IGN: Skyrim. What's Their Point at PlayStation's Expense? (Gaming)

Its not really of us to attack someone else for a stated opinion though, sometimes they need to be called out. The question is really, whom has the guts to do so? So, I guess we're going to be the ones to step in and say something about it.

"So... My friends, who are reporters, tell me that there's absolutely nothing in the word that makes their editors day like controversy and bad news. So, to all our esteemed members of the Press I say: "You're Welcome." -- Jack Tretton (CEO/ Sony Computer Entertainment America)

He goes on:

"To our third-party publishing partners, you guys have been with us for over fifteen years making tremendous games and I know the network outage was costly to you., and what's been incredibly inspiring is your support and your offers to get things back up to speed and we would be where we are today so I thank you very much. To our retail partners, you gave us shelf space when there was no PlayStation brand and you've given us more than our fair share since 1995 when we launched the original PlayStation.... Which brings me to the audience that I'm most interested in addressing and those are our consumers.

You are the lifeblood of the company. WITHOUT YOU, there is no PlayStation. And I want to apologize both personally and on behalf of the company for any anxiety that we may have caused you. I know we took we you away from what you enjoy most, connecting and gaming, with friends all over the world and enjoying the many options on PlayStation Network. And it is you that causes us to be both humbled and amazed at the amount of dedication and support you continue to give to the PlayStation brand."

Tretton goes on to talk about the position of the status at that time and states that he hopes Sony's E3 presentation will show those whom are wavering, that PlayStation is still the go-too console for exclusive titles and content and services.

Sony throughout the rest of the year, and from here on out, as Nintendo once learned with the Nintendo Gamecube and Nintendo 64, that when once you're king of the hill, if you're not careful, then you can easily wind-up at the bottom and have a rough and tough climb back to the top. I don't doubt that with all that Sony have gone through this generation, that they've been brought to their knees and have come to a realization that something needed to change and they're now working to head back up to the top.

Granted, Sony had a really rocky start at the launch of the PlayStation 3. Developers had a really rocky start and games had a real stutter about them. Its been clearly stated by countless media sites throughout the web and many whom aren't however, that the PlayStation 3 currently is the most powerful console of this generation. Its really all a matter of how developers harness the power of the PlayStation 3.

We recognize that Sony had their console priced at more than the Xbox 360 at the time with Sony's consoles priced at $499 and $599. $100 more than Microsoft's. However, I still contend, to this day that the PlayStation 3 was worth the price that was paid at that time. The fact that the PlayStation 3 was both a gaming console and a blu-ray player justified the consoles cost. It was also the BEST player at the time and likely still today. Then there was the Xbox 360 equivalent (which supported HD DVD) cost more to add on. One could claim it was merely Sony trying to force new technology on folks but, tech enthusiast's staked their claims that Blu-ray all along was the ultimate format. Technology is always going to further and advance, not remain idle.

However, this isn't really what we need to focus on, merely to say that Sony had a really rocky start. However, look where they're at today. Their console has seen multiple price-drops, blu-ray technology is booming and adoption of blu-ray is filling homes throughout the world. The PlayStation 3 is still a High-Definition gaming console. Its capable of playing games both online and offline with many that exist on the Xbox 360 and are now running comparable to those on the competition. Developers are catching on and figuring out the hardware, which is going to be a great thing in the long run considering the rumors that are about that Xbox 'Loop' will be integrating the Cell Processor into their mother-boards. Developers that use this technology now, will have a greater appreciation, assuming of course the rumors are correct.

We're clearly sounding like fanboy's here and really, many of us have a partiality to the PlayStation hardware and how Sony chooses to deal with their customers versus Microsoft. Nintendo, we feel is doing excellent though their fanbase are starving for new IP's and games geared more toward them as the casual gaming market have practically trampled them, but we feel that Sony has made even more great strides in their services and dealing with as many issues and accusations have plagued them over the years. This is why we've chosen the PlayStation 3 and Sony Computer Entertainment as our console of the year, regardless of how much money Microsoft raked in over Xbox and Kinect. Because bringing new fans into the fold and retaining them by treating them valuably, is more than picking their pockets. Companies thrive more on customer service than necessarily lower-prices. People and customers want to be treated well.

Our gripe here, is what exactly the 'Imagine Games Network' or best known as IGN are getting at exactly with their PlayStation 3 articles concerning 'Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim' and it seems that as of this week, such talk an controversy have lit up the comments sections in what appears to humor IGN, they've even admitted to, as a 'Fanboy arguement.' Their high of watching fans of both sides go at each others throats much like Cliff Bleszinski would describe as "I feed on the tears of fanboys."

Whatever the case may be concerning Skyrim for the PS3, what exactly is IGN getting at, or the point they're trying to make? Its clear that IGN are more partial to Xbox 360, which is the opposite of us, and like us, there are a Greg Miller and a Colin Moriarty, only for Microsoft, whom Greg and Colin we heckle from time-to-time though we still shout out to them a "BEYOND!" whom battle along-side Sony through it all and show us the great things Sony have to offer. Unfortunately, they're completely outnumbered by one Charles Onyett wages his war against the PS3. (I don't recall ever hearing anything positive from him concerning the PS3) None-the-less, IGN continues to take their stabs at Sony and the PlayStation 3 with what seems to be the biggest game of the year! Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

If you want to dismantle and destroy a companies reputation, its simply a matter of taking what's most popular about the competition, and pressing what they do best until the competition have been abandoned. This has been an ongoing process throughout the PlayStation's life-span while really, the only negativity amongst the biggest online media sites, lies mostly with IGN. We here at the XZONE can readily acknowledge that Sony aren't saints themselves and can be just as much of a scuzzy businessman as Nintendo or Microsoft but, what we do know is that those whom work at IGN that have a college degree studied Journalism, of some sort and write articles after playing games. None of them! just as none of us, have ever developed a game for a video game console. Thus, we and they have no idea how the process works or how the tools are implemented. We just know how to play a game, and report to you what we thought.

There are some at IGN that really enjoy their jobs and catch on to the process quickly. There are likely those whom work at IGN because its a job and its how they make money to pay the bills and can't wait to go home at night and perhaps; find their job difficult compared to those they work with and maybe ask themselves often: "Why can't I be like Greg Miller, or Colin or Charles or even Chris" for that matter and they tell others their job is difficult. There are many developers whom develop for the PlayStation 3 that feel similarly. Some just catch on and take right off and have no problem with it while others struggle to find that sweet spot. Some like a good challenge and love new hardware because they love to learn! Others get stuck and give up and quit. They're not dedicated or love what they do and expect life to be easy.

So--The question is, is what exactly is IGN trying to get at here? Because this has been going on for quite some time. Are they blaming Sony for the bugs and nature of Skyrim? Or are they blaming Bethesda? Skyrim just won the VGA's "Game of the Year" from G4 and Spike as a multi-platform work of art, while Uncharted 3 walked away Game of the Year for PlayStation and Skyrim did not for the either platform but Batman: Arkham City walked way as Best Xbox 360 Game.

According to developers whom helped work for Bethesda on Fallout 3, it was Bethesda and their engine and not Sony necessarily. Bethesda are clearly more of a PC developer sort which transitions easily to the Xbox 360 as the development architecture is so similar, which begs the question as to whether this is just too much for Bethesda and they wimp out from here on out and develop only for PC and Xbox 360, or learn from their mistakes and work more efficiently and accept the challenge on the PlayStation 3. Perhaps now the PS3 scares them.

But, what's erupting on the IGN Comments section, is how much of a failure the PlayStation 3 is because Skyrim can't function on the PlayStation 3. IGN's statement is apparently that important and has up and emphasized on their site exactly "how bad and broken" the PS3 version apparently is and that perhaps they didn't think of before they started typing. IGN are simply letting it go to humor themselves it seems. We find that absolutely despicable, one-sided and completely biased for whatever reasons it may be. (They're not bought off by Microsoft or Colin wouldn't be living under the same roof as Greg and his wiener dog.)

At the end of the day, developers have proven what the PlayStation 3 is capable of. Believe it or not, the PlayStation Move is still critically acclaimed as the best motion control device. It simply needs the right software to back up its claim whereas right now, its putting out the same sort of deal that Kinect and Wii already offer, we feel with the exception of 'Heavy Rain' in which we loved playing using Sony's motion controller. (By such a statement, we mean FPS games, dance titles, etc. Not controller free gaming as Sony clearly defends the use of buttons vs what they've already done on the PlayStation 2.)

The point is, if its Bethesda's fault, flat out come out and say: "Look Bethesda, you screwed up and its hurting Sony's reputation of a solid line-up of games and what Sony have done this year to try and make things right with their fanbase." What then happens is the mindset therefore changes. We've seen otherwise capable on the PlayStation 3 that having 256MB here and 256MB there can still prove to have an amazing and still competitive push against 512MB RAM overall dedicated to whatever the developer may see and Uncharted 3 still claims BEST GRAPHICS both by G4, Spike, Gametrailers and here at the XZONE.

The Xbox 360 has definitely found their success this year. We applaud and can acknowledge success where success is found, give them their dues and I claim that Gears of War 3 is the Xbox 360's best game this year and Epic should hold their heads high. I feel so badly they're resistant to the PlayStation 3 but, to each their own. Everyone finds a home somewhere. But Microsoft certainly aren't to blame for a games mistakes. Developers out to know better. The same we see for Nintendo. The Wii may be dated but, Nintendo have still proven time and time again that it sells and great things can be done by developers. We still feel Sony deserves equally as much respect. They've endured hard times this year. Microsoft's Xbox Live could have fallen just as easily to hackers if Anonymous had seen fit to do so. However, Sony had the reputation they did and George Hotz had the door wide open for them to get in. The hardware had been hacked and cracked. Microsoft no question had a huge sigh of relief and I bet went immediately to work to make sure firewalls were up and things were looking good while Sony was forced to humbly come out and explain their error and what they had planed to solve the problem. Microsoft's only response was nothing but respect saying:

"Of course it's regretful that Sony is encountering issues at such a busy time, and Microsoft takes no joy in the problems gamers are having playing their favourite games online."

Call it a plug for Microsoft to make concerning their online service, Microsoft certainly felt for Sony and are thankful it wasn't them.

All were saying IGN, is to play it fair and lay out your hand you're dealt. Get to the point and get across what you're saying. This isn't 'Facebook' where you post: "Had a bad day" and scream for attention like a woman and fish for responses from the community. If such is the case, you need to get your act together and devise a new play to gain reads because, the media are a powerful thing. Sony have worked to build a great relationship with you and the media, and it doesn't take much for the media to topple a gamers choice. Its either Bethesda's fault, or its your own. I don't know if you've ever thought of it as well but, just as Jack Tretton speaks of gamers and their fans being the lifeblood of the company, you're editors aren't the lifeblood of IGN. Your readers are, and its insulting to them and effects them as well simultaneously sparking a war of words with them. Neither Kmart nor Walmart or any other business works to strike hatred between their customers toward one another. Your readers are your lifeblood. Without them, you'd be having difficulties looking for work much like all the return solider's are so be thankful that you have them. They pay your bills. They bring advertising to your website and they support, uplift and uphold you. Things that other sites have to battle extremely hard for that kind of attention and you take it for granted.

We've seen that someone at IGN are viewing our posts as we see our own material show up in their posts. We know you're listening and that your crews scourer Google word-by-word to find any tidbit you can and have stumbled over our own work. Get with it guys and grow up! This isn't here to entertain you. You're here to inform and update. Therefore, do it accurately and set your own personal bias' and issues aside and tell it as it is. We can appreciate though that you post 'OPINION' now to separate your own thoughts. We respect that. Still, get with it!

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