When Will Sony Cease Being a Hardware Manufacturer?

[GhostDog]

So the PS4 is coming and everything but when do you think will be the end of Sony as a hardware manufacturer? I'm thinking after the PS5. Sony came into hardware manufacturing with the PS1 and build a huge following worldwide that transferred over to the PS2 and added to the Playstation's brand and popularity. The PS3 has not matched the numbers of its predecessor but seems to be doing well sales wise. Who knows how well the PS4 will do but I have a feeling it will not be as popular as the previous systems since gaming on other platforms such as PC and portables are increasing in popularity. I don't think Sony's momentum will last too much longer. The PS5 would be a fitting ending. What are your thoughts?

[danawhitaker]

So the PS4 is coming and everything but when do you think will be the end of Sony as a hardware manufacturer? I'm thinking after the PS5. Sony came into hardware manufacturing with the PS1 and build a huge following worldwide that transferred over to the PS2 and added to the Playstation's brand and popularity. The PS3 has not matched the numbers of its predecessor but seems to be doing well sales wise. Who knows how well the PS4 will do but I have a feeling it will not be as popular as the previous systems since gaming on other platforms such as PC and portables are increasing in popularity. I don't think Sony's momentum will last too much longer. The PS5 would be a fitting ending. What are your thoughts?

PCs and portable (I'm reading that as smartphones/tablets) will never replace consoles for me, but I may be in the minority.

[GhostDog]

PCs and portable (I'm reading that as smartphones/tablets) will never replace consoles for me, but I may be in the minority.

Me neither but I can't deny the popularity of handhelds whether it's by Nintendo or the smartphones/tablets. I fail to see the popularity of Apple products but they are selling. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple entered the gaming world if they haven't already with their Apple phones and whatnot. I really don't follow Apple. Sony seems to be struggling with the Vita and there's no telling if that will transfer over to their future products. Perhaps this is a sign that Sony is losing ground in the gaming market. After all the PS1 and PS2 were more successful than PS3 from what I understand.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I believe "cease" is the word you were looking for.

You can edit posts, including headlines.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

You mean "cease." I say it'll happen around the time of the PS10. The PS3 tripped out of the gate by being overpriced at launch, but now it's the 5th best selling console of all time. Support for the Sony brand is very high worldwide, and it seems like the PS4 is going to be in good shape (Nintendo's WiiU isn't selling like the Wii yet, plus the last generation of consoles is the longest in history). If Sony started suffering from chronic mismanagement, they may see their brand decline, but it would take a while. After all, it took about 10 years of bad decisions for Sega to destroy itself.

[GhostDog]

I believe "cease" is the word you were looking for.

You can edit posts, including headlines.

Yes, thank you.

[danawhitaker]

Me neither but I can't deny the popularity of handhelds whether it's by Nintendo or the smartphones/tablets. I fail to see the popularity of Apple products but they are selling. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple entered the gaming world if they haven't already with their Apple phones and whatnot. I really don't follow Apple. Sony seems to be struggling with the Vita and there's no telling if that will transfer over to their future products. Perhaps this is a sign that Sony is losing ground in the gaming market. After all the PS1 and PS2 were more successful than PS3 from what I understand.

I'm someone that bought a PS1 and PS2, but has never bought a PS3. At first, the problem was price. I couldn't justify the cost at launch. Then, as time went on, I couldn't justify the still-high cost. Now we're into year seven, and new ones STILL sell for almost $300. I can't justify that for a six year old end-of-life console. When I bought my original Playstation in 1999, I paid $100. And I didn't mind the launch price of the PS2. I didn't even mind the $400 price point of the Xbox 360 and the $350 Wii U. But I will not pay $300 for an end of life system. And I wasn't willing to pay in upwards of $500-600 for a new one. I'm not sure what the reasoning is for other people not buying them. But that's mine. And you're right, from sales figures it seems the PS1 and PS2 both did considerably better.

[GhostDog]

You mean "cease." I say it'll happen around the time of the PS10. The PS3 tripped out of the gate by being overpriced at launch, but now it's the 5th best selling console of all time. Support for the Sony brand is very high worldwide, and it seems like the PS4 is going to be in good shape (Nintendo's WiiU isn't selling like the Wii yet, plus the last generation of consoles is the longest in history). If Sony started suffering from chronic mismanagement, they may see their brand decline, but it would take a while. After all, it took about 10 years of bad decisions for Sega to destroy itself.

So you think they'll still be making consoles for 25-30 or so years? The Sony brand is strong in gaming right now but who knows how long that will last. Just look at Sony as an electronics company. They used to be on top but other companies are now taking the lead. I'd personally go for a Panasonic HD TV over a Sony. Also, can you imagine if Samsung or Apple entered the console market?

[Berserker]

I don't see much reason to think they'd stop completely in the near or even distant future. Even if graphics and processing power going into the cloud were to become the normal way of doing things, they'd still want to produce some kind of console, even if it's mostly an empty husk with no real capability beyond outputting audio/video signals and handling controller input. They'd also want to make the controllers themselves and other things like that. In a gaming landscape dominated by OnLive-like platforms, the real power will rest in the peripherals.

[Bojay1997]

So you think they'll still be making consoles for 25-30 or so years? The Sony brand is strong in gaming right now but who knows how long that will last. Just look at Sony as an electronics company. They used to be on top but other companies are now taking the lead. I'd personally go for a Panasonic HD TV over a Sony. Also, can you imagine if Samsung or Apple entered the console market?

I think you've hit the nail on the head here. Simply put, Sony as a corporation is in significant distress right now. There are murmurs that they may be willing to put their television and film studio operations up for sale and unless they engage in some very significant cost cutting and line shedding in consumer and home electronics, there is a chance they could enter bankruptcy protection in the very near future. In fact, I recall reading a few stories in Business Week among other magazines about how badly much of Sony (with the exception of gaming and a few other divisions) is operating right now with few innovative products on the horizon to turn things around. Having said all that, the Japanese government has already signaled that they will bail Sony out using billions of tax payer dollars/Yen and I suspect that even if much of the rest of Sony goes away, the Playstation brand will survive even if it's under the ownership of an entirely different manufacturer like Samsung or Panasonic, both of which have had gaming divisions previously.

[sloan]

I'm someone that bought a PS1 and PS2, but has never bought a PS3. At first, the problem was price. I couldn't justify the cost at launch. Then, as time went on, I couldn't justify the still-high cost. Now we're into year seven, and new ones STILL sell for almost $300. I can't justify that for a six year old end-of-life console. When I bought my original Playstation in 1999, I paid $100. And I didn't mind the launch price of the PS2. I didn't even mind the $400 price point of the Xbox 360 and the $350 Wii U. But I will not pay $300 for an end of life system. And I wasn't willing to pay in upwards of $500-600 for a new one. I'm not sure what the reasoning is for other people not buying them. But that's mine. And you're right, from sales figures it seems the PS1 and PS2 both did considerably better.

This is my situation as well. PS3 has always been an overpriced system, and remains so. I may own one if I ever find one cheap enough at Salvation Army or a yard sale. If PS4 is priced similarly, then I don't see how it will sell well. Unless Sony gets some intelligence about how to price systems, I predict the end within 5 years.

[Bojay1997]

This is my situation as well. PS3 has always been an overpriced system, and remains so. I may own one if I ever find one cheap enough at Salvation Army or a yard sale. If PS4 is priced similarly, then I don't see how it will sell well. Unless Sony gets some intelligence about how to price systems, I predict the end within 5 years.

Not to be overly critical, but you're never going to be Sony or any other leading electronics manufacturer's target market. There are budget electronics manufacturers like Vizio or Westinghouse and others, but their model is based on moving massive quantities of product that aren't particularly powerful or durable that have to be replaced every three years and they could never survive in the console world because as consoles become more and more complex, it becomes harder to build them cheaply, even 5+ years after launch. Blu Ray drives, memory, hard drives, processors and all the other components can only have their cost reduced so much over time. The whole concept of the modern console is something that has similar capabilities to a fairly decent PC and that's always going to cost some significant money. Gamers aren't going to buy an underpowered box simply because it's cheap. That defeats the entire purpose of buying a new console.

Having said all that, you could have bought a $200 PS3 brand new last Christmas and the Christmas before that with at least a couple of games. If that wasn't cheap enough for you, there is literally no chance Sony or Microsoft or anyone else can ever make any kind of profit from a customer like you so it's a silly argument to claim if they don't cater to customers like you they are doomed to failure.

[danawhitaker]

Having said all that, you could have bought a $200 PS3 brand new last Christmas and the Christmas before that with at least a couple of games. If that wasn't cheap enough for you, there is literally no chance Sony or Microsoft or anyone else can ever make any kind of profit from a customer like you so it's a silly argument to claim if they don't cater to customers like you they are doomed to failure.

Yes, I know they had some bundles last Christmas. But here were my choices a) Buy my daughter a Wii U, and make her incredibly happy or b) Buy myself a PS3. I think most any parent on here who's faced with this dilemma will tell you which decision they'd make.

For those of us adults who live in the real world, with budgets, and kids, who have to choose between things, and not just give into our ids (and I do mean id, as in id, ego, and superego) and buy everything we want when we want it, cost is a real, valid concern. If Sony doesn't care about having us as customers, then fine. They won't. Maybe that's why the PS3 didn't sell as well. And if they're happy with the numbers for the PS3, then they can continue to ignore that demographic. If they aren't happy, they can look at other options. Cost was a factor for me with the PSP, and it will remain a factor for me with the Vita as well. I balk at $250+ for a handheld system.

For what it's worth, I don't need my console to be basically a second computer and entertainment hub. I don't want it to be a second computer. I want it to play games. If I want another PC, I'll build one. Again, this may be another area I'm alone - maybe that's something the majority of gamers want. But I wonder how much of the budget could be shaved up if they stopped spending time worrying about how to dominate my living room and instead worried about how to dominate games. Throw some of that junk out, and minimize the cost. And before the arguments of "This is the way the industry is going" or something to that effect, just because the industry is trying to push that direction doesn't mean it's a good one, and it doesn't mean customers can't voice their dissatisfaction over a decision. Ultimately, the market will decide whether it's a good decision or not.

[Bojay1997]

Yes, I know they had some bundles last Christmas. But here were my choices a) Buy my daughter a Wii U, and make her incredibly happy or b) Buy myself a PS3. I think most any parent on here who's faced with this dilemma will tell you which decision they'd make.

For those of us adults who live in the real world, with budgets, and kids, who have to choose between things, and not just give into our ids (and I do mean id, as in id, ego, and superego) and buy everything we want when we want it, cost is a real, valid concern. If Sony doesn't care about having us as customers, then fine. They won't. Maybe that's why the PS3 didn't sell as well. And if they're happy with the numbers for the PS3, then they can continue to ignore that demographic. If they aren't happy, they can look at other options. Cost was a factor for me with the PSP, and it will remain a factor for me with the Vita as well. I balk at $250+ for a handheld system.

For what it's worth, I don't need my console to be basically a second computer and entertainment hub. I don't want it to be a second computer. I want it to play games. If I want another PC, I'll build one. Again, this may be another area I'm alone - maybe that's something the majority of gamers want. But I wonder how much of the budget could be shaved up if they stopped spending time worrying about how to dominate my living room and instead worried about how to dominate games. Throw some of that junk out, and minimize the cost. And before the arguments of "This is the way the industry is going" or something to that effect, just because the industry is trying to push that direction doesn't mean it's a good one, and it doesn't mean customers can't voice their dissatisfaction over a decision. Ultimately, the market will decide whether it's a good decision or not.

Great and as a parent myself, I completely understand that. At the same time, you just spent $350 for a console and that doesn't even include games (well besides Nintendoland) and accessories that push that price tag up over time. It's also a console that's not particularly cutting edge even if it is likely to have some neat kid-oriented games in the coming months and years. You also invested in a console that is currently selling pretty poorly, being outsold by both the Xbox 360 and the PS3, both of which are 6-7 years old at this point.

The fact remains that the PS3 has been $200 with extra games for two years in a row and currently you can buy one with some games for $250 as a bundle new on Amazon.com. Many brick and mortar retailers also sell it for less than the $300 MSRP or throw in a gift card every few weeks. As such, it can be purchased for less than MSRP with some minimal effort.

Removing the non-gaming functions of the PS3 and the PS4 would do very little to shave anything off the price. The functions are almost all software based and companies like Netflix and others generally absorb the costs of making the devices compatible in exchange for access to those potential customers. The cost of user interface engineering and design are literally pennies on each unit sold.

If you want something you can just play games on the PS3 definitely qualifies. Just don't connect it to the Internet and you're good to go. Or, just use the Internet functionality for playing games online and for no other reason. There are also plenty of older consoles with massive game libraries out there including the PS2. There are also smartphones, tablets and PCs, one or more of which you probably already own. In a few more years, I'm sure the PS3 will drop to $150 or even $100 new. If that's really all the value it has to you, that's when you should buy it.

Complaining that the PS3 is too expensive is absurd unless you mean at launch which I will agree with. In the past few years it has been neck and neck with the 360 in price and is a bargain compared to many other consumer electronics devices, many of which lack its capabilities. I personally think both the 360 and the PS3 are bargains compared to the entertainment they provide. Obviously, factors like disposable income and priorities factor in, but if $200 - $300 is really gonna break the bank for you, it's time to stop gaming completely for a while and find a way to improve your economic situation.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

This thread is a perfect example of why gamers are the worst enemy of the games industry.

If we have not always been, we have become in this modern gaming era the most un-fucking-satisfiable, entitled, unreasonable, hypocritical group of consumers that I've ever witnessed in action.

We demand among so many other things - annualized innovations, substantial leaps in technology, all of our personal favorite software installments, etc while simultaneously deriding almost every decision that every company makes to try to meet those demands - and in extreme cases we rally our numbers to punish companies who can't cater to the radical minutia and outlier desires of the wants and needs of our community.

Sometimes I worry that it's going to be the gamers that kill this industry acting purely in waves of spite.

And don't get me wrong, I'm an advocate of fair market practices and championing companies that go out of their way to provide consumers with great products and services ... but, seriously, the transparency that exists now, what Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony and even the new kids on the block, Steam, Apple and Google have created, are maintaining and working to build for the future is FAR REMOVED from past eras where everything was blind guesswork on the part of the consumer.

We are collectively, simultaneously so fortunate and so jaded.

I would hate to be an industry exec right now ... I get the sense that they know that the default reaction to pretty much everything is hard-stop negativity fostered by an internet culture where "angry = cool".

It sucks so much. I hope that the industry rolls on in spite of all of this.

[danawhitaker]

Great and as a parent myself, I completely understand that. At the same time, you just spent $350 for a console and that doesn't even include games (well besides Nintendoland) and accessories that push that price tag up over time. It's also a console that's not particularly cutting edge even if it is likely to have some neat kid-oriented games in the coming months and years. You also invested in a console that is currently selling pretty poorly, being outsold by both the Xbox 360 and the PS3, both of which are 6-7 years old at this point.

And I can see some of your point. I don't think the Wii U was a "bargain" by any stretch of the imagination. If it came down to it, yeah, the PS3 would probably be a better "bargain" - although certain extra costs would still apply. The bundled games I saw, unlike Nintendo Land, were not things that my seven year old would have been remotely interested in playing. That still applies, I just looked at the bundles at Best Buy and Gamestop and Amazon. So that would have meant shelling out money for more games anyway, and then shelling out another $45-50 for a second controller so I could play with her. So I'd end up paying for more accessories anyway, and would be taking a huge risk that she wouldn't like any of the games I bought because they'd be complete unknowns - while I know for a fact that she likes Mario.

Maybe it's a wrong impression, but I've always felt like the Playstation consoles are just geared more toward adults, or, if not adults, the teen+ market. When I was picking my daughter up from school before the holidays, everyone I was talking to with kids in her age range already had a Wii, and were going to be getting a Wii U (or were at least considering one). People in our family with kids did the same. Is the PS3 generally as kid-friendly, and I just missed something? Is the PS4 going to end up being more kid-friendly than the PS3? There's nothing wrong with not wanting to be, but again, you do somewhat limit your demographic. I know some people who decide they only want to own one console, and they have kids. Do the math. PS3 isn't going to likely be their choice. I'm sure the argument would be, "They're not Sony's demographic" and that's fine, but again, the more you narrow your demographic, the more you limit your potential sales.

[kupomogli]

Yes, I know they had some bundles last Christmas. But here were my choices a) Buy my daughter a Wii U, and make her incredibly happy or b) Buy myself a PS3. I think most any parent on here who's faced with this dilemma will tell you which decision they'd make.

For those of us adults who live in the real world, with budgets, and kids, who have to choose between things, and not just give into our ids (and I do mean id, as in id, ego, and superego) and buy everything we want when we want it, cost is a real, valid concern. If Sony doesn't care about having us as customers, then fine. They won't. Maybe that's why the PS3 didn't sell as well. And if they're happy with the numbers for the PS3, then they can continue to ignore that demographic. If they aren't happy, they can look at other options. Cost was a factor for me with the PSP, and it will remain a factor for me with the Vita as well. I balk at $250+ for a handheld system.

What a line of bullshit. Your daughter can be very happy whether you purchase her a Wii U or a PS4. Obviously it's catering to the people with the money to buy the console first and foremost, but as much family friendly software as Sony pushed last gen, you really don't think Little Big Planet 3 will be released on the PS4? Sony announced three first party titles. Obviously since they didn't announce more means they must not have more titles to announce.

Not only that, but you do realize the 3DS was once $250 as well. People can purchase whatever they want, it's their money, but your post is clearly bashing the brand.

And apparently those of us on this board don't have lives, don't have families, don't have bills. It's a wonder how many of us purchase not only one, but multiple consoles released each gen. I'm not saying you don't know how to spend your money, but from my friends and other people I know, the average person is very wasteful with how they spend their money. You might not realize it, but video games are the cheapest form of entertainment, even if you were to get every game you were interested in day one. It may look more expensive because you're paying all that cash out at once, but what's more expensive; the average person who eats out at fast food or restaurants atleast once sometimes twice a day or a video game console that costs $500 and one $60 game each month? The video game console and game per month would average less than $70 a month for five years while the amount of money people would save by cooking food at home for your family and not eating out at every chance would save hundreds.

[Bojay1997]

This thread is a perfect example of why gamers are the worst enemy of the games industry.

If we have not always been, we have become in this modern gaming era the most un-fucking-satisfiable, entitled, unreasonable, hypocritical group of consumers that I've ever witnessed in action.

We demand among so many other things - annualized innovations, substantial leaps in technology, all of our personal favorite software installments, etc while simultaneously deriding almost every decision that every company makes to try to meet those demands - and in extreme cases we rally our numbers to punish companies who can't cater to the radical minutia and outlier desires of the wants and needs of our community.

Sometimes I worry that it's going to be the gamers that kill this industry acting purely in waves of spite.

And don't get me wrong, I'm an advocate of fair market practices and championing companies that go out of their way to provide consumers with great products and services ... but, seriously, the transparency that exists now, what Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony and even the new kids on the block, Steam, Apple and Google have created, are maintaining and working to build for the future is FAR REMOVED from past eras where everything was blind guesswork on the part of the consumer.

We are collectively, simultaneously so fortunate and so jaded.

I would hate to be an industry exec right now ... I get the sense that they know that the default reaction to pretty much everything is hard-stop negativity fostered by an internet culture where "angry = cool".

It sucks so much. I hope that the industry rolls on in spite of all of this.

I disagree. The culture of social media and instantaneous customer feedback has provided the video game industry with invaluable information that probably has saved many companies from making some potentially company-ending mistakes. It also has allowed for low-cost awareness of products that according to many metrics are more effective than the multi-million dollar ad campaigns and product roll-outs the big manufacturers have traditionally done for new consoles or games. I actually was a "journalist" in the 1990s before the whole social media movement became mainstream and I can tell you that rather than getting good feedback from customers and potential customers, companies relied on journalists, many of whom saw games as any other generic media type and professional analysts to make critical decisions. That why you had blunders like the Sega Saturn being released with little or no retailer support in place and few launch games or the Virtual Boy, a product consumers never asked for or wanted. Those things would very likely never happen today as consumers are happy to express their opinions for free in easily accessible forums and media platforms the second a product is even rumored.

The reality is that publishers and manufacturers are savvy. There are entire companies they employ devoted to culling data from social media and forums or running disguised forums for these companies seeking consumer feedback. Sites like Digital Press and other niche sites aren't even on their radar. Consumer feedback also isn't necessarily the major driver of business decisions even if it is helpful.

I don't feel sorry for the video game industry any more than I feel sorry for Apple or Google or any other successful company that makes it money by pushing minor innovations to cater to niche customers out every few months all the while generating record profits. As long as there is an Internet, people will always share their opinions freely and companies can use that information to both their benefit and their peril.

[Bojay1997]

What a line of bullshit. Your daughter can be very happy whether you purchase her a Wii U or a PS4. Obviously it's catering to the people with the money to buy the console first and foremost, but as much family friendly software as Sony pushed last gen, you really don't think Little Big Planet 3 will be released on the PS4? Sony announced three first party titles. Obviously since they didn't announce more means they must not have more titles to announce.

Not only that, but you do realize the 3DS was once $250 as well. People can purchase whatever they want, it's their money, but your post is clearly bashing the brand.

And apparently those of us on this board don't have lives, don't have families, don't have bills. It's a wonder how many of us purchase not only one, but multiple consoles released each gen. I'm not saying you don't know how to spend your money, but from my friends and other people I know, the average person is very wasteful with how they spend their money. You might not realize it, but video games are the cheapest form of entertainment, even if you were to get every game you were interested in day one. It may look more expensive because you're paying all that cash out at once, but what's more expensive; the average person who eats out at fast food or restaurants atleast once sometimes twice a day or a video game console that costs $500 and one $60 game each month? The video game console and game per month would average less than $70 a month for five years while the amount of money people would save by cooking food at home for your family and not eating out at every chance would save hundreds.

I strongly disagree with this. My kids have zero interest in the PS3 just like they never cared about the PS2 despite the fact that we have both and massive libraries of games for both. They grew up loving Nintendo handhelds and consoles (despite the fact that I was never a huge Nintendo fan growing up). Little Big Planet is not automatically appealing to kids just because it has cute characters. My kids tried LBP 2 when we first got it at launch and felt it required too much effort to design your own games. The Playstation and the Xbox are clearly aimed at more mature gamers. Yes, there are some kids games on both systems and they are great, but not every kid likes them. Nintendo has always targeted kids and families and they are simply brilliant at appealing to that audience. I personally don't share the Nintendo love most of the time, but like most parents, I want my kids to be happy.

Gaming is not an inexpensive hobby by any stretch. Games are $60 MSRP for the most part and that doesn't include DLC, controllers, PSN+ or XBL, etc...Cooking at home can be super expensive as well. I shop for our family groceries several times a week and my wife and I make a good living, but you're kidding yourself if you think someone making middle class wages can simply not go out to eat a few times a week and make enough money to own all the consoles and games that are being released. Between a mortgage, car payments, school expenses, clothing, all the extra-curricular activities kids enjoy and every other entertainment and living expense out there, gaming is in no way a cheap hobby even if it is a relatively good value for the money.

[Gamevet]

Maybe it's a wrong impression, but I've always felt like the Playstation consoles are just geared more toward adults, or, if not adults, the teen+ market. When I was picking my daughter up from school before the holidays, everyone I was talking to with kids in her age range already had a Wii, and were going to be getting a Wii U (or were at least considering one). People in our family with kids did the same. Is the PS3 generally as kid-friendly, and I just missed something? Is the PS4 going to end up being more kid-friendly than the PS3? There's nothing wrong with not wanting to be, but again, you do somewhat limit your demographic. I know some people who decide they only want to own one console, and they have kids. Do the math. PS3 isn't going to likely be their choice. I'm sure the argument would be, "They're not Sony's demographic" and that's fine, but again, the more you narrow your demographic, the more you limit your potential sales.

That's why the original Playstation and the PS2 sold so well. Sony helped shed the image of videogames being for kids and advertised the console with television spots for NFL Gameday, Madden and Gran Turismo. Grand Theft Auto 3 helped Sony's PS2 push aside the threat of the original Xbox and Halo.

If you look at the numbers, Sony and MS have split over 140 million units sold. That's pretty close to the overall sales numbers of the PS2, the greatest selling home console of all-time. Sony hasn't exactly lost sales because of price, they just lost/shared sales in their demographic to the Xbox 360.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I disagree. The culture of social media and instantaneous customer feedback has provided the video game industry with invaluable information that probably has saved many companies from making some potentially company-ending mistakes. It also has allowed for low-cost awareness of products that according to many metrics are more effective than the multi-million dollar ad campaigns and product roll-outs the big manufacturers have traditionally done for new consoles or games. I actually was a "journalist" in the 1990s before the whole social media movement became mainstream and I can tell you that rather than getting good feedback from customers and potential customers, companies relied on journalists, many of whom saw games as any other generic media type and professional analysts to make critical decisions. That why you had blunders like the Sega Saturn being released with little or no retailer support in place and few launch games or the Virtual Boy, a product consumers never asked for or wanted. Those things would very likely never happen today as consumers are happy to express their opinions for free in easily accessible forums and media platforms the second a product is even rumored.

The reality is that publishers and manufacturers are savvy. There are entire companies they employ devoted to culling data from social media and forums or running disguised forums for these companies seeking consumer feedback. Sites like Digital Press and other niche sites aren't even on their radar. Consumer feedback also isn't necessarily the major driver of business decisions even if it is helpful.

I don't feel sorry for the video game industry any more than I feel sorry for Apple or Google or any other successful company that makes it money by pushing minor innovations to cater to niche customers out every few months all the while generating record profits. As long as there is an Internet, people will always share their opinions freely and companies can use that information to both their benefit and their peril.

While I absolutely agree about the critical voice of the masses preventing things like Virtual Boy in the modern era is a helpful side effect of the "free" data and that's a good thing, I also believe that it's tipped WAY WAY too far in scope and volume to be genuinely informative data. typically it's just a wall of white-noise-level negativity from the whole of the gaming community.

You may not be feeling it, but I feel a sense of negativity and bitterness thats been building throughout these past few generations. With the explosion of social media its become a mess that doesn't allow for a real academic/constructive type of criticism to ever even occur. It's just angry noise for the sake of angry noise.

I don't find that beneficial at all and something's got to give in the long term.

[Aussie2B]

If the current status of the PS3 indicates that Sony should be out of the console market after one or two more home consoles, then, by that logic, Nintendo should already be out of hardware manufacturing. There's an old adage among gamers that no console manufacturer can stay on top for three generations in a row. To the best of my knowledge, that's never been proven false. The N64 definitely didn't have the same level of success as the NES/Famicom and SNES/Super Famicom, and neither did the GameCube. And yet look at the Wii, a huge hit. I see no reason to think Sony is going to pull a Sega any time soon.

That said, I too am among those who have a PS1 and PS2 but no PS3. My interest in Sony's home consoles has decreased with each generation. I still haven't bothered to get a PS3 both because of price and a lack of games that are appealing to my tastes. And while the PS3 can be had for $200-$300 the last couple years, I was able to get a brand new arcade model 360 for something like $160 back in 2008.

[Aussie2B]

That why you had blunders like the Sega Saturn being released with little or no retailer support in place and few launch games or the Virtual Boy, a product consumers never asked for or wanted. Those things would very likely never happen today as consumers are happy to express their opinions for free in easily accessible forums and media platforms the second a product is even rumored.

Then I'm sure glad things were different back then because I quite enjoy my Virtual Boy. :P I have more fun with games like Mario's Tennis and Virtual Boy Wario Land than I do with most modern games.

[Gamevet]

If the current status of the PS3 indicates that Sony should be out of the console market after one or two more home consoles, then, by that logic, Nintendo should already be out of hardware manufacturing. There's an old adage among gamers that no console manufacturer can stay on top for three generations in a row. To the best of my knowledge, that's never been proven false. The N64 definitely didn't have the same level of success as the NES/Famicom and SNES/Super Famicom, and neither did the GameCube. And yet look at the Wii, a huge hit. I see no reason to think Sony is going to pull a Sega any time soon.

That said, I too am among those who have a PS1 and PS2 but no PS3. My interest in Sony's home consoles has decreased with each generation. I still haven't bothered to get a PS3 both because of price and a lack of games that are appealing to my tastes. And while the PS3 can be had for $200-$300 the last couple years, I was able to get a brand new arcade model 360 for something like $160 back in 2008.

The Wii was the first Nintendo home console I didn't buy; It just didn't appeal to me. I did buy the PS3 and 360 within the same year, even though it set me back about $900 between the Elite and a BC PS3.

[danawhitaker]

What a line of bullshit. Your daughter can be very happy whether you purchase her a Wii U or a PS4. Obviously it's catering to the people with the money to buy the console first and foremost, but as much family friendly software as Sony pushed last gen, you really don't think Little Big Planet 3 will be released on the PS4? Sony announced three first party titles. Obviously since they didn't announce more means they must not have more titles to announce.

Not only that, but you do realize the 3DS was once $250 as well. People can purchase whatever they want, it's their money, but your post is clearly bashing the brand.

And apparently those of us on this board don't have lives, don't have families, don't have bills. It's a wonder how many of us purchase not only one, but multiple consoles released each gen. I'm not saying you don't know how to spend your money, but from my friends and other people I know, the average person is very wasteful with how they spend their money. You might not realize it, but video games are the cheapest form of entertainment, even if you were to get every game you were interested in day one. It may look more expensive because you're paying all that cash out at once, but what's more expensive; the average person who eats out at fast food or restaurants atleast once sometimes twice a day or a video game console that costs $500 and one $60 game each month? The video game console and game per month would average less than $70 a month for five years while the amount of money people would save by cooking food at home for your family and not eating out at every chance would save hundreds.

It is not my intention to bash the brand, at all. I loved my PS1 and PS2. I am fully aware of the fact that video games can be one of the cheapest forms of entertainment there is. It's not cheap, per se, but you are right that the cost over time is less than many things. I haven't gone to the movies in about four years. I don't have a smartphone and data plan. I don't subscribe to Netflix, or DVR service from my cable company. I don't eat out often (once a week, if that). I'm a single mom. My budget is tight, and I try to stretch it as far as I can. No, $250-300 won't "make or break" me, but I'm still careful with what I purchase. And yes, I'm fully aware of how much the 3DS was originally. I waited until it went down in price and purchased it with a bundled game as a Christmas present for my daughter two years ago. Believe me, it killed a little part of the gamer in me not to get a PS3 and play Gran Turismo 5. The original Gran Turismo is what made me fall in love with the PS1 and buy one, and I played 2, 3, and 4 avidly. But it seems like every time I've gotten close to pulling the trigger on buying one, priorities or circumstances have forced me to shift my attention elsewhere.

How dare you have the audacity to tell me what MY child will enjoy - I'm the one who's raised her, and knows her likes and dislikes when it comes to gaming. I was also talking about buying a PS3 - not a PS4. That's another ballgame entirely, and one I'll wait and see about. She's never heard of Little Big Planet, and I'm not about to take a multi-hundred-dollar gamble just to find out whether she would when I can purchase a console for her with games and characters I know for a fact she enjoys, that she asks for, that her friends also have and play. Now, it would be different if I already had a PS3 - I'd be perfectly comfortable investing in a game to see if she liked it, or renting it from the library for free. I've done that with my 360. But heck, I don't even know anyone who has a PS3 that I could borrow one from to try it out. All of my friends and family have either Wiis, Wii Us, or Xbox 360s. If I'd bought her a PS3, I'd have sat there with a squirming feeling that I had bought it for myself instead of her. It would be different if she'd come to me after being at friend's house and talked about how much fun she had playing X or Y on so-and-so's PS3. But that was not the case.

[The 1 2 P]

I'm someone that bought a PS1 and PS2, but has never bought a PS3. At first, the problem was price. I couldn't justify the cost at launch. Then, as time went on, I couldn't justify the still-high cost. Now we're into year seven, and new ones STILL sell for almost $300. I can't justify that for a six year old end-of-life console.


This is my situation as well. PS3 has always been an overpriced system, and remains so. I may own one if I ever find one cheap enough at Salvation Army or a yard sale.

I feel your pain and I think alot of gamers shared your sentiments when the PS3 launched. That price was ridiculously high and I always felt that Sony kind of shunned the US and UK. Everyone and every country complained about the high price but Japan was the only region that had their 20 gig system lowered by 20%(before the system launched)after the Japanese also complained. But I still wanted a PS3. I had a Wii and a 360 already so there wasn't really much the PS3 could offer me....except exclusives. And I wanted to own all three current gen systems. But like Dana mentioned, many of us(probably all of us actually) have alot of real world priorities to juggle, the first of which is usually bills. So in order for me to get another system(the PS3) I decided to get it used. To date I have owned three PS3's, two launch systems bought at yard sales(for $75 and $100 respectively) and a 3 month old 160 gig slim for $150 with three recent games(bought from a craig slist ad) that I sold for about $95(the three games) to make my like-new slim cost me around $55 total.

When retail is too much for one's budget getting the system used is a nice alternative. I would of course advice against buying a first gen PS3 used, even though both of mine worked well. Just make sure you are going to use it. I had acquired all three of my PS3's in 2011 as early as February and didn't start playing my slim until 2012. Just like I have budget constraints I also have time constraints. Anyway, I eventually sold one of my launch units but I'm glad I picked up my PS3's. However, if not for the fact that I got a good deal on them I would still be like you two waiting for the price to go down.

Back on topic, Sony hasn't been doing that great during this gen despite how many systems they have sold this generation. Besides for bluray and the cell it also seems like Sony pretty much just looked at what Microsoft and Nintendo was doing and heavily "borrowed" their ideals. They definitely aren't the same company that innovated so well back during the PS1 and PS2 days. But they have been successful enough in the gaming world and other consumer electronic catagories where they could afford a failed system or two. And I'm not even calling the PS3 a failure because it has managed to sell some 65+ million systems. But they are no longer the console leader, not in sales or innovation. And in the US they will have to contend with going from first last gen to last this gen. But thats more of a wake up call for them than anything else. Watching that press conference last week showed me that they have learned from their arrogant ways when they launched the PS3 back in 2006. So I don't think they are in danger of pulling a Sega unless people decide worldwide to boycott their next system.

[kupomogli]

How dare you have the audacity to tell me what MY child will enjoy

I didn't say "will." I said can. It's a video game console and regardless what one she owns, she'll still be able to play video games. I'm certain you were a kid and your parents didn't get you exactly what you wanted but you enjoyed it anyways. I know I have. I'm sure all of us have.

Sometimes we may have preferred the item our parents purchased for us rather than the one we wanted. If it was up to me as a kid I would have purchased an N64 when it came out, but my dad bought me a PSX at launch(prior to the release of the N64.) At first I was disappointed because as of that time all my favorite series was on the NES, one of which Final Fantasy, got me addicted to RPGs. This was the launch of the PSX and I didn't know my favorite games were going to get sequels on another console. Disappointed as I may have been, I enjoyed a lot of the offerings on the PSX. Later when the N64 released, my friends got it so I played theirs. While I did like some of the games my friends had over time, I was glad that my dad purchased a PSX instead. To this day it's my favorite console.

[M.Buster2184]

If the current status of the PS3 indicates that Sony should be out of the console market after one or two more home consoles, then, by that logic, Nintendo should already be out of hardware manufacturing. There's an old adage among gamers that no console manufacturer can stay on top for three generations in a row. To the best of my knowledge, that's never been proven false. The N64 definitely didn't have the same level of success as the NES/Famicom and SNES/Super Famicom, and neither did the GameCube. And yet look at the Wii, a huge hit. I see no reason to think Sony is going to pull a Sega any time soon.

Thank you Aussie. Beat me to my own thoughts. I definitely don't think Sony is in danger of going the way of Sega. While I agree I think the initial launch price was high, they learned the errors of their way and lowered it. It took me a while to get one, but in the last year and a half or so I've been playing my PS3 way more than my 360. If anything I now wish I would have gotten a PS3 when I originally chose to go with Microsoft. Nothing against the Xbox, but when you compare franchises to franchises, I prefer God of War, Uncharted, Little Big Planet and Infamous to Gears of War(which I love by the way), Halo, Forza and etc. Just my thought, everyone makes their own choices and sets their own priorities in the end.

[Tanooki]

Will they eat it, nah...not yet at least. Sony as bad off as many areas of the company are currently are doing fine under the playstation brand. Their overpriced lunacy when PS3 came out hurt them, permanently as far as position goes with the system in sales appearance, but overall they're one of the highest selling pieces of system hardware out there and still rising. Sony unlike MS has many notable franchises they make or their directly owned subsidiaries so they have that backing too which is a strength much like how Nintendo has their huge farm of titles they can live off of on their very own. To kill the console brand they'd need to bleed so much money not just from other divisions, but also enough under the playstation brand too that it would be impossible to continue functioning. Even at that rate they'd probably split the company and kill various sections of the company that are bleeding them dry to salvage what is left. I just can't see them folding up.

You know where Sony is right now in appearances? They're on their 3rd generation of hardware and they're being slapped with the mythical ghost of death someone else did in their third generation attempt -- Nintendo. Is Nintendo dead? Nope. Were they embarassed by Sony with the N64 in sales just as Nintendo Wii makes them look silly in numbers this time around? Yup. Nintendo is still here, and Sony will continue too. They both have unique games and franchises they alone create and recreate which keep the loyal around. Sony probably will need to attempt a new direction and reorganization like Nintendo had to in order to be better off eventually, but as to when they'll get that reality check who knows. Perhaps some of it is the fact they're not claiming they won't lock down used games on the hardware when they were up for it? Maybe because they're looking at a $400 vs a $500-600 system this time around using more common computer like parts could be a tell too. Nintendo went with the Cube and didn't lower prices nor change direction and were dead last and got that reality check in generation 4. Sony though in generation 4 maybe beating that curve...they're in a way pulling a GC and a Wii this time using more computer like parts for the hardware being a bit more modest(though the system is big regardless) and they're also not going high ball on system price too which the Wii sure as hell didn't.

[GhostDog]

Kids don't need the latest games and systems to have fun. Get them a Dreamcast and some games and you're set. Get an older Nintendo handheld like the DS, Gameboy Advance and some cheap games and you're good. Get a SNES, some cheap games and some old CRT tv and you're good to go. Buying games for your kid doesn't have to be expensive and someone that's under 10 probably won't much care if you bring them up on retro gaming. I have a nephew that I bought a Dreamcast for him for like $20 years ago and gave him some cheap games and he was happy with them. He also liked coming over and playing my older systems too.

[Bojay1997]

I didn't say "will." I said can. It's a video game console and regardless what one she owns, she'll still be able to play video games. I'm certain you were a kid and your parents didn't get you exactly what you wanted but you enjoyed it anyways. I know I have. I'm sure all of us have.

Sometimes we may have preferred the item our parents purchased for us rather than the one we wanted. If it was up to me as a kid I would have purchased an N64 when it came out, but my dad bought me a PSX at launch(prior to the release of the N64.) At first I was disappointed because as of that time all my favorite series was on the NES, one of which Final Fantasy, got me addicted to RPGs. This was the launch of the PSX and I didn't know my favorite games were going to get sequels on another console. Disappointed as I may have been, I enjoyed a lot of the offerings on the PSX. Later when the N64 released, my friends got it so I played theirs. While I did like some of the games my friends had over time, I was glad that my dad purchased a PSX instead. To this day it's my favorite console.

You must have had terrible parents if they refused to accept your input into what console you wanted as a child. That explains a lot about how you operate here and why you're such a fanatical Sony fanboy. When I was a kid, if I wanted something, I took the time to do the research and presented it to my parents and they made an informed decision. My parents never forced something on me that I had a rational reason not to want.

[Daltone]

Hang on, let me check my crystal ball.. oh.. shit.. I lent it to those city traders and didn't get it back.

I think that it is fair to say that the answer is "not any time soon". After that I think we're in to the realm of wild speculation. Remember when there wasn't room for the xbox in the market place? When Sony came from nowhere and (comparatively) left Sega and Nintendo scratching their heads? (and so on and so forth).

I am still waiting for the Jaguar to get a second wind and dominate the market place.

[Griking]

I'm someone that bought a PS1 and PS2, but has never bought a PS3. At first, the problem was price. I couldn't justify the cost at launch. Then, as time went on, I couldn't justify the still-high cost. Now we're into year seven, and new ones STILL sell for almost $300. I can't justify that for a six year old end-of-life console. When I bought my original Playstation in 1999, I paid $100. And I didn't mind the launch price of the PS2. I didn't even mind the $400 price point of the Xbox 360 and the $350 Wii U. But I will not pay $300 for an end of life system. And I wasn't willing to pay in upwards of $500-600 for a new one. I'm not sure what the reasoning is for other people not buying them. But that's mine. And you're right, from sales figures it seems the PS1 and PS2 both did considerably better.

Same here. Plus the fact that I really don't feel that there are enough exclusives on any console to justify buying more than one unless you have money to burn and I already own a 360

[kedawa]

You must have had terrible parents if they refused to accept your input into what console you wanted as a child. That explains a lot about how you operate here and why you're such a fanatical Sony fanboy. When I was a kid, if I wanted something, I took the time to do the research and presented it to my parents and they made an informed decision. My parents never forced something on me that I had a rational reason not to want.

Yeah, really. What kind of asshole buys his kid a brand new state of the art game console instead of getting him the one that isn't available yet. It's practically child abuse.

[danawhitaker]

Kids don't need the latest games and systems to have fun. Get them a Dreamcast and some games and you're set. Get an older Nintendo handheld like the DS, Gameboy Advance and some cheap games and you're good. Get a SNES, some cheap games and some old CRT tv and you're good to go. Buying games for your kid doesn't have to be expensive and someone that's under 10 probably won't much care if you bring them up on retro gaming. I have a nephew that I bought a Dreamcast for him for like $20 years ago and gave him some cheap games and he was happy with them. He also liked coming over and playing my older systems too.

I actually experimented with that a bit yesterday. My daughter came home from a sleepover and told me that she had played Mario Kart on their Wii. I never got around to buying the Wii version, but I proceeded to pull out my SNES and Mario Kart. The results were hilarious. I was trying so hard not to laugh. She's grown too used to motion controls on the Wii. She kept trying to turn the SNES controller to turn the kart. She did eventually start to get the hang of it and managed to make five laps in a time trial. She didn't really want to play beyond that. I do think your assessment is somewhat correct. Most kids under 10, if not exposed to newer technology, wouldn't care. But if they're regularly going to someone else's house, and they have newer stuff, they're going to end up tainted - especially if their first exposure to games is that newer stuff. My flaw was probably in not bringing out the SNES earlier than I did - by the time I did so, she had already played the Wii and 360.

[GhostDog]

I actually experimented with that a bit yesterday. My daughter came home from a sleepover and told me that she had played Mario Kart on their Wii. I never got around to buying the Wii version, but I proceeded to pull out my SNES and Mario Kart. The results were hilarious. I was trying so hard not to laugh. She's grown too used to motion controls on the Wii. She kept trying to turn the SNES controller to turn the kart. She did eventually start to get the hang of it and managed to make five laps in a time trial. She didn't really want to play beyond that. I do think your assessment is somewhat correct. Most kids under 10, if not exposed to newer technology, wouldn't care. But if they're regularly going to someone else's house, and they have newer stuff, they're going to end up tainted - especially if their first exposure to games is that newer stuff. My flaw was probably in not bringing out the SNES earlier than I did - by the time I did so, she had already played the Wii and 360.

If you let her play the Gamecube I'm sure she would still like it. Graphics look good and the system is dirt cheap. She may not have liked Super Mario Kart because it seems so simple to what she's used to and that game doesn't look all that great.

[Bojay1997]

Yeah, really. What kind of asshole buys his kid a brand new state of the art game console instead of getting him the one that isn't available yet. It's practically child abuse.

I just don't think kids are stupid. At least I wasn't as a child and neither are my kids or most kids I have met. I read lots of computer and gaming magazines as a kid and I would really evaluate new consoles or computers and games and not simply pick the first thing that showed up in the store. Did my parents always buy me exactly what I wanted? Of course not. But, they also didn't buy me anything I specifically told them I didn't want either.

[Kiddo]

But, they also didn't buy me anything I specifically told them I didn't want either.

I would hope not. Allegations of child abuse aside, that's just wasted money.

[Gamevet]

Yeah, really. What kind of asshole buys his kid a brand new state of the art game console instead of getting him the one that isn't available yet. It's practically child abuse.

I asked for Star Wars action figures when I was a kid. What I got was some stupid NASA space ship with an astronaut.

[GhostDog]

I asked for Star Wars action figures when I was a kid. What I got was some stupid NASA space ship with an astronaut.

Did you call CPS?

[kupomogli]

I just don't think kids are stupid. At least I wasn't as a child and neither are my kids or most kids I have met. I read lots of computer and gaming magazines as a kid and I would really evaluate new consoles or computers and games and not simply pick the first thing that showed up in the store. Did my parents always buy me exactly what I wanted? Of course not. But, they also didn't buy me anything I specifically told them I didn't want either.

I didn't say I didn't want the PSX, just that I wanted an N64. My parents really didn't know anything about video games and my dad purchased it because it's a new video game console. To him a game's a game. The main point though is the system I didn't ask for happened to be my favorite console.

[Gamevet]

Did you call CPS?

It was the 70's. You could beat your kid silly and nobody would care.

I could see it now....

Operator:CPS what is reason for you call?

child: My parents didn't give me the gift I wanted.

Operator: Suck it up kid. Be glad you got a gift! Click...

[Griking]

According to Cliff Bleszinski (http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/26/gears-of-war-creator-says-industry-is-in-massive-state-of-turmoil) Nintendo may be the company that goes software only. He doesn't seem to have a very optimistic view of the industry ATM.

[danawhitaker]

It was the 70's. You could beat your kid silly and nobody would care.

I could see it now....

Operator:CPS what is reason for you call?

child: My parents didn't give me the gift I wanted.

Operator: Suck it up kid. Be glad you got a gift! Click...

That reminds me of this case.

http://www.1011now.com/news/offbeat/headlines/Massachusetts-Boy-Trying-to-Avoid-Bedtime-Calls-911-193023611.html

[GhostDog]

That reminds me of this case.

http://www.1011now.com/news/offbeat/headlines/Massachusetts-Boy-Trying-to-Avoid-Bedtime-Calls-911-193023611.html

Later that night the kid got beat by his parents and never even thought to call 911. Anyway, Nintendo going third party would be awesome. They seem to be against creating powerful hardware so just have another company create it and just be a third party developer. If SEGA could do it Nintendo could as well! I want Mario on my PS4 or PS5!

[Bojay1997]

I didn't say I didn't want the PSX, just that I wanted an N64. My parents really didn't know anything about video games and my dad purchased it because it's a new video game console. To him a game's a game. The main point though is the system I didn't ask for happened to be my favorite console.

No, your main point is that anyone who doesn't agree with you that Playstation is the best possible platform for all gamers always is wrong. Now we at least have some insight into your terrible childhood so we can understand just why you are so unreasonable and why you have no ability to see different perspectives. I'm guessing you work in a job that requires no intelligent thought or judgment if in fact you work at all.

[Gamevet]

No, your main point is that anyone who doesn't agree with you that Playstation is the best possible platform for all gamers always is wrong. Now we at least have some insight into your terrible childhood so we can understand just why you are so unreasonable and why you have no ability to see different perspectives. I'm guessing you work in a job that requires no intelligent thought or judgment if in fact you work at all.




:roll:

[kupomogli]

No, your main point is that anyone who doesn't agree with you that Playstation is the best possible platform for all gamers always is wrong.

You may be on to something, if not for the fact that you're wrong. Every post I make about any game or system is my opinion. I've made several comments about issues I didn't like with the PSP, Vita, and PS3. You certainly like to gloss over those comments don't you? I've bashed the PSP for its ridiculously high failure rate, PS3's wireless, the new Playstation Store, several first party games and series, etc. I've made mention many times that if it wasn't for my dislike of digital content, I'd game exclusively on PC. Too many games on both the PS3 and 360 run like shit in comparison to their PC counterparts. I like my DS enough to have around 100 games for it, more than I have for my PS3 or PSP. If Playstation was the best possible platform, I wouldn't own a competitors console. I'd have no need.

[G-Boobie]

This is an interesting topic, but realistically, there's no way to know when Sony will cease hardware production. Maybe the PS4 will be the platform to beat this generation. Maybe, after a price drop and integration into the PS4 platform, the Vita takes off and blows the 3DS out of the water worldwide. I mean, I doubt either of those things will happen, but If you'd told me in 2005 that the 360 was going to dominate so hard this generation, after the insane success of the PS2 and relative failure of the OG XBox, I'd have called you crazy. Who knows?

Moral: we don't know shit.

[M.Buster2184]

Did you call CPS?

Time traveling CPS while we're at it.

[kupomogli]

I doubt it, but maybe Gamevet was speaking about Star Wars Episode 1. In that case, most Star Wars fans would say his father did the right thing.

[Zap!]

In my opinion, for a company as large as Sony, it would take at least two console failures in a row for them to stop producing hardware. They haven't had one yet, so I think thew PS4 would have to fail along with the PS5. So it's gonna be a while, and I don't think the PS4 will fail at all.

[Rob2600]

In my opinion, for a company as large as Sony, it would take at least two console failures in a row for them to stop producing hardware. They haven't had one yet, so I think thew PS4 would have to fail along with the PS5. So it's gonna be a while, and I don't think the PS4 will fail at all.

Sony *might* have a failure on its hands with the Vita. 4.2 million sold in 14 months. At that rate, they'll be lucky to sell 20 million by the end of 2018. Can Sony turn it around? Only time will tell.

(By comparison, there have been 30 million 3DS's sold since it launched 24 months ago.)

[Gamevet]

I doubt it, but maybe Gamevet was speaking about Star Wars Episode 1. In that case, most Star Wars fans would say his father did the right thing.

It was in the 70's and it wasn't called Episode IV back then either; It was just called Star Wars.

I'd guess that it was pretty hard to get Star Wars action figures in 77/78. I'd heard that the action figures were being advertised in catalogs, but weren't available. Considering that my mom would have had to order them through the Sears Catalog, I ended up with the alternative.

[JSoup]

Kids don't need the latest games and systems to have fun. Get them a Dreamcast and some games and you're set.

You then run into social problems with having fun or at least you would have when I was a kid. Playing a 10+ year old system instead of the latest toy was a good way to get laughed at. I have friends that don't play games now but did when they we were kids, simple because while the rest of us were playing Star Fox on our new fangled SNES, they were playing Adventure on grandpa 2600. Probably not as big of a problem today, what with everyone all up on the retro thing and the common place act of piracy.

[kedawa]

When I was a kid, kids who laughed at me got punched in the mouth.

[JSoup]

When I was a kid, kids who laughed at me got punched in the mouth.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v250/jelly_soup/looks-like-we-got-a-badass-over-here-gif-815_zpsfca43cdc.jpg

[kedawa]

Cute.

[kupomogli]

It was in the 70's and it wasn't called Episode IV back then either; It was just called Star Wars.

I know what you were talking about. I was making a joke how since most Star Wars fans hate the new episodes, that if you were speaking of it then they'd agree that your dad did the right thing by getting you NASA figure instead a Star Wars Episode 1 figure. Some Star Wars fans atleast.

[Gamevet]

I know what you were talking about. I was making a joke how since most Star Wars fans hate the new episodes, that if you were speaking of it then they'd agree that your dad did the right thing by getting you NASA figure instead a Star Wars Episode 1 figure. Some Star Wars fans atleast.

You know what's sad? My wife bought me an Episode 1 action figure, that came with a stand. The stand had voice comments for every action figure you placed on it. I threw it in a bin somewhere. Maybe it'll be worth $3 some day. LOL

[JSoup]

You know what's sad? My wife bought me an Episode 1 action figure.......I threw it in a bin somewhere.

It is pretty sad that you're that rude to your wife. :/

[Gameguy]

You then run into social problems with having fun or at least you would have when I was a kid. Playing a 10+ year old system instead of the latest toy was a good way to get laughed at.
Things could be worse.


http://i55.tinypic.com/2ebg5dx.gif

[WelcomeToTheNextLevel]

The PS9 will probably happen.

PS1 - 1995
PS2 - 2000
PS3 - 2006
PS4 - 2013

Nintendo's been going since 1985, that's 6 generations (NES, SNES, N64, GCN, Wii, Wii U), and they've never had a (non-portable) console sell as well as the PS1 or PS2... (I know, I don't like it either). I'd give Sony 30 more years (for 48 total). That, at six years per generation, should lead to the PS9. It won't be 2078 though, more like the 2040s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89gqKJ1AtWA

[Gamevet]

It is pretty sad that you're that rude to your wife. :/


I hope you were joking.

I didn't tell her I threw it in a bin, I actually thought it was pretty cool that she bought me Star Wars stuff. The best Star Wars gift was the framed SW trilogy print she had done at Michaels; it sits proudly on display in my man cave.

[JSoup]

I hope you were joking.

Hell, I hope you were joking. :/

[Gamevet]

Hell, I hope you were joking. :/


We lived in an apartment At the time; it's not like I wanted to have some nerd shrine in the living room with Star Wars figures. Even when I was single I didn't do that.

[Damaniel]

This thread is a perfect example of why gamers are the worst enemy of the games industry.

If we have not always been, we have become in this modern gaming era the most un-fucking-satisfiable, entitled, unreasonable, hypocritical group of consumers that I've ever witnessed in action.

We demand among so many other things - annualized innovations, substantial leaps in technology, all of our personal favorite software installments, etc while simultaneously deriding almost every decision that every company makes to try to meet those demands - and in extreme cases we rally our numbers to punish companies who can't cater to the radical minutia and outlier desires of the wants and needs of our community.

Sometimes I worry that it's going to be the gamers that kill this industry acting purely in waves of spite.

And don't get me wrong, I'm an advocate of fair market practices and championing companies that go out of their way to provide consumers with great products and services ... but, seriously, the transparency that exists now, what Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony and even the new kids on the block, Steam, Apple and Google have created, are maintaining and working to build for the future is FAR REMOVED from past eras where everything was blind guesswork on the part of the consumer.

We are collectively, simultaneously so fortunate and so jaded.

I would hate to be an industry exec right now ... I get the sense that they know that the default reaction to pretty much everything is hard-stop negativity fostered by an internet culture where "angry = cool".

It sucks so much. I hope that the industry rolls on in spite of all of this.

And not only is all of this true, gamers then demand better looking, longer playing games, and then balk when developers want to charge more (even though games are at their lowest price, inflation-adjusted, in pretty much ever). On top of that, a large chunk of the gaming community just pirates the latest releases anyway, or buy games used to save $5 while perfectly good new copies sit right next to the used ones on the shelf, and then still have the audacity to bitch about them. It's a lose-lose situation all around.

As for when Sony will cease to make Playstation hardware, I'm reluctant to say 'never', but I'm guessing that the answer is probably 'never'; at least as long as game consoles remain viable. Nintendo is more likely to get out of the hardware business than Sony; if it wasn't for Pokemon selling handheld systems, Nintendo would have probably seen a net benefit by getting out of the console business before releasing the Wii U (and possibly the Wii). Their key properties, especially Mario and Zelda, would print money no matter what platform they're released on, and cross-platform releases would get them marketshare without having to worry about the costs of continually developing new hardware.

[JSoup]

We lived in an apartment At the time; it's not like I wanted to have some nerd shrine in the living room with Star Wars figures. Even when I was single I didn't do that.

Gah, a self hating nerd. :D
I type that as I gaze over at the newly re-erected WoW shelf my partner and I spent way longer than was necessary working on.

[BetaWolf47]

When will they cease being a hardware manufacturer? When gaming dies. Even after dedicated video game consoles die, Sony will still be producing smartphones and smart TVs that people can play casual titles on.

[kedawa]

I wouldn't count on it.
They're getting absolutely destroyed in both of those markets.

[Gamevet]

Gah, a self hating nerd. :D
I type that as I gaze over at the newly re-erected WoW shelf my partner and I spent way longer than was necessary working on.

Oh no! I have a man-cave now. When we bought our house in 2004, my wife let me choose a room for my office (cough: man-cave). It has 4 bookshelves full of gaming related stuff and 2 Star Wars framed pictures on the walls.

Back in my single days, I hung around with some serious partiers. I kept my gaming stuff hid, so it wouldn't disappear. That worked out fine until I met my wife, because she liked to call for maintenance people all of the time. I ended up losing (glad they didn't touch my Saturn stuff) my Dreamcast, Playstation and N64 systems and games. When you live in an apartment, it's not a good idea to have them scoping out your place when you're not home. Having stuff on display isn't always a good idea. ;)

[kedawa]

It pays to be competent and maintain your own place.

[Gamevet]

It pays to be competent and maintain your own place.

Yeah. I kept telling her that it would be best if I took care of it instead. It just so happened that I was out of town when we got robbed. It was pretty obvious that they knew exactly (it was all out of site) what they were there to steal. They didn't take any of her jewelry or the $1500 worth of stereo equipment. They stole just the videogames. The apartment next door was being cleaned up for the next tennant, so it was pretty obvious who did it.

Luckily we had insurance, so I padded the list to make sure I got the money it would take to replace it all.

[kedawa]

Awesome. It's a shame the cops don't actually care about burglaries, but at least insurance will save your ass.

[GhostDog]

Oh no! I have a man-cave now. When we bought our house in 2004, my wife let me choose a room for my office (cough: man-cave). It has 4 bookshelves full of gaming related stuff and 2 Star Wars framed pictures on the walls.

Back in my single days, I hung around with some serious partiers. I kept my gaming stuff hid, so it wouldn't disappear. That worked out fine until I met my wife, because she liked to call for maintenance people all of the time. I ended up losing (glad they didn't touch my Saturn stuff) my Dreamcast, Playstation and N64 systems and games. When you live in an apartment, it's not a good idea to have them scoping out your place when you're not home. Having stuff on display isn't always a good idea. ;)

Well, it's only fair that your wife let you choose a room in your own house. I mean...after all, you did let her out of the kitchen. ;)