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PlayStation 3 Manufacturing Not Started Yet?
aapold writes "Despite reports to the contrary, Sony Computer Entertainment American president Kaz Hirai states in an interview on Gamespot last week that 'We haven't started manufacturing yet. Some of our ops guys were actually just in China, and also in Japan just reviewing the [production] lines and everything else. But they are, again, preparing as we speak to get the manufacturing going. We've not announced and we haven't set really a specific date to say, 'As of this day we're going to start manufacturing.'"
The PSP isn't being marketed enough and that pisses off EA. I know this is outdated, but it still counts as criticism: first weekend sales were slow. Back in December, no one cared about the PSP. More recently, people do not seem to know what to do with the PSP.
Wii is a stupid and weird name that is just a marketing gimmick and really is stupid in case you missed the first article. Developers aren't 'getting' the Wii.
On the flipside of your reasoning, let's take a look at the systems that you highlight as receiving bad press:
The XBox360 will have the most market share past the presidential election. The XBox360 is being sold for much less money than it costs to make it so I don't see how you can complain about the price. The XBox360 is also mostly backwards-compatible. The 360 has also redefined the market and what it means to be a console.
The PS3 will dominate market share through the midterm elections after the presidential election (I'm a poli-sci major, I think in terms of U.S. elections). The PS3 is region free for gaming. The PS3 might max out the FPS available on even nice TVs and has amazing NVIDIA graphics and is going to be upgradable. The PS3 is backwards compatible for games and memory cards.
For any innovation there will be geeks who praise it and insult it. I will be insulted if I praise Linux or Microsoft, /. or Digg. Granted there are things that are constant sources of criticism (/. mod system, RIAA, SCO, RIAA, BSA, RIAA, RIAA, etc.) but they are the exception rather than the rule.
This concludes the most time and research intesive post I have ever written. If I weren't at work right now I would feel like I had wasted my time.
Information wants a fueled airplane waiting at the hangar and no one gets hurt.
I am too lazy for Google for a link, but apparently the time between the start of manufacture of the 360 and the launch was a scant 69 days. I think we all know how well that went. With under 90 days until the PS3 launch in Japan and North America I am not at all confident that Sony can produce the 2 million units they expect to be ready for launch.
I think Nintendo might steal significant thunder from Sony if PS3 shortages are a drastic as I expect by offering the Wii in quantity with the quality and quantity of launch titles that are anticipated. If a parent walks into a store around Christmas asks for a PS3 only to hear that it's out of stock looks at the Wii, the breadth of launch titles, the comparitive price, the innovative control style, the name Nintendo and the fact that it's in stock, well then maybe Nintendo can clean the floor with Sony. I hope NIntendo realizes this. Anyone who doubts that it might happen need only look at the success of the DS versus the PSP.
I would not count on brand recognition being a driver for sales. Sony has an awfully lousy brand reputation over here in Europe, and has earned that rightfully due to lousy customer service, expensive out of warranty repairs, lots of repairs etc... If you ask an everage person over here, they probably go for other brands first unless there is a real reason to buy Sony. Sony used to be good, but their quality has gone down the drain the last years once they centralized their repair network and once they started to treat their customers like John Romero wanted to have his customers in a famous ad...