PS3 To Be Aimed At A Younger Audience

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe’s new head honcho, Jim Ryan, has said that the company is to start directing their efforts at attracting a “younger demographic” for the current flagship console. This would closely emulate what Sony did with the PS1 and PS2 as they reached the midway point of their ten year life cycles and were replaced by new consoles.

[dark-hollow]

Ps2 is a strong evidance that you can have both casual and hardcore crowd.

[Micro_Sony]

This is great!!!

I have a 8 and 10 year old and having games fro kids is a life saver.

You really do not know how important it is to play video games with your young ones until you have some of your own.

[darthv72]

i started them out on the classic NES. 2 buttons and a dpad...simplicity. I didnt have a 2600 at the time so it had to do.

They eventually graduated to the more complex controllers like the snes and n64 and ps ones. Now seems I cant get the 360 controller out of my youngest (he is 9) and his sister. They play various lego games and the sorts.

He also likes to play the wii and wants to get a kinect. I do play games with the kids now and then. It used to be nerve wracking trying to explain how to do this or that so I got to a point where I told them to figure it out. I had to when I was young so why not them.

My oldest and I we like to play guitar hero and rockband. The wife....she is a puzzle gamer. Tetris, Dr Mario, Zuma, Peggle and Bejeweled.

Yeah, its a family thing but we are all contributing to the overall gaming medium that I started out with back in the pong days.

On topic: yeah it usually happens that when you see more marketing and gearing towards the younger crowd is a sign that bigger more advanced stuff is on the horizon. Nintendo did it with the NES when they were releasing the SNES and the same for Sega.

This could be a sign that a PS4 is around the corner. If it is....my kids arent playing it. They can have the PS3 like they got the PS2 when the PS3 came out.

Is it wrong to give hand me downs to your kids when it comes to gaming?

[miyamoto]

Finally, a well rounded & well balanced High Definition home console with a touch screen controller for the whole family next year...oh wait isn't that what the Wii U is set to be?

[Pyscho_Mantis]

thats funny cuz the ps3 will be able to do all that by next march but the Wii U isn't out in a year. Hmmm I wonder who did it first....

[ShaunCameron]

The PS2 was "being everything to everybody" done right.

[swishersweets20031]

i thought it already was aimed at younger audiences with LBP

[GribbleGrunger]

clearly you have never actually had hands on experience of the game. Bollean logic aint for kids

[swishersweets20031]

are you serious? I own both of them, and both my 8 and 5 year old beast at the game, my 8 year old platinumed the freaking game. To all you people saying little big planets too hard for kids must be on crack.

[GribbleGrunger]

oh, could you send me a link to the levels your two kids have made please, i'd be interested in seeing them. and perhaps you could also explain the boolean logic they used to create the animations too.

you missed the point as most people do when you talk about LBP to people who haven't actually used it. playing it is smallest part, making games is the reason you own it. but of course you would know this if you actually had the game and you'd also know how hard it is to actually platinum the game. i reckon you'd probably struggle to do a simple sticker panel animation, let alone program simple AI for your sackbot.

it takes intelligence to even understand it, let alone use it, that's the reason i put it's not for kids. of course the product of those creative, imaginative and intelligent people can be played by kids (sometimes), but that's not the point.

people really need to stop this nonsense about LBP. it was something the 360 fanboys started way back because of envy and it continues to this day

[kneon]

LBP may look all cutsy but it's too hard for little kids.

[kneon]

I guess the disagreer has never played LBP, there are levels that are too hard for many teens and adults let alone kids.

[dredgewalker]

My daughter is actually a better player in LBP than me, though it makes me proud that she has my gaming blood (even if I'm pathetic with LBP)!

[TopDudeMan]

Nah, I think you're underestimating little kids. Look at some of the games you played when you were a kid.

I'll go ahead and tell you that I grew up playing super mario bros 3. I am terrible at that game now, yet when I was younger, I managed to beat it.

[DA_SHREDDER]

my 5 year old son proves other wise. Also, he's been beta testing games since was 3. We are both in the Star Hawk beta now and he loves it just as much as mario and LBP. He's in kindergarten but he creates his own levels and everything. You guys here on N4G don't know squat about games. Just go your way and if you don't have kids, stay out of this topic.

I just read some of you guys' points below and your right. They could totally keep the cost down to everything and make the ps3 a console mostly for kids. Make it cheaper, and sell the games cheaper, but the main thing they have to realize, is that not only do they have to up the ante when it comes to games, but the quality of them.

Dont get me wrong, they got the hardcore game on lock, but when you compare games from Nintendo to Sony. The big N destroys not just because of the nostalgia, but they make their games accessible, and just take a game like Mario Galaxies, Kirby, Mario 3D. It has platforming, but the imagination isn't left behind for the user to figure out, like LBP tries to do. Just look at the level design to every mario game. It's unparalleled despite other franchises trying to copy and paste . Even mario kart can't be touch. What Sony does do right is the online, lag free servers, and free online. That's key. My son loves making friends online, and of course, I know there are just plain ol bad people out there, but thats why I watch what he's doing. Its our jobs as adults to make sure they are having fun, but also not mixing in with the wrong crowd. Now back to playing Star Hawk.

[ZombieAssassin]

While I'll admit some of the levels might be a little hard/frustrating for kids in LBP it won't be for all. Hell remember when we were kids playing games like MegaMan/Ninja Gaiden, those games were hard as hell but we managed...funnily enough though I can barely get through either of those games anymore. 6yr old me would whoop my ass at Mortal Kombat 2.

[dredgewalker]

@topdude

Oh yeah I can remember I could finish Contra without losing a single life back then. I guess age does slow down ones reflexes. Fortunately I can still beat her when she challenges me to Tekken and Street Fighter....mwahahahahaa.....I know it's pathetic to win against a little girl but as a father I must not lose against my child!

[kneon]

This may come as a shock to some of you but we're not normal. I've aced all the LBP levels as have my kids. If you're a hardcore gamer then odds are your kids have been exposed to gaming since birth and aren't normal either.

But family games for the casual audience need to be easier, there are sections of LBP, like the bunker for example that will just be too frustrating for many normal people. I've watched a lot of non-gamer kids try to play LBP and often they will give up when faced with the harder challenges.

[miyamoto]

Good News! Let's Talk.

At last the budget gamer's prayer (parent or not) has been answered! Single console system gamer's on a budget can now have a console that covers the full spectrum of game genres from wholesome kid friendly family games the likes of Mario & Pokemon to patented PS3 adult games like God of War and Heavy Rain.

Sony has been slow and in lots of trouble lately and I five years,though a very long time, is enough to establish the PS3 as the console that moves hardcore gaming forward. Now that most major core franchises are out, its time to address this massively un-attended market-the daddy gamer's gaming children with out letting the hardcore gamers down. Not saying that these wholesome games will be cheap but they are the perfect filler while Sony's big projects go into to their 2 year development cycles.

Its good to see the PlayStation going back to its roots - the 19 & Up motto/philosophy that made the PS1 & PS2 complete and well rounded platforms. Its been a long time the PS3 & PSP brand focused on adult games unlike the PS1 & PS2 who had games for the kids since launch. So long it gave Nintendo virtually no competition on that market. It was good for Ninty's recovery after the Gamecube but it hurt Sony big time.

“If you look back at the history on PS1, PS2 the vast majority of the business that we did on both those platforms was done at the sub £129 price points. Now we’ve only got to £199 in the UK a couple of month back so you can see there’s still a lot of PS3’s potentially to be sold.”

Along with the PS3 price cuts it makes sense that with affordability comes compelling games parent's can finally let their kids play on the PS3. God of War 3 simply ain't for kids. If PlayStation brand is to survive like Ninty in these tough economic times, it has to serve this budget family gamer market's demands as well. After all if parent's are gamers most likely their kids are, as well.

The PlayStation brand going back to its roots is such a very refreshing and welcome news that will further increase the value of the platform.

Oh, this is going to be an interesting next year. It looks like Sony is going all out against the competition.

Nintendo has its sights on gaining the PSP and PS3 core market with 3DS and WiiU while Sony is finally meeting the demands of younger gamers with the PS3 without buying a new console. Overall, this is awesome news.

[thebudgetgamer]

That's correct.

[miyamoto]

It just makes sense if you try to hit that market obviously you gotta lower the price of hardware and software.
More budget friendly PS3 because no parent wants to buy an expensive game machine for their kids.

This may also mean a below 160 GB SKU for the PS3.

[Lucreto]

Sounds like another console is on the way.

[gnothe1]

you guys dont see whats happening?..just like MS is switching to the younger crowd with kinect, sony is about to do the same thing with the PS3...now their about to focus on switching all the new hardcore games to the NEW SYSTEMS..when the PS3 was about to drop the PS2 wasnt getting anything but kiddy games an madden..all the resources had switched over to the PS3 an the same thing is about to happen now...one of sony big developers have already switched to next gen development..there was an article on here that stated so...

[Laxman]

When Microsoft started making games for younger audiences - N4G ate it up and let them have it, with all manners of insults and immature slurs.

Sony announce it - N4G jump for joy and praise them for it.

[ZombieAssassin]

Dude we get it already, we don't need a comment like this in 90% of the articles. If you don't like how N4G rolls just leave or avoid the comment section, it really is that easy.

It's also not just N4G that bashes MS for it, if you would of checked out the official Xbox forums around E3 last year you would of heard way worse than what was going on here.

It's about balance my friend, Sony seems to balance mature and kid friendly games better. With MS yea they'll give you some mature games but they're just the same ones we've been playing since launch and then their more kid friendly games now are usually for kinect.

[_Aarix_]

"Dude we get it already, we don't need a comment like this in 90% of the articles. If you don't like how N4G rolls just leave or avoid the comment section, it really is that easy. "

No body said this when the tables were turned so I'm going to politly call a few groups of trolls "hypocritical moronic bias assholes"

Also ms balances well too cause almost all gamers don't give a rats ass about exclusives..even on the ps3. And I'm not complaining with gears of war, halo, Alan wake, lost odyssey and splinter cell conviction.

[southernbanana]

I cannot comprehend why people on this site will bash Microsoft in past threads for focusing more on casuals, but then praise Sony for stating they plan to do the same. I really wish this way of thinking would end......

[BabyTownFrolics]

because if you dont then you lose all your bubbles and are forced out of the conversation.

let me be a lesson kids

[ECM0NEY]

I thought the PS3 was already aimed at kids going off of all the comments from Sony fanboys... meh go figure.

[Getowned]

Yeah some of them are really that bad I agree but not all are.The people that do act like that really stand out though.People just need to understand both consoles have there strenghts and weaknesses and both PS3/360 do some things better then the other.

On topic I think it would be cool to get spyro back and keep some ratchet and clank games coming.

Oh and where the hell is our REAL ape escape game, that move game they made is kinda lame on rails ape escape -_- pfft.

[death2smoochie]

Oh the HYPOCRISY.....

[ZombieAssassin]

Hopefully this means we'll get another Jak and Daxter game, I miss all the more kid friendly games the Ps2 had. Just because they're target audience is for kids doesn't mean I still won't enjoy them.

[Getowned]

Ape Escape!!!!!!!!!

[ZombieAssassin]

Never really go into AE games, do they have any for the PS3 besides the Move title?

[FunkMcnasty]

And you folks made fun of KINECT!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH AAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Now you fanboys can all have fun with your share of PS Move shovelware.

But of course N4G fully endorses Sony's efforts. Then, again, If Jack Tretton promised to take an iPhone picture of his morning dump in the toilet and sell it as DLC you tools would be standing in line to buy it.

[FunkMcnasty]

Sorry for the obvious trolling, but I just couldnt resist. Sometimes this website is just rediculously hypocritical. and you can disagree with that statement all you want but that's FACT.

[Hicken]

FACT: Microsoft threw the core audience to the sharks.

PROOF: The paltry number of core games they have given to their consumers, relying almost entirely on third-party titles, while they spent hundreds of millions on Kinect games and marketing.

FACT: Sony has kept the core audience square in their focus.

PROOF: The dozens of exclusives aimed at core audiences that have come out in the past two years, while ensuring their own motion-controller was capable of both core and casual experiences.

There is no hypocrisy here, as Sony hasn't done the same thing that Microsoft has. You CAN praise Sony in this respect and not be hypocritical.

The HYPOCRITICAL part of this site comes when people treat the recent past- "Exclusives are better on console X; console P has no games"- like it's suddenly irrelevant- "Exclusives don't mean anything; it's all about sales"- once the tide changes.

[FunkMcnasty]

@ Hicken ^^^^,

I'm not arguing that MS abandoned its core gamers for the most part in 2011. You're absolutely right, the only exclusive offerings any 360 gamer over the age of 6 wanted to play this year were Gears 3, Forza 4, and Halo Reach.

What steams me is the undeniable pro Sony persona of this website.. and not in a good way. In the eyes of many users here, Sony Corp can do no wrong. They are now aiming to essentially "throw their core audience to the sharks" as you say. And while everyone was highly critical of MS for doing that early in 2011 with their emphasis on kid/casual friendly Kinect titles, Sony is about to do that and ps3 gamers are giving them a standing ovation. I dont get it. Back when Sony got hacked in the spring and failed to announce it immediatley and then failed to fix it until almost 1.5 months later, people on N4G were saying "well it's really no big deal, at least they'll fix it, and they'll give us free games as a consolation prize." Or even more delusional things like "well it's not like it's Xbox Live, we're not paying a subscription fee so it doesnt really matter."

Some gamers are just mindless corporate drones.

[Hicken]

What tells me that Sony ISN'T aiming to do the same as Microsoft is that they're continuing to do the very same thing they've done from the start. We're not seeing more family-friendly stuff a the expense of the core. The very core-centric PSVita is just around the corner for us here in the West, and there are tons of games coming out for the PS3 next year, as well. Frankly, it's too early to say they're abandoning to core, as the ONLY indication is that they've said they'll start marketing the PS3 towards a younger audience. For comparison, when Microsoft announced the Kinect- and their shifted focus to the casual market- they had just the handful of games they released this year to show they were still paying the core any attention.

I dunno about you, but I wasn't surprised that Sony didn't immediately announce they were hacked. Panic is the last thing you want. I would have felt the same way, whichever company it was. I saw a lot more "You get what you pay for" remarks deriding Sony's actions than straight-up forgiveness, at least until things were nearly over and done with. I feel like you took a few examples and made them the norm, which isn't a real representation of what happened. (Not to mention that the PS3 crowd, in my opinion, is better able to handle an outage of PSN than the 360 crowd would be able to handle XBL going down; that, however, is another story.)

It's almost expected, at this point, for people to give Sony unwarranted free passes: this entire generation, Sony's been on the receiving end of a shit storm of bad press, the vast majority of it undeserved. Eventually, even sensible people start to lose sight of rational thought when they're subjected to the irrational for a long time.

[Imikida]

whats really wrong with aiming towards children? Btw, I didn't hear anybody complaining about the kinnect aiming towards children. I'm kind of a Sony fanboy and the only problem that I have with the kinnect is that its motion control, no offense to anyone but I think just think its easier to play with a controller.

[Raoh]

Where is the news or info here?

Hasn't the playstation brand always catered to families as well as core gamers?

Aside from all the family and rythm games, playstation has had educational games, narative and lets not forget that the ps2 had the eyetoy, kinect may do it better but nintendo and sony did it first. so did sega and many others.

I don't see the need to make a news/blog/rant about this.

[gnothe1]

@RAOH...yes Playstation has but just not the PS3...the PS3 have NEVER been labeled or marketed as a casual console..now that the price is down,their working on releasing a PS4 they can shift the PS3 to the casual while the PS4 is for the hardcore...just like the PS2 was for the casual an the PS3 was for the hardcore...

[Raoh]

ahh, that sort of makes sense.

For parties I guess I would pull out the kinect before I pull out the ps3.

I am surprised at the lack of wii ports, wii has a lot of party games that would translate to the move controller well.

[GraveLord]

This is proof that PS4 is near!
Yeah!