Sony Are Racing Into the Lead

MasonicGamer: With Microsoft keeping schtum on their next console Sony are taking all the thunder. As our current console cycle comes round to closing time, it seems that in many ways Sony lost the race with the PS3. Coming out after the 360, and unclear on what it’s edge was over the Xbox 360, it was like the PS3 never hit its stride.

This time it feels like the tide is turning for Sony, or that perhaps it already has.

[MariaHelFutura]

The PS3 never hit it's stride? It outsold the 360 coming out a year later, taking more chances w/ software, spending a billion less in advertisement all while focusing primarily on the "core gamer" or whatever you wanta call it. The PS4 is the continuance of that stride and everything is looking great.

[iGAM3R-VIII]

"It outsold the 360 coming out a year later,"

No actually, it sold out the 360 early this year or December/November 2012

Anyway, I think that Sony learnt from their mistakes and know what to do this time around. It is like they chose some of the best PS3 gamers and asked them what should be in the PS4 and the PS4 IS built by gamers and is for core-gamers. Nevertheless I think when a company makes a mistake, they don't make it again(unless you are EA). I cannot wait until E3 comes or that rumoured PS4 reveal event before E3

[iGAM3R-VIII]

And before you people decide to disagree my comment, you should read the entire comment. and I am on SONY's SIDE

EDIT: I already have 6 disagrees, I actually think you only read the first 2 lines of my comment and then decide to disagree you Sony fanboys. I'm on your side so why disagree. I don''t know if I am right or wrong about the beating Xbox in sales. READ MY FULL COMMENT "DONT JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER"

[BitbyDeath]

Maria wasn't meaning overall sales.

EDIT: No probs ^_^

[iGAM3R-VIII]

@BitbyDeath Thank you, at least someone can correct me

[iGAM3R-VIII]

^lol you people even disagree with this comment *sigh*

[boldscot]

I'm pretty sure some people just come on to this site to disagree with people.

[krepler]

You see what happened here, you told the people here not to disagree with you until they finished reading your entire post, so that's exactly what they did, they read your post first and THEN disagreed with you. You didn't even give them the option to agree with you.

Apart from that, telling a fanboy to read altogether was your other mistake.

[BoNeSaW23]

The second you call out your disagrees everyone starts disagreeing with your comments because you are acting like a whiner. Just sayin'.

[GamersRulz]

To be honest, Sony achieved one hell of accomplishment this gen, I mean no company can face all those hurdles and survive.

-Higher price throughout the generation.
-Difficult to program for console.
-Competition has a year and half head start.
-Continuous bashing from the media.
-Being hacked mid-gen.
-BD diod proplems reduced launch units from 2 million to 400k only.

Despite all that they were able to sell as many units (even slightly more) than Xbox360 in a shorter time frame!. This can tell you volumes about Playstation brand strength. Job well done Sony.

[blackbeld]

Playstation forever my friend.

PS4 will kick asses.

[miyamoto]

PlayStation: Unstoppable since 1994.

[nukeitall]

"It outsold the 360 coming out a year later, taking more chances w/ software, spending a billion less in advertisement all while focusing primarily on the "core gamer" or whatever you wanta call it. The PS4 is the continuance of that stride and everything is looking great."

It outsold the Xbox 360 competing on essentially price and is the least profitable platform of the three (if there is even profits). It started off this generation as the strongest brand name we had ever seen in consoles yet it is barely outselling the Xbox 360, and even that is up for debate.

The PS Vita was focused on the "core gamer" and we see where that is heading.

If you want to talk about chances, MS took plenty with Kinect, and it's core focused Kinect games. Those are high risk, costly and large changes to the industry.

Point being, if you love gaming you want to see it survive even if it isn't targeted at "just you". A PC is a multi-function device, and it does fine having gaming capabilities.

That said, the PS4 from what has been "said" does look great, but like I have always said. Sounding great and reality can and oftentimes is very different.

Greatness is relative to your competition. Similar to how PS Vita looked great, and was cheered upon like the second coming of Christ. The price was applauded, but upon release, there was an expensive memory card requirement and the platform so far hasn't taken off. While the 3DS was almost completely opposite, but that has taken off and doing well for Nintendo.

Announcement meet reality and execution!

[GalacticEmpire]

I've been saying for weeks that MS's silence on the Xbox 3, or at least the rumors swirling around it, would only act to damage their image with gamers and the media. This is happening right now and if MS continue to ignore the situation more and more people will turn to Sony/Nintendo.

It's like they just don't care anymore, like losing their year head start of sales completely has drained them of the will to even try.

Sony have made themselves clear, they are in this to win it and all with gaming at the forefront of their ambitions. If MS wish to ignore this and hand the generation over to PS4 on a silver platter, then so be it.

[I_am_Batman]

I agree that Microsofts silence brought them a lot of bad media. But I wouldn't say it'll damage their image unless the rumours come true. If MS gets it right with the Nextbox announcement and if they wipe the rumours out nobody will remember the bad media by launch.

Though they'll have to do more than that to get people interessted. The PS4 announcement was very well done by Sony and it had a clear message. I think That's what MS needs to do as well. The 360 started out as a console for hardcore gamers with a lot of exclusives. Then Kinect came and they changed the focus to the casual gamers alienating it's early adopters. Making clear what they focus on with the Nextbox is very important for them.

[UnwanteDreamz]

I think they saw what MSFT did with the hype and head start. Consumer buzz about the Xbox360 hit a fever pitch before you could buy a PS3. Sony to their credit learned from that mistake.

[ApolloTheBoss]

They were always in first place.

[Dan_scruggs]

Yeah as long as you don't look in Nintendo's direction they are totally in the lead. Then again the Wii was so far ahead I can see Sony forgetting they were in the race too.

[I_am_Batman]

Nintendo was very far ahead but the Wii isn't selling good anymore while the PS3 still sells a lot. I'm not saying that PS3 will outsell the Wii in the end but it won't be the dramatic lead it once were (not to mention that this gen is already pretty even in sales compared to earlier gens).

[Jaqen_Hghar]

A man wouldn't speak too soon. Wii is currently getting exponentially outsold by PS3 and may lose it's lead entirely by the time the 7th gen stops (not the same as when the 8th gen starts). Sony sold about 1/3 of PS2s after PS3 came out. Even if PS3 only sells 1/4 of its total numbers past this fall, it will still be at about the Wii's current 100m. A man suspects that, since it hasn't even hit $200 yet which PS2 did in it's 3rd year on market and its main competitor (as in competing for the same audience) the 360 has been $200 since what? 2008? That means there's a lot of room for PS3 to still grow and with LoU, Puppeteer, Beyond, and possibly GT6 coming out in the future along with price cuts and selling to developing markets like PS2 still does. A man predicts PS3 ends up at 105-110m by the time it's discontinued along with Wii ending at about 102-105 (not really selling much anymore and has about 700k to go before reaching 100m).

[CGI-Quality]

Nah, the Wii is ahead, yes, but nothing like what the PS2 did to the GameCube and Xbox. THAT was so far ahead that they were basically in their own race. Nobody has ever achieved 70% of the market, except Sony.

I don't expect similar ratios with the PS4, but I can see them winning the 8th gen.

[Typical-Guy]

With all the approaches Sony is taking, imagine if they allowed game mods on their system. And had their own workshop and called it "Playstation Extra" or "Playstation Beyond" .... Terrible names I know but still it would be another major reason to own a Playstation ....

It's just me hoping !!!!

[PirateThom]

Sony could basically stand still and win this race as it stands at the moment.

It's actually quite worrying.

[BitbyDeath]

Sony won't stop they need a good win to get back ontop again and they are going all the way.

[Godmars290]

The PS4 is being given the lead. Nintendo stumbled out the gate and MS seems to be in the process of shooting themselves - in all feet - before they even start.

Still regardless of games its going to be about the general consumer and sale numbers. And in that regard MS probably feels assured that they've got those firmly wrapped up.

[Xer0_SiN]

sony could win the race walking backwards. what do you mean racing into the lead? lol. if lead, you mean winning against themselves with their own consoles, then yeah, i agree fully.

[BitbyDeath]

Well technically Nintendo are leading as the Wii U is released and has sales :-p

[Ruggadagod]

Sony hardly needed to make big moves and is already winning the 8th gen. I'm sure the WII-U will stand on it's own in time as a great console, but the next XBox is R.I.P

[greenpowerz]

I'm sure nintendo and supporters felt the same way thinking because they had hype to themselves when the other consoles were not announced they would pull another Wii craz LMAO.

Delusional article talking about consoles not launced yet or shown for that matter. People are talking about what they are allowed to be talking about which are a collection of concept ideas and spec rhetoric from Sony and desperate rumors.

Sony isn't winning anything right now matter of fact they are losing the hype/window they had to an unannounced console.

WOW reading the delusions on N4G you would think Sony launced PS4 already and that MSFT announced something really bad and over a year after Sony LMAO

This isn't bad Lindsey lohan press the 720 is getting, it's Beyonce press coverage over national anthem lip sync(you kind of remember it but could carless now, you still love her)

LOL 8-12 weeks of internet trolls talking crazy and media taking advantage of them isn't going to sway the masses, that are not even paying attention to this right now.

Media and devs hyped Wii U but not PS4 or 720 because they couldn't

[Objective]

All will be clear when MS announces their Xbox. Until then, there is zero real impact on the console war, just plain idle fanboy talk or wishful thinking.

[StreetsofRage]

That's what drives this site. Fanboy jibberish with juvenile articles. I still don't understand why they keep saying the ps3 overtook the 360 in sales because of some random site saying it did. I believe Jack Treton said something that he "thinks" the ps3 has equaled or surpassed the 360 in total numbers. Nothing official. Whether this is true or not, it really doesn't matter near the end of this gen. Seriously arguing about a very small lead on either console is plain insanity.

This site has become predictable and boring. Same banter over and over.

Just stick to the real articles with real information.

[Clarence]

You only say that because the 360 ended up 3rd this gen. Even though it came out first.

If you don't like the site.. Bounce!

[Jaqen_Hghar]

A man didn't see anyone as hyped about WiiU after seeing it unveiled as he has seen about PS4. For one people know it's a new console and for another people still identify hardcore gaming with PS. Yeah they handed a lead to xbox letting them rack up 7m before they got outta the gate and then were about twice as expensive and made a bitch to program for system and got a lot of their major third party exclusives made multiplat, but look at the results. They're practically even and PS3 has outsold 360 despite all those DRASTIC advantages. People know where the big first games are other than Halo and Gears. They also know where free online and new IPs come. They also didn't build a lot of bad will with RROD (don't try to compare YLOD it's 50% to 10%). They also didn't abandon their core audience with motion in 09 (yes they made Move but did the big exclusives ever slow up? Nope). Facts are they've been more expensive, late, and gotten worse third party games the whole gen and are still winning (see above comment by me to explain that they will end up beating Wii in the end).

[Hicken]

Hype DEFINITELY wasn't the same. The Wii U was unveiled solely as a damn controller, and nobody knew what to make of it for what? Two years?

Delusional is you thinking that the PS4 doesn't exist because they didn't show it at the announcement event.

Delusional is thinking nothing but bad rumors surrounding your yet-to-be-announced console is great press.

Delusional is thinking that, while Sony lines up events to show off even more details surrounding the PS4, they're somehow losing hype.

Delusional is a troll named greenpowerz who doesn't know when to give up.

[secretcode]

It's easy to race into the lead when one competitor shows up in a Geo Metro, and the other shows up and immediately crashes into a goddamn tree.

[Jaqen_Hghar]

A man would give you 20 "Funny" bubbles if he could. A man read in Hank's voice as well. A man lol'ed