PlayStation CEO Hopes 2008 Was "As Bad As it Gets"

[shMerker]

Well you have to give it to them for sticking to their word, as foolish as it is, i admire people who stick to the principle of the matter...to the bitter end.

What principle? The ten year plan is a strategy. There's no honor in sticking to a strategy that isn't working.

What's disappointing about this is that he's saying the fate of the PS3 is tied to the fate of the economy. Which is reasonable, since the PS3 is a luxury item that overshoots the needs of the average consumer and therefore will only sell well as long as there are lots of people with a lot of disposable income. What follows from that, though, is that things are pretty dire for Sony, since the economy he's saying their tied to is probably only going to get worse before it gets better. So what's plan B?

 

[ItsAChiaotzu]

LOL [http://seanmalstrom.wordpress.com/2009/07/09/trettons-storm/].

"I feel like the PS3 is perfectly positioned. You like playing DVDs, but you're not ready for Blu-ray? Fine, our machine plays them," he continued.

Potential Customer: Right... but I already have things that play DVDs. I don't need your machine.

"Are you interested in disc-based content, or digital content? Because we can play both.

Potential Customer: I don't care, I'm interested in content. Disc-based/digital doesn't matter. And your machine is not the only one with content.

And we can stream digital downloads of TV shows and movies in standard definition or high definition.

Potential Customer: I don't care if it is "streaming," I care about content. If I want standard definition, I already have things that do that, or can get them for less. I don't need your machine. If I want high definition, there are a lot of other machines that do that for less.

So whatever the argument is, I feel like the PS3 is perfectly positioned to be the toll booth that everybody runs through."

Potential Customer: Even if my argument is that you are charging a lot of money for something with little to no benefit for me (the only benefit being the incredibly small number of exclusive games which might be worth playing)? I see. Well I appreciate you trying to convince me to buy your "toll booth." No, thanks.

Your whole thing is just completely apathetic, you might as well not use anything at all.


The point is that the Ps3 can do all of the things, probably for less of a price than buying lots of different machines e.g. a DVD player/Blu Ray player, a computer, a console etc.

The benefit is the machine itself, if you don't want it/can't afford it, then don't get it, no one is trying to force you.

 

[Jumplion]

I don't think Sony gets it...

It doesn't matter what a tremendous value you believe your product to be, the customer decides what value it is to him or her, and at $400+, most people are saying "Not Enough" of one.

They have one thing to justify it.

Blu-Ray. But that's not enough. there are cheaper Blu-Ray players OTHER than the PS3.

So if there biggest selling point is right now cheaper, the price should be cheaper. 400+ bucks is a fuck ton of money, and people are willing to spend it when they themselves can justify it, and there happens to be a lot if they can plop down the money for it.

Metal Gear Solid 4, Resistance 1-2, inFamous, Ratchet and Clank, Killzone 2, LittleBigPlanet, Gran Turismo 5, Uncharted, the list goes on and on.

Tretton needs to get his head out of his ass, and realize he's selling a fucking videogame system, not a Media Center.

Last I checked, the PS3 has TV shows, movies, games, music, online, ect

So.........why the hell wouldn't they advertise it as a multimedia centre if it is a multimedia centre? I hear plenty from them saying "We're focused on bringing you a home games console" as well as them promoting their multimedia capabilities. If the PS3 has access to multiple media spectrum, why the hell wouldn't they advertise those features? You cannot tell me that Sony isn't the only one doing it, look at Microsoft's E3 conference this year for fuck's sake, it's no different. We've got Facebook, Twitter, the avatar stuff, TV show streaming, Natal is hardly what you would call focusing on games, ect... all from that one conference not to mention the whole Netflix-shebang and Avatars.

And as for the blu-ray player, I heard that the PS3 is a very good stand alone Blu-ray player for it's price and the cheaper stand-alone Blu-ray players aren't very good compared to higher end players like the PS3 and other more expensive ones.

As for the article, I'm glad Trenton is staying positive no matter the pandering by everyone. Doesn't change the fact that some things do need to be changed, like the price, and the god damn horrid PR with Sony. But as long as I get my God of War 3, Uncharted 2, Last Guardian, White Knight Chronicles-s, Ratchet and Clank, the next Naughty Dog/Sucker Punch/Insomniac/Guerrilla Games/Zipper/Team ICO game, and Heavy Rain, not to mention Fat Fuck Mothering Princess, I'll be a happy camper.

 

[shMerker]

Also the principle of setting a goal and refusing to stray from it, i never said it was a good thing.

No, just that you admire it.

 

[Rednog]

LOL [http://seanmalstrom.wordpress.com/2009/07/09/trettons-storm/].

"I feel like the PS3 is perfectly positioned. You like playing DVDs, but you're not ready for Blu-ray? Fine, our machine plays them," he continued.

The point is that the Ps3 can do all of the things, probably for less of a price than buying lots of different machines e.g. a DVD player/Blu Ray player, a computer, a console etc.

The benefit is the machine itself, if you don't want it/can't afford it, then don't get it, no one is trying to force you.

The problem with having it do all those things and claiming that it is worth the cost is that most people have a computer and a dvd player already, and the cost of installing a blue ray player for a pc is a joke compared to a stand alone player. Most people don't need all that crap they want a console and not a media center, but why sell one thing when you can bundle four into one?

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I've got news for you buddy, that storm you were riding in 2008 is about to become a hurricane.
Your big black beast of a console is nothing more than a glorified PC, with 1/2 the functionality.

 

[SharedProphet]

Your whole thing is just completely apathetic, you might as well not use anything at all.

The point is that the Ps3 can do all of the things, probably for less of a price than buying lots of different machines e.g. a DVD player/Blu Ray player, a computer, a console etc.

The benefit is the machine itself, if you don't want it/can't afford it, then don't get it, no one is trying to force you.

My point exactly. Sony and other proponents of the PS3 point out that it does a lot of stuff for the price, which is definitely true. The problem is then going on to claim that that equates to "value." "Value" to the customer is not defined in terms of features. Any sales course worth its salt will tell you that people buy products based not on features, but benefits: not "what does the product do," but "what does the product do for me?" If it gives you a lot of features of things you already have coupled with a lot of new features you don't need or want, you aren't going to buy it. And that's exactly what many, many people are doing... not buying it.

Sure, it does all these things for less than actual price of all those other machines put together. But since the majority of those machines are things most potential customers already own or don't need/want, really their effective cost to the customer is $0. Which will always be less than the price of a PS3, no matter how much they cut it.

Rednog has the right of it. And Khell_Sennet hit the nail on the head:

I don't think Sony gets it...

It doesn't matter what a tremendous value you believe your product to be, the customer decides what value it is to him or her, and at $400+, most people are saying "Not Enough" of one.

 

[Jumplion]

I buy consoles for games, and I realize the BluRay player is there because the games use that format, but don't pitch it to me as a feature of the system.

Then buy the PS3 for the damn games.

Read my previous [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.123878#2534989] post with "teh haloz", why the hell would Sony not advertise their console as a multimedia center if it is a god damn multimedia center!! Blu-ray is a fucking feature of the PS3, why the hell wouldn't they tell you "Play the latest hot games, watch the high-profile movies on blu-ray....!"? I'm sorry if you're not interested in downloading TV shows, movies, music, ect... but there are plenty of people who are.

This is a problem with catering to just "gamers" because it's such a narrow niche. Because for some reason "gamers" feel entitled to be the center of attention, that means that a console should only play games. Well, why the hell can't it do other things? Plenty of other people are interested in the multimedia capabilities of the PS3, 360, or whatever. Why wouldn't Sony advertise the PS3 for what it is, a mutlimedia player.

 

[SharedProphet]

I buy consoles for games, and I realize the BluRay player is there because the games use that format, but don't pitch it to me as a feature of the system.

Then buy the PS3 for the damn games.

Read my previous [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.123878#2534989] post with "teh haloz", why the hell would Sony not advertise their console as a multimedia center if it is a god damn multimedia center!! Blu-ray is a fucking feature of the PS3, why the hell wouldn't they tell you "Play the latest hot games, watch the high-profile movies on blu-ray....!"? I'm sorry if you're not interested in downloading TV shows, movies, music, ect... but there are plenty of people who are.

This is a problem with catering to just "gamers" because it's such a narrow niche. Because for some reason "gamers" feel entitled to be the center of attention, that means that a console should only play games. Well, why the hell can't it do other things? Plenty of other people are interested in the multimedia capabilities of the PS3, 360, or whatever. Why wouldn't Sony advertise the PS3 for what it is, a mutlimedia player.

Of course it would be ridiculous for Sony not to advertise based on the features of their system. Which brings us to the root of the problem: Sony made a mistake in cramming all that extra stuff into there to begin with. Because most people who might be interested in a PS3 will only be interested in a subset of its features. But they can't buy only the features they want, they have to buy them all... and that is more expensive than buying something else to do only what they want.

As for just "gamers" being such a narrow niche, the only console right now to focus on just being a console is the Wii. Guess if that makes it niche it must be failing pretty badly... and since so many people are interested in having a game console do everything else, the 360 and PS3 must be stomping it pretty hard. Wait a second, that's not what's happening? Hmm...

 

[Jumplion]

Of course it would be ridiculous for Sony not to advertise based on the features of their system. Which brings us to the root of the problem: Sony made a mistake in cramming all that extra stuff into there to begin with.

Uh, why wouldn't they put in that extra stuff? It worked with the PS2 didn't it? Multimedia crap sells all the time, look at the iPhone it's not being sold as a phone it's being sold as a games machine, internet thingy, app crap, ect...

Not to mention the PSP and DSi, are you telling me that for some reason Nintendo shouldn't be influenced by adding more features to appeal to even more masses?

As for just "gamers" being such a narrow niche, the only console right now to focus on just being a console is the Wii. Guess if that makes it niche it must be failing pretty badly... and since so many people are interested in having a game console do everything else, the 360 and PS3 must be stomping it pretty hard. Wait a second, that's not what's happening? Hmm...

That was not the "gamers" I was referring to, I hoped I made that clear with the quotations. The "gamers" I'm talking about are people like Khell_Sennet, people like the haters of the Wii because it caters to the "casuals", the PC elitist snobs, people who think that every big gaming company must cater to them and are not allowed to show off their other stuff.

For some reason Khell has a problem with Sony advertising the PS3 as a blu-ray player, but it is a damn blu-ray player! Who cares if you don't want one, plenty of other people do and people like having multiple funcitonalities with their devices. What is a problem with Sony advertising their product for what it is? Because you don't see them talking about games all the time? Go to their official Blog, they have tons of content and announcements of games. Or just go look for the games yourself, do your own research on the games, there's plenty of sites to do that.

 

[Pendragon9]

I'm pretty sure the PS3 is headed in the right direction; this year's E3 announced some games that people simply won't be able to keep away from. I'm really tempted to go out and buy the console. There's only one problem; IT'S STILL TOO EXPENSIVE.

Sure, the Sony dropped it's prices before, but I still have the words "...FIVE HUNDRED AND NINETY NINE US DOLLARS..." ringing in my head. Make it affordable Sony; please.

Buy it or don't buy it. Nobody is forcing you.

You want them to make it 599 dollars again? Then be happy they dropped the price. BEcause the companies could all decide to price gouge you at the same time and the cheapest console would probably be 400 dollars (likely the Wii if Nintendo wants to price gouge)

Until then, buy the console you want and be happy you have that choice.

Point is: every time someone demands a price drop, they are automatically throwing away their freedom to choose a different console. Sony is here to offer games to gamers who want to pay the price, not cheapskates who want to pay as little as possible for a watered down experience.

Thank you, and goodnight.

Christ. He better have a good reason for not lowering the damn price. All the crap Sony have spewed so far are vague and off the point.

I WANT A REASON, SONEH!

Because it's worth it. DUR.

I've got news for you buddy, that storm you were riding in 2008 is about to become a hurricane.
Your big black beast of a console is nothing more than a glorified PC, with 1/2 the functionality.

Nothing but more dribble from a fanboy. You have no proof whatsoever of your claim, so your post has become invalid.

 

[Treblaine]

CEO says: "I feel like the PS3 is perfectly positioned. You like playing DVDs, but you're not ready for Blu-ray? Fine, our machine plays them,"

That's like saying "You know all that money in your pocket, wouldn't it be so much better to just set it on fire"

Seriously, if you only want DVD, why pay approximately $150 more for a feature you don't want. How about you wait till you really want (if ever) blu-ray and buy a player then... when it is cheaper.

 

[HardRockSamurai]

I'm pretty sure the PS3 is headed in the right direction; this year's E3 announced some games that people simply won't be able to keep away from. I'm really tempted to go out and buy the console. There's only one problem; IT'S STILL TOO EXPENSIVE!

Buy it or don't buy it. Nobody is forcing you.

You want them to make it 599 dollars again? Then be happy they dropped the price. Because the companies could all decide to price gouge you at the same time and the cheapest console would probably be 400 dollars (likely the Wii if Nintendo wants to price gouge)

Until then, buy the console you want and be happy you have that choice.

I'm surprised. Are you actually AGAINST a price drop on a PS3. Let me guess, you already own one.

Well just know that there are SEVERAL gamers out there who want to have a PS3, but can't due to budget restrictions. And don't think you're looking out for SONY by siding with them. They make shitloads of money; a price drop wouldn't kill them, not even in this economy.

Christ. He better have a good reason for not lowering the damn price. All the crap Sony have spewed so far are vague and off the point.

I WANT A REASON, SONY!

Because it's worth it. DUR.

Dude, if it's over $400 dollars, you have to be able to have sex with it. I think that's a rule somewhere.

 

[Jumplion]

And don't think you're looking out for SONY by siding with them. They make shitloads of money; a price drop wouldn't kill them, not even in this economy.

But...that's really not true. We all know that Sony sells the consoles at a loss, but people are still bitching about a price cut. They lost billions last year (though it was better than the year before that), so they are hardly in the best of positions right now. I don't think you know Sony's situation good enough.

 

[Pendragon9]

I'm pretty sure the PS3 is headed in the right direction; this year's E3 announced some games that people simply won't be able to keep away from. I'm really tempted to go out and buy the console. There's only one problem; IT'S STILL TOO EXPENSIVE!

Buy it or don't buy it. Nobody is forcing you.

You want them to make it 599 dollars again? Then be happy they dropped the price. Because the companies could all decide to price gouge you at the same time and the cheapest console would probably be 400 dollars (likely the Wii if Nintendo wants to price gouge)

Until then, buy the console you want and be happy you have that choice.

I'm surprised. Are you actually AGAINST a price drop on a PS3. Let me guess, you already own one.

Well just know that there are SEVERAL gamers out there who want to have a PS3, but can't due to budget restrictions. And don't think you're looking out for SONY by siding with them. They make shitloads of money; a price drop wouldn't kill them, not even in this economy.

Christ. He better have a good reason for not lowering the damn price. All the crap Sony have spewed so far are vague and off the point.

I WANT A REASON, SONY!

Because it's worth it. DUR.

Dude, if it's over $400 dollars, you have to be able to have sex with it. I think that's a rule somewhere.

1. I bought it when it was at 599 dollars. So you have not much to complain about. Especially when I'm in a bit of a budget crisis as well. Do you even know about Sony's income? I better see some links and research if you wish to make a claim like that. They're losing money, so you really can't complain.

2. You can have sex with it, but you have to get imaginative.

....no, I will not explain how.

Let me put this in perspective for all you naysayers. I'm not some rich kid who throws money away at the nearest chance. I'm an average guy living off of average income. So if I could afford it at it's former high price, you all are being greedy for asking them to make it lower.

Why aren't you buying a 360 if you hate such high prices? Better yet, since you don't care about the games, why not just buy a Wii? That's the cheapest of all of them.

You can only push a company so far before they tune out the annoyances. Keep that in mind.

 

[HardRockSamurai]

And don't think you're looking out for SONY by siding with them. They make shitloads of money; a price drop wouldn't kill them, not even in this economy.

But...that's really not true. We all know that Sony sells the consoles at a loss, but people are still bitching about a price cut. They lost billions last year (though it was better than the year before that), so they are hardly in the best of positions right now. I don't think you know Sony's situation good enough.

You're right, I had no idea that SONY was in such a rutt. My bad.

[small](Yes, this is a sincere apology. No sarcasm. No joke)[/small]

It's actually pretty amazing that they've managed to remain so positive about all this.