Remember the 1990's and early 2000's? When you thought of a Sony gaming console what comes to mind? Fun, great selection, affordable. It's not too bold to say that Sony owned the Console market then.
The Playstaion 1 was so great, it had a ton of fantastic titles and a controller that was revolutionary. Then the PS2 came out and was the biggest console EVER! It was everywhere and introduced DVD players into everyone's Home.
The game selections, the online service, while raw, was still there. The exclusive titles. Sony had a foot hold on the gaming community and it didn't look like they would ever give it up.
Then came the next generation of consoles. Microsoft took notes on what Sony did before. They offered an affordable console, great exclusives and the best online you could have. See the Original Xbox had the best graphics and the best technology the previous generation, but the PS2 still won because, even with less tech it had games and was fun. People don't care as much about Graphics and people tend to think.
So Microsoft does the right thing, what does Sony do?
Well they cram a bunch of high tech and a lot of useless stuff in the PS3, 2 processors, 4 USB ports, All kinds of different flash drive ports, backwards compatibility, Wi-Fi, Blu Tooth, Blu Ray and a whole list of other stuff that most people didn't have a need for. All of this could be yours for the low low price of $600 + tax.
See, while Microsoft was busy taking notes, Sony was not paying attention to what people actually wanted.
The high powered graphics, which really aren't much better then the 360, but cost much, much more to make, weren't that important to people as a whole. If Sony had just made a next generation console that was affordable and then had some of those add-on's for the people that needed them. Personally, I don't need Wi-Fi or 4 usb ports or 4 flash drives or Blu tooth on a GAMING CONSOLE.
If they had just gone back and done what they did with the PS2 and PS1 then they would be owning this generation too. The mass amounts of people who owned a PS2 (130+ million units sold) were all waiting and willing and wanting the next Sony Console. Then Sony went and alienated there fan base.
Sony needed to make the PS3 competitive, affordable and easy to use. Keep it simple, but most of all, they should have saw how well the original Xbox' Superior online service was doing and tried to improve on there own online service.
Instead of good online on the PS3, we get a laggy, uninspired, Mess. Now only did PS3 people have to wait almost three years for a decent game to play, they had to pay $600 for the console itself. Then had to buy High Def cables and a headset for online. That's before you even have a game.
Another failure for Sony this round is the PSP, while I actually kind of liked the PSP, I bought one, then quickly realized there are no good games for it, so I sold it. Then what does Sony do? Makes a PsP Go and sells it for $250, and it only offers "Download only games" plus any PSP games you already had, you had to re-purchase for the PSP Go.
That thing flopped big time.
I know there are hard core PS3 and Sony fans, but the numbers don't lie. The PS3 could have and should have the market this generation. If you go by the numbers, the PS2 was out-selling the PS3 for the first year and people with PS3's were buying more PS2 games and playing them on there PS3's, which is a big reason they stopped the backwards compatibility feature in PS3's.
It was Sony's Generation to lose and they sure lost it.
I was one of the suckers to buy into some of the hype, wish I hadn't. Sony needs to go simple next cycle. Simple, affordable console, with great online and great online features. Like Better voice chat and headsets.
I think we are stuck with the PS3 for the next few years at least with the recession, and with the PSP Go Flop, I doubt Sony rushes to make a new console or hand held system anytime soon.
Microsoft took nots and expanded on what had worked previously, there console only sold 25 million, but 20+ million had signed up for there paid online service. So they expanded on that and now have the best online service around.
Sony, likes to point out that their online service is free, but you tend to get what you pay for. Also, anyone who paid $600 for their PS3 did pay for online, it was built in to the cost of the machine.
See Sony didn't give their customers a choice really, they thought people would follow them into Hell, but people were smarter this time around.
If you just wanted a bare bones gaming machine you could pick up a Xbox 360 for less then $200, there was no option like that for PS3.
I was a fan of Sony, now I see it was all about the money. They didn't even lower the price on the PS3 until game developers threatened to stop support for there console.
Sony, you have failed this generation, the numbers don't lie. How people can claim otherwise is a mystery to me.
Clearly going from 1st place to last place and from selling 130+ million consoles to under 35 million should tell you something about the product your shoveling.
We don't want 3-D Sony, we don't want expensive, we don't want a million flash drives, USB drives, Blu tooth drives etc... We want affordable, easy to use and good online.
Better luck next time.
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If only the game wasn't so barebones. Out of the super fun core gameplay, the game is a barren land. They better make much easier "major orders", because the player base has mostly moved on.
This generation is far from over so a bit early to determine is Sony really has failed or not. And seeing how things are shaping up for Sony atm I doubt you can predict that they "fail". I see many of the arguments tho but your conclusion is more of a fail imo.
Sony will never catch the other consoles. I don't hate Sony, in fact I used to love them. I think they did a lot of "right" things with the PS1 and PS2, however it cant be denied that they got a bit too ambitious with the PS3. You don't go from first to last without making some HUGE mistakes. Any Sony fan will admit that. So, while I don't want them to be "Dreamcasted" because I have invested time and money into the product as well as run a clan that uses PS3, I think even Sony would admit that they aren't where they wanted to be. They are currently the only company losing money, they lose money on consoles they sell. I think that in itself reeks of failure.
I like companies and developers taking chances. Yea sure Microsoft played their cards safe, but they don't got either bluray or the cell processor. Sony took a risk and lately they have been doing really good.
The price is not that different now, it's safe to say both are affordable consoles. There is even a ps3 price cut coming up. And don't start arguing price. Only the bluray player on the ps3 makes up for the price. Take a look at this years exclusives and ps3 are waay beyond Microsoft.
The only way I'm reacting to what you say is that you said the ps3 is a failure. And it's clearly not.
@ crapgamer Wouldnt say PS3 a failure either and if it doesnt beat Xbox360 it will sure be niping at its heels. "while I don't want them to be "Dreamcasted" is that a wee bit of drama like thats going to happen. ok Sony made a few mistakes miltimedia thing rather than a game console was thier biggest boob, picked the wrong market to go for but thats changing as anyone can see. And it not over till the fat lady sings.
It's a failure from a standpoint of the successes that Sony achieved the previous two generations. The online is horrid as is the voice chat, it's not clear at all if your lucky enough to find people with headsets.
As for exclusives and peripherals this year Microsoft has that hands down. I own all three consoles this generation and Sony had a nice year last year with a PS3 slim, but this year MS is probably going to release a 360 slim with Natal for $250 or so. I mean that's going to push a lot of consoles.
As for games, Mass Effect 2, Crackdown 2, Splinter Cell Conviction, Ninety Nine Nights 2, Metro 2033, Fable 3, Halo Reach, Alan Wake, Natal, Slim 360, Gears 3 early next year. The possibility of a New Blue Dragon, Ninja Gaiden, Dead Or Alive and or Killer Instinct 3 would be amazing.
Like I said, "Fail" is a relative term, it has failed to meet expectations and promises for certain though and there is no arguing that.
I appreciate the comments though.