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Forums - Sony Discussion - How Sony Could 'Win' E3: An IGN Conversation

May 5, 2010 - It's hard to believe, but the 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo is just a few weeks away. E3 is where the big three pull out all the punches. It's where new systems are announced, where the biggest games of the coming years are shown for the first time, and where Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo try and convince gamers that they're going to be the platform for their needs. 


Each and every year, the big three square off in press conferences, and when it's all said and done, the fans are left to sit down and decide which company put on the best show, which company gave us the most to talk about and – in general – which company "won" E3. 

So what can Sony do this year to win the hearts and minds of us, the gamers, at this year's E3? Here are some thoughts from the IGN Staff.

 

Greg Miller, Executive Editor Thanks for joining me, ladies and gentlemen. So, we're gearing up for E3 2010 – what does Sony need to pull out of its hat this year to "win" E3? Will more PlayStation Minis do it? 



Daemon Hatfield, Editor 
Sony has to prove that the Move is more than just Wii HD. Unless it can demonstrate the motion controller as a unique device, it's going to look like a four-years-too-late copy of Nintendo's controller. Natal's hands-off approach to motion controls inherently makes it quite different than the Wii, so Sony has its work cut out for it. Not to mention the fact that, after our hands-on time with Move at GDC, we weren't exactly enthusiastic about it. Sony needs to show us some software that isn't a gimmick; something that is truly made better by motion controls and can't be done on either the Wii or 360.

 

How big will Move be at E3?

David Clayman, Executive Editor 

I disagree. I think Sony's exact plan is to pitch themselves as Wii HD. The public ate up Nintendo's motion controls, why wouldn't they want the same thing in higher resolution that is also a Blu-Ray player? Sony's strategy is right in their marketing pitch: do everything. They are the only company that has a connected handheld device, motion controls, and Blu-Ray; they just need to show off compelling software on top of Gran Turismo and they'll be poised to continue the success they enjoyed this spring with the redesign and the fanfare surrounding God of War. 

Sam Claiborn, Associate Editor 
Dave nailed it. I think proving that the PS3 is Wii HD is precisely the way for Sony to win. A great shooter using pointer controls (from Bungie?); a new Resident Evil that uses Resident Evil 4 Wii controls; Boom Blox with bump mapping… these are all appealing ideas to people with televisions that aren't wood paneled. My primary gripe with the Wii is its physical power. Sony, make me a Wii that doesn't look crappy and I might deem you the winner. Finally: The Last Guardian. 'Nuff said. 

Nicole Tanner, Associate Editor 
I'm actually skeptical that the Move will be able to win E3 for Sony, even if it gets the software in better shape than what we saw at E3. Sony needs to show us something we haven't seen before – plain and simple. I think the best way to do that would be to play to the company's strengths and introduce a new, original game that's graphically stunning and plays beautifully. Sony needs something that will be to the PS3 what the original God of War was to the PS2. Unless we see a game of that caliber, whether it uses the Move or not, I think Sony will be left in the dust. 

Greg 
I'm surprised to see so many of you focus on PlayStation Move. Isn't E3 the "hardcore" gamer's show? Is there a chance that GDC was the Move's time in the sun and E3 will be about big game announcements? Is there a chance Sony will focus on titles such asResistance 3Infamous 2 or LittleBigPlanet 2 or is this going to be the GDC press conference version 2.0?

 

Is Sony Online Entertainment the ace in the hole?

Ryan Geddes, Senior Editor 
Motion controls and new ways of interacting with games will dominate the tone of E3 2010, whether we like it or not. Also, E3 stopped being a "hardcore" gamer's show when Nintendo launched the Wii. If this conversation is about how Sony can win E3, then it's time for them to finally bring out their secret weapon: Sony Online Entertainment. Consoles have always been a dead zone for MMOs, and Sony is the only platform holder that's actually taking the genre seriously. So I'm going to throw out a "what if" scenario here. What if Sony does all the things you guys have already said they should do (couple good Move games, some big sequel unveils, a knockout Lost Guardian demo) and ups the ante by showing ready-to-play versions of The Agency and DC Universe Online? Oh, and what if they're awesome? Hey, if could happen….

Colin Moriarty, Editor 
I'm still in the group, however minimal it might be, that think the Move (and Natal) aren't going to do much for their respective companies. Core gamers aren't even remotely clamoring for motion controls or any other gimmick-laden approach to their favorite pastime, and if they were, wouldn't they just purchase a Wii? And then you have to consider the obvious – that the Wii is a far, far cheaper alternative to the casual market that may want motion controls and more gimmicky forms of play. How will PlayStation 3 convince the casual market that they should spend at least a hundred dollars more for Sony's system? Obviously, a deep library of great games and HD graphics aren't important to that sect or the Wii wouldn't have flown off of store shelves like it did (and continues to do). Likewise, if there was really a huge market for MMOs on console, they wouldn't be all but dead on the medium. Market forces would dictate that MMOs would be on the HD twins if the people really wanted them. In other words, casual gamers are sticking to the Wii, and MMO whores will continue to play on PC. Sony is forcing things with the Move, and we'll see how that works out for them.

Would an Infamous 2 announcement win Sony the show?

Sony's E3 show is going to be all about big games, and more notably, about big sequels. Of course we're going to see a lot of the Move, but it's the other stuff that people really want to see, too. Infamous 2 andResistance 3 are givens, but what else? It remains to be seen. But let's not underestimate the draw of what Sony is capable of doing with the PlayStation 3 apart from the Move. In my opinion, Sony is too little, too late to that market, especially at the PS3's price point (not to mention that there's plenty of evidence that the casual market is ephemeral... just look at the Wii's abysmal software sales apart from a handful of big games). But what it is capable of is showing why its upcoming exclusives are better than the competition. Frankly, Sony has a very, very convincing case to make, should it choose to make it. 

Sony has a free online model, a built-in Blu-ray player, a system that doesn't even remotely approach the failure rate of its main competition, and a catalog of games, both past and upcoming, that have been and will continue to convince people to give the PlayStation 3 a try. Sony shouldn't spread themselves too thin by grasping in a million different directions. It's gotta be all about the games. We can talk about casual this or MMO that, but without pleasing the core, there is no tangible userbase worth noting. Do we want a system that has a lot of great games to play, released on a regular time schedule? Or do we want the system to devolve into a console where the best-selling, most-wanted games are two-year-old kart racers and fitness programs? 

Erik Brudvig, Executive Editor 
Going to have to disagree with you Colin. The fact that the Wii has both motion controls and weaker graphics does not necessarily mean the more casual audience doesn't care about flashy visuals. That audience just hasn't had any other option, so it isn't obvious to me, as you say, that nobody in that crowd would care about a better looking and better controlling version of the Wii. 

That's exactly why the real interesting part of E3 this year is seeing how Natal shapes up against the Move. We already know Microsoft will have some killer games for the hardcore crowd to go ga-ga over. The same goes for Sony. If you want to talk about "winning" E3, it has to come down to the company that hits hardest in the areas it is weakest in. For Nintendo, that means coming at us with hardcore, classic games instead of more Wii Fit. For Sony and Microsoft, it comes down to the Move and Natal. 

Ryan Clements, Editor 
I think everyone's had some great points so far, but there's a side of E3 we're missing. 

Sure, the content is what matters most when it comes to a press conference, but I'm a firm believer in how the content is shown, not just what the content is. I don't know about all of you, but my heart nearly skipped a beat when Microsoft brought out Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr at last year's press conference. Sure, their presentation was abysmal, but at least their presence had universal appeal. Bringing in half of the Beatles to your event is sure to generate interest in people – no matter what type of gamer they are. 

So how could Sony "win" E3? Yes, the company needs killer content, but that press conference needs to be polished, professional and it needs a hook. No one wants to see a repeat of the 2006 press conference. Why not bring out the actor that plays Kevin Butler for an amazing cameo? Or get some big names (that can actually speak intelligently on a product) to hype up some of the upcoming PlayStation software. Sure, I would smash my 360 and Wii with a metal bat if Sony brought in some Korean pop groups, but I'm sure there's something more realistic that would catch people by surprise. 

E3 is most often remembered by two things: big announcements and animated GIF fodder. Sony needs both to make it big this year.

Kevin Butler is the man.

Geddes 

Yeah, bringing out a guy from its commercials will really bowl people over, Clements. If he's the closest thing Sony has to Paul McCartney, then the company might as well make the entire press conference about all the great firmware updates they have planned for 2010. 


Greg 
If Kevin Butler doesn't make an appearance, this conference is fail. 





Clements 
It was just an example… to clarify my point, I'm not saying that Kevin Butler will generate the same kind of universal appeal as Paul McCartney. I'm just arguing that Sony needs to think about style as well as substance. A few inside jokes to keep the Sony fans chuckling and a couple big names would go a long way. ^_^ 


Daemon 
Sony is a big supporter of the 3D craze. Does anyone think a presentation of its 3D game plans would have mass market appeal and help Sony "win" the show? Maybe some sort of tie-in with the 3D Avatar Blu-ray coming later this year? 



Nicole 
As cool as it might be, I think it's still a bit early in the game for 3D to be the centerpiece of the show for Sony. I think 3D technology in the home, be it for games or movies, will take a while to have mass market appeal simply because of the cost. Look how long it took for HD to go mainstream. 


Greg 
Sony will showcase 3D for sure, but unless it's Heavy Rain 2 and Madison Paige is reaching out of the TV to give you a big ol' hug, it's not enough to win the show. People need to experience that for themselves – Jack Tretton in a pair or 3D glasses telling you how great Infamous 2 looks doesn't do it. 

Still, I think everyone's pointed out enough stuff – PlayStation Move, big sequels, and 3D – that it's clear Sony could win E3 2010. Yeah, it's going to be tough, but if Sony brought all of that to the Shrine Auditorium on June 15, it could easily wow the world and win the show.

 

What do you think? How could Sony beat the pants off of Mario and give Master Chief an E3 wedgie? Sound off in the comments below.

 

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Kevin Butler should do their presentation.

Auto Win.



Umm.... they could win with Uncharted 3, MGS5, Kingdom Hearts 3, Killzone 3, Littlebigplanet 2, Agent, Gran turismo 5 Date and actual hands on gameplay, and finally GTA5 being exclusive for the PS3 for a short time. Ohh and cross game chat would be an awesome feature.And if they don't charge for this online feature that would be even more awesome.



We get more insightful conversations than this here on the forums.



*shakes head* they still really believe that wii was succesful because they like using a funny waggle stick and when they see it with HD they will flock to it..they still believe that wii users are stupid.

IGN is so disapointing.



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This E3 will be interesting, Sony haven't announced much for the holidays. We get the Move that is suppose to launch with several games, Socom 4. GT5 and FF 14 is suppose to release this year. I think they've been pretty quiet.



Update their PSN I want good bios,cross game chat,ps2 classics,faster browser,and with games I guess *heart beast faster*dark cloud 3?



BWAHAHAHA!!!

The first guy was reasonably smart

The 2nd guy completely disagreed with him

The third guy suggested that Boom Blox could have been improved through HD graphics

The 4th thinks a single good game will make Sony win E3

The 5th is stuck in 2006, when trolling motion control was cool

The 6th is stuck in 2006, when trolling nintendo was cool

The 7th is stuck in 2006, when trolling motion control was cool

The 8th thinks that Wii owners will eventually upgrade to the PS3, ie he is stuck in 2006

This thing then degenerates from there, and nothing more of interest or humour is said.

WHY DO PEOPLE STILL LISTEN TO IGN???



There goes several wasted minutes of my life there :S I mean seriously! this is their JOB! but I think we will have a MUCH better discussion on this forum than this EASILY!

Also some of their fanboy hate towards SOny and Ninty is just too plain obvious



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Bobbuffalo said:
*shakes head* they still really believe that wii was succesful because they like using a funny waggle stick and when they see it with HD they will flock to it..they still believe that wii users are stupid.

IGN is so disapointing.

lol harsh, but i must say wii being 480p is what stopped me from buying one. I like nintendo but i didnt want a gamecube with motion controls. So sony releasing a HD wii added with there list of games makes me want to jump all over it. I truly believe some of nintendo's market on the causal gamer will be lifted.