Predictions for 2009: The Ugly
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Following on from our recent articles looking at how 2009 is shaping up – coupled with some potentially positive results already – we take a foray into the untended and unsightly future of the PS3.
We’ve looked at ‘The Good‘. We’ve looked at ‘The Bad‘. Now it’s time for the uncensored (and slightly unhinged) ‘The Ugly’.
You have been warned…
In 2008, all the buzz was about the oncoming ‘Home’ project, and how it would completely redefine the way we use our PS3s and interact with other gamers. 2008 was also the year that saw the unveiling of Heavy Rain. These are landmark titles and events. But they may be hiding a sinister side, too…
In the US, we reported some months ago that SOCOM: Confrontation was available to purchase in your local games bazaar. Many of our western cousins dutifully went out and purchased it.
How they laughed and larked about in the plethora of updates and server issues. Even through the hard times, there was a solid game to be played.
But in the EU, things were quiet. No word on release dates. Not even a confirmation that it was ‘in the works’. Shameful.
Finally it seems that we are on our way to getting some semblance of a response, with the recent news that EU will get the game next month. But that was just for one game. If that were a one-off, and SCEE were usually on the ball, I think that the public would have been far less outraged than they were.
This brings me to my first ‘The Ugly’ prediction.
1. Europe remains broken.
Delays in game releases, ongoing lack of a video store, invisible retail representatives for the territory, no contact with the public and even redundancies at SCEE are all things I see happening in the coming year. Every day there are coments on forums; people who would quite happily see the whole team at SCE Europe be replaced.
Of course, what those people probably don’t get is that SCEE have over 25 Stores to update each week, with differing content and regulations in almost each one. SCEA only have to maintain one.
Even if the video store does come along, something tells me that it is going to be a stilted, repugnant version of the US Video Store – no surprise given the complexities of the region. Similarly, Home in the EU will more than likely trail behind the rest of the world, slightly out of breath and sweating from exhaustion. Whilst the US may revel in exclusive events and the Japan spaces will be themed every so often (such as the most recent snowy Home Square idea), something tells me we will have to make do with a new item of clothing to spend £3.00 / €4.00 on every other week.
2. Delays, delays, delays.
With the recent publication of our Most Wanted 2009 article, it is clear that there are some phenomenal games in the pipeline for the coming year. But how many of these will actually get released this year. God of War 3 has been put back to March 2010, as opposed to the previous suggestion of late ‘09. Could we see more games getting the delay treatment? My thoughts are on a number of games.
- Ratchet and Clank: The new game is slated for a 2009 release. But if this is a BD release, it could very easily slip to the new year or even later.
- Team ICO’s new game: With a penchant for producing quirky, innovative and downright glorious games coupled with a mantra of ‘when it’s ready, it’s ready’, it would be little surprise if this game were pushed back to next year. Which would be a great shame, but one I’d be ok with given the pedigree of the development team.
- Uncharted 2: Scheduled for this year but I really could see this game fall back. More likely within financial year 2009, but still not this calendar year. Something tells me that Naughty Dog will want this game to be as good as it can possibly be before it hits shelves.
- Bioshock 2: Another sequel to a stellar title from last year. The original came very late to the PS3, and there is nothing to say that this couldn’t happen again. 2K are going to have to tread very lightly with this game in order not to ruin the effect of the first on the genre as a whole. Tinkering time could take this into 2010. All of these and more can be found in our game database.
3. Heavy Rain, the most intriguing game of the year, bombs.
It’s happened before, with games like Okami and ICO getting rave reviews from the press, but simply not selling in the shops. Already alarm bells have been going off in my head following the heavy use of QTEs. I’m all for them, but I don’t really like the idea of watching a minimal interactive movie. Critical success does not guarantee commercial success. This is proved time and time again in every field, not just gaming.
Having said that, I truly hope that Heavy Rain succeeds in both arenas, as it does look phenomenal. How it plays will be the key I suspect.
4. Home gets canned.
Don’t punch me. Don’t throw things. Don’t start your hate-mail just yet.
Home is an interesting project. At any given time you can jump on and see a large number of people using the service. Sony have commented that the company has made a lot of money from it already. The point is; how long will this continue to be the case?
I am not interested in going on and buying stuff from the virtual clothes stores. I have not really spent any time in my apartment, let alone in the Shopping Mall. Put simply, I just don’t use it all that much. There was certainly an initial fascination with the project and it was interesting to see how they had done everything, but now the novelty has worn off.
Do I think I’m alone in this train of thought? Certainly not. The problem will only arise if most people get bored of going Home. At that point it will cease to be viable for Sony, and they would have to very seriously call it a day and pull the plug on the virtual lights.
Having said that, with the recent opening of the Events space, there seems to be some new life in the place. With an ever-improving (and ever-costing) beta mechanism in place, I know a lot of people who frown heavily on betas. Will there ever be a proper Home released without the ‘beta’ tagline?
Something tells me not to hold my breath; blue is not my colour.
If you agree with me, add your comments. If not, add your comments and I might even leave them up. Depending on content, natch.
In order:
1) Europe will always get a rough deal because of how it’s structured and the localisation issue. I’m as frustrated as the next European being treated as the black sheep of the Sony family (in fact, I once commented that I believed Europe was suffering from middle child syndrome in terms of how Sony regard us) but I understand that it’s a difficult task and they’re working on it.
The movie thing is a much bigger issue than you’re recognising. In the US everything is consolidated, it’s one country. Try getting the distribution rights to one movie across 25 countries in mutliple languages, dealing with a plethora of ratings boards. It’s mind-blowing. We know Sony are working on it and it’s going to take time.
Delayed game releases should be a thing of the past as Sony moves towards a centralised ratings model but you’re right – some things have taken too long.
2) I can’t see R&C getting delayed. Or Uncharted 2. Insomniac and Naughty Dog have a reputation of hitting their dates. I don’t see why this time will be any different.
Team ICO’s a tricky one but we are still hearing that it will hit this year. As you say, it’s not like we’ve nothing else to play if it doesn’t!
BioShock 2 is being developed by 2K Marin and anything less than a multiplatform release would be exceptionally strange.
3) Heavy Rain. I echo your concerns but there is so much positive news coming out of Quantic Dream that I feel we’ll be ok. Also, the QTEs are worrying but don’t forget that we’ve also heard that the game does not rely on them completely.
4) There you go again with the “Home will get canned” fustian!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Home is barely two months old so a full impression can not be made. It’s very early days yet and don’t forget: Home is not FOR you. Or Me. We’re gamers. We spend our time gaming – not being sociable! I truly believe that Home will extend its reach to include more gamers as time goes by but its audience is not the people who spend hours upon hours gaming but those who spend hours upon hours online interacting. Give Home some time to grow. I admit that I’ve barely used it but that’s more because it’s not tailored to attract me just yet. Sony have big plans for the service and any suggestion that it’s going to get canned is just crazy talk!
Home *could* get canned. I conceed that after the massive investment it took to get it off the ground, this is massively, MASSIVELY unlikely, but hey – this was about ‘the ugly’.
Just think of the carnage that would be caused over that announcement…
Europe is a complex issue, and I was perhaps rather scathing and hamfisted in my approach to the EU territory, but that fact of the matter is that gamers don’t care about the fact that there are 25 coutries to consider. They just want to get the game in their hands and play.
For that reason, it will always be taken for granted when when a game gets worlwide release and flamed to hell when a game is delayed in the EU.
Having said that, it is hugely refreshing to note that we are getting KZ2 first. Hallelujah!
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