Hmm, at the end they stuck in a little zinger. Now the estimate for the fiscal year is 10 million PS3s?

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iSSf4xA77eWwRXXF8SovYH6kRhRAD8SPU1BG0

Sony CEO Sees 'Stalemate' in Disc Fight

NEW YORK (AP) — The head of Sony Corp., Howard Stringer, said Thursday that the Blu-ray disc format the company has developed as the successor to the DVD is in a "stalemate" with the competing HD DVD format, chiefly backed by Toshiba Corp. and Microsoft Corp.

"It's a difficult fight," said Stringer, speaking at the 92nd Street Y cultural center in Manhattan.

Toshiba has been selling its players for as low as $200 heading into the holiday season, while Blu-ray players cost more than twice as much. The HD DVD camp also scored a significant win in August, when it induced Paramount Pictures to drop most of its support for Blu-ray and put out high-definition movies exclusively on HD DVD.

"We were trying to win on the merits, which we were doing for a while, until Paramount changed sides," Stringer said.

At the same time, he played down the importance of the battle, saying it was mostly a matter of prestige whose format wins out in the end.

"It doesn't mean as much as all that," Stringer said. He added that he believed there was an opportunity of uniting the two camps under one format before he became CEO, and he wishes he could travel back in time to make that happen.

Stringer was more upbeat about the PlayStation 3, the game console that has so far had disappointing sales compared to the rival Nintendo Wii.

The CEO said the console is the best-selling console in Europe after a price cut three weeks ago. In the U.S., a recent price cut has doubled sales.

"We are coming back up again," Stringer said. The company aims to sell 10 million PS3s by the end of its fiscal year in March. Nintendo has already sold 13.2 million Wiis.

You beat me to the post... I promise that once Sony puts out *some* good news - I'll be all over it :P

I think the "10m" at the end is just an inaccuracy by the reporter. Its quoted as 11m in their fiscal report, they can't get out of changing figures as easily as that.

Well there is some 'good' news here. He said PS3 sales have improved. Although one can't be sure if he's talking about retailer sales which should be picking up for the holidays anyways.

I'm not too sure where those stats come from.

Sure, ignoring handhelds AND the Wii - the PS3 was the best-selling console. The PS2 is outselling it now though.

...and "doubled sales" in the US? Guesswe'll find out soon enough. More than possible though - the challenge is for them to KEEP sales high.

Like I said, he might be talking about retailer sales. If retailer sales weren't at least doubling for the holidays, I would be gravely concerned.

So they silently changed their forecast from 11 to 10 million? Sorry Sony, you still won't make it.

As for the main news item... There's a saying about chess which I'll paraphrase from memory:

"When your opponent offers you a draw, look for the imminent victory"

At the same time, he played down the importance of the battle, saying it was mostly a matter of prestige whose format wins out in the end.

"It doesn't mean as much as all that," Stringer said.

---

Someone please tell all the Sony fanboys.

I'm seriously starting to wonder if the PS3 will even make 8 million by years end.

Unless your that pansy Gary Kasparov.  He had that computer BEAT and he lost his will and gave up and took the draw.