The drop in the PS2 sales (their milk cow) is to blame for the loss in the gaming part of the division and it's not getting any better unless the PS3 can pick up the slack.

I see your point, but I think that masks the real reasons for the loss.

The PS2 would be probably be profitable by itself... I think the blame is on PS3 hardware losses and the size of the gaming division. They have too many employees to support a smaller userbase than they had in the previous gen.

Ouch.

The ps3 has lost them around 5 billion, if it wasn't for the extraordinary behaviour of the ps2 SCE would have folded already. 

That's a big hit. I don't know if it was better than expected but it was big nontheless.

Sony is a vast empire so I'm sure they will bounce back.

Electronic goods sales has been walloped since the recession but revenue from films, music etc, must be keeping keeping that figure from going further in the red.

On a "positive" note Japan's economy seems to be recovering along with France's and Germany's.

Sony like any other major manufactuer want this recession over.

I think right now they'd be more than happy with just a weakening of the Yen TBH

i m impressed by the amount of PS3's shipped 27.1 million till end of September(only one month of slim launch/price cut)

that's really good.PS3 will pass 32 million shipped by the years end.

oh noes, poor Sony :(

I blame all the clearance sales and bundles for the PS3 fat. Then there's also Vaio...

I thought Sony fired 16,000 employees already? The execs might be willing to let a few more go but I can't Imagine how productive this will be in the end.

I'l say again this isnt the quarter to be looking at profits/losses this is where electronics companies stockpile for the holidays. They've likely got millions of ps3's, Vaios etc sitting in warehouses.