Sony makes a disabled fans day... Microsoft does... something else

[Badnik Mechanic]

So over the weekend Australia held it's EBExpo event, and at this even were the PS4 and Xbox One. Both on public demo.

 

Well, this guy who is disabled attended with his friends who are also in wheelchairs, attended the event. All of them wanted to see the new PS4 and the Xbox One... However, both Sony and Microsoft's booth had an enromous oversight... they were upstairs, and had no wheelchair access.

 

They were not allowed to go up to see either console.

 

So what happened next?

 

Well... At Sony's booth, a rep from Sony came down and said this...

 

 

 

We are extremely sorry, it should have never happened but because it is totally our fault, and we always support our disabled player base, we would like to offer something along with our sincerest apology"

 

So they didn't even try to hide it was their mistake, they didn't try to shift blame, and they accepted that it wasn't good enough.

 

So what did the do to make it right?

 

They gave the guy, and his four friends a free PS4! They also did the same to any wheelchair bound fan or anyone else who couldn't make it up the stairs due to medical reasons a free PS4 as an apology for their error.

 

 

Now... the story doesn't end there. Microsoft also had a booth, which had the Xbox one, and it was upstairs... what did Microsoft do?

 

Well... they said this...

 

 

 

"Sorry, it's upstairs, you can't try it"

 

And sent them away without so much as an apology.

 

... ... .. .It just doesn't end when it comes to Microsoft does it?

 

Source: http://www.gameranx.com/updates/id/17876/article/sony-s-ps4-team-makes-disabled-fan-s-day/

[AlphaRuby]

Well Microsoft did say sorry, that's somewhat of an apology.

 

Right?

[Mr Useful]

Well Microsoft did say sorry, that's somewhat of an apology.

 

Right?

The way they said it didn't sound sincere. They were brushing them off. Also, Sony gave all disabled people a free PS4. MS didn't give any disabled fans consolation at all.

[LunarEdge]

who said what first? Given, I'm not trying to side with Microsoft but it will look better and be easier for Sony to say "Sorry, here's free stuff" after what Microsoft said IF they said it first.

[Eternal EX]

Wait what? The disabled people got a PS4? I'm jelly. And FUCK you Micro. Really proves how much they care about their fans. A crappy apology does nothing. 

[Badnik Mechanic]

who said what first? Given, I'm not trying to side with Microsoft but it will look better and be easier for Sony to say "Sorry, here's free stuff" after what Microsoft said IF they said it first.

 

They went to Sony first.

 

The gamers then made their way over to the Microsoft/Xbox One area of the convention and were simply told, "Sorry, it's upstairs, you can't try it" and sent off without even a simple apology.

 

http://www.gameranx.com/updates/id/17876/article/sony-s-ps4-team-makes-disabled-fan-s-day/

 

So even if they wern't the first people to ask about disabled access, Microsoft really dropped the ball on this one.

 

Mind you... how the hell in this day and age does a convention like EBGames and the two main crowd pullers overlook this?

[JezMM]

If anyone's wondering why Microsoft didn't give them free Xbox Ones.

[Marcello]

Now, I think it's a really dumb, huge oversight to not make these things wheelchair accessible, but I don't think Microsoft did anything wrong, Sony just did something really cool.

 

I feel like you're (Or the article. Or both.) just trying to stoke the Microsoft hate flames.

[PaddyFancy]

I like to get an idea on what the venue looks like inside with all this set ups, and question why they need to put all this shit upstairs in the first place. Was there stuff downstairs?

[Nepenthe]

Now, I think it's a really dumb, huge oversight to not make these things wheelchair accessible, but I don't think Microsoft did anything wrong, Sony just did something really cool.

 

I feel like you're (Or the article. Or both.) just trying to stoke the Microsoft hate flames.

 

Even without Sony's gesture to compare this to, shrugging your shoulders at a group of people who cannot physically access your booth with an apology as meek as that is a pretty bad from a PR standpoint and just isn't in plain ol' good taste. I'd personally be scrambling to do something for them, even if it wouldn't have amounted to a free console.

[Diogenes]

I feel like you're (Or the article. Or both.) just trying to stoke the Microsoft hate flames.

Microsoft does that well enough on their own.

[MegasonicZX]

As cool as it was to do that I do have to admit that its kind of overboard to say Microsoft is a bad company for it (and I don't like those guys as much as the next guy) and they did say sorry, not everyone gives something to everybody and unless they said "no you can't play anything here, maybe next year though" and sent them away without an apology than yeah it could be understandable but they apologized, they just didn't give anything to them.

[Blue Blood]

Now, I think it's a really dumb, huge oversight to not make these things wheelchair accessible, but I don't think Microsoft did anything wrong, Sony just did something really cool.

 

I feel like you're (Or the article. Or both.) just trying to stoke the Microsoft hate flames.

 

You're right in saying that Sony went above and beyond what they had to do, but really Microsoft was very in the wrong to say that these people weren't allowed to play. There are laws about excluding people because of disabilities, even it's unintentional as in this case, you'd just expect them to do a little something about in good showmanship.

[Marcello]

Even without Sony's gesture to compare this to, shrugging your shoulders at a group of people who cannot physically access your booth with an apology as meek as that is a pretty bad from a PR standpoint and just isn't in plain ol' good taste. I'd personally be scrambling to do something for them, even if it wouldn't have amounted to a free console.

 

I only half agree.  I get why it'd be great if they'd give them something, even if it's only T-Shirts or something, but I also don't see the big problem to just apologizing and telling them that it's not possible.

[Nepenthe]

Because being that apathetic about potential customers being unable to physically access your conference shows you don't give a shit.

[Doctor MK]

I think the most baffling thing here is not Microsoft's response, but the sheer lack of disabled access. I thought it was pretty much the law that you're required to have a lift in multi-storey places like this nowadays? At the very least you'd expect them to have one at a big expo, of all things.

 

Still, giving them a free PS4 by way of an apology is seriously cool though. Props to Sony for that.

[LunarEdge]

well, was it Sony or Microsofts decision to use a 2nd story venue?

[Marcello]

But can we say they were apathetic? We weren't there, all we know is that they apologized and sent them on their way. That can be apathetic, but it doesn't have to be. I mean, yeah, Sony's apology definitely makes it seem like a feeble excuse for an apology, and I agree that Microsoft needs to improve by a lot, but other than that I don't see this situation as quite as bad as people.

[Sean]

Of course Microsoft can't bother to compensate for them, they're only interested in customers who can play with Kinect.

(I'm sorry)

[Tara]

I only half agree.  I get why it'd be great if they'd give them something, even if it's only T-Shirts or something, but I also don't see the big problem to just apologizing and telling them that it's not possible.

The point is not that they didn't get free stuff, the point is that they dismissed them entirely.  I mean, I'm amazed that Sony would be so kind as to give them free PS4's, but I think they would have been okay with just a sincere apology and an admittance of their fault.  Microsoft didn't even offer them that.  They brushed them aside and completely dismissed it as an issue.

 

Now I don't know if this says anything about Microsoft as a game development company, but I think it speaks volumes of the kind of staff they hire for these sort of events.

Edited October 7, 2013 by Spooky Akita

[Nepenthe]

But can we say they were apathetic? We weren't there, all we know is that they apologized and sent them on their way. That can be apathetic, but it doesn't have to be. I mean, yeah, Sony's apology definitely makes it seem like a feeble excuse for an apology, and I agree that Microsoft needs to improve by a lot, but other than that I don't see this situation as quite as bad as people.

 

Microsoft comes across as apathetic on their own because the actual statement on record is so lukewarm that the tone itself overshadows the mere act of apologizing. We all know that sometimes merely saying "sorry" doesn't cut it. Sure, we weren't there, and they could've been on their knees begging for forgiveness or something. But I'm merely going off the article, and the article tells me that they dropped the ball.

[Mr Loopone]

If only there was a lift, an elevator or an alternative entrance in the event, then they would have happily played on the PS4 and Xbox One without any problems or if it was on the ground floor rather than the first floor (presumably cheaper rent, larger space for the organisers is why they chose it). Thought Austrailia have disability laws like that prevents these problems arising like in the UK/EU and presumably the US.

 

Anyway Sony's approach shows that they are continuing their goodwill gestures and went beyond what was expected. Not only their apology was handled very well but they also got a gift, whether they will get the PS4 is another matter. How Microsoft handled it shows that they don't give a toss and handled it very poorly giving a perception that MS do not like disabled people. There are plenty of disabled people who use Microsoft's products from Windows on computers, 360 consoles, various Office programs and probably a couple of phones as well. Potentially this could be another thing that might make a person go from MS to Sony, if someone sees that Sony is treating them better. If MS delivered their message better, then it wouldn't have been as bad (even without a free console). Sometimes it is the choice of words and the emotions reflecting it that can make it a good thing or a bad thing.

[Chaos Warp]

Wow, that's really cool of you Sony reps...........................................and really dickish of you Microsoft reps. Good job Microsoft, I have another reason to hate you guys.........

[Marcello]

Here's a pic of MS's booth where you can see the upstairs part:

 

 

 

What I find confusing is this pic, though:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151889993618818&set=o.107605795944446&type=3&theater

 

 

There are clearly XBOs on the first floor. Couldn't they have played these ones? Or is this more a matter of the games playable.

 

Found all this on the Gaf topic: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=692911

Edit: Ah, I just saw this on Gaf:

 

"Certain games were only upstairs or only downstairs for both consoles. Titanfall, which is what we wanted to play, was upstairs only, hence why we were told what we were. Sony at the PlayStation booth only had consoles upstairs period, but at the Ubisoft booth Assassin's creed 4 was being demo'd on the PS4. Even though this was the case, and we were able to play it there, Sony still took all our details, promised the consoles, and offered to fast track us to the front of the Ubisoft line to play anyway.

Believe it or not, I really don't mind. But I know it is true and never expected that they would go out of their way like they did. It is why I can't thank them enough for making it even more of an amazing day."

 

From the guy it happened to.

 

https://www.facebook.com/EBGamesAus/posts/613545955350425

Edited October 7, 2013 by MarcelloF

[goku262002]

So, what were wrong with the first floor XBOs then if the disabled people in question wanted to go upstairs to play the second floor ones?

EDIT: Ah ok, So it was the issue that Titanfall was upstairs. don't see why they just didn't bring a console down their to have them play it and why Titanfall wasn't downstairs to begin with.

Edited October 7, 2013 by goku262002