Twitter and Facebook explode in the morning after the Microsoft conference, " WTF where is Call of Duty " so that was a a Kodak moment for Sony being the new home of COD. Dreams looked quirky as Media Molecule games usually are, not my cup of tea but was a new IP from a established studio with a great track record. I also felt so bad for Devolver Digital having to try follow Final Fantasy VII remake, I doubt few even saw that montage.
So thats it for part 1 I will post part two sometime over the weekend or early next week where I will get into Nintendo, and a synopsis of the other main players at the show. till then as I always do..
Be nice to each other, it's only a game
Monday, 29 June 2015
Why no E3 reaction
I explained why on my Google + page which I post to daily you can read why Here
I will before week's end post my thoughts on who won etc, you maybe surprised, actually I know you will.
I will before week's end post my thoughts on who won etc, you maybe surprised, actually I know you will.
Wednesday, 27 May 2015
Why handhelds matter, and you should own one!!!!
A pretty broad topic I know but indulge me.
Anyone who know's me is aware I just adore the HyperDimension Neptunia series of games, they are a guilty pleasure of mine though I probably should wash my eyes after all being 55yrs old. They are just over the top, hysterical games with great Voice acting, NOW A DAYS it was not always the case.
If you're not familiar with them, they are a series of games where you play as a Goddess based on the platforms of the 7th generation time but not always, the games are loosely based on the Console Wars. That in and of itself should tell you how over the top these series of games are.
You typically play as Neptunia in the early games, Neptunia herself is named after the never launched Sega Neptune, shame really I love adding classic consoles but such is life. If you wish to know what the Sega Neptune could have been just use google, better then me re-typing it all.
So how does this relate to the topic at hand, well I will be blunt Hyperdimension Neptunia was first released on the PS3, and well to be generous it sucked. The controls were sloppy, the music was atrocious, it had awful framerate issues, and that's just the start. Now some might argue yeah well it is a Japanese centric game so of course we hate it, it was not well received there either for the most part. It had a interesting premise but lacked execution, awful story, etc, etc which is not uncommon in a lot of video games.
Now to the point of handhelds and why they can make a huge difference in a games legacy or infamy.
I will offer up two different types of games, one of course is HDN the other Persona 4, bear with me.
HDN the original ps3 release got awful reviews really almost worldwide other than Japan, they liked it a tad more than others not by much though, Persona 4 on the PS2 got very good reviews as most in the Shin Megami Tensei have, it has now reached almost legendary status.
Persona 4 has so many spin offs even a dancing/rhythm game, HDN got a remake like Persona 4 even a game dedicated to one character Goddess Black Heart Noire ( see where I am going ) Both where for the Vita, sorry I just don't play enough Nintendo games to make a informed comparison, I am sure they exist though on a per-game level on them as well.
Persona 4 for many a gamer did not reach Legendary status till Persona 4 Golden which is a PS Vita exclusive, some had never even heard of the SMT/Persona games before. Perhaps they are too young to know the legacy of the series, or just never had a PS1/PS2 or Nintendo device. If you were to post " What are must have games for my Playstation consoles including Vita, I can pretty much assure you Persona 4 Golden would be way up the list. So much so that for a lot of us RPG fans the most anticipated JRPG/RPG of 2015 is not the Witcher 3, but Persona 5, ( bring on TGS :) )
Now back to HDN the first game, that well quite frankly intrigued some but got awful reviews from sites and gamers a like. Enter HyperDimension Neptunia Re:BIRTH 1 A remake of the same game premise, but some revamped music, a more grounded storyline and a Vita release.
Now it gets great reviews from IGN, GameSpot, Famitsu, and others, yet is the same game premise and in a lot of places the same story. They added proper Voice acting, better framerates, <Go Figure > all on a portable device, makes ya wonder how they could not on a dedicated home console. Simple matter is though it saved the series, there is now so many HDN games even on PC yet would probably never have, okay lets be honest " NEVER WOULD HAVE " happened if not for a handheld.
Two totally different games, from different legacies yet for most of today's young gamers it is dedicated Handheld devices that made them mainstream. I could have delved into my love for the PSP but would take forever to express my love for the games library and adoration I have for the device. Not to mention the list of games I would use would have been 200 long not just 2 :)
Your thoughts, opinions all are welcome so long as your respectful.
As always " Be nice to each other, it's only a game "
David
PS: No Device has more Confirmed announced exclusives then Vita, followed by the 3DS. Need more reasons, Not saying they are all your kinda games but the numbers speak for themselves.
for Vita here is a idea. As of May 27th 2015
WATCH THE SONY PRESSER LIVE FROM E3
Watch it in Theatres in the USA and tickets are free like last year Canada live,
Monday, 18 May 2015
How is Sony doing it?
How is Sony doing it, one mans opinion!
So as most know Sony continues to lead the Console sales worldwide, despite the best efforts of the other console manufacturers. So just how is it they are doing it and why it is so remarkable, to be honest it goes against logic.
So let me explain my thinking on the matter, by all means feel free to share your own as well, comments are always welcome so long as they are respectful. The latest VGchartZ data shows PS4 well quite frankly dwarfing all other consoles, keep in mind Sony announces sold not Shipped numbers, BIG Difference. I actually put the Xbox One around 14-16 million but these are the reported numbers, so we will go off the chart as they are documented.
Lets try put those into perspective, Both PS4 and Xbox One (XB1) came out pretty much the same time, Wii U almost 18 months before either PS4 or Xbox One. (XB1) Quite frankly Playstation 4 is wiping the floor with all of them, and this is why it is astounding. Yes Xbox One won April 2015 but in the USA only and that's after another timed price cut/Bundled games addition. Worldwide it is getting trounced by the PS4, and it barely surpasses previous gen console sales.
Lets look at each console separately, Wii U, XB1 and PS4, one can easily make the argument other than PC, no platform has more Exclusives than Wii U. Yet both the XB1 and PS4 surpassed it's lifetime sales within a year in the case of the PS4.
That is in spite of the Wii U having just in the past year, A new Super Smash Brothers, a New Mario Kart, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Bayonetta 2 which was exclusive to the Wii U or 3DS. So that leaves us with the PS4 and the XB1 to dissect if you will, bear with me.
By the way no device of the 3 console manufacturers has more Announced and confirmed Exclusives then PS Vita. The list is simply to long if I was to list them also, it is rather impressive, but YMMV of course.
What makes console gaming as far as preference is primarily for most gamers Console /Brand Exclusives. Example of them for those curious is things like Halo, Forza which is Xbox only, in Playstations case think Uncharted. These are games you can get no place else other then their respective platforms devices, it excludes all other platforms for the most part 99% of the time. There are the exceptions of course Ryse was promoted as a Xbox One thing yet was also on PC as was Titanfall, but watch E3 that year you would never have known it.
So lets get into the meat of this piece " How is Sony doing it " you see the numbers that are confirmed sold not shipped.
First up the Xbox One
When it comes to Triple AAA, console exclusives between PS4, and the Xb1, they both have released about the same Exclusives. To name a few I will list them since the console launched I can remember we are talking First games, or true exclusive.
- Forza Horizon
- Forza Motorsport 5
- Project Spark
- Titanfall
- Ryse (Son of Rome)
- Halo (The Master Chief Collection)
- Sunset Overdrive.
These are games that where when announced where exclusive to the Xbox One though came to other platforms. Halo the MCC even now over 6 months later is Broken for a lot of users ( I do fear for 343's future they mess up Halo 5)
Now onto Playstation 4
Again these are games exclusive to the PS4, Destiny maps etc are excluded for obvious reasons.
- Knack
- Infamous Second Son
- The Order 1886
- Little Big Planet 3
- Bloodborne.
- Drive Club
- Killzone Shadowfall
Knack was a disaster, The Order 1886 was underwhelming for most give the price and the hype ( same goes for Destiny albeit not exclusive in all honesty. ) Infamous Second Son was by Infamous standards sub-par, the add-on DLC Infamous First Light was a better game then Infamous Second Son was, and it was DLC. Driveclub was a total disaster when it was released an that's after a year's delay, and a new studio
So this is where the amazing factor comes in, Sony has managed to dominate the Current Gen console market on the backs of 3rd party, Multiplat games, lackluster mostly first party games, and Indies for the most part. Something the Playstation consoles are criticized for by other gamers you know who you are IndieStation detractors, yes Indies have helped make the PS4, yet now all the others are trying to court them.
So given that PS4's heavy hitters are nowhere to be seen till 2016 at the earliest ( Uncharted 4, news of a New TLOU game, A new Infamous game, not to mention Persona 5, Everyone's gone to the Rapture, or anything in the Tales OF series.) Add in the fact they have already released theirs, all you may see is a updated release, and a lot of Xbox one's supposed console sellers have released. Things are only going to get worse for the Xbox One and Wii U, and those are just games I can think of off the top of my head.
So again I ask how the hell are they doing it given all that data it should be PS4 would be the laggard of the group yet it continually dominates. Microsoft and Nintendo best figure out how they are real fast or they will be a forgotten console before long.
In closing I am sure I have omitted some games here or there, and had some typo's I am still getting used to this blogging thing, I believe my arguments and points stand up regardless.
As always be Nice to Each Other
David
Friday, 15 May 2015
PSN down the Squad is back (Updated)
Well it is confirmed it is Lizard Squad, via postings on Twitter
Well if you have ben trying to log onto the Playstation Network it is completely down that can only mean one thing. Lizard Squad has decided to raise their heads out of the shadows once again. At present it appears only Playstation is being targeted I have not heard of Microsoft's Xbox service having issues but who knows how long it will stay that way. This could well turn out to be one veryyyyyyyyyyy long weekend for gamers and not in the way they were hoping.
E3 Show times list is complete
So there is no Surprise Sony's conference will be after Microsofts this year again, with Microsoft saying they will be showing a New IP. I truly have no idea what Sony is going to counter with this E3 all their heavy hitters are delayed till 2016. My thoughts on that can be found Here It will be interesting to hear what others have to say on the matter.
Game Informer has updated their list. including the change in Square Enix conference so they don't go head to head with Nintendo. It is going to be a interesting week for sure, as Bethesda will be doing a conference which they rarely do (FALLOUT 4 ) please????? Also there is a 3hr or something long show dedicated to nothing but PC gaming, that is a must watch for me as well as the console makers ones.
Also just in case you missed it and what most expect Square Enix to show at their new time, check out Playstation Universe thoughts on it
As always be nice to each other.
Game Informer has updated their list. including the change in Square Enix conference so they don't go head to head with Nintendo. It is going to be a interesting week for sure, as Bethesda will be doing a conference which they rarely do (FALLOUT 4 ) please????? Also there is a 3hr or something long show dedicated to nothing but PC gaming, that is a must watch for me as well as the console makers ones.
Also just in case you missed it and what most expect Square Enix to show at their new time, check out Playstation Universe thoughts on it
As always be nice to each other.
Thursday, 14 May 2015
What will Sony show at E3 2015 IGN-Game Scoop show
I have to say I am looking forward to The Evil Within " and I am not a horror or survival fan for the most part. In all honesty I have no idea what they will show that is relevant to this year most of their heavy hitters are pushed into 2016. I still do not believe that No man's sky is coming this year, nor Hellblade. Last Guardian well till I see a actual release date it is Vapourware as far as I am concerned.
IGN Roundtable discussion
IGN Roundtable discussion
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