Why Are First-Party Sony Video Games Unpopular?

CaseyRyback_CPO - 283 days 17 hours ago

and is publishing their sequels.

This generation is caught up in thinking spending 30 million to advertise is normal, its not. When the games stop coming, thats when its time to voice concern imo.

Saying new ip 2 million + sellers aren't as popular as 2 large known franchises is silly. I'm sorry. Mass Effect did 2 million right as a multiplat? What new 360 Ip has sold more than uncharted or little big planet? Curious, Was it LIPS or You're in the movies? Just Cause?

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original seed - 283 days 17 hours ago

Mass effect was not multiplat and it sold 2 mil.

Gears1 sold 5 mil. That was a new ip and it sold more than Uncharted and LBP combined.

The thing is, MS have released alot of 1st party titles.

Sony has 20 studios. They should be pumping out games like no tomorrow. I love new IPs, I bought Uncharted and LBP but Sony needs to release some sequels also. They are money makers.

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-EvoAnubis- - 283 days 17 hours ago

Couldn't have said it better myself. That's exactly it. Just because MS tosses money about like it's confetti, everyone seems to think that's normal behavior. They are wrong. I guess it's easy when you're MS and you only have maybe 3 or 4 1st/2nd party games coming out in a year; you have all the money in the world to advertise with. Sony has more first party studios to worry about.

From the article:

"Nintendo is famous for their casual and family-friendly games. Microsoft is known for their mature-rated titles and online service. Sony falls somewhere in-between the two. If anything, they may have too much variety, from family-friendly titles (Ratchet & Clank) to matured-rated titles (God of War). The problem lies in the fact that Sony does not have the same popularity with the family-friendly and mature audiences as Nintendo and Microsoft respectably does. Therefore, Sony has an identity crisis with their brand of video games."

I disagree here. Were it not for the PS2, the Wii wouldn't even have a market. Sony made gaming mainstream, and it was great games and great variety that made that happen. "Identity crisis?" Don't be absurd. The thing about the PlayStation brand is that no matter what type of gamer you are, the PlayStation has what you need. You like platformers? Ok, here's your R&C. First person shooters? Ok, here's your Resistance and your Killzone. You like racing sims? Ok, here's your GT. And so on and so forth. What this article is trying to pass off as a weakness is actually their greatest strength.

Nintendo is indeed known for its casual games and family friendly stuff. Therefore, if those aren't things that interest you, why would buy it? What if you want games that are a little deeper? Then you're not going to buy a Wii. This label that this article seems to think is a good thing is exactly why games like No More Heroes and Madworld didn't and won't sell.

MS is indeed known for mature rated games and online service. Nothing wrong with that, until you're trying to sell a game like Banjo-Kazooie (sorry if spelled wrong) or Viva Pinata. Your system is known for one thing, but now you're doing something different, and it shocks you it's not selling?

Meanwhile, look at the PS3. Mature games like MGS4 and Resistance 2 sell. Games like flower and LittleBIGPlanet, not mature games, still sell. Why? Because the brand is known for its variety, so when it gets a variety of games, its selling to the exact market it was meant to.

Just that simple.

Edit: Wow, I typed more than I meant to! Sorry about that.

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Genesis5 - 283 days 16 hours ago

Gears 1(Epic) Mass Effect(Bioware) Do not classify as 1st party. What does MS have that is 1st party? I honestly can't think of any. Only 2nd and 3rd party.

I like the part where he says they(Sony) just don't have the popularity of MS and Nintendo. Yet Sony has more consoles in peoples homes than those 2 companys combined.

According to Neilsons(an American stats company). More hours are still looged on the PS2 than the 360 and Wii combined.

Becuase Sony relies more on word of mouth than massive advertising. Their games sell more steadily over the life of the console instead of one big spurt at the launch of the game.

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heroicjanitor - 283 days 16 hours ago

Gran turismo and God of War = established franchises. Sony have been making new games, Nintendo and Microsoft have been releasing the same stuff for years now.

Edit: Please don't point out wii (insert title here). They sell because they are bundled/have a gimmick. When it has wii in the title people think it is a defining experience.

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Estranged - 283 days 16 hours ago

Microsoft has not been pumping out many 1st party exclusives. Gears is not a first party game, it's third party. To answer the question, it's money! Microsoft just markets the hell out of their games.

Also people are more harsh/critical of Playstation and Playstation games because it has been on top for two gens and brought some of the best games in gaming history. People just expect PS3 to unrealistically top both the PS1 and PS2's lifetime of games right off the bat.

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ZuperAmazingCooKie - 283 days 16 hours ago

Sony sells them.

In the PS2 era I never got to enjoy Ratchet & Clank, Sly Cooper or Jak & Daxter, probably because they didn't get as much hype as 3rd party exclusives like MGS2, FFX, DMC, GTA, etcetera. Spyro was a gem, so was Crash Bandicoot, and now they belong to Vivendi Universal. I actually never owned any, only played crash in demos, and that's it. I now played spyro on PS3 from PSN and it still is a great game. Sad that Sony had to let it go.

I guess it's better from a business standpoint for Sony to make new IP, not advertise for it but let it sell slowly on word of mouth, and then selling it once it reaches its peak of popularity than keeping and advertising them. It's likely that Uncharted 2 will be more successful than the first one because of word of mouth and not because of ads. Maybe Ratchet, Sly and Jak won't belong to Sony next-gen, and maybe Uncharted and Resistance won't belong to Sony two gens from now.

"Because most of them are just B quality games.

Sony will never have a new I.P in the same level as say Gears of War. There isn't a single PS3/Sony game that has sold more than 1m in the United States (only exception was the launch title Resistance). "

Gears of War is not even a part of Microsoft's IP. You're only talking out of your ass here. You wish Gears of War had gameplay, graphics and storyline as polished as Uncharted. Not saying Gears of War is bad or anything, it's just that Uncharted has a better engine, a more experienced team in terms of gameplay and storyline than Epic Games. The only thing Gears has over Uncharted is multiplayer.

"bu bu bu... teh sales!!"

Reported as ignorant fanboy.
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@JOY, below:

The thing is, Microsoft isn't buying exclusives anymore, mostly timed exclusives. As a multiplatform owner myself, I sometimes wonder why did I buy a 360 if most of its best games are being ported to PS3, bioshock and ninja gaiden included. Mass Effect is likely to get the port treatment. If valve's games don't appear this gen on PS3, they will for next-gen unless Microsoft actually buys Valve (but they're dismantling studios so how likely is that?). And as for gears of war... well, Microsoft doesn't even own the IP. You saw how Publishing rights mean jack sh1t with Ninja Gaiden, so I wouldn't be surprised if by 2012 we see the whole Gears trilogy "Sigma" on PS3 if not PS4.

Sony has the best strategy because they can get more exclusives for their system AND they eventually get those games that were thought to be exclusives on other platforms. If I had to choose a single console I don't think I'd choose a defective console where I have to pay to play online when that is a free service everywhere else, not to mention that all or most of its "exclusives" are not really exclusives. What would be the point? Getting content a year earlier? I rather get the platform that will get the most content and will give me the most bang for my buck (not to mention one that works).

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Estranged - 283 days 16 hours ago

I was just correcting him and there is cause for concern. PS3 is doing well and the software on PS3 is doing well. It will be increasingly hard to buy 3rd party exclusives from what I can tell.

Anyway I hate to say it but I just don't see COD MW2 being any good unless it uses a whole new engine. It'll probably be World at War set in modern times... just like World at War was COD4 set in WW2. Although I won't be so quick to pass it off yet.

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SaiyanFury - 283 days 16 hours ago

Sony's first party games are unpopular? When did this happen? As far as my knowledge goes they seem to do quite well.

"Typically, Sony doesn't choose continue their franchises
into future systems. They would rather create new and unproven brands. Therefore, Sony titles does have a huge already-established fan base like Nintendo does that could help spur sales figures."

Sony doesn't continue their franchises on upcoming systems? Really? I guess Ratchet & Clank Future doesn't count. I suppose Daxter on PSP doesn't count. I just picked up Resistance Retribution on PSP so I guess that doesn't count either. Oh yeah, leave us not forget Gran Turismo, a series that originated on the original PlayStation over a decade ago.

"They would rather create new and unproven brands."

And this is a bad thing? Sony continues it's great franchises as well as coming up with NEW ones to keep originality and creativity moving forward. They don't ride the sequel train nearly as much as Nintendo. And yes, they do have as many mature titles as the 360. Hell, most of the PS3's audience is made up of mature, 20+ year olds. Sony may not have the sheer casual presence of the Wii, but considering the audience and focus of it's demographics it does just fine. Even though it does have it's casual games, many of which are fantastic.

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Dark General - 283 days 16 hours ago

"Typically, Sony doesn't choose continue their franchises
into future systems. They would rather create new and unproven brands."

Which is exactly what i like. Variety, who wants to play the same few franchises bi yearly? (No disrespect to Nintendo) but i like variety and new gaming experiences. I guess it's why so many titles that break the conventional gaming mold of capitalizing on proven concepts fail to sell through (usually). Some people are scared of trying something new or rather plunking down their cold hard cash on something unproven. I rather like trying something new. Even though it may not get the entire formula right it does have the enough of the right ingredients. Just take a look at Mirrors Edge for example.

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Why o why - 283 days 15 hours ago

a couple years ago it was all about 'the library' and 'exclusives' now its not so important ¬_¬

Simple

continue old successful franchises AND create new ones

Do you really feel that sony could of created so many franchises if they went the MS way by spending that much marketing money on the titles they had. Its a trade off and the proof of this is the lack of new ip's owned by MS due to the lack of studios. Its simply not viable to send huge amounts of money on both. Sony and MS have their legitimate reasons for why they do what they do, I just prefer sony's model as of now and as long as the games do well enough to turn a profit and/or warrant a sequel then im good.

Listen up because some people have REALLY forgot the fundamentals of gaming. I play games, NOT sales. If the game i enjoyed gets played by 2 trillion people it doesn't make that game ANY better or worse. Do you feel that I enjoyed shadow of the colossus or okami any less because it didnt beat halo 2 or wii fit in sales........FCUK NO. Some people on N4G have totally got caught up in the financial side of gaming whilst forgetting THE most important thing ENJOYMENT.

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Seraphim - 283 days 15 hours ago

Mass Effect is multiplat if you consider the fact it was released on PC.

As for the First Party deal. This makes absolutely no sense considering the fact that Sony hasn't even released many games thus far. Insomniac is an independent studio who chooses to develop for Sony exclusively so you can disregard Resistance and Ratchet. Naughty Dog has only dropped Uncharted which seems to have done well considering. GG's Killzone 2 has done quite well thus far. Warhawk probably hasn't done too bad for an online only game/new IP that has little appeal. MLB The Show is the Playstations best selling baseball franchise & has sold well for a sports title...

Overall many games should be selling better but consumers aren't buying everything and anything these days. No online play = no buy. Short campaign = no buy, and the list of excuses goes on. Thinking every game is going to sell 3-5 million plus is crazy. Games typically have sold about 700k-2 million tops over the course of the decade. RPGs are lucky to hit 500-700k... At the end of the day though Sony's first party titles have sold a respectable number of copies so this article makes absolutely no sense to me...

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Saigon - 283 days 15 hours ago

Its not about the ads, it is the way sony does business...they always did it this way, so why change now...look at all their blockbusters from PS1 - PS3...every game sold to great sales over time...again, I repeat over time...sony games are not a one shop and drop game...honestly to see LBP and many other games contiue to sell well even after their release several months ago shows how sony does their business...its about quality...

All I have to say is don't get mixed into the MS pot...Don't beleive everything they report to the media...rememeber they are about making a dent in the console home base this generation, so they will spread as much PR bs as they can...

@ZuperAmazingCooKie, you didnt enjoy thos games because you choose not too...Sony didnt drop any of the 3 you mentioned there, example R&C already came out with a new version on the PS3...also J&D is coming out with a new game, but when is up to ND...and SC, I heard sucker punch is working on something after they are finished with inFomous...and note each of those devs that made those games have comeout with something new on the PS3...expanding their credibility...

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eagle21 - 283 days 15 hours ago

MotorStorm sold 3.3 million and won Racing Game of The Year 07' at AIAS. That's "popular"..lol

MS only has halo really as first party mega sales going by the standards of this idiot.

The Metal Gear Solid franchise (MGS4 4.6m) is super popular which is an example of third party exclusive mega sales. Gears is third party exclusive for MS.

Uncharted franchise will grow like Jak did on ps2.

MLB: The Show franchise on ps2, PSP, and PS3 is VERY popular!

REAL GAME MAKERS :Sony and Nintendo.

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-EvoAnubis- - 283 days 14 hours ago

"In the PS2 era I never got to enjoy Ratchet & Clank, Sly Cooper or Jak & Daxter, probably because they didn't get as much hype as 3rd party exclusives like MGS2, FFX, DMC, GTA, etcetera."

That's the dumbest ****ing thing I've seen all day except for the HHG bull****. What the **** does hype have to do with one's enjoyment of a game?

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MazzingerZ - 283 days 14 hours ago

(I didn't know the original article was posted here...I posted some comments on another post which was a kind of answer to this one...)

That's the thing, SONY has franchises for all kind of gamers, that's the difference, not only 2 that sells 5M each but dozens of good selling franchises...some people got a PS3 just because HotShots Golf, other for Singstar ABBA others for GT5P, etc, etc,...franchises sell the console, that's the main reason why you see PS3 sales figures are solid worlwide

Despite the "high" price gamers get the console....people paid that price for the X360 not long ago and everybody thought it was ok just because it had Gears and Halo and still today it only has Gears and Halo hence the price drop was the only way to keep competing

Do you think if Microsoft had all those franchises they would had needed to cut the price?, nop, they could compete with games instead of price-wise.

Just during the last 2 years Motorstorm, Resistance, LittleBigPlanet were born...and still we have several´franchises to come to the PS3, such as Syphon Filter, Sly Cooper, Jak & Daxter, Twisted Metal, Ape Escape, Arc The Lad...

One would think Microsoft would have started to build more first party devs studios worldwide but they are instead closing down them...it takes years to build that kind of infrastructure and I don't see how Microsoft can compete with SONY in that department in the coming years really.

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Marceles - 283 days 13 hours ago

nice post Evo, you broke it down

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original seed - 283 days 11 hours ago

The reason why u said GEARS is because it on Xbox ONLY and that paticular title can't be done on PS3 due to contracts etc.

Also, It was published by Microsoft. Also, LittleBigPLanet is not 1st party either. Its just like Gears of war.

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Saigon - 283 days 10 hours ago

that is not fair you can't say that...what you don't know is that like gears, sony owns the publishing rights to LBP...LBP will never be own another console...

epic developes GeoW and MM developes LBP...GeoW is published by MS and LBP is published by sony...as long as they hold the publishing rights...these games will never see the light of day on the other console...

You stated sony has 20+ studios and they should be pumping games out left and right (don't worry because the brigade is coming, and we started to see it end of last year)...well the difference in Sony and MS is that they care about quality...look at all the 1st and even 3rd party exclusive MS has...which are the top games...GeoW and Halo3 (note that they are 2 shooters), they have a couple of others, but those two stand out the further than the rest...with sony you can not say that...10+ exclusives of different genres that all sold over a million...can ms make that calim...

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Saint Sony - 283 days 16 hours ago

Because most of them are killed by THE HYPE (can't live up to the hype)

Also most of the PS3 owners bought PS3 for blu-ray movies. Not because it's a gaming consoles as well.

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happyface - 283 days 16 hours ago

its not all about ads, sony doesn't know how to make games that appeal to non-internet nerds

look at little big planet - what adult in their right mind wants to play with a creepy sack doll?

Metal Gear is embarassing for anyone over the age of 14

resistance and killzone are generic tripe

Gran Turismo is the one good IP sony has that the mass market cares about

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Estranged - 283 days 16 hours ago

What about Twisted Metal? I'm willing to bet the new one will be a mass hit, or at least make lots of people jealous. Twisted Metal has always sold Playstations and it's just time for a comeback.

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Unicron - 283 days 16 hours ago

Happyface... the only thing embarrassing is your posts.

Please don't bother attempting to speak for "all gamers" out there again, the pathetic tripe that spews from your gums would be better suited for the gradeschool playground.

Edit- Aw, that's nice. I figured if I pulled the "no you" on games you'd point that out as well, but hey if that's what you want -

Creepy sack dolls eh? Considering we have millions of people that want to play with a fat italian plumber, it's not much of a stretch. I highly doubt Sackboy himself is detrimental to the LBP experience.

Metal Gear? Hah, in my opinion, its embarrassing to play as generic space marine 47 or Marcus Cliche and his band of Hollywood cliches. But if you're saying the mass market appeal is big, dumb, and stupid... sadly I have to agree. MS has that in the bag it seems.

Resistance and Killzone are generic tripe... just like Halo and Gears. Doesn't mean that can't all be great.

See, unlike you, I won't run into an MS title related article and spam about how it's all a joke (even though it is). But hey, you're good at stirring up crap, even I fell for it. Kudos troll.

Screw GT, I'm more of Burnout fan.

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happyface - 283 days 16 hours ago

ad hominem responses make me lawl

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Action Bastard - 283 days 15 hours ago

"look at little big planet - what adult in their right mind wants to play with a creepy sack doll?"

Angry you can't play LittleBigContra? When the alternatives are playing pinatas in a pinata garden, the choice is simple.

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CBaoth - 282 days 23 hours ago

you've shown us you can type big words. However, you do understand them?

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predator - 283 days 16 hours ago

when were PGR and Crackdown average?

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mintaro - 283 days 16 hours ago

Most of the 360 games you listed are far from average, unless you're one of those people who constantly scream "anything under a 90 is average".

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likedamaster - 283 days 16 hours ago

PGR, Kameo and Crackdown all sold over a million. I could bet you Sony has more average exclusives than Microsoft has average 3rd party.

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OOG - 283 days 16 hours ago

u mean it did with a 100+ million user base... now lets see how it will do when it comes out... Gran Turismo never used to have competition.. and now it does... and I dont see it selling as great as people think...

Im sure it will do really well tho.. its frickn GT.... but not like it used to.

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PirateThom - 283 days 16 hours ago

GT5 is going to launch with a bigger userbase than GT3 launched with.

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Xwow2008 - 283 days 16 hours ago

sony first party is awesome :)

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mxdan - 282 days 21 hours ago

Actually if you weren't so niave by your xbox religion you would know that sony has some very good first party games. It's just that they haven't made 'the' game that everyone caught on too and loved.

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Hallucinate - 282 days 18 hours ago

ssony really needs a socom2 level game

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rbrtchng - 283 days 5 hours ago

Animation is probably the best I've ever seen at the time (Drake had like 10 different animation just for taking cover at the same cover). You are the first to ever complain that gunfights are "too much." I don't even know what that means. Too much guns? Maybe there are some pop-ins that I've failed to notice because the game really is gorgeous. And L1 to aim and R1 to shoot is borrowed from COD4, which is arguably the best shooter in..ever.

Idk. you have weird complaints.

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Too_Hyped - 282 days 17 hours ago

Another stupid fanboy article. I would feel frustrated too if I had nothing to play as a 360-only user like them, so it's ok.

Every day another PS3 exclusive is announced, every day another 360 exclusive is coming to PS3 too (ninja gaiden 2 sigma), it must be depressing.

Still, pigs don't fly, earth is not flat, and IPs like Gran Turismo, God of War, or Metal Gear Solid are still by far the most popular in the world, with only Halo trying to compete on the other side. Continue shaking your hands, it will surely alter the reality.

Thanks for the laugh.

Back to the best fps ever, Killzone 2.

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