Sony: PS3 has the Hardcore, now after the Casual
Each of the three current-gen home consoles offers something different, something unique to the others. And they all seem geared toward a certain sector of society. But in order to survive each console has to try and muscle in on the other two’s markets. Is the PS3 about to go all Wii on us?
Like it or not there are definitely two schools of gamers around at the present time. In fact, this has been true maybe since the days of the original Playstation or even before. I am, of course, talking about casual gamers and hardcore gamers, two sets of people who both love gaming but do so in entirely different ways.
The original Xbox was definitely the console of the hardcore last-gen, but the Xbox 360 has moved into the mainstream very successfully. Nintendo has always been a company trying to please as many people as possible and the Wii is the epitome of that ambition, appealing to all demographics. But what about the PS3?
The Playstation brand has usually been connected with mainstream appeal, pleasing long-term gamers as well as bring new casuals into the industry. But the PS3 has so far failed to mimic its predecessors on this score. While a certain section of society is lapping up the console and its range of first-party games, there is a big void left full of people who wouldn’t dream of buying a PS3 at this point.
According to VG247, SCEA hardware marketing boss John Koller, speaking at the GDC said:
There’s certainly a line-up of very strong family-friendly titles that we’re looking at for PS3 in our continuing effort to appeal to that casual consumer.
We’ve captured the hardcore. The install base we have now tells us that the hardcore’s purchased. We’re moving on now to continue to support them with a tremendous line-up of games, but also look at softer brands that maybe we had with PS2 franchises we’re bringing over to PS3, or new IP.
Think of some of the latter-half PS2 franchises.
I’m not sure if Sony has fully captured the hardcore. I’d suggest instead that that section of consumers is very evenly split between the PS3 and Xbox 360. And the casual market, that all seems to have gone for the Wii this time around with dual-console owners probably picking up an Xbox 360 as well.
More casual-oriented games for the PS3 would no doubt help. But then how much more casual-oriented can you get than LittleBIGPlanet? And that game doesn’t seem to have done an awful lot of good for expanding on the PS3’s appeal.
There’s also an elephant in the room that Koller seems intent on ignoring – price. The PS3 is currently too expensive to be bought in large numbers by casual gamers. Until the long-awaited across-the-board price cuts happen then I don’t think the PS3 stands a chance of grabbing the Casual, no matter how many games geared towards that market it plays host to.
Related Posts:
77 Responses to “Sony: PS3 has the Hardcore, now after the Casual”
Leave a Reply:
You must be logged in to post a comment. Don't have an account? Register today!
April 20th, 2009
Makes sense I guess. I’m pretty sure anyone who wanted MGS4 has bought it, finished it, written a plot analysis guide for Gamefaqs and…oh sorry, I’m ripping off Yahtzee there…
Which reminds me Dave, what happened to those Zero Punctuation video updates that you were providing? Low interest or something?
April 20th, 2009
Bullshit. PS3 does not have the hardcore gamers, hardcore gamers buy games, ps3 fails in this area consistantly.
Hardcore gamers bought the 360 when it released a year early and me like most where expecting to trade it in for the ps3 when it came out. When it came out there were no decent games so we held off, all the while pleasantly surprised with what the 360 had to offer. Sony kept making announcements like “any minute now” but during this time 360 where hammering out brilliant exclusives and that’s where a lot of the hardcore have stayed.
April 20th, 2009
“Bullshit. PS3 does not have the hardcore gamers, hardcore gamers buy games, ps3 fails in this area consistantly.
Hardcore gamers bought the 360 when it released a year early and me like most where expecting to trade it in for the ps3 when it came out. When it came out there were no decent games so we held off, all the while pleasantly surprised with what the 360 had to offer. Sony kept making announcements like “any minute now” but during this time 360 where hammering out brilliant exclusives and that’s where a lot of the hardcore have stayed.”
Well I have a PS3 and consider myself a hardcore gamer! That’s why I own a 360, Wii and PS3. When the Xbox 360 first came out there was not too much to write home about either. How do you figure PS3 has no decent games? Do you have a PS3? Have you played many games for PS3? About the only thing in your post that makes sense is the first word. Bullshit is also what comes after it! No point in arguing with you, you’re set in your ways little fanboy! Sad little thing you are!
April 20th, 2009
well said knighthawk! he defo is a fanboy, he’ll prob cum bak sayin he has all 3 consoles aswell or he may jus call us a w**ker and threaten 2 kill us or someit lol
April 20th, 2009
singstar, buzz, eye toy were all new things on the ps2 to get the casual market… sure there all still here on playstation 3 but they havent came out with something new yet… they need a few hooks to bring in that big fish… that vitual pet thing we saw a fair few months ago on here would certainly intrest a fair few kiddies… hell im 19 and i’d buy just to kill the damn thing… yeah im that twisted… they say there going after the casual market… in order to do that there ganna need a fix and a hell of alot of adverts as well as more $150 price cut out here (alone the line of $70-80 in u.s.a land)..
hell get disney on board and make a few learning games or !!! get a high school musical game… not the dodgy singing one that is everywere… an orginal one… that b like a gold mine!
any word on those MMO that PS3 ment to have coming along yet btw?
April 21st, 2009
Even if the PS3 was cheaper than the Wii the casuals would still go for the Wii. The casuals don’t see the difference between the XBOX360 and the PS3 and for that matter the PS2.
April 21st, 2009
Wii has the casual market wrapped up tight. If Sony wants more sales then they need to compete first with 360 in hardcore titles first (not to mention drop the price of their console and put full bc back in), not go after the (present) pipe dream of matching Wii for casuals. MGS, Resistance, and KZ2 are an excellent start on this path, and God of War and Gran Turismo should be able to help them along. In the meantime multiplats will continue to reign supreme in hardcore… Halo being the exception. If they did want to market a casual console then it should be the PS2.
April 21st, 2009
yo Con which do you think sells more… $400 ps3 or the 360 elite? my piont exactly, more bang for your buck
April 21st, 2009
We all know the PLAYSTATION 3 has the hardcore genre since is made to be the most powerful and for older gamers. Casual gamers are so pathetic they like garbage that’s why Wii is know for bad games. And Sony has many casual gamers on the PS2 side. But i think it will be hard for them since most developers love PS3 for making hardcore games.
Resistance: Fall Of Man
Resistance 2
Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune
Killzone 2
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
SOCOM: U.S. NAVY SEALs Confrontation
Warhawk
Heavenly Sword
Haze
I think LittleBigPlanet might be too difficult for kids. Is a kid type game for adults with patients.
Dave Parrack:
The Wii only appeals to kids and to some old people not everyone.
April 21st, 2009
I wonder what future friendly titles he is talking about? From memory, the PS3 exclusives that are due out within a year are;
inFamous
GOW 3
GT5
Uncharted 2
Heavy Rain (?)
Apart from having GT5 classed as family friendly (which is a bit of a stretch) I can’t see how anything else comes remotely close to being ‘Family Friendly’.
Oops, nearly forgot Ratchet and Clank, I guess that definitely is family friendly.
April 21st, 2009
harry sachz:
Wow nice harry you been keeping up with PlayStation. Hardcore gamers expend more money casual gamers have nothing to expend.
Sony should forget that audience like Microsoft did even though Xbox Arcade is for family i think. Xbox pure something. What genre is the Xbox 360? Does it have one?
I can’t wait to see the Trophy for Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time. Also inFAMOUS is going to be fucking amazing really good too bad it won’t have online as far as i know.
Harry sachz Sony has many studios making games so i guess they haven’t been announce to the public yet. Remember SCEA has the most developers.
Next week Resistance Retribution for me. My Pandora Battery.
April 21st, 2009
“Hardcore gamers expend more money casual gamers have nothing to expend.”
That’s why Wii Fit and Mario Kart Wii have each sold more than GTAIV (XBOX and PS3 combined).
Casual gaming is the future. The PS4 will have a Wiimote and the PSPi is doing to have a touch screen.
April 21st, 2009
And the PC will become the last bastion of true gaming.
April 21st, 2009
me_:
LMFAO @ U
Wii is not even gaming console more like a ugly dated toy.
April 21st, 2009
@ Ivan,
I keep hearing about all of these studios, however it seems that Insomniac and Naughty Dog are the only ones making any noise.
April 21st, 2009
@con I have had a PS3 for about 2-3 months now and I have 11 games already.
I have had my Wii for over a year now.
I’m not going to say how many games I have for it. But I did buy Wii Fit and GHIII.
We need a forum.
I have a new Gaming PC and need someone to recommend some games that will put it to the test. It plays Far Cry and Crysis no problem.
Only Crysis plays in a window and not full screen. I need to change it just haven’t had much time.
April 21st, 2009
“The original Xbox was definitely the console of the hardcore last-gen,”
To me this is the funniest statement ever, only funnier by the “Xbox 360 is for ‘hardcore’ gamers..
To me that is why i DON’T like the xbox brand. To me it DOES NOT appeal to me in the hardcore sense that most of you think…Hardcore has been misinterpreted this generation, posed to mean that “hardcore” means having lots of ‘mainstreamed’ titles?
To me the Playstation brand is really where the ‘hardcore’ is at. Halo is NOT hardcore. Halo is a perfect example of homogenizing the FPS market. It is NOT a hardcore shooter. <—this is the general image i give the MS brand.
Gears…i’ll give MS Gears, its a bad ass game. Fable? I can get it on PC..that’s about it for MS exclusive lineup.
Sony has a LOT MORE “hardcore” game titles in my opinion. They innovate much more than MS does. Ratchet and Clank is for “hardcore” platformers, is one example of what i mean. LittleBigPlanet is yet another…Gran Turismo is another….games that set the bar for their respective genres on the WHOLE, not just for consoles ( Halo )…
Nintendo is yet an even better example of “hardcore”. All you new generation of gamers don’t know what ‘hardcore’ is…you think Halo is ‘hardcore’? Fuck no, not compared to Zelda or Mario…those are “hardcore” genre defining games EVERY TIME they come out. These games pretty much invented their respective genres, and you dare to call them ‘casual’?
/rant
Sorry was just ranting, but people these days, especially those on the xbox 360, IMO, really do not know what ‘hardcore’ means, it seems hardcore means ‘adult’, ‘blood’, ‘guns’ to you guys….
I agree with one thing tho: 360 is ‘hardcore’ in terms of raping their customers: Sell you faulty hardware, make you pay for services that are free everywhere else with NO BETTER servers than the competition.FACT.(THATS what matters), MS has a poor 1st party lineup, catering to only less than a handful of genres….
April 21st, 2009
With Far Cry and Crysis under your belt, there isn’t much left for testing the machine, atm. Fallout 3 looks pretty brilliant on a decent rig, though if you can run crysis decently, odds are you would crush Fallout 3 without much effort. Though it does have some areas that are pretty high in detail (oasis and megaton, for example).
Surprisingly, Sims2 (the wife
) on maxed graphics in a house with LOTS of objects, has slowed down my computer significantly, more than crysis has on medium settings anyhow.
April 21st, 2009
Oh dear.
A PS3 thread with Ivan doing his fanboy schtick churning out lists of games he thinks are amazing…..
…… and in the end can’t understand how come he’s still (almost 1/2 way through 2009) still having to put up with being so deeply in love with the ‘PS3rd’.
April 21st, 2009
To love a reliable housewife, or a methhead slut of a girlfriend. To each their own, really.
April 21st, 2009
On the PS blog yesterday, they confirmed to be showing Uncharted 2, White Knight, Motor Storm and a few others yesterday to the press.
I want to know if Demons Souls is coming state side, and if so, is it really as hard as I’ve heard. I’ve beat Ninja Gaiden Sigma/Black…. on Ninja Dog. Is Demons Soul’s going to be like Devil May Cry 3 hard? If so I’m not sure it’s for me.
April 21st, 2009
“To love a reliable housewife, or a methhead slut of a girlfriend.”
You might be a fanboy if you anthropomorphize your hardware.
“which do you think sells more… $400 ps3 or the 360 elite? my piont exactly, more bang for your buck”
which do you think sells more kevo… base PS3 for $400 or base 360 for $200 (with 3-7 games)?
April 21st, 2009
@CarlB
Damn, and I thought for once I was making a funny. You did forget to quote the Emoticon, though.
April 21st, 2009
thats the only reason 3shaddy is winning over the two so if you look at it based on price 360 should be compared with the wii on its price and not a console thats half more in price(ps3)witch tells me its not doing so bad 8 million behind 360 but what im trying to say if 360 was the ps3’s price it prolly wouldnt be on the market but im a fan of the two
April 21st, 2009
Wait a sec kevo, I thought the only reason 360 was winning was because of the year (or so) head start it had… you mean price has something to do with it also? Interesting. But then again, if PS3 had launched a year earlier than it had it could very well have been $150 cheaper at this time (with maybe even full bc still intact).
April 21st, 2009
If my aunt had balls…..
April 21st, 2009
Okay, using the elite… this looks like the one I would get:
gamedaily.com/articles/news/xbox-360-getting-bundle-with-halo-3-fable-ii/?biz=1
April 21st, 2009
So now that the ps3rd is last, it’s now hardcore??? lol
April 21st, 2009
@Carlb
I think I’d go with the Resi bundle.
Halo doesn’t touch me in the right places and fable 2 was good, but a tad simple with the controls/gameplay.
April 21st, 2009
yeah it looks like a decent deal but it’s to get rid of the elites…are they goin to come out with a newer elite with maybe wifi?? id like to see them put out more in their sku’s in the future
April 21st, 2009
that would be true on manufacturing costs carl but based on price 360 should be stomping the wii right and what do you guys think of all this casual crap in the future because of the wii…thats just wiitarded
April 21st, 2009
kevo:
“what do you guys think of all this casual crap in the future because of the wii”
It’s the most obvious move they will make, Wii is selling and making money, that is afterall the bottom line.
There’s plenty of room for both.
I like having games to share with family and friends who aren’t big gamers.
A pi$$ed up session of Guitar hero is seriously good fun.
April 21st, 2009
i dont mind casual but the wiimote man c’mon but should be better on 360/ps3 though
April 21st, 2009
I know I’ve been gone awhile, but when did the blorge start trying to find women for Ivan.
gamernook.com what the hell. What’s the point of of Home now that there is gamernook!
April 21st, 2009
“based on price 360 should be stomping the wii”
Okay, where to start… The Wii came out the gates with the Blue Ocean Strategy (untapped market, targeting casual gamers specifically, and a company and game reputation -specifically aimed at children and family titles- much more storied than Microsoft’s) and a console that was priced $150 below the competition. By the time 360 could drop the price last year the Wii had already gained well over 10 million more console sales momentum, more than enough to sustain it’s popularity and ensure it’s demand. Since the 360’s price drop, 360 sales are now showing year on year increase while Wii sales show year on year decrease.
April 21st, 2009
“Since the 360’s price drop, 360 sales are now showing year on year increase while Wii sales show year on year decrease.”
That’s not really true. Wii had its biggest Christmas ever and that was after the 360 price drop.
April 21st, 2009
haha @ Wylie. He was signed up to a muslim dating site that was advertised here also!
April 21st, 2009
@m, “The Xbox 360 was the only platform to achieve a year-over-year unit sales increase”
gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=23244
newsfeedresearcher.com/data/articles_t17/sales-game-nintendo.html
April 21st, 2009
“Sony: PS3 has the Hardcore, now after the Casual”
I used to have hardcore linked to my name here, but I took it down.
April 21st, 2009
nah the people in your first link looked pretty darn casual to me harry…
April 21st, 2009
A reliable wife or a slut of a girlfriend?
I’m almost ashamed at what my choice would be
April 22nd, 2009
@CarlB
Agreed, in March 2009.
They did fairly well over the last couple of Christmas periods though
Wii December 2006 604,200
360 December 2006 1,100,000
Wii December 2007 1,350,000
360 December 2007: 1,260,000
Wii December 2008 2,150,000
360 December 2008 1,440,000
April 22nd, 2009
slut of a girlfriend?
i take it she doesn’y put out much?
April 22nd, 2009
Carl once again trying to compare the 360 to the wii and trying to make out the 360 is going better……
NEWSFLASH carl …… Wii has already made it’s money and has saturated the market…. of course your sales are going to decrease when everyone has one. Spin those figures brother, spin those figures.
April 22nd, 2009
“Carl once again trying to compare the 360 to the wii and trying to make out the 360 is going better”
Actually, kevo made the comparison spidey. I just followed up on his comment saying the Wii seems to be marketed to a slightly different audience and this combined with it’s originally lower price point helped it gain momentum in sales.
“NEWSFLASH carl …… Wii has already made it’s money and has saturated the market…. of course your sales are going to decrease when everyone has one”
If the market is saturated and “everyone has one” at 48 million sales, how did PS2 manage almost 120 million? Are you saying there were over 70 million defective PS2’s that were sold? Sorry, I don’t think so.
April 22nd, 2009
“Are you saying there were over 70 million defective PS2’s that were sold? Sorry, I don’t think so.”
I think kev and CON would disagree
April 22nd, 2009
Carlb – since sony still refuses to even acknowledge the ps2 had problems, 70 million defective ps2’s is a possibility.
i hope you don’t think those ps2 being sold today are not for replacements. that’s exactly what they are…..
April 22nd, 2009
Oh, you can’t be serious…
April 22nd, 2009
Just like 1/3 of all 360s sold are replacements, right kev?
-Arvis
April 22nd, 2009
I know I have been through about 3 PS2’s over time myself, but not because they were defective. I had the original, then bought two slims. Moving and deployments, etc. I wound up giving them away. I imagine a good portion bought slims when they came out just to have them.
April 22nd, 2009
I have a slim now (I bought the year before last), but plan on keeping it for awhile. If I do happen to get an error code on it, is anybody familiar with Sony’s customer service and how good they are? Would they cover it?
April 22nd, 2009
CarlB:
Sony has awesome customer support. I think they will cover anything free as long as is not hardware or outer warranty.
I have 6 fat PS2 myself.
I never had a problem with PS2 i left one of my PS2 for 5 days on still working for more then 6 years.
April 22nd, 2009
So… they would not cover it since it is over a year old.
April 22nd, 2009
“I have 6 fat PS2 myself.”
Do you have 6 televisions???
April 22nd, 2009
@Harry
He is one of those ultra cheap rank uppers, that would use slide magic to boot up multiple PS2s to have unreactive adversaries in the SOCOM series.
It is the lamest of the lame, which, seems quite appropriate for the mustachioed wonder boy.
April 23rd, 2009
jofaMang:
LoL very smart. Yeah i rank like HELL aFg 4 LiFe.
I will never forget SOCOM 1 & 2. If Sony releases SOCOM II for PS3 my PS3 will blow up. Ranking up is so good i will do it soon for PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360.
Cheating and Hacking 4 LiFe.
One HDTV only.
Rank up is for people who don’t care paying high light bills and have nothing better to do lol aka me.
Fuck Legit…
April 23rd, 2009
I’m sorry you are too inept to achieve respectable rank playing on your own. It must suck to have to cheat to feel like you are competitive.
You are the perfect example of the self involved, low-self esteem, loser gamer stereotype.
Do you use KY or Astroglide when you “view” your stats?
April 23rd, 2009
I had a legit name and a rank up name everyone did. W e still kick ass legit so we didn’t care and still don’t.
April 23rd, 2009
Considering your track record, I think it is safe to call bullshit.
You suck at gaming, and compensate by being a cheater. Its ok to admit it, there is no respect for you to lose from anyone here.
April 23rd, 2009
JofaMang:
I have the best track record any where. And if you think is bullshit face me and we will see who’s bull shitting who.
How would you know i suck at gaming you never seen me played.
April 23rd, 2009
All i have to go on is your posts on this site. I rest my case.
Oh yeah, and you openly admit to being a cheater. That, too.
April 23rd, 2009
JofaMang:
The true bull shitter here is you. I don’t mind if you scare to face or maybe you don’t have a console to face me with well that will be really embarrassing to see.
I’m given you options not just post like you doing.
April 23rd, 2009
ooh… a gamer showdown… what’s next? Might we see some pushing? Some slap punches? Anybody remember when the bicyclers got into a fight? This would be even more sorry/funny. “Man, I’ll show you! I can push buttons faster than anybody born to date!!! I am a gaming god!” Another sad example? WCG’s Dante (saw it for free through 360). Sad.
April 23rd, 2009
poor, Arvis….so delusional…
here, let me spell it out. when a 360 sends their console in for repair, it does not reach the point of sale (retailer) thusly, is not counted as a sale.
sony, however, released a glitchy ps2, refused to acknowledge the problem, forcing customers to go back to the POS (point of sale, since you’re hard of reading) and buy a new ps2, thus padding their “sales” numbers.
silly fanboys….
April 23rd, 2009
Ivan, puff out your chest some more, doesnt change my opinion of you (reinforces it actually). You are an admitted cheater/hacker. You are a disgrace to real gamers. Quit claiming you are something special, forum bravado won’t get you laid, or add any hair to your moustache.
April 23rd, 2009
jofa – dont’ waste your time. Ivan is the posterboy for ps3 fanboyism. all logic, reason and facts will be ignored at his behest……
April 23rd, 2009
jofaMang:
Pussy… You can’t even prove you have a console you pathetic loser. I get laid more then you ever will.
kev:
You just stupid why bother with you. You were a mistake god made.
April 23rd, 2009
“or add any hair to your moustache.”
Ahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahaahahhahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
April 23rd, 2009
SW:
LMFAO @ You
Xbox 360 fanboy Army love making a ass outer them self lol keep doing while PS3 gets all the praise.
That’s one way to admit utter destruction.
Gamer.Blorge
You know PLAYSTATION 3 is the best. April 30th Killzone map Packs baby can’t wait plus Resistance maps rules.
Craying losers
April 23rd, 2009
I am willing to accept a PSN invite from ANYONE here but you, Ivan.
PSN: JofaMang
I have billions of dollars in yachts and get laid 45 times a day. With that middle school ’stachio, your claims carry less weight than mine, even after I openly admit that I am lying.
Did you understand that? If not, I am sure your SPED teacher/mommy can draw some pictures for you. After your PB&J and spongebob, of course.
April 24th, 2009
jofaMang:
You even a bad comedian wow. The only people that will actually say that shit are virgins like yourself.
And you don’t have a PLAYSTATION 3 LMFAO.
I’m loving this you making yourself look more stupid also my girlfriend said you have no life or yachts LoL i believe her.
You on well fair…
April 24th, 2009
“love making a ass outer them self lol”
That was very illustrative Ivan.
Are “map packs” the new war cry for Sony fanboys now? Wow.
April 24th, 2009
ivan – awww..did i hurt your feelings? lmao….
April 24th, 2009
ivan – oh god… ivan has a girlfriend…? she must be sooo proud…
April 24th, 2009
Haha, it is even funnier that ivan didn’t get the joke. Or more accurately, that his blorge persona IS the joke.
April 24th, 2009
The only part I will justify with a response, is that I am willing to confirm I have a PS3, by anyone but Ivan.
April 24th, 2009
img513.imageshack.us/img513/1083/myps3.jpg