Save Ferris

I cant believe it. For the 360 launch there were hardly any threads on the first two pages of this forum that didnt have to do with the console. The PS3 official thread is pretty quiet too.

Its going to be a very powerful console with lots to offer--How come no buzz?

speedy1961

From my limited perspective, the fact that the public is well aware of Sony's problems and way, way, way off their game is a major factor adversely affecting PS3 buzz.

Nuff

I know nobody (in person) who actually has any interest in a PS3. So from my perspective the lack of buzz is because of a complete lack of interest.

Brent L

This is easy:

1) Xbox 360

2) Nintendo Wii

I'm not saying that to sound like an ass either, I'm just being honest. When the 360 launched it was the start of the next-gen, so it shouldn't really be shocking that there was so much more talk about that system. With PS3 being released now not only is the 360 already on the market, but it is into it's second generation of games, and quite a few of them are simply awesome, with more on the way. Then we have the innovative Nintendo Wii about to hit which offers a new and interesting way to play video games, with the new Zelda game in stores on launch.

Josh H

1. It costs $500-600.

2. The launch lineup is lame. Resistance sounds like a good game. But its just an FPS and there are plenty of those on the 360...so people aren't chomping at the bit to drop half a grand on the PS3.

3. The 360 offers similar games, graphics, costs less and can be bought by walking into pretty much any store now.

4. The Wii with its new controller has people excited, the PS3 just looks to offer more of the same...at least with the launch lineup.

5. Given those , it's not worth the extreme hassle of trying to find one at our around launch...hence not much hype around here now.

Brent L

Josh, I don't doubt that your #s 1 and 2 play a part, but if the 360 and Wii wasn't around, I think that this forum, as well as everywhere else, would be going apeshit over the PS3.

Josh H

You're right. I'm probably just be putting my own bias into it, as those are the main reasons I have no interest in it.

And you're right that there would still be interest among hardcore types even with the $500-600 price tag, so I'm putting my casual gamer bias on it as well.

ChrisHicks

I think the lack of interest comes from everybody knowing that they're not going to get one anytime soon unless the have very deep pockets and an ebay/paypal account.

Frank_M

I think that it is mainly because the 360 scooped most of the "next gen" buzz with its much earlier release, and the gap between launches led a lot of former PS2 people (like me) to move on the 360 when it came out.

I've no doubt the PS3 will be a big seller, but I do think a lot of the hardcore gamers/early adopters jumped on the 360... and they're the kind of people that normally "buzz" about this stuff on message boards.

Michael Corvin

It seems to be six months worth of missteps and mistakes. It seemed there was plenty of hype prior to E3, but their conference was the first step down the long downward spiral, which coincidentally started with the price and loss of rumble(for a half assed Wii rip-off). Sure there has been plenty of time for people to come to grips with it, but that does not mean acceptance.

It just seems they can't go a single week w/o one of their top execs talking shit, or revealing a less than stellar feature, most recently- the $50 disposable sixaxis. Then the flagship title, Resistence passing on 1080p because the trade off for pretty graphics vs. performance was too great. Oh then there's the bogus "fact" sheet comparing themselves to the $700 360. Another moment. Also the loss of the poorly named "entitlements," and probably not making their 1 million target for years end and you have FIVE negative news items just in the past week, a month prior to launch.

So in essence they kill any hype momentum week after week on their own.

Add to all that, a [probably]lackluster online system* and only what, 4 exclusive titles? The rest are readily available on a $200 cheaper machine. Also one of those exclusives, Full Auto, is more or less Full Auto 1.5 and not a true sequel.

So all in all, there is no one reason for the lack of hype, there are four dozen little reasons that add up to this mess. They really need to spend some money on a PR firm and put a gag order on the execs.

Unfortunately none of this matters. They will sell ALL of their launch systems and it will be the talk of the news/holiday season. All of this will likely blow over by the time people can actually find one readily in stores.

*sure no one knows for sure what is up, but on paper their online plan is a disaster when you look at what Live has to offer.

Outlaw

Ask me again after a $400 price drop and when FFXIII comes out. I couldn't even tell you what its launching with. And yeah, I think the 360 also killed most of the PS3 buzz. The Wii is outside of that trap because its so different and unique compared to the other two, you can't help but look at it and get curious.

Hype has no effect on the launch sales though, there will be the $2000 auctions on ebay because it will be sold out.

DJ_Longfellow

I think the main buzz right now is how many will land on EBAY. It seems like most people want one to resell (me included). Also, the lack of launch systems seems to be a damper on the whole situation...what, like 400K units only?!?!

Save Ferris

But I remember people expecting the 360 to be hard to find when it launched. This forum was still churning hundreds of new posts a day about the console.

Michael Corvin

Exactly. The launch numbers and worries increased traffic instead of dampening it with the 360.

RichC2

Theres no unique, must have titles for the system yet.

Resistance looks like a nicely done game on a technical level, but has pretty lame character design (aliens in bondage, woot woot!) and hasn't set itself apart from the slew of other FPS games out on the market. That, and for me at least, I can't stand FPS games on the Dual Shock controller (most inept controller for such games, N64/Dreamcast/Xbox/X360/Gamecube all surpass it on that front.)

Otherwise, it just seems like a bleh launch. The graphics aren't mind blowing as of yet, the cost is huge, and again, the game selection just isn't there.

But once some good titles start coming out, I'm sure system praise will rise, quickly.

Oh, and the system is still damn ugly. I looked at those "arrival" pics that were posted on IGN (I think it was IGN), it still looks like a really shiney George Foreman grill. I mean, I know it's whats inside that counts, but it still looks like a futuristic design.. from the 80s.

Supermallet

I vote for Giant Monster Boss Crab.

UncleGramps

I think it's mainly the high price and the lack of high-profile, recognizable launch titles. Of course, there's also all of the negative buzz due to Sony's missteps, over-the-top ego, and asinine quotes over the last 6 months or so.

Josh H

It is possible that people got so frustrated with the constant search for a 360 around launch that they decided not to care about getting a PS3 and doing the same hassle again I suppose.

But I think its more the price, games, and the sony buzzkill that Michael outlined above that are the main reason behind the difference in hype.

shumway

Initially, I was looking forward to the PS3 in large part because of the built-in BD player. I was hanging my hopes on BD being the defacto HD standard for movies, and, when it launched with a clunk in comparison to HD-DVD, I started to have a couple of doubts. Then, SONY started insulting the masses and their fellow competitors at E3 and right before. This led to me becoming angry at their complete arrogance. My interest in the Wii started to shoot up right about then. Finally, the price. As soon as they mentioned the price I said to myself, "no way in hell." I mentioned the price to friends that were planning on buying one right after it was announced and none of them believed me. I know this will sell out initially, but, there will be many parents of videogame playing kids that just will not fork over that amount of money on a videogame system. At this point, even being an owner of a PS1 and PS2, I'm hard-pressed to even imagine myself buying a PS3.

Flay

The buzz will increase gradually over the next few weeks, but I agree with you. The hype is considerably less predominant than the launch of the 360. While many still blame the high price, I think the main hype detractor to a PS3 purchase is the launch titles; which aren’t impressive for a few reasons.

1. Since we have already been inundated with high definition gaming for a year now, graphical quality is vastly less impacting than it was pre November 2005. Certainly a few PS2-only owners will see the change, but the majority of the community has experienced it already; playing a kiosk or purchasing a 360.

2. Where are the system selling launch exclusives? Looking at those 21 launch games, only 5 of them require a PS3 (Ridge Racer 7, Mobile Suit: Gundam, Full Auto 2, Resistance to Man, & Genji). I can tell you right now if Full Auto 2 and RR7 are anything like their 360 predecessors, they won’t sell very well. The last Genji game got lukewarm to moderately good reviews on the PS2. PS2 Gundam games have been fairly awful. And that leaves Resistance to Man to be the exclusive wild card and possible a system seller. So as a majority, the best launch games are already found on the less expensive Xbox 360.

3. I’ve played most of the PS3 launch games at E3 including Resistance to Man, Mobile Suit: Gundam, Sonic, Virtua Tennis, etc. With the exception of Heavenly Sword, it all seemed very limited in comparison to the software advances made on the Xbox 360. Most games lacked personality and seemed like hollow sequel shells. There was very little software that made me crave a PS3 opposed to Nintendo and their excellent Wii lineup.

Regardless, it’s going to be an interesting couple of months. But Sony won’t be able to convince gamers to pony up an extra $100 to $200 for a PS3 until some exclusive system sellers make their presence known.

cleaver

I think there's no buzz because no one expects to find one. Forget the $600 price tag, ebay demand has made it so you'll have to camp out for at least 18 hours.

tpc

I can only speak for myself, but I went into this new generation thinking that I would own a PS3 and maybe a Wii... I even bought a PSP in anticipation of the PS3 because they were rumored to work together. I've been a staunch supporter of Sony since the PSX, and thoroughly enjoyed the PS2. My favorite games spanned the entire spectrum last generation, but the GTA and WWE: smackdown series were two of my absolute favorites and were only available on the Sony console. So I had my mind made up to get a PS3.

then, my PSP just sat there, while I played the technologically inferior DS much more...

At E3, GTA was announced as no longer exclusive. the PS3 was going to be ridiculously expensive. It's a bargain if you want to hop onto the Blu ray bandwagon, but I'm not that eager to hop on.

A little later, the Smackdown series was announced to be in development for the 360.

The Wii continued to impress.

So I took a long look at what was there, and what was coming, and I decided that the Wii provided me what I was truly craving: something different. And the 360 was a less expensive and more convenient alternative to play the more traditional games. Plus everyone kept raving about the quality of Xbox Live.

Add in that I kinda hated the Dual Shock. it's not horrendous, but it personally hurts my hands. I tried the 360 controller and it fit like a glove... I loved it...

and Slowly but surely, that PS3 I wanted just isn't the priority that it was. I bought a 360 a month ago, and have my sights set on a Wii on the 19th... and have no regrets about it.

I certainly don't wish Sony failure, and if they show me that they have something I want to play, then at some point, I'm sure i'll own their console too... Until then, I'm having more fun with games than I have in a long time, and am not concerned with the PS3.

I can't speak for everyone, as this is just my opinion, but I bet a lot of people's stories echo my own.

rennervision

Ironically, I think Sony's greed for wanting to start a new format war with HD-DVD is what allowed the Xbox 360 to launch so far ahead and steal all of the buzz.

fumanstan

PS3 has had far more negative news and talk behind it then the 360 at it's launch. The biggest issues when the 360 came out were what... that the Core system was dumb and backwards compatibility questions?

There's such a long list of complaints and concerns about the PS3 that its too damn hard for people to stay excited about it, no matter how many Final Fantasy and Metal Gear Solid fans there are.

her34

sony is playing the same card they did against dreamcast with ps2

problem is times change, the circumstances are different