Sony Finally Focusing On PS3 Software
See Full ImageLet me explain the headline: what I mean is, it seems that Sony is focusing on PlayStation 3 software in contrast to...well, everything else that's related to the machine.
We all know that Sony wanted to make the PS3 a multimedia console that can be used for different entertainment purposes, but at the same time, they wanted to emphasize that it's still a gaming system. Well, it was difficult to agree with that last part in the first few years of the console's existence. Look, we had PSP/PS3 connectivity, the growing of the Network including PlayStation Home, downloadable movies and TV shows, the Sixaxis morphing into the Dual Shock 3 due to widespread fan request, the revamping of the Cross Media Bar and other tweaks to the structure, firmware updates, Folding@Home, Trophies, etc, etc, etc. But now, either they've finally reached a point where they don't wish to make any significant additions to the hardware, or they're at a sweet spot where the software has become the prime focus. We know that Sony will say the software has "always" been most important to them, but after handling all news related to the machine thus far, I'm not really buying that.
But now that we're pretty much done talking about all that other stuff, we see more and more game-related press releases and announcements. Take GDC 09, for example. Sure, we really only saw the unveiling of Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time, but at least it was a game and not another nifty little feature for the PS3 that you may or may not use, like PlayStation Life. Now, I'm not saying anything I've mentioned here is bad, per se; I just like the idea that games appear to be tops on Sony's list right now. They like to talk about Killzone 2 as having a positive impact, and they've recently begun to tout their exclusive lineup, which is indeed impressive. There's no denying that Sony needed to add things like Trophies - this is a competition, after all - but for me and for most others out there, the PS3 is still a video game console...and Sony now appears to be embracing that philosophy. They still need to drop the price, but beyond that, let's just talk about that software.
Options and extras are always cool. But let's not forget that that's exactly what they are: options and extras.
3/30/2009 Ben Dutka
Put this on your webpage or blog:
Email this to a friend
Follow PSX Extreme on Twitter
Comments (37 posts)
city96
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 1:36:06 PM
1 up, 1 down
LyleCapua
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 2:37:20 PM
0 up, 4 down
alexmac77
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 11:31:10 AM
Reply
thank you Sony.
1 up, 0 down
PS3addict
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 11:32:24 AM
Reply
I would love to have B/C and a faster browser and the PS3 would be perfect in my eyes. Games are the primary reason I bought the PS3, the rest of the features convinced the wife that the price was worth the investment.
One sweet enhancement would be an app to use my PS3 to be my tivo!
Last edited by PS3addict on 3/30/2009 11:33:37 AM
2 up, 0 down
offshore
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 11:37:17 AM
Reply
Non-gaming software this generation has a big impact on the experience, with online and offline features.
Hopefully the next firmware (tomorrow maybe?) will be a significant upgrade.
In all reality though, it's going to take Sony some time to get their non-game software technology up to speed...after all, MS is 30+ years old and they get software wrong, so Sony has a long way to go.
But at least they've realised that they need to take software more seriously than they have in the past.
3 up, 8 down
JofaMang
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 11:54:47 AM
Don't get me wrong, I utilize the PS3's multi-media functions greatly... but I would trade all non gamer content to have been in the current quality gaming environment 2 freakin years ago.
EDIT: the lack of alternative terms for "Gaming" makes the writer in me cry.
Last edited by JofaMang on 3/30/2009 11:56:33 AM
0 up, 0 down
jaybiv
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 12:07:23 PM
I'm very happy with my PS3. I still think that Sony is only tapping into a fraction of the system's potential. As long as the games are coming, I am content to wait and watch the PS3 evolve.
1 up, 0 down
dveisalive
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 11:52:26 AM
Reply
3 up, 0 down
HOODGE
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 12:22:19 PM
Reply
Playstation Network has a ways to go to outstip Xbox Live. They have a few more much needed features to be able to say that we have everything Live has.
1) Voice messaging is badly needed. Drives me nuts when I always have to type to communicate. Sure Ipods and Blackberry's are cool, but PS3 is not that.
2) In-game private one on one voice chat would be cool if you don't want to hear all the trashtalkers or you're trying to help a friend out with joining you when he just bought a new game and doesn't know how to hook up with you. You can talk him through the process.
3) In relation to point 2, on the Fly game inviting like Live offers is a handy, easy, quick feature that makes online gaming much more attractive and easier. I hate having to type on on some titles which room I'm in, and buy the time they find the room it's already full. Annoys me.
Other than that PSN is an amazing service and with the games having their own dedicated servers, the games run far superior on PSN than live in the area of smoothness and lag.
I realize some will say that Live has those features and can offer them because you have to pay for it, whereas PSN is free. That is true, but when it comes to Online gaming, and in my opinion online is where gamings at today, community is a big thing. And the sense of community is much bigger on Live. Those features help draw community together a lot better.
I do feel Sony can offer these features and I feel they will offer them in future firmware updates. Hopefully this big update we are awaiting will address some of them.
One last thing, Sony needs to improve the voice quality of in game chat. The pickup of background noise is atrocious. Microsofts walkie talkie type ingame chat is much cleaner and less irratating. Easier to understand what people are saying.
0 up, 1 down
JofaMang
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 12:32:38 PM
This tells me that the BlueTooth hardware is more responsible for background noise than the console itself.
1 up, 0 down
Tim Speed24
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 2:03:30 PM
Single player game experience is where it's at for me. Personally on-line gaming I could take it or leave it.
With my personal friends on-line, it's not bad but there are alot of jerks out there that ruin many an on-line game for me.
I want immersive off-line games that transport me to the worlds I'm playing in at the time.
2 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 12:31:58 PM
Reply
2 up, 1 down
HOODGE
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 1:14:10 PM
Reply
But what Sony did with allowing any bluetooth device is very gracious in that you can allow any bluetooth brand out there. Unfortunately the quality of some of these bluetooth headsets are piss poor and by not forcing everyone to use the official Sony headset, you get your fair share of garbage headsets in the mix, which results in all the horrible background noice pick up. Which results in you getting ticked off with all the garbled noice.
Sony should consider packaging their own headset in the next PS4 like Xbox did in having an official wired mic and official wireless mic. That would help on everybody being on the same page with the same quality mic.
Hope they consider that in the future.
0 up, 0 down
Mystearica
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 1:29:39 PM
Reply
I mean it's great and all... just wished it happend earlier
0 up, 0 down
rezenu
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 1:33:48 PM
Reply
1 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 2:18:40 PM
1 up, 0 down
Godslim
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 2:57:11 PM
Reply
trophies have made my singleplayer games last a hell of alot longer
1 up, 0 down
tizzle
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 8:51:27 PM
0 up, 0 down
tu24
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 3:19:14 PM
Reply
thats all I ever hear. and other big games on it, are multiplat on ps3 or pc or even both.
The only reason I went with the PS3 in the first place is because I always preferred Sony's lineup. and Team Ico's next game... but I know I'm not the only one on that one.
4 up, 0 down
JcBball717
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 3:43:55 PM
Reply
0 up, 1 down
rell
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 4:58:59 PM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
shaydey77
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 5:16:16 PM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
Snaaaake
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 9:53:52 PM
Xbox's big franchise is only GeOW and Halo(NG is exclusive no more).
Because Halo is their one and only big franchise.
They're making quite a lot out of it eg. Halo 123(maybe 4), and because a Halo 4 is not quite possible they decided to do a spinoff with Halo ODST, then they decided to attract RTS fan with Halo Wars and another Halo called Halo Chronicles is in development. That's 6 Halo series in a space of 10 years.
Sorry shaydey77, I can't name anymore Xbox360 killer exclusive, they say Alan Wake is an exclusive but it's also on the PC!!
0 up, 0 down
cadpig
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 9:49:48 PM
Reply
Shaydey, Alan Wake for the xbox 360 is going to be really good.
Still, i must admit the PS3 got some killer games comeing. I can't wait for God of war 3 and Ninja Gaiden sigma 2:)
0 up, 0 down
shaydey77
Tuesday, March 31, 2009 @ 8:57:40 AM
0 up, 0 down
Dingodial
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 9:54:31 PM
Reply
But if you were to ask me what feature I use the most, it would be playing games (& movies). Software is the only thing that keeps a game system in the competition. PS3 has many other great features, but it would be a failure if it didn't have any games (no one would buy it).
0 up, 0 down
Akuma07
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 10:20:37 PM
Reply
technically speaking.
Playstation Life. Trophies. Firmwire updates. just about all the stuff Ben mentioned are actually software......
so saying that Sony is finally focusing on their 'software' is the wrong way to say it.
anything and everything that fits onto that little hdd are software. but im SURE everyone here knows that..right.........right?
0 up, 0 down
Arvis
Tuesday, March 31, 2009 @ 11:42:20 AM
-Arvis
0 up, 0 down
Karosso
Tuesday, March 31, 2009 @ 6:56:48 AM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
faraga
Tuesday, March 31, 2009 @ 9:13:48 AM
0 up, 0 down
Karosso
Tuesday, March 31, 2009 @ 10:33:15 AM
Reply
What is the point them? Should I just start downloading pirate copies from torrents websites? Just seems very stupid to me, my friend gave me a pirate DVD for "The inconvenient Truth" and it looked like it was HD, the effect was amazing, so I pulled up my Lord of the Rings extended edition DVDs out and was set to do a LOTR marathon and was disappointed to seem it just looked the same as a regular DVD...
The lamest feature ever?? Seems that way tome.
0 up, 0 down
JofaMang
Reply
Monday, March 30, 2009 @ 11:21:02 AM
They should have been talking software a long time ago, doing otherwise just fed the anti-ps3 flamers. There have been great games for awhile now, and they could have been capitalizing upon that for a lot longer.
Oh well, maybe the announcement tomorrow will be an immediate ps3 price drop with a $300 gt5 bundle in september. Or new premium Flower Themes on the PS Store.
Whatever