Sony Calls DS 'Gimmick'

By jerry
in Gamers' Hangout

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Grand Master

jerry

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Posted
Nintendo and Sony have been taking pot shots at one another ever since the latter decided to enter into the handheld market with PSP. VP of studios Phil Harrison's latest controversial comments to MCVUK are simply the latest.

Statements from both sides have repeatedly said they do not see each other as competition. Of course, we all know that's a lie, but maybe not for the reasons Harrison does. "The idea of a handheld rivalry with Nintendo is an irrelevance," he says. "Those formats don't appear in our planning. It's not a fair comparison; not fair on them, I should stress. That sounds arrogant, maybe, but it's the truth."

The truth, huh? Maybe fanboys wouldn't be freaking out over comments like this as much if Sony was backing up their bold claims with a line of great games.

Whether or not you fully agree, Nintendo DS can come off as gimmicky, but Sony's commentary is fairly strange. "With the DS, it's fair to say that Nintendo stepped out of the technical race and went for a feature differentiation with the touch screen," Harrison says. "But I fear that it won't have a lasting impact beyond that of a gimmick - so the long-lasting appeal of the platform is at peril as a direct result of that."

That's not even the worst of them, though. When it comes to discussing target audiences, it becomes painfully obvious why Harrison doesn't believe Nintendo is competition. "Nintendo knows its target audience, because it has really narrowed that down; and it's pretty much defined by a boy or girl's ability to admire Pokemon," he says.

Ouch.

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https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/364410-sony-calls-ds-gimmick/
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Grand Master

Xtreme $niper

Posted
Posted

Sony is a bunch of idiots. Seriously I have long lost all respect for them as a company. Gimmick? So what the hell is the PSP then? It's just a portable PS2 with just about the same games, but almost double (or triple) the price of a PS2. Why the hell would I want both a PS2 and a PSP and then have to buy a copy of the same game for each? Speaking of gimmicks, eh Sony?

At least what Nintendo is doing is called innovation. What Sony is doing is sucking every last penny out of any parent with a kid that wont shut up about the latest Sony this or that.

Mentor

1759

Posted
Posted
Sony is a bunch of idiots. Seriously I have long lost all respect for them as a company. Gimmick? So what the hell is the PSP then? It's just a portable PS2 with just about the same games, but almost double (or triple) the price of a PS2. Why the hell would I want both a PS2 and a PSP and then have to buy a copy of the same game for each? Speaking of gimmicks, eh Sony?

At least what Nintendo is doing is called innovation. What Sony is doing is sucking every last penny out of any parent with a kid that wont shut up about the latest Sony this or that.

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Well to be fair, the DS is basically a portable N64, Nintendo really isn't pushing any boundries other than adding a touch screen and a mic, both of which have been on PDA's for years, it's jut that those have never been pushed as gaming machines. And if you look at the games, both systems tap into their repective libraries, unless you think every version of Mario Kart is evolutionary. To me, both systems have crappy selections of games; if it wasn't for W/O Pure, I never even would considered a PSP. Sony does lose points for how shoddily developers are porting some games to the PSP, not taking into consider things like loading times.

It kills me though, that the Harrison is claiming that the DS is gimmicky, even though the PSP has more movies than games at this point, and I haven't bought a PSP game since April. I agree with him on the last point, but I'm more into racing/sports/rpg's than I am into what Nintendo puts out anymore, even if it is quality, it's just doesn't do anything for me.

Apprentice

MacGod

Posted
Posted

I had a PSP - bought into the hype - it truly is a great portable game unit, but I found that the lack of games for it (unit has been out for 4 months and there are only like 12-14 games for it) and the extremely high price to purchase those games (paide 50.00 for Baseball MVP game) were detractors.

I have a Gameboy Advance SP - bought it the first day it came out - what a cool game system that is and still tends to be. So I recently picked up the DS and you know what - I use it a lot more because it takes the place of my aging SP - takes all my old games plus the newer DS based games.

I will admit that the graphics engine in the PSP by far smokes the DS model - but the functionality of the DS and the legendary name and reputation of the NINTENDO name make it a no-brainer.

When the Revolution comes out... it is mine... Oll you will need is a Nintendo DS and a Nintendo Revolution and all prior games for the Gameboy Advance Series and the Gamecube series are open to me.

Peace,

Bill

PS- I just sold my PSP and games to purchase my DS - also much cheaper in the T.C.O.

Grand Master

Xtreme $niper

Posted
Posted
Well to be fair, the DS is basically a portable N64, Nintendo really isn't pushing any boundries other than adding a touch screen and a mic, both of which have been on PDA's for years, it's jut that those have never been pushed as gaming machines. And if you look at the games, both systems tap into their repective libraries, unless you think every version of Mario Kart is evolutionary. To me, both systems have crappy selections of games; if it wasn't for W/O Pure, I never even would considered a PSP. Sony does lose points for how shoddily developers are porting some games to the PSP, not taking into consider things like loading times.

It kills me though, that the Harrison is claiming that the DS is gimmicky, even though the PSP has more movies than games at this point, and I haven't bought a PSP game since April. I agree with him on the last point, but I'm more into racing/sports/rpg's than I am into what Nintendo puts out anymore, even if it is quality, it's just doesn't do anything for me.

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True there are N64 remakes on the DS, but there are far more original titles on the DS than there are original titles on the PSP. Especially since you have to play the game differently on the DS than you could on the N64. I mean look at Wario Ware Touched and Nintendogs. Those are games we never saw on N64. (Granted wario was on gameboy but not in the same way).

Grand Master

Ironman273

Posted
Posted

I know so many people that bought a PSP for the hype and are so completely bored with it now. Some have sold it, some have it sitting gathering dust. I have ne experience with the DS, though.

As to the comment about the DS being an N64 and not pushing boundaries, the fact that they are incorporating touch and voice into a portable system is groundbreaking enough. Yes, writing is natural, and it should come natural on a PDA, but to make that jump to a game system takes balls and brilliance. The PSP just ports over the same games that have been around for ages.

Experienced

Dale

Posted
Posted

i think the touchscreen gimmick thing could have been argued early 2005/late 2004.

but now most exclusive games for the DS only use stylus and voice.

Nintendogs for example. Up Down Left Right A B X Y L R buttons do not work in nintendogs. you mainly play it with the stylus and your voice.

warioware touched/polarium are also two good examples that dont use any buttons.

If this will be anything like the revolution, I'll be interested. This is how nintendo can say that they will eventually change the controller. Because its true, the controller for the Nintendo DS has changed within the last year. :yes: The newest biggest games only rely on a stylus and your voice.

Grand Master

Danrarbc

Posted
Posted

What's the matter Sony? Feeling a little threatened?

I would too. The game that launched the DS back into strong competition in Japan has just come out in the US, and the same week another quality title hit in Advance Wars.I'd be shaking in my boots.

Mentor

Gfunk4life

Posted
Posted (edited)

gimmick, lol

it is a gimmick, the touchscreen, but it fits some games, Nintendo wanted something diff from other handhelds made, so they put a touchscreen on it. but look sony they put a handheld with a screen and buttons like every other handheld, but it plays MP3/music but if you have a ipod, CD player or walkman their is your music, movies can be played on so you buy a movie they you say to your self it is kinda small on a handheld so i should play the movie on my TV(bigger screen) but you will have to buy the same movie 2 times(i wont will you), and the price if alot for a handheld.

Edited by rap4life
Mentor

Kupo-Cheer

Posted
Posted
both the psp and the ds dont have enough games :(

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I hear that... neither Sony nor Nintendo really gave their systems many "killer apps", but I have to say that the DS has recently attempted to solve that issue with things like Advance Wars DS and such.

Grand Master

kylejn

Posted
Posted

Ah, Sony, I love you!

It's so fun seeing all you DS fanboys get all riled up because someone's saying something you don't like.

I agree 110% with Sony. The touch screen on the DS is a gimmick and nothing more. Nintendo needs to start making some good games, because, c'mon, Nintendogs? WTF is Nintendogs?

That said, I certainly understand why some people are anti-PSP. Sure, it may be nothing more than a glorified, portable PS2, but is that really such a bad thing? The way I see it, not in the slightest.

Mentor

ThunderRiver

Posted
Posted

Sony does not make great products.. they just make expensive products with warranty that is good for nothing.

Anyway, Sony can call DS whtever it wants, but it does not make me want to buy a PSP. I never cared about DS in the first place anyway, so Sony trash talk does nothing to me.

Grand Master

Doli

Posted
Posted
I hear that... neither Sony nor Nintendo really gave their systems many "killer apps", but I have to say that the DS has recently attempted to solve that issue with things like Advance Wars DS and such.

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I saw the commercial for that game and there should never be a split screen on the DS. 2 Screens and they use a split screen on the bottom screen :laugh:

I dont have a DS but i really like the style of Kirby Canvas curse, very creative with the DS pen

Mentor

Kupo-Cheer

Posted
Posted

Oh, I'll totally agree that the DS touch screen was always a gimmick, and I absolutely hate when games have stupid little minigames centered around stopping everything you're doing just to use the touch screen for two seconds. I haven't found many games in fact that actually use it effectively, and it ends up being more obtrusive than helpful. It was a cool experiment for Nintendo to try out, but I hope they don't expect the touch screen controls to be standardized for their future consoles.

But that said there are also some times when it comes in very handy. First person shooter controls? Much better than an analog stick in my opinion. Play Metroid Prime: hunters to see what I mean. It still doesn't replace the keyboard and mouse setup though. I imagine its great for use in Advance Wars DS too.

I think the best thing is to have one big screen rather than two separate ones. Splitting the action up over two screens separated by a rather big plastic bar is very obtrusive to gameplay.

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