WTF: GameDaily Calls LittleBigPlanet “Glorified Version of PowerPoint”

by Chad Lakkis on August 6, 2008 at 12:38 am

GameDaily recently wrote up a list of ten games that they believe will “probably suck.” Their argument as to why LittleBigPlanet will “probably suck” starts with them calling it a “glorified version of PowerPoint” and adding that they foresee “tons of crap content.”

Simple logic by the simple minded says that if you use the game to recreate that which can be done in PowerPoint, then the game must be a glorified version of PowerPoint. Therefore, if I walk in a straight line, and Tom Brady walks in a straight line, surely Tom Brady is just a glorified version of me.

When it comes to content, LittleBigPlanet includes many well thought out levels, and is not simply relying on user based content to succeed. According to GameDaily, any game with a level creator is the equivalent of PowerPoint. Call of Duty? Powerpoint. Half-Life? Powerpoint. Unreal? You guessed it.

Every game that opens its doors to community created content is subject to the risk of less than ideal results. I happen to believe that there are a ton of talented individuals out there, who if given a chance, will shine.

It appears that at least one gaming website attended a particular E3 press conference, witnessed a creative presentation done using LittleBigPlanet, and thought “That’s it. We’ll call it PowerPoint”. What I want to know is, where was GameDaily when the rest of E3 went down? You know, the hands-on portion. They must have been picking up their AOL funded paychecks.

Here is a prediction of my own. I predict that GameDaily will “probably suck.” Sure, they may have a few good articles written by talented writers, but I predict that the majority of their content will consist of top ten lists broken down into ten individual one paragraph pages to maximize page views (see source)

In the end, we are all nothing more than a glorified version of HTML filled with user generated content, and some of it is bound to suck.

Share This:

Tags: E3 08, LittleBigPlanet, PowerPoint, SackBoy

Related Posts:

Comments »

Rotax
on August 6, 2008 1:16 am

lmao… “glorified version of html” ummmm, blogging?
Chad Lakkis
on August 6, 2008 1:16 am

:D
madpuppy
on August 6, 2008 1:20 am

Chad, this guy sounds like a dildo. LBP to me is quite refreshing in the gaming world, a new, fresh concept. not a return of “last years game with no improvements” to suck us dry of cash and our souls. as much as I enjoy a well made, sane sequel(ex: Resistance2, Gears2 ) there is just too much re-plays out there that are not worth consideration. LBP helps give users a well rounded gaming experience, you know, FPS, Platformers, good sequels, third person, music games (blah) and sports (puke) and to top that all off…..new and exciting IP.
Sentry
on August 6, 2008 1:25 am

Stupid as hell, I hate GD now lol, not that I ever loved them, but seriously, that is pathetic as shit.

Just to get hits…
Chad Lakkis
on August 6, 2008 1:30 am

Mad,

I agree, but in addition to simply agreeing with the new IP logic, I played the game at E3 and it truly was great.

Most people I met in the Sony lounge (and I mean people from large sites which I won’t name) were shocked and admitted to not really giving the game much thought at first.

After playing it though, they found themselves calling over more of their colleagues to play it so that they could discuss it for consideration as best of show.

Sentry,

I am pretty sure they won’t be sending me any Birthday cards either.
john
on August 6, 2008 1:32 am

Good stuff man.. Gameshitty sucks..
Meresin
on August 6, 2008 1:46 am

Absolutely brilliant.
madpuppy
on August 6, 2008 1:54 am

NO, I am not saying that all new IP is great, I am saying that it keeps the industry healthy and fresh. I am much more inclined to purchase a new game that is something different from what is generally pumped out every year. that is one of my gripes with the big N. most of their games are dried corpses that they keep trying to hydrate and pedal as new and refreshing. LBP, in the beginning when the first videos started to trickle in I was unimpressed, also, at the time I only had my 360 so an exclusive for another platform, no matter how good it was is a waste of time to think about and read to much about lest you get frustrated :P

once I picked up my PS3 (mainly for blu-ray at the time)and started reading up on the exclusives LBP started really resonating with me, quirky, interesting levels and characters. the ability to create a plethora of different gameplay concepts. the use of unusual materials in creation and now up/downloadable content. user created or otherwise. really made me want this game.
Sony really worked hard to convey what they were trying to do with it and my desire to own it (to me) is proof they accomplished their task.
Chad Lakkis
on August 6, 2008 1:58 am

mad,

I never said that you said all IP were great, I simply said that I agreed with what you said about them in your previous statement :D
madpuppy
on August 6, 2008 2:04 am

sorry man, I have had my 13 old nephew staying at my house for the past month and he speaks in cryptic riddles that I have to “decipher” to figure out what the hell he is talking about. I will take me a while to recover from that as well as getting my left eye to stop twitching……:P
John Kershaw
on August 6, 2008 2:06 am

hey, not all of us think LBP is all that great :-/

I know I have almost negative excitement for it.
kornes
on August 6, 2008 2:51 am

Well written. Gamedaily sucks daily.
Abaddon
on August 6, 2008 3:32 am

You know,I know this guy who owns a DS,360 & WII,and keeps trying to argue that he don’t like LBP “because is casual”,there’s ton of WTF people who can’t stand this game and at the same time will give their blood for Cooking Mama,don’t really know why but I guess fanboyism is everywhere.Sad

as for my opinion,It’s going to be a great game,and should be more supported and marketed.

Sorry bout my English
ReyBrujo
on August 6, 2008 5:32 am

Oh, somehow it hurt? I am one of those who think LBP would do much better in a family-friendly console like Wii (despite its inferior power). Remember how did Viva Piñata do? And Loco Roco? Welcome to real life: the game will sell a few millions, but that is all. For all the hype in sites like this one, for saving the PS3, for becoming the best video game ever, it will be a failure. From the pure commercial sense it will be a success, though, which I guess is all that matters.
Patrick Steen
on August 6, 2008 5:48 am

“the game will sell a few millions”…so more than COD4 on the PS3. Good to hear. And Playstation has always been family friendly, so LBP is a milestone in the PS3 library. And it’s not possible on the Wii. It’s a PHYSICS puzzle platformer.
Abaddon
on August 6, 2008 5:54 am

“From the pure commercial sense it will be a success, though, which I guess is all that matters.”/that’s the whole and only point of the Wii.PS3 is a loser,remember?

I’m not the one lurking and waiting to counterpost,and definitely Some People seems more butthurted than me.

“Welcome to real Life?” is that lame condescendence what I get just because I have an opinion?

The game isn’t out yet,and I prefer to be a third place happy loser that a Weewee sore Winner Like You.

People buy wii’s in droves and don’t play with them.Mothers buy it.It’s a novelty,a Toy,a fine one but definitely no competing in the same market that the serious two.

I could have more respect for you If you had an argument to counteract my opinion,but You opinion vs.mine “because you worth it” isn’t turning me on in the mood for a fight.

I’m tired of people like You.

Let me wee,i mean,Be.
madpuppy
on August 6, 2008 5:57 am

ReyBrujo, why would you make the statement that people think LBP is “for saving the PS3, for becoming the best video game ever” No one has ever said or thought that. I personally think that it will be a great game and a nice change from FPS and
sports games. and I was wondering does anybody here understand why ReyBrujo thinks the PS3 needs saving?? Patric S. do you think the PS3 is in some dire trouble and needs saving? Chad? Dan? Anyone other than 360 or Wii fans?
ReyBrujo
on August 6, 2008 6:07 am

“And Playstation has always been family friendly”
Not at USD 300, otherwise it would have been flying from shelves all over the world.

“And it’s not possible on the Wii.”
I think I mentioned that. I remember people saying Dead Rising was impossible on Wii, and look what happened.

In the end, it is all about sales and profit. The hyperbole about this game is incredible. However, I am not saying this game should not exist, by all means. The more games the better I say. But thinking this game will save a platform is a little too much. People have been asked to wait for Virtua Fighter 5, Gran Turismo 5, Tekken 6, Metal Gear Solid 4, etc, etc, etc, but they come and leave with little impact. I don’t see how a new IP would be _that_ title when the console, at this point of its life, is not aiming at the family but the hardcore public. It is like saying the breakthrough game for Nintendo DS was Metroid Prime Hunters, or that the turnabout game for Wii was Resident Evil 4. From my point of view, the PlayStation 3 playerbase is almost exclusively hardcore, with the casual public still on PlayStation 2 or already moved to Wii. I doubt this game will convince someone to pay USD 400 for a machine. Remember, the PlayStation 2 sold more when it reached lower price points.

And remember, they called Wii Music the biggest failure to come, yet no one here objected. Anyone considered it might sell more copies than Little Big Planet?
Patrick Steen
on August 6, 2008 6:08 am

Not anymore Mad. That argument is from 2007
Abaddon
on August 6, 2008 6:28 am

I thick we are we have different ideas of the term “Success”.
Wii music will probably sell more than LBP,is it more original? No.Graphically better? Nope. Are we talking about quality? sales? which console is better? Price? I thought it was just about the too simple vision of gamedaily.
Nevermind,but I feel that your imagination,and not “real life”(a place which you welcomed before,thanks)is playing a major role in your words;
Therefore,you say things like “but they come and leave with little impact.”

When did tekken 6 came?
Did you see the mammoth spike in sales the MGS4 week?
Are you mixing GT5Prologue with 5?
Also,when I talk about the wii I’m just quoting a study:
Do you think PS3 users buy their games and don’t play,do you peep their homes?

Man am I glad you’re still not talking to me.Phew.
Abaddon
on August 6, 2008 6:32 am

O my,my english is bad,I’m truly sorry.

/Last post
ReyBrujo
on August 6, 2008 6:41 am

Abaddon, I am a rather pragmatic person. I am one of the main editors that keep the list of best selling video games at Wikipedia. I talk with facts, and facts say games like Loco Roco and Viva Piñata failed. Why would this not, if it is aimed as a family friendly item for a console that costs just too much?

This topic about Wii going to closets is pretty childish, too. Have you seen the latest attach rates? Without counting Wii Sports, which comes bundled, it is over 6. Xbox 360 has an attach rate of over 7. Who buys all those Wii games? Nintendo itself?

I believe Nintendo did a genial move with Wii, which caught everyone off balance. The industry is still shocked, and most are still waiting for the bubble to explode. But so they thought about Nintendo DS and about Pokémon and so many other fads. The future is here, now, and people who try to deny it (for example, calling Wii a fad, saying it is old-gen, a couple tapped gamecubes, etc) are just ignoring a simple fact: the huge install base of PlayStation 2 is not because of hardcore gamers, but casual friendly ones. It is estimated that the number of hardcore gamers around the world reaches between 40 and 60 million. That is less than a hundredth of the world population. And who has successfully tapped that market so far? A tip: neither Sony nor Microsoft.

Pragmatism is usually met with denial, I am used to that.

Patrick, COD4 sold more than a couple millions, unless we think it sold over 80% in Xbox 360 (the latest information indicates 10 million sales combined).

madpuppy, during the last E3 Sony basically asked to give them more time for the goods to arrive. They were pleading. Maybe we did not watch the same conference? Let’s put it this way: Remember when Reeves said people would buy the first 5 million PlayStation 3 even without games, yet they needed months to reach that number? Remember when everyone was so sure it would end up first in this “console war”, analysts and media included especially after the specs reveal, yet now it is being placed at the second or third place? And when they said blu-ray would boost PS3 adoption, but it is exactly the opposite case where without the PS3 the blu-ray format would virtually fail? I consider this a warning to Sony own original plans, a sign that something went wrong and needs to be rectified.

Sony bet that HDTV adoption was high enough to boost PS3 sales, and they missed. They bet that Wii would eventually slow its sales down, and they missed. They bet on that third-party publishers would keep their games exclusive without having to pay for them, and they missed. Two key members like Harrison and Kuratagi left the company (can we say it is like having Fils-Aime and Miyamoto leave Nintendo?). How many more signs someone needs that everything “is not right” at the home entertainment division?

I like this community, everyone seems to rely in other community members to support their own points of view instead of giving facts or historical information. I may visit it more often. As you see, the sensationalistic heading got you a new reader!
simon
on August 6, 2008 6:41 am

I’m Agree with you chad, is interesting how a game magazine can talk bulls….!! about a game that is superb, if i can generate a powerpoint presentation with LBP with that kind of animation i’m going to be the best of my company :D, i think user generated content is a great deal (see UT 3) there are a lot of talented players around there and that is going to give you fun for a lot of time. i’m going to buy the game just to create thing for my sisters to play and alos to make presentations for my meetings :)
Abaddon
on August 6, 2008 7:02 am

@Witchking

I do apologize,I underestimated you,and you came back to me with facts despite my slightly insolent responses.You are not a Fanboy.

It’s ok you know about best selling games.
Are they all good games?

At least,you’re still being partial by judging the future of the PS3 by it’s terrible start.You do have colors,you support one console I support other.And despite its master comercial movement,I can’t imagine a future where all games are first party titles by Nintendo,that day i’ll quit gaming.

Sony’s PR moves were clumsy,fact.

PS3 is an overhyped machine,fact.

Nobody said it’s a question of relying in a sole franchise or title,Fact.

Wii ain’t got enough vectorial/floating coma capabilities to calculate physics at a PS3 level,Fact.

I just can’t stand apocalypse prophets who derive any subject into the “inminent death” of a console thus indirectly trying to provoke it,Fact.

Sorry,I just had to continue this.
madpuppy
on August 6, 2008 7:08 am

you can say what you want but, the fact is I have a Wii floating around here……..oh yeah, it is on the small tv in the guest bedroom…..collecting dust, my older brother owns a Wii also…..he pushed it over to the side to put his new PS3 in it’s place because he notices that every game he purchased was trash and that the Wii is a one trick pony (translation: wii sports was it’s only money shot) so it’s hello Wii meet dust bunnies. when my nieces and nephews come over, they beg me to let them play the 360 or the PS3. I tell them the Wii is in the bedroom, it has more games (my younger brother buys games for it (gamecube games) for his son who doesn’t want to play it as much as the other 2 systems) and it is connected to the internet. they are not interested in it. the Big N was pretty smart creating a game machine that they can make a profit on and not worry about making good games. there apparently is no quality control
for 3rd party developers by Ninteno seeing all the shovelware that is released and because you can get shovelware for 15.00 new, alot of people will take a chance buying it.

oh, one more MY ex-brother in law purchased the Wii as well, he enjoyed wii sports, and likes some archery game but every other game he bought
was terrible, he has been a Big N fanboy for years
I will be suprised if he ever buys a console from them again.but, now it just sits there….mocking him.
Abaddon
on August 6, 2008 7:12 am

@Witchking

PD:You should try Psychonauts or Okami,you’ll be amazed what a non-profitable piece of software can be.
madpuppy
on August 6, 2008 7:17 am

Abaddon, those are 2 great games.
John Landis
on August 6, 2008 7:54 am

Wow, too many comments to read, but I have to add my sentiment that I’m not excited about LBP. Granted, I haven’t played it, only read about it, but I just don’t see what all the hype is about. Maybe if I was ten I would be excited, but I’m not ten.

Regardless of how I feel about the game, you have to admit that “family friendly” titles on the major consoles may get however much critical kudos that can possibly be lavished upon them, but they still don’t sell that well. LPB might sell astoundingly well for a family friendly title, and might do fantastic if it was a PSN download, but there just isn’t enough there to drive the “mainstream” to “hardcore” audience to it, especially on the PS3 and when it gets compared to even mediocre mainstream titles it’s sales will be average at best.

Again, I haven’t had much of an interest in the game, so maybe there was something I missed, but there it is. I certainly don’t understand the whole powerpoint thing, but that happens all the time when people try and belittle games they don’t like. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard the argument from both sides of the console war.
Abaddon
on August 6, 2008 9:26 am

Mr.Landis has an interesting approach.

PS3 & LBP may not be the ideal couple,however,If the concept could be well translated to a more family focused console like the Wii or DS,and of course sell a lot more,perhaps the online focus & the Material Variety/(soft,hard,wood,steel,whatever) are more difficult to emulate in those platforms because of relative tech limitations.LBP as we know it is only possible on PS3 or 360.

Also,how far are we sure is a family friendly title just because it looks cute? Could be complex as hell.

Besides and joking;casual gamers tend to ignore how to open their ports to use PSN correctly,or even don’t connect their PS3’s at all;I’ll bet Most LBP potential buyers know what they are buying and how to use it,because sharing is the essence of the game!,isn’t that somehow a proof they’re not so far of the hardcore?

Okay,enough praise for LBP,too much pedantry and bad grammar for my first day in ripten xP
Cenobia
on August 6, 2008 10:31 am

@ReyBrujo: I don’t think this game is casual at all. The gameplay may look simple, but the level creation is very deep. A casual gamer (young children, people that haven’t played games much, etc) would have a hard time making a level that is playable let alone fun. Look at the videos, there are boolean object creations for fudge sakes. It’s more than just placing random stuff around a level.

I think the PS3 is the perfect platform for this game. It has the power to run it (Dead Rising is on the Wii, but it is not the same), and an online system that actually works for sharing levels. It is also made by a Sony backed studio, so really the Wii was never an option (as far as I understand it).

I also think you are underestimating the demand for this game. A lot of people seem to think that its only for little kids/casual gamers, but it isn’t. I am beyond excited for this game, even more than I am for Socom or R2. What this game is really for is creative people. Making my own unique levels that I can share instantly sold me, everything else just adds to its awesomeness. I have no doubt that the sales of this game will totally surprise you.
Patrick Steen
on August 6, 2008 10:40 am

ReyBrujo:

Firstly, I said “Playstation has always been a family console,” not PS3. What does this mean? It means the PS3 has the very same target as its predecessors. Start with hardcore and branch out to casual as the price comes down. That has always been Sony’s strategy, and I believe it is Microsoft’s also.

I say LBP is pivotal because of the quality of the concept and brand. It attracts all ages, is highly marketable and expands upon Sony’s “2.0″ initiatives. This isn’t to say LBP is the first family game on the PS3. Ratchet and Clank is one of the PS3’s best sellers, selling well over 1 million copies and is now part of the Platinum range. Singstar PS3 is bringing over PS2 fans of the same game, along with Buzz PS3 which is a hit in Europe. Thus, the casual games have already begun and are selling well.

I claim that LBP isn’t possible on the Wii because part of it’s appeal is based on real-time physics (you can interact with anything realistically, and anything you create can be properly interacted with…with so many physics objects on screen, the Wii wouldn’t be able to handle it.) Plus, it’s visuals are what appeal many, including the hardcore audience. And Wii games with the same title as PS3/360/PC games are of course possible, such as Dead Rising or Star Wars Unleashed. However, it would still be correct to say that Star Wars Unleashed PS3/360 isn’t possible on the Wii (they are distinct games).

Moreover, Chad’s article is not about sales. It’s a criticism of a website who says “LBP will probably suck” - ie. sales are irrelevant. For your data you should be looking to Metacritic/Gamestats/Gamerankings. Most of us at Ripten believe LBP will be a quality game, in fact it was joint “Game of E3″ for us.

No-one is saying the PS3 will be “saved” by LBP, as most discarded that argument in 2007. Yes the Wii is trouncing, but most look to the “battle” between the PS3 and Xbox 360. If you want to talk about sales you can say that the PS3 is selling well in Japan, has outsold the 360 in Europe, and is outselling the 360 in the US in 2008. TBH I don’t care, but you’ll find it hard to find someone arguing that the “PS3 needs saving”.

You stated LBP won’t sell more than “a few million.” A few is 3 or 4 - I was originally under the impression COD4 had sold a tad under 3 million on the PS3. If LBP was to sell as much as Motorstorm, COD4 and MGS4 it would be a massive success for a new IP.

I don’t see how “Blu-ray helping PS3 sales” and “PS3 sales helping Blu-ray’s success” are incompatible…in fact I’d guess they are mutually compatible.

John:

The hardcore audience is already well behind LBP - this is where the create aspect attracts them. If you are to read up on forums, the infamous Neogaf for example (populated with the hardcore), the response is always extremely positive, with intent to purchase.

Abaddon: Your English is perfectly fine. Comment as much as you like :)
madpuppy
on August 6, 2008 11:11 am

10-4 Patric S. you took the words right out of my mouth, first off, I really hate to compare the Wii to either console. and frankly, the thing scares me, the last thing I want is either MS or Sony thinking is that people want underpowered gimmicy game consoles that are so limited they cannot get out of their own way. If that became the case I would have to slide back behind my computer desk and enjoy hi-res complex games on my PC.
as for LBP, I don’t see it as a “kids” game. it requires thinking to effectively enjoy LBP as I see it. My 9yr old nephew would not even look at this game, wouldn’t even consider it worth his time. now, WWF wrestling (vomit) he will play that crap all day.
Tim-_
on August 6, 2008 11:42 am

simple fact is, that you cant say that a game will propably suck, which is a great new IP with shitlots of potential and some crazy new and creative ideas, just with argumenting that some people will create crappy levels! Thats totally sad
ReyBrujo
on August 6, 2008 3:06 pm

Wow, I wonder if there is limit for comment length here? Just checked the thread from work and found so many answers! Let’s tackle them all:

Abaddon, we agree that not all games selling in good amount are good. However, I like considering sales in my appraisal because game ratings are very, very subjective. This does not mean I would buy a game just because it sold a lot!

It is also true that I have my own colors (who doesn’t!) and that I may be judging something before it happens. I take some liberties I don’t at Wikipedia (like analyzing data and giving a conclusion here). And I identify myself with the same nick everywhere because I am not one to back up from statements: If I will eat crow, I want everyone to know that ;-)

Whenever I meet a new community and join a discussion about these consoles, I always mention something: The Master System was a more advanced console, yet NES sold more. Neo Geo was a more advanced console, yet SNES sold more. N64 was the most advanced console, yet PlayStation sold more. Xbox was the most advanced console, yet PlayStation 2 sold more. PlayStation Portable is the most advanced handheld, yet Nintendo DS sold more. Why, contrary to all the facts shown in 25 years, the most powerful console would sell more this time?

I am considering buying Okami for Wii (my last console previous to the Wii was the SNES, almost 15 years ago). I know some games get a lot of critical praise, but fail in the box. That is the bad thing about pragmatism: if you base your arguments in sales, you need to stick to it, even dismissing games that approach art. However, it is a good history lesson: if a game sells, it is good for the company, regardless of the console it is. I am pretty sure (speculation!) that they lost quite a lot of money on it, and need to recoup it somehow (similar to Capcom and RE4 for GameCube, they needed to port it to recover the invested money, and according to the latest Famitsu, the same Square Enix are doing with Final Fantasy XIII–having Microsoft pay for the port).

madpuppy, anecdotal evidence is only as useful as you want it to be. I got a Wii, and barely play Wii games. I spent much more time playing with the Nintendo DS or playing a MUD (yeah, I am that old fashioned!), or with the Virtual Console.

You may remeber the old Seal of Quality? Everyone wants it back, apparently :-) It is true, Wii is filled with shovelware. However, again we dismiss a simple point: the most popular console is the one that usually gets it. Remember the Nintendo 64? It got some of the best games ever created according to GameRankings (Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, Metroid Prime, etc), yet it failed to attract third parties. Now, Wii attracts third parties, but these intend on delivering low quality titles which are selling quite a lot (Carnival Games is over 1m, Hudson, Deca Sports at 700k, etc). Ubisoft mentioned that casual games helped them finance high budget titles, which must be true in every single company (all those Sims sales are banking Spore for sure!). But, I wonder how long you can do that before the bubble bursts. In the end, companies are in for profitability. Had Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition and Umbrella Chronicles not sold as much, Dead Rising would have stayed on Xbox 360. Who expected GTA to go to the Nintendo DS? Or Dragon Quest IX? Or Monster Hunter 3 to Wii? Fatal Frame 4? And there are talks for a Wii version of Street Fighter 4 in old retro fashion. Third developers adjust their development according to where something can give more money.

For the record, I bought Super Mario Galaxy, but am still struggling to continue after the second world. I find it pretty boring. I am casual because I don’t care whether the game is a USD 100m masterpiece or a USD 100k ware if it entertains me. And I am extremely hardcore because I love dungeon crawlers (Etrian Odyssey was the best game I have played in years, while others would say it is just too hard to be enjoyable).

John Landis makes a great point: had this been a PSN game, I would have not been as esceptical. Mega Man 9 is a fine example of a game exploiting the current trend of old school revival with a relatively low budget and the perfect media delivery. The right place at the right time.

Cenobia, I don’t object the idea. I just think this game won’t be as big as it could have been. Why? Because the console is still too expensive, for starters. Analysts have already said price is the biggest problem with Sony, and I echo their thoughts. If PlayStation 3 drops in price (a real drop, not adding value to existing SDKs to justify the current price), things will likely change. USD 400 for a console, with the current economy status in the main markets, is too step. Sony has stated several times they aim at profitability before quantity, so the best they can do is bundle the game with the new 80gb SDK. A child, a young, a player may know about Little Big Planet. But right now, Wii is the focus of attention. And when someone who is really casual has to decide between a USD 250 console with a novel system and a bundled game with a USD 400 console with blu-ray player and a game, which would he/she choose? If we consider the sales since both were released, there is no doubt.

Sony would not license this for any other console, although Microsoft licensed Age of Empire and Viva Pinata for Nintendo DS, because Sony considers Nintendo competition (had Microsoft done the same, they would have kept the Age franchise exclusive for Xbox and PC).

I may be understimating this game, true. It will one of those with “long legs”, which will continue to sell even three or four months later. But let’s remember something: it is a new IP. The definition for success for a Pokemon could be at least 10 million games in total. The definition of success for a new IP is usually hitting half a million (Assassin Creed was a terrible success, for example, which surprised even Ubisoft).

Patrick Steen, quite true! In order to reach the mass market, you need to win the early adopters first, according to Moore’s “Crossing the Chasm”, a marketing book. The question is, why is it taking so long to win them? Sony thought they were going to sell the first 5 million units due brand only, and had to drop the price twice during the first year to get it moving. If we agree that some of the early adopters chose Xbox 360 and the casual market in general is aiming at the Wii, we could draw a conclusion: the PlayStation 3 aimed at the hardcore gamers, but was not a good deal enough to convince them, opening a breach for Microsoft to take advantage. And the mass market that used to choose the PlayStation 2 as console may be going to the Wii instead (the old argument that only GameCube owners are upgrading to Wii should have already been cleared as Wii has sold more copies than the previous console). During the first year in the market, Xbox 360 sold around 7 million (having stuffed the channel to reach the 10.4 millin figure–remember the “first to 10 million wins”?). That means the early adopter were waiting for the alternative. PlayStation 3 came, but still the early adopters are unsure: we didn’t see the explosion that would allow Sony console to run over Microsoft console, nor we saw Microsoft console to solidify its lead. Why? Game exclusivity could be one reason. Price could be another.

R&C sold a million copies, yes. But it is hard to think about its hardcore/casual split. The game sports very good gameplay, which attracts hardcore gamers too. SingStar and Buzz are different, these aim directly at casual gamers, with hardcore being the less likely to buy them (just like you do not really expect a hardcore Nintendo gamer buying Nintendogs or Brain Age).

Maybe we understood it differently, but the main complain in the original article is that LBP will be, plainly, full of crap. Not that the game will lack quality, that it will sell little, that it will be boring. They only mention that the bad content will overrun the good content. I could assume they think you will be wade in a YouTube-like sea of bad items for hours until finding a single one worth keeping.

As a sidenote, GameDaily is an industrial site, just like Gamasutra, contrary to GameSpot or IGN which are consumer sites. I trust the news about the industry from industrial sites, but not their game reviews. That would be like reading movie reviews in the Wall Street Journal.

I would be careful with the claim that PS3 outsold the 360 in Europe. There are no hard numbers there, and Microsoft claims they still have a million unit lead there.

It is my impression (which may be wrong) (while checking forums like NeoGAF) that people expect the game to achieve a level of success that is out of reality, claiming 10 million sales, claiming it will be the Final Fantasy VII that turns everything upside. Maybe because the amount of fanatism there is much bigger than in other places, probably. For example, many there laughed off Sega claim that Mario & Sonic would sell over 4 million, and it has sold over 7 by now. Or going years back, that Nintendo DS and Nintendogs were going to fail. Those items target the casual player and therefore hardcore gamers didn’t understand (at least back then) how to measure their success. LBP is aiming at everyone at the same time, hardcore and casual, much like Gran Turismo. The hardcore we know will accept it, but will the casual? At that price, I doubt it.

A las comment before I post this (I noticed madpuppy added a new comment): you say the game requires thinking to effectively enjoy LBP. Do casual players have time to “think”? It is my belief that casual players want to plug the console in, put the disc, and play (just like they want a Flash game to load and begin playing immediately).

I think that Tim-_ was the only one who hit the nail on the head. GameDaily main complain was the fact that crappy levels will exist, not that the game will suck. Even Chad Lakkis included misleading statements like “According to GameDaily, any game with a level creator is the equivalent of PowerPoint.” And he does again the mistake of judging an industrial site by the consumer articles they publish. Again, nobody judges the articles about sports the Wall Street Journal may publish, do they?

Disclaimer: I don’t have an account there, because I am not willing to sell my soul to AOL just to comment on their articles. But just like I dismissed their 9/10 review for Super Mario Galaxy, I dismiss this article as an opinion from the author and not an editorial. I just wanted to leave my comment about why LBP will be very big, but not as big or as important as everyone thinks.
LMAO @GameDaily
on August 6, 2008 9:48 pm

LMAO at GameDaily for being PWNED HARD,f their game site,f their biased writers,f AOL,they will NEVER have my support again
Liquid
on August 7, 2008 12:19 am

Game daily guys are a bunch of xbox loving losers. They love causual games like mario kart or kill monsters and aliens FPS. They gave metal gear 4 an 8.0 with the shittiest write up.
Abaddon
on August 7, 2008 3:33 am

@Witchking & friendly closing the subject

Your console scenario is so true,you made good points there;just wanted to add one thing I don’t agree(don’t want to flame here…)

1-The emotion engine in ps2 was a RISC processor + 2 vectorial units,and therefore far more powerful that a PIII.64 vs 32 of memory wasn’t much of a big deal with such a dated micro.
Better textures,rushed architecture=original XboX.

2-Although all you points are true,I’ve got a subpoint for you,This generation is almost a stalemate of Processing power freeing of load a handicapped GFX card(ps3) VS. a more efficient memory pool trying to compensate some other engineering bottlenecks & limitations(360)

Therefore,I can’t guide by your historic logic,because this time around we can hardly point which 7th generation console is better…

Wii is out of the question,is a great product,but the target is too far from my demographic stratum,sorry lol.

But your points are still standing! just wanted to clarify! ; )
Mookies
on August 7, 2008 6:55 am

FailDaily got owned.
Marcelo
on August 7, 2008 11:28 am

I’m really trying to justify the hype over little big planet. They continue to STRESS the ability of end user content but that space hasn’t really been tested with any degree of success outside of the PC modding community. I’m not saying it’s a bad idea because I think the game in concept is awesome but for all the touting that MS and Sony gives us about how Hardcore their game systems are this is presented? 1st viva Piñata now this.. I hope the games gets the community support they expect, Console gamers are just a different breed. not bad or worse just different..

RSS feed for comments on this post.