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[.GqueB.]

Because I wanted to see it. Why else?

WHOOOOSSSHHHH!!! Kind of an "either you know it or you don't" type reference, sorry.

http://kotaku.com/5985824/why-didnt-we-see-the-actual-playstation-4-tonight-sonys-boss-explains

But I agree with him. This conference was an appetizer. Showing too much would leave the consumer full and groggy. Gotta save some for the main course.

 

[Xbudz]

Lol? You serious?

Marginal feature at best.

It's never been done before, and you're underestimating it.

 

[SerOnionKnight]

There is zero reason to hold a console announcement without showing the console. That is ludicrous. Seriously, this was all talk and hype with no substance. A lot of cinematics and very few gameplay elements. Has Sony learned nothing from the PS3 reveal? man I was hyped but this was a major, major, let down for me personally.

 

[mckmas8808]

I do not understand how some people seem to think mobile gaming is somehow replacing home gaming. Has the market actually shrunk? I think it is just rather unimaginative thinking on their part (NYT in this case). Its funny but I personally flip the other way...I might have played games on my iphone 20 years ago when those portable single game devices were about...but now the games are mostly rather basic and I have better things to do with my time.

That's the "TALK" of the town now. Everybody has to say it now. It's like saying that digital download has replaced physical media. Reporters like to say it even though it's not true.

The same thing when it comes to handheld gaming. They say that dedicated handheld gaming is dead, but the 3DS has been successful.

 

[Zen_Arcade]

The whole watching/playing with a friend sounds awesome. Imagine hanging out watching someone play Street Fighter V online and switching off who plays after a win or loss. Just like handing over the controller like they're next to you on the couch.

 

[kitch9]

There is zero reason to hold a console announcement without showing the console. That is ludicrous. Seriously, this was all talk and hype with no substance. A lot of cinematics and very few gameplay elements. Has Sony learned nothing from the PS3 reveal? man I was hyped but this was a major, major, let down for me personally.

Its a good job you don't do marketing..... The thing is 10 months away, why would they show you everything they have now?

 

[Maninthemirror]

Remember when MSM said Sony will steam over competition in 2005? Shows how much they know. Developers dictate this industry not media

 

[jcm]

There is zero reason to hold a console announcement without showing the console. That is ludicrous. Seriously, this was all talk and hype with no substance. A lot of cinematics and very few gameplay elements. Has Sony learned nothing from the PS3 reveal? man I was hyped but this was a major, major, let down for me personally.

They showed games, the OS features, the controller, and told us the specification of the hardware. You are let down because you didn't get to see the shape of the shell?

I don't know what's wrong with you people.

 

[Uno Venova]

It was a bummer they didn't show it, but we'll see it at E3, and the features announced was exciting enough to get over it.

 

[Cheech]

not to mention that what the device looks like in that case has a direct impact on the actual usefulness of the device... and the follow up about the car is the same thing.

Haven't some of you guys ever seen Mad Men? You sell the sizzle, and the steak sells itself.

Steve Jobs was not some marketing genius. He was just marketing electronics like car companies unveiled cars for DECADES.

People buy stuff they feel an attachment to. When there is nothing physical there, what is supposed to drive excitement? Shinier Killzone? DDR5? Demos of iterations of failed products like Move?

No, instead you have the media shitting on Sony for not showing the device, the lack of women presenters, everything but the actual product itself.

 

[Diablohead]

There is zero reason to hold a console announcement without showing the console. That is ludicrous. Seriously, this was all talk and hype with no substance. A lot of cinematics and very few gameplay elements. Has Sony learned nothing from the PS3 reveal? man I was hyped but this was a major, major, let down for me personally.

They showed us what the console will do and how it can perform, do you just buy a console for the plastic shell it lives in under your tv?

 

[SerOnionKnight]

Its a good job you don't do marketing.....

Why because I would show the hardware and what experiences you can actually expect to have on it instead of a bunch of pre-rendered cinematics and 'gameplay'? Good point. I guess?

 

[Live Free or Die]

I don't care what the console looks like. I play the games.

 

[gcubed]

Haven't some of you guys ever seen Mad Men? You sell the sizzle, and the steak sells itself.

Steve Jobs was not some marketing genius. He was just marketing electronics like car companies unveiled cars for DECADES.

People buy stuff they feel an attachment to. When there is nothing physical there, what is supposed to drive excitement? Shinier Killzone? DDR5? Demos of iterations of failed products like Move?

exactly, the sizzle for a console is the actual games and features, the fucking shape of the box isn't sizzle.

You can have a conversation about rehashed games, but there is no sizzle in the shape of the box unless it has a hole to give you a blowjob while you're playing

 

[toastyToast]

If Sony wanted to do something this early it should of been a game play trailer thats it no presser. Inviting the press and all this hype was asking for a backlash from the press.

They did invite the scrutiny, of course. There just seems to be a disingenuous slant in the reporting. The conference was fairly informative, probably moreso than any console unveiling I remember seeing. If one wanted to do some reporting, there's plenty to report on. What's there to say about a box other than describe its dimensions? It's gonna have a disc slot and a power button, that's it.

 

[Xbudz]

Hopefully PS4 looks sexy.
Hopefully Xbox Infinity looks sexy.

Hopefully Nintendo has a short lifespan with WiiU and comes back strong in 3 years time.

 

[storybook77]

Yes but car manufacturers do not release pricing or specific specs (gas mileage) until closer to product release, so they also hold back on some things initially.

 

[Zen_Arcade]

Haven't some of you guys ever seen Mad Men? You sell the sizzle, and the steak sells itself.

Steve Jobs was not some marketing genius. He was just marketing electronics like car companies unveiled cars for DECADES.

People buy stuff they feel an attachment to. When there is nothing physical there, what is supposed to drive excitement? Shinier Killzone? DDR5? Demos of iterations of failed products like Move?

Considering all of those things matter way more to how people will be playing games for the next 7 years, yeah it should be. What it looks like doesn't effect anything to what molds the games.

 

[Cheech]

exactly, the sizzle for a console is the actual games and features, the fucking shape of the box isn't sizzle

Go back and watch the original iPhone unveil on YouTube. Seriously. It should be required viewing for anyone thinking about a marketing career, and will neatly illustrate why Sony is close to launching another failed product. They literally have no idea what it is the general public wants and will spend money on.

 

[gcubed]

Go back and watch the original iPhone unveil on YouTube. Seriously. It should be required viewing for anyone thinking about a marketing career, and will neatly illustrate why Sony is close to launching another failed product. They literally have no idea what it is the general public wants and will spend money on.

again, its a HORRIBLE analogy. You hold that device in your hand, you put it in your pocket, you directly interact with its shape.

 

[Cheech]

Yes but car manufacturers do not release pricing or specific specs (gas mileage) until closer to product release, so they also hold back on some things initially.

Correct! However, you have guys using pictures of the new Corvette as computer wallpaper, sending it to friends, imagining themselves driving it down the road, etc. etc..

Nobody expected a PS4 price. That is not realistic. But having something physical to associate the PS4 with in the mind of the consumer is essential.

 

[SerOnionKnight]

exactly, the sizzle for a console is the actual games and features, the fucking shape of the box isn't sizzle.

You can have a conversation about rehashed games, but there is no sizzle in the shape of the box unless it has a hole to give you a blowjob while you're playing

Just shape of the box? How about how many controllers it will support? What type of output and input ports and how many does it have? What type of media or drive does it use? Is the power source inside or outside the console? Colors of the console? Can we charge controllers from the console? Does it run quietly? How big is it?

You know, the questions everyone is waking up wondering this morning?

 

[gcubed]

Just shape of the box? How about how many controllers it will support? What type of output and input ports and how many does it have? What type of media or drive does it use? Is the power source inside or outside the console? Colors of the console? Can we charge controllers from the console? Does it run quietly? How big is it?

You know, the questions everyone is waking up wondering this morning?

as they ponder those questions, they decide that they have 3 more "reveals" to see.

again, for throwing out marketing 101, dropping a metric ton of information 8 months before release is one of the worst ideas ever

 

[SparkTR]

I understand the sentiment. They offered some carrots to gamers but they hyped up this event way too much and showed too little. I mean "the future of gaming" is demonstrated with a seemingly non-existent box. The press needs shiny tech to put on their pages to convey a concise message to their readers. Without that these middling impressions are bound to come up and nobody needs that in today's market.

I think the announcement should have been a lot less high profile, to show gamers what they're up to without attracting these mainstream media moguls.

 

[Dark Octave]

Most exciting is the share button.

No it's not.

 

[FairXchange]

Don't see what mobile going has to do with a console announcement unless they somehow think mobile gaming is comparable. It's not.

 

[storybook77]

Correct! However, you have guys using pictures of the new Corvette as computer wallpaper, sending it to friends, imagining themselves driving it down the road, etc. etc..

Nobody expected a PS4 price. That is not realistic. But having something physical to associate the PS4 with in the mind of the consumer is essential.

Thing is, people admire what your vehicle looks like before even setting foot in it. No one gives a shit about what a console sitting on your entertainment rack looks like.

When's the last time someone complimented you on a sexy looking blu-ray player? Anything that hooks to a TV is judged on one thing by casuals, the output to the TV.

 

[RuinerPrime]

Just shape of the box? How about how many controllers it will support? What type of output and input ports and how many does it have? What type of media or drive does it use? Is the power source inside or outside the console? Colors of the console? Can we charge controllers from the console? Does it run quietly? How big is it?

You know, the questions everyone is waking up wondering this morning?

There must be crazy people in this thread

E3 is starts on June 11th, that's just about 4 months away. 5 months after that, its come out. You will have all of this information before release. You're not getting bamboozled here.

 

[gcubed]

There must be crazy people in this thread

E3 is starts on June 11th, that's just about 4 months away. 5 months after that, its come out. You will have all of this information before release. You're not getting bamboozled here.

and then GDC, and then TGS, and then release.

 

[smallios74]

Correct! However, you have guys using pictures of the new Corvette as computer wallpaper, sending it to friends, imagining themselves driving it down the road, etc. etc..

Nobody expected a PS4 price. That is not realistic. But having something physical to associate the PS4 with in the mind of the consumer is essential.

So instead of a picture of Uncharted 3/Gow3 etc on my PC desktop i should actually have a pic of my PS3?

 

[quest]

They did invite the scrutiny, of course. There just seems to be a disingenuous slant in the reporting. The conference was fairly informative, probably moreso than any console unveiling I remember seeing. If one wanted to do some reporting, there's plenty to report on. What's there to say about a box other than describe its dimensions? It's gonna have a disc slot and a power button, that's it.

Of course there is and that is all on Sony. They hyped up this event as something huge as the yearly apple presser. Then they failed to deliver because it is to early to announce the important things. When a company hypes an event and it fails to live up to expectations you are going to get creamed. When people think their time was wasted they get pissed. I am sure every main stream media member thought their time was wasted. This event should of been in may when they could of had much more details and an actual console to show. Then after could of had the press line up and play it after.

 

[GTP_Daverytimes]

There is zero reason to hold a console announcement without showing the console. That is ludicrous. Seriously, this was all talk and hype with no substance. A lot of cinematics and very few gameplay elements. Has Sony learned nothing from the PS3 reveal? man I was hyped but this was a major, major, let down for me personally.

So after they show you the console what happens for the next 9 months?

 

[AgentP]

Haven't some of you guys ever seen Mad Men? You sell the sizzle, and the steak sells itself.

Steve Jobs was not some marketing genius. He was just marketing electronics like car companies unveiled cars for DECADES.

People buy stuff they feel an attachment to. When there is nothing physical there, what is supposed to drive excitement? Shinier Killzone? DDR5? Demos of iterations of failed products like Move?

No, instead you have the media shitting on Sony for not showing the device, the lack of women presenters, everything but the actual product itself.

You do realize they are releasing next week? They are going to stay in the news and keep hype up by releasing info as the year goes on. They did not show the plastic box because the design is not final, they will probably show it at E3 along with the price. They have many cards they have not shown, it is by design. They don't plan their marketing to satisfy console warriors on a forum.

 

[Owzers]

Wired:
Talk is the cheapest thing there is. And that's basically what Sony did today: It espoused a philosophy, said the names of a lot of popular games, but didn't give us any real, concrete information in an age where it's more important than ever.

This crap is like the State of the Union rebuttal speech where you write it before you even see what the President had to say. Said the name of games? It showed a few. No concrete info? They talked about a lot of the systems features, namely stand by mode and instant access to demos stood out for me, not to mention a lot of the insides of the system.

If the only valid info you have about a console is the box design and price tag, don't pretend to really care in the first place.

 

[RuinerPrime]

and then GDC, and then TGS, and then release.

Whats you're point? It's just like any other console release year. You will have this info before you buy it. What's the problem?

 

[saladine1]

So after they show you the console what happens for the next 9 months?

They show you games.

 

[gcubed]

Whats you're point? It's just like any other console release year. You will have this info before you buy it. What's the problem?

no, just expanding on your point, they have 3 more reveals.

 

[Phreaker]

WSJ saying "PlayStation 4 Is No Game Changer". Can't read, behind paywall: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323549204578317371157054586.html

 

[quest]

So after they show you the console what happens for the next 9 months?

And that is why you don't do a presser this early in todays world.

 

[Vilam]

Media and press is predictibly out of touch. They wanted to see new whizbang gizmos, gimmick controls, services galore, etc.

What we got were defined (and extrodinary) system specs, and a true focus on games games games. Thank you Sony.

 

[MakeMeFeelAlive]

Wow,some people..

Sony announcedca new console, announced some new features, new games, new system and still haveva truck load to unveil at e3. This is a win for sony.

MS will make their announcement and sony can come back and show off the design for headlines, more features, and titles from their biggest studios like ND, PD, SM, etc. Sony just built 8 months of hype and headlines.

 

[gcubed]

So instead of a picture of Uncharted 3/Gow3 etc on my PC desktop i should actually have a pic of my PS3?

exactly.

 

[Future]

What they failed to do was show why you need a ps4 in this day and age.

Showed some better graphics, a new controller (with nothing showing the effectiveness of that touch screen), a gimmicky share button that seems like it will result in a flood of meaningless YouTube vids, etc. But no real reason why I need this in my home now. It sold mainly to the core that was interested and probably going to buy anything they put out, and no one else

If you read the GAF response the biggest reaction came from 8 gb of ram. That speaks volumes. Compare to an apple reveal where specs are rarely ever shown

 

[Concept17]

All I read was mobile mobile mobile mobile mobile mobile.

So tired of the same argument. Consoles can and will exist as they always have along side mobile gaming platforms. They are in fact, very different from each other.

What they failed to do was show why you need a ps4 in this day and age.

Showed some better graphics, a new controller (with nothing showing the effectiveness of that touch screen), a gimmicky share button that seems like it will result in a flood of meaningless YouTube vids, etc. But no real reason why I need this in my home now. It sold mainly to the core that was interested and probably going to buy anything they put out, and no one else

If you read the GAF response the biggest reaction came from 8 gb of ram. That speaks volumes. Compare to an apple reveal where specs are rarely ever shown

Games? People still play those I hear. And they're being very smart about the share button. Spectating and making lets play or how-to videos has become a huge part of the industry.

 

[.GqueB.]

Correct! However, you have guys using pictures of the new Corvette as computer wallpaper, sending it to friends, imagining themselves driving it down the road, etc. etc..

Nobody expected a PS4 price. That is not realistic. But having something physical to associate the PS4 with in the mind of the consumer is essential.

I don't understand why people are complaining about a problem that's guaranteed to go away in mere months. They'll show the console, and none of what you're saying will matter anymore. Come June, consumers will "have something physical to associate the PS4". It's the very definition of non-issue. Seriously, who cares. Gamers stress themselves out too much, it's baffling. I guess I just can't relate.

This happens time and time again. People bitch and bitch and bitch and then suddenly the "thing" isn't a problem anymore and it doesn't matter. Come June, this won't matter. I don't see why it's even worth talking about. They aren't going to lose any sales over this. They wouldn't have gained any by showing it. There are so many other things to talk about.

 

[RuinerPrime]

exactly.

I have the exact same wallpaper!

 

[artist]

WSJ saying "PlayStation 4 Is No Game Changer". Can't read, behind paywall: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323549204578317371157054586.html

Here you go;

It doesn't matter that the PlayStation 4 was absent from its own coming out party. A console isn't a sports car, so the decision to announce the PS4 without actually bringing the machine on stage is no big deal. Still, the much-hyped launch of Sony's latest games console left important questions unanswered.

Sony moved to reinvent its PlayStation video game console, demonstrating faster, graphics-rich hardware with new Internet-based features to counter stiff competition from the Web and mobile devices. WSJ's Ian Sherr reports.

The PlayStation franchise is now almost 20 years old and its glory days are a thing of the past. Since PlayStation 3 came on the market in late 2006, Sony's gaming division has mostly incurred big losses—a $2 billion operating loss in the year ended March 2007, a $1.2 billion operating loss the following year and a $600 million operating loss in the year to March 2009. After that, gaming was rolled into a bigger unit with most of Sony's other consumer products—a sign, probably, of PlayStation's growing irrelevance.

The latest update holds some promise. It will be faster and have better graphics than its predecessors, of course. It will be connected to the cloud and mobile devices and come with social-networking features, naturally. The new device should also be cheaper to produce than its predecessors. Where PS3 ran on chips specifically designed for the Sony console, the new PlayStation will run on more generic hardware.

But there are reasons to be cautious.

Console gaming in general is declining. Since PS3 first hit the shelves more than six years ago, tablets and smartphones have become the must-have technology for a new generation. Mobile devices also offer cheap or free games to satisfy non-hardcore gamers. In the U.S., console sales declined every month through 2012, according to researcher NPD Group. U.S. sales of hardware, software and accessories fell 17% in January from a year earlier.

More important, too much about PS4 remains a mystery. For starters, pricing will be crucial. The high retail tag of PlayStation 3 of up to $600 put off some consumers, allowing cheaper consoles from Nintendo 7974.OK +1.26% and Microsoft MSFT -1.19% to steal market share. There is also no specific sale date. Sony says the PS4 will be out in time for the 2013 holiday season. Given the pace of change in consumer technology, that is a long 10 months.

Sony's shares are up about 70% since November, as the falling yen boosts sentiment on Japan's consumer-electronics sector. A more favorable exchange rate will certainly help after eight straight quarters of red ink at Sony. An unseen game console of indeterminate price with a vague release date, however, is no reason to get excited.

- Duncan Mavin

 

[Pie and Beans]

The true beginning of a console war is when internet forum crazies really amp it up to 11. Declaring the PS4 dead or failing because they didn't show a big black box last night but EVERYTHING ELSE including full specs and real games instead is when its time to have a nice long calming sit down in front of the mirror with a loved one nearby to check you're not having some kind of stroke.

Oh god more app industry masturbation above, good lord. Do all tech journalists start their jobs by getting paid in Google or Apple shares these days?

 

[Maninthemirror]

What they failed to do was show why you need a ps4 in this day and age.

Showed some better graphics, a new controller (with nothing showing the effectiveness of that touch screen), a gimmicky share button that seems like it will result in a flood of meaningless YouTube vids, etc. But no real reason why I need this in my home now. It sold mainly to the core that was interested and probably going to buy anything they put out, and no one else

Going by that argument i never would need to upgrade from windows xp or get a new pc because everything works fine as it is.... Unreal

 

[gcubed]

Here you go;

Console gaming in general is declining. Since PS3 first hit the shelves more than six years ago, tablets and smartphones have become the must-have technology for a new generation. Mobile devices also offer cheap or free games to satisfy non-hardcore gamers. In the U.S., console sales declined every month through 2012, according to researcher NPD Group. U.S. sales of hardware, software and accessories fell 17% in January from a year earlier.

its like new console generations have never happened before