So, this week we've seen a ton of news come out from Sony. Early on, we got the announcement that they'll be cutting the price on the PS3 60GB model by $100, sending the sales of the system shooting up. Next, at E3, we also got the announcement of the PSP redesign, along with a reconfirmation of Metal Gear Solid 4 as a PS3 exclusive. Sony had some great announcements coming out of the gate.
And then it all went to Hell. People have been less than thrilled with the fact that Sony is going to be dropping the 60GB model of the PS3 in favor of the 80GB, which will keep the console at a price point of $599.99, a good $120 away from the Xbox 360 Elite, which will likely drop in price once the 65nm chips make their way into the system.
So, what is the Japanese behemoth to do? "Roll over and die" is what I'm sure a bunch of you would love to say, but that really isn't an option right now. So, let's take a look this week to see what Sony can do to keep themselves from being just another set of 4chan memes from now until the end of the console's life.
Let's begin with the announcement of Sony discontinuing the 60GB PS3. The price cut has lit a spark that will allow more of these units to be sold and eventually cleared off of the shelves. There has got to be a fairly large stockpile of units sitting around to at least push Sony into the 5.5 million units sold area.
I think that by the time the 60GB models are sold out, Sony will have made enough improvements in the technology within the console to be able to cut the price on that down to $500. This is my hope, though. If Sony came out now and said this is their expectation, it would be their best bet of damage control. In the end, they are going back to what they promised -- one SKU (search your feelings...you know it to be true!).
Sony also needs to justify the larger HDD. I mean, using it as media center is the obvious thing, but really, there needs to be an increase in games available for download on the PlayStation Network. From browsing the list on Sony's website, all I'd want to download would be Calling All Cars, Rampart, and flOw. There's a smattering of PS1 games on there that I'd consider downloading if I didn't get the original discs for really cheap at Gamestop.
Improving their online store is another move that they really need to make. For us here at Destructoid, we never know when Sony releases something on the PSN. That really needs to change. Putting out weekly releases is something the other two companies do, and it really helps build awareness as to what's coming out. If nothing else, SCEA should have a bunch of its staff working on putting out their first party games from the PS1 onto the system. Online games don't sell consoles, but it certainly provides Sony with a secondary market to make money that can go to help boost their overall sales numbers and recoup some of that R&D loss.
Next is the PSP redesign. For a lot of people that I know (myself included), they've been waiting for a redesigned PSP before getting one. Now, Sony just needs to come up with a smart, simplistic, and straightforward advertising campaign in order to remind people that there's a newer, sexier PSP coming out. It certainly won't push the PSP right up into immediate competition with the DS, but it will certainly help. I mean, as it is, over 22 million PSPs have been sold. A strong push could possibly put the system at 30 million sold.
Just as an aside, I feel I should mention that the PSP and DS, in my mind, have never really been in direct competition, and that they will be able to happily co-exist. They really serve two different markets, and at this point, with well-made titles from companies like Rockstar and Square-Enix on the system, the PSP has shown itself as a viable platform that should be taken seriously.
A lot of people have said that Sony needs to be open to accepting homebrew in order to win over a lot of people. Ron mentioned on Podtoid that not many of those who own PSPs know about homebrew, so I think this is a vocal minority who are pushing for this. I'm very much in the "don't pirate games!" group, and I'd rather buy a Japanese PS2 than buy a Swap Disc, simply to prevent myself from just burning games and playing those. If Sony did embrace homebrew, it would be nice to see some development tools come out so people can start creating simple games to download for the system and play, a la XNA. At this point, really, the PSP just needs a couple more games that are "must buys," and they'll be just fine.
Sony's lineup at E3 really showed some strong titles, but again, those are all for sometime in 2008. We really won't be seeing many must-buy Sony titles coming out too soon, and that's their greatest weakness. There won't be anything to push the console around Christmas time, and so Sony might lose out on yet another Christmas worth of sales.
Sony has more promising points coming out of E3, especially with things like the Unreal 3 engine being custom-built for the PS3, and are poised to reclaim their honor from their debacle of a launch. With the later PS3 controllers to include rumble, what else do you think Sony needs to do in order to win over the masses? Or, have they done enough for right now to secure themselves a successful future with the PS3?
Contest:
5:27 PM on 07.15.2007
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lollers, if only it was that easy.
Sony's 2008 lineup for games is looking mighty promising, but then what? Sure, the brand name will carry them a ways, but if they don't lower the price permanently at some point, I can't imagine them getting very many 3rd party exclusives in the future. This isn't really a problem with Microsoft, because they're willing to "do business" with companies to score exclusives, while Sony is not.
If the Xbox 360 price does drop while the PS3 still costs $600, think of how many PS2 owners who haven't bought a next-gen system will switch over to 360.
also: RULES 1 AND 2 OP!
The PS3... wow... well, they may be setting themselves up for another lose for the holidays, but the things they did mention coming in 2008 may be the cushion they are hoping to land on. An interesting strategy, if it is what they're thinking. If they do drop the 60G PS3, and they "continue" to sell them like hotcakes, they would probably get a little more notice from other game companies to have more games come and make up the lose they may recieve later this year. If that is on their mind, then it would be a ballsy hit-or-miss that I can't wait to see how it turns out.
For online... well, yeah... if ya can't beat em, join em. Get those PS2 and PS1 titles on there big time.
What has this got to do with Sony? Well, Nintendo happen to know what the future of interactive entertainment is, they understand the medium they work in, Sony are still pushing and end of an era blueprint because they are a business company posing as a design company.
It's a very similar scenario to the arcade gaming scene fall from grace, there was a time when arcades were considered the peak of videogame experience, better graphics, sound, interface. Almost overnight they were made redundant by advances in home console technology and fundamental changes in game design. In this comparison, Sony (and to a lesser extent Microsoft) are the high end arcades not realising that they are working their bollocks off in an unsustainable environment.
My post has nothing to do with favouritism or fanboyism, this is an objective view of a medium which is so obviously due a huge change, and as usual, there will always be casualties in any big change. Sony will be one of those casualties because you cannot fake innovation, and without doubt the future of intercative entertainment, human interface and videogames, is innovation.
I agree with about 99% of everything you said up there...
But I think Sony will surprise people. The other two have nother to really prove at the moment, but like hell Sony will fall flat on its ass for too long. Plus, be it that it kicks ass right now, I'm not thinking waving your hands like a wild man or hola-hooping on a pad is the "quantum leap" some see it all. I'm one of the peeps that has seen all his friends sit down their Wii and go back to other things (Gears, WoW, etc.).
Just sayin...
Also, as of 20 minutes ago, I can't help but think of Jade Raymond and giraffes when I see Phil Harrison >.<
I have one.
It's called the Chotto Shot, and they're all over eBay. Kind of boring, but it's there. And it's very real.
If there are a bunch of must-have games on a system, I don't care how expensive it is (really, I don't, and you know it DMV), then I'll buy the system. This holiday season is going to force me into buying a 360 a year earlier than I was planning on. I'm just curious when Sony will have enough exclusives to achieve the same effect.
It is true that the DS and the PSP can and are coexisting, much like the Wii will with the other next gen consoles. You're seeing very different games you can only get on one system, and it's worthwhile to have both. Except the handhelds are a lot more affordable together.
I still say that all on the stipulation the PSP hacking stays up to date. Half the value on the system is the PS1 and down emulation. And yes, I do own almost every PS1 youl'd want to play, so I wouldn't even have to pirate them.
As for the PS3, I can't afford that or the 360 right now. I'm hoping the PS3 does end up with a solid enough opposing library to the 360 by the time I can, because I much prefer it's openness and modularity to the highly proprietary 360 bullshit.
If this price cut stuff is really true, though, and they’re just hoping to sell off all remaining stock of the 60 GB PS3s before they make the 80 GB edition the only SKU, then I still think that’s garbage. Unless, of course, they’ll eventually drop the price on the 80 GB to $499 — even if they take MotorStorm out of the equation — because then, there’ll be some chance of competing with Microsoft. I mean, while an 80 GB PS3 at $499 would obviously still be $20 more expensive than a 120 GB Elite, that $20 gets you the chance to play the five great games I mentioned above, and more, plus the obvious technological advantages that everyone knows about (Blu-ray, built-in 802.11b/g wireless, media card readers, etc.)
Microsoft puts up millions to make sure shit comes to their system; Sony damn well better start putting up money to prevent shit from going to the 360. It sounds underhanded well that's because both sides of the argument are clearly forms of bribery. That's just how the industry works now I guess. You have to buy studios and buy exclusives from other companies and then make pony up to get exclusives for your console.
Yeah I agree with what you're saying, Sony won't completely fall on their ass, but they have completely miscalculated the future of intercative entertainment.
I mean really, if Sony were even 50% right about their vision of the future of videogames, then the Wii would be a complete and utter failure, the fact that a technically inferior machine is outseeling the PS3 by a huge margin is very telling.
Now, this ill judgement has happened to Nintendo with the N64 and ironically Sony were the culprirts, whilst Nintendo and Sega were taking their positions for granted, Sony came along and injected some new energy into the industry whilst Nintendo were building upon old, spent concepts.
But the huge difference is that Nintendo are genuine designers, they are capable of innovating and diversifying their approach for a changing environment, one minute Miyamoto is king of hardcore games, next he introduces Wii Fit - this is a real designer - Sony on the other hand do not have the understanding of this medium in order to diversify and innovate. They won't die, but the Playstation is a spent brand name. Sounds ridiculous now, but I wouldn't rule out a Sony, Nintendo hook up in the future.
1) It costs as much or less than the 360
2) It has a Wii-Remote rip off.
Nothing else will matter. The games on the way will help, but the 360 still had a more varied and more quality line up for appealing to the hardcore. MGS4 is 99% likely to coem to the 360 late next year. The PS3 really only has FF:XII, and who knows how good it will even be, or if it will even be out by 2009.
Sony could still take the gold if they brought back the 20Gb model, threw in their Wii-Remote rip off, and priced it at $300. Anything short of that will be futile.
But then, dropping the price would still make the situation look a whole lot better for them. But they'll be running at a huge loss unless Blu-Ray picks up so they can funnel some of the revenue from Blu-Ray to the PS3 (or they somehow they create some sort of mega-gadget a la MAC/ipod). Yet currently, Blu-Ray seems their only innovation lately. Otherwise they're following trends rather than setting them.
We see some good looking games on the horizon, but most people still can't afford the system. Peter Moore was smart to bring up the fact that 80% of the PS2's sold were at the $199 price range or less. The first console to get to that price point is going to see amazing sales, and the PS3 is a long way away.
Yes, they need to keep making games, better the PSN, keep those firmware updates coming (including the ever-so-important XMB accessibility in-game), and clean up their PR. But even if those things were all there, they still couldn't win at a $500 or $600 price point.
I've been waiting to see a Sony SKU priced at $400. I'm having trouble seeing the new price as a price drop. Considering my cheapest option is still $500, it looks more like a hardware upgrade disguised as a price drop.
And this is to stop wiping out older system SKU's.. They could have kept the 40 and made it $399, hell, even made it a 20 or 30 - if all the gamer wants to do is game, then that is more than enough for the PS3's on-HDD Storage... Then they could have followed up with the 60 gig plus some packins, say a game or some Playstation Store points packed right inside.. This could go for the $500 and then following the 80 - which imo should be boosted up to a 100 or 120 for $600 with even more pack-ins than the 60.
This would have substantially increased the PS3 sales - coupled with the latest removal of the emotion chip, manufacturing costs would also be down.
Other than this, it's all about the games to get the systems as they are off the shelves faster.. To do this, I think Sony needs to work more closely with any company producing a PS3 game to help them learn to properly code for the PS3. Taking that extra step to ensure that the games coming to the PS3 are going to be of good quality at the very least, rather than a mediocre port that lags due to not being programmed correctly.
As for PSP. It's just not doing it for me. I owned one at one point, sold it and haven't looked back. To be honest I don't think I'll get one again. The DS is more than enough for me.
1. Complete tear down and rebuilding of PR and Marketing departments related to the Playstation brand. The plans these departments have implemented thus far for the PS3 have been massive failures (creepy, stupid commercials, an endless supply of brainless public statements, etc).
2. Send out a pack of starving wolves to secure top-notch, exclusive software for the PS3. Pay for big name timed exclusives. Get indy developers on the PS3 bandwagon. Help finance a remake of Final Fantasy VII by Square-Enix. Promote the hell out of these titles.
3. Do whatever it takes to achieve price parity with the Xbox 360 Elite. Match the HD capacity of the Elite so that the product doesn't appear inferior in any way. You need to remove the EE? Fine. Whatever. But the PS3 should be positioned as a no additional cost alternative to the 360 Elite.
the one thing i will type is about how something has become more obvious to me as time as gone on. people have different needs and different opinions that translate into them needing options. i read forums and news posts were one person will say they sold their psp and bought a ds and never looked back. i own both and i use my psp more. some people say that the 360 has all the games they need, while others hate what microsoft offers.
this singular thought is what keeps a smile on my face. the fact that in all this battle people can decide what they like and still have the option to change their mind [although some will even admit they are stubborn]. i'm glad i've been given a choice, even if my choice usually sits firmly on the side of sony.
i agree with most of the above comments except for changing the ps3 setup [like those that want blueray out] and those that want a second analog stick. seriously. if games were that hard to play/create/enjoy with only 1 stick, sony would have put two in originally.
I know I may be in the minority here, but I'm really not at all impressed with what Nintendo has done with the Wii. Their big innovation, as you called it, has spawned nothing but mini-games and ports with tacked on controls. What's so innovative about that? A new input method does not an innovation make. You're still using a physical stimulus to manipulate a virtual environment.
Not to say that the other offerings have been terribly innovative themselves, but that's neither here nor there.
But the huge difference is that Nintendo are genuine designers, they are capable of innovating and diversifying their approach for a changing environment, one minute Miyamoto is king of hardcore games, next he introduces Wii Fit - this is a real designer - Sony on the other hand do not have the understanding of this medium in order to diversify and innovate.
With all due respect, I was never aware that Miyamoto was the king of hardcore gamers (especially considering Ninty has publicly stated many times that their trying to hook the casual demographic); additionally, I sincerely doubt that he micromanages his company to the point that Wii Fit (yet another collection of mini-games) is his brainchild.
I appreciate the fact that they're going after a relatively untapped demographic, but I fail to see how that translates into real innovation.
Especially when the way they go about it is through simplifying their controls.
also, grammar