PlayStation Started Their Own Con Nationally....What if?!
After hearing the news, I started to contemplate whether or not PS even needs to go to E3 anymore. In the age of the internet, we have streamers, ‘twitchers’, vlogs, and a host of many other individuals who are willing to grab their hands on the latest and greatest PS has to offer and promote the hell out of them. With these new avenues of promoting the PS, these channels are making the PS the leading seller of video games (FYI, they are now in the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling Video Game Console) and are making people far and wide cancel their X-BOX subscriptions and their systems. As a matter of fact, when my wife bought me my PS4, I packed up my X-BOX 360 and its been in storage ever since. I’ve been so loyal to the PS brand, I, literally, to this day, have my PS2, PS3 and PS4 with their corresponding games and they all work great.
So after doing a little research, I discovered that they decided to do something different to promote their video games. Their marketing team has decided to go another direction and promote their brand by bringing the ‘greatness’ to us by attending various cons and conventions in the US and promoting their games and system in that fashion. I can dig it. Their brand power is phenomenal and as they travel the globe selling their games and systems, my respect for them is growing as they go to the consumer to promote their games. With this new marketing move, I was left wondering…
What if PlayStation launched their own convention nationally?
I know, I know…sounds crazy, but does it really?!
Now PS had their own convention called the PS-Experience, but the issue with that is that they were only centered in California (for the US) and not ‘conned’ in other parts of the US and….
As of now, PS is traveling across the country participating in other events, with consumers playing the best and brightest titles on a truck or in someone else’s con.
But………. what if they were ‘convention’d’ in other areas?
Here are the best PlayStation 4 exclusives that you can't find anywhere else. Courtesy of Cultured Vultures
Almost every convention I’ve ever attended had video game systems and titles that made consumers line-up for hours to play. Titles like: Death Stranding, One Piece, My Hero Academia 2, and the Resident Evil Remakes were powered by the PS for use. NYCC 2019 serves as a great example here. Almost every video game was powered by the PS and I desperately tried to look for an X-BOX controller for a new and upcoming title. Now let’s assume that PlayStation decided to have a con. This, in my opinion, is how they should set it up:
PlayStation should have 2-3 cons a year; one on the east coast (NYC); called PS-East Con, one on the West Coast (California) called PS-West Con and have a 3rd con call PS-Indie Con. Allow me to explain:
PS-East Con - Location: New York City; Jacob Javitz Center
This con would take place during the winter-spring months; maybe around Jan – April. At PS-East Con, PS would have the latest and greatest titles that would be summer ‘Bangers’ and have all the major companies there: Treyarch, Capcom, Electronic Arts, Bethesda Game Studios and many more. Additionally, they would allow all ‘Indie’ game companies who have establishments along the east coast to be allowed special privilege to showcase their games. Additionally, they would hold special events at the main stage letting VIPs, press and specialized gamers into viewing rooms to see the showcase of the upcoming titles on the console. Moreover, there would be a series of seminars allowing those who are in the industry or want to be part of that to drop ‘gems’ and for the regular common folk, allow them to play the ‘remade’ old titles as well as the new ones. Furthermore, PlayStation’s expertise panels would be a hit as they give a series of conferences on ‘How to be Successful in the Video Game Industry’, ‘Story Writing for Gamers’, ‘Streaming by Twitch’, ‘Making it as a Video Game Blogger’ and many other insights that promote the industry.
As for the vendors; there would be a variety of sellers who specialize in video games, products and accessories all waiting for a new group of fresh hands to grab. With the gaming industry being a more diversified, billion-dollar business, game players of many ethnicities would attend this con and would definitely strive to be the best in that series or franchise they favor. After all, this was Playtation’s vision after all.
The reason why this con could work on the East Coast is because: 1) the East Coast is loyal to the PS. Some of us preach the gospel of PlayStation to our X-BOX folk and you should hear their famous response: ‘We’re trading our systems to the PS.
With Sony grabbing followers every day; If PS had PS-East Con, they would probably amass more attendees and followers to the brand than NYCC……Maybe.
PS-West Con – Location: Los Angeles or San Diego; Their perspective convention centers.
Now PS-West Con would focus on game playing and software and build, for gamers, a massive portfolio that would take place during the May – August season. Here this convention would parallel PS-East Con in many ways, but its main focus would be on the West Coast Indie game companies and devote their energy to the various blogs, writers and devotees who live along the West Coast as well. Of course, all would be invited, but PlayStation would do something different on the West Coast…. They would hold a specialize contest that would allow an Indie gamer to be funded by PlayStation themselves.
That would be pretty awesome too and come to think of it, I also add this… they also could incorporate an East Coast Indie competition that would definitely bring out the massive entrepreneurs in the video game industry as well.
PS-Indie Con – Around the Midwest Area…..or Georgia or Florida?
Florida: Orange Convention Center
Honestly, I’m lost on where they should have PS – Indie Con. I would probably recommend a town or city that is unknown that could possibly hold attendees and press in the 100k’s. I would probably recommend a state in the Midwest or Florida, maybe Georgia, or even Las Vegas.
Here, the winners of the Indie contest from the East and West coast con would be presented, and we would see the gameplay for both of these games. PS, would then allow us to vote on them and the winner would be offered a PS exclusive title with the company.
The Indie con would be home to all the up and coming video game companies across the nation. This would be similar to E3 however, but the ticket price would be substantially lower and both consumers and buyers would be able to attend at a reasonable price.
Vendors in the form of video game sellers, clothing manufacturers and accessory makers would be invited, followed by streamers and up and coming entrepreneurs in the industry. This con would be considered the best out of all of them because it would literally be for the fans and as buyers attend the convention, they would see all the novice companies and have the opportunity to buy their titles and place them in their companies’ hub….
…as the PS company would grow even greater as they serve as the medium to allow this to happen… all the while becoming one of the wealthiest gaming companies of all time.
Overall
PS-Con would be the video game equivalent to Apple and their conventions could be the hub equivalent to either San-Diego Comic Con or New York Comic Con. As gamers travel from miles around to play these awesome titles, PS would have created ‘a blue ocean’ by being the first video game con that allows the consumer into their world nationally and allow them to play their titles. Also, major gaming companies would be in the fold to showcase their titles and transform the PS into an unstoppable major powerhouse in the video game industry.
Furthermore, when this happens, PS will sell their merch as collector items; allowing an arsenal of games, clothing and products to be sold to the general audience and create, if possible, an experimental venture into opening their own ‘Flagship Store’ across the country as well.
PlayStation is the ‘Apple’ of the video game industry and it’s only a matter of time that we see these moves in 2020/2021 or beyond. Sony’s arsenal is well stocked and there are a few titles that players want to see remade from the original PlayStation and PlayStation 2. May I suggest they speak with Rockstar to remake Manhunt and Capcom’s Onimusha?
Onimusha Warlords HD Remaster Gameplay. Video courtesy of Shirrako
PlayStation is ‘God’ of the video game industry and their weaponry has completely blown X-BOX out of the water and to be honest, there is no console that could top them. In a way, I hope they actually achieve this goal, because if this PS-East Con happens, I would definitely go out and support followed by the many other gamers in the industry…..
I bet tickets would sell in under a half-hour…
……What if?
