Sony aiming PS3 at young gamers and families in 2012

By Robert Purchese Published 5 December, 2011

"There's still a lot of PS3s potentially to be sold."

In 2012, Sony will focus on enticing families and younger gamers to PlayStation 3.

"You will probably see us taking the console more towards a slightly younger demographic - more family market," Sony's European leader Jim Ryan told OPM.

"The core gamer will absolutely not be neglected," he quickly added. "There's going to be tons and tons of great stuff for the core gamer from our own studios, third parties.

"But there's some quite interesting stuff happening in a number of areas, which would allow us to open up a market that we accessed pretty successfully on PS1 and PS2, but we haven't yet got to on PS3."

That family market was driven by games like SingStar and Buzz! on PS2. And by a low barrier to entry: a low price point.

"If you look back at the history on PS1/PS2, the vast majority of the business that we did on both those platforms was done at sub-£129 price points," said Ryan.

"We only just got to £199 in the UK a couple of months back, so you can see ... there's still a lot of PS3s potentially to be sold."

Microsoft targeted a similar audience with Kinect and has enjoyed headline dominating sales success, noting 10 million device sales in March 2011 (no update has been given since).

Sony's more modestly marketed PlayStation Move device had shipped 8.3 million units as of October.

We expect Move will be a central part of Sony's 2012 plans.

Meanwhile, however, reports of Kinect 2 and lip-reading accuracy are surfacing. As is talk of a next Xbox.

Will Sony Santa Monica's new Move game attract a different audience?

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (41) Latest comment 6 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • chris_ace #1 6 months ago

    Post deleted at 13:34:05 08-05-2012

  • kingcrowbar #2 6 months ago

    Fix the family controls then as the current setup is useless.

    At least have per user settings rather than per console which currently leaves me with a list of many games called restricted content that I can maybe try and guess what they are by their filesize.

  • FogHeart #3 6 months ago

    I have to admit that this year they gave the core gamers a lot of love, I won't complain if they bring out fewer console exclusive for 'the core' next year. Hell, some of the games I haven't even bought yet!

  • callum9999 #4 6 months ago

    @chris_ace Why? It's not as if Naughty Dog will be abandoning Uncharted to make "Donald Ducks Adventures" etc. I don't see why the two can't co-exist.

    The more people they get on board the more money they will make, and therefore the more money they can afford to lose in the future on subsidising the PS4 etc. Win-win in my book.
    Edited by callum9999 at 05/12/11 @ 12:42

  • Biker_Bob_1971 #5 6 months ago

    Post deleted at 15:13:21 09-05-2012

  • rotmm #6 6 months ago

    don't you dare! Appealing to gamers of all ages is sooooo PS2! Continue pandering to the ignorant cunts like chris_ace with the PS3.

  • andijames #7 6 months ago

    If they're targeting younger audiences like the PS1/PS2 did in the last third of their cycles then maybe this points towards a new platform targeted at the hardcore/mainstream? Rumors rumours i know but possible i guess. Can't complain thou this year has been fantastic for games :D

  • King_Edward #8 6 months ago

    If this meant a return to their PS One days, with the likes of Spyro and Crash entertaining young and old alike, I'd be all over this.

    It won't though will it?

  • ShiftyGeezer #9 6 months ago

    Actually releasing Sorcery would be a belated step in the right direction... :p

  • Hellion83 #10 6 months ago

    Post deleted at 20:12:17 01-02-2012

  • lockload #11 6 months ago

    Surely the point is theve only just got to £199 + move/camera

    I doubt they will be cutting the price to £129 in the next 12 months or should i say £129 + the cost of move/camera
    Edited by lockload at 05/12/11 @ 13:24

  • 32768Colours #12 6 months ago

    "The core gamer will absolutely not be neglected," he quickly added.

    Where have I heard that one before when targetting the casual crowd?... *cough* Microsoft! *cough* Nintendo! *cough*

    That family market was driven by games like SingStar and Buzz! on PS2. And by a low barrier to entry: a low price point.

    Agree with the software choices there, but I'd point out that of the 3 consoles last generation, the PS2 was consistently more expensive than its competitors. Perhaps it was the result of a pre-recession attitude, but the PS2 seeemed to sell itself to the mainstream on the premise that "it costs the most, so it must be the best".

    Anyway, as others have said there's no shortage of games from the past 12 months to get through so I don't think the odd quiz game is going to cause much grief. I just hope their strategy really is broader than Microsoft's, who seem hell bent on forcing Kinect down everyone's throat.

  • seeafish #13 6 months ago

    @Biker_Bob_1971 Well said! One thing that keeps me on my PS3 is the sheer number of amazing exclusives and great core games. I have a move for the odd volleyball with the wifey, or eye pet with my niece, but MY game time is generally spent disembodying things, or shooting things in the face...

  • LEONOFDEATH #14 6 months ago

    I think its a good strategy.

    I welcome more sales and money for them to make better games/consoles/hardware in the future.

  • Bravestinsane #15 6 months ago

    I don't mind tbh,

    you can argue Rayman is for kids, but god i love that game

    You can aim at kids all you want but as long as people of all ages can enjoy them i don't really care.

    I mean lets be honest kids already have CoD they don't need much more

  • MaxFN #16 6 months ago

    NINTENDO, YOU STARTED IT!

  • v.profane #17 6 months ago

    @King_Edward Nope, It'll be more singing/dancing/party games.

  • Xardan #18 6 months ago

    Sony want more money shocker!

  • priesty_lfc #19 6 months ago

    Surely points to 2013 for PS4?

    How many more consoles can they expect to sale to the hardcore crowd? Not to many more.

    Get the casuals onboard sale more PS3s, release PS4 to get back with the hardcore while maintaining a strong casual base with PS3.

    Everyone's a winner.

    Oh and Eurogamer sucks on iPhone.

  • FuzzyDuck #20 6 months ago

    @priesty_lfc

    Was just going to say something like that myself, catering to a younger audience is generally when a console goes into its cooldown period.

    That's not to say it won't be supported, there's some cracking games already on the horizon for 2012.

    Weeded out my game collection a few months back and kept the good games - i've got another 12 months worth of titles that i'll happily replay!
    Edited by FuzzyDuck at 05/12/11 @ 15:14

  • Retro_ #21 6 months ago

    This surely means Sony will start concentrating on PS4 in 2013 then.

  • super_monty #22 6 months ago

    'We expect Move will be a central part of Sony's 2012 plans.' have they fixed the drifting? or is the tech still broken?

  • Kanselier #23 6 months ago

    If this means more Move games like Tumble I am in. Tumble is one of the few game (to my knowledge, I do not own the entire Move game library) that actually works splendid with the controller. Echochrome is another one.

  • telboy007 #24 6 months ago

    God forbid Sony tries and makes as much money as possible out of its console...

  • mrblonde #25 6 months ago

    As usual Sony are far too late to the party, the 360 figures in the USA for "black Friday" , show Microsoft have 2nd place sewn up already and the ps3 has turned the brand into a non profit making has been.
    They gambled on blu ray which kept the price too high and ultimetely failed to take off, while their main competitor still has the best online ,achievementss, 3rd party titles etc.. for a cheaper price and has a far better grasp of markettingtheir system and games.

  • Dangerous_Dan #26 6 months ago

    I'm pretty sure there is a correlation between price of a console and targeted audience and since MS is usually a little bit ahead with price cuts and bargain bundles they also were first attempting to catch part of the younger gamers.

    I don't like the xbox, i'm not saying it's bad or anything i just don't like it and i bet there are a lot of people who feel that way about the PS3.
    Now what's the f***ing point of this? - PS3 and Xbox360 are designed differently, their look, their kind of exclusives, their networks, their kind of OS design.
    So it's not like "oh look, xbox is better and the only reason people have a ps3 is because they are loyal to the brand or dumb or whatever..." - No they actually like it and those who were disappointed with their system, well i guess they will look for something new next time.

    Right now the wii is doing quite well during xmas sales and i bet ya it's mainly because of the price and cause it's thoughtless presents in a certain price-range, eh, x-mas time. (it does that every year since launch)
    The xbox 360 has kinect and a big ad campaign going for itself, not judging, just saying.
    The PS3 has the move... wait... well the move is nice but it's by far not as big as kinect. So why is it selling that well?
    Because of the games.

    So keep it up Sony, that's the kind of reputation that makes me consider buying the next generation - not if you have a higher sales number.
    Edited by Dangerous_Dan at 05/12/11 @ 17:21

  • Haunted_Tree #27 6 months ago

    Welcome to the end of the party guys - it's been a blast but time to pack up and move on ...

  • Mister-Wario #28 6 months ago

    @callum9999 Actually that strikes me as a very interesting premise.

  • higgins78 #29 6 months ago

    So in other words doing what Nintendo has already been doing since the launch of the Wii AND DS...quite a bold move Sony, particularly at a point in which the Wii's software line-up looks thin on the ground. The bare-faced cheek of Sony and Microsoft to launch motion controls so very late into the party this gen and then try also to please its "hardcore" (LOL) fan base at the same time...quite a juggling act which proved fatal with the lack of any good software to support anybody who bought Move or - in the worst case - Kinect.

    Stick to what you are good at I say, that would be innovation and experimentation as far as Nintendo goes and as far as Sony and Microsoft are concerned producing higher pixels and resolutions. I own a PS3 which I bought at launch and have played some very good games on it...Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Portal 2, Fifa 11 and Hot Pursuit being some good examples. My Wii however while slightly sparse on a amount of titles has FAR eclipsed what my PS3 has given me...Mario Galaxies, Xenoblade, Epic Yarn, DKCR and now Skyward Sword! Quality over quantity is the reason I ALWAYS buy a Nintendo console at launch.
    Edited by higgins78 at 05/12/11 @ 18:29

  • Monkeyspoon #30 6 months ago

    @super_monty It never was broken. It's far more accurate than the Wii and kinect.

  • sugarbaron #31 6 months ago

    I sold my 360 after they premiered Natal at E3; don't make me sell my PS3...

  • Lord_Gremlin #32 6 months ago

    No. No... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

    Please, please be a joke...

  • HandsomeCrab #33 6 months ago

    Worth a try. Someone must be interested.

  • Turfschipper #34 6 months ago

    Thats fantastic!!!!

    Wait.......... oh no, its not.

  • Mister-Wario #35 6 months ago

    @sugarbaron Selling your console after seeing a prototype of a piece of hardware that might not even affect your gaming habits that much seems a bit silly.

  • Hindle #36 6 months ago

    Post deleted at 23:04:43 04-04-2012

  • Dirtbox #37 6 months ago

    The mental age of your average PS3 owner is about 5 already.

  • Farzlepot #38 6 months ago

    @sugarbaron

    Pretty daft reason to sell a console. If you ready did...

  • Loghorn #39 6 months ago

    LOL; Good luck, Sony. They're aiming towards families this far late into the console cycle when next generation will start with Wii U next year?

    Besides, how can they cater to the casual base when Nintendo has been gotten the casual fanbase with the Wii, & that Microsoft is already making a killing off of Kinect within the casual fanbase as well? How can they possibly do something different from Microsoft or Nintendo that's going to win the casual fanbase over? How?

    PS Move? LOL. From what I hear, it's not exactly popular & that most people aren't using them, even though 8 million or so have bought them, due to the PS Move being the exact same controller as the Wii-mote. Kinect? MS has done that already. Tablet controller? Nintendo's doing that with Wii U.

    At this point, it's far too late. Sony is all out of options, & may wind up copying either of those devices anyways, in which not many casuals are going to pay attention to.

  • ToAks #40 6 months ago

    PLEASE make UbiSoft port all Rayman games and Rabbids games over, i LOVE those games and i think theyre some of the funniest games ever made really.

    I love the one where they sit in the choir and you have to slap the rabbid that has the untuned ( :-P ) voice :D

    as for kids and SONY games or family, how about bringing us something a game that is in the style of Crash and Spyro? , that super smash bros concept game ain't something i want really even though it is a great game on the wii.

  • AnotherIdiot #41 6 months ago

    Hopefully with all 3 of them at it the victims of this marketing will become immune to it, and the games industry will have to overcome its obsession with children and start catering towards the mature audience (and by mature I don't mean 17 year old).
    Edited by AnotherIdiot at 06/12/11 @ 14:05