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Sony's PS4 Team Makes Disabled Fan's Day
- Thread starter Cidd
- Start date
Overall a nice story and pretty cool on Sony's part, I like when a bit of positivity comes up. The clarification from the original poster makes a bit more sense and isn't as bad sounding as the original MS stance as seems like he could have tried out the XB1, just not for the game he specifically wanted.
GrizzleBoy
Banned
Yeah, his original statement makes out like MS straight up told him to get going and he couldn't play any games at all, when there were XB1 games that he could play available, just not the one he wanted to play.
Then it turns out after a bit of grilling that the PS stall had absolutely NO games for him to play as he said all the PS4 consoles were upstairs, hence the Sony reps "making it up" to him having far more context.
Not really trying to shit on anyone, I just don't like when details like that are omitted and only come out after someone questions your original statement.
Why not just tell the whole story the first time?
It is cynical but nothing MS did was negative. They didn't have a way for them to get upstairs, they apologized. What more would you honestly expect them to do? Getting a free system is nice but that should not be the expectation in this situation.
Yeah this is exactly it. MS probably figured handicapped people can play the downstairs games. Sony's booth didn't have that option. Someone at Sony's booth probably saw a wheelchair or two rolling around at the expo and approached the supervisor with the concern that they didn't really have any kind of solution for the disabled to play their console. The supervisor made the decision to approach the situation like they did in advance once their failure to provide a ramp was brought to his/her attention, hence why the employee had to get the supervisor and that they already knew what their plan was for handicapped gamers.
bigboss370
Member
This is more of a "I can't believe Sony actually did that" story rather than "MS sucks at customer relations and PR and blah blah"...
Psycho_Mantis
Banned
for new page.
-----------------
the original post, since a few people are missing it:
I believe they "typical!" part meant that this is what wheelchair people get as a typical response, not that this is typical for MS.
someone called BS and the person responded:
--------------
also, looking at their profile, the person is a part of:
-Australian PC Gamers group
-Victorian Electric Wheelchair Sports Association(VEWSA)
-People for an Australian Muscular Dystrophy Day group
-Power Soccer Shop.com group
don't really really see affiliation with sony or why they would make this up.
Major kudos to Sony for giving free PS4's. Didn't know reps at gameshows allow that.
Miles Quaritch
Member
Well that's Gameranx struck off as a site to never take seriously again.
That's what I just mentioned in that second sentence. MS didn't do anything "wrong", but in the face of Sony going out of their way to do good things for them, it became negative press for MS in relation.
Insane Metal
Gold Member
That sounds exactly like what we've seen from Sony and Microsoft this upcoming generation: Sony being humble and trying to fix their mistakes and Microsoft not giving a fuck.
FeiRR
Banned
I'll answer with your own words from another post. I wanted to use some of my own but you're not worth a ban on my account.
Uncle Ulty
Banned
LOL at people hoping this isn't true because it would hurt their fanboy arguments.
Hanningfield
Member
I'm cringing so hard at the accusation of bias on that guy's facebook page, like he has an agenda. Digging out pictures of the hall and youtube links...smh
It sounds believable, and great gesture on Sony instead of doing the usual response that MS gave (they apologized simply). The problem some people here loosely defending MS is that MS set themselves up for this. MS's company history of events, then you have the 360's RRoD fiasco. They had their official conferences for the One which flat out insulted so many people for various reasons (DRM, price, kinect, etc). Finally, their arrogant, cocky, demeaning PR that soon followed the event further insulting the consumer set MS up for a good couple years of being shit on.
Sony was the bad guy last gen and look how they were treated by gamers and media for the first couple years. This time it's MS's turn. Though they went beyond the level that Sony did last gen which was price and arrogance. Maybe the bad mojo will follow MS around a bit longer considering hardware choices especially.
Sony was the bad guy last gen and look how they were treated by gamers and media for the first couple years. This time it's MS's turn. Though they went beyond the level that Sony did last gen which was price and arrogance. Maybe the bad mojo will follow MS around a bit longer considering hardware choices especially.
simplythebest
Banned
Was thinking the same thing about MS's continuing PR blunders.
You literally cannot write this stuff. It's like Sony and Microsoft literally met up before all this began and MS, for some reason, was eager to take the hot seat this gen, and with Sony's experience of PR fuck ups early this gen, happily let them haha.
You literally cannot write this stuff. It's like Sony and Microsoft literally met up before all this began and MS, for some reason, was eager to take the hot seat this gen, and with Sony's experience of PR fuck ups early this gen, happily let them haha.
WrenchNinja
Member
Seanspeed
Banned
Trying too hard, seriously dude.
And your and others' assumptions were based on this obviously being a bullshit story. Hell, you just stated 'no matter how unlikely'.
Seriously, you're being pretty hypocritical here in the opposite direction.
And note, I never really said MS was in the wrong to begin with. Simply that it's bad PR given Sony's handling.
Objectively they were both in the wrong. Sony however turned lemons into lemonade from a PR perspective. MS ... not so much.
I think it was just a customer service gesture that happened as the situation presented itself. All of their stuff was upstairs, so they acted professionally and accordingly. That is how you win customers.
krypt0nian
Banned
Nothin new
GrizzleBoy
Banned
Oopsie.
couldnt said this any better.
Devilinthiscity
Member
This seems like it would be a post on Kotaku or something. That's very nice on Sonys part if true.
LiquidMetal14
hide your water-based mammals
I'm not really concerned about slandering or trying to paint this in anything else but a positive light. Just because the MSFT reps didn't exactly help that doesn't make them bad. Good on Sony, that's it.
I don't think it was "as the situation presented itself". The worker had to go get their supervisor but the worker said prior to that something like "you can't play because we don't have a ramp but I think you will be pleased with our solution, let me get the supervisor" which means the workers even knew what was in store for disabled players who wanted to try PS4's. The supervisor then articulated the solution quite clearly as a plan was already in place.
Now it's possible that the situation originally presented itself when a different handicapped person attempted to do the same thing, or it may have been formulated before encountering the situation once the Sony booth realized that they had no handicapped solution.
But either way, the solution was already set-up and known by the general workers at the event by the time this specific guy approached them.
I think people need to stop looking at this as MS did something negative, but more that Sony did something very nice that surprised the guy. MS isn't evil for simply apologizing to the guy that the game he wanted to try wasn't wheelchair accessible. They aren't evil because they didn't give a free One. It's not like the PR guy said "get up and walk upstairs", so let's all settle down.
I like that the Sony reps understood the gravity of the situation. When you let potential customers down, you really do have to make sure you go out of your way to put it right.
It does seem like the company's new approach is taking hold at all levels. Why is this a bad thing?
It doesn't make them bad at all. But it does play neatly into the prevailing narrative, that Sony has changed and is building its business around gamers first and foremost, whereas MS has lost touch gamers etc.
EDIT: Microsoft put themselves into that position...in just the same way Sony has. By making the choices they made.
Coincidence or not. When these things fit people make those correlations, regardless of the reality.
It does seem like the company's new approach is taking hold at all levels. Why is this a bad thing?
It doesn't make them bad at all. But it does play neatly into the prevailing narrative, that Sony has changed and is building its business around gamers first and foremost, whereas MS has lost touch gamers etc.
EDIT: Microsoft put themselves into that position...in just the same way Sony has. By making the choices they made.
Coincidence or not. When these things fit people make those correlations, regardless of the reality.
Foghorn Leghorn
Unconfirmed Member
LOL
Or this: We have a product for people who aren't able to get to the second floor; it's called Xbox 360.
So in a nutshell, Sony had no PS4s on ground level. They felt bad since they forgot that disabled people could not access the next floor, so they handed out a few PS4s as a goodwill gesture.
On the other hand, Microsoft had consoles on the main floor. Most of their games were playable there, except for TitanFall which was on floor 2. When asked if they could play it, a Microsoft rep apologized and said no.
Internet translation: Sony loves you, Microsoft is the antichrist.
For all we know, Microsoft had the foresight to put consoles on the ground floor so they could be accessed by all. However, if this was the case, this is just more proof that Microsoft's PR blows.
Sloane_Ranger
Member
Wow on the quick thinking guy at the Sony booth! Either he is super cool, or the whole team realized they had fucked up with no access (earlier) and had a response in hand - either way - VERY COOL SONY.
FullMetaltech
Member
Im pretty sure both Sony and MS had floor plans in advance to setup. But Sony's approach was better handled in that sort of situation. If anything i would of placed TitalFall on teh main floorshowcase and not upstairs. You cant go wrong with getting free PS4s.
No, I am not buying that it was all set up to be this way before hand. Sony and Microsoft both had the same build for upstairs, it's just that Sony's stuff was all upstairs. But whatever, it was handled very professionally and they deserve props for it.
You win customers by giving them your product for free?
Feel good story of the day.
MS rep didn't do anything wrong, especially if there were other games playable at their bootth.
Rogue_Ledr
Banned
Nice to see Sony showing a real compassion for the impaired like this.
They seem to really be working their PR angle very well.
MS on the other hand .......
They seem to really be working their PR angle very well.
MS on the other hand .......
You win customers by giving them your product for free?
A product that they will spend money on via games? Certainly. Not to mention acts like this go a long way in keeping customers for the long run and making other prospective buyers take note. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
Nah just pointed out the flaws in the story which where confirmed.
Especially the controller locked down stuff, doesn't jive with the reality of these events.
I didn't make any crazy assumptions.
bigboss370
Member
there were PS4s on the main level at other booths, like Assassins 4. Sony reps even fastracked the people in wheelchairs to the front of those lines, even though it was on the main floor.
xaosslug
Member
rotfl, this got me
Killroyskbg
Member
There is nothing funny about joking about people in wheelchairs and this kind of behavior should be ban worthy just as the ones making fun of the transgender in the other thread.
Sephiroth_VII
Member
Uh, how exactly did he make fun of people in wheelchairs? If anything, it was self-ironic.
TechnicPuppet
Nothing! I said nothing!
The best thing that can come out of this, is that the machines are accessible to all in the future as a rule, as they should have been anyway, for every game as well, everyone has the right to see Titanfall.
I say the because there is no way Sony or anyone else can give away free consoles to disabled gamers at every event from now on because of the expectation that has been set here.
I say the because there is no way Sony or anyone else can give away free consoles to disabled gamers at every event from now on because of the expectation that has been set here.
Heck has worked on stuff like that in the past. He calls it an Access Controller. Still have to work the off-side analog with your leg. Wouldn't be surprised if he would enjoy the challenge of creating a solution for dual motion-based controllers.
Aussie Legend
Banned
I was at EB Expo and the stairs thing didn't even occur to me. Yes its an oversight that shouldn't have happenes but good on Sony for not letting turning them away.
New Sony aims to please.
New Sony aims to please.
velociraptor
Junior Member
What a wonderful gesture by Sony.