Today's good things in small packages video: LittleBigPlanet (PS3)

by Zack Stern { Jul 19th 2007 at 12:00AM }

We've played LittleBigPlanet twice and are waiting for its Spring 2008 release to get unlimited time with the final game. Even as a casual game, there have been rumblings between Joystiq writers that this could be a killer PS3 app. GameTrailers shows LittleBigPlanet level construction in a new interview with one of its developers, Alex Evans.

Here's hoping that this quirky little game makes a big impact. See the video after the break.

Gallery: LittleBigPlanet

Tags: alexevans, casual, download, littlebigplanet, MediaMolecule, playstationnetwork, ps3, psn, sony

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

p3arl @ Jul 19th 2007 12:04AM

i cant see the video, where do i go?

samfish @ Jul 19th 2007 12:05AM

I don't see a video, either...

samfish @ Jul 19th 2007 12:14AM

Also, I don't think this game'll be a killer app for the PS3.
Based on what's been said about it, it SHOULD be, but I don't think it'll sell well to the PS3's core audience...

Which is a damned shame since a game like this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime games that has the potential to really revolutionize games, assuming enough people actively participate in the user-generated content thing (which I'm skeptical about).

polly @ Jul 19th 2007 12:49AM

I think you're crazy. This game will sell like hotcakes. Mmmmm...hotcakes.

bucket @ Jul 19th 2007 1:16AM

Are you kidding? This is probably the one game that every PS3 owner agrees will be great. I don't think even FFXIII or MGS can claim that. Search the internet; you know it to be true.

Dave @ Jul 19th 2007 3:29AM

I've never liked the Final Fantasy series--but this game makes me want a PS3.

Jake @ Jul 19th 2007 8:10AM

bucket,

Most console owners don't post their opinions on the internet.

Evan @ Jul 19th 2007 8:13AM

It won't sell...

LittleBigPlanet looks to be the PS3's equivalent of LocoRoco. People said the EXACT SAME THINGS about LocoRoco as they are saying about LittleBigPlanet now. It's a great game, it's innovative, it'll bring casual players to Sony's platform, it'll be a system seller. Sony even made LocoRoco system bundles in Japan. But those bundles just sat on store shelves! LocoRoco fell completely off game sales charts after its first week. It completely bombed.

LocoRoco showed us that innovative but kiddy-looking casual games don't sell to a hardcore-gamer audience. And LocoRoco showed us that casual gamers aren't going to buy a new system for just one game. Why would we expect any different from LittleBigPlanet?

Anam @ Jul 19th 2007 9:35AM

Well, if it doesn't sell well on the PS3, maybe we'll be lucky and they'll release either an Xbox 360 or PC version to catch more people that wouldn't pay for a PS3.

Didn't Psychonauts do that?

Anyway, I think it will sell though. I can't imagine a game with this much buzz being passed on.

samfish @ Jul 19th 2007 9:50AM

"Anyway, I think it will sell though. I can't imagine a game with this much buzz being passed on."

Viewtiful Joe, Okami, Pikmin and the aforementioned Loco Roco and Psychonauts all say 'Hi!'

Anam @ Jul 19th 2007 10:03AM

First, Okami was a PS2 game coming out in the middle of next-gen buzz. Bad timing. LittleBigPlanet has the right timing. This is exactly when people are looking at the PS3 and saying "what's coming out?"

The rest you mentioned didn't have that much buzz. They had rave reviews, but regular people weren't talking about them much. It isn't just the reviewers that are talking about LittleBigPlanet, it's everyone.

...and Loco Roco was a PSP title, what do you expect? (Sorry, just had to take a shot at it)

blooh @ Jul 19th 2007 12:12AM

why can't they make this for the xbox? i can't afford a ps3 til it drops below 400 bucks :(

Jettic @ Jul 19th 2007 1:44PM

Don't you people understand? This is a first party title, IT WONT COME OUT ON THE 360, no matter how much you wish it would.

Jim @ Jul 19th 2007 12:16AM

Does this make the PS3 a kidie system?............... I kid, I kid

Geist @ Jul 19th 2007 12:29AM

You shouldn't. If this was on a Nintendo system, everyone would be bitching and crying about how kiddie it is. I love the design, patches and stitching everywhere.

It looks nice, but...well...what's the point of the game? Just wander around some user-created stuff? How long before you have to navigate a penis, I ask. How long? Seriously though, I think I'm missing something.

Vidikron @ Jul 19th 2007 12:22AM

I can't see the video, but I wonder if this is the same video we saw released during E3, but with an interview added? That LBP 'Create' video was astounding.

NeverSage @ Jul 19th 2007 12:23AM

Damn, I cannot believe how pretty this game is. The textures! The fabric! It almost makes me want to get a PS3! But alas, that will have to wait for the next game from Team Ico.

Snukadaman @ Jul 19th 2007 12:42AM

i dont know....it looks cool but this will survive on using non developers ideas for games??...yes i know the developers will be adding to it but still....just like home...how long will this be fun>???

sirpilf @ Jul 19th 2007 1:10AM

i think that is a very unfair question for many reasons. for one, the point is you will have virtually infinite levels if people are creating levels. so where a game like god of war ends after only 8 hours then you gotta repeat the same levels over and over, even tho it is great, this game will let you just download new levels every day, or let you create your own.

oh and its also unfair because nobody would ever ask "yea but how long will it be fun?" for a game like lost planet or god of war which you can beat in 10 hours or sometimes less. heck BLACK i beat in 6 hours but that was the most fun ive had shooting stuff in the ps2/xbox generation.

Ian Von Porter @ Jul 19th 2007 1:33AM

Take your favourite side scroller and recreate it in LBP... i suspect someone will recreate the entire SMB and upload it for everyone else to play.

This game will be great, unless you have zero desire to be creative.

hvnlysoldr @ Jul 19th 2007 10:11AM

Requisite joke that Sony stole from Nintendo by having their PSP being bought to emulate NES games and LBP being good to recreate NES games.

sirpilf @ Jul 19th 2007 1:07AM

but instead, nintendo would rather take ideas like the 1982 atari joyboard and call it the wii fit balance board, or charge us to buy super mario 3 over and over and over.

JodyAnthony @ Jul 19th 2007 8:53AM

sigh, it begins.

you are a fucking idiot. oh waah waah this console has the name nintendo on it so it is bad, waah waah! i call myself a gamer but I am really just a worthless piece of shit fanboy bastard, waah waah.

sirpilf @ Jul 19th 2007 3:32PM

just because i started losing respect for nintendo after gamecube sucked so bad, doesnt make me a fanboy. i bought a 360 and PS3, so does that just make me... what? a anti-nintendo fanboy? like everything but nintendo?

im not gonna call you a fanboy, but why is it that if i make a legimate complaint about nintendo copying a 25 year old peripheral and claiming its so innovative, it makes me a fanboy? does it make me an xbox fanboy? a sony fanboy? or just are you a nintendo fanboy and cant take criticism? go ahead criticize sony for their garbage PSN store and lack of good games, or criticize MS for their crappy marketplace pricing and lack of anything other then shooters/racers i dont care, because I can handle criticism, something you can aparantly not without resorting to namecalling.

Snukadaman @ Jul 19th 2007 1:19AM

theres usually a estimate on game play on any kind of game sirpilf...wouldnt you say thats a idea of how long it will be fun??? my point is how many times can you make blocks for people too jump on and off of ...ect this game is going too exist on other peoples ideas....

sirpilf @ Jul 19th 2007 3:35PM

i dont think its just "making blocks for people to jump on" as you can see in the demos they have done, its more of a puzzler platformer, or however you make it. and why wouldnt it stay fun? mario games have stayed fun for 2 decades and the concept has stayed the same. I was one of those people that bought super mario 3 more then once for different versions/systems.

Whubbsie @ Jul 19th 2007 1:19AM

Have any of you ever played FORZA... ever tried making a design for a car in it??? Its like pulling teeth... yet a good majority of people still try it and use it alot.... Forza has a massive design community and a lot of rivalry goes on between artists trying to make the best designs.

If LilBig editing is more accessable I think it will be that killer app they are talking about.

As for me I was sold on this the first time I saw it...can't wait.

XeroTrinity @ Jul 19th 2007 3:08AM

Well.. You do realize this game is basically made around user creation? In Forza it was just an add-on basically.

Whubbsie @ Jul 19th 2007 9:36PM

Um no as far as I've read it's also just an add on for this...sure much more envolved add on but there is content straight out of the box.
Also from the above video I think they have taken into consideration the boat loads of crap that might be generated... a good voting system and best of downloads will see that you don't have to wad through the crap... someone else will do it for you.

I still stand by my comment if its easy to use this will sell.

atomicstrawberry @ Jul 19th 2007 1:28AM

Whether this is a PS3 killer app IMO will come down to how they make it available, and more importantly how they price it. It's clearly got huge potential, but like with any game that relies on user-generated content, there's going to be a heck of a lot of crap to sort through to find the good stuff. I don't think I'd pay full retail price for it. If it was, say, $30 USD off PSN then I'd be all over it.

cc123 @ Jul 19th 2007 1:51AM

I think there is a misconception about this game being solely about user created content.

The game is a platformer at heart and it will come with many levels for you to play. You are in fact getting a full game before you even get to the level design stuff.

It's not like all your buying is a creation kit and then hoping some good levels come out. It just so happens that the user created content is going to be a huge part of it too.

Check out the stage demo on Gamespot where the developer goes into a little more detail on this.

wontyme @ Jul 19th 2007 1:54AM

This can be the Ps3 killer app because you can show it off to anyone(hardcore or casual) and they will find something they like about it and it's even fun to watch. Many developers have already told Media Molecule that they want to create levels for this game and Mm has said that they will be supporting this game with plenty of downloadable content. The possibilities are endless and they will be giving us more info on Little Big Planets story and enemies at TGS.

ronaldraygun @ Jul 19th 2007 2:49AM

personally i think this game will sell well but it's not going to now, it'll take a long time. It is a damn shame that it is ps3 only when the ps3 has such a low install base. No one's going to buy a ps3 for it atleast not until a $400 or $300 ps3 is out. yeah i'm jealous because i want it for the 360 or wii but I can wait until the ps3 has more games and this.

JodyAnthony @ Jul 19th 2007 9:00AM

I'm buying a PS3 for it

horngreen @ Jul 19th 2007 3:45AM

People always say "how long will this be fun?" How the hell long should a game be fun? It looks like a cool little game and user content could keep it interesting. Having a game with a physics engine is cool (Forza 2) but being able to actually build and play in a physics world is way cooler. I guess as far as how long it will be fun that's up to each person. I mean there are still nerds who probably play Duck Hunt!

Adv2k1 @ Jul 19th 2007 3:46AM

I'm sorry but I don't see this even scratching 300k in sales. The main target audience of PS3 is action packed or some RPG's of males. Seriously it might be cool for a month or two and get great reviews but the main target audience will not grab hold of it, when so many other games at the time of release will be out. If this was for PC than I would expect it to do very well, but honestly who is paying $500 plus to play this when they can play Heavenly Sword, Metal Gear Solid 4 or Killzone 2.

Not to say this game is a bad idea or anything, but its something that can't catch on enough to be worthwhile. Say what you will about Wii Fit, but I can guarantee that it will sale 4x better than little big planet. If Viva Pinata can't sell on 360 with bigger userbase, than this is doomed on ps3.

Crono @ Jul 19th 2007 8:53AM

Exactly. Target audience of PS3 adoption: Hardcore gamers and Blu-Ray enthusiasts. Target audience of LBP: Casual gamers and creative people.

LPB won't sell well on PS3. It wouldn't sell well on X360, because its the same target audience. It would sell very well on Wii, but LBP can't be made for wii. The only platform this game would sell very well on is PC, because its got the horsepower to do what they devs want to, and target audience that would buy this game.

It could be as big as the Sims on PC.

Poisoned Al @ Jul 19th 2007 3:55AM

LBP is the only game that makes me want to buy a PS3. This would rock on a PC, but I doubt it'll ever be ported over.

Dirk Dorkelson @ Jul 19th 2007 4:17AM

This is the first PS3-exclusive title I've seen that makes me want go go out and get the system. I mean, yeah, Motorstorm, Heavenly Sword and Warhawk look great, but I don't mind missing them for a year or so while the PS3 comes down in price. This is a game I want to play sooner rather than later.

Sean DL @ Jul 19th 2007 4:47AM

Yeah I'm gonig to have to jump on the "it's not going to sell" bandwagon. Catching the "pokemon spark" is not that easy. In the end the ball is in Sony's court where this all goes.

And if Home takes off better and quicker then Little Big Planet, how long will this game have before Sony starts focusing on just one project? That is the downside on being on a locked down gaming console for a game like this.

The game already has a cult following, which is good, but like TV, will it be a Veronica Mars/Jericho lifespan or a Lost/X-Files lifespan?

Rare Hare @ Jul 19th 2007 5:11AM

I'm gonna agree with a lot of you. As cool as this game looks, it's not the kind of game that will sell that well.

Should it? Probably. People would enjoy it. Will it? Nah. There's no blood, tits, guns, or sports.

Zero_ @ Jul 19th 2007 5:59AM

... I'm having a hard time judging whether that's sarcasm or not. But this game simply has too much hype and will be successful purely based on that. This concept is far too new on a console, and it'll pique everyone's curiosity, regardless of what reviews say about it. Sure, some may play it for ages, and some may absolutely hate the concept, but they'll buy it, and it'll be a success.

Rare Hare @ Jul 19th 2007 3:56PM

Ok man.. look at this from the perspective of the average consumer. You can't look at how well a game will sell based on its popularity among the hardcore audience.

I wasn't being sarcastic in the slightest. Most consumers passing through the electronics in Wal-Mart are gonna glance at LittleBigPlanet and say "Gay." and move on.

Don't get me wrong: I think is looks awesome. But so was Katamari Damacy.

DarkMaTTer @ Jul 19th 2007 5:52AM

Is it wrong of me that I want to spend 1000 dollars (Aus) just so I can get this game?

Yes it is. But I still want to do it :D

Whubbsie @ Jul 19th 2007 9:44PM

Mate I spent that much and all I had to go by was Motorstrom... I think LBP is a much better excuse to sell a kidney for a PS3.

nightshader @ Jul 19th 2007 7:28AM

this worths to be the one reason to get a PS3 by itself. If SOny is smart (which we've seen the opposite seen the launch of PS3), they will make this an exclusive for PS3.

Zero_ @ Jul 19th 2007 7:32AM

If -you- were smart, you'd realise that Sony is publishing this, so it is a PS3 exclusive. :P

JonnyBoy2U @ Jul 19th 2007 8:06AM

The game looks really interesting and probably will be a great game.

However it pisses me off how hypocritical sony fanboys are. They say this is the "killer app". However if this was on the Wii they'd be screaming its for little kiddies. Or that they're too busy playing adult games to waste time on stupid baby games. If it were on the 360 they'd be ranting about RRoD and how the game won't last long since it will cause the system to break down.

As for sales I don't think it will sell that well. Despite all the internet buzz it won't change the fact that most ps3 owners are arrogant "adult" themed obssessed individuals who just aren't into this type of game. If nots a RPG or a FPS then they're not gonna buy it. And I seriously don't see someone spending $500-600 dollars just to play LittleBigPlanet.

All in all its a shame. This is a game that would be great on the Wii or serve to broaden the base of the 360. Instead fony sony has it. Oh well I can only hope that the sales are horrible for this game.

baby sea tuna @ Jul 19th 2007 8:32AM

You hope this game won't sell well? That's just fucking retarded. By saying that, you're basically reinforcing the (false) position of publishers who either have an opportunity to come up with a uniquely fun, creative IP like this or Viva Pinata, or Generic Military S.H.O.O.T.E.R. MCVXIII: Blacksite. Obviously, they'll do the latter instead because they know it'll sell well. Stop taking chances, and you get industry stagnation, like the movies are in right now. It's pretty simple.

Personally, I think this might be the game that gets me to pick up a PS3. I sincerely hope I'm not the only one.