Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has made some leadership changes in response to their in-ability to get things going in the sales department of the PlayStation 3. Gamer’s continue to refuse to believe the PlayStation 3 is in a bad situation by explaining how badly Microsoft’s Xbox 360 is doing in Japan and Europe compared to the Sony console. And, of course, the Wii isn’t competition to Sony.
“Andrew House, Chief Marketing Officer and Group Executive of Sony Corporation, has been named President, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Co-Chief Operating Officer (Co-COO) of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) as of May 1, 2009.” (smarthouse.au)
We’ve been told this is the year of the PS3, this is when they bring it all together. Nintendo’s losing some of their grip on the industry with slower sales, even in Japan. The economy isn’t playing nice with any of the consoles and sales continue to drop, reportedly 17% in March compared to last years numbers.
Australia isn’t proving to be any help to Sony, “for example in Australia a consumer can now buy the Xbox 360 for $299 and a separate Blu ray player and DVD upscale player for $199. Combined this is $200 under the recommended retail price for a Sony PS3.”
Here in the United States, we’ve bought more Wii balance boards than PlayStation 3 consoles. One can argue that the Wii is a novelty system but that really casts a dark shadow on the PlayStation 3. The PS3 is being beat out by a novelty item? Can the new SCEE management change the direction of Sony?
The same company that brought us the NES Advantage has proven the Wii control scheme isn’t as bad as critics speculated. The beauty of adding the “waggle” technology is limiting your button count to a reasonable level without overwhelming gamers.
Sony took pieces of this concept in their PS3 controller and its ability to detect “tilt.” Xbox 360 stuck with the beefy controller with lots of buttons and analog sticks. Not just a D-Pad but two analog sticks and a ton of buttons to press, some pressure sensitive as well. What of our next-generation console? Maybe a few new buttons?
Now here is another interesting video game for the Atari 2600, the game Dragon Fire consisted of two game screens, one which you ran across a bridge while fireballs were shot at you, you had to duck or jump over the fireball. This screen was a side-scroller style screen (although it doesn’t actually scroll), at the other end of the bridge was a castle door which you’d enter to get to the next screen.
When you finished collecting all the treasure an exit would pop up in the corner and you had to run to it without being burned by the fireballs, that dragon would turn from left to right nearly instantly too! Then, you’d jump into the exit and be back on the bridge again, but this time it was harder. You could die up to 7 times before the game was over (just to show you how hard it is, they gave you a bunch of lives).
Sony’s in big trouble. There’ve been a few articles talking about the PlayStation 3’s death spiral, and you have to wonder if changing from Reeves to House is going to do anything.
I mean, what can they do – aside from the obvious move of cutting the price, and doing that is financially destructive for Sony.
As a PS – if you see the graph they include – the PS3 is about $130-140 more expensive in Australia than it is in the US if you convert the currency. It’s brutal.
Sony’s in big trouble. There’ve been a few articles talking about the PlayStation 3’s death spiral, and you have to wonder if changing from Reeves to House is going to do anything.
I mean, what can they do – aside from the obvious move of cutting the price, and doing that is financially destructive for Sony.
As a PS – if you see the graph they include – the PS3 is about $130-140 more expensive in Australia than it is in the US if you convert the currency. It’s brutal.
Maybe its high time that Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft bring their prices lower… they jacked their prices so high as if their game consoles are necessity. the world economy is going down and they can help a bit if they bring their prices lower.
Maybe its high time that Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft bring their prices lower… they jacked their prices so high as if their game consoles are necessity. the world economy is going down and they can help a bit if they bring their prices lower.
Microsoft did. The lowest price of the 360 is now $199.
Microsoft did. The lowest price of the 360 is now $199.