A price cut might temporarily raise PS3 sales but this generation has pretty much already been decided. It all comes down to games and the Xbox 360 gets most games that are on the PS3. Killzone 2 has already been proven not to move systems and Gran Turismo 5 will not either.

There's nothing Sony needs to turn the tide since :

- PS3 outsold 360 before the september price cut worldwide, and so it will do it again as soon as Sony cuts the price. It sold more from launch than the 360 too if you look at vgchartz hardware sale from launch

- most exclusives are now PS3 exclusives, and the 360 ones are coming to PS3 too (Ninja Gaiden 2 Sigma, see yesterday announcement)

- you can't buy PS3 exclusives since they're Sony owned (or Konami but they don't care about the 360) and they dominate (LBP, Killzone 2, uncharted, Ratchet, Motorstorm, MGS4)

- 360 has not so many exclusives planned now compared to huge games like Gran Turismo 5 or GOW 3

Ultimately, I think the PS3 will easily win this gen in installed base. People doubted they would for the PS2, and look where they are now.

After all, installed base is already on par in europe, and 360 is dead in Japan...

Stop living in the past ! 360 hit the final screw in PS3s coffin the day microsoft dropped its price last year . if sony dropped it price back then as well they would still be in this thing , but they couldnt afford to , Microsoft could.

Do i hafe to keep preeching this!!! Microsoft will always use its wallet to keep sony down , It has the money to lose , the money to spend , to eliminate whomever they want.

well, the tide has already turned - they are (or almost are) in a position of profitability. this is big for sony considering the global economy.

if you mean will they ever get out of third place, then i think the answer is no. it might be just what you said that the highest price = lose... at least it matters this late in the generation when they 8 million units away from second place.

if sony does get second place after 10 years and ms has already moved on, i don't think anyone will be patting them on the back saying congrats (okay, there probably will be some who do, but they are scary and shouldn't be looked directly in the eyes).

Nothing right now. Sony refuses to drop the price, so they can eat shit for that right now.

Well...
1. Wii
2. PS3
3. 360

Pricecut + GT5 will equal PS3 sales sky-rocketing, the fact that PS3 sells so well now with the hefty price still amazes me... just wait people, just you wait

In a position of profitability on what exactly? They posted a 4 million profit last quarter, but they are $321 million in the hole this fiscal year so far which means they will likely post another massive loss for 3 straight fiscal years next month in the range of 3.5-4 billion dollars this gen. There is no reason to believe this is going to change anytime soon either. I could certainly see another big loss coming for the next fiscal year as well especially so if they drop the price and virtually no PS2 to lay it’s back on either anymore. If you mean the PS3, yes they should be close, but if they drop the price then that profit line stretches out. Like I said it's a pickle no doubt about it. .

As I've said in my most recent thread, dropping the price on the PS3 is logically the absolute worst thing they can do. They need to remain profitable (1), Serve the consumer base they already have (2), and finally look into increasing their market share (3).

Best thing Sony can do to turn the tide? Provide excellent service to those who currently have PS3s.

nothing, if sony tries to do a price cut, MS will do the same

I don't think Sony is looking to turn the tide. They are probably more interested in turning a profit.

Finishing first for this Generation is fine but since this isn't sports you can have more than 1 winners. Remember that Nintendo finished second with the N64 and 3rd with the GC but they still made a profit from those machines and at the end of the day this is what pays the bills.

Sony has other interests to pursuit, namely Blu-Ray. It's their cash cow for the next twenty years (or more). That's why they send in the PS3 (sacrificed?) to deal the crucial blow to the opposition (HD-DVD) by raising the numbers of the installed base.

The 10 year cycle makes sense on such a huge investment but as soon as MS and N roll out something new the PS3 is going to be branded as old-gen and loose most of it's shine.

Sony and MS have to sit down and think hard on what they'll offer in their next consoles, since it's clearly obvious that raw power and high end graphics do not a winner make!