@NJ5
I understand where you are coming from. However due to streamlining, demand, compartmentalization, and profitability there is nowhere better to sell off an asset outside of the gaming division. The Stringer philosophy as I understand it is one of compartmentalization. Which means that a division should work in a mode of semi autonomy. That means that a division is supposed to make a supreme effort to be self sufficient, and most definitely be going to the head office advocating a hack saw be taken to a fellow division.
Beyond that other divisions are more profitable so it is hard to find justification there, and of those that are poor performers also enjoy little demand. So either they are too good to sell, or are so bad that nobody wants to buy them. Then to make the situation worse Stringer did a remarkable job of selling of assets over the past couple years. There just isn't much left to sell. They have sold physical assets, and even sold off a major portion of a division.
What is ironic I suppose is that in all this pruning of the company the gaming division has gone for the most part untouched, and it is actually the most bloated of the lot. Sony has dozens of studios, and it could be argued that they need little more then a dozen. Both Nintendo and Microsoft have done well with fewer studios. More to the point these studios provide an up front bleed on profitability.
Sony could literally sell off a few good studios, and eat what is perceived as a terrible loss by putting energy into improving their remaining studios. Basically it is a loss that can be recovered from. Basically it is the best option available. Sell a few studios, streamline the remaining studios with reinvestment, and have enough liquid assets left to invest in price point reduction.
What I am seeing is an imminent problem, and if the solution costs you twelve months down the road. At least the bridge has been moved down the road. Perhaps to the point where the global economy begins to work its way out of this recession.
