...and well...
Showing posts with label Sony. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sony. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
MadCap's Trailer Reactions - "Venom" (An Actual One, This Time)
...and well...
Thursday, January 3, 2013
MadCap's Mad Rantings - "Sony Patents Their Own Suicide?"
Actually breaking news? On THIS blog? It's more likely than you think.
Anyone who knows anything about gaming knows that second hand games - that is, to say, games not directly purchased from the developer and publisher - are a hot button issue. Developers hate them with a passion, though most gamers are very fond of the concept, being that most people aren't able to shell out sixty bucks every time the developer gods smile upon them with a brand new game to play (myself included). Therefore, while developers could just accept the fact that you don't get two paychecks for doing one job, because that's how capitalism works...
Sony decided that this was just unacceptable.
Now, this doesn't necessarily mean that this will come to be in any gaming system, but apparently Sony has filed a patent for a device that will sync a game disc to a player account. If the disc is placed into a device that it doesn't match the ID for, then the disc won't work. This is an incredibly underhanded tactic to limit used game sales. This is even stated in the document provided by NeoGAF member gofreak, where it is claimed that this device "is part of Sony's ongoing efforts to deter second-hand games sales, and is a far simpler solution than always-on DRM or passwords." Yes, Sony, this will deter second-hand games sales. Much in the same way it will deter the profit you do make.
Most developers really don't see how useful second hand games can be to them, and it's really a shame. Instead, they scream and cry and fuss about their profits when they could be noticing how used games of their franchises that they like to rail new additions of out year after year bring new people to their franchises, and thus later installments actually tend to have more new sales as a result. For a prime example, I bought Fable II used, and was so thus impressed that I bought Fable III...which turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. But, you know what? It did work. Lionhead still got their profit from me at a cool sixty bucks all because I happened upon a used copy of Fable II, and almost any other franchise can be the same way. I'm sure others have such stories.
What Sony's doing here is turning their back on profit. Which, if I'm not mistaken, is the exact opposite of what they want to do.
Now, there's nothing that states outright that this will be implemented in the PS4/Orbis/Japanese Magical Doom Box9001, but the comments on IGN seem to think otherwise. Personally, I don't think Sony could really be so stupid as to implement something that would get such a seemingly widely negative reaction from gamers across the spectrum. Then again, when I have any sort of hope for the world, I remember that someone green-lit "Vampire Rain", so that may just me being stupidly optimistic who knows?
I know that there's a better chance of me being struck by lightning, winning the lottery, and becoming the undying love slave of Emma Stone all in one day than any sort of person involved with Sony or indeed anyone the entire gaming industry ever reading this, but really. Just take away one thing from this. Ignore the loud, boisterous commentators who claim that Sony is killing themselves and that they will NEVER buy another Playstation product for as long as they live if this is implemented and anyone who says otherwise is a moron. Just take away this:
If you push gamers, the majority of them aren't going to bother pushing back. They'll just go somewhere else.
Yes, you have the people who have knee jerk reactions and will loudly scream their opinions in blogs and internet forums. They're always going to be there. But, at the end of the day, the devs and publishers care about facts and figures, not the raging and ranting of fanboys. And that's fine. But what they need to pay attention to is the fact that if you do something that they don't care for, most people are just going to no longer come to you for their entertainment. It's the same with everything. If a company does enough damage by their choices to completely alienate their fanbase, then they're going to start seeing that.
And granted, this is all speculation. But with the next console generation on the horizon, and with these immediate reactions to even the vaguest notion that Sony might implement this on their next console, this does not look like this would be a popular or profitable move for Sony. But, time will tell.
Anyone who knows anything about gaming knows that second hand games - that is, to say, games not directly purchased from the developer and publisher - are a hot button issue. Developers hate them with a passion, though most gamers are very fond of the concept, being that most people aren't able to shell out sixty bucks every time the developer gods smile upon them with a brand new game to play (myself included). Therefore, while developers could just accept the fact that you don't get two paychecks for doing one job, because that's how capitalism works...
Sony decided that this was just unacceptable.
Now, this doesn't necessarily mean that this will come to be in any gaming system, but apparently Sony has filed a patent for a device that will sync a game disc to a player account. If the disc is placed into a device that it doesn't match the ID for, then the disc won't work. This is an incredibly underhanded tactic to limit used game sales. This is even stated in the document provided by NeoGAF member gofreak, where it is claimed that this device "is part of Sony's ongoing efforts to deter second-hand games sales, and is a far simpler solution than always-on DRM or passwords." Yes, Sony, this will deter second-hand games sales. Much in the same way it will deter the profit you do make.
Most developers really don't see how useful second hand games can be to them, and it's really a shame. Instead, they scream and cry and fuss about their profits when they could be noticing how used games of their franchises that they like to rail new additions of out year after year bring new people to their franchises, and thus later installments actually tend to have more new sales as a result. For a prime example, I bought Fable II used, and was so thus impressed that I bought Fable III...which turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. But, you know what? It did work. Lionhead still got their profit from me at a cool sixty bucks all because I happened upon a used copy of Fable II, and almost any other franchise can be the same way. I'm sure others have such stories.
What Sony's doing here is turning their back on profit. Which, if I'm not mistaken, is the exact opposite of what they want to do.
Now, there's nothing that states outright that this will be implemented in the PS4/Orbis/Japanese Magical Doom Box9001, but the comments on IGN seem to think otherwise. Personally, I don't think Sony could really be so stupid as to implement something that would get such a seemingly widely negative reaction from gamers across the spectrum. Then again, when I have any sort of hope for the world, I remember that someone green-lit "Vampire Rain", so that may just me being stupidly optimistic who knows?
I know that there's a better chance of me being struck by lightning, winning the lottery, and becoming the undying love slave of Emma Stone all in one day than any sort of person involved with Sony or indeed anyone the entire gaming industry ever reading this, but really. Just take away one thing from this. Ignore the loud, boisterous commentators who claim that Sony is killing themselves and that they will NEVER buy another Playstation product for as long as they live if this is implemented and anyone who says otherwise is a moron. Just take away this:
If you push gamers, the majority of them aren't going to bother pushing back. They'll just go somewhere else.
Yes, you have the people who have knee jerk reactions and will loudly scream their opinions in blogs and internet forums. They're always going to be there. But, at the end of the day, the devs and publishers care about facts and figures, not the raging and ranting of fanboys. And that's fine. But what they need to pay attention to is the fact that if you do something that they don't care for, most people are just going to no longer come to you for their entertainment. It's the same with everything. If a company does enough damage by their choices to completely alienate their fanbase, then they're going to start seeing that.
And granted, this is all speculation. But with the next console generation on the horizon, and with these immediate reactions to even the vaguest notion that Sony might implement this on their next console, this does not look like this would be a popular or profitable move for Sony. But, time will tell.
Friday, August 31, 2012
MadCap's Mad Rantings - "No Dawnguard for PS3?"
Okay, so, I was linked to this, thanks to a friend of mine. I've already expressed my disdain that "Hearthfire" is coming out on Xbox before Dawnguard is released on PS3, but this just has me confused. Bethesda reps are claiming that, to quote the article, the "issue" is "difficult to solve", but doesn't actually state what exactly they mean by that. So...what is the issue, Bethesda? They don't say, only saying that "we are working together with Sony to try to bring you this content" and "We understand the frustration when the same content is not available on all platforms."
Yeah, guys, I would say there are some people who are frustrated. I'm even frustrated, and I don't even play on PS3.
A possible explanation for the "issue" might have come from J.E. Sawyer, who you all might remember as one of the fellas from Obsidian that worked on Fallout: New Vegas. Him claiming that perhaps it was a lag issue that affected both New Vegas and Fallout 3 on PS3, which were also a problem for Skyrim during launch on that same platform. However, Pete Hines - the VP of PR and marketing for Bethesda - refuted the claim, stating that Sawyer "brings up issues we solved long ago" and that he "did not work on Skyrim nor this engine and his comments don't reflect how the current tech works."
However, he doesn't at all elaborate on what the actual issue is. Not even giving us a vague hint of something. So, is it just denial on his part and Sawyer is actually completely right regardless of how much he "did not work on Skyrim"?
Seriously, Bethesda? What is going on? Is it an actually game issue? Is it an issue with Sony? I've found no comment from Sony on the matter, just part of Hines' statement that "we are working together with Sony to try to bring you this content." So...what's the deal? You're being unnecessarily vague about what's going on, and it's a real piss poor way to try and sate your PS3 fanbase.
So is it the software? Is it you guys at Bethesda? Is it Sony? Is it even, dare I think, Microsoft using their silver tongues to get more 360s purchased before the end of this console generation?
...seriously (Bethesda or Microsoft), if you guys are trying this as a marketing tool, then go sit in the corner and think about what you've done.
I really would just like some kind of explanation for this, Bethesda. Being vague and dancing around the issue without actually telling us what exactly is the issue is tantamount to...some simile that I have neither the stability of mind nor the patience to concoct at the moment.
In conclusion, Bethesda, just say what's going on. If you came out and said there was a problem, explained what it was, you'd probably end up getting at least a tedium of respect for it. Or at the very least, people would be less frustrated with you. I just hope you guys are working on this like you say you are. Ask your buddies at Bioware, Hell hath no fury like that of a gamer scorned.
Yeah, guys, I would say there are some people who are frustrated. I'm even frustrated, and I don't even play on PS3.
A possible explanation for the "issue" might have come from J.E. Sawyer, who you all might remember as one of the fellas from Obsidian that worked on Fallout: New Vegas. Him claiming that perhaps it was a lag issue that affected both New Vegas and Fallout 3 on PS3, which were also a problem for Skyrim during launch on that same platform. However, Pete Hines - the VP of PR and marketing for Bethesda - refuted the claim, stating that Sawyer "brings up issues we solved long ago" and that he "did not work on Skyrim nor this engine and his comments don't reflect how the current tech works."
However, he doesn't at all elaborate on what the actual issue is. Not even giving us a vague hint of something. So, is it just denial on his part and Sawyer is actually completely right regardless of how much he "did not work on Skyrim"?
Seriously, Bethesda? What is going on? Is it an actually game issue? Is it an issue with Sony? I've found no comment from Sony on the matter, just part of Hines' statement that "we are working together with Sony to try to bring you this content." So...what's the deal? You're being unnecessarily vague about what's going on, and it's a real piss poor way to try and sate your PS3 fanbase.
So is it the software? Is it you guys at Bethesda? Is it Sony? Is it even, dare I think, Microsoft using their silver tongues to get more 360s purchased before the end of this console generation?
...seriously (Bethesda or Microsoft), if you guys are trying this as a marketing tool, then go sit in the corner and think about what you've done.
I really would just like some kind of explanation for this, Bethesda. Being vague and dancing around the issue without actually telling us what exactly is the issue is tantamount to...some simile that I have neither the stability of mind nor the patience to concoct at the moment.
In conclusion, Bethesda, just say what's going on. If you came out and said there was a problem, explained what it was, you'd probably end up getting at least a tedium of respect for it. Or at the very least, people would be less frustrated with you. I just hope you guys are working on this like you say you are. Ask your buddies at Bioware, Hell hath no fury like that of a gamer scorned.
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