These days, Sony is in quite a lot of shit. I can’t help but to comment this somehow. I have been seeing Sony news every single day. It seems that lots of people are pissed with Sony. It started off with Playstation 3. Yes, it’s a great machine and blah blah blah but the cost is just too crazy!
(Ken Kutaragi reportedly said that the PlayStation 3’s $600 price tag is “too cheap.”)
The pricing has been ridiculed - selling a console in 2 packages (the Microsoft way) of US$499 and US$599. That is around SG$785 and SG$940 respectively (conversion rate is about 1.57 SG dollar per US dollar now I think). But Ken Kutaragi, the Playstation guy, says that it’s too cheap. What the fuck is wrong with him? He is damn freaking rich apparently.
I think your parents would probably recommend you to go buy a computer at Sim Lim Square - which is a real good advice by the way. You can buy a simple computer at SG$700 and spend the rest on a World of Warcraft subscription for a year or something.
Then, Sony decides that there are going to be some shortages and plans to release 400,000 in America and Japan, forgeting about the rest of the world until next year. This gamer is pissed:
Today was the breaking point. Delaying the PlayStation 3 to March 2007 because you couldn’t make enough machines in time is the ultimate betrayal. Remember that slide show you put up at E3, Sony?
It said November 17.
Not March 2007.
And then there’s the reduced American ship numbers and the paltry Japanese launch - how long until you start letting me down on those promises, too? I can’t wait for you to show me any sign of commitment any more. It’s over. I’ve returned my pre-order slip. The lies, the delays, the embarassing press conferences…I’ve had enough. You can keep your precious Japanese and American release dates. Your pathetic indifference to the promise you made to me about the November release date show you just don’t care about my happiness. Fuck you, you selfish prick.
Source: Angry-Gamer.net
Even Microsoft decides to join in the fun and mock Sony. “We know how challenging it is to pull off a global launch, so it’s not surprising that Sony has backed away from their previously announced launch plan, due to the unproven technology they are trying to pack in to their console,” UK boss Neil Thompson said [Source].
Apparently, there is some sort of shortage. Even the developers aren’t pleased about it. Turns out there aren’t even test kits for the developers. If the developer doesn’t even have the test kits, they can’t really finish a game.
“Sony has run out of PS3 test kits to give to developers. Since the announcement of the European launch being delayed, nobody has any idea what’s going to happen with the PS3 port of F.E.A.R… specially since we only have the one PS3. And it’s a devkit. In case you haven’t seen those things, they sound like giant vacuum cleaners. They’re reportedly ridiculously complicated to use, specially when upgrading the firmware. It has just the one controller, and it’s not even the proper PS3 one even! It doesn’t have those “innovative” changes from the PS3 controller, it’s just a Dual Shock 2 with a USB Mini port.”
Source: Kotaku
And recently, Sony says that they aren’t going to bundle HDMI cables to either of the Playstation 3. You just have to buy your own. Standard HDMI cables can cost as low as US$10. You can get a 100 dollar one of course but it’s kinda redundant since HDMI is a digital cable and won’t be subjected to noise.
_(Once again, Ken Kutaragi’s holy grill.)_
It just show how much trouble Sony is having delivering the Playstation 3 package, they’re trying to save as much money as possible.
Now, even investors are not confident with Sony. Sony shares drop to a 6-week low.
Microsoft’s Xbox 360 retails at around US$100 lesser than that of Sony’s Playstation 3. And Nintendo’s Wii is expected to be priced at US$250. Sony lost on price. Then they lose on consumer confidence. Then they lose on availability. Then they lose on time.
Actually all this bull crap is due to Blueray and the Cell processor. Both took longer than expected to release. And Blueray is just too expensive. Sony has great technology lined up. They just come in at the wrong time, the console is just too expensive! Maybe they would even end up pushing the release date further. Microsoft did that all the time and get away with it anyway, Sony can do the same. It’s bad publicity but right now, it’s really more important to examine the profits and losses
