PlayStation UK Boss Upset With Fan Reaction to PS4 Event

MikeWehner

The Dude
Aug 21, 2011
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PlayStation UK Boss Upset With Fan Reaction to PS4 Event



"It's much more important to see what the damn thing does."

For all intents and purposes, Sony's PlayStation 2013 event did a fine job of showing what PlayStation fans can look forward to later this year - at least in terms of new software. However, the company's decision to hold back the reveal of the actual PlayStation 4 itself (probably until E3) has been met with a fair bit of criticism. Managing Director of Sony Computer Entertainment UK, Fergal Gara, doesn't agree with the outcry, and he has no problem voicing his own opinion of what he sees as "cynicism" amongst the community at large.

"I understand that frustration but frankly, a box is a box. Is that really the most important thing?," Gara explained to Videogamer. "So what? It's much more important to see what the damn thing does. The shiniest piece of black, green or purple plastic ever, you know, whatever, so what? It's not the most important thing."

It's a fair point, of course; What the hardware itself looks like pales in comparison to what it can produce on the screen. Still, it's hardly absurd for potential customers to want to catch a glimpse of the actual, physical product that will be putting a strain on their bank accounts. Either way, we likely still have a few months to go before we see the console itself, so for now we'll just play the waiting game.

Source: Videogamer [http://www.videogamer.com/news/sonys_frustration_over_ps4_hardware_cynicism.html]

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Fappy

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Jan 4, 2010
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He has a point, but most of the criticisms regarding the reveal haven't been all that off-base. If you're going to get hyped for something it kind of helps to know what it looks like. Mind's eye and all that.
 

Andy Shandy

Fucked if I know
Jun 7, 2010
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I can see where he's coming from, and it's not like it's difficult to predict what it would look like.

But he should also understand the when something is generally built up to be a reveal of the new console people may actually want to see the thing.
 

SonOfVoorhees

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Aug 3, 2011
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When you unveil a new console, of course we are excited to see it. An of course we are disapointed that it was not shown. Doesnt mean we have no interest in the system because of that. But also, by his opinion, we should judge it on what it does. Even then the event failed to impress most people with the games and vids they showed. So they failed quite badly. lol

Anyway, once we get to E3 im sure Sony will wow us with the console and titles.
 

Aiddon_v1legacy

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Nov 19, 2009
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what? People bitched Nintendo out for not showing the Wii U console two years ago, so it's only fair Sony gets the same treatment. Though I suspect will do something ELSE that is bitchworthy in the coming months.
 

loa

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Jan 28, 2012
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They're holding a big event to reveal the ps4 and they don't even show it.
How did they expect people to react?

It doesn't matter how "unimportant" the case is, you hype up an event to reveal the thing, you show the darn thing.
They didn't deliver and now they get what they deserve for their risky PR bullshit.
Simple as that.
 

Vegosiux

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May 18, 2011
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Well, there is only one recourse for that, I suppose, if you're displeased with your fanbase - find a new one!

Seriously, this is another aspect of that thing when the businesses just can't take criticism. "Oh, we are perfect, if you have an issue with what we're giving you, there must be something wrong with you!"
 

Eggsnham

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Apr 29, 2009
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I'm personally more irritated that they're releasing next-gen consoles in the first place, we haven't even reached the pinnacle of what the current generation machines can do, do we really need another batch of consoles to replace the current ones?

Like the saying goes; If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
 

Fasckira

Dice Tart
Oct 22, 2009
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By showing the console itself, it cements the concept that it actually exists and that its not just still lying in the minds of some designers. While I appreciate the chances are it does exist, its such a fundamental part of marketing that it seems odd they declined to show it.

On a different scale its similar to something on kickstarter - you're going to do a lot better if you actually show you've got something physical.
 

GundamSentinel

The leading man, who else?
Aug 23, 2009
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While I somewhat agree with his point, on the other hand I must say they really didn't show anything. Mostly pre-rendered trailers (not even always new ones), anticlimactic announcements (Diablo 3? GTFO) and stuff that was just blatant lies (that Media Molecule stuff was utter bullshit).

I was really ambivalent towards that whole event, and only the specs (so yeah, the hardware) made up for it. And they didn't show that...
 

GonzoGamer

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Apr 9, 2008
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Well, it's kind of like this Aliens thing.
You could have all sorts of ideas and bulletpoints but we've learned this gen that what you see is not always what you get. People don't just want to see the shiny box, we want to see it in use.

Hell, after what Sony & MS got away with this generation, I'm waiting for a $400 cardboard box filled with xmas lights.
 

PirateRose

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Aug 13, 2008
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Showing a bunch of videos that are prerecorded or prettied up gameplay, of what the system might do doesn't suffice. It's a difference between seeing the device actually working and seeing something thrown on a screen for show. Even parts of the show that appear that they are using the system and software comes under suspect because the actual system itself is not shown but hidden behind stage somewhere.

With so many games not delivering what is promised these days, with so much experience with over hyped products that have led to one too many disappointments, people are more hard pressed to not believe these companies.

Since they are showing these videos, talking up a storm, and not showing the product itself, the reaction is what is wrong? What are they hiding? Why aren't they showing it?
 

kburns10

You Gots to Chill
Sep 10, 2012
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I guess for me I was impressed with the specs and gameplay footage shown. Hell, the fact we even saw gameplay footage was unexpected. I know whatever the console looks like will be fine. If it plays games and plays them well, I'm fine with a wait to see it.
 

Weaver

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Apr 28, 2008
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There would be less sting in his argument if they actually showed us what it could do.
All we saw was some pre-rendered trailers. I very much doubt there was even a PS4 in that building; likely just a powerful development PC, if there was any live footage at all.
 

kortin

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Mar 18, 2011
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Although seeing the actual physical product would have been cool, there are far more important questions that need to be answered first.

Like what is the extent of this "Remote Play" feature? Will it be limited to your household (i.e. completely useless), or will I be able to travel and play it on a Vita no matter where I go? These are the important questions that could make or break the PS4. No one cares about graphical fidelity, it's the features like Remote Play that I would think someone would get it. Simply making it so you can play your PS4 games anywhere you go would increase sales for both the PS4 AND the Vita (because we all know with the removal of backwards compatibility, it's going to have some difficulties selling)
 

The White Hunter

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Oct 19, 2011
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grigjd3 said:
So this guy thinks that by insulting his audience, he'll get more business?
The games industry seems to work that way. Most big publishers have in some way insulted the intelligence of the gaming community. Ubisoft persisted in calling PC gamers pirates for years, for example.