There's been a pretty big elephant in the room for a while now for us PS4 owners and I want to talk about it.
First off however, I want to say upfront that I don't want this thread to be about what extraneous multimedia features the PS4 does or doesn't have, or small team games vs. AAA games and the merits of either. So please leave that **** at the door. Let us assume that this thread is about big budget video games only. Moving on...
When the PS4 was first announced, Sony said all of the right things that everyone wanted to hear after Microsoft's blunderous Xbone debut. They told us they were making a game machine first and foremost, and a whatever-the-****-else-machine second. During the following E3, they absolutely knocked it out of the park. They were offering the most powerful console at a much more affordable price than their main competitor. An unbeatable combo. What could go wrong?
Well, the first year was fraught with constant delays, broke-ass games, and an absolutely anemic first party lineup. But hey, that's fairly par for the course, right? The first year of most consoles is usually pretty weak. But what about the second year? Wellll... so far the situation hasn't exactly improved. Bloodborne is the only big exclusive title the PS4 has in the first half of its second year. I personally think it looks incredible, but let's be real, that's a very niche game and it certainly won't be to everyone's taste. (In fact I think promoting it so heavily might backfire on Sony, but that's neither here nor there.)
Let me throw something at you that might shock you. The following games were all released for the PS2 by the same point in its lifespan that the PS4 is at right now:
[SPOILER]
WHAT THE WHAT?? I MEAN LOOK AT THAT ****!
Hit after hit after classic after classic.
The lineup on PS4 is absolutely shameful by comparison. [/SPOILER]
"Okay, okay. I get it." you must be saying to yourself, "It's been pretty bad so far, but surely the second half of year two will be way better right? I mean, how could it not?"
Welllllllllllll....
[SPOILER]um....
yeah...[/SPOILER]
Now, obviously that picture isn't totally fair since there are some unscheduled or unannounced games that will be filled in at a later time. Regardless, the point of the picture is still valid. Year one of the PS4 not great? Fine, whatever. Year TWO though?? Unacceptable. Get your **** together Sony. Come on.
None of this is to somehow imply that Microsoft has been ****ting gold by the way. If it weren't for Sony totally dropping the ball with the games (their primary selling point by the way), everyone would still be pointing and laughing at Microsoft. But credit where credit is due. Microsoft managed to put out at least a tiny handful of decent-to-kind-of-okay exclusives (which is more than you can say about Sony at this point) all the while wrestling with MASSIVE problems that Sony didn't have to deal with. Let's face it, this generation (Nintendo notwithstanding) has failed to deliver at nearly every turn and has been a huge disappointment.
So I guess, now is as good a time as any to FINALLY get to the point of this thread.
E3.
Does anyone else think that Sony NEEDS to bring the heat this year? Like, I'm not saying it would be cool IF Sony blows the roof off the joint, I'm saying they NEED to. As in, if they don't, the momentum will shift and people will start buying Xbones en masse. (That's assuming that Microsoft is going to have more to show than Halo of course.) I'm not talking about third party stuff either, appreciated as it is. I'm sure if Sony announce nothing of their own, the PS4 will continue chugging along fueled only by multiplats and probably still end up selling fairly well. However, I think that if Sony wants to continue dominating like they have been, then they desperately need to come out swinging this year and announce some major heavy-hitting first party games and third party exclusives and they need to announce a lot of them. For this year and beyond.
I actually did a little digging to try and see whether or not it's even possible for Sony blow our hair back this E3. I took a look at each of Sony's first party developers, what they were working on and/or what they're rumored to be working on and when their last game came out to try and see who might have something ready to show.
[SPOILER]First up? Guerrilla Games
Last game: 2013 (Killzone: Shadowfall)
Confirmed to be working on: Nothing
Rumored to be working on: Some kind of robot dinosaur game.
Guerrilla Cambridge
Last Game: 2013 (Killzone: Mercenary)
Confirmed: Nothing
Rumored: A new entry in a known franchise on PS4
Sucker Punch
Last Game: 2014 (Infamous: Second Son)
Confirmed: Nothing
Rumored: A new open world game.
Naughty Dog
Last Game: 2013 (The Last of Us)
Confirmed:Uncharted 4
Rumored: The Last of Us 2
Sony Santa Monica
Last Game: 2013 (God of War: Ascension)
Confirmed: Untitled God of war
Rumored: Nothing
Sony San Diego
Last Game: 2015 (MLB 15: The Show)
Confirmed: Kill Strain
Rumored: Nothing
Polyphony Digital
Last Game: 2013 (Gran Turismo 6)
Confirmed: Gran Turismo 7
Rumored: Nothing
Media Molecule
Last Game: 2013 (Tearaway)
Confirmed: Unannounced PS4 game
Rumored: Nothing
Bend
Last Game: 2012 (Uncharted: Fight for Fortune)
Confirmed: Nothing
Rumored: A new horror game.
Evolution Studios
Last Game: 2014 (Driveclub)
Confirmed: Nothing
Rumored: Nothing
Sony Japan
Last Game: 2013 (Knack)
Confirmed: The Last Guardian
Rumored: Big budget JRPG similar to Final Fantasy
London Studio
Last Game: 2014 (SingStar: Ultimate Party)
Confirmed: Nothing
Rumored: A driving game
Pixelopus
Last Game: 2014 (Entwined)
Confirmed: Nothing
Rumored: Nothing
[/SPOILER]
My analysis of all that is unfortunately dire. I don't think half them will be ready to announce what they're working on this E3, and I feel like the other half of those developers will be far enough along in their projects for them to be announced or teased at this E3, but not far enough along to release this year. Also keep in mind they have to spread out their announcements, so that means even less for E3. So basically expect two or maybe three interesting game announcements, but don't expect them to come out this year. But that's just one man's opinion. Either way, Sony better have AT LEAST one big third party exclusive locked up for later this year, but honestly I'm not counting on it. I'm not expecting much from Microsoft either. I hope I'm wrong.
It feels like a lot is hanging in the balance this E3 for Sony and Microsoft. I think that this E3 will either be remembered as one of the best ever, and totally justifies these new consoles, or it will be remembered as the one where everyone asks themselves, "Why didn't I buy a Wii U?" or Why didn't I get a gaming PC?"
tl;dr: The Playstation 4's game lineup has been piss poor so far, and I think they absolutely need to announce some big games at E3.
I'll leave you with some questions.
What's your opinion on the PS4's game library so far?
Do you think this E3 is going to be as pivotal for the PS4 moving forward as I do or am I just taking crazy pills?
What, if any, game announcements would make you forget and forgive their terrible first year and a half?
First off however, I want to say upfront that I don't want this thread to be about what extraneous multimedia features the PS4 does or doesn't have, or small team games vs. AAA games and the merits of either. So please leave that **** at the door. Let us assume that this thread is about big budget video games only. Moving on...
When the PS4 was first announced, Sony said all of the right things that everyone wanted to hear after Microsoft's blunderous Xbone debut. They told us they were making a game machine first and foremost, and a whatever-the-****-else-machine second. During the following E3, they absolutely knocked it out of the park. They were offering the most powerful console at a much more affordable price than their main competitor. An unbeatable combo. What could go wrong?
Well, the first year was fraught with constant delays, broke-ass games, and an absolutely anemic first party lineup. But hey, that's fairly par for the course, right? The first year of most consoles is usually pretty weak. But what about the second year? Wellll... so far the situation hasn't exactly improved. Bloodborne is the only big exclusive title the PS4 has in the first half of its second year. I personally think it looks incredible, but let's be real, that's a very niche game and it certainly won't be to everyone's taste. (In fact I think promoting it so heavily might backfire on Sony, but that's neither here nor there.)
Let me throw something at you that might shock you. The following games were all released for the PS2 by the same point in its lifespan that the PS4 is at right now:
[SPOILER]
- Onimusha
- Red Faction
- Twisted Metal: Black
- Gran Turismo 3
- Final Fantasy X
- Silent Hill 2
- Ico
- Devil May Cry
- Grand Theft Auto III
- Metal Gear Solid 2
- Jak and Daxter
- Rez
- PaRappa the Rapper 2
- Grandia II
- Maximo
- Fatal Frame
- Virtua Fighter 4
WHAT THE WHAT?? I MEAN LOOK AT THAT ****!
Hit after hit after classic after classic.
The lineup on PS4 is absolutely shameful by comparison. [/SPOILER]
"Okay, okay. I get it." you must be saying to yourself, "It's been pretty bad so far, but surely the second half of year two will be way better right? I mean, how could it not?"
Welllllllllllll....
[SPOILER]um....
yeah...[/SPOILER]
Now, obviously that picture isn't totally fair since there are some unscheduled or unannounced games that will be filled in at a later time. Regardless, the point of the picture is still valid. Year one of the PS4 not great? Fine, whatever. Year TWO though?? Unacceptable. Get your **** together Sony. Come on.
None of this is to somehow imply that Microsoft has been ****ting gold by the way. If it weren't for Sony totally dropping the ball with the games (their primary selling point by the way), everyone would still be pointing and laughing at Microsoft. But credit where credit is due. Microsoft managed to put out at least a tiny handful of decent-to-kind-of-okay exclusives (which is more than you can say about Sony at this point) all the while wrestling with MASSIVE problems that Sony didn't have to deal with. Let's face it, this generation (Nintendo notwithstanding) has failed to deliver at nearly every turn and has been a huge disappointment.
So I guess, now is as good a time as any to FINALLY get to the point of this thread.
E3.
Does anyone else think that Sony NEEDS to bring the heat this year? Like, I'm not saying it would be cool IF Sony blows the roof off the joint, I'm saying they NEED to. As in, if they don't, the momentum will shift and people will start buying Xbones en masse. (That's assuming that Microsoft is going to have more to show than Halo of course.) I'm not talking about third party stuff either, appreciated as it is. I'm sure if Sony announce nothing of their own, the PS4 will continue chugging along fueled only by multiplats and probably still end up selling fairly well. However, I think that if Sony wants to continue dominating like they have been, then they desperately need to come out swinging this year and announce some major heavy-hitting first party games and third party exclusives and they need to announce a lot of them. For this year and beyond.
I actually did a little digging to try and see whether or not it's even possible for Sony blow our hair back this E3. I took a look at each of Sony's first party developers, what they were working on and/or what they're rumored to be working on and when their last game came out to try and see who might have something ready to show.
[SPOILER]First up? Guerrilla Games
Last game: 2013 (Killzone: Shadowfall)
Confirmed to be working on: Nothing
Rumored to be working on: Some kind of robot dinosaur game.
Guerrilla Cambridge
Last Game: 2013 (Killzone: Mercenary)
Confirmed: Nothing
Rumored: A new entry in a known franchise on PS4
Sucker Punch
Last Game: 2014 (Infamous: Second Son)
Confirmed: Nothing
Rumored: A new open world game.
Naughty Dog
Last Game: 2013 (The Last of Us)
Confirmed:Uncharted 4
Rumored: The Last of Us 2
Sony Santa Monica
Last Game: 2013 (God of War: Ascension)
Confirmed: Untitled God of war
Rumored: Nothing
Sony San Diego
Last Game: 2015 (MLB 15: The Show)
Confirmed: Kill Strain
Rumored: Nothing
Polyphony Digital
Last Game: 2013 (Gran Turismo 6)
Confirmed: Gran Turismo 7
Rumored: Nothing
Media Molecule
Last Game: 2013 (Tearaway)
Confirmed: Unannounced PS4 game
Rumored: Nothing
Bend
Last Game: 2012 (Uncharted: Fight for Fortune)
Confirmed: Nothing
Rumored: A new horror game.
Evolution Studios
Last Game: 2014 (Driveclub)
Confirmed: Nothing
Rumored: Nothing
Sony Japan
Last Game: 2013 (Knack)
Confirmed: The Last Guardian
Rumored: Big budget JRPG similar to Final Fantasy
London Studio
Last Game: 2014 (SingStar: Ultimate Party)
Confirmed: Nothing
Rumored: A driving game
Pixelopus
Last Game: 2014 (Entwined)
Confirmed: Nothing
Rumored: Nothing
[/SPOILER]
My analysis of all that is unfortunately dire. I don't think half them will be ready to announce what they're working on this E3, and I feel like the other half of those developers will be far enough along in their projects for them to be announced or teased at this E3, but not far enough along to release this year. Also keep in mind they have to spread out their announcements, so that means even less for E3. So basically expect two or maybe three interesting game announcements, but don't expect them to come out this year. But that's just one man's opinion. Either way, Sony better have AT LEAST one big third party exclusive locked up for later this year, but honestly I'm not counting on it. I'm not expecting much from Microsoft either. I hope I'm wrong.
It feels like a lot is hanging in the balance this E3 for Sony and Microsoft. I think that this E3 will either be remembered as one of the best ever, and totally justifies these new consoles, or it will be remembered as the one where everyone asks themselves, "Why didn't I buy a Wii U?" or Why didn't I get a gaming PC?"
tl;dr: The Playstation 4's game lineup has been piss poor so far, and I think they absolutely need to announce some big games at E3.
I'll leave you with some questions.
What's your opinion on the PS4's game library so far?
Do you think this E3 is going to be as pivotal for the PS4 moving forward as I do or am I just taking crazy pills?
What, if any, game announcements would make you forget and forgive their terrible first year and a half?
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