SCEA: "We've captured the hardcore" with PS3, will push for casual later this year

VG247: Sony has told VG247 that it's "captured the hardcore" with PS3, and while it will serve that central user with titles such as Heavy Rain and God of War III later this year, it plans on pushing further into the casual space with the console.

[DavidMacDougall]

I love being true hardcore!!

[ultimolu]

Shadow...behave yourself. :x

Anyway, I love me some casual. Just don't go overboard Sony.

[Tempist]

Find this a little tough to swollow since you can't capture a causal market at hardcore prices. There's enough well thought out casual content available on the PS3 as is, but the price for the system isn't there.

[Milky]

Eyepet looked fun, lets get that out this year sony!

[I_am_rushin]

I'm sure they mean Eyepet by the casual audience.

[Lifendz]

Just started streaming files from my computer to my PS3. Yeah, this system is so teh awesomes.

Hardcore for the win!

[Aquanox]

Sony certainly has a more than decent share of the hardcore population, which raises the question though, as why this population isn't buying their most hyped games (i.e. LBP, Killzone 2, Motorstorm 2, Resistance 2) whereas they do buy 3rd party ones (SF4, RE5)

If Sony wants to go in a hunt for the casuals they better consider what else they need to do to keep pushing the hardcore market, currently dominated by Microsoft and also, perform a $100 price cut to be in reach for the casuals.

[v1c1ous]

sony fired their PR company of many years for the one we currently have now.

Is the new PR company better/worse?

[raztad]

@Tempist

You are right. Sony can pull out a lot of casual aimed games but the price (both console and games) is really an issue for the casual audience. In this sense I dont expect any relevant casual stuff to come out before the PS3 price cut.

Casual games are much more about the right gameplay and less about graphics, so I expect them to be less expensive and faster to produce. Perhaps some titles could go the cheaper PSN exclusive way and only the bigger ones retail. A 300$ PS3 bundled with a retail casual game and a voucher to another PSN's could work wonders :D.

Sony is getting ready for a two fronts war, that fight will be long and interesting to watch. Meanwhile, just keep the amazing games coming!

[edgeofblade]

Hey, W. Bush must be consulting for Sony now that he left the white house. I wonder if Sony delivered this edict from the deck of an aircraft carrier. "Mission Accomplished", my ass.

You can't just say you captured the hardcore... until you actually do.

[edgeofblade]

@Lifendz:

My 360 streams from my NAS drive better than my PS3 about half the time. The other half, they work the same. I usually stream from the PS3 anyway because I like the BT remote, but I've never seen the 360 fail to stream something the PS3 can, but the PS3 has choked on plenty of files the 360 streamed just fine.

Just because Sony says they are a better streaming media hub doesn't mean they are.

[xwabbit]

IMO Ps3 was always for the hardcore gamer, its the only platform where their exclusives have more than 5 vs 5 battles

@edgeofblade
Just because you have that prob doesn't mean every 1 has it, cus I'm always sending crap to my PS3 with no probs

[whoelse]

If they want to capture the casual market, they have to cut the price!

[Freak of Nature]

Personally I am a "hardcore" gamer,but.....

It's a business,and Sony do need to look into casual games.

Thing is they have to an extent,look at buzz and singstar...Eye pet will be in full blown unveiling mode at E3,me predicts...

Family party games are just around the corner...

You want casuals? "Price cut",is 80%+ of the battle...

What I dont like is that these casual games may take a piece or even "chunk" of my hardcore gaming away from me... Not this year or even next year so much,but slowly but surely casual games could take small bites out of the amount of hardcore games,until a few years from now we will only get a small choice of hardcore games....

[Sony Rep]

Price cut, blu-ray, casual games like Eye Pet, Singstar, Buzz, and Little Big Planet

Family Friendly titles such as Uncharted, inFamous, and Ratchet & Clank- all rated "E" through "T"

[miniduf1]

Don't get me wrong, I love Uncharted. BUT it is definitely not a family friendly title. Its family friendly title as much as Fallout 3 is the feel good video game of the year.

[zootang]

I think this could be a hint at Persona 5. Forget about Final fantasy it's All about persona's

It would be a great exclusive!

[Shane Kim]

I really think that the PS3 has alot more hardcore fans to capture. They just need to do something about the price. I know so many people that want the PS3 so bad but are just frightened of the PS3's price. Here in Swe the cheapest PS3 still cost $500+ while the 360 is around $200-250 (for the arcade). My friends call me rich for owning a PS3 and that raises an eyebrow if you are called rich just because you bought a PS3.

I think games like LBP was a brilliant move by Sony, couse I had my sister and GF screaming for that game even though non of them like videogames in particular. And I can only imagine that there are ALOT more people then just them. But the avarge dad with a meium income won't dish out $500+ just for a PS3 and LBP. If they want the casual and to some extend the hardcore market, Sony has to slash the price.

[ultimolu]

Yeah, it does need a pricecut.
My uncle wants one (Uncharted bundle) but he says it's too pricey for him.

[Mindboggle]

I totally agree. LBP is definetly the first step in reaching that casual market, but with the price so high, its not going to kick off. I think if they were to drop the price by £100/$100 then people would be more motivated to buy and with some more casual games then they could really increase those sales. Plus they would be bringing in more hardcore gamers, because from people ive asked, its not that they dont want a PS3, its just to expensive, and that includes people who have 360s.

[Menchi]

Why am I worried about this?

Nintendo and MS both did a casual swan dive at last years E3. If Sony intends to do the same this year, I'm going to be extremely disappointed.

Stick to what you've been doing Sony, great games, for gamers. Don't ditch us.

[Chuk_Chuk]

"We’re moving on now to continue to support them with a tremendous line-up of games"

[Fishy Fingers]

Sony have always catered to as many different demographics as possible. Didn't result in any shortage for the "hardcore" back in the PS1/2 days. PS3 shouldnt be any different.

[Zeal0t]

i couldn't care less about the casual side of gaming, although i like me some buzz from time to time.

[Chuk_Chuk]

could be a hint at a price cut maybe.

"PS2 franchises we’re bringing over to PS3"
Will be intresting to see which franchises they will bring with them.

[pwnsause]

SYPHON FILTER!

TWISTED METAL!

you heard it here first!

[JD_Shadow]

I was just about to say the exact same thing.

One way to capture the casuals IS a price cut, and Sony so far has ignored every single plea by EVERYONE to drop the price by even a penny. Hopefully this is the clue we needed to hear about that.

[News4fanboys]

im just hoping that the casual games will be done by sony's 1st and 2nd party devs.
Sony hasnt let me down not once with their awesome 1st and 2nd party titles this gen.
They are on a roll and if LBP was any indication of the start of the casual market then it can only get better and im all in to support my fav team.. SCE!

[Foxgod]

Damn, thats slow.
MS has been on the hunt for the casuals for over a year now.

In before the headstart, Because Wii was the last console, and was the one to break into the casual market.

[Mr_Potato_]

Ms had been failing with the casual market for over a year now. Fixed.

They captured absolutely no casual players according to sales, which is normal when your image is so 'hardcore' : they built everything on 12 year old games with pink space marines or big soldiers on steroid, after all.

It's hard to convince my grandmother to buy a 360 with that cause she's not 12 and she's not into pink space marines anyway.

I think Sony has a much better chance with Singstar, Buzz, LBP and Eyepet. I've got a friend who makes parties with firends based on Buzz Quizz and Singstar, it's quite successful.

Copying singstar with lips and Miis with Avatars just won't make it, which you could guess from the start, but hey, that's microsoft, it's not like they didn't fail with everything they tried these days (Zune, yahoo, browsers, Vista, office losing market shares... only failures)

[Chuk_Chuk]

krakdol took the words right out of my mouth. bubbles

[Shane Kim]

Hahah nice Krakdol.

And for your information Foxgod. I know you started gaming with the Xbox360, but you should know that Sony is the true innovators of the casual market. The SNES, N64 and perhaps even GameCube was presented as hardcore gamers consoles. It's a reason that PS1&PS2 are the most sold consoles ever.

[Foxgod]

Yeah, the ps3 is really casual with its price.
At least the 360 has the arcade edition to buy in casuals.

Remember how the sales went up since MS started selling that package ?
They instantly wiped out the lead sony had in 2008, and they have been owning sony all 2009 so far.

[zag]

Dear god, not everyone is a down and out homeless bum and can't afford the PS3.

Most PS3 sales will be for the Blu-Ray side of things and Games would be a side issuse for them, Casual games would be a sales boost for these people because they simply not interested in FPSes and the like and rather simple games like Buzz etc.

A lot of girls love Singstar too the point they buy everything that is Singstar, I'm thinking of buying not to play but simply for the fact that it'd be there for someone to use at some point at a party.

Also a lot of people won't have started to upgrade yet from the PS2 yet as there's no major need with games still coming out for the PS2 but it'll be closed down soon, I'd say E3 2009 might have Sony cloing it down and starting to make the push for people to upgrade to the PS3 with a price cut to make the push nice for people.

MS are simply trying to buy out the market it's what they do all the time in all markets but these days it just doesn't work anymore as they don't have the market sown up anymore.

[d0nT wOrrY]

Sony
You captured my heart 10 years ago

[Mr_Potato_]

Amen brother.

[Sir Ken_Kutaragi]

And i still get excited about whatever SONY come up with PlayStation wise ;-P

The PlayStation brand is the BEST!!!;)

SONY always make me HARD......er erm......CORE ;-o

[Shane Kim]

13 years for me :D. Still remember the day I bought my PS1. It was early 96 and I was 13 years old :P and I bought Warhawk with it :D. Those where the days.

[Sony Rep]

PlayStation til they end

[Etseix]

i remember when my bro was asking me if i wanted the ps2 or the gamebuce back 2002 lol,i was a huge Nintendo fan, he bought the PS2 with MGS2, that.... was the best game to start with a console,
1999 with PS1, then PS2 on 2002 ..then PS3, on 2007 with Motorstorm. aa... such an excellent console for me, im with SONY until they stop doing games and consoles, or worse... go all casual D;

[d0nT wOrrY]

actually my bro bought PS1 at the end of '96, dunno why i said 10 years lol it's 13 sorry.

Playstation Brand FTW.

[-MoOkS-]

You guys are trully sad little idiots.

13 years? SO you're 26 and act like a child? nice.

Sony gets worse every generation.

Ps1 >> Ps2 >>>>Ps3

[Shane Kim]

Hahaha, you amuse me Mooks. Yes I'm 26 and yes I concider myself not to be the most mature guy on the planet. But calling me a child when 110% of you comments are 10x worse and more childish than mine is just plain idiocy.

[Consoldtobots]

yup

the day I bought my copy of metal gear solid for the PS1 is the day I became a serious gamer again.

[mboojigga]

Only a 1.2 million bought Killzone 2 out of 21 millions systems. This is why PR simply needs to shut the fu*k up and do buisness.

[kewlkat007]

This sounds like what MS stated after E3last year and everyone was complaining about them concetrating on the casual crowd. Now it's great strategy on Sony's part.

The PS3 user-base is still Skewd, how much of that Hardcore Sony is talking about, that are just Hardcore Movie Addicts? and buy no games.

Of course, caputuring the casual crowd needs a price-cut responce from Sony.(It's not brain science) You can make/announce all the exclusive games you want but most of them games will not be bought by "new" PS3 adopters, if they cannot afford the console.

So is the the PS3's Hardcore Market tapped? A Hardcor egamer will do whatever to afford the PS3, at it's current price. We know PS2 did not begin to take off until the affrodable market-price but then again, PS2 did not have RECESSION breathing down it's back. some seem to think everything is exactly s the same as last-gen.

How low will Sony have to go to have that same PS2 market-price buzz effect? All depends how the market reacts, as well as, current PS2 owners, with more choices this time around.

[TrooGamer]

All this casual talk screams price cut end of the year

[7thNightvolley]

a price cut would be effected to capture more of the casual gaming market, but all i pray is that sony does not go too far and forget that its the hardcore that gets them the most buck and would play the hell outa the ps3 so they are the most important.

[maspi]

yes!I'm an hardcore gamer

[Mr Face Creamer]

Sony has a great line-up, no doubt about that, but they've been talking about this year as a second-coming of Jesus Christ.

Your going way too overboard, you don't want another Haze to embarrass you this year would you?

[Chuk_Chuk]

TBF Haze was 3rd party

and i think sony deserve to fight back after their name was tarnished by the media and 360 fanboys on the release of the PS3

[ultimolu]

Um...if you were a company like Sony, wouldn't you want to hype your products as well?

I don't think they're being c!cky.

[edgeofblade]

Haze was indeed third party... something people only seemed to point out after it imploded and took FR with it.

[-MoOkS-]

All the hardcore are on the 360. Sony well have to completely overhaul it's online network to attract the pro's the 360 has ( halo 3 MLG, cod4 MLG, R6v MLG...all the euro leagues etc.)

[Phantom_T]

Has been nothing but slated for everything they do by there competitors,the media,everybody.
I think its there given right to fight back,don't you?
Oh and Haze had a pretty good moral and philisophical story if you actually engaged your braincells and realised what it was about.
Pity the gameplay was sub-par.

[edgeofblade]

If the gameplay sucks, that's it. That's the end. I'm not going to slog through a horrid game just for some hackeneyed story.

[blackpanther25]

and Eyepet. My 7-year sister doesn't go near my ps3 but i after i showed her eyepet she is begging me to buy it for her birthday. If they advertise eyepet correctly it will be a beast. Im mean look how good those tomigocha pets did in the past

[DragonWarrior_4]

All I want is a true sequel to Skies of Arcadia. What is wrong with you Sega?! Make it!

[whatis]

Well they've got me...

Mission successful.

[yog-sothot]

As long as they don't forget the core gamers (and they don't seem to, with Uncharted, GOW, Heavy rain, MAG...) there is no problem if they want to attract some casuals too... But then, they absolutely need a price drop. EyePet, Singstars and stuff like that may be cool, but customers won't pay 400$/€ to play that. Besides, Sony already captured some casuals with games like Buzz, Singstar, even with multiplatform games like FIFA that anybody can enjoy (if he likes football of course) and with other features like BluRay movies

[ForROME]

The hardcore is a very small fractions of potential buyers, they are smart to go casual at this point.

I consider myself between hard core and casual, as I have a full time life etc, but when I do play I play like crazy =)

[menoyou]

oh crap i hope this doesnt mean theyre gona start releasing junk like on the wii

[Chuk_Chuk]

according to 360 fanboys it ain't junk cause it sells like 5 mill+

[Meus Renaissance]

Not with software sales you haven't. 7 Million PS3's in the US, yet only 600,000 for a hardcore FPS shooter - KZ2.

[maverick1191]

mooks

why will it have to completely overhaul its network ps3 uses dedicated servers you use shoddy P2P psn online is fine as it is

[-MoOkS-]

Why is CoD4 laggy on the ps3? It runs really good on the 360 and has nowhere near as bad hit detection as the ps3 does.

Microsoft p2p servers are great. Do you think dedicated means less lag? ...it only allows more players.

Stupid droid.

[1ikedamaster]

No you haven't. Killzone 2's sales prove that the hardcore PS3 users prefer it as a bluray player. And casual users will not pay that much for a "so called" game machine. Fail.

[EverydayGuy]

Hurry up and make the PS3 Slim Sony, so you can cut the price.

[Ninjamonkey]

As long as they dont forget the real gamers Im fine with it.

Nintendo has gone, and MS is increasingy turning to the casuals, sony might be the only true supporters of the hardcore in a few years time...

[Captain Tuttle]

Will revolve around EyePet. Guaranteed.

Nothing will happen without a big price cut though...$50 won't do it.

Edit: I wonder if they'll release a "dumbed down" casual version of the PS3...no WiFi etc for a cheap price? Although I'm not sure what else they could cut out.

[panasonic23]

To all sonyfanboys who thought Microsoft was the only one's who were going to do this and follow Nintendo's idea lol what did you expect? lol there were so many people saying Microsoft were selling out like Nintendo. I got alot of told you

[Frnicatr]

Sorry SCEA, Microsoft is way ahead of you, I'm afraid to say.

[bviperz]

should be awesomeness. There goes the electric bill.

[Brixxer600]

I hope they don't plan on going too deep into the casual market , i'd hate for Sony to go all "Nintendo Wii" on us.

[xg-ei8ht]

SONY - Ever heard of adverts.?

You know, they come on during a break from the film/series your watching on tv.

They advertise the stuff you want to sell, and let everyone know is out.

No, thought not.

You want to sell big, then advertise the sh^t out of the system and all that it does.

[kaveti6616]

Some of you guys do not make any sense at all. Whenever the conversation shifts to sales, PS3ists talk about how the console is catching up to the 360; as soon as the 360ists bring up their own numbers trumping the PS3 numbers, the PS3ists get defensive and say just because a game sells millions, doesn't means it's any good, and then they point to the Wii as their evidence. You guys should not do that. Either play the sales card or play the exclusives card. Right now, I think Sony is making a huge mistake, and here's why. Every time I've been here people have been praising the fact that Sony is about to release a boatload of exclusives in a very short amount of time from its first party devs. Although this is great news for gamers, I think its terrible news for the devs. Sony is going to flood the market with too many games in a short amount of time. This means that the sales numbers for each game will take a significant hit. Think of it this way; most gamers can only afford one or two games at a time. Some of you may have been saving for three, but either way, you guys will be picking and choosing which game to buy from a very long list of new games. The reason why 360 exclusives tend to sell multiple millions of copies is because, just as PS3ists have been quick to point out, there aren't that many games being released on the 360 every year. So that one or two games that do come out in a single year gain the entire focus of the 360ists, and thus sell very well. On the other hand, it will be very hard for PS3 gamers to decide which game to get this year or at the beginning of the next. Some of you may only have cash for one or two and may end up just getting God of War III or the equally anticipated Uncharted II. These are both great consumer choices, they are sure to be AAA titles. I'm afraid other games might receive the cold shoulder due to gamer budgets. Please don't think of me as a fan boy, I like both systems and wish I had both, only own the 360 for now, and I seriously think Sony needs to space out the releases better to avoid hurting sales for its games.