PSN about quality, not quantity, says Sony

by Nick Doerr { Feb 19th 2008 at 4:30PM }

Sony has a unique approach to downloadable games. They take chances -- they allow some unique stuff to get released. Speaking to MTV Multiplayer, SCEA's John Hight explains why the PSN hasn't been inundated with games: "Early on as a company we decided it's not going to be about giant numbers and 'Hey, come to PlayStation Network and you'll have 5000 games, maybe three of which you actually want." It's true -- almost every game on the PSN is worth somebody's time.

Each game experience should be something special, he says. Doing this allows Sony to keep an eye out for the next creative genius: the next Will Wright or David Jaffe. Expect more games this year, and more with multiplayer, maybe with online components. As for pricing, Sony's messing around with it until they feel they get it right. So if you feel pricing is unfair or surprisingly cheap, it might shift one way or the other throughout the year.

[via Next-Gen]

Tags: psn, scea

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

TinyTim121 @ Feb 19th 2008 4:36PM

What i would like is a way to get credit onto the PSN without a credit card, like with top up cards.

I know these are avaliable in Japan, so why can't they have them in the UK? I would love them to be introduced soon.

I agree with what John was saying; PAIN and fl0w are games for two different audiences. It is about quality and not quantity over on the PSN.

SSG @ Feb 19th 2008 6:43PM

They should start addin some ps games. 007 Racing anyone?
I was just kidding.

jtedesco33 @ Feb 19th 2008 4:43PM

Sounds like PR spin for if you don't pay for the service then you won't get as much as those who pay for their service.

XanthouS @ Feb 19th 2008 5:01PM

Sounds like you have no idea what you're talking about.

How does the number of games available to download have anything to do with a service's quality?

XDragon @ Feb 19th 2008 4:46PM

I agree with quality over quantity but I'd also appreciate a bit of porting of arcades like Ninja Turtles or The Simpsons ..maybe Marvel VS Capcom 2 or Capcom VS SNK 2? SVC Chaos was an Xbox 1 exclusive in the Americas, why not release that now?

DMeisterJ @ Feb 19th 2008 4:51PM

Yeah yeah yeah. Give me three PS1 games a week, and then we'll talk about either, because the games that have been released haven't been quality, or quantity.

JayVe @ Feb 19th 2008 4:58PM

I'm all for quality, but not by sacrificing quantity. Successful platforms appeal to a wide range of users, and some of them are going to have different takes on 'quality' than you or I.

This falls back to the old Nintendo Fanboy slant on things, during the N64 era. Why would you want to select from hundreds of crummy PS1 games when you can select from a handful of QUALITY N64 titles?

Yeah, we all know how that one turned out.

XanthouS @ Feb 19th 2008 5:03PM

We do?

I owned both a PSX and a 64. I'm always tossing Perfect Dark", Mario Kart 64, Mario Tennis and the first Smash Bros into the system to play. The last time a PSX disc was in my PS2/PS3 was when I played through the first Metal Gear again last summer...

JayVe @ Feb 19th 2008 5:11PM

Don't get me wrong. I love the quality of N64 titles. But a few quality products isn't enough to get mainstream acceptance.

Lots of games that you or I find stupid are kinds of things that Joe Schmoe would buy for his system, or even buy a system for. Those games shouldn't be overlooked just cause some corporate bigwig does not think that the game is of 'high enough quality'.

PS3 needs quality as well as a wide range of titles to satisfy diverse tastes. It needs quality AND quantity.

adam @ Feb 19th 2008 5:03PM

Translation psn sucks and they know it.

Tranando @ Feb 19th 2008 5:09PM

Translation: PS3 rules supreme, you know it, I know it, everyone knows it. One day you may be able to afford one on shelf stacker wages.

maverick_saturn_626 @ Feb 19th 2008 5:21PM

PSN is rather empty, its a good thing quality does stand, cos there isn't much choice in terms of quantity.

And Go! Sports look 'failure'

Simstim @ Feb 19th 2008 5:06PM

Nintendo tried to pull this same Quality over Quanity PR bs with the N64, SCEA needs to stick up more content on its store like the Japanese PSN, end of story.

Zyrak @ Feb 19th 2008 5:25PM

Three things Sony must do better:

1. Playstation Store must be more balanced, Every store must contain the same stuff! People get pissed when they have to wait 2 weeks for a nice demo!

2. 80GB and 40GB are the SKU's that people want to see! Skip the backwardscompability, as you have done (Good!) and release the white and the satin silver modells all over the world!

3. What is PS3? Nobody really know, because you say that it's a multimedia machin! You must have good marketing strategy where it's 100% clear what the console is. Make commericals where you make it clear that it's a high-tech multimedia gaming console that's future proof!

I know that you have the XMB in the works. I'm a programmer myself so I know that the you can't use the RAM so much!

That's the stuff you need to fix! Be 100% clear with your message:

Playstation 3 is a hightech multimedia gaming console!

dartmerc @ Feb 19th 2008 5:30PM

"Will Wright or David Jaffe" wow, how happy is Dave Jaffe to be in the same sentence as Will Wright. Big honour.

Dehshizknight @ Feb 19th 2008 10:03PM

Lol, they should have honored Jonathon Mak.

Dude, I wonder how much he made off of Everyday Shooter...

True_Darknight @ Feb 19th 2008 5:33PM

OK so Somehow the original Warhawk and Spyro needed to come out? I can think of about 10 other PS1 games to release.. Sheesh!!!

Then again... I buy just abotu anygame they put out there (minus the two mentioned above!)

and once again BIIIIIIIIITCHES

I run the

UT RULES server on VCTF or Team Deathmatch

Feel free to join and get hmmm picked on!!

I'll be the one to the flag within 20-30 secs :)

Jason @ Feb 19th 2008 5:40PM

At the end of the day PSN titles just serve as time killers between retail game releases (Warhawk being the only exception). I don't think anyone picks up a PS3 with the idea of spending most of their time paying PSN titles. They are time-killers and in some ways Sony's answer to Wii shovel-ware (things to play with friends & family for 30 minutes, i.e. High Velocity Bowling).

I say go for quantity, b/c the quality isn't really there in a big way. I'd say you have 3 quality PSN titles so far, Super Stardust HD, Everyday Shooter, and PJ Monsters. All three are fun and high quality but still do not hold my attention for much more than an hour at a time.

Iain @ Feb 20th 2008 1:51AM

My brother and I kill at least 3 each time on PJM. hehe

Neil @ Feb 19th 2008 5:42PM

Nintendo had the same PR spin when they were pushing the N64. I kind of hate when companies do this BS, it almost seems better to not say anything than say this junk.

cycopl @ Feb 19th 2008 5:50PM

Just sounds like Sony making excuses for not having as large of a selection on their store. I don't really look at a handful of Geometry Wars clones as "quality", but I've never been a huge fan of the bullet dodging, arcadey shooter genre. They need to make some unique 2D platformers/adventure games, I'd snatch them up immediately.

George Arauz @ Feb 19th 2008 5:57PM

Id like to see PSN get as wide spread and easy to use as XBL

will @ Feb 19th 2008 6:24PM

this coming from the people who brought us Pain? sheesh.

Johnny Kielbasa @ Feb 21st 2008 6:48PM

Horse Pocky....

With so many good games from previous platforms they can port over on the PS3 if they so choose, quality and quantity do not have to be mutally exclusive.

For every game someone likes on PSN, there are a dozen more retro games and arcade games they wish were available.

Elsnerma @ Feb 19th 2008 11:20PM

I'd be happy happy if they just moved their updates to Tuesday (or Monday...hah!), so that multi-console DLC (*cough* Rockband DLC *cough*) isn't always on Xbox Live first.

jimmyink @ Feb 20th 2008 6:00AM

When will sony start using the PSN to its potential?

They own a movie production company and a record label, they could easily fill it up with their own content alone. Once other companies start to see the volume they can push/sell straight into the consumers lounge room (without the home pc), they'd be crazy not to jump on board.

The technology is there, why is it taking so long?

(i know i didn't mention games but the PSN is more than just games)

Duscrom @ Feb 20th 2008 10:47AM

Things that would make me a Happy Playstation owner.

1. PSP support. Maybe a PSP store is a bit much right now (I dissagree as I've used the PS3 store over remote play enough to know it's possible), but where are the other PSN functions. Get that synergey out there.

2. Get with Microsoft... DLNA is nice, but add in support for PlaysForSure for both PS3 and PSP... oh and get some real codecs onto the PSP while we're at it.

3.Expand the store to video and music purchases. Again, useable across the PSP and PS3... that whole Synergy thing again.

I know alot of these seem to have more to do with the PSP then PS3.. but, for me, that's the PS3's wild card in the war. The thing to help seperate it and improve upon what XBL can offer.