Another thing I noticed – conspiracy time – unlike MS ‘news’ which seems to be simultaneously plastered and blasted across all news sites everywhere at the same time, the news is trickling out. Oh it’s certainly there and people are saying mostly great things about it (a few saying user-content may not work as it’s too complicated), but you definitely notice an order of magnitude degree of difference between ANY ms `news’ and everyone else (apart from perhaps apple rumours). Must be all their `great treatment’ of journalists and reporters. Unlike anyone else out there, MS can sink extraordinary amounts of illegally gained loot (it was convicted of being a monopoly remember) into marketing, hype generation, fake blog comments, reporter swag, and who knows what else (those things can be easily confirmed). And they are determined to `win at any cost’.

Back on topic – LBP looks fantastic. And if reports of the beta are any guide, the user-generated content will be a big thing. And remember, word of mouth is still the most effective marketing tool – it will surely sell itself, as well as systems (but I should imagine a few tv spots will kick start it).

Burnout Paradise: 174 user votes
COD4: 280 user votes
Silent Hill Homecoming: 18 votes
Bioshock PS3 (not officially released): 12 votes
LBP (a week before release): 1601 votes

Those Metacritic user votes are clearly bogus: vote stuffers and haters. The game doesn’t even ship for another week, and is already flooded with negative votes from people who haven’t even played it.

More importantly, the game itself really looks great. It sounds like there are a few valid gripes and glitches, but this game sounds amazing. Haven’t played the beta, but I definitely have this pre-ordered.

That being said. I’ve got my PS3 and I’m going to pre-order a copy of LBP for myself this week. I might even pop for a Playstation eye. I expected a bigger marketing push from Sony on LBP. Where are the commercials. MS is beating the dead horse that is fable II. I can’t get on the internet without a stupid article about GOW or Fable II. And small things like the design of a gun, for Pete’s sake. Where’s the hype machine for Resistance 2? Why do all game title ads end with 360 logos’. They’re not exclusive but Joe Sixpack thinks that they run on the 360.
Sorry to be a bit off topic but Sony needs to get it’s marketing together.

Christmas will be a bumper time for Sony I think.