Log in

View Full Version : Sony Delays PS3 Launch in Europe


Suhit Gupta
09-06-2006, 05:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.com.com/Sony+delays+PS3+launch+in+Europe/2100-1043_3-6112587.html?tag=nefd.top' target='_blank'>http://news.com.com/Sony+delays+PS3+launch+in+Europe/2100-1043_3-6112587.html?tag=nefd.top</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Sony will delay the European launch of its PlayStation 3 game console by about four months to March and cut its target for worldwide shipments this year by half, the company said Wednesday. Sony had planned to launch the new version of its blockbuster PlayStation console in November, setting the stage for a three-way showdown with Microsoft and Nintendo during the key holiday-shopping season. Ken Kutaragi, the head of Sony's game unit and known as the "father of the PlayStation", told reporters that Sony will ship 2 million PS3 units this year--half a previously forecast 4 million--but will make up the lost ground to hit a target of 6 million consoles shipped by March. Sony said it still planned to launch the PS3 on Nov. 11 in Japan and on Nov. 17 in the United States."</i><br /><br />Interesting, Sony's woes appear to continue. When I started to read this article, I was almost expected them to delay the PS3 from the US and Japan as well but it looks like this will only hit Europe. I guess the procurement of the cutting-edge parts is getting harder and harder for Sony, so they are dispersing the demand a little bit.

Felix Torres
09-06-2006, 05:38 PM
Interesting, Sony's woes appear to continue. When I started to read this article, I was almost expected them to delay the PS3 from the US and Japan as well but it looks like this will only hit Europe. I guess the procurement of the cutting-edge parts is getting harder and harder for Sony, so they are dispersing the demand a little bit.

Actually, your first impression was correct: they *are* delaying the US and (especially) Japan. They're just not admitting it. ;-)

Oh, technically, they are meeting the previously announced Nov 17 shipping date... with a whopping total of 400,000 units to the US and 100,000 to Japan. Contrast that with the original promise of 2 million units on shipping day and another 2 million by the end of the year and you'll see they'll be lucky to get to 2 million by the end of the year and it would shock no one if they didn't even ship one million, since as of today they have not yet set the date when production *begins*.

The really interesting stuff, though, is on the periphery of the announcement.

Stuff like the fact that the $600 PS3 doesn't come with an HD cable; not HDMI (like most cheap upscaling DVD players) nor even a component cable like the 360. Given that the bulk of the audience for this product is likely unfamiliar with places like Monoprice and the other cheap online digital cable sources, their sticker shock is going to be compounded when the big box sales folks introduce them to a typical $100 HDMI cable.

Or, more significantly, that the reason for the delay is in fact the inability to get enough blue laser diodes for the BD drives. I'm sure the game developers who are going to lose sales and revenue this fiscal year are going to be *thrilled* to see their invested side-tracked by Sony's commitment to BD. Kinda explains how several games, previously identified as PS3 exclusives, are now being presented as cross-platform and some previously cross-platform games are now being presented as 360 exclusives.

The bad news for us consumers now is that MS will not be dropping 360 prices before March, since they have what amounts to an uncontested holiday season in the HD gaming arena with fully stocked shelves, robust libraries, at least a handful of must-haves, and no significant competition from Sony until the spring.

MS was looking to have a 10 million unit lead before Sony shipped the first PS3; now it looks like they'll have a 15 million lead before spring and that means a 3-5 to one ratio in game profits for developers doing cross-plaform games before XMAS 07. Even with Japan solidly in their pocket, it probably won't be until late 08 before Sony catches up with the 360.

And all that, before MS even announces *any* competitive measures (price-cuts, bundles, extra features, etc) as they likely will at the Barcelona show in two weeks or so. (Speaking of the far side of the pond, discussion groups seem to indicate the euro gamers are mighty ticked off right about now...)

Sounds like another case of MS "assisted suicide" roadkill to me. :wink:

Any idea, short of a miracle, how Sony can pull this off, now?

Jason Eaton
09-06-2006, 05:48 PM
Ditch Blue-Ray? :wink:

Felix Torres
09-06-2006, 06:44 PM
Ditch Blue-Ray? :wink:

Could they?
I'm not talking about the "fall-on-my-sword-before-I-do-that" embarrassment sense, but in the technical sense. Given the architecture of the system, I'm not sure they can go to compressed data and textures like the 360 uses. The 360 accomodates dedicated threads for background decompressing in both the OS and GPU but the PS3 may or not have those features in place. Judging by a recent online debate over the value of data-transfer rate vs capacity, it sounds like the PS3 software development paradigm relies on the extra capacity of the BD discs. Some of the games in development are clocking in at 22 GB, apparently.
Plus, its kinda late in the game...

At this point in time last year, MS had 360s churning off the lines at rates of 100K per week and the launch games were in final beta if not actual production. Think about it; its about 8 weeks to launch date and they still haven't set a date to start building the things...!

Since this was their last chance to delay launch until next spring it is clear Sony intends to launch on Nov 17 come heck or high water...
...even if total production at that time consists of as few as two units. :twisted:

All joking aside, they have pretty much painted themselves into a corner here and the real losers are their software development partners and to a lesser extent consumers cause the competitive balance for the next 15 months is going to be severely tilted towards the 360. Competition is good and, lets face it, you can't have a price war if the other guy doesn't show up in the first place.

Like I said: no price cuts this year and, depending on how badly the PS3 fares in the spring, probably none before next fall. Anybody waiting for a price cut to get a 360 had better just surrender and go with the Overstock deal if they can still get it; $352 is most likely as cheap as it'll get before next summer.

Unless MS wants to just plain bury Sony before January. :?:

alese
09-06-2006, 07:39 PM
It's funny how Microsoft somehow allways manages to find a market leader that wants to commit suicide...
Sony is just another one in the long list from Word Perfect and Netscape to Palm and now Sony...

Felix Torres
09-06-2006, 07:57 PM
It's funny how Microsoft somehow allways manages to find a market leader that wants to commit suicide...
Sony is just another one in the long list from Word Perfect and Netscape to Palm and now Sony...

Really.
Gotta wonder how they do it.
They're starting to look like precognitive ambulance chasers.
Somehow, they know which market leaders are headed for disaster and manage to be in place *before* the disaster.

BTW, I knew I was missing something and I finally saw what it was:
March 2007 is when Halo 3 ships.
Sony just made Bill Gates a prophet! :lol:

Also, the delay affects all PAL TV regions, not just Europe.
http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2006/09/06/playstation-3-european-launch-delayed-until-march-2007.htm

Anybody in the mood for a good laugh might want to mosey on up to this lil lynching party in the making:
http://www.eurogamer.net/article_discussion.php?article_id=67341

Quite a few witticisms among the many unprintables.
They're even selling hot dogs and other goodies for the crowd... :twisted:

Filip Norrgard
09-06-2006, 08:30 PM
It's funny how Microsoft somehow allways manages to find a market leader that wants to commit suicide...
Sony is just another one in the long list from Word Perfect and Netscape to Palm and now Sony...

Really.
Gotta wonder how they do it.
They're starting to look like precognitive ambulance chasers.
Somehow, they know which market leaders are headed for disaster and manage to be in place *before* the disaster.


I'm thinking they are panicing as Homer Simpson can: "Oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god" and then scrambling to get something out of the door too late after Microsoft has gotten the foot in. :D

Sony is going down, down, down....

Felix Torres
09-06-2006, 08:45 PM
I'm thinking they are panicing as Homer Simpson can: "Oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god" and then scrambling to get something out of the door too late after Microsoft has gotten the foot in. :D

Sony is going down, down, down....

"MS anxiety" as cause of death, huh?
Could be.
Still odd to see it here; Sony is an 800 pound gorilla in its own right.
And they *controlled* the market. "The next gen begins when *we*say it does." (Or some such)

What I do see in common in the three examples cited (plus Sony) is an early strutting arrogance followed by the panic you describe, after battle is engaged, followed by a complete collapse over a short period.
Almost as if the market dominance was merely a facade.
Seems like they literally can't get anything right these days.

Anyway, maybe we need to play the game another way: instead of figuring out ways Sony could save the PS3 launch, how about thinking of ways they could *complete* the self-destruct? :twisted:

Exploding power supplies, maybe?

Jason Eaton
09-06-2006, 08:57 PM
Locking the game to the first console that plays it, so discs can't be *pirated*.

Wireless controllers that operate on 2.4ghz so that when someone uses a cordless phone or turns on the microwave the controllers get interrupted.

Ad supported multiplayer so that when you try to join a game you have to sit through commercials first for the Dukes of Hazard.

HD support is disabled without connection to a Sony branded tv...

Oh the list could go on and on...

Felix Torres
09-06-2006, 09:49 PM
Locking the game to the first console that plays it, so discs can't be *pirated*.


Ah, you remembered that Sony has a patent for that!
They really intended (Intend?) to kill the game rental/resale businesses.
They are soooo consumer friendly...

What can you say about a company that makes europeans root for Microsoft? :wink: