Sony seems to be finally pulling out of the slump they've been in since about two months after the PS3 launch. With the system now selling at a price point that people seem to be willing to pay, an amazingly strong holiday and Q1 line up and an ad campaign that actually makes sense they've seen PS3 sales "skyrocket" over the past few months. And remember this life lesson, boys and girls: when you're doing well, no one else can.
Such seems to be the feeling of SCEE boss Andrew House, who subtly ripped into the Wii in a recent GI.biz interview. "I think at a time when we're seeing one of the major competitors somewhat losing a sense of momentum - at least in many of the markets I've looked at - it's gratifying to see a platform that's always had a very significant share of sales go to third party publishers capture that momentum again," he said.
"The knock-on effect can only be a positive one if publishers are making up 75 percent of the sales on a particular platform, as opposed to a much smaller share elsewhere, then that's the platform I think it's in their interests to see succeed - and I think that's the dynamic we're seeing return right now."
Now, he didn't say Wii specifically so they asked him to clear that up. "From data that we're starting to see, in some of the publicly-released figures, we're seeing a significant year-on-year downturn for the Wii. I think that's just a factor of this Holiday season."
OK, so it's a really wishy washy insult with plenty of half commitments to cover his ass, but hopefully this little bit of smack talk isn't a sign that the old, arrogant Sony who thinks they can do anything is coming back. That didn't work out so well for them, and it'd be a shame to see them once again shoot themselves in the foot because they think they're still top dog.
Contest:
12:00 PM on 11.28.2009
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Hang on, someone's cslling me...
I own both a Wii and a PS3, and want both companies to do well, but how about less smack talk and more effort on providing a better 1st party lineup.
I don't think the guy is smack-talking, rather than being pressed for comments and having to fall back on a modest opinion.
It's never autoimmune.
*leaves*
The Wii's sales are dropping because they've BEEN AHEAD FOR 3 YEARS. What do you expect when so many people have bought them and Nintendo is still destroying everyone around them?
well the PS2 was ahead for 9 years. But i'll agree with you about Nintendo destroying everyone around them. All they have to do now is tell 3rd party devs to go fuck themselves and they'll wind up like Sega.
Trying to stay on topic, I believe Sony's arrogant, smug former self is showing, and it sucks. The ps3 is a great machine, but I just can't stand the company behind it. The wii is in every home in the known universe, so people are not buying as much, period.
the wii needs to catch up, or else, like it's ending up, will just have a crappy library with overpriced games. When Uncharted is 29.99, and Mario Galaxy is still 49.99, there's something wrong. when littlebigplanet is the same price as new super mario wii, something's wrong. the wii won't even remember my credit card, it's that juvenile. and talk about Nintendo coming out? They've just launched demos for their wiiware games... how is that excusable?? The other consoles have had demos the entire time, of their actual full games, AND their small-cash grab games.
while 360 and ps3 have 'greatest hits', you're still paying $49.99 for pokemon battlerev! WTF guys? Why are you putting up with this? The games Nintendo have released this generation HAVE NOT been *that* amazing that we need to defend them with such .... fervor. They need to be held accountable. They need to be smacked around for letting 'Animal Crossing' be their 'hardcore gamer' answer *JUST ONCE*. cmon! All the other consoles give us so much more! So much!
Also,
@ Cadtalfryn
Better First Party? I really hate to ask but WHAT?!? Are you really expecting Sony to have perfect scores on everything released? I ask because if it's one thing Sony is not suffering in, it's the first party.
I want the fancy, rich businessmen of the video game industry to juts throw down. Maybe even a boxing match, because calling that quote "smack talk" is pansy.
if you read the comments House made again without taking wholeheartedly THE misleading header title of about talking "smack" its not really arrogance..he is merely stating what he sees in the market ATM, bashing and talking smack is directly attacking your competitors with harsh critical words which in this case doesnt even have
how come when MS say something about the competition it doesnt generate much heat in here?you dont have to look far, just look at how much MS's dogs hate PS3 from Carmack to that Newell guy now those are more than smack its arrogance at its finest
"The SNES, <b>PS2</b>, and now the Wii <b>are so successful because they are</b> easy to use and <b>easy to develop for</b>."
And you just invalidated yourself. The PS2 was notoriously difficult to develop for. It wasn't until very late into the game that the PS2 became "easy" to develop for because it was old hat at that point.
"Difficulty to develop" is <b>never</b> a factor in a system's success - ADVERTISING is ALWAYS the deciding factor. Great advertising can make people not just buy a a 'remastered' last gen system with a motion controller, but trample their fellow man just for the chance at one. Great advertising can make people buy a system with a huge fail rate, time and time again. Great advertising COULD have made people buy an overpriced system with no games for its first year and a half, but Sony didn't get great advertising - they got god-awful advertising. That, and that alone, is why Sony failed.
As for "Sony talking smack" - mountains out of molehills. I don't see how anyone can read "From data that we're starting to see, in some of the publicly-released figures, we're seeing a significant year-on-year downturn for the Wii" and think that those are fighting words.
Haters gotta hate, I guess.