The DSi launches this weekend in case you were living in a cave or like ignoring major gaming news, and whenever a major system launches the competitors have to say something, right? It makes sense; the competition has a new toy and you don't want everyone rushing over to it, so you chirp up with a few words about how your toy is still really cool. What you do not do is come out spewing things that most people know aren't true and thus come out sounding like a total jerk.
Enter Sony. The makers of the Playstation Portable have opened their mouth and decided to speak up about the DSi with a wonderful little statement that makes them seem a bit out of touch. John Koller, Director of Hardware Marketing for Sony Computer Entertainment America, dumped this little bit of knowledge out there:
"If Nintendo is really committed to reaching a broader, more diverse audience of gamers beyond the "kids" market that they've always engaged, there isn't much new with the DSi to support that. Significant gamer demographic groups are being ignored, and there continues to be limited opportunities for games from external publishers to do well on the DSi. Compare that with the PSP platform, where we have many blockbuster franchises from our publishing partners launching this year, representing a wide variety of genres and targeting diverse demographics. Games such as Rock Band Unplugged from MTV Games, Assassin's Creed from Ubisoft, Dissidia Final Fantasy from Square Enix, and Hannah Montana from Disney demonstrate the commitment that publishers have to the PSP. From our own first-party studios, we're launching unique versions of LittleBigPlanet and MotorStorm, and we're also planning a steady stream of downloadable games -- both new titles and PSone classics -- to add to the content that PSP owners can already purchase wirelessly through PlayStation Store."
What? I don't think the DS has been considered a "kids" system for the better part of three years. Did I somehow buy the DS that had great games launching on it constantly and everyone else get the one that didn't evolve past its first year of releases? Oh, and someone over at Sony might want to check the monthly sales charts of DS games because third parties rule them (as does Nintendo). Speaking ill of your competition is par for the course, but if you're going to do it at least keep your twisted truths slighty truthful.
Matthew Razak is Destructoid's Associate editor and co-founder of film site
Flixist. He began as community member "cowzilla" and was since sequestered to write brainy features material. He lives in Los Angeles with his beautiful wife.
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Contest:
9:00 AM on 04.05.2009
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lol Hannah Montana,
Because the only forseeable target for the kind of company smack-talk are the kids who need to be told that their system is better, or more "grown-up" or whatever...
Are they the ones Sony are gunning toward with this statement?
It completely confuses me why every company in this industry must constantly put its voice forward with ill informed advice, and expect regular people to belive it! Dont they all realise that this makes them look stupider, rather than smarter?
Sowuh grayyypes
I don't need yooouu anyway
DS- Kids
-Just a bunch of babies dissing the other kid's fortune. Ha. Big kid @ heart here just playing with his handhelds.
That's all that need be said.
And he's bragging about the PSone classics? They've only put out 10 of those over 3 years, and it's crap like 2Xtreme.
I have both a PSP and a DS and they both get about equal play despite everyone always complaining about the PSP having no games.
Basically, the only "great" games that the DS has would be Elite Beat Agents, The World Ends with You, and now GTA:CW and Rhythm Heaven. Maybe Professor Layton if you're into that stuff, but the majority of the puzzles in the game were pretty boring really. Everything else are just rehashed Nintendo games with Mario, Mario Kart, and Chrono Trigger bringing nothing really worthwhile to the table.
The PSP doesn't see nearly as many releases but it's original lineup is really just as strong. LocoRoco (1 and 2), Patapon (1 and 2), Jeanne D'Arc, Crush, Killzone: Liberation, FF: Crisis Core. And I left out the games that people would argue as Sony "rehashes," like GoW: Chains of Olympus, Wipeout Pure, the two Syphon Filters, MGS:PO, Daxter, and Resistance: Retribution.
And undoubtedly, the DS is still seen by the public as a "kid's" machine.
I can take my PSP anywhere and people don't think anything of it, but when I play the DS someone always says something about me being a dork.
I love 'em both, but Sony's not entirely wrong here.
The PSP was a very promising handheld, I am what could be considered a Nintendo fanboy but I was pretty excited for it in 2004 for all the features and I was expecting lots of games. Never owned it by the end but it saddened me how it lacked of titles I was interested like Ratchet & Clank. At least LocoRoco and Patapon appeared years later which were very kick-ass but the DS was already catching my eye by then.
The DS to DSi Battery life isn't just some small hit either. I think of all the things - that is probably the most unforgivable and least talked about.
"Director of Hardware Marketing" Obviously if this dude was doing his job better, he wouldn't have much to have sour grapes over.
personally if the psp games had a lower rice point and were in a solid state form instead of umd I would be more inclined to buy more games for it instead of pirating games- as it is I buy the games I want to support and rip them since I like having more than one game at a time on the machine, but with the lack of games that have come out and the price point it has been since sw unleashed that I have bought anything for the psp. talking with someone in the industry a while ago I do think that non fixed price points for games is coming and I do think that it will have a lot to do with overall growth including games for the psp which I hope happens
though I have to say that as much as I want the psp to make larger strides, it is going to take more than hannah montana and motorstorm to do it, they need a lot more 3rd party titles to make the device solvent
And shareholders. This sort of PR is often more for investors who don't understand the gaming world and base decisions (in part) off of this sort of stuff.
Also, calling the DS a kids system is just silly. It's the developers own fault for not putting out more mature games for it. But yeah, if you're one of those macho manly-mens, who needs to play gritty, ultra-violent, bloody, "mature" games to boost your imaginary manlihood, then the DS is probably not for you.
Oh yeah GTA is better on the DS than it is on PSP too.
The people I know with DS's are..
4 - female
6 - male
10 (x2) - male
17 - male (blatantly gay)
22 - female
23 - female
My PSPing buddies are...
24 - male (me)
26 - male
28 (x2) -1 female 1 male
So uh, yeah, as far as i can see they are bang on the money. When you can play Manhunt, Monster Hunter, God of War (or something similar) on DSi I will personally consider it to have branched out from the kids and girls market.
How about some DSi porn? - You know like the UMD porn. I think porn is the tell tale factor in a handhelds target demographic.
Just because it has games that appeal to all age groups, still doesn't make it a kids system. All the games you listed can be played (and enjoyed) by adult males.
I don't know about you guys, but the day I'm forced to just play Racers, Sports, and violent FPS games, just because that's whats appropriate to my age group, is the day I quit playing videogames.
Off you go, you'd better get back to your Nintendog!
Obvious troll.
Of course the "great games" phrase is subjective, but sadly for me, the PSP doesn't have enough original games to be interesting to me. Most of PSP games are ports that I already played in my PC, why buy the same game again which also doesn't look (and plays) as good as in my Computer?
This is just whinning because Sony's handheld is not selling good enough.
I recently bought a PSP 3000, i think it's awesome and It has a wide variety of cheap great games for MY needs and I wouldn't change it for the new DSi, but seriously, Sony needs to get a grip and put their money where their damn mouth is.