Evaluating different SONY strategies to fight XBOX360...

[fouad]

Its really weird that sony didnt do nothing till now to opposit xbox360 launch, but maybe sony has some surprises in first december ?

sony has to decrease the price of ps2 sooner or later, to be 99 dollars.
and to benefit from this decrease in price, it has to do this in christmas. so its christmas 2005 or christmas 2006.
what do you think sony will choose ?

1) decreasing the price of ps2 this december 2005, so the ps2 will be the number 1 console in christmas sales. and decreasing xbox360 sales.

2) doing nothing this christmas, and decrease the price of ps2 in december 2006.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

No-one considering a $150 PS2 is going to get an XB360 and vice versa. PS2 price will have no impact whatsoever on XB360's sales. If PS2's were going for $50 no potential XB360 customer is going to change their mind and get that instead. (well, I'm sure one or two might. There's always one or two)

 

[AlphaWolf]

er haven't they already decreased the price? I saw ps2's for $159 cdn, I was pretty sure they were $179 a month or 2 back.

Anyway it doesn't really matter, demand is way greater than supply right now for xbox360, they aren't going to have much effect much until their own launch is imminent.

 

[Phil]

No-one considering a $150 PS2 is going to get an XB360 and vice versa. PS2 price will have no impact whatsoever on XB360's sales. If PS2's were going for $50 no potential XB360 customer is going to change their mind and get that instead. (well, I'm sure one or two might. There's always one or two)

IMO Harcore gamers and loyal supporters aren't the only ones that are going to decide on getting a Xbox360 or not - there are some casuals as well, mainly the parents of kids looking around for a christmas presents for their kids (though I'm not sure how many they would be). Seeing the current dominating console at a very attractive price might influence the one or the other buyer into going for that, especially if he knows that the games can be used later on PS3 and wouldn't be lost money.

Not saying they'll be many, but a PS3 at a price of $100 would be quite nice, especially a slim line one. If it's what might keep current PlayStation owners exclusive to the system, why not?

 

[weaksauce]

Not saying they'll be many, but a PS3 at a price of $100 would be quite nice, especially a slim line one. If it's what might keep current PlayStation owners exclusive to the system, why not?

I would guess the slimline is cheaper to make, don't think the standard will be cheaper.
What was the lowest price for PSone?

 

[Phil]

To reinforce my point further up, accoarding to Sony's shipping data for the PlayStation, they shipped ~22 million PlayStations in the year 1999, the year Dreamcast launched in Japan. Further, the PlayStation sold around 8 million in the year 2000, the year the PS2 launched.

Given these figures, I'd say a price drop in PS2s will keep the PlayStation momentum very high which will only strengthen the PlayStation brand name when those consumers look around for a new console a few years down the road.

 

[expletive]

I thought we agreed that the 360 would be sold out into next year, what does it matter what Sony does with the price of the PS2 when MS will sell every 360 they can make?

 

[Laa-Yosh]

1) decreasing the price of ps2 this december 2005, so the ps2 will be the number 1 console in christmas sales. and decreasing xbox360 sales.

Are you reading B3D at all? Cause it seems to me that nothing Sony can do would decrease the sales of X360 for a long time... demand is up in the sky.

 

[dubyateeeff]

MS will likely sell out their supply this year so a price drop wouldnt do Sony any good. As to why they didnt go all out against X2 right before the release, well, because they dont have anything to win. MS will still sell X2 to its hardcore audience so the ammo is better saved for the PS3 launch when a lot of people will make up their minds. But a price drop is always nice and a good way to combat X1 and to continue selling PS2 at a high rate.

Edit: guess I echoed some of what was said... sorry.

 

[seismologist]

The same way they handled the Dreamcast which I'm pretty sure was to do nothing.

PS3 launch hype will take care of itself and 360 demand will taper off. The question then becomes how will MS be able to regain the spotlight?

 

[expletive]

The same way they handled the Dreamcast which I'm pretty sure was to do nothing.

PS3 launch hype will take care of itself and 360 demand will taper off. The question then becomes how will MS be able to regain the spotlight?

I think the answer to that question is a question.

Does MS launch Halo 3 against the PS3 or wait for the movie?

I think their best move is to do a 10 hour single (and multi of course) of movie 'prequel' storyline then release another 10-12 hours single player WITH the movie that mirrors the movie's story. Maybe a way to capitalize on both, even though it does run the risk of "HALO OVERLOAD"...

 

[seismologist]

I dont think Halo 3 is big enough to take on the PS3 launch. MS is better off not trying to fight it just like Sony is doing now.

 

[Lord Darkblade]

What do Sony really have to do? The PS2 is selling well, reducing its cost come PS3 launch will give them a budget and high end console. The PSP is also selling well, reducing its cost by £50 would be great however its selling well...

Sony realistically cannot counter the X360 launch, nor can MS counter the PS3 launch without doing silly things (Free X360 for everyone on PS3 launch day?)... hardcore gamers just don't get distracted. After the initial release is when you need to start competing, because the common man wants to know why he should spend £50 more...

 

[AW0L]

If they launch halo 3 around the same time as ps3, I think if halo3 becomes just as big or bigger then the halo 2 launch it might not stagger ps3 sales by much, but it can cost sony and developers alot of money. my reasoning is halo isnt just a big game its a game with alot of replayability.

For example sony release ps3 with a modest launch line up and a few multi plats and later ports from xbox360. the system s gonna sell no doubt about that. but sony dosnt make money on sales of consoles.

lets say Halo3 is released a week earlier (probably the best time to relase halo 3) as one week before ps3 can put a dent in peoples wallet, 60 bucks spent on halo 3 is 60 bucks not spent on a ps3 game/accessorys (the sweet spot of sales), anuff to stagger game/accessory sales for ps3 but not the console. If ps3 dosnt have a killer app people will play the ps3 for newness factor then go back to playing halo3 and not buy any games for awhile. this slump in game/accessory sales can be troubleing in a critical time such as a release of a console. and xbox360 sales will be boosted becuase of halo3 but these are the casual gamers, these guys dont effect launch day sales but these are people that can schew sales number in light of ps3 launch.

 

[Laa-Yosh]

Halo will probably not be ready for release in 2006. They've completed part 2 in november 2004, which means that real work on part 3 has probably only started in 2005 (although I'm sure they've been doing research on nextgen technology before that). If they want an AAA game, they'll need at least 2 years, which means no Halo 3 before 2007.

Releasing the game and the movie together would create a hype that's unheard of in this industry, assuming that Peter Jackson and Weta and whoever the director will be can deliver a good movie. MS would be stupid not to capitalize on this opportunity. So I think it'll be early summer 2007 for both.

Also, PS3 will probably sell out just like the Xbox does now for at least the first 6-10 months after its release, because of a limited supply (manufacturing capacity). MS couldn't do anything to keep the hardcore audience from buying one, but they can fight for the mainstream market, which will probably start to look at the PS3 only in 2007.

 

[-NakedZ-]

As many already pointed out, a PS2 price drop to $99 would have made little impact. Remember that those who lined up all night for an Xbox 360 aren't you casual gamers/consumer. And those who pre-ordered have already made up their mind months back. If they're going to drop the price, it would probably around the same time as the next (or third) batch of Xbox 360s.

.Z

 

[Shifty Geezer]

(Free X360 for everyone on PS3 launch day?)

Which would only leave the PS3 buyers walk out the store with 2 consoles! You won't be able to stop PS3's being sold, unless you produce and convince people of a scare story that they're explosive and filled with asbestos and infected with a deadly bacteria. OR, MS fnd the freighter ship stocked full of tens or hundreds of thousands of PS3s, and blow a hole in it and send them down to Davey Jones'.

 

[Npl]

I doubt they have to conter with price, if they want to make an impact, try to release as much must-have games before Christmas to make sure more money is spent on the right consoles instead less .

*) Release FF XII.
*) Release SotC in Europe (prolly not for me, but some ppl are dying to get it ).
*) force EA to make Sims a PS2/PS3 exclusive and release a mega-edition (eh, its popular... dont look at me in this weird way )

 

[fouad]

To reinforce my point further up, accoarding to Sony's shipping data for the PlayStation, they shipped ~22 million PlayStations in the year 1999, the year Dreamcast launched in Japan. Further, the PlayStation sold around 8 million in the year 2000, the year the PS2 launched.

Given these figures, I'd say a price drop in PS2s will keep the PlayStation momentum very high which will only strengthen the PlayStation brand name when those consumers look around for a new console a few years down the road.

I totally agree with you !
because even if the impact of decrease in price of the ps2 will be very little on xbox360, it will have a big impact on ps2 and playstation brand, which will benefit for playstation3.

 

[3roxor]

But if sony drops the price of the PS2 it could turn out they are just competing with themselves ..if it means people buying it won't buy the PS3 for a while and maybe go fir the revolution instead.