PS3 has no "definition title," says Molyneux

  • Posted September 18th, 2008 at 09:02 EDT by Mike Harradence
  • 4,252 views
  • 53 Comments

Famed games designer Peter Molyneux has claimed that the PlayStation 3 still lacks a “definition title”, but believes Media Molecule’s upcoming LittleBigPlanet could fill the gap when it hits stores next month.

Speaking with Gamesindustry.biz, Molyneux – best known for his work on titles such as Black & White and Fable – commented, "It is always one or two games which define a platform - it's the same for the Wii, and the PlayStation 2."

"I think the PlayStation 3 is still waiting for that definition title that represents the platform - and I think that's what hardware manufacturers need to do, find that defining title.”

Turning his attention to the competition, the Lionhead Studios boss noted how Nintendo has already established such titles with Wii Sports and Wii Play, with Fable 2 looking to have the same impact on Xbox 360.

However, Molyneux believes that the PS3’s answer lies just around the corner in the form of LittleBigPlanet.
 
"I'm incredibly proud of what they've done, and it's just an amazing experience to see how their game has progressed," said Molyneux.

"If we want to bring people in who haven't played games before, wherever they are in the world and whatever their cultural background, whatever their sex or age, then we've got to think out of the box and start creating stuff which fascinates those people. I think LBP could be one of those.”

Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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What are your thoughts?

  1. ProfSebastian

    • 9:08am BST - September 18th, 2008

    yeah! I forgot that the people of MM worked with Molyneux in Lionhead Studios, I  understand his proud.

  2. ADRiiAN`

    • 9:09am BST - September 18th, 2008

    This guy has obviously never heard of the metal gear solid series.

    But LBP will def. be a known game on the PS3

  3. ryesher | ryesher1

    • 9:13am BST - September 18th, 2008

    Three cheers for LBP.

  4. Smith128 | smith128

    • 9:16am BST - September 18th, 2008

    I dont think a system should have a “definition title” so much as a system should have great exclusives from a variety of genres and personally I dont think the 360 have done that with the kill alien themed 3rd and first person shooters. With that said PS3 is doing pretty good even with the later start than the 360. 

  5. TETNUS | TETNUS

    • 9:25am BST - September 18th, 2008

    ahh dude really i think Kojima would disagree with this guy...... and if he is stating his case then Sony will reach their "defining title" faster than MS considering that he claims Fable 2 is that title for the Xbox.  It really makes litle sense because how could a sequel from a previous platform define the next gen platform.  If anything it should be a new exclussive IP for that system not a sequel from a previous generation.  In that case I would say the resistance series for ps3 since it was never on ps2.  For Xbox maybe viva pinata or Cameo which both stink.

  6. buiboy98

    • 9:27am BST - September 18th, 2008

    when resistance first out, i thought it defined the ps3

  7. stovich | TasteLikeBurning

    • 9:30am BST - September 18th, 2008

    This coming from a 360 developer. Big surprise there. He's both right and wrong because he obviously hasn't played MGS4, and realizes the impact LBP will have. Besides, he's very good at overpromising and underdelivering(need I mention fable here?).

  8. Genesis- | bleu-manga

    • 9:34am BST - September 18th, 2008

    Sometimes a definitive title can hurt a company's broad appeal. People often look at the picture from the outside. When people think of Xbox or Nintendo they think of Mario or Halo, respectively. Some might say, oh! I don't like Nintendo because it's too kiddy, or I don't like Xbox because it's too hardcore. The good thing about Sony is that they've worked hard to bridge that gap with their diverse catalogue of games. You can look at successful console generations like the PS1 and PS2 era, and have a hard time isolating one specific definitive game. This is also why Sony would have an easier time cracking the casual market, than Microsoft would.

  9. Excesse | Excesse

    • 9:49am BST - September 18th, 2008

    xbot... :@

  10. bilbo_bobbins | bilbo_bobbins

    • 9:59am BST - September 18th, 2008

     what is this bloke talking about....is he bored or something and fancies a waffle??

    Resistance for starters / LBP / MGS and so on....

  11. djrussell | djrussell89

    • 10:06am BST - September 18th, 2008

    Is this guy living on another planet? Resistance? MotorStorm? At the very least; MGS4!!!! What an idiot.

  12. Ryuuchi10 | Ryuuchi10

    • 10:07am BST - September 18th, 2008

    Funny because while I read the article, a "defining title"  that came in my mind was MGS4 and you guys' post comments mentioned MGS4. Although this guy is right, he is wrong too. LBP won't be JUST THE ONLY ONE defining title. Somewhere, some company is making something we don't know yet and maybe it will blow our mind away.

  13. gingo | gingo

    • 10:10am BST - September 18th, 2008

    psn id: gingo.... Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots..... i think we can assume that  this is a pretty defining title for any console

  14. TestosteRohne | TestosteRohne

    • 10:13am BST - September 18th, 2008

    He wouldn't have anything to say if MS hadn't nabbed FF13.

  15. iiDeadSeriousii | iiDeadSeriousii

    • 10:19am BST - September 18th, 2008

    As big a fan as I am of MGS series, how can u people honestly say Metal Gear 4 is a DEFINITIVE title. It's an expansion (in terms of graphics and storytelling) of the other games. It's a game that could've been made on PS2 by scaling back the graphics drastically. It introduced some new gameplay elements (a 3rd person control scheme is what that boils down to). Extraordinary? Yes. Definitive? Quite frankly it's not the biggest step forward from the others in the series, and some people will still tell u it's a step back in some categories.

    Like I said though, I'M NOT HATING ON MGS4, i'm jus pointing out that he's right. LBP WILL be a definitive title because it's so different than everything out there and will play to ALL of PS3's strong features, not just the Blu Ray size and graphics capability.

  16. Stoffinator | Stoffinator

    • 10:22am BST - September 18th, 2008

    The PS brand has never had a one title that defines it.

  17. mcwups1

    • 10:41am BST - September 18th, 2008

    I'm sorry, but LBP looks retarded.  I know many are waiting for this title, but I just don't see it as a fun game.....unless you're 6 years old.

    Final Fantasy VII, would still be a "definition title", for the PS3.  Hopefully, Versus will have a similar effect, since FFXIII is multi-platform.

  18. The_Sorrow_Gamer | The_Sorrow_Gamer

    • 10:47am BST - September 18th, 2008

    1st i never did like fable it was crappy,n he is a 360 developer LBP is not the only good game that will define the PS3.First Resistance put a good impact on the ps3,then motor storm,then we had MGS4,then we ha ve coming,Resistance 2,Killzone 2,Motor Storm2.NOt counting  God of War3 and M.A.G.So LBP is not going to b the only game.N name a game that define xbox n please dont say Halo because it was gay

  19. richkaos | richkaos

    • 10:50am BST - September 18th, 2008

    LBP over fable any day

  20. bracomadar | bracomadar

    • 11:00am BST - September 18th, 2008

    Okay, I'm mad at PSU.  I was going to reply on the topic, but supposedly my post had 3 banned words in it.  I don't even know what they are.  I didn't have a substiution for a bad word in there.  It doesn't even tell you what the banned words are.  Somebody please give us some free speech, a list of banned words for reference, or just have it where it does the %#(%(#(% over banned words.  I don't know if it's bugged, or somebody accidently put "the" as a banned word, or what, but I don't want to have to go through there experimenting every word in the paragraph until I find which word is banned.  GIMME A BREAK HERE GUYS!!!


  21. Staude | Staude

    • 11:07am BST - September 18th, 2008

    ^feel the same way.. that's why i barely ever comment here anymore.

     

    In regards to the article i think uncharted was a defining title for the ps3

  22. Stickemup

    • 11:14am BST - September 18th, 2008

    @iiserious - MGS4 could not have been done on the PS2. Why? Because the graphics are part of what made the story and gameplay possible. Plus the third person control scheme wasn't introduced. Have you played portable ops or Subsistance?  And what people are you talking about? Step back in what? If anything, it fixed the problems from the past games, and made it so much more playable.

  23. xclusiveg | xclusive1

    • 11:33am BST - September 18th, 2008

    Adriian is right guess he never heard of metal gear

  24. Righteous

    • 11:59am BST - September 18th, 2008

    fable 2 is not 360's defining title Halo is, and MGS4 is entwined with the PS3 so IMO that's defining the PS3, including the launch titles Resistance and Motorstorm

  25. rexdeath | rexdeath

    • 12:12pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    He means a title everyone should be able to play, and although MGS is brilliant it won't keep you coming back as much LBP because once you've done the story on MGS a couple of times you've no need to go back on it apart from MGO (which isn't as good). One thing I don't understand is that the 360 DOESN'T have a defining game like this, HALO and GeOW are good but I can't see many girls or old people playing it compared to LBP or Wii Sports.

  26. RandomBeef

    • 12:20pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    Fable 2. hmmm just no.

  27. Odium_Generis_Humani

    • 12:28pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    @6

    *

    First off, Resistance was never all that good.  And "when the PS3 came out", it was the only half-decent game in a line-up of bigger crap.  Don't try to change history.

  28. TekkenLord | HitMan00

    • 12:40pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    is it me or anyone fof MS developers always want to find some thing to say about sony. jeeeze. Have this r-tard ever hear about uncharted, Heavenly sword, resistance, motorstorm,MSG4, and the rest to come later on this year.

  29. Staticneuron | Staticneuron

    • 1:19pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    ""I think the PlayStation 3 is still waiting for that definition title that represents the platform - and I think that's what hardware manufacturers need to do, find that defining title.”


    "It is always one or two games which define a platform - it's the same for the Wii, and the PlayStation 2."

     

     

    Who else here thinks this guy doesn't know what he is talking about? The playstion NEEDS  ONE defining title? Of course not. The PS line has had several defining titles. And that's the only thing that can garuntee its success. The only thing that will prove it is the taper off. The xbox tapered off and the gamecube tapered off in sales. Halo 2 did 8 million for the original box. Halo 3 has it 8 milion for the 360. No on its about atracting new people because defining based off one title or genre is going to put you in trouble.

     

    The playstation line  has been the strongest because of its wider appeal and its strong titles in EVERY genre.

     

    The playstation line doesn't need ONE defining title. They already have MANY.

  30. xXeddie27320Xx

    • 1:23pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    Smart man not to bash the PS3 I guess after LBP he'ss make a game for Sony.

  31. 6toes

    • 2:22pm BST - September 18th, 2008

     I love Peter Molyneux, and I somewhat agree with what hes saying though I would have to offer MGS4 as a fairly definitive title lol.

    Either way, I can't wait for LBP and when Fable 2 comes out I guess I'll finally have a reason to send my 3RD 360 in for repair.

  32. wufei | Wufenopolis

    • 2:25pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    Go easy on old Peter... if any of you know anything about his history... you would know he NEVER lives up to what he says.  I believe his game "Black and White" held a guiness record for most complex character in a video game or something like that.  Too bad that game pretty much sucked after the first level... Stupid creature never listening to my commands... How hard could it possibly be to teach a tiger NOT to poo in the village grain silo?  geeze...

  33. baker_44

    • 2:55pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    little big planety dont make me laff

  34. Gibbs | Bgibbs

    • 2:59pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    Its a good thing he talks about topics he has no information on.  Just makes himself look ignorant

  35. inurface76 | acid576

    • 3:24pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    All boils to now lately if they can make a compelling game like MGS4 without any bugs. Even Moly said that Fable 2 has bugs but hes not fixing them cause there not that bad but I think any bugs takes u out of the whole experience!! So who is he to judge

  36. Walo

    • 3:37pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    I agree with what he says, PS3 has some incredible games, but no one of those brings something we haven't seen before, they are based on tried and true safe bet formulas with a few innovations, about MGS 4 it may be a wonderful game but it just repeats its predecessors footsteps. LBP is a new concept not seen anywhere else. A defining game is not all about being popular and exclusive, its about bringing total innovation to the console it's made for. For the PS3 its a game that you look at it and you say PS3 only, and not say I've played this 10 years ago on another console. But don't get me wrong, I don't think the Xbox 360 has a defining game either (whoever calls Halo 3 innovative should be thrown in a trash can). Fable may have been a defining game for the original Xbox, but I don't think Fable 2 will be to radical a departure from its predecessor to be console defining.

  37. hiddenblade | hidden__blade

    • 3:49pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    hummmmmmm.......let me think

    METAL GEAR SOLID 4

  38. Walo

    • 4:04pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    @Gibbs, With original titles like Black and White, The Movies and Fable, they certainly know what they are talking about.

  39. M-O-P-E-Y

    • 4:15pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    he must not have played MGS4

  40. Billy_Bob_Joe | Nicker600

    • 4:38pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    He's a wii360 fan >_>

    He never played MGS4 obviously

  41. Pablo0620 | Pablo0620

    • 6:39pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    Hmmm did he say this on June 11th...MGS4 anyone

  42. Logit-Force

    • 7:09pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    Any first party ps3 game defines the Playstation 3.

  43. bnolan56 | snowy311

    • 8:00pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    Are you kidding me? Has he ever heard of MGS4. what a moron someone take him out of his misery.

  44. Iownboth360andps3

    • 10:06pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    MGS4 is a defining game for PS3.  Fable 2 will be amazing, but it will not define the 360 like Halo and Gears of War.  And why is everyone bashing Fable 2?  That game will be absolutely incredible.  Dont hate the game because its not on your system.  I sold my PS3 because i needed money and i am a 360 fan, but i still cheer for LBP.  I may even buy a PS3 for that game..

  45. iiDeadSeriousii | iiDeadSeriousii

    • 10:53pm BST - September 18th, 2008

    @ stickemup Yes i played both Subsistance and Portable Ops. Subsistance wasn't really a 3rd person designed game, it was the camera brought down to 3rd person with the same control scheme as it was wit the overhead view.

    And for you to say the game couldn't be done because the graphics were intertwined with the story how so? Let's all just think about it REAL HARD here for a sec, could MGS4 REALLY not have been made on PS2 with toned down graphics? The graphics didn't make the story in MGS4, the  cinematography/narrative/writing made the story good. I'm not partically saying this to you but I wish would pay more attention to what Molyneux is saying by DEFINITIVE, not most played/bought/hyped game.

  46. zarajoe

    • 12:54am BST - September 19th, 2008

    Well MSG4 is a game people will never forget also has this guy forgoten about GT5.  Also I think Resistance is starting to become a farely significant franchise for the playstation platform.

  47. LegendaryAim | LegendaryAim

    • 12:57am BST - September 19th, 2008

    ummm Uncharted and MGS4 anyone?

  48. Free_Agent

    • 2:17am BST - September 19th, 2008

    LBP will be the defining game for the PS3. I have to say I agree with him. The other games people are mentioning here are good games, but not defining games. Resistance is good, but it's popularity is mainly due to lack of competing titles. Had it launched on 360, it would have just been another shooter, but it was one of the PS3's only good launch titles. I could agree with MGS4, but I don't think it will hold as wide of an appeal as LBP. I don't see why people take this comment as an attack against Sony? FF 13 could have also been another "defining" title, and will probably be a great game, but obviously not exclusively for PS3.

  49. LittleB69 | MightyB69

    • 3:33am BST - September 19th, 2008

    Hmm... this guy has had a lot of good gaming ideas  that sadly has never managed to deliver in the end.. (not sure if Fable 2 does) he is very innovative though  and it is allways a good sign when people have the nerve to speak well of the competition..bravo!

  50. PS3-The Ultimate Machine

    • 11:30am BST - September 19th, 2008

    FYI Molyneux NO playstation platform has ever had a "platform defining" title,you know why?A usual console usually gets two to three blockbuster games through it's life cycle,and a handful of good games,and dozens of average games,not the Playstation though,we get awesome racing in the form of Gran Turismo,awesome platformers in the form of R&C,innovative new games like LBP,Echochrome,Patapon,we get hardcore awesome games like R2,KZ2,MGS4,we get futuristic racing at it's best with Wipeout,let's make this clear once and for all,NO PLAYSTATION PLATFORM HAS EVER,repeat,EVER had a platform defining game,it's due to a varsatile and variant catalog,that makes the Playstation a playstation,why do you think Sony doesn't stick to a single genre?It's due to the fact that it realizes the need for variety,which competitors obviously don't(when was the last time MS made a good 360 title that wasn't a shooter?),Molyneux plz,you of all ppl should know what a playstation platform is great for,NOT that ONE game,that's nice,but a whole list of exclusive FIRST Party games spanning over all genres,and even inventing new ones.PS is PS becuz of variety not becuz of a definition title,no have i made myself clear?

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