PS2 now an 'open platform'

[Skunky]

Interesting news:

http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/casual-connect-sony-on-developing-for-an-open-ps2-platform/?biz=1

in Europe, the PlayStation 2 "is effectively an open platform," adding, "You no longer have to submit a game for content approval." He used examples from Russia and Indian developers, saying they can "create low-development cost titles and release them in their market."

In other words there should be a lot more of those odd little low budget titles being made and released. I'm thinking more zombies, more sex, nudity and violence and more crazy, weird, bizarre amusement to be had...
Any crazy game ideas you've always wanted to see? I can think of several.
Any amateur game makers/modders and developers should keep this in mind. You could release a game on PS2!

Also don't miss this article on the same site. There's a bunch of hilarious quotes from our favorite series:

http://www.gamedaily.com/games/resident-evil-3-nemesis/gamecube/game-features/quotes-to-kill-zombies-by-the-best-worst-resident-evil-quotes-ever/

edit: they should give 'Thrill Kill' a polish and release it on PS2. I liked that game and I can't imagine it would get banned nowadays.

[The_15th]

Nudity hardly makes a crappy product any better. Unless it's porn. Censorship forces creatives to focus on qualtiy over cheap gimmicks.

[riderkid]

porn games...yeah thats just what we need.

mothers yelling at me cause i sold them a game featuring porn even though i told them its wrong.

[The_15th]

"Excuse-me mam, are you aware that Unsatiable Amputee ***guzzlers from Beyond the Grave is a XXX adult game?"

[Biohazard EX]

Umm... Okay... The truth is, no game ever has to go for content approval. There's no game out there that has to get an ESRB rating, or whatever company rates it for that region. The simple truth is that the games are given a rating simply because retailers don't want to carry them otherwise.
PC games are open platform, they still get rated. Only because they actually want stores to carry them.

So I really don't know what they're talking about...

EDIT: Well, maybe that's just for North America. But IN North America, Legally, you can make a game for any platform without a rating. Good luck getting EB to sell it though.

[Vector]

I still wonder why Sony continues to market the PS2 after they wiped backwards compatibility from all PS3 models.

[Carnivol]

I still wonder why Sony continues to market the PS2 after they wiped backwards compatibility from all PS3 models.

'cause the PS2 is what pays for the life support the PS3 is on.

[Greko]

'cause the PS2 is what pays for the life support the PS3 is on.

Haha, true. PS2 is still selling ridiculously well!

Sep '08

Nintendo Wii - 687,000
Nintendo DS - 537,000
Xbox 360 - 347,000
Sony PlayStation Portable - 238,000
Sony PlayStation 3 - 232,000
Sony PlayStation 2 - 173,000

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=20697

[Helegad]

Goddamn, I thought the PS2 had gone budget after seeing the stocks and prices down at KMart 173,000? Jesus Christ, people need to get with the times

[Gradon]

Argueably, PS2 can be the best console out of the next gen consoles so far.
PS2 and PS1 will be two of most sold consoles worldwide, really.
And any classic consoles I presume, but you cant buy them anymore.

[The_15th]

Aside from Siren, I still have absolutely zero interest in purchasing a PS3. PS2 still has the best library of games for my taste.

As for content rating. Why would you want to avoid a content label?Content Ratings don't stop adult games from being sold to adults. ;) It's just irresponsible not to have one.

[Stu]

I still wonder why Sony continues to market the PS2 after they wiped backwards compatibility from all PS3 models.

Surely that's just answering your own question?

[Vector]

^ I get what you mean, but I just don't understand marketing and selling a last generation console.

[Skunky]

Well it's easy to forget and dare I say ignorant, not to know that not everywhere is like the west. In North America, Japan, HK, Australia, Western Europe and England, the PS2 may seem like an ancient, obsolete platform. There are even pc egg-heads who consider PS3 and 360 technology to be old. But in the majority (rest) of the world things are different. Most people wouldn't dream of spending $500 or more on a console, let alone $1000s on a fancy HDTV. The PS2 is still very much the platform.
But even in Japan, the home of videogames, the PS2 still sometimes outsells the PS3. This is not because the PS3 is doing horribly. It could be doing better but it's not selling that bad. It still looks certain, in world wide sales, to be far ahead of the 360.

This news is not about content labels. It's about developers not having to submit their games to Sony for approval. Sony are basically now saying, "Whatever... if you can make it on PS2, you can release it on PS2". There is no cost to be a licensed developer either.
You don't need 'EB' to sell your games. They can easily be sold online and locally in their respective territories.

Why should anyone give a shit? I've got about 1000 PS1/PS2/PS3 games and I've always been interested in obscure titles. Weird, crazy and/or controversial games that you wouldn't expect to see.
Making a game on PS3 is a huge and very expensive project. The smaller independent developers just can't do it (yet). The larger developers have to be very careful about what they choose to make. It is a big investment and they can't afford to take a risk on something that might not sell enough. Hence, we have fewer games, with less variety and lots of sequels to established franchises. But making games on PS2 is not only easier and cheaper, there are 132 million PS2 users out there, who are potential consumers.
With the relaxed development restrictions it's not all about 'game porn'. Yes, I like stupid games like Onechanbara, Rumble Roses, the Deception series, Narc, Thrill Kill etc. and you moral policemen can shake your heads at that but it's also a chance for a small development team to come up with the next Katamari.

Speaking of controversial PS2 games, on a trip to Thailand I got one called 'Torrente 3'. It's based on a series of Spanish films about a bald, fat, ugly, sexist detective. The content is unbelievable. The game starts on a plane. You need to make your ways to the front of the plane, shooting terrorists as you go, to get to a toilet before you shit your pants. If you don't make it you have to continue hunched over with a big turd in your pants. Later you're in the streets of Spain GTA style. You can walk, run and motorbike your way around the streets, enter buildings, strip clubs, brothels etc. There are more toilets to enter (oh yes), and you're given the options of throwing up, pissing, shitting or 'jerking off' (I'm not making this up!).
Is it a great game? NO. but did it keep me interested and mildly amused? YES.
I look forward to seeing what other crazy shit I can find, as the PS2's library continues to grow.

[Biohazard EX]

^ I get what you mean, but I just don't understand marketing and selling a last generation console.

People are cheap. They want a good console with lots of games for it, and best possible prices. Some people are hardcore, like myself, and HAVE to have the best possible piece of entertainment unit. Some people don't. They don't care about HD, they don't even know what Blu-Ray is. They just want to play some games.

And it's working. It's a lot smarted than Microsoft and Nintendo, who completely cut their older consoles off, just to force people to buy their new ones.
But that's nothing new from Microsoft, god forbid I want to buy a PC with Windows XP preinstalled in it.