We all know that 2008 is going to be a big year for the PLAYSTATION 3. Games like KILLZONE 2, LittleBigPlanet, Devil May Cry 4, Grand Theft Auto IV, HAZE, and Metal Gear Solid 4 are some of 2008's biggest titles. There is more to a good year than just games though, and MicroTechXP helps lists what else is needed.
Games like Heavenly Sword, meaning short play time and no multiplayer features, can't be released anymore. Heavenly Sword is a great game, but paying $60 for something that will last about five hours is a little crazy. Sony needs to release their upcoming hits with no bugs, and make it worth what you pay for.
Stop throwing out the SKUs Sony. We started off with two simple packages, the 20GB and 60GB. Then as time went on, you canned the 20GB and 60GB and came out with an 80GB and 40GB. What's next? A 120GB and 180GB? How about just releasing some HDD's by Sony instead.
Sony once said they don't want to stoop to Microsoft's level and pay for their exclusives. Stooping to that level isn't a dumb thing to do. Games like BioShock, Ace Combat 6, and Mass Effect got very good reception by the gaming audience. This year, many of the PLAYSTATION 3 exclusives got average or bad (LAIR) reception. Only exclusives that Sony really has are mainly first party. Team up with the third party.
Some reasons that PLAYSTATION 3 versions of multiplatform titles come out a bit worse than it's Xbox 360 counterpart is because developers have trouble developing the game (EA just does it on purpose though). Call of Duty 4 developer Infinity Ward once said in an interview "developing the game on the PLAYSTATION 3 was easy". Give everyone that kind of easy development on games. Call of Duty 4 came out great on both consoles.
Sony needs to finally release PLAYSTATION Home. If another delay is experienced, the whole community will go mad. At least throw out an open beta.
Finally, regarding the PLAYSTATION Network itself. Home is going to help out a lot, but things like the PLAYSTATION Store need a makeover. Redesign it, make it a program in the PLAYSTATION 3 rather than a web page. That way, when you add in new things, they automatically sort themselves, making it easy to search for things, look by genre, or alphabetically. Promote the network on games as well.
Tell developers to put a bar across the top of their boxes saying "PLAYSTATION Network" on the top with some red like background. At least people will know you can play that game on the network.
Finally, give us the features we need to actually go online. That means private chat during game and out of game, in-game XMB to access our friends, messages, and chat features, trophies, and more profile options. This one may seem small, but let us see the picture and profile of anybody, even if they aren't our friend.
That all needs to come Sony, and MicroTechXP, onAXIS, and the members of the community are trying to let you know.
[Via MicroTechXP]
Monday, December 31, 2007
What Sony Needs to Do To Catch Up the PLAYSTATION 3 in 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Yet another wish list that is yet again all correct and warranted.
As for Home, I think the open beta is a bad idea. Just take my word for it. The beta needs to stay in the oven a few more months.
It goes without saying that the PS3 has a long way to go. What think the problem is, however, is that with so many options the system is becoming a jack of all trades and master of nothing.
As you mentioned, we still don't have core elements like in-game messaging and while the PSN Store got some better looking thumbnail images to represent everything the store is still sort of a pain to navigate.
My theory is that they're waiting to do in-game messaging until Home is released but I think they should just release it now through the PS button and then just improve the interface and so forth later. It really does seem like they're waiting until they can get Home out but in the interim they're pissing people off with what appears to be a really simple application.
Then you got the Trophy Room. Yet another great feature that will prompt people to use Home but I think they should just release a bastard version of it (heck, put in the store as another tab) until they get Home together. If they polled people I think they would all agree that they would rather just have the features even if they're not fully cooked and then see improvements come later on. If they released these features I think they could cook, simmer, and stew Home for another 12 months and no one would really notice or head for a clock tower looking for Phil Harrison.
Finally, the whole issue of multi-platform game garbage is over...I think. CoD4, Burnout: Paradise, and Devil May Cry are examples of good games that can run flawlessly on the PS3.
Good article over all but it's not much different from the other stuff we've all been wanting and waiting for.
I just got Warhawk (found the Bluetooth headset bundle at a store, which is now out of print) and my brother picked up one as well. Since we live in two seperate places, we like to stay in contact through the PlayStation Network and Chat and gaming. Now, we are fine in Warhawk when we are on the same team, but when we are going against eachother, we can't say a word. This is why I agree that private chat and messaging is something that needs to be allowed in-game.
Trophies would be nice as well. I hate that name though, that whole Entitlements thing I heard a while back sounds better.
I agree with Incredibillistic, we should have a dumb down version of trophies in our friends icon or something on the XMB. I'd actually like that better than a Home display room.
Hey, tonight is the new year, maybe tomorrow, Sony will throw us a 2008 beginning surprise.
Happy New Years!
the 360 has 4 sku's as well so i wouldn't emphasize on that.
Post a Comment