[PS3] Singstar

[patsu]

Well... if only they sell it in US

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I've a friend considering this for his missus, but a look at the track listing was a disappointment. No ABBA and no Westend/Broadway musicals, personally I'm not sure she'd find much she go for. These seem kinda shocking omissions to the library to me.

 

[Arwin]

It's all about the licencing. They're doing the best they can ... you can basically expect all the SingStar stuff that's out on PS2 to return in the PS3 store, as well as a lot of new stuff - so even that high-school musical edition for the PS2 should get up there eventually .

Overall, with 199 songs up there already and more coming just about every two weeks, it's moving along pretty fast now. By the time of the U.S. release they expect to be at about 300, and I doubt it will stop there.

I can't really believe that there's much people out there now that wouldn't be able to find a song they really enjoy singing, but even then all the fun online and offline media stuff alone as well as all the party features are all really worth it. Of course, you do really want to get that PS Eye with it (although I think it's compatible with the older EyeToy which you can probably get for free, as well as some webcams I think - but you can't play Creature Feature and a lot of tthe other webcam games with anything but the PS Eye of course).

 

[patsu]

They should tie this with their upcoming video + music store ?

 

[Npl]

does the game have "regional lock" similar to PSN, ie. different vids available for different Countries?
I hate this on PSN.

 

[Arwin]

Not within Europe anyway. You can filter for and purchase and download songs in any language. By default you see the English language songs, but you can do a search and then language is one of the criteria.

The SingStore really is still miles ahead of PSN, and PSN should follow it as much as it can, imho.

 

[Arwin]

The awesomeness continues! This game is ace.

English:

Ace of Base "Life Is A Flower"
Alcazar "Not A Sinner, Nor A Saint"
Ash "Oh Yeah"
Blue Öyster Cult "(Don't Fear) The Reaper"
Boston "More Than A Feeling"
Burhan G "Who Is He?"
Culture Club "Karma Chameleon"
Cyndi Lauper "She Bop"
David Lee Roth "Just A Gigolo - I Ain't Got Nobody"
HIM "Right Here In My Arms"
Natasha Bedingfield "Single"
R.E.M. "Stand"
Radiohead "High And Dry"
Richard Hawley "Tonight The Streets Are Ours"
Suede "Beautiful Ones"
Survivor "Eye Of The Tiger"
Terence Trent D'Arby "Sign Your Name"
The Magic Numbers "This Is A Song"
The Monroes "Sunday People"
The Poodles "Night Of Passion"
The Rasmus "In The Shadows"
Toto "Hold The Line"
Westlife "Flying Without Wings"

Danish:

Rollo & King "Der Står Et Billed Af Dig På Mit Bord"

Dutch:

Circus Custers "Verliefd"
Hans de Booy "Alle Vrouwen"
Heideroosjes "Iedereen Is Gek"
Johan Verminnen "Mooie Dagen"

Finnish:

Aki Sirkesalo "Naispaholainen"
Anssi Kela "Milla"
Don Huonot "Riidankylväjä"
Neljä Ruusua "Juppihippipunkkari"
Pelle Miljoona Oy "Moottoritie On Kuuma"
PMMP "Pikkuveli"

German:

2raumwohnung "36grad"
2raumwohnung "Wir Trafen Uns In Einem Garten"
De Randfichten "Lebt Denn Dr Alte Holzmichl Noch...?"
Dieter Thomas Kuhn "Es War Sommer (Die Wahre Geschichte)"
Freundeskreis "A-N-N-A"
Revolverheld "Generation Rock"
Wir Sind Helden "Wenn Es Passiert"

Portuguese:

Anjos "Eu Estou Aqui (Yo soy aquél)"
Da Weasel "Dúia"
D'ZRT "Verão Azul"
EZ Special "Sei Que Sabes Que Sim"

Spanish:

Burning "¿Qué Hace Una Chica Como Tú..?"
Hombres G "Lo Noto"
Hombres G "No Te Escaparás

 

[Arwin]

And another update. Some songs here I really like too, including a Dutch one which is one of the few songs I rather liked in my native language And with Radar Love also included us Dutchies have a lot to cheer about.

English Language
Avril Lavigne - Complicated
Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack - Tonight I Celebrate My Love
Good Charlotte - I Just Wanna Live
The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations
Shocking Blue - Venus
Golden Earring - Radar Love
The Hives - Hate To Say I Told You So
Hard-Fi - Hard To Beat
Avril Lavigne - My Happy Ending
Erik Faber - Not Over
Cutting Crew - (I Just) Died In Your Arms
R.E.M. - Everybody Hurts
Wilson Phillips - Hold On
Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You shouldn't've)?
Alphabeat - Fantastic 6
The Vines - Get Free
Roy Orbison - Only The Lonely (Know The Way I Feel)
Westlife - Queen Of My Heart
The Hoosiers - Cops N Robbers
Coldplay - Shiver
Coldplay - The Scientist
Duran Duran - The Reflex
Moloko - Sing It Back
Aslan - This Is

Dutch Language
Het Goede Doel - Belgie
Kadanz - Intimiteit

French Language
K-Maro - Histoires De Luv
Luke - La sentinelle

Norwegian Language
Tine - Vil ha deg

Portuguese Language
André Sardet - Foi feitiço
Clã - Tira A Teima
Humanos - Maria Albertina
Três Tristes Tigres - O Mundo A Meus Pés

Spanish Language
El Arrebato - Búscate Un Hombre Que Te Quiera

 

[Arwin]

So it's out in the U.S. now, right? Look forward to hearing some impressions. I noticed in another thread that Patsu picked it up.

It's, like, really awesome you know.

Reviews popping up here and there too:

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/875/875205p3.html 8.5/10.

I notice there are some small improvements in this version, so it'll be interesting to see if we get a downloadable update in Europe now too.

 

[djskribbles]

my sister loves these kind of games so shes probably going to pick it up sometime. she just bought that american idol encore game... she comes over whenever she can and plays that thing all day as she doesn't have a ps3.

 

[patsu]

So it's out in the U.S. now, right? Look forward to hearing some impressions. I noticed in another thread that Patsu picked it up.

It's, like, really awesome you know.

Reviews popping up here and there too:

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/875/875205p3.html 8.5/10.

I notice there are some small improvements in this version, so it'll be interesting to see if we get a downloadable update in Europe now too.

Aye, I am swarmed with work this week and probably next too. Have not opened SingStar yet. I probably won't try it until I have a good hour or so.

 

[Carl B]

I picked the game up today - going to the beach this weekend and I guess the big question is whether the PS3 and the game come with me... or not. BUT, I figured I had to get it, especially given the high praise from fellow EoJ player Arwin, who I know has been all over this for months now.

Suffice to say that unless there's a marketing campaign I'm not seeing around here, Sony's dropped the ball on this thing again. But hopefully a wide song selection and word-of-mouth will get the job done.

 

[Lucid_Dreamer]

This game has sucked up SO much of my time and money (downloads). I'm in the Hall of Fame and Pick of the Week with about 50 ratings. I must have some talent, then (or everyone else is that bad).

It's amazing how the game pulls you in!

 

[djskribbles]

I picked the game up today - going to the beach this weekend and I guess the big question is whether the PS3 and the game come with me... or not. BUT, I figured I had to get it, especially given the high praise from fellow EoJ player Arwin, who I know has been all over this for months now.

Suffice to say that unless there's a marketing campaign I'm not seeing around here, Sony's dropped the ball on this thing again. But hopefully a wide song selection and word-of-mouth will get the job done.

agreed... i haven't seen ANY Singstar ads here in Canada. these are the type of games that draw in casual gamers. my sister and her friends LOVE these kind of games.

 

[patsu]

Yeah, I thought it's a waste too ! My feeling is they are focusing all their marketing resources on a few key titles (R2, LBP and MGS4) for gamers.

To sell effectively to the casuals, Sony will need a lot more marketing dollars and the price point has to be right.

The proven way is to introduce new concepts that will excite consumers at large (e.g., PS Eye software like Toshiba's "Magic Mirror"). Then, market a suitable PS3 package heavily at the right place and price.

For SingStar PS3, if we don't see any ads, it may mean they are trying to make money out of the existing base first. We will see some ads later once the game sold through well enough. This will allow them to control their cost more carefully.

 

[Gradthrawn]

Yeah, I thought it's a waste too ! My feeling is they are focusing all their marketing resources on a few key titles (R2, LBP and MGS4) for gamers.

To sell effectively to the casuals, Sony will need a lot more marketing dollars and the price point has to be right.

The proven way is to introduce new concepts that will excite consumers at large (e.g., PS Eye software like "Magic Mirror"). Then, market a suitable PS3 package heavily at the right place and price.

For SingStar PS3, if we don't see any ads, it may mean they are trying to make money out of the existing base first. We will see some ads later once the game sold through well enough. This will allow them to control their cost more carefully.

SCEA's marketing campaign, frankly, baffles me at this point. Having gone from what I would consider incredibly effective and iconic ads of the PS2-era (during most of its prime) to the somewhat abstract and arguably ineffective ads for the PS3 I'm not sure they know exactly what market(s) they should be targeting nor how. Your potential marketing plan for Sing Star sounds reasonable and feasible, which makes me wonder if that's their plan at all (of if they even have one).

Perhaps they plan to hold off for now, and do a multi-pronged attack during the holiday season for NA. There will be a very nice "casual" gaming selection available at that point (led by titles such as Sing Star, LBP, and numerous PSN releases), along with a bevy of "heavy hitters" available for the so called "traditional" gamers. Family friendliness and eye catching graphics abound.

On a side note, I wonder if its coincidental that SCEE is arguably at the forefront of "disruptive" gaming for SCEWWS, and that Europe is perhaps SCE's strongest market? That's more OT than the marketing tactics discussion, though.

 

[Arwin]

I'm willing to bet that SCEA is at least 50% why Phil Harrson left, which SCEJ being the other half. So yeah, SCEE has been awesome during the PS2 era, and hopefully they keep it up!

Good to hear some of you guys picked it up. Yes, it's definitely something to take along to the beach to have (drunken or not) late night singing sessions with the friends/family! Though if you don't have interent there you may want to check out some DLC before you go ... (probably too late as you've gone already, but then you may just have internet there anyway).

Even the non-singers can be easily persuaded and in the worst case, still very much entertained by the 'youtube' aspect of the game. The PS Eye you already have obviously which makes this game at least one point better than without.

I heard that SCEA did throw some kind of launch party with some famous popstars, but it's not been in the press too much unfortunately.

Also, I heard that there has been a small explosion of very funny videos in SingStar's online media gallery (apparently partly created by Lucid_Dreamer? ) thanks to the Yanks getting access to the game, so at least some people have picked it up it seems.

Hey, I just realised I can make one of those really cute videos with tiny children in it myself now. It'll easily be better than what I put up there now. Look forward to you guys putting up some videos of yourself also. Give us a shout here if you do, so we can go check them out ...

 

[patsu]

Ha ha ! I passed my copy to another PS3 friend yesterday dinner. Given recent development, I probably won't have time to look at it until mid/late June

Gradthrawn, I agree with you that they have lost their focus/grasp on who they should serve earlier on. They have improved again compared to earlier this year. Still not at the level of companies like Nintendo and Apple yet. They may need to tune their focus some more, but not just targeting hardcore gamers, and then drum their appeal repeatedly. Now they seem to be coy (probably restrained by profitability target).

EDIT: Here's something mildy interesting... about bringing back "madness" into the Sony culture:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121148106220714853.html?mod=rss_whats_news_technology

"I'm asking you to get mad," Mr. Stringer said in one of his most strongly worded speeches, according to those people. He also asked them to be more "energetic," "bold" and "imaginative" in running their businesses.

Fundamentally, I doubt the overall effectiveness of such manager led programs. The top executives always curb them in the end because of their own measurements. It should be top-down like what Kutaragi did: Lead by example, or support them "in front" fully (Throw the top guy's reputation and skin in !). If the executives are only providing backend support and pull back or play pawns behind, it will be counter-productive.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Perhaps they plan to hold off for now, and do a multi-pronged attack during the holiday season for NA.

Surely there's no better ad' then millions of happy users sharing their gaming experience with friends and family? I'd rather spend $n milllion on advertising now and sell a million extra units between now and the [strike]commercial[/strike] holiday season, and have that advertising snowball consumer awareness through word-of-mouth, then spend that same budget just before people start buying. Wii sold with very little direct advertising by Nintendo because they managed to make a name for themselves and let the media and public do their advertising for them.

 

[Gradthrawn]

Surely there's no better ad' then millions of happy users sharing their gaming experience with friends and family?

Outside of giving the game away for free to millions, I can't think of many better ways.

I'd rather spend $n milllion on advertising now and sell a million extra units between now and the [strike]commercial[/strike] holiday season, and have that advertising snowball consumer awareness through word-of-mouth, then spend that same budget just before people start buying. Wii sold with very little direct advertising by Nintendo because they managed to make a name for themselves and let the media and public do their advertising for them.

Good point. Strong word-of-mouth sales to build momentum, carried into the holiday season. The issue then being how to handle that initial advertising push. How to execute? So, what is it that SCEE does for their market that nets them considerably better sales of titles such as Sing Star, Buzz, and Eye games than SCEA? I know what SCEA doesn't do, but I am curious as to what SCEE is doing.

Although, I'm going further off-topic.