Lunchtime Discussion: FirstPlay
Will you be resubscribing?
Published: 12:00, 07/07/2010 by Greg [Watchful].
44
It has been 90 days since FirstPlay launched on PSN in the UK. The significance of that is that those of us who took out subscriptions on day one now need to decide whether to renew them or not.
Content wise, for me FirstPlay got off to a slow start before hitting a low point with FirstPlay 004 not having any review content. Then things seemed to be getting better through 005 and 006.
The next four issues after that brought the ‘free’ minis from Halfbrick, but aside from that all the way from 006 to 013 FirstPlay does not seem to have continued to develop.
So what could they do to make it better? The first, most obvious move would be to make their content, especially the reviews, more timely. We know they can do it, they did with their International Cricket 2010 review, getting it in FirstPlay before the online embargo date was reached.
I would also like to see more features. With Future Publishing behind them why are we not seeing videos of footage from the floor of E3, developer interviews from the likes of GDC Canada? The only ‘feature’ we have had so far was a short PlayStation Move sketch in 004.
It also seem to be lacking in personality. While they have done a good job in recruiting someone with a distinctive voice, Lucy Porter, which is a hit for me and Katy and a miss for Chris, having an on-screen presenter, even if just to introduce the episode works well for both Pulse and Qore in the US. (I dare say me and Katy would be quite happy for Lucy’s diminutive form to grace our screens.)
The biggest cause for doubt in my mind when it comes to renewing my FirstPlay subscription though is the recently launched PlayStation Plus (PS+). A year of FirstPlay costs £35.96 (4 x £8.99) and a year of PS+ costs only a little more at £39.99.
With PS+ giving you access not only to its ‘subscription games’ but hour-long game trials and early access to demos, betas, etc., FirstPlay’s previews and reviews become less valuable. What would you value more in helping you make a buying decision, a five minute video review or an hour or more hands-on with the game?
Of course over a month FirstPlay will show you more games than PS+ will so it is the age old breadth versus depth debate. Despite the promises of a certain type of spam email there is no easy way to get both.
Would I would like to see though are bigger, fortnightly episodes of FirstPlay with an on-screen presenter. Essentially a premium version of Pulse with reviews and reportage. That might win me back.
But what about those of you who have subscribed or have at least bought one or more episodes of FirstPlay, what would you do to improve it and make it more compelling? Will you be resubscribing?
As an aside, now the FirstPlay team have woken up and publish a list of their contents on the EU Blog prior to it arriving on the PSN Store each week I have stopped posting the contents on F5 Wednesday’s.
Most Comments This Week
- Gaikai’s Streaming – Does This Mean No PS4? [64]
- PSN Store Update: 23/05/12 [55]
- First Party Vita Games Drop To £12 On PSN [52]
- Is Something Big Coming To PlayStation Plus Soon? [50]
- PSN Store Hit With 80023163 Errors [50]
- “Leap” Motion Controller Could Revolutionise Gaming [43]
- Ghost Recon: Future Soldier PS3 Install Is Huge [42]
- Australian & New Zealand D3 Players Suffer High Ping Rates [41]
- Ghost Recon Future Soldier Review (PS3, Xbox 360) [39]
- WeView: Journey [39]
Latest Reader Comments
- TSA Speculates: Why You Might Not Need To Buy A PS4
- NFS: Most Wanted Due Out In November
- E3 2012: New “Tomb Raider” Teaser Shows Off Some Lovely Visuals
-
Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock Review (PS3)
- 17:29 Sympozium: Very Disappointing it seems, I was already put off with the price just a bit too much.
- 17:28 skibadee: :( crumbs that sounds bad.
- 16:22 rossthebassist: Good review, and bang on… I’m truly surprised a more comprehensive doctor who game has...
- 16:10 coruscant: Damn shame, it looked fun from the trailers. I can’t understand that when reviewers talk about...
- 16:05 bmg_123: Sur-PRIIIIISSSSSEEE!
- Community Round-Up: 26/05/12
TSAtv: Original Video Content
Batman book review
Kris Dancing, again
Joe Danger interview
Sonic Generations
07/07/2010 at 12:02
Member since: Jan 2010
I wont be subscribing again until the downloadable content gets better aka mini’s every week.
07/07/2010 at 12:30
Member since: Sep 2009
See comments like this really bug me – FirstPlay has NEVER promised to give you lots of free content each week, in fact they went to great lengths to explain their focus was on editorial content and you were paying 99p for reviews/previews with the occasional bonus thrown in. Loads of people MISTAKENLY assumed that FirstPlay would operate to the Qore model and took out a subscription, that is not FirstPlay’s fault!
Qore in the US works differently, it is more of a first party SCEA publication, it is monthly so could feasibly have different freebies each month, and it is comparatively more expensive for the volume of editorial content you receive because unlike FirstPlay subscription freebies were part of the deal. In short Qore was almost a test-case for PSPlus, hence why it has now been absorbed into PSPlus, whereas FirstPlay is a 3rd party weekly digital magazine (not a freebie receptacle).
Sadly for FirstPlay the mentality of people that FirstPlay = UK’s Qore means they have a up hill struggle and I think it’s inevitable that eventually FirstPlay will have to give up and become a monthly download absorbed into PSPlus…
I never took out a sub at launch, as I figured as long as I skipped at least 3 episodes in the 90 days that didn’t interest me I would be paying the same anyway. As it happened there were only 3 episodes during the 90 days that interested me enough to buy them so I made the right decision. For me they need to be more current with their reviews/previews and they need more features such as interviews, developer diaries, and behind the scenes stuff. I will continue to judge them on a case by case basis, and pay 99p whenever they feature a game I’m interested in.
If they did change it to a PSPlus product (either weekly or monthly) and include it as part of the automatic download feature so it was sat in your XMB waiting for you every week I’d probably get PSPlus. Alternatively why can’t they have a FirstPlay App with PSPlus that you load and then select weekly content to Stream or background download – why do you need to download a 1.2GB install file every week? Why not have one App that streams the content?
07/07/2010 at 14:11
Member since: Forever
I agree 100%. Reading the comments in the Firstplay EU blog posts is so painful. Almost every other content is “where’s all the free stuff!!??”. It’s a third-party magazine.
If I was one of the writers on Firstplay, I would be so depressed. It’s obvious that a lot of writing and work goes into these episodes so hearing people constantly complain about “free stuff” is disappointing.
Despite this, I think they should move away from the weekly model and move to a fortnightly or monthly model. They need an on-screen personality to make it more interesting. Lucy Porter’s voiceovers aren’t bad although I’m guessing that she doesn’t have a clue what she’s talking about most of the time.
Also, they need a few more exclusives. They had an interview with one of the Media Molecule co-creators a few weeks ago which was a step in the right direction. I think and hope that they eventually grow into a pretty good digital magazine.
07/07/2010 at 12:03
Member since: Forever
I think the content is very poor… sure 99p isn’t much, but everything is available for free online and months before these guys get it, really can’t see the point.
The narrator is dreadful and the script is awful forced humour – I know these things are difficult and kudos to the people that do it… but which ever way you add it up – it ain’t good.
PlayStation+ provides infinitely better value for around the same money
07/07/2010 at 12:11
Member since: Jul 2009
I find the female narrator quite enjoyable. It doesn’t sound too forced but that’s very much subjective.
Even with multiple replies about this topic (from myself) I simply cannot see how you don’t appreciate who might enjoy this. Hardcore gamers are in the minority. Hardcore gamers are usually up-to-date on the news whereas the rest are happy to absorb a magazine on a news-stand (eg. weeks later). Hardcore gamers may well see no reason in getting FirstPlay but the opportunity to have your content delivered (as oppose to you going out there to find it all across multiple sites without videos to back it up, etc) is a strong selling point. The very same reason you post imagery/video with articles and also pass on opinion to us. It’s like a glorified version of TSA Times which will take huge effort to create.
The only (major) downside I see is that casual gamers are less likely to go online which is the only place to purchase this!
07/07/2010 at 12:21
Member since: Forever
Nearly everyone (core & casual alike) goes online to research purchases of everything including games.
In fact someone tagged as a casual gamer is probably more likely to seek out reviews of something they may be more cautious about than someone who lives, breathes & sleeps gaming and takes part in a gaming website and follows a games progress from initial idea to release.
Therefore reviews are available in a far more timely manner online & for free – the same goes for previews.
07/07/2010 at 12:37
Member since: Jul 2009
Are you serious, matey? Casual gamers are the ones who are not scouring the net for the latest news and reviews. They’re the ones who don’t buy things at launch.
If anything, casual gamers are the people who buy the generic pap that you, me (and most of TSA) utterly loathe. Games that deserve zero shelf space but still sell by the bucket-load because such gamers are happy looking at the box then making a decision (or, god forbid, having a relative buy the game instead). Completely uninformed but happy to purchase regardless.
There’s no urgency to their actions which is why they slow reviews/previews don’t matter as much to them as they do to us.
07/07/2010 at 12:49
Member since: Forever
I think you’re confusing casual gamers… with village idiots or something?
There are people who ONLY buy CoD/FIFA(or Madden)/NfS (the village idiots) and then there are casual gamers like my dad, who buys a Wii or DS game once every few months – he only does so after reading about 100 reviews.
Researching products on the Internet is something about 75% of people do in every aspect of their lives whether its a car, TV, mobile phone, sat nav, fridge, headset or any consumer item including games.
Sure these people aren’t in to gaming enough get into a web community but they’re not fools.
The fact FirstPlay is only available on the PSN will mean it has already narrowed its audience down to the people who have least need for it… sure if you like it, fine. But its terrible value compared to the web in general or from a PlayStation point of view – PS+
07/07/2010 at 12:56
Member since: Jul 2009
Appreciate what you’re saying. If someone wants to read up about one game then the internet is perfect. If someone isn’t too bothered about a few weeks here and there and also wants to “see what’s around” then FirstPlay has the potential to be perfect. However, as we’ve both seen, digital distribution is flawed to hell when dealing with casual gamers, etc.
If we take a really average game (eg. scores around 60% and we know there are better alternatives) it still might sell quite well. Does that mean a majority of people don’t care about it receiving high scores and thus don’t tend to read reviews as much? I think so but realise there might be more factors involved.
The ambivalence of entertainment purchases keeps shit games, films, TV programmes alive and well! :-)
07/07/2010 at 13:01
Member since: Feb 2010
Cc, mike has a good point there, I’m a pretty hardcore gamer, and most of my friends are casual gamers. For example, I wanted to know whether I should purchase demon souls or not, and so read through several reviews on the tinterweb and decided I’d like to purchase it. I don’t like wasting my hard earned money.
Now, my friends are firmly in the casual market, and will buy most shovelware on the wii or on the xbox or ps3 if the box looks good. Case in point, I went to gamestation with a couple of them the other day, and they bought Brunswick pro bowling. An absolutely crap game, wouldn’t buy it if my turd was the currency, but they bought it because they though it would be similar to the wii sports bowling. They didn’t do any research at all, and I know a lot of people who are like this, but particulary with the wii and ds.
07/07/2010 at 14:17
Member since: Forever
Often people just buy things because they see them in adverts. I think gamers like us are in the minority because we are on here all the time.
My sister saw an advert for Bioshock 2 a few months ago and that was the only thing that convinced her to buy it. Fortunately, it’s a good game, but there are adverts for crap games as well and it could easily have gone the other way.
I have to agree with Mike here. There are people who do read tons of reviews before buying a game but they are definitely the people who are in the minority.
07/07/2010 at 17:00
Member since: Forever
I don’t really want to keep the debate going but… (you know me, I will ;) )
The core gamer will have a followed a game through from development and know everything about it already through site like TSA and others
The casual gamer, may like you said be swayed by an advert or something – but you’d be surprised at how many ‘casual’ users at least check at a review before making the purchase.
But, and this is quite a big paradox:
As its only available on the PSN – and they only way to find out about it, is via sites like TSA or the EU Blog… Only the core gamer will ever hear about it, and it is these core gamers who will already know everything about it, and will have watched every bit of teaser or gameplay trailers going – therefore the only people who know about it are the very people who have least need for it.
If they sold subscriptions to it in a game box on the counter at GAME (other retailers are available) then it may have an audience & a use.
Thats basically how I see it.
—————
ps. As always I appreciate the debate
07/07/2010 at 20:53
Member since: Feb 2010
Lol, cc, I respect your opinions, even if it doesn’t seem like I do at times.
You’ve raised some valid points there, but I was just saying that a lot of casual gamers don’t read reviews or keep up to date on the gaming world, but will dive into something based solely on a whim. Firstplay though, like you have said, is meant for casual gamers but is only known by mainly hardcore gamers, they need to try and tap into the casual somehow, maybe by selling subscriptions with the new move games when they come out, like you suggested. Move is mainly meant for the casual audience but it can be used by the hardcore gamers, so imo I think it would be a good idea.
07/07/2010 at 22:05
Member since: Forever
I actually agree with a few of your points there CC. The casual gamer who won’t look at reviews, are swayed by adverts and read up about games before they buy them online are the same people who don’t use the PS Store and won’t really know much about it (thus no nothing about Firstplay).
All of my mates who’ve got PS3s are pretty casual and most of them have never even been on the PS Store.
07/07/2010 at 22:05
Member since: Forever
*don’t read up about games
07/07/2010 at 13:36
Member since: Jul 2009
I dont even bother buying psm3 anymore (which i used to religiously) because everything they report through the month, was on TSA a lot earlier and in my opinion, better reported. you guys have told me everything i need to know about e3, but in this months psm3, they’ll be talking about e3, nearly a month after e3…. and i think first play is the same, i never bought one, had the beta. But if i need a review its sometimes on here or ign etc. That said, ive usually made my mind up on wether or not to buy a game through the information i get here. I got big love for TSA today ;) ……
07/07/2010 at 12:08
Member since: Forever
I won a free 90 day subscription when the service was launched so have been watching every week because, hey, it was free. Now that the subscription has ended however, I won’t be purchasing another one. FirstPlay isn’t bad, I can see that it’s still trying to find it’s feet, but I don’t think it’s worth the price at the moment. As you’ve said, a larger, fortnightly FirstPlay with an onscreen presenter and more up-to-date content could win me over however…
07/07/2010 at 12:12
Member since: Jul 2009
A more comprehensive fortnightly offering would have more of my attention. Good mention.
07/07/2010 at 12:08
Member since: Feb 2009
I didn’t the first time round. Subscribing to Playstation Plus is enough for me at the moment. I get OPM UK anyway which I prefer.
07/07/2010 at 12:58
Member since: Jul 2009
Everyone knows that PSM3 is better dude…
07/07/2010 at 13:30
Member since: May 2009
I thought about subscribing to First Play but never got round to it. I’ve subscribed to PSN+ to give it a try so won’t be trying First Play. Paying for one is enough for me.
07/07/2010 at 12:15
Member since: Aug 2008
I bought the ones with the free Minis as they are awesome games and well worth the quid each even without the rest of FirstPlay. I kind of enjoyed the other content but it’s nothing worth paying for and far inferior to what I get on this site anyway.
I found Lucy Porter annoying, which is odd because I’ve loved her in everything else I’ve seen her do. I feel sorry for her because she seems to be trying to get life out of a script she clearly didn’t write and doesn’t fully understand.
It’s not for me and unless they do some more ‘free’ games, I’ll not be buying any more
07/07/2010 at 12:15
Member since: Jun 2009
Watched a few and was pretty bored so im sticking to my PS+ and all the lovely videos from this very site
07/07/2010 at 12:16
Member since: Dec 2009
It might have some small chance if they removed that god-awful commentary – you just can’t press mute fast enough.
07/07/2010 at 12:16
Member since: Forever
Its created by the same guys who do OPM magazine and I have to say their monthly podcast is much better. Firstplay just isn’t “first” enough, Ive never seen anything on there that I hadnt seen or known about before hand (via TSA), admittedly I’ve only bought 3 episodes but thats £3 im not getting back.
I think they should go more for a comedy video podcast type of show, less news more opinions, but the fact that it is on the PSN and Sony funded means they wont criticise anything too much so essentially its all pointless
07/07/2010 at 12:27
Member since: Sep 2009
What happened to TSA TV?
07/07/2010 at 12:45
Member since: May 2010
Yeah i miss that, much better than the payed for crap that is Firstplay(obviously my opinion there).
07/07/2010 at 12:48
Member since: Mar 2010
thats a good question
07/07/2010 at 13:38
Member since: Forever
It’s coming back soon, I hope. It just got to be far too much work for me so I’m trying to work out how to make it quicker and easier to do so I can meet a schedule without hating the fact that I spend two days on it.
07/07/2010 at 12:37
Member since: Jan 2010
I liked it to start with but as time went on I enjoyed it less and less. Also the content like reviews need to be up before the game releases. So I’m not gonna renew it.