IGN: Who can save the PS3?

[radioioRobert]

On the Backwards Compatability issue. I sold my BC PS3 after 7 months of no games in mid 2007. If I were to give the PS3 another chance, BC would have to return. I have not one regret selling the PS3, LBP does look amazing, but I can live without it. I never even considered a Wii until summer 2007.

The beauty of the PSX & PS2 was that they were both consoles for everyone. There was hardcore, there were Disney princess games. Games for everyone. Because of that, PS2 was the biggest market expanding gaming console of all time, though Wii will ultimately take that crown. PS3 was focused on the hardcore, and BluRay, not the "average gamer". Multi plat guitar games don't sell PS3's. A new Buzz or Singstar title won't cut it either. Sony put themselves here. This was their market to lose. Hell, I waited over 20 hours in line to get a launch PS3. There was no Wii line (it launched a day or so later).

Sony can save the PS3. Don't lie to your customers. Make games both accessible and affordable for everyone (see Microsoft strategy, not perfect, but better than yours). Look at the core Playstation values. Go back to what made you a success and look at how you've changed. Look at how you change "core values" based of what is convenient for you.....

2006: "Backwards compatibility, as you know from PlayStation One and PlayStation 2, is a core value of what we believe we should offer. And access to the library of content people have created, bought for themselves, and accumulated over the years is necessary to create a format. PlayStation is a format meaning that it transcends many devices -- PSOne, PS2, and now PS3."

Not even a year later (10 months) and "core values" go right out the window.

2007: "We have made clear on many occasions that our priority is on developing innovative new features and services for PS3 and not on backwards compatibility."

Sony must honestly think consumers and the press have the memories of a fly.

And while B/C is an old arguement at this point, it is a perfect example of showing how Sony has destroyed it's comsumer loyalty. Get a second job to get a PS3. The variety of games you've come to expect are not on this console. Buy only new games, your old ones are old and don't matter anymore (see VC, only you've always promised access to them without rebuying them). Don't promise games by "x" date and delay delay delay. Home will come early, no late 2007, early, no late 2008, maybe by beginning 2009.

The economy didn't put Sony here. Not MS, not Nintendo. Economy & MS & Nintendo didn't help. But Sony got here on it's own arrogance and disrespect of the consumer. Sony needs to look back at what values it let go and find them again. That might save them.