Sony Needs to Start Selling Out

Eduardo writes "On Free Comic Book Day, I went to a few comic shops to get some free stuff and to find a DC Unlimited Ratchet and Clank action figure. Luckily, the second store on our trip just happened to have them. With a big smile on my face, I promptly took my prize to the register and asked: “What took Sony so long to make this?”"

[Deiser]

Sony could use a bit more marketing to make their characters more popular than they currently are.

[hay]

Yup, Sony has quite big variety of different and great chars to put pretty much everywhere.

[DJexs]

This is true but they do not need to sell out.

[ABizzel1]

I don't see it as selling out, but a lot of video games could use movie adaptations as long as they are good one. Rachet and Clank would be a perfect movie for kids and in turn would generate a lot of sells for the games, which is a plus since the games are amazing and not some sorry attempt to cash in on a movie.

[Ugly Bob]

I was just thinking about this for my forthcoming review on Kingdom Hearts. Tons of products in Japan, but very few of which have been released in the US. Given how large the audience is (according to sales numbers) you have to wonder about the lost money.

Maybe Sony believes that toys aren't in line with their consumers, despite the belief that college age or older view such things as collectibles.

[Ult iMate]

Kingdom Hearts is a franchise of Square.

[Max Power]

Don't forget Disney, you know they don't just lend out their IPs for nothing you know.

[Nike]

At whoever posted this, your intentions seem good but they're hidden behind a flame-worthy headline. People reading it may think you mean Sony should sell out to another company, and then the line of reasoning from there just goes insane..."Sony needs more franchise action figures" or something to that effect would be better.

[TotalPS3Fanboy]

fans actually want those stuff, you know, toys of Ratchet and stuff, but Sony does not seem to realize that. It's about providing fans with what fans want and Sony seems to be missing out on that opportunity.

[Calm Down Sunshine]

I'm not sure the market for this is as big as people would like to think.

[Killzone3Helghast]

How about real kratos weaponry? I'd love to go on the street and randomly rip off someones head while screaming "DIE DIE DIE" but yeah anything made in China is cheaply made so I'd probably pass on that.

[stevenhiggster]

You sir are the reason why some games get banned. ;-)

[RageAgainstTheMShine]

Sony needs to have more original games for the younger players. If Sony does this then all of these marketing stuff will follow.

They need to have characters that are compelling and can't be found on any other system like Mario & Pokemon.

PlayStation 1 & 2 used to have these games. Crash Bandicoot, Digimon, Monster Hunter, Klonoa, etc. Sony used to have an answer for all the 'Nintendo gaming needs' any PlayStation owner could want.

But what does PS3 have now? games most children are even not allowed to buy or play! Its ridiculous to compare God of War III market and sales to Pokemon! This is why Nintendo games are evergreen and have mass market appeal. In fact almost all of their games are aimed at kids-the casual gamers.

Sony made it clear that gaming consoles are not just toys for kids. Okay Sony have succeeded with that with flying colors, but it does not mean it must take this market for granted. What am I going to let my kids play, Heavy Rain and God of War III?

Its not about the money its about the games. Sony has the power best of both worlds. We need balanced content on our PS3.

And looking over the shoulder PS3 gamers can only wish they also have Nintendo games on the PS3. That is a fact!

One major gripe I have with the PS3 is the lack of:
First Party AAA Exclusive games for the kids at home.

LBP, Ratchet and Clank or Jak & Daxter are great games but they are not in the league of Sonic, Mario, Pokemon and Link.

PS3 gamers NEED this kinds of games in High Definition!

As much as Sony develop AAA games for the grown ups they should also give us AAA games for the younger gamers.

That Eye Pet game is amazing but in reality the mascot design is SCARY!

And we want those games made in Japan. Just like Mario and Sonic are Made in Japan. Not U.S. not Canada, not Europe. Made in Japan. Japanese appealing character designs and Western intelligent game play design combined together is full of win!

[xGet_In_There]

Buy them a DS. Or play the mini games they have now. Or dont let your kids play PS3.

[RageAgainstTheMShine]

If it weren't to too much clutter in front of the TV set .... yeah, I am this close to getting a Wii ...

... or DS XL because the PSP share the same situation with the PS3.

I just don't wanna hear Sony whining about how their PS3 & PSP sales' underwhelm.

This is the reason why many see there is no direct competition between Sony and Nintendo any more.

Nintendo virtually has no competition on these kinds of games.

Is Sony really just letting it happen?

Different markets? is still a debatable though.

[Ult iMate]

PSP has LocoRoco, Daxter, Secret Agent Clank, Jak & Daxter and all of those PS1 games you've mentioned.

[Ult iMate]

>>PlayStation 1 & 2 used to have these games. Crash Bandicoot, Digimon, Monster Hunter, Klonoa
Non of this games belong to Sony. Even Crash Bandicoot and Spyro belong to ViviendiUniversal.

Mario and Pokemon are old franchises with an army of loyal fans. Those are recognizable franchises. Especially Mario. It's impossible to make something like that today.

But do you know sales figures for De Blob, Nights, Wario Land Shake Dimension, A Boy and His Blob? I believe those kind of games are not selling well nowadays.

There's an obvious trend for grey serious bussiness shooters about soldiers at war. And I believe you know, who started this trend. So blame them, that makers of Crash Bandicoot and Jak&Daxter are now somehow involved in that trend too, instead of making colourfull platform game. Blame gamers that buy Crack Down, so Monkey Punch should make inFamous and not Sly Cooper to have sales amongst modern gamers. It's a sad trend actually. I don't think that Sony alone can change something. At least Sony gives us games of diverce genres.

[RageAgainstTheMShine]

Yeah, even if they didn't own them franchises what made it good for Playstation 1 & 2 was the fact that they were there in abundance when gamers needed them on the console - exclusive or not.

If Sony had great success in introducing a new IP like Little Big Planet I believe they can do it with more mainstream appealing IP in the line of Mario, Pokemon, Sonic and Zelda.

I hope Rocket Knight will be a major success so that Sony will consider putting back games for the young at heart on the PS3.

I hope history repeats itself when Sonic the Hedgehog entered the video game world and launched a surge of awesome 2-D or 3-D games for the kids.

[Galaxia]

Is still on the PS3.

Go buy R&C Tools of Destruction, Quest for Booty and A Crack in Time. All of those are fantastic AAA titles and are all perfectly suitable for kids too.

[gijsbrecht]

I read earlier that some figurines are going to come out at the end of this year. Like two from the Killzone universe for instance. And I don't remember the other ones, but there were definitely more game character figures in the making. So perhaps Sony is finally doing something when it comes to merchandising their franchises.

[PiTCHBLaCK]

You got to find LBP stuff, isn't there already LBP stuff out there?

[dizzleK]

they seem to be branching out into books & comics a bit.

the last thing we need more of is something like those halo figures that come in 100 different colors. theres a fine line when it comes to marketing.

[SweetIvy]

Agree with the article, I would love anything Ratched & Clank related, not just figurines but pins, mugs, (female fitting) shirts, USB keys and plushes and maybe a alarm clock of Mr Zurkon :)!!

Not to mention LBP, did any gadget make an appearance outside the (official) ones available in the UK: http://thechickgamer.blogsp...

[SweetIvy]

And p.s.: Ratchet and Clank: a Crack in time cut scenes really have a movie-like quality: they are gorgeous!!

[Cajun Chicken]

I've preordered a set of these on UK's Play.com. They keep on changing the date and seem to never be getting them in, driving me quite nuts.