Le lancement de la plateforme Online de Sony marquera définitivement l´avènement de la distribution digitale dans le monde ludique des consoles.
En effet Sony, Microsoft et Nintendo utiliseront désormais tous trois les connexions haut débit pour permettre aux joueurs soit de télécharger des anciens jeux, soit plus particulièrement chez Sony et Microsoft, de "transformer" sa console en véritable centre multimédia, noyau d´une convergence numérique tant attendue à base de vidéos, musiques, TV et contenus téléchargeables.
Le site Next-Gen.biz a réussi à recueillir les avis de différents acteurs de l´industrie sur la stratégie de Sony.
Tous semblent enthousiastes à l´idée du "HUB" et plus généralement de l´adoption du Online au sens large sur consoles :
Randy Pitchford, President Gearbox Software :
"Sony reaches a huge number of video gamers all around the world. The idea that Sony would invest heavily in bringing their customers online is exciting."
Brad Foxhoven, President Titan Productions :
"The impression we are getting from Sony is that it will play a very big role."
Chris Charla, Executive Producer, Foundation 9 entertainement :
"Online is here, forever. There will still be a market for single-player games, but generally speaking, if a game doesn´t have the online component well thought out, and well implemented, it´s going to be a problem."
Graham Hopper, Vice President, Buena Vista Games :
"Connectivity is still the single-biggest driver when it comes to next generation console." "It changes the consumer´s expectations of how they play games."
- Au sujet de la "flambée" des coûts de développements, Chris Charla a une réponse assez amusante, considérant que pour le prix de revient d´un jeu PS3/X360, il serait possible de faire 5-6 jeux PSP et 10 pour la DS. Cependant, les téléchargements payants et la publicité pourraient absorber en partie ces surcoûts.
"As an example, for the price of one PS3+360 game, you could make five or six PSP games, or maybe 10 DS games"
Randy Pitchford :
"The more ways that we can generate sensible revenue, than the more liberty we have to spend on making our games offer the most. The new age of online consoles brings new kinds of revenue options with respect to offering content to customers rapidly and conveniently through their Internet connections. The options for advertising are also really remarkable."
- Concernant le prix de la PS3, la plupart s´accordent à dire qu´il n´aura que peu d´importance pour les premiers acheteurs qui sont en général des "Hardcore-Gamers" même s´il existe sûrement une limite psychologique à 600 Dollars.
Chris Charla :
"I think price obviously becomes more important the further you get from launch, and it may become important when consumers have two good choices in the market. But as for the hardcore, early-adopters, they are simply not price-sensitive."
Michael Pachter :
"I think that the PS3 will be $500, and that the hardcore would pay $600. Above that, there will be huge elasticity, and I think Sony is sophisticated enough to know that. They won´t charge more than $600, and I predict that the box debuts at $499.
- Pour finir, certains précisent que le Blu-ray sera un des éléments clé pour la réussite de la PS3, permettant de toucher un plus large public.
Loren Hillberg, General Manager of Emerging Business, Macrovision :
"As an early, subsidized platform for high definition content the PS3 could increasingly move from the den to the living room. Combined with online availability of mainstream and casual games this will help open up the platform to a wider audience."
Michael Patcher :
"Blu-ray is key to Sony´s strategy. This isn´t a battle between Sony and Microsoft; it´s a battle between Sony and Toshiba."
"This time, hardcore MOVIE buffs are allowed to choose between standalone high def DVD players and the PS3. There are a lot of them, and I think that people with video game blinders on have completely overlooked the significance of Blu-ray. The high def features of Blu-ray will sell PS3s, and Microsoft can´t compete with that".
Au delà du Hardware et des jeux, Il est maintenant certain que la réussite du modèle Online des 3 compagnies jouera aussi un rôle déterminant dans le succès de leurs machines.
L´E3 devrait présenter encore plus en détails les stratégies de chacun, leurs particularités et aspirations.
Source : next-gen.biz
