Sony’s One-And-Only Problem

"So far, Sony has been making one great move after another. You’ll hardly hear anything truly negative when it comes to the PS4. As of right now the console is the go-to system for most gamers.

But one very important problem persists for Sony...."

[Relientk77]

What is Sony's one-and-only problem/weakness is also their biggest strength. They rely on and own MANY game studios, exclusives, and franchises for their consoles.

[Shok]

That's a great way to look at it. As I mentioned at the end of my article:

"And for all we know I can very much be dead-wrong and Sony could easily beat out the competition without at juggernaut like Mario or Halo."

The strategy of MANY games over fewer-but-stronger ones could indeed work for them, but we'll just have to wait and see.

Thanks for the intelligent, calm response.

[xHeavYx]

I thought Sony's only problem was the fact that they don't support Arabic language, lol.
I agree with Relient. Sony has many exclusive IPs who have sold millions of copies. I wouldn't consider not having a "mascot" a problem

[HammadTheBeast]

I agree, I'd like it if Sony made one massive game, advertised the hell out of it, and made it that one game you NEED to have.

In this case, I'd say they need to make a MAG 2.0, rename it, make it innovative and fresh, and just go all out with it. Get guys from Guerilla Games, the Socom guys, ND, SSM, all working on it, along with a dedicated studio.

But just for comparisons sake, I'd say Gran Turismo is Sony's big franchise, it rivals Halo in terms of sales.

[T2]

If your definition of juggernaut includes halo then why no gran turismo or god of war ? Hell even metal gear fits in there ... Dont know what your def is but halo has never broken 8 million and that barely ranks all time

[Sitdown]

I thought there one and only problem would be not enough stock to keep up with demand at launch.

[AbortMission]

Stick to Wii u damage controlling shokio Lol

[Skips]

The thing is with Sony, it's a fact that they have created more successful new IP's than both MS and Nintendo combined this gen...

For instance, if Sony never funded LittleBigPlanet, Heavy Rain, The Last Of Us, Resistance, Journey, Beyond Two Souls, Infamous and many MANY more, and used the budgets on those games (game development/advertising) to market... say God Of War, save also for only a few of their other past gen games like Killzone, GT, and Rathchet & Clank.

Sorta like what MS does with Halo, Forza, Fable, and Gears... (ESPECIALLY Halo http://www.joystiq.com/2012...

"Estimates for development costs of Halo 3 average out at $60 million, and that was including a massive marketing budget of about $30 million."

Could you imagine how popular GOW/Kratos would be, if he didn't have to share the spotlight with the likes of Nathan Drake, Ellie and Joel, SackBoy, Cole McGrath etc. etc.? On top of having the money for THEIR games, used to market his own?

LMFAO, God Of War would be selling tens of millions without a doubt.

[ShinMaster]

* The latest Legend of Zelda game has been outsold by PlayStation exclusives like GOW, Uncharted, Gran Turismo, LBP, etc.

* Sony didn't have a problem beating the N64 with the PS1. And they didn't have a problem beating the GameCube and Xbox with the PS2.
Sony DOESN'T NEED to turn their consoles into one-trick ponies. They have multiple franchises that sell anywhere from 4 million to over 10 million and they successfully continue to release new and well received IPs.

* You're getting confused by the Wii.
It was a freak success. It had the right gimmick at the right time and marketed to the right people. Every other Nintendo(and Xbox) home console has been outsold by PlayStation consoles.

* So yes, "Sony could easily beat out the competition without juggernauts like Mario or Halo" because they've already done it before.
PlayStation has the biggest community of console gamers in the world.

[Skips]

"I thought Sony's only problem was the fact that they don't support Arabic language, lol."

LOL! Same here. XD

"But just for comparisons sake, I'd say Gran Turismo is Sony's big franchise, it rivals Halo in terms of sales."

Pretty much...

EDIT: Link for Halo 3's marketing... http://www.joystiq.com/2012...
https://www.google.com/sear...

[Cupid_Viper_3]

Just to give some perspective here.

This gen MS released 4 Halo games: Halo 3, Halo ODST, Halo Reach, Halo 4.

4 Gears of War games: Gears 1,2,3 & judgement.

4 Forza Games: Forza 2,3,4 & Horizon.

And yet they still ended up being in 3rd place even with a year headstart on the competition. Meanwhile Sony has yet to make a home console that sells less than 100 milliion units in its lifetime.

The idea that Sony needs to put all of their eggs in one basket is silly to me. The best thing that happened to Sony in regards to PlayStation is the fact that Nintendo is seen as kids/family orientated, and MS is seen as Shooter centric, leaving Sony as the best of both worlds with a very varried library of games.

[YNWA96]

Syphon filter should be rebooted. It would make an awesome flagship game.

[blackbeld]

Argh whatever.

PS4 got the games I want. Granturismo, Killzone, Driveclub and many more exclusive AAA games.

[Eddie20101]

They have many mascots

Drake
Kratos
Sack Boy
Ratchet and Clank

and many others that are not exclusive anymore but are still associated with the playstation since thats where they started.

[THC CELL]

I'd like ccp to make mag 2

[Eonjay]

I have to disagree with this article. I understand what he is saying and with all due respect to Nintendo, I don't care if they ever make another Mario game again. The best game I played this generation was TLOU without a doubt. It was fresh and new. You know that games alike Mario and Halo are always gonna get the polish treatment but they aren't every gonna give you that same wow experience as when you played the first one. For a studio like Naughty Dog, I like that they broke away from uncharted to deliver something new. It means you get the same polish, but on a completely new experience.

[ZHZ90]

@Shok,
"And for all we know I can very much be dead-wrong and Sony could easily beat out the competition without at juggernaut like Mario or Halo."

You see Sony has juggernaut, it is VARIETY not making same over and over like MS doing withHalo or Nintendo doing with Mario.
This is what one of reasons encourages me to buy PS4.

@Skips, voted for you extra bubble for well said

@xHeavYx, LOL! this is what I thought. Lets consider that Sony will support Arabic language later on which will make it no disadvantege later on.

[trouble_bubble]

@CupidViper
Agreed. TLOU, a new IP in the twilight of this gen's lifecycle, outsold the latest Gears and Forza combined. Why put all your eggs in one basket when you own the damn farm?

[ProjectVulcan]

Playstation has a lot of ubiquitous franchises. For me however, the one still running that they are linked to in my mind is Gran Turismo because that particular game defined my Playstation 1 and 2 gaming experiences.

It still seems that this is true for many Playstation gamers. GT5 sold over 10 million copies on PS3, more than Halo Reach in the same sort of timespan.

GT can always count on the massive sales, same as Halo can.

[SharnOfTheDEAD]

If Team Soho revive the getaway then they will certainly have a flagship on their hands, especially here Europe.

[WrAiTh Sp3cTr3]

@joecanada, "halo has never broken 8 million"

I dont think you know what you're talking about.

[scott182]

I would agree with the article if Halo was still the insanely hyped game it once was... Back in the day sony had to compete with bigtime hyped games coming out, but now their frachises are gaining popularity. Look how many pre orders killzone already has for instance, and how much hype infamous second son is getting. People outside of the hardcore have big interest, more than they have had in the past. And I feel as far as The Last of Us goes, that game is very popular and still selling extremely well, that is fantastic for a new franchise. It seems to me sony will have mega hits on their hands with new releases of these games and bringing more new ip's to the table.

[Boody-Bandit]

I don't think it's possible for me to disagree more with this article than what I do.

Personally, for the most part, I grow tired of the same damn franchises generation after generation. Every new generation Sony brings us their tried and true franchise like GT and God of War but they also break new ground with amazing new IP's every generation like Little Big Planet, Uncharted, Infamous, Killzone, Heavy Rain and recently my new favorite this generation "The Last of Us" (just to name a few).

I can't wait to see all of those titles on the PS4 but more importantly I am looking forward to the new IP's Sony's studios will bring us over the next several years.

[Clarence]

Sony has to many quality IPs that gamers love. They don't need a mascot. Mario didn't help Nintendo win last gen, the motion control gimmick did. M$ released 3 halo games, had a year headstart, and a cheaper console last gen. Yet they ended up in last place.

Sony strenght is based off the fact that we get new quality IPs along with older ones. When think Nintendo you think of Mario. When you think of Xbox you think halo. When you think of playstation you think of god of war, KZ, uncharted, GT, infamous, MGS. The list goes on and on

[miyamoto]

Its great to see your bro, Black Buster, is one of the greatest supporters of the PS4. I am subscribed to his Anti-Xbox One News channel.

http://www.youtube.com/user...

[T2]

@wraithspectre - halo has sold at its best 8.1 million .. So what i meant was it never broke through 8 mil to 8.5 or 9... Still doesnt barely rank all time . Check the numbers

[2v1]

SONY has the Nissan GTR as its mascot
lol that beats all of the others

[BlueBlood17]

Wow, are you seriously trying to claim that Sony exclusives are inferior because there are more of them?

Unbelievable.

[FamilyGuy]

I really don't see this as a problem.

Say MS has one game that sells 10 million units, Sony has 4 games that sell 3 million units a piece.

Why does Playstation need a mascot, their games sell, their consoles sell, they get positive word of mouth from the majority of people that have their systems.

Why does it have to be a game anyway, why can't its mascot be a feature? I personally think PS+ with its Instant Game Collection is Sonys "mascot". When people consider buying a Sony system that IGC is a major force drawing people in.

Gran Turismo is a 10 million game seller anyway, I guess that doesn't count because there's no face on the cars? Even with GT6 coming to PS3 there will obviously be a Gran Turismo game in the PS4s future at some point, it's a given.

I like Sony's approach, a variety of games for everyone rather than one or two hit titles as the only reason to pick up and be a fan of the system.

[tubers]

Interesting.

Since Sony has so much studios, maybe budget is all over the place and the big wigs are just hoping that one of those studios produces a "Mario/Halo" PS exclusive.

[cleft5]

The problem with that statement is that there MANY games also happen to be high quality games that they have been developing for years in preparation for the launch of the PS4. The weakest PS4 game, from appearances anyways, is Knack. Honestly, Knack is a glorified tech demo and we all known it. Still it's a nice looking tech demo.

So in reality there is no weakness in Sony's strategy so far. They have clearly been preparing for this move for years and high a lot of high quality games prepare for the PS4. For once a company is combining quality and quantity.

[HammadTheBeast]

One more thing I'd like to point out.

Sony exclusives vary over the generations.

One gen's exclusives may never be seen again.

Gek, MedEvil. Legend of Dragoon, Noc, Crash etc.

Those are PS1 exclusives alone which we've never seen again. (Activision Crash and Squishy-faced Spyro will not be mentioned).

Each gen is unique.

[Benchm4rk]

@joecanada

Not sure where you are getting your numbers from. Check out VG chartz ( easy to find type VG chartz in Google) search for Halo and you should find these figures current as of 24th August 2013.

Halo 3 11.79 million copies global sales
Halo Reach 9.45 million copies global sales

www.vgchartz.com/gamedb/?name =halo

[minimur12]

Nice read :)

I totally agree with everything haha, where's Crash, Spyro Sir Daniel, Croc, Syphon filter gone D'x

[Edito]

You don't have to wait and see, just look at how the PS3 fared against the 360 and why it performed like that for a console that arrived 1 year later and without that "Killer Game" and i don't know why ppl forget that what made the PS1/PS2 so unforgettable was the fact that every single publisher was working there and there was no microsoft and deep pockets at that time there was more space to create... Now money talks and bulshit walks... i think we should be happy for Sony being like that cause they are doing the right thing to make the industry and genres grow instead of relying on a single game to make the magic and sell consoles...

[jcnba28]

I can name 3 more of sony's problems with the PS4:

- No backwards compatibility
- No free online
- No external hard drive support

[The_Con-Sept]

The Arabic dictionary voted for Obama.

[Knushwood Butt]

lol

Shok's clearly got nothing to write about Nintendo (he's even lost motivation to do damage control for them) so here he is writing about Sony?

Don't quit your day job.

[JUDALATION]

The ONLY problem with Sony is that they have a shortage on consoles... I have been trying to pre order but NOTHING!

[Sideras]

Afaik they have two juggernauts, Uncharted and God of War, three if The Last of Us becomes a thing.
Either way I'd rather have a mix of genres than the same old shooter year after year.

[EZMickey]

@joecanada Halo has in fact broken 11 Million.

http://www.vgchartz.com/gam...

[static5245]

What about that Michael Long Live Play commercial? That was basically all of Playstation mascots. I think thats what people don't think about when playstation advertises they're not advertising one franchise but everything they've done. http://youtu.be/fj96XYhwTFI

[pixelsword]

Don't they have sackboy?

[T2]

For those wondering got my numbers from wikipedia top game sales all time says halo 3 is top halo with 8.1 mil ... Dont know how accurate vgchartz or this site are but wiki has multiple sources ... If you think its wrong change it

[Enemy]

To sum up the whole writing, they're actually complaining that Sony doesn't want to milk one mascot. That instead, they rely on the many created by their 1st parties.

Nathan Drake is a mascot, millions seller
Joel/Ellie are mascots, millions sellers
Kratos is a mascot, millions seller
Helghast is a mascot, millions seller
Sackboy is a mascot, millions seller
Cole McGrath is a mascot, millions seller
Delsin is a mascot, will sell millions
Ratchet & Clank are mascots, millions sellers

The Last of Us would have never happened if Sony kept Naughty Dog on Uncharted. Look how it turned out.

Puppeteer, new IP, already receiving universal praise

We know that Naughty Dog are at work with a new IP as well. Same goes for Guerrilla, Santa Monica, Media Molecule, and Quantic Dream. More mascots incoming, and all of them belong to PlayStation.

If Sony only relied on one IP to do their work, they'd be no different from Nintendo and Microsoft.

Sony's all about variety. That's how they win GOTY. When you have something for everyone, you can't go wrong.

When's the last time Halo was even recognized for true GOTY? It's an indication that Microsoft needs MORE fresh IPs, not keep shooting the same weapon.

And if you really want to be amazed, there are countless other franchises Sony could bring back at any given moment.

Alundra, Arc the Lad, Dark Cloud, Demon's Souls, The Getaway, Ghosthunter, Gravity Rush, Heavenly Sword, Jak & Daxter, Jeanne d'Arc, Jet Moto, Lair, The Legend of Dragoon, The Mark of Kri, MediEvil, Primal, Rogue Galaxy, Siren, Syphon Filter, Warhawk, Tomba!, War of the Monsters

Doesn't it feel good to have more than one weapon at your disposal?

[Shok]

Refer to the reply I made to jc48573.

[Godmars290]

Think its more a concern than a worry.

And by "mascot" they mean characters outside of gaming.

It was really a disservice to mention Halo besides Mario, who all you need to identify is a red cap with an "M" on it.

[pyramidshead]

I wish there was an option to double bubble lol Also can't wait to get puppeteer, fantastic art direction., a game that changes every ten minutes and you'll never see the same thing twice apparently! But I still have to buy TLOU, urgh.

[Tito08]

And don't forget to include Omega Boost, Tourist Trophy, and as much as I know people will hate to hear this, Genji as well. For a console maker that has the most use of original IPs, Sony have more at their disposal anyways, I know there are more IPs than that, that's exactly how I always preferred Sega all the time over Nintendo at the time.

[Rhaigun]

I actually think this is Microsoft and Nintendo's crutch. They rely too much on their stable franchises. So much so, that they fail to take a risk on any new IP year after year. After you've played the new Halo, Mario or Zelda, you're not left with much outside of third party games. Games that Sony has as well.

[Sci0n]

True Story! im about to go play TLOU's multiplayer right now!

[AndrewLB]

And countless games that were absolute garbage.

On vgcharts, for 2012 the xbox 360 had 9 of the top 25 games, sony had 7. So far in 2013, 360 has 8, ps3 has 7. This statistic alone flies in the face to those saying "microsoft relies too much on just a few ip's carrying the platform.

Now if you look at TOTAL game sales per platform you get:

XBox 360: 801,850,000
PS3: 720,240,000

Interesting how PS3 has only slightly more system sales than Xbox 360 but close to 80,000,000 less games sold, even with all those choices.

Looks to me like my assertion that many people bought the PS3 just for the great blu-ray player.

Plus... sony lost money on every console till recently while Microsoft didn't. Also, the big money is made on licensing and sales of games, in which Sony got destroyed by Microsoft.

[Campy da Camper]

Look at the cast of Sienfield. Each person was fantastic but that character is all they are known for. Fast forward to today and George castanza, Kramer and Elaine will forever be typecast.

Variety is where its at. Give me a few uncharted and little big planets then move on to a new ideas. Keep it fresh and moving forward.

[sentury111]

Julie louis Dreyfous is winning emmeys for the veep.

But of course she will be remembered for Elaine who starred in the number one show for many years.

That's true for any actor they are known as their best role such as the terminator or Han Solo/Indiana Jones to Officer Riggs

[Campy da Camper]

Look at the cast of Sienfield. Each person was fantastic but that character is all they are know for. Fast forward to today and George castanza, Kramer and Elaine will forever be typecast.

Variety is where its at. Give me a few uncharted and little big planets then move on to a new ideas. Keep it fresh and moving forward.

[ssj27]

Let's keep one thing clear here!
GRAN TURISMO is the PlayStation IP!

I can see PlayStation 4,5 and .. without any other IP but GT! Has to be there.

Their next IP that fallows is God of War! Kratos is a Icon and very popular.

Other IP reaching those epic levels are Killzone, Uncharted and MotorStorm could have take it to the next level if their next games shine on the PS4!

KILLZONE will give the big jump with Shadow Fall.. number's will tell if it did (over 4 millions sales)

[sentury111]

Forza was better last Gen. GT only sold due to name recognition.

[ssj27]

Forsa was better only on reviews...
gt has more cars, better graphics, tracks, authentic competition, authentic details, technology and etc.

I can't trus a video gamer to review a SIM.. they will review the gameas a game and not as it's a sim. Two huge difference s.

Example pes is more authentic Soccer SIM but fifa gets passed as a better game because it has license and more features but in term of pure gameplay PES does it more authentic and is more of a SIM.

[JustPlay4]

I don't see how this is really a bad thing, having as many games as you can, that may not stand the test of time(which I don't think is true but that me)and just stay with only few new ips for years I don't want that I want new games, I don't want to play the same thing over and over again just because it can sell and that why I'm keeping my ps3 for that games that have been and buying a ps4 for games that to come.

Well that just me this may not make a lot of sense to everyone but oh well

[ajax17]

Yeah, I'm thinking: let me get this straight, the problem with Sony is that they don't keep milking a single franchise over and over and over? Wow, a company that wants to create unique and new experiences, what a terrible idea.

[AbortMission]

People like Shokio aren't real gamers if all they want is the same damn expired milk franchises like Mario.

[madpuppy]

Agreed, The sheer amount of unique titles from not only third party but Sony's many first party studios is a strength. after all, just because pizza is great, doesn't mean eating it every day is a great idea.

[MWong]

Weak, to say Sony is missing that "it" game. No console usually launches with that "it" game. That it game normally launches 6 months to a year after console launch.

[Delive]

I think their only problem is. How they have responded to ms' changes, or lack there of. Out the gate, sony was in attack mode, going after ms' controversial plans for next gen. $100 less, items behind gold paywall not behind ps+, indie support, more (reported) powerful, f2p games at launch, the list goes on. Ms has responded by reversing many of their policies and leave the possibility of game sharing coming back, they tout key 3rd party exclusived and partnerships with non gaming resources fir those that want that. Ms has in turn closed the gap (some) and will continue to push for that. Sony seems to be waiting as if they don't want to step on the throat of ms while they were down. Like an nfl coach who lacks that killer mentality. They get a big lead early, then let the other team hang around instead of putting them away.

[PSVita]

They don't need a mascot when they put out games like demon souls, infamous, uncharted, the last of us and GT. Advertising the hell out of a single game doesn't make it any better.

[nosferatuzodd]

indeed and people always overlook stuff don't know if its bias or not but you say halo is a juggernaut then Grand tourismo of to fit on that bill has well over 10 million sold and over 70 million copies in total if that's not a killer app then i don't know what is

[StoutBEER]

Haha this is the top news story? Everyone at n4g are fags. XD

[DeadlyFire]

Indeed. I thought they were going to sink more money and ammunition into Killzone shadow fall before its launch, but so far I have little urge to run out and buy it. I am more amped for Uncharted 4 in 2014 alongside some of the new IPs.

[thisismyaccount]

Sonys Strength

PlayStation 1

- Ape Escape
- Crash Bandicoot
- MedEvil
- GT
- Jumping Flash (2nd dev)
- and many more....

PlayStation 2

- ICO
- Jak and Daxter
- Ratchet and Clank
- The Getaway
- GT3
- The Mark of Kri
- KillZone
- God Of War
- Sly Cooper
- and few more...

PlayStation 3

- Uncharted
- Infamous
- The Last of US
- Heavy Rain (2nd dev)
- GT5
- God of War "polished"
- Fat princess (2nd dev)
- Motorstorm
... and few more

Nintendo N64

- Zelda
- Mario
- Metriod
- Conker

Nintendo GameCube

- Zelda
- Mario
- Metriod
- Pikmin ?

Nintendo Wii/U

- Zelda
- Mario
- Metriod
- Pikmin

Xbox 2001 Odyssey

- Halo (backstabbing PC ppl.)
- Fable

Xbox 360

- Halo 3
- Fable
- Forza
- Kameo

and so on... nothing will change with the Xbox One. Same regurgitated crap like what Nintendo does... the diffrence is : Nintendo Games don´t suck,... if i´v missed some FP IP from M$ and Nintendo let me/us know.

[Automatic79]

Having a variety of games is definitely Sony's strength. In my experience with Sony I always felt that Resistance was/is and should have been that killer title. Unfortunately, the game remains with sony but we are not sure if sony will bring it back anytime soon.

Note: Another title my friend speaks about is Syphon Filter sony can take that title and bring it into modern day glory with PS4.

[Jubez187]

Yea that's pretty much it. This article makes it seem like Sony doesn't have AAA titles which of course is so untrue. It just makes it seem like Sony doesn't have that ONE carrying franchise because they have other franchises to care about. Honestly, when it comes to the other systems it's about the games (like people want HALO whether it's bungie or that new company); however, on the Sony side it's more "we have NAUGHTY DOG" because we know they're going to put out gold whether it's an uncharted or a TLOU title, anything. Same goes for Suckerpunch and Media Molecule. The other systems just keep rereleasing the same IP's (like do we need another Gears of War, really?) while Sony usually cycles them out after a generation.

[Enemy]

Sony has mascots from all of their 1st parties.

[jc48573]

You know, that's the one thing I like about Sony in the first place because they don't HAVE THAT ONE game, but they have VARIETY and they emphasize that a lot more than MS at least. I used to think that way too, but as time went by I simply got used to the idea that Sony's intention was never really about THAT ONE game people were looking for. Why? I think because Sony understands the fact that not all gamers have similar taste. I could be liking Uncharted but hate God of War. I no longer buy Nintendo just for Mario or Zelda.

I also like the fact when the PS1 came out, it actually felt like the console was meant for third party games.

[Shok]

I understand what you're saying 100%.

BUT, people need to realize that you can have that ONE franchise and STILL have many others.

Whether people want to face it or not, Nintendo does this.

Mario is that ONE franchise, but there's also Smash Bros., Metroid, Kirby, Fire Emblem, Pikmin, Kid Icarus, Xenoblade, etc.

When I mention what I said in this article to people, they think I'm saying Sony needs to do away with new IP's and just focus on one big one. That's not what I'm saying at all. Sony can create that ONE franchise and still continue what they're doing now.

Having that one series they can always rely on wouldn't hurt one bit.

[T2]

They already have multiple franchises , your definition is flawed and your premise makes no sense .

[fattyuk]

Gran turismo?

Only mention gran turismo as its been on all formats of playstation including handhelds.

[DatRealBoy]

I don't understand it's like since Nintendo do it and xbox do it sony must do it. Hmm GT can be a system mascot based on sales. I mean I know its your opinion and all but for sony to need one MAIN mascot yeah it could be nice but at the same them not having one does not magically mean Playstation Brand will fail.

[jc48573]

does it really need THAT ONE GAME?

I don't like to force it through people's throat that God of War is that ONE GAME or Jak Daxter is. You gotta give Sony credit for being different and don't follow the norm.

When you think of Sony, you also think of many developers as a whole. Who doesn't know Santa Monica for their games? Who doesn't know Sucker Punch for their games? Who doesn't know Naughty Dog for their games?

Now, think of Nintendo games, kinda hard right? You need to do a bit of research to know about the studios that work for Nintendo.
Do the same with MS. Even more research is needed to be done with MS games.

I honestly don't like the idea of having that ONE GAME and sort of branch out.

[Chevalier]

You mention fatigue for Uncharted and God Of War, then how about the multiple Fable, Forza, Halo and Gears games?

Halo 5 is coming out next year and that's what 6 games in 8 years? (Halo 3, Halo ODST, Halo Wars, Halo 4, Halo Anniversary edition). 4 Gears games, and 3 fable games, 5 Forza games?

[iceman06]

I understand your point. However, you forget a couple of things. First Nintendo games, for the most part, are legacy games of some 20 years! Personal tastes aside, that's like trying to beat the timelessness of the Motown sound, Elvis, or Michael Jackson. It probably won't happen because it's so deeply ingrained in the fabric of music. Just as Mario is damn near synonymous with gaming. Halo was THE reason that Xbox existed. It was the flagship of the console and has carried that flag since it's inception. Sony has decided to just diversify and create several IP in various genres that are indicative of a Sony game. They want to attract all types of gamers to the console, not just FPS fanatics, platform lovers, or driving enthusiasts. They don't want to be McDonald's, where it's known for the Big Mac. They want to be like a buffet. All you can eat and something for everybody.

[ShinMaster]

@ Shok

Sony doesn't need that. Aside from Mario, Zelda and Smash, none of the other franchises you mentioned sell anywhere near as much. Have you even checked? What good is having known titles that very few people buy.

* Even the latest Legend of Zelda game has been outsold by PlayStation exclusives like GOW, Uncharted, Gran Turismo, LBP, etc. Heck, even The Last of Us(new IP) is about to outsell it. And the Wii has a bigger install base.

* Sony didn't have a problem beating the N64 with the PS1.
They didn't have a problem beating the GameCube and Xbox with the PS2.
And they beat the Xbox 360, even with 6 Halo games, 4 Gears of War games, 4 Forza games, a year headstart and cheaper price.

* You're getting confused by the Wii.
It was a freak success. It had the right gimmick at the right time and marketed to the right people. Every other Nintendo(and Xbox) home console has been outsold by PlayStation consoles.
* Sony DOESN'T NEED to turn their consoles into one-trick ponies. They have multiple franchises that sell anywhere from 4 million to over 10 million and they successfully continue to release new and well received IPs.

* So yes, "Sony could easily beat out the competition without juggernauts like Mario or Halo" because they've already done it before.
PlayStation has the biggest community of console gamers in the world.

Now think about it. Is this even a real "problem" for Sony?

[Hicken]

@Shok: But NOTHING comes close to the power of Mario. Hell, most of the ones you name sell more poorly than the stable of PS exclusives do.

Frankly speaking, if Nintendo loses Mario, they lose their golden goose. The same with Microsoft and Halo. That's a far larger problem than what you claim Sony's to be. Not having to rely on a single "mascot," but instead having a slew of titles supporting your consoles, can only be viewed as a strength.

Why would any company want to have ONE franchise to rely on when they could have a DOZEN? Car companies would LOVE to have multiple cars being tops in their classes. ANY manufacturer would prefer to have multiple products to bank on, rather than just one.

Really, this is one of the worst manufactured "flaws" I've ever heard of, largely because it doesn't make any sense.

[2v1]

You sound racist for real what about the other games made and the people that work on them games they get push aside for some mascot game, that's not fair that's what in the real world we call racist.

[pandaboy]

As everyone else has already pointed out... Gran Turismo. Halo is pretty small time sales when you compare it to the big boys out there like Gran Turismo. This game moves systems like no other. See for yourself.

http://www.vgchartz.com/gam...
http://www.polyphony.co.jp/...

[Angeljuice]

I do agree that having a big franchise and heavy-duty mascot can be beneficial, but it can also be detrimental.

I have never enjoyed a single Mario game, despite playing computer games since the late seventies. I don't like Mario at all, so maybe the fact that he is such a huge iconic figure for Nintendo is part of the reason I've never owned a Nintendo console.

I played the first Halo (albeit on PC), and didn't think much of it, I won't say that's the reason I've never owned an Xbox though (more to do with loathing Microsoft if I'm honest).

Both these games can feel intrusive to the machine they appear on, if you own a Nintendo, you're *expected* to have a Mario game and the same goes for Microsoft with Halo. If you don't, you will feel like you are missing out on the core experience of the console.

If we take Gran Turismo as the PlayStation brand's biggest system seller, it isn't the same story at all. If you don't like driving sims, you won't play a GT title, it doesn't feel at all "forced" on you, you don't have to buy into that franchise at all to get the core experience of PlayStation, that core experience changes from player to player depending on their preferences.

[SmokingMonkey]

Naughty Dog is all Sony needs.

[fattyuk]

No as naughty dog don't/cant provide the variety of games solely, fantastic devs love em to bits but Sony has got it nail on the head with the variety of games they have in their bag.

[ZHZ90]

I believe MS needs a studio talented as ND.

[SmokingMonkey]

PS1-Crash Bandicoot-ND

PS2-Jak & Daxter-ND

PS3-Uncharted-ND

Sony doesn't need a mascot, it needs ND. All the other 1st party developer's are great too and make PS what it is. But the article asks why PS doesn't have that "It" character, and the reason is ND doesn't make the same thing for 10/20 years.

[strickers]

Gran Turismo is a massive single IP. Out sells Halo.

[YodaCracker]

Gran Turismo is a good long-term seller, but it does not smash sales records every time like Halo. Halo 4 sold over 3 million copies in its first 24 hours, becoming the fastest-selling Halo game to date. GT5 came nowhere even close to that.

Sony simply has no game that breaks opening day records and creates such a frenzy in the gaming world like a Halo release does. GT5 still sold an incredible 10 million units, but it can't match Halo 3's 12 million. Not to mention, GT5 is the only GT release so far this gen, compared to all the Halo releases - Halo 3: 12 million, ODST: 6 million, Halo: Reach: 10 million, Halo 4: 9 million. That's almost 40 million units right there. Now imagine how many copies Halo 3 would have sold if it had been the only Halo game released during the 360's lifecycle!

[moparful99]

@yodacracker What does it matter that GT games don't sell like crack on the first day? Or break sakes records? Thats just a bullet point in a fanboy argument.. Microsoft makes an event out of Halo, they spent 30 million on the advertising and im willing to bet Sony didn't even spend 10 million marketing GT yet it has sold over 10 million copies.. Over a span of just 5 games GT has sold more than 70 million units a number the almighty Halo hasn't done.. Whats more impressive day one sales records or being one of the best selling game IP's of all time?

[DigitalRaptor]

@ Yoda

Microsoft makes a song and dance about Halo though. I'm pretty convinced they spend more on ensuring it's a mass market success through advertising, promotion and journalist goody bags, than its development budget.

Meanwhile, Sony exclusives sell what you can expect from them without any huge marketing or promotion. 2-3+ million sales over 10s of games is better for the gamer in the long run, and a good way to improve the variety of a portfolio whilst making bank. I think Uncharted 3 is the biggest promotion they have done in recent years, and those games sell 5+ million. Remember that Subway tie-in they did?

And some games are just hugely surprising in their success, like The Last of Us. Word of mouth did great things for that game, because I don't remember it being advertised in any massive way. Heavy Rain is an example of a game that was moderately advertised, but performed great at retail and more than anyone was expecting.

Like moparful said, Gran Turismo has its fanbase because it appeals to the true driving enthusiast, not just the gamer by a long stretch. GT5 Prologue was also released this gen, as a precursor to GT5 and still sold 5+ million.

And as we all know each type of exclusive appeals to a different type of gamer, but not always exclusively. I'm lucky to be a gamer who enjoys variety in a very significant way. So I appreciate the push Sony makes for unique new IPs and partnerships with indie developers. So, as if it wasn't obvious enough, I don't care if a game doesn't sell millions, I care about its quality and the impact is has upon myself and that I can share that with other gamers.

[805Junior805]

I will buy any game with a dogs paw print logo on it.

[demonddel]

Microsoft

[thrust]

I will be getting the ps4 late next year.

the only downside and the reason am getting the xbox one first is because of the online gaming network between the two.

xbox live is better and nicer to use, i hope psn is better on the ps4 but am not risking it so getting the xbox one first for my online games.

[hellzsupernova]

why not wait for the release and have a play im sure someone you know will be getting a ps4?

[thrust]

Am not joking when I say this we are all getting the Xbox one. (My friends)

[hellzsupernova]

So really you were never getting a ps4 it was never an option, you just downplay th playstation network to make you feel better about your choice.

[thrust]

Not at all, I will be getting the ps4.

I have had all the console last gen bar the wii u, would you like my usernames so you can check?

Why was it not an option?

[DatRealBoy]

@thrust
anybody can put a fake username

[rigbybot127]

Are you serious?

[moparful99]

"Xbox live is better and nicer to use." Thats pure opinion not fact, I have both a 360 and PS3 and im a big fan of PSN. Live overall is a little more seamless but not enough that it can be declared outright as being better.. For being completely free PSN was fantastic and runs great. My only gripe with PSN is slower downloads on some stuff and you can't do anything while it installs contents.. But in terms of playing games online it's near flawless.

[robotgargoyle]

I think Killzone:SF will be the best in that series and finally give Sony a true competitor to Halo.

It may not be the "Halo Killer", but it's getting closer with each iteration.

I think Sony has plenty of great titles, continue to have great IP development for each cycle. Do they need a bonafide mascot?

[Klonoa-dreamtraveler]

in japan playstations mascot is Toro Inoue http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

dont know if that makes it a official mascot but would be interesting to see what sony would pick as a mascot if they did.

[cell989]

I personally would Like Sack Boy to be the official Sony Playstation mascot

[robotgargoyle]

Sackboy, Crash Bandicoot, (Needs to return, why haven't they already), Rachet & Clank, or Jak & Daxter would be fine and are quality franchises that could be potential. Uh, Knack maybe.

Xbox doesn't really have anything except Master Chief.

[moparful99]

@Robot I think Activision owns the rights to Crash bandicoot and Spyro.

[thebudgetgamer]

I love the fact that Sony is always willing to move on from something that's popular.

[IcicleTrepan]

Right like they didn't beat us over the head with god of war. It's a good game but there's what, 6 of them total across consoles and handhelds. And they're essentially the same game with the same game play every time and prettier graphics.

That's not to say they aren't fun, but each console has their franchises that they beat into the ground like a dead horse.

[thebudgetgamer]

I don't disagree with that, but they also pump out new ips like no one else in the business.

[asiatico]

Sony has many big franchises and it only looks like they'll keep coming with more exiting games. They have more than enough

[coolasj]

A new Uncharted. Or rather a new Naughty Dog anything. That's their big one.

[PositiveEmotions]

Bring back spyro that will get fans jumping for joy

[cell989]

only if Insomniac is touching it, with input from Cerny

[brianunfried]

That's why I'm not getting one till next year, I'll be too busy playing GTA V anyways.

[EXVirtual]

They don't have that one game... that's true.
While I enjoy something like Infamous, I never put it in such a high regard as Zelda. Like I said, I'm loving the PS4, but I'm holding off till summer 2014. My first main PS4 game will be FFXV.

[Wrightylfc88]

This is 1 persons opinion though. Halo is so boring now the hype isn't there anymore. Uncharted is better than halo an Mario! And its better to have more games by more studios instead of just 'that' game.

Sony is gonna win the next gen console war hands down just look at the pre orders compared to Xbox one (the worse console name ever btw).

[HALOisKING]

uncharted better than halo lol thats funny uncharted cant even beat gears of war

btw tomb raider › uncharted

[dragonyght]

rly? now when is the last time Halo Gears and tomb Raider ever win 200+ game of the years award and sitting at top 5 metacritics

just saying

[dmonee]

Have faith my friend. Have faith. Sony hasn't played their full hand yet. There will be a diamond in the rough at somepoint and the casual masses will come in droves. DROVEs!!!!!!!!

[Campy da Camper]

Look at the cast of Sienfield. Each person was fantastic but that character is all they are know for. Fast forward to today and George castanza, Kramer and Elaine will forever be typecast.

Variety is where its at. Give me a few uncharted and little big planets then move on to a new ideas. Keep it fresh and moving forward.

[thebudgetgamer]

To be fair Elaine went on to do a show that lasted like ten years.

[iceman06]

Plus, she was pretty much the only known television commodity before Seinfeld.

[chavo_superpoderoso]

I'm a sony fan and I agree with the writer. Let's face it, Sony doesn't have a killer app like their competitors. When I finally decided to give it a try to the PS1 I remember watching a huge FFVII poster at my local toys r' us and holly crap, that was a fu@*& killer app related to the console.
I love the variety and quality that sony is delivering to us with their games but I wish we could have something to associate to the PS brand when I talk to casuals :|

[iceman06]

You do...it's called OPTIONS! Seriously, ask them what type of game they like...then point to one. Sony has a game for just about every genre.

[iPad]

In my opinion, Sony's only problem is that they don't advertise their games enough. They don't spend millions on advertisements. Which is kind of a good thing because they use those millions to bring new IPs.

The thing is the average consumer/gamer don't think for themselves. They just buy the games that seem the most popular because it's on every commercial or billboard.

Look at Halo 3 for example. One of the reasons why it was so big is because you saw it everywhere, literally. So generally, you start to think "oh, this game has to be good. Look at the attention this game is getting. I'm going to buy it when it comes out"

That's the reason why I bought it. And I'm not even into Halo. Gears of War, too.

Killzone could be so much bigger if Sony spent millions on advertisements.

Advertisement = influence

[isarai]

mmm, it's not really an issue for them though, in fact it's a smart move for most of their games. they advertise their games from their biggest studios (God of War team and Naughty Dog) but the rest are kind of niche games so spending a shitload of marketing would only hurt their profits. as it is their games sell fine for them and make good profit, bringing in marketing only jeopardizes the game. Trust me the amount spent on games like Halo and Gear as far as marketing is sickening IMO, it out weighs the cost to develop the game, which IMO is just plain stupid, especially when they then complain about how they aren't making enough money of their game sales

[moparful99]

I agree they don't market very heavily but like isarai said Sony IP's sell very well generally and since they don't spend much on adverts the games break into profits much faster.. Halo 3 for example between development and advertising cost something like 70 million dollars. Thats a huge hole to climb out of before you can make a profit. Most Sony IP's only need to sell 1 million copies to be deemed successful. I'm sure Halo games have to break3, 4, maybe 5 million units to make profit..

[IcicleTrepan]

It's because they can't afford it.

[isarai]

That's actually what i love about Sony, it never has Just One Game it has many games, each of equal quality and all amazing experiences unique to their own. It has something for everyone, and if you don't think so then you probably haven't looked. Also i remember ALL of the iconic Sony characters throughout the years, and that's how i see the Playstation brand, it's not a home for That One Game it's a fucking party waiting to greet you with open arms and a game just for you no matter who you are that you can't get anywhere else.

[Johnsonparts23]

LOL @ Mario. To me that's Nintendo's problem. Kids (and gamers in general) don't wanna play Mario, and it's all Nintendo is offering. It only has it's classic lineup, that it always has. I think Sony has a good thing going getting really new and interesting games while keeping some strong franchises. To me MS has the same problem in that it ONLY has Halo. As far as system selling games that's it. Ya it throws money at Devs and publishers for exclusives but for the most part they're not totally exclusive, they're dlc or timed. But I do think Sony needs a System seller eventually, and I think it'll come.

[MicDude]

When I think Playstation. The first game that comes to mind is God of War. Does that count?

[JunioRS101]

Well, I'm not Sony. So if they go downhill, I'll be glad I don't work for them.

However, if Sony should worry about more than just its hardcore audience, why is it that appealing to their hardcore audience is what has gotten them this many PS4 pre orders.

Say whatever you want about Sony's strategy, but at this point it seems that focusing on the hardcore audience is bringing them success not failure.

Sony CAN stay afloat with just hardcores, and you know why? It's because many Xbox 360 owners are hardcores, who want to play a lot more types of games than just racers and first person shooters. Those same people are going to get sick of the same types of games, and meanwhile, they're going to peek over the fence into Sony's camp and notice all these fun, innovative experiences only found on PS4, and they're going to hop that fence and keep the party going.

Hardcores alone can't keep Sony alive?? Hardcores are the primary reason Sony AND Xbox is still around! You think it was the casuals who bought the PS3 or 360 the year it launched?? No! They sold because there's a whole lot of people that want to play GAMES. A lot more people than what is being recognized, and I think Sony's pre orders speak for themselves.

The hardcores will buy PS4s and PS4 games, because hardcores care a lot more about real gaming than they do about console war loyalty.

If Sony keeps this up, and Microsoft truly does neglect its hardcore audience, Sony is going to continue selling a lot of consoles.

[chavo_superpoderoso]

@MicDude It counts, but unfortunately you know the medium but what about the people who doesn't? As John said, I hope Sony can get that killer app. I don't mind having a great mascot I could talk to my buddies who doesn't know a lot about videogames ;)

[ghostrider32]

If anything, all they have to do is not act like the second coming of Seto Kaiba like how they did during 2006. They just need to stay humble.

[IcicleTrepan]

The fans seem to be the ones acting like it's the second coming this time. Makes me laugh. I bet this gen of console doesn't last more than 5 years.

[nevin1]

I know this doesn't concern you FPS fans, but I'm rather disappointed with the PS4 being only 4 players compared to PS1-PS3 which allowed more.

I wonder can a software update fixed this?

[Welcome2Die]

I think their only weakness is securing third party exclusives, like Final Fantasy and Metal Gear Solid...
Other than that I think they are golden.

[chavo_superpoderoso]

@nevin1 Not really. At first I tought like you but then I tried to remember how many times I've played with more than 4 players and I couldn't think of a single one (not even in sports games)

[gigoran]

You should be working for Kotaku because that is definitely Kotaku material. And before you think the wrong thing, that isn't a compliment. Man... I see you're trying to be different and make a name for yourself (and honestly good luck), but this is just too far fetched. Anyone, not just sony fanboys, will tell you that there are heaps of "go to games" in the sony archive. There are lots of franchises on xbox that have been driven into the ground and lost touch with their original incarnation, but some great sony titles are just starting off and continuing strong. My advice for you is to stop trying to be different and just WRITE.

[cell989]

but they have so many good ones: Uncharted, Kratos, Sack Boy, GT, R&C all those are AAA franchises

[MultiConsoleGamer]

If you honestly think any of these companies have only one problem you are wearing fanboy blinders.

[xc7x]

too much to read lol

[redwin]

Lol, he said I'm evil. Hehe!

[sypher]

You game on a PS3 and soon to be PS4 for diversity. Knowing every genre of gaming will be supported and provided for you. That is the strongest part of Sony and they are the only platform where anything 'new' happens. New genre defining games, new ideas etc all seem to harvest on Sony platforms. It is where the gaming medium is at right now.

[D-riders]

wow really you compare mario to halo. I'm pretty sure mario kart wii has out sold the entire series of halo combined

[NateCole]

Once you have a mascot your console is pigeon holed for example

Halo = Xbox = Shooter console

Mario = Nintendo = Kids console

GT,GOW,KZ,Uncharted,LBP,Infam ous,FF,MGS,RC,HR,ICO,SOTC = PS = Eveyone's Console

[PickAShoe]

Kids these days don't play kid games; they play something like Call of Duty.

[Npugz7]

It's called uncharted!!!!!

[bigboirock]

the only ps3 game i could keep interest in was Naughty Dog games others i just could not get into

[smt_Nocturne]

To me Sony's only problem is that they don't support Arabic language.
everything else is perfect.

[AceBlazer13]

so sony should get a rehashable ip? i would prefer they not.the best things are always those that come to an end. anime for example , sure naruto and bleach is fun but compare them to stuff like death note and code geass, they look like a joke.

[JuniorCE]

It doesn't make any sense... Whatsoever...
God of War
Uncharted
Little Big Planet
LAst of Us
Twisted Metal
Gran Turismo
Wipeout
Killzone
and more...

Crazy people...

[bigboirock]

and only 2 of those games you listed were any fun

Uncharted, last of Us

ill buy a ps4 when they release uncharted 4, last of us 2, suikoden 6,legend of the dragoon 2

[rigbybot127]

I thought they were all fun, as well as many other people. That really is just an opinion.

[larrysdirtydrawss]

sounds like mascot talk,,,i have faith in the god of war team putting together a nice gow game for the ps4,a true sequel(gow4) and not a prequel... and also total confidence that if naughty dog keep the uncharted franchise going for the ps4,it will be another high quality fun title with solid gameplay/great story/ and interesting puzzles...

does mario and halo bring something memorable with each iteration??? and how come this guy didnt bring up sonys biggest franchise gran turismo? you kind of left out a MONSTER

[bigboirock]

because forza blows gran tuismo out of the water i played both but its my opinion

[PrimeGrime]

Lol what does anyone expect from Shokio? I tell people to watch his videos on Youtube all the time and then you'll understand why there isn't much need to pay attention to this guy.

He is always passive aggressively trolling on Sony all while trying to act like he cares about them at the same time. Oh no but when it comes to Nintendo it is a completely different story.

Not to say he doesn't really own every system, knowing him he does just to make himself seem more console friendly. At the end of the day mostly all his videos are always about defending something Nintendo. When someone talks shit about Nintendo he goes off, then he has to drag Sony into it to make comparisons.

I just find it all tasteless.

Figures he would be the first and only person to really write something like this attempting to find a problem with the PS4 right now. Which practically proves my entire point about this guy.

I mean everything he is even trying to say in the comments makes no complete sense either. Sony has plenty of reliable franchises just like Nintendo, that have been used more than once that people buy again and again.

Not to say every company doesn't have some room for improvement somewhere but the PS4 isn't really one of those things right now. Other than the no Arabic language "at launch" there are no real problems with the PS4 yet.

Also the PS3 didn't get Arabic until later, so why people don't think the language can just be patched in like last time on PS3 is beyond me. So it really isn't a problem just matter of waiting I think for that.

[Shok]

Let me show you how foolish you look right now:

http://gaminrealm.com/2013/...

http://gaminrealm.com/2013/...

http://gaminrealm.com/2013/...

http://gaminrealm.com/2013/...

And then I did an article defending Sony, and suddenly I became a saint here on N4G: http://gaminrealm.com/2013/...

As for my YouTube channel: http://gyazo.com/ccf781466e...
http://gyazo.com/1a6842a7e0...
http://gyazo.com/2283e6540f...
http://gyazo.com/9c7ba9e7d3...
http://gyazo.com/253b6e573f...

Funny how you're literally sitting here and lying to these people. Nintendo is my favorite company yes, and I will defend, when the DESERVE to be defended, but I have no problem critiquing the hell out of the company, as you can see.

You simply are upset by my OPINION, so you resort to calling me a fanboy and somebody who doesn't legit care about Sony although I own a PS1, PS2, PSP, PS3, will buy a PS4 at launch and will eventually get a Vita.

Let's stop getting mad over opinions, stop making baseless statements, and pull our heads out of our asses.

[unworthyBOZO]

Yet you fail to do any research before you write your articles, God of War III outsold Skyward Sword so what does that tell you. Lets be honest this was about getting this article as fast as possible on N4G to get hits, screw the facts am I right, because you know fanboys are gonna pounce on the article and your gonna come in and try and come off as some know it all that is console agnostic. You do the same thing in your youtube videos you make troll bait videos to garner hits and then the next make another video and start laughing on how you fooled everyone, you may fool some people but there are some of us who can smell a phony from a mile away.

P.S. Sony already has a franchise that has outsold halo, its called Gran Turismo, pull your head out of your ass and do some research next time, it wouldn't kill you. Also if everything you said was true then the WII U should have been sold out the day it came out instead of gathering dust I mean going by your logic Super Mario Bros U should have been the killer app and been the game that moved consoles, that happend right?

[GenericNameHere]

Gets called out by someone, says the generic "I have this, that, those, and will own this later on".

Hey dude, do you think I can be a journalist too? I'll create an article, saying something controversial, BUT then I will say "I'm not bias because I own such and such, and will buy this product in the future" to cover my arse and not seem like a biased fool. Sounds good, eh?

[Smokingunz]

So sad this article is smh, this clearly a sony site.first off the ps4 is not that much powerful than the xbox one,and graphics doesn't make a particular console better than the other.

People have to understand that everyone and everything has its time, yes Sony dominated for two generations and before that was Nintendo, this time around it was Nintendo and Xbox along side them. We don't know who is going to dominate next gen but I can bet you that both co soles are going to be neck to neck in sakes just like the xbox and ps3 is.

As for the games, well Sony and Microsoft arnt Nintendo, wether people like it or not Nintendo is the best company and has the best video game designer in the world (shigeru miyamoto) with the best games and they sine handedly saved gaming a few years back as well as brought inovation and inspi to the industry which Ms and Sony follows lol just relax people, Sony has great system seller games I cant even count on my two hands, uncharted is my fav.just enjoy the consoles people, im a hardcore gamer that loves video games so ill be getting both the ps4 and xbox one.

[sevilha82]

I think the writter may missed a point in the article,that understandbly was missed because of it´s unice case in the videogame market.

My view of the situation.
Sony dosen´t have one mascote,it has several and that is far more rare than anything else in the industry.

Drake,Kratos,Snake and his friends(thou not exclusive anymore)Heavy Rain cast,the Helgans,the ISA,Joel and Ellie,Good ol´Sack Boy,Jak and Daxter,Cole,and many many others that exist or will exist in a very near future.

To me this is what makes Sony apart from the others,since i was a teenager they´ve been their to cheer up my day with great games,diffrent world and an amazing imagination,and they will continue doing this for many years to come.

I admit,i´ve been gaming praticlly all of my life(i´m 31)and i´ve never been so pumped for a generation of consoles like this,the sheer potencial of the next decade is only comparablle to the one of the Ps2.

November is around the corner,so embrace it with all of your friends,familly and loved ones,for once again greatness waits.

Peace...

[thelaughingwiseman]

In some cases it's either quantity of games or quality. Sony these past few years has been able to have both quantity of exclusives and quality. And now we are seeing a Jrpg invasion. A bunch of Jrpgs getting localized

[DialgaMarine]

I've never quite understood this criticism of Sony. Having a mascot is good for the brand, but it's good for consumers. Most people don't want to play the same exact franchise over and over, and having a mascot does just that. It drives the company to create games based only around that franchise, rather than putting their resources elsewhere. At the end of the day, Sony is the company that takes the route of putting their resources into creating many characters, rather than focusing on just one. It's what makes the PS platform so great. There's a little bit of something for everyone who games on it. I say, it's their strong point.

[kingPoS]

How can diversity be a bad thing?

[yeahokchief]

I agree with the author of the article here. None of the launch titles or launch window titles scream MUST PLAY to me.

They should have released in 2014 with a rockstar exclusive in their lineup.

[Bolts]

Everyone will be playing BF4, CoD and Madden at launch. Exclusives suck on both consoles.

[yeahokchief]

im not playing any of those

maybe bf4 but not on launch. wait for the version that comes with all the DLC

too many other games to be playing to throw away $30 like that just on the dlc alone. plus another $2o if you get it on a black friday. you're potentially earning yourself another free game by playing other stuff instead. plus you get to make sure they did a quality job on it like bfbc2 instead of the lousy port bf3 was.

[GenericNameHere]

Says Gran Turismo sales have been on a decline, each main numbered game (excluding Prologue) has sold over 10 mil.
Halo has only one game that sold over 10 mil, and that was Halo 3. Since then, you could also say the sales have declined.

Sorry author, but your credentials are OUT! Next time, research more, okay? :)

PS Gran Turismo is as timeless as Halo, and Gran Turismo will always outshine and outsell other racers. Forza's on it's 5th numbered game soon, and it still hasn't outsold any GT game.

[1nsomniac]

I don't want a 'Brand' or 'Mascot' those things usually lead to shovelware. I do want an original adult themed game with depth though similar to the last of us.

I'm fed up of being shovel fed lazy amateur predictable macho scripts, give me something that tests the boundaries.

[Kydawg]

The PS5.

[GenericNameHere]

Reread the article again. Went and did some research, and gathered info from VGChartz. I know, no one likes VGChartz, but people do say they Undertrack PS3 games, and Overtrack Xbox 360 games. Even with that over tracking, I found something that this troll of an author who did NO RESEARCH WHATSOEVER may find mindboggling!!

Xbox sales charts: http://www.vgchartz.com/pla...
PS3 sales charts: http://www.vgchartz.com/pla...

Oh wow!! Would you look at that? Xbox only has ONE exclusive game (except for that Kinect game, which was bundled with Kinects) that sold just a little over 10 Mil!! Same as the PS3, which has GT5 as the ONLY (may change with GT6) exclusive game with a little over 10 Mil copies sold!! I don't know, Shokio. Maybe the Halo series will end this generation, like you predict Uncharted and God of War will? I mean, only ONE Halo game has sold past 10 Mil, while every GT has sold 10 Mil+.

Next time, do some research, okay? You're a "jurnaliz" now. Act like one... Oh wait, you already are!! Haha no wonder journalists are so hated and horrible these days...

[unworthyBOZO]

He is not a journalist, he is just some random Nintendo fanboy from youtube, and it shows in his writing.

[trouble_bubble]

Good research! What's even more telling is that he holds up Zelda, yet Zelda sales have been sporadic themselves http://www.vgchartz.com/art... mostly below 5 million. He says Sony needs a 10 million seller (even though they already have one in GT) yet Zelda's never even cracked that barrier, and it peaked in 1998.

Same with Metroid http://www.vgchartz.com/art... which peaked in 2002 but never hit 3 million. Turns out the PS3 Killzones -which the author namedrops- sold more than the Wii Metroids. Interesting.

[LordDhampire]

The article has a point, They don't have that one game which is good and bad

I don't like more than two of the same series on each generation(few exceptions, like racing games NFS and such) But it would be nice to have that one game that you can expect every generation

Halo for microsoft, and Nintendo has tons

but microsoft has honestly overplayed halo I can only honestly maybe see one more game this gen then it has to end or else I am going to lose any respect I have left.

[GenericNameHere]

Late response, but GRAN TURISMO!

Why do you people keep cherry picking things? Gran Turismo is STILL the biggest racing sim in the industry! Forza might be picking up in popularity, but if you compare the fanbase and community events, GT still triumphs over Forza any day.

This jurnaliz is 100% just spouting off things. He did no research whatsoever on the Playstation. This article deserves a downvote, that's for sure.

[PickAShoe]

I choose to Playstation because there's more JRPG games. I prefer Japanese over Western narratives. This article pretty much over look JRPG players.

[IWasHere]

PS4 has many games at release.
Maybe there is no "killer app" but the total package is a killer app.
Besides Killzone: Shadow Fall is a great looking First-Person-shooter with good visuals and good gameplay. DriveClub looks nice and is the perfect game for persons who like racing games. Important fact is that everyone can download it for free in a light version with PS Plus. Knack is a sympathetic game for families.
This games were expanded by nice F2P games which are exclusive for instance War Thunder and Planetside II. Also there are many games from Third-Party-Publishers.

I don't think that Sony has a problem.
Especially because Microsoft doesn't have more killer apps. Just Forza Motorsport 5. No Halo and no Gears of War.

[TheGrimReaper0011]

I kinda agree, but Sony had really great IP's this gen and even more coming! Puppeteer, Beyond Two Souls, Kingdom Hearts 1.5, Ratchet and clank, ...
Because to be honest? Mario nor Halo is timeless in my opinion. Mario games lately have gone really stale and boring, especially the 2D games.
I can't speak for halo, I played 1 and 2 and didnt really got hooked.
Thing is, people are getting a bit annoyed with Mario. When they announced 3 new mario games last 2 years, it felt like Nintendo was whoring the series for money
IF sony can maintain the exclusive titles for PS4 AND now can get equal or better multiplat, id say they have nothing to worry about

[BIGBOSS08]

having a mascot is a disadvantage if anything. sony have never had one but look at the sales of their home consoles. nintendo have the most popular and yet their consoles suffer the most and microsofts main game and mascot is too american.

[harbie]

Yeah Sony doesn't have that "one" game, they have about 5 blockbuster titles that define Sony and are in Tier 0. Anything Naughty Dog releases, GT, Infamous, Killzone, etc... No one can argue that if you want the highest quantity of the HIGHEST QUALITY releases you have to go with Sony 1st party studios.

There may be a niche genre that Nintendo fulfills and a lot of stupid people do like Halo for some reason (boggles the mind), but beyond that, what else does Nin & MS have that can even come close the breadth, depth, quality & quantity of awesome Sony exclusives.

People are bat-shit crazy...

[Magicite]

Playstation has variety.
Xbox has mostly shooters.
Nintendo has mostly platformers.

[LetoAtreides82]

Sony's biggest problem is that they have too many awesome IPs? Brilliant, absolutely brilliant sir.

[TheMailman]

This article is quite retarded...

*shake my head in disbelief*

[SynestheticRoar]

This so called author has someone bone residue all over his face.

[NewAgeisHere]

Sony's only problem:How to make a gazillion consoles for all that want to get PS4 at launch.

[Asv6SEMPER]

Oh yeah ? stop complaining about Sony's franchise and mascote.

They have Kratos, wich beats easely any BTA mascote in any kind of domain, Ninja Gaiden or the shitty so well aclaimed Bayomierda from the xbox community

and by the time, the true and unique mascotes that Sony still has are Jack & dexter, Sly racoon and Ratchet & Clank, not mentioning that they got Snake for a long while, and Gran turrismo.

What does now Microsoft have for exemple ? they had a very appreciated Halo Master Chief mascote for the Xbox that continued on the 360 for a while, until the COD MW/BO series came in 2008 and replaced it.

Now Microsoft does not even BOTHER for Halo, they dont even care anymore, they do not even SHOW it in first on game conferences as before. In fatc they do not even show at all in game conference because of COD.

And when a watch the very silly looking One exclusivities (a bancal gladiator game, a relooked Forza4.1 and one of the worst zombie game) i might ask myself who got the very true problem for the mascotes. Sony or Microsoft ?

[teamstars]

@Joecanada Halo is more of a juggernaut than any game Sony can muster up, its like he said in the article the uncharted games are going nowhere, god of war games barely sell over 4 mil, gran turismo is 2nd rate to Forza now, metal gear is multiplatform and dont even mention killzone in the same sentence. Also shows how ignorant you are about what your talking about because 4 halo games sold over 8 million copies and halo 3 sold close to 12 million.

[trouble_bubble]

You talk about ignorance, yet flaunt Forza and Halo while dismissing the fact GT5 estimates http://www.vgchartz.com/gam... are on pace to surpass Halo 3 http://www.vgchartz.com/gam... lifetime. This while Forza Horizon barely passed 1 million http://www.vgchartz.com/gam... .

The Uncharted games are going nowhere?! UC2 http://www.vgchartz.com/gam... and UC3 http://www.vgchartz.com/gam... both passed 6 million. UC2 has a metacritic avg higher than every Halo & Gears game out there. So does TLOU actually, as does LBP. In comparison, Halo 4 averaged 87% on metacritic last year. MLB:The Show does that every year.

You diss GOW when the similarily marketed GOW HD http://www.vgchartz.com/gam... sold more than the Halo Anniversary HD http://www.vgchartz.com/gam... .

GOW barely does 4 million? Neither do Fable or Forza. Crackdown and Alan Wake barely managed one. Fable: The Journey is estimated at 180,000 http://www.vgchartz.com/gam... . Yakuza 5 sold more and it hasn't even been released outside of Japan lol http://www.vgchartz.com/gam... . There's a bigger story here. It's not a one horse race anymore.

[bobdog626]

You sir r dead on target .sony should try 2 make that one game that must have game bc many people buy 4 this reason im one of them.so far I dont see a game that cant get on xbox halo is the main reason I game and has been all along.

[Picnic]

They're not necessarily in a very different situation.

There will be plenty of people who buy Xbox consoles who've never been bothered about playing Halo.

The main difference might be with platforming games. Insomniac release loads of Ratchet and Clank sequels (and Uncharted and Infamous are partly kind of platformers) whereas Xbox consoles don't feature a lot of platform games sequels, unless it's multi-platform series like Sonic the Hedgehog and Rayman.

Microsoft games can be equally beautiful in a graphic design respect but they are a bit more straightforward in an almost arcadey way about what they are. Like this is Alan Wake- it's a psychological thriller and you shoot things.

Overall, yes, Sony is more reliable at providing 'artsy' games and supporting consoles throughout the entire generation but if you're someone who cares about the graphic design of games (rather than just the level design) then you'll often find it immediately expressed on an Xbox console - Killer Instinct, for example, is one of the prettiest looking fighting games ever and, whilst you might return to a Sony game many years later, Microsoft banks on that arcade-like thrill that you revitalise in a different way in each generation to keep you interested in Xbox consoles. It's not necessarily always a less deep approach- just a different one.

[DatRealBoy]

yall this is Shokio he is a Nintendo fanboy no matter how how he try to justify he always try to take a positive any thig PS related and see how he can make it bad his youtube vidz prove it but he will probably give BS links to prove me wrong oh well I call it like I see it especially with that troll bait video "im buying a xbox1 before ps4" he did just to make a reaction video and downplay sony fans and fanboys it was pointless he knew what was going to happen when he made that video

[T2X]

I think that with all of the multiplats SONY has, along with the likes of Knack, Driveclub, Uncharted, and God of war etc, and the indie titles coming, they really don't need that 1 killer app anymore. I know people will disagree, but let's face it, the Wii U, while cool and all, is gimmicky and aimed at children as it is right now. It just is. As an adult gamer, there is nothing at all that makes me want one. So, on we move to the X Box 1 or the PS4. Between the two, they are pretty damn close. I have always had SONY PS systems since the beginning, so let's pretend for a moment, we don't know anything about either system and we are standing in the store looking at them side by side. the 2 factors I think matter most are 1) Does one come more recommended by friends? 2) The Price. Aside from that, if you're not new to gaming, you will most likely stick with what you know (Game franchise and feature wise I mean), If you are new, would you really care to differentiate between Kill zone or HALO? This is why I think SONY will sell more systems to older teen to adult gamers that the Wii U would and more than MS XBONE because of the price being a bit cheaper. Just my 2 cents.

[H3ADWOUND81]

Ok so there's not one predominant stand out game, and yet I'm not worried about it..
There can only be good things to come, as it's very early days, naughty dog creating such an awesome game on the ps3 in The Last Of Us.. New hardware, more power & at a reasonable price, Sony is in a good place right now & I'm anticipating some grand new creations as we see the ps4 unfold more & devs start using all that power that's at their fingertips..
Things can only get better, greatness awaits.. 29/11/2013

[Philoctetes]

This was a really good article. I strongly prefer the Sony's portfolio of exclusives to Microsoft's, but in terms of mass-market appeal, Sony doesn't have anything in the same league as Halo or Gears.

You can see the same thing developing right now with Titanfall. Again, that's not my kind of game, but from a business standpoint I can definitely see that one particular title moving some Xbones. Even if it's just a timed exclusive it's the one thing the Xbone currently has going for it.

[trouble_bubble]

"Sony doesn't have anything in the same league as Halo or Gears."

Except they do. Gran Turismo's outsold all of them http://www.playstationlifes... , and Uncharted 2's outscored all of them http://www.metacritic.com/g... .

The recently released Gears of War: Judgment has a 79% metacritic avg http://www.metacritic.com/g... and has only sold a million http://www.vgchartz.com/gam... . Not exactly a "league of its own" performance .

[Philoctetes]

Gran Turismo is a totally different genre than Gears or Halo, and besides the Xbox has Forza.

I agree strongly that the Uncharted franchise is better than that Gears or Halo, but it isn't as much a tentpole for Sony as those two franchises are for Microsoft. (Admittedly it's close though).

[mahmoods26]

Every generation sony has managed to release new IPs or redone existing IPs which make their console a must have. They've done this by consistently betting on their studios and pushing for original content.

PS1 had MGS, GT, Ridge Racer, Final Fantasy, Crash Bandicoot
PS2 had Rachet and Clank, Sly Cooper, Jak and Daxter, Shadow of the Colossus, God of War
PS3 had Heavy Rain, Uncharted, Killzone 2, Infamous. Little Big Planet

I think the PS4 will be fine. By now Sony has so many franchises to pull from they can pull a mario and just place a beloved character in a new generation environment.

[thejigisup]

I certainly feel like Heavenly Sword could and should make a return. Nariko would make a fantastic mascot if Sony needed one. It is a shame Kevin butler is out, he was fun kb should be a playable character in every Sony game. In any case that's neither here nor there. Ssb I'd an awesome series and I really like psas, honestly I do. They need to redo that one and Mark it up to ps4, great idea just needs more polish.... and I can't help myself but its choir not quire.THERE I SAID IT

[Rageanitus]

Sony Already has a killer App Gran Turismo.

I bought every PS Just for GT.

[sandman224]

Killzone shadow fall is definitely the go to game that Sony has to offer and if you don't like it you should get your head checked. Because its a great game that can't be compared to other shooters on the market.

[Regis]

It can be compared to COD it just a futuristic shooter with more things and all weapons unlocked to say there is nothing like it is bull and you should know it. For all games at one point in their life resemble other games.

[zodiac909]

Has the guy who wrote this article been around only for the past 8 years? For the PS 1, 2, and psp, Sony always prides itself on having multiple companies to make many types of games, cause it keep us from getting bored of the same shit like mario and halo, ect.

[lllll-lllll]

Killzone still has the potential to be their Halo.

I don't know about the whole one killer IP anyways; consumers like best bang for the buck and Sony's sure good with that.

[Vip3r]

Gran Turismo?

[ForgivenZombie]

Sony's only problem is PS4 isn't out yet... JMO

[310dodo]

SONY let their best "mascots" walk away to 3rd party.

Crash
Laura
Snake

all characters from franchises SONY should have bought exclusive rights for.