Game Over, Sony.

Game Over...

Biggest name today is Nintendo... cause DS did beat PS2 hahahaha bye bye Sony suckers!!!

Come on this is a bit over the top right? Plenty of launches have been far from successful and turned around. Like the post said 'regroup in t-minus one year'

Boy, you are really asking for reader backlash with a title like that.

Not that I disagree.

Meh, it's all true. Sony needs to change. Even if you're a fanboy that thinks there was nothing wrong with the launch or the system. You have to admit there are a lot of gamers out there who aren't so happy with Sony right now. There HAS to be a reason for that.

The SDF can take this two ways. They can take it as the truth or add this to the list of articles they believe are proof that Joystiq hates Sony.

Game or Over.

And yet price isn't mentioned?

How about publishers start releasing games on DVD from now on, Sony release an expansion Blu-ray drive (a la Xbox 360 with HD DVD) for optional BR games and movies, replace the drive with a standard DVD one, and knock $200 off the price of the system. It might make it a whole lot more popular.

The system itself isn't bad. Sony just needs to get its PR in line more than anything.

And I don't think it's doing *that* bad in the game department either. Yes, the launch was dry. But console launches with a wide selection of great games are few and far between. Xbox 360, anyone?

There is so much wrong with the article that I don't even know where to start. The Playstation 3 is not doomed - not by a long shot. End of Story.

Back in the PS2 days, viral marketing wasn't that important. But in this day and age, it counts for a lot. Just look at the success of the "Will it blend?" videos on youtube. Each and every article talking about the failure of the PS3 will cement the common perception of it being a failed system, and each passing day that Sony fails to correct this impression will be to its disadvantage.

If it continues for a few months, it wouldn't matter what games that do come out, or how cheap the PS3 is. People will just remember it as a failure.

Anyone who wishes that Sony go tits up is not a true gamer. I could care less about the PS3 right now because of it's price & lack of games, but I certainly don't wish it to fail.. That would just make the competition lazy. And the reality is that Sony wont fail, they've just started off on the wrong foot.

...
The PS3 isn't doomed...
But let's just say its gonna have a pretty rough 12 months (at least) for Sony.
No fanboy nor Sony executive nor professional can deny that.
Good luck to Sony.

"How about publishers start releasing games on DVD from now on, Sony release an expansion Blu-ray drive (a la Xbox 360 with HD DVD) for optional BR games and movies, replace the drive with a standard DVD one, and knock $200 off the price of the system. It might make it a whole lot more popular."

And get rid of their Trojan Horse? If the PS3 doesn't come with a Blu-ray drive, how are they going to sell millions of Blu-ray discs? If Sony does anything, they'll take a bigger loss on the PS3 before they remove the Blu-ray drive.

Though I do consider myself a Nintendo fan (I like them more than the others), I don't want Sony to completely fall of the face of the Earth. Rather, I want them to be humbled like Nintendo was after losing a lot of marketshare thanks to the N64.

I want SCE to change. I'm tired of the execs telling us there's nothing wrong with their hardware when there are real issues. I don't want them telling us to work more hours. And I don't want them dictating when the next-gen begins.

Yeah, Sony was the leader for the last two generations. The bigger difference between then and now is they were leading with a $300 system. Not a $500/600 one.
The price truly is the biggest fault with the PS3. If they thought they could sell something with the "PlayStation" name for twice what it costed to buy the last two machines, they're dead wrong. At least, wrong in expecting the same amount of success PS1 and PS2 enjoyed.

Is PS3 doomed? Dunno. Looks pretty bleak for it. This is Sony we're talking about here. Every retailer across America and Japan should be completely sold out of PS3s, regardless of how high production is, for a few solid months. Much like Wii is right now, and 360 was last year (not in Japan, that is).

It's too late to drop Blu-ray support. Games are already out that use it, and to create a Blu-ray-less PS3 would be a major ouch to both consumers and game publishers.

What can Sony do to save the PS3? I think even to drop the system by $100 would help. Sure, it'd still be more expensive than 360, but could still be enough to convince a lot of people to buy PS3.

Drop the price. Get some awesome games. Thats what it'll take for me to buy one. Actually, awesome games is all it'll take.

Of course, there is no denying that the ps3 is a terrible console right now(and if you do deny that, you're just HOPING it'll have better stuff in the the future), but all hope is not lost.

In a way, I'm happy that the fact its a Playstation branded console hasn't pushed its sales as much as Sony wouldve hoped. They half assed the entire launch of it. They lied to the fans. They decided to not even release it in an entire country for the launch. Terrible stuff.

I personally would like a new modeled ps3(though that wont happen for years), due to the fact that I hate its size and how ugly it is. Being shiny doesnt make me think something looks good. I can't believe how many people think it looks aesthetically pleasing. To me its quite the opposite.

Theres a TON Sony can do to improve the ps3. Having good games on it is the BIGGEST part though. And that, in time, will come. And I'm sorry, but Resistance is an average FPS at best. The ONLY reason some raved about it was because it's the only decent launch title.

No games = no gamers will want it. No true gamers anyway.

PS3 doesn't need saving, if you honestly believe it does that you need a braincheck. The PS franchise allways had these types of problems at launch, infact i believe this one is beeing the most sucesefull one despite the media bashing

I think this system came out at the wrong time for Sony. It should have been pushed back yet another six months so they had some games to promote and really kick butt when there was demand for the system.

I remember the PS2 launch. 6 months afterwards I was mystery shopping a Wal-mart and there was a stampede to the electronics department after it was announced that they got *2* in stock. There were actually angry people who couldn't get their hands on one that day. It was amazing.

This time? You don't see that. Stores have them in stock but the price point is so high that people either can't afford them or they just don't want them. There's not a lot of games to support it and the lack of a scaler makes me look twice before thinking to buy (and you KNOW sony did that on purpose to make everyone rebuy their movies in Blu-ray format).

At this point, personally, if I had the money to buy one I'd still wait. There just aren't the games for it and the ps2 games look like crap on it. I don't have a hidef TV and my 360 is good enough for now. If the PS3 comes down in price or starts getting a ton of hot exclusive games, yeah, I'd start saving for one, but until then, there's just no reason to buy. I'd rather use the money on, oh, you know, eating and gas and rent...

BTW, to the executive who said we should all "work harder" to afford one? I'm working 70+ hours a week on two jobs to support my family right now. How much harder should I work to afford a game system? Until I drop over dead from exhaustion? I don't think so...

k9

Sony has only themselves to blame for the PS3's frosty reception. Overhyping and over promising and then charging a premium is personally insulting for alot of gamers. Xbox 360 is going from stregth to stregth and Nintendo is back in the saddle.

Gaming has never been better imo

I'd also like to add that the inability to play pirated games on the PS3 may have contributed to the incredibly sluggish sales here over in Asia, especially in Malaysia.

The majority of PS1 and PS2 games sold in Malaysia are pirated, and since the PS3 can't play them what more has poor software emulation of PS2 games, there's no reason for Southeast Asians to pick up the new console when they can stick with a modded PS2 which can play any region and disc.

Blu-ray playback is a non-issue as there are hardly any Blu-ray or HD DVD players being sold here. The majority of households only own DVD players as HD players are too costly. Not to mention that pirated movies are also mostly in DVD format.

Ironically, Sony's efforts to curb piracy on its gaming console may have inadvertently hurt its launch sale prospects in Asia. Once better games come out, PS3 sales should pick up. But until it fixes its software emulation problems or someone finds a way to mod the PS3 to accept pirated discs, the PS3 isn't going to be on the local gamer To-Buy list anytime soon.

Wow, spelling doom for a system after its only been out for two months. Unbelievable.....

PS3 is the only new console that lets you install Linux on it right out of the box making it a computer and a pretty good one at that. That is a real selling point to me.

Ps3-hDD: You could load Linux onto the PS2, as well. They barely sold any of the Linux packages, though. I don't think many people actually give a crap. I have 3 computers in my house right now. One of them is a dual core machine with a $200 graphics card that is faster than the GPU that comes in the PS3. I work on PCs with Linux all day long. When I come home and turn on my XBox, the last thing I would want to do on it is boot to Linux. Give me games on my console, please.

Metalmurphey, however you look at it your logic fails if you think the PS3 is doing better in terms of sales than the Wii or the Xbox360.

Grunge, you declare anything that doesn't defend your precious supercomputer complete and utter bullcrap - and yet for some reason you always neglect to post exactly why you think so... maybe its just the fanboy in you speaking?

Anyways, I don't think Sony is on the right track with the PS3 right now but they'll eventually straighten themselves out. Even then though I still don't see them nearing the sales levels of the Wii or 360. And anyone who actually wants to see Sony fail is a lamer of the highest degree.

Being able to install Linux isn't that much of a selling point, especially since most gamers would probably already own a PC with fairly decent specs (if they can afford a gaming console, it's a good bet that they already own a PC). And aside than homebrew development, I don't see any compelling reason to use Linux when I can have a superior multimedia experience on Windows.

It's simple folks. Sony thought it's about games and movies. Most people are concerned about games first... period. When people walk into the store and see PS3's sitting on the shelf, they ask themselves if they really want to drop $500-$600 on a system that does not have the best / most games available (XBOX 360), or on a system that is widely regarded as being just plain fun for half the price (Wii). The system ranks third in sales, and is going to stay that way unless MAJOR changes are made.

I like #13's idea of taking out the blu-ray drive and selling one externally like the Xbox 360 does. #14, why wouldn't this be a good idea? Sony is doing what Nintendo did to their consumers by forcing a format onto the public that the public doesn't give a crap about. Nintendo thought that the consumer liked fast load times so they make the N64 a cartridge based system instead of adopting the budding CD format that would eventually dominate. The cartridges were too expensive to be competitve with CD based games that Sony used for the Playstation. Fast forward to today and Sony is forcing Blu-ray onto the consumer and in effect making the system cost too much to be competetive. If Sony took out the Blu-ray and offered a $200 unit like Xbox did, then it would be up to the consumer to decide what they want.

Sony wants to win the next video format war and they thought they would by selling 20 million PS3 units by the end of 2007. Well it ain't gonna happen because whether people like it or not, Porn is moving towards HD-DVD and that is THE deciding factor in the winner of the next video format war. Sony should just add Blu-ray to their other consumer failures such as Betmax, DAT and Minidisc.

So far no video game company has had a console that has been "number one" for more than two generations. History does have a tendency to repeat.

these kinda rants seem to come out more on slow news days,... and will only continue untill the system has had a chance to mature and really show it's colors.
(i agree about unlocking cell though. the extra $200 will show itself not just in the BD player, but when devs get used to the balencing act of working 6 spe processors in harmony. after reading the patent, i think the cell, while not as ram flexable, is more organised and more expandable and has far more promise to deliver the future, now and for every playstation console from here on out. the first party games and exclusives from proven performers like factor five and incognito will push the boundries, and force everyone to catch up. it's still too early. and about the lack of console shortages 2 months in, sony may not know software and networking like microsoft, but they do know manufacturing. it's what they do. i rather they put it out and make them like crazy to meet demand than hold back consoles to create a false sense of demand. remember last year when the conspricy rumors ran around about microsoft doing that.)

lets all check back in a year and see how things stand. by then a lot of highly anticipated games will be out and we can really get an idea of how this will flesh out.

lair, motorstorm, heavenly sword, FFXIII and FFXIIIvs. MGS4, white knight story, grand turismo5, formula1. (and you know, god of war3, rachet and clank5)

vs.

GOW, blue dragon, forza, and halo 3.

Some of the suggestions in this thread are totally moronic. What possible reason do Sony have for dropping Blu-Ray? It works, games take advantage or it, it drives business to other Sony divisions and it is one of the main selling points of the PS3. People really have no clue if they think it should be dropped or turned into some freakish strap-on like the HD-DVD for the 360.

As for other "problems" with the PS3... Compared to other launches, things are going pretty well for Sony - good sales, good hardware, no rampant design flaws (hello 360). Even early production issues are ironed out and the PS3 will doubtless break even on production costs sometime this year. It hasn't been plain sailing and Sony can be its own worst enemy but neither is it as bad as some shrill fanboys would make out.

I can't wait to see a year from now, when you will still probably be hearing the same tired lines from the few remaining Sony fanboys: "Just wait until MGS4 comes out!", "wait til developers unlock the power of the Cell!" "give it a chance it's only been out for one year!", etc etc
Stop telling everyone to wait a year and deal with the reality of the situation now, why should we have to wait for a bloody year anyway? You wouldn't accept it in other products, so why make an exeption for consoles?

I think it has already been touched upon here but before writing Sony off as a force in gaming, remember the N64 and how the initial hype over Mario 64's graphics took hold but the console failed to deliver the games and ultimately "flopped"?

I still have my N64 and I have to confess I still really like it. Excite Bike 64 is still one of the best games I ever played and someone really needs to pick it up and run with a sequel. However Nintendo seriously lost their market share with it and had to come back fighting with the Gamecube. Now they have learnt lessons both with marketing and 3rd party development and the Wii is the result of their hard labour.

For Sony, I think the PS3 will be their N64. I dont think it will be their swansong, and providing they learn lessons from this then the next console they provide might be all the better for it. That isn't to say the PS3 isn't going to be successful for certain, but it will be hard for them to come back from this to catch their rivals.

There is only *1* thing that concerns me in all of this. Nintendo always made profits on their consoles and their games and peripherals, even the N64. Sony are making a loss on their consoles so it is imperitive they at least break even. I am really hoping that this happens or after all the external gaming bother they have had, they may decide to call time to save cash.

HOW QUICKLY THEY FORGET....or refuse to acknowledge more like:

The PS2 launch was seen as very disappointing. Lower than expected sales, talk of failure, the death of Playstation.....blah blah blah. Sound familiar?

Now how many have been sold? Remind me - close to 100 million? 75% of you have one in your home. It really did revolutionise home gaming (and I mean revolutionise not in the Apple sense of "took something old developed by someone else and claimed we invented it" but in the true sense).

PS3 has legs - in two years it will still be advanced whereas the Wii will likely be seen for the gimmick it is and in my view will be relegated to a mere child's toy status.

Bring back grey importing!! That'll sell systems!

"32. HOW QUICKLY THEY FORGET....or refuse to acknowledge more like:

The PS2 launch was seen as very disappointing. Lower than expected sales, talk of failure, the death of Playstation.....blah blah blah. Sound familiar?

Now how many have been sold? Remind me - close to 100 million? 75% of you have one in your home. It really did revolutionise home gaming (and I mean revolutionise not in the Apple sense of "took something old developed by someone else and claimed we invented it" but in the true sense).

PS3 has legs - in two years it will still be advanced whereas the Wii will likely be seen for the gimmick it is and in my view will be relegated to a mere child's toy status."

It seems you are the one that has forgotten. The PS2 launched a year before the X-box and Gamecube. Thats what allowed them to get away with such a poor launch. Sega had already pulled out the hardware market. The PS2 was the only viable choice for a year. Your argument applies more to the 360, which had a poor launch, issues, shortages, etc. but had year to get its act straight before the launch of its competitors. The PS2 had more exclusives,more games,and a competitive price. The PS3 has less exclusvis, few games, and an uncompetitive price. The only think the PS3 has in common with the PS2 at the moment is that they were both produced by Sony.

#32

Just to let ya know, not 75% of "us" have a ps2 in our homes.

I don't like when people call out, that the large fanbase will make the ps3 succeed. The fanbase is A LOT smaller than you think.

I for one am on my FOURTH ps2. And you better believe the ONLY reason so many ps2s were sold was because gamers had to keep rebuying their busted ones. Not to mention the slim version too.

I agree with Jay -- the PS3 doesn't need saving, they'll do that themselves within the year -- with more than 10 million PS2s sold, I think they have shown that they kind of know what they're doing over at Sony.

I'm a huge fan of the Xbox and Xbox 360, so I don't say this with any bias. It's just common sense for anyone who has followed the gaming industry, sluggish sales at launch are always cause for concern, but once good games -- and I mean exclusive games -- become available, Sony will be threatening the 360's reign.

Actually, I'm kind of glad that sales aren't going to well right now, because once I am able to pick one up, I won't have to search the web and local retailers for days looking for one, like I had to do with the 360.

Don't worry about the PS3. In all likelihood, their unit sales will top the 360 by the end of 2008.

i really think people just need to shut up about "the ps3 sux" cuz no it dont and yes the 360 has just as good of graphics as the ps3 does rite now, the games that are out are launch game and they are just as good as 2nd year 360 games therefore graphics will definately surpass the 360 within the next year and once sony lowers the price on the ps3s they are gonna fly off the shelves so fast that it will shock everybody and that is the reason you see them everywhere, the price not because it sux so some of you just need to use your brains a lil bit, long live the PS3!!

This is like deja-vu all over again. All of this conversation about the PS3 vs. 360 is exactly what it was like in the Playstation vs. Saturn days, only this time it looks like Sony's on the losing end of this argument.

DOWN WITH SONY. Try actually figuring out what consumers want before putting out a sub standard product.

I usually buy most consoles as I'm a true dedicated gamer but Sony have dropped the ball with the PS3.

There's still the fact that many of us just don't care to support companies who relentlessly ass rape their customers. Spyware CDs, horrible warranties (Xbox is still fixing units at no cost BTW), monthly product recalls, proprietary failing media formats...Oh and don't forget that the adult film industry has decided to go with HD DVD instead of BluRay - This is exactly what killed Sony's other failed format Betamax years ago. You all get Disney. We get porn. Have fun trying to get a rise out of Snow White!

Sony just sucks. Get over it and buy something else worth having.

One thing ruined the launch: price. 360, WII wouldn't be an issue if the ps3 had a $300-$400 price tage. And while, I understand that, it's more a function of affordability than actual interest/desire to own the system. same thing with psp vs DS. $250 vs $130... ummm, not exactly rocket science.

PS3: 499$ or 599$

680 000 PS3 in USA nov-dec 2006
490 000 PS3 in Japan nov-dec 2006
0 PS3 in Europe nov-dec 2006

360: 299$ or 399$

600 000 x360 in USA nov-dec 2005
86 000 x360 in Japan nov-dec 2005
500 000 x360 in Europe nov-dec 2005 (* shipped ! *)

Hum.. bad PS3 launch ?? O_o

PS3 games available this winter > Resistance, Motorstorm,COD3, Formula One, Virtua Fighter 5, Heavenly Sword, Graw 2, Fight Night Round, Oblivion, SingStar,F.E.A.R, Rainbow 6, RR7, Virtua Tennis 3, Calling all cars...
Nice Lineup for Europe all best 360/PC games + exclusive one only in 6 month =)

Is it stupid and fanboyous to say that all non Sony lovers should die in the pits of hell and never return, yeah, it is, its the same thing with saying down with Sony, there are some people that love the Playstation, as well as the Nintendo as well as the Xbox, if you forget that, then you are the biggest fanboy on this dear Earth, you don't buy a console because it is doing the best, thats stupid, you buy it because you enjoy the list of games on it.

If you say down with a company that another person enjoys playing games on and you have no consideration for the fun they may be having with thier console, you are selfish, a rabid fanboy a follower and a glory hogger. End of rant.

@36 and a load of others
When will people get it into their heads that not everyone who owns/owned as PS2 is automatically going to buy a PS3. i owned, and loved my Megadrive (or Genesis, as you say in the yoo-ess-ay), it was a great console, but it did NOT cause me to rush out and buy a Saturn.
Brand loyalty will only take companies so far, and at the current price of the PS3 you'd have to be extremely f*ckin loyal to shell out that much for a brand name.

By the way, by Monopolising the market, you are giving people no choice of what console they may want, thats just forcing people to buy one console, we are meant to have choice, I should be able to decide whether I want a 360, Wii or PS3, not just buy a 360, because it is the only one available :( As it has booted Sony and Nintendo off the list, or the other way round.

But I wont hesitate to admit Sony has been doing some pretty stupid things lately. And this could be seen as some of the problem, however, this is not enough to stop a person buying the console if it starts collecting some good games, I for one would be glad to shell out the cash if PS3 delivers the kind of games I got from PS2 :) Until then, the PC combined with Vista coming out soon will do me just fine. And at some point, I will pick up the Wii.

I like having choice ^^

Remember when colsoles launched and people used to be EXCITED about playing them? All Sony fans can think of to say now is, "Oh it will get better with time" and "Give it a few years and the games will rock the xbox." That's about the most pathetic thing I've ever heard. To blow that much money on a brand new game system and then to have to wait 2 years before it's worth a crap. Man Sony really knows how to treat their customers!

Well with the way that Bill Gates has been speaking over the last couple of months i see the 360 pretty much finished as a 'strictly' gaming platform. Sure you'll get your oh so precious 'Halo' a 'Gear of Wars' sequel and a few more first party titles but that'll be it. With the rumored hardware revisions to the 360 it's obvious that Bill doesn't see the 360's future as a gaming platform. As for the HD-DVD add on - phew! what a joke, the picture quaility on it is terrible when you compare to a stand alone HD-DVD or Blu-Ray.

@ Killer Loki
"As for the HD-DVD add on - phew! what a joke, the picture quaility on it is terrible when you compare to a stand alone HD-DVD or Blu-Ray.

Posted at 9:15AM"

lol only if the 360 is hooked up to a 27" 1987 tv.

Sony is a PR disaster. They need to stop talking to the press and if they do talk to the press, they need to think before they speak. Find someone within the organization that you want to be your public face. Someone who is careful in what they say. And hire a really good PR firm.

A good game can certainly help, but it doesn't erase that you need to spend $500-600 just to play that game. Price is a stumbling point in the mind of many. It's priced beyond what I'd consider mainstream. If the most expensive version of the console were no higher than $399, there's no doubt in my mind, it would sell far better.

Improve relationships with developers. It's not helping your image when developers are saying they want to work with Sony, but they're not hearing back from Sony. Listen to your developers. Improve your tools. Developers are you lifeline inbetween first party titles.

Get an online strategy. It's very surprising that in this day and age this is not considered to be important. Didn't Sony at one time have the most played online game in Everquest? Also online opens up new distribution options.

When you create another console, listen to what consumers and or developers want. Don't force technology that you think the consumer or developers want.