BHR-3 said: With rumors of a PS3 Slim, price-cut and Gran Turismo 5 coming this holiday season, has Sony got the perfect formula to win this holiday?

From what you've said, no. Your second word gives me the pause right there- rumors. Rumors are not going to cause a system to win. If the price cut comes, that will help, but I don't see the other 2 causing the system to suddenly take off. And I'll say why:

First, a slim alone is not going to cause a sudden influx of new people saying they suddenly must have the system, especially if it stays the same price. It will cause some new sales, but even with the people who are upgrading older models to the slim (which I think is the bigger market for the slim), it's not enough to win the entire holiday season. It will have a good week or 2, but I don't see sustained sales from a slim system alone. Coupled with a price cut, they can race MS to the finish line, and have a decent chance of winning.

And then you have GT5. Who was it that had that sig, of X will save the PS3? GT5 is just another thing for them to put on that list. Time and time again, since 2007, people have been saying things to this accord for the PS3, and each time, they're proven wrong. I see no reason for this to change, especially given how GT5P has been availiable, and probably already got a good chunk of the GT fanbase into the system already. Again, I'd be foolish to say that this will have no impact (note that I'm not saying that), and again, like the slim, I see a good week or 2. But it won't be a holiday savior, especially given how there will be blockbuster titles on all 3 platforms.

I'm not saying Sony is going to have a horrible holiday season if any of those happen, but it's not going to be a runaway, even if all 3 happen. Sony's big concern for the holiday season needs to be profitability. If they can get a slim out at a profitable price point, heck, bundle it with GT5 and a larger drive for the extra $100 if needbe, then they will have a decent holiday from the perspective of many (shareholders, execs, and fans). But I don't think calling a holiday winner now is possible.

Carl2291 said: Flame said: "It also doesn't help Microsoft that their most anticipated Xbox 360 exclusive, Splinter Cell: Conviction, has been delayed to 2010." I guess the writer forgot about Halo 3: ODST, Forza 3, and L4D2 :P. Splinter Cell was the most awarded 360 game at E3, to the critics... it IS the most wanted 360 game.

True, but i cannot see Splinter Cell outselling Halo 3: ODST. I believe the public knows and recognizes "Halo" alot more than "Splinter Cell".

Akvod said: @Carl Critics definetly don't represent the main stream and weren't Xbox enthusiasts predicting HUGE numbers for ODST?

True, they dont.

But thats probably why he said it.

It's been said, but most of the requisites in this equation have yet to be confirmed. If all or most of this comes to pass, the PS3 could win the holiday consolw war.

drpunk said: I am so sick of hearing about the PS3 Slim increasing sales. If anyone has any proof of someone not buying a PS3 cos its dimensions are a bit big then I'll gladly take back my vitriol.

Well here is someone saying that is the reason.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/nordic-game-ps3-is-too-big-says-parappa-creator

 

kowenicki said: People think this is well written? This is a good line: "Europe is highly regarded as a racing game nation"? - illiteracy and stupidity in one finely crafted sentence. Highly regarded or widely regarded?... Europe is a nation? Idiot. "Most anticipated 360 exclusive Splinter cell" ? - Halo ODST says hi. And the swipe at the Wii at the end is just pathetic. Is there really anything new here other than a bunch of wishes from an amateur journalist?

I just laughed out-loud.  Be nice.

ssj12 said: drpunk said: I am so sick of hearing about the PS3 Slim increasing sales. If anyone has any proof of someone not buying a PS3 cos its dimensions are a bit big then I'll gladly take back my vitriol. Well here is someone saying that is the reason. http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/nordic-game-ps3-is-too-big-says-parappa-creator

 

Although I think he's just being racist

No this will not signifigantly make a massive christmas turnaround. I can see the conjunction if happening increase sales. It THINK the biggest failure is that the people in question are not smart/capable enough to understand game experience usability value price curve. PS3 enhanced the experience of old model games. It doesn't do anything else. It doesn't get new people to play, it doesn't make new experience games it does all the old stuff better. But everything get's old to people. The longer people do something the more boring it get's. To people who came in late say anywhere in the PS1 and PS2 era the PS3 is not old. People like me who have been playing games since Vectrix, Coleco, Atari 2600(before Nintendo) the PS3 is old. It's not that we won't find fun games on the machine like LBP, Infamous, but games like ANY SHOOTER. Well let's just say that we were playing Wolfenstien and Wolfenstien 3D probably before these people were born. After all that most of the games of the old values don't even appeal to the world. They appeal to a small audience.

So while the conjuction would garuntee to increase sales and have some fence sitter to buy(i'm waiting for slim $200) the value of old is well not in a rush. The PS2 was the king of old values. With the other machines being of also old values, but later to the game and didn't have the wave of the PS1. The PS2 deserves it's title, by having the best library of 3d games(SNES is the King of the 2d).

So as we head into this Christmas(in 5 months) sales will increase, but there will be no sudden change in peoples buying habits from the new values to the old. Just the fence sitters.

.jayderyu said: No this will not signifigantly make a massive christmas turnaround. I can see the conjunction if happening increase sales. It THINK the biggest failure is that the people in question are not smart/capable enough to understand game experience usability value price curve. PS3 enhanced the experience of old model games. It doesn't do anything else. It doesn't get new people to play, it doesn't make new experience games it does all the old stuff better. But everything get's old to people. The longer people do something the more boring it get's. To people who came in late say anywhere in the PS1 and PS2 era the PS3 is not old. People like me who have been playing games since Vectrix, Coleco, Atari 2600(before Nintendo) the PS3 is old. It's not that we won't find fun games on the machine like LBP, Infamous, but games like ANY SHOOTER. Well let's just say that we were playing Wolfenstien and Wolfenstien 3D probably before these people were born. After all that most of the games of the old values don't even appeal to the world. They appeal to a small audience. So while the conjuction would garuntee to increase sales and have some fence sitter to buy(i'm waiting for slim $200) the value of old is well not in a rush. The PS2 was the king of old values. With the other machines being of also old values, but later to the game and didn't have the wave of the PS1. The PS2 deserves it's title, by having the best library of 3d games(SNES is the King of the 2d). So as we head into this Christmas(in 5 months) sales will increase, but there will be no sudden change in peoples buying habits from the new values to the old. Just the fence sitters.

Eyepet and Eye of Judgment says hi.

But I agree, console shooters stick with the same formula over and over never changing or evolving.

A much cheaper PS3 would definitely move a lot more boxes this holiday. From what I'm reading in this thread, I'm guessing the chain of logic is as follows:

If Sony releases a slim PS3 in time for Holiday Sales,
and if the slim PS3 is cheaper to produce,
and if the big-gun games announced can move boxes,
then the PS3 might outsell the 360 and the Wii.

A lot of ifs in there, but if they execute flawlessly they might have a great Christmas. Will they "win" Christmas this year? Probably in Japan. Probably not worldwide, unless the competition sits still. I know some posters keep assuming that unannounced games mean they won't be released, but that's not a safe assumption.

One of biggest ifs for Sony has always been execution this generation. They need to meet their own objectives once in a while if they want to pull this sort of thing off.