Worldwide Studios boss admits to irritation when media focuses on Guitar Hero and Rock Band.
Sony hasn't fallen behind in the social gaming race, it has insisted.
Speaking at the Games 3.0 conference this morning in London, which is part of the London Games Festival, Jamie MacDonald, vice president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios insisted that the SingStar, Buzz! And EyeToy games are "still hugely successful".
AdvertisementWhen asked whether it would be fair to say that Sony has fallen behind in social gaming compared with titles like Activision's Guitar Hero, MTV's Rock Band and Nintendo's Wii Sports, MacDonald, who is in charge of Sony's London and Cambridge development studios, replied: "I wouldn't say we fell behind. SingStar and Buzz and EyeToy are still hugely successful.
"I personally am really pleased to see the success of Wii Sports and Wii Play and Guitar Hero and Rock Band in a sense that it's expanding the market for everybody and it's expanding the appeal of video games."
MacDonald insisted that Sony was "incredibly well positioned" to take advantage of the current demand for social games, pointing towards the upcoming release of LittleBigPlanet and PlayStation Home as evidence of his claim.
He said: "I think we're incredibly well positioned (to take advantage of social gaming) in the sense that we kind of, it would be a bit arrogant of me to say we invented, but we were an early pioneer certainly and we continue to be very successful in that space.
"I think with things like LittleBigPlanet, with PlayStation Home, with the continuing success of SingStar and Buzz! on PS3 and the things that we've done to the experiences that take advantage of the connectivity of the PS3, the rich media capabilities, I think personally we're very well placed."
MacDonald admitted, however, that he was irritated by the media focus on Guitar Hero and Rock Band, and said that SingStar and LittleBigPlanet "appeal to a very different kind of audience".
He said: "I'd be lying if I said that I don't occasionally get a little irritated when the media has so much focus on Guitar Hero and Rock Band. I wouldn't be human. But then that's just me being a human. But actually when I think about it, it's great because that means more people are into that kind of living room experience.
"SingStar appeals to a very different kind of audience to Guitar Hero, as does LittleBigPlanet, so I think there's enough space for everyone to be honest."
During the live chat at the Gamer 3.0 conference, MacDonald added that he though Nintendo's massively successful social titles "owe quite a lot to what had gone before", but believes there is plenty of space in the marketplace for all three platform holders.
"I can't speak at all about their strategy," he said. "But they've been very successful with social titles which, how can I put this, owe quite a lot to what had gone before. But they have done it in a very special way and really well and have been very successful. And I think there's absolutely plenty of space in the marketplace for Nintendo and ourselves and Microsoft."
Parapraxis wrote at 23:08 on 27 October 2008
I'm glad Sony realizes how important games like Buzz! & Singstar are. Now if only they would actually start SUPOORTING Singstar in North America.
The bi-weekly updates are often delayed (or completely omitted) and the song selection is very poor (Mostly UK-centric artists) And NO QUEEN pack for NA, while the UK got it.
I love Sony's more casual/party games, but damnit make me want to play them! Rock Band and Guitar Hero are whoopin Singstars butt in the DLC area.
JonahFalcon wrote at 01:19 on 28 October 2008
Sony can say whatever they like - the sales on Buzz, SingStar etc are absolutely dreadful. They've fallen behind according to the consumer - who's dollars actually count.
canadian sight wrote at 03:55 on 28 October 2008
not sure what you mean about SinStar and Buzz selling dreadfully. the PS3 versions are selling far better at stores than the PS2 versions ever have. the online option makes them far more appealing
Mick wrote at 11:16 on 28 October 2008
Singstar is a dying franchise from what I can tell. Sony haven't delivered on the 1 next gen feature most people wanted which was wireless mics. Also the DLC for Singstar is 50% more expensive per song then last gen for no good reason. The online store is cheaper for Sony removing the need to duplicate and distribute discs, but the songs are more expensive.
Buzz for PS3 is also jipped compared to the much better PS2 versions. Luckily the new wireless buzzers work with the older games.
Parapraxis wrote at 20:39 on 28 October 2008
@ Mick, the songs are more expensive due to the fact you are getting not only audio but the video as well. I didn't understand at first either until I read up on it.