Square Enix criticises PS3's marketing strategy
- Posted September 7th, 2007 at 08:30 EDT by Mike Harradence
- 3,521 views
- 26 Comments
Yoichi Wada, President of Square Enix has warned that the marketing strategy for Sony Corp’s PlayStation 3 console must be “straightened up", suggesting that previous efforts have remained inconsistent and as a result have hampered sales of the machine.
Wada observed that Sony at first positioned the console as a multimedia home entertainment device, before changing its focus to that of a videogames console as a result of pressure from various game companies.
"Sony first unveiled the PS3 as a mighty home electronics product. Then, after some badgering from game companies, it shifted the position of the console closer to a game machine," he said.
Indeed, Wada stated that Sony must remain consistent with its marketing strategy in the future, as not to impede sales: "(The future of the PS3) would be tough if its marketing strategy is not straightened up," he offered.
PlayStation 3 is currently in third place behind Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Nintendo’s Wii console, though sales have recently boosted on the release of several high profile software releases in addition to a USD 100 price cut in North America.
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swanky2167 |
Sanguinary- 9:20am BST - September 7th, 2007
- 3
IMO Square Enix can shove it, cuz they haven't consistently put out a decent title in a while. They're so obsessed with their new age type of gaming innovations that they've forgotten their gaming roots and can't seem to get their games right anymore. FF12? The most linear RPG I've ever played, and the story was boring too. FF13? Obviously haven't played it but it looks like the RPG will be no more.
My advice to SE: deal with your own problems.
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GreenLantern420 |
GreenLantern420- 9:21am BST - September 7th, 2007
- 4
because sony has a share of square enix. they just want to make sure they wont be screwed
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DarXed
- 10:48am BST - September 7th, 2007
- 5
uhmm I think he's referring to the Kaz Hirai comment on the PS3 being just 'a game machine'
http://www.ps3center.net/story-888.html?PHPSESSID=34ced07ab4814099ca1cd04b840a09d7
And if that's the case, I totally agree. They've been trying to justify the high price because of the entertainment hub thing, and now they say It's just a console? I don't think that's very wise.
Oh and swanky? FF12 was the least linear RPG I've ever played, I mean, you could go anywere and do anything practicaly from the start, the story was a little slow and the characters were really under developed, but It was still a great game IMO...
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Draco |
ExPresident- 10:50am BST - September 7th, 2007
- 6
I can understand Square's concerns but at the same time they are one of those game companies. Seriously they are gonna spout that they don't want Sony making sales pitch about their "Gaming" consol. Here's a thought, don't you make games Square?
By the way, another thought, remake FFVII and watch your sales go through the roof.... oh wait yeah you want to but aren't. I gotcha.
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swanky2167 |
Sanguinary- 11:58am BST - September 7th, 2007
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@ KainZ7
Why? What games have SE brought out lately that are that great? And don't bother counting those DS Final Fantasy ports from the SNES. Those are great games, but they were made 10-15 years ago. Let's see, I remember Dirge of Cerberus (ouch), Valkyrie Profile (kind of an acquired taste IMO), FF12 (DarXed, you're right, you can go 'anywhere' from the start, but you're range in limited...if you want to follow progress to new areas, you had to follow the story - unlike in previous FF, excluding FF10, if you wanted to go to new areas they were there to explore. However, I did thoroughly enjoy the Hunt sidequests), Grandia (I have to admit, I've never played this series), and who here remembers Bouncer? Serious potential there but unfortunately boring. IMO Square Enix has had serious problems making their 'normal' above-average games since the PS2. Of course, that's just my opinion (many will argue that FF10 was phenominal, but it was, again, too linear for me - and the main character was ANNOYING!) And you can't disagree that FF13 seems to be shaping up to be an action title. I doubt that the game will even get classified as an Action/RPG rather than just Action/Adventure.
*edit* I love Final Fantasy more than most series out there (maybe MGS above it), but, again just my opinion, SE has been trying too many experiments on the series that kind of sets it apart from the old-days, classic FF games. Maybe I'm biased, but I think FF7,8, and 9 are the best RPGs ever made, and I really miss having those kinds of experiences in RPGs these days.
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Staticneuron |
Staticneuron- 12:16pm BST - September 7th, 2007
- 12
Radiata stories? And geeze FFXII was exciting obviously if you took lead to the mechanics you would not have likedd it but that goes true for any game. FFXII had even moe freedom to explore than any other FF. I know because I am the type that loves to aimlessly walk places and push my luck.
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Dragon-slayer87 |
Dragon-Slayer87- 12:23pm BST - September 7th, 2007
- 13
@Swanky your absolutly right (although I liked FF10)
And FInal fantasy 12.. what happend with the battle system (totally changed), it reminded me more of Star wars Knights of the old republic, then a Final Fantasy game...
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mystik4l06 |
mystikal06- 1:50pm BST - September 7th, 2007
- 14
gingo the problem is that sony is square enix's cane..without them they wont be able to stand for too long.
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jackprkins |
TheKingpin- 1:55pm BST - September 7th, 2007
- 15
becasue sqeare enixe holds shares in sony.
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shadowlusterx |
shadowlusterx- 3:16pm BST - September 7th, 2007
- 16
As the sales are going the PS3 is not oging to be the winner. And this makes a lot of sense to me once the topic was borught up. The commercials and advertising for the PS3 sucks. The crying baby and the rubix cube. Instead of wasting time with that stuff actually tell people what the PS3 is. Show some previews of the best games. Show someone watching blu-ray. One of hte reasons the the Wii is winning over the PS3, advertising, the advertisements are way better. Sony needs to fire the advertisers and get some better ones. Then everyone will be able to see which ones the best console.
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PS3-The Ultimate Machine
- 5:26pm BST - September 7th, 2007
- 19
Actually,he's right.If Sony doesn't get it's act together then there is going to be a lot of confusion amongst buyers.Oh and i also agree that Sony should REALLY improve their advertisement,the only reason people don't buy the ps3 is because they dont know about ALL it's features.
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The Cleaner
- 7:06pm BST - September 7th, 2007
- 21
Square Enix is a good partner to Sony and they are just trying to remind them what is at stake here. It's important that Sony get its act together now regarding priorities and strategy for Playstation as a game console. I agree with Square - Sony has lost focus on PS3 because they are struggling to promote Bluray movies and are desperate to make money out of Bravia TV's.
The message Sony is putting out is that “PS3 is woth the expense because it is a multi-media center with Bluray HDMI 1080p HDTV with down loadable music, multimedia computer supporting folding @ home with soon to be released IP Phone"..... That message doesn't appeal to many people. The message should be “PS3 is an affordable high quality games console with lots of lots of excellent games” - See Sony's problem.
Sony needs to separate the marketing hype of PS-bluray as some sort of special device only for people with a Bravia HD TV and instead start marketing PS3 as a games console thats great on all TV's - like the one they have now!
As it stands now all we are getting is news that software publishers are putting PS3 game development on hold or planning fewer titles and those who are making games are just porting. Even then we just get the news of delays delays delays and more delays for the PS3 version. - There is nothing wrong with PS3 hardware its just that the publishers have got higher priorities with the other platforms like Wii, PC and Xbox360 and maybe even PS2 - because PS3 just doesn't have the following that PS2 did. Why because PS3 is an over priced games console but apparently well priced HD multimedia center with Bluray player perfect for the few people with a HDTV with HDMI and penchant for HD movies - which has limited appeal
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alchemyuser1 |
alchemyuser1- 7:30pm BST - September 7th, 2007
- 22
wow cleaner write me an essay while your at it look something interesting tretton said at e3 he said sony is looking towards that 10 year projection range they are not really stressed about the now and if you look at how the systems built its for that reason long lasting durability with up to date technology basically 360 is the now ps3 is the future
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The Cleaner
- 8:00pm BST - September 7th, 2007
- 23
Problem is all of the publishers are interested in selling games today and not interested in a so called 10 year plan. This means that the other platforms will get more of the games. Now what happens if Nintendo release a follow up Wii-2 console in two year time that is 100% compatible with current Wii but has about the power of an XBox360 does today. At the same time XBox 3 is launched but with a 16 core PPC and 1Gb of main memory. Again 100% hardware based backward compatible but with twice the performance of PS3 - where will the 10 year plan be then?
Sony doesnt have the cash left now to go into another console war and Sony will not be able to borrow more money for R&D as they did last time as the banks will get nervous. No Sony needs to make the most of PS3 now they dont have 10 years to wait. Anyway - Im not going to hang around with my PS3 waiting 10 years for someone to make some decent games... I want something now.
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Alpha2
- 8:27pm BST - September 7th, 2007
- 24
Wada is absolutly right. I can understand sony wants to push it as an all in one wonder machine but take care of one market at a time. The video game market first and THEN push all the other features. People are ready for new games, they're a little slow on the uptake with "Media Hubs"
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franckribery07
- 11:27am BST - September 9th, 2007
- 26
i just hope that at the end of the day ps3 is the leading console. at the moment it seems like it will take some time, maybe to much.
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