Molyneux: PS3 still waiting for defining games… such as Fable 2
Games consoles usually live and die by virtue of two things: the games available on the platform, and the price the console is to buy. In which case, Sony is screwed with the PS3, as it is currently failing in both departments.
Don’t get me wrong, the PS3 has got some brilliant games available for it, but there are very few (if any) killer apps – those games which can shift a console on their own and become forever associated with a certain platform.
I gave my opinion on the distinct lack of PS3 killer apps in August when I spoke about the forthcoming release of LittleBigPlanet, a game which I described as potentially the first killer app for the third generation Sony console. And now Peter Molyneux, boss of Lionhead Studios, has come out and said a very similar thing.
In an interview with GI.biz, Molyneux spoke about the importance of platform defining games, something which he thinks the PS3 currently doesn’t have. He said:
It is always one or two games which define a platform – it’s the same for the Wii, and the PlayStation 2.
I think the PlayStation 3 is still waiting for that definition title that represents the platform – and I think that’s what hardware manufacturers need to do, find that defining title.
Nintendo did a brilliant job of doing that at launch with games like Wii Sports and Wii Play – maybe Fable 2 is a defining title. But you are talking to the proud father of this game, so you can’t ask me to be tremendously objective.
Fable 2 is very unlikely to be a defining title for the Xbox 360, but Molyneux is correct in his assertion over the importance of platform-defining games on every console. He also agrees with me that LittleBigPlanet could be one such game for the Playstation 3.
LBP has actually been developed by former Lionhead staff, and Molyneux expresses his pride and satisfaction over what has been achieved with the game. He said:
I’m incredibly proud of what they’ve done, and it’s just an amazing experience to see how their game has progressed.
If we want to bring people in who haven’t played games before, wherever they are in the world and whatever their cultural background, whatever their sex or age, then we’ve got to think out of the box and start creating stuff which fascinates those people. I think LBP could be one of those.
The Wii has Wii Sports and Wii Play, while the Xbox 360 has Halo 3 and, to a lesser extent, Gears Of War. But the PS3 currently has Metal Gear Solid 4 as the only game that can even begin to challenge for the title of ‘PS3 platform defining title’. But, even then, MGS4 really doesn’t count as it’s not exactly mainstream. Fans of the series may buy a PS3 just to play the game, but a normal punter wouldn’t.
LittleBigPlanet needs to do good business when it is released, or Sony is going to have to find another title which will appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers, and drive hardware sales before it can truly compete in this generation. Either that or cut the price of the PS3 forthwith, and I can’t personally see that happening any time soon.
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13 Responses to “Molyneux: PS3 still waiting for defining games… such as Fable 2”
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September 18th, 2008
Ok, who are you and what have you done with DAVE PARRACK?
September 18th, 2008
Is that because the article is a: good, b: not kind to the PS3, or c: something else?
September 18th, 2008
So a platform defining title must be mainstream/popular?
Ill take a good game (such as mario galaxy) over platform defining wii play thank you very much…
September 19th, 2008
I’d take option B Dave. All your articles are good, you don’t leave parts out of interviews to slant your articles one way or another, unlike someone else who posts on this site.
By the way, what happenned to Tristen and Jonathan?
September 19th, 2008
Well see in November how inferior Gears of War is compared to Halo. Gears is right up there with Halo and to a lesser extent Fable is a defining title too because it’s only ever been a Xbox game and a good one at that. I look forward to getting Fable 2. I so need to play this Pub Game.
September 19th, 2008
Harry I do agree,
I actually do like Dave Parrack. We can disagree at time but Dave never slights me. He comes at me form a joke kind of way.
September 19th, 2008
CAD, do we ever disagree? Nah, never
Harry, I knew it’d be option B somehow. Triston still writes occasionally for TECH.BLORGE, and Jonathan went and got himself a life, but posts every now and then. Do you want either of them back, or are you happy with Mike and I?
September 19th, 2008
Fable was hardly genre defining. The concept was, but the game was so ‘on-rails’ for the most part it wasn’t anything special.
I did enjoy killing people and renting out thier houses tho
September 19th, 2008
Dave, it would be nice to see them poke their heads up every so often. Don’t get me wrong, I do like your posts (Mikes not so much), but it would be refreshing to see someone new.
My fondest memory of Jonathan was when he posted the guest post re how Home is going to suck. All of the PS3 fanboys came out of the woodwork (and their mother’s basements) and were furious, calling for him to be fired etc. Hilarious!
September 20th, 2008
Fable 2 i have better games than that on my PS2.
September 20th, 2008
MY NAME IS IVAN AND I AM RETARDED
September 21st, 2008
Hello Ivan. How are you? Are you wearing your helmet today?
September 27th, 2008
harry sachz:
Stop dick riding everybody. You just mad because Xbox 360 is getting a beat down by Wii and PLAYSTATION 3. Xbox 360 has nothing but Fable 2 and the over hyped Gears of war 2 crap. Stop being such a bitch get a girl go out see the sun light for the first time moron loser. Stop drooling over PS3 games.