Sly Cooper 4 - Thank You Sanzaru Games

Thank you for adding one of my favorite PS3 functions into your amazing game: The Sixaxis functionality which I thought was long forgotten. It's been years since I was able control something in-game by tilting my controller. It reminds me of the early PS3 days when I really fell in love the system while playing Uncharted, Dark Sector, and Heavenly Sword, which are some of the best examples of games that took advantage of this feature.

Curving the bullet, but with PlayStation

Besides the top of the line graphics and first-party games, when I had the original design PS3, the sixaxis functionality was the most captivating feature for me. Hopefully the new Sly Cooper reminds gamers and developers of this brilliant design and just how unique PlayStation can be, and we'll get to see it used more often. Honestly, when used right, it's just plain awesome.

P.S. Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time is freaking awesome!

Good News - Ouya To Release In Stores

The retail environment is still huge even with online sales and digital downloads on the incline. When I first ordered my Ouya on Kickstarter, I couldn't help but think this console would fail if the only method of purchase is through online from their own site. Being sold through Gamestop and the other retailers listed above, the Ouya has a good chance to saturate the market, especially with a few advertisements in-store.

I also noticed the new release date at the top, June. This is a little later than what they first announced, which was for shipping in March. Oh well, hopefully the few extra months gives us a better device.

What Sony Needs To Do To Make Next-gen A Success

If you haven't read my last post on gamerfrolic.com, it basically goes like this.

Every few years a new generation of gaming starts. Technology advances and we see a jump in the quality of videogames. Today, there are three main forerunners for gaming, Microsoft, Nintendo, and PlayStation. Typically, when a new generation starts, these companies compete to push content out the best they can to rise up in a capitalist market. The trend I've noticed is that if a console releases at too high of a price, no one will buy it if the console's competitor's prices are significantly lower; additionally the console must release with sequels to popular first-party software from the previous generation.

So this is what Sony needs to do with the PlayStation 4 (And Vita) in order to survive in the sequel market.

Hands down, the PS4 needs to attract it's old fans. This means that the PS4 needs to launch with games that PS3 fans loved the most. Games like Uncharted, inFamous, Killzone, Grand Turismo, and even a Ni No Kuni sequel would do it justice, because as it turns out, people buy consoles once they like the franchises on it. It's the only reason to have console exclusivity in the first place and it should be a console's main selling point. (Personally, I disagree with the statistics, but people buy what they want to buy). In other words, the PS4 NEEDS a AAA lineup on release, or suffer the consequences.

I thought a little bit further than just the initial lineup and previous sales. The Vita to the PS4 is going to be like the PSP to the PS3. It's lifespan will be mostly involved with next-gen rather than current. And just like the PSP, some of the best Sony exclusive franchises need to make their way onto the handheld market. Not as cross-platforms, like Sony is pushing, but as a complete shift to allow the new IPs a chance to strive.

God of War, Metal Gear Solid, Corpse Party, Disgaea, Gran Turismo, Final Fantasy, and even Ratchet and Clank, all best selling PSP games. Even as of now PSP is still selling well in Japan. With the fundamental sequel rule, well-known titles are the key to selling the console, even a handheld. It's like the definition of insanity, but people like losing money to it. With this being said, some of the best PS3/Vita exclusives are New IPs for this gen.

As you can see and if you don't already know, there are a lot of games on PlayStation exclusively. I love the idea of putting these awesome games onto Vita, but I don't see the purpose in buying the Vita version when I can get the PS3 version on blu-ray. Nor do I even see the reason for crowding so many games onto PS3. I really feel the PS3/Vita sales have suffered from first-party over saturation. Since the usual PS3 exclusives do so well on handheld platforms, I think when the initial PS4 lineup is finished, all those old games should move onto development for the Vita. 

Think about if for a second. Think of the games already on PSVita and PSP. The best ones are sequels or remakes, Uncharted, God of War, Persona, Disgaea, Persona, MGS, etc. Bottom line is that these games are freaking sexy on Vita. And think about the New IPs for PS3, Uncharted, inFamous, Heavenly Sword, Little Big Planet, Last of Us, Resistance. Point is, most PS3 gamers love these games and they will buy them, even on handheld. 

But what about the PlayStation competitors? Can't they do the same thing? Yes. Luckily, Sony has the best first-party support. And secondly, it's going to come down to timing. The next-gen consoles are expected to release sometime this year or next, but the problem is that "consoles" is plural. If both PS4 and nextbox release at the same time, it'll once again cause a market flood and consumers would be forced to pick and choose. This could potentially lead to similar sales figures as this gen for playstation, meaning a really slow start (Which is even worse for those launch title devs).

Like I've mentioned before, it's boiling down to which console is more consumer-friendly. Or, which console is more appealing for the costs. It's like choosing between Pokemon versions, except one would cost more than the other. "HAHA silly Devin, they were released at the same price!" Pokemon did, sure. But if PS4 and Nextbox came out at the same price, with relatively equal appeal, but a person could only purchase one, it'll cause problems on the market. 

Who wants to bet the PS4 launches 9/22?

Timing is the key. PS4 needs to launch after 360. This will allow the $250 PS3 to continue to grow on the market while the PS4 has time to grow in development. The longer it takes for PS4 to launch after the nextbox, the more time there will be for development and testing, and the less likely the console market will be saturated by expensive consoles. Waiting for the perfect moment to jump into the 8th gen is crucial to maximizing sales for ALL consoles of the 8th gen. 

Imagine the jumper is the console, the ropes are money, and the other urban youth are consumers. The  urban youth can only afford but so much, so they can only balance but so much at one time. The console has to plan their jumps accordingly to make the money steady or the whole show is ruined. Get it?

I think Sony would do best trying to follow their claim about the PS3 having a 10-year life-cycle. The console market now is still improving and we gamers are about to see some of the best games to ever be released. I don't mind getting an official announcement for a release, but the actual release for the PS4 should be no sooner than 2015 at the earliest, for maximum content and tech at minimum prices, for the least amount of market struggle, with a strong initial lineup.

I Feel Like The Only One to See This Reference in Anarchy Reigns

Probably because it's another low-key game with not so many sales. It's only $30, I recommend getting it. It's short but fun, made by Platinum Games, and loads of sexy.

Happy Birthday!

Now that the Frosty the Snowman reference is out of the way, I'm happy to say I'm back to writing on my own blog (the thing you are reading now). A few months ago I was offered a position to write for GamerFrolic, which basically meant do the same thing I was doing here, but there instead. I figured being a part of a team would be fun, and it was... most of the time, but I felt like I couldn't fully be myself there like I could here. So here I am flapping my wings again!

I know this isn't much of a post for a videogame blog, but the last thing I wrote for GamerFrolic was kinda huge (1600 words), so I decided to split the content. GamerFrolic got my theory on why Kaz Hirai want's a delayed release for the PS4, but you guys are getting my theory on what Sony needs to do in order for that delayed release to work.... in my next blog post.

Well, this is just my theory. I've noticed that when I go into deep thought about videogame companies and their actions, I can predict some pretty cool things. Like my blog post about how Gamestop could survive on the market that's switching into internet transaction. A month before it even happened I came up with the concept that GameStop's method of survival was to target kids, and now we have GameStop Kids.

Back before I deleted my youtube account (for various reasons) I made videos about my theories, again nobody cared and you still probably don't, but I'm going to be posting them anyways. I made a video well over a year ago about a newer PSMove with analog sticks that used technology similar to Kinect, and even the GamerFrolic post and my next post is just a theory from long ago that I'm simply building upon. I'm not saying that I'm the Nostradamus of videogames, I'm just saying that I feel like I should keep expressing my theories whether they are being heard or not, because they aren't all malarkey, besides from the fact I just really enjoy talking about videogames

Anyways, I hope you guys and gals enjoy reading my posts. I hope to hear from readers because I love discussion on gaming related topics

.

Sony Wants To Track Your DNA

PlayStation Lifestyle has discovered a patent that Sony has filed that tracks it's users by the user's face, voice, eye movement, fingerprints, and DNA. Naturally everyone I see reacting to it is either fearful or angry that they are being watched. But is this really that scary? I think not.

Big Brother

The usual arguments against this is that it's private information, Sony can get hacked (again) and then your info is out in the open, and the usual things along those lines. My argument against that is this isn't new technology nor is that info quite as secret as you might think. This kind of technology will be everywhere sooner than anyone thinks. Voice and facial recognition is already being implemented into things as common as our cellphones.

Sure, it's a possibility that Sony could get hacked and this info stolen, but heck, even the government gets hacked. Point is it's can and might happened one day, but can you honestly give me a good explanation as to what anyone would do with this information? On top of that, this is likely information the government already has or could easily get if they wanted to, if you feel as though the government would be the threat.

And as for Sony, there are 2 real reasons why they would even do something like this. One is to tie their content to an owner to help stop theft and piracy, and the 2md is to tailor ads specific to you based on how you use their products, something that websites have been doing for a while. They aren't going to scan you of weaknesses for the secret alien organization in control that's planning on enslaving us all.

ASSIMILATION IS NECESSARY FOR THE SUPERIOR RACE TO STRIVE

And I'm all for stopping piracy and what not. It's destroying the industry I love.

The Price Is Too Damn High!

There's always been one thing I really hated about being a gamer, and that's spending $60 on a brand new game that's really a piece of... we'll say "doo doo" for all the kids that happen to stumble into the deep recesses of internet and find my blog (Right next to all the porn they're looking for). The type of game that was marketed as the new hotness, the mind-blowing insanity that you've been missing in your life, and the reason why people get pissed off when they realize they've been swindled into buying something that looks and sounds WAY better than it actually is, like a pinata filled with shame.

But my real question is why do all major retail releases have the same price tag when cost of making games can vary by the millions? Some games cost less that $10 million dollars to make, some games can cost upwards to $100 million, so when am I spending the same amount of money on each? And the same is done for movies and music too. Different product, different amount of quality, effort, and money are put into each of which, but the product is usually in the same price range. This doesn't make any sense to me.

TOO DAMN HIGH!

And this is why people get so upset. There are so many good games out there that people get conditioned to a certain standard when they spend a certain amount on a product. It's like a social contract between gamers and the gaming industry. $60 is supposed to be the price of an amazing piece of art, so please don't charge of $60 and give us anything less.

$200,000

$200,000

Paying the same price for games on a completely different level of production is like buying a Lamborghini and that bike both for the same price. That's not fair at all! Video games should each have their own individual prices plus a profit margin, or have different levels or retail value. Make a scale of sorts. If game cost over $20 million to make, it should be a specific price. And if it cost more than $50 million to make, it should be a higher specified price for that range, so on and so forth, get it? That's what would be fair for the consumers.

And think about how that changes the way people would think about games. How many people would get upset at a cheap game knowing it was a cheaper game in the first place? Consumers/Gamers would have a better understanding of what they were getting themselves into before actually playing the game. Nor would we be so upset at the fact we wasted so much money on a game if it didn't cost so much money. We'd get what we payed for. You wouldn't buy a Gameloft game on your Android Tablet and expect a triple A game would you? No, because their games usually cost pocket change and are cheap versions of more popular, and more expensive, games. And you have to respect them for what they do. They try to give people that triple A game experience and for a fraction of the cost. Great job Gameloft!

How Can Gamestop Survive The Digital Future?

If you've read my previous post, I'm sure you already know that I'm not the biggest fan of Gamestop... I have my reasons. Anyways, I just wanted to let everyone know that I don't hate the retail stores, I just hate how it's ran. I think the company could impose significant changes to it's operation to greatly improve itself over-all so it might just survive for a while longer in the "Digital Future".

Let me explain a little bit about the digital future. To put it simply, buying things online is actually a lot easier/more convenient than having to go into a store. Shopping online gives us more time in our day than actually having to travel and browse through a store, sometime store after store if we can't find what we want, and usually the company has what you want in stock because you're buying from the distribution itself and not a small retail environment with limited space.

Shopping in this fashion cuts out the middle-man and both the company and customer can save money. So basically, this is what everyone wants, at least when it comes to consumerism. Okay, well, not everyone because some companies thrive on retail environments, like Gamestop. Of course Gamestop has a website but that's just so they can stay current. Most of their money comes from the physical stores and when people buy their games online they trust people like Amazon because of their exceptional services.

Services like pick-ups boxes for items purchased off of Amazon are major things being done to further spread the influence of online shopping. One of the main problems with shopping online is that items aren't always delivered when the customer is home. It sometimes plays out that the customer has to miss the delivery and pick up their package from the mail carrier or specifically schedule for themselves to be home at the same time as delivery is supposed to take place. But now that amazon has the drop-zones, it's slowly eliminating that problem that could easily, and often has, pushed people to buying from a retail store.

So how can Gamestop survive if this is the case? Well, at the current moment it's by the people who haven't really adjusted to online shopping (Generally older people that are buying things like video games for younger relatives ect). They'll eventually die off and then everyone left will be used to and more comfortable with shopping online. But there's another type of customer that sticks to buying from in-store also. Children.

You see, usually unless a person is over the age of 18 they cannot shop online. Kids don't have their own bank accounts and credit cards. If a child wanted to buy a video game, they would have to go into a store. If gamestop can keep kids going back into gamestop, they'll continue to have customers. Even when it comes to buying digital content directly off of PSN or XBL, a person still needs a card of some sort, even if it's a PSN/XBL network card. And that market will be there for a long time as long a they push it forward with incentives for customer loyalty like they started doing not too long ago with it's PowerUp Rewards Card; which gives customers points for every dollar they spend in Gamestop. These points can later be redeemed for prizes and video game related items off of Gamestop's website.

These small items, loyalty rewards, and pre-order incentives are Gamestop's only hopes into surviving the digital future. If Gamestop can keep children coming into their establishments so they can put $5 down on a pre-order for the next pokemon game for exclusive in-game pre-order content, Gamestop just might pull through this uphill battle.

Now only if gamestop actually cared about the gamers and tried doing things to support gamers and the industry instead of hurting it, I'd actually be rooting for them. But as their current business practice stands, they can crash and burn as far as I'm concerned. I truly love shopping on amazon and if you haven't tried it, I recommend you check them out.

The Future of Console Sales

I was thinking earlier today about why I wouldn't ever switch from my PlayStaion if even Microsoft happened to make a miracle by pulling a good system out of it's red ring of ass. And it was kinda like that lightbulb over the head moment. This answer is simply this

  

Get your Portable ID!

*Note: I rarely update this portable ID so I'd probably have way more trophies*

I have literally amassed YEARS of experience on the PS3. I've had one since the first Uncharted game was released and pretty much only played on PS3. I had a psp, the Vita has trophies and uses my same psn name, and even that username has become my online identity. So, what would compel me to throw that away, or even at neglect it.

That goes for xbox and anything else that would show you achievements for the games you play. Now I know many people out there do in fact own more than one console, but if you are able to look at their profiles, you can see that most of them usually stick with one of those systems a majority of the time.

And this is why I believe our game companies have been pushing this "kiddie" market so much with things like Wonderbook and Kinect. They feel they have to earn customer loyalty at a young age because once a person gets work done on their profile, they'd have to lose it in order to switch. Also, ask yourself what console YOU played as a child. Are you still loyal to that same company? Are you still buy Super Mario games?

I know I still play PlayStation and I actually plan on doing so as long as they continue to make PlayStation. I even try to help my company as much as I can. I'm always recommending it's products and why it's a better choice ect. because it's held a special place in my heart for most of my life and I want others to experience how amazing it can be. So even if the nextbox is made in china and happens to blow up on people, you can expect that customer to go out and get a new nextbox instead of switching and losing all their hard work.

Gamestop

I was looking for a new job today on SnagAJob.com when I happened to notice that my local gamestop was hiring. I guess since school has started up again their summer hires have ditched the oh so wonderful career of selling pre-owned software. Upon reviewing the job description, just for the hell of it because we all know that GameStop sells games, I noticed something... very sad...  that I'm sure many gamers that unfortunately shop at gamestop, such as myself, knew all along.

"Video game knowledge preferred, but not required" - Gamestop

Um... excuse me? Are you really hiring people to advise potential customers on video game purchases that DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT VIDEO GAMES?! The answer apparently is yes. 

Have you ever experience an ignorant gamestop employee? Cause OH MAN, my friends and I, as dedicated gamers, have. We actually have quite a few stories. There was the time when my friends wanted to purchase a PlayStation Network (psn) card and the girl behind the counter actually had to go get the manager because she did not know what is was he wanted. There was the time when the gentlemen behind the counter tried to get my to buy Metal Gear Solid 4 because I told him I was a trophy hunter (Note: This was before the trophy patch was even announced). Or how his coworker almost sold me Metal Gear Solid 4 instead of the collection with the previous games. There was the time an employee, the manager at that, tried to sell me game because it was more fun online than the game I asked for... I asked for Wipeout 2048. He tried selling me Modnation Racers Roadtrip... which doesn't have multiplayer. There was the time I told the girl behind the counter I only played playstation games and near the end of the purchase she tried to get me to pre-order an xbox exclusive. I could continue but my teachers all say 5 to 7 sentences make a paragraph.

My point is, why in the hell would a company think it's okay to hire people that can't effectively sell it's product. Let's pretend for a moment I was an ignorant customer that didn't know any better about what I was buying, I would've been pissed off if I actually bought that "5 dollars off"  used copy of Resistance Burning Skies only to pop it in my Vita to realize that I NOW need to spend $10 on an online pass that I would've got if I just bought the game new. Gamestop needs to either hire people that know what the hell they are talking about or make it mandatory to keep in the know. 

And speaking of their used game policy, it's horrible for 2 reasons. They completely rob a person that is trading in their old games by buying it for dirt cheap and marking up the price to near new prices, and used game sales damage the game industry to a point that just disgusts me. 

You can take a game to them and they might give you $10 for it, and you can go in the next day to see your game on the shelf for $40. It's a completely and utter rip-off. And it's no wonder why websites like Glyde.com are taking off so well. Why would I want to give my money to gamestop when someone out there is willing to pay 2 to 4 times the amount for it? 

Every gamer ever... so far.

And as I mentioned before, used game sales hurt the industry. Though it's not as bad a flat out piracy, no one can deny the fact that all that money for used games should have gone to the actual creators instead. And it's not like used games only sell a small fraction of the total amount. Gamestop literally pushes customers to buy their used games over the new copies. And you do it either because you don't know or don't care because it's keeping more money in your pocket. But it's that kind of thinking that not only keeps businesses like Gamestop alive, but also drives the industry to create things like Online Passes and Memory Card locks and number of active PSN accounts. And this is why the digital future is being pushed so much by the industry too.

If you don't already know this, your purchases drive the industry either in a direction you want or the direction you don't want because this is a business-driven capitalistic nation. Just as your purchases tell a company you want to buy their products, buying used and pirating games tells them you don't want to buy their products (even if you actually do like what they make). This is why I make sure to buy certain games new and certain games used. I either like and trust you and want to support the magic you make, or I think you're undeserving of my money. Because honestly, as a PS3 owner, I'd be so pissed at Bethesda if I actually gave them money.

I am aware that buying used games from gamestop is a double edged sword. It's either support the company I hate or the other company I hate. But I'm slowly and surely switching over to the online retail market. I buy more and more games from Amazon,com and Glyde,com every year, and there are other online retailers that a good too. Gamestop can just sometimes be more convenient because it's a mile from my house and they sometimes get better pre-order incentives. But I also know how to shop there. I usually know what I want and what is and isn't BS coming out of the "Game Advisor's" mouth. When you're ready to make you next game purchase, just ask yourself where your money's actually going..