I certainly believe Sony can be competitive next generation, but only if they do most things right.

The biggest problem I can see for Sony now is the damage done to the product name. Despite the crazy starting price it was the Sony name and the Sony faithful that allowed the PS3 to get rolling in spite of the $600 price tag. That simply isn't going to work again, they're going to need a really good console at a really competitive price, with good Sony-exclusive content that's not too far behind the competition in terms of release.

Having said that I don't think that Sony is in a position to play the ace that is required for them to get back on top. As I see it they aren't in a position where the can play the technical arms race with MS or the creativity game with Nintendo; they don't have the money for the former and can't afford the risk on the latter.

Company-wide financial issues have hamstrung the gaming division to an extent that they can no longer follow the strategy that brought them to dominance in previous generations and they are now facing significantly more mature competition.

I'd say that SEGA and Nintendo were coming off the back of some very successful consoles. Lets also not forget that Sony made a console because Ninty back stabbed them :P

It's amazing that people are so surprised when a consoles have a shift in power in a very fickle market. It's up in the air who will do well next gen but I say that they should all do fine.

Releasing a console at $600 wasn't the problem because early adopters would buy it no matter what. What the problem was that they failed to make a console that could be easily reduced in production costs. They made it impossible for taking up the mass market in later years because it was priced to high. By the time they released a re-model (I like to call it a re-model and not a slim because a proper slim will come, maybe E3) that could come down in production cost more rapidly, wii and 360 soaked up the mass market already.

But it's this mass market that is the most fickle and is more abundant on the Wii and 360. What I'm trying to say is that next gen, each company will keep their hardcore following but Ninty and MS are more prone to losing their following. Who is the most "coolest" console and/or has the most the family friendly console and can reduce their price to the "sweet spot" the quickest will snatch this mass market after the hardcore early adopters.

THe last thing they need is if Apple or Samsung decide to make a gameconsole too....

If they stop being slow as shit, stop letting everyone beat them to putting out tech They were the first to show off, and stop Charging a premium for their name because their products are usually not a lot better or not better at all, then maybe they could turn things around.

yes they can, il give you a clue

ive just bought a 3d plasma 50" LG on sale from £699 to £499 for the bank holiday, the nearest sony was £899

their stuff is good but in bad economic times people will look elsewhere.

if they dont get themself out of the culture to aim for top end stuf only im afraid it will get worse for them.

re: console business they just need a cheap to manufacture console with decent enough specs, it doesnt need to be most advanced along as all the games still release on it, a £299 launch dropping to £199 2 years in will work for them

Once they complete the sale of unprofitable businesses, like part of the displays and TVs, profitable sections, like gaming, will have more freedom of action, and also more funds for marketing (Sony's one is good for the PS brand in general and for sports games, but it sucks for most of the other games).
But even if they should become first again, a domination like the PS2 one is very unlikely. All competitors learned from their own past errors and those of the others, next generations will be a lot more balanced amongst them, with the first outselling the others by smaller margins.

In the gaming yes, as a whole no.

I for one, used to a 40' bravia and Xpressmusic. TV died about 2.5ish years after i got it. Got the phone replaced 4 times or so.

I now have a 50' Samsung plasma, I'm very happy with picture, and have a Samsung Galaxy 2.

Sorry haven't read the thread. Too long.

I think if sony is to return to their glory days they need to ick one branch of their many and focus on that. Either go full steam ahead with movies/music, tvs, game console, or tablets/phones. Not that they should drop their other lines of products, but really should put almost all of their focus in one area and get that area to the top and than start with the next one. Its seems like they spread themselves thin and have worn out what was a quality barnd.

I don't think so and if anything I think things are only going to get worse for them. Does anyone here really think they can compete against Apple in the tablet space for example? Or what about televisions in which Samsung is only going to get stronger considering how much they're pouring into research. I predicted last year that they were going to lose a lot of money and I was correct. Well guess what, I'm predicting now that they will lose a lot of money this year as well.

Predicting that a company that is losing money will lose more money. WOW! Your talent is wasted.

Are you Pachters love child? JK :D