PS2 Price Cut On The Way?

GameDailyBiz reports on analyst predictions of an upcoming PS2 price cut. From the article: "Although some analysts have said a price cut to $99 for the aging console would be a possibility, Sebastian believes the cut would be a more moderate $20 drop. 'We now believe a price cut on Sony's PS2 is more than likely ahead of the E3 video game conference. Specifically, our industry checks indicate that Sony is planning to cut the PS2 price to $129 from the current $149 before the end of this month,' he said."

Comments

Making it third party

[dada21]

I was thinking about the "Will Microsoft buy out Sony?" situation, and I was thinking the best solution for Sony to capitalize on their losses is to open the world market up to the old Sony platform: release the PS2 as open-source or cheaply licensable and give others access to making new hardware, new software and new accessories.

The PS2 platform is still a great platform with a lot of room for improvement. Imagine a gaming console that can be accessed by the millions of developers, programmers, amateurs and third parties that could make things better. Sony doesn't have to give it up entirely, but they could capitalize on a re-birth by finding ways to continue to market their older titles and software to a new live of PS2's that might come to fruition.

Maybe it isn't the best solution, but I think it is one that isn't thought of usually -- more competition makes those in the business more profitable as new avenues for revenue open up. I love my competition, they make me more money than if I had a monopoly on my services.

Re:Making it third party

[dada21]

Everybody on the planet? 100,000,000 units have shipped in nearly 6 years -- a lot, but not complete. How many still work? How many markets were ignored because the price couldn't get any lower to get these new markets into using the device? How many people have stopped buying software for the PS2 because the newer software focuses on the newer consoles?

I think Sony could breathe a TON of life back into their current inventory of licensed games (and even new games adapted) for the PS2 -- they don't need the hardware anymore to make money. By letting others develop hardware add-ons and even complete knock-offs of the hardware, Sony could revitalize a market that really isn't ready to die. Competition can make them much more profitable by pushing the costs of new developments to many companies rather than just the ones that can afford the Sony licensing fee.

Sony has a gold mine that they probably won't tap. Giving the PS2 code away to developers could mean HUGE things for Sony in terms of bringing a new demand for their older products. Why not give the hardware away? I can see $39 PS2s selling, not $129 ones. If a new market is opened for the PS2, that same market would open up desire for Sony's products they do sell, still. Hell, let someone create PS2 code for cell phones (Sony could then sell software they own or license for this version). There is so much life left, but monopolizing it for themselves will decrease their market into oblivion eventually.