I pretty much already knew most of the information posted by the TC. Even though the PS3 had a better year in 2008 in hardware and software, the competition destroyed them overall. So 2008 was not the year of the PS3. Even though it has some decent exclusives like MGS4 and LBP, many of these exclusive didn't sell well once they were released. Motorstorm PR and Valkyrie Chronicles sold poorly to start. Resistance 2 going up against GeoW2 was outsold almost 3:1 in it's first 2 weeks. Even LBP had a slow start, but seems to be finally gaining some momentum.

Whether 2009 will be better for the PS3 is question. Yes, they have some nice exclusive on the way, but they had some great exclusive this year as well and it didn't make much of a difference. With Killzone 2, White Knight, InFamous, GT5 and the FF XIII games on the way, 2009 should be bright for the PS3. The only thing that will probably hurt it is the high price for the console and the surge of support for their competition.

Sony will have lost like $4 BILLION on PS3 by the end of 2008.....that is fucking SAD! Go Blu-Ray lol

Well yet another statement from Sony saying no price cut.

http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=34713

"No, we are not going to go down in price on PS3 – neither are we going to go down in price on PS3 in spring time either. Absolutely not, whatever you might have heard to the contrary. Our strategy is very much value added."

Their plan is the best way for their economy, adding value is cheaper then cutting price. But I doubt that lager HDD adn betetr bundles will boost sales to much over a lon period.

In my case i wrote that i think we will see a short surge due to KillZone 2 but as most game that surge won't last.

If the sales between PS3 and 360 still goes to 360's favour throught the Q1 (end of Sonys fiscal year) they are more or less forced to cut price.

Maybe they will wait until Q3 which would be the best in economic terms but the first 6 months well be a period of big pain and both users, potential consumers and media will bash them for it like they have already begun.

Short to say, not easy being in charge of PS3 right now.

Personally, I think Sony pulled a Sega Saturn on this one... Too much power, too high of a price, not enough sales.

Nicely put,

 I just think sony bet too much on the famous& loyalty of the playstation brand. (have they yet to forget) nintendo can easily pull in the casual they have the franchises and history behind them. and Microsoft they should have seen them coming a mile away with the xbox1 (with them introducing xbox live). If sony would have plan out the design of the PS3 to rival a total different experience than the other two, or build it up to that I believe they could have had a better outcome.

I know Sonys masterplan ;)
It is just a thought, but who knows.. here we go:

I think next gen all console producers will try to match those requirements

motion controls
HD graphics
online entertainment
newest standard of discs (lets say... BluRay)

in a nutshell: Wii controller + Xbox online + PS3 Bluray + HD


So most of us think next Xbox will rollout in 2011. I dont think they will emphasis on better graphics or more power, as seen in this generation -> it doesnt work as good as -> motion controlling/ casual gaming.

Next wii must improve its grapical power to stay competitive (because motion controlling will be offered by all three parties)

Next playstation is still the ps3... u know 10 year plan!!!!
All they have to do is to develop a good and working motion controlling unit -> isnt there a thread of patented ps3 version of the wii controller (including usage of the PS eye?)

Most of you will probably say: No way, all ps3 games would have to be playable with two different controllers (dualshock and motion controller)....You are right, but... With a storage monster like bluray...think again...

And what if the blurayconsortium including sony says: bluray is for playstation only (not for Xbox3, not for Wii2)?


its the year 2012:

Cheap HD TVs are available and the most normal thing to have, serious estimations when blueray will overtake DVD can be done.

PS3 is the cheapest console on the market (new xbox and wii have been released = more expensive than ps3)

Ps3 offers as the only console the new standard for video discs, has a more advanced motion controlling unit than the current Wii (incl. ps eye), still nice graphical power (not as good as the new xbox of course) and a good working online UNIVERSE (fully evolved PS Home).. and sells like hot cakes for the rest of their 10 year plan (even better than ps2, lol)

But with all that financial crisis stuff... maybe never gonna happen ;)


Cheers and
merry xmas

 Welcome aboard. I'm not sure how much your analysis will hold up under scrutiny (though I look forward to seeing it), but a calm, reasoned analysis, regardless of where it leads, is always wecome.

Qhy oh why would the BR consortium not allow the next wii or the next xbox to have a BR drive! That makes no sense at all, If all the next gen consoles had BR drives then it would increase the formats popularity further and thus make them a lot of money.

Sony is not the only member of the BR consortium and even if they were they would allow the competition to use their technology (why wouldn't they want to get a slice of every console sold?). Thinking that Sony will cockblock microsoft is very stupid indeed as microsoft could block sony from using windows on their laptops and their laptop sales would die. If sony had that attitude everybody loses.

Good post Palminio,

Going forward a few factors are key for Sony.

Yen. As the dollar continues to erode the problem for Sony keeps getting worse. Many long term international contracts for companies are done on the dollar so it's value is critical to Sony. I'm not strictly speaking PS3's MSRP or price cuts but manufacturing/packaging/shipping/distribution/suppliers contracts and so forth that could be based off the dollar. Couple this with Sony generally operating on very low margins as is, you're in for some harsh times. Thus you're already seeing the first stage of Sony's reduction plans in action.

PS2 sales slowing. The PS2 is a profit center for the gaming division. As it fades away, it can't cover up for the PS3 as needed. The PS3 losses are more exposed and inturn, this exposure is highlighted to stock holders who can often overreact and want drastic changes.

Poor Software sales on the PS3. The PS2 was a software powerhouse. What they lost is hardware, they made up with selling a ton of software and the royalties associated. The PS3 software sales are not PSP piss poor but they're clearly not enough to offset the losses.

Poor accessory sales. While we can talk "value" all day, from a business standpoint, having everything enclosed in one box and selling for a premium isn't a great idea. Being able to sell harddrives, wireless adapters, memory cards and such as standalone accessories can be a key to lowering the core hardware prices while offsetting the losses with high accessory sales. Sony was forced to add all this 'value' to justify the high cost of entry. We know that wireless adapters and HDD's are not excatly cost leaders yet lead to high profit returns. However, having such items removed makes the sales pitch for a high priced PS3 become even more bleak.

Overall, the PS3 has been a perfect storm of market conditions and poor strategy (regardless of market conditions). Still, no need to dwell on what has passed. For Sony, going forward, the goal should be to minimize the losses and just ride out this generation. They're not in a financial position to fight it out and their poor initial choices have handicapped their options for market adaptation.

There will be nothing stopping Nintendo or Microsoft from using BluRay technology. The BR format isn't owned by Sony, they are just one of the keymembers that collects money from licensing.

When the next generation start BR will a much broader standard then today and as a strategy for becoming standard consortiums allways accepts new member with ease.

A BR-player in the next Xbox and Wii will only generate more money to the keyplayer.

Since Microsoft allready are working together with BR on diffrent levels they won't stop them. Like BR movies using MS backed technology VC-1.