nord,
like I said, the ps1 and ps2 were just steps.
Do you remember when Ken Kutaragi said he had like 7 generations of PS planned out already?
They've been on this from day one.
Sure they ended up disrupting other things as well, but I didn't want to create a Malstrom-length article either.
And console games never synced up with pc games until the ps1/n64 generation. Both were capable of giving very similar graphics and ability whereas previously, console games were very limited.

To summarise: you make some good points, but I could eventually show how my OP is just a simplified version of what you said. I just didn't want any tl;drs

If they had 7 generations already planned, maybe it's time to replan given the business failure of the PS3.

The game isn't over yet and sales are picking up, plus I think that the PS3 has better year-for-year sales, so PS3 failure is a matter for debate.

To think that the 360 launched a year early and had a lead of 9 million consoles, the PS3 has clawed back 3 million in sales in one of the most competitive markets we have seen in a long while.

I'm not afraid to admit my bias, will you admit yours?

No matter whether sales pick up or not, the PS3 is a business failure given its financial results.

I have admitted my bias long ago.

i am gamer, not a stock owner, now tell why should i care? when the company have most awesome games, and great userbase for us ps3 it's a success, slow but got there, and now 299$ it's big deal. ;).

No matter whether sales pick up or not, the PS3 is a business failure given its financial results.

I have admitted my bias long ago.

A business failure?

If Sony had not launched the PS3, they would not have made any money from software, peripherals, downloads or merch, their exclusive developers would have gone bust and they would have no platform to launch the PS4, no online network.

To call the PS3 a business failure is utter rubbish, financial perhaps (although none of us have access to the exact financial state of the company and the Playstations contribution to it) but to say the PS3 was a business mistake makes no sense at all, the whole Playstation division would have gone bust without it.

A business failure?

If Sony had not launched the PS3, they would not have made any money from software, peripherals, downloads or merch, their exclusive developers would have gone bust and they would have no platform to launch the PS4, no online network.

To call the PS3 a business failure is utter rubbish, financial perhaps (although none of us have access to the exact financial state of the company and the Playstations contribution to it) but to say the PS3 was a business mistake makes no sense at all, the whole Playstation division would have gone bust without it.