How could Sony mess up like this?

VinnieThePooh · 24 Aug 2009 at 13:26

They KILLED Sega, buried Nintendo, for two generations absolutely ruled the gaming industry.

Had the most successful console in history, PS2, and then Microsoft beat them.

How did that happen?

Could they not see Microsoft, how could they allow Microsoft to creep up to them like that?

PS3 is pretty much a failure, it's been out for 3 years and only now it's starting to pick up the pace a bit and people still have to come up with a reason to justify buying one.

Microsoft stole almost all the playstation exclusive games.

I think with the next generation the gap will be even bigger and MS might make Sony leave the console business.

Streeteh · 24 Aug 2009 at 13:27

Got any sources for any of that or have you just based your assumption that the PS3 has failed due to the fact you don't like/own one? I'd say it's been a pretty big success, it's just that the 360 has been a bigger one. We're also a couple of years from the end of things, with the release of the PS3 slim and prices of the 360 SKUs going up, you never know, Sony might overtake Microsoft in Europe in the coming year...

Teaf · 24 Aug 2009 at 13:30

Streeteh said:
I'd say it's been a pretty big success, it's just that the 360 has been a bigger one.

Yeah that's pretty much my opinion as well. Even though the Playstation hasn't been as big as the Xbox 360 in this generations head-to-head, it's not where near a failure in any degree.

Archaius · 24 Aug 2009 at 13:31

Uh oh, here we go again.

Given the recent announcement of the PS3 slim and price drop, I'd say it's still too early to declare the PS3 a 'failure'.

Kreeeee · 24 Aug 2009 at 13:32

Nintendo did the same thing. They ruled the gaming world for ages and have only recently spanked the competition again in the home console market.

You could ask, after the success of the NES and SNES, how did Nintendo "mess up" the N64/Gamecube generations?

VinnieThePooh · 24 Aug 2009 at 13:35

Streeteh said:
Got any sources for any of that or have you just based your assumption that the PS3 has failed due to the fact you don't like/own one? I'd say it's been a pretty big success, it's just that the 360 has been a bigger one. We're also a couple of years from the end of things, with the release of the PS3 slim and prices of the 360 SKUs going up, you never know, Sony might overtake Microsoft in Europe in the coming year...

Considering how far ahead they were from the closest competition, Microsoft being more successful than them now, is IMO a failure on Sony's part.

orderoftheflame · 24 Aug 2009 at 13:37

Worms!

Sony are primarily a hardware manufacturer, Microsoft are primarily a software developer.
It shows in both consoles to be honest, each has strengths and weaknesses. Neither are failures.

fini · 24 Aug 2009 at 13:38

SEGA had a console that, despite some great games, never made headway. Meanwhile the N64 had comparatively expensive games and was late to market - it also didn't have pre-rendered cut-scenes.

The original playstation came out absolutely at the right time and offered gaming to a generation who were previously not playing games (much like the Wii now is).

The strategy for the PS2 seemed to simply be PS1+better graphics - which was fine because Nintendo fumbled with the Gamecube and by the time the Xbox came out it was simply too late to market, too many titles were already signed exclusive to PS2 and there was a certain anti-Microsoft sentiment.

The Xbox360 stole a march by being out so much earlier. In that time it could bring down manufacturing costs and thus has always been cheaper than the PS3 (here the lack of a bluray drive helped). Microsoft also spent shedloads (and by that time had enough gaming pedigree) to buy a lot of the important exclusives over to Microsoft. It had also built up its own 'must have' titles during the Xbox era, which were now hotly anticipated on the 360. Xbox Live now came to life as becoming a real value-add to the 360 providing something that the PS2 simply couldn't match. Yes Live was on the original Xbox, but its level of integration and critical numbers weren't there until the 360.

Sony responded to this by....more of the same. This time increasing graphics didn't provide as much of an allure as it was soo much more expensive than the 360, graphics were evenly matched and the jump in graphics from PS2>PS3 compared to PS1>PS2 was inevitably going to be a larger one.

Then came the Wii, which made Sony further fumble wasting time on sixaxis and, by PS3 time, Sony were simply too cocky and didn't even seem to be trying any more. When they released a statement saying that the PS3 was 'too cheap' it pretty much said it all. Whilst the PS3 hasn't been a 'failure' in real terms, if they deliver much the same for PS4, then that might be.

Teaf · 24 Aug 2009 at 13:39

Vitruviux said:
Considering how far ahead they were from the closest competition, Microsoft being more successful than them now, is IMO a failure on Sony's part.

Well the Wii's has blew the Xbox 360 out of the water in terms of sales figures, so under your definition that would make the Xbox 360 a failure.

m0r94n · 24 Aug 2009 at 13:39

Vitruviux said:
Considering how far ahead they were from the closest competition, Microsoft being more successful than them now, is IMO a failure on Sony's part.

So was the Xbox a colossal failure for Microsoft because it failed to compete with the ps2 in terms of sales?

Robert1986 · 24 Aug 2009 at 13:42

Sony certainly aren't doing as well as they could be doing but that doesn't mean they have failed this generation. They are finally at a good price point with the slim and should start moving more units this fall.

If anything, Microsoft are now at a point where they need to pick up the pace as Sony are finally starting to get some steam.

I really couldn't care what console wins the "war." I've been perfectly happy with my PS3.

benwoodcock · 24 Aug 2009 at 13:43

Sony a far from a failiure, the PS3 will win this year in the UK IMHO. Also, the use of blu ray in the PS3 means they've won the format war.

Sony were a bit cocky, tis all. But they've realised their mistakes, and now with the free PSN and built in blu-ray, I'm well on the way to considering a PS3

Streeteh · 24 Aug 2009 at 13:43

Vitruviux said:
Considering how far ahead they were from the closest competition, Microsoft being more successful than them now, is IMO a failure on Sony's part.

As previously stated though, the PS3 could only just be picking up steam. The price has finally become competitive in comparison to the 360 and there's still a couple of years left in it. Also the PS2 is still selling surprisingly well and taking a tidy profit for Sony every year, who's to say the PS3 won't continue for another 3/4 years much like the PS2?

The large difference in numbers sold is actually due to America (around 10mil more 360s sold), in the rest of the world the PS3 is either ahead (japan) or just behind by a couple of million units (europe). Last i heard it was picking up steam in Europe and the previously mentioned price drop could be enough to push it ahead in a year or so in the EU. But even then, it's not actually a massive difference, the PS3 has taken something like 10% less of the console market in comparison to the 360 with the Wii steaming ahead, holding more like 50% this 'generation'.

Basically it's way to early to deem it a failure. Microsoft simply got in there earlier and cheaper this time around. But when you're the wealthiest technology company in the world it's not hard to beat the competition.

[EDIT] Oh and, there's more to the PS3 for Sony than just gaming sales. Bluray has won the 'format war' pretty much entirely because of the PS3, the fact that people were buying a games console that had a bluray player anyway deterred people from getting HDDVD players. The stream of revenue that Sony will get from that will probably be multiple times greater than they could have ever hoped from games sales. Then there's the cell which hasn't fared anywhere near as well as bluray but is still turning in a tidy profit in other forms of technology.

Kreeeee · 24 Aug 2009 at 13:46

flibby said:
Well the Wii's has blew the Xbox 360 out of the water in terms of sales figures, so under your definition that would make the Xbox 360 a failure.

What? His definition of a failure seems to be the loss of market share.

Teaf · 24 Aug 2009 at 13:50

Kreeeee said:
What? His definition of a failure seems to be the loss of market share.

The way he's wrote:

Considering how far ahead they were from the closest competition, Microsoft being more successful than them now, is IMO a failure on Sony's part.

PS3 is pretty much a failure, it's been out for 3 years and only now it's starting to pick up the pace a bit

is, to me at least, he seems to be deeming it a failure due to the amount of sales it's made. Which means that he should also be classing the Xbox 360 a failure if that's the case as the Wii has sold lots more.

Bigpig · 24 Aug 2009 at 14:03

This poop geting old...

VinnieThePooh · 24 Aug 2009 at 14:05

flibby said:
The way he's wrote:

is, to me at least, he seems to be deeming it a failure due to the amount of sales it's made. Which means that he should also be classing the Xbox 360 a failure if that's the case as the Wii has sold lots more.

As Kreeeee said, it's about the market share, Nintendo always targeted a different audience, while Microsoft and Sony target the same one.

And the most important market is the US, like it or not, EU and the UK don't matter as much.

MS also got lots of Sony exclusives, like fini described 360 was a different kind of animal, not only graphics but a real evolution, online, streaming, integration, while Sony only played catch up, had it not been to Microsoft, Sony PS3 would've been the same.. what PS2 was to PS1, a graphics update, it looks like it was intended that way.

PSN is unplayable compared to Live.

And as it looks like Sony might lose the next generation aswell,

Microsoft will be looking to release a new console withing couple of years, when Sony is just picking up pace. When will Sony release PS4?

They have two choices, try to compete with Microsoft and get slaughtered or move down to a different market share and get killed by Nintendo, they are out of place.

The Running Man · 24 Aug 2009 at 14:07

xbox is more popular no question.

what defines a consoles sucess? installed userbase.

if it werent true, why would all PS3 exclusives be on the Xbox, barring the very very odd few? for example Final Fantasies, TEKKEN?!

im a sony fan btw and i own a ps3, but like only myself and one other mate has ps3, rest all have xboxs cos their family, girlfriend,whoever bought them one for xmas, birthdays etc

g/f and family dont take into account the hidden cost of Xboxlive, nor do they note the almost 50% failure rate of XBOX, they just see the low ticket price, lock in the unfortunate player to the hardware.. they amass xbox360 games and thats the end of it:/

oh yea and i dont know anyone whos bought an xbox360 who has NOT had to buy another due to hardware phailure.

Teaf · 24 Aug 2009 at 14:13

Vitruviux said:
As Kreeeee said, it's about the market share

Aha okay, well that's my bad, sorry

Although I still maintain the Playstation 3 is far from a failure. Granted, the target audience for the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360 are very similar (one could say the Playstation 3 is also pushed more towards being an overall entertainment system more than the Xbox due to the BluRay capabilities), they aren't anywhere near failure state with it. I mean the sales figures from around the start of the year had Xbox 360 on about 32 million and Playstation 3 on 24 million... that's still a very good piece of the pie.

g/f and family dont take into account the hidden cost of Xboxlive, nor do they note the almost 50% failure rate of XBOX, they just see the low ticket price, lock in the unfortunate player to the hardware.. they amass xbox360 games and thats the end of it:/

Yeah, pretty much

I see Sony learning from this though, and I'd imagine the Playstation 4 won't be as feature packed as this generation and will be cheaper. Some see that as a good thing, some won't.

Kreeeee · 24 Aug 2009 at 14:15

Nickg said:
what defines a consoles sucess? installed userbase.

Profit is the only metric that matters.