It seems the console maker who’s trailing in sales typically says how great competition is and how it’s great for the consumer. Sony’s not leading the console race, as of now, and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president David Reeves stated in a recent interview:
The winner, he said, is the consumer. “That’s why we are not going to slag off Microsoft or Nintendo at all,” he said, “because again it’s rather like the trainer market: one year it’s Reebok, next year it’s Nike, and then suddenly it’s Adidas; it’s cyclical, but in the end everyone wins in five to ten years.”
Sony continues to speak towards their “10 year plan” and how they’re increasing momentum in the market. They’re not winning in sales but with a ten years to go, this is just the beginning. Had this statement come from Microsoft it would be a chance to worry, but Sony has proof to backup their statements.
The PlayStation 2 is going strong as a nine year-old and doesn’t seem to be letting up in game releases. Sony’s press conferences always cover the PlayStation 2 in their talks with the PSP and PlayStation 3 for three big reasons: it’s worth bragging about, it distracts from lower PS3 sales and it separates them from the competition.
Where is the GameCube or classic Xbox in Nintendo and Microsoft’s press conferences and number crunch reports? The fact is, the companies have given up on both products retiring them as “last generation” (translation: poor sales). What better reason to buy a PlayStation 3 than knowing the company is in the game for the long haul?
It might be bit cheaper to buy an Xbox 360 but who’s to say Microsoft isn’t going to announce their next generation console tomorrow and kill off the Xbox 360? Obviously, Microsoft will deny those claims but there will always be doubt without a proven track record.
On the other hand, Microsoft hasn’t seen the success in the classic Xbox and Nintendo hasn’t seen nearly the fervor over the GameCube as compared to their current generation consoles. So, that begs the question, why would they halt all that for new console announcements?
Until they’ve had more time in the market, we cannot be 100% certain what Nintendo and Microsoft are going to do when it comes to next-generation announcements while Sony’s been very clear in each press conference. As Kaz Hirai said to Eurogamer earlier:
“We certainly don’t do the consumer the disservice of basically saying that the consoles have gone by the wayside because we have a new one. Right now, a prime example? PS2 is nine years into it. Where’s the Xbox? Where’s the GameCube?”
If one console maker is looking for a way to stand out and explain their slow sales figures, Sony’s got the PS2 and its long history in their back pocket.
Now, if we could only get those game designers to continue to take it seriously and not put all their eggs into the PS3 basket.
@Netflix drops Qwikster
Usually such a split is done if one of the divisions is doing bad (financially). If they dropped the plan, it means that the DVD rental was not doing that bad.
So, you announce a split that is not needed, then drop it. In Dilbert’s world, his CEO would get promoted 🙂
@Xbox 720 popping up on LinkedIn resumes
Here comes the DX11 console!
@320GB hard drive announced for Xbox 360
I see little point for that. I didn’t do any management for my games (on the PC) and I still didn’t piled up 250 GB.
@Bethesda: We were “forced” to sue Mojang
… Forced? Really? That’s the best apology they can come up with?
I personally liked how Mojang treated the issue: challenge them to a Quake 3 match.
Not publish in NA? That’s pretty hard now, considering that a lot of NA customers bought the game since in alpha stage. As I said previously, as an indie you can’t have both: IP ownership or money.
Jonah, your voice didn’t sound that bad.
I don’t have much of an opinion on the news this week so I’ll just say this: I miss hearing the voice of Paul whenever he’s not around, he makes the podcast so much better.
Just wanted to say that even without the great audio quality, it was still a great show. Just want to thank you guys for putting out a show every week, it is always entertaining, as well as informative, and I thank you for filling me in on the latest video game news. Now for the hate mail.
Paul, I was filled with joy when I heard you were gone for this recording. For one week I was able to avoid you and your whiny, pretentious attitude. They had said that you were at Disney World, but I assume that was to cover up your real reason for missing this podcast. Why you really missed the podcast must have been because you had grown tired of your miserable, meaningless life so you decided the only thing to do was go out with a bang. You grabbed a pair of stockings, threw them over your head, and guaranteed your mother that you would be home before ten. You drove to the nearest bank and handed the teller a note containing the chicken-scratch writing that kids made fun of you for in grade school. She took one look at it and asked what it said, which brought you back to grade school, and the time when you were giving a report on the Monarch Butterfly, which you referred to as Butterfree. You began to spell out the word “Monarch” on the blackboard, only to be stopped half way through by Molly Germain, the girl you had been “in love” with since Pre-K. She yelled out, “My baby sister writes better than you!” Obviously this insult wouldn’t affect most grown people, but your eight-year-old heart was shattered. Then, you were brought back to present day, where you were in the process of robbing a bank, now even more enraged with the memory in mind. You had told the teller to put the money in the bag, and she complied. You began to walk out, thinking that you were going to live a better life, and use this money to set your mother up with a better house, and maybe even find a wife to settle down with. However, you were unaware that the teller had pushed a silent button and alerted the cops, inconveniently located just a few blocks down. You pushed a young boy off of his bike and began peddling away from the police. After many warnings, they had no other option than to shoot out your training wheels. That’s when you remembered you never got passed the training wheels, and the fear rushed over you. You kept peddling and peddling, until you noticed something. You had finally learned how to ride a bike, and you finally felt free. But as soon as your luck came, it had left. They placed two well-aimed shots in your spinal cord. You tried moving, but to no avail. You were paralyzed. You now are spending four months in jail for two counts of robbery, one for the bank, and the other for the bike. You will remain paralyzed and nobody, not even your mother will take pity on you. You are a disgrace to your nation, and when you die, you will not be remembered as the amazing game-designer you see yourself as, but as a low-life scum that had nothing to offer to this world.
Or I’m pretty sure that’s what happened. Are you happy now Paul?
QOTW – I am only 17, so I do not remember too many controllers, but the current PS3 controller is horrible in my opinion. It’s too small and I feel like I could break it at any time.