10 small things Sony should do to be king, ...

10 small things Sony should do to be king, ...

But probably won't because they don't have the Killer Instinct that Microsoft seems to have. Microsoft understands that sometimes you have to do little things to build brand awareness, loyalty, and the impression that you are everywhere and everything to everyone. Even when you are not, and even when there is no immediate monetary profit.

Here's my list of relatively minor things Sony should do, to help insure PS3 becomes the reigning king of Console Gaming and Media Hubs, sooner, rather than later.

1. High Stakes Poker Revamp
   Sony dropped the ball here. In XBLA's early days Geometry Wars and Texas Hold 'em carried it with Hold 'em helping build XBLA sense of community. 2/3 of my friends list came from Hold 'em. Sony's counterpart, High Stakes Poker, while technically more advanced, gets poker and community all wrong. The 3D animations are a total waste and viewing the cards is difficult. Someone made the boneheaded decision that 3D animations should trump being able to easily read your cards and determine who's turn it was. As a result, despite being high resolution with better sound and better video support, what should be a foundation building game for PSN is simply, a bust. A major revision could easily fix this, eliminate the 3D animation altogether, make the cards bigger and bolder and real easy to read, and simply highlight players around a table making it easier to determine who's turn it is and watch the online community grow. But, it won't happen.
    
2. Windows of Opportunity
   Sony needs to learn the lessons of brand in non-traditional areas. When using an XP/Vista machine, the PS3 should identify itself as PS3, not unknown device. Release a small download to allow the PS3 icon to showup in XP/Vista's Networking for computer owners who stream media to their PS3.
3. PSP Bluetooth
   I just bought my first PSP a month ago, with XMB and God of War, what an amazing piece of techno gadget joy. It a media powerhouse and joy to use. With Bluray digital copies taking off, PS3s ability to seamlessly move this copy to the PSP is a great feature. Only problem is that given the size of the PSP, which from a viewing perspective is great, bluetooth is really needed. There is no iPod adapter for commercial gym equipment so Bluetooth is the way to go here, the PSP screen is plenty big, but wires are out. Sony clearly doesn't think they're moving enough PSPs for bluetooth to be profitable. They're probably right. But, if they had MS' Killer Instinct they'd do it anyway for mindshare, cool factor, and to be "seen" as the big cheese, even if they're not at the moment. Imagine how many adults would choose PSPs over iPods for videos on planes and trips if there were no wires. While we're on the subject of PSP which really could be a secret weapon for Sony on many fronts ...
4. PSP/PS3 Windows Media Playlists and EQ
   Well, the PSP has the form factor, but it comes up short in the playlist management game and EQ capability (probably due to limited battery life, but so what, geeks by bigger batteries. Sony just doesn't get it. A couple of tweaks and PSP becomes the baddest PMP around, a ready made promotion vehicle for the PS3 and Bluray. PSP and PS3 should support WMP playlists natively.
5. Get Geometry Wars
   Super Stardust HD is a joke compared to Geometry Wars (though technically superior, it is an inferior game). How many platforms is Geometry Wars on? It's everywhere except PS3. Spend some money, give PSN instant street credibility and get some iteration of Geometry Wars with advanced audio Xbox can't match, on PSN. It will also be a nice slap in the fact to MS.
6. HD Audio on PSN Downloads
   PS3's biggest advantage over Xbox is it's advanced audio. Xbox simply can't compete with options or quality. Yet, not a single HD video on PSN store has 5.1 surround sound. How can you let MS beat you in any audio category. Simply inexcusable.
7. HD Audio on PS3 Games
   Sony should provide a little financial incentive for game developers to fully utilize PS3s audio. Uncompressed sound effects in PS3 versions of games would be great. Taking game audio to this level is going to a place Microsoft simply cannot follow and shouldn't cost very much.
8. Problem: PSN game content is hurting, bad. Solutions: What's old is new.
   Retro games are tried a true. Sony should follow MS' lead and build PSN's content with more retro gaming. Stop with the weird unproven super-niche titles like Echochrome and Flow. Get Uno, Monopoly (beat Microsoft to it), find a way to get Donkey Kong, Battleship, Pac Man, Arkanoid, the list of possibilities goes on and on.
9. Kratos who?
   I just played God of War for the first time ever on my PS3. GOW II must make it to PS3 sooner rather than later. Someone at Sony should be fired for launching the PS3 without a GOW title at launch. Simply inexcusable.
10. HDMI Bitstreaming
    Sony should use the newer Silicon Image HDMI chip in the new 80G PS3 models. Yeah, it's unnecessary, but it will allow PS3 Bluray owners with all those high end home theater systems to light up the appropriate logos on their AV Receivers. Just another notch in the bedpost for Sony.

Sony must invest a little money in these types of things to make every gamer, geek, and technocrat believe that Sony and PS3 are king, and the gaming and media world revolves around them. I want Sony and PS3 to win this thing, because they have a better product and to force MS to improve the Xbox 360 (and quiet it down) sooner rather than later.

Many of these suggestions are minor and employ Microsoft's super successful strategy of Embrace and Extend. Take the competition's winning product or solution, embrace it by supporting it with or in your technology. Then, extend it by adding proprietary features tied to your product/platform.

Make every Windows PC owner want a PS3 to go with it, make every gym rat want a PSP to wach movies and play music in the gym, every audio/videophile want the PS3 as their Bluray player and media hub, etc. etc. These things won't bring immediate profit, but in the end, they will bring you the crown, and then the cash flow like Niagara Falls. Just ask Microsoft ...