Next year will be the 'year of differentiation,' claims Yoshida

by Nick Doerr { Jun 17th 2008 at 1:15AM }

Shuhei Yoshida isn't wasting any time getting his PR machine in prime condition. As the new head of Sony Worldwide Studios, he's got a lot of responsibility under his belt, but also a lot of knowledge. He admits the first year of the PS3 was riddled with growing pains because developers built their games on the 360's architecture. This was the developers error, since releasing the game on the PS3 involved more effort than thought to take advantage of the multi-core processor -- leading to delays or sub-par ports.

This was also Sony's fault, he says, but now that good tools exist to assist developers and many have gotten their hands into the PS3, the trend may change soon. "Moving forward I'm totally confident that developers will start to use more from the PlayStation 3 platform. This year is the year of parity, next year is the year of differentiation in favour of the PS3 platform," he said. With the clear difference in power between PS3-based games like Uncharted and Metal Gear Solid 4, we hope more devs take his advice and start their projects on the PS3 in the coming years. It will prove easier in the long run, since moving PS3 titles to the 360 is supposed to be much simpler.

Tags: shuhei-yoshida

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Dahk @ Jun 17th 2008 1:23AM

Lol while I love Naughty Dog and think they're top-notch developers, MGS4 is just on a whole other frickin' level.

Of course, 4 year production versus 2 is a bit drastic in terms of what you can output, but damn, everything is visually stunning.

Hashbrown Hunter @ Jun 17th 2008 2:03AM

Yeah, but Uncharted was probably the best looking PS3 game before MGS4's release.

Wayne @ Jun 17th 2008 3:50AM

Wait, you're saying MGS4 is more visually impressive than Uncharted?
It can't be... Uncharted is THE most graphically impressive video game EVER made.

snake79 @ Jun 17th 2008 3:58PM

that is before MGS4 is release.

Popfrogs @ Jun 17th 2008 11:22AM

@wayne: Nope, MGS4 beats Uncharted in the visuals department, probably runs at a higher native resolution to boot and doesn't tear.

Anyway both are excellent games and a core addition to any PS3 gamer's library.

KurtangleTN @ Jun 17th 2008 2:02AM

Absolutely agree with him. To be bluntly honest I thought the PS3 was doomed to failure and that Sony sold out their gaming to push Blu Ray (which I thought would win because of the PS3) but all these moves a couple of years later make sense.

I just feat that multiplatform games are going to suffer down to 360s level now that a lot are pretty much developed on the exact same scale.

Here's hoping not though, after all Xbox games always had little extras, like I remember one of the NHL games the crowd would have 3D models instead of the PS2's flat 2D ones. We'll see.

Skunk Ape @ Jun 17th 2008 3:18AM

Too true. Im so sick of multiplatform games being held back by the 360 lower tech.

Jose El Maton @ Jun 17th 2008 3:28AM

Dif-er-en-chi-ay-shun. Thought someone could use that...

Barnolde @ Jun 17th 2008 4:31AM

Since games will be designed for PS3 first, that means they'll be able to better utilize the standard hard drive and Blu-ray. It should also help the 360 too, which would be made easier if MS dropped all their restrictions.

Twinturbo120 @ Jun 17th 2008 7:28AM

Yea I agree with you. Since earlier PS3 games were being developed on the PS3 the games came out crappier compared to the 360 games. Now since there going to start making it on the PS3 first there going to be different. Because 2 technology's can never be the same. (PS3 - 360)

Christian @ Jun 17th 2008 8:04AM

Sony is really in a sweet spot atm. For those remembering those EA numbers showing that they made the most money from the PS3 I would be suprised if that isn't the case for almost all publishers. The thing is since the PS3 is big in Europe and the US dollar is worth shit atm, then Euro business is much more important to the game publishers atm than US business. So the PS3's rapid growth in Europe currently will make more and more publishers focus on their PS3 versions as that is where money is to be made.

min @ Jun 17th 2008 8:52AM

Right on! I already favor the PS3 so this is just a big bonus.

mat parker @ Jun 17th 2008 9:01AM

Thing is by the time we see a real difference between PS3 and 360 will Xbox 3 be just around the corner?

Dom @ Jun 17th 2008 9:08AM

Yup

Dom @ Jun 17th 2008 9:07AM

Just wait till...(random crappy exclusive)

2008 will be the year of the PS3...(NOT)

PS3 will take the 2nd place lead over 360 in 2008 (NOT)

Now its, 2009 will be the year of the PS3...(umm why? FF?)

So now its...Just wait till FF and God of War 3 (*sigh)

I feel ripped off with my PS3, all these false promises given by Sony. Sorry, just a little frustrated here. I know I'm not the only one either.

Dom @ Jun 17th 2008 9:12AM

Just wait till...(random cr@ppy exclusive)

2008 will be the year of the PS3...(not)

PS3 will take the 2nd place lead over 360 in 2008 (not)

Now its, 2009 will be the year of the PS3...(umm why? FF?)

So now its...Just wait till FF and God of War 3 (sigh)

I feel ripped off with my PS3, all these false promises given by Sony. Sorry, just a little frustrated here. I know I'm not the only one either.

emaxximus @ Jun 17th 2008 10:08AM

boo hoo bitch

HektikLyfe @ Jun 17th 2008 11:45AM

Ye are not allowed to express any negative feelings towards the Sony conglomerate or ye shall be voted down! SONY Fanboy Bible Chapter 9 Verse 10.

Seriously, haven't you seen the beatings I take by the illogical fanboys when I hint that not everything Sony does is a perfect as Sony says it is?

drdre74 @ Jun 17th 2008 9:17AM

Sony is always saying crap like this. Still no Home, still no in-game, Still no Video service.....

Puntachu @ Jun 17th 2008 9:22AM

I can't help but still feel unsure about all of this. As much as he says developers will be developing central to the PS3 first, I think it still remains to be seen. Currently, due to the architectural similarities, devs push for the XBox and PC first to secure the return on their investment, and then hit the PS3 later on in the game, when a total rework of the code is just not realistically feasible.

I'd love to see what he says come true, but for now, I'm taking it with a bit of caution. Until the playstation install base is large enough to hold some weight over the PC and XBox crowds, I don't see much changing. We've still got a lot of time before that heppens...

Christian @ Jun 17th 2008 1:15PM

Remember that due to the PS3 being so strong in Europe (according to vgchartz the total sold PS3's in Europe charged past the total Xbox360 sales this week) its pays for developers to focus on it. Just remember how EA reported the PS3 being the biggest earning platform recently which I am sure is linked to the strong Euro and weak dollar. As long as the dollar is weak the European market is the most important for developers and thus the market on which they will make their development decision.

nnarum23 @ Jun 17th 2008 9:45AM

This is "big hat, no cattle" talk...

WilliamJohnson @ Jun 17th 2008 10:19AM

Im certainly not dissapointed w/ my ps3 purchase as i just got it when gta IV came out and since then things have been great.... Doesn't hurt that i have friends who have dropped ridiculous amounts of money on games so i just have to borrow titles i dont "need" to purchase from them....

this being said i can understand people who have had they're ps3's since launch being dissapointed w/ slow progress... but for those of us that waited life is fuggin sweet right now!

Anghel @ Jun 17th 2008 10:52AM

Another "wait till next year B.S.". I say we are still a couple of years away before most developers start to think this way

ejamer @ Jun 17th 2008 10:56AM

It's funny to see these comments, when (not even a month ago) everyone was shouting that 2008 is the year of PS3. Now we have to wait until 2009 to see the difference?

PS3 is a great system - it really is. It has a solid line of existing games right now. I wish that Sony would stop the silly posturing, making statements and promises about the future, and start focusing on why it's worth owning a PS3 *today*!

Ysleiro @ Jun 17th 2008 2:02PM

Unfortunately Sony has a habit of mentioning everything that is comming up and the dates they "think" it will be ready.

Even if it's 4 years out.

Nick @ Jun 17th 2008 11:02AM

I hope developers will work on ps3 first,but i can`t help agreeing with puntachus comments.I take all of this with a pinch of salt,only time will tell i guess.But it`s about time developers prepared to expand their horizons and show what great games they could create for the ps3.But like puntachu said the pc and xbox seem to be priority for them basically for fianacial reasons.But please developers pay some much needed attention to the ps3 as there is great potential to make some top notch next gen titles if you are prepared to put the effort in.I only hope this happens as i`m getting sick and tired of delays and piss poor ports,we ps3 owners deserve better.

Tony @ Jun 17th 2008 11:17AM

To all those saying '2007 became 2008 became 2009'...he's not talking 1st party exclusives. He's talking about 3rd party parity becoming 3rd party superiority. What's so hard to understand about that?

Ysleiro @ Jun 17th 2008 2:23PM

The reason they are saying that is because people don't see how developing for PS3 will overshadow developing for PC "and" 360. As both PC and 360 have "very" similar development environments.

frankym @ Jun 17th 2008 11:22AM

I thought this was the year of Sony differentiation?

Sorrow880 @ Jun 17th 2008 1:23PM

Deja vu...didn't we hear this last year? Until multiple JRPG's are released for the ps3 I could care less about what mumbo jumbo they have to say.

Ysleiro @ Jun 17th 2008 1:42PM

Seriously, I don't understand why people choose to engage in pissing contests.

Why does he make mention of Uncharted and MGS4 as if they were technological achievements that the competition can not equal?

From a technological perspective I don't see a single feature in these games that significantly surpasses any other game on 360.

HektikLyfe @ Jun 17th 2008 3:07PM

One thing I don't get is why Sony isn't pushing MGS4 as the Holy Grail it truly is?

Regardless of whatever wishful thinking some of you fanboys may have in regards to Killzone 2, the truth of the matter is that MGS is THE PlayStation 3 title.

Why isn't Sony marketing the HELL out of this game? I have yet to see a single commercial or a single billboard.

The graphics are impressive and the game, from what I have seen, covers a lot of different genres. They can make commercials catered to each type of audience. Sony needs this push for the PlayStation 3. It's not going to sell itself.

People who had never heard of first person shooters knew what Halo 3 was. Now bash on that as much as you like, that was a great thing for Halo 3. Positive mind share improves sales.

I want Sony to succeed and in order to do this they really need to improve their game, so to speak.

The product will sell itself... In a perfect world maybe. Take me for example. I am employed and could buy any game I wanted at any time, but I am on the fence about this particular game because I am not sold on the idea quite yet.

A few more exciting commercials, a few more ads showing positive review scores and opinions, a "Mad World" video...

As stupid as it may sound, these things help. It COULD have gotten me excited about this big budget title but it didn't. Because Sony sat on their laurels and let biased fanboys do all their marketing.

I take fanboy opinions with a grain of salt armed with a can of mace.

Cornerman8 @ Jun 17th 2008 7:53PM

I think as 3rd parties get familiar with the PS3 hardware, they'll consequently get more out of the system. I think most companies put their product out on the 360 cause it was the first on store shelves, and/or they underestimated the time it would take to port or develop on the PS3. Many developers have commented on the difficulty of the PS3's architecture. However difficult once you cross that threshold, it becomes easier to do the next time around. Your skills grow as evidenced by the leap we've seen games make from generation to generation. The question is whether companies will put a little "extra" on Sony's side of their own will. Unless their exclusive, they'll likely need a little pu$h, and Sony will likely be willing to do that.

This is still a great year for Sony. Last year it hung in there, this year its strengthening, bolstering its library, and laying to rest claims of it not having "the games". Sony still has to lay to rest its "lackluster online". That begins with in-game XMB/messaging and Home beta...should they arrive. Conceptually, that puts the PS3 at parity with the 360's (sure it has some features the 360 will never have, but I'm talking for those that the 360 holds exclusively presently). Next year they can build on Home more and its tie-ins with games, community etc. Plus, once true parity is realized, they can move beyond Home and at least, and to a degree move on to something else. 3rd parties who've put out their first entry on both the 360 and PS3 will make better products for each this time around and/or support the other system if they didn't the last time around. We're already seeing this with titles moving from exclusive status to multiplatform on both sides.