[Opinion] Why Sony Should Exit The Console Hardware Business

[Metrium]

pezus said:

Metrium said:

Yes they are profiting from hardware NOW with the PS3. And offcaurse they will keep on selling PS3s. But will we be able to say the same thing with the PS4? Will it be sold at profits on day 1? Or will it bleed money for 2 or 3 years like the PS3 did. Will they be able to lose money for a new console the same way they were able to afford back in 2007? And if even the ps4 is sold at profits day 1, how many years will it take to cut even with all the R&D (# that will be way worst if its sold at a loss). Offcaurse Sony already have an idea on what they will do next gen and the R&D already started if they are planning on launching a PS4. No one is suggering that they kill the now profitable PS3 but they are suggering that they should not launch a ps4.

But to be honest, I'm not sure Sony wants or even can to go thru all of this again, they are probably looking at the Vita's launch that had a not easy launch and still struggling today, they are probably looking at the utter failure of the pspgo and they remember the PS3's launch. One thing is certain is that they are rly not looking forward to the day they have to launch the PS4 but saddly they will probably still do it by pure ego. I would'nt be surprised that they try to milk the PS3 as long as they can in order to move away the day that they have no choice to switch gen as far as they can. I see no possible scenario where Sony announces a PS4 at E3 for fall 2013, I'm sure they will be the last to switch gen and that it won't be before 2014 at the very least.

You say they will milk the PS3 but they can still do that with a new console out just like they did with the PS2. They'll keep selling the PS3 at a profit while selling PS4 at a (probably small) loss from the start. They will not delay the launch past 2013, I think that's pretty much set in stone.

The PS2 was a weird case I don't think something like that will happen again, game's developpement being so much more expansive make's me doubt that anyone would bother developing for a dead system like it was the case with the PS2. With no new software, keeping the ps3 for sale will do no difference, abit like the DS still being sold today but it's selling 20k a week worldwide :S

But I admit that despite what I said, It is a possibility. But for the PS4 not launching past 2013 comment, I disagree with you mostly because I just can't imagine it happening, I cant imagine Sony at E3 saying ''Behold our new system! It's comming out in 6months!'' but for M$ on the other hand I can imagine them doing it or atleast unveil the nextbox before E3 at something like the VGAs or a M$ press event... It's just a feeling I'm having but the fact that pretty much all first party devs are saying that the PS3 has some power under it's hood and that it still can do alot of new things makes me wonder... I saw no 360devs saying such a comment yet it seems that almost every months a new PS3 dev is saying something like that. Makes me think that Sony is forcing them to say such a thing and if someone said the other way around they would be fired. If this was the PS3's last year, I doubt so many ppl would insist so much on the fact that it can still last for a while just incase such a comment could scare potential PS4 buyers.