Phoenician_Viking
Banned
Sure is and this guy´s posts were the punchline.
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What is making the PS4 a massive success?
- Thread starter CurseoftheGods
- Start date
PoweredByHentai
Member
I'm actually glad that the PS controllers have stayed largely the same. It meant that I didn't need to go through the bullshit of learning a whole new control scheme every f-ing generation like what Nintendo forces.
The original Xbox's DUKE controllers were kind of a pain to use and I'm glad that they introduced the smaller controller and stuck with it.
That is insane.
Teriaaaaa!
Neo Member
Nintendo and Microsoft fucked up before the systems were out, so people decided to buy Sony even if IMO it has the weakest library between the 3.
ZoltanXerxes
Member
I think it's because of the crystal clear messaging from the beginning. Sony was clear that the focus for the PS4 was the games and they have not moved away from that.
In contrast, the Xbox One had very poor messaging at the beginning and lost the trust of consumers (mostly gamers). Microsoft has more than made up for that now, but the first impression is what lasts the longest.
In contrast, the Xbox One had very poor messaging at the beginning and lost the trust of consumers (mostly gamers). Microsoft has more than made up for that now, but the first impression is what lasts the longest.
A big thing that helped Sony was the 'disaster' of the PS3.
They came out humbled, not arrogant and took a back seat while Microsoft put on a circus. You could see how humble Sony were at their reveal and the E3 just after that. They were grounded, clear and confident in their simple message.
Microsoft were all over the shop, nobody knew what the hell the console was, what it could or couldn't do, when it would or wouldn't launch and where.
Then 8gb happened
Then sharing happened
Then no Drm happened
The final blow was $399
I still get tingles watching that launch. It was a perfect console launch and while the generation is far from over, i think Sony nailed it right there and then. Game set match
They came out humbled, not arrogant and took a back seat while Microsoft put on a circus. You could see how humble Sony were at their reveal and the E3 just after that. They were grounded, clear and confident in their simple message.
Microsoft were all over the shop, nobody knew what the hell the console was, what it could or couldn't do, when it would or wouldn't launch and where.
Then 8gb happened
Then sharing happened
Then no Drm happened
The final blow was $399
I still get tingles watching that launch. It was a perfect console launch and while the generation is far from over, i think Sony nailed it right there and then. Game set match
IrishNinja
Member
...as opposed to your post history? appreciate the fan-club shout-out though, love
See lots of comments about what Micrsoft did wrong causing Sony to do so well, hardly any comments about what Sony did well. Sort of paints a picture.
Having both I'm still surprised that the PS4 is doing as well as it is, Any multiplatform games gets picked up on PS4 but I have still yet to get a system seller. All the AAA titles have been a real let down so far. Infamous was really good but quickly forgettable, Drive Club whilst might be OK now was a complete joke and the Order has been questionable. I know it's all very much down to opinion and personal preference at this point and neither is better than the other but I have found myself always leaning towards the One's exclusives ( Horizon 2 being and absolute belter )
Having both I'm still surprised that the PS4 is doing as well as it is, Any multiplatform games gets picked up on PS4 but I have still yet to get a system seller. All the AAA titles have been a real let down so far. Infamous was really good but quickly forgettable, Drive Club whilst might be OK now was a complete joke and the Order has been questionable. I know it's all very much down to opinion and personal preference at this point and neither is better than the other but I have found myself always leaning towards the One's exclusives ( Horizon 2 being and absolute belter )
boredandlazy
Member
For me, it's simply about the exclusives. After getting gems like Uncharted, Last of Us, Heavy Rain, Journey, Puppeteer, Killzone 2, Resistance 3, Yakuza, GT5, LBP, Tokyo Jungle, Motorstorm on the PS3, it was just hard for me to have a console that would not have games and developers like these. Furthermore, remote play, share play, headphone jack in the freaking controller are such convenient features. Also the confirmation that the PS4 games would not be region locked and how amazing the controller, and the console design itself is, the decision was clear for me and i'm sure many others.
Melchiah
Member
According to Metacritic, threre are 108 games with ≥75 score on the PS4, and 69 on the XB1. Seems like there's a plenty of good games to play.
As for noteworthy exclusive new IPs compared to those of PS3's first 15 months, the PS4 has Driveclub, Resogun, and the upcoming Bloodborne. Beats RFOM and MotorStorm any day, and I loved RFOM.
There was a thread about Nielsen's survey, which showed the opposite results.
LiquidSolid
Member
I don't know about that, there are certainly some completely unpredictable gens (last gen especially) but I think that thread really exaggerates how unpredictable this gen was to predict. In hindsight, it's not that hard to see the signs of what would come to pass.
Microsoft were off in their own little world, which led to atrocious E3 conferences and game lineups.
Nintendo were pretty oblivious to the outside world as well but in their own way (still didn't understand how to get third party support, archaic online infrastructures, etc.).
Sony were the only ones who seemed like they were learning and adapting, which led to things like the Instant Game Collection, Cross-Buy, their strong indie support, etc. and they were proving with the PS3 that they'd support their console for the full generation, not just the first few years. All of that good will they earned back in 2012, when that thread was made, carried straight through to the PS4 announcement and hype in 2013.
I love these responses. "Because I think the PS4 library is the weakest, the only possible reason for its popularity is that the other two fucked up." Some amazing logic there.
Here's a couple of thoughts: Maybe those exclusives that you think are so great, aren't really as popular as you think they are. Hell, maybe your opinion just sucks?
3rd party AAA games are the system sellers by and large. Its crazy how people still try to think in a PS2 era mindset where one company was able to secure games like GTA or FF to one platform. People try to say that the 1st party exclusives make the difference and while that's a logical theory, I don't think that's true either. Usually the console that establishes itself as the best place to play third party titles win out.
ShadowkillXNA
Member
Previously in the thread:
I dont know Max, since your the one who decided to initially start comparing features between the ps4/xbox one maybe I should be the one asking you what the xbox one has to do with the thread ? I just figured since you brought it up, you must be interested in discussing it so I responded.
Granted I did mention the ps3 catching up to the 360 despite a year later launch and $600 initial price but only to show that Sony knows what they are doing in the console space and how strong the playstation brand is.
Enjoy your systems and games.
Melchiah
Member
The Xbox was launched when the PS2 had already sold about 20 million systems. The fact it was more powerful was a moot point by then.
Lol, dude, there's no causation in your argument. The PlayStation's controller has been contested for years, and the Wii's motion controller is one of the worst input devices ever created.
That's a valid point, and the head start definitely helped, but keep in mind that the Wii launched late and outsold both the 360 and PS3.
I still feel that PR and marketing have the biggest impact on sales.
Zombie James
Banned
Unknown One
Member
Hahaha gaf was so wrong it is funny.
I can only speak from my personal experience.
1) Microsoft's Xbox One reveal was a HUGE turn off. It was a gross display of marketing room bullshit, focused on "taking over your living room" instead of "here's a great game console that can do other shit, too."
2) I've replaced my Xbox 360 too many times due to the red ring. I was hesitant to invest in another piece of gaming hardware from them.
3) Sony's E3 presentation was absolutely perfect. They checked all the boxes I was looking for and I preordered a PS4 the moment it was over and haven't looked back since.
Furthermore, I feel Sony has better exclusives. I own a WiiU to get my Nintendo fix, but I don't feel like I have to have an Xbox One.
1) Microsoft's Xbox One reveal was a HUGE turn off. It was a gross display of marketing room bullshit, focused on "taking over your living room" instead of "here's a great game console that can do other shit, too."
2) I've replaced my Xbox 360 too many times due to the red ring. I was hesitant to invest in another piece of gaming hardware from them.
3) Sony's E3 presentation was absolutely perfect. They checked all the boxes I was looking for and I preordered a PS4 the moment it was over and haven't looked back since.
Furthermore, I feel Sony has better exclusives. I own a WiiU to get my Nintendo fix, but I don't feel like I have to have an Xbox One.
Melchiah
Member
The marketing definitely had an effect on Dreamcast's low sales, but no amount of marketing would have made it possible for Xbox to undo the PS2's lead. And no amount of PS3/360 marketing could compete with the Wii behemoth. Once the ball starts to roll there's no stopping it.
To my knowledge, the sales of 360 had reached about 7 million by the time Wii launched in November 2006, which is far from the lead the PS2 had when the Xbox launched in November 2001.
360 sales:
0.9 million by Quarter 1 (ending September 30, 2006), 5.9 million cumulative (EDIT: 3.6m NA, 1.7m EUR and ~700k in Others)
1.2 million by Quarter 2 (ending Dec 31, 2006), 7.6 million cumulative
PS2 sales:
18.07 million by Fiscal year ending March 31, 2002, 28.68 million cumulative.
Source: Wikia
The way I see it, it wasn't so much that Microsoft couldn't improve its marketing, but more so that Sony had simply marketed the PS2 so well. It was selling to non-gamers as a DVD player, to gamers as an established brand (your emphasis on momentum has merit here), and the early release certainly helped. Additionally, Japan was somewhat indifferent to the Xbox due to cultural differences (which no amount of marketing from Microsoft could change at the time).
With the Xbox brand more established, the PS3's initial price point was a significant deterrence (as was the Xbox One's later on). The Wii had a strong gimmick, targeted audience (non-gamers), and low price. It sold very well due to this, as did Microsoft's Kinect.
ZackShikari
Neo Member
I think it was a combination of both the lower price and the disastrous launch of the Xbox One. Many people genuinely distrust Microsoft now and still see them as one of the villains of the gaming industry while viewing Sony as a hero. A lot of kids who originally got a Wii are older now and are probably getting an Xbox or Playstation this time around, which would explain the abysmal Wii U sales. Chances are most of those people chose Playstation. Playstation has always had a wider appeal to Europe and Asia as well when compared to Xbox. Even more so this time around.
DarkConfidant
Member
This.
Haha... ouch!
Maybe this thread does need that sodium warning someone jokingly suggested be added earlier.
gamechanger87
Member
A combination of a number of factors, but one thing that has been banging around in my head is where does Sony go from here and into the next generation. Will there be a market for stand alone consoles anymore?
Microsoft has tipped their hand with W10 and they are working towards controlling the store/ecosystem as a combination between the PC and XBO combined with leveraging their existing Azure backbone. MS is integrating cross buy and cross save support on W10, thus they are looking at their gaming revenue as larger than pure XBO hardware sales.
Sony has begun to pull back and is focusing entirely on Playstation. Where do they go from here, another console another Vita? Will there be a market for dedicated hardware by then?
To further my point, the goal for MS, Sony, Nintendo, Valve, Google etc. is to get you into their fully controlled ecosystem and skim license fees from software sales. With dedicated hardware slowly moving towards oblivion, what do you do when you don't control the ecosystem?
That is the biggest question that I am struggling to figure out.
Microsoft has tipped their hand with W10 and they are working towards controlling the store/ecosystem as a combination between the PC and XBO combined with leveraging their existing Azure backbone. MS is integrating cross buy and cross save support on W10, thus they are looking at their gaming revenue as larger than pure XBO hardware sales.
Sony has begun to pull back and is focusing entirely on Playstation. Where do they go from here, another console another Vita? Will there be a market for dedicated hardware by then?
To further my point, the goal for MS, Sony, Nintendo, Valve, Google etc. is to get you into their fully controlled ecosystem and skim license fees from software sales. With dedicated hardware slowly moving towards oblivion, what do you do when you don't control the ecosystem?
That is the biggest question that I am struggling to figure out.
IndoAssassin
Banned
The lack of AF in PS4 games
/s
Melchiah
Member
The way I see it, they could have done nothing at that point to catch up in the sales. Dunno how much it affected the XB sales, that the system didn't work as a DVD player without the proprietary remote control.
It's most likely impossible for XB to beat PS in Japan in any cicumstances, and globally without a headstart. When the systems are released neck to neck, the PS is poised to sell more in Japan and mainland Europe, and XB in USA and UK, unless the circumstances give another the upper hand, like now.
21 Million
100 Million
That's mathematics son. You can argue with me but you can't argue with figures.
It wasn't PR and marketing that fueled the PS2's success, it was games (many of them exclusive). The original Xbox was released on November 15, 2001. By the end of 2001, PS2 had all of these exclusive games available:
Grand Theft Auto 3
Metal Gear Solid 2
Final Fantasy X
Gran Turismo 3
Ico
Devil may Cry
Baldurs Gate Dark Alliance
The Xbox lineup other than Halo could not compete.
Suzushiiro
Banned
To be fair, nobody could reasonably have predicted that Sony would get so much right after fucking up the PS3 and Vita so bad. MS getting so much wrong, yeah, you could maybe have seen that coming with the direction they were going post-Kinect. The Wii U bombing hard would have been a safe bet to make back in September 2012 as well.
BrianRoyale
Member
I agree that PS2 had a fantastic library (one of my favorites ever). I feel like the DVD player being the cheapest at the time was a huge selling point for it, I know it was a massive plus for me (it was my first DVD player). I'm sure a pretty good number of them sold was because of this (no numbers to back up my nutty claims, sorry) and not so much because of the vast library, though it did help to keep momentum.
I do feel like what many people said, just as the 360 capitalized on the PS3 huge false start, the PS4 capitalized on the Xbox Ones big false start. It does feel like usually someone wins because someone else failed hard, and generally at the 3rd iteration of the console.
PlayStation has a wide fan base so I'm not sure what circle it is that they don't try to go out of.
Ha. Man, almost no one gave Sony a chance. You'd think after the success of the Wii and the relative failure of the PS3 compared to the PS2, you wouldn't write anyone off. Past and current success have proven to be, at best, inconsistent predictors for future success or failure in the console space.
You do realize that it was PlayStation that made gaming as a hobby cool. Before that it was considered that only kids and socially awkward nerds played video games in their basements. They also brought gaming to a lot of developing nations where gaming is PlayStation.
Also, what is Morpheus? Alex...
Also, Powers the PlayStation exclusive television show releases today. Microsoft created an entire studio for something like this and nothing came out...
You can mail be my check, Sony.
The Horror the horror
Banned
Have you never heard of Sega Genesis? Sega was the first console maker to cater and market to "jock" gamers.
Suzushiiro
Banned
I would argue it's more that they know they have to focus on that fanbase first before they try to expand it, because if the past decade or so has shown us anything it's that ignoring your existing customers to chase a bigger audience very rarely works out in the long term.
that's exactly what I mean though.
XB1's sale pitch was 'we made this multimedia platform for you to make your living room a transformer'.
PS4's sales pitch was 'for the players'.
And yes, they're making their TV show now. A TV show about people with super powers. Obviously aimed at the kinds of TV shows gamers would enjoy. That's how I see it anyway.
I love playing games and I also happen to love tv shows like Arrow, Flash and Game of Thrones. I also happen to think that in this aspect I fit the stereotype that Sony are marketing for and I'm quite pleased with their service. Simple as that.
EDIT:
That is correct. I wouldn't argue with that.
MAX PAYMENT
Member
I guess I unintentionally misguided the conversation.
I was under the impression that doing something well meant doing it better than anyone else. Which is why I pointed out that feature. Good job on the defense, though.
And yes, I will enjoy my systems and games!
Plenty of people got it right or right-ish in that thread, too, and I was personally mostly on the money, but wasn't a GAF member at the time.
The key was whether you were looking at the whole of last gen when making your predictions or the current momentum each company had. If you did the latter, as I did, then it seemed pretty obvious what would happen. Nintendo had no momentum, had lost engagement with their casual audience, and had already revealed a horrible 'hook' as the basis for their next concept. A flop was visible miles away. Microsoft's Kinect steam had started to desert it, and the Xbox 360 had both lost its early-gen momentum and was DoA in Japan and close in parts of Europe.
Sony had been steadily catching up to MS worldwide with a razor focus on games and exclusive games. I reckoned that if their new console brought that same focus to the table to a hardcore market starved of new consoles, then they'd win, and so it was. I didn't forsee the Wii U being quite as bad as it has been, but the PS4 and XB1 are pretty much as expected.
This was a super post, and exactly how I felt at the time. Still remember reading this post and cursing my non-membership as I couldn't reply. I lurked GAF for hours a day in the run-up to the Wii U launch. As a Nintendo fan it was like watching a slowmotion train wreck day by day, unable to speak with anyone about it. It was a frustrating time!
PlayStation was a console that people could buy & not feel like they was just buying a video game console. through 95 - 97 PlayStation was probably the only CD player in a lot of people's homes.
The Horror the horror
Banned
Moving the goalpost, now? All right, then.
The Horror the horror
Banned
What does that have to do with anything?
Sega and Sony's target audience back then were virtually identical, and that specific market gobbled up the offerings of both. Just because Sega ended up with the short end of the stick in history (not due to its software, mind you) doesn't nullify what it achieved. Sony didn't create or cultivate a new audience, they just assumed the one Sega had already established.
What moving goal post? I was joking around.
If you really want to get serious than consider this...
Just because Genesis was marketed as such does not mean that it brought in new audience and expanded the market. By all accounts the market size stayed roughly the same between the third (NES/Master system) and Fourth (SNES/Genesis) generations. The market grew considerably in the fifth generation. If it did not than PSX would not have been the first console to sell 100 million.
That doesn't make any sense. If it did not create new audience then it would not have sold like it did.
Edit: God I miss Aqua. She would come up numbers and charts and what not to show how the market grew between generations.