The Day We All Abandoned Sony

nofi 125 Comments

Adding SingStar to the PS3’s XMB was a genius move. But we’ll come back to that.

Yesterday, when the latest firmware revision rolled around, people excitedly jumped onboard and updated their PlayStation 3s, largely blissfully unaware that their XMB, the user interface at the heart of the console, would be invaded, corrupted and systematically destroyed by an icon. It was, if you believe everything you read on the internet, a disaster for Sony.

Up in arms, the PlayStation faithful claimed conspiracy, SingStar’s content manager went on a PR-ruining rampage and, incredibly, decisions were made over some gamers’ choice of next generation console. Because of this icon, you can surmise, whatever Sony were to bring out next (let’s assume for obvious reasons it’s the PlayStation 4) it wouldn’t sell, because they wouldn’t buy it.

Ludicrous, right?

Well, that depends. Whilst there were (literally) hundreds and thousands of comments on the official channels that hated the presence of the new icon – which was, in case you’ve been asleep for two days, for family friendly singing game SingStar – there was something approaching an element of reasoning behind the rather barbed (and frankly ridiculous) complaints.

A reasoning that needs just one extra factor to make it hold any sense: the icon should be deletable. If it was, all the issues with people shouting that it “shouldn’t be in the Game menu” or that it’s “on top of all my other games” would be moot – it could just be hidden, or even moved into another folder out of the way. But it can’t – it’s fixed there, and that’s what the issue is.

There’s literally no need for Sony to lock users into having the icon (and its accompanying background screen) right at the top of the other games you might have downloaded – that’s just silly. It’s not that it’s automatically part of the XMB, that in itself would be fine if it could be moved – it’s simply the fact that it’s another click down to get to your games, or it’s something you need to skip past if you’re embarrassed to have a singing game on your console.

Wait, what?

Yep, I’ve seen it. We live in a world where everything has to be instant and everything has to conform to our own ideals. Of course, everyone hates change, but if that change can’t be moulded into something more akin to our current preferences, we rebel. In the age of the internet, this means voicing our opinions everywhere, and those opinions spread.

They’re not entirely invalid, as I’ve said, but complaining about having to tap down twice to get past it should really have been levelled at the fact that Trophies are now way over to the right – getting to those in a game takes more effort than dodging SingStar.

[drop2]But, and here’s where we come back to the statement at the start: SingStar represents Sony’s push for the casual market at this twilight stage of the PS3’s life – much as it did with the PS2. It’s the casual, family market that’ll now continue the sales of the console, something that’s evidenced by the massive attention the platform holder is giving to Wonderbook.

The PS3 is no longer just about the core gamer, the priorities are shifting.

To a family, seeing that icon on the XMB won’t be a thing of disgust or disdain, it’ll be a curio, that’s clicked and explored. It’ll open up something that they might not have discovered before, and, coupled with the new option to sing via a PlayStation Eye (a device bundled with the equally casual friendly Move) they can jump in and start singing immediately. Playing. Clever, right?

And SingStar is a brilliant game, easily the most refined in the genre and boasting some pretty good tracks. My own circumstances mean it’s seldom used these days, but we, as a family and with friends, spent many a night blasting out the hits until the wee hours, and Sony are now hoping to attract a new group of people that won’t know the game exists.

That, clearly, is genius.

You might not like the icon, and chances are Sony will backtrack in a future update and let you remove it for good, but whilst it’s true that its placement could have been tweaked (at least once loaded) or even hidden, if it means more people get involved and the market for potential future games increases, surely that’s a good thing?

Me? I’m now indifferent. Although I’ve slept on it.

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125 Comments

  1. Was this article really called for? One little icon which has no real presence, will never be clicked or effect gaming at all spurs so much complaint and hatred. This site has turned so negative and petty in recent months.

    And whats wrong with the principle? Not allowed to try new ways to get a game to sell or be used now, just because it’s one little extra click for gamers.

    • Yeah, whilst i don’t agree with everyone being up in arms about the change, this is ‘news’ in the gaming sphere at the moment. The article is pretty much just giving people an opportunity to discuss it in a sensible manner & highlight the fact that whilst basing your next console choice on this one decision might be a little hasty (& possibly downright silly), it is happening with some.

      … & if you think this is negative & petty, take a look at the eu blog post about Singstar being added yesterday. More vitriol than you can shake a stick at! :D

      Whilst i think Sony should be allowed to explore new ways to get games (or add ons) selling to the masses (which this article also seems to support), they really should have at least given the option to hide or delete the icon. No-one would be annoyed at all if this were the case.

      I didn’t have it last night & it wouldn’t bother me if it suddenly appeared, but i can see why people are aggrieved about it.

      • I dont believe its news that really provokes such discussion, the starting title and sub heading to a person first reading is bad. I still see no bother from the icon at all, this is madness. First we had some bullshit eurogamer article yesterday and now this. Gaming community is certainly getting worse.

      • Alex loves the topic of staitonary icons, this is his third post on the subject in three days. He’s busy working on a “Top Ten Stationary Icons That You Must Complain About” feature as well.

        To be clear, this is not a news item, it’s a an opinion piece in which Alex expresses his opinion.

      • kind of missing the point, which is understandable – irony is hard to pick up from text if you’re not ready for it.

      • Didnt think there was any need for such a sarcastic response but oh well. I know it’s only his opinion, but i feel its been phrased in a way its fact and that we all have the same views. Even the title suggests it.

      • I know it looks as though i’m missing the point, but I do understand the nature of the article, but still don’t see the need for it. :)

    • “Was this article really called for? One little icon which has no real presence, will never be clicked or effect gaming at all spurs so much complaint and hatred. This site has turned so negative and petty in recent months.

      And whats wrong with the principle? Not allowed to try new ways to get a game to sell or be used now, just because it’s one little extra click for gamers.”

      Read it again. I said the whole thing was a brilliant, genius idea.

      I used the word genius twice.

      Sigh.

      • I was reading it as sarcasm. Up to my neck in revision and nursing a hangover so my reading skills are not up to scratch this morning.

      • I’m not funny enough to be sarcastic. =)

        I serious think it’s brilliant, as I said. I’m not moaning about the icon at all, rather I’m putting forward the reasons why people might be upset about it. And they are.

      • I think it’s a great idea too. At first I saw the article as a reason to dislike the move to put it on the XMB, and the title before i read it had my mind set for that idea. Now I’m looking back at my comments and thinking what an idiot I am :P
        But sorry I still don’t see the need to give reasons to dislike the move, only to praise the idea, maybe that should of been the main focus, from the title and not just 1/3 of the piece.

      • Always make a knob gag, then people know you are being amusing.

  2. Maybe I’m just not a particularly fussy person, but nothing Sony have done has really annoyed me. The worst thing of the bunch is the amount of down due to their maintenance but let’s face it, there’s plenty of offline fun to be had with the console. I’ll definitely be buying the ‘next gen’ Sony console as no amount of minor annoyances will make me favour Microsofts uncomfortable pad, child like xmb and inferior features as a media centre (Although these can be fixed in the ‘next gen’)

    • Most of the maintenance carried out hasn’t had an effect on actual online play either. It’s only really account management and spends at the store that are usually affected, so they get a thumbs up for that little manoevre ;)

      • Tell that to Max Payne 3!

        The two times they have done maintenance recently they have stated that online play shouldn’t be affected, yet MP3 simply won’t connect to the servers whilst maintenance is happening.

      • That game was problematic online during uptime, and although they patched it up, it was probably always going to feel faint and queezy with any slight hint of maintenance.

    • While I am fortunate to be able to afford both consoles, I find Xbox infinitely more irritating after all its alot more obvious with Microsoft’s Pay For Advertising. So Singstar is a tiny trespass in context but taking it as a sign of things to come is probably making people more worried than the icon itself.

  3. This is really sad i have been coming to this site for years and over the past 9-12 months it’s been going down hill fast with this kind of rubbish time for me to say goodbye.

    • Goodbye. I don’t see any rubbish articles and disagree with the site going downhill. It is in fact getting bigger. Although this one was a bit unneccessary imo.

      • I thought that you were the welcoming committee, mind you it was hard to tell the difference sometimes. :P

      • I am. I’m also the teaboy, tef’s lackey, that bloke they get to do the round ups, in charge of accepting bribes for TSA… WAIT, i mean accepting brides for TSA. Nothing to see here folks. *shifty eyes* And in charge of kidnapping random TSAers to be offered to Bmike. :p *walks off in trenchcoat and hat*

      • Too much responsibility dude…….Delegate! :P

      • But i get a million biscuits and 90 packs of PG tips per week! And usually beaten up by a certain writer for said biscuits and PG tips. T-T

    • TSA is a game news and opinion site. Whether it should be an issue or not, this Singstar debacle is currently doing the rounds and so TSA have an obligation to mention it. The number of comments on this article, compared to the average, suggests that its worthwhile. (Good job Alex.)

  4. It’s an ICON offering free functionality, not a personal insult directed at you by Sony. I cannot understand why people are so upset by this. Surely there are bigger issues people have with Sony and Gaming than this.

  5. There are lots of reasons I haven’t even powered on my PS3 for six months, mostly because it’s just so slow and annoying compared to my PC, but the unique features that should stand out and make me want to use it are just not there anymore. This whole icon debacle is just another thing in the whole SCEE attitude that sees the black box sit forlornly under the TV, looking back at me like an unloved puppy.

    The PS4 would have to offer something truly unique and special to tempt me away from the PC and I don’t think Sony are going to deliver it, based on past and especially current experience.

  6. This is article is a bit unneccessary. It comes off as a bit of moan. So what if there is one new icon. Hardly XMB breaking. And the title seems a bit Daily Mailish. It makes it seem like everyone abandoned Sony when a majority of us don’t care about the icon.

    • again, missing the tone of the piece a little bit.
      There’s irony in there, quite obviously, but I get that it can be tricky to pick that up from text if you take everything at literal value.

    • “It comes off as a bit of moan.”

      I didn’t moan once. I expressed reasons why people didn’t like it (and they don’t) and balanced it with reasons why I think it’s a smart idea at this stage in the PS3’s life.

      Genius, I said.

      • If it makes any difference, i got it. :)

  7. I get the point of views that this is a matter one can step back and think ‘it’s only an icon’, but the fact that it is permanent, that it tops everything everyone has paid for, that it will always be in sight on the XMB and the fact that by Nina’s earlier attitude this is trying to impose a leisure activity on other people, clearly by her later attitude with any care or respect AND the very fact she is allowed to do all of what she has done shows something about SCE that isn’t very nice.

    You get the general idea that is this has at least for me reading about this, has bordered over just an icon to actual principle.

    If Sony management have got any idea of self preservation, the fact that articles like this are being published, word spreading, then they seriously need to address the issue on all levels.

    • *WITHOUT any care or repsect.

      pretty important cock up to correct there.

  8. Sadly, I’m one of the people that complained. I was also one of the ones that was rudely replied to.

    It’s not *only* because it’s a horrible Singstar icon, it’s more the portent of what’s to come. What if next update we get 10 icons for failing or low-target-market games that we have to scroll past? 20?

    It feels like the start of something terrible, I can ignore insipid advertising out of doors, but I see no reason to put up with it being beamed into my home with gun-to-the-head end user rights policy making that demands I accept it, or not be able to play online.

    If this is not removed, or made removable I will be selling my PS3s before Christmas, and buying a 360 in the January sales.

    Sad times.

    • In all seriousness, you would sell the PS3 over 1 icon (and as you said, for fear of something else) for a console that makes you pay for online and they still ram unwanted icons/advertising down your throat?

      I can’t see the logic behind that. But then again, to me, an icon or even 5 means nothing to me.

  9. The point of the article seems to be getting missed by a hefty number of people unfortunately.

    Either that, or I’m missing the point of the article ;)

  10. I thought it was just an icon. But from all this hate, I guess I am wrong… It is a nuclear missile dressed like a icon and is gonna kill us all, right?

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