SRN Editorial

Editorial: Why I Think Sony Won E3

by Sarah Ingram | Jun 23, 2013 | 13 comments

Now that the dust has settled and we have all had some time to digest the news that came out of E3, I feel like it’s the right time to reflect about what we saw and what it means. I was able to catch both the Microsoft and Playstation conferences live as they happened, and once it was all over there was a clear winner for me. But I didn’t go into the expo already declaring Sony the winner: I really wanted to see what each had to say about the hardware, sharing, used games and connectivity. And what I ended up getting out of a comparison of the two presentations after the fact was something a little more, and something I think is much more important.

Sony really handed it to Microsoft this year. I watched Microsoft first, and was admittedly impressed. The games looked good, they had Insomniac on their stage, and a partnership with Twitch is nothing to shake a stick at. I expected the DR and used game news, and was interested in learning more about the cloud sharing. The price tag didn’t even surprise me, and I was curious as to what Sony had in store. I had originally predicted that if Microsoft went through with some of these things, then Sony would have to follow suit. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. They allow used games, there is the capability to play games offline, and they hit the price tag out of the park, something even I didn’t expect. It was an all round A+ performance.

Editorial: Is Cliff Bleszinski’s Used Game Views the Problem or the Fix the Industry Needs?

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 18, 2013 | 1 comment

Gears of War developer Cliff Bleszinski has never been shy about his thought process. Be it his thoughts on what journalists have to say or his views on the used game market, Cliff tends to talk without the usual PR filter. On its own, this is a refreshing and welcomed trait and I hope we see more of from those who are in position of knowledge and can help bring change to our industry. But unfiltered words should also not be taken for the gospel. Taking to his Twitter account, Cliff has been weighing in on the used game discussion which has only escalated in the past week with the PS4 being far more liberal towards selling and lending games while Microsoft has created their next gen system with a lot of restrictions.

In a nutshell, Cliff believes that the used game market is killing off AAA titles. He argues that with production costs rising with each generation and fans demanding more and more, there is little room for loss of profit which he believes used games cause. Instead, gamers need to pay full retail price in order to help support the AAA games that they want.

After the jump, Cliffs actual words and an interesting rebuttal from Jim Sterling of Destructoid.

Editorial: What I Want to See From Sony at E3

by Sarah Ingram | Jun 8, 2013 | 3 comments

With E3 right around the corner, speculations and expectations are high. Information regarding what is being announced and what will be available to preview is slowly trickling into social media, and everyone is generally excited about what the next generation consoles will have to offer. I’ve been thinking a bit lately on what I expect to see, want to see, and would lose my mind in excitement to see, and how that would affect my personal opinion on the effectiveness and success of the Sony press conference. Some things are must-haves, while some things are really reaching into the depths of hopefulness and fangirling.

What I Expect:

1. the box, a price and a release date

This is pretty much a given, and honestly if they DON’T reveal what it looks like, what it costs and when you can give Sony your money, they will get a lot of slack. I expect to see what it looks like because we’ve already seen the new XBox, and I expect a price and a release date because we’re less than six months out, and people need time to budget for spending hundreds of dollars.

If Sony doesn’t provide this information to their fans at E3, they will be behind XBox, and you know that Microsoft will be providing more finite details on the cost and release date. And I think we have all waited long enough.

Editorial: Multiplayer Trophy Hell

by Sarah Ingram | May 18, 2013 | 7 comments

I have an affinity for trophy hunting. I will spend countless hours with a game trying to collect all the secrets, kill certain bad guys a certain way, and do a something while doing another something so that I can get all the trophies, and maybe get that oh so shiny Platinum. I’ll also be the first one to admit that I sometimes suck at video games. Don’t get me wrong, I love them, but my controller-hand-eye coordination is not always the best. You certainly won’t catch me playing Call of Duty online with a remotely acceptable K/D ratio.

Editorial: A Budding Love For PSN

by Sarah Ingram | May 4, 2013 | 1 comment

For those of you who read my last editorial, this next one might seem a bit confusing. And while yes, I certainly do think the Playstation Store loading time is WAAAAAYYYYYYYY TOOOOOOO LLOONNNGGGGGGGG, what lies behind the spinning circle of loading time agony is a poorly-organized gold mine. The Playstation Store has a plethora of various exclusive titles that are available to download, and as I have very recently begun to get over my aversion to digital games, I have found some amazing ones that I’ve loved playing.

I am a gamer and also a collector, so purchasing a game digitally is not my first choice. I also don’t particularly like the idea of spending 60.00 on downloading a newly-released game when for the exact same price I can get a disc, and the case for my display wall, and probably a steelbook or DLC or pre-order bonus. However, the budding love I have for PSN comes from the strictly digital PSN games, and there are a couple reasons why my love is growing.

1. They are unique

Games like Journey or The Unfinished Swan are not just games; they’re experiences. There’s something special about them that wouldn’t quite work the same if it needed to be “worth” what a full-priced title is. The shorter play time, or lack of multiplayer, or simplicity of design in these is something only successful through a platform like PSN. Something like The Walking Dead game came out episodically – again, something that only could succeed through the digital world, and an approach that drew you in and left you wanting more. And while games like Rainbow Moon or Dragon Fantasy Book 1 are not necessarily unique in a historical sense, they are unique in today’s market. Old school RPG style games are not common anymore, and still having a source to play new iterations of this theme is refreshing.

Editorial: Things You Can Do While The PlayStation Store is Loading

by Sarah Ingram | Apr 20, 2013 | 5 comments

Ever since the PlayStation Store got its “overhaul” of a makeover last October, I have had PlayStation Store trouble. Browsing the games, movies or music is a nightmare, the layout doesn’t show you everything half the time, and worst of all it takes FOREVER to load. This past week the PSN update took a full 24 hours longer than usual, and the the negative attention now surrounding how PlayStation handled the long delay (by not really dealing with it at all) has reminded me how much time I actually waste waiting around for the store to load, especially every Tuesday.

Today I timed how long it actually took for the store to load, from hitting “X” on the store button to when images appeared on the screen. It was a pretty long time.

Well, I don’t want to waste my time, and I know you don’t want to waste yours, so I’ve complied a helpful list of things you can do while waiting 1:04 for the store to let you look at it. You might even be able to get a couple of these done if you’re swift/ have crappy internet.

1. Make a cup of coffee.

2. Plug your controllers in to charge.

3. Fiddle with your headset and TV settings.

4. Go to the bathroom.

5. Call a friend and invite him over to play a game you will eventually purchase from the Playstation Store.

6. Check Twitter/ Facebook/ Tumblr/ Reddit.

Editorial: Why ‘Always On’ Turns Me Off

by Sarah Ingram | Apr 6, 2013 | 31 comments

The flurry of rumors surrounding the Playstation 4 and NextBox announcements for the incoming new generation of consoles are in full force. Things have escalated as of late, however, with whispers spreading that the upcoming XBox console will be required to be always on in terms of internet connectivity for firing up games and apps. The issue was exacerbated a couple days ago when Microsoft’s Creative Director Adam Orth not only did not deny these rumors, but defended them, and told Twitter to #dealwithit.

Now all rumors that “these rumors are fake to hype up the Microsoft announcement” aside, I’m going to tell you why the idea of an ‘always on’ console really turns me off.

1. Not everyone has a reliable internet connection

I live on an island on the East Coast of Canada. It’s windy, and snowy, and the majority of the island is populated by moose and tiny little towns that literally still do not have an internet connection. If a console requires an always on connection, I’m guaranteed to not be able to use it probably 25% of the time I want to use it. Weather and location regularly at least interrupt the internet for ~5 minutes. Cyrus says it best: Technology should make it easier to play games. Not more difficult.

The rumor is you get three minutes to fix your internet before the Xbox kicks you off and you lose your game. That has “rage induced blackouts and broken controllers and televisions” written all over it. I understand what Microsoft could be going for if this rumor is true – like Sony, they want everyone to be connected. But it’s the wrong approach to it.

Sony, on the other hand, comes at the internet and connectivity aspect in gaming in a different, and already more successful way. By focusing more on social connection and sharing vs. technological “progress”, the Playstation 4 can have the best of both worlds – connecting gamers with other gamers, and maintaining usability in any internet down time.

David Hayter Not in MGS 5 In Order to “Recreate the Metal Gear Series”

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 2, 2013 | 20 comments

To say that the Japanese game industry has been in a downward spiral this past generation would be an understatement. Once dominant in the era of PlayStation and PlayStation 2, it seemed that Japanese game makers could do no wrong. Japanese games always delivered rich stories, interesting characters and vastly different worlds to gamers. Mega studios like Square-Enix (then SquareSoft), Capcom, and Konami continued to produce hits with solid franchises like Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, and Metal Gear Solid to name a few.

Then, next generation consoles like the PS3 and Xbox 360 came into the market and something happened. It’s as if the entire Japanese game industry decided to collectively fall asleep. Many of their games no longer offered the same visual polish as their Western counter parts. Projects also started to take an endless amount of time to accomplish. Since the PS3 has launched, Naughty Dog has pumped out three Uncharted titles, each being a blockbuster and is on the cusp of releasing The Last of Us. Square-Enix on the other hand has only published Final Fantasy 13 which by all accounts is a mediocre game at best and has followed up two sequels (the latter being almost out) which continue the subpar experience and are really large expansion packs, rather than a new entry. Furthering their demise has been that many of the classic games like Final Fantasy 13 bare little resembles to a traditional JRPG that the series is so well known for, instead opting for more button smashing. Games like Resident Evil titles now have the urge to be more of an FPS title than survival horror with the mindset that they are being more Western and that this will help the franchises gainnew fans. Not only do sales numbers beg to differ:

Final Fantasy X (PS2) – 8.05 million
- Final Fantasy X-2 (PS2) – 5.95 million
Final Fantasy XIII (PS3+360) – 6.88 million
- Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3+360) – 2.93 million

But even if it’s true that more Western audience are playing them, guess who no longer is, the old fans who liked the games for what they were. Now, sadly, another Japanese icon is falling into this trap. When we first reported that David Hayter, long time voice actor behind Solid Snake/Big Boss would not be reprising his roll, we among others speculated that it might be due to the nature of the games story which wouldn’t incorporate Solid Snake. Seeing how Big Boss was voiced previously by Hayter though not in MGS4, we decided to give Konami and Kojima the benefit of the doubt that it simply didn’t fit or that there might be a surprise in order for us. Boy were we wrong.

Editorial: Why the Sony 70-inch R550 LED TV is a Potential Blockbuster

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 29, 2013 | 5 comments

Once an extremely lucrative part of any company’s portfolio, the television industry eventually followed in the path of the PC business in a race towards the bottom. Each company, eager to gain more market share than their competitor would do everything in its power to drive the cost of units down, which has now lead to razor-thin margins and even the selling of sets at a loss in hopes of making up the money in another avenue. While in theory good for consumers who get to enjoy larger television sets, the long term effects turn into a sector with low innovation as it becomes hard to justify major shifts with little profits on the balance sheet.

The PC industry famously experienced this in the last decade with cookie cutter desktops from HP, Dell, Compaq, and Gateway to name a few. Each manufacturer would create more or less the same box with some tweaked specs and out the door they went. In the early days of LCD televisions, the industry enjoyed beautiful units, mostly notably from Sony who pumped out units like the XBR 3 with a beautiful glass bezel design. But as profits slipped from the industry, so too have designs which now primarily consists of a black rectangle from factor. With stores like Walmart and Costco coming to the TV sector in a big way, most consumers concern themselves with two things: size and price, while picture quality and design follow in the distance.

While manufacturers continue to stuff televisions with internet-connected features like Netflix and web access, consumers have indicated that they care little for them, instead wanting the bare necessities as long as the two important factors (price and size) are met. In some ways, how can you blame them when an Apple TV or PS3 will always do Netflix or Hulu better? And no, I don’t need a weather app on my TV that gets updated once every 2 years where I have 1,ooo weather apps that get updated routinely on my iPhone. Sony has long struggled with this market, opting to give their televisions connected features and extra processing power like their Bravia engine processors which can even up convert YouTube videos for better clarity. While all fine features, with size and price king, consumers did little to reward them for the additional options and have opted to purchase a cheaper Samsung or Sharp. Now with the new Bravia 70-inch R550 LED TV, Sony is looking to change all of that and get back in the consumer television market in a big way.

Editorial: Do You Play Well With Others?

by Sarah Ingram | Mar 23, 2013 | 5 comments

One of the big reveals that came out of the Playstation 4 announcement last month was the new abilities the system will have for multiplayer and connectivity with others, a huge leap into social media and sharing. Things like the “share” button, linking your social media accounts directly through your system, and especially the ability to have “spectators” or even helpers from your PSN remotely come into your experience are stretching the limits of what “playing together” can really mean. Sony is really stressing a continued focus on multiplayer, togetherness and sharing for its next generation console. Which got me thinking – how many of us out there are really shaped by playing with others?

Growing up with a younger brother, we were forced to “share” our consoles, taking turns and setting timers on who got to play when. Over time, we developed a system where I would play the “storyline” and Kyle would take over for boss fights and battles. This eventually became me watching him play, but not because he took over – because I liked watching. And growing up experiencing games in this manner has really shaped the way I approach gaming now. I still gravitate towards experiencing games together rather than alone, and still enjoy watching others play, especially games that I would find challenging and frustrating. To this day my friend Dave and I get together to play Mass Effect, where he plays and I sit on the edge of the couch and yell at him to shoot at things. Nothing has really changed in 20 years.

except for us - we've changed a little

except for us – we’ve changed a little

Editorial: How Sony Can Save the PlayStation Vita, Part 2

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 19, 2013 | 2 comments

Last week, we ran an editorial on ‘how Sony can save the PlayStation Vita,’ which focused on the devices price point. Despite launching a lower price than what many had expected, the $249 for Wi-Fi and $299 for 3G/Wi-Fi model proved as a stumbling block for consumers. With declining sales, soon developer support began to trickle away, creating a catch 22 for the PlayStation Vita. Why should developers support a system with low volume sales and why should consumers by a game console with low developer support. While the idea of dropping the price to funnel interest towards the Vita is not an original one, we attempted to answer how exactly Sony could achieve this and still have a profitable, if not a break-even, price point console. In the end, Sony is here to make money.

Now, prior to the February 20th announcement which will likely be the PlayStation 4, Sony held a smaller video stream conference for the PlayStation Vita. While Sony highlighted many new RPG’s that would be coming to the Vita, mostly notably Final Fantasy X in HD, the biggest news was the consoles price drop. Currently intended for Japan only, though we expect Western audiences will equally receive a price cut come the 20th, effective February 28th, both the 3G/Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi-only models will cost ¥19,980 (around $215). Yes, both models will sell for the same price, translating into roughly 20% off for the Wi-Fi edition and 35% for 3G/Wi-Fi. But price cuts alone will not save the PlayStation Vita. After the jump, our editorial part 2 looks at what Sony must do to entice consumers to give the powerful portable another look.

Editorial: How Sony Can Save the PlayStation Vita, Part 1

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 11, 2013 | 7 comments

It should come as no shock that the PlayStation Vita, which is nearing its first full year of release is struggling. While there was great hype leading up to the powerful handheld’s release from an excited consumer and lots of developer support, things quickly became derailed. It’s true that the PS Vita launched at a lower price than many had anticipated but the price still remains an obstacle for a device that caters only to the hard core, due to its form factor that makes it a conscious decision to carry around, versus say your smartphone that easily slips into your pocket.
Mix that with the fact that, soon after the PS Vita’s release, Nintendo slashed the price of the 3DS by nearly half where before, it loomed much closer to the PS Vita’s price point. With Nintendo’s rich history in handhelds and now a much lower price point for the 3DS, those itching for a new portable gaming system gravitated towards the 3DS while the average consumer was satisfied with playing mobile games on their iPhone which continues to get more and more powerful with each release.

And so, the great Catch 22 had begun for Sony. While publishers were quite enthusiastic about the PS Vita which boasted a powerful processor and GPU and consumers were quite satisfied with its new UI, as sales fell, so did publisher support. Publishers of course have little reason to support a device that garners a small market share while consumers have little reason to buy a gaming console that offers only a small library of support. So nearly a year later, how can Sony break the cycle and get consumers and publishers on board again?

Simple: by offering a price cut. Now I’m not the first to suggest this and nor is this idea original. However, what many tend to miss is that prices are created based on manufacturing costs and its not as if Sony is making a $250 profit on each unit sold. In fact, for the first four to five years of its life, Sony lost a big chunk of money on each PlayStation 3 unit sold. So what has changed in the last year that would allow Sony to drop the price of the Vita?

Violence and Video Games: Scapegoatism

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 16, 2012 | 3 comments

Forward

The following story was written by friend of the site and contestant on PlayStation’s The Tester, Krysti Pryde. You can find more of her work by visiting her official website and following her on Twitter. Those who follow SonyRumors on Twitter will be familiar with the outrage that we all witnessed with the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut and my response afterwards. While I’ve been a gamer for as long as I can remember and action movie buff for even longer, my personal views never lie towards violence and thus, I’ve never supported civilian gun rights. This is especially true when we have access to high-powered assault rifles and handguns that can empty a hundred rounds in mere minutes. Equally outraging for me has been the expected lashing out towards video games and those who consume them, perpetrated by Fox News and others who’d rather cast a wide net and blame others, instead of looking at the politicians who enable easy access to guns, while mental health treatment and counseling seems like a distant dream for those who need it. Of course, there is the fine folks at the NRA whose answer always seems to be after a tragic event that “this isn’t the time to discuss gun control laws” or “if only one of those kids had been packing heat in self-defense, this never would have happened.”

Krysti’s wonderful piece takes a look at our culture of scapegoatism and the unjust blame that falls on video games and the gamers who enjoy them.

Violence and Video Games: Scapegoatism

I usually stray away from blogging about sensitive content that may offend people. I would never want to offend any of you, and always try to keep my blogs fun, light, personal and informative. I decided tonight to make a slight change and blog about a relatively unpopular opinion. Now please, before I begin, let it be known I value and appreciate other people’s opinions. I am open-minded and friendly in all my debates, and I do not want anyone to read this and feel I am being patronizing. I write on the subject hoping it will be regarded as an open forum and would love to hear all your opinions on this.

Dear Forbes, 7 Reasons to Buy A PlayStation 3 Instead Of A Xbox 360

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 6, 2012 | 2 comments

In a recent article by Forbes contributor Erik Kain, it’s pointed out that the Xbox 360 sold like hotcakes during Black Friday, beating the PlayStation 3 and Wii U, the latest console from Nintendo. The success of the 8-year-old console led Mr. Kain into concluding that you should buy an Xbox 360 over the PlayStation 3 this holiday season. While the facts he presents aren’t off, we’d like to humbly disagree and provide a rebuttal with 7 reasons why the PlayStation 3 is the perfect choice this Christmas and beyond. It’s also worth noting that, despite the PS3 having been out for only 7 years while continuing to cost more than the Xbox 360, in some time periods by more than $200, the PS3 has officially caught up with its rival system and achieved 70 million units sold world wide. This was reported a week before Sony announced PS3 Black Friday sales which tallied past the 525,000 sold mark.

After the jump, 7 reasons to buy a PlayStation 3 instead of a Xbox 360 this holiday season.

Editorial: Why $50 Games Are Hurting the PS Vita

by Sohrab Osati | Nov 19, 2012 | 7 comments

Just an hour ago, a conversation took place on Twitter in regards to the quality of Call of Duty: Declassified for the PlayStation Vita. So far, reviews and user experience has been less than stellar with reports of lag, glitches, and control issues. Many had seen CoD on the PS Vita as a knight in shining armor for the struggling console and it’s no surprise. CoD games sell and sell by the droves. A proper CoD game could really capture the market Sony is going for: those who wish to play console quality games on the go.

I’ve personally yet to play CoD: Declassified on the Vita so it’s hard for me to comment on the game. However, this led to another conversation on Twitter: the $50 price tag for CoD. Some have expressed their distaste that Activision would charge so much for a broken game. But even if it were a completely acceptable game, can publishers charge so much for PS Vita titles? After the jump, I explain why I believe these high prices are hurting the PS Vita.