Is the PS3 hotting up?

[Brodizzle]

The whole "fanboy" thing is crap - on both sides. People are merely buying what they like. I'm not that much of a Sony fan that I'd pay $500 (NZ) more for a PS3, just because it is a Sony Playstation product.
[/b]

Yeah....no offence or nothing but thats crap. The whole point of marketing is to set up brand recognition, and this is exactly what happens....I have friends who go on about how much they want a PS3 despite never played one and bagging out the 360 despite not playing one....now this happens CONSTANTLY, it is not an isolated incident, if anything it is core to the retail sales, only your clinical gamers who have no allegiance will choose a system solely based on the merits when both systems are very strong in thier own ways....

 

[C A Iversen]

Yep, well what I was referring to is that it's so stupid for people to buy into the whole fanboy argument. Certainly wasn't saying that it doesn't happen. I know it does, just saying I thought it was crap, because it's so pointless.

I certainly bought my PS3, based on my own particular interests, and hope everyone just enjoys whatever they buy/bought.

 

[Zonerunner]

I certainly bought my PS3, based on my own particular interests, and hope everyone just enjoys whatever they buy/bought.[/b]

That's probably one of the most sanest and reasonable comments i've read in a long time.

Are you sure you're a gamer?

 

[C A Iversen]

<div class='quotemain'>I certainly bought my PS3, based on my own particular interests, and hope everyone just enjoys whatever they buy/bought.[/b]

That's probably one of the most sanest and reasonable comments i've read in a long time.

Are you sure you're a gamer? [/b][/quote]

Yeah, but one with very little options, until a certain console's library grows, lol.

 

[gjohn85]

Here's something I found amusing, It's part of survey of PS3 owners that I read on Games Radar. It just shows just how dumb some people are

Originally posted by Games Radar
US market research firm NPD has just released a report on the state of next-gen consoles which reveals console owners and potential buyers aren't as tech savvy as you might think.

Check out this little selection of surprising factoids:

- 71 percent of PS3 owners and potential purchasers cited backwards compatibility as an important feature for a console, but only 31 percent of the group actually knew such functionality was built into the PS3.

- Just 50% of consumers are aware of the PSP's various multimedia functions.

- Only 40% of PlayStation 3 owners polled were aware the machine had a Blu-ray player.

- PS3 owners are just as likely to download content as 360 owners, but most people who purchase the Sony console are unaware that you can actually do this with the console.

So are console owners just being stupid? Or are console makers relying on too much assumed knowledge for next-gen console buyers to understand relatively complex new technologies? There is a third, more satisfying answer - the surveyed group were most interested in doing one thing with their consoles: playing games.

This is summed up most succinctly by Anita Frazier, an industry analyst, at the NPD Group: "To make headway in this 'next-gen' race, manufacturers still need to be primarily concerned with the quality and entertainment value of the games themselves." The underlying message? Stop harking on about multimedia capabilities and invest more time and money in making top quality games. Especially Sony. And yes, we know that's being a bit short-termist, but look what happened to UMD movie.

At least, the survey makes us feel slightly better about the fact that up until very recently we've playing our home Xbox 360 through a composite cable on a standard-def TV...

NPD Source: Survey was conducted on 6,260 members of NPD's online consumer panel. These respondents were males and females aged 6 to 44 and qualified owners of at least one next generation system (PS3, PSP, Wii, NDS, Xbox 360). Non-owners were captured in order to further probe on next generation system purchase intent and other areas. The survey was conducted from April 4-10, 2007

That's proves that some folks just buy a PS3 just because of the name.

 

[raeanin]

Theres quite a bit of misconception and lack of facts in this thread.

First the blu ray comments - Look at the sales figures, hell, for that matter, look at the blu ray section in your local store vs the HDDVD section. Some stores have a mere handfull of HDDVD copies vs blu ray ***les. The sales are dropping daily. The HDDVD camp just payed (bribed) some major studios into putting out HDDVD exclusives to boost sales. Nevermind the technical superiority of blu ray. There is only really 2 outcomes here, either both formats fail, or HDDVD fails.

Now that the Elite is out(before which the 360 was a joke) the Xbox has one big thing on PS3 and that is games. Honestly, Sony's biggest mistake was not waiting another year to release the PS3. After the beginning of next year when most of the must have ps3 exclusives are out, sales should level off to about equal that of the 360.

As far as graphics go, its personal preference. The 360 has more animated, colorful graphics. This is great for sports and action games. PS2 and now 3 have always dominated in realism. RPGs, survival horrors, sims(like GT5) are always going to look more 'real' but this is purely a personal preference.

All this is coming from someone with no brand loyalty(we have all 3 systems in our house) so while I defend Sony, its purely because its all the rage now to hate Sony apparently, and for no reason but bad marketing decisions.

 

[C A Iversen]

Yep, they've joined EA in the "hate because they didn't do exactly what I want" camp.

All the big corporates should be disliked equally, but some are cool to hate......apparently.

 

[esoj]

We can talk sales figures for sure. and the FACTS are the ps3 is coming last in the console war and therefore Blu-ray is not actually doing so well as claimed. HDDVD is clearly wining the war in the consoles. I don't see HDDVD just suddenly dying especially when the ps3 is still a long way behind in the console war. One format may win in the end but we are still years await from finding out. I think it's quite possible both formats could co-exsist with the way the sides are drawn at the moment

 

[Zonerunner]

Blu-Ray is doing better in the US and HD-DVD is doing better in Europe. Both have nothing on DVD sales, which still account for something like 95% of total sales.

Personally, i'll probably invest in neither. DVD is pefectly suitable for my needs right now. Once DVD's die down, digital distribution will probably be the next big battlefield, rightly or wrongly.

 

[C A Iversen]

With all the associated DRM issues no doubt.

 

[Eternam]

I just hope a good rugby game comes out for wii. I dont really see the ps3 gaining a portion of the market

 

[C A Iversen]

Well, your blind, it does have a portion of the market already. It's portion is well smaller than the other two, but is slowly gaining. Of course it's still miles behind just now though.

It has been out for a year less than Xbox 360 and the Wii and is of course going to catch no-one until the price drops. That is likely to start around Christmas time.

All three consoles didn't start the race at the same time.

 

[Eternam]

Well, your blind, it does have a portion of the market already. It's portion is well smaller than the other two, but is slowly gaining. Of course it's still miles behind just now though.

It has been out for a year less than Xbox 360 and the Wii and is of course going to catch no-one until the price drops. That is likely to start around Christmas time.

All three consoles didn't start the race at the same time.
[/b]

Its obvious it has a portion of the market but not a significant one. Maybe you were blind because the ps3 came out 2 days before wii.

The wii has been a great hit and with the ps3 price drop and all its still biting the dust.

http://wii.ign.com/articles/815/815230p1.html

 

[C A Iversen]

Will accept I was wrong about the Wii's release date, thats it though. The Wii is not in the same generation of consoles though and not many people are into HD yet, which will make a difference in the longer term for Microsoft and Sony.

Wii is obviously being eaten up by the mainstream who like PS2.5 level graphics and an inovative controller.

Games are starting to come out for the PS3 and will soon be a huge selection. Combined with price drops, which I think will be at Christmas, the PS3 will fight back gradually.

There is no finish line as far as date for this next-gen race. Although I'm picking a lot of changes by this time next year.

 

[Brodizzle]

There is no finish line as far as date for this next-gen race. Although I'm picking a lot of changes by this time next year.
[/b]

It will be when Sony don't want to shoulder the continual losses anymore...Sony are a big company and I can see this console going much the way of the Dreamcast...

 

[Radman]

To answer the question, the PS3 is starting to warm up a bit but a bit like eskimos trying to warm up in front of a campfire in a blizzard.

They've added the rumble back to the controllers so there is no need for me to buy one till they bundle those controllers with it and of course drop the price a lot.

They stuffed up, they rushed it out, they should have waited and released it this holiday season, would have been good having all those half decent games and the more decent games coming end of year, would have been a great launch.

 

[C A Iversen]

<div class='quotemain'>
There is no finish line as far as date for this next-gen race. Although I'm picking a lot of changes by this time next year.
[/b]

It will be when Sony don't want to shoulder the continual losses anymore...Sony are a big company and I can see this console going much the way of the Dreamcast... [/b][/quote]

Where are you seeing that? A cracked crystal ball?

The whole post is an over-statement. Mind you thats the way things are today. People reach for superlatives to make even small points.

Going the way of the dreamcast? You seem to have little understanding of how much Sony are commited to the PS3. It may fail in the long run to sell as well as the Wii or the Xbox 360, thats possible. There is no way however that they are going to let a range of product which has a legacy like Playstation fall in obscurity and disappear.

What, besides an individuals meaningless guess, makes you think Sony are going to ditch the PS3 even if they lose another couple of billion on them? (Yes, I will admit they are losing money on them).

The real money comes in software and software licensing and sales via accesories. Sony is making the money back on things like it's Playstation Store.

Have you considered for example that hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people either have or will own a game like Warhawk from the Playstation Store online? They don't have to package it, print it, make instruction books, send it to stores, physically have the discs made. People are paying NZ$60 for a download of it. Thats going to net Sony a huse profit as this store continues.

You obviously aren't grasping the bigger picture, and I'm sure no matter what anyone says you'll hate Sony and I'll be wrong.

Thats not an insult, just an observation.

 

[Brodizzle]

What, besides an individuals meaningless guess, makes you think Sony are going to ditch the PS3 even if they lose another couple of billion on them? (Yes, I will admit they are losing money on them).
[/b]

I don't hate Sony, hell, I was hell amped to get a PS3, but the simple fact is they tried to do too much too soon. The tried to create something of an ultimate entertainment system, there is no doubt it has the potential to do amazing things but in doing so they overestimated the brand loyalty towards Sony, I mean, it is still huge but the price alone is enough to cause loyal fans to stick with thier PS2, move to Wii or even, god forbid, the 360. They tried to appeal to both gamers and your older audience more concerned with creating an entertainment center. It didn't really pay off...

Sony are a huge multi-faceted business, they won't continue to cop large losses in the view of the light at the end of the tunnel. If something doesn't change dramatically then thier product will be largely marginalised and Sony will take a huge hit, despite the money they will save on electronic sales, as you know Microsoft will be a step ahead of them. Microsoft is an computer company, Sony is a entertainment company. Microsoft now has a foothold in the game and knows how to make successful console game and has the resources to pour money into getting right for games and developing games while if Sony continue to get losses the PS3 will eventually just get funding lessened, why spend money of a console which isn't being bought when the money could be spent on the next generation of plasma screen....

The PS3 needs a whole bunch of solid hit games and a dramatic price decrease to make up ground, but is it even possible that Microsoft will let anything such as this happen...