Sony spins out of control, says DSi ignores 'significant gamer demographic groups'
by JC Fletcher 
{ Apr 6th 2009 at 4:00PM }
"Significant gamer demographic groups are being ignored," Koller said, "and there continues to be limited opportunities for games from external publishers to do well on the DSi." We suppose that the new options for third-party games are somewhat limited by the fact that it's the same platform, although there is that whole downloadable game store thing now.
But here's where it gets really weird: "Compare that with the PSP platform, where we have many blockbuster franchises from our publishing partners launching this year, representing a wide variety of genres and targeting diverse demographics. Games such as Rock Band Unplugged from MTV Games, Assassin's Creed from Ubisoft, Dissidia Final Fantasy from Square Enix, and Hannah Montana from Disney demonstrate the commitment that publishers have to the PSP."
The same franchises demonstrate the commitment that publishers have to the DS! Assassin's Creed came out on DS last year. Doesn't that say something about Ubisoft's priorities? In addition, a Final Fantasy game came out on DS just last month, adding to the rather large lineup of Final Fantasy games. Hannah Montana has been out on DS forever, in multiple iterations. And as for Rock Band ... well, okay. The DS doesn't have a Rock Band game. Just three Guitar Heroes.
So who's being ignored? People who really love God of War, perhaps.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Eggy @ Apr 6th 2009 4:04PM
He's spot on with many of his statements.
Zerokku @ Apr 6th 2009 4:09PM
O.o How so? I'm all for having the spokespeople explain why they think their system is so great, but when they have to stretch the bounds of truth and reality (and insult the customers of the opposing company) to make their point, there's a problem. Atleast in my opinion :P
chispito @ Apr 6th 2009 4:13PM
How so? I think JC was fair in his writeup, noting that only Rock Band doesn't exist on the DS.
Cosmo @ Apr 6th 2009 4:16PM
Sure Sony spokespersons have said a tremendous amount of stupid things but its not as though Sony is the only one that likes to diss the competition.
istuffedsunny @ Apr 6th 2009 4:53PM
Ignoring all this corporate bullshit, Nintendo really is taking a step backwards with the DSi. You have a shorter battery span and no GBA support, and for what? For internet support? I've had my PSP for years and never once used that feature. Frankly I'm shocked people are talking about the DSi in a positive light.
SimbaDogg @ Apr 6th 2009 4:56PM
this is something that i've really started to notice about many sony executives since the release of the ps3. rather than touting their product, and talking about how good their product is, many european/anglo/white sony executives straight up talk shit on the competition...whereas their japanese counterparts really dont seem to do it. maybe i'm just cherry picking from what i recall, and basing my conclusion off some of the things i know about the japanese culture...but seriously, these guys need to knock it off.
Jerk Face @ Apr 6th 2009 5:46PM
@ SimbaDogg
Ken Kutaragi says hi.
Ridgecity @ Apr 6th 2009 5:55PM
I know.
The DSi ignores Sony fanboys and even makes them cover their eyes to the reality, but I don't blame you, the PSP has been selling a lot based on the name alone. You guys don't really need games.
Professor Lario @ Apr 6th 2009 6:12PM
@Simba.... so now it's a race thing????
Cosmo @ Apr 6th 2009 6:23PM
Professor Lario, last time I checked the Japanese were a nationality not an entire race, some professor you are. : /
Professor Lario @ Apr 6th 2009 6:50PM
@Cosmo
This is the comment I am referring to:
"european/anglo/white sony executives"
This comment makes no sense to me and is irrelevant to the greater discussion.
Kinsey @ Apr 6th 2009 6:54PM
I prefer the PSP myself and never plan on buying a DSi. But, some exec's just don't know how to handle the competition. There were so many better examples to use than the ones he pointed out and maybe should have just pointed out the strengths of the PSP other than bash the DSi. But the other problem is, The development of PSP last year was just horrendous. Who ever was in charge of that seemed to have just sat on their hands for most of the duration of the year.
Lets hope the PSP will have a better year in 2009.
Cosmo @ Apr 6th 2009 7:00PM
I have been pwned. : (
The Baron @ Apr 6th 2009 7:21PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_people
They are a race. I didn't read the big flame war though, so apologies if I'm supporting some racist guy's arguments.
Sheppy (of the Fidlious Clan of Wong) @ Apr 6th 2009 8:37PM
"Ignoring all this corporate bullshit, Nintendo really is taking a step backwards with the DSi. You have a shorter battery span and no GBA support, and for what? For internet support? I've had my PSP for years and never once used that feature. Frankly I'm shocked people are talking about the DSi in a positive light."
You know, I'm the last guy to defend Nintendo typically and I'm known for it. But frankly, have you TOUCHED a DSi? For once Nintendo launched a console that actually feels a tad more grownup. DS Lite was okay but there was still a sense of "toy" when I launched the platform. True, the new interface primarily apes XMB and 360's blades, but still. It goes a far way to making this feel more grown up. Also, being able to get to the root without reseting the console? Good stuff. Sure, most of these features were in PSP at launch but still, it's a vast improvement over DS Lite.
The main things I can bitch about is no MP3 support is 100% Nintendo being a cheapass, period. They don't want to spend the less than a dollar per unit to license the MP3 codec, which considering the "it prints money" memes is especially ridiculous. Just watch, Play-Yan will come out as an app for a premium cost of course. Xbox got around the DVD consortium fees with the remote control and Nintendo will use an app to do it on DSi.
SimbaDogg @ Apr 6th 2009 9:20PM
@ Prof Lario
sorry if it came off as a race thing, i was actually referring to the culture, which is actually similar to many asian cultures (and many latina cultures as well)...what i should have said in less words should have been something like this, it always seems like the sony reps based in europe and NA always do the most crap talking on other products. Mmm..does that sound a lil better. I guess i've been watching a lil too much real time w/ bill maher for most people to handle. Sorry =X
Jack Tretton @ Apr 6th 2009 10:27PM
This story has 700+ comments at Kotaku. Go figure.
Professor Lario @ Apr 6th 2009 11:03PM
@ Simba
No problem - I just need to take a chill pill. : )
Jesse @ Apr 6th 2009 4:07PM
Do you really expect him to be honest and say, "Ah, the DS has a better lineup than the PSP in every single way, has much stronger third party support, sells a lot more software and even has a much better tie-in ratio than the PSP."
Of course not. Sony can't compete with Nintendo.
BlackDove @ Apr 6th 2009 4:25PM
No, actually, it can, and that's what it does. Before the PSP happened, Nintendo was dominating the scene for like 20 years uninterrupted. That the PSP is getting any sales whatsoever, let alone HALF is quite an astonishing achievement, considering the GameBoys before the DS were the only singular handheld experience anyone had (the rest was straight up-trash unless it was from Nintendo).
PSP is quite the success story.
Toe to toe? Of course it can't do that. It'll always sell worse. But the fact it sells is... quite a landmark.
Also the PR guy in the article is full of shit. Someone should shut his ass up. Nobody cares about a company's take on a competitor's product.
Levi @ Apr 6th 2009 4:32PM
Yeah dude. Considering the last handheld to do any sales was the Game Gear makes the PSP a pretty good achievement. Game.com and Neo Geo Pocket are two handhelds that failed pretty miserably off the top of my head. I thought Game.com was pretty cool, apparently having Duke Nukem 3D on it, and NGP looked pretty awesome too, with a nice colorful portable version of Metal Slug.
Jesse @ Apr 6th 2009 4:42PM
It's not about saying, "look, we're doing better than we were years ago," it's about absolute comparisons. He's suggesting the PSP has a better game library than the DS.
And from any perspective, that's just a lie. It's Sony -- what do you expect?
Mister Bogus (Mr. ESC) @ Apr 6th 2009 5:01PM
"Ah, the DS has a better lineup than the PSP in every single way, has much stronger third party support"
Not really...
Both get good games is just that the DS gets a stronger support from Square Enix and Konami that's pretty much it, Ubisoft Ds games are incredibly easy like POP or AC or crap like Imaginez:Go back to the kitchenz.
Most of my Ds games are from SE with Guitar Hero DS,Phantom Hourglass,NSMB,Pokémon Diamond,Kirby superstar ultra as exceptions. I’ll buy Castlevania one of these days.
The PSP has more variety but yeah it gets a relevant game every 3 to 5 months unless you like sports games. The last PSP game I bought was Loco roco 2 is awesome but you have to wait a while before the next big thing arrives. I haven’t seen a new Burnout in a while now.
David @ Apr 6th 2009 5:33PM
@Blackdove
I'd be more willing to accept your assertion if once the same logic was conceded to the 360 with respect to the PS3. The analysis is almost completely analogous. If Sony didn't have so many ulterior motives with the PSP and PS3 there would've been little to stop developers from treating it the same way they had been treating the PS2. The PS3 and PSP would've dominated with the anticompetitive bias generated by the PS2.
I see this bias coming out from all of the massive payouts Microsoft had and still has to make to get developers to treat their console with the same respect as the PS3. As far as developers should be concerned, the 360 sells more software, and is the more lucrative platform. The self-fulfilling prophecy of PS3 resurgence by developer's supporting them until it occurs is outrageous business practice when a perfectly viable platform such as the 360 would arguably be doing better now if developers hadn't resisted the change for so long.
Mister Bogus (Mr. ESC) @ Apr 6th 2009 4:07PM
He should have mentioned LBP portable instead...
Latin_Trident @ Apr 6th 2009 4:36PM
Wouldn't LBP take like 5-10 UMDs?
Mister Bogus (Mr. ESC) @ Apr 6th 2009 4:52PM
Who knows but its coming,I don't know the release date tho' but is listed.
Sly (PSN slycooper_rocker) @ Apr 6th 2009 5:27PM
i can't even begin to imagine what LBP:PSP would be like. 2d? it's already processor intensive on the ps3, it'll have to have major changes for psp.
The Baron @ Apr 6th 2009 7:23PM
He was talking about third-parties in that section. If first-party games like Motorstorm and LBP weren't being made then I don't think they'd employ a spokesperson for the console.
sario777 @ Apr 6th 2009 4:08PM
Does it really matter what this guys says? In the end, which will sell more? The dying PSP or the DSi? Hot air like this is why I abhor Sony.
tmacairjordan87 @ Apr 6th 2009 4:10PM
The "dying" psp? What makes you think it's dying?
Levi (God Hand Defense Force) @ Apr 6th 2009 6:57PM
Maybe because of that tumbleweed I just saw rolling past the list of PSP releases for this year?
tmacairjordan87 @ Apr 6th 2009 7:33PM
It's already had 2 big releases this year at least. Phantasy star and resistance.
Sly (PSN slycooper_rocker) @ Apr 6th 2009 8:19PM
@ Levi
upcoming THIS YEAR (according to gamestop): patapon 2, LBP, motorstorm, rock band unplugged, assassin's creed, hammerin' hero (looks good too)...
that's a killer lineup. patapon 2 is an excellent game and i'm confident that the others will be too.
deaftly @ Apr 6th 2009 4:08PM
Great way to start the month off Sony
Duke @ Apr 6th 2009 4:23PM
Yes, but he has a point. See, as a DS Lite owner I feel they missed my demographic by not giving us this new version free. I mean, I have a DS and this makes me want another DS, which I would like to have for free. Yeah, thats it.
Oh, I'm also totally insane.
Cody @ Apr 6th 2009 4:39PM
Ummm I'm pretty sure Duke was being facetious.
Duke @ Apr 6th 2009 4:40PM
StarTrekNubian My post was a total joke you fool.
bm @ Apr 6th 2009 4:41PM
Startrekguy, seems you're missing something, yourself. Guess what it is, the word starts with the letter Sarcasm.
tmacairjordan87 @ Apr 6th 2009 4:43PM
Wow sprinkles. After that outburst you should be careful who you call retarded.
Duke @ Apr 6th 2009 5:29PM
BTW, if that is Sprinkles then it makes sense why he didn't man up and say he was wrong with his rude post. He's always been a coward.
Damian @ Apr 6th 2009 4:08PM
You've got Disgaea for tactical rpg players, tonnes of Final Fantasys and ct and so on for RPG fans, tetris ds and puzzle league for puzzle fans, dementium for horror fans, henry hatsworth, nsmb for platformer fans, and im sure theres more, the only real people missing out are shooter fans, so whats really the problem here.
Zerokku @ Apr 6th 2009 4:10PM
Metroid Prime: Hunters, C.O.R.E, Call of Duty WaW?
BxGT @ Apr 6th 2009 4:19PM
lol that rhymed
Mics @ Apr 6th 2009 6:37PM
Metroid Prime: Hunters, CORE, Call of Duty World At War
Rock and roller cola wars, I can't take it anymore!
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
The Doctor @ Apr 6th 2009 8:20PM
Don't forget Moon!
shawn @ Apr 6th 2009 4:09PM
sony should listen to it's own words seeing that there not doing so hot right now,there just jealous of nintendo's success...if they didnt alienate most of the gaming community for there ps3 guess what the ps3 would be #1 right now...im not a fanboy for nintendo i actually like all 3 major platforms but i see sony is making the mistakes sega made and look at sega now there not in the hardware business anymore
Cosmo @ Apr 6th 2009 4:23PM
What mistakes did Sony make like Sega did, care to elaborate?
Ridgecity @ Apr 6th 2009 6:30PM
I think focusing on hardware and bragging about hardware rather than making good (and a lot) of games.
And it hasn't changed, Sega continues to make ridiculously expensive arcade games, make 50 of them, and manage to sell 20 around the world and have to dismantle the other 30, or send a few to theit offices. Of couse, while only release one or 2 games for consoles every 6 months.
FAnchax @ Apr 6th 2009 4:09PM
Oh no they didnt!