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Retro|Spective X02: Playstation 3

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    Retro|Spective X02: Playstation 3

    It seems weird but one very little nugget that was overlooked from E3 2019 a couple of weeks ago was that EA confirmed that FIFA 20 would only release on current generation consoles, last year they released FIFA 19 for the PS3 and X360 meaning that without this years entry coming out on the system the Playstation 3 no longer has new software support and has finally come to its final resting place.

    Sony's third generation of console was to be a behemoth following the unrivalled success of its predecessor and yet arrogance led to several mistakes that meant the PS3 tripped and stumbled out of the gate rather than strode. That stumble picked up pace as the years went by and eventually it found its footing managing to close out its generation ahead of Microsofts biggest success story.

    It's now a whopping thirteen years since the launch of the Playstation 3 and after 12 years of releases totalling over 1400 games we take a Retro|Spective look back at Sony's least successful console success story.



    Questions arose quickly about the systems high price point and Sony's tone deaf standpoint on the issue saying that if people thought it was expensive they should get a second job for one. The system also lacked most of the services that Microsoft had been developing with its Xbox Live subscription service meaning the PS3 leant hard on a launch line up that many found to be limited in truly compelling titles.


    To an extent the machine also suffered from reliability issues like Microsofts console did, something the eventual Slim edition aimed to correct. The Slim would go on to become the main face of the PS3 along side a rebranding of the systems marketing, moving from the abstract red and black themes to the cooler blue style now associated with the brand and the well received Kevin Butler campaign.



    From here Sony built on its networking support for the system and introduced PS+ that at the time didn't gate online play and instead offered full games. The network hack scandal hit them hard but they were able to claw back and eventually the domination of Europe and Japan helped drive the system towards success.




    The Super Slim was a late and slightly flimsy attempt at driving down costs and to maintain sales momentum though the system did eventually reach a respectful total sell through. Over the course of its life it also became well known for its high profile, high production value first party titles, a reputation that carried through to its successor and has helped both systems to accomplish large success. Though the X360 was more consistently capable of producing better ports of third party games, little compared to the visuals of the PS3's first party offerings such as the Uncharted trilogy, Killzone or The Last of Us.









    The Playstation 3 was very much a story of redemption for Sony. The fall from their arrogance to building the foundation that the PS4 could succeed from. Even now, 13 years on, some of its online games still enjoy small pockets of activity and enthusiasts have long since cracked the complex system open to tinker with. Unless you can experience PSNow to a satisfactory level it also remains the only place that you can still enjoy offerings such as:

    -Gran Turismo 6
    -Killzone 2 and 3
    -Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
    -Puppeteer
    -Ratchet and Clank: The Future Saga
    -Heavenly Sword
    -The Resistance Trilogy
    -Infamous 1 and 2
    -The Motorstorm Trilogy
    -Yakuza 3, 4 and 5

    Share your thoughts and memories as we say the final goodbye to Playstation 3

    #2
    I bought a 360 at launch because the ps3 wasn't due to be released for another year almost. At the time, I got the 360 so I could get in to the next gen, but I always had one eye on the ps3 because it had to be the best console ever. I was coming off the back the ps2 after all. The 360 felt like a considerable leap up from the ps2, not just in graphics but the menu system and usability really felt like it was the future of gaming.
    The ps3 finally launched and I took a bus, bought it on the day and walked back home with it. The box was massive and it weighted a tonne. When I set it up, I was a little disappointed. The 360 already did everything this did and I prefered the menu. For the longest time I only used my ps3 as a media player. Music sounded better from it then the 360 and I bought a load of Blurays for it. I did also play some of my ps2 games with it, which was a nice touch.
    Eventually though my second 360 died and I refused to buy another, so I switched to the ps3. By this time the ps3 had got into its stride and now I've forgiven myself for not liking it.

    Comment


      #3
      Out of the gate, the 360 was a better proposition by far. Not only did it launch a year earlier, but a 'Core' model (which, granted, didn't include an HDD or memory card...) could be had for as little as £230 new. Even the premium model with the HDD was only £280. It was really ridiculously great value.

      Does anyone remember how hard they were to find at launch? I had exams I didn't want to be distracted from, so I actually scalped my launch one (picked one up a couple months later in Jan), and got over £400 for it on a 99p start eBay auction.

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        #4
        I had both the 360 and the PS3 but my PS3 became the system of choice for one very simple reason: the 360's RRoD. That was it. From that point on, I had more trust that the PS3 would survive so anything multiformat I'd buy on PS3. And sure enough my PS3 still works (although it sounds like an airplane) while my 360 doesn't.

        The PS3 has a great library. It has got a bit of everything and a lot of superb games on it. And like for so many others, it was my blu-ray player for years and that was a huge selling point. Ultimately, I didn't end up with a load of games for it (weirdly, I probably have as many games for my WiiU) but that wasn't a reflection of the PS3, more just that my TV time really crashed around that time and it was split with the 360 too. So I have missed a lot of great games on the system.

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          #5
          I don't think we ever got to see most developers push the PS3 given it was so hard to develop on, but I will say Motostorm was one of the most impressive launch games for any system ever . It was not only a showcase and a true knock game to show off one's new Hardware, but was also immense fun. I loved the mud flying everywhere and the perfect arcade controls, feel and gameplay.

          That game alone made me happy with my launch PS3

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            #6
            Originally posted by Superman Falls View Post
            Share your thoughts and memories as we say the final goodbye to Playstation 3
            When the PS3 launched, I was somewhat opposed to it. Sony's attitude was really toxic, the whole "we can charge what we want" way of thinking, Kutaragi's tone-deaf comments (though they were certainly fun to read) and how the machine was going to do loads of things many people never wanted (anyone remember that the PS3 can edit videos when you insert a memory stick from a narrow set of Sony cameras? No? Or how it was originally going to have a broadband router built-in).

            I bought an Xbox 360 not long after TGS 2006, which was problematic as I was in Japan and often had to import games - but Xbox Live made it worth it. The PS3 felt very underwhelming at that time. I think the first game I saw on it that caught my interest was Valkyria Chronicles, which was getting on for 2 years after the machine launched.

            The 360 was definitely the better choice early in the lives of the machines, unless you really wanted a Blu-ray player. The range of games was good, multi-platform games were often best on 360 (not always, but generally, largely due to the presence of Live), and due to the increased initial popularity in the UK, the range of pre-owned and cheap games was broader.

            I came to the PS3 quite late, buying my slim in 2010 for the release of MAG. I felt as though I'd exhausted all of the interesting exclusives on the 360, and MAG in particular sounded great, along with Wipeout HD. My opinion of the machine changed pretty quickly once I played a bunch of the exclusives; Demons's'sss's's Souls, Heavenly Sword etc. (though I've still never got into Uncharted). I even liked LAIR, though admittedly I was playing it years later, after the patches which improved the controls from the mess it apparently was at launch.

            Immediately I noticed a bunch of problems that I still feel dog the machine. I dislike the pads (though not for the reasons most people seem to); mainly that they don't charge when the machine is switched off, and when playing movies, there's no orientation you can place the pad on a tabletop where it won't press a button if you nudge it (things Sony fixed on the PS4). Putting auto-updates as a PSPlus feature was a real dick move.

            However, there were a few things I wish had persisted onto the PS4, such as the HDMI interface allowing me to control DVDs with my TV remote (the PS4 doesn't do this for some reason).

            The machine then had its renaissance as Sony bent over backwards to try and regain their place in the market, as a good company should; not being hesitant or thinking about their image over simple success. It worked; I got a PSPlus membership and played tons of the games. I eventually found myself using it more than the 360 when I started to tire of Xbox Live multiplayer games as my primary gaming platform, and meanwhile, Microsoft seemed to be doing everything in their power to sabotage their machine, switching to the "Metro interface" and putting Lynx and Doritos adverts on my console. The PS3's cross-media bar interface, which initially felt quite restrictive, ended up feeling stylish and minimalist.

            I would eventually sell my 360 the day after the "SPORTS! MUSIC! MUSIC! SPORTS!" fiasco when I turned my machine on to a splash screen adorned with tons of ads for something, I think it was Mountain Dew? I was already paying for Live, so I was kinda incensed at Microsoft "double-dipping" in this way, and their E3 presentation did nothing to convince me to keep it. I got up, boxed up all my 360 kit, took it to CEX and cancelled my Live sub. After that, the PS3 became my main console, and I still have it to this day.

            Looking back, it may have had a rocky start and problems they could never quite overcome, but it had some wonderful games, and that's really all that matters. Journey was really something special, and perhaps my favourite game of that generation. Plus, it had loads of quirky Japanese games, was multi-region so I have a bunch of Japanese Gundam titles...

            Now, I couldn't even consider going back to the 360 as most of my favourite games were titles like Left4Dead; multiplayer-focused, so likely just dead in 2019. However, I still boot up the PS3 regularly... Ditto for the PS2. In the long race, I think it won, certainly for me, which considering how much I disliked its launch is something of a miracle.
            Last edited by Asura; 24-07-2019, 12:10.

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              #7
              I can't help but feel a sense of disappointment about PlayStation 3.

              As most publishers went multiplatform, the Xbox 360 virtually always had the better versions of third-party games. I think the Xbox 360 was the better machine, with a stronger library, more innovative features and for most of its lifecycle had the better online services. Sony changed that with the introduction of free games for PS Plus though. I used my PS3 very little in comparison to Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and DS and I certainly have more fond memories of those other machines.

              So with PS3 I don't have many standout memories although I remember being staggered with Demon Souls on import, enjoying Everybody's Golf World Tour and liking the first Uncharted. I also remember being impressed with The Eye of Judgement which I picked up for under £20 in GAME. But the reality is that it was always was an underused machine for me.

              I didn't own an original ('phat') PS3 until 2008 so that may have been part of it, although I did pick up a Super Slim (traded in loads of old games) to replace that for GTA V's launch. Which was a mistake as I barely played that machine either in reality.

              Unfortunately I don't have either a PS3 or Xbox 360 now in part due to the fact I can play better versions of some key games on the PS4 (or have back compat on Xbox). Although my original PS3 never did YLOD and survived unlike my original 360 (RROD) and Launch Wii (corruption/artifacts on screen from failed GPU/RAM). So that was something it did have over those competitors.
              Last edited by Digfox; 24-07-2019, 12:52.

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                #8
                When it comes to launch days (PS3 aside as I didn't pursue the system on Day One) I'm the opposite with Xbox. Microsoft have never launched a new console that I haven't been able to walk into a shop on launch day with no pre-order and pick one up.

                Mine came via a mobile contract, the OG model with Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time which is another example of a game that looked stunning on launch but now shows its age. Sony had killed its appeal so it would have been even longer were it not for that contract. The more time passed though, the more functionality they added and the more the exclusives train picked up and before long the X360 fell into a lack of use, especially as its first party offerings began to dry up.

                In the end, despite how much of its slate is now available on other platforms, I think the PS3 was my favourite Sony console to own whilst it was still current. The PS4 is a great successor but this gens offerings haven't overall been as strong for me as last gens were.

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                  #9
                  The most useless console ever released , hated it and sold it after a few months . The final straw was a burnout update taking nearly 10 hours to download and install

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                    #10
                    Originally posted by Junko View Post
                    The most useless console ever released , hated it and sold it after a few months . The final straw was a burnout update taking nearly 10 hours to download and install
                    Yeah the 'Six-axis piece of crap' was a piece of crap. The DS3 at least added some weight but the triggers are the worst.

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                      #11
                      Originally posted by Cassius_Smoke View Post
                      Yeah the 'Six-axis piece of crap' was a piece of crap. The DS3 at least added some weight but the triggers are the worst.
                      The PS3 controllers are flawed in so many ways. It's also not Sony's fault per se, but the way that Microsoft really pushed the Xbox 360 controller as the first ever "standardised" PC controller to be successful also hurt them. Buying a 2nd 360 controller that you could also use on PC was handy; the PS3 ones were expensive.

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                        #12
                        I was annoyed that MS totally abandoned the original Xbox (that I thought was awesome) the second the 360 came out so waited for pS3. Launch day with motorstorm and rfom was fantastic. Never regretted it. I eventually got a 360 many years but it rrodd on me, as did both the other 360s I bought in subsequent years. I’m on my second ps3 still. My first one did ylod on me after a few years. That first model just had too much crammed in there I reckon, before components were miniaturised enough. Folklore, mgs4 and demon’s souls confirmed I had the right machine for me. If I’d been into multiplayer then a 360 would have been a better choice I guess.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          I never found the port quality issues to be that bad on PS3, other than one or two games they were close enough and the perk of free online was a big winner. I never found the reasoning behind XBL's superiority that compelling when compared to the fact PS3 saved me around £300-£400 on online subscription costs.

                          It's a bit the same regarding controllers. DS3 has several wear and tear issues and I've owned plenty of them but I never found the 360 controller to be any better having owned loads of them too. That's again without raising the RROD issue which genuinely, truly raises genuine questions over exactly how many people did own a 360 vs the number of units sold given how often owners will cite having owned multiple units due to the issue.

                          Comparisons aside because the 360 warrants its own thread in time, though the PS2 was king for this, another thing I liked with PS3 was that you got that variety of experiences such as Puppeteer, Rain etc that often comes with PS consoles (though PS4 has been more light on that front)

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                            #14
                            PS3 had some brilliant highlights but was never a platform I can say I truly loved. If the Wii U has the warmest, most welcoming interface I've ever experienced then the PS3 might be the most unwelcoming. It never felt like something built for fun. Too slick for its own good. And the DS3 was a poor controller with its spongy analogues. I was never a Microsoft guy but the 360 just felt more like a game console. These little things make a difference to me. But it launched with Ridge Racer 7. And Demon's Souls, The Last Of Us, etc were super games, real highlights of the generation. Imperfect hardware but some truly great games.

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                              #15
                              Originally posted by Superman Falls View Post
                              I never found the reasoning behind XBL's superiority that compelling when compared to the fact PS3 saved me around £300-£400 on online subscription costs.
                              I definitely found Live superior, even though you're right, I begrudged the expense (Microsoft basically found a way to charge for a service that doesn't really cost them anything). It was for a few reasons:

                              1) Voice chat as a universal thing backed by MS's own API, instead of being something every developer had to implement themselves, so the quality on PS3 was spotty even if they did. Additionally, MS's headset came in the box and was of acceptable quality, whereas Sony's was a (then-expensive) bluetooth headset and the cheaper ones were very poor, while many players were trying to use them.

                              2) Party chat not being a thing. I used it loads on 360; it was extremely useful.

                              3) MS's headstart meaning "everyone was on Live". Admittedly MS themselves overstated the value of this, but it was certainly true in the early days of Live.

                              I don't personally care about trophies/achievements so the late addtition of Trophies wasn't a problem for me, but these made a difference.

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