New Sony Chief Executive Reveals Fast-Forward Plans

The next chief executive of Sony Corp. promises to forge a new path for a company that once dominated the business of filling free time with the creation of wildly popular consumer products, from Trinitron TVs to Walkman music players and PlayStation game consoles.

The selection of 51-year-old Kazuo Hirai by Sony's board Wednesday ends the reign of Howard Stringer, the boisterous and charismatic Brit who in 2005 became the company's first non-Japanese chief executive and over seven years as boss couldn't turn around Sony's electronics business.

[MGRogue2017]

I don't think so.. Not if I can help it, How much you need?? *opens wallet*

... Take it easy though, plz.. don't go too overboard.. limit is $50 ;)

[MariaHelFutura]

Sony will be fine, if anything they need to seriously restructure the PS marketing division.

[Parapraxis]

The PS division is one of main reasons they are still afloat.

[MariaHelFutura]

Let's be real about something....

MS can make something average seem great and Sony has problems having great things recognized the way they should be this generation. Example... I haven't seen ONE PSVita commercial yet and it comes out in 2 weeks!! Kinect one the other hand (which I dislike BTW), I saw countless commercials before it launched. If Sony doesn't make people aware of the platform, don't expect it to sell aswell as it could. Just being amazing in this day and age doesn't do it, the world moves too fast..you have to inform people as much as possible because the average person has the attention span of a puppy.

@gamingdroid

No. I stopped clicking N4G articals a long time ago. Oh well... Sony still needs to advertise the PS platforms better!!!

[gamingdroid]

@MariaHelFutura

Did you not read the article?

They clearly spell out some of the troubles Sony is having, including 7 straight year of losses for the TV division, 4 straight years of losses for the company (soon to be five), a $2 billion loss in last quarter and 17% sales drop.

Sony is just figuring out that "experience" is what drives sales these days, not hardware that will be replaced shortly:

"Mr. Hirai described his strategic goal as teaching the company's 168,000 employees that past successes in manufacturing must be replaced by selling the harder-to-quantify "user experience." The world has moved on, he said, "We can't just continue to be a great purveyor of hardware products, even though some people expect us to do that.""

The good news, Hirai turned a $2 billion loss on the PS3 business around so he has some merit to potential turn-around. Then again, Stringer did too.

It is far easier to start a new business than fix an ailing one....

[Army_of_Darkness]

I would totally buy one!! they just too expensive compared to the other brands.

[baodeus]

I think charging premium prices in this economy is what kills them (especially their TV vs many others TV that are cheaper and probably better too).

Sony really have to realize that they aren't the only one in the market anymore (from TV to gaming console to even smaller devices like music player etc...).

[Legion]

It's more their TV business and other areas that are needing the attention, as the PS side has seen a turn around already.

Sony has the same issue that Apple does of making a product and pricing themselves out of the market with it. (talking Apple computers here) Sony TVs are too expensive for the market to handle... especially with the economy the way it is today.

And they need to be aware that their marketing plan is not working. Market wisely and use the resources that you already have. They seem to be relying too much on their name versus actually advertising properly. Can't rest on old laurels.

[princejb134]

competition is to fierce now adays
i used to love sony products from mp3s to tvs cell phones
than apple came along and is dominating every business its profits with a phone and a laptop

and we still in a recession so that may also be the blame for losing money
i havent bought a game since mw3(which i regret)

there tvs are to expensive at times
i ended up buying a from a tv brand i never heard of (dynex) just because it was cheap

[SwampCroc]

yeah the PS division is why Hirai is getting promoted in the first place..

he is the one that turned PS back around.

[BattleAxe]

Its their TV division that is really getting hit hard.

If i were CEO:

- drop the TV division
- focus on their core services such as PSN
- focus on devices that support their services (Sony's Mobile Phones Division, PS3, VITA and VAIO)
- offer better pricing on Sony's own collection of Movie and Music products
- heavily promote Sony Music, Sony Television and Sony Movie Productions through the PSN
- bring full connectivity and interactivity of the PSN to the PC
- come up with creative exclusive deals to sell Sony exclusive games on a platform like Steam
- buy out companies that provide services like NETFLIX (Sony has been rumored to be interested in buying NETFLIX)
- continue to produce video cameras, photo cameras and MP3 players, and ensure that they are open source and that they do not use proprietary connectors and power chords.
- release Official PSN Apps on Android devices, iPhone, Google Chrome, Facebook and televisions made by Samsung, Panasonic, Sharp ect... ect....

[Soldierone]

Why did people take that comment so negatively? I mean come on, Sony has amazing products they just suck at marketing things. They spend their money on products and that is great, but it still needs to get known.

The Kevin Butler ads were great, then they disapear and PlayStation isn't in the media anymore. Yet you see Xbox all over Disney, kids stuff, products, advertised on sports games, it's every where. Vita is hardly known, and the Taco Bell thing seems to be as far as that is going to go.

Let's put it this way. PlayStation is selling extremely well with limited marketing, imagine if Sony put a force behind it? Sales would sky rocket.

Also at the person above, TV sales are actually a high point for Sony. It was only a low point when they put their money into Plasma, thats over and done with now.

[Dee_91]

@maria
the got that taco bell vita commercial.But I havent seen a commercial only about the vita.
Marketing isnt only commercials .Commercials play a big part.however they could still really improve on marketing.

[zag]

marketing is only 1 thing.

To make people want to buy something you also need content.

Sony have plenty of content but their products don't access it fully, everything is moving to a digital copy/download only type service and I think Sony is going to end up only releasing via downloads at some point 2-3 years time maybe sooner.

MS market heaps but that's all they do really, they don't make games anymore, they have dropped flightsim the only thing they made that was a game for about 20 years this has now turned into a kids kinect type flight sim game thing now, it's probably going to be an utter waste of time.

MS don't make any content what so ever they rely 100% for content from other companies, if those companies go bust there less or no content on the 360 etc.

I think Sony will end up coming around probably with the next gen because they'll have all their music/tv shows/movies/games and what ever else that comes be all linked up together in the one hub that you can access very easy.

The PS3 and PSN works well but when you try to link in online stuff it's a bit flaky at best, you can really tell they kinda had an idea but the idea wasn't exactly right for what has ended up happening.

I don't know if the next xbox will be a big seller as I think Sony is really hoping the content side will pull them through.

[tokugawa]

most of the people on here are not living on the same planet!

not so long ago, sony equalled quality..at a premium price, and people were prepared to pay for it.

fast forward to now, and for every over priced sony product, you can probably find a better quality product, made by someone else (like samsung) at a better price.

in 2011, like an idiot, and against my better judgement. i bought a 46" LED 3D bravia...and it is shit! all the reviews (which came after i bought it coz it was a 2011 model ) stated the exact problems that i have with it.

i wasted over $1400 - £1200 -1400 euros on it. i shouldve got a samsung or a cinema 3D LG. i just bought a camcorder. and after researching my purchase, i got a samsung, which outperforms sony products, but was around $100 cheaper than them.

sony need to pull their heads out of their arses! now the only sony product i will buy is their consoles! the rest are just overpriced, because it has sony wrote on it.

dont flame or bubble me down kids. i am just speaking from experience. the days of guarantedd sony quality are long gone. most people know it.. except sony themselves! oh and top-ten/blogs4fanboys army

[tokugawa]

mods delete please double post

[tokugawa]

mods delete please triple post

[sikbeta]

@MariaHelFutura

Nop, it's the whole Sony Corp, not just PlayStation, duh, SCE is actually one of the few divisions working well...

O-T

Fix This S*** Kaz! :D

[Ranma1]

Hirai, what you should do is merge with an OIL company.

Then you will have a bottomless war chest to fund the PS4

...this is based off my experience of business

[LaChance]

Even more exclusives is the solution Sony ! That will help you beat the 360 and Wii worldwide just like you''re doing right now !

[MariaHelFutura]

From a gamers perspective nothing is wrong w/ more exclusives... AT ALL. They just need to market themselves better..like MS.

[Godchild1020]

I think I'll take less exclusives with better market or more marketing for their AAA games.

[cjflora]

I love how everyone always assumes articles like this are specifically referring to Playstation. Sony is much bigger than their gaming console.

[gigreen]

I don't think exclusives are the solution.

As some people said, they need to focus on better marketing. The first step would be getting rid of the name Playstation.

[sikbeta]

I'll take more exclusives than anything, you know, gaming is my thing, don't give a f*** about financial s*** and all that :P

[metsgaming]

just look at all the great things Hirai has done, if anyone can fix their problems its him. Plus with him as CEO you would think more money would go towards playstation. Which it will he even said that he will focus on the core business which gaming is apart of.

I found out yesterday from an article that Stringer cant even speak Japanese !!!!! He was CEO of a japanese company but cant speak the language at all i mean come on.

[salinidus]

sony will be fine especially with such an enthusiastic and goal driven person (kaz hirai) now taking the helm

[Jamaicangmr]

who would disagreethis was comedy God lol!
+ bubble man.

[Consoldtobots]

"I would totally buy one!! they just too expensive compared to the other brands."

IMO this has been sony's whole problem, way overpriced products(tv's) when people can buy a similiar "experience" for sometimes half the price. Add to that the most incompetent advertising campaign I've ever seen for any products in the states and you have this...

seriously when was the last time you anything Sony advertised on TV on any consistent basis?

[TOSgamer]

@BattleAxe

How does buying netflix fix anything? If anything netflix has their own problems which include about 3 billion plus of debt in contract obligations for content. Their dvd business is evaporating and they make squat on their stream business.

[morkendo23]

what they need to do is bring back VARIETY!! of ps2 era. gamers CANT live on hardcore only games.we need platformers an sidescrolling games too.

[-Mezzo-]

I enjoy Sony's Console & Televisions, i really hope they bounce back & keep on going.

[dragon82]

Besides my PS3, I really enjoy my Sony tv and camera. I hope they are around for a very long time.

[Nathaniel_Drake]

Yeah Sony has great products, hope they bounce back

[Bowzabub]

Sony leaves gaming, I leave gaming.

[Ethereal]

Amen...

[SuperLupe]

Sony leaves gaming I'll carry on gaming.

When I had a 360 100% of my gaming had nothing to do with Sony.

And trust me I was having as much of a blast as I'm having now on my PS3.

Im 22 years old and some of the best experiences I've had in gaming were courtesy of Nintendo, MS or Sega (Skies of Arcadia, Shemnue and Jet Set Radio).

There is life outside of Sony guys. Why do you do this to yourselves ?

[UnSelf]

if it aint Sony, its phony

[rhcpfan]

@SuperLupe

Exactly. The best games of this gen were always multi-platform IMO.

[WrAiTh Sp3cTr3]

*Facepalm*

[dredgewalker]

If Sony leaves gaming and there's only multiplatform games available then I'm sticking to my pc.

[thehusbo]

You said it.

[gtxgamer2]

AGREE.

[Rush]

Why not leave anyway... few less loyalty blind gamers can only be a good thing.

[gtxgamer2]

yall are just a bunch of haters.

[Ethereal]

@Rush Just because some of us have a preference in console choice does not mean we are "loyalty blind gamers" Don't assume shit....I am a gamer before anything else, although I feel Sony is instrumental in industry innovation and risk taking. Which is why I take this position.

[Aloren]

Having a preference is different from giving up something you enjoy for that kind of reason. I must say I'm even surprised someone would say such a thing, it doesn't make any more sense to me than giving up phones if apple stops making them.
I sure hope you "just say that" and don't really mean it... I know I didn't leave gaming when Atari, Amiga, or Sega left, and I won't leave gaming either when or if Nintendo, Sony, or MS stop making consoles.

[Silly gameAr]

I'm with you there.

[SSKILLZ]

yeah that's how we roll up in thiz b!tch :D

[FearNoAngel]

Lol

[thebudgetgamer]

No, as much as I like Sony I have seen too many companies come and go to deter my favorite hobby.

Atari, Sega, Colleco, SNK ect.

[Simon_Brezhnev]

I wont leave gaming just be strictly PC gaming.

[nnotdead]

i could see myself going the same way, but there is no way i could commit to such a statement. sure i haven't been excited for a Nintendo console since the Ultra 64 was first talked about, and i refuses to pay for a Live Gold membership to play online, but to say either(or another company) couldn't make something in the future that i would be interested in seems like s stretch.

[orange-skittle]

Sorry, there's nothing great about PC gaming to me. I don't do keyboard and mouse. I also don't do upgrades. It would cost more to upgrade a rig than buy one already spec'ed-out.

[Simon_Brezhnev]

@orange
Good for you but you do realize you can use ps3/360 controller for PC. It's actually cheaper to build a rig than have a ps3/360 for 6 years. PC games are already cheaper. Online is more tolerant way quicker to ignore people.

[_Aarix_]

Dont let the door hit all yall asses on the way out!

Seriously, gaming is gaming, no matter who provides it. If you think otherwise then I WANT you guys to quit gaming.

[VINNIEPAZ]

"There is life outside of Sony guys. Why do you do this to yourselves ?"

Please, let them go man. Sony fanboys are the worst

[undisputed]

Because 360 fanboys are any better. Please, all fanboys are annoying.

[Bastion17]

Cause that makes so much sense right?

[dark-hollow]

I played before nintendo with the atari and i played with nes/snes before sony and i played ps1/ps2/ps3.

As long as there creative minds and great developers out there then i wont quit gaming.

Nobody ever gives credit the all the hard working men and women who develop the games themselves.

As long as the industry is moving on and still pumbing games then am very happy.
That doesn't mean that i want sony/nintendo or ms to disappeare.

[Gazondaily]

A lot of the SDF scourge are most likely little kids on here so they probably won't even know what an Atari is.

Love that stupid mob mentality; 'if Sony leaves gaming, I leave gaming.' Lol one of the biggest fanboy statements on N4G but it has more agrees than disagrees.

NEXT WEEK on N4G: Man divorces wife when he discovers her playing on Xbox 360. Top comment: "Damn right, I would do the same!"

[Legion]

If I had played that card when I started gaming then I would have been missing out on a lot after Atari, Intellivision, Sega and so many others dropped out of the console business.

What if they stay in gaming but go the Sega route and just do games on other systems? What will you do then???

[Consoldtobots]

I think there is something to this....

wether 360 fanboys like it or not alot of people simply can't stomach MS and their approach to this industry. That being said, if Sony were to ever leave gaming it WOULD create a huge downswing in the gaming market which added to microsoft's lack of commitment to hardcore gamers will create another gaming crash like back in the 80's.

there is no upside to this scenario no matter how much MS fanboys keep telling you the grass is green in their lawn.

[orange-skittle]

What in the hell are you talking about? First off, how old are you? I ask because no intelligent man would make a retarded statement like that. What approach to the industry did MS make that makes your stomach turn? What did they do so differently that Sony didn't do? Last time I checked, Sony wanted in by means of Nintendo(Dolphin) and when they felt like they weren't going to make enough money w/ the Nintendo deal, they came in the industry on their own spiting Nintendo. SO WTF ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! Microsoft said from day one that their goal was to create a MULTIMEDIA home entertainment console and that's exactly what they are putting together. Who said it was gonna be free? They have always had a subscription based format unlike Sony that decided to do it last year with PSN PLUS. That's the FUCKED UP APPROACH you should be talking about. If Sony left gaming, there would be no love lost. Many companies have come and gone. They would do what SEGA did and focus on software since they own so many studios. They don't need to make consoles. If they were smart, they would partner up w/ MS instead of trying to compete with them.

There's no question about Sony's superior hardware, but at this stage in the game...it's more profitable to make software and chips for the next Xbox than make another console. Every new console is sold at a loss for at least 2 years and they can't afford that. Either make the PS3 stretch longer or think about making a new machine with MS since clearly both companies have their strengths and weaknesses.

@HiredHelp-Seriously, Sony is talking about HUGE LOSSES and you're still talking about them giving free online. Jesus Christ! Why do you think they came out w/ PSN Plus? They can't afford it, dummy. That's why all the good stuff is on PSN Plus and free players don't get shit, but free online. No access to full game demos, free games, free themes, free avatars, reduced prices, early BETA's, ect. All I hear from Sony ONLY followers is FREE FREE FREE! No one wants to buy shit anymore, but yet they get up in arms when a company files Chapter 11 or decides to make people pay for content.

[PimpDaddy]

A lot of people jumped OFF the Sony bandwagon this generation because of Sony's approach to this industry. Sony delayed the launch of the PS3. The PS3 cost $599.00 at launch. They overhyped the power of the console. They forced Blu-Ray down our throats and made us pay for it when it WASN'T needed. It opened the door for the 360 to get an advantage in marketshare and establish XBL.

I owned a PS1 and PS2. I bought both at launch because they were priced competitively. I couldn't wait for a PS3 and wasn't going to pay 600 dollars for one at launch. So I ended up buying a 360 at launch and haven't regretted it.

Just like every generation of videogames since my original Atari 2600 I am a multiple console owner this generation. I bought a PS3 when the Slim came out and it was $299.00 Though I mostly used it for Blu-Ray I do buy a few exclusives every year too.

What I find laughable is this "lack" of commitment you talk about. The 360 may not have as many exclusives as the PS3 but the ones they do have are good quality and marketed well. Even with the list of exclusives Sony faithful brag about the highest selling games for either console are always multiplatform. Then when you look at the higher game attach ratio for the 360 vs the PS3 it just makes your statement more humorous.

If Sony left there wouldn't be a crash like in the early 80's. Sony isn't the end all, be all that you guys claim them to be. None of these companies are perfect. It's up to each of us as an individual to decide what games and experiences we want for ourselves.

[Gazondaily]

and Consoldtobots has five bubbles.....

People can't stomach MS' approach to the industry? What a load of sensationalist bull. Do you work for the gamingbolt?

Honestly, aside from proving your complete ignorance and lack of integrity, you've also shown your desperate fanboyism, your specific allegiance of which, has netted you those bubbles. Read PIMPdaddy's comment for an informed one that was a result of at least some cerebral effort.

Le sigh. Idiocy so rife on these comment pages.

[Biggest]

I have to address this:

"I owned a PS1 and PS2. I bought both at launch because they were priced competitively."

Why start your fake rant with a lie? The PS and PS2 were at least $100 more expensive than their competition. I don't care why you bought them or if you even did. They were priced then the way they are priced now. A similar Xbox360 was -$100 compared to a PS3.

They may have hyped up the "power" of the system, but it has shown itself to be less hype and more truth. The developers that care to get the most from the hardware show how powerful it can be. You had a problem with BluRay? That's strange. You bought the PS with its unnecessary CD playback. You bought the PS2 with its unnecessary DVD drive. Hmmm. . . Is it just coincidence that DVD became the norm for games and video? Is it a coincidence that BluRay is the new norm for video and may end up as the new norm for games?

Consoldtobots is correct about a lack of commitment to hardcore gamers. You pointed out "The 360 may not have as many exclusives as the PS3 but the ones they do have are good quality and marketed well" and followed that with "the highest selling games for either console are always multiplatform." That's the thing about commitment. It's doing a thing regardless the outcome. Microsoft may have noticed that making their own games doesn't work as often as they would like, so they allow someone else to make them. Sony allows others to make games for them, but will do what they can to offer even more content. So unless you're going to make the argument that people playing Sesame Street Kinect are hardcore gamers, your own comments have proven your point wrong.

I don't agree that Sony leaving gaming would kill gaming. I do know that there is no reason for them to leave and they won't leave. People didn't jump off the Sony bandwagon because of anything. They jumped on the 360 bandwagon because it was the only wagon there. They didn't want to get off because the media said the PS3 wasn't good enough. Fast forward many years and you see the same people refusing to change their view and using XBL, marketing, and sales to show their allegiance to the bandwagon.

Also. . . Sony is talking about HUGE LOSSES. In none of their talking have they mentioned PSN or Playstation. As mentioned many, MANY times before this: The gaming division is one of the few divisions posting gains instead of losses.

Edit: And seriously. . . Stop trying to make PS+ look like XBL. "...had a subscription based format unlike Sony that decided to do it last year with PSN PLUS. That's the F***** UP APPROACH you should be talking about." Sony gave you the option to buy a GameFly membership (granted you can't pick the games). Stop paying for XBL and PS+ and see who enjoys their copy of Battlefield 3 the most.

[tiffac008]

Sony isn't going to leave the only market their consumer electronic division profits on. So I think you shouldn't worry about that.

They'll probably have a higher chance of leaving the TV market which is bleeding money more than any other division they have.

[easternbalboa]

true

[hiredhelp]

I hoped next playstation will be free online but if its gonna help rebuild sony's pockets that will inturn benifit us with better products then im up fr paying some kind of subscription per year.
On a personal note to Mr Hirai respect sir respect.

[OcularVision]

I think you forget PS+ exists :S
The free content + discounts aren't really worth it though imo. The free games are ancient from the PSOne era, and the discounts are often on mediocre games.

[nnotdead]

not for me. this would be the quickest way for me to go into PC only mode. unless the Wii U surprises me with its games and features, but i doubt that.

[milohighclub]

Wanna improve sony?

Tvs- cheaper

Vita- add audio/video outputs so you can plug into the head mounted display

HMD- change the design back to the prototype

3d- get rid of crosstalk, release ps4

Playstation - release ps4

[dredgewalker]

I'm sure you're just as capable as any CEO of any corporation /s

[milohighclub]

Not saying I am, I just purchased a new tv and would of bought a Sony but I ain't paying 2000 for a tv with crosstalk hell I wouldn't pay 1000 for a Sony tv in there current state.

Would love a head mounted display, unfortunately there is no point as I have a wicked tv and am fortunate enough to live with my gf who doesn't mind the playstation been on even though she can't even watch it as I play in 3d the majority of the time. Now if I could plug in a vita to it I would buy one.

Sony are so focused and have spent a lot of money investing in 3d which even though I love it, let's face it, current consoles are not powerful enough and whilst there is still jaggys in games it will always ruin 3d. Take uncharted, by far one of the best 3d games out but is ruined by jaggys which make the game look a mess.

Also one missed opportunity with 3d, the cheapest way to get consumers into 3d would be vita. Just sayin.

[dredgewalker]

I apologize if I sounded a bit rude. But we have to understand that there are decisions that companies make that may or may not make sense to us, but in truth lots of considerations were made into making them. Companies need to able to satisfy their customers while making a profit and that is very difficult to do. There are 3 types of customers today and you can classify them as A, B and C. You can either have A and B or B and C as customers but you will find it impossible to have all types. Some companies even target a single type of customer so that it will be far easier to give them a product that suites their needs. Cheaper doesn't always mean getting more customers if it means that you are selling at a loss. You only sell at a loss if there is some trojan strategy with that product you are selling. Case in point with the PS3 which sold at a loss, because part of its strategy was to make bluray's adoption rate climb at a faster pace. Also Sony has tons of developers that make their games and are the real moneymakers for them. It's a similar strategy to selling a printer for cheap because the real earning is in the ink they have to replace.

[ZippyZapper]

They should charge for PSN

[NYC_Gamer]

that would upset many PS3 owners since the service has been free for many years

[mume19]

I can see this coming

[SilentNegotiator]

You should charge for your comments. They're so funny, I'd pay to read them.

[Hicken]

I'd pay to see him and others of his ilk shut up.

[nnotdead]

create an app store for the PS4 where Sony could make money off of. no way will i pick up a PS4 if it cost money to play online. hell, if every other feature (netflix, pandora, twitter, etc) cost extra i would be okay with that but online play should stay free.

[specialguest]

Taking the direct route by charging for PSN may bring new revenue, but it comes with a huge backlash. I believe that PS+ is sufficient enough to gain that extra revenue.

Online access for multiplayer, demos, and other original features should always be free. For premium contain, perks, and features, that's where the person decides whether they want to pay or not.

[MakinBaconXD]

If they charge for PSN it would create a backlash worse or the same as than when they launched the PS3 at $600.

[Godmars290]

GoogleTV app for the PS3 or PS4.

[chadwarden]

Sony will be fine with hirai as ceo. He's a real go getter

[OcularVision]

riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiidge racer!!!

[jocomat9]

XD LEGEND

[Knight_Cid]

the game industry is falling apart

[V0LT]

I kind of think so. We are in for another crash.

[Knight_Cid]

spending is down in every region

In the US game spending hasnt been up in 5 years

[GraveLord]

Aging consoles will do that to the industry.
Digital Sales aren't even tracked so its not as bad as you think it is.

Xbox Live is a very successful service and so is PSN. Don't even get me started on Steam.

[Knight_Cid]

its actually worse than we think

digital sales cant make up for physical.

and do you think psn helped sony?

or that xbox live helped 360?

both had more years of non profit than profit

[Ravenor]

@Knight_Cid

So buying Crysis 2 on XBL for 39.99 benefits Crytek and EA less then if I purchased it Physical?

DERPA DERPA DOOO, that makes no sense. It's like you people don't even realize what caused the crash, oh wait you probably don't.

[Game3s]

"the game industry is falling apart" ? Because Sony made billion of losses........ No if Sony were to leave you would just have to go to nintendo or microsoft for your gaming needs those studioes sony(exclusives) had would just be put on the available consoles on the market.
Then things would move on maybe a new player would step into gaming maybe apple(although i doubt it).

[Ethereal]

He has already said that the companies strengths are in the gaming and digital imaging divisions, and to expect a larger focus on them. This is good news to PlayStation fans as Kaz understands the importance of the gaming industry. Sony needs to get the other divisions out of the negative though, hope Kaz can pull it off. Riiiidddgggeee Raaaccerr!

[Silly gameAr]

I read this interview earlier. Not surprised that Eurogamer would take this line out of a lengthy interview and make it a headline. I don't expect much out of the gaming media now in days.

[admiralthrawn87]

hey if they think they need to improve let them. it could only lead to better things. they are far from perfect and i'd like to see them improve.

@phantom disagree - if you are against improvement and think they are perfect you are a blind fanboy. no company is perfect and there is always room for improvement.

[PandemicPrawn0]

They NEED to charge for PSN. They can't dodge that now. Sell back the film rights for Spider-man and Ghost Rider back to Marvel/Disney.

In short, stop making laptops and films. Focus on Music, T.V's, Blueray, Playstation, and Phones.

Oh and perhaps they should think about publishing game's for both Playstation and PC. AAA game development and publishing costs megabucks. Why limit your customer base?

[BitbyDeath]

Do you hate Sony?

[PandemicPrawn0]

Not at all.
In case you haven’t noticed, Sony Corp has been posting large losses for some time now. And all the fanboy rhetoric in the world doesn’t change the fact.

Sony needs to stick with the things that are making them money and forget about the things that are not.

Sony sold the merchandising rights for the Spider-man films back to Marvel/Disney late last year. So what’s the point of holding on to the film rights now?
Spider-man is the face of Marvel comics along with the X-Men, Disney would pay BIG dollars to get the film rights back with Marvel studios.

As for video games? I can understand people getting upset when I suggest they publish games for both the PlayStation and PC platforms, But if I was running SCE I would be looking at the numbers.

I mean why sell 5-6 million copies of Uncharted 4 on PS only, when you could sell 10 – 12 million on both PS & PC?

It’s about making money, despite what fanboy’s think.

[mume19]

I do

[BitbyDeath]

Sony make some of the best movies around i don't see them giving that up.

As for the games, Sony could make more money from games but then they'd make less money from console sales. Which destroys other huge money makers for them like Home

[C0MPUT3R]

@K1WI

They don't put the games on PC just like they don't put it on XBOX.
.
They want you to buy a PlayStation. and then hope you will buy many games and products for your PlayStation.

[Sanhlami]

They need to make their electronics cheaper for consumer or offer something that no other company can offer for their price. When I see Sony brand I think overpriced, sometimes better quality, but same function. Also, please no more proprietary memories and such. In gaming division, make the PS4 more developer friendly.

[Legion]

Hit the nail on the head.

[CGI-Quality]

Why take the one bit out of an already posted article and turn it into another article? And he said if there isn't any restructuring, they could face trouble.

Seems more mountain-out-of-mole-hill than anything else.

[Consoldtobots]

what do you expect from eurogaymer.

[Noticeably_FAT]

Let's see people spin this. Now we've seen reports about Sony losing billions of dollars, the Vita is struggling and the PS3 just got outsold by a almost 7 year old Xbox 360.

Things definitely don't look good in Sony Land right now.

1.Make more affordable hardware
2.Charge for PSN, but upgrade it, both looks and features
3.Make your hardware easier to work on, if your putting out inferior 3rd party games, you'll lose your market share.
4.Get better advertising, Kevin Butler aint cutting it.
5.Quit boasting about how "future proof" you are.
6.Stop pushing fads like 3-D, it's a waste or resources.
7.Get better quality voice chat.

[PandemicPrawn0]

"Stop pushing fads like 3-D, it's a waste of resources".

%100 agree.

[DragonKnight]

Noticeable_Troll: First, Sony losing billions is in the NON-GAMING divisions. Second, the Vita isn't struggling, as if you have seen the headlines today you'd have seen Sony is perfectly happy with how Vita is doing and it hasn't even had a global release yet, so try again. And third, by 1.7 million, hardly a big deal.

1. http://api.ning.com/files/8...

2. Why? Because they don't have a subscription based program? Oh wait.. Live is a farce, and only idiots pay for what everyone else gets for free. There is no logical reason to pay for Live, hence none to pay for PSN.

3. Nope. A)Not Sony's fault that there are devs who can't code. B)It's proven that when the PS3 is focused on, games are better. C)Sony didn't lose market share because of 3rd party games. That's laughable. It had to do with the original price of the PS3 and the 360's year head start. That's been proven countless times. And D)Sony doesn't put out 3rd party games, they put out first party games. Duh.

4. Sure he isn't. And the 360's bland commercials are the pinnacle of advertising genius. It has nothing to do with putting ads on things like pop bottles. It also has nothing to do with the media being practically in MS' pockets, which isn't so hard to imagine considering the blatant bias they've shown.

5. Umm, in the console world they're more "future proof" than the other 2, so it's not a boast it's simple fact. Plus, since Ken Kutaragi left they haven't said that even once. Try again.

6. 3DS?

7. Get a better headset.

[Game3s]

"the Vita isn't struggling, as if you have seen the headlines today you'd have seen Sony is perfectly happy with how Vita is doing and it hasn't even had a global release yet, so try again."

The vita is doing well because Sony said so? Lmao since when do corporations come out and say their product is doing bad, As for vita global go check your local gamespot and ask them about vita pre-orders............. after this i suggest you calm down and come to reality.

[DragonKnight]

Oh yay, another troll.

"The vita is doing well because Sony said so?"

Nope. The Vita isn't struggling and Sony is happy with how it's doing. If they weren't they'd have said something along the lines of "we're confident that when Vita releases worldwide it will really take off" or something along those lines. They've done so in the Past. What, because any loser with a web page says Vita is failing it is? LMAO since when are there journalists in gaming news? As for pre-orders, yeah they really determine the success of a product, it has nothing to do with people actually buying on or after the release date at all. /s

I'll just leave this here.

[CGI-Quality]

The problem with any of your posts, especially regarding anything Sony related, is that they're usually flamebait, trolling, or just plain false. When all three companies have boasted about stuff and you choose to pick just one of them to call out, it easily shows a clear bias and agenda.

[Legion]

Same can be said about those that shamelessly support an agenda due to it being their console of choice.

[undisputed]

Legion....like the trolls in this article are doing?

[undisputed]

Stop spreading lies and misinformation. You don't work for Sony so stop pretending that you do.

As for Sony, they'll be fine. I just find it amazing that people claim Sony charges so much for their stuff when Apple charges an arm and a leg for their products.

What Sony needs to do is unify their divisions. Nothing more, nothing less.

[CGI-Quality]

Uh, not sure where I've spread one lie nor pretended to work for Sony. I believe you must have quoted the wrong person.

[NeoTribe]

Hardcore console gaming will take a huge hit if they fail. I would switch to comp gaming I suppose. Possibly even get the xbox720 when its out. Rather have a ps4.

[solidboss]

sony needs to stop making expensive products. out of all the companies in the tech market sony is the most expensive.

it took them a long time to realize $599 was not the best selling point of a ps3 when it launched and just as the vita newly launched in japan look how well that went. i cant wait to see the figures when it launches here in the us.

as for psn KEEP IT FREE if they charge for it this will seriously piss off the consumer fan base and is a key component to combating the xbox brand. what they should do for psn is stop charging MORE for digital releases when i can just go to a store and pick it up for much cheaper.

if anything the game with a manual and a box should cost more then a game that i just dl directly onto my hdd. if your going to spend so much time advertising 3-d and how it is the next big step make something that is a affordable entry level 3d tv for people to jump into instead of having these ridiclous prices and dnt get me started on those fucking glasses. oh and cross game chat please.

[RevXM]

Agree with evrything, Only that Playstation 3 really wasnt expensive.
Or well sure 599 is good chunk of money but most people can afford that and the ps3 was worth a lot more than its pricetag seeing it was pretty high tech and that a standalone BD player would cost almost twice as much as the ps3 did at launch.

Also a lot of people seem to have no problem paying 300-500 dollars for a freakin phone or pad/tab that they throw away after 1-2 years, so I fail to see what would be wrong with a powerful high value gaming system that is also so much more than a gaming system being 599! And people keep their consoles for a lot longer than phones, and the consoles are supported a lot longer with firmware and software etc.
______________
However
SONY got to have competetive prices on and deliver very unique or valuable devices all across the board.

Their TV's sure are expensive. I think part of sony's solution is to have less models of everything perhaps cut of some product lines for some time even.
They will focus on entertainment, value and innovation. and should IMO do more marketing.

I think Hirai is competent to save sony seeing how great the playstation brand is actually doing.

[PamPoovey]

It's funny, the company who are in trouble and are bashed alot are so in touch with us core gamers, listen to us (PSV fixed the price, launch games, developer friendly issues that the PS3 had) and are basicaly the last core company left......

Yet a company like MS who has abandoned us and who have taken the casual route are so afloat.

....life can be twisted sometimes.

[solidboss]

Microsoft play things very safe. they took a big gamble with kinect and for the most part it paid off for what they were trying to achieve: target the casual audience. the only problem with that is the xbox main audience is mostly hardcore so they could give 2 shits about it. besides that ms rides on the halo and cod brand for their $

[PamPoovey]

True......I think the only thing keeping Kinect on top is Microsofts over the top, down your throat till you choke, advertising.

[PimpDaddy]

Microsoft didn't abandon anybody. They don't have anywhere near the quantity or quality of internal software development teams like Sony and Nintendo does. So they rely on 3rd party multiplatform games and certain exclusive deals like Gears of War. They are creating more internal studios so be patient.

Last time I checked there were still plenty of games to choose from for the core audience. Heck even a few exclusives every year for the core audience. They have improved and expanded on XBL capabilities. Yet here you guys are claiming that the core was abandoned just because Sony has more first party exclusive titles? Bottom line is more people purchased a 360 this year than a PS3 and the 360 has a higher game attach ratio than the PS3. So it sounds to me like Microsoft is doing just fine.

Microsoft brought Kinect in to add to the current user experience and also to broaden the appeal of it's console to the more mainstream consumer. There is NOTHING wrong with that. Nobody has to purchase Kinect. There are still plenty of new games to choose from for non Kinect gamers and a huge back catalog also.

Heaven forbid that Microsoft wanted to sell it's console to more consumers and found a way to broaden it's market appeal...

[Nexy]

True that.

The companies in the gaming market are now those who tapped into casual market with Wii-mote and Kinect. Sony is also trying to follow suit with Move but at the same time they cater to HC gamers.

It does not seem to pay off however. So Sony may bounce back in the end partly by cutting down on HC gaming.

[PamPoovey]

"It does not seem to pay off however. So Sony may bounce back in the end partly by cutting down on HC gaming."

and the sad part about that is it will be our fault if they do. They get hated on when they do somefor core gamers and if they decide to change tatics because they think hardly no one gives a crap there would be articles like "Why ditches core gamers", "How the mighty fall...Sony abandons us" or "Sony pulls a Microsoft"

[Pikajew]

People who say they will stop gaming because Sony won't make any more console are not real gamers in my opinion. A real gamer would continue gaming on a diffrent system or have have more than one system. If price is an issue save your money.

[BillytheAlien]

How can you continue gaming when the other two consoles are casual.....theres no balance without Sony because they're the only ones who havent become sell outs to the whole "milk the casual crowd" problem.

[Pikajew]

I see fanboyism blinded you. A real hardcore gamer would not care if a game has motion controll, 3D or not HD, they would get the game for gameplay and/or story. People who own a wii know all the great things about it and people like you know nothing about it because you are a fanboy to another system.

And what about Move? Was Sony trying to be hard core with that?

Do you even know what PC gaming is?

[imbrawler]

back when i was young there was only one console and every one was happy, then Sony and Microsoft came. People need to realize that Sony isn't the only gaming company in the world.

[PamPoovey]

@Pikajew

What was fanboyish about his comment, it's not like he said "The Wii Sucks" or "Microsoft are Crap".

Do you think gamers would really like to have a choice between two casual consoles......nope. Anyway of course "real" gamers would care, thats why most of them don't give a crap about the Wiis motion controls now or Kinect.

The move is a motion control device but has Sony forced it down peoples throats and spent a ton of money advertising on it.....nope. It's not their main focus, the PS3/PSV are and I as a core gamer....sorry as you put it "real" gamer, are totaly fine with that.

Do people just use the "your a fanboy" line on here when they can't think of a good counter argument or when they try to back up what they've said.

[Legion]

I am assuming by your statement that you own no game that is not made or published by Sony then? So you are missing out on games like Bioshock, Red Dead Redemption, Battlefield 3, Mass Effect 2, etc.

If those are casual games then I wonder what games are core... or is it only a core game if it is exclusive?

People have no clue to what they are talking about when they talk core versus casual. Just because a game can be played on a system that also sales casual games does not make that game less core.

People harp MS because they started marketing to casual games to gain on the market share that Nintendo has dominated. And yet what happened with PS Move? It was in a similar state not too long ago... the only thing that didn't give it the casual label was the fact that it wasn't marketed well enough to make it a viable competitor to Nintendo's grasp on that market.

I have more games then the vast majority of the so called core gamers here... but if I don't have a certain exclusive game then I am considered casual??

People need to grow up and spend less time on N4G complaining at what others have. If you are enjoying your games then play them. If someone has something that you don't have then go out and buy it. If you can't afford it then work harder.

[PandemicPrawn0]

Gaming has been around long before Sony.
And will be around long after.

[Game3s]

Don't bother with these "fanboys" First they said the Wii is casual system(a proportion is but not all of its users it does have hardcore games) all of a sudden the xbox is a casual system because it has kinect but sony is not(ignores the PS-MOVE).

What is a casual gamer?
Someone who plays a game to past a little time and isn't serious at about gaming buys 1-2 games every year.

What is a hardcore gamer?
Some who plays games alot(sometime all day and night) , very serious about gaming and buys 6-12 games(realy hardcore one buy over 20 o.o) a year.

Now by these facts of hardcore and casual gamer we will see what system is really a casual gamers system
the attach rate of games for the 360 is higher than those for the PS3 source( http://www.mcvuk.com/news/r...

So which one is really a casual system ? I leave that for you to figure out.

[urwifeminder]

At least they own alot of assets so these can be re aqquired if they need to sell some to keep afloat so i dont think its all bad yet.

[wolokowoh]

Lower some of the prices on some products and make enticing advertisements specifically for your one product. Sony makes good products but they don't make it known that they're any better than their competitors. The Resistance 3 commercial was horrible. It did not show anything about the game besides its a shooter with aliens and was pushing sharpshooter more heavily than the game. I blame that commercial on why Resistance 3 did not put up the sales numbers it deserved.

[gamer7804]

here is hoping Hirai can turn it around with the vita and ps4. I'll be putting my money on the vita, hopefully everyone will see its value and support sony. The more competition we have in the gaming marketplace the better.

[susanto1228]

My my Sony.....let's just take a travel back in time and see where it all went wrong....

1. Music player market "which could of been Sony's" has been taken over by a more innovative company APPLE. Sony let this get away from them, they pretty much gave it away.

2. Samsung overtakes SOny as a premiere LED TV market leader with their excellent LED TV's at a better price point.

3. Sony sees success with the Playstation 2 with thousands of hit titles only to release the Playstation 3 with a price point of 599.99 and a year after the XBOX 360's release relinquishing their once dominance hold over the gaming industry to nintendo and microsoft.

I own a Playstation 3 hell I own 2 of them and I try to be as loyal to SOny as I can but losing money in the last oh so many quarters just isn't good for any company. For years SOny has been hemmoraging money and it's just not the PS3 to blame here it's really their TV market that's sinking. Sony is still very arrogant in pricing their TV's above Samsung and LG's without having one reason to back up that price point.

Another big problem with SOny is their first party releases....aside from a few the rest of them SUCK.

Japanese Co. Sony wowed us with the playstation 2 and their plethora of awesome games but theirs one thing that Samsung, LG, Microsoft, and Apple did that SONY has failed too do in this era of Online gaming/music distribution/smart tv etc etc....INNOVATE.

[omi25p]

Out of all the ps3 exclusives this year out of all the ones ive played i only liked was infamous 2.

I thought uncharted 3's story was awful
i thought killzone 3 aimed to be a more approachable shooter and lost its difficulty
Socom was just awful
Resistance 3 was also pretty awful

[Hyperbomb69]

Sony has the best console out there this gen, the PS3 is the only good thing about this whole gen, If people still dont want to buy it, then theyre stupid and no matter what sony does they cant fix stupid.

[dubt72]

:-D

[Bellcross]

It's amazing how many financial experts we have here on N4G, I'm surprised we're even in this Economic Depression for the past 5 years. companies in financial trouble should definitely start following you guys advise because they obviously don't know any better. after all these years of running a multi-billion dollar organization, but hey what do I know.

/s

[banjadude]

So true, lol.

[Mr-Dude]

Very well said! That's a good answer to all those lame fanboys here who now always better!

[Donnywho]

Something that scares me is that a lot of these know it all comments might not all be from children. Which like I said is a scary thought.

[mechanicleman]

the world is filled with cheap people which holds quality back.

[banjadude]

Reading the comments in that article, is a nice, refreshing breath of air, compared to what is being posted here. It's disgusting to see so many people wanting Sony to go down. Unless Sony did something of great offense to you, I don't see why it's necessary to post something so vile, if you don't like them.

[DeadIIIRed]

The financial statement, balance sheet, and all the financial info you could want is here. If you can't make sense of this, then you can't really make any suggestions.

http://finance.yahoo.com/q?...

[Funky Town_TX]

The more companies making consumer products then the better for the consumer. I have never purchased a Sony TV because they are to expensive for the features and the tech inside of them. I buy lots of electronics every year and Sony is the one I don't purchase. Sony is living off tradition and todays consumers don't care about what happened 20 or 30 years ago. I got a LG 3D TV a few weeks ago and not once did I every think about getting a Sony.

[DebateMaster]

if you never had a trinitron then you bitching about sony tvs for the tech they pack makes you look mentally slow. you probably checked out a shitty jvc or zenith back then didnt you? Well you obviously dont know crap about tvs.

[izumo_lee]

Companies face losses all the time, it is what they do going forward during these time of crisis that will define the company.

There is no doubt that they need changes in all their departments. Kaz Hirai seems like a very capable businessman & i have no doubt that Sony will recover from this eventually.

[C0MPUT3R]

Panasonic lost $10 Billion, Sharp lost $4 Billion, SONY lost $2 Billion, not because of games
morons.
.
The Japanese LCD TV market imploded.
.
Kaz Hirai has already taken the necessary step to get out of the LCD TV game.
.
and PlayStation is as healthy as it has ever been in 6 years.

[joeorc]

Again Kaz is not glossing or sticking his head in the sand that included Sir Howard Stringer..String now sits at the head of the board of directors. An Kas just explained in one fell swoop what Sony's going to do.

"Televisions were once the cornerstone of a thriving electronics unit but Sony was late to embrace liquid crystal display models. The decision triggered seven straight years of losses for its TV business. With the company's history so rooted in television sets, executives had been unwilling to take a step backward. But

Mr. Hirai declared three months ago that Sony would no longer pursue a long-term goal of selling 40 million television sets a year and told the television group he was cutting their sales goals in half.

Mr. Hirai said Sony would

"build only what he could sell"

and televisions would lose ¥175 billion, about

$2.3 billion, in the fiscal year ending in March.

The losses would cut by half in the following fiscal year before returning to profits in the year ending March 2014, he said."

So there you go Sony just told where their first cut is going right off the bat.

[ironmonkey]

hope things get better. dont wanna see sony shut down 10 years from now.

[mamotte]

Looking at my room, and seeing for the first time how many Sony products I have, I'll just say: I did my best for the cause.

[leemo19]

Sony does make some great quality stuff but when they over price their stuff or don't advertise people don't seem to look their way and go with something else.

[Phantasm]

It's not going to be an easy task for Sony to climb out of the hole they're in unless they scale back just as General Motors did. All GM was concered about was being the #1 automobile manufacturer in the world even though losses continued. They discontinued their Hummer, Saturn and Pontiac brands and sold Saab. They are now turning a profit which is all that really matters.

Sony is #5 in TV sales with a 5.9% world market share. The Koreans (Samsung #1 & LG #2) are killing everyone in sales. Sony is now in the process (once again) of restructuring their TV line. We'll see what happens.

Top rated TV's for picture quality: http://reviews.cnet.com/bes...

The rest of their electronics are being evaluated.

PS gaming will continue to stay strong and profit.

Sony Pictures is also one of their divisions that saw profits.

[BrianC6234]

Sony really needs to figure out how to make an MP3 player as good as the iPod. That would be a good start.

[RevXM]

Ill have the Vita, I guess they could do well with a smaller device with great capacity and seamless slick interface and good sound quality.

Ipod's are expensive and the Itouch are DUMB smartphones without phone capabilities. and I do like my Itouch, but its way overated and overpriced.
My dad gave me an Itouch 4, and its nice. but Id have to buy a new one because I need more space, with a lot of other players or phones youll just buy a new flash card... but for Iphone or ipod youll have to buy an entire new player... Actually I would much rather just buy a Samsung, HTC or Nokia phone...

Why do APPLE even offer 8GB ipods? and ipod/iphone got no I/O ports. only the stupid fuck propietary port which require you to buy expensive adapters if you want to do something. other mobile devices got HDMI, USB and let you add more storage with a flash card.

Vita is a lot better to me but my Itouch will be my fav when I exercise as it is tiny and easy to hold with one hand and navigate. But there are other MP3 and media players just as good if not better than the Ipod, though it kind of depends on your needs.
If I had a smartphone I would much rather use it than the itouch or any dedicated mp3 player.

Dedicated mp3 players are a niche thing these days.
They're only good for people who'd like a cheap and tiny music player to bring with them to the gym or long trips out in the wild.

[BrianC6234]

Sony needs to come out with an iPod killer. There might be better MP3 players than the iPod but it's hard to tell. I have an iPod Touch and it does what I need. I don't use it for games besides Bejeweled. The 8GB is too small but I have around 1GB free. Sony needs to find a way to take over the portable audio market again though. Didn't they create it? Their software is always mediocre for their MP3 players. I think they just use Windows Media Player now though.

[HaVoK308]

Millions wasted on trying to shove 3D down the throats of consumers didn't help their cause.

Sony is disconnected when it comes to what consumers want, and they have been for years. Their marketing strategy has been horrible.

[TheLastGuardian]

"Sony is disconnected when it comes to what consumers want."

BS, Sony knows exactly what I want. That's why they're my favorite game publishers.

[SaffronCurse]

Oh ya and Microsoft can really cater to their loyal fanbase

[TheLastGuardian]

Damn Kaz, you looking smexy in that suit.

[SephirothX21]

I fear that Sony may drop console manufacturing and make multiplatform games instead. They need to get their marketing in order and their next gen platform performance will either make them or break them.

[Half-Mafia]

That is never going to happen. If you heard anything Kaz has said over the last few weeks is that Playstation and digital imaging are they core businesses.

To turn Playstation into a publisher would be such a bad move. They might aswell just get out of the gaming industry all together if that happened.

[SephirothX21]

It happened to Sega. I know Sony is much bigger but they're in trouble financially. I don't think it will happen but if next gen doesn't go better for them, it could.

[seanpitt23]

its a real shame i try and support sony as much as i can because there products are all top quality lets hope they can pull it together and make some money on new products such as vita ps4 and from now on the ps3 with be from now all profit.

[Half-Mafia]

If Sony as a whole was to ever go away i would hope they off shoot the Playstation business.

TBH i dont really care about anything else Sony does. Yes they make great products but there normally is someone else making something better.

[alb1899]

Samsung is kicking sony's ass in tv division and cellphones, Apple is kicking sony's ass in computers, tablets, smartphones and mp3players and Sony is in last place in videogames race sooooo yes Sony must be in trouble.

[caliman87]

It's not just great products its the features and providing a unique experience.

[plato]

Sony is using advertising techniques from the 1970's and 1980's when they were a full force to reckon with.
30+ years later they are still following the same guidelines and techniques from that era.
They need to move with the times.
Keeping this type of marketing tradition is killing Sony at the bottom line.

"Sony. The One and Only" use to be their moniker and all Sony had to do was flash this and you immediately knew Sony=Quality

This type of limited marketing technique is not enough in this day and age. There are too many competitors now in the same industry as Sony.

Sony has to move into the 21st century with 21st century type advertising and marketing.

[TABSF]

I have said exactly what Kazuo Hirai has said for years but I've only be blasted by the Sony FANBOYs

If you look at their business they have been pricing to high for products other offer for cheaper.

Sony Walkman - Has failed since 'i devices' come out.
Sony Ericsson - Have been loosing money for years.
Sony Bravia - Samsung, LG and Panasonic have equally good product but cheaper.
Sony Vaio - Expensive and no redeeming factors 'a PC with just a Sony sticker on it'
Sony PlayStation - FANBOYs don't like it but PS3 has not been what Sony wanted they expected PS1 and PS2 figures

The only divisions making money for Sony are:
* Sony Music Entertainment
* Sony Pictures Entertainment

http://finance.ninemsn.com....
'It's Sony's fourth straight year of losses'

So Sony have priced their devices at high levels for a long time, yet other manufactures can provide equally good products for cheaper prices. They are loosing money because people don't want expensive goods especially in these financial times.

Come on guys £45 for a 16GB Memory Card its a total joke!!!

[ForROME]

Excellent finally someone who thinks like a straight business person and will bring real change to SONY its long over due they are literally getting whipped in the industry they used to own

[saimcheeda]

I think the approach of "Lets continue to make even if there are losses" should go, clearly they havnt recouped any of the losses from before in the long run because the long run has arrived. What they should do is cut out the factors which cause the most cost, if its something thats absolutely essential then it stays if not remove it. Evaluate which sectors giving you the lowest output in terms of profit and figure how you'll deal with it, whether it stays or it has to go. Maybe not invest in something thats going to cost you alot now just because theres hope that it may be profitable in 3-5 years. The PS area is going great seeing that PS3 sales continue to impressive. And if theres no PS4 or if they stop making ps3's i'll shift to the Wii U because i just cant get used to the xbox's controller!

[Shok]

Can't believe some of what I'm reading here. You'd leave gaming if Sony left? Fanboyism at it's finest.

I understand, you have a preference, and that's fine, but to ignore every other company that's NOT Sony is blind loyalism.

Have you ever enjoyed a 3rd party game? Would you still want to play Bioshock, Assassin's Creed, Battlefield, and many other franchises?

And what about Nintendo? Smash Bros? Metroid? Zelda?

I understand that Microsoft isn't big on exclusives anymore but the few that they have are still worth playing (Forza 4, Gears 3)

My God, you people.....

[Funky Town_TX]

I have not seen one vita commercial, what gives?