PS3 must stay focused on games, says Sony

The PS3 and Xbox 360 are worlds apart in terms of pricing, but Sony and Microsoft do have at least one thing in common: a belief that games must always be the core focus for both consoles. Kaz Hirai, head of Sony Computer Entertainment, told Japanese newspaper Nikkei Business this week that “the main premise of the PS3 is …

[Matt]

actual usage stats....

Id love to see what the stats are for replay value... I know lots of people that waded in and boughts wiis only to have a laugh for a week or too then leaving them to rot...

My PS3 is now used every day with PlayTv + BD films, games... a couple of times a week and most of my Xbox friends use their consoles for games multiple times a week...

Id love to know if this is a similar usage trend... Xbox -> PS3 -> Wii

[Mark W]

@Matt

Yep. I know what you mean. My Wii hardly ever gets switched on now, yet both my PS3 and Xbox360 were used last night. I watched 'Jumper' on blu-ray, and then played Half Life 2 on my Xbox.

Steve - cos I'm slowing getting off the Apple bandwagon. I've seen the light and realised it's not rose tinted...

[Anonymous Coward]

Just to clarify...

"Sony has already announced plans to sell 10m PS3s by the end of its current financial year, which ends 31 March 2009."

That is 10m units for 2008/2009 fiscal year, making a installed base of 21m units worldwide.. (not 10m install base as implied).

[KenBW2]

So a games console should focus on games?

great...

[Anonymous Coward]

Just to clarify further...

"Sony has already announced plans to sell 10m PS3s by the end of its current financial year, which ends 31 March 2009."

PLANS TO SELL.

But probably wont

[Iain]

No, they probably shouldn't...

When you focus purely on the core ability to play games, the 360 and PS3 are roughly equal. Sure, you can make arguments about "teh power of CELL!!!oenone" vs. "Gears of War isn't a testosterone loaded pile of tedium, honest", but they're both about the same for most things.

But Sony want you to hand over £130 extra (assuming you're looking at the 360 Premium, instead of the basic Arcade model) for their machine. That value almost entirely consists of their non-game abilities like the Blu-ray player.

Now, as a Development focus games are obviously where it's at; Blu-ray is quite capably in the hands of the studios, and yet more messing about with Profiles and standards changes is hurting the format, not helping. But as far as marketing goes, it's that "you can't watch Wall-E at 1080p on a 360" message they need to push.