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"They Said I Had No Games... Until E3 2009!"

I’ve been sat here pondering on a topic for today’s Opinionator for a couple of days now. While I was going to talk about Killzone’s irritating emphasis on terrible characters, I’ve decided a discussion on E3 would be ever more prevalent, particularly with Sony’s superman John Koller claiming it to be the most important conference in 11 years for Sony. I’m still yet to be convinced that blockbuster games equal mainstream hardware sales, but I am convinced that blockbuster games will equate to niche hardware sales — the niche being us, the gamers, who cannot stand to go without. And that’s exactly why I think E3 2009 could be a turning point in perception for the Playstation 3.

I actually am probably one of the few who believes the Playstation 3 has been a success. I look at my pile of games, leaning slightly to the left under their own weight and a smug sense of satisfaction creeps across my lips – “they tell me there arere no games,” are the words that spin around my head. The thing is – no matter what sales figures or forum posters tell you – the Playstation 3 has software in abundance. So let’s write that point out immediately.

It’s perception that’s killing the Playstation 3 (among price). Although there have been masses upon masses of great games, I’m sure Sony would agree that the Playstation 3 never quite hit the ground running and since then there’s always been a taint on the black box. The very fact that there are still people out there who think the Playstation 3 is low on software confirms that Sony have never reaffirmed their position. E3 is going to/will have to change that.

It’s sounding like Sony are planning the biggest E3 in their history. If you pardon our name dropping for a second we’re just going to count out the Playstation 3 exclusives we assume are going to figure at E3: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, God Of War III, MAG, Gran Turismo 5, Heavy Rain, Ratchet & Clank: A Crack In Time. There are six games in that list — something which no gamer can ignore. When you consider the likelihood of a Team Ico announcement aswell (which is pretty darned likely), you’re looking down the barrel of a massively convincing Playstation 3 software lineup.

And that’s not all.

If we just move aside from the Playstation 3 for a moment and focus on the PSP, we’ll find another Sony console that has been damned as a system with “little to offer content-wise”. In the case of the PSP, I think the cap fits a little better, but that’s not to say it’s been without its classics. However, the perception is still there – “PSP has no games”. Which is where E3 comes along. We already know about LittleBigPlanet (PSP), Assassin’s Creed II (PSP), Rock Band Unplugged, Jak & Daxter: The Lost Frontier, Motorstorm: Arctic Edge and SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3. That’s a whopping six games that we expect to be at E3 in some form or another with Sony promising the announcements of a further 50%. That’s the potential for around 10-12 PSP games to debut at this years E3, alongside the speculation of a rumoured, improved PSP hardware unit.

I don’t think I can remember an E3 where so many game names could be dropped with relative security that they’ll figure in some form at the actual conference. I’m not dealing with rumour and speculation here, this is the actual genuine likelihood of what will figure in Sony’s conference at E3 2009, and there’s also the possibility of a surprise or two.

So where am I going with this? I’m saying that Sony needs a showpiece. A moment where the gaming community is watching and Sony say, “hey, we’ve got this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this and this”. Because at that point it doesn’t matter what Microsoft or Nintendo say — perception has to change. No one can deny that the Sony platforms are without content if it’s being consistently shoved in their faces. And while I’m not convinced the likes of Uncharted 2 and Heavy Rain can shift consoles on a mainstream basis, a perception change is what Sony need. Instead of those in the loop questioning what Sony don’t have, they’ll be questioning what they don’t have – a Playstation 3, PSP and access to all the quality content that Sony have in the pipeline.

And I tell you what, don’t underestimate the effects of a perception change. This could be a turning point for Sony and the Playstation 3.

“Twiggy” is an anonymous PushSquare columnist who has been spotted in three major cities across the globe. It’s rumoured he’s on the run from the British monarchy who accused him of treason for voicing an opinion.

Previous entries in the “Twiggy” range:

• A Playstation 3 Pricecut Could Cripple Sony So Stop Asking For It