Off Topic: Your avatar is adorable! :D

That would be total stupidity - in some markets Playstation is synonym to console ;)

Completely disagree. Steps have already been taken to help the Playstation brand and for the most part, have worked quite well. The problem with Sony isn't the gaming department, anyway, as that's probably one of its more profitable branches of late. It's more that their other electronic products aren't doing so hot against competitors. Even if it's only temporary, I think it's time for Sony to stop trying to have their hand in just about every field and be a little more like MS and Nintendo, focusing on only a few.

This generation started when DS launched in 2004, right? At the end of 2004 the PS2 had shipped 81 Million units.

Since 2005, "PlayStation" consoles have shipped over 200 Million units.

PS2 - 73,400,000
PSP - 75,400,000
PS3 - 62,000,000

Altogether, they're sitting at around 210 Million units. Software sold on PlayStation platforms is well over 1 Billion units since the generation started.

The PlayStation brand, while not as strong as in previous Years is still going strong enough to sell 50 Million units.

Despite the countless fuckups on the PS3 launch Years, it's still gone on to ship over 60 Million units, and will end up close to 100 Million units shipped when all is said and done.

Despite the PSP being barren of SW, rife with piracy and being trounced by the competition, it still went on to ship over 75 Million units. It's gonna end up around 80 Million units when all is said and done. That's nothing to stick your nose up at.

All together, almost 400 Million PlayStation consoles have been shipped Worldwide since the original PlayStation launched in 1994. That's 400 Million in ~18 Years across 4 platforms. Over 3.4 BILLION units of Software have been sold on PlayStation platforms (According to VGChartz).

You don't drop a brand like that. It would be like Manchester United suddenly changing name to Manchester Reds.

Very good comparison Carl! :D

rebranding is really only a good idea if you want to change the fundamental nature of your product or audience. so if sony wants the next console not to be seen as a games machine, then go for it. if they want it to be seen as a games console, then don't.

I agree.. Sony should try to make a Sony brand so it could connect it's music, video and game content to different devices , like music Players, tv's and videogame consoles... PlayStation sounds too childish and is limiting itself

I agree with the article, but for a different reason. I've never liked the name "Playstation". It grew on me over time, but it sounds so kiddy. It has the word "Play" which makes me think of Playschool toys. I've always hoped video game culture would grow up and stop being looked at like kid's stuff. If Sony dropped the word play and went with something else it would help legitimize gaming with none gamers.

I just wish there was another word to describe interacting with video games. We listen to music, read books, watch movies and that all sounds like perfectly legitimate adult activities. Even playing sports doesn't even have a negative stigma. But, for some reason "playing" video games does.

I have no idea what word could replace "play" but there has to be something. It's become somewhat common to here someone say "I'm gaming" instead of "I'm playing a game". But it doesn't work if you say "I'm gaming Resident Evil" so we need something to replace play that feels as natural.

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After all they have done to revive ps3 and save psp.Nah,I don't think so.
Playstation is much weaker compared to ps2 era but It still plays an important role in gaming industry.
TV brand is the one which needs dropping,8 years of non-stop losses are outrageous.