PS3 comeback

[AceDiamond]

The PS3 will also be improving its lineups and reducing cost again soon

That's not what Kaz Hirai said. Ok to be fair he said they weren't dropping it for the holidays (which is when it would've made sense)

It dropped to 400$ right around MGS4 launch. What? Your so greedy you want TWO price drops in a SINGLE year?

He specifically said it in regards to the economic crisis, so when you put it that way, the answer is still no because I wasn't going to buy the product of a company's blatantly arrogant e-peen waving in the first place.

Also I know if they dropped prices again they'd have to discontinue the current model of PS3 to introduce a new one...AGAIN.

EDIT: for the record, given the permutations of 360 hardware and the price changes entailed, technically Microsoft did 2 price drops in the span of a year.

 

[Logan Westbrook]

The PS3 is undeniably making a comeback, but despite this Microsoft still managed to sell slightly more consoles than Sony over the last twelve months, not many more though to be fair.

As for the PS3 outselling the Wii? Maybe, in the far future, but the Wii has a massive head start.

I've even brought a graph:

Aside from January, the Wii has consistently sold over 100,000 units every month and in some months over 200,000 units. The PS3, by contrast, peaked at 150,000 in December and has averaged at 50,000 every month after that.

As other people have mentioned, the Wii does not have a fantastic catalogue of exclusives to draw on, but a low price point, an emphasis on family fun in their advertising and a readily accessible control scheme means that it sells to demographics that Sony and Microsoft can't touch, not without a significant shift in focus anyway, which incidentally, we are seeing Microsoft do now.

The price point, yes, but the other two points (which I still maintain are the main draws of the console) not really to not at all. It is working on the assumption that the only reason people buy the Wii in those huge numbers is because they want a console and can't afford the other two, which is really yet another birdman viewpoint.

Of the three reasons I listed, the price is the least important. Microsoft cut the price of the 360 in September, which is reflected in the graph, but it still isn't a patch on the Wii sales for that month. If I implied that the only reason people were buying the Wii was price, then I'm at fault, as that wasn't what I meant at all.

A comparison you could use would be the Sims, which is one of the best selling franchises of all time, behind only Mario and Pokemon. It didn't get that way because it was cheaper than other games, or by being better, but by selling to people who didn't ordinarily buy video games.

 

[Jimmyjames]

Whatever. I'm just bummed that the PS3 isn't doing better. Argue with me if you want, but I personally feel that you get the most value for your dollar with the PS3. And I really, really want Blu-ray to catch on as a format and stay while. It's hovering around "Betamax" levels of penetration right now.

 

[Logan Westbrook]

The PS3 is undeniably making a comeback, but despite this Microsoft still managed to sell slightly more consoles than Sony over the last twelve months, not many more though to be fair.

As for the PS3 outselling the Wii? Maybe, in the far future, but the Wii has a massive head start.

I've even brought a graph:

Aside from January, the Wii has consistently sold over 100,000 units every month and in some months over 200,000 units. The PS3, by contrast, peaked at 150,000 in December and has averaged at 50,000 every month after that.

As other people have mentioned, the Wii does not have a fantastic catalogue of exclusives to draw on, but a low price point, an emphasis on family fun in their advertising and a readily accessible control scheme means that it sells to demographics that Sony and Microsoft can't touch, not without a significant shift in focus anyway, which incidentally, we are seeing Microsoft do now.

The price point, yes, but the other two points (which I still maintain are the main draws of the console) not really to not at all. It is working on the assumption that the only reason people buy the Wii in those huge numbers is because they want a console and can't afford the other two, which is really yet another birdman viewpoint.

Of the three reasons I listed, the price is the least important. Microsoft cut the price of the 360 in September, which is reflected in the graph, but it still isn't a patch on the Wii sales for that month. If I implied that the only reason people were buying the Wii was price, then I'm at fault, as that wasn't what I meant at all.

A comparison you could use would be the Sims, which is one of the best selling franchises of all time, behind only Mario and Pokemon. It didn't get that way because it was cheaper than other games, or by being better, but by selling to people who didn't ordinarily buy video games.

I wasn't implying stupidity on your part, I was actually saying it stands as a foolish move on Microsofts part - they are trying to replace the Wii, but doing so by looking at the thing thats easier to immitate - the price, rather than games that are both high quality and appealing to the Wiis demographic.

I'm not sure I agree that it's just the price they're trying to imitate, the NXE and it's much lambasted avatars are a step towards making it more user-friendly, and the new ads they are running (see here [http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qSdSnYGL7YA]), while terrifying, are clearly aimed at a non-gamer demo.

Things have gone full circle really. When the original PlayStation was released, Sony went to great lengths to make it appeal to adults. The change was so pronounced, it was a major point in an article that I wrote [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.58968#446211]. Now, console makers are trying to broaden the net and we get kid-friendly adverts again, although thankfully, not as bad as this [http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=93iDhnBcMGo].

 

[Logan Westbrook]

I'm not sure I agree that it's just the price they're trying to imitate, the NXE and it's much lambasted avatars are a step towards making it more user-friendly, and the new ads they are running (see here [http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qSdSnYGL7YA]), while terrifying, are clearly aimed at a non-gamer demo.

Things have gone full circle really. When the original PlayStation was released, Sony went to great lengths to make it appeal to adults. The change was so pronounced, it was a major point in an article that I wrote [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.58968#446211]. Now, console makers are trying to broaden the net and we get kid-friendly adverts again, although thankfully, not as bad as this [http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=93iDhnBcMGo].

Wow. Amazing. The first known occurence of a videogame marketed solely towards douchebags (Come on, the guy in the advert looks like a complete tool. I can't be the only one who was thinking this).

Microsoft can advertise all they like, but when people get to the store and see that Lego Batman is also on the Wii, well, they really lose the incentive. And the Avatars...again, I doubt that they hold that much sway over most people.

Specific games aside, that video shows a shift in Microsoft's marketing tactics, which was the reason I linked it.

As for avatars not having that much of an effect on people, I wouldn't be too sure. You and I are viewing them through gamer's eyes. The market Microsoft are trying to tap isn't going to be doing that, they'll see something cartoony and fun, and the NXE is so much more user-friendly than the 'blades' system ever was. If anything, I'd say the NXE is more inviting than the slightly austere Wii dashboard. It might not seem like much to you and me, but as I've already said, we're not the target market.

 

[Logan Westbrook]

Well, as I don't think that Lego Batman was marketed solely to douchebags, through the process of elimination, we have our answer.

 

[Logan Westbrook]

Well, as I don't think that Lego Batman was marketed solely to douchebags, through the process of elimination, we have our answer.

No, that looks more marketed towards Willy Wonka.
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=iupbNAGVaJc&feature=related

Oh they're terrible adverts, you'll get no argument from me. It's like a particularly creepy Outer Limits episode.

 

[Logan Westbrook]

I believe that Valve refuse to make games for it because it's so hard to code for. It's to do with the cell processor I think.

EDIT: Yep, here you go [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=188227].

EDIT 2: A quote from Gabe Newell that's slightly more on topic...

"I think [PS3 is] a waste of everybody?s time," he told Edge Magazine. "Investing in the Cell, investing in the SPE gives you no long-term benefits. There?s nothing there that you?re going to apply to anything else. You?re not going to gain anything except a hatred of the architecture they?ve created. I don?t think they?re going to make money off their box. I don?t think it?s a good solution."

 

[Lord Krunk]

I believe that Valve refuse to make games for it because it's so hard to code for. It's to do with the cell processor I think.

EDIT: Yep, here you go [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=188227].

I did see a copy of Portal for the PS3, but I didn't see any other Valve game there. They're not totally exempt.

The PS3 hasn't proven itself enough for me to warrant spending perfectly good money on it. I'm still skeptical of Blu-Ray, as I believe it will be the next Beta. The PS3 also has a grand total of 2 exclusives that I actually want to play, so I'll pass.

To top it all off, it's not backwards compatible. I mean, most people won't care about that fault, but I do. I want to play my original Playstation games again, and Sony did not sell themselves well in that decision.

All in all, I believe that with a some finishing touches and a few more (actually) good exclusives, and if Blu-Ray makes it (which I doubt, but there's always the possibility) I might just think about getting it. But it still has a long way to go, starting with the price tag.

 

[Logan Westbrook]

That's awesome news for PS3 owners

That said, their decision is based on sales figures and it doesn't change the fact that the PS3 is harder to code for than the Xbox or PC.

EDIT: However, this difficulty is largely academic. Developers are still going to make games for the PS3 regardless of how hard it is, because the cost of development makes ignoring a sizeable portion of the market a foolhardy proposition at best. I still don't think the PS3 will ever outsell the Wii though.