PS3 needs better 'everything' AND a price cut

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Tuesday, 29 May 2007 23:33

Opinion and Analysis

And that means more and better games, a better online gaming experience, even more innovative use of the SIXAXIS motion the actual controller than we’ve seen so far, introduction of the Home environment and other such online worlds for players to explore, the introduction of a full music and video online store akin to iTunes and the Xbox Live Marketplace and demonstrations on how ‘easy’ it is to use the PS3 as a digital media centre connected to your PCs and your PSP.

What else? How about more Blu-ray movies released to retail at DVD prices, more backwards compatible PS2 games added to the list, more exploration of the ‘computer’ users of the PS3 through browser based apps, more investigation into running Linux on the PS3 and of course some mega marketing for the upcoming Christmas holiday season.

Of course, Sony is doing much of this as we speak, or are at least thinking about it, and continue working on perfecting the PS3 well after its release with desirable new features that simply add more value, such as the upscaling of DVD movies.

If Sony will cut the price of the PS3 this year, it probably won’t happen until the beginning of the fourth quarter, in what will be THE most digitally infused holiday season ever, with every company pushing the digital wares as hard as they possibly can to profit from the holiday season as greatly as possible.

Sony can afford to take a little extra time to make sure their end of year onslaught is executed as perfectly as possible, and like Microsoft, can afford to invest for the future and carry the PS3 this year.

They even have the added benefit of still strong PS2 hardware and software sales to keep the internal bean counters busy, if not 100% happy at losses on the PS3 side of the ledger.

Out of all of this, one thing is for sure: 2008 will be crunchtime, when the PS3 will have no more excuses and must win the hearts and minds of consumers with entertainment experiences that compel consumers to want a PS3 in their lives and quite possibly as the entertainment centerpiece of their homes, beyond their widescreen TVs – just as Microsoft are trying with the Xbox 360 and the Vista Media Center PC, along with every cable and satellite pay TV operator with their own digital set top box.

Sony have the clout, the money, the music, movie and TV show content, the hardware and the will to win. Mid-2007 may well see Sony in third place, but as the giant awakens, competitors should definitely not take the current state of affairs for granted.