if they can afford a $20 price cut I'd be shocked.

I personally think they dont. But if the 360 starts dominating then expect a small price-cut which will mean more than likely Sony wont be profitable for the rest of the gen.

@twesterm, soriku and xman:
Gaming isn't probably their biggest division, but PSOne and PS2 profits helped a lot Sony when they botched hard sticking too long to Trinitron CRT's when everybody else was already switching to flat screen technologies, so I guess Sony should be willing to keep gaming division profitable, but as big and powerful as possible too, because, if needed again, they'll want the profits of a big division to be able to help others in difficulty.
Bravia are doing well now, but with the current winds of crisis, I'd bet Sony would like to play safe.
So, IMVHO, they'll try to balance profitability and market share, if they are given the opportunity to do so, and this means, always IMHO, price cuts as small as possible and only if really needed.

I find this thread odd, is like, some Sony fans wants total Domination!!! no matter the cost, looks like some of them don´t believe in the future games, just want a price cut to play safe...

FJ-Warez said: I find this thread odd, is like, some Sony fans wants total Domination!!! no matter the cost, looks like some of them don´t believe in the future games, just want a price cut to play safe...

Its not about total domination... i don't think $50 price cut is going to make PS3 start beating Wii comprehensively... but in 2 yrs PS3 has not even reduced the deficit against XBOX due to late launch... so i just wander if Sony even plan to come in second or they are satisfied for 3rd Place... and can they really bounce back from 3rd to 1st place in next generation...

most PS3 early sales were due to brand loyalty... and if they loose this generation comprehensively (which currently look like to be the case) then i think PS4 will be having a very tough time to win back that loyalty... for one quarter profit they might loose the entire division...

or will they be able to buy exclusives or timed exclusives like MS in the next generation.?

I believe Sony surely cannot afford to be in the 3rd place in this holiday season... i m sure they will be bz calculating the impact on their balance sheet of the price drop in this quarter instead of their earlier planned date.. and they will factoring loss/gains of sales due to it and loss/gains of market share and everything else... as someone else said 2 price drop by MS wasn;t expected... and these are some very good price drop .... dropping price from 279 to 199 is a very generous discount... plus MS persistance in selling consoles in Japan is showing some results too.. so it is another worry for Sony... if they win market share in Japan then next generation MS may not even have to buy exclusives from japanese studios... or they will be able to buy it for much less price...

So in my humble opinion this is a matter of worry for Sony and their entire gaming division... and they have to make some calculated moves soon... they have to realise that 3rd yr of PS3 is about to begin... and they have see if 1 quarter''s profit is more than

- loss in brand loyalty

- loss in exclusives

- loss in market share

- failure of their idea of PS3 as the centre of home entertainment... it will become as just yet another product for home entertainment..

You people need to consider that Sony has profitability to worry about , decreasing price point will increase marketshare which may improve long term sales but I think that's money Sony isn't willing to comit , especialy as a $50 price cut would likely cause them more short term losses than long term gains.

For Japan only?... maybe. I doubt anywhere else but it seriously needs something in Japan. As I've said numerous times before the consumers are so confused they are buying 360s haha. Sony needs to act and TGS is a good time to do something. Have a pricedrop or pack in for the holiday season.

It would make more sense to reintroduce BC and make some attractive bundles. Wouldn't cost nearly as much.

There won't be a price cut until next year.

A price cut now would make absolutely no sense. The 360's sales will probably level off at lower than what they are right now in a few weeks, and even if the worst case scenario happened and the PS3 ended up in third place, it wouldn't only be by a few million units. Second place simply isn't important enough to sacrifice profitability. I'm sure Sony would rather be in third place and turn a profit than be in second place having lost untold billions of dollars.

You don't send 100,000 of your troops to their doom just to hold onto a few miles of useless territory.

WiiStation360 said: I expect a holiday bundle, but no price cut this year. I do not think they can afford one.

 

i agree on the bundle, though i think they could afford one, losses being offset by other divisions, but the riot the shareholder would put up not worth it