Why Sony and the Playstation brand is in more trouble than you think

[radgamer420]

I think the factor of it being new will sell new consoles personally. It's like the 3ds because the 3dsxl does the thing besides battery life and a bigger screen. Now the slim will is slimmer and has different hdd sizes which IMo is on par which the changes of the 3ds. The reason is say this is because i believe it's selling well with minor changes. Also, i mean we're talking about little big planet, dude. This games sells well already but you if you throw karting in there then it's gold. We know people, especially casuals, love karting. So you have the nostalgia of karting, a already popular game, and a new system and that's got selling all over it. Also, you have playstation all stars which is a popular game it seems. I'll grant you that the pre orders aren't high but it hasn't announced the most requested characters yet like cloud, crash, spryo, tidus etc It's a fan based game so characters are the sellers. Nino kuni or whatever is coming to i think. So MS has 2 games aforza and halo. I mean that's good but little big planet won't sell as good but we two decent games and a new console there not doing bad. The wii has a new console so i really think there all doing good. All Sony has to do is hype some things up(Won't happen. So i think competing wise there not doing too bad. As for support i was just talking about hardware that's just a fact. We all know it. @Rad, Sony will play the last of us and Gow cards and probably just announce a couple of things before the game events start. I mean they have kingdom hears coming and i really think versus and last guardian should be coming. I think consoles are nearing anyways but Sony is still investing and that's why i love them.

Sorry for grammar and other stuff and my Computer is going slow. Not much time to detail

Yeah I was referring to the Xmas holiday 2012. Thats why I said next year will be off to a good start with TLOU and GOW. And I also commended Sony for investing in new exclusive IPs.

[skinny_jr]

If you would take msft gaming division only, we would have never had a x360... To reply to mynd statement!!!!

[johnodd4]

Actually i feel that Sony is doing really poorly myself there losing money by not having the dlc for skyrim there loosing people on GT5 because everytime they update the game they nail out affordable racing wheels for users and worse there console still hasn't been updated to support the new 1 tb hard drives sure you can install one but you cannot watch blu-ray movies when you do and the new slim model thats out in the u.k right now has no upgradable hard drive and only 500 gig's of storage

[mynd]

If you would take msft gaming division only, we would have never had a x360... To reply to mynd statement!!!!

Absolutely, as I said, there is more to it than that.

[TDbank24]

More doom and gloom for people to eat up.

The PS brand is as strong as ever. Just the fact that Sony was able to cut the gap this generation and only be behind Microsoft by 3 million sales after all that has happened says a lot.

Everything will be back to normal next generation with the PS4.

[radgamer420]

More doom and gloom for people to eat up. The PS brand is as strong as ever. Just the fact that Sony was able to cut the gap this generation and only be behind Microsoft by 3 million sales after all that has happened says a lot. Everything will be back to normal next generation with the PS4.

Strong as ever? If that were true PS3 would be repeating the PS2 success. Going from being number one for two generations to now being in last place this generation is not a sign of the PS brand being as "strong as ever". First place to last place. Now that says alot.

[A7MAD]

More doom and gloom for people to eat up.

The PS brand is as strong as ever. Just the fact that Sony was able to cut the gap this generation and only be behind Microsoft by 3 million sales after all that has happened says a lot.

Everything will be back to normal next generation with the PS4.

Whilst I will say Sony have shown remarkable resilience I think their current standing and fall from #1 position in this console race is a testament to the dire times they face now because of both the rising of Nintendo and Microsoft, ironically Microsoft still continues to enjoy its success without Japan.

I wouldn't be so moonstruck or amaurotic by claiming Sony's brand is stronger than ever, Sony have not been Dreamcasted because of the success of two generations proceeding this current generation, if it was Microsoft in this position this generation they'd have bowed out long ago. So yes Sony have kept it together and this is commendable but it's a simple task to see that Sony are in bad shape and they're still alive and kicking because of the success of the PS1 and PS2 and the profits it made.

Sadly however, those profits have been lost and Sony is bleeding money.

According to DFC Intelligence (a research firm) Sony has now piled more money into the PS3 than the PS2 brought in over it’s 5 year peak and the scary part is it is still rumoured to be losing money hand over fist.

You’re looking at losses of over $3 billion so far and until the software sales increase even more they will keep losing money.

As of this post, Sony is still in the red, this is not something I make up, it's a reality, we can see that this is the sole reason Sony went ahead and released yet another Slim PS3 revision, not at a lower cost but with the intention to begin to make a profit off of each console sold, 6 years in!

So NO, Sony is not as strong as ever, they're actually in bad shape but I give you my word, as long as they continue to please me I'll continue to be on board for their consoles and games as competition is a great thing and I'm in it to win it!

[Ghost-Rhayne]

This gen has been quite punishing for the company with a poor launch, stronger competition and constant misfortune in Japan. Sony has defintely been the underdog this time around but as a result has gone all out. Hopefully next gen will see a turn around for it as a future without PlayStation would be quite shitty. Sony has served me well, when next gen rolls in it will be nearing 20 years of PlayStation gaming...I would like to see at least another 10 years! Still, despite all the doom and gloom, Sony are kicking ass. So much going on with PS+ and free shit left right and center as well as bundled classics and the biggest line up of new IP, it's a sorry sight to see it suffering still.

[DeviousOne]

Nintendo faced hard times with the N64 and Gamecube and came back however they had to go back to basics. Sony can do it as well but they are going to need to change their Ideology when it comes to there approach with there next console.

[Bigdoggy]

I'm not concerned about Sony at all. They are dropping departments permanently to cut costs like they should have when stringer was running the joint. that guy fucked up a lot of shit so now some people are cutting certain departments to cut costs, I'm sure the HDTV department is going to get an overhaul, in-fact it's probably already started. if you are looking at profits from sony right now, those losses are still based on other departments, not so much the PS3 but the TV, stereo, recording/mixing, and music departments such as a Sony Label which by the way sucks. if you get a Sony label for your band, your band is fucked. Also, a lot of movie studios & publishers in Sony lost some money as well. so many departments other than the Playstation brand which either need to be let go or revamped to be better.

The marketing at sony definitely needs to be improved.

[TheTenth666]

the main problem - and it can't be fixed easily - is consumers are stupid and most are sheep. Americans will buy a Microsoft console because it's a notorious American brand. People with no culture of videogaming and technology will buy a Wii because it's cheaper and like the fun controller. These are the only reasons Sony lost this generation.
But luckily, Nintendo has decided to become even more stupid and greedy and release a console that will scare the "casuals" with a high tech controller and not satisfy the hardcore gamers who already chose Sony or Microsoft for their hardcore console.
And Microsoft is even more greedy and want to seduce these casuals and will release a new console, not much more powerful and sold only with Kinect, as they have no doubt game developers will side with them and their big name and not care they're mocking the gamers and the video game world by releasing a half baked console.
So the next gen result will be totally random as obviously there are so many elements only luck and chaos will decide who will win.

[Silver_Knight]

the main problem - and it can't be fixed easily - is consumers are stupid and most are sheep. Americans will buy a Microsoft console because it's a notorious American brand. People with no culture of videogaming and technology will buy a Wii because it's cheaper and like the fun controller. These are the only reasons Sony lost this generation.
But luckily, Nintendo has decided to become even more stupid and greedy and release a console that will scare the "casuals" with a high tech controller and not satisfy the hardcore gamers who already chose Sony or Microsoft for their hardcore console.
And Microsoft is even more greedy and want to seduce these casuals and will release a new console, not much more powerful and sold only with Kinect, as they have no doubt game developers will side with them and their big name and not care they're mocking the gamers and the video game world by releasing a half baked console.
So the next gen result will be totally random as obviously there are so many elements only luck and chaos will decide who will win.

Sony lost because they were confident. They really thought they could release a 599 console with no games and then come out a year late. Sony didn't expect microsoft to do as well as they are doing. So let's look at the facts. The other consoles we're cheaper than the ps3, they had games, and the they we're doing something new.(The wii was). Also, this generation was the online era and then Sony released a sub par online experience and that's why they lost. I love Sony more than any other gaming company but this generation has been full of fails. I think the only think that kept them even going was the pre established fan base (Ps1 ps2) and the brand name.I have to give them credit though they have came back from the ashes and rose up like a phoneix. I think they will do well next gen though.

[TGO]

I remember when Sega was in a bad place, £99 pounds for a DC with games, they was desperate
Oddly not lowering the price doesn't seem like them being in a bad place, more the opposit....but this is just someone uneducatedly assuming, yet again
In other News, Skyfall looks good

Sent via Codec

[DeviousOne]

Sega over saturated the market with hardware and poor timing on release in the mid 90's they had the genesis 32x sega CD then a couple months later they were telling gamers in a couple months we are going to release the saturn so why would u continue buying add on when you know you can wait a couple months and get a more powerful console they didn't support there hardware properly and by the time they got it right with the dreamcast it was too late.

Sony is no where near Sega's situation. The PS4 is gonna be a huge deal for their future hope they can get it right with this system another 599.99 console isn't going to do them any favors

[keefy]

IS Counter strike out in Europe yet?

I have a broken PS3 so have a decent amount of games but the price of the new PS3 doesn't make me want to buy a new one, right now its cheaper to buy the 12GB version plus buy a 500GB drive yourself than to buy the £250 version sony wants us to pay. So instead I might get me an Xbox with the new halo, Its been years since I playe d Halo and I never played it on an xbox.

[Soldier 95B]

2013 will be off to a great start with TLOU and GOW. But 2012 exclusive lineup looks pretty weak except for Dust 514. A price drop after the hardware revision would have helped too but I understand the fact that Sony is trying to recoup some heavy losses.

Still no release date in sight for D514 . I am getting antsy. Every time I get a code for a beta weekend, I end up being gone for the weekend

They are making the Ps3 the most likely choice.

For what?

There bringing out a new slim and they are taking some of the best games and making them into the best deals around. I mean you can get all God of wars for 39.99 and you can get both infamous for the same pice with the DLC. Also, there supporting the playstation plus well imo. I don't have it but the content is looking good. There even pumping out triple AAA games so late in this generation

Agreed. Sony has been doing a great job giving gamers what they want. Great games.

while others are riding out multiplatform games.(No offense to anyone).

Nintendo?

Don't agree with the pricing nonsense, I dont think a 4 GB 360 is really meaningful for actual gaming.

One of my Xbox 360's (I have 3 of them on different TV's throughout the house) is the 4gb model. It works great for gaming. My wife was on the treadmill watching TV down in my home theater area, and my son was playing on Xbox upstairs. I wanted to play Borderlands 2, so I went into our bedroom. Turned on my 4gb Xbox 360, Borderlands detected my saved game in the cloud instantly and I picked up where I left off. Works like a charm.

This gen has been quite punishing for the company with a poor launch, stronger competition and constant misfortune in Japan. Sony has defintely been the underdog this time around but as a result has gone all out. Hopefully next gen will see a turn around for it as a future without PlayStation would be quite shitty. Sony has served me well, when next gen rolls in it will be nearing 20 years of PlayStation gaming...I would like to see at least another 10 years! Still, despite all the doom and gloom, Sony are kicking ass. So much going on with PS+ and free shit left right and center as well as bundled classics and the biggest line up of new IP, it's a sorry sight to see it suffering still.

Two bolded comments really make me wonder what is important. Other than financially (due to all divisions at Sony), I don't see any need to turn anything around in the Playstation division. Great console sales, great game sales, largest online population of gamers ever on a console, the third revision of a solid console, competitively priced, and winning millions of gamers hearts. People can whip around doom and gloom all they want, but it doesn't take away from the fact that we have nearly 70 million happy PS3 gamers. SUCK IT, bitches!

the main problem - and it can't be fixed easily - is consumers are stupid and most are sheep. Americans will buy a Microsoft console because it's a notorious American brand.

LOL. Uh no. Nice blanket statement. GM/Ford/Chrysler are notorious American brands, and American's buy more imports than domestics.

These are the only reasons Sony lost this generation.

The only thing Sony lost was the bragging rights to say they were in first place, but they are last. That doesn't take away from great console sales, great games and great online. Sony lost it's place because there is competition. Thankfully for the competition, we have seen a third PS3 sku, lower priced game collection skus, a competitive PSN+ offering, and competitive pricing.

And Microsoft is even more greedy and want to seduce these casuals and will release a new console, not much more powerful and sold only with Kinect, as they have no doubt game developers will side with them and their big name and not care they're mocking the gamers and the video game world by releasing a half baked console.

When was it confirmed that the Xbox 3 was "not much more powerful and sold only with Kinect"?

[Yuuichi]

Sony lost because they were confident. They really thought they could release a 599 console with no games and then come out a year late. Sony didn't expect microsoft to do as well as they are doing. So let's look at the facts. The other consoles we're cheaper than the ps3, they had games, and the they we're doing something new.(The wii was). Also, this generation was the online era and then Sony released a sub par online experience and that's why they lost. I love Sony more than any other gaming company but this generation has been full of fails. I think the only think that kept them even going was the pre established fan base (Ps1 ps2) and the brand name.I have to give them credit though they have came back from the ashes and rose up like a phoneix. I think they will do well next gen though.

You got it right. The main buyers of any gaming console are parents. Price is the big thing they look at. Not saying every parent now just your average parents. So when johnnys parents buy him an xbox because of price his bestfriend billy comes over and play then his parents buy him same thing so they can play together.

[Ghost-Rhayne]

Still no release date in sight for D514 . I am getting antsy. Every time I get a code for a beta weekend, I end up being gone for the weekend


Two bolded comments really make me wonder what is important. Other than financially (due to all divisions at Sony), I don't see any need to turn anything around in the Playstation division. Great console sales, great game sales, largest online population of gamers ever on a console, the third revision of a solid console, competitively priced, and winning millions of gamers hearts. People can whip around doom and gloom all they want, but it doesn't take away from the fact that we have nearly 70 million happy PS3 gamers. SUCK IT, bitches!

Tretton said it D514 will be out in October. There is supposed to be a new build hitting at the end of September, so I am guessing they will release at the end of October which would give the upcoming build a month to be tested. The Sept update adds the ability to create corporations among other things (like a new FPS system).

I fully agree that as far as output goes, Sony has been on fire. However, as many on these forums like to point out, a company can't keep on trucking in the red.

Really though, look what Sony has done while in the red, new SKU, PS+ instant games collection, bundles of classic IPs, lots of new IPs, Vita, PS Mobile and more and all of this while losing money. Imagine what Sony would do if the company and SCE were well in the green...

[radgamer420]

the main problem - and it can't be fixed easily - is consumers are stupid and most are sheep. Americans will buy a Microsoft console because it's a notorious American brand. People with no culture of videogaming and technology will buy a Wii because it's cheaper and like the fun controller. These are the only reasons Sony lost this generation. But luckily, Nintendo has decided to become even more stupid and greedy and release a console that will scare the "casuals" with a high tech controller and not satisfy the hardcore gamers who already chose Sony or Microsoft for their hardcore console. And Microsoft is even more greedy and want to seduce these casuals and will release a new console, not much more powerful and sold only with Kinect, as they have no doubt game developers will side with them and their big name and not care they're mocking the gamers and the video game world by releasing a half baked console. So the next gen result will be totally random as obviously there are so many elements only luck and chaos will decide who will win.

So because the US doesn't prefer the same console that you do just means their stupid sheep? lol And who said the next Xbox wont be much more powerful? And who says it will only be sold with Kinect? Seriously how do you come up with this stuff? lol

[radgamer420]

Tretton said it D514 will be out in October. There is supposed to be a new build hitting at the end of September, so I am guessing they will release at the end of October which would give the upcoming build a month to be tested. The Sept update adds the ability to create corporations among other things (like a new FPS system). I fully agree that as far as output goes, Sony has been on fire. However, as many on these forums like to point out, a company can't keep on trucking in the red. Really though, look what Sony has done while in the red, new SKU, PS+ instant games collection, bundles of classic IPs, lots of new IPs, Vita, PS Mobile and more and all of this while losing money. Imagine what Sony would do if the company and SCE were well in the green...

Yeah I like Sony's focus on games and the PS+ perks while keeping online play free. Speaking of classic games I think the Killzone trilogy pack comes out next month.

[mynd]

This gen has been quite punishing for the company with a poor launch, stronger competition and constant misfortune in Japan. Sony has defintely been the underdog this time around but as a result has gone all out. Hopefully next gen will see a turn around for it as a future without PlayStation would be quite shitty. Sony has served me well, when next gen rolls in it will be nearing 20 years of PlayStation gaming...I would like to see at least another 10 years! Still, despite all the doom and gloom, Sony are kicking ass. So much going on with PS+ and free shit left right and center as well as bundled classics and the biggest line up of new IP, it's a sorry sight to see it suffering still.

I agree with most of this , but how has Sony had misfortune in Japan? Its been there one saving grace.
And wish people would stop saying PS+ stuff is free.
How can it be free you pay for it, its a rental service.

I'm not concerned about Sony at all. They are dropping departments permanently to cut costs like they should have when stringer was running the joint. that guy fucked up a lot of shit so now some people are cutting certain departments to cut costs, I'm sure the HDTV department is going to get an overhaul, in-fact it's probably already started. if you are looking at profits from sony right now, those losses are still based on other departments, not so much the PS3

Errr no, and you best believe Stringer not cutting departments when he was in charge was a good thing for Playstation.

but the TV, stereo, recording/mixing, and music departments such as a Sony Label which by the way sucks. if you get a Sony label for your band, your band is fucked. Also, a lot of movie studios & publishers in Sony lost some money as well. so many departments other than the Playstation brand which either need to be let go or revamped to be better.

The marketing at sony definitely needs to be improved.

[Bigdoggy]

I agree with most of this , but how has Sony had misfortune in Japan? Its been there one saving grace.
And wish people would stop saying PS+ stuff is free.
How can it be free you pay for it, its a rental service.


Errr no, and you best believe Stringer not cutting departments when he was in charge was a good thing for Playstation.

if a department is losing money then you either shut the doors on the department or revamp it. meaning revamp it in more favor to consumers rather then premium costs like sony was doing with their HDTV department. Look at how Sony priced their HDTV department Vs. the competition such as Samsung, Sharp, LG, Toshiba, westinghouse, etc etc. all of them are cheaper then a damn sony Bravia for pete sakes. a lot of people go to bestbuy to get these TV's and when you see a Sony Bravia, it's triple if not quadruple the cost of all the other TV's. you wonder why Sony lost money in the TV department and that's the reason right there.

As for their music department/Label contracts. a lot of bands are avoiding Sony because they don't do anything for the band, they show no commercial support or anything, Sony has a responsibility and they don't do a damn thing, again. all this stuff is on Stringer and he could have made things happen but he ignored everything for the sake of premium costs which ended up hurting sony.

look at their phone department. when the Xperia first came out that stupid phone was going for $800. honestly, if they didn't see a huge increase in sales, it's the freakin price of everything they sell. Apple iPhone $400, Xperia $800, HTC, etc etc. Yea, I wonder which company is going to clearly sell more.

Take a good look at the cost of Sony products before Stringer got promoted, after that take a look at Sony products after Stringer got promoted. I can't help but honestly think that Stringer was trying to purposely sabotage Sony. it's either the guy was a pure dumbass straight from hell or he wanted to bury sony. I remember back in the 90's and earlier Sony products weren't nearly as expensive, they were priced for lower to middle class income. Right now Sony products are priced for higher middle class and high class incomes.

[admartian]

So because the US doesn't prefer the same console that you do just means their stupid sheep? lol And who said the next Xbox wont be much more powerful? And who says it will only be sold with Kinect? Seriously how do you come up with this stuff? lol

It is if it's mainly for the reasons that TheTenth666 stated (i.e. being an "American brand").

Otherwise, if it happens organically then it's all good.

[DarkNemesis]

Is it 2006 again?

[radgamer420]

It is if it's mainly for the reasons that TheTenth666 stated (i.e. being an "American brand"). Otherwise, if it happens organically then it's all good.

What a load of bs. lol Theres no basis for that theory whatsoever. If that theory were true then the original Xbox would have outsold the PS2 in the US last gen simply because it was an American console. In reality thats just a sorry excuse that PS3 fans try to use to rationalise the fact that Sony got its ass handed to them this gen by both MS and Nintendo. They had plenty of time to pass the competition but failed to do so. All they can do now is learn from their mistakes and use those lessons to make the PS4 put them on top again. And that can easily happen if Sony plays their cards right this time.