The Confusion

Gamesindustry.biz has discussed Sony's next-gen strategy at some length in their column before, but with each press conference, it seems that Sony's attitude to the market becomes more confusing.

[Bloodmask]

Sony does need to focus more on games. When you go to buy PS3 you get 5 free Bluray movies....What??...for what is seen by most(casual gamers) as a gaming machine.

Not to mention that a lot of electronics stores have Bluray kiosks next to PS3 displays. Sony has effectively eliminated their "core" gaming audience by pricing the PS3 at 5 or $600. Most people bought PS2 when it was cheap.

I think it should become painfully obvious what was most important to them..I think Sony could care less if PS3 comes in 3rd in the console race as long as Bluray beats HDDVD.

[VendettaWFT]

Seriously dude WTF are you talking about. The way you posted your comment you make it sound like no games are coming out for PS3...ever. I'm the first one to admit that the 360 is destroying the PS3 in gaming library and variety...and its only gonna get better with Halo 3, but seriously WTF are you talking about 'BLu-Ray this and Blu-Ray that'. You make it sound like Sony sole purpose is to put out a media device and f@ck over the gaming population. If you stop and think rationally about what your saying, you would know that PS3 is coming out with a myriad amount of games this fall and not to mention a ton next spring. Yah some of em maybe sh^t (Lair and HS) but at least there games. It is 'painfully obvious' what they want to market to their consumers...VIDEOGAMES, with the added option to watch HD movies. Did you even see their confrences, I don't remember them dedicating 20 minutes to all the new BLu-Ray movies you'll be seeing this fall or next spring. So next time, think about what your going to post to people before you bombard us with your bullsh^t propaganda. Let people choose for themselves.

[VirtualGamer]

I would argue any hardcore console gamer knows exactly what the PS3 is all about and are simply waiting for games they want to play. On the other hand their are many casual gamers and non tradtional consumers that the PS3 might appeal to because of other things it can due besides playing games and thus why Sony is marketing it that way. See the PSOne and PS2 where basically game systems. Sure the PS2 could play DVD's but it was never considered comperable to a high end DVD player unlike the PS3 which is actually the best and cheapest Blu-ray player on the market.

New game consoles traditionally sell at a loss to the maunfacturer who makes up the difference later on from the software sales revenue. The author seems to suggest that if these casual and non traditonal early adopters buy a PS3 that Sony loses. I guess he failed to forget that Sony would also profit not only from Blu-ray disc sales PS3 owners will buy but also the revenue generated if Blu-ray becomse the new standard for movies. Also I am sure Sony will be getting a revenue for these other services they will be offering as well.

The other issue I take with this article is that only the hardcore are capable of promoting the system by word of mouth. If a nongamer bought a PS3 only as a Blu-ray player and tells all his friends and family about what a great system it is just for that how is that not helping to spread the word and sales of the PS3? Oh and they might even decided to try and buy a game for it! <shock>

Finally at least Sony did not abandon its consumers by pulling the PS2 and forcing them to now buy a PS3 if they want a gaming system. So the moral of the story is you can't just market the PS3 as any one thing you have to market it for all the things it can do and the least marketing you would think the Playstation needs is the fact its a game system, considering they have been the console gaming leader for the last 10 years.

In fact was their not a recent study that showed only 40% of PS3 owners knew the PS3 could play blu-ray movies? I bet you 100% of PS3 owners knew it could play games though :P

[Husso]

The guy that wrote that is a freaking MORON.

"Sony's main focus at present remains firmly on the PS2 and the PSP"

How dumb can they be, really so Sony is lacking PS3 support LOL

[GoLeafsGo]

That's a good article. It lays it all out as it is, without actually taking a jab at the company.

[eXplotion]

is doing good and with games coming for the ps3 everything will be fine

[iceman2000]

di michen vi to pawer fole yous du paly games
free tv 720p 1080p vil sell ps3 lick crise ronde wolrd mor solde ps3 mor supoert mor games

[Armyless]

˙ɔıʇdʎɹɔ uıʞɔnɟ ʎʇʇǝɹd sɐʍ ʇɐɥʇ

[Premonition]

I think 08 sony should start focusing more on PS3 and then PSP, and towards the end of 08 just leave PS2 basically alone and let it die slow.

[Husso]

WTF is wrong with some of you ?

Just about every Sony dev is working on a PS3 game, everyone else is workin on PSn and Home for PS3.

WTF are they making for the PSP, PSP is the platform that get little support from Sony. Every one else is bending over doing everything possible on the PS3. All of their top devs are all working on PS3 software.

How the hell are they not supporting the PS3 ?????????????

[Monty_The_Great]

that some of you crazy fanboys think Sony will go away from the PS2? The PS2 outsells the crap out of the PS3. Why would they go away from the things that make them money like the PS2 and PSP? Heck if it wasn't for those, the PS3 might not be around still. When the PS3 starts outselling either the PSP or the PS2, then Sony might shift there focus, but as of now, nothing they have done or for the PS3 shows that they have focused on the PS3.

[Shaka2K6]

Sony are smart they havent been the champions of the gaming world for more then 12 years for nothing they know what they are doing and so far the 1st party games from Sony totally destroy the microsoft and nintendo 1st party combined.
always a good laugh to see some stupid moron write some crap like this and they think they know better then Sony SFTU, So far the PS3 has been the most succell $600 video game console in the history of gaming far better then anything you will ever play or see.

[WilliamRLBaker]

like how nintendo controled the gaming scene for just as long and lost it?

lol and now have that control back again? lol

[SpenserTracy]

I think sony is doing better than Microsoft since its a new console.

[junk56]

it took one year for microsoft to release stuff like gears of war, lost planet, dead rising while it takes sony the same time to push better stuff like uncharted, heavenly sword, warhawk, ratchet, and the revolutionary home.

it takes 2 years for MS to push mass effect, bioshock and halo 3 but once the holidays are over, its all sony from there. Sony exclusives for 08 is what eveybody knows playstation for. MGS4, Tekken 6, Killzone 2, LBP, Gran turismo 5 and TONS more (unannouunced like motorstorm and resistance 2 etc). Note the HUGE majority of PS2 owners have not made the switch and if Sony can hold its momentum through the christmas and keep up with MS, its sony's generation to win

Microsoft failed in europe, japan, and australia and it only has america to depend on. once sony pushes their 08 titles, it'll show the true power and potential of the ps3.

and if bluray wins in the near future and the public adopts the new format, sony will score HUGE. HUUUUUGEEEE

[Monty_The_Great]

that the best selling games on a console, or "console movers" are multiplat games and, well the price of a console. Not that Sony doesn't have some great games coming out, because personally I think Uncharted looks amazing, but that doesn't move consoles like you think. The biggest mover is price, hands down, and not games. If next year MS says they will sell the core for $199 and the premium for $299 or cheaper, it doesn't matter what Sony releases if there price isn't comparable. Look at the Wii, personally I hate it, but casual's eat it up because its the cheapest "next-gen" console, it has the worst games, and personally I find it has no replayability, but people buy it because its cheap and mainstream.

[WilliamRLBaker]

Microsoft failed in europe and the oceanic region? *learn your termonolgy austrailia isn't its own region its part of the oceanic region* it failed there? really? you mean it sold 0 units in both regions and still sells 0 units in both regions? *laugh*

The only place microsoft is doing badly is japan, and its not failed there, failure means no purchase no games/consoles old, Its sold Many more consoles in the time its been out then xbox did. And it still sells 2k units weekly.

Europe? 360 has sold in droves. AS much as ps3? no lol because every store in europe is basically under selling the Retailer suggested price there, offering like 2-3 games, blu ray movies and controllers when you buy it, I mean the recent deal like 2 games, an extra controller, 5 blu ray movies, at like 383 quad? lol

If the packs and deals that they offer in europe we're to be offered in america ps3 would be out selling 360 here too.
Wanna know a fact? wii is kicking both 360 and ps3's ass in every single market, Learn your numbers the 360 hasn't failed any where, its only doing badly in 1 area, and thats japan.

P.S: I love the fact you seem to think that after this xmas, 360 has no games set to be released, cause thats pretty much what you've said.

Oh some numbers courtsey of vgchartz...
http://www.vgchartz.com/

1.32M Others ps3 sold in other regions this is europe and the oceanic.
3.32M Others 360 sold in other regions this is europe and oceanic.

[Figboy]

E3 was the big gaming blowout.

it was all about GAMES GAMES GAMES last July.

*NOW, at GC, they decided to focus on the two platforms they practically *IGNORED at E3, the PSP and PS2, while also highlighting some non-standard gamer-fair technology for the PS3 (such as the TV tuner and what not).

also, it seems like we're coming from this from an American gamer's perspective.

we *ALL KNOW that the various countries have different tastes (for example, the Japanese just *LOVE their dating sims, the UK *LOVE their Singstar, and those of us in America love our, well, i don't know, but it certainly isn't Singstar and dating sims).

Tokyo Game Show will be a return to games, as Sony's 1st and 2nd party Japanese developers have yet to show what *THEY have been cooking up the past year.

GC was a stop-gap for our foreign friends who may not be as pumped up about, say, Haze as we are, and find a digital, Tivo like device appealing (especially considering that they already *HAVE an infrastructure for a service like this, whereas in America, we are crawling on all fours adapting HD technology and services).

the truth of the matter, is that the Playstation 3 is *NOT just a gaming console. it has multimedia functions, and if Sony *DIDN'T highlight these other functions, well, people will continue to look at it as "that expensive *GAMING console," when in truth, it has more value than it's competitors, for the consumer that is interested in more than just games.

it can't be 100% gaming 100% of the time, as that's not what the system is completely about.

for those complaining about this: go to ign and look at their release list.

do you see how many *GAMES are on that list for 2007?

can you afford all of them?

i thought not.

the truth is; the Playstation 3 has plenty of games, both exclusive and multi-platform to satisfy us hardcore gamers, but when our fingers are aching from all that gaming bliss, well, we can sit back and watch a few movies on Blu Ray, listen to some music, surf the net, etc.

i'll tell you one thing, the Blu Ray functionality of the PS3 has helped get me through the dry spell the console had before GRAW2 hit last week.

now Warhawk is hitting in a few hours, next week is Lair...so many games are coming from this point on, that i can't keep up with them all (i may have to give up Lair, in lieu of Heavenly Sword on the 13th of September instead).

anyway, when i was out of games, i watched movies like Pirates, Departed, and Silent Hill on Blu Ray, to name just a few.

here's an example to maybe help illustrate my point better:

when i had a Game Boy Advance, and i was done with Castlevania, or some such game, the Game Boy would go in my pocket until the next time i felt like playing a game.

the same thing happens with the Wii.

*HOWEVER, with a PS3, and even an X Box 360, when i'm done playing a game, i can do *OTHER stuff with the machine.

from an adult consumer perspective, this is *VALUE to me.

there's barely a time when my PS3 *ISN'T on. even if i'm just watching DVDs (me and my fiance have been getting a kick out of watching Ninja Turtles and Darkwing Duck on DVD), the PS3 is still being used, and that was Sony's plan all along.

the sneaky bastards have indeed managed to get the PS3 to be the center of my own, personal living room. i can even check my email really fast before we watch a movie, or my fiance plays Oblivion.

to me, that sort of convenience has been *WORTH the $599 i paid for it back in February, and the games coming out from this point on makes it of even *GREATER value to me.

Sony hasn't forgotten that the PS3 is a gaming device, anymore than they forgot the PS2 was a gaming device, when they would wax poetic about the DVD drive in the console.

it's hilarious to me how history repeats itself *SO MUCH.

back in 1999/2000, people were saying the *SAME. EXACT. THINGS, about the Playstation 2: "where are the games?" "did Sony forget the PS2 is a *GAMES console?" "it seems like they have a split focus!" "i know it's called a 'PLAYstation,' but i want to 'PLAY' some games!"

been there, done that, and we all know how that turned out. how many games does the PS2 have under it's belt, 7 years later? about 2,000 or more?

exactly.

the PS3 is only 9, 10 months old. come this fall, we'll be @ssdeep in games both exclusive and multi-platform, and next year is even *BETTER.

some of you guys act like jealous children, who want all the attention for themselves; Sony hasn't forgotten about you gamers, believe me.

the moment they start to try and pass off a fitness application as a game is when i'll start to worry...

[UJUSTLOSTONE]

Figboy Smashes the thread with Pure Objectivity and Sensibility

Very well said FIG, very well said

As I have always said people will always find reasons to like or dislike something, but when those reasons become illogical or irrational then, I have a problem.

Yours, was a great post, bubbs for you sir.

"You are a scholar and a gentleman" lol

Peace

[Figboy]

just when i think no one bothers to read my long @ss posts (and i can't say i blame them for not. lol), someone comes along!

+bubbles for you as well!

i guess i just don't understand how quickly people forget their history.

people were saying the same things about the PS2 7 years ago, and we all know it turned out to be groundless speculation.

the only time people bring up the dry spell of the PS2's first year is when they're talking about it in reference to the PS3.

the dry spell of the PS3 is ending.

GRAW2 is a great multi-platform game, not to mention some cool early titles like Resistance, Motorstorm, VF5, and Ninja Gaiden Sigma (and The Darkness, Rainbow Six Vegas, Oblivion, etc), and the floodgates are slowly starting to open.

i guarantee from October onward, people will be b*tching and complaining about all the games hitting that they can't afford.

i mean, there are *WEEKLY RELEASES of some pretty high profile and anticipated titles from this point on.

it seems to me that the main people complaining are those that, in fact, *DON'T EVEN OWN a Playstation 3. as a sole PS3 owner, i could care less if the 360 is getting the same games as the PS3, as long as the PS3 version is solid. there are enough exclusives that i'm pumped about also, as Sony has some very talented and solid 1st and 2nd party devs at work on titles for release this year (ie, Insomniac and Naughty Dog). right now, i'm just trying to figure out how i'm going to be able to afford all of these games, short of prostitution.

...well, maybe a *LITTLE prostitution...