Molyneux: PS3 still waiting on defining title

What I meant to say is: Is Joystiq asking for another flamewar?

It brings traffic.

Coincidentally, PS3's defining game comes out the same day as Molyneux's (LittleBIGplanet)

Doesn't seem like a burn to me. It's a perfectly reasonable statement. "Defining game" to me means the single game that comes to mind when you think of a system, and the one that everyone who owns the system (or even everyone who's played the system) has played.

The only thing on PS3 that's a contender for defining game status is MGS4, and it really doesn't come close to fitting that description.

Honestly, Sony consoles have never really had defining games. That's a strategy that Nintendo and Microsoft have followed: pouring vast resources into a single IP and using it to represent the system. It's easy to point to the defining games for all of Nintendo's systems: Super Mario Bros. -> Tetris -> Super Mario World -> Mario 64 -> Zelda: Wind Waker (somewhat less definitive than the others on this list) -> Brain Training -> Wii Sports. For Microsoft, it's been Halo -> Halo 3.

But for Sony...? No single game comes to mind for any generation. I guess FF7 almost counts, but that was really only for the first couple years of the PSX. The system quickly redefined itself as the platform where you could play *all* the good games. Its identity was its diversity.

And obviously that's a good strategy too, but it helps to have one centerpiece to point to. I don't think it's coincidence that the Playstation has never had either a defining game or a real mascot. But now, LittleBigPlanet seems poised to take up both titles...

You're right - PS1 didn't have an absolutely defining game, but - at least to a lot of people, PS2 was GTA3. Granted it later went multiplatform later, but it's heavily associated with the system - and became a showing point for what the system could do, not to mention that I'm sure it sold a whole lot of them.

@ Keen commander

I'm pretty sure either FFVII or MGS were associated with the PS1 but whatever.

I'd have to say that the N64 was just as defined by Ocarina of Time as it was by SM64.

More hot wind, from the self deprecating hot wind machine...

@Bluebrake
I suggest Crash Bandicoot is the PSX's defining game. It may not have been the PSX's best selling game, but Sony very heavily advertised the game and, during the PSX years, Crash was an instantly recognizable mascot character that people associated with the Playstation brand.

"And obviously that's a good strategy too, but it helps to have one centerpiece to point to. I don't think it's coincidence that the Playstation has never had either a defining game or a real mascot. But now, LittleBigPlanet seems poised to take up both titles..."

Oh hell no, for a start I think Molyneux was heaping praise on LBP because it praises his former releases by proxy. As for definitive games, I always thought that not having a go-to mascot was far more a strength than a weakness. How many times has Nintendo's mascots earned it a 'kiddy' label, alienationg the alledged "hardcore" audience? And how many times has the Xbox's association with Halo made people instantly think of the utterly mind-numbing community that plays it? Seriously, definitive games are over rated because there's no such thing as a perfect game. Diversity will always be better.

Evan has a point. But I also think the days of a console mascot were shrinking during PSX's rise. Platforms nowadays don't NEED a defining title. In my opinion, it limits the console and only fuels fanboys. As an example, how many people STILL use "360 is fer teh shooters?"

In essence, I think consoles are becoming much more like media formats. Like, is there a DEFINING CD? DVD? VHS? Laser Disc? See where I'm going with this?

I think of RFOM as the PS3's defining title, personally. But that might be because my friend and I have entirely too much fun with it.

I think Resistance 2 will go farther to implant the RFOM series as the PS3's defining title, much like Halo is for the 360.

Here we go again with the broken PS3.

DAMMIT NINJA! fix that fucking PS3 already.

I sadly sold it for my 360 which I barely play. Fuck it, I first started out with PC gaming, I think I'll go back to that. But PS3 exclusives like MGS4 and Disgaea 3 look tempting! : )

check out Valkyria Chronicles

My PS3 went kaputz on me too, so I don't see myself playing that "defining game" anytime soon. In fact, I'm keeping the $149 they want me to spend to repair my 14 month old system and possibly putting it towards an XBox 360. I almost feel like Anakin Skywalker admitting that! LOL!

I knew I wasn't the only one! First the 360s had the RROD fiasco and thats been fixed, but now many PS3s are dying, quite ironic since thats a point many PS3 fanboys used to rag on 360 fanboys.

@Ninjakamaster

I love PC gaming but hardware failure is a fact of life for all gaming platforms - I'm on my third hard drive, third PSU and second graphics card due to burnouts.

*on this two year old machine

If it had been over a decade it wouldn't have been so bad :P

For awhile I thought your hijinks with PrematureAssassin were just good spirited antics between two passionate individuals. But I really hope you get banned for that stupid, bigoted comment you made that went something like "I hope your black ass gets banned, boy"

You tried to back pedal and say you didn't mean 'boy' in a racist way, but guess what, you're a dumb bigot.

I'm tired of hearing about your stupid broken PS3 and I hope I don't have to see posts from you ever again.

I don't think it's MGS4, because you really have to have played the previous MGSs for it to make any sense.

You can buy a PS3 + LBP and just enjoy it no matter your past experiences, though, and that's what makes a defining title (of course, the game already has to be really good).

Whatever you say Markez.

The irony in all of this is LeonSKennedy using Chris Redfield as his avatar...and I'm nerd enough to know it.

Agree 100%.

"Users can freely create content on it which is something Microsoft wont allow 360 owners to do."

Halo 3 has custom-content...so does N+...and so will GHWT. There are some restrictions regarding DLC and patches but as far as user-created in-game content, they would easily greenlight LBP should it come out for 360.

Also I still stand by my opinion that LBP isn't a good Mascot/Killer App/Defining Title for PS3.I know that fanboys are desperate for it but right now the only viable option is either Kratos or Killzone 2/Resistance 2(provided they took the effort to make those generic assholes recognizable).

yeah but will it be fun?

The PS3 is still pretty early on in its lifespan. And I don't think at all that any platform needs a defining title - surely a set of great exclusives (which the 360 and PS3 have both achieved) is a more compelling reason to buy a console.

!

Screw you! MGS4 is the best game EVAR!


:P

I was going to disagree when I started reading, but upon completly reading I realised that I was in the opposite state, I very much agree with you.

Halo defines the Xbox, the very name gets people excited and considerably, Mario titles and smash brothers is the defining title on Wii, while MGS4 and Uncharted may have both been excellent games, they aren't 'the PS3' like Sonic 'was Sega'.

I don't see how anyone can say that MGS 4, Resistance, Ratchet And Clank & Uncharted are not console defining experiences.

When I think of the Playstation brand I think of Final Fantasy, GTA, MGS, Guitar Hero, SOCOM & Gran Turismo. All but 3 of those are now multiplatform titles.

The original fable didn't represent the original X-Box - Halo did. In fact Fable was awful especially considering the huge amount of hype and lack of promised content. Fable 2 will not define the 360 either. I think it's safe to say that Gears Of War & Halo have that title locked up.

When I think of the 360 I mainly think of Gears Of War, Halo & Ninja Gaiden. Those are console defining experiences. I have nothing against Fable 2 - I hope it's good. But, the original Fable was a huge letdown and was never a console definer.

I can understand being excited for Fable 2 because I am hyped for a game with a similar situation. Killzone 2 was a letdown much like the original Fable was but the sequels have a tremendous amount of hype and potential.

This guy's opinion.

LBP will probably be the gta3 for ps2.

You can't compare Halo3's letting you move items in a level around to LBPs letting you create levels from scratch. Or even anything else you suggested. N+ doesn't let you upload levels to a central repository for sharing. You know damn well MS doesn't allow proper user-created content that is comparable, that's why Unreal supported mods on PS3 and not 360

Immortal what does MGS, Ratchet, or Uncharted done for the PS3 to define it....Lets see...

1.Graphics...Ok all the games look gorgeous.

2.Use of PSN...MGO is terrible, Rachet and Uncharted have no online features and Socom isnt out yet...Resistance is he only game that has proven to be a great online game.

3.Trophies. Uncharted is the only one that uses trophies.

These are all so called parts of the "Playstation Experience" Yet none of them meet all of the criteria of that experience. Thats why LBP might be the first to be the defining experience. THOUGH ALL OF THESE ARE GREAT GAMES!

That reminds me of Microsoft talking about Viva Pinata...

@ExMcloud

They don't meet YOUR criteria for a platform defining game. There is no set of standard criteria for a game to be platform defining. Just because you think MGO sucks doesn't mean other people don't like it. Many people think that Halo 3 & Gears suck as well.

Molyneaux is being to vague with his statement of platform defining game. What he means is a game that appeals to everyone (casual and hardcore) because that's what Wii Sports (I guess) and Halo 3 did. Little Big Planet may be the closest thing to a game that appeals to everyone on the PS3 to this point. It will also give the console a mascot it can hang its hat on for the consoles life cycle.

The PS3 has MANY defining titles that are exclusive to the console. In fact, any good exclusive is a console defining game. I think the bigger named ones are obviously MGS 4, Uncharted, Disgaea 3, Heavenly Sword, Warhawk, Ratchet And Clank & Resistance. There are also honorable mentions like GT:P, Motorstorm & MLB 08 The Show.

Trophies are brand new so not all games are going to have them retroactive. That is not a criteria for a game being platform defining. That insinuates that if the PS3 never had trophies then no game would ever define the platform.

I would consider Bioshock a platform definer for the 360 before it went multiplatform. Bioshock had no online mode like uncharted. So, I don't think network play is a criteria either.

I think we will just have to agree to disagree.

@Immortal
Look when you hear Sony bring up the so called Playstation Experience or if any of the good people here work in Retail we here the same thing from our "Sony Reps"....PSN, Trophies,The Cell....I hear that crap about 50 times a day...This isn't my criteria...Its Sony's...To define something is to "set the limits" of what can be done MGS did nothing to take advantage of what the PS3 as a system can do but use the Cell...

It didnt use the freedom that users of PSN have to create content, they didn't make a great PSN game, or use the Playstation XMB, or even use trophies....(And they sure as hell knew about them ahead of time)...Uncharted falls under this too..

Sony's defining games for this generation should use all of what the PS3 can do from the Blu-Ray drive to the networking features, and free online play...Games like Resistance, LBP, and MAG...These will be the games that showcase why the PS3 is superior to all other systems (If you believe that)...What the system can do for the games is what defines them not what the games can do for the system.

Burning in water is definitely not impossible. You could do it right now if you had some batteries and 40 minutes to spare.

Magnesium burns in water

Sodium burns in water.

Water burns under high amounts of radiation.

Potassium burns in water

Caesium burns in water.

Pyros burn in water.

PS: Ach, the good old 2Fort Exploit.

wow...anger everywhere!!and plenty of stuff burn in water as pointed out above!!Good job guys!!!*claps*

I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Dave.