Has Sony turned the image corner?

[glen421]

Now that the PS3 is about to turn 3 years old I figured we could take a look back and see how we got where we are today with the console and if Sony is starting to make a serious charge as lead console power-house.

Sony really didn't launch the PS3 with typical sequels that we saw on the PS2. Instead they choose a more original content approach (ie Resistnace Fall of Man) and I think that PS2 devs got a chance to explore different the different ideas they had but just couldn't bring them to life due to hardware limitations and we are really starting to see the fruits of that labor a'la Uncharted 2. Now we also need to talk about price because the PS3 really launched with a big price tag that probably was out of reach for the typical family which let the Wii and the 360 get a huge headstart. Now I applaud Sony for this as I am 34yrs old and don't want to be playing Hannah Montana or Viva la Pinta. To me the at time of launch PS3 seemed to be a very mature console for people who value high end entertainment (I'm not saying young people don't value high end it's just they typically don't have the money to acquire such items).

Now we go through '06 and '07 with pretty good sells numbers (considering the price tag) and some pretty good titles on the system. Sony got a little flak on the Madden 08 not being 60fps but the 360 had the RROD. I think Sony missed an opportunity when the 360 had the RROD. A significant price drop during that time would have helped alot.

Then we get to '08 where things really started going bad for Sony after the month of June and with the 360 price drop to $199.99. Even though Sony had a pretty stout lineup that year GTA IV, MGS4, Little Big Planet. I think there were just too many multiplat's and people just flocked to the 360 with the cheaper price due to the petiful global economy.

This brings us '09 and Sony has been stellar on the lineup (Ithink one for the history books) front but has only recently broken to the top via a stripped PS3 called the dubbed the Slim and a $299 price tag. It is almost like it has gone somewhat backwards. The original 60gb has more features and has been discontinued (and we don't know if we will ever see PS2 B/C again). Even though I don't agree with the "slim" it is paying off big time. I think people who don't have a PS3 can now look at the games associated with it and say to the clerk please get me a PS3 from behind the glass. So kudos to Sony. We are now seeing a really nice library of games for the PS3 and it is getting better and better.

So to wrap this thread up. Sony started with a high price tag and all new IP's and has lingered in 3rd place in console sells it's whole life. Looking at the present and future Sony is really starting to turn the corner on image. With th '09 lineup and current price point. I think Sony and the PlayStation brand are back in a big way. Way to go Sony. Let's keep it up....

[m0tl3sl4y3r]

I must agree, the slim is making the PS3's siuation a lot better.

a lot of people used to say that the PS3 is way too expensive and u could get the same thing with the 360 except it was cheaper

I used to hear from people with 360's that they wouldn't support Sony but theyw ould support Microsoft, which I found really weird but it's their opinion, so I couldn't change it

[Dustin S.]

I used the first subject in an argument the other day. He was talking about exclusives and all I said was "how many of the Xbox exclusives your talking about are either 1 not third party, thus will be on PS3 sooner or later. 2 Original titles, aka not sequals or halo. 3 Are rated above 8.0 and are not found on Xbox Marketplace" and of course he had no reply to it and ignored the comment all together.

Like i said in another thread, Sony has been building to this point at which they will finally unload the finished weapons. Look at it, we are now getting the stream of exclusives PS2 once enjoyed, they are no longer adding and tweaking huge features on PS3 and instead are touting what it already offers, they are marketing heavily (FINALLY!) and have known titles coming out instead of new ones. Two years ago we didnt know what Uncharted was...today its a system seller. Before Killzone was nothing, Resistance was new, now a mere rumor that BOTH will have seqauls next year has people jumping for joy.

MS knows Sony has been doing all the behind the scenes work while MS stands out there holding a sign "We are better, you dont see the other guy so it must be true" then suddenly the other guy pops up with a bigger, lit up sign that took some work and they start losing customers. Now its "OMG! what do i do!" thus they buy out things to inflate their numbers, basically like a noob using a glitch in online cus he knows he sucks and cant compete otherwise.

TBh it would be quite a shame to see Xbox finish third, but at the same time i dont want it to be Sony. Sony dominated the last two generations so right then and there we knew it would be hard for them to pull off a third. I expect them to be right back on top in the next though.

[Nick]

Yea, I mean, Sony is definitely getting things right now, but it's really two years too late. On the one hand, it's great that Sony launched all these new IPs, instead of relying on 3rd parties, but it's hard to build hype about a brand new game.

Sony should have had the next MGS/FF/GT/GTA/Killzone games within a year of launch, but instead they stuck us with a bunch of unheard of titles that were largely just average or worse until MGS4 came out - almost 2 whole years since the launch. The PS2 and PS3 launches align pretty well actually - both had slow sales to start, but then in fall 2001, Sony had GTA3, FF10, MGS2, GT3, DMC1, Red Faction, and a **** ton of other really good games hit. Hell, 4 years in and we still don't have a new Gran Turismo or Final Fantasy game. Whats up with that?

I mean, look at Microsoft - they had a terrible first year too. Dead Rising is a good game, don't get me wrong, but the ONLY reason that got so much attention was because the 360 had no games coming for it. But then over the next year, they had Gears, Forza 2, Halo 3, Mass Effect, Bioshock, all these great games hit.

[Dustin S.]

Only argument there, developers actually had to study the PS3 and learn how it works before hand. Xbox is basically you know how to make games on Pc, then bring your games to xbox.

Honestly though if Killzone was pushed out the gate in the first year, instead of later, it would be even more boring and be no where near the graphics it had lol. Sure you can argue "but but MGS4" but i just dont think it would of happened, thus it becomes another average game. I think its GREAT Sony allows their developers to make great games, but they need to set time frames and push them to an extent. I mean look at Insomniac, Sony depends on the year in and year out and they have absolutely no problem pushing games out on time. Naughty Dog said "Uncharted 2 in 2009" and it was here in...2009. Yet you have PD sitting there, no matter how mind blowing GT5 may be, and first its 2007, then 2008, then 2009, and now hopefully (cross your fingers) 2010. PD isnt the only ones doing it, which turns people away. If they say 2009 it better be 2009 or it better be early 2010.

Another aspect is all the developers built entire new engines for their games to show the potential of PS3. Thats why it took so long, and thats also why its not taking as long to get sequals out. We can expect Killzone 3 within a year or two FOR SURE, which is nice, and it will still have mind blowing graphics. While a majority of Xbox games run off Unreal Engine or something similar like Halo.

[glen421]

Dustin I agree with you.. I don't want to see Microsoft 3rd either but I don't want Sony there as well. I think it is like Pepsi vs Coke. Stiff competition is good for gamers and the bar as been raised this gen by both manufacturers.

[glen421]

Just to add a little bit more evidence the PS3 right now has 4 titiles in the top 10 at Amazon and actual hold the 2,3,4, and 7th spots. This is largely due to Fallout 3 being the deal of the day at $19.99.

[saxxon20]

Well all I can say is I'm sorta ****ed now that I spent $400 for a 40g PS3 2 1/2yrs. ago and now you can get the slim for $299 and now the 250g for $350 in November. I guess I'll be buying another for the ol' bedroom come Christmas time so I can enjoy the luxury of laying in bed and playing some games just to **** off the wife a little bit more!! LOL!!

Overall I've always supported Sony since the PS1 came out, never owned an XBox and never will, I hate Microsoft they are the Wal-Mart of the gaming industry.

[SaintAvi]

Well all I can say is I'm sorta ****ed now that I spent $400 for a 40g PS3 2 1/2yrs. ago and now you can get the slim for $299 and now the 250g for $350 in November. I guess I'll be buying another for the ol' bedroom come Christmas time so I can enjoy the luxury of laying in bed and playing some games just to **** off the wife a little bit more!! LOL!!

Overall I've always supported Sony since the PS1 came out, never owned an XBox and never will, I hate Microsoft they are the Wal-Mart of the gaming industry.

I paid $500 + Tax last summer for the MGS4 bundle and have never regretted it,
I've gotten a lot of value out of the machine since I've had it

[m0tl3sl4y3r]

I have to agree with u Saintavi, sure it was a ton of money, especially since I payed for it myself but I did get a discount (I bought it at Wal-Mart, where I worked at the time), so it only cost me like $406.98 in Canadian but I DON't regret a thing.

the PS3 is a great machine to do anything media related and it payed itself of really

[xEN7xASSASSINx]

jheeze i paid a fortune for mine, but it was so worth it! great machine, and it lasted! i have the slim now(i just like to have the new thing) and its great to see sony getting what they deserve! i just hope they've learnt there lesson and note all this down by the time ps4 comes out! hah

[saxxon20]

I love my PS3 I was just saying that it kinda sucked paying that much for a 40g win you can get a 120g or 250g now a lot cheaper. Just saying..

[glen421]

I don't think in the beginning (60gb, 20gb, 80gb, and 40gb) you were paying for the hard drive as much for the Blu-ray player and cell processor. If you have a an older model with the OEM HDD I think it is time for you to upgrade seeing how easy and cheap it is to do this mod.

Hey I have the first iphone that I paid $600 for 2yrs ago but am reluctant to upgrade to the 3Gs cause I want to get my money's worth out of the phone. It just comes with the territory of buying high end electronic devices when they first come out they are expensive and about after 6months to a year (or in the case of the PS3 3yrs) the price drops.

[saxxon20]

I don't think in the beginning (60gb, 20gb, 80gb, and 40gb) you were paying for the hard drive as much for the Blu-ray player and cell processor. If you have a an older model with the OEM HDD I think it is time for you to upgrade seeing how easy and cheap it is to do this mod.

Hey I have the first iphone that I paid $600 for 2yrs ago but am reluctant to upgrade to the 3Gs cause I want to get my money's worth out of the phone. It just comes with the territory of buying high end electronic devices when they first come out they are expensive and about after 6months to a year (or in the case of the PS3 3yrs) the price drops.

I am upgrading it here pretty soon actually and plus I'll probably buy another PS3 for my bedroom as well.

[Dustin S.]

I notice that alot of the YLOD errors also had their systems replaced with a new HDD...I dont know if its a coincidence or not but im not willing to risk it. If I got stuck paying out 120 bucks just to get a new model with no backwards capability ill be mad....

[m0tl3sl4y3r]

Just to add a little bit more evidence the PS3 right now has 4 titiles in the top 10 at Amazon and actual hold the 2,3,4, and 7th spots. This is largely due to Fallout 3 being the deal of the day at $19.99.

really Fallout 3 is $19.99? I just got my copy like 3 months ago for like $70

[xEN7xASSASSINx]

I notice that alot of the YLOD errors also had their systems replaced with a new HDD...I dont know if its a coincidence or not but im not willing to risk it. If I got stuck paying out 120 bucks just to get a new model with no backwards capability ill be mad....

im going to be upgrading my ps3 to 500gb at some point, but i have insurance so im all good if it goes, i think lol but one of the recent 33mb MAG updates made my ps3 functionless so i had to switch it off at the wall and now the disk drive rattles :( ahwells

[Dustin S.]

I was thinking about it, and it could be because they are getting hotter? YLOD is caused by the sodder getting too hot and cooling so much that it separated from the board. I was thinking wouldnt a new hard drive like that make a ps3 run hotter? Since its not really built for a PS3 and spins faster etc...

[X_Racer1]

Well Sony states in the manual if you don't use a 5400RPM hard drive you can damage your console as the console isn't designed to take the extra heat produced by hard drives with faster speeds and I'm thinking more than a few YLOD's were caused by people sticking 7,200 RPM drives in their PlayStation 3's, believe me I have an external 3.5 inch 7,200 RPM Seagate drive in an enclosure and it's get's hot after 2 hours usage so imagine that speed of hard drive in a smaller package.

As long as you buy a hard drive at 5,400 RPM there should be no increase in the amount of heat produced by the hard drive vs. the original one since the console's original hard drive is no different no one you can pull off the shelf.