Game Publishers Pressuring Sony For PS3 Price Cut

Bloomberg is running a story about several video game publishers and developers who are pushing for a long overdue price cut on Sony's PS3 console. Sales of the PS3 are lagging behind both the Wii and the Xbox 360 despite the PS2's resounding victory in sales of the previous generation of consoles. One of the creators of LittleBigPlanet, a PS3 exclusive, made similar comments in an interview with Gamasutra, acknowledging that they're looking forward to the day Sony drops the PS3's price. An analyst from Janco said such an action is necessary if Sony doesn't want to "lose support from game developers and publishers."

Comments

Not according to Kaz Hirai

[Macthorpe]

The only way Sony can win is if they pretend they're not competing with Nintendo, and say that the Xbox 360 will be surpassed in 10 years. This conveniently ignores the high probability that the PS3 will be completely dead in ten years if they don't do something now.

Kaz Hirai is a lunatic and he's going to run the PS3 into the ground.

Re:Not according to Kaz Hirai

[Nested]

Xbox 360 will be surpassed in 10 years

I agree with your post. There's zero chance Microsoft will wait seven more years before releasing the next Xbox. Additionally, any student of MS product history will know that by version 3 of a product they've usually got the formula down and understand the market pretty well. Looking at the 360 and knowing how bad MS wants this market should keep Sony up a little later each night.

Re:Not according to Kaz Hirai

[KDR_11k]

I actually agree that PS3 would outsell Xbox360 in 10 years.

I doubt that. I don't think the system will stay alive that long, even if Sony doesn't give up on it the moment the PS4 releases they'll have a hard time gettimg more games for a system that is no longer a new system but not a huge market in the old generation either (and no more games support = no more sales). The PS2 received support for so long because it sold so much, it just made sense to put games there even with the new consoles taking off because the PS2 market is huge but the PS3 won't have that advantage, if anyone will then the Wii. Sony could artificially force a 10 year lifespan by making games for it themselves but the dev teams working on that are dev teams who won't be working on PS4 games in that time. Of course Sony can say "there's no point in a PS4, let's keep the PS3 going instead" and they might actually be right but if they're thinking like that their competition can do the same and the PS3 will remain away from the top while the competition keeps accumulating sales. I think by now Sony is like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, asking "when could we have said 'stop' and walked away?" Their situation is FUBAR by now and all they can do is hope they do better next time.

Then again their leadership is the kind that gets described as "a bunch of mindless jerks who were the first against the wall when the Wii came."

Re:Not according to Kaz Hirai

[drinkypoo]

People rationalized the purchase of a PS3 by saying to themselves "well, I get a blu-ray player "free" with it" ... but now that blu-ray players are under $200, that rationalization is gone - you can buy either competitor + a stand-alone BD player for the same or less. and if you're not in the market for a BD player, then it's no contest, price-wise.

Yes, just like the PS2 and DVD. The problem is that everyone HAD to have DVD, and everyone HAD to have a PS2 - the original Playstation having been the most badass system ever, right? (It was pretty fantastic.) The PS3 had a lot of competition, and it has failed to compete. Xbox 360 is just as fast, if not faster. Wii is cheaper and, you know, innovative. Like we always said we wanted, and we got it, and guess what? We did want it. And while we could all benefit from DVD, not all of us have the 1080i/p display that is necessary to derive any actual benefit from it.

I want a PS3

[squoozer]

I've never owned a console but lately I've been considering getting a PS3. The only thing stopping me is the price which when compared to the 360 is just plain silly. It's not that I can't afford the PS3 at the current price I just can't justify paying more than double the price of the 360 for something that is only a little better. The price of the PS3 really pushes it into the luxury / enthusiast bracket for me. I want something I can just kick back on occasionally not something where I feel guilty for not using it because I've spent a fortune on it.

Just my 1c worth.

Re:I want a PS3

[hansamurai]

For the record, it doesn't cost anywhere near $59.00 a year, heck, the MSRP is 49.99. Amazon is selling the 13 month Live cards for $38.99. I bought mine from them a few months ago for something like $29.99.

http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Live-Month-Gold-Bonus/dp/B000B9RI00

PS3 != Xbox 360 != Wii

[ernest.cunningham]

Own all three. PS3 is a great gaming system with really nice media center features etc. Xbox 360 is a great gaming system with really good online gaming solution. Far superior online system to Playstation network but you pay for it so meh. Wii is perfect for when the mates come around etc or friends or family for a social visit. Its a hit with my young nieces and nephews, but also a hit with my mother so its very popular. However as an out and out gaming machine the wii graphics are very poor but the social benefits of its setup are plenty. Sooo, where am I going with this state the damn obvious here...... Sony's product IMO is a far better system to have in the living room. I mean you can actually copy movies and music onto the damn thing unlike the 360 (yeah I know direct cd import but not mp3 support???) So to me the extra price is actually worth it! Sony are not really competing with Nintendo or Microsoft here as their machines all concentrate on different aspects. PS3 = Home entertainment system Xbox 360 = Gaming system with kickass online play Wii = Family casual gaming fun. So not really competing here in terms of what they are trying to offer. Well the only problem here is that somebody forgot to tell the consumer that they are not competing. They see Call Of Duty World at War on all three systems. To most people they see all three as gaming systems pure and simple and do not know they differences between the xbox 360 and the ps3 and usually go for the cheaper ones. I know the parents who are purchasing the systems do... If you ask a salesman, whats the difference between the Ps3 and the Xbox 360, the most common answer will just be "The PS3 has a built in Blue Ray player which the xbox 360 does not have". In reality there are many more pros and cons that can in use would change their minds about the console they would like. So overall I beleive the PS3 is worth the sale price, but most consumers will not see it that way and they only thing for Sony to do now is drop those prices and try and compete in the consumers ignorant eyes. Well thats just my $2.50, take it or leave it.

Hidden Costs

[ifrag]

Total cost of ownership turns out to be a lot more similar in the long term though. I don't think the PS3 should have any problem competing with the 360. The initial price sticker shock may be having some effect but consider that:

• PS3 - Stock wireless controller is rechargeable. XB360 Stock controller requires user to provide rechargeables, or just burn through normal batteries.
• PSN Online is provided free of charge, with multiplayer gaming. XBox Gold membership is something like $50/year, and is required to actually play multiplayer games on XBLive.
• Most PS3 models have built in wireless support (although there were some that didn't), the XB360 Wireless Network adapter is something around $50.
• PS3 ships with a larger hard drive than the XB360 (80GB PS3 has been the standard model for some time now). The hard drive is also replaceable with a standard consumer drive. XB360 drive is upgradeable but only with MS product (although I think there are adapters to use other devices, the adapter is once again cost added).
• PS3 is bluetooth headset compatable, XBox 360 requires use of proprietary headset if the user wants to have a wireless earpiece.

With accessories and online costs considered, I'd say it evens out, and rather quickly at that.