Consoles are unique in that they are essentially personal computers optimized for gaming that engender most of their identity through marketing, branding, and building a memorable and diverse library of games. The very notion of "console wars" exists largely due to these differences in branding, as consumers tend to gravitate toward products from manufacturers that they've bought into and enjoyed in the past. This is also why it's hard for a new player to come into the industry and steal consumers away from the established giants. You can call it fanboyism if you'd like, but brand loyalty has always been relatively strong in the videogames market.
Now we've seen what happened to the Wii U as a direct result of unclear branding and poor marketing. The console had some unique experiences that it was trying to offer players via the new control method and asymmetrical multiplayer designs, but most of that was completely lost on the average consumer. There is still a sizable proportion of consumers to this very day who think that the Wii U is merely an upgrade to the original Wii, and that's a marketing and branding failure.
So which console, past or present, do you think did the best job at maintaining a clear and consistent brand?
I'm gonna cast my vote for the most successful console in gaming history: the Sony Playstation 2.
Anyone who was around at the time of the PS2 launch remembers what a sensation it was. Coming hot off of Sony's breakout success with the PS1, the hype for their sophomore effort was through the roof. The reason why I think the PS2 was best at maintaining its clear and consistent brand was because of how it took the edgy, sophisticated branding of its predecessor and matured it even further. Sony succeeded in the crowded marketplace by differentiating itself from the competition with the PS1's extensive third-party library and its attempts to elevate gaming above that of a children's hobby, and it kept that ball rolling right along with the PS2.
The PS2 would continue Playstation's tradition of enjoying immense third-party support while also having its library bolstered by both first- and second-party studios. It was the best of all worlds. The perfect storm. There's a reason why the PS2 will probably never be surpassed in terms of worldwide sales, and that's because it consistently delivered on its promise of being home to the widest variety of games both mainstream and niche in their appeal. It was the platform of choice for developers big and small, from the western hemisphere of the world and the east. Also, its inclusion of a DVD player further cemented its appeal with mainstream consumers at a time when the transition to DVD's was right on the brink of becoming ubiquitous.
Basically, the PS2 was Sony's most confident and consistent era. It was the Playstation brand perfected.
Now we've seen what happened to the Wii U as a direct result of unclear branding and poor marketing. The console had some unique experiences that it was trying to offer players via the new control method and asymmetrical multiplayer designs, but most of that was completely lost on the average consumer. There is still a sizable proportion of consumers to this very day who think that the Wii U is merely an upgrade to the original Wii, and that's a marketing and branding failure.
So which console, past or present, do you think did the best job at maintaining a clear and consistent brand?
I'm gonna cast my vote for the most successful console in gaming history: the Sony Playstation 2.
Anyone who was around at the time of the PS2 launch remembers what a sensation it was. Coming hot off of Sony's breakout success with the PS1, the hype for their sophomore effort was through the roof. The reason why I think the PS2 was best at maintaining its clear and consistent brand was because of how it took the edgy, sophisticated branding of its predecessor and matured it even further. Sony succeeded in the crowded marketplace by differentiating itself from the competition with the PS1's extensive third-party library and its attempts to elevate gaming above that of a children's hobby, and it kept that ball rolling right along with the PS2.
The PS2 would continue Playstation's tradition of enjoying immense third-party support while also having its library bolstered by both first- and second-party studios. It was the best of all worlds. The perfect storm. There's a reason why the PS2 will probably never be surpassed in terms of worldwide sales, and that's because it consistently delivered on its promise of being home to the widest variety of games both mainstream and niche in their appeal. It was the platform of choice for developers big and small, from the western hemisphere of the world and the east. Also, its inclusion of a DVD player further cemented its appeal with mainstream consumers at a time when the transition to DVD's was right on the brink of becoming ubiquitous.
Basically, the PS2 was Sony's most confident and consistent era. It was the Playstation brand perfected.
