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Sony on Lair: Consumers Matter, Not Critics

The high-profile PlayStation 3 game Lair is falling flat with most critics, but Sony tells Next-Gen that it's the consumers that matter, not the critics.

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next-gen.biz

Alternative Sources:

Sony couldn’t care less for... - gamersquad.com | By: mistermostyn

Study: Reviews Matter - n4g.com | By: PC Gaming Refugee

MK_Red - contributor
Published: 839 days 15 hours ago | News | PlayStation 3

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MK_Red - 839 days 15 hours ago

1 -

Well, its true that consumers matter more than critics to companies but good reviews from critics some times help sales with consumers (BioShock).

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fenderputty - 839 days 13 hours ago

1.1 - I think that sometimes we as

an online communittee feel as though our opinions matter much more then they really do. I'm not saying that it doesn't have an affect but, look at the sales for Blue Dragon and Lair. Neither games scored well with the critics but, are still doing OK on sales and managed to make it into the top 10.

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Hellbringer - 839 days 13 hours ago

1.2 -

Its definitely true that the consumers matter more, but usually the consumer hears what thew critics have to say on something first. So I find both equally as important.

But then again if most people are like me, they wouldn't listen to critics and decide for themselves.

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fenderputty - 839 days 13 hours ago

1.3 - Exactly my point

Most of my friends don't even know what IGN is. They have no clue about 1up or anything like that. They just listen to me when I tell them about up and coming stuff. Still ... they take my word with a grain of salt and try it out themselves.

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hazeblaze - 839 days 11 hours ago

1.4 - On the fence

I've read quite a few reviews on the game & have mixed feelings on it. I don't care about the controls... I'm sure I can get used to those. But I was hoping the combat and the story were still satisfactory.

If high sales of the game would encourage Factor 5 to work on a sequel and get it right the 2nd time... I'd be willing to check the game out anyway so long as the combat was still fun enough. My brother wants this game so we were going half & half on it anyway. I'm thinking we'll go ahead and buy it.

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Zhuk - 839 days 15 hours ago

2 -

critics dont matter with garbage games, that's why garbage like Lair and Transformers game will sell more than a game like Psychonauts

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reaferfore20 - 839 days 9 hours ago

2.1 -

Have you played Lair? If you have I could understand you calling it garbage.

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PS360WII - 839 days 15 hours ago

3 -

I agree with that. It didn't score well in the mags but I bought it and I do like it. Looks great and plays well and at times is really challenging which a game should be.

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lonestarmt - 839 days 15 hours ago

3.1 - I agree

I agree sometimes its hard to do a 180 but once you get used to it, and figure out when you need to speed up, slow down, and hover its actually fun to play. I hope it sells well in spite of the wish-wasy reviews

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kingboy - 839 days 15 hours ago

4 -

Let,s see how Japan receives this game,and i reckon they,ll love it

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resistance100 - 839 days 14 hours ago

4.1 -

TBH i can't see this being a game that appeals to the japanise market, still could be wrong

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Loudninja - 839 days 15 hours ago

5 - Well it is true, no one can deny that

And it has been prove, many coumsumers love the game

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MK_Red - 839 days 15 hours ago

5.1 -

Agreed. And I'm one of those consumers :)
I'm buying my PS3 in 2 weeks and the first two games I plan to buy with the console are Resistance and Lair.

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XxZxX - 839 days 15 hours ago

5.2 -

are you kidding me? no warhawk?

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resistance100 - 839 days 14 hours ago

5.3 -

@ MK - HOW CAN YOU MISS OUT WARHAWK? or Motorstorm for that matter

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MK_Red - 839 days 14 hours ago

5.4 -

I do have to get Warhawk and others and hopefully will but:

Resistance: This is a title that I have played and enjoyed so I'm buyin it.
Lair: Frankly, Lair has been most anticipated PS3 game of 2007 before E3 07 and while it's getting so much bashing and negative reviews, I'm still a Factor 5 fan and love the game.

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Zhuk - 839 days 13 hours ago

5.5 -

you're going to disappoint yourself if you buy a PS3 and get Lair, spend the money on some decent PS2 games instead or get RFOM if you want an average shooter and Warhawk is probably the most fun on PS3 right now.

Choose your games wisely dont throw away your money.

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ShiftyLookingCow - 839 days 15 hours ago

6 -

while true to some extent in any industry, how else can Sony justify all the money poured here

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XxZxX - 839 days 15 hours ago

7 -

the worst popular garbage is 50cent crap. That game got bad reviews but steal sell like a hot cake.

I think Lair is going to do well in Japan. Japanese type games.

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BenzMoney - 839 days 15 hours ago

8 -

Lair is selling because it was hyped and (falsely) marketed as a AAA title - the mass market doesn't read reviews and most people who bought it likely had no idea it scored so badly. Those who did read the reviews and bought it anyway were just desperate for a new title on their stagnating PS3 (look no further than the fanboys on this site, making excuses, defending and justifying as if Sony were their mother or something).

It's undeniable that there was a huge drought in PS3 games leading up to the release of Lair and Warhawk - they will both sell well because of that; one is a good title, the other is not, but they'll both sell.

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Naruto - 839 days 14 hours ago

9 - BenzMoney

Just like MS fanboys with Blue Dragon

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BenzMoney - 839 days 14 hours ago

9.1 -

wtf is dragon dragon?

EDIT: Oh! You meant BLUE Dragon! Well, I suppose you could make that argument - there's been a bit of a summer drought on the 360 too.

@ lonestarmt (below):

Except that wouldn't be logical at all - the 360 has more RPGs than the PS3 has!

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lonestarmt - 839 days 14 hours ago

9.2 -

I'm sure he meant blue dragon, using your logic, its a sub par rpg thats only selling well because the 360 has no RPGs

(In defense, neither does the ps3 sadly, :()

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progx - 839 days 14 hours ago

9.3 - Elder Scrolls...

nuff said.

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PS360WII - 839 days 13 hours ago

9.4 -

and see this is why I don't take reviews seriously. I also bought Blue Dragon and it's great. It mixes all good things from past rpgs and packs them all in nicely. Leveling up with different job classes and then mixing and matching to make your character the way you want them. Interesting story so far and DBZ style visuals. Ah well to each his own I suppose

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10 Vojkan | 839 days 14 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show

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resistance100 - 839 days 14 hours ago

10.1 -

true,but you look at games such as Transformers and harry potter, they get poor reviews yet sell by bucket load.

still i suspect that warhawk numbers are close to 250K as you have the US d/l PLUS the d/l version of warhawk is on the euro store aswell

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BenzMoney - 839 days 14 hours ago

10.2 - @ resistance100

I think we can attribute the sales of games like Transformers and Harry Potter to kids (or, even more likely, their parents) who judge a game on nothing other than the title, the box, the ESRB rating and popular culture.

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10.3 Vojkan | 839 days 14 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show

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Blood_Spiller - 839 days 14 hours ago

10.4 -

You couldn't buy LAIR at any major Canadian retailer until Sept. 4th so I'll wait till next week to see the real LAIR numbers. My friend and I went to Best Buy on the 4th to pick it up and to both of our suprise the game was sold out.

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Blink - 839 days 14 hours ago

11 -

who the hell buys or doesn't buy a game due ot reviews?? Every player knows what types of games they like...i'm convinced that reviewer don't even play games..or have souls

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lonestarmt - 839 days 14 hours ago

11.1 - haha

I know warhawk 6.5 on psm, they sold thier souls!!

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jackfatal - 839 days 13 hours ago

11.2 - thats right

i played okami for 1 hour then stoped playing it for ever till now!
and games like blood omen 2 or black or DBZ i've played till death!!
Lair looks great i know it might have (SOME)control problem but so does so many other great and fun games!! its amazing that final someone using the sixaxes like that!! and the graphic sound story!! story and game play is the most important things in a game i think!! and lair has good story and not bad game play!! plus it has good sound and grapics!! i think i will give it above 80%!

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Kigmal - 839 days 14 hours ago

12 - Great Damage Control

In other words this is what Sony is saying:

"We can make crappy games, sugar coat it with nice graphics, hype it, and make millions. People are just that stupid"

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Darkiewonder - 839 days 14 hours ago

13 - I'm pretty sure the critics are humans to

Even though they review games, they also play it as well.

Some people just want quality.

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Observer - 839 days 14 hours ago

14 - so let me get this straight

Lair sells in 3 days more than Psychonauts sold in total, on PC, Xbox, and Ps2, combined.

Wow !

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tk - 839 days 14 hours ago

15 - Agree

The reviewers are losing their power over purchasing decisions because of stupid reviews. I am not a fashion nut - so I tend to wait until a game hits platinum before I buy it... (Did not wait with The Getaway though and some other ones)

Lair is doing fine. Those owning the game seems to like it. Good enough for me. My kids will see it... and the rest will be history. Same with R&C. Will not get time to wait for platinum...

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Naruto - 839 days 14 hours ago

16 - kigmal

you think it damage Control?

Pokemon BR for the wii sells very well and the game reviews suck

another example: 50 Cent Buletproof

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Kigmal - 839 days 14 hours ago

16.1 - Yes it is damage control

how is it not? Are you blind? This isn't some fanboy garbage here. This is what they are doing. Take Haze for example, they hype the game, is it going to be good? We don't know, it looks good, does it mean it will be good? No, just look at Lair. Haze can be another Lair, but you don't even know. Anyone can hype a crappy game and sell well.

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Dlacy13g - 839 days 14 hours ago

17 - If it has a movie tie in or has amazing graphics...its gonna sell.

Movie tie-ins to blockbusters always sell well...kids love them..parents easily identify the game as something they know and are ok buying.

Graphically beautiful games also sell well. Game stores put the trailers up on screen so when people see it they think WOW...i have to play that without even considering it may be garbage.

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Naruto - 839 days 14 hours ago

18 - Kigmal

i just gave you two examples that the HYPE for a game makes the game sell even if is a bad game

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the worst - 839 days 13 hours ago

18.1 - no get it right two worlds is a bad game

and its not selling

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Kigmal - 839 days 13 hours ago

18.2 - Naruto

You asked "Kigmal, you think this is damage control" and I explained. Lair sucks, so Sony has to go and defend it, ala damage control. It's like when the guys who made Shadowrun complained about the reviews because of the price. It wasn't just the price, the game wasn't that good, the cross platforming sucked, it took long to get into matches, PC players were dumbed down because of the 360 players, etc. Lair devs say that they got bombed because of controls, and that people don't know how to use the controls. Guess what, it wasn't just the controls. It doesn't have enough gameplay, no multiplayer, no option to use analog controls, which according to talk around the boards, people would of liked. So answer me this, whats stopping Sony for making crap games and hyping them, and then say this same thing again? My point is, this was very stupid of Sony to say. It's the same thing as saying, people are stupid and buy games that suck and we make money off of them. Can you imagine if 50 cent said this for bulletproof?

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FirstknighT - 839 days 14 hours ago

19 -

This game has more problems than just control. Bad framerate, freezeups, clippings, bad AI, bad lockon, etc... But it will probably still sell a good amount since their isn't much of a choice for the ps3. The ps3 still has a lackluster gaming library. This game would surely bomb if it was on the 360 since their are TONS of better choices.

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fenderputty - 839 days 13 hours ago

19.1 - So then how do you explain Blue Dragon

With all your choices and options, one would think that a lackluster game that got much less then stellar reviews would, as you say, BOMB. I'm just curious ... or do you just like to hear yourself talk in threads that are totally unrelated to your gaming choice. Seriously ... you're one lame poster.

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FirstknighT - 839 days 12 hours ago

19.2 -

What does Blue Dragon have to do with this thread? Blue Dragon is averaging a respectable 77%. And it did very well in Japan considering it's a xbox 360 game. On the other hand Lair has recieved the shame of the month award from most game mags and sites.

That was a weak attempt on trying to prove me wrong.

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THUNDERMARE - 839 days 11 hours ago

19.3 - Question.

FirstKnight, have you play LAIR yet? with all those claim I'm just curious.

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the worst - 839 days 13 hours ago

20 - i agree Critics try 2 put warhawk down

warhawk is the best game out right now
Critics dont listen 2 them
there old people playing the same old games
that they came up on

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21 mboojigga | 839 days 13 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show

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Solotov - 839 days 13 hours ago

22 -

Lair sold ok in the first week because there is slim pickings for the PS3 right now... the selling will drop off a lot in the coming weeks. It has been a bomb for gamers and it will be a financial bomb for Factor Five and Sony

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