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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 10:26AM SoulBlade said

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Bout time someone spoke with humility on the Sony side. It's easy to make it sound like there's no console war when you're not winning it in the numbers game. Nintendo doesn't really seem to care either though..

I hope Sony learns - the PS2 was a great machine, and the PS3 has some potential, but the rocky start makes it hard to pick up steam. I think once they turn a profit this fiscal year, they'll drop the price... they pretty much have to.

Speaking of PS3 and Europe... anybody know if the Killzone 2 Demo has hit the Europe store yet?
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 10:29AM (Unverified) said

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5pm

(or 12pm EST)

Basically 1 and a half hour from now.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:05AM P4523 said

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UK store is updated, getting KZ2 demo as i type :D

Give me a 30min head start though, while its nice & quiet ;)
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:08AM (Unverified) said

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Okay so it went up early.

It's there now!
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:13AM (Unverified) said

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The store has been updated already - it's a good update actually:

* Killzone 2 Demo (FREE)
* Burnout Paradise Ulimate Pack (£29.99)
* Burnout Paradise Party Pack (£7.99)
* Lumines Supanova (£8.99)
* LittleBigPlanet Valentines Day Pack
* Mirrors Edge Themes/Wallpapers.

There all I can remember at the moment! :D
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 12:28PM master811 said

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Hah I see they are still ripping off the UK with the Burnout Paradise prices, (compared to the US prices).
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 10:27AM (Unverified) said

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1.1 Million Killzone 2 European Pre-orders so far?!
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 10:34AM (Unverified) said

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I'll tell you who's suffering, it's the guy they send to try and polish that turd HOME.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 10:48AM NightElve said

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Yes even that I love SONY as you all may know. I still don't know why SONY put so much effort in HOME, it's really a waste of time and money, they should redirect all that effort in adding new features to the PS3.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 10:53AM SoulBlade said

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If they really sold over a $1mill in cheap DLC goods in a month, then that might be part of the reason they spent so much time on it.

I can see it being something people love doing. I personally don't enjoy it, but I also don't enjoy WoW and a ton of other people do.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 10:41AM (Unverified) said

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nice iam glad to hear the 45NM chips ill definatly buy a new ps3 my 60gb is acting strange recently mostly with the fans. iam also glad to hear about the EU video store and i find that its going to be a challenge for them to supply it with french, german, italian and spansh content if they pull it off KUDOS to them. but on the SCEA front iam still pissed off at them for not having the video store here in canada. OHHH ya to all those guys at joystiq, i finally know why you cant have the contest for quebecers like me. i understand the problem so no worries. anyways Cheers
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 10:45AM (Unverified) said

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You'd better back up all your data.

I didn't. And ended up having the PS3 die. (YLOD) and had to get it replaced. It came quickly though (less than a week in business days) and it's a brand new 60GB unit. But every single iota of my data went down the drain. Luckily all my online stats and trophies were saved on servers, but alllll my gamesaves, music, pics, videos etc. were wiped clean.

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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 10:54AM SoulBlade said

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You can still get 60GB consoles replaced?
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 10:59AM (Unverified) said

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@ Soulblade.

Yep, I sent mine in and they sent me a shiny new 60GB unit.

Or...maybe its a refurb unit in a shiny new case. Because the exterior is brand spankin' new.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:58AM SoulBlade said

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Wow even if it's not under warranty? I mean I'm fine with having to pay something for it since the 60 GB is still the best SKU, so if mine ever dies (*knock on wood*) then it's nice to know I can get it replaced.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 10:47AM ViewtifulJason said

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Wow, no arrogant obliviousness from Sony's higher-ups? Kudos to you guys. Hell, maybe you could convince me to pick up s'more PS3 games instead of bloating my 360 and Wii libraries with that attitude.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 10:49AM copa said

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I gain a lot more confidence in Sony management when I hear them give this sorts of insightful and honest analysis.

Whenever some idiot middle manager at Sony says something like "PS3 is the cheapest current gen console" or "We've got Microsoft and Nintendo right where they want them" there are always commenters here who respond, "Well, what do you EXPECT them to say? That they're doomed?!?"

What I expect them to say is what David Reeves says here, and what Howard Stringer continues to say. That they are in a very tough situation, that they have made some missteps, but that they are realistic enough to be able to learn from those mistakes. That things aren't going to look great in the short term, but they plan to fight through it without bankrupting themselves.

A lot of people don't seem to understand this, but investors are a lot happier when they hear that sort of sober analysis than if they hear Pollyanna ramblings from someone who can't accept reality.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 10:52AM (Unverified) said

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i cant wait to be able to use the movie rental store when it comes, sony will be geting money from me on a weekly basis
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 10:59AM Jamp said

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David Reeves is completely reasonable and doesn't try to sound superior when Sony is losing the console war. He should be the default spokesperson for Sony.

On the other hand, part of my brain dies everytime Kaz Hirai open his f***ing mouth. Seriously, that imbecile needs to go.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:00AM (Unverified) said

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""We took our cuts in 07 and 08, we restructured and streamlined and we're as lean, as mean as we can be. I have seen no plans to cut jobs and it wouldn't be productive to do so. We're always looking at ways to reduce costs, replacing the current 65 nanometre Cell chip with a 45 nanometre one probably in middle of year."

"We simply have to suffer a little," he explained, "go down in market share and mind-share"


Seems like a nice way of saying no price cuts in the first half of the year, and maybe none at all this year.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:01AM (Unverified) said

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There is an amazing lack of fanboy-ism in this thread so far...I will credit this to joystiq for bringing us all together.

Dear Ultrastiq: Motzel Tov, You've done well.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 12:16PM (Unverified) said

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There's just an amazing lack of fanboyism even on the fanboy sites. Joystiq is really one of, if not, the best gaming sites to visit. And I'm saying this after being a member for about a year now. Unlike that backwoods Sony slave camp N4G.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:06AM (Unverified) said

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Lest ye forget just a few of the dumb things Sony's DAVID REEVES said in the past TWO WEEKS...

"Now, going into the remaining rounds and the next seven years, we are going to be very strong. The last few weeks have shown we are clearly number two in the market. I'm as confident as I was before."

"What happened was, we overtook them, and they dropped the price. It's almost as if we've gone ten rounds as Mohammed Ali and we're still standing, because we didn't drop the price. We held firm."

"It's not a question of survival of the fittest, it's the survival of people who are professional, and don't just go around cutting their prices and destroying the market"

"We're two-and-a-half years into a ten-year cycle. For October, November and December we were in a holding pattern, especially with the pricing. We had to demonstrate we could make a profit with the business model, and that's what we've done."
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:45AM Mr Khan said

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Oh yeah, his last interview was a real case of foot-in-mouth syndrome. He badmouthed Microsoft and he badmouthed Kaz Hirai (called him arrogant, he did)
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:08AM (Unverified) said

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So Joystiq, could you tell me the bloody difference between playstation joystiq, xbox joystiq and nintento joystiq. Because it seems this new layout you guys put out further blurred the lines even more.

I see the same stories over and over on each section. So whats going on?
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:19AM Kodros said

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Important XBox, Playstation, and Nintendo news shows up both in their respected sites and in Joystiq. The not so important Xbox, PS, and Nintendo news only shows up in their console specific sites.

It's really not that much different then the previous layout except that instead of two or more people witting the same article for different sites, only one does and it's linked to all the relevant sites.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:27AM Negatron said

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There is a difference your, just ignoring it from seeing "the same post". I just checked for my self, and it seems the "repeated posts" deal with multiplatform games and or topics. Besides that, as i scrolled down each tab focused news pertaining to the console of the tab you clicked, capiche?
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 12:15PM FredFredrickson said

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Just think of Joystiq as a hub for all the news on the separate tabs. It's kind of shitty, as I liked the old Joystiq better, but whatever.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 12:53PM xGeneral DEATHxDEETH82 said

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They're ending segregation in schools, too.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:15AM (Unverified) said

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Joystiq you really need to get the commenting sorted. At the moment it sucks!
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:26AM (Unverified) said

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@ el serpiente

Are you serious? He calls anyone who does a price cut unprofessional and says they destroy the market. The only market being destroyed by price cuts is the marketshare that Sony has.


And I think Sony should drop the whole "10 year cycle" nonsense in regards to the PS3. There is no way that system will last that long. As it is I'm wondering if they will be able to get the PS3 price below $250 before next-gen launches with next-gen systems priced at $300. I seriously doubt they could drop the price by $200 in less than 3 years. (They definitely can't do it without being unprofessional and destroying the market. ;-) )

After all, who would want to buy an obsolete PS3 when a true next-gen system costs almost the same price?
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:37AM Jamp said

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True, nobody will want a PS3 when the next gen comes around.
But then again, who would be stupid enough to try about ANYTHING in the economy as it is now, specially researching and developing a new console?

This "bigger gen" is not a result of the consoles being "too good", but it's a result of the consoles being "good enough" and no company will be willing to do anything for at least 4 or so more years.

I expect to see new SKUs at BEST.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:48AM Mr Khan said

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I still don't see why everyone thinks the economy is going to freeze the manufacturer's plans to move forward with more consoles. The manufacturers have remained relatively unfazed so far. Nintendo dropped it's predictions by 1 million, but that was more due to the Japanese market shrinking than to the actual recession, Sony's better quarters for 2008 came later in the year (after the economy tanked), and we know Microsoft's been working on their next console for some time now

Next gen will start as scheduled, believe me
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:59AM FredFredrickson said

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The next gen might start as scheduled, but I doubt we'll see a huge jump in technology this time around. I expect all three manufacturers to come out with better tech, but nothing mind-blowingly new, and nothing extremely expensive either. Backward compatibility and affordability are more important than ever.

As for Sony's 10 year plan, I think that's reasonable for them - if you bear in mind that they overlap these generations. PS2 is still Sony's moneymaker, and developers are still making games for it. This strategy might make people hold off on buying PS3's, but it keeps the money rolling in, so I doubt they have any qualms about it.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 12:01PM Duke said

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I don't see a reason a new gen of consoles needs to come down the pike anytime soon. The current gen titles are getting better and better at reaching for the consoles' limitations, and as of yet, I don't see anything in the games to make me think they are missing features technologically speaking. They are just getting comfortable in working in the current specs. Sure, you could have weird crap like 3D or holograms come along, but the graphics on them and the ability to handle mass data along with strong online components makes me think the current gen could last quite a while.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 1:23PM (Unverified) said

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@ Marty

How can you even suggest we won't see a huge technology leap next-gen?

Have you even bothered to look at what you can get on a PC right now?

Quick comparison:

PS3 Video System = Single 550MHZ CPU, 256MB RAM with 22.5GB/sec bandwidth


For less than $250, you can get a PC video card that has TWO 650MHZ GPU's that are 2 generations newer tech, 1GB of RAM, and over 110GB/Sec bandwidth. And you can buy that right now.

So, you can already get something that is 2 generations newer tech, has 4 times as much RAM, and 5 times the video memory bandwidth for almost half the price of the PS3.


What makes you think that in 3 more years the gap between the PS3 and what is out then won't be massive? Heck, using an i& CPU and an 280GTX SLI configuration would be enough to run circles around the PS3 without breaking a sweat, and 3 years from now those will be bargin bin parts.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:51AM FredFredrickson said

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That's a much more humble approach than we've seen in the past - I didn't expect it, that's for sure. I guess you gotta be that way though when things are rough for everyone, and nobody wants to see a bunch of arrogant people claiming that you'll get three jobs for a gaming console, hehe.

Many of Japan's big brands are suffering right now, according to Time: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1876282,00.html
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 1:28PM (Unverified) said

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yup, the Yen is getting strong while the US dollar is sucking, TOYOTA is losing money for the first time EVER
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 11:54AM linebeginstoblur said

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I hate it when people say that Sony is arrogant. Guys, they're just covering their asses. They need to tell people that they're doing well so that people still think they're a good investment. Yes, Reeves is showing humility, but still, it's the same message of how the games division will do amazing soon, just not instantly.

If they said "We don't know if we can pick ourselves up from this mess," then no one would invest in Sony Computer Entertainment, or possibly Sony Corp. in general. For the record, they can pick themselves up, but I'm just saying, they're not arrogant. In the business world, there's manipulation of data everywhere. It's just understood pretty much.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 12:13PM FredFredrickson said

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This isn't about data manipulation; it's about the things their company heads (like the infamous Ken Kutaragi) say. There's a certain eloquence to the way things can be said that determines whether the speaker is viewed as confident or arrogant, and unfortunately for Sony, they've hit on the latter side a few too many times over the last few years, so people view them as arrogant.

Here's an example of confidence:
"PlayStation 3 truly is the system to be placed in the center of the living room in homes around the globe. The future is almost here with the PS3." - Ken Kutaragi

And here's an example of arrogance:
"If you can have an amazing experience, we believe price is not a problem." - Ken Kutaragi

Perhaps the second quote is why the WSJ called Kutaragi a "stumbling block" for the company? http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=144875
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 12:12PM (Unverified) said

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@ Linebeginstoblur
You must have missed the last 4 years haven't you.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 12:41PM (Unverified) said

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45NM PS3 is a good enough reason for me to buy another PS3, B/C or not
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 12:44PM (Unverified) said

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What?? A sony rep not bashing the competition?? Wow.. "collectively grown"??! Wow.. The console wars are over?? sony admits defeat?? Tune into Joystiq for updates.. The CNN of gaming!!

I for one is looking forward to what M$ got in the oven. I feel that they don't need to be graphic heavy next console. Just update LIVE (again), the controller is the best, just improve the d-pad and a tactile feel overall, and you got a winner! And forget what everyone else says... Exclusives starting out is a MUST!!
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 12:47PM 343 Guilty Fart said

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We're made to suffer, it's our lot in life.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 12:56PM xGeneral DEATHxDEETH82 said

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When I read the headline, all I could think of was a Theron Guard saying "SSSUFFERRRRRR".
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 12:48PM (Unverified) said

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Its funny how 10 million per year sales are bad for the PS3, and they have to constantly explain their "failure", but the same level of sales are ok for the 360 despite a $200 price advantage, a one-year lead in games, supposedly "better technology" and "more support from developers", and the huge money poured into buying exclusive GTA / Fallout 3 DLC and hald-a dozen high profile JRPGs.

And maybe, Sony have the right to be arrogant? They have sold 270million consoles and absolutely thrashed the established leader Nintendo for two generations in a row (and for all the wii sales, count the number of third party games on PS3 and wii). And they can at least make a machine that doesnt go kaput 30% of the time, unlike MS.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 1:00PM Ricky Bango said

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Must be nice for all the laid off Sony employees to hear David Reeves say "we just have to suffer a little." I'll bet he's suffering big time in his corner office as we speak.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 1:17PM RKN said

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Lets face it, Sony has been plenty of bungling mistakes, shot, shit and shat itself in the foot many times, not just with the PS3 and its has and will have to suffer the consequences this generation. Even though I have been burned by Sony at least twice and am not longer in their fanboy ranks, I don't hate the company and want it to go under. I really hope it will learn its mistakes the next generation around and become another "Nintendo".

Just as now Nintendo made smashing successes of the NES/SNES but fell behind with the N64/Gamecube, but they fell behind in the market but its not like the N64 and Gamecube were bad systems just because they weren't number one in sales, same applies for the PS3.

But please Sony, don't say and do stupid things like ridicule the 360 a couple of years ago for having limited backwards compability and then doing it yourself and then cutting it out alltogether. I do realize one reason for doing so was to reduce the PS3s cost and heat and electric demands but stop to think for a minute before saying anything. They had become slightly arrogant and not a surprise with the smashing success of the PS1 and PS2. But thats managed Microsoft to propel ahead with the 360.
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 1:52PM (Unverified) said

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Really gundam? Really.

*facepencils gundam*
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Posted: Feb 5th 2009 1:26PM (Unverified) said

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When you make boasts such as "our system will make the Xbox 360 look like Xbox 1.5" and "you'll want to get 2 jobs to pay for it" and "we'll sell the first 10 million systems with no games at all" that is NOT coving your ass, that is pure arrogance.
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