E3 2018 : Games(Sony Playstation) vs Gamepass(XBOX) vs Nostalgia(Nintendo Switch)

by Bern · Jun 13, 2018

Here is a summary for those who didn’t followed E3 2018 presentations from all big three consoles makers :

Sony :It’s all about games and its millions of PS4 holders and PSN subscribers. More games they produce, the more they sell and the more money Sony makes as they are just dominating the competition. That’s the reason why we are not seeing hundreds of “World Premiere Exclusive” like Microsoft, but reasonable triple A titles with big budget from Sony studio with their own engine. If Sony wants to keep dominating, they have to ensure Playstation 5 is retro-compatible and cross-play exist between the two because it’s all about being connected.

Microsoft: It’s all about the new business model. Its GamePass model is the Netflix of gaming and Microsoft bets that releasing their first-party titles among some has been games from third-party will attract a new subscribers(and new money) to their XBOX world. Microsoft is lacking contents, no doubt about it. Acquiring five new studios won’t solved Microsoft issues in the short term, they will need titles to rival Last Of Us, Uncharted, God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn or the upcoming Death Stranding and Ghost Of Tsushima just to name few. Microsoft just can’t release hundreds of exclusives if they are not smash hits. They have to focus on what players want. What about a new Killer Instinct? Why not acquiring Double-Helix to secure this title at least. A new Forza Horizon in on the horizon with a fourth installment in the series and it looks good.

Nintendo : It’s all about nostalgia. Nostalgia sells for the nostalgic, but it doesn’t sell to the new base and non-nostalgic that has been playing Call of Duty WWII on 4K TVs with the ability of creating communities with online services like PSN and XBOX Live. We can’t even search for a friend in a world being connected is key. Nintendo’s nostalgic are limited in numbers and they for sure jumped on the Nintendo Switch to get the latest Zelda, Mario and upcoming Metroid. However, where are the new games for the new bloods? Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is for sure to be a number one hit on its release date in December, but where do we see Nintendo talking to the new crowd? Where was Nintendo onstage at E3? What is that Nintendo Direct? Why they don’t get into the party with on a face to face with gamers at these gaming events? Sometimes gamer have their words on what they want and companies have to listen. Nintendo almost died before the release of the Switch because of its weird decisions with the Wii U and bizarre naming(miiverse?) and the Switch is the chance(maybe the last) they have to get back on track and compete. Nintendo seems to be directing their games to Japan only with Pokemon and all other RPG that the rest of the world don’t really want.

Conclusion : The clear big winner of E3 2018 is Sony. The second place goes to Microsoft and its new GamePass service that will see new first-party titles released into this service on the same date as who ever wants to buy the game as it is. Microsoft is on route to disrupt the gaming industry like Netflix, MoviePass or Spotify shaked the entertainment industry. No doubt that this is the future of gaming where you have a bank of games and you play as you want. With Fiber at home now, loading a 40GB games is only a matter of minutes. Nintendo takes the third place with poor announcement choices in term of games and in term presence on stage. They are the biggest loser as no talk about the online service, no talk about Metroid 4 or any new titles. They have to stop re-releasing Wii-U games and third party companies also have to stop doing this, new content is a matter of survival for the Nintendo Switch.