The Sony PS3 thread (apparently *still* obnoxious!)

[Roobarb]

PS3 does have the potential to be an impressive financial disaster, but it's way to early to call it either way at the moment. It would be a great shame if Sony did exit the console game. I don't look forward to a world where MS has outspent all the other console manufacturers and leaves the business to slowly rot and milk the punters dry, like they've done countless times before in the PC world.

The symmetry of it, versus the crys of "Wii is doomed - it will be Nintendo's last console" did make my little zelda fanboy heart smile though

[Mele]

To think the PS3 will become the next dreamcast for Sony is highly unlikely. For starters the PS2 is such a strong brand , unlike the Saturn, and the PS3 to me is doing what the ps2 did.
Poor games to launch , everyone saying why bother getting rid on my ps1 with xxxxx amount of games. Look at what happened to that console

The 360 is a stunning piece of kit and it has hurt Sony bad but Sony if far from down and out.

I suppose its back to the old question can the games industry support 3 consoles in the mainstream?

Not sure but it will be fun seeing what happens

[Flabio]

I suppose its back to the old question can the games industry support 3 consoles in the mainstream?

Various MS people are on record as stating that this is the outcome they want. They're not trying to crush everyone else (at least not yet anyway), the more players there are the more the market will grow. And a larger market will generate them way more cash than a market the same size it is now where they're the only player.

[Kronos]

What people fail to realise is, Sony created their 100million x2 size console market single handedly, it's not that the xbox1 or dreamcast or gamecube where huge disasters, they just happened to get crushed under the stampede to buy a Sony console.

They are infact doing the same thing as they did with PS2, by making a very powerful console and bundling it with possibly the next big thing (bet they didn't see HD-DVD coming?) anyway fanboyism aside, they made their money selling quality goods, hence the brand is worth much more than the words "Microsoft" will ever be worth on a box of tech, except bar a few MS Fanboy freaks

I bought an xbox and 360 DESPITE the Microsoft label on the boxes not because of it, and I can confidently assume many people bought a PS1 and PS2 on the basis of the Sony badge inferring quality absent in the competition rightly or wrongly. There's as much chance of Sony losing the lead in this market as there is Microsoft losing the O.S. monopoly or Nintendo losing the Handheld monopoly.

As I've said before, it is a decent spec'd console (compared to the 360) has a little bit of the Wii controller freedom (enough to make it different to the 360s controller input which I guess was their point), can also run XP if you are really desperate let alone Linux to do usual shite most newbies do on their cheapo PCs from Pissyworld that run BF2 @ 15fps on SVGA , and still manage to be the cheapest Blu-Ray player on the market on launch prices. Nothing to see, move along

It's speccy Vs c64 ALL OVER AGAIN <grabs flameproof coat>

[Guru-Meditation]

I don't look forward to a world where MS has outspent all the other console manufacturers and leaves the business to slowly rot and milk the punters dry, like they've done countless times before in the PC world.

Has MS outspent Sony so far?

[aureole]

They are infact doing the same thing as they did with PS2, by making a very powerful console and bundling it with possibly the next big thing (bet they didn't see HD-DVD coming?)

As an active member of the DVD consortium which they abandoned to make a rival format, I'm pretty sure they knew about it.

anyway fanboyism aside, they made their money selling quality goods, hence the brand is worth much more than the words "Microsoft" will ever be worth on a box of tech, except bar a few MS Fanboy freaks

*cough*Exploding-batteries*cough*

I bought an xbox and 360 DESPITE the Microsoft label on the boxes not because of it, and I can confidently assume many people bought a PS1 and PS2 on the basis of the Sony badge inferring quality absent in the competition rightly or wrongly.

I can't believe anyone bought a PS1 or 2 because of the Sony badge. If they did - why did the PSP fail?

There's as much chance of Sony losing the lead in this market as there is Microsoft losing the O.S. monopoly or Nintendo losing the Handheld monopoly.

Or Sony's handheld getting beaten by a technically inferior competitor?

As I've said before, it is a decent spec'd console (compared to the 360)

I really hope it does well. Console wars profit everyone with decent healthy competition - market monopolies shaft all the consumers.

It's speccy Vs c64 ALL OVER AGAIN <grabs flameproof coat>

Wasn't that such a great time to be a gamer though?

[[Feeblez]]

Nearly at the 1000th reply!

EDIT: Ohh, i just saw the Nintendo thread!

[Darkflame]

Sonys success is a mixture of many things.
The PS1 was the right thing at the right time and correctly priced and marked.
The PS2 backed on that with being a cheap way into DVD...a format clearly seen by all as being a replacement to VHS.

I dont think brand had that much effect, certainly not recently....if so why is everything else Sony does no where near as successfull?
If anything, playstation is helping to premote Sonys brand, not Sonys brand is helping to premote the playstation.

*cough*Exploding-batteries*cough*

*cough*rootkit*cough*

[Guru-Meditation]

I dont think brand had that much effect, certainly not recently....if so why is everything else Sony does no where near as successfull?

Hasn't their LCD TV division along with the PS2 been keeping them afloat during the PSP/until the PS3 release?

Their LCD TVs look great. Hell if they hadn't crapped their pants so badly with the PSP/gone back on promises with the PS3 I'd probably buy one. Instead I'll be buying a Samsung.

[Hajile]

There's as much chance of Sony losing the lead in this market as there is Microsoft losing the O.S. monopoly or Nintendo losing the Handheld monopoly.

Or Sony's handheld getting beaten by a technically inferior competitor?

It's been said before that the reason that the PSP isn't doing as well as the DS is that Sony made the mistake of assuming that the handheld and home console markets work in exactly the same way, pretty much emulating the design and launch of the PS2 for a portable system. Similar spec, similar games, they had an awful lot in common, and it's losing out simply because that's not what handheld buyers want. What handheld buyers want is something to play while waiting for the bus, or while on the train, with a number of meaty titles for the longhaul gaming experiences, but generally a greater abundance of lightweight, accessible titles that have the emphasis on fun and frolics. This is something that Nintendo know all too well, beng the undisputed kings of the handheld, and it's what they delivered with the DS. The PSP looks a bit too cumbersome next to it.

One might also argue that Nintendo are making the same mistake in reverse now, building a home console based on the handheld sensibilities of the DS, but that's not for this thread.

[matt303]

Their LCD TVs look great. Hell if they hadn't crapped their pants so badly with the PSP/gone back on promises with the PS3 I'd probably buy one. Instead I'll be buying a Samsung.

I think they use Samsung and/or LG panels anyway.

[Guru-Meditation]

Their LCD TVs look great. Hell if they hadn't crapped their pants so badly with the PSP/gone back on promises with the PS3 I'd probably buy one. Instead I'll be buying a Samsung.

I think they use Samsung and/or LG panels anyway.

Was thinking the exterior, not the actual picture produced

[Roobarb]

I don't look forward to a world where MS has outspent all the other console manufacturers and leaves the business to slowly rot and milk the punters dry, like they've done countless times before in the PC world.

Has MS outspent Sony so far?

Sony has made good money out of PS1 and PS2. Not as profitable as Nintendo (who also make a lot of money as a games studio), but it's been a good business for them.

Microsoft on the other hand have so far written off ~$4billion dollars of losses on the original Xbox, and i believe ~$1billion on the 360. Even with the 360 estimated to be selling at $75 above material costs, MS still won't be turning a profit when you factor in shipping, distribution, marketing, dealer incentives etc etc. They will turn a profit over the lifetime of the 360 (iirc, it's slated for next year), but to repay the $5billion lost so far plus interest they're going to have to sell a heck of a lot of consoles and games (assuming 10% net profit on sales, $50billion dollars in sales to cover the $5billion loss).

Microsoft is very probably the only non state-subsisdised business in the world willing/able to absorb that kind of loss for a long term strategic position.

I think they use Samsung and/or LG panels anyway.

I believe they have a joint venture factory, so one could also argue Samsung use Sony panels...
There's more to an LCD TV than the panel though, even as far as picture quality is concerned

[Marius]

I bought a SNES, N64, GC and a DS. I'll also buy a Wii. Why? Because it's Nintendo. But I never bought a 360, PS1 or PS2 because they were Microsoft or Sony.

Nintendo have, and will always have, a loyal fanbase that makes sure they obtain a certain minimum of success, no matter what. Sony and MS does not have this "luxury", hence the less than successful PSP and UMD. At least they do not have it in the same degree that Nintendo do.

The PS1 and PS2 were successful because they were made to cater for not only the hardcore player, but also for the more casual gamer, mainly by including the use of CD's and DVD's, a format familiar to most people.

With the N64 and GC, Nintendo catered for their fanbase with looks that only a mother could love. With the DS and Wii, they do what Sony did ten years ago...that is, to go for mass market appeal. And this is why the Wii will most likely be much more successful than either of their previous consoles. Hopefully

[Hajile]

With the DS and Wii, they do what Sony did ten years ago...that is, to go for mass market appeal.

I disagree. With the DS, they went for Game Boy market appeal, a market they knew was already there in a huge way and slavering for more. Oh and some other people, too.

But only some.