Since the PS3 won’t grace our shores till next year, Sony is trying to market the PS2 as the ultimate “Party Starter” this Christmas, by bundling its range of non-traditional social games with relevant game controllers.
The “Party Starters” games include the increasingly popular karaoke-styled game SingStar as well as EyeToy, Buzz!! and Guitar Hero – all requiring alternative game controllers such as microphones, buzzers, cameras and virtual guitars.
Sony’s Michael Ephraim said, “The social gaming products are one by one shattering gaming stereotypes and in-turn this is removing a barrier for many consumers who would have previously not considered `games’ as an entertainment option.”
And the company is pretty confident that there will be a lot of singing this Christmas, forecasting the combined sales of “Party Starter” game titles to exceed 650 000 units during October, November and December and that the sales of PlayStation 2 consoles will eclipse the results from Christmas 2005.
“Don’t be surprised if you’re invited to a SingStar party sometime soon,” concluded Mr. Ephraim.
