We all know how well the PS2 did, mostly because we all probably still have one. Sony managed to push 146 million of these ugly game systems out the door in ten years. CEO Kaz Hirai thinks they can top that with the PS3 now.
"The high point, looking back at our console business, has been PS2," he claims. "For PS3, that is one level of success we’d like to emulate and hopefully surpass at the end of the ten-year life cycle."
How is he going to hit this 150 million mark with the PS3? By switching things up at Sony headquarters. The HQ has been restructured into three units: console, handheld, and accessories. Hirai also says that their Japanese HQ will be sending out the directives on business decisions from now on, with each unit making decisions for the world.
“If it’s right for Japan it’s probably not right for the rest of the world,” he told MCV. Tokyo's taking back the power.
Dale North is Destructoid's Editor-In-Chief, a founding editor, and specialist in Japanese gaming. An accomplished musician, Dale was reporting from Japan during the earthquakes of 2011. Luckily, he got the fuck out alive and is home in America now with his wife and beloved corgi, Einstein. Dale is also a co-founder of Destructoid's sister anime site
Japanator. Likes Corgis, Sega Saturn, PSP, iPhone, Photographic tools.
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Contest:
10:40 AM on 08.26.2010
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Good Luck
Yeah, only two and a half.
That's nothing at all.
*snort*
Sony would need to dump the price another hundred bucks and push the Blu-Ray/Gaming thing on the public to do it, and that's not going to happen.
A console buyer isn't going to purchase a ps3 over a wii or 360 because the company that develops the console has streamlined its departments.
What decisions could they make bar more price drops? Perhaps employ more people like sexual chocolate to beat everyone else down with fanboy drudgery until they relent and buy one?
That said, if I had to hazard a guess, I would say they don't.
Nah you'r kinda right. But if they have departments that focus more on one thing maybe they can market and promote it better, focus more on the games for the specific console etc.
The difference on how they are handling the ps3 now and when it was released is big, who says it cant change up even more :).
When it was released they just treated it entirely like a home media machine with gaming capabilities instead of vice versa, thats how i felt anyway, and if i dont remember it wrong they even admited to that and focused more on the gaming aspect and now the ps3 is doing better.
Then ofcourse you have the price drops hehe :D.
On the other hand, what the fuck do i know, im fat irl so obviously my judgement is already bad.
Sorry for bad grammar
*snicker*
Since the PS3 finally hit puberty a year or so ago, it's been performing well. However, performing "well" isn't going to cut it. The PS3 would need to sell like fucking gangbusters IMMEDIATELY to have any chance of catching the PS2. At this point in the last generation, the PS2 was already laughing at all the other consoles. As it stands right now, the PS3 is desperately trying to limp out of 3rd place. I do believe it's closing on the 360, but not anywhere near the rate that's necessary.
Long story short, Sony went from stomping throats the last two generations to scratching and clawing their way out of last place. They've probably learned their lesson, and the PS4 might have a better shot at running the show again.
That's going to require the PS4 to launch within six months of Nintendo and Microsoft, which is not likely. Perhaps they've learned that they can't come to the party late, perhaps not.
The problem is that BluRay wasn't the only game in town, and the buyer hesitence to pick the wrong side (and hesitation in picking up a $700 player) strangled their ability to pick up momentum early.
I know the PS2 started great, but what I'm talking about are the sales of a console toward the end of it's life cycle being dependent on the release of newer consoles. If other console manufacturers also embrace the longer life cycle philosophy, then that could change things. We're talking about stuff only an industry insider would be able to predict, which is kind of my point. We can't assume things will go the same with each generation, because they clearly haven't in the past.
As far as one console or another being in "3rd place", I'm still not sure what people mean by that. No company judges how well its product is doing based on the launch day of its competitor, but for some reason gamers think this is the definitive method for determining profitability. Heck, if I'm not mistaken, the PS3 has a higher rate of sale than the 360, which I would think is a more relevant number.
That said, I think they're 2 years out from that, and this gen will be just about over since I expect at least one of the big 3 to launch a next gen console in about 2 years.
You do have a point about a new generation curbing sales for the old one. That could be a potentially large variable. However, that would have to mean that PS3 sales are FAR from their peak, which I don't see. I still think the PS3 has some climbing to do before it hits the downside, but that depends a lot on when they can get the price below $200.
Judging a console's success relative to other consoles is valid depending on who you are. If you're the manufacturer, it's not the best indicator. But it's hugely important as a publisher since their sales are largely launch day agnostic. The console with the largest audience has the best potential for profit. Since software sales drive hardware sales, you run into a bit of a chicken and egg argument.
> Expects sales to rise exponentially
Sony you're funny
These sound like famous last words. How many companies fail to pay attention to their global market and then fail in certain regions. It's not that it can't work, but I would HOPE that they would consult people in other regions before setting worldwide policy.
The PS3 will not come close to matching the sales numbers of the PS2, even if they price cut all the way to 100 dollars. The PS3 is 300 dollars now, yet PS3 sales are still pittling. It would seem that a) consumers are not interested in a blu-ray player that also happens to play games, and that b) there is hardly anything about the PS3 that sets it apart from the PS2. What really defines a console generation is the kind of experiences it offers. The PS3 doesn't offer any fundamentally different experiences compared to the PS2.
This is why the Wii outsold both the 360 and PS3 because it offered a fundamentally--and radically--different experience from the 360 and PS3, and especially from its own predecessor. The true videogame competition is not with other console makers but in competing against disinterest. If Sony truly attempted to compete against disinterest, then they would begin to see a reversal in their stagnant hardware sales. Sadly, that doesn't look like it's going to happen anytime soon, and in fact may never happen.
As for new console hardware, I'd seriously doubt seeing anything like that anytime soon. The economy is getting worse which all but assure that we won't be seeing new game hardware for at least another 3-10 years, and it's very unlikely that Microsoft will be around much longer to contribute to the "next generation" of videogame console hardware.
Keep on grinding, don't stop trying
Keep on dreaming, keep on flowing
Keep on growing, don't stop hoping.........Dont stop hoping
its not that they are bad video game console maker, but that they were never a good video game company to start with.
I stopped believing that Sony would dominate this generation when they first announced the $500/$600 launch price.
The PS2 was a great deal for the price, with DVD player, backwards compatibility with games/accesories, overall good game library.
I feel the PS3 got on track with the slim and is getting some attention and sales but I believe is kinda late to be able to achieve such a task.
At least I'm waiting a price drop to get a PS3 slim.
I know a lot of people either think this idea is great or lackluster but once the console supports it I think it will be another bonus for Sony and one less thing to think about.
They also need to work more closely with 3RD party devs and indie devs so that they can either get more exclusives or at least more dedication towards the games that come out. There are a lot of ports that come to PS3 right after Xbox and some dont look that great. I hear, for devs, the system is tough to code for. I dont know how true that is or isnt but if it is true they (sony) should be trying to remedy that situation.
Eventually, possibly, a price cut to $200. If they could do these things then maybe they would sell more consoles and possibly either tie with the 146 million PS2 units sold or maybe surpass it by a few.
My only doubt is that Sonys PS Division still thinks they're the big badass company they were back in 2000. Dont get me wrong they make a mean system but their fall from grace in the console arena these past few years has been harsh. They were at the top of their game only to fall so far to where they are now. Despite all that they still do pretty decently but from my view they have a lot of ground to cover to get back to their former glory. If they continue to act high and mighty that will either be them to slip further into oblivion or cause them to remain where they are.
I hope they wise up and get moving.
there must be a mistake in the article the last sentence is contradictory and makes no sense (much like Sony marketing...)
don't you al remember that sony has a time machine?
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/kevin-butler-sony/63351