by Jeromy "Doc" Adams

SOURCE: Joystiq

Phil Harrison buried the media in optimism and confidence, touting the PlayStation 3's incredible launch titles, like Motorstorm and Resistance.

But a few says ago, Phil told Game Informer that you shouldn't judge a console by it's launch lineup. He cited the PS1 as prime example.

Which is it Phil? Was the PS3, as you said yourself, an unconditional success? WERE the titles you launched with truly blockbusters? Seems you're trying to have your cake and eat it too. Except your cake tastes like Back-Track-Berry.

It seems fairly difficult to believe that the PS3 was BOTH a strong launch AND a weak one. That's like saying... I'm a brilliant idiot.

I know you're just having fun and I'm easily bated (by the master) but the point is "games get crazy-good later in a console's life" which can co-exist just fine with "we had some good launch games". It actually knocks the first statement up a level. MotorStorm and Resistance, as good as they are, will likely pale in comparison to what's coming. Will those titles come this year? Who knows, we should know more by next week...

I'm gonna have to come up with a big graphic to use as a response to the rampant Sony-bashing posts... It's clear to me from other discussions that this is just a "stir stuff up" type of post, but, well... there are some people out there that may want something more than that... maybe there is a market for a Sony bashing site where just about anything is spun to that cause...

I think there's a difference between saying, "We've got good games at the start and better ones coming later" and saying "Our launch lineup is brilliant!" before the thing lands on shelves, and then "Don't judge us by our launch games" after the fact.

Regardless of Harrison's intention, "don't judge us by our launch titles" sounds a lot like "I know they were weak, but hold on and we'll get something worthwhile in a few months". If that's not what he meant, he should take more care with his statements. Anybody with a passing involvement in PR should know more about how these kinds of things can get taken out of context.

And let's face it, Sony need all the positive PR they can get, what with the media backlash before launch and relatively slow sales.

*Will those titles come this year? *Who knows, we should know more by next week...


As an avid defender of the PS3 how long will you wait for a good roster of games? I'm talking about the kind of exclusive games that'll make someone with another system or a first time gamer go out and buy one. What will you do if Sony still seems in a slump a year from now?

Will those titles come this year? Who knows, we should know more by next week...

ROFL. This is a weak comment and a weak attempt to defend the PS3.

We are now closing in on the 8th full month of the PS3's release. There are no AAA titles for it, unless you include Resistance which is a pretty solid title, but not as good as it could have been. Motorstorm just got its Time Attack mode.

Sony makes a PR blog saying that games aren't more difficult to develop for, yet developers are still ignoring the PS3 in droves, and the ones which are developing for the PS3 are making half-assed games compared to their 360 counterparts (ie. 30fps vs. 60fps on the next generation Madden).

Look at the sheer list of developers who have abandoned their exclusivity with Sony. (http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/07/sonys-lost-excl.html) Some of those are Sony's fault, wait, no, most of those are Sony's fault.

Sony's most advertised online component, Home, isn't slated to come out until OCTOBER. Gee, don't you think, knowing that XBL was out there and successful, something like this should have been available at the console's launch? (PSN doesn't get much discussion, which I also blame Sony for, especially when, instead of promoting PSN, they parade Home instead. If I wanted Sims Online, I'd play Sims Online.)

Staunch Sony supporters are saying MGS4 and FF13 will turn the tide. Two games, that's it? From a brand that had some of the best exclusivity contracts out there, now they're down to two games? Sorry, no one is going to buy a PS3 to play the new Ratchet & Clank. No one is going to buy the PS3 to play a new Jak title. Now that Sony has lost most of the exclusives which drove sales of the PS1 and PS2, people aren't inclined to buy the PS3. Edit: Another quick zinger I can't resist. The Wii is suffering from a similar game drought. There were some decent titles at launch and nothing spectacular thereafter. Likewise, their Online capabilities aren't yet mature. Yet, the Wii is outselling the PS3 in Japan 6 to 1. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070702/ap_on_hi_te/japan_nintendo_wii;_ylt=AuzggLXo8Rn4sCXfpgtOBJ8jtB AF) Wonder why this is? Maybe it's because people want to play games and aren't sold on a system that tries to be an All-In-Wonder (aplogies to ATi) device? This is like Al Gore not being able to carry Tennessee in 2000 - Sony is getting BLASTED in their own home country where they keep a keener eye on sales than they do over here.

A couple other tidbits:
Final Fantasy 13 isn't even coming out until April 2008, at the earliest. (http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=16261) That's one year, 5 months after the system's release.

Japanese publishers are shifting focus to Nintendo and scaling back PS3 development and "Square Enix, another Japanese software major, has no plans to develop titles for the PS3 until sales improve enough to make the steep development costs financially worthwhile." (http://www.varietyasiaonline.com/content/view/1595/53/) Whoops.

I bash the PS3 not because it's trendy but because it's true. Sony screwed up. They screwed up big time. They beat their chests and didn't deliver anything other than a Blu-ray player. This is no longer about launch titles. We're 8 months in and there's CRAP for the console. The first majorly anticipated game, MGS4, isn't even coming out until fiscal Q4 (if it's not pushed back), meaning even it won't be out until 2008, a good year and a month AFTER release.

Defend it all you want. The sales numbers say it all. And if the sales numbers don't say everything, I can direct you to two of my PS3 owning friends who have not turned it on since around March. 600 dollar paperweight, indeed.

by Jeromy "Doc" Adams

SOURCE: Joystiq

Phil Harrison buried the media in optimism and confidence, touting the PlayStation 3's incredible launch titles, like Motorstorm and Resistance.

But a few says ago, Phil told Game Informer that you shouldn't judge a console by it's launch lineup. He cited the PS1 as prime example.

Which is it Phil? Was the PS3, as you said yourself, an unconditional success? WERE the titles you launched with truly blockbusters? Seems you're trying to have your cake and eat it too. Except your cake tastes like Back-Track-Berry.

It seems fairly difficult to believe that the PS3 was BOTH a strong launch AND a weak one. That's like saying... I'm a brilliant idiot.

Phil Harrison, yea you know best...

*Will those titles come this year? *Who knows, we should know more by next week...


As an avid defender of the PS3 how long will you wait for a good roster of games? I'm talking about the kind of exclusive games that'll make someone with another system or a first time gamer go out and buy one. What will you do if Sony still seems in a slump a year from now?

I didn't pay a dime for my PS3 and I'll wait as long as it takes. I haven't bought a single PS3 game I didn't think was worth purchasing (well, I take that back, I bought Marvel Ultimate Alliance but it turned out that I just didn't care for the game -- I played the 360 version too). I don't buy games exclusively for the PS3 at all. If they're in a slump next year then they're in a slump next year. There's no ultimatum or anything... as good games come out, I'll rent/buy and play them. That's the problem I have with some of the "fanboys" that are 360 or PS3 (or even Wii). Why the hell don't they just grow up and buy/play the games that deserve it?

I didn't pay a dime for my PS3.

No but you waited in line for days. What's your time worth?

I didn't pay a dime for my PS3.

No but you waited in line for days. What's your time worth?

Going on the basis that he did actually pay 10 cents for his PS3, 4 days of camping, danger of getting shot, and boredom AFTER all this, lemme do the math...
Your time is unfortunately worth far less than minimum wage. See what PS3 is doing to people?!?

I didn't pay a dime for my PS3.

No but you waited in line for days. *What's your time worth? *

I camped overnight at a Toys-R-Us for a PS3 preorder and a Wii preorder (same night, two consoles). *Then I camped two nights at a best Buy for a PS3 (mine). *I also had a preorder at a local EB Games that required no camping. *Completely ignoring the fact that I had an awesome time meeting and gaming with a bunch of people at both campouts, I sold those two extra PS3's for $2700. *So I bought a Wii and 3 PS3s for $2050, and sold two of those PS3s for $2700. *I got a Wii, a PS3 and $650 for camping three nights (having fun the whole time). *Not too shabby I'd say.

I didn't pay a dime for my PS3.

No but you waited in line for days. What's your time worth?

I camped overnight at a Toys-R-Us for a PS3 preorder and a Wii preorder (same night, two consoles). Then I camped two nights at a best Buy for a PS3 (mine). I also had a preorder at a local EB Games that required no camping. Completely ignoring the fact that I had an awesome time meeting and gaming with a bunch of people at both campouts, I sold those two extra PS3's for $2700. So I bought a Wii and 3 PS3s for $2050, and sold two of those PS3s for $2700. I got a Wii, a PS3 and $650 for camping three nights (having fun the whole time). Not too shabby I'd say.


someone has a nice, deep pocket...

someone has a nice, deep pocket...

Isn't that what a "Rainy Day" fund is for? It came out of savings, bought the stuff, and when all was said and done, went back into savings... of course it's all gone now, but that's what home improvement projects will do to you.

Normally I wouldn't have been able to do that but everything lined up perfectly.

someone has a nice, deep pocket...

Isn't that what a "Rainy Day" fund is for? It came out of savings, bought the stuff, and when all was said and done, went back into savings... of course it's all gone now, but that's what home improvement projects will do to you.

Normally I wouldn't have been able to do that but everything lined up perfectly.


That still amazes me how you orchestrated that! I'm always impressed. You're still a Sony fanboy, you jerk!! :)
Having 3 different systems and all!