Austin360 blogs > Digital Savant > Archives > 2010 > September > 13 > Entry
The curious case of the low-key PlayStation Move launch
We received the PlayStation Move on Friday, a bundle of games, a PlayStation Eye camera and two Move controllers that bring Nintendo Wii-like motion-control functionality to the Sony PlayStation 3.
To hear Sony tell it, though, this controller setup will be far more accurate and combined with the PS3’s high-definition and 3-D capabilities will bring more immersive, realistic game experiences. It hits stores on Friday.
I’ll get back to you on that when I’ve spent a little more time with it. My first impression was not very positive, nothing like playing the Wii for the first time, but I’ll give it some more time before I make a final judgment.
More troubling if you’re a Sony fan, however, is that the Move seems to be suffering from a low-profile launch. Yesterday, I was stunned to see that the product was completely missing from Target and Best Buy weekend circulars. Fry’s listed it, but given that Sony and Microsoft seem to be betting their fortunes on Move and Kinect to extend the life of their consoles, you’d think Sony would see to it that its new peripheral was splashed across sales pages and on billboards everywhere. Have you seen any commercials for Move? I sure haven’t.
The best Sony seems to be able to muster up is a lame Web site extolling the virtues of having buttons on a motion controller called “YayButtons.com.” Seriously? Aren’t you ceding ground back to the Wiimote with that?
Sony also has the misfortune of launching the same week as Microsoft’s much-anticipated game “Halo: Reach,” which is earning stellar reviews and lots of store ad placement. Presumably it’ll earn lots of retail shelf space, too.
What’s the deal? The only things I can think is that Sony is saving its marketing muscle for the holiday season. Or maybe the company knows that its launch games for Move aren’t as strong as they could be and that the product will be more attractive when games like “Heavy Rain” and “Resident Evil 5” add support for the peripheral.
If that’s the case, why didn’t Sony push the launch back a month? Kinect hits retail in early November and you can bet it’ll be impossible to escape the publicity blitz Microsoft has already begun.
It’s a mystery, one I hope Sony can explain with great games in an increasingly crowded genre of gaming.
Permalink | Comments (7) | Post your comment Categories: Gadgets, Shopping, Videogames
Comments
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By Aaron Teitlebaum
September 15, 2010 7:55 AM | Link to this
Sony's Playstation Blog has been saying for a few months that the official release date is Sunday, September 19, whereas prior to that it was given as Friday, 9/17, and apparently that's when most (if not all) stores are going to put it on sale. Possibly they wanted to shift the release fanfare to a week later, and it might explain why this week's advertising flyers make no mention.
By Joe
September 14, 2010 2:56 AM | Link to this
Well said sir, its like Sony don't believe in their own product. The move seems so last gen (Wimote anyone) and Sony treating it like their ugly child. The Sony faithful will buy the product but beyond that I'm not sure.
By Christian Ruocco
September 14, 2010 1:14 AM | Link to this
Omar,
I agree. This is very strange behavoir. I am filled with hope however that this will turn out to be a winner.
May I make a suggestion? When leaving your readers with a 'cliff hanger', maybe you should keep the outlook a bit more peppy. Your review thus far makes me want to throw myself off said cliff! That's probably what attracted the blog scum with the mindless comments from earlier.
Thanks for the article.
By Omar Gallaga
September 13, 2010 10:22 PM | Link to this
I understand you guys disagree, but could you at least say what ONE of those 8 points is you find fault with? Throwing bricks without saying why you disagree is just a few degrees below useless. I'm not even sure you're commenting on the right post or why you think it's wrong.
By Jason
September 13, 2010 10:03 PM | Link to this
Seriously, this author is wrong on like 8 points..... I second that, fire him please, we don't need to be shoveled garbage by people who have no idea what they are talking about....
By Omar Gallaga
September 13, 2010 10:02 PM | Link to this
Wow, thanks for your insightful comment.
By Omar Beltran
September 13, 2010 9:42 PM | Link to this
this author is stupid and doesn't know what he's talking about. if he gets paid for this, fire him. literally.