This a Song For The Sony

Can you hear me tonight? Six months ago nobody would have predicted we’d be where we are in the incoming “console war.” Sure, people thought that Nintendo might pull a rabbit out of a hat, but the Sony train-wreck came out of left field. The last true E3 ushered in the change beginning with the Sony press conference and the announcement of the $599 price tag.

Now a little aside about how public relations plays into this industry. The press, who bring the info to the public, have a contact that is either an in-house PR person, or the company contracts out their PR to an agency. We get press releases from these agencies and they are our go-to people when we need more information. Most “cover stories” are the skillful manipulation of the PR agency upon the media entity for their client. These PR people are the gate keepers, if you don’t deal with them, you don’t get early access. There are good PR people, there are bad PR people and then there is Sony PR… which is a borderline retarded person repeatedly shooting themself in the head with a nail gun – and liking it.

Even before E3, Sony’s PR machine was breaking down. I’ve had difficulties with companies when I explain what angle I cover in gaming, but none of them compare to the dismissive, passive and just plain rude approach Sony has taken. Thankfully, I’m not alone and don’t take it personally, I have spoken with my peers at other publications and they sing the same song.

After E3 we had (in no real order and from only the last couple weeks) this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this... wait, this, this, this, this and finally this.

Has Sony even attempted to reach out and begin trying to fix any of these problems? Nope. It’s almost pitiful (and amusing for some) at this point to sit and watch. Does anybody even remember that the PS3 was supposed to be out last spring?

Then there is the Sony reliance that Blu-ray is the second coming. Our younger readers may know Sony’s UMD format, with the glorified paperweight known as the PSP, and how that ended. But kids, Sony has sung this song before, it was called Betamax, and it was a mess. Not to mention the MiniDisc.

This is a song for the Sony, can you hear me tonight?

For the broken hearted, battle scarred

I’ll be by your side

And this is a song for the Sony

When your dreams won’t come true

Can you hear this prayer?

Because someone’s there for you

It’s gonna be alright

It’s gonna be alright

It’s gonna be alright