Sony's Twenty PlayStation 3 Exclusives

By Neal "NeoMahi" Evans

“We’re not in cruise control mode, we’re still in growth mode." - Jack Tretton

Over the last while I've been looking over Sony's current 2011 line-up comparing it with Microsoft's 2011. Microsoft, at the moment, has about half that. What threatens Microsofts console even more is that Sony has chosen to play Microsofts game and are buying up exclusive content for the multi-platform games. This seems to pump Sony's ego stamping 'Only On PlayStation' on whatever retail box they can for whatever reason even, if its just because the game has PlayStation Move support, which still leaves us scratching our head over. It makes sense that they can stamp Exclusive Content on the box i.e, Mortal Kombat and Kratos but, PlayStation Move support doesn't quite impress us and perhaps Sony may be taking it a little too far. Still however, Sony has been picking up exclusive content for those multi-platform games using the great relationships Sony has had with developers in the past with developers finding success off of the PlayStation brands good name, and the return of the PlayStation brand finding success over develoepers successful tittles. Unfortunately for Sony in that reguard, some develoers have chosen to wipe their butt with those relationships. Capcom and Square-Enix have chosen to side with Microsoft this generation but, business is business, right? Still, those who still remember those good old days still supply some ammo to Sony's black box. Electronic Arts had supplied Dead Space 2 with exclusive content for its PS3 version as well as Medal of Honor, and Rockstar games have opted to give Sony the exlusive content from GTA on Xbox 360 as well as L.A Noire. Mafia II was also given additional content. This can pose a threat to Microsoft as it was their big staple as well as developers still "trying to figure out the PlayStation 3's hardware."

Going back to the exclusives of Microsoft, whereas it was once three has gone up to about half of what Sony has planned for 2011. For Microsoft, its: Gears of War 3 (Microsoft's biggest release), Star Wars Kinect, XCOM, Forza 4, Kingdoms (Crytek's God of War), Project Draco (Panzer Dragoon), Codename D (Suda 51 Survival Horror), Steel Batallion, Rise of Nightmare, and Haunt. It is however, very likely we won't see some of these in 2011.

From Sony's PlayStation 3 side, the PlayStation 3 seemed to really take off in 2009. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots hit store shelves that summer and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves hit store shelves as well as the new PlayStation 3 Slim and a price drop. PlayStation Uncharted 2: Among Thieves made so many a believer and from there, along with expanded Blu-ray possibilities, Netflix without a yearly fee and Microsoft rasing the fee for Xbox LIVE! had caused many to drift their way over to Sony's platform. God of War III was released, Sucker Punch released their first on Sony's platform and sales shocked through the roof. Third-party developers really started watching the rise of sales and saw interest in putting the funds out to develop more for the PlayStation 3. Bungie left Microsoft in pursuit of developing multi-platform as did Bio-Ware who later released Mass Effect 2, a once Xbox 360 Exclusive on the PlayStation 3. For the legitimate reasons, 'Only On PlayStation' began appearing on packaging, which had never been done before for Sony whereas for Sega, Nintendo and Microsoft, it had always been. At the same time Sony branded their packaing, Microsoft began no longer using it as holding exclusives for Microsoft was coming to a close.

Sony Computer Entertainment America President and CEO was asked about the current state of the PlayStation 3 and its current line-up of software and Tretton replied:

“We’re really just hitting our stride, that we’re able to get technology in the box or take advantage of the technology that was there, and really show some fruits of those labours. Things like Move, things like 3D, things like the great games that are currently available. So I really feel like we’re just hitting our stride, and that massive investment we made rolling that rock up the hill with the big financial investment of PlayStation 3, and that technological innovation, is something we’re going to reap dividends on for many, many years.”

What can bring concern, is the latest reviews of some of those Sony exclusives. Though, overall, Killzone 3, MLB 11: The Show and LittleBIGPlanet 2 have done well, other exclusives such as PlayStation Move Heroes, Yakuza 4 and Socom 4 haven't done as well lacking in polish and quality. For some, it felt like a regurgitated experience with nothing new or innovative. Granted, that's only a small piece of a larger pie but, at the moment Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One from those whom have had on-hands experience with the game seem to have their doubts at the moment which is practically a given that the overall reviews in the end aren't going to look pretty. Sorcery, is an extremely anticipated title for the PlayStation 3 right now and could move even more PlayStation Move units but as with Ratchet and Clank, hands-on experiences have stated its still pretty uneven. However, these reports were four to six months ago and Sorcery still has about that many months left of development. Ratchet & Clank doesn't exactly and these reports have been recently. What's shocking is that all previous R&C games have done EXTREMELY well and I loved playing through them on the PS3.

What I'm trying to get at here is that we know what Sony's biggest games are this year. Killzone 3, The Last Guardian, LittleBIGPlanet 2, Resistance 3, InFamous 2, Twisted Metal and Uncharted 3. Games like Socom 4, PlayStation Move Heroes, Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One, Motorstorm, No More Heroes and Yakuza all seem to be there to just fill the time and give Sony some bragging rights. Of course No More Heroes and Yakuza are of their repsective third-party developers as well as Insomniacs recent independance from Sony allowing them to make their own business decisions anymore, it just seems that some games this year just fill time until the big guns are drawn. Obviously Microsoft works the same way filling time with Kinect games until Gears of War and Forza 4, but this is definitely Sony's year to shine and turn the tides if they see fit. They need to play their cards right. If the game isn't finished, don't release it. Delay it and polish it. Spit shine it until it gleams. You'll have more success off a finished product that's going to get great reviews because lets face it, more times than not, games will sell more off great reviews and then your console isn't known for shovelware. (Nintendo) Sony has promise with Sorcery they may not have ever expected to have had. Perhaps Sorcery was a time filler, until they saw how great an impact it could make, and Sony delayed it from Spring to Summer to polish it. That's what they need to do. Sure, keep your bigger titles in close view but don't let what could potentially be great slip through your fingers because they're just to fill time. How do you know if they could have been great and big sellers but with lack of attention, they flop again, labeling your console a shovelware machine.

If Sony can play its cards right, it can take 2011. Its only about 2 million units behind the Xbox 360 and Sony has owned the month of March and well into April. Its gaining momentum. But, if they get careless this year, they'll always remain number three. E3 is also a big chance for them as gamings biggest expo. They need to keep offering exclusive content and services. The Portal 2 break was great for them. "With Steam Cloud and automatic updates, Portal 2 on PlayStation 3 will be the best console version." - Gabe Newell (Valve) Not to mention that Portal 2 for the PlayStation 3 is cross compatible with PC and Mac Versions and will come with a code to download the PC version from Steam. Its content and services like this on a free gaming network that can really help Sony.