Sony Playstation Marketing: a quiet place in days gone?

I can't see PSVR ever becoming more than a niche in its current form. As I mentioned in my feedback in the VR forum, it's very blurry and awkward. 10 million unit sales over the lifetime of PS4 will be fantastic for it, which'll also mean it's all of 10% of the market. So at the same time, PS4 is 'abandoned' but also, focus is moved onto the one aspect of it that's still going somewhere. If you like PSVR, PS4 is still full of excitement. If you don't, there's nowt ahead but the wait for PS5 (beyond playing games, of course).

That is your experience, as for me and many others, it's already good as it is.

However, by PSVR read VR on Playstation, including a new headset launched maybe a year after the PS5.

Nice coincidence, this article released today:

"The PS4's future is PSVR"

https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/2/1...svr-future-virtual-reality-iron-man-games-ps5

You might not like it, you might think it's a mistake, but the writing is on the wall.
 
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Except that PSVR by now is a known variable, it has been out for more than 2 years, unlike Microsoft with the original Xbox One. Sony has plenty of feedback from the 4.2 Million Units sold to be able to make decisions.

And therefore it's known that VR-related content will only be of interest to a single-digit percentage of your user-base. And for the vast majority? *crickets*

I get why some people are upset. I think it's really petty to trivialize those people and their concerns because what Sony is doing just happens to serve your interests.
 
And therefore it's known that VR-related content will only be of interest to a single-digit percentage of your user-base. And for the vast majority? *crickets*

I get why some people are upset. I think it's really petty to trivialize those people and their concerns because what Sony is doing just happens to serve your interests.

Yeah, I mean I guess that several people that preferred horses to cars were really upset when they started sharing the road with them. How dare they? *Rolls eyes*

We don't live in a static world. VR will eventually represent a decent chunk of the player base. It will only get there if Sony and others support it.

Regarding the vast majority, was the PS4 just launched now? Have flat gamers not had their Bloodborne, God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, Detroit, Spiderman and many other AAA games from Sony? Are they not getting still Death Stranding, Days Gone, The Last of Us 2?

What's wrong really about it being VR turn? And I'm the one being petty? Really?
 
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In terms of genuine value-bringing announcements and ideas, maybe there isn't much that can be done? The end result is a sense of lacking that's more a lamentation of the good old days when consoles and tech was exciting. Now it's humdrum, and besides giving you games to play perhaps there is no halo culture to enjoy? Maybe the days of exciting E3's and megaton games and interesting new (eventually useless) ideas like PSTV are behind us and PS has matured into a very sensible games-delivering box? A family sedan rather than the quirky two-seater open-top coupé of its predecessors.

Well, exciting new and exotic console tech kinda bit Sony in the butt last gen. Arguably twice if you look at how the state-of-art Vita handheld was slaughtered by the 3DS. People were clamoring for the humdrum gaming box that basically just works while not breaking the bank and Sony listened. Worked like a charm for them.
 
Yeah, I mean I guess that several people that preferred horses to cars were really upset when they started sharing the road with them. How dare them? *Rolls eyes*

We don't live in a static world. VR will eventually represent a decent chunk of the player base. It will only get there if Sony and others support it.

Regarding the vast majority, was the PS4 just launched now? Have flat gamers not had their Bloodborne, God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, Detroit and many other AAA games from Sony? Are they not getting still Death Stranding, Days Gone, The Last of Us 2?

What's wrong really about it being VR turn? And I'm the one being petty? Really?

Yes, you are.
 
Each individual added value feature can be seen as "it's not the number one reason to buy it for most people, but it reaches an additional demographic"

Judging from interviews at launch, Sony was clearly focussed on the primary reason gamers would choose a playstation, and only then added psvr and psnow to grow what they already had in the bag. They delivered, and continue to deliver, on first party games, on streaming, and on VR. There's room for improvement but they have been practically unchallenged on all three.

What should they do to grow even more next gen without alienating their hard earned existing base?

UHD bluray
More power
More games
Expand psvue channels
Upgrade psnow hardware
New 4k psvr
Improve the DS4, maybe add a screen :p
 
And therefore it's known that VR-related content will only be of interest to a single-digit percentage of your user-base. And for the vast majority? *crickets*

I get why some people are upset. I think it's really petty to trivialize those people and their concerns because what Sony is doing just happens to serve your interests.

I just don't get what they're concerned about. That the PSVR wasn't treated as anything but an afterthought for the first time ever? Besides, at least half of the games shown were regular PS4 games.
 
It's not only about vr

We’re introducing a new video programme called State of Play, and the first episode kicks off Monday, 25th March at 9pm GMT / 10pm CET.

State of Play will give you updates and announcements from the world of PlayStation. Our first episode will showcase upcoming PS4 and PS VR software, including new trailers, new game announcements and new gameplay footage.

And this is just the beginning! State of Play will return throughout the year with more updates and announcements.

https://blog.eu.playstation.com/201...new-video-showcase-debuts-monday/#sf209756983
 
You can't deny VR is an evolution of gaming, irrespective of its market share.

If you think the expression "flat gamers" is an insult in any way, you are very easily triggered.

It is one evolution, yes. It should continue to grow as technology improves the fidelity of the experience and removes some of the clunkiness.

That's not really the issue, though. What VR is or may become is separate from whether it's OK for you to trivialize the disappointment many feel with Sony's current focus. This isn't on them, it's on Sony.

As for why "flat gamers" bothered me; why label a group when that group represents the vast majority? That is usually done to represent them as "other", they are not "other" they are almost everyone within the population of PS4 gamers and an even larger proportion of gamers as a whole.
 
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I just don't get what they're concerned about. That the PSVR wasn't treated as anything but an afterthought for the first time ever? Besides, at least half of the games shown were regular PS4 games.

It's really not hard to understand. For some people, Sony appear to be taking their foot of the gas and coasting into next gen. This event became a lightning rod for people to express that feeling. They have come to expect Sony to continually surprise and delight them and of late those surprises and delights have been coming less often.

I'm not saying I feel that way, but I do understand how someone might.

I have to wonder if Sony were not skipping E3, whether they would be getting this level of grief over this event.
 
It is one evolution, yes. It should continue to grow as technology improves the fidelity of he experience and removes some of the clunkiness.

That's not really the issue, though. What VR is or may become is separate from whether it's OK for you to trivialize the disappointment many feel with Sony's current focus. This isn't on them, it's on Sony.

What's not trivial about it? Is Gaming essential to one's life? Were there not flat PS4 games shown in State of Play as well? Is Sony not launching more flat AAA games this year? They generated a mountain out of a molehill, whining all the way in their tantrum. I fail to see what reason Sony fans have to be annoyed at a 20 minute reel Vs what they got since 2013.

Man, if they feel disappointed by something as trivial as this, I chiver only to think about what they do when things that really matter in life bite them in the ass.

As for why "flat gamers" bothered me; why label a group when that group represents the vast majority? That is usually done to represent them as "other", they are not "other" they are almost everyone within the population of PS4 gamers and an even larger proportion of gamers as a whole.

You are the one seeing that expression as representing "the others". It does not make sense since every PSVR gamer also plays flat games (maybe increasingly less so, but still), me included. The expression simply means "gamers who mostly plays flat games or don't play VR games at all". Flat obviously comes from the fact that our current TVs have flat screens and there is no real sense of depth in the image. It's shorter and more elegant than say non-VR gamers.
 
Is e3 even relevant anymore? Isn't hype generated via twitch streaming and influencers? If sony is launching 2020 it would be way too early to communicate now. To me it looks like there is more reasons to be quiet now than try to make noise.
 
Is e3 even relevant anymore? Isn't hype generated via twitch streaming and influencers? If sony is launching 2020 it would be way too early to communicate now. To me it looks like there is more reasons to be quiet now than try to make noise.

From who's perspective? Because this thread is about the perception of consumers in the market. It's not about the "why" of it, it's about the effect it is having.
 
It's really not hard to understand. For some people, Sony appear to be taking their foot of the gas and coasting into next gen. This event became a lightning rod for people to express that feeling. They have come to expect Sony to continually surprise and delight them and of late those surprises and delights have been coming less often.

You will see me saying the following as being even more petty but I don't care.

These people should look for additional exciting things in life than what Sony does or not with Playstation. It's just not normal to be so upset and preoccupied with a leisure activity.
 
From who's perspective? Because this thread is about the perception of consumers in the market. It's not about the "why" of it, it's about the effect it is having.

Old grumpy men in this forum or the big market of young people playing fortnite and twitching?
 
Old grumpy men in this forum or the big market of young people playing fortnite and twitching?

Again, people here seem to think they know better about what Sony should be doing than Sony itself, without all the volumes of information Sony has on sales, attachment rates, profitability, ROI etc...
 
Old grumpy men in this forum or the big market of young people playing fortnite and twitching?

The latter, along with VR, is the market Sony (based on job listings) have indicated they intend to focus on. So, this isn't really surprising nor is the reaction of the former group (setting aside the unflattering characterization) to this choice of focus.
 
Again, people here seem to think they know better about what Sony should be doing than Sony itself, without all the volumes of information Sony has on sales, attachment rates, profitability, ROI etc...

None of this is material as to whether a segment of their user base are right to be unhappy about some of the choices they are making. What's best for Sony shouldn't be a consideration for a consumer.
 
You will see me saying the following as being even more petty but I don't care.

These people should look for additional exciting things in life than what Sony does or not with Playstation. It's just not normal to be so upset and preoccupied with a leisure activity.

And yet here you are upset and preoccupied with those people being upset and preoccupied. So...
 
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