sqaure CEO: 360 and ps3 not worth it

[Danny]

Square Enix CEO: 360, PS3 too complex
Talking up the DS and Wii, Yoichi Wada believes that the two next-gen consoles are 'over-engineered' and 'mismatched' to gamers' needs.
By Emma Boyes, GameSpot UK
Posted Jun 12, 2007 4:35 pm GMT
Square Enix dropped the bombshell in December that the latest in its Dragon Quest role-playing game series, Dragon Quest IX: Guard of the Starry Night (working title), would be coming exclusively to the DS. As the last installments of the game--which is very, very big in Japan--were on Sony's PlayStation 2 and original PlayStation, the news was a head-scratcher for many.

Square Enix's president and CEO, Yoichi Wada, has now explained the decision, which he says was made so that the "widest array of people" could play the latest installment in the RPG series, reports the Financial Times. He believes bringing the series to the DS means the game could find fans outside of its current audience.

Wada appears not to be a fan of complex next-gen consoles like the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, which he calls "over-engineered." He told the newspaper, "There are too many specs--and you also need a high-definition TV, a broadband connection, and a deep knowledge of gaming--these consoles are mismatched to today's environment. In a year or two years, they will fare better."



you would not believe that once again the comments box below said article has once again degenerated into fanboy bitching about how "one console is gayer than the pwning one i own" and so on and so on, anyone else sick to ther eback teeth of fanboys?
...aaaanyway, its cool that there spending time on churning out games on a platform like the ds you can have wireless online games, and they'll take a damn site less time wise to actually make.

The Square Enix executive believes that the ground has shifted in the gaming industry. "[Whereas] in the old days,we could just focus on the PlayStation or the Game Boy," he said, "the environment has changed completely." A new breed of gamer has also emerged on the back of the release of Nintendo's marketing push to embrace nontraditional gamers--including women and older people--and this means, Wada says, "we have to make games for all kinds of people."

[darth los]

Square Enix CEO: 360, PS3 too complex
Talking up the DS and Wii, Yoichi Wada believes that the two next-gen consoles are 'over-engineered' and 'mismatched' to gamers' needs.


Square Enix's president and CEO, Yoichi Wada, has now explained the decision, which he says was made so that the "widest array of people" could play the latest installment in the RPG series, reports the Financial Times. He believes bringing the series to the DS means the game could find fans outside of its current audience.

Wada appears not to be a fan of complex next-gen consoles like the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, which he calls "over-engineered." He told the newspaper, "There are too many specs--and you also need a high-definition TV, a broadband connection, and a deep knowledge of gaming--these consoles are mismatched to today's environment. In a year or two years, they will fare better."

The Square Enix executive believes that the ground has shifted in the gaming industry. "[Whereas] in the old days,we could just focus on the PlayStation or the Game Boy," he said, "the environment has changed completely." A new breed of gamer has also emerged on the back of the release of Nintendo's marketing push to embrace nontraditional gamers--including women and older people--and this means, Wada says, "we have to make games for all kinds of people."


I agree with the fact that games are becoming increasingly difficult and expensive to make. This is making it less and less likely that third party developers will grant any exclusivity to a particular console. They indeed NEED to offer it to as many people as possible and that means cross platform. The fanboys of their respective consoles are just going to have to man up and handle it.

I do find it odd that nintendo would knock systems for being too advanced being that they were not advanced enough (lack of online gaming, mature themed titles) last gen. However, I do agree that it will be a couple of years before most people are able to afford hd tvs and other things that will help them get the most out of their consoles. I believe that most people who own a 360 or ps3 don't have hd tvs. But what happens when most people are fully upgraded, what will nintendo say then?

With respect to them developing games for old people, women etc. that's great and all, but just because you got someone interested in gaming doesn't mean they'll want to do it all the time. They coined the phrase themselves "casual gamers", which by its very definition means people who don't game that often. I realize that they had to come up with a new stategy inorder to stay competitive with Ms and Sony's gaming divisions, but they can't escape they fact that the bulk of consumer gamers are in the male 16-35 year old demographic. They must be catered to also, something nintendo has failed to do since 2001 with the introduction of the gamecube. I give them a pass before that because in the mid to late 90's there weren't that many mature theme games out there. It was a niche market. But all that has changed with the last gen and the current one.

[Terran]

I do find it odd that nintendo would knock systems for being too advanced being that they were not advanced enough (lack of online gaming, mature themed titles) last gen. But what happens when most people are fully upgraded, what will nintendo say then?


It wasnt Nintendo saying this stuff it was Square Enix's CEO

[darth los]

Oops!!:o I really should fact check better. Anyway, it does sound like the company line Nintendo has been putting out there. "it's not about the graphics but the gameplay.

[MinionZombie]

Well, gameplay is indeed a major factor to making a fun game, they don't need to look flashy, just as long as they're a hell of a lot of fun to play.

Like SWAT4, that came out and was a bit behind the times graphics wise, just a bit, but it was so PLAYABLE and enjoyable, so it was awesome. Same with Outlaws way back when, the graphics were inferior to what was out at the time, but it was so much fun to play and was putting something out there that hadn't been touched properly before.

Mind you, you can also have excellent graphics and have a lot of fun. I've been binging on Dead Rising/PGR3 and Saints Row for 3 weeks now, and they all look brill. :cool:

Saying they're "not worth it" is rather daft, because according so sales figures (at least with the SexBox anyway) that it clearly is worth it to the punters, but so is fun - hence why the Wii is in second place...so price is also a key factor. :)

Bit of a silly statement all round from that CEO chap, I feel.

[Danny]

sales wise the wii may be 2nd place but tahts cus the number one spot is the nintendo ds, nintey cleaned up with that little dual screened sum-bitch.:cool:

[MinionZombie]

And of course the thing with the DS is it's suitable for a wide market range, of both sexes, whereas the SexBox and such are generally a more male target audience, and particularly with the PS3 and the SexBox369 the target is generally an older gaming audience more interested in racing stuff or blowing said stuff up. :)

And of course, the DS is portable, so it's ideal to distract kids on the road ... or bored adults on the road. Also, the variety of different games (like that lawyer game for instance) is quite interesting and would attract an audience not necessarily into gaming, as well as attract all the way up to hardcore gamers seeking something as a breather from the racing and action and fighting.

[darth los]

so price is also a key factor. :)

.


It's probably the main reason why they're doing so well. Sony just fails to realize that the bulk of the people who play these things hardcore don't have alot of money. It's alot of parents buying them for their kids. If you were a parent (who probably don't know the difference between the consoles, but do know the difference between $600 and $250) which you you buy your kid?

[MinionZombie]

That's a good point, there's more likely to be more parents who know squat about gaming right now (although this looks certain to change as gamers get older and older and end up having kids, the average age is about 28 now or something, for gamers after all). So aye, 'rents will know the difference between monies...:sneaky:

Then also, if you've got twenty-somethings buying consoles for themselves (i.e. like I did last month), then cost is still a factor, especially in the UK where the cost of living is very high and people in their 20s definitely don't earn enough to live comfortably on, every purchase is something to think about, so cost is a very big issue...unless you're loaded, or are the sort of numpty to be taking out fat loans for everything, not caring cos the gubment will bail you out in the end anyway... :rolleyes:

[darth los]

Then also, if you've got twenty-somethings buying consoles for themselves (i.e. like I did last month), then cost is still a factor, especially in the UK where the cost of living is very high and people in their 20s definitely don't earn enough to live comfortably on, every purchase is something to think about, so cost is a very big issue...unless you're loaded, or are the sort of numpty to be taking out fat loans for everything, not caring cos the gubment will bail you out in the end anyway... :rolleyes:

Touche', good counterpoint. It's definitely a big difference between your parents buying you something and you spending the money that you busted your hump for. Makes you appreciate the value of a dollar let me tell you. Like i said, the best and smartest thing that sony could do is a price cut. There's really nothing that appealing about their console. They just figured the namebrand would carry them through. They were wrong.

[Danny]

the bit my mom would get is "so if i pay for those (wii and 360) im getting 2 for the price of one?", shed be sold there quite frankly:lol:

[darth los]

I think that's actually more common than we might think. What the hell was sony thinking charging that much for the ps3 when you could get the wii and 360 for basically the same price? Ah, the never ending battle to pull one over on our parents. I used to think the same way until i became one. :lol:

[MinionZombie]

Ooooh good point there Hellsing, that is true actually, parents are notoriously distracted by the holy grail of "two for one". :) (nope, no sar-car-zum here)

That makes the Wii and 360 look more attractive to parents indeed, they're individually cheaper than the Sony, but together they're still cheaper, so if they get both their kids will love them, they'll be forever distracted so the folks can rest easy about having "that conversation" with their kids about winkys and woo-hoos, and it makes them look more successful than their neighbours who are still gaming in "current gen". :rolleyes:

Parents, eh? :p

[darth los]

Ooooh good point there Hellsing, that is true actually, parents are notoriously distracted by the holy grail of "two for one". :) (nope, no sar-car-zum here)

That makes the Wii and 360 look more attractive to parents indeed, they're individually cheaper than the Sony, but together they're still cheaper, so if they get both their kids will love them, they'll be forever distracted so the folks can rest easy about having "that conversation" with their kids about winkys and woo-hoos, and it makes them look more successful than their neighbours who are still gaming in "current gen". :rolleyes:

Parents, eh? :p


* Furiously taking notes *:sneaky:

I am a parent now you know.

[MinionZombie]

I am a parent now you know.

Oooh-hoo, parents eh? :p

I'd imagine you're one of the ones who know about games though, so you're the future. :D

[darth los]

yep that's me. i think it's cool when parents can really get into something with their kids and genuinely enjoy it.

[MinionZombie]

yep that's me. i think it's cool when parents can really get into something with their kids and genuinely enjoy it.
There needs to be more of that I think, rather than just dumping kids in front of a console to keep them quiet, it's nice if they can get involved. There was an article online somewhere actually, written by a parent who actively played videogames with their kid, so they knew which games their kid was playing and they spent a lot of time with their kid as a result...which is a really grown up and forward looking/thinking way of approaching 21st century gaming. :)

[Terran]

Yeah ...and thers nothing better than kicking a kids ass in a competitive video game contest.....


And I suppose theres always the CO-OP games as well....

[darth los]

There needs to be more of that I think, rather than just dumping kids in front of a console to keep them quiet, it's nice if they can get involved. There was an article online somewhere actually, written by a parent who actively played videogames with their kid, so they knew which games their kid was playing and they spent a lot of time with their kid as a result...which is a really grown up and forward looking/thinking way of approaching 21st century gaming. :)



Unfortunately that what's contributing to the degeneratization of our youth. Dumping them in front of the tv and letting the media be their babysitters. They're exposed to way more things than they should be before their time.

[MinionZombie]

It's not necessarily the exposure, it's the lack of supervision, and/or the lack of backing up what they see with discussion and explanation.

*chuckles* I remember when I was about 9 and watching The Fly 2 and after the bit where the guy gets crushed by the elevator (that got rewound several times, and frame-by-framed out of technical interest in the special effects/editing of it), but anyway, yeah, my Dad put things in perspective saying like 'if that person was real then someone would have to tell his wife and kids he was dead and wasn't coming home' ... I'd already figured that, but I wasn't viewing the character as a real person either, but still, it was a good bit of involvement.

Ah mate, that just reminded me of the cringe-worthy explanation of the f-word after I accidentally let it slip one night...ah mate, hehe...but still, I appreciate the involvement and such, which is best in the long run.

But a lot of kids don't have parents that interested or involved ... or even intelligent, some parents can be complete morons, any idiot can get up the duff and have an equally dimwitted kid...and there's usually more of them...waaaaahhhh!!! :stunned::eek: "Idiocracy" is coming true!!! :eek:

[darth los]

Good point. But there is an argument to be made that whilemedia might not nescesarily cause violence it definitely desensitizes people to it through repeated exposure the same as anything else. Murder is suppossed to be a big deal. But hearing it on the news everyday and seeing it constantly in films and games reduces it's impact.

[MinionZombie]

Desensitisation and influence are completely different things though, and of course, desensitisation to media violence is just that - desensitisation to media violence.

Stepping into the real world version is a completely different thing entirely, so there's nothing to worry about in the transition from one to the other.

The sort of people who might be inspired, or drawn to such entertainment who end up going on to a rampage, are the sort of people who were already mal-adjusted anyway ... as well as actually being capable of committing serious violence, which the vast majority of people simply aren't.

But of course, what I always like to say, you can become desensitised to anything, even a joke, it just becomes less funny...but you still understand what it is.

Nutters, on the other hand, have no idea what's going on - fantasy and reality merge, they do not know right and wrong, good or evil.

For the very basic and simple fact that there isn't millions of videogamers/film fans out there beating each other senseless just goes to show that games/movies/music are doing no proper harm.

[Danny]

it aint just tv man, people i know one of which is a certified genius all say "i dont read books" one hasnt read a book since he was 11?!?, now english was my forte at school, contrary to my abismal typing (i use all 8 fingures gimme a break:lol: ) and i think im reading at once about 6 books right now so as you can imagine i love reading almost as much as i lvoe the cinema, and the idea of not reading a book for 8 years is horrifying when you think that these are the types of people who will be running companys and stuff in the future, hell there are people like taht running companys now.

[darth los]

People have become so dependent on technology and it's sad. Think about it. How many phone numbers can you actually remember? I don't know my own sister's number from memory because i store it in my phone and it does the work for me. Our brains are turning to mush.

[MinionZombie]

Indeed, there is a dependance on technology, and as for the book thing, I'm ashamed to say for a very long time I was one of those "I don't read" type people, but of course the irony was I'd read a magazine, and would read text books for school of course.

However, at uni I bought "Fight Club" (the book, already had the DVD of the film) and absolutely loved it. I've since read all the Palahniuk books that followed and am currently in the middle of reading his latest called "Rant". I've also been through several other books, but there's not many authors I actually like or bother with, it's pretty much only Chuck Palahniuk with the odd thing on the side (e.g. Jarhead, Jeremy Clarkson, Clockwork Orange, Last Exit To Brooklyn, Silent Bob Speaks, Autumn etc).

Let's say, my reading for pleasure has gone up a lot since finding Chuck Palahniuk. I'd read for pleasure when not having to read for study purposes, so I'd flip between one or the other, so now it's all reading for pleasure (and Total Film every month. :))

[darth los]

I think that's the key, finding somehting to read that actually interests you. There's nothing worse than reading a boring, long book. :(

[Terran]

Chuck Palahniuk rules.....!

But the only Palahniuk books Ive read are Invisible Monsters, Lullulaby, Choke(my favorite), Fight Club, and Survivor .... I think thats all Ive read


The two most recent books Ive read are Ray Kurzweil's The Singularity is Near....and Richard Dawkin's The God Delusion

[MinionZombie]

Exactly - find something interesting, and that was what I needed. If I'm interested in the book (e.g. If Chins Could Kill) then I'll really get into it and get reading...otherwise, it still might be a good book, but if I'm not really feeling it, or I have too many 'days off' from reading it, I lose the momentum - which is another problem, retaining the momentum to read a bit every day...that's why the toilet is ideal for reading, two birds ... one stone (well, hopefully a few, don't wanna get bunged up...ewww, ha!) :lol:

[darth los]

the thought of toilet and stones seems rather unpleasant. :lol:

[MinionZombie]

Fugitives & Refugees is a pretty nifty 'chuck tells all' sort of guide to his hometown, Non-Fiction is also really interesting (a series of articles he'd written for magazines and such, the one about people who build their own castles is really interesting).

Then there's "Haunted", which is a really cool book, basically a group of people all hide (trap) themselves away deliberately to gain fame and fortune for when they come out, and it's all about them and their starvation in this hidden away old building and so on, I've gone a bit foggy on the details of it, but it's a really good read for a Palahniuk fan. It can get a bit gross perhaps, but the bit with the tattoo is just hilariously grim (you'll understand when you read it).

His latest (the one I'm currrently reading) is called "Rant" (came out last month), it's an aural biography type deal with loads of different people all telling their versions/opinions/stories to do with the title character Rant, who may or may not have been a serial killer (with a difference - he enjoys getting rabies and spreading it, and many other things). There's some really twisted ideas at work in Rant, it takes a bit of getting into as it's a slightly new twist on his normal style, but it's good stuff.

I say you should definitely catch up on the remaining Palahniuk's you haven't read - go get them and read them now! :)

[Danny]

never read one of his but ive heard good things im more of a stephen king dean kootz and david moody type of guy.

then of course theres comic books, and total film of course;)

[darth los]

For the very basic and simple fact that there isn't millions of videogamers/film fans out there beating each other senseless just goes to show that games/movies/music are doing no proper harm.

Of course that's the case. However we all know that it's usually the dumb few who ruin it for everyone else and give the wrong impression to people outside their "group" as to what their "kind" is like.

[MinionZombie]

Ooh Terran, I forgot to mention - the one before "Haunted" is called "Diary", that's also pretty good, one of the elements to the story is how builders/decorators leave all sorts of messages on walls behind the plasterboard or wall paper.

I can't really remember what it's fully about off the top of my head, I don't really have a consistent memory, hehe.

But check them out:

Fugitives & Refugees
Non-Fiction
Diary
Haunted
Rant

Get yourself ripping through those Terran, complete your collection. :cool: