Sony's Future Analyzed - PSX, PSP, PS3?

Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing to Gamesindustry.biz's analysis of Sony's game console brands, called 'Playstation: Evolve, Multiply, Conquer'. The article starts with the statement that "Sony clearly sees the games market as a stepping stone to dominance of the home entertainment sector", and goes on to look at the 'Playstation 2 Plus' PSX device unveiled this week, as well as the newly announced PSP portable. The piece concludes by looking at what the Playstation 3 might be, suggesting a family of complementary games consoles may be Sony's eventual goal - "..in an ideal world for Sony executives, the question asked when you go to buy a new piece of consumer electronics will not be whether you want a PlayStation, but which PlayStation you want."

Comments

Ah, good old synergy

[Snowspinner]

I suspect this will be the move with which Sony self-destructs at least it's Playstation division, if not the entirety of the company. I have never seen a company that is not Disney really successfully synergize among its different branches, and even Disney has been having some trouble of late, in that its last few animated features have bombed.

Here, I think the problem is that parents look for game systems for their kids, and they look at DVD players/recorders and TiVos for the family. Therefore, when a parent is shopping for a game system, the fact that it has a DVD player/recorder and is a TiVo will not matter to them (And the fact that the box is more expensive will). Likewise, when they're looking for a DVD Player/Recorder or a TiVo, the game system will not be seen as an important bonus to them. Especially because I can't imagine that anyone who would be tempted at this point to buy a DVD recorder wouldn't already have a PS2.

Long term, I think this strategy is suicide as well. The gamers are already buying Sony, and the non-gamers will look at the product and go "But the Playstation is for teenagers and video game players. I want a Toshiba."

Which is fine by me. I like the Gamecube. =)

Didn't MS try this?

[drewmca]

Funny how Microsoft said something similar but they had to scrap their plans because everyone (the gaming press) was up in arms over the fact that they weren't focusing on games first. Then sony does the same thing. Personally I don't mind these convergence devices but I don't think that I'd be eager to buy one just because it had a console. I'd rather keep the console a separate unit. VCRs, Tivos, DVRs, etc. can all sit comfortably in my audio rack. I prefer to have a console slide out on the floor so that I can sit back on my couch with the controller. I think Microsoft understands this because they have great, long cords on the controllers with breakaways. Nintendo does too b/c of their support for wireless with the wavebird. But I personally wouldn't feel comfortable with controller cords hanging out of the front of my A/V rack, with the potential for someone to trip over them and wreak havoc.