July 6, 2009 - Wedbush Morgan's Michael Pachter sent out a massive 201-page report recently and it was only a matter of time before another analyst would speak his mind about the state of the console wars. The main point that Sebastian Kramer from market research firm NTH* addressed was the comeback of Sony's PlayStation 3 which currently trails behind Microsoft's Xbox 360 by eight million units.
"The PS3 needs nothing short of a miracle in order to catch up and Microsoft will do everything they can to beat Sony. The 360 is currently doing exceptionally well for a console in its fourth year and it doesn't show any signs of slowing down any time soon. All things considered, I believe that the PS3 is going to finish in a distant third place this generation."
He's got a point, recent GfK data reveiled that the 360 has been outselling even the Wii by 2:1 in the United Kingdom during the last five months. But still, couldn't Sony turn fortunes around by launching a PS3 Slim and dropping the price? "Systems like the PS1 and PS2 reached mass market acceptance long before a Slim version was introduced, a hardware revision is not going to change anything in the big picture. A potential price cut can be easily countered by Microsoft who are already overachieving with their 360 anyway."
"Blu-Ray, as Pachter suggested, isn't going to have an impact in the long run either. Standalone players are already cheaper than the PS3, so this early advantage of Sony is gone. What you should really look at are the games.", Kramer continued. "Software sells hardware and I think that's where Sony really dropped the ball this generation."
Indeed, only one game published by SCEA has passed the one million mark in sales so far, according to NPD. "Our own research has also shown that 360 exclusives sell more on average than PS3 games, even when you leave out blockbusters like Halo 3 and Gears of War. Sony's last hopes rest entirely on Gran Turismo 5, but it's already questionable how well it will be received by critics and gamers alike, because Turn 10's Forza 3 is the definitive racing game of this generation."
What about the upcoming motion controllers? Which one has more potential, Natal or Sony's wand? "Microsoft really did a great job at generating buzz for Natal, even my mom was interested and asked me when it's going to be released. Sony is facing an uphill battle and they are better off focusing on profitability rather than market share from now on."
What do you think, dear readers? Is Sony done for and the PS3 destined to finish in last? Leave your comments in the space below.
*NTH (Now that's hardcore) is a fictive market research firm that collects its data primarily from internet message boards.
I am glad to see that not every analyst has lost his mind and thinks like Pachter.
Proud Member of GAIBoWS (Gamers Against Irrational Bans of Weezy & Squilliam)
Leatherhat on July 6th, 2012 3pm. Vita sales:"3 mil for COD 2 mil for AC. Maybe more. " thehusbo on July 6th, 2012 5pm. Vita sales:"5 mil for COD 2.2 mil for AC."
