Sony America’s John Koller has stated his belief that the PlayStation 2’s newly introduced $99 price tag will help pinch a significant amount of market share away from Nintendo Wii in the U.S.
Speaking to GameDaily, Koller stated: “We do think the $99 price point could steal some share [from Wii].”
Koller also highlighted similarities between both machines, noting that Nintendo’s system is closer to the PS2 from a technological standpoint in comparison to current generation platforms. Furthermore, he also believes the price cut will facilitate Sony’s efforts in attracting a wider demographic, specifically, ‘young and female’ audiences.
“From a technological standpoint, the Wii is much closer to the PS2 than it is to the next-gen consoles. It’s obviously not an HD box and the software development is on a par with where PS2 development is, so that’s a much more realistic and similar demographic,” said Koller.
“We feel very confident that the $99 price level will allow us to grab our share [of the young and female audience]”