Sony Playstation Marketing: a quiet place in days gone?

The biggest problem I think is the ridiculous rumors setting the narrative. We are swamped with stupid ps5 rumors and fake renders, which dominate discussions until we realise it's fake. Rinse, repeat.

Last time at least we had Leadbetter corroborating rumors.
 
What are the suggestions for Sony should have improved/added? eg. What could be added to the PS4 OS or services? What initiatives could be talked about?

Years ago Sony talked about having alphas as an option on PS, which hasn't materialised. XB is a completely open platform in that regards, allowing Creators Club entry level up to AAA development. PSNow seems to garner less attention than Xbox's offerings too - it's basically a more mature version of Xbox Game Pass but Game Pass seems to be talked of with more positivity. PS2 BC should have been progressed and either opened up, or decent games added at a super low price to the store. Really, every positive move MS has made, I'm not seeing a counter from Sony. It's like that part in the fight of a boxing movie where the protagonist decides to stand there getting punched without reply for a few rounds...
 
Actually they are not. The XBOX is now a much better designed product feature wise and it is still evolving.
I dont see the PS5 "delay" as a proper excuse. Sony sat back knowing they sell well the way they are.
In other words, the PS4's sales made Sony stop investing as much on the PS4 whereas they could make improvements on current services and features.

Its damage control. Sony could improve by doing what MS is doing. Maybe do more then just a few AAA titles once in a while, people play those games once or twice and that's it.
 
What are the suggestions for Sony should have improved/added? eg. What could be added to the PS4 OS or services? What initiatives could be talked about?
Not sure what services would be useful, but I really want PSNow to start supporting timed demo on day 1, before buying the physical or digital full version. It must be a clusterfuck to negotiate with all publishers, and this would probably need to be a PS5 requirement. (to be snarky, I expect publishers to claim demos are piracy)

I buy consoles for their games, announced or expected. Then I buy or borrow those games. Then I play. Then I sometimes lend a game to a coworker. Very old school I know.

Different monetization schemes are not interesting so far, but I'm glad if they bring new players on the platform, which in turn provide a bigger budget to the publisher to make more of the games I want to play. It's a selfish world, and it's all about me.
 
What are the suggestions for Sony should have improved/added? eg. What could be added to the PS4 OS or services? What initiatives could be talked about?

Years ago Sony talked about having alphas as an option on PS, which hasn't materialised. XB is a completely open platform in that regards, allowing Creators Club entry level up to AAA development. PSNow seems to garner less attention than Xbox's offerings too - it's basically a more mature version of Xbox Game Pass but Game Pass seems to be talked of with more positivity. PS2 BC should have been progressed and either opened up, or decent games added at a super low price to the store. Really, every positive move MS has made, I'm not seeing a counter from Sony. It's like that part in the fight of a boxing movie where the protagonist decides to stand there getting punched without reply for a few rounds...
All this makes me suspect that Sony may lack the business infrastructure or resources to support the product and various other services appropriately or something makes them critically conservative in the resources they relase for SCE.
Which may not be a good sign. Maybe thats why PS Now hasn't seen much evolution all these years. Or why PS2 BC stayed stagnant. Makes me wonder how Playstation Vue fairs as a service too.
Competition demonstrate their capabilities. Sony does not. This is the worrying aspect. They give signs that they can't stretch.
 
All this makes me suspect that Sony may lack the business infrastructure or resources to support the product and various other services appropriately or something makes them critically conservative in the resources they relase for SCE.
Which may not be a good sign. Maybe thats why PS Now hasn't seen much evolution all these years. Or why PS2 BC stayed stagnant. Makes me wonder how Playstation Vue fairs as a service too.
Competition demonstrate their capabilities. Sony does not. This is the worrying aspect. They give signs that they can't stretch.
They continue to grow the hardware base by over 2 to 1 over the competition, with no signs of slowing down.

Reaching 100 million users at the end of the year, who are continuing to build their library which will follow through next gen. (would need quite a dramatic event for anyone to ditch their entire library of games next gen, what would that be? No physical drive? No BC? PS5 made from strangled kittens?)

They win a truckload of games awards in multiple categories, every year. This has no signs of slowing down either.

They continue to launch new AAA IPs every year, instead of milking the 5th or 10th game of an old franchise. And the new IPs are also critically acclaimed. AAA new IPs are getting rare in this day and age.

Half a dozen first-party AAA are coming out between now and the PS5 (next year).

Whatever the "competition" is doing talking about "services", it's not impacting the market, it's obviously targetting the existing base. The current generation is almost over. Everyone is simply waiting for the PS5 annoucement. Nothing impactful can happen until next year. I have no idea what announcement would make any sense unless it's the PS5.

They announced massive investment into the next phase of PSNow (meaning PS5 level hardware) while the competiton is barely talking about a beta in 2019.

But seriously, what services do want?
 
What are the suggestions for Sony should have improved/added? eg. What could be added to the PS4 OS or services? What initiatives could be talked about?

Years ago Sony talked about having alphas as an option on PS, which hasn't materialised. XB is a completely open platform in that regards, allowing Creators Club entry level up to AAA development. PSNow seems to garner less attention than Xbox's offerings too - it's basically a more mature version of Xbox Game Pass but Game Pass seems to be talked of with more positivity. PS2 BC should have been progressed and either opened up, or decent games added at a super low price to the store. Really, every positive move MS has made, I'm not seeing a counter from Sony. It's like that part in the fight of a boxing movie where the protagonist decides to stand there getting punched without reply for a few rounds...

PSN do have a few alpha and early access titles. The upcoming one will be dreams
 
Sony are killing it, they're are in a very strong position, they know their market and know what they will do, The Playstation division is doing well for them so it makes sense to invest more aggressively in a market that keeps on growing. That is why I think the PS5 will rock. The new XBOX will also be formidable, this is gonna be a big fight with billions of dollars at stake so none are taking this lightly.
We are in the dark that's all and its not surprising considering what is at stake.
 
The Original PS and PS2 had also a super momentum but until the end we were treated with a slew of amazing titles, events and news.

I can't remember much about the tail end of the the PlayStation's lifecycle but I recall vividly the years o PS2 before PS3 launched in 2006/07 but I can't recall anything of note. What is it Sony did then, that they aren't doing now? Excepting that Sony have pulled from E3.

Years ago Sony talked about having alphas as an option on PS, which hasn't materialised.

Alphas?

PS2 BC should have been progressed and either opened up, or decent games added at a super low price to the store. Really, every positive move MS has made, I'm not seeing a counter from Sony. It's like that part in the fight of a boxing movie where the protagonist decides to stand there getting punched without reply for a few rounds...

I'd wager the market for PS2 software isn't sufficiently big enough to justify whatever effort this takes. If it was, they'd have done it already.
 
Its their half assed execution, no news, no special updates, moves that raise questions than answer. Even some PlayStation Pro games barely get proper enhancements. The product gives the impression that its on autopilot. We had a few eyebrow raising news too. From Yoahida's emphasis "its about the player" we ve seen movements that suggest now the product has no identity. The brand is now handled for short term money saving/making. We are getting disappointing news (see Drive Club removal, Fortnite account scandal, lack of cross platform play support, Some Pro games barely if at all meet the minimum enhancent requirements promised), complete negligence (no updated or improved features on the console, MS and Nintendo making interesting partnerships and hardware revisions, both get games that were originally PS exclusive, MS is constantly updating their console features, while MS is expanding their 1st Party studios Sony seems to close them down, PS Now is still a pricey service that hasn't improved much, the promised option to change your username has still not become a reality, remote play still not supported by Android devices unless you have an Xperia, you still can't find a proper list manager of your purchases in PSN and Sony has closed down their Sony Entertainment site and it is now a generic account management.The PS App has not seen proper improvents all these years. They have made it less functional by making messaging a separate app), plus spasmodic moves with no thought whatsoever (They would have been better off not announcing State of Play at all. They didnt even try. It was a generic compilation of game footage). And I am sure there is more. Is MS going to E3 BTW?

The State of Play was amazing for PSVR users, which believe it or not is where the future is. We'll see more and more diminishing returns from performance increases on flat gaming. You'll be playing essentially the sames games, just a little bit prettier. VR is the game changer, they know that and know they have to push heavily for VR as a clear advantage they have over XBox. If you look at r/PSVR you will see plenty of posts by converted Xbox users because of VR alone. Resistance is futile.
 
Early access titles. Although many will argue that's the typical state of EA and Ubi AAA releases. Still, at the beginning of the gen there was the possibility of PS being more open to developers, but that avenue doesn't seem to have opened. In fact Sony seem harder to work with as an Indie now than in the PS3 days when they loved indies (based only on anecdotal evidence though). Meanwhile, MS has made it so anyone with a console can be a developer with a no-barriers platform and the option to move a product up through the different tiers. That's a really great service. Switch is supposed to be cheap and easy to get onto also.
 
hmmm just looked at a list of 2019+ titles to come cause maybe reality is different than how I thought, platform exclusives https://www.gamesradar.com/new-games-2019/

PS4 (bold AAA games)

Days Gone
Dreams
Shenmue 3

Spelunky 2
Ghost of Tsushima
Knights and Bikes
The Last of Us Part 2
Death Stranding
Final Fantasy 7 Remake
(timed exclusive)

xbox one

Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Phoenix Point
Ooblets
Gears 5
Halo Infinite


Yes the xbox has been on a role recently with their exclusives eg crackdown 3, sea of thieves etc but seriously which console in better shape to have a better 2019?
 
Seems to be a strange conversation going on.
I've not seen one person that had said they think ps is not going to have any good games. I've also not seen anyone say that ps4 will not continue to sell well enough.
Is it because this thread was spun off and people haven't realised what it's about now?
It's like people are asking about what's in left hand and people keep saying look how great glove on right hand is. And that's from other people, not from the person being asked even.

An example of where Sony could give guidance / info without going into any specific details about next gen is BC. It would be easy for them to say "we're not ready to discuss any future hardware as of yet, but our gamers can feel confident that any thing they purchase now will be compatible with it"

People keep being told their buying into a platform, an ecosystem now, yet when they want to hear more about it, their given a list of games.

People not hearing anything about anything can be concerning.
 
They continue to grow the hardware base by over 2 to 1 over the competition, with no signs of slowing down.

Reaching 100 million users at the end of the year, who are continuing to build their library which will follow through next gen. (would need quite a dramatic event for anyone to ditch their entire library of games next gen, what would that be? No physical drive? No BC? PS5 made from strangled kittens?)

They win a truckload of games awards in multiple categories, every year. This has no signs of slowing down either.

They continue to launch new AAA IPs every year, instead of milking the 5th or 10th game of an old franchise. And the new IPs are also critically acclaimed. AAA new IPs are getting rare in this day and age.

Half a dozen first-party AAA are coming out between now and the PS5 (next year).

Whatever the "competition" is doing talking about "services", it's not impacting the market, it's obviously targetting the existing base. The current generation is almost over. Everyone is simply waiting for the PS5 annoucement. Nothing impactful can happen until next year. I have no idea what announcement would make any sense unless it's the PS5.

They announced massive investment into the next phase of PSNow (meaning PS5 level hardware) while the competiton is barely talking about a beta in 2019.

But seriously, what services do want?
Nobody denied that the PS4 is selling well. That's besides the point. You are also viewing the situation from a myopic perspective.
 
Nobody denied that the PS4 is selling well. That's besides the point. You are also viewing the situation from a myopic perspective.
It's unfair to call it myopic. It's just focussed. For MrFox, and likely lots of other people, as long as a games console gets games, they're happy. For others, they want more of a platform and ongoing excitement around it. Those who aren't of the latter mindset clearly don't understand it, which is fine, but they really haven't got much to add to this conversation as a result. ;) Like popping into a discussion thread about arthritis and posting, "I don't have any. All my joints work fine and I'm really happy." Or posting in a forum for feedback on a restaurant in a thread about a lack of Vegan options, "The meat dishes are delicious though and this restaurant is great for me!"

This thread is not about the games or library of PS4, but the ongoing brand presence and Sony community connection, and people voicing what they miss and what they'd like to see, which PS4 having games doesn't change.
 
I can't remember much about the tail end of the the PlayStation's lifecycle but I recall vividly the years o PS2 before PS3 launched in 2006/07 but I can't recall anything of note. What is it Sony did then, that they aren't doing now? Excepting that Sony have pulled from E3.
I remember Sony doing various Playstation promotion events, more ad campaigns, and a huge amount of exclusives being announced plus E3 until the very end.
But we see stagnancy on various Playstation features for a very very long time now. Like PS Now and PS2 BC. It's not just this year.
 
It's unfair to call it myopic. It's just focussed. For MrFox, and likely lots of other people, as long as a games console gets games, they're happy. For others, they want more of a platform and ongoing excitement around it. Those who aren't of the latter mindset clearly don't understand it, which is fine, but they really haven't got much to add to this conversation as a result. ;) Like popping into a discussion thread about arthritis and posting, "I don't have any. All my joints work fine and I'm really happy." Or posting in a forum for feedback on a restaurant in a thread about a lack of Vegan options, "The meat dishes are delicious though and this restaurant is great for me!"

This thread is not about the games or library of PS4, but the ongoing brand presence and Sony community connection, and people voicing what they miss and what they'd like to see, which PS4 having games doesn't change.

We (me and MrFox) aren't discussing the same thing then apparently. :p
 
Maybe Sony, for the first time in the history of their Playstation branch, decided not to give adopters of niche, expensive-as-hell hardware the finger even though mainstream acceptance hasn't happened yet? Isn't that a good thing? I mean save for some brief demo reels, PS VR has been a no-show at just about every big public Sony event. The poor PS Vita shared a similar fate. The Last of Us 2 got more exposure at last year's E3 than every friggin' PSVR game combined since the hardware launched a couple of years ago. Does anyone seriously believe Sony is gonna abandon their stationary gaming hardware because of a cheaply-made Nintendo treehouse ripoff?

The whole thing doesn't scream abandonment of the core audience to me. Seems more like Sony begrudgingly throwing a bone to a starving niche. A niche that's always been a peculiar brand of gamers very eager to spend to a lot of money on a thing they love.
 
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Maybe Sony, for the first time in the history of their Playstation branch, decided not to give adopters of niche, expensive-as-hell hardware the finger even though mainstream acceptance hasn't happened yet? Isn't that a good thing? I mean save for some brief demo reels, PS VR has been a no-show at just about every big public Sony event. The poor PS Vita shared a similar fate. The Last of Us 2 got more exposure at last year's E3 than every friggin' PSVR game combined since the hardware launched a couple of years ago. Does anyone seriously believe Sony is gonna abandon their stationary gaming hardware because of a cheaply-made Nintendo treehouse ripoff?

The whole thing doesn't scream abandonment of the core audience to me. Seems more like Sony begrudgingly throwing a bone to a starving niche. A niche that's always been a peculiar brand of gamers very eager to spend to a lot of money on a thing they love.
But nobody implied Sony should not show support for VR anyways nor that they shouldnt have shown VR.
 
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