Can LittleBigPlanet be the PS3s first mainstream game?
As the Wii is now a market all on to its own and Xbox360 is hitting its stride by emulating the successful formula of the PS2, what can Sony do to push the PS3 into the mainstream? The PS2 began its humble life as a games machine for the “hardcore gamer” with the DVD player as a trojan horse to get into the other demographics homes. Over the years the PS2 transformed itself from being an adolescences play thing to a box for everyone with games that appealed to the wider audience.
Sony created multi-million pound franchises such as EyeToy, Singstar and Buzz that propelled its machine into the mainstream. Sony say they have sold well over 100m units, so it is easy to see why the Playstation 3 was a banker in Sony’s eyes. Create games for the hardcore, Bluray drive to get it into other homes, then remake new versions of Singstar and Buzz. But with the PS3 still over £100 more expensive than its competitors it is struggling to harness the mainstream audience it previously championed so strongly.
The biggest issue for Sony is probably price. Especially when all Sony is offering to the average consumer is practically the same experience. Why shell out £300 for a PS3 when you are still playing Buzz and Eyetoy on your PS2? So as former PS2 owners convert to Wii and 360s it is time for Sony to pull something out of the bag that can captivate everyone. Enter LittleBigPlanet, A game so cute even my mum wants to know when she can play it.
Maybe LBP isn’t as easy a sell as Singstar but I have failed to see someone play the game and not get excited. Sony has to find as many ways possible to get the controller into peoples hands and get them involved if they want to create the greatest family game of all time. LittleBigPlanet may not make or break Sony’s mainstream plan but right now it feels like a crucial part. If LittleBigPlanet is not Sony’s answer then what else could captivate the wider audience, EyePet? Home? Or is there just too much ground for them to make up?
Save us Sackboy!
November 11th, 2008 at 8:39 am
First
nofi Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Don’t do that.
Diver68 Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Why isn’t there a ‘ZERO’ star rating available? Jediryan needs it!
cc_star Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Seconded
GamerRiley Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Thirded, if there is such a thing. (like your gag so I used it again)
hannes_truce Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
fourthed (sorry)
Jas-n Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
lol is this a first’d and band?
November 11th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Seems a bit mental putting all your eggs into one basket.
I think Sony need to take a serious look at pricing and pointing out 360 real price.
I’m gettin a bit annoyed having to explain to people that the £129 Xbox won’t play a lot of games straight out of the box and needs a hard drive at extra expense.
GamerRiley Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
You’d think Microsoft would get slated for that. I thought the idea of buying a console was that all games made for it would work and no upgrade would be required. That was the advantage over the PC.
colossalblue Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
I didn’t think any 360 games required an install, I thought they just offered the option.
November 11th, 2008 at 8:50 am
Good read Glenn.
I have been talking to my friends about LBP for forever. It’s quite a hard thing to explain to someone who doesn’t play games.
‘Its a platformer like Mario but with a Sackboy’ doesn’t quite cut it. But when they see the game first hand they can’t get enough of it.
It was the first game on the PS3 that I have sat down with my brother or my girlfriend or his girlfriend and they all instantly get it. The vibe it gives off has been very carefully constructed. Even if the controls sometimes cause confusion, I didn’t mention once to my friend about the three layered mechanics and she didn’t need to know. For her, it worked just fine.
I think a more important point to make is that until recently, developers have neglected local multiplayer games. LBP fills a gaping hole in the PS3’s catalog. There may be your Resistances, your High Velocity Bowlings and your Wipeout HDs but there’s nothing as accessible as Mario Kart or Wii sports.
When I play the PS3 at home in my shared house I often feel quite antisocial.
When I play LBP anyone who wants to jump in for a few minutes can and does.
The only problem is I don’t see anything with as much social appeal as LBP on the horizon.
1 game just isn’t enough.
hannes_truce Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 9:17 am
you’re right, one game aint enough, but what a game. i totally agree with you, i think this is the first game that my girlfriend has EVER wanted to play, i think she was actually more excited than me about getting it home and now she’s started coming up with ideas for levels!
So thats the first step Sony (and there always has to be a first step) it’s just a shame it took you so long to get here, now make sure the second step doesnt take quite as long
fredrikpedersen Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 10:00 am
I know, the first time my GF has been interested in a game I like. Only thing is she SUCKS in the game, and I can’t find a gentle way of telling her. Guess I’ll just let her rip my sackboy to pieces and I’ll just go play the 360. Seems like ever since I got the game the controller hasn’t been left open for me.
Gamoc Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
You could get another controller and let her use that one? That way she’s not killing your sackboy like some sadistic child with a magnifying glass on an ant hill.
Jas-n Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Yeah, better get a new controller, let her rip up that, then you go on a ripped up console
November 11th, 2008 at 10:34 am
LBP is awesome -the joy of having family / friends play together is wicked fun and then when one of your PSN buddies jumps in - even better!
Next small steps should be to create some fantastic family fiendly Christmas LBP levels as DLC.
Oh and release Home with game areas for Wipeout, Uncharted, R2, Fallout 3 and of course a massive LBP section!! The good start made by Far Cry 2 Home areas has whet my appetite as to what can be done. In game footage on TV of people messing about in Home areas would shift PS3’s I’m sure…
November 11th, 2008 at 11:04 am
LBP doesn’t appeal to everyone. alot of my friends havn’t bought it becuase their all FPS lovers, and the first thing my mum said wen she saw the TV advert for it was “what a load of f***in sh*t, theres people dying in africa and they’re making this”. i hate to be sexist but…women eh.
Gamoc Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
People dying in Africa? What the hell has that got to do with it? We shouldn’t make games because people are dying in Africa? What!? [head explodes]
RocketSOL Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
exactly. if i add up how much money i spend on games per year it probably aint as much as her magazines (ok!, hello etc). do they aid africa…i think not.
fredrikpedersen Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
It’s funny comments like this that makes me love TSA. Keep ‘em coming Gamoc.
Gamoc Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
I will, all over your face.
Gamoc Says:
November 12th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Too far?
colossalblue Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
You could always buy Far Cry 2, tell her you’re researching the problem.
Seriously, there are problems in the world, I do give to charity but that doesn’t mean I have to eschew any form of entertainment in case there is somebody suffering thousands of miles away that might benifit from my copy of LBP more. Twisted logic methinks.
Nice turn of phrase from your mum though…
Metalgsean Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
im fed up with Africa gettin all the publicity, there are people dying everywhere! And they have been for along time so im still gonna splash my cash on games for myself, i donate to charity and play with a clear concience. And the PS3 is having a bad time of it, ther are millions of homeless consoles and games looking for somewhere warm to sleep, a plug socket to hook up to, and someone to turn on their buttons. For £40 you could adopt this adorable little Sackboy, or how about sending aid to that poor bastard Issac whos shitting himself up in space. Dig deep people, Playstation needs your help LOL!!!
November 11th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Mothers ay? My mom played on one game and hasn’t been on one since, “because it makes me feel ill.
That game was Spyro for the original PlayStation (not the PSOne) and that was on a 13-15″ TV, i8 mean surely you wouldn’t feel ill playing on a 32″ HD screen.
RocketSOL Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
but you must never forgot, mothers are always right…or so they say.
Gamoc Says:
November 12th, 2008 at 12:02 am
Playstation = PSOne, PSOne is just a playstation, smaller.
November 11th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Yeah, they think they know anything.
What i found funny (which i now find annoying) is when my mother thinks she knows something about technology which I don’t.
RocketSOL Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
ooooo we’ve all been there. once she thought that without the cable my sixaxis controller wudnt work while i was playing a game. *yanks it out* and to her surprise it still works. technology these days.