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Reader Comments (79)

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 12:39AM (Unverified) said

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"The PSP is the only portable in the history of portables that can stand up to Nintendo and survive. All others have failed and failed miserably."

If you call PSP's horrible software sales, and low "shipped" numbers compared to the DS, as standing up, then you have some real issues. VGcharts has PSP "shipped" numbers at around 20 million. No where near that many units are sold, I see a bunch of PSPs in every store that sells them, and no DS lites. I wouldn't be surprised if it sold 15 million units so far. Software sales is another thing, just horrible on average.

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 12:51AM (Unverified) said

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@LongshotX
I agree with Unit. Elite Beat Agents was one of the most fun games I've ever played. Right now I'm hooked on Hotel Dusk. Awesome story, great characters, cool, logical puzzles and drenched in style. You need to try these game.

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 1:06AM (Unverified) said

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@Moon

The second part of my statement was SURVIVE. Name one other portable that has done as well as the PSP in the face of a brand new nintendo portable. You can't. The PSP would be even better if Sony wasn't crippling it. Hence, custom firmware.

@Figboy

I admit, I haven't played a PS3 yet. I'm on the wait-and-see boat, as well. If the PS3 is as powerful as Sony says it is, then expect great things in 08 when developers have had their time with the hardware. I've been saying for a while now, the PS3 will be the hardware to have in 08. The way things look ... that will probably end up being true, assuming developers don't keep deciding to cross platform.

I'd love to see Shadow of the Colossus or God of War in HD.

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 1:07AM (Unverified) said

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What's truly amazing about the situation in Japan is that it's still pretty hard to get a DS Lite over there:

http://kotaku.com/gaming/top/japan-still-lining-up-for-ds-lites-yes-still-233420.php

I'd imagine the Wii is also sold out. So the only thing holding back Nintendo right now is production capacity.

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 1:37AM BPMOmega XBL PSN Steam said

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murc, the US sales ARE posted. But, they are done MONTHLY. Whereas the Japanese sales are done WEEKLY.
A bigger question... what about sales for other territories? :P


Some good points flying around (I've tried to stay out of this "olo consol warz", but I can't), but I just want to chime in something...

Why is the fact that there are PS3s on shelves such a bad thing?
Simple. Both the PS2 (Sony's last console) and Xbox 360 (Sony's current "main" competitor) have been hard to get for several months after their launches, regardless of quality of games available.
Wii, too, is seeing similar success right now.

Even if you were to argue that Twilight Princess is the only good game on Wii and Resistance is the only good game on PS3, one system is selling out, and the other isn't.

So, yes, Sony should be very worried that PS3 isn't flying off the shelves, because it's going to be a negative image towards developers, who are going to start shying away from PS3 development, unless they start seeing a much larger install base (larger userbase = larger chance of software sales).

PS3 is too pricey. Perhaps, it's too advanced for its time.
While 360 pushed the pricetag of a successable system up by $100, Sony is pushing it up by $200/$300.
There have been high-priced systems in the past (NeoGeo for $650, 3DO for $700, and CD-i for $700), and none of them could be considered successful (though, NeoGeo did, and still does, have quite the cult following).

But, it wouldn't be easy for Sony to drop the PS3's pricetag. They lose money on the system as it is.
However, a lower initial cost (the system) would result in people having more spending cash, meaning more software sales. And that's where hardware manufacturers usually make their profits until the system gets much cheaper to produce (Wii being the exception, as its been profitable since launch).

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 3:06AM Catprog said

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to 47 Figboy

If it wasn't for Zelda we wii probably be playing super mario galxy

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 3:11AM (Unverified) said

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It's about availability.
The Wii and the PS3 are sold out every week, it's not that less than 2K people wanted to buy the PS3 this week, but it's less than 2K consoles were on stores' shelves this week in Japan.

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 5:45AM (Unverified) said

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Figboy, what the fuck is your problem? Seriously, what crawled up your ass and died? Oh, and people would probably stop assuming that you're twelve if you capitalized your sentences.

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 9:52AM (Unverified) said

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All I know is that Figboy is a fucking wacktard loser. Anyone that would invest that kind of time and energy into defending a FUCKING VIDEO GAME SYSTEM has something wrong upstairs. Get a life, dude.

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 7:50AM (Unverified) said

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The PS3 is not doing fine for a 600 dollar console. If it was there would have not been a price drop in it's home terriority nor would store chains have had sales in which they drastically reduced price to get rid of inventory.

PS3 is not sold out anywhere. You need to look more. If the PS3 was sold out then ebay prices would be above retail like they are with the DS lite and Wii.

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 8:16AM bassbeast said

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@ Dolla:

I haven't upgraded my firmware unless it's using DevHook. I needs my homebrew so I'm not crying in my Cheerios that I bought a PSP.

@ Figboy:

Almost every single title you listed is a port (The Warriors) or a graphically-upgraded port (the FF titles). There's not a single original title in the bunch. I don't need to play an update of games I've already played. Dracula X Chronicles gets special mention because it never came out here in North America (though I'm a Castlevania nut who bought the original PC Engine game). But even then, how much do you want to bet they were bringing it to PS2, and Sony asked it to go on the PSP so there'd be SOMETHING?

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 8:57AM (Unverified) said

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''Someone explain to me again why exactly it's BAD for Sony that out of top 5 consoles - 3 are Sony products?''

Because all 3 of them combined are still less than the number 2 console?

Because the Ps3 which is the follow up to the most successful console of all time is only just selling around 3 times as much as the xbox360, which is famous for its failure in Japan. The ps2 outsold the xbox by over 40times the amount in Japan. Going from outselling by 40times to 3times is insane.

Because sony have dropped from being market leader to an extremely distant 2nd place?

I mean seriously if the 360 ends up with an install base the 3rd of the size of the ps3 in Japan. Then that is a major failure for Sony. Although the fact is both the ps3 and 360 sales are so small in comparison to the wii it doesn't really matter.

If you had predicted 2years ago that the Gamecube2 (not sure we even knew it was revolution then) would outsell the ps3 in Japan by over 4times, people would have simply laughed at you. If you had predicted that the ps3 would only be outselling the xbox360 by around 13k a week, people would have also laughed.

Also you can bet developers are noticing that the ps3 isn't even performing well in Japan. People can say how once it gets some exclusives sales will take off, but both MGS and FF are at least over half a year away, and in FF's case I would guess its over a year away. Thats a long time for developers to consider moving exlcusives over to the 360.

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 9:42AM (Unverified) said

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For the sake of intellectual debate (90% of the fanboys reply, "Huh?"), here are the Japanese hardware sales numbers for Jan 23 - Jan 29 2006:

DS Phat: 106,081
PSP: 30,657
PS2: 24,580
Gamecube: 3,036
Xbox 360: 1,976
Xbox: 128

When you compare the above to this week's chart, sales are way up in Japan, but I'm sure Sony is extremely disappointed because they're not reaping any of the increased windfall.

2007 will be a very interesting year. Either Sony will re-capture the market following the release of highly anticipated games, or Nintendo's strategy of getting the player involved through motion will prove too enticing to gamers.

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 10:44AM (Unverified) said

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What is up with the megaposts!

Does anyone actually read those! I would have to be seriously paid to read (or write) those. Fig!, I hope Sony is paying your big bucks. I know Moon is an M$ ho and does it for free, but thats neither here nor there.

j/k: I just cant understand writing a 1000 words several times. Didnt you get the point of the Ludwig's post? Get a first life. Like me - I am going to go watch TV instead of continuing to write this ...

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 10:55AM MaX PL said

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fanboy:

how can you not be a fanboy? you write the longest comments i have ever seen on joystiq defending a product.

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 11:10AM Mr Khan said

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My guess is if it weren't for Zelda

Nintendo would've had Retro Studios release Metroid Prime 3 as it was for launch, being 1/2 the reason the game was delayed (no conflict with Zelda)

The other half of the reason includes a graphical upgrade, and maybe an online mode that will make the Wii look good...

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 4:18PM (Unverified) said

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i have no idea why i even bother talking to you people.

you people are the most ignorant, hate-filled, fanboy people i've ever seen.

now i remember why i stopped coming here for a year.

jesus christ, someone posts an opinion that is different from yours, and you all go apeshit.

it's ridiculous.

you guys can't debate me in a rational fashion (like guys like Dolla Dolla and a few others), and instead call me names and attack me for not capitalizing my sentences (do you really think i don't know how to do that. do you not think i choose not to, simply because, why should i?).

if you guys don't want to read my posts, please feel free to ignore them. it's not hurting me any. but if you're going to come at me, then bring something more than namecalling to the table, or shut the flying fuck up.

man you guys are pathetic.

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 4:26PM (Unverified) said

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as for being paid to write that much...i am. what do you know.

i get to sit at home, all day, and write. and get paid handsomely for it.

i don't have to deal with obnoxious customers, make people their coffee, or serve them popcorn (like previous jobs i've had).

i can sit on my ass, in my pajamas, and write. all day long.

and make plenty enough money to pay my rent, my car note, and afford $600 gaming systems.

and no, i don't work for Sony (i love how that's the default argument the moment someone isn't afraid to say something positive about Sony, or the Playstation). i've worked for other gaming companies, but not Sony.

call me a fanboy all you like, but it's not warranted in the least.

and to some of you, instead of going to watch TV (the 21st century equivalent of having a life, apparently), why don't you read a book, or go outside and get some fresh air.

in fact, i think i'm going to take my fiance to the beach and have some fun. it's a sunny day in LA, might as well spend it doing something i enjoy, instead of getting into pissing contests with sensitive little boys and girls.

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 5:37PM (Unverified) said

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im sorry I gotta wave the BS FLAG. Who in the country that makes PS2 is still buying them new!!!! yea fucking right because im sure these numbers dont include USED sales so it really doesnt add up if you have the hardware charts starting in 2000 im pretty sure the number IS WAAAAY beyond 100M which is the population today....NOT 7 years ago. Why after 7 years would you buy a NEW PS2 these numbers are Bullshit. I knew something aint right because according to the numbers over half the entire country has a DS. And that is just BS!!!!!!!

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 6:46PM (Unverified) said

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The reason people would still buy a new PS2 is because it's cheap as hell, and there's about a billion games out for it, and Guitar Hero 2. That's it. People who have never played video games in their life are all bedazzled by games like DDR, Guitar Hero 2, Donkey Konga, and Wii Sports.

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 7:11PM (Unverified) said

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PS2 has a high hardware failure rate. Who the hell wants to blow twice as much money to play singstar or a version of Madden?

PS3 fanboys forget what made the PS1 and PS2 sell. High hardware failure rates one year after warranty when people would have had several games that would have needed another playstation to play them on.

Nintendo had enraged third party developers so they went to other platforms such as the PS1.

PS2 was built on the success Sony had in attracting developers to the PS1.

PS2 in one week sold far more then the PS3 has so far.

Developers are looking to the Wii and 360 now that the PS3 looks to be an abysmall failure.

Developers were not expecting the system to cost as much as it did nor that the game development costs would be so high. They also expected the PS3 to have similar sales figures as the PS2 did if not far better. They were expecting it to be more powerfull then the xbox360 when in fact a game can be put on both platforms and look the exact same.

When all of the above hit them and the implecations of it they got nervous real fast. A lot of secret wii game projects were started after E3.

You see a lot more games being announced for the Wii every week it feels like. More games that are exciting and innovative while the PS3 games keep getting cancelled or made multiplatform with the xbox 360.

Posted: Feb 3rd 2007 11:27PM (Unverified) said

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rubang that wasnt the point i was making my point was WHO DOESNT ALREADY HAVE ONE...cmon tens of thousands of people STILL dont have one and is buying it every week I dont buy it and NEW ones at that...I love PS2 as much as the next guy but i damn sure aint buying a new one unless it was a gift for someone and in a country with only 100million you mean to tell me that 20k bought one this week. Especially in the land on sony.....and I doubt that someone who purposely passed on for 7 years would suddenly want one because of guitar hero 2 why not have a surge of new consoles when part one was out but 20k cause part2 of a game Cmon....it just doesnt make since. If it was somewhere else id believe it maybe but the place that back sony(PS1 & PS2 cause nobody bought the PSX for $900) and nintendo you figure where could you find 20k people that purchased a PS2 for the 1st time..new...huh you tell me

Posted: Feb 4th 2007 1:07AM (Unverified) said

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Figboy,

You really are dense man. First, you respond to a post claiming that PS3 SOFTWARE SALES are worse than 360 SOFTWARE SALES (I capitalized it for you because your reading comprehension is atrocious) by spewing off HARDWARE numbers. Ridiculous. SOFTWARE IS NOT THE SAME AS HARDWARE. What does it say when a console with a bigger user base (PS3) sells less software than a console with the smaller user base(360). Enchanted Arms at ~4k for the win?

THE PERSON SAID THAT PS3 SOFTWARE SALES ARE WORSE THAN 360 SOFTWARE SALES (THIS IS A FACT). YOU RESPOND WITH HARDWARE NUMBERS. Then you start whining and run off to the beach with your fiancee when people call you out. Do you think there's a reason people bomb on you? MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO READ.

Of course you'll either A: IGNORE THIS POST or B: Spew off some more hardware numbers about the PS2/PS3 and avoid the software situation AGAIN.

You quit joystiq for a year? We wish you never came back.

Posted: Feb 4th 2007 3:29AM (Unverified) said

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Holy shit, look at the size of my penis! I bet it's bigger than yours.

Posted: Feb 4th 2007 4:23AM (Unverified) said

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Okay Figboy, I'm sorry we hurt your little feelings. Hopefully you can take the time to read these responses when you get back from the beach with your horse-faced finance, because this will be a point by point response.

"call me a fanboy all you like, but it's not warranted in the least."
From your MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/stefanoterry
"This is my tribute to the Sony Playstation 3. Yeah, I'm a PS3 fan and proud of it." You're sending quite the conflicting message, aren't you?

PS2 sales will help PS3 sales!
No, they won't. PS2 is still competing with the PS3, and (non-hardcore) people tend to not buy consoles all at once. This means that once someone buys a console, they're less likely to buy another one right away. The second reason this won't happen is that if someone has a PS2, then they have no real use for the PS3's backwards compatibility.

But the PS3 is a good deal!
Everyone on the internet should know this argument by heart by now. Yes, the PS3 is a good deal if you want all of that stuff. For most people though, HD isn't something major to look forward too (since the majority of us don't have HDTVs) and our computers already do all of the multimedia stuff, and they do it better than the PS3. That said, yes, I do understand that some people want all of what it offers; but for the people that just want it to play games, it's ridiculously overpriced.

Exclusives are coming!
Yeah ... to all sides. There's really nothing on the PS3 that we know will move systems except for Final Fantasy and MSG. Those aren't coming for awhile, and if things continue as they have been (Wii outselling PS3 4:1) then the later exclusives will start to dry up. It makes much more financial sense to make a game for eight million people than it does to make a game for two million.

Cross-platform games are on the PS3 anyway, so why should I care?
Well, there's the aforementioned loss of exclusives, but also the fact that if it's too hard to port games over to a small amount of people, it just won't make sense for a company to do it. Fewer games mean fewer consoles sold mean fewer games made. It's a vicious cycle.

Okay, that's all I had to say - on a side note, you should look up the word e-peen, and then never try to flex yours again.

Posted: Feb 4th 2007 2:00PM (Unverified) said

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I do not get why you people think the PlayStation 2 doing well hurts the PlayStation 3. Look at it this way; Sony is finally making profit off the PlayStation Portable and the PlayStation 2; so for every console they sell of the two add adding to SCE funds which will allow them to price slash the PlayStation 3, pay for more exclusives, add more features to the PlayStation 3 in the future. People remeber that this is atleast a 4 year race. You can not judge everything by what happen in the first three months.

Posted: Feb 4th 2007 6:14PM TC said

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Wouldn't Japanese PS3 owners also be able to buy GTA:San Andreas, even though it's a PS2 game? Could this be why GTA is so high in the charts? After all, it doesn't matter to Sony whether the games people buy are PS1, 2 or 3. So long as the number 1 game is for a Sony system.

Posted: Feb 5th 2007 12:46AM (Unverified) said

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#76

It's good for Sony to sell PS2s ONLY from the perspective that they're profiting off them. It's BAD because most people who just spent money on a console... last gen or not... are less likely to go out and pick up another one any time soon. That means PS3 sales will continue to lag; and developers aren't exactly happy about producing software for poor selling hardware. Lack of support, or at the very least, lack of exclusive titles, will simply further decrease demand for the PS3. It's a vicious cycle.

Posted: Feb 5th 2007 11:40PM (Unverified) said

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Just to add clarification to a few issues:

Gears of War sold 32,500 units it's first week, which was IT'S ENTIRE SHIPMENT. The reason it's not on the charts this week (or at least one of the reasons) is that there are no more copies available. Not being a style of game that is usually popular in Japan, retailers didn't order that many copies, and they sold out completely.

And it is a fact that even though the PS3 has sold more hardware than the 360, the 360 has sold more software, both in total units sold, and units sold per piece of hardware. The PS3 STILL doesn't have an attach rate of 1:1.

None of this changes the fact that the 360 isn't doing that well in Japan, and at this point is behind the original Xbox for the same time period in it's lifespan. Gears of War sold out, but didn't increase hardware sales for that week, meaning it wasn't a system seller, but it sold well to the hardcore Xbox fans in Japan.

However, the PS3 is still in trouble. How well the 360 does or does not do has no bearing on this. The original Xbox only sold ~500k units in Japan in it's entire lifetime. At no point can 360 sales in Japan be considered relevant to discussing the state of the PS3, unless the PS3 somehow dips below the 360. If that occurs, then you can probably offically declare the PS3 dead. Until then, the PS3 should be discussed in relation to the PS2, GC & Wii.

Interestingly, and entirely separately, not only is the PS3 selling less than the PS2 now, it's selling less than the PS2 did at the same point in it's lifetime. Most of this is probably a direct result of it being more expensive.

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