PS4 on 15 May 2007
US, May 15, 2007 - The PlayStation 3 has had a rough time of it right out of the gate. There are several reasons why consumers have been slow to warm up to Sony's new console: it's expensive, its game library is less than stellar, its online network is inferior to the Xbox 360… Masaya Matsuura, head of developer NanaOn-Sha, makers of PaRappa the Rapper, has another theory: he believes the console is just too darn big, at least for Japanese consumers.
Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Matsuura says, "It's too big for the Japanese."
Sony can take heart in the fact that the PS3 is doing much, much better than the Xbox 360 in Japan. Is the 360 also too large for Japanese gamers? "With Xbox, the problem is not the size of the hardware but of the AC adapter."
Like Goldilocks sampling the three bears' porridge, Matsuura finds the size of the Wii is just right. "Wii is a very good piece of hardware. Many talented people from Nintendo make great ideas for game hardware, of course."
Matsuura is currently in the planning stages for a Wii game, but finds the console presents new challengers for developers.
"Already I've been starting to think about Wii software, but it's very hard sometimes. Because can you keep shaking the controller for hours? Players can't spend a long time on gameplay, so this can be tough. So I respect Nintendo's activities, but for software designers like us, it's very hard."
The Wii game is apparently "a very casual, one-button game. Maybe the publisher will announce the release soon. It's a very simple game, but I hope it will be successful."
Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Matsuura says, "It's too big for the Japanese."
Sony can take heart in the fact that the PS3 is doing much, much better than the Xbox 360 in Japan. Is the 360 also too large for Japanese gamers? "With Xbox, the problem is not the size of the hardware but of the AC adapter."
Like Goldilocks sampling the three bears' porridge, Matsuura finds the size of the Wii is just right. "Wii is a very good piece of hardware. Many talented people from Nintendo make great ideas for game hardware, of course."
Matsuura is currently in the planning stages for a Wii game, but finds the console presents new challengers for developers.
"Already I've been starting to think about Wii software, but it's very hard sometimes. Because can you keep shaking the controller for hours? Players can't spend a long time on gameplay, so this can be tough. So I respect Nintendo's activities, but for software designers like us, it's very hard."
The Wii game is apparently "a very casual, one-button game. Maybe the publisher will announce the release soon. It's a very simple game, but I hope it will be successful."
