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Sony Finally Focusing On PS3 Software

Let me explain the headline: what I mean is, it seems that Sony is focusing on PlayStation 3 software in contrast to…well, everything else that's related to the machine.

We all know that Sony wanted to make the PS3 a multimedia console that can be used for different entertainment purposes, but at the same time, they wanted to emphasize that it's still a gaming system. Well, it was difficult to agree with that last part in the first few years of the console's existence. Look, we had PSP/PS3 connectivity, the growing of the Network including PlayStation Home, downloadable movies and TV shows, the Sixaxis morphing into the Dual Shock 3 due to widespread fan request, the revamping of the Cross Media Bar and other tweaks to the structure, firmware updates, Folding@Home, Trophies, etc, etc, etc. But now, either they've finally reached a point where they don't wish to make any significant additions to the hardware, or they're at a sweet spot where the software has become the prime focus. We know that Sony will say the software has "always" been most important to them, but after handling all news related to the machine thus far, I'm not really buying that.

But now that we're pretty much done talking about all that other stuff, we see more and more game-related press releases and announcements. Take GDC 09, for example. Sure, we really only saw the unveiling of Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time , but at least it was a game and not another nifty little feature for the PS3 that you may or may not use, like PlayStation Life. Now, I'm not saying anything I've mentioned here is bad, per se; I just like the idea that games appear to be tops on Sony's list right now. They like to talk about Killzone 2 as having a positive impact, and they've recently begun to tout their exclusive lineup, which is indeed impressive. There's no denying that Sony needed to add things like Trophies – this is a competition, after all – but for me and for most others out there, the PS3 is still a video game console…and Sony now appears to be embracing that philosophy. They still need to drop the price, but beyond that, let's just talk about that software.

Options and extras are always cool. But let's not forget that that's exactly what they are : options and extras.

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JofaMang
JofaMang
14 years ago

I was getting tired of being let down by "big" announcements that were but minutia to me as a gamer. Free Photo Gallery creator? PS Life? Firmware updates trumped up in big announcements that had ZERO impact on me as a gamer. Thanks for the extra Divx support, but where is my Damn GT5?

They should have been talking software a long time ago, doing otherwise just fed the anti-ps3 flamers. There have been great games for awhile now, and they could have been capitalizing upon that for a lot longer.

Oh well, maybe the announcement tomorrow will be an immediate ps3 price drop with a $300 gt5 bundle in september. Or new premium Flower Themes on the PS Store.

Whatever

Cpt_Geez
Cpt_Geez
14 years ago

II agree.

city96
city96
14 years ago

But what SONY probably wanted to do was to see how powerful the PS3 was whilst playing Music from the XMB in Motorstorm Online whilst sending a message to 3 other people at the same time. RROD for Xbox i think. What they were trying to do is see its limits and then tailor games with the Frst Party Devs like Guerilla. KZ2 hasn't got any problems apart from online fun 🙂

LyleCapua
LyleCapua
14 years ago

Beautiful statement. I could give two pennies for every new useless firmware add-on they throw on the PS3, including Home, PSP/PS3 connectivity (which is REALLY useless) and Trophies. I just want some goddamn games to play.

alexmac77
alexmac77
14 years ago

I guess now we can expect awesome downloads and better compony involvement in first party exclusives
thank you Sony.

PS3addict
PS3addict
14 years ago

I am really happy about the enhancements that they have put in the firmware updates. My PS3 has become the center of my Multimedia world. My photos, movies, & tv shows are either on my PS3, on Bluray, or streaming from my media server in the other room.

I would love to have B/C and a faster browser and the PS3 would be perfect in my eyes. Games are the primary reason I bought the PS3, the rest of the features convinced the wife that the price was worth the investment.

One sweet enhancement would be an app to use my PS3 to be my tivo!


Last edited by PS3addict on 3/30/2009 11:33:37 AM

offshore
offshore
14 years ago

I look at the 360 and disagree that it is all about the gaming software. The PS3 GUI and it's online software is amateurish and basic compared to the 360. That's simple fact, pure and simple.

Non-gaming software this generation has a big impact on the experience, with online and offline features.

Hopefully the next firmware (tomorrow maybe?) will be a significant upgrade.

In all reality though, it's going to take Sony some time to get their non-game software technology up to speed…after all, MS is 30+ years old and they get software wrong, so Sony has a long way to go.

But at least they've realised that they need to take software more seriously than they have in the past.

JofaMang
JofaMang
14 years ago

I'll admit that I am in a gamer segment that exists in slightly rarefied air, and that the gaming experience first and formost decides my satisfaction with a gaming console. Perhaps that is why I consider almost everything outside of gaming on the PS3 minutia.

Don't get me wrong, I utilize the PS3's multi-media functions greatly… but I would trade all non gamer content to have been in the current quality gaming environment 2 freakin years ago.

EDIT: the lack of alternative terms for "Gaming" makes the writer in me cry.


Last edited by JofaMang on 3/30/2009 11:56:33 AM

jaybiv
jaybiv
14 years ago

You have to expect some software shortcomings from Sony because they are a hardware company. It's funny that the software company has issues with it's hardware. If we could combine the two, then we would have the perfect system right? Probably not. We would find other things to complain about.

I'm very happy with my PS3. I still think that Sony is only tapping into a fraction of the system's potential. As long as the games are coming, I am content to wait and watch the PS3 evolve.

dveisalive
dveisalive
14 years ago

offshore what are you talking about?

HOODGE
HOODGE
14 years ago

I agree with you OFFSHORE.

Playstation Network has a ways to go to outstip Xbox Live. They have a few more much needed features to be able to say that we have everything Live has.

1) Voice messaging is badly needed. Drives me nuts when I always have to type to communicate. Sure Ipods and Blackberry's are cool, but PS3 is not that.
2) In-game private one on one voice chat would be cool if you don't want to hear all the trashtalkers or you're trying to help a friend out with joining you when he just bought a new game and doesn't know how to hook up with you. You can talk him through the process.
3) In relation to point 2, on the Fly game inviting like Live offers is a handy, easy, quick feature that makes online gaming much more attractive and easier. I hate having to type on on some titles which room I'm in, and buy the time they find the room it's already full. Annoys me.

Other than that PSN is an amazing service and with the games having their own dedicated servers, the games run far superior on PSN than live in the area of smoothness and lag.

I realize some will say that Live has those features and can offer them because you have to pay for it, whereas PSN is free. That is true, but when it comes to Online gaming, and in my opinion online is where gamings at today, community is a big thing. And the sense of community is much bigger on Live. Those features help draw community together a lot better.

I do feel Sony can offer these features and I feel they will offer them in future firmware updates. Hopefully this big update we are awaiting will address some of them.

One last thing, Sony needs to improve the voice quality of in game chat. The pickup of background noise is atrocious. Microsofts walkie talkie type ingame chat is much cleaner and less irratating. Easier to understand what people are saying.

JofaMang
JofaMang
14 years ago

The official PS3 bluetooth is pretty damn good at blocking background noise. I managed to get my Motorola H850 to decent levels of background noise by lowering the mic input level, but now I have to talk louder to trigger the voice activation (in KZ2 at least) as its irrelevant on push-to-talk systems anyway.
This tells me that the BlueTooth hardware is more responsible for background noise than the console itself.

Tim Speed24
Tim Speed24
14 years ago

@Hoodge

Single player game experience is where it's at for me. Personally on-line gaming I could take it or leave it.

With my personal friends on-line, it's not bad but there are alot of jerks out there that ruin many an on-line game for me.

I want immersive off-line games that transport me to the worlds I'm playing in at the time.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
14 years ago

Since SE became a steaming pile all I want for christmas is an in-house dev that just works on RPGs. That would be the bees knees.

jlch777
jlch777
14 years ago

just waiting for gt5 -_-

HOODGE
HOODGE
14 years ago

JofaMang I too have the official Sony bluetooth headset and it is the best one for voice quality and lasts over 8 hours between charges.

But what Sony did with allowing any bluetooth device is very gracious in that you can allow any bluetooth brand out there. Unfortunately the quality of some of these bluetooth headsets are piss poor and by not forcing everyone to use the official Sony headset, you get your fair share of garbage headsets in the mix, which results in all the horrible background noice pick up. Which results in you getting ticked off with all the garbled noice.

Sony should consider packaging their own headset in the next PS4 like Xbox did in having an official wired mic and official wireless mic. That would help on everybody being on the same page with the same quality mic.

Hope they consider that in the future.

Mystearica
Mystearica
14 years ago

*sigh*

I mean it's great and all… just wished it happend earlier

rezenu
rezenu
14 years ago

…Wasn't the PS3 all about software in the first place? Yeah, the launch time was screwed up but seriously, we have games now to look forward to.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
14 years ago

Thing is, to talk to Sony in the past was to get the impression that they didn't even care that PS3 played games, all you ever got was info on blu ray, psp stuff, the web browser, photo arranging, etc.

Godslim
Godslim
14 years ago

but ps3 has got great games and i personally like the firmware updates with stuff like in game xmb in game music and trophies…themes etc
trophies have made my singleplayer games last a hell of alot longer

tizzle
tizzle
14 years ago

hey i know this is kinda off subject from this topic but i saw u were talkin about the xmb and music stuff but do u know a site that i can fine what games can play music in it from the xmb if u do know u can send it to my msn [email protected]

tu24
tu24
14 years ago

I dont get it. The Ps3 has great games, what great exclusives does xbox have that make it so great? gears? halo?
thats all I ever hear. and other big games on it, are multiplat on ps3 or pc or even both.

The only reason I went with the PS3 in the first place is because I always preferred Sony's lineup. and Team Ico's next game… but I know I'm not the only one on that one.

LimitedVertigo
LimitedVertigo
14 years ago

I'm with you 100 percent.

faraga
faraga
14 years ago

halo is for pc too:P

JcBball717
JcBball717
14 years ago

thats sweeet now i can kick some noob ass in better made games!!!!

rell
rell
14 years ago

Come on Sony ps3 owners need those first party title exclusive. We are drooling for new titles

shaydey77
shaydey77
14 years ago

Yeah Sony does have a killer lineup for 09..GoW3,U2,RaC,GT5(hopefully) and still at least one unnannounced!! can anyone name a game for Xbox360 other than Halo3ODST or Bioshock 3?

Snaaaake
Snaaaake
14 years ago

The only way for PS3 to catch up is to depend on their franchise like GOW3 and GT5.
Xbox's big franchise is only GeOW and Halo(NG is exclusive no more).
Because Halo is their one and only big franchise.

They're making quite a lot out of it eg. Halo 123(maybe 4), and because a Halo 4 is not quite possible they decided to do a spinoff with Halo ODST, then they decided to attract RTS fan with Halo Wars and another Halo called Halo Chronicles is in development. That's 6 Halo series in a space of 10 years.

Sorry shaydey77, I can't name anymore Xbox360 killer exclusive, they say Alan Wake is an exclusive but it's also on the PC!!

cadpig
cadpig
14 years ago

Waiting for gran turismo 5. I just bought my raceing wheel. I can't wait:)

Shaydey, Alan Wake for the xbox 360 is going to be really good.

Still, i must admit the PS3 got some killer games comeing. I can't wait for God of war 3 and Ninja Gaiden sigma 2:)

shaydey77
shaydey77
14 years ago

Thanks guys…but still only two games? That is so lame..i feel sorry for everyone with just a 360..thank god for PS3 and some serious games on the way..now who has the console with no games??(sadly i might add…)

Dingodial
Dingodial
14 years ago

The firmware updates have become VERY useful for me. PS3's other features are very useful too. I prefer using the PS3's internet browser instead of dealing with my windows computer & waithing for it to load everything.

But if you were to ask me what feature I use the most, it would be playing games (& movies). Software is the only thing that keeps a game system in the competition. PS3 has many other great features, but it would be a failure if it didn't have any games (no one would buy it).

Akuma_
Akuma_
14 years ago

*cough*

technically speaking.
Playstation Life. Trophies. Firmwire updates. just about all the stuff Ben mentioned are actually software……

so saying that Sony is finally focusing on their 'software' is the wrong way to say it.

anything and everything that fits onto that little hdd are software. but im SURE everyone here knows that..right………right?

Arvis
Arvis
14 years ago

Get outta here Akuma! You haven't transcended your humanity! You've thrown it AWAY!

-Arvis

Karosso
Karosso
14 years ago

Hey I know this a late post and not so related to the topic but, does anyone knows if the Xbox360 does real DVD upconvertion or is it fake like the PS3? My DVDs don't look any better on my HDTV at all so, I think it was just a fakeware update on Sony's part…

faraga
faraga
14 years ago

when playing a dvd on the ps3 you have to press triangle and enable upscaling manually, at least, that's what i heard, i dont have an hdtv myself so ive never used it

Karosso
Karosso
14 years ago

Thanks for the reply Faraga, I Google it and it seems it does not upscale comercial DVDs… I will try it anyways.
What is the point them? Should I just start downloading pirate copies from torrents websites? Just seems very stupid to me, my friend gave me a pirate DVD for "The inconvenient Truth" and it looked like it was HD, the effect was amazing, so I pulled up my Lord of the Rings extended edition DVDs out and was set to do a LOTR marathon and was disappointed to seem it just looked the same as a regular DVD…
The lamest feature ever?? Seems that way tome.

Arkhon
Arkhon
14 years ago

Technically, firmware deals with BIOS. Everything else is software. I say this because most people seem to think that firmware means operating system. It does not.

That is all.

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