Sony Blu-ray and PS3: Is recession the killer?
Filed under: Gaming, Sony Playstation 3 | By: Alan Ng
Posted on: November 13, 2008 | 37 Comments
This latest recession has hit all parts of the world, including the gaming industry it seems. After the initial success of the format war between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, some executives in Hollywood are worried that the recession could have an effect on the Blu-Ray industry, in terms of the prices consumers have to pay to be able to watch the films.
Of course, now everyone is more cautious with their money and what they spend it on, but for those wanting to watch Blu-rays providing they do not have the equipment, could result in a very expensive package. We are talking about having to purchase a high spec HD TV along with a dedicated Blu-Ray player. While the PS3 has an integrated Blu-Ray player, it is certainly not cheap, especially since there doesn’t seem to be any price cuts along the way. Stand-alone Blu-Ray disc players themselves are also very expensive at the moment, so this could lead to consumers searching elsewhere in hope of watching content.
Microsoft’s Xbox 360 is currently a lot cheaper to buy at the moment, compared to Sony’s PS3, and with Microsoft preparing to offer films digitally, this could be another factor in loss of sales for Sony. It certainly will be an interesting period over Christmas in regards to Blu-Ray sales. Do any of you have any plans to purchase one? Leave your comments below.
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LOL @ This Article
PS3 outselling Xbox (considerably) in most areas as of the first week of November, Sony offering videos already through their store and soon coming to places other than US, plus obviously people can watch DVD’s and MPEG/DIVX/XVID through their ps3.
The PS3 and Xbox shouldn’t have anything to do with the regards to a blu-ray article other than the fact most blu-ray players out there are PS3’s.
Look at the blu-ray argument a different way, when DVD’s first came out they cost far more (in currency worth) then than Blu-Ray discs and movies do now, and lets face it, DVD’s spread like wildfire once they got going, Blu-Ray is the natural progression although its probably going to take another 2 or 3 years to properly set in, a glitch in the economy isn’t going to stop it, only a better form of media.
But if people wish to argue about consoles and the effect on the current media then its as simple as this, developers are no longer using the 360 as the lead development platform as of around 5 or 6 months ago.
PS3’s are now becoming most developers lead development console due to that fact that the 360 is quickly nearing the end of its shelf life and its current power is almost being maxed out, developers now have to use ps3 as the lead development platform due to the fact they need to extend beyond the restrictions that the xbox 360 presents the developers with, porting a game from the ps3 to the 360 is easy, but for advancement reasons alone, ps3 has to be used to keep the ball rolling, and developers are now favouring the larger Blu-Ray media, and are trying to take full advantage of the capabilities of which that media offers them.
Blu-ray is next gen, DVD is becoming the CD of the present, and CD is becoming the floppy.
Mog
http://Www.MogCast.coM
Worldwide sales for PS3 and XB360 are as follows:
16.84 million as of September 30, 2008 (SCE’s Numbers)
22 million as of September 30, 2008 (GameIndustry.biz NOT Microsoft’s)
The PS3 did start to make some headway on sales earlier this year, but Microsoft has been regaining it’s lead since the price drop this last September.
BOTH console are seeing slower numbers, primarily because consumer demand is decreasing, the overwhelming popularity of the Wii, and the crushed economy. All I hear about the PS3 is Bluray, Bluray, Bluray. I’m a gamer, I don’t care about Bluray, I care about games. XB360 has a larger library, period.
Now lets talk profitability. Microsoft took a 1 Billion dollar chargeback to replace the RROD’d XB360s, and they’re expecting to turn over $900m profit for the year. Sony? They’re still trying to turn a buck out of the PS3. Most of their profitability is coming out of the PS2, (whose sales dropped by 15 million units to 23 million in October - Arstechnica) and the PSP (whose sales just rose 3.18 million - Arstechnica) and software sales were pretty much flat (12 million -Arstechnica) meaning that the games are pretty much being purchased for the installed base.
Let me reiterate, PS3 still struggles to profit, even though they haven’t experienced a hardware defect like Microsoft’s RROD issue.
If they can’t price drop it, or start making mad sales next year, you can guarantee you’ll be hearing from share holders about the future of PS3.
Xbox was not rushed out.
It was released on the date they said.
Few problems all sorted out in good time by Microsoft at no cost to the consumer.
Warranty extended to 3 years to cover the problems.
When I say the PS3 was rushed to market what I’m saying is rushed out with no quality software to run on it, including BR disks.The console was almost still born but had to be shipped out before the Xbox took the market.
At the end of the day if your talking gaming,value for money and choice,there really is only one ‘games’ console to go for.
Recession will not hit the Xbox as much as the PS3.
Isnt if funny how we are fighting over 2nd place? Just makes me laugh. Anyway, the real deal is that the 360 is not in direct competition with the PS3. The 360’s competition is the PS2. The PS3 is way ahead of it’s time. Check this chart out —->
http://vgchartz.com/hwcomps.php?cons1=PS2®1=America&cons2=PS3®2=America&cons3=X360®3=America&start=39453&end=39740
Let me put it this way…The 360 is like that really hot girl in high school that puts out for everyone. Yeah shes a lot of fun now, but when she hits college, shes all used up. The PS3 is like that shy nerdy girl that is really nice but no one notices. Take her glasses off and her pony tail out…and shes hot. But not only is she hot, shes pleasant and will treat you with respect.
Haha, we all need to lighten up.
If you put it like that, I’ve had the Nerdy and the Hot girl already…..
Only 1/3rd of US homes have an HD TV.
Blu-ray needs a huge HD TV to show off 1080p properly and an audio set-up just as expensive & unlikely.
http://www.leichtmanresearch.com/press/111208release.html
Blu-ray will just be another expensive minority format lasting, like the Samsung guy recently said, only another 5yrs until the next big hope comes along.
The rest is just PS3 fanboys howling their ‘love’ for their beloved CE corp and game console.
Even if that were true that would be another 5 years I’ll be watching movies in 1080p while you’ll be waiting for a compressed download at best. Blu ray is great and an up-scaled picture is by no way a reasonable alternative.
Only 1/3 of homes currently have an HDTV but you can’t buy a non-HDTV anymore and haven’t been able to in a few years. This February everything goes digital further spurring the sale of HDTV’s. Within 5 years every household will have at least one. And if you don’t need an HDTV for movies why buy game consoles that render HD graphics?
I own all three consoles, PS3, Wii and 360. I have to say the 360 gets used the most. WIi is for quick fun but not powerful. Xbox 360 is the Hardcore game system, because there is more games out and used games are usually cheaper and in more variety. I am no fanboy for either system, just enjoy casual gaming like most.
Most of my friends are on Xbox live, also Xbox live is far better than PSN. I do love my PS3, its the original 60GB, awesome as it is. its just a DVD player now. not even a Bluray player. Bluray movies are too expensive vs DVD. And most games that are multiplatform i will get for 360.
With the current price of the PS3 compared to the 360. What does Sony offer to sway the parents to purchase the PS3 for their kids? most will get the cheaper of the two.
Of course the Wii will be first choice for most, but with the 360 bundles now and price, its hard to top that with the average uninformed consumer. The PS3 is the better system for features, but price is what matters in the end for consumers. Also Microsoft is offering a cheap 20GB Hdd upgrade to all the arcade models sold. How can sony top that?
link about the Microsoft HDD upgrade.
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2332538,00.asp
“Had I lost that war, the headline would have been, not that HD-DVD won, but that [Blu-ray] was Betamax 2″ - Howard Stringer - October 2008, CEO, Sony Corp.
Sony ties a loser A/V format to their industry leading flagship game console, in order to win the game console race AND the next gen HDM market.
They then lose multiple billions on game console, almost bankrupt the company, wind up with last place market share in gaming market and watch as blu-ray tanks without any competition in the HD video disc marketplace.
Well done Sony. Well done. Ha. Ha. Ha.
I hope that the Studios and CE manufacturers that backed blu-ray choke on it along with Sony. Their greed is as much to blame here as Sony.
@the various fanboys here
Quit yo’ jibba jabba!
You aint intelligent, your pathetic!
If I ever catch you talkin like a crazy fool again, you’re gonna meet my friend PAIN!
FanBoys, get some NUTS!
(this was a public service announcement brought to you by Mr. T)
Mog
http://Www.MogCast.coM