I agree with you Bmaker.  Plus, most respectable companies with products with high failure rates recall said product to rework it to be better.  Not ignore it for a year and 7 months, then agree to "fix" it because of numerous lawsuits, and finish it off by saying, " Well you need to just go out and buy the new Jasper chip versions.  They work sorta better.  "

So no one can seriously answer what's up with the VG Chartz graph?

^sounds like Sony with the laptop battery's fiasco.
The first or second fiasco.

Even respectable companies play games with the consumers.
(going of the assumption that Sony are still respectable)

Well, considering Sony voluntarily recalled their batteries on both occasions, yes I would say Sony remains respectable.  Concerning the second incident, there were 40 reports worldwide of overheating, which could have been attributed to changes in the laptop after the battery was created or defects in raw materials, out of 100,000.  That's a .04% failure rate.  And Sony did a VOLUNTARY recall.  Now compare that to MS that had a 33% failure rate and decided to stay silent about it.  Only till after lawsuits did they set up their billion dollar repair program.  Not a recall like what should have happened.  Just so they could keep their lead.

But what's truly sad are the individuals who this happened to, but instead of being angered like they would have been for any other piece of electronic equipment, they will defend MS till their deaths.  Or even more sad is how people always want to point out Sony's mistakes, but give passes to huge mistakes by everyone else.  Just reading comments on posts are sickening.  Complaining about charging what they feel to be way more for the battery then it costs to make.  Well yeah, it's called profit, eveyone does it, or they go bankrupt.  But Sony is the only "ripping" us off, no one else.  Ah, I wonder what it is like to be so blind.

Blu-Ray screwed the customer just as much, as does the PS3s price. Right now, I can get an Xbox that plays the same games as a PS3, without a BR player, for 199, with a 3 year unlimited warranty.

It's arguable who has screwed over their fanbase more this gen.

The difference is, Microsoft is out to screw you. Sony does it on accident with slow-to-change management, and ignorant group think.

What is not arguable is that the 1 year headstart gave Microsoft a huge leg up on its competition, Sony, and keeping your customers happy when you don't have any customers, is not sound business strategy.

What is not arguable is Microsoft's dedication to even the playing field when it comes to 3rd parties, at expense to Microsoft, but at much greater expense to the Playstation brand.

What is not arguable is that Sony is now facing a competitor that is one of the fastest, meanest, smartest, and most resourceful competitors in the world, at a point when Sony's own management is ill equipped.

For right now, Sony is screwing the customer, 3rd parties, and themselves at the same time, as well as losing marketshare, so maybe you should apply for manager. First move is to go back in time and make BR optional on the PS3, and instead have a non-BR sku available with the ability to install games to the HD. That SKU should not cost about 199.

If Sony gives MS a 2 year headstart and MS somehow releases a console that doesn't have a 100 percent failure rate next generation, then I wonder how that will end up for Sony?

Peaches and cream, I'm sure.

I hope the Blu-Ray battle was worth it for Sony.

Aren't you reading that the wrong way round?

0.4% failure rate does not mean a recall of 10 million battery's. Maybe you're reffering to the second recall of batteries?
What about the 440,000 laptops due to wiring faults? and then the PS2's problems that Sony still refuse to acknowledge even with lawsuits.

So a similar issue of overheating happens to Sony products not once but twice yet you try to act like it was a minor issue and Sony acted like they was quick to respond (after 2 years) and purely in the interest of the consumers with an overblown guesture not needed as the fault was minor?
People go on about MS failure rates and act like Sony are faultless. If they do acknowledge Sony has had problems then it's marginalised like you have then attack on MS again.

What I'm saying is it happens to every company (apart from nintendo though it seems) but to act like it doesn't is blind fanboyism.

Just for the record Sonys overheating batteries was around the time of the 360 problems.

...and for the record, yes, my 360 broke down. I had it back in 7 business days. The new one has worked fine for a year. If my 3 years warranty expires and my 360 breaks, I'll buy a new one, and use my old HD. A new one is only 199. With that 199 investment, I guarantee myself a game console for the next 3 years. I think EVERY game company should give you a 3 year warranty on hardware. Right now, my 360 is safer from breakage than is my PS3, simply because it is insured for 3 years, and my PS3 is not insured at all.

MS would never do this out of the kindness of their heart, but I'm not interested in reasonings and excuses from my companies, I'm interested in results. I don't care WHY the PS3 is 399. I just want the price dropped. That is a major thing when talking about the PS3's price on these forums, I always hear excuses making Sony look like the good guy, in a bad situation. They put themselves there. If they weren't so ignorant in the planning phase, they would be winning by now.

Zenfoldor said :

"Right now, I can get an Xbox that plays the same games as a PS3, without a BR player, for 199, with a 3 year unlimited warranty."

Except that no, it doesn't play the same games at all.

It doesn't play games of the year 2008 LBP and MGS4.

It doesn't play Ratchet games, Demon's Souls, Valkyria Chronicles, Team ICO games, or Infamous, or Motorstorm PR, or Uncharted...

It won't play Gran Turismo 5 or god of war 3. Or Agent, MAG, Uncharted 2 or FF13VS or FF14.

Well, actually the 360 doesn't play most of the games I like.

I paid 399$ not because of the cell, but because of excusive content I couldn't get anywhere else.

Yes, I was refering to the second recall, that's why I said I was.  Of course, every company has these problems, even Nintendo.  The shitty NES push down design comes to mind.  I'm sure they have experienced other issues, but probably only minor.  The point, though, is normally these companies' failure rates fall in the standard 2-3%, or they'd be rediculed into non-existence.  But not MS.

And yes, a failure rate well below 1% after 2 years is minor.  And Sony still saw it was faulty and recalled it on their own will.  Now, one of 33% after just a year without a recall is not.  My point being, you can say all you want about why you hate a company or system, no matter how petty they are.  But only a fool will sit there and tell  you how going through 2 or 3 systems and a 33& is fine and normal, just as long as you can get it replaced for free, which of course adds to sales so MS probably doesn't mind too much.  Still, no one should have to put up with that.

And what a lousy alt account too.

How many accounts has this guy got banned so far?

How does a new format screw the customer?  I guess we should all turn into grumpy old men and quit progressing in technology.  Blu-ray allows developers more space to use for whatever they wish, like higher res textures, larger environments or longer gameplay.  Now some multi-platform games choose not to use it or to change the games so they are equal, but most exclusives do.  Not to mention the new movie viewing experience. 

And yes the war was worth it, seeing as they will make a ton when Blu-ray completely takes over DVD.  And when MS needs to make a new console.  Either they are going to have to pay Sony for Blu-ray or spend millions upon millions coming up and pushing a new format, cause no one next gen will be putting up with DVD, as it will seem too last gen.

And the new format completely destroys your argument that 360 can play all of the PS3's games.  You can play MGS4, GoW3, and LBP on your 360 just as much as I can play Halo 3 and Gears 2 on my PS3.