PS3 Still Suffering In The US

Thesixthaxis: We're not Sony. We don't own Sony shares. We're not bankrolled by Sony. And good, because if we were we'd be down the Job Centre, or whatever it's called these days. Not that we're suggesting everyone at Sony should do the same, mind, because sales across the PS Brand are pretty good, but when your Blu-ray playing multimedia powerhouse is only selling half as much as the nearest competitor, and a third as much as the bloody Wii, well, you know, it's time for a price cut.

Would Sony be better off ditching the PS2 now, and concentrating their efforts on the PS3? Is the multiple console approach confusing customers? Are the PS3 exclusives like LittleBigPlanet really not good enough to break the top 10 sales chart for the month? Is gaming going down the pan (looking at you, Wii Play)? We don't have the answers, we're just concerned PlayStation fans.

And yeah, we're hoping Killzone 2 will turn the tide, too.

[Nineball2112]

Can someone help me with this line of thinking?

The PS2 is profitable, is it not? They would be killing off a cash cow and I don't see where it benefits Sony.

Someone help me with this...

[Parapraxis]

Well it would basically force PS2 owners to go out and buy a new console if they wanted to play new games.
It's a strategy I doubt Sony would try, at least not until the PS3 has another price drop. Then I'd actually expect them to phase the PS2 out.

[Pennywise]

Makes no sense.

[Parapraxis]

Well they have to give full support to the PS3 eventually, as they did with the PS2 from the PSone.

I wouldn't be suprised to see a God of War Collectors edition coming out on PS2 one month before God of War III is released on a then $299 PS3.
They could pack in GOW I & II and a PS2 version of Chains of Olympus and a bonus disc containing footage and making-of movies for GOW III on PS3.
Well at least that's what I'd do if I was in control of Sony's marketing.

[Nineball2112]

I can see that Parapraxis.

Now, that makes sense in terms of "forcing" PS2 owners to upgrade if they want new games.

And I agree with your line of thinking on the GoW Collector's edition. That would be a great move on Sony's part.

[Parapraxis]

Sony has really put it's focus mostly on PS3 as it is now, they are just keeping the PS2 there for profit (who could blame them)

They are not really making any games themselves for the PS2, they are leaving all the software to 3rd parties.
So if the 3rd party studios want to keep making PS2 games, the sensible thing for Sony to do is keep manufacturing PS2s.
3rd party devs can make games for Wii & PS2 and do well for themselves.

I thought Sony would have brought out a wii-mote/nunchuck like controlller for PS2 by now, i'm actually suprised they haven't.
Sony should really be leveraging the PS2 against the Wii, put out a 30$ add-on and market the hell out of it. Nintendo are really the only ones tapping that market right now, Sony is missing an opportunity.

Marketting a new peripheral like the wii-mote/nunchuck as an add-on BEFORE the Wii, would have failed miserably, but now consumer demand is there.

Anyhow, just a few thoughts.

[Spike47]

The PS3, even though it costs $200 more in a time where saving money is crucial or you'll end up in more debt or without a house, is doing just okay. Obviously, they could be leading right now but Sony made one too many mistakes.

[cmrbe]

that is not correct. Sony knows that people that are buying the PS2 right now would not necessary buy a PS3 at its current state.

The people that are buying the PS2 right now are people that don't really care about next gen graphics but care alot about price and game selection. So rather lose these people to the wii and x360 because of their price and game selection. Sony knew that its better to keep the PS2 running to compete for these gamers and keep them in the PS family so that they would eventually upgrade to the PS3 when the PS3 becomes affordable with the game selection PS console are widely known for. On top of this as someone mentioned earlier the PS2 is a cash cow for Sony.

PS2 i believe will be phased out by early next year after 10 years on the market. The PS2 is a living testament to Sony's long term strategy and assurance to gamers and devs alike about Sony's committment to them. I mean, still after 9 years EA and other devs are still earning money from the PS2 and gamers are still getting their moneys worth from it. This is Sony's ultimate statement with the PS2 and what they will do with the PS3 and assurance.

[WeaseL]

Sony said they would support the PS2 for 10 years so I my reckoning it has about 14 months until they finnish it.

[Anon1974]

Why does Sony sell Hi-end and Mid-range TV's? Surely if they stopped selling the mid range TV's it would force everyone to purchase a high end Tv. Same with stereo receivers. They should stop selling anything but the hi-end products all across the board, come to think of it. Or drop the prices on all the high-end products, no matter what it costs to make them, so that they can sell as much as the lesser products the competition is pushing.

Seriously, some of you need to steer clear of sales in your career choices.

[BrotherNick]

I think many other companies sell mid range tvs, and if it were dropped I bet people would go to other companies. Remember that we're in a recession.

[pain777pas]

Bring back BC and lower the price. PS3 owns!!!!!!!!!

[Parapraxis]

cmrbe, if you read my comments you'll see you pretty much repeated what I said.

[Sarcasm]

Sony doesn't have to "kill off" anything. Especially considering the PS2 still sells at a healthy rate around the world. People are still buying it for whatever reason. (possibly the throw back of thousands of games for super cheap).

And they always talk about a 10 year life cycle, they're most likely going to stick with it. Look at how long it took for the PSone to finally die out before sony completely stopped it.

And right now it's making them money to help keep them afloat, especially in this economic recession.

I expect a PS3 price drop first sometime later this year, and then next year is when they'll start phasing out PS2 stuff and support the new cheaper PS3. It's probably all part of their master plan or something.

[GWAVE]

Dear video game journalists,

Please end this silly obsession. You are not market analysts. I know that every one of you wants to be as cool as Michael Pachter, but you're not him. You don't have any of the formal training, experience, or education required to make the statements you do. Please go back to doing your jobs: previewing, reviewing, and reporting on video games.

Sincerely,

Gamers everywhere

[Nineball2112]

Honestly, I don't think the formal training, experience, or education has helped Michael Pachter much either.

He's more wrong than right!

[Grassroots]

Dropping the PS2 would be silly since it sheer profit. Sure the PS3 is slow, but it's main competition is the 360, not it's predecessor which is mainly for more family friendly gaming now then hardcore with the product being released on it minus persona 4.

[Cajun Chicken]

There is one VERY BIG reason compared to the PS3 not doing so well in the market as the PS2, PS1.
It is all VERY simple. Look at the library of PS3 games. Count the amount of family and kid friendly games.

Did you get the same as me?
Did you count the amount of games on one hand? I did.

There is no Jak, there is no Sly, there is however TWO Ratchet games (going on three).

Currently the Playstation has tried to grow up with the audience on two occasions. This time I believe it HASN'T worked because Sony ahve become TOO mature for the supposed audience. Because we do not have the platform games that Sony were usually famous for delivering back in the past, see Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Medievil, Ape Escape, Jak, and Sly.

For a kid, name me what a parent can buy and leave a kid to play without worrying about violence and complicated messages. Yes, we have two (going on three) Ratchet titles, but two games isn't worthy of a parent buying a kid a console, which mainly focuses on mature games.

My theory; bring the platformers back and everything will be improved. That is purely why the PS2 WAS and STILL IS majorly successful.

[cmrbe]

is only starting but Sony knows that the price of the PS3 is a big issue for casual gamers as was evident with LBP. To get the casuals you need a casual freindly price point as well as the game selection.

Right now Sony knows that they are more or less still courting the hardcore segment.

[Grassroots]

Well said, I believe a Jak after Uncharted would've been a nice title to have out their for the more family friendly.

EyePet might help slightly but there definitely needs to be more kid friendly games.

That by no means that there needs to be a slower amount of mature games, they just need to find a nice balance.

[Cajun Chicken]

i wouldn't say those games are 'casual'. Because platformers were the original 'hardcore games' along with Shoot Em Ups.
Casual are all the games that actually have no real objective or require VERY little skill, let alone any plot or character interraction.
I see casual games like Singstar and 'Party' Minigames.

But I see what you mean, but I think we really need those platformers back. Catering for harcore works to a standard, but if you look at the 360, it has a little bit of everything for everyone, the Wii, just casuals, as of now the PS3 as you said just focuses on the hardcore audience, the PS brand never did before, but I don't think its been a healthy move so far it needs to be mixed. I hope that Infamous changes this, because that looks suitable for everyone.

That change ought to happen soon. LBP was a nice start, but we need the character and story driven games like Jak now.

[TheColbertinator]

Dropping the PS2 is stupid.I saw the PS2 NPD of August 08 and November 08 with sales of both FIFA and Madden stronger than the Wii and PS3 versions.Not to mention that Guitar Hero,Rock band,Singstar,and plenty of other games.

Sony should put the PS2 down to a hundred dollars and make a final push for profit before scrapping it in 2011

[gametheory]

I don't know if that's feasible today with the economy in this state, the weak dollar and inflating costs, but if it's possible Sony could keep going from 99 to 79 and then maybe 49 but then again who knows if it's possible to make a profit off of that price.

[ASSASSYN 36o]

Killzone 2 is not for everyone and will not appeal to everyone. Why does anyone think it is going to save the ps3. Some games sell a million copies when there are 22 million consoles out there capable of playing it. Killzone won't save anything. And good luck with a price cut that alone equals more losses for sony.

[silvacrest]

Everything you just said seemed to work for M$ so why not sony?

price cut + gears = sales right?

[mboojigga]

That comment didn't make any sense. Games have been selling in the millions even before the price drop. They are not doing a price drop because Killzone 2 is out and one game isn't going to save the PS3. It is not going to do what Halo did for the Xbox when it came out. It is 2 years in. Killzone 2 will not make someone who doesn't even use there PS3 for games go out and buy it and others. It will not turn PS3 onwers who don't like FPS into FPS players. It is not a messiah so stop trying to justify it as such.

[AnimeRaven]

Would be a mistake right now. They are making profit that helps them get through the rocky road so far. Plus the fans of the PS2 are not garented to move over to the PS3. Once sales get to a point on the PS2 that it isn't worth making them anymore they will drop it. Kind of like there will not be a Wii price drop till the system starts selling low volumes over the month/year. That is the way it works. The doom and groom article don't help there cause either. So websites that are about the PS3 shouldn't even be writing this kind crap. Leave that to the 360 fanboys on other sites. Just my 2 cents!

[Lon3wolf]

It would be madness to kill the PS2 as mentioned above it's a money maker, so I cannot think why this journo would have the idea really. Only Sony know what they are up to regarding their products.

[dragonyght]

until sony add ps2 software emulation on the ps3 dont see that happening

[Thoreau]

Information is a powerful tool. Sony should advertise their free online like Microsoft advertises xbl. i am going to let my xbl subscription run out when kz2 is released. i sit with both systems and wonder why xbox360 is doing so well in America. phasing out the ps2 is pure ignorance but not adding an emulator to the ps3 is also ignorance too. sony is expecting americans to see something we have been raised not to see, True value.

[Stereojet]

This "news" site is like a stuck record. A big megaphone for xbots hate.

Nothing more.

[NewZealander]

oh noes he didnt just say the x word in the gamer zone did he?

[laaakokaracha]

Because there are still sooo many games to be released yet!

Love it!

[Dread]

wow the hate is alive and the mods are not even letting people point that out

this is supposed to be the gamer zone but all i read is hate and even some racial comments about americans.

pathetic.

[ForROME]

I notice a lot of people are missing the point. The PS2 is to compete with the cheaper xbox360 (199 arcade) and the casual Wii market.

The PS3 as they see it is priced towards fighting for the future and the living room and towards the top end xbox 360, hence

"we see this as a marathon not a sprint"

[stonecold3]

GET A HIGHER SCORE THAN THE WII VERSION OUT THATS SO REALISTIC THE WII IS PRETTY MUCH LAST GEN THE WII IS NOT IN THE SAME LEAUGUE AS THE PS3

[mt]

we go but now the PS3 suffering in US only after 6 month we will see similar article saying the PS3 suffering in LA.

[Unicron]

Consumers just... confuse me. We "hardcore" gamers want to see fun, artful, exciting games continue to be made. But when push comes to shove... well... the PS2 edition of 50 Cent outsold the COMBINED sales of Okami on 2 systems. And now Wii Play, and Mario Kart Wii, which is arguably the worst in the franchise, and a major step down from the DS edition, light up the charts.

Scary.

[JOEdANGEL]

Brand recognition. Nobody knew about Okami thus very few people bought it. As for Nintendo, they abandoned the hardcore crowd a long time ago.

[AriesFury]

Have to disagree with you. This will not force people who have the PS2 to go and by the PS3. All in all, it would force most PS2 owners to either go by a 360 or a Wii because the price is better.

It's all about the money in the end.

[ceesiebo]

But Sony makes a big mistake here, because the PS2 is no competitor in the current-gen console-sales.

What I don't understand is why people here want the PS3 to be the same price as the Xbox Arcade or Wii for Sony to compete with them. I know the most people don't understand the differences between consoles, but making a powerhouse with all those features the same price as those 2 low entry machines is beyond me. People are comparing two completely different things. There is a reason the Wii and Arcade are cheaper.

Anyway, what I most care about is finding the time to play all those great games on my PS3. Last month I've bought R2, LBP, PoP and a few other games and KZ2 is already coming. Sigh.