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Sony MADE Me Do It!!
You know, I bought my PS2 shortly after it became available in America. I have had it for several years and have been a loyal U.S. PS2 game purchaser for several years. But now, Sony's arrogance has forced me to go underground.
Do you know how long I've been waiting for a new 2D Street-Fighter-style fighting game? Too dang long. I was very excited when I heard that SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos was coming to the PS2. But now, Sony USA's "quality-assurance" department has rejected the game, and denied U.S. gamers the opurtunity to buy and play it. Why? "Low-quality graphics." How I wish those nuts at Sony would get it through thier heads that 2-D games are not universally "bad" and 3-D games are not universally "good."
I hoped maybe they would get the hint when Konami's classic 2-D masterpiece Castlevania: Symphony of the Night sold like hotcakes and became difficult to find. Then later, when it was re-released as a "Greatest Hits" title for $20, the same thing happened soon after and it can rarely be found for less than $45 in any form these days.
When you go to EB and look in the $5 bargain bin, what games do you see? Castlevania? Megaman 8? Street Fighter Collection? No! It's the 3-D, fully-Sony-certified masterpieces like Army Men and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, and God-knows-how-many Madden 2002 Xtreme and NHL Hockey Blitz '99 games.
Sony says that they have very high standards and they want games that bring a new experience to the PS2. What, like Namco museum? That was revolutionary and had state-of-the-art graphics. Or how about Kileak: The DNA Imperative? Truly great graphics and gameplay.
Well, in the end, SVC Chaos will be coming to the USA...on the Xbox, along with the coveted "Only on Xbox" stamp. "Only" because someone at Sony is retarded. That, along with Metal Slug 3 and who knows how many other good 2-D games in the future. And please understand, friends, that these are not Japan-only games that no one thought about bringing to the US. SNK fully intended to release them over here, but Sony said, "No, look at those low-quality graphics. We don't want people spending money on this, they might be disappointed. Especially when they could be buying games that truly represent the image of the Playstation, like Fantavision and Britney's Dance Beat."
I wonder what Sony USA would tell American PS2 fans who want to buy these games? Get your PS2 modified? Move to Japan? Trade in your PS2 for an Xbox? As for me, I have made the choice to open up my PS2 and "fix it" to make it play import games, just because of this one game that Sony didn't want me to play. Sony isn't playing fair, so why should I?
The thing is, now the doors have been opened for me. I can buy all the imported Playstation and PS2 games I want, even before they come out in America. Not only that, but I'm free to play all the DVD-R and CD-R copies I encounter. Gee, and I thought Sony wanted to discourage piracy. So kids, what have we learned today?
Lesson #1: Like many corporations, Sony has departments that don't do anything useful, they're just there pretending to be doing something important because they want to get paid. And 2-D games are one of the tragedies of this.
Lesson#2: Your dog may be happy on his leash. But don't overtighten the leash, or your dog may break free and kick your ass.
BBQ at June 18, 2004 
Games
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Comments
Unfortunately your best option to Sony's control is Microsoft. Of course, I don't know how much better that is.
Posted by: Smiles at June 18, 2004 10:46 PM
I glad you got a flip top and not a slide card.
I have a DUO modchip in mine so I can play all those games as well.
Im thinking of importing alot of the countless sega ages.
Like the remake of golde axe thats in full 3d :D
Posted by: Zachary M at June 19, 2004 12:06 AM
Shouldn't have sold your xbox awhile ago Jake. Heh, the flip top mod works well. I know a place that will mod your ps2 to have the fliptop in seattle. www.kicks-hobby.com for about 55 dollars will put in the flip top and give you a boot disc. But it looks like you already got yours done.
Posted by: Henry at June 19, 2004 4:03 PM
BBQ. You just need to spend more time with your gamecube or run an emulator on your PC. Then you can download underground games and play them for free.
Posted by: Pete at June 19, 2004 6:26 PM
I've got emulators up the winky dinky on my computer. I was talking about PS2 games. And how I've been a loyal U.S. PS2 customer with no need for shady practices...until now.
Posted by: BBQ at June 19, 2004 9:20 PM
Hey, Fantavision was pretty fun, and one didn't even need that many drugs to enjoy it past 15 minutes.
Posted by: Ken at June 21, 2004 11:50 AM
SNK fully intended to release them over here, but Sony said, "No, look at those low-quality graphics.
Are you absolutely sure about that? I'm a PS2 dev, and, as a rule, Sony don't decide what goes out, the publisher does. Sony wouldn't decide that a game doesn't come out unless it was really really diabolical; I can't think of any instance in living memory where Sony would step in.
What's more likely, of course, is that SNK have done their market research, and found that there aren't enough rabid ranboys in the States to push the competition off. Gaming has (unfortunately) gone mass market, and if your dated-looking (but good, no-one would argue that!) beat-'em-up hits the shelves, but it's got to contend with GTA, GT4, NFS2, B3 - is it going to sell to your average, uneducated punter?
Unfortunately, not.
Posted by: Adam at June 22, 2004 8:13 AM
oh yes
"As for me, I have made the choice to open up my PS2 and "fix it" to make it play import games, just because of this one game that Sony didn't want me to play. Sony isn't playing fair, so why should I?"
Because it's illegal to bypass copyprotection devices in the States?
Posted by: Adam at June 22, 2004 8:30 AM
But BBQ is not playing a pirated game just and imported game. Sony still got his money
Posted by: Jake of 8bitjoystick.com at June 22, 2004 12:19 PM
Adam I suggest you read this interview.
http://www.insertcredit.com/news/e3_2004/snk/snk_interview.html
It is, sadly, all Sony's fault. Capcom had a lot of trouble releasing the 2D Megaman games on the PS1 because of this same thing. It's still coming to the Xbox, just not PS2.
And yes, Sony did get my money. But it was Sony of Korea not Sony USA. But that's okay with me because those Koreans are not retarded.
Posted by: BBQ at June 22, 2004 1:29 PM
I'm very interested: how does this flip-top thing work?
-> Do you like it?
-> No problems with imports?
I'd like to get such a thing because I look for a alternative to upgrade my PS2 with a soldering iron.
Posted by: Jim at June 25, 2004 2:45 PM
You take the outer case off of your ps2 and replace it with a case that has a flip top on it.
What you do is you buy a set of diec called swap magic and you put them in and set it up and after you get done it will say on screen please insert disc and thats where the flip top comes in switch disc and volia your playing a backup/imported game.
This will not work with the eject button as it tells the cpu that the tray is open and when it closes check for illeagal disc and if it finds one it will say wrong disc inserted.
Posted by: Zachary M at June 26, 2004 9:44 PM
Actually, I routinely am able to find copies of Symphony of the Night at Costco for under $20 (and Final Fantasy Tactics new at Blockbuster, for about the same price). Either someone out there is still pressing the CDs, or else people in the Bay Area don't know a good game when they see it.
Posted by: Evilninja at June 28, 2004 4:59 AM
I'm have a heck of a time making a swap disc work with my slim ps2 for GGXX Slasg :(
Posted by: Rob at April 18, 2006 5:48 PM
