Dodece said:
There is a difference between probable and possible. This would not be a probable outcome so should be discounted. The same way you should not consider the possibility that the moon will vaporize before your very eyes. You have to create a line beyond which you will not consider.
Sony has a myriad of problems with its new console, and frankly only radical solutions can bring about these results. Further more Sony has not shown a capacity to adapt in a timely manner. Sony executives are still worried about production. Even though that is not their real problem. They thought it would be their problem, but it did not end up being so. Yet even last month they were trying to console analysts that they will be able to meet shipment estimates.
The first thing Sony needs to do is fire a great many of their executives. Idiotic exaggerations are not acceptable. Out right lying is not acceptable. Attacking the other guys product seems childish and desperate. They need to be likable, and more importantly they need to respect consumers, and relate to consumers.
This is the second thing that is wrong. Sony has suffered a serious disconnect with their customers. Somewhere along the line during the past few years. They confused customers with investors. They need to stop doing that, because customers and investors are not the same thing. You treat them differently don't sell them on an investment sell them on what the product does for them now. Business jargon is lost on gamers.
Develop a game plan for games. You need quality, volume, and variety. Your better off producing ten fun low quality games of different genres rather then two or three games of high standards that might not appeal to a majority of consumers. Sponsor small developers that will produce fun games in a short period of time. That is how you satisfy volume, and variety. Then you can begin to work in some quality. Give the public enough games to satisfy themselves. Sony desperately needs to adopt this philosophy. Quicker, cheaper, and more volume. That gives you more chances to hit the mark. Then rolling the dice on a mere handful of titles. That is the third problem. Sony needs to bulk up overall rather then try to work with silver bullets.
The fourth problem is value they need to increase the value of the hardware. Give the consumer more for their money, and more specifically give them things they can use and will enhance their gaming experience. Sony has focused on to many functionalities that do not integrate with gaming. Happy customers sell others on your product. Giving away free games, music, and even movies to your current customers will make them more happy. Keep them engaged with your product. Reward loyalty and that pays dividends down the line.
These are all reasonable things that Sony could do, and would greatly improve their situation. They do need to fire some upper management. They need a better public face. They need to develop a better game implementation philosophy. The philosophy I outlined is similar to the philosophy that NASA has used for its robotic exploration, and what a bonanza that was. They need to improve their customer service, and more specifically treasure their customers. That should always be the main focus of any business. Take care of what you got. You know what also always looks good to consumers. When you take the time to go the extra mile. Milking consumers and rewarding consumers are different things.
Like I have said many times I have little faith that Sony could or would do any of these things. They are slow to adapt, and they lack the innovative thinking to do these things. They are stagnant as it were. They will keep the bad executives around even though they do no good. They will try to play Microsofts game when it comes to game procurement. They will not give enhancements that they could charge for. They most certainly will not abandon their bad marketing. They most definitely will continue to not relate to consumers.
Yes its possible, but Sony has to be committed to tough self evaluation, and more importantly a willingness to abandon the bad philosophy they have followed up until this point.
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Thank you. This is sooooo accurate. Folks need to realize Sony has shown one thing they are consistent at - orphaning their products. I bought a PS2 - and got the HDD too. Why? There were tons of games that would support it. Guess what? Only FFIX and Socom supported it. That's it. Fortunately, I got the HDD cheap, but I feels for the clowns who paid $100 for it ... for what? I ended up using the drive in other capacities - and not in my PS2. After getting burned like that, I did some research ... and looked at other technologies that Sony flat out abandoned. Linux on PS2, the UMD, BetaMax, the minidisc ... their MP3 player line ... and now, the PS3.
Are there any business majors in the house? How does having what 4 different SKUs in less than a year sound? And I am not talking about small items ... I am talking $500 plus units! So what the 360 has the red lights and inferior graphics ... it went nearly 2 years before a price cut. Now? Sony's 4th sku, stripped of everything to make it compete and yet keeping the albatross known as the Blu Ray player in it. Instead of offering a gimped player, why not offer a player WITHOUT Blu Ray? But, of course, in the end, Sony runs the classic playbook ... and everyone without rose-colored glasses see the truth. Daily, Sony's missteps make me think the PS1 and PS2's success wasn't in the least bit calculated, but stumbled upon.
Kudos to Sony for making a new machine that is sooooooo far off base it shouldn't even be called a Playstation - since most PS systems (PSP excluded) can play older titles.
I knew when I saw that creepy PS3 commercial with the baby we were in for a very bumpy ride ...
