Context Sensitive: Who Is the PS3 For?

[Eruanno]

Maybe they made it for people who can't decide!

 

[RicoADF]

Personally the PS3 is doing what it was always said to do, be an entertainment system. I play movies on it as much as I game on it, and it was well worth the $1000 AUD (preorded it).

 

[AceDiamond]

And for people who are like "Sony fanboys, wah wah wah," please cut the shit, that's just as annoying as ultra-conservatives going "Gay right activists, wah wah wah."

Are you trying to imply that Sony users are an illogically oppressed people who don't get the same insurance benefits as Nintendo and Microsoft users? Seriously it's like bringing sexuality into an argument for no reason is the new Godwin's Law

And since Susan has had to clarify what I felt was a very unbiased and reasonable opinion on the inherent identity crisis of the PS3 (remember, Sony went from saying motion control was a gimmick to having both SIXAXIS and now the PSMove), it's obvious that there is clear fanboyism going on here, your attempt to sympathize your fake comparison trying to equate the "plight" of being a Sony fan with being gay just seals the deal on how illogical the counterargument about this article is. Grow up already, you're not downtrodden, you're just in the unfortunate position of being a fan of a console in third place. Nintendo fans (some of them) sucked it up and dealt with it for a decade, why can't you?

 

[bjj hero]

Susan's article is great, but this thread is embarrassing compared to usual standard here on the escapist.

Reading comprehension is key, people.

Indeed. I too really thought the Escapist Community was above this.

this article is not great...

Whether the article is great or not is besides the point (though I do wonder what particular factors you're using in making that judgement). What I do find, to be honest, rather shocking is the level of blatant fanboyism on show. You can certainly disagree with the column's viewpoint, and this would be a boring place if everyone always agreed with everything, but it would be nice if everyone at least read and comprehended what has been written.

Its like Indigo Dingo was never banned...

People need to read Susan's article. She says that Sony has put out an advert that is near identical to the Wii advert and that Sony seems unsure about who they are marketing their product too.

Lets take a less heated example. Imagine seeing a cola advert during the holidays with a CGI polar bear drinking a bottle of cola. You have seen this on Coca-cola adverts for years, then at the end the logo appears and it turns out to be advertising pepsi.

This would be considered a silly move for pepsi and does nothing to strengthen the Pepsi brand or to seperate it from other colas. Someone flicking channels could well view it and "see" a Coca-cola ad. Not a good use of Pepsi's advertising money.


That is exactly what SONY is currently doing with move.

Why is this so hard to grasp?

Except they do know who they are marketing to. The argument being made here only works if the device was intended to only market to one group. As I said earlier no one complains about Iphone ads that have nothing to do with telecommunications. There isn't a reason to complain about Sony doing the same thing when it is clear that they were never only targeting "hardcore" gamers or gamers in general. The only people "confused" at this point are gamers who think that the platform was intended to appeal to them alone.

Did you read what I wrote? You can talk about all of the things the PS3 can do. Marketing guys are meant to be creative, there are millions of ways to do it rather than put out an exact copy of a Wii advertisement.

Going back to the less emotionally charged cola example; Coke and Pepsi are competing for the same market, as all of thes motion controls probably will be. That doesn't make there Ads identical, they still keep their style and brand identity. They dont all churn out the same advert then tie their logo on it.

If you want to talk Iphone, they do sell the app store, but it doesn't look like a sony-erikkson, Nokkia or Samsung advertisment. It keeps the apple identity, with a style that holds together all Apple products and advertisments. I can only talk about the UK marketing as I no longer live in the US. So stop bringing up the Iphone, it is not relevant in this discussion.

I feel that you missed the point of the article, try rereading it, you will see what I'm saying.

Finally, intelligence! And for people who are like "Sony fanboys, wah wah wah," please cut the shit, that's just as annoying as ultra-conservatives going "Gay right activists, wah wah wah."

Because PS3 owners are an oppressed group? I think you are giving Xbox owners a little too much credit. I'm sure there are plenty of PS3fanboys who would love to think they are being kept down by "the man" but its just not the case.

As a PS3 owner you can join the military, get married, adopt, get health insurance, kiss your partner in public without fear of reprisals, I could go on...

A very poor and irrelevant comparison.

 

[DTWolfwood]

its the console u get if you DO NOT YET OWN A SINGLE CONSOLE. cause it does what the Wii and 360 does. the Jack of All Trade.

It would certainly get that market now! the completely undecided...all 10 of them <.<

will in all likelihood get the 'move' controllers

 

[NamesAreHardToPick]

Sony's marketing department is really hit-and-miss... I'd say it's a case of their hardware selling in spite of the crap their executives say and most of the ad campaigns. It Only Does Everything was really good though. It's probably not easy to come up with an ad based on the theme "hey our thing has family games just like the ones for wii". I think Sony should be focusing on how cute/silly the glowing ball is... advertize the controller itself, rather than what it's for. It wouldn't be that effective probably, but neither are ads that some will think are for your competitor's product.

On the hardware front I think the PS3 is a lot better managed, so I don't agree with Move being part of an "identity crisis" in that respect. Thanks to Wii, motion controllers are a new fact of life for game consoles... like analog sticks, d-pads (I'm old), or multiple buttons (I'm that old). Move seems like a solid one-up on the Wiimote in terms of capabilities but similar enough that PS3 can get a lot of early software support for it because they're not making developers re-invent the wheel in terms of motion-control UI like Natal.

Also, think about this and then tell me your pants are still dry... Demon's Souls 2 with 1:1 motion control for melee combat. I think that's the ultimate goal. Of humanity.

 

[shadow skill]

And for people who are like "Sony fanboys, wah wah wah," please cut the shit, that's just as annoying as ultra-conservatives going "Gay right activists, wah wah wah."

Are you trying to imply that Sony users are an illogically oppressed people who don't get the same insurance benefits as Nintendo and Microsoft users? Seriously it's like bringing sexuality into an argument for no reason is the new Godwin's Law

And since Susan has had to clarify what I felt was a very unbiased and reasonable opinion on the inherent identity crisis of the PS3 (remember, Sony went from saying motion control was a gimmick to having both SIXAXIS and now the PSMove), it's obvious that there is clear fanboyism going on here, your attempt to sympathize your fake comparison trying to equate the "plight" of being a Sony fan with being gay just seals the deal on how illogical the counterargument about this article is. Grow up already, you're not downtrodden, you're just in the unfortunate position of being a fan of a console in third place. Nintendo fans (some of them) sucked it up and dealt with it for a decade, why can't you?

Not a single person has explained why the Iphone is not accused of having an identity crisis. I pass by an Ipod billboard on my way to work that is showing pictures of games, not music. If anything is obvious it is that gamers have a serious case of myopia.

Susan's article is great, but this thread is embarrassing compared to usual standard here on the escapist.

Reading comprehension is key, people.

Indeed. I too really thought the Escapist Community was above this.

this article is not great...

Whether the article is great or not is besides the point (though I do wonder what particular factors you're using in making that judgement). What I do find, to be honest, rather shocking is the level of blatant fanboyism on show. You can certainly disagree with the column's viewpoint, and this would be a boring place if everyone always agreed with everything, but it would be nice if everyone at least read and comprehended what has been written.

Its like Indigo Dingo was never banned...

People need to read Susan's article. She says that Sony has put out an advert that is near identical to the Wii advert and that Sony seems unsure about who they are marketing their product too.

Lets take a less heated example. Imagine seeing a cola advert during the holidays with a CGI polar bear drinking a bottle of cola. You have seen this on Coca-cola adverts for years, then at the end the logo appears and it turns out to be advertising pepsi.

This would be considered a silly move for pepsi and does nothing to strengthen the Pepsi brand or to seperate it from other colas. Someone flicking channels could well view it and "see" a Coca-cola ad. Not a good use of Pepsi's advertising money.


That is exactly what SONY is currently doing with move.

Why is this so hard to grasp?

Except they do know who they are marketing to. The argument being made here only works if the device was intended to only market to one group. As I said earlier no one complains about Iphone ads that have nothing to do with telecommunications. There isn't a reason to complain about Sony doing the same thing when it is clear that they were never only targeting "hardcore" gamers or gamers in general. The only people "confused" at this point are gamers who think that the platform was intended to appeal to them alone.

Did you read what I wrote? You can talk about all of the things the PS3 can do. Marketing guys are meant to be creative, there are millions of ways to do it rather than put out an exact copy of a Wii advertisement.

Going back to the less emotionally charged cola example; Coke and Pepsi are competing for the same market, as all of thes motion controls probably will be. That doesn't make there Ads identical, they still keep their style and brand identity. They dont all churn out the same advert then tie their logo on it.

If you want to talk Iphone, they do sell the app store, but it doesn't look like a sony-erikkson, Nokkia or Samsung advertisment. It keeps the apple identity, with a style that holds together all Apple products and advertisments. I can only talk about the UK marketing as I no longer live in the US. So stop bringing up the Iphone, it is not relevant in this discussion.

I feel that you missed the point of the article, try rereading it, you will see what I'm saying.

Finally, intelligence! And for people who are like "Sony fanboys, wah wah wah," please cut the shit, that's just as annoying as ultra-conservatives going "Gay right activists, wah wah wah."

Because PS3 owners are an oppressed group? I think you are giving Xbox owners a little too much credit. I'm sure there are plenty of PS3fanboys who would love to think they are being kept down by "the man" but its just not the case.

As a PS3 owner you can join the military, get married, adopt, get health insurance, kiss your partner in public without fear of reprisals, I could go on...

A very poor and irrelevant comparison.

Insert Iphone and re-read the article. The thesis of this article isn't that the ad is bad, it is that Sony does not know who it is marketing to. The argument for the thesis makes no sense when you consider the fact that the PS3 has never been marketed to gamers alone.

 

[Xersues]

BIAS BIAS BIAS FANBOY FANBOY FANBOY!

Holy cow, what a load of garbage going on in this thread.

Snip

I've seen the wireframe commercial and the EyePet commercial and maybe its just me but they don't look like Wii commercials to me. They look like generic toy commercials where a group of people get all fakely excited about a product.

Your Coke and Pepsi example doesn't work because you're talking about a commercial that uses an irrelevant means (the Polar bears) to express their brand. While yes, if Pepsi used the bears in a non-mocking way, why would it work, its not relevant to the product, its a mascot. If you look at both pepsi and coke commercials both of them show something drinking from a bottle/can. The Ipod/phone/music commercials showing people walking anywhere using their device. Commercials tend to copy each other all the time. Verizon and AT&T and their stupid map cock measuring contests. See what I mean?

Going back to the Wii and PS3, they're both played the same way. Its hard to describe the products without looking similar. Stand in front of TV, move around, show game, fun, etc.

The point that the wireframe commercials made was the precision of 1:1 they're trying to show. That it's less of a toy.

Perhaps you're talking about a different commercial, but while I found it similar to the Wii in gamestyle, I didn't in marketing. It's just a peripheral to a strong console and I fail to see how it's confused or marketed poorly. Like if a PC gets a new mouse that's a glove or something.

 

[Rangergord]

I love my PS3 because it was a replacement for 3 lemon Xbox360's I went through (hard to play games when the system spent most of its life in transit for replacement); though I know others who had good luck with the system and bad luck with the Ps3, so I guess it is just the luck of the draw. But really this is how Soney should have markete it in the early days.

Also I think Soney's real big mistake is going head to head with their old system the PS2 and not commiting to the PS3; to this day PS2 games are still released for 10 to $25 cheaper than PS3, and budjet gamer still buy them. Microsoft more or less commited to the 360, and the Wii was something totally different, so sony has only itself to blaim for trying to hedge its bets too much.

AS for the wand, despite being happy with my PS3, god a wand...I'm not buying one. And I'll reserve judgement on Natal until it comes out and people have their say on it. Personally after trying a Will (even w/motion plus) I didn't find it made my game play any more gripping or enjoyable, in fact getting some movements to work in sync kind of felt more clumsy than trying to get use to new controller set ups.

If Sony wants to keep pace, I'm not sure a wand is going to help; just because crazy uncle Nintendo did it does not mean it will work for you. Hell Nintendo has been kind of exipermenting with this for years...remeber the power glove. Nintendo seems to know how to take risks and win, only because they've tried before and discovered the faults from past experience.

Sony should go for hardcore gamers, or those sick of constant PC updates or of pc games DRMs. Update PSN (gahh yes with pay per year like Xbox gold), find a nice way to intergrate keyboard/mouse option and get some MMO or even classic PC set-up FPS or RTS on the system. Blue-ray provides more space as does the hard drive for game size, and copy protection/control should be easier on a console than pc.

Turn the PS3 into a gaming computer alternative...before Xobox does.

Sadly I preidct PS3 saels will drop dramaticly once Xbox fixes some of its reilabilty issues, and more gramers are born and bred by bill gates and decide Milo is their new friend.

 

[NamesAreHardToPick]

Couldn't you say the other - less hated - Playstations also had identity crises?

PS1 and PS2 were the machines that didn't have some obvious demographic and just seemed to grab everyone else by default. I think It Only Does Everything plays that open-endedness up really well and there's nothing inherently wrong with "me too" as a software/peripherals business strategy if your hardware is really good.

 

[DRD 1812]

Insert Iphone and re-read the article. The thesis of this article isn't that the ad is bad, it is that Sony does not know who it is marketing to. The argument for the thesis makes no sense when you consider the fact that the PS3 has never been marketed to gamers alone.

When the iphone came out in 2007 Apple said it was a PHONE that had all the features you come to expect from a phone: calls, text messaging, email, camera and apps.

With the 3G in 2008 they said it was... what? Faster, lighter, more storage, and better battery. And with the 3GS they said it again, "it's the same thing only better."

Apple has always said the iphone is a PHONE with the same properties: calls, camera, apps. That's their whole bag.

Sony has changed the tone of their advertising from ENTERTAINMENT CENTER to BLU RAY PLAYER to GAMES to EVERYTHING to EVERYTHING+MOTION CONTROL. They've only just now unified their marketing to the "everything" shtick.

Finally, intelligence! And for people who are like "Sony fanboys, wah wah wah," please cut the shit, that's just as annoying as ultra-conservatives going "Gay right activists, wah wah wah."

Calling someone who agrees with you intelligent, and thereby implying that anyone who doesn't is stupid isn't really a great way to have an argument.

Entirely off topic, but love the name, dude. Nice Farscape shout out.

Thanks! I wish I could be a little more originl with my handle, but who doesn't love the little guy after that episode?

 

[Susan Arendt]

*snip*

Entirely off topic, but love the name, dude. Nice Farscape shout out.

 

[Rangergord]

Couldn't you say the other - less hated - Playstations also had identity crises?

PS1 and PS2 were the machines that didn't have some obvious demographic and just seemed to grab everyone else by default. I think It Only Does Everything plays that open-endedness up really well and there's nothing inherently wrong with "me too" as a software/peripherals business strategy if your hardware is really good.

I think the problem that many consuemrs assume/notice the base price first, and kind of put peripheral cost asside in their minds. When one looks at the PS3 all you see is its price (now a competitive $299 cnd, but early on was $499). Xbox base model is cheap $129, however if you need the extra large harddrive and wifi it creaps up to about $299 anyhow (again based on cnd prices in stores here, of course not including a Gold memebership, but that's a different story.

While many while agrue they don't need the extras on the Xbox, many people do buy them at point of sale or shortly there after. It's about giving consumers the illusion of choice.

The Wii is even worse, still cheap at $199 (only system to increase in price here!, but god the peripherals are nuts. If you need an extra controller its the most expensive (Waggle/controller base $44, Numchuck $25), not to mention ppl buying plastic wheels, tennis rackets, baseball bats, et alk at $10 a piece. This what sony wants into.

 

[shadow skill]

DRD 1812 how does not saying what the item is create an identity crisis? It creates a potentially not so great ad yes, but identity problem...no. Plenty of commercials require the viewer to infer what the product actually is all the time. Microsoft uses this strategy with the Windows commercials, in part because they want people to equate Windows with computers. They don't try to let on that Windows is an Operating System separate from the hardware it runs on. Personally I would like it if Sony simply called the Playstation 3 a media centre, but I suspect that it would not register very well.

 

[DRD 1812]

DRD 1812 how does not saying what the item is create an identity crisis?

Because if you don't say what something is then it has no identity? A lack of an identity can be considered an identity problem.

Plenty of commercials require the viewer to infer what the product actually is all the time. Microsoft uses this strategy with the Windows commercials, in part because they want people to equate Windows with computers. They don't try to let on that Windows is an Operating System separate from the hardware it runs on.

This is a difficult one to argue over because of the personal computer market. At this point, with a ~85% market share of ALL computers, you could reasonably say everyone knows what Windows is. Microsoft doesn't really need to advertise it. Apple doesn't really advertise Leopard either, they advertise Macintosh computers which are a whole unit (like a console). I guess I'm saying that there really isn't a comparison between console marketing and computer (or OS if you like) marketing.

 

[GonzoGamer]

My god, the PS3 fanboyism in this thread is unbearable. Why is it that people feel so compelled to leap to the defense of the PS3? It's sold millions of units worldwide and has once agained reclaimed it's place as a formidable competitor in the so-called "console wars". It doesn't need defending.

I can see the need to defend an expensive purchase for some people; I think they're afraid of being made to look like fools.

Personally, I'm starting to lose my patience with my ps3... actually with Sony to be precise. When it launched allthe dbags that worked at sony like Phil Harrison came out and gave a huge list of cool features like psp remote play and connectivity with console games, then there were the BR discs they said would be filled with extra content that couldn't fit on a dvd, there was 1080p native, there was custom soundtracks, video/snapshot capture, and the list goes on.

I wasn't expecting all of it at launch but they have the slim out now and the only features sony really seems to want everyone to know about are the ones they've ripped off of other consoles like achievement trophies and motion control.

Yea, "It only does everything" except what they said it would do.
I guess that's what you get for buying something based on potential. Then again, at the time I made the purchase, 360s were bursting into flames so I can't say I have any regrets except for enjoying a hobby where the consumers are taken for suckers.

 

[capt.fodder]

I think Capcom told them to make a motion controller and then they'd port Monster Hunter 3 from the Wii. Sony knows this will print money in Japan, so here we are...

 

[ThisNewGuy]

Finally, intelligence! And for people who are like "Sony fanboys, wah wah wah," please cut the shit, that's just as annoying as ultra-conservatives going "Gay right activists, wah wah wah."

Because PS3 owners are an oppressed group? I think you are giving Xbox owners a little too much credit. I'm sure there are plenty of PS3fanboys who would love to think they are being kept down by "the man" but its just not the case.

As a PS3 owner you can join the military, get married, adopt, get health insurance, kiss your partner in public without fear of reprisals, I could go on...

A very poor and irrelevant comparison.

This is why the College Board had to remove analogy from the SATs, people just don't understand how they work.

Let me make it a bit more clear:

people who whine about Sony fanboys is to Sony fanboys as ultra conservatives who whine about gay activists is to gay activists.

It's not a comparison of Sony fanboys and gays in terms of social rights. It's the whining, not the legal rights issue. It's the analogy that people who whine about Sony fanboys just outright label them "sony fanboys" to dismiss anything that they say in an attempt to discredit their opinions before considering their arguments similar to how the ultra-conservatives call gay-rights activists "gay liberals" in an attempt to discredit their opinions before considering their arguments.

Let's put it into an example:

People who dismisses "sony fanboys" might say "oh and just another Sony fanboy being a Sony fanboy."

just like

Ultra-conservatives who dismisses "gay rights activists" might say "oh and just another gay liberal being a gay liberal."

I hope I don't have to explain the English language again.