| rafichamp said: ^^also Sony has learned their lesson this gen, next gen they are going all out, all im saying is dont be surprised when you see PS4 selling 200m units. |
Sony's problem this generation is that they went all out . . . in about 3 different directions and ended up doing none of them very well at the start. The big problem is that they didn't focus. Sony's problem for the next generation is that they aren't the only ones who are learning from this generation. Microsoft learned alot from the Xbox to the 360, and there were some major misteps with the 360 this generation. I don't suspect we'll see hardware failures in the next Xbox like we did this time. Nintendo will have learned from this generation that there is boatloads of money to be made in DLC and their system needs to be more friendly for downloading lots of it. Also, Nintendo's success at a lower price point is going to keep launch prices from being in the $500-$600 range like this generation. I expect the performance increase to be more modest next generation and the costs to be kept lower and stay at or under $400 at launch. $350 would be where I would want to target for a high performance console in the next gen. It is a little easier for Microsoft to do since they stick with parts that are a little more standard. Sony has backed themselves into a compatability corner with the PS3 and is going to have to either stay within the same structure or their emulator programmers are going to have to work double time.
So, I don't see the PS4 selling PS2 numbers in units. I think the console battlefield has changed since the PS2. There are too many multiplatform games now and developers are less system loyal than they have ever been. When we look back 10 years from now, I think the PS2 will be seen as the last generation dominating console. While the Wii has strong numbers and leads the pack at the moment, it hasn't forced anyone else out of the game. There is now enough video game console history for console makers to see what some of the major console launch pitfalls are. Sony made few of new ones this generation and Microsoft made a pretty big blunder themselves, not a new one but a pretty big one with the RRoD. Both are actually managing to survive them, even though it hurt them
Because of the Wii we will continue to see more motion control peripherals, but if Sony and Microsoft are both smart, they'll not hang their hat that strongly on motion controls. I don't really think it did alot for Sony this time around. It helped Nintendo but only because they went all in. Because of this, they don't dominate as completely. They, instead, have done very well, but not dominating, in the traditional gaming market and opened up a new market that has done very well for them. They also also fourish with the Wii60 and PSWii type owners.
Sony isn't going to sit the next generation out, the next console just won't be as intended to be the "be all, end all" that they tried this generation. They will focus on gaming and delivering video content (movies, TV shows, etc). Home might make a return, but I see it as a relic of Sony's lack of focus. If it does return, it will be because Sony has already done all the network infrastructure for it and they just would need to update the graphics and add some more whistles and gongs. Still, they are going to live and die by the game performance, multiplayer convenience, and price point.
I give this thread a 9.4.
Thank god for the disable signatures option.
