Well even if the PS3 sales do improve, I think that goal's one giant enemy crab they won't be able to flip over.

Kiyosuki

@ridleysaria: LOL, my thoughts exactly.
@Chunky-MonkeyLOL: LOL, my thoughts ..not so exactly.

izzy_k

never going to happen

For_the_lulz

yeah compared to the ps2 and its vast library of exclusives, theres not a chance in hell the ps3 will sell as much in 9 years. the only console that might do it is maybe the wii as sad as that is (its pretty much a must that casual gamers support ur console to hit 150million)

maraxusofk

To me the biggest thing stopping the PS3 reaching PS2 numbers is its reliability. So far the PS3 seems like it will last many years, whereas the first batches of PS2's would give up the ghost after 2-3 years meaning lots of people purchased a second console.

noboard

@P-Flute:

1 1/2 equals few years?

Garo

Pffffft! Good luck with that Kaz.

RichMeisterMan

@BPMΞ:
You mean at the same rate as PS2 sales.

Garo

@ryivanV2: But what about the games, there? Not only is there a smaller number of good games, but there are just fewer games period because "Next Gen" systems take more time and money to develop for.

P-Flute

@taftsearlobe33: The Stride gum plan?

Torgen got his apology faceplate but not his fixed GH3 disc

i LOVE getting free pens/pencils. i swear i have a collection of them. i just have to get a free one every time we take a standardized test, even if i already have one.

pinoyunggoy

good luck.

Snowdaddy

The ps3 can do so much stuff, and if the psp is any indication it'll end up doing a whole lot more. So yeah, as it picks up as it seems to be doing and the price makes its way down, i could definatly see this do just aswell if not moreso.

ryivanV2

@BPMΞ: Seriously.

Was thinking before reading that how I still think the PS2 is the best system still running right now. It's affordable, accessible, quality hardware with a humongous catalog of awesome games.

P-Flute

150M GET

Kicken

I am sure that Sony quickly losing exclusives isn't helping...

fl3tcher

It can, don't laugh. Just redesign PS3 ala PSP slim, once Blu fever(means cheaper) takes over and with games such as FF VII(relive the glory days in HD) *exclusive*...who knows right, who knows.

ahmeng

I could see it happening. More people are playing video games than ever before, and if they stick to the 10 year plan, there isn't any reason I can see that would stop the PS3 from reaching that goal. Sure it will be like 8 years from now, but the PS3 will reach it.

Also, that picture just reinforces my belief that Japan Kaz and American Kaz are two different people.

ca$h

YHBT by Kaz!

XeroKool

And I also want a Unicron... err Unicorn NO WAIT NOW I WANT A UNICRON CHANGER MY MIND.

"Rides into the sunset on his new planet eating Transformer, completely forgetting what he was talking about."

Thorax

At the rate PS3's going... I don't see that happening. I don't know if ANY of the systems will reach PS2 level of hardware sales.

BPMΞ

After a few years the PS2 also became an affordable modern gaming system with a sizable library of awesome games.

PS3's been out for a few years too, but... Huh...

P-Flute

He's obviously meta trolling you guys.

ohhello

I fuckin love me some free pens, that's why I visit my girlfriend's office so much... oh, and to vist the girlfriend of course...

SynKade

Wait i got it! They could hire a team of ninjas to go around and steal PS3 so people would have to go and buy them again.

taftsearlobe33

too much trent, not enuf kaz this e3.

mythus

Well, maybe if they lower it to 4 dollars and manufacture it as a weekly-purchased disposable consumer product...still not a chance in hell.

SuperMaxZero

And I want to get laid. But some things just don't happen.

Chunky-MonkeyLOL

I want to become a famous rock star but you know the Stones said it best

taftsearlobe33

It's nice to want things.

ridleysaria

People would have to be Blu-ray crazy. And of course it has to be cheaper.

Xtreme_Hindu_Cow

better lower the price if he want's that.

y2julio

Was seriously missing old Kaz at E3 this year.

Kiyosuki

Not in this lifetime

eternalplayer2345

Did Kaz actually look serious when he said this?
I cant believe it - he probably smirked a smile and nobody noticed.

JonnyDee

It's nice to want things, Kaz.

Stitched

Yeah, and I want a God damn gold Camaro. Suffice to say, it ain't gonna happen.

Maximus Paynicus

I don't see it happening. The PS2 had an affordable pricetag attached to it, numerous exclusives and a consistently growing library to go along with it. Also, it was a system that promoted itself almost entirely to gaming and not to becoming some "do-it-all" console that can't figure out what audience it wants to market itself to, among other things.

Face it Kaz, though I'm sure the system will always have strong sales, but with the sluggish release of titles, constant SKU changes, lower incentive due to dwindling exclusive titles, just to name a few reasons, the PS3 looks like it's forever relegated to being in it's big brothers shadow. Yes, it is still early to make hasty judgments, but these guys need to stop obfuscating an obvious problem with the assurance that they can surpass their consoles predecessor without even factoring in whats keeping them from having the potential to do so in the first place.

KeroseneClimax

Kaz, your a good guy for trying, but you've got two things against you this time.

1-Your not facing a highly weakened Nintendo and Sega.

2-Blu-Ray is not as big of a selling feature as DVD was. Not even close.

Maybe next time Kaz.

Foxstar Sixtail

PS2s were like some magical mystery slabs of futureosity for the first 2 years when they came out, when DVD players were few and far between and i was young and -

okay, enough of that. I think the ps3 will start shifting craploads in two years. The only problem is that microsoft will be giving away 360s with cornflakes by then.

Sony, you will never repeat ps2 sales - them days is over. Welcome to the lovely thing called "competition". Better start dropping those prices soon!

GMC

They want to pass PS2's success, but they look away when M$ takes over their market.

Sometimes I think this whole show is run by idiots.

Shinkan

I think it's entirely possible within the 8.5 years they have left.

cio

Look at that "3" cryptic gang signal. This guy is gangsta just don't try that in Compton, might get hurt.

Hulkamaniac

how about getting retiring PS2 and adding back FULL PS2 backward compatibility like it's supposed to??!??!

icepick314

Loosing Devil May Cry, Ace Combat, Assassins creed and of course Final Fantasy XIII, I cant see that happening unless Sony learns to hold onto franchises.

Soyerzz

I think the Wii is going to be the one breaking the PS2's numbers this gen. Maybe the PS3 could manage it, but at present it's mostly core gamers buying 360s and PS3s. The casual market that bought PS2s for Singstar, EyeToy, Buzz, etc are for the most part migrating to the Wii, which means even when the PS3 hits cheap prices, it might not have enough appeal for the casual market.

photoboy

@anglon:

Kaz IS gangsta, and apparently a crack smoker. 150M? Looooooooooooower the price, and *maybe* you *might* come close.

dead_red_eyes

is it just me....or does he look "gangsta" in that pic?

anglon

I doubt it... PS2 was a mixture of hardcore + casual players... Wii has a huge of the casual market covered and PS3 is fighting with 360 for the hardcore... PS2 had weak competition... cant say the same for this gen... make it 30 years... might be possible...

Friction

@screenfan: Just what I thought :p Giant enemy crabs too!!!

Let the man dream I say. After all he just says he wants it to sell more than the PS2 and why wouldn't he?

dionion

As much as I love my PS3, I'd be HIGHLY surprised Kaz. Sorry. The market changed too much since then. Unless the Wii fever goes down or MS somehow fucks up real bad with the 360 (I hope neither happen in fact), I don't see it happening. But, there must be a reason you are who you are and I am what I am, right?

FP_slomo788

Needs more Riiiiiiiiiiidge raacer!

screenfan

@VishusBurn:
*They're

VishusBurn

Their not actually doing to shabby thus far compared to the PS2 sales.
[vgchartz.com]

If they can manage to get production costs down I could definitely see this happening.

VishusBurn

"otherwise why are we in this business?"

I don't know, to produce quality games that improve people's quality of life?

But yeah, console numbers are good for the paycheck I suppose.

Good luck with that.

Snake726

@JonnyDee:

Well thing about Kaz is he always seems to be smiling even when he's serious, so you never quite know.

Kiyosuki

To be honest the PS2's hardware wasn't the greatest (very faulty, broke often) but it had the biggest and arguabely the best library of games.
This time around the 360 has taken that role, with the PS3 taking the original Xbox's role of few stellar titles with the best hardware specs.

So I really dont see the comparison between the PS3 and PS2. I think the Wii is the only console likely to break into those kind of numbers this generation.

okrangerbob

The ps2 started selling that many whilst the market had a couple of factors:

Nintendo weren't doing so well with the GC and there was no xbox yet. They had the edge

This time the competition already had a head start and stole a lot of the casual focus. Not gonna happen.

edhe (xbl)

@Ampillion = That Man.:

I don't see how the price of the Wii is in any way relevant to the PS3. They aren't really competing as they offer completely different things. Noone is going to walk into a store thinking of buying a ps3 and come out with a Wii instead due to price alone. Just not going to happen.

You also mention the fact Sony is still pushing PS2's. well, if i remember correctly, the PS1 was still selling pretty well for the first few years of the PS2 life cycle and that hasn't had detrimental effects on PS2 sales.

I'm not saying Sony will be able to sell 150 million PS3s, but in order to get near it they will have to reduce price soon and I'm sure they are more aware of that than anyone. Games will come as Sony has a massive first party line up.

1981suede

Yeah, not happening Kaz.

For starters, your system isn't the cheapest, and unless you plan on dropping it down to Wii-esque numbers soon, you're probably not going to outdo them. Which leaves you gunning it out with the 360. Honestly, I think they could beat the 360, simply because the hardware offers up a bit better value, and free online gaming is always a better sell than a paid service is, but you'll never get those numbers while you're still trying to push PS2's, and you need those sales still Kaz.

Secondly, being the most expensive now, by the time you get it down to mass-market levels you're bound to have one of your competitors looking to step into a new system. If the Wii is still sailing along fine, then expect MS to be the first to try to gun for a new generation to see if they can't be the Wii next time around.

And third... recession. At least here in the states, job security and confidence is at an all time low, and with expenses still shooting higher, most people that are in the market for a gaming console are going to be after the cheapest one they can get that still provides entertainment. At this point, it's going to be a Wii or a PS2, which doesn't in any way help what you're shooting for Kaz. Maybe if we were talking a strong US economy and strong US dollar... but I don't see us rebounding for a few years. We haven't hit the bottom of the decline yet, and most people will be rather cautious to buy the system with (currently) the lowest amount of upside going for it up to this point.

Ampillion = That Man.

@noboard:

That is so true.

I had mates who bought silver and black and both slim versions. Mainly because they broke so much, not to collect them.

I reckon each PS2 owner has paid for at least 2 PS2s.

Anyone know an accurate figure for this?

slayazzz

Im not kidding when I say I friggin' love that picture of Kaz. Its just plain old priceless and screams "PS TRIPLE" every time I see it.

Love it.

Alex_Mexico

@VishusBurn:
PS3 was launched all at once, PS2 was rolled out slowly region by region.

That's why it appears the PS3 is keeping up with PS2, when in fact it's not.

Fryfat

Very very skeptical it will reach that amount ever.

I own one of the supposed 150 million. I'll admit to being something of a Sony fanboy. But the demand for the console isn't there, and probably won't ever be, simply because it's too expensive and there isn't enough demand from the games. (Yet?). America is in a recession, which means less money to spend on consoles. Money will probably be spent buying games for the systems the consumers already own.

PS3 is still the cheapest BluRay player out there, and Sony is depending on this to sell more of them. But HD/BluRay hasn't totally caught on for lots of us. I play my PS3 through my old 15" CRT, and will continue to do so, unless I just happen to get knocked unconscious by a fat stack of Benjamins falling from the sky.

Highlander Wolf

@Garo: Fuck your details.

P-Flute

Not unless Disc read Errors are a design feature this time around as that's what spurred a lot of the later PS2 sales.

Odin

@Ampillion = That Man.:

Comepletely agree. It's all about the price. Sony need to get a move on in reducing it. I'm sure they are working on a smaller form factor as we speak which will enable them to do so. I don't think they should be written off yet though as they still have 8 years to go.

1981suede

It won't sell even half of that in next 9 years.

After 2 - 3 years PS3 is past it's prime, it won't be getting that many new games if its not the most popular console around, and when that happens your console is not selling anymore.

Hansel

@1981suede: True, but I speak more of a general interest. If you're going into a store to buy a system and money is a factor (as it's starting to become for a lot of people here in the US.) then the Wii or even the 360 will win on price tag alone. Heck, even the PS2 is still a much more viable platform in terms of value per dollar. If you add in other factors? Perhaps not. But price tag is still one of the biggest system movers, and someone just looking for entertainment has many cheaper alternatives to the PS3 currently. Unless the price changes dramatically soon (which it won't) there's always going to be cheaper options that provide just as much entertainment. The Wii is as much a gaming system as the PS3 is as far as the common, just-want-to-play-something consumer cares.

The difference between the PS1-to-PS2 and the PS2-to-PS3 is still a rather large amount. Sony shot themselves in the foot at the PS3's release, so any real momentum they would've carried into the fight between gens was gone the moment they announced the 600 dollar console. PS1-to-PS2, Sony was still the hot new kid on the block, and they continued to push forward into that generation with a lot of 3rd party support. Now, that 3rd party support is elsewhere, or at least not exclusive to them thanks to the price of development.

Games isn't the PS3's problem at this point, it's merely price tag and momentum. Neither of which are fully on their side. The Wii has them beat in both. The PS2 still has the whole generation beat as far as value goes, and the 360 is also cheaper. I just don't see anyone beating that number this generation; the Wii has the best chance, and I don't think it'll get the good 3rd party support needed to make it sell enough in the long run.

Ampillion = That Man.

I predict that the PS3 won't be seen as truly awesome until the PS4 comes out. We will get a PS3 Slim in a variety of colors for a price point of $150.

Eltigro

@Hansel: I'm with Suede on this one. At least try to sound intelligent if you're going to rip on the PS3 with shit to back you up.

@Klopfer123: You're right, I think Blu-ray doesn't have as much to offer now as DVD did to VHS owners, but the technology in Blu-ray does evolve and I think it will catch on sooner or later, at least when more people start getting HDTVs. I feel like technology is squeezing itself into a corner right visually, so yeah, something new might come out to push HD even further in the next few years, but I doubt it'll push enough to compete with Blu-ray's head start.

As for the size, other than digital distribution, I think technology will stay around CD size for a while. It's not like the size of CDs is really an inconvenience unless we're talking about portability, and I think that's why nothing much came out of Minidiscs except as portable music players. There were a few MD decks available, but those were to suppliment the walkmans.

everybest

@Klopfer123:

What makes you think some non existant disc standard is going to be so much better than blu-ray? Will that not require everyone to buy even higher definition televisions? Can you please explain your rash statement and back it up with even the smallest bit of evidence?

Blu-ray will replace DVD because people will want to use their new pricey HDTV's for something.

1981suede

@Foxstar Sixtail: You're right about the competition. No doubt. But Blu-Ray not as big a feature? Ha. Wait and talk about that again in one or two years from now. Especially in Europe, HDTV penetration is rising steadily (and it's already higher than in the US). Basically anyone who watched DVD movies in the past will at one point buy an HDTV (because there IS a significant difference) and then flock to Blu-Ray, where the PS3 is the best player on the market. And then they'll find out it also plays games.

@Klopfer123: Blu-Ray is not much of a difference. On SDTV. There are worlds between DVD and Blu-Ray on a good HDTV. It has gotten to the point where I refuse to watch any SD source material. Everything I store on my PS3 is in HD and every movie I watch as well (be it a Blu-Ray disc or otherwise).

Candlejack

@Hansel:

After 2-3 years the PS3 is past its prime? Are you completely sure about that? Do you even own one? Have you not seen seen the game line-up for the next 12 months? I think you are talking an absolute load of rubbish.

1981suede

@Foxstar Sixtail: Thank you!

I can't understand while people believe blu ray is going to replace DVD. We're not talking about a major format change. Blu Ray is just slightly better, it's not a major leap like analogue to digital. Not excluding the fact most people just see a disk, "if it looks the same surely it can't be all that different".

I see blu ray as the laser disk of this decade, it'll sell a reasonable amount but be replaced by something better in a few years that'll push HD even further/most likely be smaller.

Klopfer123

...and he woke from a dream with green jizz all over his belly... What is this?

V.Volker

"I want to try to see if we can exceed the PS2 numbers after nine years, otherwise why are we in this business?"

To help ensure Blu Ray won the format war while thinking you could prove that you could win the console war without doing anything to lock in exclusive third party games and launching at sky high prices?

Except you failed to prove that. It's a nice dream, but PS2 was when Sony did things right. You know, before Sony got all drunk with power.

karasu is my homeboy

@Fryfat:
I don't believe that having an 8 month gap between the Japanese and worldwide launch would skew the numbers in that
in the fashion that you are suggesting.

VishusBurn

Sony failed to re-evaluate their position in the market when they released the PS3. The PS2 had a big head-start over the original XBox and the GameCube flopped, they got exclusives based simply on their dominant installed base. They were, essentially, the only game in town.
But with the PS3 they were the last to launch, and the Wii most decidedly did *not* flop. Yet when faced with completely different market dynamics, they tried to do the same thing. And now they seem surprised it's not working.

erlik

Why when I hear Kaz saying stuff about how he's "seen that film", I'm not sure if he's talking about the PS2 vs the PS3 or Spiderman 2 vs Spiderman 3.

Salen

I thought I remember reading that PS3 sales have kept pace with PS2 sales during their initial 18 months on sales? I know VGChartz isn't the most reliable source, but their data reflects this:

[vgchartz.com]

If PS3 sales have kept pace with PS2 sales, then is the 150m target that crazy? Personally, I don't think they'll achieve this goal, but it doesn't sound unreasonable provided they lower the price, get some more good exclusives, and blu-ray demand picks up steam.

PaulHunter

This could possibly happen.Second place to Nintendo isn't so bad afterall unless the Wii just runs out of steam.

enewtabie

I don't think it will happen as long as there is no PS2 BC and with the current state of the PS3. I don't think there is going to be a massive change for the PS3, because the people who really care about it already bought one.

Sony will run out of time with this generation, the PS3 is not a 10 year console, unless Sony expects it to compete with the successors to the 360 and Wii.

NullsRevenge

I wish him luck with that.

EmeraldDragon

Better stop selling PS2 then or you'll never catch up!

f0cus

A tip from me to you Kaz. Drop the PS3 price tomorrow to $299.00 USD with emulation and you will probably meet your lofty goal.

-EDGE-

HAHAHA kaz made a funny!

hell no way its happening

KaliKOtt

I think he should actually aspire to sell LESS PS3s in its lifetime than the PS2 has had in its lifetime. Primarily because half the sales of PS2s is because eventually everyone's PS2 had to die, and they needed to go out and get a new one.

The only reason the PS3 should sell like the PS2 is if it is made to eventually -break-.

Grue

Sounds like Sony is still delusional. And I really thought they were starting to come around. Guess not.

subnet6

Kaz is in it for the fancy party foods

TheLegendof_Erick

@gnudna: Someone is entirely uneducated on the whole 09 thing. Standard TV is STILL alive after 09, it will just be sent via a digital signal instead of it's current analog one. Noone will be forced to buy HDtv's because of this, they will however either have to be subscribed to a cable/satellite provider or purchase a box to pick up the digital signals. There is no mandatory HDTV situation.

Don't get me wrong, HDTV's are coming down in price, and it's getting to the point where some stores don't even bother carrying the old standard resolution televisions. But the Feb09 thing is not a forced change to HDTV.

Ampillion = That Man.

Go buy lots of exclusives, and then the PS3 will become #1.

xCruciaLx

I think it's possible for a few reasons but the main one i can think of is the following. 2009 is the cutoff for standard TV, HD will begin broadcasting at that point in time and alot of people will be purchasing HD tv's which in turn will help ps3/blueray sales. and this is happening across all of north America.

So people will have a reason to buy a PS3 cause even a hater knows the ps3 is the best blueray player on the market hands down.

gnudna

@1981suede: @everybest: Consoles are past their prime within 4 years, and that's a fact. Unless you have success like NES, SNES, or first two Playstations. PS3 is simply not selling well enough to have longer lifespan than consoles usually have.

Hansel

@Klopfer123:

Going from 640x480 to 1920x1080 isn't a small step in resolution. In fact, it's a much larger leap in home video history quality wise. HD penetration is on the rise, so I'm not sure where you've been and anyone can see the difference between SD digital and HD.

Criticism of DVD existed for years too, and the obvious one was that it was read-only so it couldn't possibly take off and J6P will shun it. Mass market penetration, like DVD in the 90's, won't happen overnight. BD is only two years old, and the format war ended not too long ago.

The issue is somewhat irrelevant for the PS3 in the long term. As prices go down for hardware, the PS3's value as a BD player will go down. In other words, SCEI needs more than a BD angle to prolong the console.

SG79

Also do not believe anyone that says PS3 sales are comparable to PS2 sales. The cold hard numbers show the PS3 is failing hard.

PS2 at 18 months = 19.67m
PS2 at 24 months = 28.6m

PS3 sales to date are around 13.5m

I don't think Sony will be selling another 15m machines in the next 4 months, do you?

Also I anticipate someone will bring up the 5 month European delay. Guess what? That's right. It took the PS2 longer to reach all 3 major markets and it still destroyed the PS3 sales in the same time frame.

After all the lies, deception and false promises. Sony are where they belong, in 3rd place!

Grave of the Fireflies

@gnudna: First, you do not understand the whole death of analog tv thing. Digital tv is becoming standard, not HD tv, and there are already plans, policies and promotions in place to help people keep their current tvs and just get converters.

Secondly, PS3 is definitely not the "best" blu ray player. Even a hater knows it's the cheapest, sure, and it could be argued as the best value, but similar to how the PS2 dvd player wasn't great, it just was ok in it's awkward menu controls and slow rewind/ff time, that is this.

karasu is my homeboy

@Hansel:

Nonsense. FYI worldwide, the Genesis was a bigger success than the SNES, and it lasted longer. Lower the price, and have good support and it can last more than 4 years. The most important factor is strategic price lowering and offering value, and if SCEI gets it right, they can possibly do it. We don't need another Xbox1.

Execution and reality are different, and aspiring for something this ambitious means that Hirai has some plans brewing. Or at the very least, wants to prolong the format and make the 10 year cycle a reality.

Unlike the denizens of Kotaku discussions, Hirai doesn't have the experience or knowledge to possibly think of something like that. So you may be right.

@Foxstar Sixtail:

Yes, DVD wasn't big either from 1996-2000, and BD is only two years old now on the market.

SG79

@1981suede: & @Candlejack: My point is that blu ray may be a step up, but the difference isn't as major as vhs to dvd, there's no long term degradation of dvds. Your average joe blogs isn't going to care about a small step up in resolution.

@1981suede: I never mentioned a higher definition, I only said better. People need to get used to the idea of HD content, I just see something else coming along by the time your average consumer demands HD content.

Klopfer123

The Wii may be a hard to beat, but then again, it could stop at any minute considering the games it has. PS3 has already been consistently outselling the 360 since 2008 began and I think a little beyond as well so 360 shouldnt be a problem.

Scott3D

if that's the last console they ever produce, it might happen in 20 years or so

mcool93

Yea, good luck with that Kaz. Face it, last gen was Sony Nirvana. The PS3 is a great system, but there's been way too many screw ups out the gate for it to catch the PS2. Actually, I have two next gen systems (360 and Wii) and I still play my PS2 the most. That's quality right there.

Rebochan

Keep dreaming.

JackiJinx

@SG79: Actually, as far as the Snes/Genesis goes... by Wikipedia's numbers, the SNES outsold the Genesis worldwide by about 20+ million consoles. I can't source this purely as fact, because hey... it's Wikipedia, but that's what kinda research I do at 9:30 AM when I'm not getting paid for it: Vague and possibly valid but unconfirmed. Besides, I just seem to remember the SNES doing better as a whole. Maybe not in EU, but in the US it definitely seemed to have the better titles.

Don't get me wrong, I don't see the PS3 just keeling over at this point, and it may find a strong running down the stretch if the 360 doesn't conjure up more compelling software in the next year or two, and ultimately I think it'll overtake the 360 pending some sort of software boon for Microsoft. And sure, it might have a ten-year cycle, but that doesn't necessarily mean it'll be as successful. Ultimately, I think the best way they could really live out that dream is to push the price down towards the mid 200's, with a 299 model with the smaller, more efficient chips and even throwing in the old BC from the original models, and let it sit on the combined libraries of both systems.

Ampillion = That Man.

You can start living that dream when you sell a fully BC PS3 for $199 Kaz.

gencid

Never gonna happen. The Wii might, but not the PS3. The PS3 and 360 are too busy canibalizing each other's fanbases for either one to reach PS2 level numbers and Blu-Ray is never gonna be the success that DVD was, its just not gonna happen.

Gray665

I did buy 2 ps2s,one @ launch for $500 and the other last year($150) for brodband capabilties so how many people actually purchased a ps2 from the 120million units sold?will the ps3 sell 150million.I say yes.when the smaller version is released @ say $150 who wouldn't buy one.Its a multimedia hub @ a resonable price.It has blu-ray,wi-fi,upgradable HDD and memory slots what else do u need(except games)?

chaseus

i dunno kaz's 3 fingers look more like 2 fingers with the 3rd added on right before they took the picture... symbolic.

subterfunk

I'm not quick to say Sony screwed up just yet. Their console won a format war. In a way, losing at least the early rounds of this generation was inevitable.

Now, the question is, where do they find their place? The PS3 has a serious identity crisis as a complex multimedia platform that doesn't really excel at anything. Their online service is 2nd rate, their motion controller is 2nd rate, and their selection of hardcore games is 2nd rate. Maybe if executives like Kaz would stop chasing their own tail with these meaningless dreams they could end up getting something done.

caseypenk

Seems unlikely given the cost and competition, but definitely not impossible. The PS3's at least more "future proof" than the competition - I won't be surprised if it becomes increasingly popular over time.

ProdigalMoon

not even a DS could reach those numbers, sorry kaz those dreams that it wont happen

eilegz

Then they better learn to fork out the extra cash for their exclusives, plain and simple. Oh, and start to make better games.

EvilMetsFan

@SG79: I never claimed it was a small step up, I said it wasn't as big as a historical step as going from an analogue medium into a digital one.

"I'm not sure where you've been" - Come on man, let's not get personal.

My comments aren't aimed to critique blu ray, but I don't believe it'll have as great an impact as many believe. It's too soon for most people to start rebuilding their film collection, especially the way the US and European economy is headed.

Klopfer123

Well sales might pick up in 2 or 3 years I think. By then HD TVs should be more common, the PS3 should be cheaper, and also, the 360 will be out of breath for sure.

IF MS secured FF13, (which will come out in what, 2 or 3 years?), it means they are not planning on launching a new console before that. If that's the case, it's definitely good news for Sony. By then the PS3 will be way more capable than the old 360. It will be at the top of its shape with tons of first party titles (the only ones you can depend on these days it seems) like GT5, KZ2, Uncharted 2(?), etc. while the 360 will be cheap but outdated.

So yeah. I think it might just have a chance.

Kaneda

I don't get why people are comparing the CURRENTLY cheap PS2 to the CURRENTLY expensive PS3 without realizing that the starting price point for both was deemed as high.

The PS2 didn't sell like gangbusters before its 3rd year in the market and the release of the Slim, its price went down progressively as the hardware became cheaper to manufacture and by then standalone DVD players were cheap as chips.

It's the same with HDTV's 5 years ago an EDTV (480p) set would run you over $3000 with a 720p set running you well over $5000, look at the prices now... you can get 1080p sets for the price you could get an EDTV 5-6 years ago... the cheaper HDTV become and the faster they start replacing SD/ED sets you'll see a rise in acceptance for things like HTPC's, Media Center Hubs and HD Consoles like the PS3 and the 360.

Could they reach that number? Sure, they could easily surpass it as well provided they cut down the price towards mass market acceptance... when will they do that? I don't know, it's likely that next year's E3 will mark the debut of the slim PS3 at $250 or something like that, maybe it'll be the year after but something is for sure, they'll make one as soon as they can to save on plastic (Cost).

So when doing comparisons bear in mind that 8 years have already passed from the PS2 to the PS3

zoesch

@Glaiel-Gamer: Doesn't mean they will be better. Did everyone buy cheaply manufactured & low quality, low end DVD players just cause they were cheaper instead of quality ones like Panasonic, Philips, Sony, Pioneer? No.

Also, Blu-Ray profile plays a role in this and shop clerks now that much. The PS3 is the only Blu-Ray player that can be updated accordingly.

Candlejack

@Candlejack:

By the time blue-ray is mainstream the standalone players will be a lot cheaper than PS3s.

Glaiel-Gamer

@SG79: That's a bit disingenuous, though. Upconverting DVD players are practically ubiquitous in electronics stores-- hell, even in Wal-Mart. So for a healthy plurality of the DVD audience, the jump isn't going to be from 640x480, it's going to be made from an upconverted 1920x1080 to a native 1920x1080, and considering that not all Blu-Ray films are getting great transfers even now (although on the whole they're doing a much better job of it than they were nine months ago) unconverted DVD video content is-- as of this moment-- still a fair challenger to the Blu-Ray campaign.

wild homes got the wrong bloke!

only the wii will make that happen. even then its doubtful if any system can get that without all the other consoles bricking at the same time or somthing.

deathtastic

@zoesch: The only thing I can say for that is that, while yes the PS2 was 'expensive' when it first came out, there's a bit more sticker shock at seeing the PS3 being listed at 600 out of the gate, and the PS2 starting out at 300. Sure people grumbled a bit, but 300 is a bit more readily accessible as an 'impulse buy'. The quicker they can get the price down, however, the better a chance they have to reach such a lofty goal.

Ampillion = That Man.

Never going to happen in my opinion. The PS2 is one of the greatest consoles ever, on par with Dreamcast for library (just with a higher shit to good ratio due to the sheer hugeness of the library). I don't think anything this generation has come close to touching it personally.

TearsandScreams

O.K. but lifetime sales of the PS2 were based on early systems that died, genuinely new models and lots of new colors. When they say that there are 140 Million PS2's sold I think they're only really talking about 60 Million households with a system in it. That's a number that the PS3 can beat easily with just the BluRay player(and enough time).

crim

Hey, if the PS3 is the last core gaming machine on the market, I think it will sell even more than the PS2. I have a feeling Microsoft's next console is going to compete directly with Nintendo's next Wii, with waggle controls, avatars, and casual sports games galore. Core gamers will flock to the PS3 and buy millions, especially if it's within the $199-$249 pirce range.

fenderfuel08

@FunKrusher: I don't think Wii's going to get anywhere close just because when Nintendo's next console comes out, they're going to drop the Wii like the transition from GCN, the N64, the SNES, etc. Sony's the only company who goes out and actively supports a console 3-4 years after the next generation console's been released, and from that alone they've been getting some pretty nice hardware numbers.

Datheron

@Kaneda: I think Microsoft would be making a huge mistake if they did try to release a new console in the next two years. I mean, their track record has not been great w/ dropping the XBox, and the market won't exactly be thrilled about having to spend another $400+ on a new console when the lengthened dev. time for this generation of consoles has meant graphics and technology have not pushed things that much further on the PC. Revising the hardware again would burn a lot of loyal MS-ites.

Datheron

@SG79: I agree that it's going to be a slow burn, and I agree that Blu-Ray's ascendancy is inevitable. I just wanted to clarify that the issue isn't as clear-cut, for many, as an obvious comparison of 640x480 and 1920x1080. And to be honest, my friend, most upconverting units now do have at least second-gen DCDi chips-- so they're capable of pretty decent output-- and even if they go to 1080i your TV itself is going to be more than capable of handling the deinterlacing, because unless you've got a CRT it's not displaying the actual 1080i signal in any way. But either way, yeah-- eventually Blu-Ray will win out. It's just going to a long, hard campaign. Cheers!

wild homes got the wrong bloke!

I dunno, PS3 topping PS2 is going to be pretty hard, hell any system topping the PS2 sales is going to be hard. Wii has a chance but still has a looooooong way to go.

If Blu-ray turns into the next big thing then I could see the chances of this happening increasing. But as of now I'd say no.

FunKrusher

All I can say is: That's never, ever, happening, ever. That's laughable. I don't even think the Wii will beat the PS2 this gen.

kylo4

@SG79:

* WB and Disney particularly. Others like Universal are going to be wisely bundling catalogue releases.

I should add that mere resolution is one of the parameters of HD, and.. I should stop there, but like DVD back in the late 90's, consumer education is certainly something Hollywood needs to do.

SG79

@Ampillion = That Man.:
Oh my child, if you believe the Wii will still be around in five years then I suggest they up your medication dosage.

ca$h

@wild homes got the wrong bloke!:

As I said, BD is still in its infancy stage and it's not going to be mainstream anytime soon because of HD-DVD's demise. Hollywood knows that, and so do CE companies. That's why you're going to see WB and Disney up their marketing with aggressive pricing and promotions this fall. BD adoption is faster than DVD during the same stage, but there's a lot more work to be done. That includes consumer education.

I have a good upconverting player myself, and even sub-par BD transfers are better than an upscaled good DVD master (ignoring most 2006 releases/spring 07 and beyond releases have been mostly well done). Most of the players out there don't even upscale well, and quite a few of them do 1080i max.

SG79

@Ampillion = That Man.: I agree, then again, the $300 was a sticker shock for the vast majority of people... I'm sure they'll manage to cut prices down... right now they're at $399/$499 and that's $200 they need to shave if they want mass market penetration.

zoesch

I think it's a possibility. In the first year of the PS3's life, it was used to win the format war. It did just that. Now after that finished, the focus turned more towards gamers and software. Guess what, it's been outselling 360 this year and has an amazing lineup.

Sony has a plan for 10 years and you're all judging it by the very earliest phases. I'm not sure if they'll pull it off, but I won't just brush Sony aside as the loser when they've only just begun this war. With the PS1 and PS2 Sony has 0 competition; they know how to run this business, and I bet we'll see Sony show their true colors in the years to come.

mfwahwah

Yeah, I'd like to see it too. I doubt it though - by a long shot.

PS2 was an amazing virtually uncontested de facto standard. I preferred Dreamcast overall, but PS2 just kicked it under the rug on the way in. XBox and GC were also-rans.

This time, 360 starts with a strong showing and strong hardware faults that are now catching up to it - but still hardly eroding it to a niche yet. The Wii... well, the Wii should be it's own phrase. As in "They Wii'ed" meaning selling millions upon millions without even trying, with the end still out of sight.

To make my big, possibly labelled as fanboy prediction, this is what I think will happen:

- The 360 will continue to lose market share as failures and expensive "upgrades" to basic features are more known and the PS3 offers a stronger alternative in comparison. I think they could take it back from Sony if they did a whole hardware redesign, keeping the specs as they are. Historically it seems this just isn't going to happen and they're going to ride out the system to its exhaustion.

- The PS3 will continue to rise in popularity as they get their act together. They will still piss off their fans with years-off promises though because... they're Sony and can't keep their mouths shut when they're excited.

- The Wii will not "bust" as all the casuals get bored with it as some predict. I think it'll be similar though: I think over the next 5 years casual first-console gamers will see Nintendo's habit of releasing a peripheral, three games for it, then dropping it like it never existed, and like anyone it'll anger them. That, along with the short lasting novelty of "Wii Play" games and lack of interest in other games will have MANY of them abandoning the Wii. Still, I think this represents about half to 2/3 of them, leaving behind still a larger footprint than "us hardcores" and the profit Nin makes on hardware alone will leave them happy.

Now for the tinfoil hat part...
A lot of people feel betrayed by Nintendo, but it's plain to see the smart business choices they made. Yes, it's worthwhile catering to the hardcore because someone has to - it's still plenty profitable - but what if the other big two go as casual as Wii next time? They just want money too... How about a PS4 as strong as a PS3, but smaller in 2015? Loads of non-games, etc? Don't count on it, but don't rule it out!

fuchikoma

@Datheron:What? Did you forget the Wii is the ONLY system out of the three that fully supports GCN games? It even offers limited upscaling in some places and what's more, Nintendo was the freaking forrunner in BC. Gameboy Color? Played old Gameboy Games (Even would shade them) and the new Gameboy Color titles. Game Boy Advance? Played all Gameboy games. Nintendo DS? Plays all GBA games.

If you understood the way carts are done, you would know that in order for the SNES and N64 to be BC, they not only would have needed their own chipset devoted to the old console's games but it's own slot too and back in the 90's, that was not as viable. And to praise Sony as kings of BC is pretty laughable at the moment as they are doing all they can to REMOVE BC from PS3's because they don't want people not buying PS2's. Come on now!

@Candlejack:I disagree on Blu-ray getting as much marketshare as fast as DVD did on a few levels.

-DVD was a monster upgrade from the days of VHS. Finally you didn't have to worry about rewinding. Finally you didn't have to worry about broken tapes or dirty heads or people taping over your kid's verison of "The Lion King". DVD's brought a crapload of stuff to the market that for years had only been on the "Media Elitest" Laserdisk. It did what Laserdisk failed to do, it got the common man interested enough in the format to be willing to go for it. The PS2 was a huge factor in this, I worked retail along this time and I studied the info, people who had huge VHS libraries would typically get everything on DVD and dump their tapes, sometimes at a loss, within months, weeks even. DVD is one of the most direct reasons the anime video market is so strong now, because most of the people who bought PS2's were also anime fans and anime fans who didn't have the money or want to buy into Laserdisk went apeshit over DVD's, it was around this time that EB (Gamestop) and other places even started carrying and ordering anime, lots of it, because the demand was so high along with the profit.

Blu-ray in time will take over DVD's format, but it's going to happen a lot slower and for the common guy who's invested pretty heavy into DVD's, your going to have a harder time selling him a gaming system with one of the selling points being that it plays Blu-ray which is pretty much a supercharged DVD, bigger, badder, but not worth Ebaying your 400 DVD disk collection. DVD was.

Like I said, Kaz is a good man for trying, but there's too many market factors against him and Sony now for it to replace the PS2's huge ass marketshare. Sony struck at the right time and because of it, they had 6 years of unrivaled market control. They were facing a Nintendo that was in the middle of a transformation state that took years to fully carry out on every level, from the old dragon leaving, to Nintendo stepping away from the typical way of making and releasing a game system. Sony was facing a Sega who retailers after a strong first year were cheerfully willing to throw it under the bus because the PS2 was coming out and customers, most of them who had just come off of anywhere between 2 to 4 years of soild PSone entertainment were now ready to move to the next level along with their games. Sega couldn't have saved themselves if they wanted to, the sins of the past finally caught up.

Pretty much they were facing a open market, all they needed was the right system and the funds to get the motor running and once it was, the customers would drive it all the way into the sunset.

The PS3 is a fantastic little bit of kit, but it also shows Sony's mindset, how they thought after two winning gens, they had enough clot and market power to finally move from just having a gaming system to a full out set top media box that would allow them to pump Sony branded entertainment of all sorts into the home and on the other end, collect those hot stacks of money. They didn't take the 360 seriously, so that's why they didn't launch when Microsoft launched. They thought Nintendo was a has-been and only a threat in the handheld department and they were getting ready to take that from Nintendo too, just like they took the home console market. And because of that line of thinking, they went bleeding future edge, creating a gaming system that would offer so much to those masses of Sony fans that the price would be cried about only briefly, then ignored. A price cut was laughable, as the idea of cutting features out. By now Sony still expected to have people paying $599 dollars and thus, they would be making money. Sony thought they would have won the war, because 4th gen, they would kick it up even higher and charge more and get it.

They were wrong. The market had changed, due in large part to them and they clearly still have yet to learn that lesson.

Foxstar Sixtail

Good luck with that.

Gouki4u's avatar has a severe case of Jekyll and Hyde

The price issue isn't there. Get over it, that's a old argument. Fact is that a ps3 compared to a 360 isn't all that much different. To enjoy a 360, you need to buy live once a year. You need to get the models that have a harddrive, and a decent sized one at that. Once you really factor in all that stuff, the ps3's difference. You get the better value, since blueray did win the format war, and it's a decent player. The harddrive is standard so you can upgrade it.

The cell tech if utilized(which may take a while) will allow the console to be pushing out some really nice looking stuff. Sony dropped exclusives so they could invest more internally, on some good firstparty games, and also doing more research with the cell.

They might not make their hopeful numbers, but they also may surpass them. Sony has a very different approach this time around. Their 10year thing really does make sense, 3-4 years from now the ps3 games should look ALOT better (if they get their heads around the cell stuff) and the price of the hardware might be reasonable for gamers. Blueray will be more of a standard. If own a psp, wouldn't you be more tempted to buy a ps3 over a xbox360? Considering all the cool integration stuff they are doing now.

The real key thing will be getting the multi core programming perfected. It's going to be a very valuable piece of knowledge. Most computers/consoles(basically the same thing) will be heading towards this multi core stuff.

sereal

@Foxstar Sixtail: Okay, fair enough.

Some things I'd like to correct though:

- They did take the other consoles serious. The PS3 only launched late because they were so damned behind with production. I actually believe the console was finalized like half a year before launch because the RSX is a tacked on graphics chip that doesn't go in line with the Cell or XDR memory.

- Blu-Ray won't take off because of the huge advantage regarding disc vs. tape. You are right. But it will take off for an even better argument: People buy HDTVs. It is guaranteed that every household will, latest when their SDTV breaks, get a (cheap) HDTV. Then, they will think "Hey I've got this 720p or 1080p thing, why not use it to the fullest?" - so they will flock to Blu-Ray. You cannot imagine how this will drive sales. HDTV already enjoys good enough penetration to warrant Blu-Ray existing, and sales are doing well enough. Sure, it's not outselling DVDs yet. But that's purely because people are still on the fence about HDTV and don't see the need just yet when everything is still pricey. Trust me, I've seen consumers, and once they get into this HDTV thing, they're all over Blu-Ray. If only because they've been brainwashed by marketing.

- Honestly, Sony holding the largest piece of the market isn't a bad thing. Yes they have proven that they're arrogant about it. But they've also been pushing gaming, technology wise, further and further with every generation. Would me or you care about Blu-Ray if Sony didn't decide to back it? No. See? Whether that's for the better or the worse is not mine to decide, but Sony has that long range view and prospect of the market that has worked out for them in the past, I doubt it won't work out one way or another, again.

Candlejack

@fuchikoma:Bravo.

Foxstar Sixtail

@Candlejack: Yeah the wii is in there, but most of the gamers coming from PC,xbox, or ps2 won't really be thinking about the wii.

It still is quite a pricey system considering all the accessories, you need at least two controllers(it's more of a two player plus system), so 2 nunchucks to buy and 1 wii mote, you probably want a classic controller if you play any of the VC stuff, probably want thoes composite cables(not sure if they come with the console or not). Maybe one of those wheels for mariokart, wii zapper if you play any railshooters and now you have that extra sensor accessory. It's quite a bit of extras, quite a bit of money you could of spent on actual software.

I totally understand what you are saying, and most people who are casual will not really take into mind what they need to play and may just be content with the included games. Those people though are not the ones who are buying lots and lots of software.

sereal

@bobtheduck: Okay don't get me wrong. I'm not saying it will happen. But I'm not saying it won't either. Maybe the PS3 won't even outsell the 360. However, Sony has a rather long term view of things and nobody here knows what they might be planning in the future. I just wanted to give my take on Blu-Ray ;)

Candlejack

Even the most hardcore sony fanboys (Hint: I'm not one of THOSE) knows this would never happen... They knew this from day one. Sony would LIKE it, I would like it, 1/4 of the people at PS3 forums would like it (you know, the Sony fans there) but no... It won't happen.

bobtheduck

He's got over 7 years to see that through, though personally I don't think it'll happen. However I do think the PS3 will outlive the PS2.

Replica23

In Autumn ( when the leaves fall, for you Americans and Canadians ) 2009 the price will drop by $100 and in Autumn 2010 it will drop by another $50. By the end of 2010 the PS3 will have well and truly surpassed the Xbox 360's total sales and will be chasing the Wii.

There done, let it be set in titanium.

CartBlanche2

@sereal: Duh, price is very much an issue. Not for you and me and the hardcore folks out there.

But for the people who buy the Wii it sure is. Undeniably, more market share -> higher software attach rate -> potential to make more money -> no reason to make games for another platform -> console exclusives. That's how it works and both Microsoft and Sony are fighting over this, while the Wii is like "Haha, look at you losers. I've already won."

If the Wii can get the software attach ratio right, chances are we will see more traditionally "nexgen" oriented games on the Wii instead of PS360. Yea they won't be HD but if market share dictates, we won't have a say in that.

Candlejack

When you buy the PS3 he bends you over and uses those three fingers.

The1andonlyreal1

@caseypenk: I don't think its second-rate at all. What hardcore games are you talking about? Resistance 2 and CoD 5, will be pretty hardcore to me (just as R1 and CoD4 were). There's like 9 games coming out in the next 3-4 months for the PS3 that I want... more than I have wanted in the past year of owning a PS3.

It "excels" at blu-ray. It "excels" at streaming all my multimedia content from my PC in my home-office to the living room TV/speakers. And now you can rent or buy movies from the PS store. Netflix streaming would have been hot, but then again, the selection from Netflix currently sucks. I don't get how this is second rate? The future for PS3 looks pretty good to me.

berribrand

I think it might. Hard, but it might. All bestseller IPs so far are from the previous generation, wait for killer new IPs.

Blu-Ray will have a stronger impact towards end of the cycle. When Wii playing casual folks realize they want more than some mini-games, which will they choose 360 or PS3? Most likely, they will have one or more HDTVs and DVD players at home. Thus, Blu-Ray playing PS3 might be a better choice. That is assuming casual going core with average age 21+.

It's true Blu-Ray is less significant compared to what DVDs did for the video market. However, we are not going to stay in SD forever. All those bitchin about Blu-Ray making no difference compared to DVD, wait until you get a new TV in the future. When DVDs looks fugly on your HDTV, you will realize you need a Blu-Ray.

@SG79: 720x480 is DVD resolution.

neo177117

@berribrand: Why do you argue,its a waste of time,any gamer who can take off the blinders for a second can see that Sony has everything "hardcore" that the 360 has except Gears for the next 8 months and like 20 games that are exclusive.So anyone who would argue against that can't be convinced as they don't want to be...hence,waste of time.

xIvSlowDeath420

@Grave of the Fireflies: Are you stupid and believe that shite or are you just trying to start a flamewar?

xIvSlowDeath420

@CartBlanche2:By the end of 2010, both Nintendo and Microsoft will start finallizing plans for the 8th gen of console systems. Nintendo will still have such a huge lead that it won't hurt them one bit(Look at the PSP, outselling the DS for the last four months and the gap is just as wide as ever.)

Sony is pushing this ten year plan as more developer PR speak then honest true feelings, if anyone thinks Sony's going to wait till Microsoft and Nintendo launches their next gen systems to rest on the PS3 efforts, they are dreaming.

@Candlejack:Blu-Ray doesn't bother me or the fact that Sony developed it. It's more of the pricing mindset that bothered me the most. Microsoft has gone something along the lines of 5 years without profit from the Xbox division and they honestly planned to go three complete console gens without the system being profitable. That to me speaks of how deadly serious they are when it comes to gaining market control.

The current price of the PS3 is the price it should have been on launch day, with full features. It annoys me to no end that it seems the biggest reason for BC leaving is because Sony wants people to buy more PS2's to go right along with the PS3's. Not that I didn't already know this when the 20 gig was taken to the chopping block under the lame reasoning "No one was buying it."

@xIvSlowDeath420:You forget 'gamers' don't control the market, causals do. To the common joe, he can get everything on the 360 that's out there on the PS3 and cheaper and what's more, there's Live. Say what you will, but Live has a huge amount of market power. PSN right now isn't known much outside of PS3 users. Free? Pfft, who cares, you get a lot for your 50 dollars and in the fall, your getting even more. That's the mindset out there and till Sony can change it, they will never win.

Sony's going to fight Microsoft tooth and nail for 2nd place for the rest of the PS3's lifespan while Microsoft uses the lessons it's learned which will go into the development of the next Xbox.

Sony has it's biggest fight on it's hands yet. Right now Microsoft is most focused on defeating Sony, not Nintendo. Microsoft knows that the Wii is a secondary system and welcomes it right next to the 360.

Foxstar Sixtail

Kaz gonna give you the super stink finger, you like it bowling ball style?

The1andonlyreal1

I think once the PS3 hits the $200 mark, it will start selling like hotcakes. With Nintendo's embarrassing E3 this year and continued neglect of the core market, PS3 definetly has the potential to reach 100+million units sold and outsell the Wii in the long run. Plus, you got the home theater market to tap as well seeing as how they will most likely buy the PS3 to use as a blu-ray player.

LeLoi

@Kaneda: Fanboy much? Only thing that will be outdated in the 360 is its movie playback. I for one didn't buy a 360 for movies, maybe you did. Face it, both systems are pretty damn similar power wise, with trade offs in what one can do better than the other. Neither will be outdated before the other. Unless you're talking about an xbox3 or a ps4, in which case both will once again be outdated.

sniper13x

Still doesn't beat Microsoft's vow to sell 1 billion xbox360 units.

somarix

bring back BC for all PS3s! esp for the upcoming 80gb ds3 bundle.

do that and you will have sold another ps3.

A lot of people, including myself are holding out until BC comes back.

conquerorsaint

@ca$h: Hey, thanks for deeply adding to any relevant discussion here. Your comment will be rewarded with a good old dose of sarcasm.

Brilliant observation there! Maybe you should go jump on the Wall Street Journal staff and be one of those professional consultants giving your opinion about like it's important!

Now, try again.

Ampillion = That Man.

@Foxstar Sixtail: backwards-compatibility on all of Nintendo's handhelds is a breeze to make. And Wii having the GC hardware, again breeze to support older games. Meanwhile, Sony and Microsoft's consoles have huge leaps and changes in terms of technology between generations, so it's one hell of a task to do. PS2 had to include the PSX hardware; and PS3 has to emulate the pure bandwidth-beast that the PS2 is (it still is!), with timing being unimaginably critical for some games. (games that expect the result of some calculation to be ready in the Xth nanosecond, can crash if there's a loose sync).

Imho, the PS2 had one powerful competitor, the PC. At least here in Europe. PS2's future was laughable in the first years. PCs had dozens of amazing games coming out every month, with emerging standard multiplayer. And there was also the counter-strike bomb.

If you look at a graph of the PS2 and PS3 sales, both are having the same sales at same time-after-launch. But there's one difference - the PS3 can't be hacked. PS2 sales soared when exploits were found. Same for the PSP. And I guess millions of x360 users have a flashed DVD drive, the rest dozens of millions of pirating gamers, that didn't buy an x360, are scared shitless by the RROD.

somarix

never happen

smoke731mcb

well let's not forget that the ps2 had a worse first year than the ps3 did. ps3 still had a better launch than ps2 with much tougher competition. not to mention that ps3's first year had to compete with games such as halo3 and gears of war. sony launched their system during what seems to be M$'s best year. on top of that, i don't think M$ can ever top their best year.

jrnolasco44

He's trying to hit a moving target. If Sony would stop selling PS2's then it would be far easier to reach this goal. But that would be like taking two stones out of the bush to squeeze blood out of them when there is a perfectly good one you can see in the gift horse's mouth.

MistakenIdentity

Oh Kaz. Don't stop dreamin'!

Although hey, maybe he's less crazy than we think... if Blu-Ray becomes the standard format in the coming years, PS3s could start moving a lot faster.

Muk1000

its gonna be tough trying to get that kinda sales number even in 10 years. If it was $300 or under I would pick one up, but thats the only price change thats gonna make me buy one(only for Blu-ray and possible FF7 remake but on a side note, Square-Enix seems to like Xbox now, so maybe on both systems so i REALLY don't have to buy a PS3)

Smashking0

Dreams don't hurt. :)

UNFORG1VEN