PS3 is the new Gamecube
October 3rd, 2007According to a Gamepro analysis (via Kotaku), the PS3 is on track to sell worse than the Gamecube, assuming it continues to sell as horribly as it has. Over their respective first 10 months available, the Gamecube actually sold 22% more units than the PS3. Considering Sony’s huge advantage in the last generation, this is obviously a huge problem for them. Apparently, PS2 owners are either not upgrading or are moving to another system. Almost a year into the launch with no standout killer app and games still being delayed due to “technical difficulties”, I still wonder whether they should’ve just taken Gabe Newell’s advice. After all, it does almost seem like the PS3 launch last year was sort of unnecessary, given the PS2’s huge market and the PS3’s obvious lack of games this year. Sure, giving Microsoft a 2-year “head start” in this generation, particularly after Halo 3, could’ve easily been a disaster as well, but if they were able to continue leveraging the PS2 for profit while actually preparing a reasonable launch lineup at a price people were willing to pay instead of what they did, I have to imagine that would’ve been better for them in the long run. Although I suppose there were even other factors at play as well which may have made the launch unavoidable.
In any case, will cheaper 40GB PS3s and a couple promising titles this year be able to jumpstart the PS3 back to life in the face of the 360’s Halo 3 juggernaut and the Wii’s overall phenomenal success?
All I can say is that Sony had better hope Konami and Square finish up MGS4 and FFXIII as quickly as possible and avoid the “technical difficulties” that are plaguing just about every other developer. If they come too late, even they may not be enough to save the PS3 from the same fate as the Gamecube.
Posted in Industry, Jeff, PS3, Sony |
October 3rd, 2007 at 11:41 am
Well, as long as we’re looking at the gamecube, it had a very strong surge in 2003 when the price dropped. Without games to sustain it though, it fell back down in 2004 and only staggered through 2005. If the PS3 can offer a similar large price drop, but fuel it with lots of new games, it could succeed where the gamecube failed. The problem is that the 360 is gobbling up so many games and developers that the PS3 will have a problem with this I fear.
As for what they could have done. They could have foregone blu-ray and cell and put out a PS3 in the $399 range that would perform with the 360. That would have surely won the war for them but instead they tried to leverage the PS3 to provide success for their other markets like blu-ray. They may have bitten off more than they can chew. Personally, I love a struggling giant. They tend to get desperate and offer some great deals in an effort to claw their way back up. I’m sure Sony will do the same eventually. Thats when I’ll grab a PS3.
October 3rd, 2007 at 8:29 pm
“In any case, will cheaper 40GB PS3s and a couple promising titles this year be able to jumpstart the PS3 back to life in the face of the 360’s Halo 3 juggernaut and the Wii’s overall phenomenal success?”
An interesting question. If the rumors are true, then the 40GB version will lack backwards compatibility and/or wireless controller support. Will people still shell out for such an SKU? Sure, practically all of the potential buyers will have a PS2, but might not want to have yet another box taking up space in their entertainment center. Unless the price is very reasonable to offset the drawbacks, I’m not seeing a huge value proposition with the new model.
October 3rd, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Duckk-
Which is why I shelled out the $500 for the 60GB w/ Backwards compatibility… It was slightly more than I was originally planning to spend, but I wanted to remove my PS2 from my entertainment center. I am definitely in the minority, though, as far as people who are willing to spend the money to have all the systems.